October 2017

Volume XII, Issue II

October 16, 2017

Homecoming Blasts off to a New Space

by Uma McGuire

This year, the Homecoming dance will be blasting off on October 28, moving from the gym to the ScienceWorks Hands-On Mueseum.

Because of the perpetual popularity of Star Wars and the vast inspiration for elaborate decorations, “space” was originally chosen for this year’s Homecoming theme. However, as leadership began forming the logistics for the dance, they slowly started to move towards the concept of Tomorrowland. The idea of the future used to be very exciting and included high-tech gadgets and machines like those depicted in 1989’s Back to the Future Part II. But as of now, the increasing political turmoil and climate change has left many pessimistic and dreading the future, no matter how many times Apple iOS is updated. This year’s Homecoming is hoping to revive that past excitement.

Decorative construction for the ScienceWorks setting started during summer break, with leadership students making posters and structures with due dili-

gence. This makes it possible for fewer store-bought decorations than last year, and continues the Ashland High School (AHS) tradition of leadership tackling the adornment of the Homecoming space. Furthermore, National Arts Honor Society will be joining the team to beautify the dance floor. ScienceWorks lends itself nicely for this year’s Homecoming, since it offers lower ceilings and huge beams with electrical sockets. Leadership’s goal is to decorate the beams with endless rows of twinkly lights to simulate the stars. In addition, there will be blow-up planets and lots of other space paraphernalia.

The only downside is that since it is off campus, the ticket prices may have to be increased to compensate for the rental cost.

But the good outweighs the bad.

For those who are interested in more than dancing, other rooms in ScienceWorks will be open for engagement including the bubble room; the more chaperones that sign up, the more of the rooms AHS students will have access to. Leadership hopes to see all the dreamers on October 28, to explore space and visit Tomorrowland.

As Walt Disney said, “Tomorrow can be a wonderful age.”

Community Transition from Staff to Students

by Taylor Kelly-McMahon

Last year, Community time was used as the time them to present their curriculum in a more structured to talk to your teachers, socialize, or enjoy an extra way. long 2nd/6th period class. But this year, no more! The “We propose the lesson, we try it out in leader20-minute period we have tacked on at the end of ev- ship, we get feedback, and after that we put it on a webery 2nd/6th period class on Wednesdays is now be- site for teachers to access,” Bos-Marquez said. This, of ing run by the students in leadership. “We’re trying to course, is a significant endeavor to take on. make it more beneficial to students, Something worthwhile about last not just [academically], but also emoyear’s Community was the time altionally,” said Emily Belcastro, the lowed for homework and talking to ASB vice president. According to her, teachers. Students will still be able to this is one of the improvements to do so, but the schedule will be more I’m not saying concrete. Each red Community day, community that Leadership is trying to make this year. community will will be Leadership’s curriculum. A Although the original essence of student representative from LeaderCommunity will still be there, stu- solve all of these ship will come to help teachers teach dents can expect some big changes. problems, but it’s the curriculum that they have put on After the events of last year involvthe Community website. Every white ing race-relations, the rising statistic a good start in the Community day will be TCB (taking of mental illness in teenagers, and right direction. care of business). This set up is a great the excessive drug use in our combalance of curriculum and school-Emily Belcastro munity, leadership wants to do evwork. erything in their power to make sure “My personal goal is to use this that these issues are addressed. “We’re time as much as possible to work tocalling them the three pillars of needs: wards achieving goals listed in the drug and alcohol awareness, equity plan,” said Cole Daneman, the ASB and diversity, and mental and physical wellbeing.” said treasurer. Leadership is very hopeful that Community Meggean Bos- Marquez, the Leadership Director. will be able to make an impact, no matter how small, These are big issues to tackle, but leadership isn’t doing on the school as a whole and the community that we this alone. They have state standards to meet, which live in. It is the first step in a journey towards a brightalso allows Leadership to have a backbone, helping er, safer and more diverse future.

In this edition

P2. Sports Budget P2. Ultimate Frisbee P3. Sports Catch Up P4. Exchange Students P5. Freshman Feature P5. Senior Bucket List P6. Adventure Map P8. Snack Shack P8. Cell Phones Policy P9. Lauren Pauli P9. Guanajuato P10. Natural Disasters P11. Cafeteria Food P11. Restaurant Review P12. Halloween

AHS Student on Exchange Join Ava Hern for the beginning of her Rotary adventure in Cantabria, Spain.

See page 4

Doom ‘N Gloom in 2017 Smoke, hurricanes, earthquakes and blizzards: changing weather or the end of the world?

See page 10

Sports Budget

by Tzad Burt

In 1994, Ashland School District passed the “Youth Activities and Academics Levy,” which grants Ashland High School along with all other schools in the district the ability to revoke the traditional “pay-to-play,” giving athletes who generally could not afford to play sports, the ability to do so. Since the Oregon State Athletic Association (OSAA) sports are essentially free, the funding for the programs become the district’s and the levy funds’ responsibility. Over the past few years, the activities levy has brought in roughly $3 million a year.

Each year, the basic funding that is needed for officials, which can range anywhere from $3,000-$6,000 per sport, is covered by the district. In addition, there are more than 40 paid coaching positions, each earning between $2,000 and $4,000 per season.

Transportation to and from games and any field or court maintenance is also included in the district’s budget.

Any additional funding that teams

may need for equipment is issued to the team’s head coaches depending on the cost during the previous season, the cost of equipment required for the upcoming season and the coach’s discretion. This leads to the inherent unequal distribution of funds across the different sports, simply because it costs more to outfit a football player with new equipment then it takes to outfit the entirety of the cross-country team.

Club sport funding operates a little differently. The district and levy money is not responsible for the full funding of the non-profit, school affiliated club sports and only partially funds them by giving $100 per athlete who participated during the prior season

Ultimate Frisbee

by William Burgess

Freshmen Gabe Smith and Asher Werthaiser have been playing the rigorous game of Ultimate Frisbee since 5th grade, where they grew an undying and never ending passion for the sport. This led them to start an AHS Ultimate Frisbee Team, which is picking up players quickly with a roster of 20 players or more. According to Werthaiser, “Ultimate Frisbee is action packed and overall fun.” Smith and Werthaiser will be the team’s captains due to their dedication and hard work to get the team started. Practice will be ending soon for the winter because of weather and playing conditions, but it will begin again in the spring.

They will be competing in tournaments and games against other schools like North Medford, whose team already has over 50 players. Smith and Werthaiser hope to lead the Frisbee team to wins in tournaments in the Rogue Valley, as well as all of Oregon and the rest of the West Coast. Practice is after school on Wednesdays and Fridays at the AHS baseball field from 3:15 to 4:45.

Erin Federline is running the team and is organizing funding for the traveling and food expenses for the games. If ultimate Frisbee is for you, then join by showing up to a practice or talk to Smith, Werthaiser or Federline for more info.

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to the respective sport. For example, if there were 50 snowboarders on the snowboard team last winter, the team would receive a $5,000 check for the upcoming season.

Though this money greatly aids in reducing the cost of club sports, fundraising is still necessary to finish paying for fees.

Another way funding for club sports is obtained, aside from what every athlete pays to play the sport, is through the Booster Club, another nonprofit organization affiliated with the school in order to boost school spirit and aid with financial support. The Booster Club gives an additional $75 per athlete whose parent is a “member.” This means that the athlete’s par-

Without the refs, it’s just recess -Karl Kemper

ents pay a $35 member fee and then are allowed to attend Booster Club meetings and are encouraged to help out as much as possible with fundraising and concessions at athletic events.

The Booster Club also coordinates large equipment purchases, such as the portable hitting tunnel used by the baseball team, or new goals for soccer.

Since it tends to cost quite a bit to play sports, even if it is just regular OSAA athletics, scholarship opportunities are available to those who are in need of some extra financial assistance. This can help with team fees for club sports or any personal equipment an athlete’s family may not be able to cover. This money comes from the Booster Club and is kept in a separate account that our athletic director, Karl Kemper, oversees. The Booster Club is always looking for student and parent volunteers to work concessions and sell spirit wear at athletic events and is a community service opportunity. Come on down and support your Grizzlies!

Fall Sports

by Marcus Mullen

Soccer:

The boys’ varsity soccer team (8-1-2) has been serious about competing during this fall sports season, with many hours of practice put in over the summer.

“We’re really looking to compete for the state championship this year”, said Sam Austin, a sophomore on the varsity team. The hard work is evident in the results of their season so far, with a 5-0 win against Springfield High on October 6. The girls’ soccer team (8-1-1) has also had a successful season as they have been training since the beginning of summer as well.

Most recently, the girls’ varsity team beat Springfield High with a score of 3-0. The girls’ team is ranked at 10th in the state, and the boys’ team is ranked at 8th overall.

Volleyball:

Ashland Varsity volleyball (4-11) has been off to a mixed start this year, having recently struggled in games against Marist Catholic and Crater High school. The lack of seniors on the varsity may be contributing to their rocky season, but while they have faced a number of losses, the team has also had some outstanding wins, such as their 3-0 shutout against Churchill High School on August 31. The volleyball team is holding steady at 23 in the state.

Water Polo:

While the water polo teams had no issues practicing when the smoke engulfed the valley, they struggled with another issue. Due to a lack of water polo teams in Southern Oregon, both the girls and boys teams have had trouble finding teams to compete against.

Despite this issue, both the boys and girls water polo teams have had successful seasons. The boys overall record is 4-0, and the girls’ overall record is 4-0.

Football:

The football (2-4) team has also had a mixed season so far. In September, the team struggled with considerable losses against Summit, Churchill and Marist High School. The team’s variable performance may be partially due to the number of injuries that varsity players have suffered. Despite the devastating losses that they faced, the team recently beat Springfield High School with a score of 21-14, improving their OSAA ranking to 25th in the state.

Cross Country:

Despite the challenges that the smoke created in training for cross country, both the girls’ and boys’ teams have done well in recent competitions. At the State of Jefferson Meet, the boys’ varsity team placed first overall, and the girls’ varsity team placed third.

Evan Holland, an AHS sophomore, and Alex Franklin, a senior, placed first and second at the meet with times of 15:29.97, and 15:53.30 respectively in the 5000 meter race.

Smoke:

When the smoke from Oregon fires filled our valley to the brim, a number of challenges arose for Ashland High School’s fall sports teams. On some days, the air quality index (AQI) surpassed the unhealthy range, which eliminated any chance of outside practices. While this proved to be a non-issue for our volleyball teams, all other fall sports teams had to relocate practice, sometimes on very short notice, to indoor facilities. Henry Cobb, a senior cross country runner remembers “We basically had to stop all training because of the smoke... it really messed up our season.” Not only did the smoke interfere with practice and training, it also caused numerous competition cancellations. In all, more than 10 competitions across were canceled or rescheduled. While many people expected the smoke to have devastating effects on AHS sports competition, “The great thing about the smoke is that it effected everyone in our competition pool,” Cobb pointed out. Because of the somewhat widespread distribution created by the smoke throughout Southern Oregon, almost all of our fall sports teams have had very successful seasons so far. photos by John Corder, Simon DiRienzo, and Charlie Burr

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Student Feature Journey to Spain About a year ago I made a big decision to begin applying for a study abroad program through Rotary Youth Exchange. It would mean saying goodbye to my family and friends for a whole year, and pressing the pause button on my time as an Ashland Grizzly. However, after meeting and hosting exchange students that had come to Oregon, I was inspired and I knew it was an opportunity that I couldn’t pass up. After a two month application process I found out that I had been accepted. Now here I am, 11 months later and one month into the biggest adventure of my life thus far.

I will be spending my junior year abroad in the Northwestern Spanish region of Cantabria. I will be here for about 10 and a half months, learning the culture, the language and attending school. So far my experience has been absolutely incredible. Cantabria is one of the smallest regions in Spain and, in my very biased opinion, one of the most beautiful.

My town is conveniently located 15 minutes from the beach and an hour from a ski resort, with mountains and rainy weather that make me feel right at home. Running right past my current town, Solares, is the Camino de Santiago, an 800 kilometer path that goes through southern France and the coast of Spain and is considered to be the Pacific Crest Trail of Europe. I will have three different families during the duration of my stay here, all in different pueblos around the area. In my current host family I am the big sister to two adorable host siblings.

I go to school at I.E.S Alberto Pico. The school is in Santander, the capital of Cantabria, and a 30 minute train ride away, which means I have the luxury of learning how to use public transportation and navigate myself in a city.

My classes are small, and taught 100% in Spanish. It lacks the teams and clubs that surround Ashland High School, but my classmates and teachers are all very nice and I am enjoying my time there.

Though I feel like I arrived only yesterday, I have already experienced so many things in the month that I have been in Spain: explored villages older than the whole of the United States as a whole, cheered on the Cantabrian futbol team, got on the wrong train one too many times. I joined a band, protested xenophobia in the main plaza of Santander during a torrential downpour, and took a bus to Madrid and met 150 other Rotary exchange students from all around the world.

I have sampled exotic Spanish cuisine (including cow tongue and baby octopi), went surfing in the Atlantic ocean, and met countless amazing people. I am astounded by all the great connections I have made here already and hope to continue making during the next 10 months.

I never knew how much you could learn when you step out of your comfort zone and into a different environment.

Every day I try something new and my brain is so full from all the knowledge that I am gaining about the language, the culture, and the world as a whole. Just one month into my life in Spain I feel as if I have been here a whole lifetime. I cannot wait to see what other adventures await me during the next 10 months in my second home. photos courtesy of Ava Hearn

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by guest writer Ava Hearn

Student Feature Fantastic Freshmen Aubrey Losinski

Dillan Anway

Aubrey Losinski, a freshman at AHS, is an athlete and a musician.

She begins her high school career as a skilled baritone saxophone player with two years of experience under her belt. Losinksi is considering pursuing music as a career where she would continue playing the baritone saxophone.

Besides playing an instrument, Losinski is on the volleyball team, and says it has been a good season overall. She has been playing volleyball photo by Lara Rivera for eight years and she intends to continue cultivating her skills in college. Losinski is dedicated to her extracurriculars, but when she isn’t found practicing, you can find her with her friends where she is more often than not downtown at her favorite restaurant, Standing Stone Brewing Co. Her Friday nights are often spent at a friend’s house watching movies.

During school she enjoys her Humanities class taught by Ms. Floren and mentions that it’s her favorite class, especially because of the people who are in it. One of the things Losinski dislikes the most is running during wellness, to which her response is always “oh… no…” However, she does enjoy a casual kind of a run or sprint. Losinksi states that anyone “who has accomplished anything in life and is doing really well in it” is her role model. Besides playing an instrument and playing volleyball, one of Losinski’s goals is to learn how to speak another language, preferably an Asian language because of the different writingstyle and the cultural history behind them. Losinski is cheerful, positive and dedicated to her widespread hobbies.

Freshman Dillan Anway is new to Ashland School District, coming from the Medford and Phoenix area to our lovely town. He enjoys sports and being active, and plays both baseball and basketball. He is currently playing on the AHS fall baseball team and plans to join the basketball team as well. He excels in sports, but also participates in Key Club, which is a student-led international club that is one of the oldest and largest service clubs in photo by Sophia Hajje the world. Key Club International fundraises for many organizations like UNICEF (United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund) and Children’s Miracle Network, which are both lifesaving platforms. Anway helps to raise money in ways such as selling candy canes during winter time and snow cones in the spring, and participating in benefits that help to fund certain organizations.

Anway is also taking Intro to Foods as an elective. He finds foods an extremely enjoyable and interactive class and believes that all students who love food and cooking should take. On top of his extracurricular sports activities and cooking, Anway is also very funny and says he can always make his parents and friends laugh. He is also incredibly talented in other ways, such as living vicariously through characters and doing impressions. Ask him to impersonate anyone and he will! Anway adds to the AHS community with very unique talents and interests.

by Kamala Aryeff

by Lara Rivera

Senior Goals We asked an assortment of seniors what their goals are for their final year at AHS.

“I want to get published!”

- Autumn Nidalmia “I want to get a medal at a crew regatta meet.”

- Emma Glatte “SURVIVE.” - Maya Davis

“I want to learn jazz on the cello.”

- Elena Patterson “I want to go to state for swim.”

- Rose Eschtruth Harrison

“I want to go to Worlds for robotics.”

- Javier Mitchell-Vargas

“I want to get into Stanford.”

- Alex Webb

“I want to achieve all of Autumn, Alex, Emma, and Maya’s goals simultaneously while also doing them a little bit better than they did.” - Ian Shibley-Styer

“Go to state in one (or both) of my sports, golf and soccer.”

- Ginny Cotton

quotes compiled by Simon DiRienzo

art by Sophia Hajje

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Adventure Awaits 5 Places to Explore this Fall

by Eliza Strong

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01. Valley View Orchard

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‘Tis the season for apple pie, and Valley View Orchard makes it easy and fun to make this year’s from scratch. Junior Claire Stanley visits the orchard every year, and appreciates that one can take home buckets full of fruit at a decent price. Located just outside Ashland, this serene spot boasts a stellar landscape to enjoy while picking.

02. Split Rock Trail

02 Kate Kennedy, one of Ashland High School’s beloved science teachers, packs her weekends full of outdoorsy activities. The physics wiz loves to hike, and one of her new favorite routes is the recently developed Split Rock Trail. About 4 miles west from the Mt. Ashland ski lodge, a sign marked “no bikes” signifies the beginning of the trail. It meets up with an Ashland classic, Wagner Butte, where views of Mt. Shasta, Mt. McLoughlin, Mt. Ashland, The Marble Mountains, The Trinity Alps, as well as the whole Rogue Valley and Coastal Range, can be enjoyed.

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Grizzly Peak

Recommended by avid adventurer and senior Nur Shelton, Grizzly Peak is a fairly well known 5 mile loop that offers a quick and beautiful escape from life in town. The picturesque trail is lined by burnt trees that contrast with lush grass and wildflowers. As the views to both the east and west are unmarked by skyscrapers, this spot is ideal to watch the sun rise and set.

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photos by Ethan Bennet and Eliza Strong art by Sophia Hajje

05. Red Queen Trail

04. Pheasant Field Farms The steep Red Queen is a personal favorite of Doug Shipley, a special education teacher at AHS of 22 years. As a long term resident of Ashland, Shipley has seen the Ashland trails in a pretty messy state. He’s excited about the new Red Queen Trail that “shows you how the watershed can look when it’s healthy and cleared out.” Shipley’s enthusiasm for his rewarding job carries over to his willingness to power through long hikes for beautiful views. He shares that if a hiker keeps going on Red Queen, they can make their way to Lewis Loop and eventually Gyre to see the entire watershed and Rogue Valley from above.

Pheasant Field Farms provides the opportunity for some classic pumpkin carving, hayrides and getting lost in a 3 acre corn maze. Their Harvest Festival runs every October weekend, and they boast 30 varieties of pumpkins for the picking. 1865 Camp Baker Rd. Medford, OR. 7

News Snack Shack

by Jackson McRae

The snack shack at AHS, although created only last year, is something students have used to buy snacks to fuel them throughout the day. However, with the short staffing in the cafeteria this year, the shack has closed down temporarily. It’s not planned to stay closed, with the school currently looking for a new person to run it. The requirements for this position aren’t quite as straightforward as they would seem however, as it requires not only someone who has experience in school cafeterias, but also has their state-level cafeteria certification. Having this certification requires people to be at least 18 and have state level training.

Finding someone to fill this position has been surprisingly difficult, according to Christina Lehman, a cafeteria worker at AHS. “Working here has a lot of benefits too, so I’m surprised no one has been hired.” Even with the drought of workers coming to

fill in for the Snack Shack, the current staff has more ideas for potential snacks. Cookies, more granola bars and even more smoothies are some of what else could be coming in the near future.

Though students had suggest the possibility of the snack shack being student run, Lehman took a clear stance saying, “No, we just can’t do that. As much as we would like to do something like that, it just isn’t possible.” The guidelines are very strict in the cafeteria, and many potential alternatives to hiring more people are shut down because of these rules. With the restrictions in place, there’s no saying how long it will take until the snack shack opens back up, but the administration’s goal is to have it up and running soon. Hopefully, it will be sooner rather than later, and the AHS snack shack will be back to business as usual.

Cell Phone Use at AHS: A Tough Call

by Dylan Kistler

Beginning this fall semester, the AHS administration has changed its stance on regulating cell phone usage in classes, ultimately amounting to a commitment that teachers will uniformly enforce existing policy: phones used outside of teacher-sanctioned exceptions will be confiscated, with further confiscations leading to disciplinary action. Whereas in previous years students might have expected one or more of their teachers to have a relaxed response when they snuck in a text or snap – and likewise be flustered by other teachers who took the issue seriously – the recent shift aims to improve consistency and effectiveness for learning in the rapidly evolving 21st century.

Although some students view the change as an unwarranted encroachment on their right to be a self-directed learner, numerous teachers see this as a long overdue step for AHS. Kimberley Healey is among them: “I want students to talk to each other and relax. When they need to use a phone, it’s an excellent chance to exercise self-advocacy by communicating their valid reason to the teacher.” Healey’s colleague, Paul Huard, added that “the policy will help combat this growing distraction which affects every age group in society. I often remind my students that their friends will still be there after school.

However, I want to continue to reserve discretion for allowing students their technology’s legitimate uses [in class].” Dean of Students Glenna Stiles commented on this communication between students and administration, noting that “it was the respectful advocacy of one student in the library that persuaded us to change the rules in the library in order to allow listening to music and audio books with earbuds.”

The broad enforcement of cell phone restrictions has become the norm. “All high schools I’ve been a part of similarly didn’t allow cell phones in class,” chimed in government teacher Peter Bolling, who

has previously taught in Ketchikan, Alaska, and Medford, Oregon. Thai students who visited Ashland this September shared with the Rogue News that in their country, cell phones are not permitted during any school hours except for in unique circumstances. Beyond having a similar phone policy to Ashland High’s, their culture also views cell phone use in classes as a major respect issue – being caught just once could compromise a student’s relationship with their teacher.

Not all evidence points to a positive effect from the policy. Psychology Today writer Carl Pickhardt asserts that if independence isn’t permitted before young adults are forced to fend for themselves, their chances of fending off negative habits later on will suffer. Teens’ ability to autonomously set their own boundaries is a crucial skill in development during high school, and it necessitates practice to be acquired. Moreover, a student’s trust and peer-like friendships with teachers, proven to enhance investment in the education process, could be strained as a result of the policy. The American Psychological Association posits that student motivation in the classroom is tied to three core elements of each students’ “self-system”: competence (capability and focus), autonomy (a sense of self-responsibility) and relatedness (to their teacher and peers). Consequently, the policy can be viewed as a detraction from the latter two motivations in favor of profiting the first.

Nevertheless, a recent study by the University of Illinois suggests that continual use of social media throughout the day is linked to increases in anxiety and depression among young adults. In the midst of stress-inducing classes, homework assignments, and extracurricular demands, the AHS administration opted to executively take action in reducing one added distraction – a notable one at that – from the school day.

Chautauqua Poets & Writers

Presents

ANDRE DUBUS

General at outlets.............................. $15 Student sold at AHS, w/ID................. $12

Author of

Bloomsbury Books & Bookwagon

TICKETS

Reserved Seats online only ............ $20 order at: chautauquawriters.org

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OUTLETS

in Ashland

House of Sand & Fog, Dirty Love, and Townie

Mountain Avenue Theatre 201 S. Mountain Ave. Ashland • 541-840-7512

Monday, 7:30 PM

October 23, 2017 —

SPONSORS

—

Ashland School District • Friends of the Ashland Public Library • SOU Division of Humanities and Culture c h a u t a u q u a w r i t e r s .o r g

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Features Royalty for a Week

by Bella Mannray

This summer, AHS seniors Mumi Thiaw and Brook Hall traveled to Ashland’s sister city Guanajuato, Mexico to represent Ashland as “princesses” for the annual festivals of La Presa de Olla and San Juan. Thiaw and Hall were selected through a program coordinated by the Ashland Amigo Club, which has helped foster a relationship between the two cities for over 47 years. Along with junior Connor Dow, who assisted with travel logistics, the pair became royalty for a week. Hours of preparation in the Spring, followed by a week in Mexico, and a week in Ashland with the Guanajuato festival Queen, left Thiaw and Hall with an awe-inspiring experience in the sister cities.

Thiaw applied to the program with the intent of expanding her Spanish language skills and broadening her cultural horizons. She rehearsed a speech in Spanish about her candidacy and why she applied, slowly perfecting the intonation and pronunciation of her words, and practicing her vocal skills in order to perform songs like Nina Simone’s “Feeling Good” for leaders of Guanajuato. With the mentorship of Señora Chela, whom Thiaw calls “one of the most loved people in [her] life,” she crafted a perfect repertoire to represent Ashland and immerse herself in the culture of Guanajuato. After her trip to Guanajuato, Thiaw believes she wants to pursue anthropology and cultural studies at the collegiate level. Thiaw states “I want to keep learning. I feel like learning about language and cultures

is one of the most exciting, thrilling things. I feel like I would live a full life if that’s all I ever studied.”

Hall applied to the program with an interest in improving her Spanish, and for the appeal of traveling to another country without the title of “tourist.” Overall, her experience was extremely impactful. However, it did come with an intense time commitment. On average, Hall spent 8 hours per week perfecting her speech and performance. Hall performed a French opera piece, which had great historical importance as it was the first opera piece Señora Chela had performed in public. Now back in Ashland, Hall still communicates with the people she met on her trip.

Just 2 weeks ago, she had an hour phone call, entirely in Spanish, with one of the people she befriended in Guanajuato. After high school, she plans to study abroad in Guanajuato, and live there for the 50th anniversary of the festival La Presa de Olla and San Juan. Her cultural interests and improvement in her Spanish fluency will help her as she figures out her career interests. Two options she’s considering are psychiatry or psychiatric nurse practitioning. “I really want to help people who don’t speak English and are in a country where a lot of people are telling them ‘why don’t you speak English?’. I want to be available for all counseling services that they may otherwise not receive,” said Hall.

Representing Ashland transformed Thiaw and Hall’s future interests by providing them with an experience

that included cultural enrichment and language enhancement. Dow is also appreciative for the experience and the connection between Ashland and Guanajuato. Overall one of the most important parts of the experience for Thiaw, Hall, and Dow was meeting the people of Guanajuato, who welcomed them with open arms and open hearts.

photos courtesy of Mumi Thiaw

Hiking the PCT

by Lily Valenta

photos by Kamala Aryeff

6:30 am. Wake-up. Pee. Eat breakfast (probably oatmeal). Break down camp, and hike 10 or 12 miles. This was Lauren Pauli’s everyday schedule on her 28-day hike along the Oregon section of the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT). Pauli decided to hike the PCT from The Columbia Gorge to Mount Ashland for her senior project this summer, joined occasionally by various family members. Although the smoke did put a damper on some of the scenic passages of the trip, even causing her to skip the Cascade National Monument, she still experienced some incredibly memorable moments. In a single day, Pauli would traverse rocky lava beds into picturesque meadows. The next, she could view a whole valley from the top of a mountain. The day after that, a dramatic change in scenery could happen all over again. According to Pauli, the most boring piece of the trail was in Southern Oregon.

In these humdrum stretches of trail, when there wasn’t much to see or do, Pauli’s mind

wandered back to the to-do list she had at home. This worry in the back of her mind made the trip much harder mentally than it was physically, but she powered through.

Hiking up an incredibly steep mountain trail seems easy in comparison to the stress of college applications. Until Pauli saw her sister, this mental challenge seemed unbearable, but the sight of her sister made the idea of hiking for a month seem much more feasible. The breaks between hiking long portions of the trail involved Pauli’s favorite drink - chai tea. Though there were some low parts of the trip, just like in most adventures, the good outweighed the bad, and Pauli wants to hike even more of the PCT. Her tips to any teens wanting to go on an adventure of their own is fairly simple: don’t have grand expectations, don’t hike with a strict agenda, and the most important thing - definitely have a breakfast burrito from Ruby’s after returning home.

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It’s The End of The World as We Know It editorial by Daniel Noonan

In 2017, the likelihood that you are going to meet your end at the hands of a natural disaster is high. Rapidly changing weather patterns due to climate change and ever shifting tectonic plates put Earth on the precipice of a real world reenactment of the movie 2012. Though the reality of natural disasters is not as sensational or entertaining as it seems in the movies, they are becoming more and more frequent and devastating. In recent months, everyone from Florida to Mexico to even Southern Oregon have experienced disaster in ways we haven’t seen in years, so follow me as I take you on a journey through the first act in the world’s descent into climate chaos.

Southern Oregon has been experiencing some of the worst smog and smoke on record. At least it would seem so if you talked to one of my many peers that seem to believe the world is ending. The abundance of devastating wildfires as well as Ashland’s placement in the center of a climate inversion zone lend to the painfully thick sheen of smog that smothered the valley during late summer and early fall. The precipitation and temperature shift near the end of September led to the smoke clearing; however, 2017 is the hottest year on record second only to 2016, according to independent analyses by NASA and NOAA. In short, the conditions under which these fires start and burn best are getting worse for the Valley’s population and better for the fires. According to the New York State Department of Health, exposure to smoke and ash particulates can cause angina, alter lung function and cause acute bronchitis which is treatable, but extended exposure to ash and particulates can lead to chronic bronchitis which is a debilitating cough that can last for years. Being surrounded by an (almost) literal tinder forest waiting to be set alight will continue to put everyone in the Rogue Valley at risk.

Despite the fact that residents of Ashland may end up smothering to death before the year is out, Ashland’s friends down South are experiencing tragedy in ways we could never imagine. From August 30 to September 14, Florida was ravaged by Hurricane Irma. The death toll continues to rise and the damages are in the trillions of dollars. For Barbuda alone, the preliminary estimate for rebuilding is $300 million, which represents more than 20 percent of the country’s GDP, according to the island’s gover-

sulting erratic weather patterns and weather anomalies could cause intense and potentially irreparable damage to our world’s people and infrastructure.

I know it is difficult to wrap one’s head around, given Oregon rarely experiences events similar to these, but the reality is that as climate change worsens, there is no telling what storms could materialize.

In further harrowing news, early this September, Mexico was hit by two massive earthquakes. The first earthquake, which measured in at a mag-

art by Sophia Hajje nor Rodney Williams. Soon after Irma hit land Hurricane Maria bore down on the already distraught Floridian populous causing continued damages.

While those two category five hurricanes decimated the southeast United States the category four Hurricane Harvey tore into Texas, annihilating homes and land causing mass flooding on August 29. In addition, Hurricane Nate made landfall on October 8, causing flooding throughout eastern Mississipi. Events like these will continue to occur with higher frequency as climate change continues to affect water levels and temperatures, ocean currents and wind currents. The re-

nitude of 8.1, struck off Mexico’s coast and did minimal damage. The second earthquake, which weighed in at a magnitude of 7.1, did massive damage to Mexico City. The earthquake toppled buildings, cracked roads and killed hundreds of people. Though events like this seem rare, they aren’t uncommon in seismically active regions like Mexico which reside next to the Pacific Ring of Fire, according to Behzad Fatahi, a professor at the University of Technology in Sydney. This calamity acts as a grim reminder to the residents of Oregon that the Cascadia subduction zone, a “megathrust” fault is a 1,000 Km long dipping fault that

stretches from Northern Vancouver Island to Cape Mendocino California, could be set off causing an earthquake of magnitude 8.5 or higher. On that note sleep tight knowing that at any minute the ground could open up beneath you and swallow you whole. I personally find the possibility terrifying but the fact that I have no power over whether Gaia eats me like Halloween candy keeps me from losing too much sleep.

In conclusion, the Northwest is descending into a fiery inferno, most of the United States’ south is being pummeled by hurricanes, and the majority of the West Coast could fall into the ocean when the massive fault line running along Oregon decides to shift. It is also important to note that AHS’s Humanities building is not up to code, and has a “hundred percent collapsibility potential under an instance of a high magnitude earthquake” as reported by Rogue News in 2016, so when the earthquake hits, being in math class could be your downfall.

Unfortunately, the news world seems to have forgotten the inherent aspect of natural disasters: they are natural.

I believe it is important to recognize the tragedy and the calamity that has been occurring with greater frequency in recent months but allowing deafening panic to drown out practicality is counterproductive at best. Many of the disasters that occur do so because the human race has chosen to disregard the impacts of the ways we gain energy and more generally treat our earth.

So the next time disaster strikes, look for solutions and don’t let yourself get swept up in the noise. We aren’t to mass extinction yet. We are not modern day dinosaurs waiting to be crushed at the hands of an angry god raining meteors down on us from the sky. We have the ability to undo what our predecessors have done and save our Earth.

Emergency Protocol

by Nicole Mullen

The natural disasters that have recently ravaged the United States have evoked questions regarding the Ashland School District (ASD) policies on smoke, wildfires, earthquakes, or other natural disasters.

The protocol for natural disasters in ASD is determined on a case by case basis. Each school in ASD follows the “Emergency Procedures and Disaster Plans” which mandate that in the event of an emergency, including natural disaster, the superintendent and school administrators will develop a plan of action in tandem with community and county agencies. Because ASD consists of over 675,000 square feet of building on over 100 acres of land, each school has unique natural 10

disaster protocols and evacuation sites, making unique school plans essential.

Natural disasters like earthquakes are a present danger to ASD. According to Ashland School Board (ASB) member Jim Westrick, the infrastructure and earthquake durability of Ashland schools is a “high priority” that ASB is actively pursuing with bonds.

The school district’s Capital Construction Policy specifies that ASB may float a bond to “build or renovate school buildings,” should the need

arise.

At AHS, principal Erika Bare and safety coordinator Karl Kemper use guidance from the superintendent to determine specific natural disaster protocol for AHS. Because each natural disaster is unique, the safety policies differ substantially depending on the disaster. Bare wanted to stress that for all natural disasters “we have procedures in place,” including efforts to contact all parents or guard-

...earthquakes are a present danger to ASD...

ians and keep them informed throughout an emergency. ASD will also work closely with emergency personnel if need be.

Specific natural disaster protocol was implemented in regards to the recent fires and smoke. AHS followed updated Oregon School Activities Association (OSAA) rules that mandated “contests and/or practices shall be canceled or moved indoors in areas that have an [Air Quality Index] AQI in the Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups range (orange level).” In addition to these measures, AHS distributed masks and advised all students to stay indoors when the air quality was rated as “hazardous.”

Cafeteria Food

by Joshua Leib

Ashland High School gives students school lunch - yet even presented with this healthy food option many choose to leave campus to get their lunches. There are a variety of reasons for not choosing to eat the school lunch.

Cafeteria manager Christina Lehman, who has worked at our school for 5 years and spent 20 years in the food industry says, “A positive change I’d like to see is more students eating our lunch.” The food at AHS is all prepared the day of, locally grown, and healthy. Lehman goes on to say “I love feeding the students, I love making them happy.” She says that it is an enjoyable job, but that the regulations that restrict the food are the most negative aspect.

Because of a limited budget, the cafeteria doesn’t have the staff and time it once did. They used to prepare all the food from scratch, but now they must use some pre-made food. Most of the food is prepared ahead of time before lunch starts. Lehman also talks about time constraints being one of the worst things with her job. To have better food, more preparation and time is needed.

There is also a food budget and government regulations the cafeteria staff need to follow.

One of the best things about the cafeteria is the low cost of meals. The cafeteria breakfast is $1.75 and the lunch is $3.50, where most meals outside of school would cost up-

wards of $5. You also get it fast - the food prep off campus takes a lot more time and is made on the spot, where in the cafeteria students only have to wait in line. In addition AHS lunches are healthy. Healthy restaurants cost a lot more and take a lot more time to prepare, yet if students get lunch at school it’s always healthy and fast. Lastly there is B.o.B., the bottomless offering bar. All the food we get is from the pacific northwest, or sometimes even from the school garden.

As the cafeteria gets more students that will eat the school lunch and leave feedback, Lehman says she will be able to accommodate more student requests.

When students and teachers leave suggestions it does help the lunch staff. Some things, like dessert options, aren’t up to them, but suggesting a new food item that meets the guidelines does. The cafeteria staff also requests that students not leave hate mail. This is the reason the lunch staff removed the suggestion box last year. When leaving feedback, keep in mind that there are healthy food regulations the lunch staff has to follow. If students give constructive criticism, the workers are willing to bring back the suggestion box. For now, if any school member has a suggestion or comment, email Lehman at: Christina.lehman@ashland.k12.or.us, or stay after lunch and tell them in person.

“A positive change, I’d like to see is more people eating our lunch”

photos by Jack Schubert

Restaurant Review

by Seth Jacobson

Plancha is a new, exciting and different Mexican restaurant. It boasts the title of Ashland’s first modern Mexican restaurant. For $25, two people can enjoy Plancha’s new and delicious modern take on Mexican food. Upon entering the restaurant the customer is greeted by the friendly servers in tshirts with quotes such as “Give me tequila or Give me Death.” The restaurant offers a variety of meats for their dishes such as slow braised beef, tenderized pork, succulent skirt steak and beer-battered cod. They consist of a soft shell tortilla with different proteins paired with unique ingredients such as pickled onions, pineapple salsa, smoked paprika, roasted squash or tomato chipotle sauce. I ordered the enchilada Rojo entree for $11.50 to share, the

Carne Asada Taco for $3.50, the Barbacoa Taco consisting of slow braised beef, pickled onions, cilantro and crema for $5 for myself. I ordered the Horchata for $3.50 with a side of chips & salsa for $2, which was disappointing because most restaurants include it for free. The servers were extremely fast, friendly and great at explaining what each dish was. They gave a sense that they really cared about the new restaurant’s success. I rate this restaurant 5 out of 5 stars because of the low price point, great food presentation, excellent service and fantastic dishes. The colorful vibe of the restaurant makes for a fun experience that others are sure to enjoy.

photos by Seth Jacobson

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Costumes Through the Years

by Jade Bromely Every year a single costume tends to dominate the streets of Halloween, driven by ever-changing popular culture. Here are some of the most popular Halloween costumes dating back to 2000.

2000 Austin Powers With the release of the Austin Powers film the year before, Halloween of ‘00 starred the groovy secret agent.

2001 Harry Potter The first Harry Potter movie was released in 2001, which made donning a Hogwarts robe and toting a wand a popular costume choice.

2002 Spiderman A favorite, this round of Spidermen was linked to the first movie in the Spiderman trilogy.

2003 Captain Jack Sparrow Why is the rum always gone? Because you drank it all, Jack. The streets were full of swooning, flamboyant pirates after the first Pirates of the Caribbean movie.

2004 Spongebob The one who lives in a pineapple under the sea? Yup that one.

2005 Darth Vader With the release of The Revenge of the Sith, there was an upswing of Darth Vaders but, the Dark Jedi has always been popular. It’s a classic!

2006 V In 2006 people masqueraded as the smiling-masked vigilante in the thriller, V for Vendetta.

2007 Hannah Montana For Disney star Miley Cyrus it was always like Halloween. In 2007 many girls enjoyed the best of both worlds.

2008 The Joker Why so serious? The Dark Knight caused a resurgence of costumes inspired by the Bat’s most formidable rival.

2009 Edward Cullen Vampires have always been a classic Halloween costume, but in ‘09 the sparkly, broody kind was all the rage.

2010 Snooki Those who don’t remember the guidos and guidettes of the Jersey Shore are a lucky few. Snooki and her poof was a popular choice in 2010.

2011 Sue Sylvester Remember Glee? In 2011 it was on everyone’s T.V. screens, and the evil Coach Sylvester (with her numerous track suits) was the go to costume that year.

2012 Psy “Opan Gangnam style.” The viral video, Gangnam style, launched a flurry of Psy look alikes with powder blue suits and black shades.

2013 Miley Cyrus She was grown up and out to prove her independence from Hannah Montana. 2013’s Halloween was full of Miley Cyrus’s most outrageous stage outfits.

2014 Elsa No one can forget the storm of Elsas during the Frozen craze. Let it go. Let it gooo.

Admit it, you sang that part.

2015 Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton Halloween of ‘15 featured the frontrunners of the upcoming election year.

2016 Harley Quinn The Joker’s sidekick was the most popular costume for girls after the release of Suicide Squad, as they embraced her pigtails and short shorts.

Candy Mugshots Ian Shibley-Styer Rolos

by Lily Annen

art by Jade Bromely

2017 Prediction: Wonder Woman

This was easy. Her new movie killed at the box office; chances are, quite a few ladies will be feeling the girl power this Halloween.

Students at AHS were caught with their favorite candy this October!

Olivia Sallee Reeses cups Aanisah Clark Jolly Ranchers

Gabe Ekwall Sour Patch Kids

by Kip Parowski