February 2012

HUNGER GAMES

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LEADERSHIP LOCK-IN

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TALENT SHOW

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The Sentinel On Guard AN OPEN FORUM FOR STUDENT EXPRESSION SINCE 1982

My.HSJ.ORG/SLHS

VOLUME 31, ISSUE 5

APRIL 2012

EDITORIAL

The Lake say goodbye

BY DANIELLE DIXON ddixononguard@gmail.com Students are whispering and muttering the news in their classes, teachers walk with a slight stoop in their shoulders, and a certain

her leadership. I loved her leadership,” says libraran()” We will all miss her leadership, miss her smile, and her charm”.

Needless to say the face of Spanaway Lake High will be different now and students will be feeling the affects of it all, “I haven’t been here long, “ said Alisha Long, “but I think she was doing her job well. When I came everything was nice and welcoming. I guess she’s always taking charge and making

been amazing. I’m most proud of their “whatever it takes” attitude,” she says, but do not think she has not thought about the students she is leaving behind, “ Students here make Spanaway Lake a place others have admired. How polite, respectful, and accepting they are. You have no idea how many compliments I’ve gotten from substitutes about students holding doors open, asking if they need help. That culture is unique to this student body”.

As for the students things might seem a little bit surreal once she’s gone.

“People will ask her where she went,

Julie Baublits Vice Principal “Her leaving will leave a huge void since she has made such a big impact at Spanaway Lake.

She will be sorely missed.”

Mark Torgerson Athletic Director

Gary Milbradt School Security

“I will miss her great sense of humor and her great attention to detail.”

“It is a little disturbing because we have good chemistry but it is always good to see someone move up and move on.”

PHOTO BY STAFF

PHOTO BY STAFF

PHOTO BY STAFF

Michelle Ledbetter’s absence.

Could this be the temporary setting of Spanaway Lake for the rest of the school year?

Principal Michelle Ledbetter will not be assuming the role of principal during One thing everyone must be wondering the 2012-2013 school year, she will not be about is who will take her place? Who here at all. She has taken on a new role as always been passionate about it, saying will be the helpful hand and leader in principal of the Pierce County Skills Center. Of course, did a really good job so everyone is sure that our people will miss her,” said esteemed and encouraging senior Christine Ellerman. principal will be a great That could be one of the good addition to the Skills Center, things about being principal, its also more than obvious she will be greatly missed you’ve had a huge impact on here at Spanaway Lake High someone, “says Mrs. Ledbetter.

School, by students and staff.

Now there has got to be Ledbetter has been the some fantastic times one as principal of the school for during their term as principal. the last seven years. She So what was Mrs. Ledbetter’s received the job after moving favorite moment? It happened on from the job of assistant during her third year as principal that she held for three years before the ED sports team. “It was a former principal resigned. spring game, they had won Ten years as principal the gold medal and the entire has been more than enough student body went bezerk those time for students and so the special kid went crazy. faculty members to become Thos pieces are so important”. accustomed to her authority It’s sad to think those special and kindness, and for the moments with Mrs. Ledbetter THE FANTASTIC FOUR: For many years, these four administrators have worked together to make this school the best that it can teachers/staff to follow her be. They have come together to bring in new ideas that make for a better environment that has lead to success for many are rapidly coming to a close. lead and responsibility as students. It will be a drastic change for everyone when we lose some of the most important people at Spanaway Lake.

She thinks June, the awards principal. She has been helpful night, graduation, and the the in mediating problems, nurturing the that the Skills Center “would be a perfect bad situations? Who will be the new education and well-being of students as well combination of high school and CTE” “A mixed bag of emotions,” as she calls as the growth and change within the school.

The PSCS also does hold a lot of power it, “but still excitement for what’s new”. run our school? The answer to every one Unfortunately for many students, she in our community “The Skills Center has So after the end of the 2011-2012 school year of those questions would be Mrs. Julie has made the decision to use her skills the potential to change the face of East that Mrs. Ledbetter leaves Spanaway Lake Baublits, the school’s current assistant elsewhere, but that decision was not an Pierce County,” says Mrs. Ledbetter, High School and it will start new experiences principal. After years of working with easy one nor did it go over smoothly. “It can be a direct link to high-paying in the beginning of the new one. But with Mrs. Ledbetter, Mrs. Baublit’s will step up “Staff member cried when they found jobs that are in demand, its key. Its very Mrs. Ledbetter’s encouraging, positive and take on the responsibilities of being out,” she said. “I’m going to miss the intentional on helping kids and careers, principal of Spanaway Lake High School. school. It wasn’t a spur of the moment new programs, help with internships, an incredible new principal about to come “I think Mrs. Baublits taking over is decision. Everyone has a professional building programs, and partnerships”. up, the future of the school is looking up. great,” says Mrs. Ledbetter, “She’s familiar goal. Don’t think I was searching for So it seems the sorrow in Mrs. Ledbetter Everyone will miss her and be with the ins and outs of Spanaway Lake an opening to get out of here. It was leaving also has an upside to it. She will help appreciative of her and SLHS will never and appreciates and respects its culture something I had been interested in, it make student’s futures bright, possibly forget one of its greatest principals. If and tradition”. Its safe to say the school opened new doors and opportunities”. even some of you Spanaway Lake students there is anything anyone would say to Mrs. and all of its residents are in good hands.

Eventually she had to choose and a change one day. Not to mention she’s wellLedbetter other than “thank you” it must be, As Mrs. L moves on she can look back was set in motion and with reasoning that equipped for the job having had internships “Goodbye and good luck, Mrs. Ledbetter”. is impossible to disapprove of. Although and the opportunity to see the classrooms of SLHS. “I’m proud of the staff and how her supportive staff members are saddened of the Skills Center. It doesn’t completely much they have embraced high school. by her departure from SLHS some seem take away the pain. “We are going to miss The work with advisory, SST, SQ3R, has

PHOTO BY STAFF

of

to agree that this is a good thing for her.

“I’m sure she’s going to do a wonderful job at the Skills Center since I know she has a background in CTE” said French teacher Pointec.

For anyone who does not know the Pierce County Skills Center is a building with programs and career options for students, that leads to real jobs that mix with workplace demands and is joined with several technical colleges and several school districts. Mrs. Ledbetter

Harold Wright School Security “We are going to miss her very much. I hate to see her go but it’s a good chance for her to spread her wings and do bigger and better things for the kids.”

2

Op-Ed

FEBRUARY 14, 2012

On Guard Spanaway Lake High School 1305 168th Street East Spanaway, WA 98387 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF .................... Sunshine Sortonis EDITORIAL BOARD ....................... Jacob Charlson ............................................................ Nicole Croswhite ...................................................................... Ashley Gill ........................................................... Brandyn Johnson .................................................................. Anna Kessner ................................................................. Sam Martinez REPORTERS ................................. Kelli Bumgardner ................................................................ Damien Bunch ................................................................. Rebekah Caris .................................................................. Bradley Dean ................................................................. Kiylei Fortune ...................................................................... Josh Haigh ................................................................... Ashley Hollis .......................................................................Tyler Kane ....................................................................... Nicole Lee .................................................................. Justice Mann ................................................................ Amanda Spain ..................................................................... Jake Stokke ...................................................... Gabrielle Thompkins ................................................................ Seth Wiegman ...............................................................Heather Wilson ADVISER ................................................ Todd Keister

PRINTING INFORMATION The On Guard is printed eight times a year by the Snohomish Printing Company in Snohomish, WA. MISSION STATEMENT 1. First and foremost, the On Guard stands to inform and entertain the intellect of the student body, we shall at all times cover all stories with accuracy, integrity, and fairness.

2. The On Guard stands to obey all laws set forth and abide by the On Guard Code of Ethics.

3. The On Guard stands as an open forum newsmagazine. All students who submit an article, photograph, or artwork that meets all of the issue shall be considered for publication.

4. All journalists shall respect the school and community by reporting with objectivity, honesty and accuracy.

5. The On Guard shall strive to exceed the highest standards of high school journalism.

6. To ensure accuracy, any corrections that shall be necessary will be printed promptly and neatly.

EDITORIAL POLICIES 1. Letters to the editor are accepted, and shall be printed if they meet the following criteria; submissions must be 50-250 words in length, and signed by the author with a signature and a grade level 2. The On Guard reserves the right not to publish any editorial submission for any reason. The On Guard may also edit to condense submissions that do not meet the given 50-250 word limit.

3. All opinionated publications must meet the same standards of fairness, accuracy, and integrity as all other submissions.

4. The Op-Ed page shall always give credit to all contributing staff members, in the staff box. opinion of the On Guard. The staff as a whole may the staff.

CODE OF ETHICS 1. The On Guard shall abide by all laws.

2. The privacy of all students shall be protected.

For sensitive information to be published of a minor, a student release form with the signature of his/her parent or guardian is required.

3a. In the event of a death of a student, the On Guard shall write an obituary including the name of the person, the birth date, cause of death (if public), date, time, and place of death; date, time, and status of the memorial services; the family survivors of the deceased person.

3b. The On Guard may also choose to run a story about the deceased person, cause of death, the life of that person, and any other information if deemed by the Editorial Board to be newsworthy.

3c. No opinionated article should be written about the death of the student, unless in the form of a letter to the editor.

3d. The immediate family or guardians of the deceased may request for any and/or all information to be withheld from publication, in respect to that family.

4. Never should any article contain information or dialogue that personally attacks another student, 5. Any material deemed offensive by an editor (in charge of that page) or the adviser shall be withheld from publication.

6. If the details in a publication are relevant to the material, they may and should be published, despite if the facts are offensive. The truth is more important than making sure that the person isn’t offended by the facts of the content.

7. To protect the integrity of the On Guard, the any staff member for inappropriate or untimely behavior. The advisor and/or Editor-in-Chief also reserve the right to reject the entry of any student into the On Guard staff.

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9. The On Guard may reject the submissions of any advertiser, if the product is deemed offensive and/or harmful to minors. Advertising will not be 10. What a staff member does in their personal life 11. Staff members should not accept gifts from

GOT OPINIONS? SEND LETTERS TO ROOM 215 OR E-MAIL US AT TKEISTER@ BETHELSD.ORG

OPINION

my.hsj.org/slhs ON GUARD

THE ON GUARD | EDITORIALS

Presents or presence?

BY MICHAEL BELMORE mbelmoreonguard@gmail.com Valentine’s Day is a very special day for people who have loved ones. It is a romantic day for any couple, and most commonly, roses. Over 110 million roses are sold on Valentine’s Day and delivered in a three-day time period.

Yet is Valentine’s Day about the presents that are bought and given to each other, or is it about the presence of the person Most people will say that it is about the presence of your loved one being there.

We all know that if the other person does not get a present then they will get mad them.

The funny thing is that if one of them buys a present, but is not there to see them, the one who got the present is not mad at all. It is a weird concept to grasp, but it is all so true. There are many different ways that make this concept invalid, but then it makes you think about Valentine’s Day all that much more.

Why do people believe that a present makes Valentine’s Day special? What if you are dating someone who does not have the money to buy something, a really nice guy or gal that would give the world to you just for you to spend the time with them? What if that same person who

could not afford anything made it up to you with their presence? Maybe bringing you to a special place, and could only share a soda with you?

I am sure anyone that would have that offered to them actually sounds like a very nice Valentine’s date, and an especially nice memory that you may never forget.

On the other hand, there is the rich guy or gal that just works all the time and really only gives a care about their career.

Valentine’s Day comes up and that person has to go on a business trip that they chose to take just to make a little extra money. Right before they leave they buy a Mercedes for you for Valentine’s Day, and leave the next minute. I do not believe in any way that is an appropriate way to treat someone.

Valentine’s Day is about love and appreciating the love that you are given.

Whether your Valentine is your mother, someone you just met, or the love of your life, show them that you care by just seeing them.

If you can afford a gift, I am sure anyone would advise to buy that person a gift, but don’t feel obligated to do so.

Show that person you love them by showing up, giving them a peck on the cheek, or buying them some roses. Show them that presence is really all that matters, and if you do not have a date, spend some time with someone you care about a lot.

EDITORIAL

Abrupt marriages cause heartbreaking divorces

BY NICOLE CROSWHITE neroswhiteonguard@gmail.com

is in the air. Because of the ideals behind Valentine’s Day, people are rushing into relationships and the future with their partner. Engagements and marriages are occurring everywhere, but how often do these relationships last?

Every year, there are more than two million marriages in the United States.

That averages out to about 6,000 marriages a day. Unfortunately, more ended each year.

All of these relationships started out good and ended sour. Financial problems are the top reason for relationships not lasting. When people stress out about their relationship and begin to lash out at their partner.

Another big reason for divorce is the dreaded ‘‘irreconcilable differences.’’

This simply means that the couple did not get along or was no longer willing to make the effort. Couples that claim this to be their reason for divorce are more than likely to get back together within a few years. This does not always happen, but it is more common than not.

As society progresses, divorce is almost becoming a part of life. Only 63 percent of children in the Western world live with both of their biological parents.

This means that only one-third of today’s households are living with their whole families.

Divorces are becoming common because more and more people are feeling the need to marry at a young age. When you have just graduated high school and are beginning your life, you are going to change in so many ways before you turn 25.

By getting trapped in a relationship early on, the person you love can change in just a short period of time and you become another statistic.

Being a child of a divorced home can have a huge impact on anyone.

Single mothers run over nine percent of households in America, while only about two percent are run by single fathers.

The effect of only having one parent can

be troublesome to adolescents. Eightyproblems and 71 percent of high school dropouts are from fatherless homes.

With the divorce rates rising, the number of single parent households is bound to go up. Despite the higher chance of behavioral issues and better chances of dropping out, the number of teen parents also go up as the divorce rates rise.

All of these numbers being on a steady increase presents society with numerous problems. Anyone that has been through a divorce, whether it be the adults or the children, are more than likely to go through behavioral and physiological struggles that most people do not know how to handle.

So many negative things can come from a divorce, but anyone can turn that around and ignore the statistics.

Being from a divorced home leaves an emotional scar on anyone involved and for some it is motivation. to take the time to make a good choice, to only commit to things they are willing to make work.

If getting divorced is not something you would like to do in life, take the proper precautions before signing up for a life that no one can guarantee.

Premarital counseling can affect a relationship substantially and can lower the chances of that marriage ending.

Simple things like marrying at a later age and sharing the same beliefs can also give you a better chance at making things work.

Only one percent of couples that practice religion together get divorced because the couple is constantly doing something positive that both people are passionate about.

There are so many ways to try and make a marriage last but sometimes things just are not meant to be. People will always live on and move on but the emotional damage can last forever.

Be smart about relationships and never rush into anything if you hold doubts about the certain situation.

In the long run, a broken marriage affects so many more people than the two in the relationship.

Student Sound-Off What are you doing on Valentine’s Day?

Going out to dinner and/or a movie.

Staying home and watching TV. Doing something adventurous.

Hanging out with friends.

Dinner/Movie Staying home Adventurous Friends

30% 23% 22% 25%

*100 students are interviewed every issue for the Student Sound-Off.

POLL QUESTION FOR NEXT ISSUE What are your plans for Valentine’s Day? Visit http://my.hsj.org/shls and click on the article “Student Sound-Off” and submit your answer.

HEAD MAESTRO SUNSHINE SORTONIS

False hope that movies portray 101 If one were to observe the evolution of romantic comedies, it would be easy to point out that almost all lead characters within them live the adventurous lives of journalists.

From How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days to Never Been Kissed, journalists are always portrayed as cynics desperate for a story.

They are almost always depicted as selfcentered, shallow, and conniving.

Watching these movies as a young girl always gave me such high expectations of my future love life. I would dream of off my feet by a 5’11 prince with blue eyes, and blonde hair.

The scene would always end with a tear jerking speech of why he loved me and passionate kiss while Ingrid Michaelson’s Can’t Help Falling in Love with You crescendos in the background.

Nowadays, I do not have time for a tumultuous love life. Jennifer Garner might have gotten her happy ending in 13 Going on 30, but a senior in high school does not have time for such adventures!

I cannot grasp my head around the fact that journalists are always portrayed in these romantic comedies as being materialistic while trying to maintain a hectic lifestyle.

These movies that have lead characters who play writers or journalists no longer reel me in like they used to. It actually raises eyebrows and concerns on my end of the spectrum.

Is this what my future love life is headed I become as shallow, predictable, and cynical as all these characters convey?

Most importantly, will my love life have a happy ending?

I cannot answer these questions myself.

Yet I do know myself and I know that I will not let movies determine my outlook on love any longer.

One day, I will probably be writing a book on how romantic comedies screwed up my vision of true love. Or I could be married and laughing at the article I wrote when I was 18 and in love.

However, for future journalists, I would not count on these romantic comedies to set the path for all writers.

Everyone is different and you are in charge of writing your own love story. The advantage to being a writer and in love?

You can bet my happy ending is not going to be as cheesy as The Proposal’s.

ON GUARD my.hsj.org/slhs

Sentinel Session The On Guard conducted an interview throughout the student body that asked, “I know ________ loves me because.....”

Here’s what they said: “I know my best friend, Jocelynn, loves me because we have known each other since we were very little. We have clicked from day one and we always get along pretty well.”

Michelle Kroger, 10 “I know my best friend loves me because I am funny and always there for her no matter what.”

Joe Camacho, 11 “I know my girlfriend loves me because she accepts me for who I am through the good and bad. She is very accepting and loves me unconditionally.”

Elizabeth An, 12

heard in

the hallways

“Finals?! Challenge Accepted.”

EDITORIAL

OPINION

FEBRUARY 14, 2011 3

Op-Ed

Relationships sizzle in high school, but end too quickly

BY DAMIEN BUNCH dbunchonguard@gmail.com

most teenagers are not prepared for.

There may also be problems because of different maturity levels within the couple. If one person is more mature than High school is a time of fun, education, the other, the relationship may lead to a drama, and growth. Should it also be lot of frustration and misunderstandings. a place for love? Walking down the When teens are dating, they may engage hallways, you will probably spot couples in acts of love. holding hands, kissing, and sometimes, Kissing and hugging are usually more. The question is: Are teenagers acceptable, but some teens will take capable of truly being in love or is it just things a step further. “puppy love?”

“Teens that are in In some cases, boys There are two types of will try to sexually relationships, those that relationships should take seduce girls simply last and those that do not. things slow and enjoy for bragging rights.

Recently, it seems couples the company of their This can have are lasting longer than boyfriend or girlfriend.” negative effects on the female and it can couples date for a year or also lead to problems for the couple. two, if not longer.

Teens that are in relationships should take things slow, and enjoy the company you are caught between childhood and of their boyfriend or girlfriend. There is no adulthood. Most teens are interested need to jump into a mature relationship at such a young age.

Unfortunately, most teenagers are not prepared for the level of maturity a stable a very special experience, but it can relationship requires. Love takes a lot of also lead to all sorts of complications. give and take and that is something that

Sex without a condom or other form of contraception may result in pregnancy, and if your partner has a sexually transmitted disease, you risk becoming infected too.

There can also be emotional consequences to having sex with someone.

It can really change a relationship, and not always for the better. Sex can be enjoyable with the right person, but it is very easy to make mistakes and end up hurt. Which is why your parents tell you: “don’t have sex until you’re ready!”

Of course it is all very well saying this, but when do you know you are ready? In most cases, you will not know until it is too late. It takes more than just being in love to make you ready for sex. You also need to be emotionally prepared.

Being in a relationship during high school can be fun and it might be something you strive for, but there will always be rough times. It is a big responsibility to be in a committed relationship and you should never rush into anything that you are unsure of.

OPINION

Bullying from page one

Students that struggle

BY ASHLEY HOLLIS ahollisonguard@gmail.com

have a limit on who you are allowed to say it to, or feel it for.

in present society today. Not only does it occur within society, but also within our schools.

Nine percent of high school students identify themselves as gay, lesbian, bisexual, or questioning. According to Lambda, a site dedicated to facts about gay, lesbian and bisexual school students, 80 percent of gay and lesbian youth report severe social isolation. This is an awful statistic to come to terms with.

Gay/lesbian students should not have to feel scared to come out about who they truly are. Students should not be judged on who they are as a person, and should be accepted as they are.

Love is an extremely strong word, often used to describe feelings towards someone you care about. Love should not

20 percent of lesbians report having experienced verbal harassment and/or physical violence as a result of their sexual orientation during their high school years.

High school is supposed to be the greatest years of our lives, but people are wasting it on hate.

Many students are afraid to come out about their sexuality, because they are scared to be judged. It is sickening to think people are scared to be themselves due to judgment.

Who is anyone to judge?

Stop worrying about them, and live your life. People need to accept gay/ lesbians for who they are.

If people turn this hatred into love and accept people for who they are, our schools and our world would be a much happier place.

Same-sex marriage passes in the Senate

BY SUNSHINE SORTONIS ssortonisonguard@gmail.com

ethical questions, such as incest and the possibility of genetic risk, it is still legal.

Same-sex marriage is only legal in Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, and New York. Washington will soon become the

PHOTO BY SUNSHINE SORTONIS

acknowledged if they were in other states.

Again, human equality is what activists strive for, not “special rights”.

On Wednesday, February 1, Washington Although many people will argue that succeeded that much closer in becoming religion is the reason why they think the seventh state in the United States to same-sex marriage is wrong, it seems as make same-sex marriage legal. if it has become the most Senate bill 6239 was passed by a used reason for underlying vote of 28-21 on Wednesday night. discrimination.

Surprisingly, four Republicans At a press meeting the voted for the measure while three day after Senate passed Democrats voted against it. After the bill, Senator Lisa passing, the bill is headed to the Brown, majority leader of House where many people expect it the Senate, admitted that to pass. members were already Governor Chris Gregoire is not receiving “nasty comments” keeping any secrets on how she will from angry people. Brown vote on the bill. She has proudly later showed appreciation admitted that she will sign it as law, by thanking the front line once the House passes the measure. staff and assured the press For many years, Washington that nothing serious has state has passed laws on domestic occurred. partnerships and many activists “Society’s changed, and it are on an exhausted battle for gay should be no surprise that rights. Politicians active within these this bill passed, and some A TRIBUTE: Near the Capitol, a rose is set on Senator Cal Anderson’s people even think that it memorial the day after Senate passed the same-sex marriage bill. and staining the vision of a “pure” should have been passed a family.” legislator in the Washington State Legislature. He only served for long time ago,” said Brown.

With this new step approximately a year in the Senate because of his death. for wanting rights for all people? towards equal rights among Human equality is something that world seventh state to join these six. all people, the state will be sure to receive leaders always promote. Part of that praise and serious negative backlash. human equality is letting people choose allowed to marry in most states whereas Regardless of criticism however, it is the ones they love and having the right to only gays are allowed to marry in six time for Washington state to become marry them if they choose. states? the 7th state to make same-sex marriage In the United States, you are legally Even if a gay couple were legally married legal. in one of the six states, that does not in 26 states. Even though there are always mean that their marriage will be

Another form of harassment is one that some might not be willing to acknowledge or think of when they hear about a case of bullying: Abusive relationships.

Abusive does not necessarily mean physical abuse. Mental and emotional abuse can be a part of a relationship as well. Abusive guy against the girl. There are many cases of abusive women in relationship as there are abusive men. Sometimes, the men just do not think it is a big deal and they overlook it. Just because they are men, does not mean women can treat them badly.

When your best friend is being called names, accused of cheating, or yelled at by they are such a jerk,’ You may also think they move on.

The thing is, those behaviors are not normal. Nothing about a relationship like that is normal.

When things like that are regular in a relationship, it is called verbal abuse.

Something to remember is that verbal abuse can escalate very easily to physical abuse.

Whether it is in a few weeks, months or even years, there is not a whole lot standing in-between a hot temper and situations becoming physical.

Physical acts of violence are not accidents, anger can tempt actions. Plus, if it happens need to be aware of these things, and report it when it happens and then talk to their classmate or friend about their situation.

In most cases, it is not easy to convince someone they are in an abusive relationship, but it can make the biggest impact and mean the difference between happiness and distress. Everyone deserves to be happy and to be treated right.

Why would anyone feel the need to put down others?

Troubled pasts, low self-esteem or a lack of the attention in any place they can. By putting down others, it makes the bully feel better about themselves while gaining attention from the adults and peers around them.

Negative attention and discipline are still attention to bullies. No one should be harassed for the sake of a bully.

“No one deserves to be mistreated,” said junior Jack Moody. “No matter who they are.”

The reality is that people are bullied and harassed every day because of the things that make them unique.

To report bullying, or to leave an anonymous tip, follow the link on the Bethel School District Website: http://www.bethelsd.org.

Notifying a staff member is always an option as well.

Sticking up for a classmate or speaking up for a friend can mean the difference between not wanting to get out of bed in the morning and being excited about coming to school again.

Remember that taking a stand for another person cam make the biggest impact on the life of that person and prevent or stop their misery completely.

4

News

FEBRUARY 14, 2011

Club Updates

my.hsj.org/slhs ON GUARD

DRAMA CLUB: After a successful run of their play And Then There Were None,”the Drama Club is taking a break before they start on their next production which plans to be more comedy-based.

The club plans on performing the comedyfocused play in the spring.

PHOTO CLUB: The students in Photo Club have been taking pictures at lunch, focused around Valentine’s Day. The club also took pictures at the school’s Curriculum Night and uploaded them onto their Flickr website for people to AP CLUB: Students are working towards getting guest speakers for the school. The students are reaching out to local college Superintendent of Public Instruction and seeing about the possibility of getting the GOP candidates when they travel to HONORS SOCIETY: The students who are in Honors Society are starting a penny Valentines Day cards for staff members for teacher appreciation.

PHOTO BY ASHLEY GILL

FCCLA: The volunteer-focused and community-dedicated group is planning another trip to the local retirement home for Valentine’s Day. The week before, the students got together and created Valentine’s Day greeting cards for the residents. Bringing treats, cards, and even singing are annual activities for the visits.

The students also went to their monthly restoration project at Oak Tree Park in Tacoma.

RELAY FOR LIFE: Spanaway Lake’s Relay For Life team is in the process of planning various fundraisers, where the proceeds go to the American Cancer Society on the day of relay. Students work hard throughout the year to raise as much money as possible working towards the

ICE TAKES TOLL ON COMMUNITY: As Washington prepared for the one of the largest snow storms it has experienced in years, residents

Snowy awakening for community

BY TYLER KANE tkaneongaurd@gmail.com During the dark days of January, the Pierce County region had a dramatic snowstorm that led to thousands of power outages, icy roads, and freezing temperatures.

There was an estimated six inches of snowfall in a span of two days. Spanaway because of it.

Junior Kymberli Allen went to her friends and played video games during the time away from school. However, it was not all fun and games.

Not everyone lost power, but over 260,000 people were without power for hours and even days. The outages invaded

Politics turns playful

BY ASHLEY GILL agillongaurd@gmail.com forward to starting assignments, quizzes and projects when they come back from a relaxing winter break, the students of Jerred Erickson’s AP Government class and even some of the staff members knew they were about to begin something a little different when they came back to school this January.

Erickson thought that he would come up with a competition in order to give his students more of a reason to pay attention to the presidential primaries and estimate who will win the presidential candidacy.

Erickson said the competition is also a reason for his students to, “get some skin in the game, to have something to lose, so to speak, even though we are only using points and not money, it’s kind of a fun way to get kids competing with each other and competing with staff and rooting for the people their interested in winning and maybe not rooting for the people they want to see lose.”

Each participant starts out with 100 points. The day before each primary, each candidate will have a point value.

The front runners will have a lower point value. Each student then decides what they think the outcome of the primary which costs ten points. The “Place” pick is when someone picks a candidate to

Top Three Students 5th period Kelsi Woods

costs twenty points for picking the exact The “Trifecta” is similar but third place is also chosen and it costs thirty points.

Lastly, the “Superfecta” is picking the third, and fourth. The “Superfecta” costs forty points. The contest follows the same rules similar to horse racing.

Erickson decided to get the staff involved as well, to give a little more of a competitive edge. The student and staff competition will be receiving a prize, and donated her drawing services to the competition and will sketch a portrait of the winner as well.

The contest should last until a presumptive nominee or in other words, when a nominee has more delegates than anyone else, is named. Although there is no staff and student competitive crossover yet in the project like Erickson has hoped, the reactions he has been receiving about the competition are all positive. “the staff is excited about their contest and the students are excited about their contest. It is only the beginning,” said Erickson

Top Three Students 6th period 3071 points

Brandon Wong

Matt LaMantia

200 Points

360 points

Top Three Staff

Alex Olschner 2200 points

407 points

out.

that students typically use to catch up and study. Since there was only one day of school that week, the district pushed semester. storm of this magnitude, was in 1974 and the state received almost ten inches of snow. The snow caused a lot of grief from poor traveling conditions on the roads to roofs caving in. senior Jasmine Greco stayed home and relaxed. healthy route to the time off from school, eating protein-rich foods and working

Hopefully before the next big storm comes the community will be more prepared and not in a panic-like state.

Residents should always have an emergency kit, food and water stocked and ready. Items like these should be kept in one’s car and house where they are out of reach of rain and potential damage. Prepaid cell phones, extra clothes, blankets, chains for your tires and whatever else have on hand.

Some Spanaway residents had fun and took advantage of the snow, and some were bored with no power but either way you look at it the students of Spanaway Lake had a nice little snow break that they had not had in a long time.

Buy your yearbooks now! $50.00 w/ ASB $55.00 w/ out Prices will be going up!

Choir class gets festive

BY MATT CRUZ mcruzongaurd@gmail.com The All-State Choral Festival is held every year in the month of February. It is an audition-only festival in which only a select few get to attend.

The group is always conducted by a well-renowned clinician who inspires and encourages the students to perform at their best. The conductor teaches the students various techniques to enhance their singing abilities and further their knowledge in music.

Auditions start in September and last until October. Each student must send in a tape recording, according to the voice part that they are applying for.

They must sing two scales of solfège, one high, one low, two more scales of high and low intervals of I Love To Sing while going up half steps, and a rendition of America the Beautiful.

Representing Spanaway Lake High School, thirteen choir members and one band member will attend the festival: Jeffrey Canonizado (sophomore, Tenor), Bradford Clark (sophomore, Bass), Dylan Drugge (junior, Bass), David Glessman (sophomore, Baritone), Jasmine Heindel Tenor), Anthony Newby (senior, Tenor), Ryan O’Neal (sophomore, Tenor), Joseph Palmer (junior, Tenor), Callan Powell

(senior, Alto), Jodi Salisbury (junior, Alto), Tyanna Stuckey (junior, Alto), Sandra Tiapula (junior, Soprano), and Devan Salter (senior, instrumental).

“Being selected into All-State again is an honor and it makes me want to work harder so that I get accepted again next year,” junior Dylan Drugge proudly said.

Drugge went to the All-State Festival last year as a sophomore and described his experience as “exhilarating.” it was still fun meeting new people who were singers just like me,” said Drugge.

This year the festival is being held 17 and will last until February 20. The chosen students will travel by bus to their destination and stay in a hotel during their trip.

Their days will consist mostly of practicing their music for hours. They will get a lunch break, some more practice, dinner, and then even more practice. amazing. are considered the absolute best of their schools.

To be accepted is a very prestigious honor and an experience that one can only dream of.

News

JUNE 8, 2012 5

Photo Credit By: Heather Wilson

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DRAMA CLUB LAUGHS OUT LOUD: Junior Michael Taylor, sophmore Jessica Mclane, Junior Wesley Sand, Senior Austin Blake, and sophmore Kassandra Howell takes the stage for their club chose to play out a more laid back and funny production for their last performance.

Drama club makes a comedic change BY: HEATHER WILSON

hwilsononguard@gmail.com Late this April, the Drama Club raised the curtains to put on a showing of Larry Shue’s “The Nerd”, earning mostly unanimous praise.

“I was shocked on opening night by the number of people that came,” says Austin Blake, who plays the titular ‘nerd’, “and the reviews they gave us.”

Such positive reactions are a clear result of hard work on the part of the actors. The Drama Club spent months preparing for their weekend of performances.

“One day, we had a half day and practiced for six hours after school, but the work pays off and it takes that long

just to learn lines,” comments Blake.

“I am constantly amazed at how much these students are able to push themselves to achieve excellence,” Director Steve Barnett wrote in his ‘A Note from the Director’ included in the production program. “I am inspired every day at rehearsal watching these students work hard to produce the highest quality product possible.”

Barnett chose Larry Shue’s “The Nerd” for sentimental reasons; It was the very

his choice to put on a production of the light hearted play.

“I’m a nerd at hear, acting like a fool on stage is great for anyone who likes to make people laugh,” says Blake.

“Some friends talked to the director about me. When he approached me and asked me to try out for a part, I thought ‘what the heck, why not?’ I had an amazing time working with a fun cast.”

always wanted to take part in it.

“After directing the very dark and serious ‘And Then There Were None’ in the fall, I decided that this would be the perfect time to do that,” Barnett wrote of

and socially incompetent ‘nerd’ Rick Steadman, earning rave reviews and laughs along with the rest of the cast from the audience members that turned out.

Incidents involving a costume, binge drinking, cottage cheese, and a broken answering machine are just a few of the

Jasmine and the others with her daffodil portrait upon her seat in remembrance.

“I feel extremely sad about princess Alex’s passing; especially because she was like a sister to me. But, I am going to

court but I think that we have grown a stronger bond with one another and Alex will always be with us in our hearts.”

Heindel responded about the suicide of her fellow princess.

little details that made this play hilarious and an overall great production in and of itself.

Filled with deadpan humor, along with more obvious jokes and gags, this play was a fun experience and you should totally feel bad for missing out on it.

“I am really proud to be a part of this program with such a special group of young adults,” adds Barnett. “I personally think that the message we can take from this play is that it is important to pursue what truly makes you happy.”

The drama club surely had a very successful year with their two performances. The bar is set high for next years club, but the school and community is looking forward to what is to come.

Daffodil Pageant hits the streets BY: BRADLEY DEAN bdeanonguard@gmail.com of Tacoma on April 14, during the 79th annual Daffodil Parade was about ready to begin, as Jasmine Heindel, the Daffodil Queen and the other local daffodil princesses started their day.

The parade came about when Lee Merrill, a local photographer and group, suggested using the daffodils as decorations instead of throwing them away or using them as fertilizer.

It has become a Grand Floral Street Parade, which has occurred every year except during the war years of 1943, 1944, and 1945. interesting as they made their way down the streets. The crowds were enthusiastic and cheerful as they

all of the surrounding communities look forward too and attend. For many families its even a tradition.

Heindel day started with an introduction ceremony at a local sang, with the other princesses Don’t Stop Believing.

From there she made her way to the parade. There was one princess missing but she was still there in the heart of

not only the Tacoma parade but also the Puyallup, Sumner and Orting parades, which lasted well into the evening.

There was another local parade on April 22nd, which started at the Tacoma Yacht Club and made its way to along Commencement Bay to the Foss waterway. This parade is known at the Marine Daffodil Parade.

Jasmine sang and waved to the crowd as she passed the many people along the shore.

The boat she was on parked at the end of the waterway so they would be able to wave at all of the other boats in the parade.

Heindel talked about what she enjoyed about the marine parade, “I enjoyed dancing and singing on the boat, enjoying the sunshine, and seeing all of the beautiful boats that were decorated.”

Jasmine is looking forward to her year as a daffodil princess and is excited to experience more opportunities.

Photo Credit By: Bradley Dean

and groups of people passing by them as they traveled through the

Heindel, along with the other princesses sang and waved to the many spectators in attendance even passing by the local media.

“I enjoyed the fact that I saw lots of families and friends and I enjoyed the sunshine! Plus, I got to hang out with my other twenty-two sisters all day! Said Heindel.

celebrate her accomplishments and good qualities and do my best to be happy and make others around me happy because I know that is what she would have wanted.

parade route where thousands of people lined the streets to watch the princess

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Feat

Love knows no color In a generation that teaches tolerance and acceptance, interracial relationships are no longer taboo. Interracial couples are celebrated all over the world as beautiful.

Of course, interracial couples are two people of different races being in a relationship together. It seems easy to forget that interracial marriage was made legal just 43 years ago because to our generation it is now seen as normal.

Prior to our generation, interracial couples were not accepted but hated and feared. During that time, AfricanAmerican and Caucasian people being couples were seen as despicable and their love was called an abomination.

Throughout history, extreme acts of violence and prejudice were shown against interracial couples. But how far

in front of the U.S. Supreme Court. In 1967, the Lovings made history by the unanimous vote in overturning the interracial marriage laws.

Loving and Jeter are the epitome of just how hard it can be to get what you truly want.

Many of us take for granted the simple things we encounter every day, and we seldom give credit to those that got us to where we are today.

Always remember that for every right you have, there was always someone who fought their heart out so you could live freely in today’s society.

BY JACOB CHARLSON jcharlsononguard@gmail.com

the blurred visions of the ignorant?

The famous pair of Richard Loving and Mildred Jeter are well known historical

PHOTO BY NICOLE CROSWHITE

marriages as illegal. immediately felt an attraction towards each other. When she became pregnant at 18, the couple decided to travel to Washington D.C. to be married.

After a few weeks shy of being married, both were arrested at 2 a.m. in the morning for being married to one another.

They soon were sentenced to one year in jail, but had the sentence suspended in the condition that they leave Virginia.

Throughout the years, they faced discrimination and prejudice for what they believed was something to be celebrated. In the midst of their struggle, Jeter wrote a letter to Attorney General, Robert F. Kennedy.

For over a nine-year waiting period,

LOVE KNOWS NO COLOR: Naass’on Salmon and Joy Brown have been dating for two months and are a prime example of how far society has come over the past 50 years. Both admit that neither of them have received extreme discrimination throughout their relationship. “We have not faced any prejudice or discrimination at this point in our relationship. It has been pretty easy for us and it’s never a problem,” said Brown and Salmon of how others view their relationship.

Couple matching Each couple are set for a date on Valentine’s Day. Based on their clothing, match each couple with what date they should go on.

BY MANDY SPAIN mspainonguard@gmail.com

PHOTO BY SAMUEL MARTINEZ

2)

candle lit dinner at Il B’istro in Seattle.

C) Bungee Jumping Andrew and Jessica plan to try something new this Valentines Day by leaping off a bridge elevated at 720 ft above the great white rapids.

B) Amusement ParkAaron and Ashley simply want to spend Valentine’s Day with some light hearted fun at the amusement park.

D) Ice SkatingTiffany and David are going to have some fun at Sprinker while ice skating together.

Answers: 1) B 2) D 3) C 4) A

A) Dinner DateAlycia and Justin want to capture the

PHOTO BY MANDY SPAIN

4)

PHOTO BY MANDY SPAIN

3)

Valentine’s Day is the national day of love, but for some of us, that love has not been found. If you are single, then I take it you have not found that love yet or you just got out of a relationship where you decided to tell everyone that you called it off. Let’s be honest though, you probably did not call it off, the other person did.

In any case there is something you need to know, and that is that you are not alone this year! However if you are alone this year, well there are some things you can do!

Instead of treating someone else to a nice dinner, treat yourself. Have a night in and make something special for yourself. Do not skip dessert! (Although in every romance movie the dessert is used as a catalyst to propose, you are at least under 18, if not 18 and you do not need to worry about someone asking even pass a math test. Be real.) On the up side though, a nice chocolate dessert or ice cream would be nice and you should enjoy it too, just with yourself.

It has always been said that a way into a person’s heart was their stomach, so why not break into your own heart this year?

When it comes to the present that couples usually exchange, give yourself a present. You know you have been wanting your room cleaned or to get caught up on homework, so why not do that for yourself?

Feel excited that you do not have to become disappointed because that special someone got you something you did not want. Instead you are able to go out and get what you have been wanting.

There are many advantages to being alone on Valentine’s Day and this is the biggest one, you cannot be disappointed.

Just because Valentine’s Day is publicized as a holiday that involves two people does not mean that you need two people to enjoy it! Instead you just need yourself to make this holiday has to offer. Plus you could always have an “Anti-Valentine’s Day” dinner with some other single friends.

You do not have to be alone on Valentine’s Day, but if you are, are you really alone?

How to spend Valentine’s Day as a couple

BY NICOLE CROSWHITE ncroswhiteonguard@gmail.com

PHOTO BY MANDY SPAIN

1)

Solo on Valentine’s Day

If you are not into a romantic evening, there are always more adventurous things to do.

You could take your date to go indoor skydiving in Seattle.

It costs $59.95 for your the prices increase the

PHOTO COURTESY OF GOOGLE

BY SUNSHINE SORTONIS ssortonisonguard@gmail.com

Are you struggling to come up with ideas for Valentine’s Day? During this time of year, that is a question that occurs for couples everywhere. There are so many things you and your special someone can be challenging.

If you want to do something less creative, there are so many options to chose from. You can go see a movie at one of the many theatres located around Puyallup and Tacoma. Then you might go to a nice dinner at Mazatlan on Meridian or Stanley & Seaforts in Tacoma.

There are so many options just within those few subjects and you are bound to love one of them if romance if your thing.

you choose to go on.

Maybe you would like to try inddor rock climbing at Edgeworks in Tacoma.

It is $12.00 for a student to go for the whole day.

There is so many things to do and see that can be made a fantastic experience by bringing someone else along.

If romance is not your thing and you are not the adventurous type, maybe you would be interested in something a little more low-key. over for a homemade meal and watch some of your favorite movies at home.

You can watch marathons of your favorite show are movie sequel.

Valentine’s Day is a rough holiday for some and there is always the question of what to do for the day. There are so many options; you just have to think about what you enjoy doing and who you are spending time with. Find something you both enjoy doing and make it a date!

PHOTO BY SAMUEL MARTINEZ

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tures

FEBRUARY 14, 2012

Best couples in history Television

1) Marge & Homer in The Simpsons: You always have to wonder how it is that Marge For over 20 years, their marriage has consisted of countless stranglings, scars, and crazy adventures. victim, but these two lovingly accept each other past their faults. Along with their frivolous marriage came three childre, Lisa, Bart, and Maggie. All three children are always the second basis of the main plot.

Marge is in charge of keeping her family from looking like the bambling baboons they really are. As they make it hard for her, she pushes on through with a smile and an occasional mental breakdown. The Simpsons has provided us with hilarity and endless laughs throughout the years. Although

2) Ross & Rachel in Friends: America fell in love with the misfortunate couple from the beginning and both proved that it is never too late to realize your true soul mate. As the season began, both Ross and Rachel were in realtionships that were stained with mistrust and materialism.

Early within the show, it is revealed that Ross was once in love with Rachel in high school because of her close friendship with Ross’ sister, Monica. As the story progresses, the dynamic of Ross and Rachel’s relationship builds right before our eyes. way bach to each other but only to break each other’s hearts once again. It was during the birth of their baby that the audience realized that the pair would eventually end up together. No other relationship on TV has provided us more twists and turnsthan the pairing of Rachel and Ross. Their relationship began as the little train that could, which then later turned into the steam engine that trumped above all else.

3) Buffy & Angel in Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Never mind Edward and Bella, this couple’s story could deliver a beating to the new generation of fantasy couples.

The irony of Buffy and Angel’s relationship is that she is the tough and rugged vampire slayer who falls in love with a vampire. Although she kills vampires heartlessly, she can ally and passionate boyfriend to Buffy. Angel ends up being the vampire or person, for that matter, that understands and knows her best. Throughout the show, the progression of their relationship enters a dark realm with the many dillemas they are faced with. After buckets of tears and broken hearts, the two end up together.

Then Angel eventually receives his own show documenting his own dillemas.

Literature

1) Romeo Montague & Juliet Capulet in Romeo and Juliet One simply cannot mention best couples in literature without naming the most famous couples of all.

Throughout the world, Romeo and Juliet has been the basis of a tragic love story with an even more tragic ending.

Two-star crossed lovers that were never meant to be fell in love. Even though both characters in the story show an idealism towards love and passion, it is this simple value that make Romeo and Juliet an instant classic.

While both fall madly in love with each other, events that heavily tie to hatred and bloodlust work its way into the plot and leave readers astonished. Although both teenagers could be seen as fools blinded by passion, a true fan would 2) Fitzwilliam Darcy & Elizabeth Bennett in Pride and Prejudice If ever there was more of a complicated relationship in the history of literature, then it would prove to be Darcy and Bennett.

These two characters in Jane Austen’s novel became the poster faces of the dishonorable values in Pride and Prejudice. Elizabeth Bennett is one of the most celebrated and well-known female characters in literature because of her wit, loveliness, and virtues. Yet her common weakness is making hasty judgments of others before giving them a chance.

Pride and Prejudice chronicles the story of Bennet’s selfhappy ending should, the moralities of both leading characters trump over the spiteful society’s bad behavior and class-bound tendencies.

3) Scarlett O’Hara & Rhett Butler in Gone with the Wind One of the immortal pieces of literary works in the world, Gone with the Wind, has stood through time as the most unstable love and hate relationship between two people.

Set in Georgia during the time of the American Civil War, Scarlett O’Hara depicts a shallow, manipulative young woman who would do whatever it took in order to gain her true love, Ashley Wilkes.

As the story pursues, O’Hara’s character is given depth by proving her strength and will after her father’s plantation had gone under. In the end, O’Hara ultimately loses Butler because of her determination to win over Wilke’s sensation to the open wounds he casted upon O’Hara’s heart, “I loved you but I couldn’t let you know it. You’re so brutal to those who love you, Scarlett.”

BY SUNSHINE SORTONIS ssortonisonguard@gmail.com

Movies

1) When Harry Met Sally: Directed by Rob Reiner Directed by one of the most famous directors in Hollywood, When Harry Met Sally set a new standard for romantic comedies.

The memorable quotes, the hysteria, and the chemistry between the lead characters all led

one of Sally’s closest friends. While in New York, Harry brings up that men and women cannot be just friends because there will always be sex in the equation.

While Sally disagrees, Harry tells her she’s beautiful and she accuses him of hitting on her. They part ways in New York as acquiantances. relationships: Sally is dating a man named Joe, and Harry is engaged.

She then later eggs on Harry to be friends with her in order to prove his earlier theory wrong, but they part ways as not being friends. previous relationships which have ended. Later on in the story, both grow close without having sex and begin to hold an admiration for each other. and both stop speaking to each other for quite some time. In the end scene, Harry meets Sally at a New Year’s Eve party where he confesses his love for her.

The immediate confession of his love will forever send tidal waves of tears onto the faces of many women around the world.

Memorable quote: “I love that you get cold when it’s 71 degrees out. I love that it takes you an hour and a half to order a sandwich. I love that you get a little crinkle above your nose when you’re looking at me like I’m nuts. I love that after I spend the day with you, I can still smell your perfume on my clothes. And I love that you are the last person I want to talk to before I go to sleep at night. And it’s not because I’m lonely, and it’s not because it’s New Year’s Eve. I came here tonight because when you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible.”

2) Breakfast at Tiffany’s: Directed by Blake Edwards Audrey Hepburn’s portrayal of Holly Golightly is often seen as one of the greatest roles of all time. As a New York socialite, Holly often spends her days admiring the view of the jewelry within the Tifanny’s store. Although a graceful and feminine woman, Holly visits Sally Tomato once a week to send him messages regarding his drug ring.

While dressing to meet him one day, she meets a man named Paul Varjak who is a new tenant at her apartment building. On many occasions, Paul and Holly spend intimate moments together and begin to enjoy each other’s company.

Holly decides she wants to marry a rich man in order to support her brother when he gets back from the army. Heartbroken at the thought, Paul decides had always loved her after seeing the ring he engraved especially for her.

Memorable quote: “You know what’s wrong with you, Miss Whoever-you-are? You’re chicken, you’ve got no guts. You’re afraid to stick out your chin and say, ‘Okay, life’s a fact, people do fall in love, people do belong to each other, because that’s the only chance anybody’s got for real happiness.’ You call yourself a free spirit, baby, you’re already in that cage. You built it yourself. And it’s not bounded in the west by Tulip, Texas, or in the east by Somali-land. It’s wherever you go. Because no matter where you run, you just end up running into yourself.”

3) The Notebook: Directed by Nick Cassavetes It is hard for any 17-year-old girl to sit through The Notebook without letting a single tear fall down from her cheek, even boys tend to admit that this Like Romeo and Juliet, Noah and Allie were never star-crossed lovers that belonged to two different spectrums of a class-bound society. Both characters faced judgmental parents, hormones, and a love for each other that held no bounds. way bach to each other. Yet it is with a disheartening blow to the audience when it is found out that Allie later acquires Alzheimer’s.

Devoted to making her remember their lives, Noah reads to her every single day within the nursery home. Rachel McAdams and Ryan Gosling play the lead characters with so much chemistry that their passion led to an off-screen among its teenage audience members, and has an unbelieveable fanbase.

Memorable quote: “So it’s not gonna be easy. It’s gonna be really hard. We’re gonna have to work at this every day, but I want to do that because I want you. I want all of you, forever, you and me, every day.” *ALL PHOTOS COURTESY OF GOOGLE

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FEBRUARY 14, 2012

Features

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Marriage cultures from around the world

BY BECKY CARIS bcarisonguard@gmail.com

the Moroccan bride walks around the she can become a newlywed and the

In America, we have wedding traditions that are unique to us, as do other parts are the norm, other countries might be considered strange because their culture

prosperity and joy. The bride’s gown, and and groom are decorated in this color.

The wedding ceremonies begin at he

than ours, while others are very similar.

In Egypt, marriages are still arranged. are now moving up, not down. On the day is a musical wedding march. During this march there is Egyptian music, belly and drum horn players. to seven days. Brides, on their wedding

and then the bride and groom drive to the wedding together.

Even though all these cultures have marriage that is the same. In Greek, the word “wed” is translated into a “pledge” and in all cultures you are pledging to

her makeup, jewelry and decorates her gown and the elaborate head piece that

in marriage is still becoming one by

What to get your sweetheart for Valentine’s Day For Her: Chocolate Flowers Stuffed Animals Perfume Dinner Jewelry Sentimental Card Surprise Date Lotion A Kiss

For Him: Card Chocolate His Favorite Candy Event Tickets Cologne Video Games Car Accessories Music Gift Cards Hats

The proper reaction to instant attraction

BY KIYLEI FORTUNE kfortuneonguard@gmail.com Have you ever met that one person that you see and there is an instant connection? An instant bond you cannot explain.

I know this because I have experienced was the day that it happened. I met him. I was walking in the hall and it hit me like a the same.

Taken into account that I was a shy my way to be noticed. For him, however, I had to. It was an impulse that drove me to talk to him. So I did. And since then, it was history.

ended up moving in with me. It was as

locked eyes.

Although he has moved on (quickly, to say miss the times we had together, and the secrets we shared.

No matter that he had put me through or what words may have been said I will always love him dearly.

For Valentine’s Day, I would suggest it all goes so quickly. You never know when it may be over.

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A&E Art through the eyes of Daniel Cabanas FEBRUARY 14, 2012 9

BY SAMUEL MARTINEZ smartinezonguard@gmail.com

he has started making buttons out of

Whether you think of art as a sound or a picture, the creativity and imagination that goes into the making of art still

are illustrations of people, and his favorite Anime and cartoon characters.

Everything he has made including the

of someone’s imagination and creativity, mainly in a physical form. With this product of one’s imagination.

Daniel Cabanas is a sophomore that not

to have cartoon strips that could range from cheesy, funny, to political. With the types of comics Cabanas has made, be easy, and since art takes not only skill, but imagination, Cabanas could express not only stories, but his outlook on Whether you like anime or not, you should be able to realize that the skills Cabanas possesses are not ones that

think because it takes not only dedication to learn the skills needed but also you have to explore your imagination and

to the buttons, backgrounds, and people

believe in themselves enough to try to is a self taught artist but got the courage to

explore your imagination you’re not going to get as far as Daniel Cabanas. years ago. Other forms of art Cabanas enjoys to create are realistic art, and

and students have seen the great things more.

Communication Arts teacher and journalism adviser.

Most people have seen Anime art styles before but the approach Cabanas took

THE OTHER SIDE OF THE PENCIL: Instead of the usual photograph of the featured artist, Daniel Cabanas, we received a self portrait. Cabanas started teaching himself how to draw back in junior high, and has used his creativity to draw, narrate, and express.

and instead of a photo of himself, Cabanas to the paper.

“It is my family that gives me the inspiration and motivation to keep drawing and get better.”

CABANAS’ BUTTONS: Just three of the buttons Daniel Cabanas has made. From right to left the buttons are pictures of Mario, an Anime girl, and Link, from the legend of Zelda. Cabanas has made even more, from teachers, to famous people and everything in between. To see more of these artistic buttons, you can ask Mr. Pankau or Daniel Cabanas himself.

Music evolution, the 1950’s - 2010’s

BY JOSHUA HAIGH jhaighonguard@gmail.com

The alteration of audible vibrations into artistic creations pleasant to the ear history and culture of humanity.

In simpler terms, music means a lot to people. From the sophisticated classical music played by the eccentric virtuosos of

focus more on their lyrical content, rather that most of the youth of that particular time frames could relate to the emotional expressions that could be only delivered via music. of listening to the 1970’s guitar rock of had something to offer that connects to

music of today, music has undergone a millennia, maintaining an equal presence in all parts of the globe.

The evolution of modern music at least,

the nation, various sub-genres began to emerge from various regions: G-Funk from California, Crunk from the southern

be true but rock is listened to by many different people and age groups.

Hip Hop is also a genre of music that has reached an iconic international status, by the artists that represent it.

and other environs.

Music of today is focused quite a bit more on quantity of material released than the quality, due mostly to the corporations that are interested more in dominating the market than putting out good music.

I’m not saying that all of today’s music

S o n g

R e v i e w

If You Can’t Hang If You Can’t Hang

“If you can’t hang then, there’s the door breakdancers and MC’s expressed themselves through dancing and rhythmic poetry, respectively.

maintains today.

From there, it continued evolving and branching out into several sub-genres: Progressive, Folk, Alternative, Metal, Punk, etc. One of the primary reasons

Artwork courtesy of Daniel Cabanas

throughout history.

Indie music, (music that is produced

century, started in the late 1940’s and early 1950’s in the united states.

and the appealing sound of his blues and gospel-inspired music, it seemed only a matter of time before he exploded to mainstream attention, therefore bringing

LOOK OUT, STAN LEE: Cabanas likes to make comics the most out of all his art styles. He mainly draws his comics in Anime format, creating not only the pictures but also the story that unfolds throughout the book.

COURTESY OF GOOGLE

increase his skills even more.

instead of a corporate executive telling settle for a boy she couldn’t use, and at the

compared to much of today’s rap music, pumped up and are easy to remember so the audience can sing along.

expression of various artists. mainstream or Indie, everyone has their

to really involve multisyllabic rhyme

so I gave her everything, and she did the

enjoy listening to, having a completely girl at seventeen thought she meant the ask.

I found the song to be very relatable. I to shreds by some boy or girl? It’s life, and some of us use the experience as a

pretty, pretty, pretty face, but you turned makes the song even better to hear.

A CHANGE IN SHAPE: throughout the years, not only the sounds of popular music has changed but the way we listen has. From records, to cassettes and from CD’s to iPods. From making mix tapes, to looking for scratches on CD’s to making playlists, each generation has had their own experiences with the way music is heard.

song.

Reviewed by Kiylei Fortune

A&E

10 FEBRUARY 14, 2012

I am... Reviewing a book

BY SUNSHINE SORTONIS ssortonisonguard@gmail.com “The book was much better than the movie” is a saying that proves true in the case of I Am Number Four. Although the movie provided big budget bangs and a cast full of hot people, the book provided more thrills and a deeper plot theme for the readers.

The book begins with a boy 17 years of age named Number Four, one of nine children who were sent to Earth from the planet Lorien after the demise of their planet by the Mogadorians. The nine children were Garde, Lorics who possessed superhuman abilities. The children were sent to Earth with their guardians, also known as Cepans, in order to survive the attack and someday their own.

Once landed on Earth, the children were ordered to split up as soon as possible to prevent the children being killed out of order. Number Four begins life in a Paradise, Ohio as an outcast and is often bullied by the jock, Mark James.

James later on is found out to be the exboyfriend of Four’s admirer, Sarah Hart, who Four starts a relationship with. also meets a nerd named Sam Goode who is often helping him in confrontations against James and proves to be a worthy ally, although he is often ridiculed for believing his father was abducted by aliens.

As Four’s Loric powers begin to emerge, his morality also begins to mature. As Four trains with his Cepan, Henri, he grows stronger each day and gradually learns how to control his powers through practice.

At the climax, Four is forced to save Hart from a burning house and that is when his cover is blown. Mogadorians then begin to attack Henri, Four, Hart, and James. Right when all hope seems lost, a raven-haired girl helps Four fend off

two Mogadorians alone. She introduces herself as Number Six and is depicted as far stronger than Four.

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2012 cinematic preview

BY BRANDYN JOHNSON bjohnsononguard@gmail.com 2012 has a lot to look forward to and the movies are one some of the most highly anticipated events. Some series will end, and some are just beginning, and whether you

seems like it will be to the death, Four matter how badly the odds were stacked against him.

Henri rescues Four who is badly injured.

During a commotion, Henri is shot by an energy blast by one of the Mogadorian soldiers and dies within minutes.

Once the battle was over Six, Four, and Goode must leave and travel away from Paradise before more Mogadorian and Four kiss before Hart confesses that she would wait for him no matter how long it took.

The plot and underlying themes of this story were enjoyable and the action is never ending. There are moments where you are often holding your furrowed eyebrows not knowing what is going to happen next.

Four is the next hero for our generation and even slightly reminds me of Harry Potter. For in the instance that your past tells you your future and your fate, you are still the only person who has the power to determine what lays ahead.

you might be pleased with these movies. If you are not usually the type of person to see new movies, you might change your mind after reading these previews.

The Hunger Games

Men in Black III

March 23

May 25

One of the most anticipated action/ drama movies of the year. This is a movie set in the future; a boy and a girl are on live television. Last year’s sophomores had to read the book over the summer so teachers and students can compare the book to the upcoming movie. Jennifer Lawrence plays the role of main character, Katniss Everdeen.

Remember Agent J and Agent K? Well they are back in MIB III. Agent J goes back in time to the 1960’s to change history and save Agent K from being assassinated by aliens. The movies are based off of the original Men in Black comics, and hope to be as successful as the movies in 1993 and 2003. Since it has been nine years since we last saw a Men in Black movie, both die hard fans and new viewers can enjoy.

The Dark Knight Rises

The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn II

July 20

November 16

Terrorist Leader Bane wreaks havoc on Gotham City while police fail to take him down. Batman is forced to resurface after taking the fall for Harvey Dent’s crimes.

Christifer Nolan had high hopes and big dreams when directing Batman Begins in 2005, and now after $1,370,000,000 grossed from the two batman movies he is directing one of the most anticipated movies of 2012. Christian Bale continues to dawn the mask of the Dark Night as the Bruce Wayne/ Batman.

The end has come in the Twilight Saga after the new addition to the Cullen family. They gather to protect the baby and ends up putting Bella and Edward in front of the Volturi. Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart are still the main characters as this series is wrapped up by director Bill Condon. The Twilight movies have brought in over $2,500,000,000 in their three previous movies, and they know they will add to that number with the part one of the last chapter.

Table for two

BY SAMUEL MARTINEZ smartinezonguard@gmail.com

BY JUSTICE MANN jmannonguard@gmail.com

C.I. Shenanigans This water-front restaurant opened their doors 27 years ago and has been serving some of the best seafood and steaks in the Puget Sound. Though the prices are no “value menu,” you will pay for some of the best food in Tacoma. C I Shenanigans also has a Sunday brunch with more choices that you could want but like I said, make sure your wallet is thick. Since the time of the year means different seasonal foods, C I Shenanigans has menu changes often. For a romantic dinner on the water-front, this is the best place you can go.

The Cheesecake Factory The South Center mall has plenty of dining options, but the Cheesecake Factory stands out from the rest. This location is the closest of the three Cheesecake Factory restaurants in Washington state. The menu at the Cheesecake Factory is huge and every type of mood, whether it be burgers, pasta, Mexican, or American, will be sure to please. Prices will vary, being less than C I Shenanigans but more than your average diner. You give up a water-front view but you gain some amazing desserts. Cheesecake is the restaurants’ bread and butter, and with kinds of cheesecake like Original, Banana Cream, Chocolate Raspberry

World War Z December

The Avengers May 4

wrong?

Marzanos Italian Restaurant Marzanos is a 2 bedroom home that was transformed into a 55 seat restaurant. The Owner and head chef grew up in northern Italy and brought the culinary skills learned to Parkland. This is some of the most authentic Italian food in Washington. Prices are not exactly cheap but you will not mind giving up $15 to $23 for spaghetti this good, and the setting for your meal is very romantic. Candle light, small tables, and a homie atmosphere are all attributes this restaurant has that will make you love your not just your meal, but your overall dinning experience.

Based off of the book by Max Brooks, world racing time and fate trying to stop the outbreak of a deadly zombie pandemic. Deep down inside, we all sort of want a zombie apocalypse. This will make for one epic movie this winter.

Just like comic books did long ago, the idea behind this movie is combining all the major comic book characters. While you wont be seeing Batman or Superman, the major Marvel Super Heros such as Thor, (played by Chris Hemsworth) Iron Man, (played by Robert Downey Jr.) and Black Widow (played by Scarlett

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Sports

Girls’ bowling captures a strike 10 PINS, 9 GIRLS, 1 LANE SLHS’S BOWLING TEAM GIVES IT THEIR ALL

BY JAKE STOKKE jstokkeonguard@gmail.com Girl’s bowling at Spanaway Lake High School is one of the few sports at Spanaway Lake that is only for the girls.

As the season progressed, the girls had their ups and downs, but every player took something from this season.

Coach Wilkinson lead the Girl’s bowling this year. It was challenging because many of the girls were new to bowling and most of the returning girls are in their last year of school. Next year will have its challenges, but this year deserves some. To fully understand this season, getting the input from a returning player can give the perspective from a veteran of

the team.

Nicole Lees is a senior returning for her second year. Nicole feels that this season was a good one. “We did good, I think we were always on top of things, doing our best, and having fun,” said Lees. Some struggles Lees feels the team had this season was a poor attendance at the practices. Picking a memorable the fact that she feels that the season as a whole was a rewarding experience. Lees bowls because she has been bowling for a long time, and she loves the feeling she has when she is playing the sport. Lees has been bowling on and off for ten years, but has played seriously for only a few years. What Lees says she is going to miss after leave is her coach, because she was a great leader, and always made things fun.

Next year will be challenging for Spanaway Lake bowling with the absence of the senior players this year. A positive thing for the girls is all of the young talent

that came out this year. For many players bowled on a team, or even at all.

Bowling, like any other sport played at Spanaway Lake High School focuses on building a team by becoming comfortable with your teammates. A team will also certainly be unsuccessful if the team’s players are not comfortable with each other. When a team’s players are willing to compete against other teams as a whole, rather than individually, they feel motivated by the atmosphere their teammates create.

Although bowling isn’t the sport that everyone waits until Friday night to watch, or gets pumped up at a schools pep rally, it is a sport none the less. Bowling, like many other sports focuses mainly on what is going on inside your head. If you are a mess in your head, you are going to play that way, but if you are calm and patient, you will be rewarded with your personal best attempt at the game.

FEBRUARY 14, 2012 11

Q&A:

With Fallon Stanley Q: How did you discover you have skill in basketball?

A: “All throughout my childhood people noted how tall I was for my age and would ask my mother if I played basketball. Her response was always, ‘No,’ until in 6th grade when I decided to try it with my good friend Amarachi.

This was a great decision which I am still repeating the rewards of.”

Q: Who is your motivation?

A: “My motivation in basketball is try again. My teammates and I seek to be rewarded in our hard work by playing in the state tournament, also known as success.”

Q: How do you feel about the sport?

A: “This sport is one that I am truly passionate about and has never failed to be that constant in my life when the world around me is changing. With love and appreciation for the game comes could turn that down?’

Q: Do you plan to play after high school?

A: After high school, I would like to continue to play. Whether it is in NCAA Division 1, Intramural, or even club, it would be a shame to waste my potential and height! If I did not play, I would not know how else to spend my time.

GIRLS’ BOWLING: The SLHS bowling team pictured above consisted of the following: Bryanne Herrera, Kiana Prom, Courtney Wimbles, Jaunna Boone, Michele Kenner, Nicole Lees, and Kalila Norton, along with Coach Wilkinson. “It was a really fun sport! I enjoyed getting to know all of the girls that participated. It was a great way for to break out of my comfort zone and be myself,” said senior Sessilia Placheta, who is not pictured above.

Cheerleaders fall short at competition

BY NICOLE CROSWHITE ncroswhiteonguard@gmail.com On Saturday, January fourteenth, Spanaway Lake’s cheer squad competed at the Sequoia Invite at Kentwood High School. There were eighteen squads present, competing at the varsity level.

The varsity squads were divided into four groups; small, medium, large, and co-ed.

Spanaway Lake entered as a small varsity squad and there were only two other teams in their category.

Mt. Si Red High School. Then, Spanaway Lake was up and Eastlake High School category.

As Spanaway Lake got ready to take

inspirational pep-talk. Every girl on the squad was excited and ready to show the crowd what they had worked so hard on.

Unfortunately, the routine went south shortly after they started. Some stunts fell, there were people missing counts, and only a few members of the squad said the cheer. There was one thing that each and every one of them did the entire time, they kept smiling, but that attitude ended when the routine did.

As told by an anonymous member of the squad, “people were really rude afterwards. There were bad attitudes and some of the ones complaining were the ones that refused to put in the work prior to competition.”

It is not a hidden fact that cheerleading

sports, if all the members are not working together, there is bound to be bumps in the road. Working together, however, is not the only thing it takes to make a good cheer squad. The members have to be dedicated and devoted to their squad and give one hundred percent everyday to achieve greatness. to work together for a long period of time, but being a cheerleader, you have to overcome that and work together. for your team, it becomes impossible to reach the high expectations that make cheerleading what it is today.

Many members of Spanaway Lake’s cheer squad have voiced their opinions,

as well as many parents and peers. Most individuals on the squad have a good attitude and they have so much pride in our school. Everyone can see how much each of them wants to improve and succeed as a team.

Their potential is sky high, but each of is a sport not a beauty contest and you have to work just as hard, if not harder, as every other sports team.

At the end of the night, Spanaway Lake took third place in the small varsity division. There were some members that were very disappointed and they had every right to be. This competition helped the squad tremendously and it can give them the extra push to come together and improve in the future.

CHEER COMPETITION PUTS ON A SHOW: During their cheer competition, the girls performed at an unsatisfactory level. After all the practice they out it, coaches and teammates were stronger as a team,” said Gabby Thompkins of the squads experience at competition.

12 FEBRUARY 14, 2012

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Sports

Leanne Willingham: The girl behind the basketball player

BY SUNSHINE SORTONIS ssortonisonguard@gmail.com

“I absolutely love basketball with all my heart, but I will take my education above physical abilities that can be taken away any day,” senior Leanne Willingham grinned.

For years, Leanne Willingham has been a notorious name in the sport of basketball and for those who are fortunate enough to share a class with her. Those close to Willingham often describe her as easy-going, her parents admit that her bubbly personality has always been evident during her younger years. grade, and she was not passionate “My parents made me play. I liked it, but I wasn’t really passionate for basketball because I was around it so much,” said Willingham.

Although Willingham’s parents encouraged her to play basketball, the sport never ran in the family until the younger generation.

Most of Willingham’s cousins are basketball players as well.

When it comes to practice, she always regrets never getting enough of it. The 5’6 player practices two hours every day, 365 days a week.

“I always feel like I could’ve done more. I just feel like I could’ve put in an extra 15 minutes in order to get better.

I’m not where I want to be. When I pictured myself two years ago, I pictured myself as the best basketball player ever and I’m not there,” Willingham said solemnly.

On many occasions during a basketball game, Willingham will receive the hardest criticism whether it is about her sportsmanship or game play. The

amount of critics Willingham has would bleachers. She remains positive on the issue, reminding herself that her hardest critic always needs to be herself.

One word she used to describe her game play was tenacious.

“Whenever anyone says anything, I try to take a positive thing from it rather than see it as just negative feedback,” Willingham said.

Willingham believes that what she needs to do for herself in order to succeed further on is to improve on her sportsmanship and attitude on the court. As for her team and teammates, she advises that without implementing what they learned, the team has no chance of making it to state.

Willingham is still bleak on what her future ensues for her, yet she is determined to prove that all her hard work was not done in vain. Whether she will be in the WNBA in a few years, or a nurse helping other people, Willingham is set on making the best out of whatever is to come.

GIRLS’ BASKETBALL WEST CENTRAL DISTRICT PLAYOFF Wednesday, February 15 7pm at Mount Rainier HS Win or lose, the team will play Friday night

Game time

“Before and during every game I like to drink Mountain Dew,” said Willingham