The Pepperbox
October BOX BRIEFS
October 29-30: AAI “Arcata’s Got Talent” in the Fine Arts Building November 5: Term 2 Ends November 11: No School for Veteran’s Day November 22-26: No School for Thanksgiving Break December 6: AAI “Artisan Faire” in the Fine Arts Building Want to advertise or buy a mail subscription to the Pepperbox? Email Business Manager Bella Fratkin at pepperbox@nohum.k12.ca.us !
EDITORIAL STAFF Seri Welsh Editor-in-Chief Lila Cohen Editor-in-Chief Ian Letts News Editor Dylan Berman Feature Editor Madelyn Conley Deputy Feature Editor Emily Nalley Sports Editor Tabitha Born A&E Editor Flannery Warner Opinion Editor Ty Franklin Photo Editor Amaya Mendle-Nickle Deputy-Photo Editor Lila Cohen Online Editor Bella Fratkin Business Manager Aidan Shelton Art Director Araya Peterson Deputy Art Director Dele Rebstock Social Media Editor Sydney Trieu Web Editor Eva Johnson Copy Editor Zoe Macknicki Copy Editor
REPORTERS
IN THE BOX James Washington Track. . .5 New Staff . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Dress Code . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Walkout. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 Homecoming. . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 COVID Anxiety. . . . . . . . . . . 12 Social Gatherings . . . . . . . . . 13 Pandemic Trends. . . . . . . . . .14 Cultural Appropriation . . . . 15 Flex Petition . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16 Block Schedule . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Zoo Club . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Album Review. . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Salt Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Axeri Ramirez Jeanette Thuy Haley Kenyon Ruby Auckland Bodie Lewis Fiona Cox Kay Savage
The Pepperbox would like to thank Western Web, based in Samoa, for printing at-cost. Western Web supports student journalism throughout Humboldt County and has made publications like the Pepperbox possible for decades. We appreciate their dedication to keeping print media alive. Western Web
Questions regarding editorial content of the Pepperbox should be directed toward its editors. Opinions expressed in this paper are not necessarily those of Arcata High School.
Advisor Jessi Merrill
Editor’s Box
Seri Welsh and Lila Cohen Co-Editors-in-Chief
T
his issue was created through an excruciating process of trial and error. With an entirely new staff beyond us and a new advisor, we honestly had no idea what we were doing. About a week before our publishing date, we realized that we had miscalculated the word counts for all of our articles and we needed to double the length of every article within three days. We realized that was not at all possible for our new staff, so after a long discussion we decided to push the publishing date back so we would be ready to distribute a paper closer to the quality that AHS tigers are used to. Now we sit here, at 9 a.m. on the Saturday after homecoming, writing this letter to document the struggles we have had over the last few weeks. Let’s just say coffee was a main contributor to this issue. Despite it all, we have managed to produce a newspaper we are proud of, and we hope you enjoy.
Go to thepepperbox .com for breaking news and more Interested exciting Follow us on in writing for The content!
Pepperbox? Contact pepperbox@nohu m.k12.ca.us
Behind the Scenes Cover photo courtesy of Jennifer Coriell
Instagram! @ahspepperbox
Quotable. “My style can only be described as the typical suburban dad and the daughter who disappoints him.” -Phoenix Jones “We can only bang our heads against the wall for so long.” -Chris Gonzalez on old computers
“I got to figure out how much dad bods sell on Only Fans.” -Mr. Mielke, context unknown “Save the environment, “Cheating is good.” be gay.” -Ms Wozniak on a class assignment -Yzabella Mazzotti on the current overpopulation problem
“That’s because you aren’t genetically smart.” -Ms. Rosebrook discussing student success
Tuesday, October 12 2021
Feature
The Pepperbox | Page 5
A legacy to James Washington Seri Welsh
Co-Editor-In-Chief
T
uesday September 14th it became official. The hard work, compassion, and generosity that makes up James Washington will finally be acknowledged with Arcata High School’s new track facility now being officially named the “Arcata High School James Washington Track and Field.” This season is James’s 36th coaching track and cross country at our school. For 36 years James has poured his heart and soul into this program, producing incredible athletes and people. Arcata High School history teacher and cross country assistant coach Mr. Moore has known James since he was in first grade. As a young boy Moore would run by an apartment complex James was managing. James would always give him advice and encourage him. Even then, James would always meet him with a smile and ask about his life beyond running. “James didn’t just help people with running, he would help with all aspects of life,” Moore explained. Moore was the person to initially propose the naming of the James Washington Track. “I know no one who has done more and asked less for the Arcata High community than James Washington, and I know no one more known and more loved,” Moore continued. It is without a doubt that James more than deserves this legacy. “He deserves a lot of credit and I don’t think a lot of people realize how much time and dedication he’s actually put into our track and cross country teams” stated cross country captain Jude Ortega. “He is an extremely hard working man with a kind soul. He puts others ahead of himself more than anyone else I know.”
It shouldn’t be a shock that interviewing James he gave all the credit to the community. When I asked him how he felt about the track being named after him James took a long pause… “I enjoy it, don’t get me wrong, I like it and everything but if it wasn’t for the community... and parents and kids who wanted to name it after me I wouldn’t be here. I would be coaching, but I wouldn’t be worried about the track or anything. And since they did name it after me, I appreciate that honor and it’s gonna look nice. I’m glad I’m still alive to see it.” The decision was unanimous for the Board. “The community knows him, the community believes in him, and the community came to our school district to say ‘hey we love him, you know him, you love him too if you know him, we’d like to name this track and field after him,’” Superintendent McDonald explained. The decision was met with great approval from the public. Senior Sydney Trieu has been part of the track and cross country team all four years of high school. “The naming shows appreciation for him and he’s been coaching here for a long time, a very long time, so I think it’s nice that people are appreciating him,” she stated. Community is a huge part of James’s legacy. James isn’t just a coach, but goes far beyond his technical responsibilities. As Superintendent McDonald puts it, James is “one of the leaders and collaborators, one of the more inspiring people in our community.” McDonald stated. Moore echoes a very similar message. “The way James lives his life is an example, and that’s bigger than being a coach,” Moore stated. “He holds people to a high standard while never asking them to do things that are impossible,” con-
Seri Welsh/PEPPERBOX
James Washington watches his cross country team run in the Clam Beach Run on Saturday, September 25th. tinued Moore. Having James as a coach myself, it’s impossible to fully explain how incredible of a man he is. James’s compassion for the success of every athlete he coaches and every person he meets is truly remarkable. He refuses to let anybody fail, and always finds a way to give honest, yet sensitive words of advice. “As a teacher James is willing to work with any student of any ability level and all he asks is hard
work,” Moore stated. James’s advice goes far beyond the track as well. “Keep pushing regardless of where you are. Whether you’re in first or last place, push as hard as you can,” Ortega recalled James’s saying over and over again. As for the future, one thing is clear to James. “Once the track gets done we’re gonna have a party and walk around the track, and say thank god it finally happened.”
The Pepperbox | Page 6
News
Thursday, October 14th
The new faces of Arcata High Tabitha Born, Madelyn Conley, Bella Fratkin, Ian Letts, Amaya Mendle-Nickle, Zoe Macknicki Pepperbox Staff
A
nayeli Auza started her first year as a Spanish teacher at Arcata High School this year. Though she’s a teacher, she still finds time for her own academic education. Ms. Auza is currently enrolled in a credential program at Humboldt State University, where she graduated this past May with a Bachelor of Art in Spanish. This allows her to see both sides of any situation. “Learning a different language is really awesome because you get to learn about different cultures, people, and places in the world,” she says. Auza loves sports. In highschool, she played soccer, swam, boxed, and practiced Muay Thai. Now, in her free time, she enjoys watching sports on TV. Before learning about her passion for teaching, she worked in the community to empower the voices of indigenous immigrants in Humboldt with a local grassroots organization called Centro del Pueblo. Auza believes that her students might be able to help people in small ways, like translating for someone in a grocery store. This brings her a lot of joy and fulfillment in the work she does. “This is my way of giving back to the community, by having my students become those leaders,” she says. Brandon Coborn, the New Life Skills teacher at Arcata High School, was previously a student teacher for Mr Rowe and now works alongside him full time. Coborn is looking forward to being able to see his students in person after the COVID-19 pandemic,
which gave him a different and virtual student teaching experience. Growing up with a passion for working with kids with disabilities, the most fulfilling part of his job is leaving an impact on their lives and supporting them. “What I’m doing now is my passion,” he says. Mr. Coborn went to Feather River College, in Chico California. Then, he attended Chico State for graduate school and received his teaching credential at Humboldt State University. Coming to Humboldt County from Chico, Coborn appreciates the beaches and nature here, as well as playing baseball and reading. Mr. Coborn previously taught at Jacoby Creek School and College of the Redwoods. Now, at Arcata High, he appreciates the “commitment to being a very accepting place” which he says is “very unique for Humboldt County to at least make that attempt to be accepting of all individuals.” Aaron Coyle is an academic counselor who is new this year to Arcata High School. He specializes in helping students with schedule arrangements, as well as advice and academic support. Before working at AHS, Mr. Coyle worked at other school campuses around Humboldt County. He provided various student-related services at both Southfork and McKinleyville High Schools. Coyle grew up in Humboldt County, and later attended College of the Redwoods and Humboldt State University. He has always enjoyed helping people and feels that his career working with students suits him. “I really like the community here, there’s a lot of comradery among the staff; everyone’s willing to pitch in, it’s very much a team feeling,,” he said. Coyle says the most fulfilling part of his job is helping students and solving their problems. His
Emily Nalley/Pepperbox
New Arcata High staff gather on the senior lawn for a photo job is very fast-paced, and there is always something new to accomplish. He thinks this is both the best part of his job as well as the most challenging. In his free time, Coyle enjoys spending time with his family. He has two children, ages three and five years old. They love to go into nature, whether it be camping or hiking. In the future, he looks forward to traveling more once the pandemic becomes less severe. Mr. Coyle looks forward to connecting with students, and beginning his career at Arcata High. Tayler Fant is a new teacher at Arcata High School. He describes himself as “jack of all trades, master of none,” a fitting description as Mr. Fant has picked up four different classes this year. He teaches business marketing, world history, and combo tech and health essentials. Fant’s greatest drive in life is helping others, a big factor in his decision to work in the field of education. “I’ve always wanted to help people, whether that was in a church, volunteering. My passion has always been helping people.” In his free time, Mr. Fant likes to volunteer with Friends of the
Dunes, go for hikes with his partner, and play basketball with his friends. He appreciates “the accessibility to electives and [that] the general community that is established here is usually positive and engaging.” According to Mr. Fant, the pandemic opened up opportunities for him to move forward with his career because of all the teaching positions that have been vacated in the past year. So far, Mr. Fant is enjoying his time at Arcata High and is looking forward to a great school year. Emanuela Giangregorio Emanuela Giangregorio teaches English and Study Skills to freshmen and an English Learners class. She loves to travel, and got the chance to visit many beautiful places all over the world in her young adulthood. She wants to use the knowledge she’s gained from her travels to help educate the younger generations. “In my twenties, the only thing I cared about was where I was going next,”she says. She looks forward to traveling after the pandemic and dreams of visiting the plains of Tanzania. “I can already imagine myself there, the horizon really far away and
Thursday, October 14th the trees in the distance and the lions and tigers all in their natural habitat,” she says. The pandemic has done more than just stunt her travel plans. Although she understands the importance of masks for everyone’s safety, Giangregorio reflects on the social difficulties that wearing masks present. She speculates that our social skills might become heightened once we no longer have to wear them because we’ll be so used to having to pay more attention to body language. Giangregorio recognizes how sad it is that we only can see part of people’s faces along with the other adversities that the pandemic has created in society. Though not being able to see peoples faces has made it harder to connect with her students she is still able to enjoy her favorite part of teaching.“The most fulfilling part of my job is watching the light bulb go on in their heads when they start to understand something,” says Giangregorio. Jacob Godinez is a new math teacher at Arcata High School. He attended Chaffey Community College, UC Santa Cruz for his bachelor’s degree, and Humboldt State University for his teaching credential. Before beginning his teaching career, Godinez was a kitchen employee in both Colorado and Hawaii. Since then, he has taught at College of the Redwoods and Mckinleyville High School, before landing the position at Arcata High this year. Godinez expressed the best part of teaching at AHS as “how kind the students and staff have been.” He also said that it’s been “nice to be able to work with some of my closest friends.” A former student of AHS himself, Godinez knew he eventually wanted to come back as a teacher. Now that his dream is a reality, he loves making connections with students, and challenging them through math-based strate-
News gy games. “It’s even more fun when students can beat me at my own games,” he concluded. Recently moving 350 miles north from Watsonville, California to Arcata, Colleen Hilker is enthusiastic about being a new teacher at Arcata High School this year. Ms. Hilker teaches one period of biology in room 402. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in English Literature at UC Santa Cruz, attended Portland Community College for biology, and attended Oregon Health and Science University for nursing school. She then earned her master’s degree and teaching credential at National University in Washington. Hilker loves hiking and participating in climate activism. Previously working at Cesar Chavez Middle School in Watsonville, Hilker and her family came to Arcata to “enjoy the wonderful nature and the awesome people.” Hilker was inspired and excited to become a teacher at Arcata High “just by hearing about how smart and dedicated the students are, and because of the good academic reputation of the school.” Ms. Hilker loves watching the students have fun and become curious about science in and outside of class. “When they have their moments of discovery and achievement, it makes all my hard work worthwhile,” she says. Tara Kajtaniak, a new staff member at Arcata High School, works as a study skills teacher for three different classes, and oversees students on independent study. She also specializes in helping students who need the credits to graduate. Previously an English teacher at Fortuna High School, Ms. Kajtaniak decided to move back to her original community. “I feel like I belong here,” Kajtaniak said. Kajtaniak finds the students and staff at Arcata High to be welcoming and helpful.
“The teaching staff is top notch, the students are kind,” Kajtaniak explained. Kajtaniak expressed that being a teacher is a very emotional job. She always wants to be able to make a connection with her students, and when she can’t reach them, it’s tough for her. She is a goal oriented educator, who is enthusiastic to create new learning experiences for all students. “It’s beautiful to see ah-ha moments,” Kajtaniak said. Thomas Richards is a new core support teacher at Arcata High School. After going to Santa Barbara City College and Oregon State Business School, he realized his true passion for teaching because he wanted to “do something more personally rewarding.” He then went to Humboldt State University to get his teaching credential. Hiking, fishing, hunting, golfing, and spending time with his wife and two year old son are all things Mr. Richards enjoys outside of work. After working at McKinleyville High School, then switching to Eureka High School for two years, he feels fulfilled watching students grow into young adults and seeing their academic and personal developments. Richards wants to “give students a better chance at a brighter future,” and do anything he can to make their lives better after high school. This year, Richards feels he’s “still getting the hang of everything” but is enjoying his time so far, describing it as “a nice community where everyone is helpful.” Richards is looking forward to a more normal school year, and is excited to find more qualities he likes about the campus. Carano Sedano is a college success coach at Arcata High School who works with seniors applying to college. She also helps students with the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and fi-
The Pepperbox | Page 7 nancial aid programs. Sedano grew up in San Diego, and applied to multiple different colleges before falling in love with the environment and campus of Humboldt State University, where she is currently a sophomore. “I hope to work with the FBI in child-related crime and investigation cases,” she said. Sedano is inspired to help students of all backgrounds become motivated to apply to college because when Sedano was in high school, she had a college success coach who worked with her. She said if it wasn’t for them, she wouldn’t have been able to get into college and start her career. “This is what inspired me for my position here,” she said. Sedano has always enjoyed helping people, and she feels that this job is part of the process. “I’ve always wanted to help people, so I feel like this is part of the process to get there. I really look forward to helping students and inspiring them.” Christopher Shaw is an alumni from Humboldt State University, who now works at Arcata High School as a core support and resource teacher. Shaw works with a wide variety of students and finds all the students to be kind, thoughtful, and dedicated. “When I was in high school, I felt like I could have really used a teacher who would have taken an interest in me and helped the challenges I faced at that time in my life,” he said. Shaw likes to see students succeed and gain newfound confidence in themselves. One of the most fulfilling parts of his job is “helping a student who didn’t feel that they could be successful learning,” he expressed. He enjoys watching students grow and do things that they thought they could not. He wants to make sure that his classroom and the school are a safe academic environment for all students.
The Pepperbox | Page 8
Feature
Thursday, October 14th
Dress codes through the ages Lila Cohen
Co-Editor In Chief
T
he dress code at Arcata High has a turbulent history. Between lawsuits and protests, it has been a point of contention for students. Over the years, the school has been slowly making changes to its regulation of clothing, after facing multiple legal challenges. Back in 1966, the dress code consisted of regulating clothes differently for each gender. It stated “girls shall wear skirts and blouses or sweaters or appropriate dresses. Girls’ (sic) clothes shall fit properly and be in current taste and style.” “Boys shall wear conventional slacks or jeans properly adjusted. Shirts shall be buttoned to within one button of the collar. Shirt tails with a square cut or with a soft curve designed for outside wear and in good taste are acceptable wear.” “Extremes of hair styles are not acceptable.” These guidelines left the school open to a lawsuit in 1966 by Gregor Meyers for the length of his hair. His case stated that the dress code was both “arbitrary and capricious” and not helpful to his learning as a student, according to the court write-up published February 10, 1969. Meyers was suspended from school for over 20 days, which required that he enroll in a continuation school, and he was not allowed to continue attending Arcata High after losing the case. In 2011, another lawsuit was filed in regards to the dress code by a student, Carlos Espinosa. According to an article published in the Times-Standard in 2011, he argued that his right to free speech was violated and the dresscode was unconstitutional after he “was suspended from school for five days in February 2010 for wearing
a sweatshirt emblazoned with the words ‘Humboldt 4:21, Just Did It’ over the Nike Swoosh logo.” These lawsuits are evidence that students have challenged the Arcata High School dress code regulations for over 50 years. An exerpt from the dress code published in the Student Handbook of 2021 reads as follows; “Students at AHS are not permitted to wear the following: Shirts with more than the sleeves cut off, Clothing with explicit content on it; alcohol, tobacco, drugs, drug inferences, firearms, sexual content, hate speech or hateful inferences, bandannas to show an affiliation with a violent or unsafe group, pants that sag to show undergarments.” The current dress code no longer contains specific language to separate the expectations by gender, but some students feel the dress code is harshest for female students because women’s clothes are more often sold as backless or crop tops which violates the dress code. Senior LeMonie Hutt adds the dress code seems to lead “to the over sexualization of young girls.” On Wednesday, September 29, 2021, Arcata High students walked out of school to show their support for victims of sexual assault in the district. At this protest, student speakers from around the district shared how the dress code “teaches a narrative that girls should be afraid of their body… and [boys] can’t help themselves from being distracted,” Senior Harmony Tryon explains. The discussion continued on the Instagram of @speak_up_about_ sexual_assault where students from the district shared their distaste for school dress codes and how they wanted them abolished. Arcata High sophomore Trinity Arnold shared “no more dress
Sienna Long/AHS
A group of Arcata High seniors gather in the parking lot to protest the dress code. code, no more silence,” other students echoing a similar sentiment. Although female-identifying students have historically been targeted directly by the dress code, it is important to remember that most students, regardless of gender, do not appreciate their clothing being regulated. On Tuesday, September 21, 2021, senior Ben Moore, a male-identifying student, was sent to the office for a dress code violation after wearing a crop top. According to Ben Moore, a female student “wore the exact same top the day before” and then the day I wore the top and did not get dress-coded, Moore explains. When asked about the situation, Principal Jim Monge said, “I saw him, I didn’t see the other student and that’s all I am going to say.” On Thursday, September 23, 2021, a group of nine male identifying seniors wore crop tops to school “to protest the fact that a guy got dress-coded even though girls wear crop tops all the time” Moore said.
“If there is gonna be a rule, make it fair, also just let people do whatever they want,” Moore added.
“The dress code’s goal seems to be more directed at shaming [students] rather than providing clothing guidelines for everyone.” - LeMonie Hutt LeMonie Hutt concludes “the dress code’s goal seems to be more directed at shaming [students] rather than providing clothing guidelines for everyone. Teachers need to remember that we are kids who are figuring out our changing bodies and self. It is very damaging to shame, scold, and punish [students] who are exploring. At the very least teachers need to learn how to appropriately dress code everyone with kindness.”
Thursday, October 14th
News
The Pepperbox | Page 9
Refuse to be silenced Dylan Berman and Aidan Shelton Pepperbox Staff
O
n Wednesday, September 29, Arcata High School Students staged a walkout to call attention to the issue of sexual assault in our community. The Arcata High walkout followed similar walkouts at Mckinleyville and Fortuna High as well as other local schools. These walkouts began in support of a Fortuna High student who was allegedly sexually assaulted by another Fortuna High student who was on the football team, and a student at Eureka High who was allegedly sexually assaulted by a peer. Both students felt as if their schools’ administrations were not supporting them or doing enough surrounding the issue. “Out of all the walkouts I’ve ever been a part of, this one hit the closest to home,” senior Sydney Lusa said afterwards. The walkout at AHS began at 8:30 a.m. with students gathering outside the school and marching up J Street and down to the Arcata Plaza. At the plaza, those walking out formed a crowd as numerous students and other community members took turns sharing their perspectives on and experiences with sexual abuse. Students who were interviewed about speaking felt supported and that they were in a safe space to share their experiences and trauma. Sophomore Lulu Marsh spoke to the crowd about her personal experiences, and talked about how she felt like speaking was the right thing for her to do. “I thought I should say something so other people feel comfortable,” she said.
Some boys were comfortable speaking about their experiences too. Senior Aiden Waters opened up about his experience being pressured into sending explicit photos. “I felt very nervous, but I felt the need to speak out because there were no men doing it and I thought ‘hey I have some experiences and maybe some people can relate to mine even if they aren’t going up with me.” Although people were scared and nervous to speak up, so many did because they thought that the cause was bigger than them. Many students at the walkout expressed similar anger with the handling of allegations of sexual assault by the administration and society at large. The walkout was attended by district Superintendent Roger Macdonald, who also spoke. “I just want all of you who spoke today to know that I hear you, that I believe you, that I wanna be here and our team wants to be here to support you,” he said. Several students in the crowd responded angrily, alleging that the administration does not take the issue as seriously as they claim and that more needs to be done when accusations against teachers and students are brought to the administration. “I can’t imagine an administrator who was that close to that level of sharing that would not let students know that they were heard, that we can build a safer on-campus culture, and that we are here for students. I understood where the emotion was coming from and was not offended,” Superintendent Macdonald said. Some students expressed that they feel like they have never been supported by adults, even before they were at Arcata High. Macdonald said that following
Dylan Berman/PEPPERBOX
Arcata High students march past Wildberries Market towards the plaza on September 29th, holding signs in support of survivors. the walkout he realized “we need to do a better job of preparing our staff to respond to students who have issues that need to be resolved and that our students are not all aware of the support that exists.” He talked about how a lot of students don’t feel comfortable talking to teachers and admin. “That’s not on students; that’s on us” Macdonald said. “When a student comes to us letting us know that there’s a student that makes them uncomfortable or more, we have a responsibility to follow up on that, not just let it go.” He said that the confidentiality surrounding investigations that follow reports of sexual harassment and assault to admin frustrates many students. Macdonald stressed that the school's priority is making students feel safe and heard. “Whenever we investigate allegations of sexual assault/misconduct, our job is to determine, in the end, if there is merit to the
claim made by the victim/complainant. This can be difficult to do, but...we will still do whatever we can within legal limitations to allow the victim/complainant to feel safe at school,” Macdonald said. Even though the walkout has only happened recently, changes have already started to occur. On October 1st, following the walkout, the District Director of Student Services, Gayle Conway, sent out a letter to all district students promising more education for both staff and students surrounding consent and sexual assault and that the school will address the fundamental structural changes needed to help prevent sexual assault and harassment going forward. Senior Harmony Tryon, who attended the walkout, explained “It’s disturbing that [so] many people have gone through that, but it was empowering to feel like you’re not alone.”
Spirit week was a huge success, including Wednesday themed pink for Mean Girls.
Extended lunch activities were a hit!
Coming The parade was lots of fun thanks to the efforts of ASB and leadership.
Seniors decked out in yellow for color day.
Home Friday night was filled with chaos and excitement after the location of the dance was changed to the gym.
Homecoming royalty Skyler Burlison, Sienna Long, Jude Ortega and Miniya Bellinger.
Photos courtesy of Arcata Main Street, Jennifer Coriell, Emily Nalley, Miniya Bellinger, Dylan Berman, Ty Visnor, and Seri Welsh
The Pepperbox | Page 12
Opinion
COVID anxiety Bodie Lewis Reporter
W
ith the reintroduction of students on the Arcata High School campus and the rising number of COVID-19 Delta-Variant cases, there’s been a lot of discussion among students about how both the school and classmates are handling the safety risks and challenges associated with COVID-19. Coming from quarantine back to in-person school has been a big change for everyone on campus. I believe that changes can be made to make school a safer place for all of us. Many students have not gone to in-person school since the first quarantine in March of 2019, including senior Trent Simmons. “Even just a few minutes ago, people couldn’t wear their masks properly without having to be told several times,” he stated. Discussions of the pandemic include criticisms of other students’ actions. I also believe that the
students of Arcata High could be doing more to protect themselves and their peers. However, some students feel largely neutral about the situation. Senior Ayden Davenport is one of these students who feels quite neutral about the school’s handling of COVID-19, but he believes that it’s up to the students to hold themselves accountable. “People are gonna do what they wanna do right? So, you kind of can’t control the masses entirely,” he explained. Discontentment’s been expressed more directly by some students. Junior Serene Wenger believes masks should be enforced throughout campus. They have also expressed their experiences of seeing masks being worn incorrectly and how it made them uncomfortable. Junior Tallulah Johnson stated that COVID would’ve been over a long time ago if everyone wore their masks correctly and quarantine was taken more seriously. “If I could change it, I would just
make sure everybody wore their masks,” he remarked. From the complaints I’ve heard from fellow students and experienced myself, I believe many students feel unsafe going to school,
Thursday, October 14, 2021
and we could all be choosing to make better decisions. It’s up to us, the students, to be respectful and careful regarding COVID-19 both in and out of school.
Araya Peterson/PEPPERBOX
Thursday, October 14 2021
Opinion
The Pepperbox | Page 13
Regaining authentic teen spirit Ty Franklin
Photography Editor
P
arties, homecoming, and prom all scream high school. Events like these spark unforgettable memories and laughter. These social events are opportunities for us to grow as a community, experience and partake in school traditions, and have an overall thrilling high school experience. With COVID-19 keeping us out of a year and a half of traditional school, it has been difficult to have social gatherings and create these opportunities. The long awaited 2021 homecoming week lived up to its exciting expectations. We had underclassmen on campus who had not experienced a homecoming week at Arcata High School. I remember my first homecoming and the excitement surrounding it like it was yesterday; participating in spirit days with the anticipation slowly building up, hopping on the freshmen float and watching the parade go by, the infamous Friday night lights football game, and wrapping
up the night with being crowd surfed by hundreds of sweaty teenagers dancing the night away. These are the experiences that we needed after such a draining period of quarantine. Associated Student Body (ASB) President Isaiah Levy understands the importance of these events as well. He feels that the sense of community at Arcata High was severed due to the pandemic. “Those bonds take time to form, but we are starting to build those connections from an even more disconnected place than we would have been,” Levy explains. When asked about his first homecoming experience and the meaning behind it to him, he said that “homecoming my freshmen year was the first authentic display of teen spirit that I experienced. Collective euphoria is only produced to that scale a handful of times during highschool.” He feels that it is very important to experience the cultural, intellectual, and creative diversity that his peers have to offer, and events like homecoming are a great way to do
Miniya Bellinger/PEPPERBOX
The Zoo Club shows their school spirit at a girls volleyball game.
Mniya Bellinger/PEPPERBOX
The Zoo Club poses for a picture in the Arcata High School gym.
Miniya Bellinger/PEPPERBOX
The Zoo Club partipcates in a Pink Out at a volleyball game.
so. As the ASB President, he, along with others in ASB, are a voice for our student body as a whole and can help ensure that more events like homecoming can happen. “We are all excited to make up for lost opportunities and it’s incredibly important that the events this year reflect the desires of all students, not just the most outgoing or the oldest.” he states.
I know many other students at AHS agree with Levy and his sentiments, and I hope we can continue to make the most out of this year, and do everything in our power to reconnect as a school. As we all know, nothing is guaranteed, so let’s appreciate what we have. I, for one, am hoping to make this year one to remember.
The Pepperbox | Page 14
A&E
Thursday, October 14th 2021
The Tiger King takes on Arcata High Dele Rebstock Social Media Editor
W
hen the world came to a screeching halt in March of 2020, we went from busy and burnt out, to bored and searching for entertainment. This brought out a side of us all that was desperate to find something to pass the meaningless days and ease anxiety of the unknown future. For most of us, the average quarantine day consisted of sleeping in, spending time with family, and trying to think of activities to pass the time. The pandemic created opportunities for many of us to discover our passions and hobbies. Now that life is returning to being busy, we might look back and think we were careless with how we spent
our time. Many people around the country, including myself, passed some quarantine watching a meth head zookeeper on Netflix. Yes, I’m talking about the infamous Tiger King. “The Tiger King” is a docu-series about Joe Exotic, a man famous for running his own wildcat “zoo.” The show gained popularity very quickly, as it follows a unique feud between Joe Exotic and Carole Baskin, a woman who runs a big cat sanctuary. Much of the plot within the show focuses on Baskin’s missing husband, and the rumors about her feeding him to the tigers at her sanctuary. The popularization of the Tiger King show quickly made it to TikTok, where it took over the viral “Savage” dance, with a version where the audio was parodied to
EASY – FREE – DROP IN Clinic for Teens
Teen Clinic be in control
• Non-judgmental support • Education
• Birth Control, Pregnancy Testing, and Prevention • STI Prevention, Testing, and Treatment
3-5 pm Mondays Arcata: 770 10th St.
Visits by phone , video, or in person.
(707) 826-8610
Humboldt Open Door Clinic
N
Plaza
opendoorhealth.com/teenclinic
be about Carole Baskin. I think that the reason people got so addicted to watching Tiger King was because it was so insanely far off from the world we were all experiencing in lockdown. “The Tiger King” went viral for the wrong reasons, which is why it was the worst quarantine trend. The show followed havoc among humans in the big cat community, without really touching on the lives of the animals that were being affected. Animals’ lives were exploited and abused by irresponsible people as America sat back and enjoyed the show. Despite this low point of quarantine, there were many great trends. Because everyone had so much time on their hands, we were able to find new hobbies and rediscover old ones.
A prominent pandemic trend was breadmaking. Baking bread became so popular that flour and yeast were sold out at many stores. Bread wasn’t the only creative trend across the country. As summer of 2020 hit, crocheting became the new bread making. Across the internet, people were wearing crochet in varying forms, from bikinis to bags and jackets. Lots of people took their creative hobbies and turned them into businesses, which they wouldn’t have had time to do in a regular year. Quarantine kept people apart physically, but it also brought people together through common interests. Although the pandemic brought stressful times, we can appreciate that 2020 gave people the opportunity to explore new endeavors.
Thursday, October 14th 2021
Feature
The Pepperbox | Page 15
Cultural appropriation during Halloween Sydney Trieu
I
Web Editor
t’s October, and people are gearing up for Halloween. Last month, a friend of LeMonie Hutt, the Native American Club President and Arcata High senior, went to the Spirit Halloween store in Eureka found several culturally appropriated costumes there, including Rabi costumes, dark-haired afros, and Native American costumes. “Culturally appropriated costumes are any time [people] are
wearing a costume that is not from their cultural background, especially when it represents a minority group who have…had a history of oppression,” Hutt explained. Hutt added that this is a very common problem in America because of a lack of awareness of what culturally appropriate costumes are and a lack of appreciation for the culture the costume appropriates. “Cultural appropriation is kind of when anyone uses culture as a way that is misunderstood, instead of using it as cultural appreciation. They kind of use it in a disrespectful way. Sometimes it’s unintentional” Kyra Alway, a junior and the Treasurer of the Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Club said. When Hutt sees culturally appropriated costumes being worn,
she feels it engrains and reinforces certain stereotypes about certain communities. “It’s almost making a mockery out of my people’s traditions, religion, and ceremony. That mockery is also very detrimental to [Indigenous] people because it is a form of dehumanization.” Senior Sienna Long, the President of Arcata High School’s Black Student Union, explained that “it’s just seeing people wear, like afro costumes for the ’70s, making fun of African-American hair, African-American style...It just feels like I’m being made fun of.” To bring awareness to this issue, Hutt and the Native American Club are partnering with the Arcata High Asian American club and the Arcata High Black Student Union to create a video about how BIPOC students feel about cultur-
ally appropriated costumes. This video is planned to be released near Halloween. Long said that allies can help combat the use of culturally appropriated costumes by “telling people what they’re doing... wrong and being honest to people about what they are doing” when they wear culturally appropriated costumes. Another way allies can help is to boycott businesses that sell culturally appropriated items and donate to causes that make a positive difference, such as a Missing Murdered Indigenous Women’s fund, Hutt explained. “It’s good to repost and spread awareness about what costumes are not okay and just educate people, especially younger, impressionable kids, on what’s okay and what’s not okay for Halloween,” Alway concluded.
Dos and don’ts of Halloween Ruby Auckland
H
Reporter
alloween has grown into an enormous minefield of cultural appropriation. Every year, costume retailers sell seemingly innocent get-ups when in reality, more than half of them can be deemed inappropriate. Society is only now becoming more aware of these issues. Most high school students find themselves in a rut when looking for an appropriate Halloween costume. If you find yourself to be one of these people, here are a few suggestions to ease your troubles. For someone wanting to take part in a group costume, the possibilities are endless. “The Mystery Gang” from Scooby-Doo would make an iconic Halloween group costume as would the characters from The Wizard of Oz. Both of
these group costumes are incredibly easy to put together. Since old movie titles are making a comeback, The Breakfast Club or Grease cast would make the perfect, trendy Halloween costumes. If you’re not interested in coordinating a group costume, but want to participate in a duo, you have a plethora of choices. One great duo Halloween costume could be “The Super Mario Bros.” Considering COVID safety
precautions have to be taken this year, incorporating your mask into your costume by being a surgeon, robber, or astronaut would be convenient. You could also decorate your mask if you’re having trouble tying it into your costume. Another approach to Halloween apparel this year would be to experiment with D.I.Y. costumes. A simple yet classic one is a ghost. All you have to do is get a white sheet and cut out eye holes. For a cowboy/girl, throw on a pair of jeans, a button up shirt or flannel, a cowboy hat, and some boots. A scarecrow is another effortless costume. All you need is a flannel, overalls, boots, and face makeup. Lastly, a skeleton is a festive and straightforward costume. You’ll need a black long sleeve shirt and pants and white con-
struction paper. Make a sketch of each bone that makes up the human skeleton, then cut them out and glue them onto the shirt and pants until the skeleton shape is formed. So, instead of dressing up in any offensive or disrespectful costumes this year, think about using one of these suggestions. Halloween doesn’t have to be perplexing or problematic, just use your imagination and have fun!
Graphics by Ruby Auckland
The Pepperbox | Page 16
News
Scheduling controversy Ian Letts
D
News Editor
uring the first two weeks back on campus, after an especially long break from in-person classes, controversy arose surrounding the new bell schedule on the Arcata High School campus. Senior Harmony Tryon created petitions to move flex time to after lunch (which gathered 480 signatures) and change the length of lunch (550 signatures). Tryon expressed frustration in regards to the length of lunch, saying that she often does not have time to eat food bought off campus during lunch until after school due to the shortness of the time allot-
ted. In fact, lunch is five minutes shorter than it was in the 20192020 school year, when it was from 12:20-1:00 pm. “I’m hungry by 12:30,” Tryon said, alluding to the late start of lunch this school year, which is at 1:05 pm. “I don’t see any logical reason why it was changed.” Another issue Tryon voiced her concerns about was flex time, which is placed after second period, but before lunch. While flex is supposed to be a place to work on homework, she explained that “I’m not working on homework, I’m thinking about what I’m going to be eating”. She also pointed out that during
Download
Filter TITLE
+
Flashed Junk Mind
ARTIST
Milky Chance
ALBUM
Sadnecessary
+ +
My Life
Billy Joel
52nd Street
Too Much
Jacob Banks
For My Friends
+
Just Can’t Get Enough
Black Eyed Peas
The Beginning
Lonely
Imagine Dragons Mercury - Act 1
Talia
King Princess
Make My Bed
Oh My Love
The Score
Pop Party 15
Wildflowers
Tom Petty
Wildflowers
+ + + +
Graphic by Lila Cohen
Thursday, October 14th 2021
Emily Nalley/PEPPERBOX
AHS students Ben Letts and Shea Lyons express their opinions on flex time after school on Monday, the 27th of September the 2019-2020 school year, AHS students had a study hall period from 1:05-1:29, after lunch. The sentiment that lunch and study hall should be switched has been voiced by many students at AHS, including junior Alex O’Brien. O’Brien believes the problem with flex time is “the fact that we have to stay in the class and not do anything.” Although many feel this way, some students, such as sophomore Jasmine McKnight, don’t mind flex time. McKnight explained that she likes having flex time before lunch, because if it were after lunch, there would be too much time in class without a proper break. Others, like freshman Wil Hulse, have an impartial opinion on the matter, but still say that “switching flex time and lunch would be totally fine.” Because of her involvement with these petitions, Tryon has had a meeting with AHS Principal Jim Monge, in which they discussed the problems with moving flex time to after lunch, including the lack of motivation to attend class during the afternoon under a
new schedule. A possible solution they came up with was moving flex to the end of the day, which would allow students to do homework they received from any of their three classes that day, and have the schedule flexibility to leave early without missing part of their third period class. This would work well for anyone who has an appointment right after school, along with athletes who have a game that day. In an interview with Monge, he stated that he wants what is best for the students, and has “no interest in it other than to make the most efficient schedule.” He made clear that the AHS administration is already discussing what can or cannot be done in relation to changing the schedule. He believes that, using input from teachers, students, and the administration, we can get to a schedule that meets the needs of all parties involved. “I want what is best for the students,” Monge said. Let’s hope this statement comes to fruition, and these issues are resolved in a timely and successful manner.
Thursday, October 14th 2021
News
The Pepperbox | Page 17
To block or not to block Eva Johnson
A
Copy Editor
t the beginning of this 20212022 school year, Arcata High School students and staff are faced with more challenges after an already difficult past year of academics; one of these problems being the new block schedule. This year, the Northern Humboldt Union High School District has changed the Arcata and McKinleyville High School schedule into block periods, but something few were expecting was the almost two hour long classes. According to math teacher Kay Wozniak, the conversion to the block schedule was elected by a select number of teachers, who voted two days before the end of the 2020-2021 school year, without consulting students. The administration came up with this two hour block, while teachers who voted thought the blocks would be no longer than they were over distance learning, which was one and a half hours. This change has sparked many different reactions from students and staff. “The block schedule can feel long depending on what you are doing,” senior Meadow Jennings stated. She isn’t the only one to feel this way.
“Class periods are really long without any breaks,” sophomore Natalie Lehman explained. Many students agree the block schedules work poorly for some classes. “Math isn’t great for blocks, but for chemistry, that’s a better block,” sophomore Kyndle Eisner stated. Even teachers are having troubles with the two-hour classes. “With math, I think it’s extra hard because it’s a lot to take in. Two hours of new information is more challenging,” Wozniak explained. However, some feel that the block schedule is beneficial. “For freshmen, we have to do P.E. It’s nice because you don’t have to dress down every single day,” freshman Lily Cunningham explained. For those who aren’t in physical education, it has been expressed that it’s great for science and art classes. “In chemistry, you can get a lot more done,” sophomore Noah Macknicki stated. The schedule has also helped students with the amount of homework they have. “I like it. I have way less homework ‘cause I have way more time to do it in class. Today is the first day I had math homework this
Seri Welsh/PEPPERBOX
Students fall asleep at their desks during flex time due to over exhaustion from the block schedule. year ‘cause we have the short classes [on Monday],” sophomore Elana Griffin explained. Students with AP classes also have felt the positive impact of longer allotted times per period. “I’m taking AP Biology, it’s nice to have more time to complete my labs in class instead of having the days divided into two.” Jennings said. Art teacher Johanna Mauro enjoys the longer periods for projects. “It does allow for students to
dive in and get immersed in the project before cleaning up immediately,” Mauro stated. Mauro believes it’s more about the adjustment period between last year’s online classes and in-person school. “...We’re all just exhausted and getting used to being out and about all day long. The block schedule gets blamed for that exhaustion... in a month, I want to see how we feel,” Mauro concluded.
School spirit and the Zoo Haley Kenyon
A
Reporter
fter being stuck doing online schooling for over a year now, things are finally getting back to normal and school spirit is making a return. Before online and hybrid learning was the norm, the Zoo club was where kids would go to find out about upcoming events to go
to and support the student athletes of Arcata High School. When Covid-19 became a problem, the club ended along with all other school spirit events such as homecoming and dress up weeks. This year, as soon as sporting events had begun, a group of students at Arcata High took it upon themselves to revive the student cheering section. Slowly but
surely, more and more kids have begun to join the student section, inspiring some of the seniors to revive the Zoo and make it an official club again. “I love the spirit, being back together,” Junior Keira Tatro said. She expresses that it feels as if everyone is a lot more alive since more people have been going to games, in some cases even more
than before Covid began. In the meantime, as Zoo club picks up, the students of leadership class are working hard to get homecoming up and running. It’s good to know that the kids of Arcata High are trying to bring some version of normalcy back this year with the hope that there will be more spirited events to look forward to soon.
The Pepperbox | Page 18
A&E
Album review Dylan Berman Feature Editor
I
1000 Gecs
f you’ve ever heard a 100 Gecs song, it either prompted a visceral reaction of disgust or you absolutely loved it. I’m one of the people who absolutely loved it. The musical duo, consisting of Laura Les and Dylan Brady, exploded in the spring of 2019 with their debut album “1000 Gecs”. “1000 Gecs” is high energy, over the top, bass boosted, and ridiculously fun. The album combines influences from Scrillex era dubstep, modern trap, early 2000s scene music, and pop melodies. Highlights include the track “Money Machine”, with its iconic trash talking intro, and blaring metallic bass. The aggressively braggadocious and almost nonsen-
A
Donda
nyone familiar with popular modern music will have most likely have felt the anticipation leading up to Kanye West’s “Donda” release. West announced several release dates and then failed to follow through and drop the album for months. This album has a lot to live up to now that it’s finally out, following so much anticipation. The album is a powerful statement from Kanye about his relationship with religion, love, fame, and his late mother who the album takes its name from. However, with its almost two hour run time and whopping 27 tracks the album feels bloated and directionless at times. The album is not ground breaking or especially experimental, but what Kanye does with trap and other current hip hop trends is unique and creative.
sical lyrics bring a terrific energy to the song. The track “Stupid Horse” is an absolute banger with a beat that feels reggae inspired along with angry lyrics about losing your money after betting on a race horse. “Ringtone” stands out as well with sweet lyrics surrounding love within the digital age which shines when delivered in Laura Les’s light hearted voice. The lyrics capture an earnest, vulnerable, and caring awkwardness when it comes to romance and heartbreak. The album goes from vulnerable romance to over the top goofy self-confidence, with lyrics like “you just copy everything we do, if I wasn’t me I’d copy me too” “1000 Gecs” is nothing short of fantastic; full of catchy melodies, heartfelt lyrics, and a very unique combination of different genres. The first real song on the album is “Jail”; a powerful opener about God, crime, and where Kanye is in his life. The distorted rhythmic guitar provides a great backdrop to Kanye’s surprisingly powerful vocal performance and gorgeous backing choir vocals. Later on we get the album’s first banger, “Off the Grid.” Kanye shines lyrically and has a great flow over the track’s drill beat, and the Fivio Foriegn feature is fantastic. The song “Junya” feels aimless and weak, with its overly buzzy bass and strange vocal delivery. Most of the songs from here to the end of the album are all decent, but feel forgettable and anti-climactic. One exception is “Moon”, carried by gorgeous guitar passages and emotional vocals from Kid Cudi. Donda has many amazing tracks, but overall feels empty compared to many amazing past Kanye projects.
Thursday, October 14th 2021
The Saltbox
Thursday, October 14th, 2021
Opinion
Fish is not in the definition Flannery Warner
I
Opinion Editor
love a good sushi roll just as much as any kid growing up on the West Coast. There’s nothing quite like the feeling of anticipation as your hands grasp the menu, and you try desperately to pick from five different rolls that all make your mouth water just by reading their expertly worded descriptions. I have been an avid sushi consumer for as long as I can remember. It didn’t matter if it was homemade sushi, restaurant sushi, or grocery store sushi, I am and always have been down to consume a cylindrical roll of pure bliss. Whenever I begin to discuss my adoration of sushi with other people, I am always met with that one outlier who looks at me stating some variation of “I don’t like sushi because it has raw fish.” Now let me get this straight, I can understand not loving the texture or taste of raw fish, or making the personal decision not to consume it. In fact, on behalf of our environment and fish population, I am in full support of this. It’s not this I have a problem with, it’s not even the people who just don’t like sushi regardless of its protein content. It’s the people who hold the preconceived notion that sushi must contain raw fish in order to be considered a sushi roll. This point of view seems to be overlooking the vast options for amazing vegetarian and vegan sushi rolls. This has led me to believe that people vastly underestimate the elation that can come from biting
into a perfectly crafted sushi roll with sticky tangy rice, soft avocado, and perfectly cooked yam, or even a roll containing expertly grilled portobello mushrooms. Furthermore, the only type of sushi that has the prerequisite of raw fish is Nigiri. The classic Nigiri is a ball of vinegar soaked sushi rice, with a thin, delicate piece of raw fish draped on top. Because of this, one could say that they dislike Nigiri due to its presence of raw fish. However, people cannot and must not overgeneralize by stating that all sushi is not good because of its possible slimy protein source. Another oversight of many of these individuals seems to be the failure to acknowledge the existence of Tempura and grilled fish rolls. If one dislikes the textural experience of raw fish, tempura and grilled fish rolls may be a remedy to their sushi-hating belief. These rolls lean on the presence of cooked fish in order to deliver the same experience of sushi bliss with every individual bite. Consequently, I implore our community, both sushi lovers and haters, to open their minds to the true broad definition of a sushi roll. The word sushi comes from the Japanese word “sour rice.” The focus is not on the type of protein encased in the algae colored wrapping, but rather on the tangy soft white granules coating the inner ingredients of each roll.
The Pepperbox | Page 19
Things we’re salty about
The horrible, no good, very bad looks of the Met Gala Emily Nalley
I
Sports Editor
absolutely love fashion. I think that it is an amazing way to express yourself and to be creative. However, there is a fine line between expression and just being plain bad. The 2021’s Met Gala looks this year were awful. The said theme was “In America: A Lexicon of Fashion.” Don’t get me wrong, there were some amazing looks, like Lili Reinhart in Christian Siriano and Jimmy Choo shoes, walking onto the floor looking like a pink flower fairy. Then, there was A$AP Rocky who looked like he was wearing an 80 year old grandmother’s quilt. He is just one example of the terrible outfit choices at the Met Gala. Natalia Bryant, who was wearing Conner Ives, looked like a kindergarten‘s sequin art project with the pink, blue, and yellow sequences. Her dress was balloon shaped with a weird rectangle train that doesn’t flow into the dress, instead,coming right out the back. The whole dress looked stiff, which just adds to the terrible look of the outfit. It was right out of something that your parents would say was amazing and hang on the refrigerator for a month, then throw it away. Whoopi Goldberg was in Valentino purple tissue paper and not the good tissue paper, the kind that is just thrown on the floor after someone opened their birthday present. Next please. Kid Cudi obviously thought that the theme of the Gala was fictio-
nal characters because he looked like the Cookie Monster met some of Superman‘s kryptonite with the bright neon green shoes and hair. Sometimes colors go together, other times they don’t. The biggest question that I want to know is did Kim Kardashian even show up? I can’t tell with the all black, face covering, skin tight outfit. Who knows, maybe she just hired someone to go for her. As I look through all of the Met Gala outfits there are also some very controversial ones. AOC was in what looks like a white wedding dress with “Tax the Rich” spray painted on the back of the dress. I get where she was trying to go with this outfit and bring awareness to real issues but a lot of people are not very happy and believe that this is just performative activism. Cara Delevingne was another one of these controversial outfits. Delevingne was in white pants with a matching white strappy shirt that says in red “Peg The Patriarchy” on the front. There is a lot of backlash toward this outfit that it is too vulgar for the Met Gala. All of these outfits show how out of touch with reality celebrities and stylists are. They don’t even know how to tell what good fashion looks like anymore. Their extravagant lifestyles and only having to worry about where their diamond earring went is leaving them with no clue about what is happening in America. The Met Gala fashion this year was just absolutely terrible and not up to the standard I expected.
The North Coast Journal is proud to support local student journalism.