BSD Distributes iPads
Sports Updates
PAGE #4&5
PAGE #2 Halloween Traditions
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The Sentinel On Guard VOLUME 34, ISSUE 1
AN OPEN FORUM FOR STUDENT EXPRESSION SINCE 1982
NOVEMBER 2015
NEWS
BY CLARISSA FOWLER
cfowler@slhsongaurd.com With the conclusion of the Homecoming dance, on October 17, the enjoyment of the event was in question. Sentinels reflected upon their thoughts on the night. Things like the quality of the music as well as the dance was discussed. There was also reflection as to how enjoyable the evening was. “I absolutely enjoyed homecoming,” said senior Heather Tracy. “There should have been a few more slow songs, but other than that it was a perfect night spent with amazing people. My favorite part was definitely taking pictures with my boyfriend before the dance.” Was the evening that perfect for everyone? High school is full of the best of times and the worst of times, but it really just depends on what you do to have appropriate fun. For some students, things like having too much fun could happen at Homecoming, with all the bumping and grinding during the dance, and not to mention the teachers who are there to make it an awkward, yet
memorable moment. “It was kind of low-key because of the spotlight, and there was a lot of older music being played, there also wasn’t very many people. My favorite part of the night was dancing with the girl who is now my girlfriend,” said junior Jordan Logue. Perfect? Not so much. Memorable? Most definitely! How many were that lucky to have such great experiences that night? Homecoming is one of those experiences people talk about that should happen during high school, to get out of a bubble you are most likely stuck in. “It was my last homecoming I’ll go to here because I’m moving. The DJ was good and he played good music. I would have liked more decorations. My favorite thing was driving to the dance because I was in a party bus,” said junior Lena Giovanetti. In general, people really enjoyed themselves at this year’s homecoming. “Yes, it was fun, the DJ was good, my only complaint would be that the school had that spotlight on,” said senior Brian Short. Overall the evening was a successful celebration of the new school year, and Sentinel pride.
PHOTO BY KYLE SEAR
Homecoming dances the night away Under The Sea
DON’T STOP TILL YOU DROP: Students from all grades alike danced the night away at this years Homecoming.
The fight against Rogers The Royal Court of SLHS
PHOTO BY SIERRA GOINS
On Friday night, Art Crate Stadium was packed with the colors black, silver, and teal, with a crowd full of students and parents from Spanaway Lake High School. It was a warm night in October, parents were cheering on their kids, seniors walking the field for the last time, and the crowd cheering their team on wanting the “W”. Before the game, the seniors walked with their guests knowing it was their last home game of their high school career. Emotions ran high and excitement built as the four captains walked to mid-field for their last home game. Those four captains were seniors Ramon Gutierrez, Kevin Utley, Evin Corioso, and Leroy Lawrence. The student section was loud and proud, students screaming with paint on their faces, covered in black,silver, and teal, and waving the school flag high. As the Sentinels kicked the ball off, the last home game was underway. Rogers and Spanaway’s defense started off hot not allowing any scores in the first two possessions. Finally Rogers somehow snuck into
the end zone and puts up six points on the board. “We prepare like every other game. I love the extra support though,” said head coach John Robak, in regards to the idea that Homecoming was a more stressful game than any others. “My favorite part was seeing the emotions on the teams’ face and knowing they are gonna go hard next week,” said senior Skylar Thompson. The game was full of emotions as players flew around the field and referees threw flags. There were many personal fouls on both teams, but in the end only one Rogers player got ejected. Senior starting tackle Dyriece Fears was emotional as he played his last home game, making sure his quarterback was safe. In the end, it earned him some penalties. The defense caused many fumbles but only recovered two, had one interception, five tackles for a loss, and had one sack. They were the best part of the team. Even though they lost, the defense made several exciting plays, causing fumbles or getting interceptions. At the end of the night they played their hearts out and left everything on the field.
CELEBRATIONS BEFORE THE GAME: Senior football players and cheerleaders were honored Friday night at the Homecoming game, with pround parents and an abundance of ballons and candy leis.
BY MARIA WILEY
364202@students.bethelsd.org
PHOTO BY JAYSHA MANIBUSAN
jlayman@slhsonguard.com
SENTINEL KING AND QUEEN: Dezmond Terry and Kylie Johnson smiled happily, hand-in-hand as they were crowned Senior Homecoming Royalty. A perfect match for court, as the two have been together for two years now, “It felt good to be crowned with Kylie, and it was a cool experience” said Dezmond Terry on the magical night..
BY MARIA WILEY
mwiley@slhsongaurd.com Homecoming royalty was announced during Wednesday’s Joust event. Every year, at the beginning of the evening, the king and queen, prince and princess, dutch and dutchess, and lord and lady are presented to the crowd. For 2016, the royalty are as follows: • King and Queen: seniors Dezmond Terry and Kylie Johnson. • Prince and Princess: juniors Alex Yi and Hyejin Ferguson. • Duke and Dutchess: sophomores Brenden Noel and Cheyenna Burns. • Lord and Lady: freshmen Frankie Lugo and Quinlyn Turpin. The Royalty had a lot to say about either being nominated or just their experience at the dance. “Being nominated was like something crazy because I really wasn’t expecting to be nominated. It was exciting to get nominated because not everyone gets nominated,” said Ferguson. “To me, I
believe everyone hopes to win royalty at least some time in their high school years. Shout out to the ones who won! It’s very exciting and enjoyable. Even if someone doesn’t even enjoy dances or anything spirited throughout the school and they won, I feel like they would pretty much be very happy. As royalty at this event, it could be the best experience anyone could have, but not everyone gets nominated.” “I wasn’t expecting to get nominated since I’m new here but it was pretty fun. Better than any middle school dance I’ve been too. There was just a shy feeling at first but still generally pretty fun,” said Lugo. This years’ homecoming was a beautiful one that students really enjoyed.
PHOTO BY Sierra Goins
BY JONATHON LAYMAN
2 NOVEMBER
ON GUARD
Op-Ed THE ON GUARD | EDITORIALS
On Guard The future is now at SLHS
Spanaway Lake High School 1305 168th Street East Spanaway, WA 98387
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF................................. Isabel Martinez EDITORIAL BOARD............................... Michael Battey .......................................................................... Michael Fay .......................................................................... Sierra Goins ............................................................... Johnathon Layman .......................................................................... Kylie Waller ......................................................................... Maria Wiley REPORTERS .............................................. Kayla Aldama ....................................................................... Jerdale Castro ..................................................................... Clarissa Fowler ......................................................................... Cortez Green ....................................................................... Illyana Hebert ....................................................................... Katelyn Hines .............................................................. Demetrius Johnson ............................................................... Jaysha Manibusan ......................................................................Chinedu Nnadi ..................................................................... Molly Ridenour ............................................................................... Kyle Sear .............................................................................. Kati Story
Student Sound-Off QUESTION: Do you favor using
Spanaway Lake joins the rest of the Bethel School District in issuing iPads to all of their students. BY STAFF
SLHSOnGuard@gmail.com On the first day of school, every student at Spanaway Lake High School was issued an iPad to use in the classroom. This technology is designed to help students prepare for their future.
an iPad or using traditional books
Keister. “Students started abusing their privileges and it became hard to continue using them in this regard. I have high hopes for our students here at Spanaway Lake, but self-control is something they still need to work on.” Rhonda Nalder, English department head said, “(sigh) They can be helpful,
iPad Traditional pencil/paper
PHOTO BY KYLE SEAR/JAYSHA MANIBUSAN
PRINTING INFORMATION The On Guard is no longer printed, but is now published and submitted on www.issuu.com 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 standards for publication and fits the tone 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.
GOT OPINIONS? SEND LETTERS TO ROOM 215 OR E-MAIL US AT SLHSOnGuard@gmail.com
64 %
Traditional pencil/paper
36 %
*100 students are interviewed every issue for the Student Sound-Off.
ADVISER ...................................................... Todd Keister
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, convey a defined opinion expressed with details, 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. 5. Staff editorials reflect two-thirds majority opinion of the On Guard. The staff as a whole may appoint a specific person to write the opinion of 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, or specific member of the community. 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 adviser and/or Editor-in-Chief reserve the “fire” 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. 8. All ads are subject to the same standards of decency as all other news and editorial submissions. 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 allowed to influence news content. 10. What a staff member does in their personal life is reflective upon the On Guard. 11. Staff members should not accept gifts from news sources, as a matter of a conflict of interests.
iPad
Although most students and teachers were excited to get their devices, there were several concerns and worries that they expressed. Most, however, greatly insisted on them appearing in the district. Cameron Robak, student teacher for the Social Studies department said he did not have iPads at his high school growing up or at college. “I use Canvas by letting the students have assignments on the iPads,” said Robak. “We are able to lock students in programs, and air drop things.” He also mentioned he would recommend using devices like these to other school districts. “The only thing I would improve on is better internet speed. That would be great,” said Robak. “The best thing is that now there should be no excuse for work not being turned in on time with the ability to do online work at home.” English Language Arts teacher, Todd Keister said, “I started the year off really excited to use these devices. We used Canvas on a daily basis.” “Once the year progressed,” said
but there are a handful of students that are distracted with their games and social life.” “Modernizing technology is a good idea, but will only help us when it is used appropriately,” said Nalder. English teacher Jessica Clairmont, in her first year of teaching said, “I think it is a great tool. As time goes on, we are going to be more tech savvy and it will let students have more access than they did before.” Students have mixed feelings in regards to the iPad movement. Senior Kavon Tate feels that the iPads are a pro for the students in the district. and are mainly resourceful for in and out of class research and the use of Canvas and the Notability application. Tate said he would recommend this trend to other schools because, “If we have the chance to advance our schools electronic scheme, then other schools should have the same ability.” Senior Clarissa Fowler said that she uses her iPad to go on canvas, do her work
and keep up with everything that is going on in class, which she finds “pointless, unless her teachers tell her to.” Most students believe that the iPads are more beneficial than distracting because students now have the ability to get there work done on their own time rather than having to wait for an open computer. However, a lot of students feel that they are just using a gaming device. “They are convenient,” said senior Rylan Butler. “But I really could have gone without them during my senior year. Tate believes that modernization in today’s technical work would be the correct step, “Everything around us is progressing and advancing in our world. Why discard one of the most valuable assets that shapes it?” Tate says the worst part of the iPad trend is the ability to play games during class. Senior Dellun Hipple shares this sentiment, “I hate them, they ruin my work effort.” “The worst I have seen a student do is play a game called Smashy Road while class is going on,” said Fowler. Freshman McKenlee Heath said that “It is helpful in class, but students don’t use it for what it is meant for, like educational stuff.” Fowler added, “Students do not learn using their iPad. We would understand and comprehend more if we could actually write things out with pencil and paper. Butler may wrap up students feelings best when he said, “Whats the point on giving us an iPad if we cant use it the way we want to.”
Funny Girl’s Guide on Back to School HEAD MAESTRO
ISABEL MARTINEZ Editor-in-Chief
Anyone else miss the days where you could sleep in till it was noon? Or pulling an all nighter by watching Netflix or playing video games? Those were the days, summer days to be more specific, and sadly those days are over. Now, we only get to sleep till the alarm blares off, and all nighters consist of essays and one pagers. I’m sure I’m not the only one feeling the “back to school” blues, the one’s that make you go as far as to contemplate whether not a diploma is really worth it. Fear not young adults! Summer, like always, will sneak back up on us! Until then, here are just a few tips on how to make it through the week! My first tip is one that everybody should know, drink coffee! No, it’s not the healthiest drink, but wow does it make
those first few periods that much more tolerable. When I say coffee, I mean any coffee! If it has caffeine and is hot, start your day off with it! Another way to wake yourself up for the early morning? Eat breakfast! I realize I sound a lot like a concerned mother but truthfully, the days I do get a chance to eat are much more easy to deal with compared to the days I go hungry. Other tips? Get lots of sleep people! I have never understood how some of my friends stay up till the sun begins threatening to come up, since I personally believe sleep is magical! Don’t get me wrong, I’ve had my nights I needed to watch my show past my usual bedtime, or even finished homework. Nevertheless I advise you should sleep whenever you can! You will no doubt feel more energetic and ready to do the copious amounts of work that are piled on top of us. Now here are some more specifics tips on how to survive this school year. To anybody who has not taken the SAT’s or any other college testing, I beg you, do it now! I cannot stress this enough guys, waiting to get those done will only make them more unbearable! And I’m not going to lie to my readers, those test are absolutely awful no matter what, so my advice is to just get them done and over with. To my fellow Seniors, please get all
college paperwork and applications done yesterday! Believe me, I know how stressful and overwhelming it is; the facts of life hitting you that you are no longer just a high schooler but a college bound student. This year for Seniors is meant to be the best year, the one that tops them all and will forever will be branded in your memories; don’t allow college stress to burn that bridge. I’m sure you’re thinking, “Funny Girl, this is all common sense”! Well, that’s the thing, it is all common sense, and so is this year of school. There are no magic tips and tricks I have for you that will make this year any more bearable; the only secrets to my and others success in school is as simple as doing the work and doing as good as you can. I won’t make this year sound easier than it really will, because it won’t be. We will have to work hard and try desperately to survive it, but that is what high school is about. Despite that truth, this year will no doubt be filled with amazing days and memories. Not just for us seniors, who will unquestionably make the most out of this year, but for everyone including settled in juniors and sophomores and newbie freshman. This year will be an amazing one, and I look forward to writing about it whenever I can. So off you go fellow classmen, and kick this year’s butt.
A&E Twenty-One Pilots release Inside the Insidious chapters new album “Blurryface”
NOVEMBER 2015 3
ON GUARD
BY KAYLA ALDAMA
BY SIERRA GOINS
listen to has expressed a type of feeling like that. Tyler puts it in a way no other band “Blurryface” the album released by has and it’s mind blowing how they can Twenty One Pilots on May 19th 2015 change from such a deep, dark emotion would be the second official release after to a happy soft sound and still sound like being signed in 2013 by Fueled by Ramen. such a great band, in ways you can relate As a personal fan, I was not surprised to the lyrics, I mean it’s always a hit when when I first heard the single “ Stressed you can relate to the words and meaning Out”. behind the I knew it song. was going to I know be an amazing m a n y album and I people was so excited. h a v e “Blurryface” because in visits your such little insides; It has time that the ability to “Blurry rip, tear, open f a c e ” and prod your has been emotions until released, you final realize Tyler and that yes, there Josh have is so much more had to to understand add more about life. t o u r s The band d a t e s . wants more than Not to to just be a band mention to people, they BLURRYFACE: This new album cover allows you to warp the color want to take a and style of the cover, giving people the ability to change the the growth in fan stand and show cover’s entire look. base and it’s okay to have a higher these thoughts statue in the world, even winning awards and not feel alone. The duo has a meaning and performing at MTV music awards behind the name “Blurryface”, standing and EMA awards. for Tyler’s alter ego, being the bad side of Twenty One Pilots is a life changing band Tyler. and I and many others would recommend What makes their music different from them to anyone and everyone. others is that they show what “Blurryface”
PHOTO COUSRTESY OF schmoesknow.com
PHOTO COURTESY OF WIKIPEDIA
sierra.goins15@yahoo.com
kaldama@onguard.com Insidious /in-’si-dē-əs/ proceeding in a gradual, subtle way, but with harmful effects. Even the definition sounds terrifying. The Insidious chapters are very well know franchize. Even after watching the trailer the movie was very enticing. To fully understand “Insidious Chapter 3” you should probably watch the last two movies in the franchise because it is a prequel to the others. The director used the art of silence to catch you off guard. No doubt that these “Insidious Chapter 3” were in the top 5 horror movies in 2015. The average rating of the movie is 3 out of 5 stars. The ratings prove that the movie is worth watching, especially since they are above proficient. After watching “Insidious Chapter 2” the cliffhanger made everyone on the edge of their seat. The anticipation of each scare can drive a viewer insane. But the scares are not the only thing that makes
the movie worth watching. The plot build up is so immense that you feel as if you are in the story. This movie was different compared to the other movies because it’s almost like you can feel what the characters are feeling, considering that a majority of sequels repeat there story lines. The cast is fantastic including Stefanie Scott, Dermot Mulroney, Hayley Kiyoko, Lin Shaye, and Leigh Whannell. Lin Shaye who plays Elise is a character that was in all of the movies and her story is broadened in each movie. I believe that this franchise will stand with the greats in our generation. The Insidious franchise is very well know because it takes a different perspective on paranormal activity, unlike many of the horror movies in that genre. It shows the two different words and how they collide with twist that may be the reason many people take a likening in the franchize. Even the idea of the spiritual world being out there is intriguing and gets you thinking.
BY KAYLA ALDAMA
kaldama@onguard.com Throughout the decades, horror movies have evolved in many ways. This being an obvious prediction, it is still unbelievable how much things have changed. We went from a killer that comes after you in your dreams, to a ghost that plans to inhabit your body and soul. Not only that, but the graphics are such a strong component to the movies that there’s no focus on the actual plot. The movie producers put so much effort in the graphics instead of taking the time to use it to make a good plot or at least better scares. Now, I’m not saying all new movies are bad, such as the Insidious Chapters. That being said, good horror movies, I mean the ones that make you not sleep at night, are very hard to find nowadays. Back in the day, the makeup on the people were more realistic in a way that you felt like you could touch them.
In another instance, one of the scene may be filmed in a forest or actual place, not some made up thing on a computer. The make was a true art in the late 80s and 90s with the texture and dimension, it seemed real. Though the best part about the old movies were the plots, because almost all were original in some way. A Nightmare on Elm Street is one the classics, a simple concept of don’t go to bed or Freddy will come and get you. In the movie, there were so many creative and intuitive deaths. Nowadays there’s a whole list of cliches that’s been piled up over the years. The car doesn’t start, bad cell reception, killer never dies, adults are useless (especially cops), no guns, and everyone is an idiot. The difference between today movies and old movies is very vast. As they said in A Nightmare on Elm Street, “Whatever you do don’t fall asleep.”
BY SIERRA GOINS
sierra.goins15@yahoo.com Tim Burton is an American film director, producer, artist, writer, and animator. He is known for his dark, gothic, macabre, and quirky horror and fantasy films that are loved around Halloween time. His films are always a good choice for a spooky night. They are perfect for the Halloween season. He always does it right from great storyline to good creations. Burton has worked repeatedly with Johnny Depp, who has become a close friend of Burton since their first film together. He is the best yet to explain express his dark, spooky, and creepy thoughts into fantastic movies that people fall in love with. He is the one director that always has a trick up his sleeve. The films he does never fail to make people want to rewatch his action stop movies show that dedication can always pay off and no matter what Tim Burton never fails as a Halloween top choice.
PHOTO COURTESY OF http://www.peterguber.com/
Scary movies now vs. then
King of Halloween: Burton continues to scare
PHOTO COUSRTESY OF www.superiorpics.com
PHOTO COUSRTESY OF www.cinemablend.com
does to him, and how it affects him. When you listen, you’ll hear Tyler’s voice drop and get deep which means “Blurryface” has taken over, I find that very unique because no other band that I have yet to
Features
4 ON GUARD
Spirit days highlight week long homecoming event
Traditions for a spooky night! BY MICHAEL BATTEY
Minimoot222@gmail.com
k.boo9272000@gmail.com So much spirit was shown during Homecoming Week two weeks ago, although some think it could be much better. “Spirit week would be better if more people got involved,” said Campus Safety Gary Milbradt. There is no point in having spirit day if no one or barely anyone participates. So is it true? Do we need to show more spirit? Some students participate, but to be truly spirited, everyone needs to participate. Other students feel that there should be different spirit days instead of just the same thing every week. Some examples of the new spirit days could be “tutu day,” “pajama day,” and “dress-up day.” Instead of the same thing over and over. “It can get annoying when we have the same spirit days every week,” said freshman Kristina Lasaovtsov. Several students have made suggestions on changes, but here is a run down on the Spirit Days that were participated in. (Monday) Monday Bum Day:People were extra comfy and cozy on the Monday of Homecoming. While it is intriguing, should it be switched? “Spirit week needs to be more creative,” said junior Kyle McGee. “Bum Day is kind of an everyday thing for me.” Changing to something that everyone would want to participate in is important. These days should be awesome and interesting or even humorous. Maybe a crazy hair day? Or even an all color day? Like all blue or some other colors.
Seniors take step toward graduation: Winning Joust for the last time
(Wednesday) Pink Day: Now on to Pink Day. Who does not love pink? Well, a good number of students were annoyed by this day, while handfuls of others loved it. Pink day was very...pinky. I liked all the different kinds of pink that were shown. Some people do not like to dress up in pink, like me for example. I do not like the color pink (no offense to those who do). It is just kind of an annoying and boring color to me. Maybe we should add in something like pink tutus, dresses, or something like that. Pink shirts are kind of boring.
HOMECOMING ASSEMBLY: Seniors Brenden Noel and Cheyenna Burns show off their school spirit while rooting for their grade. The seniors were well-represented at the Homecoming Assembly.
have our own designs that we all love. People love simple things like striped and polka dots, however it seems kind of plain to me. What if instead, we chose a particular pattern like floral, or even leopard? I think people would enjoy it a bit more. There are lots of other favorites too. Maybe if students have a favorite print or design, they could suggest it to the powers that be to try and get it adopted into the week. (Friday) Spirit Day: The final Spirit Day, School Spirit. Go Spanaway Lake High School! Students showed their spirit during this day, but it was very weak. Show your spirit next time when we do this. Go crazy with this, after all, it is your school! There should be a better show of spirit the next time we have this day. There were about twenty to thirty kids who actually showed a lot of fun, bright spirit. Students were very supportive of each other and helped others get through stuff. So why not encourage others to dress up? There is no one stopping, you so go ahead. Go encourage others for next time. Have fun during your next spirit week. Do not be shy about speaking your mind about what you want. You have a great mind. Use it to come up with different Spirit Days and Weeks. I truly hope you can continue to improve putting the “Spirit” into Spirit Week!
(Thursday) Pattern Day: Up next is pattern day! We all
PATTERNS, PATTERNS EVERYWHERE: Science teacher Karly McKee and Principal Julie Baublits both display their spirit by dressing up for Pattern Day. Baublits is a avid supporter of everything Spanaway Lake.
TWIN DAY: Juniors Daniel Contreras Karla Escorcia share their love of Minion’s by dressing up for twin day. Many Sentinels dressed up as their best friends and significant others.
PHOTO BY JAYSHA MANIBUSAN
VICTORY DANCE: The Seniors danced and cheered as they were anounced winners of the 2015 Joust competition.
PINK IS OUR FAVORITE COLOR: Members of Todd Keister’s journalism class show off their affinity for pink. Many students used this day to dress up and show their support for October’s Breast Cancer Awareness month. “I knew I wanted to try to find a pink Seahawks shirt,” said Keister. “Gotta support the Hawks.”
PHOTO BY JAYSHA MANIBUSAN
PHOTO BY CORTEZ GREEN
UNDER THE SEA DANCE OFF: Seniors staged a dance off between the Spanaway Sentinels and the Rodger Rams as part of their Joust skit.
PHOTO BY JAYHSA MANIBUSAN
136purplepanda@gmail.com Spanaway Lake is known for its school spirit and dedication to school competitions, but nothing compares to the rivalry and team spirit that is Joust. A competition that occurs every year and has continued to inflict the same emotions and school spirit, yet for the seniors it is more than just a skit. For some seniors, it is almost a rite of passage and means more to them than what ‘meets the eye’. Many seniors, who have been in Joust every or most year,s had an abundance to say when it came to the subject that is Joust. Although Joust may seem like just a skit and music, to those involved, it is like a battle to get everything done before the anticipated day arrives. Participating in it myself, I had never know what really goes into the workings of Joust and just how much effort and commitment is necessary. “Learning the dances was crazy difficult and tiring, but working together with other dancers helped myself and other dancers made it easier,” said senior Destini Hall. It was a difficult task to learn more than three different dances in less than two weeks. The whole atmosphere of Joust, however, is much more tense and stressful than it really appears. Some nights dancers and prop makers would stay until dark, eating when they got a chance and rarely stopping their work. This was nothing compared to those who choreographed the dances and blended it all together. I was merely a dancer who listened and acted, having nothing to do with what music was picked and how we would dance to them. People like seniors Jeremiah Leatiota and Kavie Sear not only created the moves to songs, but had to teach them, a job that turned out to be more difficult than it sounded. “I thought I was gonna mess up and not teach right. I practiced a lot and ate lots of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches (On what helped him succeed),” said Leatiota. Of course, the activity that is Joust takes a whole new meaning when you become a senior. “It being senior year, we have to win. Other years if we won, we won, but this year it means everything” said senior Lauren Palmer. Others couldn’t help but agree on the importance of winning. However, at the end of the day, Joust means a lot more than just a competition, it is a memory we will hold forever. We make friends in it; we become a sort of family that works and depends on each other, and each participant will no doubt miss it in years to come. “Next year, I will feel sad that i’m not in high school anymore and I will miss the fun experience that is Joust,” said Sear.
PHOTO BY JAYSHA MANIBUSAN
BY ISABEL MARTINEZ
(Tuesday) Twin Tuesday: Next up is Twin Tuesday. This was a personal favorite, and several people said it was their favorite. Twin Day had a lot of groupies who were matched up in pairs of twos and even fives. Twin Day was a very popular Spirit Day. Many students and teachers participated on this particular spirit day and did amazing. A favorite outfit was two girlfriends who had a matching high-waist blue, navy skirt along with Vans, and a maroon crop-top. I love that look! Keep it up.
PHOTO BY TODD KEISTER
BY KATELYN HINES
life where it was most memorable. Like freshmen Chinedu Nnadi, who said,“When I was six and I was in the neighborhood of University Place and I knocked on the door and they gave me popcorn balls.” That reminds me of when I was young, however I did not get a popcorn ball, instead I got an apple with a worm hole. We all have our favorite spooky night traditions, and our favorite activities and all these things will be passed on year after year keeping our traditions and activities alive! There is also our enjoyable times we had with our friends and family that we can’t ever forget. Don’t forget to share a “Snickers” or two with them, be it the candy bar or a good laugh!
COURTESY OF MYCHV.COM
When we were young, we would go house to house and say those famous words “Trick-or-Treat,” and depending on how old you were, someone from your family would watch from the sidewalk as you walked up to the door and rang the doorbell. As we grew up, things changed and over the years some of our traditions changed as well. Instead of going trick-or-treating, some teenagers start going to parties instead. There are still some teenagers today that go trick-or-treating, keeping the original tradition alive. There are even some teens who keep the tradition of “tricks,” whether it be scaring kids or pulling pranks on family members. “I still like to go trick or treating in the rich kid neighborhood,” said senior Kennedee Holland. This is probably because of the thrill to get even more candy and maybe even the bigger candy as well. When we go trick-or-treating we love to receive that one candy that we always loved to eat, whether it be a delicious “Milky Way” or even a “Three Musketeers.” Jerdale Castro, junior has a certain candy he loves, claiming “My favorite candy is Reese’s and Twix because I love the sweetness of the ReeSe’s and the crunchiness of the Twix”. These are some pretty great flavors in candy! We all have a favorite memory of Halloween, that memory could have been last year or it could be five to six years ago; we all have a different time in our
NOVEMBER 2015 5
6
Sports
NOVEMBER 2015
ON GUARD
Senior dominates the league as tight end
By Michael Fay
ACED: Freshman Ashlynn VerHaaren picks up her ball after hitting a hole-in-one. VerHaaren has only been golfing for three years. “It was exciting because a hole-in-one is rare,” said VerHaaren
Freshman hits hole-in-one
Getting to know Ashlynn
Getting to know Leroy
On Guard: How did you enjoy golf? Ashlynn: I liked it, it was fun
Freshman Ashlynn VerHaaren is a freshman in her third year of playing golf. So far, she enjoys high school and said, “it’s way better than middle school.” VerHaaren was chosen as Athlete of the Issue because of her huge achievement of hitting a hole-in-one. A hole-in-one is a rare and huge accomplishment because it means the golfer hit the ball in the hole on their first shot.
On Guard: Do you plan on doing football after high school? Leroy: Depends if colleges offer.
On Guard: How did you feel about your hole in one? Ashlynn: Excited because it’s rare.
On Guard: How long have you been playing football? Leroy: Since 4th grade.
PHOTO BY TODD KEISTER
On Guard: Do you enjoy high school? Ashlynn: Yeah it’s way better than middle school. On Guard: Have you been in Washington your entire life? Ashlynn: Yes
On Guard: What coach inspired you the most during football season? Leroy: Honestly all of them, especially coach J Robak.
On Guard: What is your favorite golf memory? Ashlynn: The hole in one!
On Guard: Football or basketball? Leroy: Basketball.
On Guard: How long have you played golf? Ashlynn: 3 years
On Guard: Tight-End or Defensive-End? Leroy: Tight-End.
On Guard: Who is your favorite golfer? Ashlynn: Rory Mcllroy
Spanaway Lake Coach inspires all BY JOHNATHON LAYMAN jlayman@slhsonguard.com
Coach John Robak has been coaching football for twenty one years and spends his days motivating players. According to his players, Robak is very motivational and a caring person. “My dad is great,” said assistant coach Cameron Robak. “He keeps guys motivated, there is a huge focus on academics, not just football.” Senior lineman Dyriece Fears said, “I love coach. I love what he has done.” Robak’s inspiration on and off the field and passion for constantly making sure the his players succeed in their life on and off the field. are just some reasons he was chosen as Coach of the Month.
PHOTO BY TODD KEISTER
jlayman@slhsonguard.com
DUAL THREAT: Leroy Lawrence is a dual threat for the Spanaway Lake football team. He is one of the top targets on offense and has made a huge difference on defense.
Tennis is a hit this season
Getting to know Coach John Robak
BY KYLIE WALLER
kwaller@slhsonguard.com The tennis season was filled with a lot of newcomers. The team had outstanding improvement and had one player that stood out. Coach Jeff McPherson was very proud of the boys this season, although, the record was 1-9. There was without a doubt exceeding improvement and a whole lot of laughter on the courts. “This season was fun and had more satisfaction than last year,” said senior Jordan Smith Smith and teammate Alejo Herrera, senior, said their teammates and Coach Mac made this season entertaining. Herrera ‘s plans are to play tennis after High School. “Sure, if the Navy has a tennis team, I might join.” Herrera was all about playing for fun when it came to tennis. One person stood out the most was junior Paul Wasson, who had a record of 9-1. Wasson earned the fifth seed at districts. Overall, this season was full of improving players who always have fun. Next year, they hope to win more matches and improve their skills everyday.
On Guard: How long have you been
coaching at SLHS? Robak: This is my 21st year.
On Guard: Did you play football in high school? Robak: I played at Wilson High School. I played tight end. On Guard: How much longer do you
plan on coaching? Robak: Probably another 9 years at least.
On Guard: How is it feel to be coach of the month? Robak: It’s an honor to be selected On Guard: What is your favorite sports
team? Robak: The New England Patriots
On Guard: where are you from? Robak: I’ve lived here since 1972. My dad was in the Air Force so we moved around a lot.
STATE BOUND: Paul Wasson is playing in his last regular season match at Graham Kapowsin. Wasson made the fifth seed in Districts and got eighth seed in state.
PHOTO BYJOHNATHON LAYMAN
WISE TEACHINGS: Coach Robak is giving a motivational speech before toights game agaisnt Battle Ground. Coach Robak focused strongly on keeping the guys responisble on the football field and in the classroom. Senior Lineman Dyriece Fears said, “I love coach. I love what he has done.”
PHOTO BYJOHNATHON LAYMAN
PHOTO BY TODD KEISTER
On Guard: What is your favorite coaching memory? Robak: The year we shut out Wilson in state playoffs
PHOTO BY JOHNATHON LAYMAN
BY JOHNATHON LAYMAN
Senior Leroy Lawrence is 6’4”, 240 pounds and is the number one tight end in the South Puget Sound League. On offense, Lawrence averages three receptions a game. On defense he averages 5.7 tackles a game with three total sacks this season. Lawrence is definitely a huge part of Spanaway Lakes’ football team on offense and defense. “Honestly all of the coaches inspired me, especially Coach (John) Robak.” Lawrence was chosen for athlete of the issue because of his great work ethic and amazing leadership.
PHOTO BYJOHN LAYMAN
PHOTO COURTESY OF ROBB HOOVER
mfay@slhsonguard.com
ON GUARD
Sports
NOVEMBER 2015 7
Spanaway Lake football hits hard BY DONTE’ JOHNSON
PHOTO BY TODD KEISTER
djohnshon@slhsonguard.com This season the football team, as a whole, could have played a more dedicated and disciplined style of play. The team did not do too well together as a team, but there’s was most definitely some players who did give their full effort. Isaiah Goodrum, senior, was one of those individuals. As a student-athlete, he was actually a huge part of the team while leading the district in tackles he was a true defensive game changer. “This year we could have and should have done a lot better than the performance we gave this season,” said Goodrum. “Because we’re better than that.” Goodrum actually takes part in blame for the teams discouraged spirit, wishing that he would have been one of the four leaders during his senior year to help pump up the team spirit. Another player who always gave full effort was senior, Ramon Gutierrez. “This year could have been a way more successful year for us,” said Gutierrez. “We are way better than we have been playing.” Gutierrez and Goodrum both hope the best for the future football seasons. The 2015 season was nowhere near the kind of season the team expected. A little more of an improvement and a lot of progress needs to be made to build the team better. There needs to be a strive to gain more progressive skill for next season is relentless and not dead. Eventually the team will get to where they need to be athletically.
Sentinel Swimmers make improvements BY CLARISSA FOWLER
cfowler@slhsonguard.com how to pace yourself properly. “I think the season could have been better, but the team was more like a family this year,” said senior Trenity Fisk. “My favorite meet was non-quals because I got 4th place in my heat of the 500 free, with my best time of the season being 9:06.39 doing the 500 free.” In swimming, at all meets and events, there are “heats” in events. Usually there is a JV heat and a Varsity heat. At events like Autumn Relays and Non-Quals (all the swim teams in the same region compete at the same time in the same place), there are easily seven or more heats of each event. Swimmers are matched up with others who have similar times and are put into heats accordingly. It is seen the final chance to beat your times from before and possibly qualify for districts or state. “It felt different seeing how the coaching methods were different. My favorite event to swim is the 50 free,” said junior Audrena Frank. “I enjoyed the meet against ER because it was a close game. I lost 12 seconds in total on my 50 free this season, my best time being 40.63.” All in all, the swimmers made a lot of strides and improved in many different events.
PHOTO BY CLARISSA FOWLER
Going to a swim meet, one would see the Spanaway Lake swimmers represent their school, waiving teal, black and silver at the end of the pool cheering for their teammates. These girls try their hardest every day at practice, every meet, pushing themselves harder to improve technique and speed. With the improvments, the girls had many unique experiences and had to deal with a new coach. At the end of the season, the girls could reflect on their best times, their favorite event and the meet they enjoyed the most. “It was a good season,” said senior swim captain Anne Antanavage. “We got a new coach so it was a change. I think we did alright this year, we had a good-sized team for Spanaway Lake, considering we don’t have a pool; 19 girls isn’t doing too bad. My best time was on the 500 free, with a time of 8:01.58.” The 500 freestyles is 20 laps going down and back in a 25-yard pool. This event takes endurance and skill, because it is so easy to go too fast at the wrong time and burn out if you do not know