Issue 2, Volume 94 by Arcata High Pepperbox

The Pepperbox

December BOX BRIEFS

IN THE BOX

December 20-31: Winter Break January 17: No School for MLK Day February 5: Junior Prom/Winter Formal February 18: Term 4 Ends February 21-25: Presidents Break

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 Eva Johnson A&E Editor Flannery Warner Opinion Editor Ty Franklin Photo Editor Amaya Mendle-Nickle Deputy-Photo Editor Bella Fratkin Business Manager Aidan Shelton Art Director Dele Rebstock Social Media Editor Sydney Trieu Web Editor Eva Johnson Copy Editor Zoe Macknicki Copy Editor

REPORTERS

Axeri Ramirez Jeanette Thuy Haley Kenyon Ruby Auckland Bodie Lewis Tabitha Born

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.

Exchange Students . . . . . . . . .5 Sexism in Sports . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Cheerleaders for Girls bball games . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 Substitute Shortage. . . . . . . . .7 John Schmit Spotlight. . . . . . 8 Sink Obituary. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Transphobia . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 Fall Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 WAIBT/AIBT . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Perspectives on Weed. . . . . 19 Gender Neutral Spaces . . . . 19 Gay Marriage . . . . . . . . . . . . .20 Celebrating Genocide . . . . . .21 Custodial Spotlight . . . . . . . .22 Holiday Traditions . . . . . . . .22 Holiday Recipes . . . . . . . . . . .23 Holiday Gift Ideas . . . . . . . . .24 Holiday Movies . . . . . . . . . . .25 Album Reviews . . . . . . . . . . .26 Burrito Reviews . . . . . . . . . . 27 Bathroom Vandalization . . 28 So Many Freshman. . . . . . . .29 Christmas Debate. . . . . . . . . 29 Sigma Grindset . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Saltbox. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

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.

Western Web

Editor’s Box

Seri Welsh and Lila Cohen Co-Editors-in-Chief

We have a website! Go to thepepperbox. com for breaking news and more exciting content!

Interested in writing for Pepperbox? contact the editor. pepperbox@nohum.k12.ca.us

his issue is one for the books. With the absence of our Advisor, Ms. Merrill, we have struggled with a rotation of subs and often the responsibilities of the class falling solely on us. Without Ms. Merrill’s support, although it has been hard, we have learned to become a more independent paper and our staff has grown closer and stronger in order to make this issue possible. Previously our advisor has copy edited our articles, advised us on technical issues and supported us on after school and weekend layout sessions. We had to be creative this cycle, asking any teachers we could to open the classroom (shout out to Ms Angles). Even with this additional obstacle, we still wanted to publish something we are proud of and, as always, challenge unfortunate realities everyone has become accustomed to. With feature articles on trans rights, sexism in sports and gender neutral spaces, we are encouraging our readers to look critically at the world around them and help our words become a reality. Using this same Pepperbox mentality, we have been reflecting on how our paper has covered issues in the past. We were disappointed to discover that historically our AIBT issues have been primarily focused on the boys AIBT tournament without full coverage of WAIBT, the girls basketball tournament. This year we made an effort to break those traditions by including a bracket of both AIBT and WAIBT along with interviews from both teams. If you are reading this right now, we have succeeded. We have printed an issue 12 pages longer than what this staff has ever done before. We are proud to present to you Volume 94, Issue 2 of the Arcata High School Pepperbox. Enjoy! Love your Editor-in-Chiefs, Seri and Lila

Behind the Scenes

Seri Welsh/PEPPERBOX

Quotable. “That’s why I’m counting on you to spend a night in jail.” -Ms. Angles on student success

“I’m the rebirth of Julius Caesar.” -Mr. Pinkerton on his birthday being all of July

“I want your blood to be pumped into me so I can live forever.” -Mr. Mielke on eternal life “It gets incesty really fast.”

“I used to sport.” -Mr. Scott when discussing his throwing abilities

-Kantner on Hamlet

“It’s so cold I have to clench my butt cheeks.” -Emily Nalley discussing the journalism room

“This is the problem with the education system. It’s hard for stupid people like me.” -Ben Moore

Frameables

Meet the AHS exchange students Axeri Ramirez

Reporter

espite Humboldt’s cold weather, Arcata High School welcomes five exchange students this year with a warm hug. Their names are Jean Thuy, Djessika Mavambe, Sonke Wessels, Sultan “Malik” Shaleh and Maria de las Mercedes Caram. When asked how she ended up in Humboldt, German exchange student Jean Thuy shared that “I got a really big scholarship so I could be placed anywhere in the US.” She said she was really lucky to be placed in Arcata with her host Maria Matteo. She explaind that the people here are so open minded and she also loves the beautiful landscapes. Thuy shared that in Germany

people weren’t as friendly in passing. She appreciates that people here come up and greet her whenever they see her around school. Another German exchange student, Sonke Wessels, said that he feels welcomed in Arcata and his experience has been great so far. “Maybe the American school system should be a bit more like the German school system because I think the general knowledge is bigger from German students than some American students,” he stated. Another exchange student attending AHS is Sultan “Malik” Saleh from Quotidiana, Indonesia, on the Island of Borneo. One of the major differences between his hometown and Humboldt is the climate, Saleh shares.

“My city is on the equator line… so it’s always hot...but here, I don’t think it’s ever really hot,” he stated. He explained how he attended an all boys boarding school back home, a dramatic change from Arcata High School. “Living in the US has always been like a dream to me… and it’s very nice I’m here now,” he said. He says he feels very welcomed here and people in Humboldt are nice to him. He experienced the first Halloween of his life with his roommate, who is also an exchange student from Japan. Djessika Mavambe is an exchange student from Mozambique, Africa. “I chose to study here because it has been my dream since I was a child,” she explained when asked why she chose to study in the US.

“In Mozambique, the people are more traditional and here, I think the people are more modern,” she explained Her first language is Portuguese so English was a huge change. “The first month, I was not feeling welcomed… now it feels like home,” she said. ”Being an exchange student is the best thing you can do in your life. It’s not about the 16 years you’ve lived in your comfort zone, it’s about the 10 months you’ll remember and be proud of forever,” she stated To students of Arcata High, let’s make these students feel welcomed. Reach out and say hi if you see them around campus, and remember that any little act of kindness is important.

The Pepperbox | Page 6

News

Thursday, December 16th, 2021

Sexism in sports Flannery Warner

Opinion Editor

uccessful, determined and hard-working are just a few of the words commonly used to describe Arcata High’s 2021 girls soccer team. However, appreciated, acknowledged and respected are words that seem to be missing when the girls discuss the community’s relationship with the team. In the past, the girls soccer players felt as if both soccer teams had equal usage of the fields for practice. “We would alternate everyday for practice between the upper and lower field...but this year we were using the senior lawn for practices for weeks…while the boys got the healthsport field,” junior and girls captain Grace Townsend said. Additionally, Townsend believes there were discrepancies between the time the two teams spent at McKinleyville High School. “There are two fields at Mack, and one is smaller and more narrow than the other,” Townsend stated. She went on to say that, on one occasion, the girls were forced to play a league game on the smaller field while the boys played a scrimmage on the larger one. AHS girls soccer coach Patrick Stranahan had additional insight on the issue. “I don’t notice any difference between the treatment of the two teams, the only difference I see is maybe between the sports themselves,” Stranahan stated when asked about his awareness of the treatment of both teams. “As far as the boys and girls teams on the soccer side of things, it’s always been pretty consistent. I’ve always worked with the coaches of the boys team to share facilities,” he continued.

Stanahan stressed his focus on securing equal time on the fields between the two teams when making the practice and game schedules with the boys soccer coach. “Nobody deserves more time than the other,” he said. Stranahan has been coaching the Arcata High girls soccer team for 10 years, and always works to make decisions based on players’ needs. Carolyn Bareilles has acted as an assistant coach for the girls soccer team since 2011 and has seen a lot of change in sports culture at the school. “With the construction of the fields down south the cross country team got their way, the boys baseball team got their way and they just forgot all about the winning teams of soccer,” Barilles explained on why there was such a scramble for the girls team to secure fields to practice on. She explained however, that there was an even split in the amount of time the two soccer teams got on the field. However, Barilles and Stranahan believe there were inconsistencies in treatment between the girls soccer team and other teams at Arcata High by the community. One instance that created animosity among some of the girls soccer players happened when players from a local high school boys soccer team were able to use Humboldt State University’s field when the girls team’s request for the field had been repeatedly turned down. “As far as we know he did this without permission,” Stranahan stated when referencing this instance. During the soccer season the Arcata High boys team were also able to secure this field for practice. At first it was unclear whether

this was cleared by HSU and/or Arcata High administration but when asked Stranahan said, “that was because the boys coach took the initiative to call HSU administration and ask if he could get onto the field, he did that outside of the school.” He continued that there was a followup to see if the team had clearance to use the field, but did not specify the results of this investigation. Stranahan also took full responsibility for the usage of the senior lawn for some of the girls’ practices. He stated that his decision was due to it being one of the few closed, clear spaces sheltered from the wind, “the girls, not all were happy with it but the space worked out for us”.

Similarly, after most fields were flooded in the county due to excessive rain Coach Stranahan chose to utilize the tennis courts for the girls practice. “I knew that they [the tennis courts] were a good tool that you could build a practice around… the girls were questionable at first but we ended up having a really good practice up there,” Stranahan stated. When administration were asked to give a comment on the subject, no response was given.

Thursday, December 16th, 2021

News

The Pepperbox | Page 7

Cheerleading at girls basketball Dylan Berman

Feature Editor

n the weeks before Thanksgiving Break, the Arcata High School cheerleading team began discussing cheering at girls basketball games. Traditionally, they have only cheered at male sporting events. Due to the difficulties of adjusting their schedule, the change hasn’t been made yet, but the cheer and basketball coaches are communicating to make it happen going forward. “That’s just how it’s always been,” said cheerleader Sydni Avila, a senior who’s been cheering for four years, referring to cheering at boys sports. “I wasn’t a big fan of it, because girls’ sports work as hard as guys’ sports, and I’m kind of excited to be cheering for girls,” she continued. Many cheerleaders echoed Avila’s excitement at the possible change. “Girls need support too, it’s not just the boys,” said AHS cheer-

leader and sophomore Evangelina Reed. Reed feels that only cheering for boy’s sports enforces a tradition of sexism. “I think it sends the message that girls are just there to look at and to look pretty,” she said. Both cheer coaches supported the idea of the change. “[It’s about] just showing support for the school in general, I don’t know if it has anything to do with girls versus boys...our girls have a lot of friends that play basketball and they want to show their support,” said cheer co-coach Stephanie Childress. Co-coach Marci Barker explained how in the past there weren’t girls leagues of basketball, but that as that changes cheer should change with it. “[It’s time] to start having some cheering at [girls] games too,” Barker added. Girls basketball players were also happy about the prospect of cheerleaders at their games.

“[Girls games] deserve the same level of attention that boys games get...having a crowd versus not having a crowd affects the way the game goes or the way you play,” said Caroline Dieker, a girls basketball player and junior, on why cheerleading at their games would matter. Basketball player and senior Grace Talty voiced similar thoughts.

“It would promote more gender equality...men and women are equal and they both deserve equal recognition, in sports and everywhere,” Talty said about cheerleading at both genders games. Cheerleading has been an iconic symbol of highschool spirit for decades. As times change, cheerleaders and athletes are excited to continue the sport forward with recognition of both genders.

Ty Franklin/PEPPERBOX

Arcata High School Tigers beat Foothill at WAIBT on Friday December 3rd, securing 2nd place in the tournament

Substitute shortages Bodie Lewis

Reporter

his year at Arcata High School, there has been a shortage of substitute teachers. The limited number of substitutes that AHS has access to are needed far more than usual and are stepping in for teachers for longer amounts of time than in previous years. Substitutes are an important part of the education system because if a teacher is missing, it can cause complications in the lesson plan for that class, causing them to fall behind. Marta Rivas, a long-term English sub at Arcata High, explained

that there are not many full-time teaching jobs available, but many substituting opportunities. “All of a sudden they were calling me like crazy,” she stated. Professor Robinson is another substitute teacher who is currently teaching Woodshop at Arcata High School. Robinson mentioned that there is a huge shortage of substitutes across California, not just in Arcata. Because of this, he has been working as a substitute much more often than he used to. He believes that COVID-19 has caused a lot of substitutes to quit substitute teaching, and a lot of people to avoid the job so they don’t

have to work in schools during the pandemic. The need for experienced substitute teachers has even brought recently retired teacher Earl Peters back to Arcata High School. When he was a full-time teacher, he taught science and is now substituting for AP Environmental Science. He enjoys being back on campus and teaching a class that he has taught in the past. “I think it’s symptomatic of the way education is thought of in our society, education doesn’t get enough funding in my opinion,” Peters stated. “There’s not enough respect for teachers and education in general,”

he continued. The problem at Arcata High is reflected across the state. According to the Commission on Teacher Credentialing, the number of California applicants for substitute credentials has substantially dropped over the past two years. Between Feb. 1 and Aug. 31 of 2019, there were 31,871 applicants but during the same period in 2021, the number fell to 22,236. Substitute teachers are being stretched thin, which is directly affecting students’ abilities to learn. This problem is exacerbated when an experienced substitute cannot be found.

The Pepperbox | Page 8

Feature

Taping up for success Zoe Macknicki

Copy Editor

t Arcata High School, we are lucky enough to have an athletic trainer, John Schmidt, who is a licensed physical therapist. Schmidt has been dedicated to Arcata High School for nine years, helping any athlete that comes through his door to get them back on their feet and ready for the next game, meet, or tournament. Schmidt is one of the only physical therapists that works as a trainer with local high school students.

On an average day, he says he sees between five and fifteen patients with a variety of injuries. One of the best parts of his job is “feeling like I’m giving back to the community,” he explains. This motivates him to provide the best possible care for his patients. For people who are looking to go into physical therapy, Schmidt offers the opportunity for students to intern with him to learn more about physical therapy. “He provides a free service for

Thursday, December 16th, 2021

student athletes that’s amazing,” one of his interns, senior Meadow Jennings, explains. “I think it is a very valuable thing especially because many athletes don’t learn proper self care,” Jennings adds. Pushing through pain is what athletes are taught to do so having the option to see Schmidt is a great opportunity for them to learn ways to treat their bodies. He not only helps them recover from injuries, but teaches them how to prevent injuries in the fu-

ture. “John’s amazing. I think he is a great teacher and physical therapist, I’m glad he is a part of our school,” Jennings continues. Schmidt provides student athletes with well drawn out and detailed instructions on how to help them heal. The free physical therapy he provides as well as the valuable lessons he teaches the students who intern with him is what helps Arcata High School athletes perform at such a high level.

Madelyn Conley/PEPPERBOX

Thursday, December 16th, 2021

Sink obituary

Feature

The Pepperbox | Page 9

Ian Letts

News Editor

uring the recent bathroom item-related killing spree by a small minority of Arcata High School students, a variety of notable figures have fallen. While each killing is devastating, none of them are as heartbreaking and high profile as the leftmost 100’s wing boys bathroom sink. According to AHS Principal Jim Monge it met its demise in the chaos of the week after homecoming. It was concluded that the cause of death was blunt force trauma both when it was ripped from the wall and crashed to the ground. Even though the exact method of killing couldn’t be determined, it has been theorized by a variety of students that the killer was standing (and possibly jumping) on the sink just seconds before it’s death. This horrifying turn of events has saddened our community, as the sink was kind and welcoming to all hands that passed underneath its steady stream of water. But let’s not mourn the loss of this incredible Arcata personality any longer. Let’s remember the sink for all of the incredible time and service it has given us. Let’s celebrate it for its outstanding lifetime of cleaning our bacteria-covered hands. Let’s think back on the sink fondly, and reminisce about the incredible companionship it provided to countless AHS students. The sink featured a very high quality of water flow, while simultaneously saving as much as possible by shutting down the millisecond your hand was removed from the lever. This is not unlike its counterparts in certain Arcata High bathrooms, but it is still worth noting as it was an immaculate feature.

Ty Franklin/PEPPERBOX

Pepperbox staff offer their condolences to the perished sink Additionally, while it shared many of the same characteristics as its two counterparts in the bathroom, it was loved by all who appreciated its easy accessibility because of its left most position on the wall. In fact, paired with the other two, the bathroom provided a perfect stall to sink ratio, where a student would never have to wait more than 10 seconds for an open sink. With one of the triplets gone, boys using the bathroom can expect longer lines because of the generally larger amount of people cluttering up the area. The bathroom simply doesn’t feel the same without the sink in its usual place of residence. Before our loss, the sinks evenly filled the wall, adding to the overall feng shui of the bathroom. Without the leftmost fixture, the room feels empty…almost like the room

is in mourning with us. While it fell from life more than two months ago, the students can still pay their respects to it in its former location, which now features only bare plumbing. The majority of students and the entire staff at AHS hope that the trend of destroying bathroom items does not continue. “If you see something, say something,” is the sentiment voiced by

Monge on this matter. He continued that students must take responsibility for their actions and pride in their school in order for these issues to stop. The AHS population will be happy to know that the sink will be replaced. However, that is not to say that this new sink will ever come close to filling the void of the friend we lost.

The Pepperbox | Page 10

Feature

Thursday, December 16th, 2021

Transgender rights at Arcata High Dylan Berman Feature Editor

ver the past five years, the transgender rights movement has become more prominent, sparking discussion around the treatment of transgender people on all levels of society, including in schools. Transgender individuals are people whose gender identity doesn’t align with the sex they were assigned at birth. There are many transgender students at Arcata High, making trans issues on campus an important discussion. English teacher and Sexuality and Gender Acceptance (SAGA) club advisor Julie Angles expressed how the climate around transgender people at the school has become more accepting. “I’ve certainly seen a lot of changes over the course of 30 years... I think more students are feeling safer to share their pronouns and aren’t feeling as judged,” she said. She discussed the name change of what used to be called the Gay Straight Alliance to the current name SAGA, as emblematic of a broader recognition and support for trans students. Many current transgender students view the school as mostly accepting, backing up Angles view of the change in acceptance on campus. “I’d say yeah [I’m treated] overwhelmingly well. Most things that people do, they don’t even really mean to, it’s just things that are made by lack of education like not asking for pronouns,” said transgender student Joshua Hurst, a junior at Six Rivers High School. His experience at the school being a trans man is a positive one. “Mostly, I feel very accepted by other students. If people find out or if I tell them, there’s just a really

great response,” he continued. He expressed that most teachers are supportive, however, he feels like certain teachers will avoid using he/him pronouns out of a discomfort with his transness. Despite feeling generally accepted, Hurst recalled an experience freshman year when a teacher said “I can’t really trust people like you,” and refused to let him use the boys bathroom. Hurst said that if teachers had students share their pronouns, then made sure to enforce the use of the correct pronouns, it could help trans students feel more accepted. Hurst is openly transgender, but there are also transgender students who keep their identity hidden at school. Trans woman, Zoe Steele, who graduated from Arcata High last year, was closeted with her identity while she was a student. “It was mainly because of other students, I felt like most people would probably be supportive, but there’s still a good amount of people who are gonna look at me weird in the halls and make fun of me,” Steele said. She didn’t blame the administration or school policy for this, just the nature of being in an environment like high school. “In a school setting where 1,000 people are packed into the same building, there are going to be bigots you see everyday...I don’t really know how [the school] could fix that,” she said. Non binary junior, Mars Long, who has been out with their identity since freshman year, said they felt they experienced slightly worse treatment on the basis of their identity, mostly from other students. Mars recalled freshman year when they first came out that the staff seemed averse to using they/ them pronouns, but over time,

Dylan Berman/PEPPERBOX

Two posters with slogans of tolerance and acceptance, one officially representing Arcata High, hang in the Arcata High French Classroom, room 101. they got better about it. “Discipline students that are disrespecting other students more,” Mars said, when asked what the school could do differently regarding transgender issues, saying that they feel some students face no repercussions for transphobic behavior. “I think if you compare [the school] to the rest of the US it’s better than most, but I don’t think it’s perfect,” said Vito De Marino, a sophomore and co-president of SAGA. “Some of the older tenured teachers are not quite accepting… most of them are not going to openly discriminate against a student because their job would be in danger if they did,” De Marino said. He expressed the difficulty of reporting transphobia to the school.

“If you don’t want to come out as trans because you’re worried it’s going to get back to your parents...then how are you going to talk about that with the administration,” he said. According to De Marino, a way to anonymously report transphobia or other forms of prejudice to the administration would make trans students feel safer coming forward with their experiences. Most transgender students at Arcata High seem to have a generally positive experience, but still feel like things could be better. Angles expressed that the school still has progress to make. “We’re probably not where we should be yet...I think the awareness is there, but we must do better.”

The North Coast Journal is proud to support local student journalism.

The Pepperbox | Page 12

Sports

Thursday, December 16th, 2021

Fall sports recap Dele Rebstock

Social Media Director

rcata High School fall sports have been filled with record breaking seasons. The fall sports being football, soccer, girls golf, girls tennis, volleyball, and cross country. On the week of October 22, every Arcata High fall sport was named team of the week by “Humboldt Sports” (A local sports reporting source). For many of our fall sports captains, this was their last season, making the successes even more memorable. Carson Tucker, a football team captain, said that one of the highlights of the season was “traveling with the team and going to different places.” He said not having as many players this season made the team a more tightly knit group. Arcata High football placed first in the league and had an overall standing of 7 Wins-3 Losses. They made it to playoffs and were advancing to semifinals, but had to forfeit due to COVID complications. It has been a season of triumph for both boys and girls soccer, with both teams making it to the North Coast Sections (NCS) playoffs. Boys soccer made it to the quarter finals, and girls soccer made it to the finals, where they fell to Eureka in a penalty kick shootout after a 0-0 game. They also placed first in the league. “Getting first in the league was exciting,” said Tildy Macdonald, a girls soccer captain, when asked about the season. The boys soccer team has also been successful in the playoffs. Aidan Shelton, a soccer team captain, said that the team’s first

game in the playoffs against Eureka was one of the best parts of the season. “The score was tied 3-3. We went to PKs [penalty kicks], and we won by one PK,” Shelton said. When asked what brought them closer as a team he responded, “probably off the field stuff like spaghetti feeds, and just talking about the weirdest stuff.” Girls golf made it to the first round of the NCS , which was a tournament in Vallejo. Iris Coonrod, a member of the golf team said “the 6 hour drive helped us all bond.” Another member of the girls golf team, Avery Meadows, said that the hardest part of the season was the amount of time that she dedicated to the success of the team. “Giving each other funny nicknames gave us something to laugh about together,” said Meadows. Girls tennis finished the season undefeated and first in the league. In the history of the girls tennis team, they haven’t once made it past the first round of sections. “Because of that we are really excited, we have a really strong team,” said Aimee Reiner, a senior on the team. The best part of the season was “getting to hangout with the girls...just creating friendships and bonds on the team that I wouldn’t have without tennis,” Reiner continued. The volleyball season has also wrapped up. The team won the league and made it to the first round of sections. Because of COVID, this was the team’s first real season in two years, which has made it harder to get back into it, according to Abby-Costello Anderson, a senior on the volleyball team. According to Costello Anderson, one of the best parts of the

season was “just having a solid team where everyone gets along, and there’s no drama or anything.” Both Arcata High boys and girls cross country teams were ranked first in the county. “The best part of the season for me is watching the younger runners grow and improve a ton... and also going on our forest runs together and having good conversations,” Jude Ortega, captain of the boys team and the fastest cross country runner in the county said. “This is the first time in a really long time where both the boys and girls have won, we basically swept the entire county,” he said.

Ai-lan McGoldrick, captain of the girls, said she feels like the team has gotten close because of the workouts and practice, even if there haven’t been as many traveling events this year. “The racing and the summer training have been the best parts of the season, I’m really happy with how the season has gone so far,” she said. With Arcata High fall sports having record breaking accomplishments this season, seniors and team captains know that when they are leaving their teams, they are set up for future victories and accomplishments.

Martina Stoker/AHS

Shane Purcell plays in his Senior year as Quarterback

Sports

Thursday, December 16th, 2021

BEST ACTOR

The Pepperbox | Page 13

And the Winners Are...

SAM Trewartha

The boys and girls Varsity Basketball teams voted on these awards and the results are as follows :

This award is for being the best actor when it comes to fouls.

Best Shoes

Vivian Cronin

This award is for having the best shoes on both the Girls and Boys Varsity team.

WANNABE MJ AWARD

TALKS THE MOST GAME

Brandon Beto-Jackson

KAI PURCELL

This award is for wanting to be the next Micheal Jordan.

This award is for being the best trash talker. Interviews by Axeri Ramirez and Graphic by Lila Cohen

U N I Q U E A N D A F F O R D A B L E G I F T S F O R E V E R Y O N E O N Y O U R L I S T !

OPEN EVERYDAY ON THE ARCATA PLAZA IG: @PLAZABEINSPIRED

WAIBT

Dec.

2, 3, 4

Thursday

St. Bernards 4:00 p.m.

McKinleyville

Friday

4:00 p.m.

Mazama

Friday

7:00 p.m.

8:30 p.m.

CHAMPIONS

Fortuna

Saturday

Foothill

12:00 p.m.

Saturday

3:00 p.m.

5:30 p.m.

Hoopa valley

Friday

5:30 p.m.

gold beach

Friday

8:30 p.m.

7:00 p.m

arcata

Saturday

10:30 p.m.

Sponsored by the Rotary Club of Arcata

Saturday

4:30 p.m.

The Pepperbox | Page 16

Sports

Thursday, December 16th, 2021

WAIBT and AIBT player profiles F

or those who don’t know, AIBT stands for Arcata Invitational Basketball Tournament. Originally started in 1968, it was a yearly tradition for Arcata High School before COVID-19 to host teams from all over the state. A bracket was made and teams played their way through the bracket, trying to win the championship. Arcata students hosted visiting players at their houses and took them to school. Now with the return of in-person school, the tournament makes its triumphant return. It’s time to meet some of the players competing in the tournament, and learn about everything from their signature moves to their lucky charms.

Kai Purcell Favorite Sport: Underwater basket weaving

Inspirations: Impressing Mr. Mielke

Position: Second base

Special Talent: I can throw a football pretty well

How to Insure the Win: Give the ball to Brandon

Pregame Ritual: I like to solve my rubix cube a few times and listen to the Lorax soundtrack

Favorite Memory: Two years ago, the championship game, it was a full house, and we still lost but it was really fun

Lily Rust Inspiration: My mom gives me money.

Where Would You Hide The Body? For legal reasons, I can’t say that

Special Talent: I can curl my eyelashes without a mirror

Signature Move: When people break my ankles.

What Are You Most Excited For? Traveling

Lucky Charm: I wear my hair in a high ponytail

Art and Writing by Emily Nalley Photos by Ty Franklin

Sports

Thursday, December 16th, 2021

The Pepperbox | Page 17

WAIBT and AIBT player profiles Grace Talty Inspiration: Jennifer Lawrence

Pregame Ritual: I drink a milkshake, go to the country store, get a donut and watch Twilight in my car before every home game

Postgame Ritual: If I lose a game, I sing to the whole album of Sour, cry, and drink hot chocolate

Positon: Point Guard

Pickup Line: I don’t need one

Lucky Charm: I put a penny under the soul of my shoe

Shane Purcell Inspiration: Being better than Kai

Position: Quarterback

Where Would You Hide the Body? Leadership closet

Best Pickup Line: *Slowly cha cha’s towards you*

Sam Trewartha Inspiration: The ladies

Postgame Ritual: I smell my shoes

Special Talent: I’m really bad at basketball

Secret Crush: Jack Black

How to Insure the Win: Put dirty nickels in the opponent's bags for bad luck

The Pepperbox | Page 18

Sports

Thursday, December 16th, 2021

WAIBT and AIBT player profiles Vivian Cronin Postgame Ritual: Showering and passing out

Position: Center

Pickup Line: Are you a chilli pepper, because you’re hot

Most Excited For: I am excited to play teams that we haven’t played before and to have our own tournament

Most Worried About Playing: Nobody, because we got this

Lucky Charm: I like to wear a specific pair of socks that is a specific color (orange)

Isaiah Levy Postgame Ritual: Five grilled cheeses, four showers, three crying sessions, two pounds of buffalo wings and a partridge in a pear tree

Position: Bottom

Inspiration: Nothing, I’m not sure why I haven’t quit yet

Secret Crush: Jennifer Coriell (The beautiful Ms. Coriell)

Things the Team Needs to Work On: Continuing to bond as a group and build relationships on and off the court is important for our success.

Lucky Charm: Alex

Alex Jioras Pregame Ritual: Chicken dance in the locker room

Position: Top

Secret Crush: Isaiah’s mom

How to Insure the Win: Doing the WAP on the sideline

Signature Move: Jazz hands

Most Excited For: To be on the team with Isaiah

Lucky Charm: Isaiah

Thursday, December 16th, 2021

Feature

The Pepperbox | Page 19

Marijuana; an evolution Bella Fratkin

Business Manager

hile tourists ogle at our record breaking Redwoods and revolutionary sewage plant, there’s no doubt that the weed scene in Humboldt is one of our main attractions. A 2006 opinion article featured in The Pepperbox titled, “Pot culture fosters apathetic attitude,” by former Editor-in-chief, Laura Provolt, emphasized the risks and dangers of marijuana. However, many of today’s students at Arcata High School think the drug has become more normalized and don’t see it having as many negative effects as people thought in the 2006 article. Provolt suggests cannabis is harmful, addictive, and a gateway drug. She relates marijuana use to an analogy that when people use “crutches” it leads to weakness and underdevelopment.

In agreement, Shastina Speciale, a 2006 freshman said, “I think it has a bad effect on people’s lives when they depend on it to have fun.” Current sophomore Frida King notes “it’s become a weird social concept, like if you abuse substances it somehow makes you cool.” However, the majority of students today think differently, including junior, Nyah Anderson. She noted the beneficial effects and even healing potential. Then and now, however, students and staff agree that school isn’t the right environment for cannabis use, though it continues to be widespread. Principal Jim Monge focused on school rules. “At AHS, marijuana use is not allowed at all on campus. For students, it’s not okay. It’s an impairment to learning.” He did note the significant changes in the culture of use since legalization, but made sure to em-

phasize that Arcata High is to be kept a marijuana free campus. This legalization of marijuana in California which happened in 2016 is the biggest change that’s been made since 2006. Today’s students highlight the impact this has had on the Humboldt community in terms of normalization of the drug. Our economy is widely supported by marijuana crops. That reality has led to pollution of the rivers, and an epidemic of missing people. To address these problems, current senior LeMonie Hutt supports “legalization for regulation.” Marijuana remains a core part of the Humboldt culture but perspectives have changed since the 2006 article. The impact of legalization on the ever changing social norms about cannabis can be expected to continue evolving.

“ Is marijuna a problem on campus?” “I think if kids are skipping class to do marijuana it’s a problem but if they are doing it after school it’s not.” - Mason Alway 9th grade “I don’t think that the impact from those who use the drug are strong enough to affect those who chooose not to.” - Taylor Nada 10th grade “Honestly I don’t really have much of an opinion on it, but I don’t think it has much of a negative impact.” - Nyah Anderson 11th grade

Gendered spaces Bodie Lewis

Reporter

on-conforming students at Arcata High School wish for accessible gender-neutral spaces because of bathrooms and locker rooms that enforce gendered norms. Those who identify themselves as trans and/or not a part of the gender spectrum experience discomfort using gender-specific spaces on a day-to-day basis. Sophomore Ash Jayden Stenburg is an openly genderfluid student who struggles because of gendered spaces, especially when they’re not identifying with their assigned gender at birth. “I can’t go into the girls, I can’t go into the guys, so there’s really no

place for me to go if I need somewhere to change,” they stated. Because of the discomfort they feel with gendered locker rooms they often end up changing in bathroom stalls. Many queer students often avoid going to the bathroom or locker room when possible for identity-based reasons. “Some people find it affirming to go into a bathroom with a gender on it, I just avoid it in general,” sophomore Jaden Bishop voiced. The uncomfortable feeling many experience using gendered bathrooms goes a lot deeper than the fact that they’re gender-specific. For queer students on campus, many feel a lack of safety, and hav-

ing gender-neutral spaces would provide a more accepting environment. Senior Paycie Holland feels there are few places at the school that feel comfortable and accepting of gender expression. “I think just making it clear that any hate towards gender non-conforming people won’t be tolerated at this school is important,” Holland voiced. Julie Angles, the advisor for the Sexuality and Gender Acceptance club, has heard from various students that the lack of gender-neutral spaces on campus has been challenging for them. Angles believes that awareness about queer people and their strug-

gles needs to be spread and heard, especially to those who have no trans people in their lives. “I think it’s a conversation that needs to be had,” Angles said. Angles noted that she brought the issues she heard from students to the attention of the administration and was told solutions are already being looked into. She also voiced that people who are willing should get involved. She pointed out that parents vocalizing their concerns could bring more awareness to the issue. “I don’t think it would be a bad idea to get more people actively involved,” Angles commented, “if they reach out that could help a lot.”

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Feature

Thursday, December 16th, 2021

From the archives: gay marriage Eva Johnson

Copy Editor

alifornia has had a complicated history regarding the legalization of same-sex marriage. On November 4, 2008, California voters passed Proposition 8, a state amendment, which stated “only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California.” Looking back upon an archived version of The Pepperbox from March 13, 2012, an article called “gay marriage is on its way to legalization in California” by KimThu Pham made it clear that California citizens were fighting for gay rights, but it wasn’t until June 28, 2013 that California legalized gay marriage. “[Prop 8] serves no purpose, and has no effect, other than to lessen the status and human dignity of gays and lesbians in California,” the Ninth Court of Appeals ruling stated. The Supreme Court, on June 26, 2015, made a historic ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges under the 14th Amendment, making samesex marriage legal in all 50 states. Senior Grace Talty shared her thoughts on legalization: “[I thought legalization] would have come earlier because California, in my eyes, is a more progressive state,” she stated. Talty has a point. The majority of California’s registered voters are Democrats, according to the Public Policy Institute of California. About 46.5% of registered voters identify as Democrat, with about 65% voting liberal. However, Republicans hold about 24.1% of votes, with 75% of those voters deeming themselves more conservative. “I’m guessing just as much as we think California is liberal...there

are some pretty conservative pockets,” Julie Angles, Sexuality and Gender Acceptance club advisor, expressed. Since the 2015 Supreme Court ruling, gay marriage laws have changed within states. “On a daily basis, for the past four years, there has been crisis after crisis…[this has] taken away the focus from what our legislatures are doing,” German teacher, Carolyn Bareilles, said. With the lockdown and the pandemic, the focus for many political advocates has shifted to masking policies, vaccine mandates, the numbers of COVID cases rising, and the Black Lives Matter movement, but this doesn’t mean states have stopped pursuing gay marriage restrictions. In February of 2020, Colorado tried and failed to pass the Colorado Natural Marriage and Adoption Act which “permits a clerk to issue a license to marry and a marriage certificate only upon satisfactory proof that the marriage will be between one man and one woman,” as stated by the Colorado General Assembly. “States are not following the federal law because they think that they have some right to not allow

States are not following the federal law because they think that they have some right to not allow people to marry who they want to. - Grace Talty

Lila Cohen/PEPPERBOX

In 2015 the supreme court ruling overturned Proposition 8, legalizing same-sex marriage people to marry who they want to,” Talty explained. Legislation isn’t the only contending factor that affects samesex marriage. Prejudice has surrounded the LGBTQ+ community for a long time, and as Bareilles stated, “any prejudice is prejudice too much.” Religious ideology has influenced gay marriage rights as well. In Pham’s article, it states that Protect Marriage, a conservative religious coalition, was the original sponsor of Prop 8. “I think that [religion] has a lot to do with it. I know it says in the Bible ‘the man and the wife’ type of thing. In Southern states, it’s a deep, ingrained value that a man marries a woman,” Talty continued. At Arcata High School, students feel that campus acceptance of same-sex relationships is a complicated matter. Senior Michael Fitzgerald reports that he hasn’t seen hate against same-sex couples, however, he feels that some groups of

students aren’t open to the idea of gay marriage. “[On campus], it’s at least accepted, maybe not fully supported, but at least it’s not super called out,” Fitzgerald said. “From my impressions so far, there’s not a lot of discrimnation that I’ve seen, but I don’t want to speak for everyone,” freshman Twilight Sherman felt about samesex couples on campus. While Arcata High is a generally accepting, Angles feels that more can be done for LGBTQ+ community members. “[We can] show [same-sex relationships] in a situation where it seems natural, and not trying to make a statement...I have seen positive changes over the course of my career...we just can’t give up. Keep the fight,” Angles continued. She isn’t the only teacher to feel like more changes can be made. AHS is “getting better at inclusivity of all people...but more work needs to be done,” Bareilles concluded.

Feature

Thursday, December 16th, 2021

The Pepperbox | Page 21

Thanksgiving genocide Eva Johnson

Copy Editor

n the midst of the holiday season, the origins of the holidays should be considered, especially Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving has generally been celebrated with family and friends, sharing gratitude and food, but the real background of the holiday, which contains genocide, disease and false friendships is often ignored. It was the Wampanoag Native Americans that helped Puritans to survive in the so-called New World, and most history books share that the first Thanksgiving happened in 1621. It’s taught that the Wampanoag and settlers gathered together at one table for a large feast to celebrate the first autumn harvest.

However, this is not the full story. According to an Insider article, in 1637, John Winthrop, Massachusetts Bay Colony’s governor, declared the day to celebrate colonial soldiers who slaughtered hundreds of Pequot Native American men, women, and children.

“I’m totally for having a ‘Thanksgiving’ but this history that is usually portrayed…[is] glorifying a genocidal history [against] Native Americans.”

- LeMonie Hutt Thanksgiving became a national holiday in 1863 when writer Sarah Josepha Hale persuaded Abraham Lincoln that Thanksgiving was necessary to keep the divided na-

tion together. “It was propaganda...to try and build this event so that you could have a deeper narrative about community building and coming together in shared brotherhood and unity,” Dr. Kelli Mosteller, Citizen Potawatomi Nation Cultural Heritage Center Director stated in a 2020 interview. Author and Director of Research at Plimoth Plantation, James Baker explains that it was during the Progressive Era (1890-1920) that the Thanksgiving myth of peaceful friendship between the colonizers and the tribes became the story that every U.S. school taught. “I’m totally for having a ‘Thanksgiving’ but this history that is usually portrayed…[is] glorifying a genocidal history [against] Native Americans,” Native American

Club President, LeMonie Hutt explained. Discussing the difficulties of relearning and understanding U.S. history, Cedar Spirit, a junior at Six Rivers Highschool, said “...we always want to paint ourselves in a good light, and so it’s hard for us to paint ourselves in another way because we want to believe that we are good. So we need to really learn to get rid of that bias.” “I think we’ve gotten slightly better at teaching more of this broad history...[but] it would be good to start having that discussion,” Hutt shared. When the truth behind Thanksgiving is known and discussed, it can become a time focused on giving thanks while also remembering the often ignored history of the holiday.

COVID-19 mental health check in Jean Thuy

Reporter

he global pandemic has had immeasurable effects on the world. From the economy, to the isolation of millions of people in quarantine, the pandemic had a huge impact on many young people. The loss of routines, the end of sporting events and activities, not being able to see friends and family, school closure and the reduction of social contact are all factors which made the mental health of many students worse. Julin Hahn, a high school student from Germany, talked about his mental health during COVID. “It was pretty okay, but during the pandemic, I just lost my daily routine and my daily life was the same everyday,” he stated. He explained that the pandemic affected him so much strongly

because he is an extremely extroverted person. The lack of social contact and being unable to have any of his normal activities like basketball, made the pandemic especially hard for him. Shahn said that his mental health has gotten better since he is getting a routine and social life back. He is beginning to live nearly a normal life, but the consequences from COVID-19 on his mental health will still need time to heal. “Your mental health is not like a light switch which you can turn on and off,” he said. On the flip side, there are also students who saw the pandem improve themselves. Aida Schrauger, a senior at Arcata High said that she was really struggling before COVID-19. ”I was really having a hard time

because I needed to figure out not exactly who I wanna be but what I wanna to do,” she said. She also explained that she had just gotten out of a bad living situation before COVID-19 started. She said that since she was stuck in the house, she had time to figure out her mental health. “I think it pushed me to heal from a lot of stuff which happened when I was a kid,” she said. Her mental health hasn’t really

changed since the school opened again. “School is stressful but it’s good to see everyone,” she said. There won’t be a magic day when we can heal our mental health from the impact of COVID-19, the residual effects will be with us for a long time to come.

Lila Cohen/PEPPERBOX

YoungMinds survey by the BBC carried out in March of 2020 surveyed 2,111 teens on their mental health over the pandemic

The Pepperbox | Page 22

Feature

The hidden hero of Arcata High School Emily Nalley

Sports Editor

ave you ever wondered who works everyday after school to clean up the messes left behind by students? Who cleans the five bathrooms and 56 rooms? That would be Custodian Jim Hogan and his staff. The Arcata High School Pepperbox was lucky enough to get a one on one interview with him. He explained that he has worked at Arcata High School for 11 years and at the district for 21 years as a janitor. As you can imagine, a custodian has seen and cleaned up some pretty nasty things around the school. Hogan believes the worst and most frequent thing that he has to clean up is the bathrooms. “People don’t even know how to use the toilet,” he explains. “Other than that the kids are doing great at throwing away trash,” he adds, “except when they play basketball with the trash cans and don’t throw away all of the messes.” This gave Hogan a good laugh. When asked about his life outside of work, Hogan wanted the students of Arcata High to know “me and my family have raised three guide dogs,” which he is very proud of. He also wanted the students to know that he himself graduated from AHS in 1985. “I was really into sports throughout high school, I played football, baseball, and basketball.” These sports were part of his identity in high school and throughout college. After highschool, Hogan was able to play football at College of the Redwoods. He took this very seriously and was proud of all the awards he received. Hogan was involved in all county football for two years and was discussed his honorable men-

tion two years in a row for basketball and baseball. Even after 21 years, Hogan still loves his job and finds it very rewarding to get to see all of the kids on campus again after COVID-19. During the pandemic, he wasn’t able to get on campus very much and that affected his daily life. The students are the ones who make the most messes on campus and after the fact that they weren’t at school for over a year, it really is nice for Hogan to be able to see kids again even if they are leaving the same messes again. As Arcata High moves farther into the year he hopes that the students will learn how to be more responsible and be aware of the messes that they might be making.

Thursday, December 16, 2021

Evil santa claus and other holiday traditions Bella Fratkin

Business Manager

he darkening months of winter are filled with many holidays and celebrations, including Thanksgiving, Winter Solstice, Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa, Las Posadas, and New Years. Arcata High German teacher, Mrs. Bareilles, or Frau B, as many of her students call her, shared some German traditions celebrated during this time. “Christmas is huge in Germany,” she said.

Mrs. Coleman, a Spanish teacher at AHS, celebrates Christmas, and fondly remembers her favorite childhood ways to celebrate. “My favorite holiday tradition was spending time with family, and eating tamales at my grandparents on Christmas eve,” she remembers. The LatinX club president, senior Maria Jimenez-Nava, celebrates Christmas and New Years.

In Germany, they like to make their own. They often put parts of a necklace or puzzle pieces in each day’s box, so that by the end of Advent, you will have a full puzzle or necklace.

One of these is playing a game where the children in her family put out their stockings, and her parents put money in them.

If they have been good, St. Nick will leave them candy. If they have been bad, his helper, Knecht Rupercht will beat them. Sophomore, Sophia Griffin celebrates the Jewish holiday, Hanukkah. “I like to celebrate with my family by lighting the menorah, singing songs, and reading Hanukkah books that we’ve been reading since my childhood. I also like to play Dreidel and eat lots of gelt,” Griffin explained. Emily Nalley/PEPPERBOX

Griffin finds that Hanukkah brings light and celebration to the darkest time of the year.

Nuremberg, the largest city in Germany, is thought of as a Christmas town during the season. People worldwide use Advent calendars to countdown the days leading to Christmas.

St. Nicholas arrives on the 6th of December. On December 5th,children traditionally leave their shoes on their doorsteps.

Custodian Jim Hogan is the main jantor at Arcata High

“It’s very relaxing and beautiful,”she says.

Her favorite tradition is lighting the candles and watching them burn in the window.

In her household, they celebrate this time of year with lots of fun traditions.

However, not all of the stockings have money in them, so the children have to try and guess which ones have the money. If they guess correctly, they get to keep it. Whether roaming the snowy streets of a German Christmas town, singing your heart out to karaoke songs, or lighting the menorah, some families practice the traditions of their ethnic communities, and others simply create festivities that make them happy. There are many things that make this season special no matter who you are or where you come from.

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Thursday, December 16th, 2021

The Pepperbox | Page 23

Cooking up memories Flannery Warner Opinion Editor

any people have recipes that are passed down from generation to generation within their families. These recipes are often deeply rooted in tradition, connection and joy. In preparation for the winter holidays, we decided to survey members of our communities’ various diversity and language clubs in order to make a compilation of recipes. Rösti/Kartoffelpuffer These savory potato pancakes are from Ticino, Switzerland. According to German club advisor Frau B, with just a couple additions of egg and onion, this recipe can be changed into the German potato pancake. Ingredients: -Between 800 g and 1 kg potatoes. -Nutmeg, salt and pepper to taste -Enough fat to cover your pan (Ghee is recommended but vegetable oil works) -Optional toppings include: applesauce, jam, cheese, bacon, ham, caramelized onions, and sour cream Directions: -The day before, boil the potatoes in their jackets, in salted water for 20-25 minutes. -Cool them completely and keep them in fridge. -Peel the potatoes and coarsely grate with a cheese grater. -Season with nutmeg, salt and pepper, using your hands to gently toss through the grated potatoes. -Heat pan over high heat. -Add fat to the pan and when its starts to splutter, add the grated potato and press it down all over. -Turn the temperature to medium and let it cook for 12-15 minutes without moving

-Shake frying pan and if the pancake moves, peek underneath. -When the bottom is golden brown slide the pancake out onto a plate -Add a little more fat to your pan, then gently flip the same pancake back into the pan. (Or turn the whole pancake upside down onto a plate, add a little more fat, then slide it back in) -Cook for another 12-15 minutes or until golden. -Serve with applesauce or jam on top Huckleberry Tea Used in Jumdance and White Deerskin dance, this Huckleberry Tea Recipe was provided by President of the Native American Club, LeMonie Hutt. Ingredients: -Huckleberries -Hot water -Honey or sugar Directions -Boil huckleberries in hot water

until it turns a dark purple -Add in honey or sugar to taste -Store in a jar with berries and leave overnight -Enjoy! Base for Bot Chien A Vietnamese comfort food, this Bot Chien recipe was provided by secretary of the AAPI club, Andrew Trieu and is his grandma’s recipe. Ingredients: -1 bag of rice flour -4 cups of water -1 tbsp oil -¼ teaspoon salad

Green Stuff (Pacific Lime Mould)

This dish is called Pacific Lime Mould, however, according to French club advisor Madam Bagnall her family refers to it as “green stuff,” alluding to its green color. Ingredients:

-1 package of lime Jell-o -1 cup boiling water -1 can crushed pineapple, juice reserved -1 cup creamy cottage cheese -1 tsp horseradish -1/2 cup mayonnaise or 1/2 cup whipping cream, whipped -1/4 cup chopped walnuts Directions:

Directions: -Mix the oil and salt -Heat the rice flour and oil mixture on medium heat, adding 1.5 cups pf hot water until the mixture starts to thicken -Spray a pan with oil -Pour the mixture into a round pan -Steam for 15 minutes -Top with green onion, or an egg

- Dissolve Jell-o in 1 cup boiling water. -Add reserved juice from crushed pineapple -Chill until slightly thickened. -Beat until frothy, fold in pineapple, cottage cheese, horseradish -Add mayonnaise or whipping cream (whipped) and chopped walnuts.

Lila Cohen/PEPPERBOX

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Feature

Christmas gift ideas Ruby Auckland

Reporter

ith the holiday season rolling around, you may find yourself lost in a Christmas gift rut. It’s difficult assuming whether your friends and family will like something or not so that’s why I’m here, to pitch you a few ideas. Coming up number one is a lightsaber; a prop or the real thing will both work. This gift is absolutely perfect and festive for the holiday season as it comes in many different, cheerful colors. You could kill two birds with one stone and gift your whole family with lightsabers, which could lead to a Christmas day family battle. Another unique idea is a bathroom guest book. These can be both beneficial and useful for either everyday life or if you have a family member that loves to host parties and events. They include doodle spaces, proactive prompts, grading systems and more. The convenient present brings function, organization, aesthetic and structure into day to day life. If you know somebody that loves to cook but they want to improve their culinary skills, I recommend getting Snoop Dogg’s Cookbook. It includes numerous recipes that are both delicious and fairly easy to make. The recipes vary from baked mac-and-cheese to lobster thermidor to snacks and desserts. This cookbook covers it all. This next gift idea is both help-

ful in specific situations, and enjoy able; a one gallon jug of bar becue sauce. Having an outrageously large jug of BBQ sauce may come in handy. A batch of ribs or BBQ grilled chicken could be made with the gal lon of sauce or just having it on hand could be useful. Now that you have a general idea of what presents you could get your family and friends, stocking stuffers are still on the table.

Traditionally, sweet, sugary candy is thrown into stockings, but if you’re wanting to think outside of the box, consider more savory foods. Pre-grilled packaged hotdogs may be a great, unique and unpredictable gift. They’re convenient for an on-the- go snack, yet could also be used to cook a delicious, gourmet meal. Another unheard of stocking stuffer is an assorted bag of seasoned and edible mixed

Thursday, December 16, 2021

bugs. Nobody would be expecting this in teresting and bizarre snack which could make the whole situation even more exciting. Having a few basic Christmas gift ideas up your sleeve can truly lift the weight and stress off your shoulders caused by the lack of creativity. Hopefully you’re now feeling relieved, put at ease, and ready for the fun holiday festivities.

Amaya Mendle-Nickle/PEPPERBOX

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Thursday, December 16th, 2021

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Classic holiday movies Sydney Trieu

Online Editor

hristmas movies are a classic hallmark of Christmas celebrations and one of the favorite ways to celebrate the upcoming holiday season. Every winter break, my family and I curl up on the couch and settle in for a movie after our Christmas dinner. It allows me to indulge my inner child and make it seem like anything is possible with a little Christmas spirit. Here are some of the movies my family and I watch every year: The Polar Express is a classic Christmas movie full of childhood nostalgia. My first memories of this story come from the picture book my mom would read to my siblings and I during winter break. However, between the movie and book, the movie was my favorite. The movie’s animation style adds that extra dash of magic that

makes it come alive. I also like how it strays away from the typical plotlines and clichés. You would think that a children’s movie would play right into the expected but, the deviation away from the predictable makes the movie more memorable, and has helped it remain a quintessential Christmas movie. How the Grinch Stole Christmas (1963) is another personal favorite. I love the animation style and the scenery of the movie, even though it’s one of the older Christmas movies out there. I also enjoy the songs in the movie, which have remained staples for the Christmas season. My favorite part is the nostalgic happy ending, where the Grinch had a change of heart and grows into the hero of the movie. Die Hard and its continued discussion of whether or not it is actually a Christmas movie has sparked many debates between my younger brother and I.

Sydney Trieu/PEPPERBOX

Sydney Trieu starting the movie Die Hard with a bowl of candy on stand by

I personally believe that it isn’t, and you can fight me on that. It’s just an action and adventure blockbuster set during Christmas, which does not automatically make it a Christmas movie. Yet, many argue otherwise. Some argue that the movie’s focus on family, which is one of the main themes, makes Die Hard a Christmas movie because family is an essential part of Christmas. Even though I don’t think that it’s a Christmas movie, it somehow

always ends up being watched every Christmas at my house. Still, it adds some much appreciated variety in the Christmas movie line-up. My list definitely does not cover everything. It’s just a small fraction of all the holiday movies out there. The list of Christmas movies is endless and one can definitely be found to suit everyone’s tastes.

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Feature

Thursday, December 16, 2021

Album reviews

In this article, each person recommended one new album to each other for review. Ruby selected Rocket to Russia by the Ramones, while Tabitha chose Wowee Zowee by Pavement. Neither person had listened to the album recommended prior to this review.

Tabitha Born

Deputy A&E Editor-in-Chief

ocket to Russia” is an energetic combination of upbeat raw sarcasm and beautifully melancholic heartbreak. The harsh, brash, and often repetitive lyricism addresses many taboo topics, including, but not limited to, dysfunction of society, corruption of the upper class, superficiality, and consumerism. The song which spoke most to me was “Here Today, Gone Tomorrow.” It’s matter-of-fact lyrics combined with beautiful melody and clear guitar stood out because of how much contrast it provides to the rest of the album. Through sardonic humor and punk lyricism combined with alternative rock, 60s-esque surf rock,

Rocket to Russia by the Ramones and pop, the Ramones truly are their own. From upbeat and vibrant songs, like “Sheena is a Punk Rocker,” “We’re a Happy Family,” and “I Wanna Be Well,” the Ramones convey youthful angst and playful energy mixed up perfectly with astute observations and cultural commentary. This mainstream honesty in lyricism set a new precedent for what types of boundary breaking and franked authenticity can (and should) hold a place in both rock and pop, with impacts lasting to this day.

Ruby Auckland

Reporter

he Ramones were one of the most influential bands of their time, coming out of Queens, New York in the early 1970s. Their bare bones style and moody lyrics caught the attention of the angsty youth. Rocket to Russia holds a number of radio pop songs that you’ve probably heard in the background at parties or in movies, as well as more heavy and profound content. One of the Ramones’ greatest and most incredible talents

Tabitha Born

Reporter

he first thing that caught my attention while re-listening to “Wowee Zowee” by Pavement was how effortlessly the band blends profound and honest lyricism with goofy, almost absurd humor. This album is a personal favorite of mine. It’s intricate and playful instrumentals span aspects of many genres, from new wave, to alternative rock, punk, funk, and surf rock, they create a sound that can only be described as completely uniquely Pavement. The variety in tempo, emotion, and song structure make this album a buffet for the mind; there is something here for everyone. One of Pavement’s greatest strengths is the ability to convey passion and emotion through their art, without losing sight of greater perspective or the joys of playing

Wowee Zowee by Pavement music. Political and social awareness shine through in many of the songs, setting Pavement apart from many other bands of it’s time. From healthcare insecurity, to wealth disparity, to consumerism and mega corporations, they give honest, yet artistic feedback on the state of the nation. They give off an air of nonchalance and playfulness, maintaining meaningful and relevant opinions while simultaneously letting their audience know they are, in fact, human too. I have never before listened to a band that combines witty, poetic, entertaining, and raw lyrics with such dynamic and complex instrumentals. This album simply blows me away.

Ruby Auckland

Reporter avement’s 1995 album, Wowee Zowee, is beyond any doubt, one of the most fascinating albums I’ve heard in a while. It’s a dynamic blend of alternative/indie rock, punk rock, and blues. I admire how each song allowed me to experience an array of emotions, including despair and joy. It was refreshing to hear that there wasn’t a particular theme to the album, each song having its own unique characteristics. I noticed that not only emotion, but thought and compassion lingered within the lyrics.

was their ability to take negative thoughts and express them in a way that seemed to be positive, almost hopeful. The natural agony and tenderness that beamed throughout a few of the songs allowed me to feel a deeper understanding and appreciation for the Ramones. The remaining songs are presented in a more cheerful and lighthearted manner from my observance, one of my favorites being “Do You Wanna Dance?” If you are seeking a band or album to get you ampt up, Rocket to Russia by the Ramones may be the right fit for you.

Their witty, musical humor stood out to me, as it placed me in a comfortable and familiar environment, alongside their loose and carefree touch. It’s a true talent, having the ability to convey a sense of lighthearted and carefreeness, implying that even the most skilled musicians are human. “AT&T” struck my attention as it transitions to multiple different tempos and frequently alternates between guitar riffs. Stephen Malkmus’ lyrical stutters layered between objectless guitar licks is an aspect of the song that I truly can’t get over. If you are looking for an inspiring, yet breezy album to sit back and mindlessly listen to, I highly recommend this album.

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A&E

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Battle of the burritos Zoe Macknicki

Copy Editor

t’s time to settle the ongoing debate on which Mexican restaurant has the best burrito in Arcata and the Pepperbox staffers are here to help. Staffers sampled and formed an opinion on four burritos from four different food places without knowing which burrito was from which restaurant. The burritos that were tasted were from Ritas, Estebans, Hey Juan’s Burritos, and Carmelas. While sampling the burritos, the students rated and described the taste, texture, and the consistency of each. The lowest rated burrito was from Hey Juan’s Burritos, with a rating of 1.8 out of 5 stars. Senior Lila Cohen states it has “plain white rice and a bad tortilla.”

Sydney Trieu, says it was “very bland.” The second to last rated burrito was Estabans with a rating of 3.4/5 stars. Seri Welsh says it had a very good taste but there was too much tortilla compared to other ingredients.” On this burrito Trieu says “there is a better ratio to bean, rice, and cheese.” This burrito was placed lower down within the ratings. There were still burritos that ranked higher than the one from Estabans. The next burrito was from Carmelas, with a rating of 3.6/5 stars. Haley Kenyon, says there’s a “good balance between beans, rice, and cheese.” Another staffer, Aidan Shelton, states it was “very flavorful.” The burrito with the highest

Dele Rebstock/PEPPERBOX

rating was Ritas, with a rating of 3.7/5 stars. On this burrito, Kenyon states “the tortilla was soft, the rice was cooked throughout, and there was a good amount of cheese.” The best burrito rated by fellow students was the burrito from Ritas. The students gave their opinions and rated this one the best. All of these places are within walking distance of Arcata High. If anyone is looking for a good place to go grab a bite to eat, check out Rita’s, and try their stellar bean rice and cheese burrito.

Lila Cohen/PEPPERBOX

Jean Thuy/PEPPERBOX

The Pepperbox | Page 28

Opinion

Thursday, December 16, 2021

The wild west of the boys bathroom Aidan Shelton

Art Director

ecently, the bathrooms at Arcata High School have devolved into a sad and scary state. The bathrooms feature extreme dirtiness, swarms of vaping kids, and even a stolen sink. In their current condition, many students don’t use the school bathrooms unless it’s an absolute emergency. “It’s pretty treacherous, I’m kind of always on guard,” sophomore Alex White said about the bathroom conditions. After unknown students lit a trash can on fire in the science wing bathroom during the 20192020 school year, the bathroom closed, and has not reopened since then. The Fine Arts Building bathrooms were formally known as the best bathrooms on the campus for their cleanliness, pristine nature and the fact that they were single stalls. In a 2017 Pepperbox article that ranked all bathrooms on campus, the FAB bathrooms came in first place. However, these safe havens for students wanting a clean bathroom experience have been ripped away from the general public, as too many students were using them to perform scandalous activities. Students now need to get a key from the music rooms to use them. Another clean bathroom, the gym bathrooms, have faced a similar fate. The bathrooms are usually filled with freshmen and P.E. kids vaping, so they are often locked, making them unreliable for students. All these closings have caused extra traffic in smaller bathrooms

like the Six Rivers bathrooms, which are open most of the time, but have been locked periodically due to the current situation. Students can expect the worst conditions in the boy’s front bathroom, but it is far from the only bathroom with these problems. The office bathrooms have had their fair share of shenanigans. Due to the “devious licks” trend on TikTok, posters about the trend and where to report vandalism have been hung up around the school. These did not end up being effective because it only brought more attention to the issue, which caused vandalism to occur the day the posters were put up. “There was a soap dispenser in the toilet in the bathroom by the office,” said sophomore Noah Macknicki. The office bathroom often has much more mysterious and disgusting incidents, like jam smeared everywhere including the ceiling, the toilet paper being wet and ripped up, and even urine on the floor which is a surprisingly common occurrence. For safety reasons, I would recommend students only go to this bathroom for quick business trips, with an escape plan in mind. All these incidents have caused many bathrooms to be closed, some temporarily, some permanently. This current movement of desecrating the bathrooms has left many students concerned and disappointed in the school. With only the seniors having been at school in person for a full year, the class feels like it is their duty to show the underclassmen how to use the bathrooms like people and not animals. As a senior myself, I care about the quality of the bathrooms for

the future of our school. We need to think about the freshmen who are coming into the school with a deplorable bathroom environment. Senior Everett Marsh empathizes with the freshman coming into this new world. “I would start vomiting if I walked into an environment like this because it is scary, you are nervous when you’re a freshman… It’s just not very welcoming seeing the sink ripped off the wall, it’s just really disgusting,” Marsh said. While many students are scared of the current state of the bathroom, many still have hope that the conditions can improve. “The behavior in the bathrooms has not been acceptable to what

we have normally had in the past before COVID, for sure, so we just need to get back on track,” Principal Monge stated. He continued that the TikTok trend specifically has caused the situation to be worse than before. While more adults will monitor the bathrooms in an attempt to minimize harm, he wants the main help to be in the form of students “We encourage you guys to be part of the solution as well,” he stated. Students shouldn’t just have to rely on administrative action. We should be able to hold ourselves and others accountable, not just for our own gain, but for the future of the school.

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The Pepperbox | Page 29

Op-Ed

Why are there so many freshman? Madelyn Conley

Deputy Feature Editor

he shutdown of schools due to the Covid-19 pandemic has affected students at Arcata High School, Humboldt County, and across the country. When the 2019-20 school year was cut short and we went to online learning, some of my classes didn’t even happen. Like seriously, no Zoom, Google Classroom, or anything. I guess that’s Eureka High for you. The following year, we were still online. I luckily switched to Arcata High, but still feel like the quality of my learning could have been better. Let’s be honest, once our lecture on Zoom was over, we went right back to bed. That makes this year, my first in-person and somewhat normal school year. I’m a junior, but I feel like a freshman.

The actual freshmen this year haven’t been in school since seventh grade and sophomores haven’t been since eighth grade. Even juniors didn’t have a full freshman year. I’ve definitely noticed a difference in the environment at school. “I was nervous because I came from such a small school and didn’t know if anybody would be able to help me since no one had really been here normally before me,” freshman Hiro Sugata says. I was definitely feeling this. I went to freshmen orientation before this school year started and felt so weird being a junior there, but I wasn’t the only upperclassmen who went. “Especially in the beginning of school, I had people who were juniors and sophomores asking me where their classes were,” senior MeiLi Mccann-Sayles says.

The leap from middle school to high school, even before the pandemic, is a huge transition. Due to online learning, this transition has become much harder for students. But I think people are getting used to being back to school now. To any juniors or sophomores who still feel like freshmen, and to the freshmen who still feel like

middle schoolers, “just breathe and live each year fully and don’t take anything for granted,” says senior, Sophia Pulley. “Take advantage of all the opportunities we didn’t have for the last year and a half,” senior Kayla Harvey says. Hang in there everybody, and welcome to high school.

Madelyn Conley/PEPPERBOX

A group of vulnerable freshmen getting in the way of an angry senior driving in the parking lot during lunch on a foggy Thursday

When does Christmas truly begin? Dele Rebstock

Social Media Manager

he holidays are a time that is known for bringing people together and showing us what we have to be grateful for. Many people appreciate the holidays because of nostalgic memories and traditions. Because of this, it is weird to me that people get angry at others for wanting to celebrate Christmas early. There’s no reason to stand in someone’s way if putting up lights or listening to Christmas music makes someone happy. One of my greatest childhood memories is visiting my grandma during Thanksgiving, and arriving to see her house fully decorated for Christmas. I’ve noticed that as I’ve gotten older it feels harder to keep the

holiday spirit alive. As we grow up, life becomes more stressful and we have less time to dedicate to fun activities. In some ways, I feel like the holidays can become even more important as we grow up because they can force us to slow down and take a break. In Humboldt, the holiday season doesn’t look like the traditional snowy picture. Typically, it is filled with rain and moderate temperatures, which doesn’t differentiate it much from fall. Since we have no natural indicator of when the holidays are coming, what is stopping us from celebrating as soon as we want? I don’t think we should have Christmas in July, but I don’t see anything wrong with Christmas decorations coming out before Thanksgiving.

Haley Kenyon

Reporter

he start of the holiday season is a very debatable topic. There’s never been a clear time determined when you should begin to celebrate your holiday of choice. I personally have a very clear timeline of when certain holiday seasons start AND end. I think that October is only for Halloween, it makes no sense to see December holiday decor and Thanksgiving decorations for sale alongside skeletons and spiders. As soon as October ends and November begins, it’s a limbo period where you can truly act out your white girl autumn, pumpkin spice urges. Thanksgiving break is the only time you celebrate Thanks-

giving, and as soon as it turns into the Friday after, it’s free game to start putting up lights. Break out the Christmas tree or start listening to holiday music. You can do whatever your heart desires like wearing ugly christmas sweaters and eating candy canes, but not all year round. You have to be slightly unhinged to listen to Christmas music all year round. Who is seriously capable of that? Unfortunately there are people out there that do this and I hope their soul finds peace one day. I think space between each holiday is much needed and that it makes each holiday more special instead of just an awkward combination between them all.

The Pepperbox | Page 30

Humor

Thursday, December 16th 2021

How to become a sigma male Aidan Shelton

Art Director

isclaimer: This is satire and should not be taken seriously by anyone Are you nervous? Having confidence issues in the world of high school? Still have freshmen energy? Well fear not, young king, as this list is for you. A Sigma male means that you’re dominant in every aspect of your life. You do whatever you want and you’re always right, even if society, morals, and laws tell you otherwise. If you follow this list and apply it to your everyday life, you will become an ultra Sigma male. You will exert power and confidence. People will respect and fear you. Step 1: Preparation. True Sigmas always take extra time to ensure success. To do this, you will need to take extra precautions to ensure you’re ready. Wake up, stare at yourself in the mirror and repeat, “I am ready,” for an hour straight. Then, stretch to prevent injuries. Step 2: Alertness. When you’re on that grindset, you will make enemies. There will be people gunning for you. You have to be ready. Carry items on your person for any situation life throws at you. Wear a life jacket at all times in case of floods. Wear a titanium suit in case a piano falls on you. Tape a filleting knife to your inner thigh in case an emergency fish needs to be prepared. Always expect the unexpected. Step: 3: Fearlessness Sigmas can’t be afraid to take their own path. Don’t be scared to pee in the middle urinal. In fact, only pee in the middle urinal to show that you

don’t let society dictate your life. Don’t wash your hands. Bacteria aren’t real. Lick every single doorknob just to prove it. Step 4: Lone Wolf Mentality True Sigmas see others as obstacles and keep to themselves. Don’t trust anyone. Don’t talk to anyone. Your girlfriend may leave you as you’ve become emotionally distant, but that’s okay as she was just a distraction from the grind. Chase the bag, not a female. Disappear and fake your death because you’re the main character. Go to Canada, start a revolution under a false name, and then return back home and go to school like nothing happened. Step 5: Divert Expectations. Always keep everyone on their toes. Nobody should be able to expect your next move. Your teacher thinks you’ll do well on your next test? You purposely fail. Your classmates expect you to walk into class? You crawl in on all fours. Your friends expect you to reply to their conversation? Invent your own language so that only you can understand you. Step 6: Persistence You might be discouraged now because everyone thinks you’re weird because you don’t act like a human or speak real words. Good. They don’t understand the grind. Don’t just push through obstacles, actively make life harder because that’s what Sigmas do. Take the stairs. Run the extra mile. Break your own kneecaps with a baseball bat so you know that you’re not. Consume estrogen daily to give your masculinity a challenge. Step 7: Rebellion As a Sigma, you don’t let society

dictate your life.You don’t let your teacher tell you to sit down in your seat. You sit on the floor. You don’t let clothing corporations tell you how to wear your clothes. You wear your shirts as pants and your pants as shirts. When your editor-in-chiefs give you a half page, you don’t listen and write a three quarter page. They will have no other choice but to let you have it because you’re holding their cats hostage. Never let anyone control you. Step 8: Perfection You now may be wanted because you “allegedly” held a cat hostage with a filleting knife, but that’s okay because as a Sigma, you never make mistakes. You look over your texts eight

times to make sure you never make a typo. Clone yourself several times for the sole purpose of proofreading your work, as you can only trust you. Step 9: Transcendence Now, the final step. To really show how Sigma you are, you must become completely self-reliant. Remove yourself from all earthly desires. Don’t eat or drink. Don’t breathe air. Don’t even rely on gravity. When you finally achieve that full Sigma male status, you will transcend into a glowing, levitating entity of pure masculinity. Others will be forced to bow down to you as their Sigma savior. Congratulations.

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The Saltbox Failures of the bulletin

Thursday, December 16th 2021

Sydney Trieu

Online Editor

he bell rings, signaling students milling around that it’s time to head to class. When students arrive in class, one of the first things teachers do to mark the beginning of the school day is read the daily bulletin. The purpose of having a bulletin is to get information out to the entire student body in a relatively easy way. However, it doesn’t work out that way. For example, students seem to never know what’s going to be for lunch. Lunch items for the day are always missing for the day it’s posted but they somehow find their way into the bulletin the next day. Super helpful, I know. Then, there’s the quote of the

Saltbox

day section. It’s still there despite the fact that there’s almost never actually a quote to go into the section. What’s the point of having a quote of the day section if there isn’t even going to be a quote in there? Honestly, it’s just taking up space at this point. Also, another issue with this section is that things are put in, but they’re not quotes. Video links or random historical facts are put in here instead. Under the “General” and “Club Announcements” sections, there’s always a super old announcement that manages to sneak its way in. It just keeps lurking in there and it’s always for something that has happened way too long ago to be of any significance to anyone. I remember seeing an an-

nouncement for a Go Green Club meeting to prepare for Homecoming a month after Homecoming. You would think that the bulletin gets read over to make sure that there isn’t anything that shouldn’t be in there, but I guess not. Simple grammatical errors are one of the most annoying oversights. I specifically remember one bulletin with the date being the 31th, not the 31st. If someone had just read it over real quick, mistakes like that would happen.

The Pepperbox | Page 31

Things we’re salty about

While comical, it’s definitely annoying for students because the bulletin is supposed to be a way for students to get information about school activities and events. I know that the office is busy with all that’s going on. However, it would be greatly appreciated if a new system was put in place so that the bulletin is more accurate than it is now. Maybe next time, the bulletin won’t have any simple grammatical errors and announcements from the first semester.

Sydney Trieu/PEPPERBOX

Game of the parking lot Ty Franklin Photo Editor

t’s 3:00 in the afternoon at Arcata High School. Students grow ever so impatient as the next chapter of their day is about to start unfolding after their long day on campus. Anxiety builds as the clock ticks slowly on, each second the growing question rises in students’ heads: “will I make it out the parking lot?” When the clock hits 3:35 p.m., it’s all out warfare. Senior Bronwyn Lovett books it to her Subarau Legacy with no good intentions. She cues her favorite russian metal bands to get

her mind right, and then she’s looking for blood. Lovett is ruthless and will not stand down to anyone, no matter what vehicle she is facing. “I’ll cut in front of anyone, and if anyone tries me, I’ll flip them off,” she explains. When Lovett is feeling really cruel, she won’t hesitate to talk some smack. “I use my megaphone to assert my dominance over the weak,” she says. She then proceeds to step on the gas and casually hits a slow 50 miles per hour out the entrance, disregarding human life (especially freshmen) all together. Lovett’s

biggest challenge is none other than the Fiat man himself, Senior Aidan Shelton. “He cuts in front of everybody in his little ass Fiat, with his car full of people laughing,” Lovett states. When confronted, Shelton says “it’s called efficiency, it’s not my fault I am just better at the parking lot.” Then there is fellow senior Everett Naman. He hears the bell and frolics to his car, stopping to chat it up with his classmates and enjoy the sunshine. When he finally reaches his car, he finds the perfect song that represents his current mood and backs his Honda Civic up.

“I reverse on out, but oops looks like somebody is coming, guess I’ll wait..I usually see Aidan Shelton head on by during this process. I bless his day with a warm smile and friendly wave,” Naman explains. Several minutes and 45 cars later, Naman has officially reversed. He then waves cars by and slowly but surely finds a way out. Then, he sits stationary on 16th Street for some time, and plays against himself in some good old fashion ro sham bo. As you can see when you play the Game of the Parking Lot you win or you die, there is no middle ground.

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Issue 2, Volume 94

Articles inside

Holiday Movies

Album Reviews

Bathroom Vandalization

Burrito Reviews

Saltbox

Sigma Grindset

Holiday Gift Ideas

John Schmit Spotlight

Sexism in Sports Cheerleaders for Girls bball

Celebrating Genocide

Transphobia

Sink Obituary

Holiday Recipes

Gay Marriage

Exchange Students