Rogue
News
Volume XII, Issue VIII
May 4, 2018
In This Edition:
Walkout
P2. P3. P4. P5. P6. P8. P9. P10. P11. P12.
Thrifting Sexual Assault ASB Birthdays Walkout Sports/Briscoe Extracurriculars Wildflowers QSA Comics
Sexual Assualt
1 in 4 women will be sexually assaulted just in their academic career. As the staggering statistic sustains itself, educators and organizations have started proactively addressing sexual assault and integrating sexual assault education k-12.
see page 3
ASB One of the most unique ASB elections has wrapped up, and the votes are in. Find out what influences voters and the responsibilities the new officers face.
see page 4
Briscoe
Briscoe School was recently bought by the city of Ashland. There are many debates about the fate of the school, and a few students voice their opinions about Briscoe’s possible renovation.
See page 6
T
he walkout on April 20th 2018 was a success. Bringing in over 500 students from around Ashland, and drawing a large crowd of the community. Ashland High School (AHS) students started their march in the Lincoln parking lot at 11 am on Friday. They marched holding signs, and chanted as they walked down to the plaza. There were speeches by Ashland high school Seniors, whose messages
photo by Alex Franklin
ranged from the importance of young voices, to the need for gun reform, to the push for older students to vote. At the end of the ceremony there was a song of hope sung by Ashland High School’s theater students, which was joined by everyone. At the end there was a moment of silence and the crowd dispersed, spreading their signs around the town.
see page 8
Hair
AHS presents Hair, the 1960s love rock musical on May 2nd. The play has been historically difficult to produce, and has already come up against some difficulty within the school.
see page 9
Thrift Shopping tips and tricks by Lara Rivera
Thrift shopping can turn into an overwhelming experience if you do not know where to go or what to look for. Ashland has an abundance of high-quality thrift shops for clothes, music, furniture, sportswear and such that are accessible to all those in Ashland and areas surrounding.
Tips & Tricks: Since most of the items in thrift shops are second-hand, this means that customers must double check for loose buttons, and stains on the sleeves and throughout the piece of clothing in order to get the most out of their purchase.
Three-Penny Mercantile
Avant Garb: Avant Garb is the ideal place to go if vintage, brand-name clothing is a priority. They have a mix of new clothes and gently-used consignment clothes. The price range is higher than other consignment stores but still appropriate since they sell more current clothes. Avant Garb is downtown, across the street from the restaurant Hither on the corner of Gresham St. and Siskiyou Blvd.
Deja Vu Deja Vu is predominantly a second-hand clothing shop with selected clothes and shoes that are uniquely chic. It’s easy to find what you’re looking for because the whole store is color coded. This shop is in the Ashland Street shopping center, between the Dollar Tree and the Artisan Emporium (another thrifty store for kids clothings, toys and other unique items). Prices here are cheaper than Avant Garb. However there is not as much brand-name clothing.
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This second-hand boutique is located downtown next to Paddington Station, on the corner of North Pioneer St. and East Main Street. Three-Penny has a good selection of clothes that changes every week, chosen by their friendly staff. 80s clothing is the most common type of clothing found here, but their products are ever-changing. Given that they have a great collection of clothes the employees are picky as to what they choose to buy from their customers. A bonus for consigners: they pay you in cash, not store credit. Three Penny also provides a selection of new clothes which will be a little more pricey. A unique feature that Three-Penny Mercantile has is that they host bands on First Fridays.
Good & Will, a Curated Collection Good & Will is considered to have higher quality items given that they are more selective as to what they choose to have in the store. This boutique is also found downtown in between Rogue Valley Runners and Plancha. Good & Will is a new branch of Goodwill in Southern Oregon that makes it easier for all those who are midnful about their shopping as well as fashion-oriented. In this smaller version of Goodwill it is easier to find trending, vintage apparel. Customers are often very satisfied with the products they find here, including unique home decor that ranges from industrial to farmhousey.
COMMUNITY & WORLD
Creating a World Without Sexual Assault editorial by Eliza Strong
Disclaimer:
In writing this piece, I first want to recognize that Sexual Assault Awareness Month can be the most triggering time of year for some survivors. Being bombarded by events meant to be supportive can pull survivors back to inexplicable experiences. In this article, I will discuss the ways in which children in Ashland are learning about consent, and the hope they are giving us. In 2014, Erin’s law was passed in Oregon, which requires all public schools to implement a preventionoriented child sexual abuse program. Educators will go into classrooms four times a year, per request of the principal or specific teacher. Mckenna O’Dougherty, an Ashland High School alum, is working with Jackson County Sexual Assault Response Team (SART) to educate kindergarteners through 12th graders in Ashland schools. O’Dougherty explains that some parents have concerns about their elementary schoolers being exposed to the violence and intensity of sexual assault, but SART’s curriculum starts with basics. In kindergarten, they discuss concepts like asking if it’s ok to
give someone a hug. Starting these discussions young serves as a “foundation for conversation” that they’ll carry throughout their lives. O’Dougherty stresses that the overall goal of SART is to “lower the tolerance in our community” for rape culture. Through Oregon’s adoption of Erin’s law, this goal will be achieved. Ending sexual assault is a more complicated process then many care to admit. As much as we wish we could simply tell people not to rape and they’d immediately understand, O’Dougherty introduces the idea that lifetimes of approval of inappropriate behavior lie behind those actions. The root of our problems is the way rape culture is excused, and that
needs to change first and foremost. The Ashland School District is ahead of the curve in its willingness to implement Erin’s Law, making Ashland High School students the most educated among their peers later in life. “There’s a cultural expectation that people are already sexually active at that age,” O’Dougherty divulges about sexual assault prevention education at the college level, which is why it’s important for elementary schoolers to start these conversations young. When they can become comfortable with listening to someone say they don’t want to hold hands, they will grow to accept consent as a freely given and enthusiastic yes.
photos by Bella Head
Facts from the National Sexual Violence Research Center pg. 3
ASB Presidents Vice President Secretary Rosie Dean is AHS’s Secretary for the 2018-19 school year. Her duties include but are not limited to: taking accurate notes at all meetings and classes which includes preparing minutes and having a record of every discussion in meetings throughout the whole year. Dean admitted “I am sure to have a very active Google Drive.” Dean is also tasked with taking notes after every event to track what went well, and what didn’t as to better improve future affairs. Next year will mark her fourth year in leadership and Dean is excited to take her experience to the next level on the ASB board.
Greta Zeve is AHS’s Vice President for the 2018-19 school year. Her duties include but are not limited to: assisting the Co-Presidents in carrying out their duties, presiding at all meetings and carrying out all additional responsibilities normally done by the Co-Presidents when and if they are absent. In the past, the Vice President has taken on a large part of the responsibility for running the monthly assemblies. The most important role of the Vice President is to oversee all committee work. Zeve plans on creating a stronger foundation to ASB as Vice President, she affirmed, “I’m pretty organized and that’s big part of being on the ASB board.” Zeve has been in Leadership all of her high school career and plans on helping out behind the scenes and supporting the Co-Presidents with whatever they need to get done.
Rylan Rogers and Elijah Retzlaff are AHS’s Student Body Co-Presidents for the 2018-19 school year. Their duties include but are not limited to: doing announcements every Friday, helping and guiding the itinerary in leadership class, speaking at about 6 public speaking events, and directing Leadership activities. They will be expected to be at 8th grade graduation to welcome the middle schoolers to high school, attend every Freshstart retreat, and speak at their own graduation. They will hold weekly meetings with administration as well as meeting with Principal Erica Bare every two weeks. Retzlaff and Rogers’ main goals include creating a system of communication between students and teachers and staff in which optional anonymous surveys will be administered during community, (both Rogers and Retzlaff will be on the quad biweekly to receive input.) In addition, they will work to bring back the snack shack with help from administration and outside groups, improve the bathroom facilities, namely the missing bathroom stalls, and making assemblies more enjoyable.
ASB: From Candidates to Constituents
Treasurer
Cole Daneman is AHS’s Treasurer for the 2018-19 school year. His duties include but are not limited to: maintaining accurate financial records for all income and expenses, maintaining a record of all club budgets and spending and ensure that they are following them. In addition, Daneman as acting Treasurer will report all money spent and collected and of the account balance. Like everyone else in the Leadership governing board, Treasurer is tasked in taking leads in running certain events. Next year will mark his third year in Leadership.
by Uma McGuire
The Ashland student body filled the gym with buzzing words as they filed through the doors, ready and eager to hear from the candidates of a much anticipated election. Every year, AHS elects their new Associated Student Body (ASB) for the coming year, including well-known roles like Student Body Co-Presidents, and more unfamiliar roles including Class Presidents, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer. ASB elections are always exciting, but the lead up to this year’s have been even more so, with 5 separate pairs running for the coveted Student Body President slot. This plurality hasn’t been seen before, (the usual number of teams being two), and consequently caused an influx of candidates each with unique tactics and branding. The campus is dressed with posters and students showcasing pins, wristbands, and stickers of the candidates. Eventually, the students settled and the speeches began, ranging from 4 to 6 minutes and full of promises to constituents including fixing bathroom stalls and increased transpar-
ency between leadership and the student body. As unique as the number of candidates was the way in which students cast their ballots. Instead of ballots being passed out and retrieved in the classroom, this year ballots were given out at the assembly and submitted directly after the speeches. With 5 teams for Student Body CoPresident, there were many things that could influence a potential voter’s ballot. Rogue News decided to figure out if they could find a pattern to see what appealed to the average AHS voter. Juniors were more inclined to vote for their friends or classmates that they were acquainted with, as junior Will Beaudoin commented, “I was probably a little biased because I’ve been friends with both Rylan and Elijah for a while.” However, Beaudoin continued, “I was really holding out for the presentations. I wanted to see which speech was the best and [after watching,] I still think theirs was the best.” Sophomores and Freshman had a harder time finding a unique census although most agreed that the ideas expressed in the speech tended to be a deciding factor. Freshman Asa Picton
This plurality hasn’t been seen before, (the usual number of teams being two), and consequently caused an influx of candidates each with unique tactics and branding.
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expressed that he voted for Rylan and Elijah because of the promise in a candidate’s speech to find a solution for the contentious Grizz Academy class. Picton remarked, “the speech definitely influenced me the most because the only time we had to get to know the people, were if we knew them personally or if we saw the posters, and you can’t really judge someone by the posters.” Some teams of candidates went around to classrooms to make that personal connection with their constituents which sophomore Sienna Wand appreciated, “Caed and Bella came in and talked to our class, and it really felt like they had a direction for where they wanted the school to go, and what they wanted to implement. But they also took questions from students on what we wanted to see happen, so it was nice seeing a community form.” Less in the spotlight, but important nonetheless, are the other office positions such as Class Presidents, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer, each with its unique duties and responsibilities. Elections for these positions are held separate than that for the Student Body Presidents, although many candidates ran unopposed. The votes are in and this year’s Student Body Presidents are Elijah Retzlaff and Rylan Rogers. Greta Zeve will be Vice President, Rosie Dean will be Secretary and Cole Daneman will be Treasurer. The Class Presidents are yet to chosen.
Coincidence? We Think Not Rogue News examines the strange connections between the students and celebrities who share a birthday. by Nicole Mullen Pope Francis wears orthotic shoes and Macy has had orthodontics on her teeth.
photos by Lily Annen
Both Macy and Pope Francis have an emphatic love of juice. The Pope insists on drinking only fresh squeezed orange juice every morning, and Macy loves apple juice “with all of my heart.” Both Macy and the Pope look great in white hats.
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The Pope has his own hospital and Macy has been to the hospital 4 times, including her birth. Francis adores mate and drinks it from a gourd-so does Macy, but she usually just drinks it from a Yerba Mate can. Macy says that, “yeah I could be a bouncer,” just like Pope Francis, who was a bouncer in a Buenos Aires nightclub.
Pope Francis
Macy Brehmer Both Taylor and Miley have blue eyes, their favorite color is blue and have worn blue jeans. Taylor would get engaged to Liam Hemsworth, separate, and then get engaged again, just like Miley. Miley and Taylor have both been topless many times.
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Both watched and were big fans of Hannah Montana the show. Miley Cyrus lived in Canada at age 8, and Taylor has been to Canada for 8 days.
Miley Cyrus
Miley Cyrus “couldn’t eat anything green until she was 18,” and Taylor dislikes many green foods including brussel sprouts, celery, broccoli and green bell peppers.
Taylor Hanks Bernie and Grace both have poor eyesight. Bernie worked as a carpenter, and Grace made a pine bookshelf painted rainbow colors in second grade. Grace is very funny and Bernie is funny on the outside but not on purpose.
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Both have not tried LSD.
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Bernie loves scrambled eggs in the morning, and on a scale of 1 to 10, Grace thinks scrambled eggs are a 6. Grace and Bernie both love the Temptations, the Supremes and disco, especially the Bee Gees.
Bernie Sanders
Grace Johnson
Ashland Walkout Walking Out and Speaking Up by Marcus Mullen
Student-led activism has seen a massive increase across the country after 17 students were shot on February 14 at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland Florida. A myriad of young political activists have emerged, focused almost exclusively on the issue of gun control. The latest nationwide school walkout protesting gun violence occurred on Friday, April 20, the 19th anniversary of the shooting at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado, where 13 people were shot and killed. On April 20 at 11am, over 50% of AHS students walked out of school. Joining them were a multitude of Ashland Middle School students and even elementary school students that left their classes to protest gun violence. During the student-led event, Ashland students walked together from the Lincoln school parking lot to the plaza downtown. Setting aside their commitments to grades, sports, and other activities, the participating students affirmed their commitments to gun control legislation with speeches, chants and picket signs. Once the group assembled on the plaza, several students gave impassioned speeches calling out what is perceived as the enabling of mass shooters by politicians and the NRA. Senior Ellie Carter
gave a speech, saying that “the gun lobby is pleading for us to stop. The politicians, the NRA lobbyists, the gun industry, they all want us to burn out and grow tired.” She added that high school students “are expected to get bored after too long spent protesting one cause… but what they don’t understand is that the hard work of political dissent is nothing compared to the exhaustion students, teachers, and families face by mourning easily preventable deaths.” After the speeches from Ellie Carter, Aanisah Clark, and Emily Belcastro, the group of students ended the walkout with a song. Across the plaza, the voices of students singing “Let the Sun Shine,” from Hair the musical, rose above almost everything else. While overall student support for the walkout was extremely high, the protest did not go without opposition. Backlash from around the valley was voiced on various social media platforms. KDRV Newswatch 12 posted a livestream video and a story about the protest on their Facebook page, drawing comments from Facebook users across the valley. The video and story drew almost 600 comments, with many scolding students for participating in the walkout and supporting its agenda. Sharon Devoll commented that she is “tired of paying taxes for kids who walk out of school and teachers who think it is
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In addition to backlash from around the valley, multiple students voiced concerns over the walkout and its agenda. Evan Thompson, a senior at AHS said that while he understands the motivation for the walkout, he thinks “it is ultimately shortsighted.” Thompson remarked that, “regardless of my personal view on firearms, the right to bear arms is guaranteed by the constitution.” Continuing, Thompson argued that “if we allow any amendment to be suppressed, we allow all of them to be.” Thompson instead offered a solution to the broader issue of gun violence, saying “if you want to end gun violence, disarm police and deescalate the environment. By the principles of economics, regulations only breed black markets. If the police have AR’s, tanks, and drones, criminals have to escalate in order to compete. Therefore instead of local non-violent drug dealers, we have multinational ultra-violent cartels.” Gun control is a controversial issue that Americans everywhere are grappling with. However, one thing is certain: an educated, informed, and active student body expressing a multitude of opinions in hopes of solving society’s problems promises continued civic engagement in the future.
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The Problems With #Walkupnotout editorial by Jade Bromley
If you’ve been on the internet lately, you’ve probably seen impassioned cries to counteract school shootings by eradicating bullying accompanied with the hashtag #walkupnotout. The first time I saw this I disregarded it as conservative propaganda trying to divert the conversation from gun regulation reform, but I started to see it more and more, even from people who fully support gun regulation. This surge of “no bullying equals no shootings” is an ideology which is extremely dangerous, perpetuating incorrect stereotypes of school shooters, shifting blame and responsibility to the would-be victims instead of the perpetrators and distracting from the real conversations that need to be had. In general, there is a common misconception about school shooters. Even when the media tries to tackle the very real fear that this generation lives with, they portray the shooter in a sympathetic light. Many characters on TV who end up as shooters are victims of bullying, pushed to the point of wanting to come to school and hurt people. This stereotype tells people that shooters are outcasts and loners in need of love and support and that if given that love and support they wouldn’t resort to massacring their classmates. This stereotype is the basis of #walkupnotout. It allows people to try to apply reasoning to a situation that is not reasonable and to promote an ineffective 6
solution. Debating a shooter’s troubled past excuses their actions and gives the shooter attention they don’t deserve, while taking attention away from the victims of such events. This stereotype is also very narrow and excludes shooters who aren’t students. The fact is, shootings are very common and very real. They have to do with deeply ingrained mental illness and a desire to gain fame by hurting people. Let me be clear: I don’t mean to marginalize people with mental illness. Obviously not everyone who suffers from mental illness is a danger to society. People who have sociopathic tendencies and are prone to violence are the most at risk for these kinds of behaviors, not the depressed outcast. Still, it’s important to recognize the pre-existing mental problems of shooters, because this will help us to avoid blaming the shooters environment. Cruz, the Parkland shooter, spoke openly about his desire to commit a school shooting and had a violent criminal record. The shooting was strategically planned and he never expressed any desire to get revenge on bullies or said that he was pushed to a limit. It was something he wanted to do, which is sickening and extremely disturbing. At its root though, #walkupnotout is victim blaming. Instead of talking about gun reform or mental health services, it shifts the responsibility of shootings to the victims, giving people the wrong idea—
that you can stop shootings by being nice to people or that it’s your job in the first place. Yes, everyone should be as kind and considerate as they can, but that does not mean that each individual is responsible for the mental stability of their peers. To say otherwise is incredibly damaging, especially when it’s used as a way to shut down young people exercising their right to protest. Instead of America’s youth being supported, they are told that instead of walking out to protest the negligence of the government, they should walk up to someone they think could become a school shooter and be nice to them. Not only is this disrespectful and demeaning, it asks people to put themselves in possibly dangerous situations to try to remedy an epidemic that isn’t theirs to remedy. Regardless of your stand on gun rights, a key part of how frequently shootings occur is due to the accessibility of firearms without effective regulation or required psychiatric review. The high school students walking out are well within their rights to demand that this country place their lives at a higher value than accessibility to assault rifles. Turning on them and telling them to get back in school and talk to a loner isn’t going to exact change. It’s not going to do anything. Talking about these issues and allowing the people who face this threat to have a voice is the only way anything is going to get better.
1. Group of student protesters; photo by Ayla Prusko 2. Student-made poster sitting on the Lithia fountain; photo by Ayla Prusko 3. Anisah Clark giving her speech at the walkout; photo by Ayla Prusko 4. photo by Alex Franklin 5. photo by Ayla Prusko 6. photo by Ethan Bennett 7. photo by Ayla Prusko 8. photo by Ayla Prusko 9. photo by Ayla Prusko 10. photo by Charlie Burr 11. photo by Ayla Prusko
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Why Teenagers Can Create an Effective Movement
editorial by Ayla Prusko
The recent push for more restrictions on gun sales and usage has been monumental, especially for teenagers like myself. The movement consists of people our age getting the attention of the public and directly expressing their views to politicians. For me, witnessing the movement is inspirational and motivating. However, it’s disheartening to hear influential individuals say that we don’t understand the ideas we are opposing or that those taking the public stage are pawns of the Democratic Party, pushing their propaganda. This implies that young Americans are incapable of organizing and publicizing a political movement because we are too young and ignorant to understand how the world “really works.” This implication is false. My generation’s education has had an emphasis put on critical thinking skills. With Common Core, the style of education has shifted from memorization-based learning to conceptual understanding. Through understanding concepts rather than simply repeating facts or formulas, students learn why certain formulas work or why facts are true. Modern education adds another layer of understanding to education that makes working through problems and difficult situations easier. Conceptual understanding translates to the world of politics. We have observed the circumstances of gun violence today, studied the history of gun rights in history classes and analyzed the culture behind gun usage in our country. We know about the history of the NRA and have been made aware of how politics is monetized (and has been for centuries). We understand the basis of the gun control debate and how it functions in the world of politics, and we don’t think it’s being treated properly by lawmakers. We also understand
what our rights as citizens are in a democracy, and we have every intention of exercising those rights. The movement for gun control has demonstrated credibility through achieving publicity on a national scale. We have grown up with technology that allows us to access information about every topic imaginable, as well as give us a platform to share our thoughts and opinions on those topics. For almost our entire lives, a part of our day has been dedicated to navigating various sources of information, assessing and deciding which ones are accurate and whose posts we should pay attention to, so that we can be included in the rapid cultural changes of our generation. We have figured out who everyone listens to, and why, and we use our means of communication to our advantage. We make our mission known to both those who want to be more involved and those who hold opposing views. The technology we utilize allows us to spread this information to those we’ve never even met, because methods of communication are more effective today than ever before. This is how we were able to ensure the message we are sending is heard nationwide. These are just a couple of reasons why a “bunch of teenagers” were able to bring a political movement to life. However, none of these reasons mean anything without the bravery to stand up to authority and tell them where they have gone wrong – something the movement has been able to do well so far and plays a large part in why this movement has received so much attention. We will not be discouraged because we are brave enough to remind politicians we are the sole reason they have their political power in the first place.
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Left in the Dust: The Hierarchy of Sports editorial by Lili Smith
Senior Ian Rinefort and Freshman Bradley Joliffe run at the first track meet on the new track on Wednesday, April 25.
As much as people like to deny it, we all know that there are some sports that students care about and some they don’t. The popular sports include Football, Volleyball, Basketball, sometimes Soccer, and that’s about it. In my high school experience, I’ve been able to participate in a sport where people show up to games and have a cheering student section—and I’ve also been on the Track team. Being on these teams has showed me two vastly different
experiences in terms of support from the student body, as well as funding. On the Volleyball team, we often get new sets of uniforms and a few t-shirts each year. On the track team, we used old cross country uniforms until last year, when we got new singlets for the first time in years. Track is certainly a sport that is swept under the rug in terms of AHS athletics, but I, as well as very few others, have found myself a part of an even lower tier of AHS
sports: the throwing team. We find our place not only at the bottom of the sports heap, but the bottom within a forgotten team. Consisting of 3 events that most people have probably never heard of or know the difference between—shot put, discus and javelin— even our own runners need to be reminded of our existence. I have had a unique experience as a student athlete. I am seen by my peers as a “Volleyball player,” when I think
of myself as a thrower. I’m often being interviewed by yearbook about Volleyball, which, quite honestly, I’m not that great at. I have never been interviewed about track, not even after I won shot put districts as a junior and got 6th in state. AHS has consistently encouraged the support of sports teams, but people tend to stick to what they know. While many of these sports compete off campus, student support can exist away from the competitions themselves. Nothing warms the heart of an athlete more than coming back to school after districts or state and have people actually know how well you did. For those who can’t attend, results can be found on social media pages, like the AHS Facebook page. This feeling of a lack of support from the student body is not exclusive to track. Teams like Water Polo, Tennis, Wrestling, Rowing, Skiing, Snowboarding, Golf and many others have been extremely successful in terms of state rankings in the last few years but get little recognition. In December, our rowing team received Club of the Year, a national award. This year, Zach Adler placed 3rd at the state wrestling meet. These achievements are meaningful to the student body when we hear about them, but because the school as an institution does not often recognize them school-wide, it leaves it up to the students and teams themselves to inform their peers.
Bending Backwards for Briscoe by Jasmine Wallin
Briscoe Elementary School was built in 1948 and closed in 2004. Since then, the space has been turned from a school to a marketplace and popular playground. For Ashland residents, the love for the space has not dimmed in the 14 years the playground has been in use. “When I was little, I played on the playground all the time,” says sophomore Amelia Kahn who has been living in the area for 13 years. 8
Like Kahn, many students at AHS have some connection to Briscoe. Sophomore Ella Stringer has been living in the Briscoe area for 7 years. “Briscoe was one of my favorite places in the entire world as a kid, and I have many fond memories there,” says Stringer. Like students, older residents of Ashland enjoy the space, but also see the opportunities in it. Briscoe was recently up for sale and was bought by
the city of Ashland. Lucky for students like Kahn, regardless of the changes the city makes with Briscoe, they will not remove the playground. According to Daily Tidings the city doesn’t plan to move too quickly with anything, although they have thought of a few ideas on what to do with the building. The first option is housing, which is needed in Ashland with a growing demand and decreasing availability
of living spaces. If the city decided to use the space for housing, the school would be torn down with apartments or houses taking its place. Julia Ferguson is a freshman at AHS who has lived in the Briscoe area for all of her life. Ferguson didn’t know about Briscoe being bought, and wasn’t happy with the idea of it being destroyed. “It’s really sad for me to see something that has so many memories [possibly] gone so quick,” says Ferguson. Another option would be to repair and renovate Briscoe and make it into a functioning school again. According to the Daily Tidings, repairing the damages to the building, including a broken heating system, leaky roof and outdated electrical panels, would cost the city from 6 to 10 million dollars. The last idea would be to tear down the school and in place, have a park. “If I had total control over the situation, I would either keep it as a park and an art wing, but definitely not housing complex or something completely new,” says Kahn. No matter how much the residents of Ashland or the students of AHS want to keep the space, the fate of Briscoe is up to the city, in the end. “Of course, I feel sad that something so crucial to my childhood is [perhaps] being destroyed, but if it will be bettered for future generations, I will be content,” Says Stringer.
INSIDE AHS
Debaters Soar at State and Beyond by William Burgess
“Our team values positive relationships, strong education and kindness,” says Mat Marr AHS’s Speech and Debate teacher. “I think it’s an amazing opportunity for students to learn about the world, to think critically, and to make connections with peers, and I think that has led to a track record of success.” Speech and Debate is an extracurricular class that gives students many great opportunities for personal growth, including strengthening their language skills, traveling, and making new friends. The Speech and Debate team has won 17 state champions in the past 30 years, more state championships than any sport on our campus. This year marked another one of the team’s wins on April 1820, when Ashland placed in all five debate events, and seven out of the eleven speech events. Senior Dylan Kistler placed first in both Lincoln Douglas Debate and Impromptu Speech, a double win unprecedented in recent memory. Ashland also had more success during a two-day long debate on April 7th at
The National Parliamentary Debate Tournament of Champions. The competition was held on our very own campus for the first time. Teams from all over the country including California and Washington D.C. gathered in our home town just for this event. The tournament ended very well for AHS with many students qualifying in all of their events. A select few students will travel to Fort Lauderdale on June 13 for ten days to compete in Naionalse. The students who have earned the right to attend and participate in this competition are: Sarah Aaronson, Maya Livni, Bella Mannaray, Cole Daneman, Sienna Scoggin, Alex Webb, Hannah Doyle, Sam South, and Annika Larson. Aside from the amazing success of the team, winning isn’t what matters most to the team according to Marr. “For us the competition is secondary to building good, smart, thoughtful, caring young individuals.”
“I think it’s an amazing opportunity for students to learn about the world, to think critically, and to make connections with peers.”
Let the Sunshine In: HAIR comes to Ashland High School by Emily Henkel
The musical, Hair, Directed by Lenny Neimark, is a colorful rock musical that was the product of the hippie counterculture, antiwar protests, and sexual revolution of the late 1960s. Several of its songs became powerful anthems for the Vietnam-War peace movements, including “Ain’t Got No Grass”, “ThreeFive-Zero-Zero”, and “Let the Sunshine in.” The protagonist in the play, Claude Hooper Bukowski (Kyle Storie) eventually gets drafted for the war. This event introduces us to other characters in the play who are
protesting the war, and to the theme of social revolution that weaves throughout the play. Joshua Henkel, a junior with the role of tribe members Hubert and Tonto, has been involved in theater since his sophomore year. Henkel says that Hair is an, “interesting play,” that covers often uncomfortable and controversial topics like drug use. Hair took everything that is generally considered bad or not proper and turned it into a musical.” Audrey Cirzan, a senior in the musical, has been
acting since she was 7 years old. She plays Sheila Franklin, a hippie that attends New York University. “I’ve been acting for fun for quite a while, but I started to take it seriously around junior year.” Cirzan says that what she likes most about Hair is the message that it sends. “It’s all about standing up for what you believe in and making a difference in a culture where change seems impossible.” Hair premiered on Broadway on April 29 1968, and became a quick hit in the counter-culture era. Hair still remains an important piece of theater today. It was one of the first rock musicals and one of the first concept musicals, both very critical niches in musical theater history. Hair explores the themes of youth empowerment and social movements related to peace, love and war. The play depicts an era flourishing with the uncontrolled energy, love, and passion of young people coming together. The musical Hair has elicited controversy over the profanity, the portrayal of the use of illegal drugs and the portrayal of sexuality. It was a very different time, with ideas of free love, prominent drug use and rock and roll. This made many people uncomfortable, but most of the controversies have died down. The initial fuss over the play’s content highlights the fact that Hair has made a huge impact on society and how people view the world around them.
HAIR: The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical Preview: Wednesday, May 2 Thurs - Sat (7:30 pm) May 3 - 5 May 10 - 12 Sunday (2 pm) May 6, May 13 Tickets: General $20, Students $15
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Where to Find Wildflowers by Lily Valenta
Spring marks the blossoming of thousands of wildflowers in the Rogue Valley; from Lithia Park to Table Rock, one can find these colorful blooms. Lithia Park is home to an abundance of buds peeping up through the sodden, wet leaves of winter. Short white flowers, commonly called Cat’s Ears due to the fuzzy hairs lining each petal, are native to this region of the northwest. At an even higher elevation, Mt. Ashland is home to the high alpine meadows which can be found just below the peak. Alpine wildflowers can be seen blooming here after the snow melts. Until some of the recent snow dissipates, the flowers will lay dormant, waiting for the perfect weather to display their unique and intricate petals. Gentner’s fritillary is a flower whose petals seem like a work of art. Red with yellow patches, it appears to be stained glass art. This flower is native to the Siskiyou Cascade region and is a rare member of the lily family. The scarcity of this flower is so extreme that overpicking could cause the species to disappear. One unique place to find wildflowers is the Enchanted Forest Hiking Trail in the Ap-
plegate River Valley. The short 1.7-mile route allows for a diverse range of environments such ash low-elevation old growth forests and a summit lookout, both providing a wide-range of wildflowers. The wildflowers growing around Ashland are absolutely breathtaking, but it is pertinent to know the laws and regulations around wildflower picking. In council-regulated parks, picking flowers is not permitted. Picking flowers like the Gentner’s fritillary can be extremely damaging to the species population, as enticing as they may look. Dozens of rare or endangered plants – from orchids to cacti – are protected under The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. Leaving the wildflowers rooted in the ground gives everyone an opportunity to view and enjoy the spring beauties.
“The Youth Vote” Student Podcast by Gemma Coster
In this age of technology and innovation, many people are finding their voice in creative ways. Bella Mannray, a junior at AHS, is an example of one such individual. Her newly developed enterprise, “The Youth Vote,” is a podcast targeted at bringing political awareness to youth ages 18 to 25 year olds. Historically, this age group is known for having low voter turnouts, and Mannray hopes that her podcast will bring more political awareness and literacy to the younger generation. Mannray launched “Youth Vote” as a way to help young people shape their opinions on political topics, and expose them to different viewpoints. Mannray is an intern for Pam Marsh, a Democrat serving in the Oregon House of Representatives, as well as a member for the Ashland Youth Climate Action- which helps build and expand her activism experience. Mannray’s podcast combines several of her interests, such as Rogue News, Speech
and Debate, and political activism. Developing a podcast allows her to stay engaged in current events by using her voice to speak on topics she is interested in. Each episode of “Youth Vote” is typically 5 to 10 minutes, allowing listeners to gain more political experience without devoting too much time. Initially, Mannray’s idea to start a podcast was tentative, but it quickly solidified when she decided to challenge herself and enter in a New York Times podcast challenge. The competition runs from April 26 to May 25, where students are encouraged to create a podcast of 5 minutes or less that addresses one of the Student Opinion questions featured by the New York Times. Currently, Mannray’s podcast has 2 episodes, but she plans to commit more time to the project and upload further episodes in the summer, when she has spare time. In episode one, Mannray led listeners through the
simple process of registering to vote while in episode two, Mannray had the chance to interview Pam Marsh, and the two discussed the importance of people voting in state elections. In the future, she intends to interview more local politicians and heads of nonprofit organizations, all the while shedding light on information “in a clever way that applies to young people”, says
Mannray. Mannray has advice for people who aspire to start their own podcast. First do initial research on what equipment is necessary. Second find an interesting topic that offers room to grow and explore. Third to find a target audience. Lastly to invent a unique name. Anyone who is interested can find Mannray’s “Youth Vote” podcast free on the
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COMMUNITY & WORLD
SOU Symposium on Truth and Reconciliation by Zaida LaRose
The Southern Oregon University Democracy Project hosts a yearly symposium for high school students around the Rogue Valley. On April 24, AHS students who signed up to participate in the discussion walked over to SOU. This year, the third annual symposium was centered on the theme of conflict resolution in America through the lens of South Africa’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission-- a court-like restorative body assembled in 1994 after the abolition of apartheid. The Commission was assembled in order to unite the nation and implement understanding in order to move forward. The symposium was organized by the SOU Honors College, and honors students played key roles in facilitating and moderating events and discussions throughout the day. The symposium began with a series of guest speakers, including Dr. Ernlé Young, a white South African who op-
posed apartheid, and who was witness to the massive amounts of “systematic oppression in every aspect of the lives of black South Africans.” In his speech, Young addressed what he considered the three key systemic problems in the United States today, beginning with the difficulty minorities experience in exercising voting rights in the face of many economic, political, and social municipal-level barriers. Second, Young called out gun violence, and the tens of thousands of deaths by guns in 2017, and the disproportional number of those inflicted on African Americans. Finally, Young addressed residential segregation and the inequality of wealth, another key element of structural racism that goes unaddressed regularly today. Young was able to watch the Truth and Reconciliation model play out first hand in South Africa. Ultimately, Young concluded that the Truth and Recon-
the Truth and Reconciliation Commision in South Africa “did not succeed in addressing the systemic and structural aspects of white supremacy”
ciliation Commission in South Africa “did not succeed in addressing the systemic and structural aspects of white supremacy” nor in truly solving racial injustice and inequality. The second speaker of the day, Dr. Albert Munanga, is the Zambian Embassy’s honorary consul for the state of Washington. Munanga spoke specifically about the role of Nelson Mandela in employing the Truth and Reconciliation model, commending his courage in confronting enemies “with a grace and courage that was never seen before”. Munanga spoke of the “streak of good hidden in every mind”, and his own unwavering faith in people which has allowed him to forgive and move forward. It is this same faith in humanity that made Mandela who he was: a man of principled conviction, attitude and belief, who sought out truth and transparency. To Munanga, “truth is beautiful, truth is wonderful.” Following the speakers, students broke into separate groups in which they were tasked with applying the Truth and Reconciliation model to current American issues, including
the recent proliferation of “fake news”, protests at sporting events, and the contention of symbols of confederacy. After one hour of discussion, student groups selected a representative to share their conclusions with the entire symposium. The conclusion drawn by a large majority of the students was that the model of Truth and Reconciliation is not currently feasible in American society-- at least, not on a large scale. The students proposed that we implement the model in microcosms and foster reconciling ideals on a local or community level, but clarified that we cannot expect change and cooperation from the country as a whole. Keep an eye out during government class next year in the Spring for this event to come around again. The model of Truth and Reconciliation is only possible if citizens, including students, show up and express a willingness for transparency, the admittance of faults and most critically, the willingness to listen to one another.
“Truth is beautiful, truth is wonderful”
Gender Blender to Queer Movie Night and Day of Silence by Sophia Hajje AHS is filled with inspiring and welcoming clubs. One of these clubs is Queer Straight Alliance (QSA), a student led club that is a safe place for the queer community as well as straight and cis allies. QSA welcomes individuals regardless of their self-identification. Cora Stonewood, copresident of QSA, said “QSA is, at its core, a club to bring people together and discuss Queer issues in particular.” Stone-
wood also stated that, “Some people come there to be heard, some for advice, some for education, some for outreach and some for other reasons.” Lilli Morrish another co-president, added that QSA “is a wonderful opportunity to get to know peers and feel a sense of solidarity, and I highly recommend either coming to one of our meetings or participating in the Day of Silence (DOS).” DOS nationally took place
“I highly recommend either coming to one of our meetings or participating in the Day of Silence”
on Friday April 27, but DOS at AHS will take place on May 18. In order to further support the Queer community, QSA usually hosts a dance called the Gender Blender at ScienceWorks. Due to budget constraints, they are tentatively planning to instead hold a movie night in the IVC on May 18. For more information you can attend a club meeting at lunch on Thursdays in room 215. By creating these inclusive activities, QSA hopes to make students feel safe, supported, and understood.
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Collective Comics