Talisman vol. 60 iss. 2 November 30, 2022

How Divorce Affects Sheldon Families

Lileah Briggs staff writer

44.2% of all marriages in the US end in divorce as of 2022 and one out of two kids will watch their parents’ marriage break. This very common issue is something that many children deal with, but does not mean that it is not a very difficult situation with varying problems. Watching your parents divorce as a child that is age 6-12 is shown to be harder than other ages but this doesn’t take away from the issues that people outside that range still deal with in their family.

Junior Alexa Burger said, “My age affected my reaction; I was seven. I was confused with what was going on between my parents; they were constantly arguing over the smallest things.” One day Burger came home and her mother told her that her dad moved out. Burger said “Next thing I know he has a new girlfriend and a new home.” 80% of people who have gotten divorced are remarried. The question is whether or not this is harder on the child? Burger said, “It made me angry because it felt like he moved on from my family.” Burger said the hardest thing about the divorce was seeing her parents move on with new romantic partners. It took her an especially long time to get used to her mom’s fiance because it had just been her, her sister, and her mom for such a long time, but once she got to know him better she was grateful that her mom was so happy.

Freshman Nita Jones from South Eugene High School said, “I was three or four years old when it happened. My parents weren’t the closest so them being split apart didn’t seem weird. I also didn’t understand all the thoughts and feelings that are involved in the process because I was young.” Jones is grateful to have met her step dad and said that she wouldn’t wish for her parents to be married again because “if they did I would never have met my stepdad and the people that I met along the way. If I didn’t meet them my life wouldn’t be as good.”

90% of custody agreements are settled without a judge but in the case that the parents need help deciding what is best they can go to family court. Fortunately, Jones’s parents could agree on a schedule, but Burger’s parents had to go to court. Burger, being seven years old at the time, didn’t have to attend court, but in some cases if the child is fourteen or older they can speak their opinion on which house they rather live in. Burger’s dad gave her mom 100% custody which is sometimes hard because when he wants to visit her and her sister she has dance or other plans and has to say

that she is unavailable. Jones’ parents have shared custody but it sometimes makes it hard for Jone’s to make plans with her friends because her two different households have very different rules.

“I’d say the biggest thing for kids is that it’s not their fault,” said counselor Tammy Humbert. Many kids feel stressed or overwhelmed because they want to fix their parents’ marriage but the truth is it can’t be fixed and it’s out of their control. Humbert would encourage kids that “it’s not their fault and their parents still love them and that’s not going to change.”

Divorcing parents wonder what they can do to help their child through this. Burger’s parents put her in counseling: “I didn’t open up very much but my sister did a lot and it did help her. I wish I would have opened up more and let people know how I was feeling sooner instead of bottling it up.” Burger’s mom was a “really good support system.” She let her and her sister know that it was okay to be angry about what happened. Jones is grateful that her parents stayed in a “friendship bond” and treated her the same which helped her to digest a situation.

There are many hard things that come with divorce but is there an upside? “Yes, you get to know more people along the way and some parts of the experience makes you more mature than others,” Jones said; “Being able to see your parents happy; my mom is the happiest she’s ever been. Her fiance was her high school crush!” Burger notably added.

Parents around the world struggle with an essential question: should you stay in a marriage for the kid? Here’s what the kids have to say. “I think it’s the parents’ lives and they should do what feels best, but since they have a kid they need to be mature about it and non problematic so the kid can have a normal as possible way of living,” Jones said.

“Divorce is not a fun situation, but parents that are constantly arguing and kids having to listen and see it happening is worse in my opinion” Burger said. “It’s sad because divorce sucks, but that’s how it is in America,” Humbert said with a laugh. In the end, children are resilient and many times divorce makes them stronger, it all comes back to what’s best for your family, whatever that may be.

Freshman Survival Guide

Barber staff writer

Transitions are challenging for everyone, but moving up to high school is a whole new experience and level of difficulty. Freshman Hunter Wrighthouse said the hardest part of the transition was “trying to get used to it; it was difficult getting up in the morning knowing I would have a long day of hard work ahead of me.”

One of the transitions from middle school to high school that makes it difficult is the workload. Freshman Megan Corrales said the part of high school she is not ready for is the “SAT and PSAT and having to pass every class.”

The high school curriculum is a big jump from middle school. It is very easy to fall behind and can be difficult to catch back up. Senior Stella Williams stated, “Something I would recommend for a student falling behind is to definitely use office hours because you get one-on-one time with your teacher.”

Making friends can be difficult in any situation, but if you come from a small middle school and enter a big high school, making friends can be more challenging. Williams said, “For a freshman struggling to make friends, the best way is to just put yourself out there. I know that is scary for some people, but putting yourself out there and talking to new people is the best way to make new connections.”

Staying on top of your busy schedule inside and outside of school can also be a

struggle, especially if you procrastinate. Corrales stated, “Good schedules help me stay on top of my heavy workload.” A good schedule would include school work and extracurricular activities. It is important to include all of your activities into your schedule so you know exactly what needs to get done. Without a detailed schedule, life can quickly become very overwhelming and stressful.

Entering high school means changing teachers, staff, and students. Wrighthouse stated, “There are some teachers that are nice and will actually help you, and some will not.” Teachers in high school have different goals than middle school teachers. In high school, students are getting prepared for college or life outside of school and that is what the teachers are working to prepare you for.

Kayla

Photo by Sofia El-Shammaa

A freshman health class studying.

Teen to Teacher

Ella Schmeling page editor

Math teacher Katie Teeler is currently in her seventh year of teaching, and she stated that the relationships with the teachers she had when she was in high school inspired her to choose a teaching career: “I went through some hard times in high school, and the adults who mentored me and helped me through that made a really big difference in my life. I really just wanted to be that for these kids.” Teeler aspired to become someone any struggling student could look up to, especially students who lack a model adult figure in their lives.

Despite the encouraging relationship she had with most teachers, Teeler has also learned what not to incorporate in her classroom, noting characteristics of teachers who didn’t elicit a positive learning environment. Teeler said, “I do remember one teacher who was good at teaching history but she didn’t get to know us at all or share anything about her personal life. To her it was very much just about the teaching. My favorite teachers were always the ones where we got to know about their life and they got to know about us.” Due to those negative experiences with some teachers, she strives to stay as connected with her students as possible, claiming that it creates a much more enjoyable learning environment where students can have fun in class, make connections with others, ask questions, and learn in a safe space where they feel comfortable to be themselves.

As a student, Teeler really liked school. She had gotten all A’s and taken many advanced classes. Outside of class, Teeler was involved with the student body, gymnastics, theater, and photography. Many of these past hobbies she doesn’t partake in today, but she feels her personality is mostly the same as she continues to take on leadership roles and remains a very sociable person. Advice she’d give to her students stemming from personal experiences in high school would be: “Build good relationships with at least a few different adults in your school and go to them for help. Find friends who share the same values as you— if your friends are pulling you in the wrong direction, don’t be afraid to change course.”

Science teacher Corrine Fields had always planned on becoming a teacher—mostly because her parents and step-parents were all teachers, so it seemed to be the right path for her. Growing up, one of the biggest things that bothered Fields was when teachers were too authoritarian,

and had no interest in listening to what the students had to say. It was most annoying to her when teachers were unnecessarily strict, doing so to only “prove they were in charge” with irrelevant rules and guidelines in the classroom that didn’t actually need to be enforced. These associations with her high school teachers have impacted the way Fields teaches today, in which she makes sure that her students never share the same negative experiences as she did in school. Fields said, “I try to enforce rules I feel are only necessary—purely for education or safety purposes, and not creating rules arbitrarily. If I can’t justify it in my own mind I don’t think it should be a rule. I always try to follow my own rules, just out of a sense of fairness.” The teachers that she did have a positive relationship with were the ones who really made an effort to make classes friendly and welcoming.

Fields explained that throughout high school she was always playing a sport, doing band, participating in the school play, getting good grades, and joining many different clubs and extracurricular activities. Spending day and night on some sort of school-related activity, she clarified herself as a classic “renaissance overachiever.” Today she claims to have very similar interests. Although she doesn’t have much time for any of those hobbies anymore, she has run several clubs in the past such as advising the “gaming club” at Sheldon which was similar to the chess club Fields participated in when she was in high school. Throughout her eighteen years of teaching high school students, and the personal lessons she learned as a teen, Fields shares some advice she would like to pass onto her students: “I think the main thing is to find things that are fun or interesting to you and get involved with them; it’s the best way to make friends and connections, and to make life survivable. Adolescence is a really difficult time in life and I think having people to talk to and who understand you can make a huge difference.”

During his sophomore year of high school, English teacher Jeremey Washburn had first discovered his passion for teaching as a counselor in outdoor school. Mentoring the middle schoolers at the camp, Washburn found himself striving to sign up as a counselor season after season–finding that the experiences he had advising those kids would be something he’d continue to pursue as an adult.

Making connections among various different friend groups in high school helped Washburn better connect to the diverse groups of students in his classrooms today. Washburn said, “As a skateboarder and snowboarder, I hung out with the ‘alternate’ and ‘party’ crowd. But as an Honors student, I hung out with the really smart people. And as an athlete playing lots of different school sports

I was hangin’ with the jocks a lot, too.” Washburn also said, “I can definitely relate to how I was then to who I am today as far as connecting with the kids at Sheldon. I go to a lot of games and talk to the ‘jocks’ about what they’re doing, but I also run the Dungeons and Dragons club for all of the nerdy gamer kids.” Washburn enjoys being thrown into a mix of social circles and teaches a wide variety of classes such as Honors English, regular English, and recovery classes, each encompassed by a set of unique students with varying interests of their own.

When Washburn was in seventh grade, he got kicked out of honors for poor handwriting and spelling. It wasn’t until he transferred to Churchill that the school decided he should join AP because of his test scores and grades from his previous classes. Washburn said, “My middle school academic performance wasn’t very good, but in high school everything just sorta clicked. I understand that judging students on their middle school performance isn’t the most effective way to determine their high school path.” Washburn essentially removed the application barrier for honors classes at Sheldon, so that regardless of what happened in middle school, students could at least try it.

Teachers’ Lives Outside the Classroom

with her and talk about anything.

Many students wonder about their teacher’s personal life. Do they actually sleep? Do they not live at school?

Former campus supervisor turned health teacher, Rosemary Nguyen enjoys her time outside of school, “Hanging out with coworkers and sleeping in.” On the weekend, yes, teachers actually do have a life outside of school.

Everybody has good and bad days, whether at work or school. What makes a good day at work for Nguyen is “when I’m organized, and the kids are organized, and there’s successful learning.” Nguyen likes to see students progressing in their studies in a coordinated manner. She wants to make sure they always know they can be open

When Nguyen is faced with a struggling student, she said “I want to try and find the source, find out why they are struggling and give them the resources to be successful.” This seems like a great environment for students to be in.

Counselor Clair Smith has a slightly different approach: “You wait and ask them to start wherever they want. They don’t have to start at a specific spot or make it make sense, just start wherever they feel comfortable.” Smith’s method of helping a struggling student allows the student to open up easier and more comfortably.

Nguyen has a love/hate relationship with popular student trends that are popular right now. In terms of what trends of students confuse her or which ones she likes, Nguyen said “Pajamas are a big one that I don’t really understand,

but I really like the 90s clothing.” Nguyen thinks it’s pretty strange to wear sleepwear to school.

Smith shares a similar response to Nguyen’s about fashion trends she doesn’t like, “I don’t like the chunky shoes; they’re not cute.”

Secretary Kristen Natt, has more to her than meets the eyes. Natt said something students would be surprised about is “I have traveled to twenty countries and I can’t pick one [favorite].” However, Natt does have a favorite hobby from high school: ”Scrapbooking is something I did in highschool for fun and so I could always look back and remember the old times.” Some things never change.

Students may be surprised to learn that teachers actually have a life outside of school. They are still humans and do regular things. Don’t make it so hard on teachers as they are just people doing their jobs.

photo courtesy Jeremy Washburn

Jeremy Washburn now and junior year at Churchill High School, 1998.

Noah Steeves & Brooke Capon staff writers

Katie Teeler now and as a sophomore in high school, 2009.

photo courtesy Katie Teeler

Midterm elections promise changes

Natalie Kaiser editor

With the effects of midterm elections, students are all wondering what the world will look like with Tina Kotek as Oregon’s governor and new faces filling the office.

Reaching the age of eighteen brings responsibilities, along with opportunities. Voting is one that is categorized into both of these groups. Senior Stella Williams said, “I encourage young voters to get educated on the elected people, and voting is very important so get registered ASAP.”

Voting can seem daunting, a reason why many people choose to not vote. One challenging aspect is staying informed and making decisions. Senior Riley Strode said, “To educate myself on my votes, I read through my Oregon Voter’s Pamphlet as I made my decisions. Some of the candidates didn’t include their stances on political issues that are important to me, so I Googled some extra information for a few of the candidates. For the measures being voted on, I looked at the arguments against my initial opinion on them to see if they could change my mind.”

Although it is intimidating, voting is crucial as it allows citizens to speak on matters that affect them. Even if one vote seems small, it’s critical for democracy. Voting is always important, but especially in the polarized political world today.

With Oregon’s new governor, changes will be brought to the state in several ways. The race was close between the Republican candidate and Democratic candidate, something uncommon in Oregon. What will Kotek’s win bring to the state after this close victory? Senior Kyleigh Cooke said, “I think that Tina Kotek becoming governor will positively affect the state, as well as our community and myself as well.”

Although opinions are often polar today, “The things that [Kotek] has already accomplished before she was governor shows that she is a promising leader and will hopefully lead Oregon down the right path in the future,” said Cooke.

Despite different opinions, we can all agree that we hope the midterm elections will bring positive changes for principal issues. And don’t forget to vote when you turn eighteen!

Unofficial SHS Instagram Accounts

Atlas Ellingsworth & Laura Stanton staff writers

Unofficial Sheldon High School Instagram accounts have helped anonymous owners of these accounts gain a following, but they have hurt people and violated their privacy. Freshman Ava Frank said that she personally thinks that they are “disrespectful, but it also depends on the account.”

On the other hand, freshman Ella Kirsch doesn’t care, as long as they don’t hurt her or others. One of the accounts with the highest following is @shs_badparking_, which has 766 followers and features students who park their cars very poorly. This is a personal favorite of both Kirsch and Frank. However, freshman Abigail Adams dislikes all of

these accounts, as she finds these accounts to not be educational whatsoever, and she refuses to follow any of them. If Kirsch were to make an account, she would make one about “how bad the school food is.” None of the interviewees have been featured on any of these accounts at Sheldon.

All three of these students agree that the creators of the photo accounts like @sheldonsleepyheads, which has 313 followers and features students who have fallen asleep during class, should ask people for permission to feature them before they post them, because it could really embarrass someone. None of them also know any of the anonymous users who run these accounts, or at least that’s what they say. Frank says the strangest accounts she’s seen at Sheldon are the confession ones, like @shsdramablog, which has 93 followers and features students submitting things they need to get off of their chest in a Google Form, which are then screenshotted and posted. On the other hand, the most bizarre account Kirsch and Adams have seen is the one where people take pictures of couples in the hallway, which has since been deleted.

Both Frank and Adams believe that these accounts should be taken down, however Kirsch believes that they are entertaining, and shouldn’t be taken down unless they are harming her or others. Some students think that these accounts are dumb and they shouldn’t exist. However, some think that they are funny, and they want to keep them up for entertainment purposes.

The Republican elephant and Democratic donkey.

illistration by Natalie Kaiser

illistration by Natalie Kaiser

The Negative Effects of COVID on Teen Behavior

Chloe Battin page editor

Whether it stopped students from attending school assemblies, watching a football game from the bleachers, or dancing at homecoming, the COVID pandemic disrupted the decades-old Sheldon traditions. Now that the pandemic has begun to decline, students have begun to witness the effects COVID had on teen social behavior. According to the CDC, about 37% of high school students reported poor mental health during the pandemic. Before the transition from online learning to in-person school, there was a lot of anxiety about possibly getting sick. “[We had] been told to distance ourselves from people, so it [was] going to create stress,” Dr. Lisa Maclean, a psychiatrist at Henry Ford Health System, told the American Medical Association (AMA).

Not only were students anxious about putting their health at risk, but they were also stressed about coming back to school after being online for two years. Freshmen counselor Jeanie Evans noticed this, particularly last year: “There was a lot of anxiety [in the freshmen last year]. All of a sudden, the workload expectation jumped. The expectations during COVID were so low, and then there was a big jump. Around midterms last year, I had a lot of kids falling apart.”

In many cases, anxiety causes people to behave more unsettledly. According to a Florida State University study, many young adult participants experienced greater moodiness and irritability in 2021 compared to 2020. The study also found a huge decrease in dependability and extroversion in teens. Evans detected a decrease

in reliability in her students as well. “Last year, there was less gentleness and there was more flaunting of the rules. There’s a lot more of an ‘I don’t care’[attitude in students],” she said. “[I think] more kids were affected by being isolated than they let on.”

Science teacher Chris Emmick felt apprehensiveness in his students at the beginning of this school year: “[Student social interactions] seem more stifled. I had to put in more effort to get them to interact with me. [I saw] fewer hands go up,” said Emmick. “Fewer coping strategies [and] more stress and anxiety…Some of the anxiety and stress [in teens over COVID] came from…adults because the adults were also stressed. Everyone mimics [other people’s] emotional state.” Emmick went on to say he noticed teens becoming increasingly aggressive in the way they speak to each other. “It’s almost as if the online world has spilled into the real world,” Emmick said. “Kids still think...they have [as much] anonymity in the real world [as] they do online.”

Evans said this is likely because “kids missed out on social interactions [in 2020]. They had to...relearn [how to behave socially].”

COVID has created more agitation in teens. But what about issues that were prevalent before the pandemic, like anxiety and depression? According to the CDC, about 37% of high school students felt persistent feelings of hopelessness or sadness in 2019. That number has jumped to 44% since the start of the COVID pandemic. Similarly, 18% of students genuinely considered attempting suicide before the pandemic, and currently, that number is 20%.

Senior Omar Nashawi is among those who have experienced poor mental health throughout the pandemic. “My anxiety definitely worsened during COVID, simply

because I went through long periods of time without social interactions from those outside of my house,” stated Nashawi.

Despite all the negative effects the pandemic had on young adults, Sheldon staff members have seen improvement. “We’ve seen an improvement in grades [in] this year’s freshmen [compared to last year’s freshmen],” said Evans. Some students have also noticed an improvement in their mental health.

“After adjusting to being in social situations again... the way I interact with my friends [did] not [change] to [the point] where I [would] say the pandemic had an influence. It was [more like I changed] as a person,” said Nashawi.

It is vital to support teens mentally, specifically after the pandemic. Dr. Maclean from the AMA suggests not to “be afraid to reach out for help when needed.” A trusted teacher or friend can help soothe any anxiety around school or grades.

Emmick enjoys helping his students and pays close attention to their mental states. “When you support a student’s mental health, you learn from them,” he said. Emmick went on to say that he learns about himself by supporting his students. That is why it is so important to help students.

“The most important thing you can do to take care of others is make time to take care of you,” Dr. McLean told the AMA. One of the best ways to take care of yourself is to stay connected to loved ones. Staying connected and interacting with others is crucial for recovering from the negative impacts of COVID on teen social interactions.

The Risks and Benefits of Consuming Energy Drinks

Nathan Witherspoon staff writer

Energy drinks. Many of us consume them, many of us feel that it gives us that “kick” or “boost” that we need to get through the day. Some blue-collar workers consume them before a twelve-hour shift, some high schoolers consume them before a big test, and some rockers and rappers consume them before a big concert. But after a 2011 report of a fourteen year old girl dying after consuming two twenty-four ounce cans of the self-proclaimed buzz drink, many are wondering, is the beverage safe to consume?

Sophomore Blaine Linn believes that they are safe for consumption for teenagers as long as teens don’t over indulge in them. Linn said, “Among teens, I think it is [safe], however when they’re uncontrollably drinking them it is a little overkill. As long as it’s regulated so your heart doesn’t pop, I think that it should be perfectly fine. There are, however, a lot of teens who drink an unhealthy amount of energy drinks. Like they’ll drink one, pop another; drink one, pop another.”

Some people believe that energy drinks should have similar sales restrictions to alcohol, marijuana, and tobacco. When asked if he thought the same, Linn said, “Not necessarily, because drugs and caffeine, while caffeine is designated as a drug, it’s not considered a scheduled drug. It’s not something that will necessarily kill you, but it is just a little detrimental to your health, but it

really depends, because they put those 18+ designations on cans based on the amount of caffeine that they put inside of energy drinks, like Bang has a lot.”

There are alternatives to energy drinks, and certain people prefer them. Linn said, “I think the best substitute would be coffee. Coffee is not as highly concentrated [with caffeine, unless it’s black coffee, but even black coffee is not as concentrated as energy drinks. Energy drinks are chemicals in a can, coffee is just beans. It’s not as bad, that’s why they don’t have age designations or restrictions for coffee. If they did put an age restriction on coffee, America would go down the toilet and I’d say… I’m going to Canada.”

A prime reason why teens consume energy drinks is because they have a lot of stress in their daily lives, especially in school. When asked how schools can adapt to their students’ life matters and restructure their curriculums, Linn said, “Schools should start later in the day; the truth of the matter is while a lot of students have a lot of discipline to go to school, it’s just a lot. Most

students don’t have that kind of discipline, so tweaking school run times would definitely be beneficial. Also, knock homework out of the equation. Students already spend seven hours a day at school, they shouldn’t need to take that home with them.”

Sophomore Daniella Ramirez has a different take on energy drinks. Ramirez said, “I don’t believe they are particularly safe. They contain lots of other chemicals besides caffeine.” When asked about restricting sales to minors, Ramirez said, “No, that’s stupid. It may not be particularly safe, but it’s not marijuana, it’s not alcohol, and it’s not nicotine. It’s a buzz drink.” When asked about energy drink substitutes, Ramirez said “Sleep. There’s no substitute for proper sleep. Even with energy drinks or caffeine in general, you’re still susceptible to health issues due to a lack of sleep. Caffeine should be used as a last resort for long nights, but should not be a constant substitute for getting a proper good night’s sleep.”

When asked if schools should change their curriculums to fit a student’s work/play balance, Ramirez said, “No, if anything school run times should increase. High schools are pumping out kids who have no idea what to do with their lives or how to work or really how to do anything other than being a mooch to mom and dad. Students need discipline and structure, and high schools are lacking.”

can graphic by Chloe Battin

How MLMs Can Affect Your Local Community

Sofia El-Shammaa editor-in-chief

A multilevel marketing scheme (MLM), similar to a pyramid or Ponzi scheme, requires a nonsalaried employee to shill a product and recruit other people to the company. While not illegal like a pyramid scheme, the Federal Trade Commission has warned against them, stating, “Some are pyramid schemes. It’s best not to get involved in plans where the money you make is based primarily on the number of distributors you recruit and your sales to them.”

Despite the warnings against them, and a public distaste for them, MLMs are thriving. According to a 2018 AARP study, one in thirteen American adults have participated in at least one MLM organization. Only one in four of those participants had even made a profit, and 47% reported losing money. Senior Elsa Dinsmore said, “[MLMs are] huge scams. They are super exploitative, and they go after vulnerable women and minors.”

Unfortunately for Dinsmore and many like her who find MLMs harmful and dangerous, these companies seem to be going strong. Social media allows for easy connection and recruitment.

Some of these companies are so successful that they are able to open brick and mortar locations. That’s the case with the infamous MLM scheme Herbalife, which has a location in Eugene (though, notably, the business is incorporated in the Cayman Islands, a leading tax haven). The company has been around since the 1980s and drawn plenty of criticism for its shady business practices, including a 2016 documentary entitled Betting On Zero, a spotlight in a 2016 Last Week Tonight segment on MLMs, and a 2018 book called When The Wolves Bite: Two Billionaires, One Company, and an Epic Wall Street Battle. But, more notably, Herbalife was one of over a few dozen MLM schemes that the FTC wrote a complaint about. In 2016, the FTC required that the company completely restructure itself in order to avoid being labelled as a pyramid scheme by regulators, in addition to paying a $200 million fine.

The FTC isn’t the only governing body that Herbalife has fought with. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the United States Department of Justice have been watching the company since early 2019 for corruption in China. The Department of Justice later charged Yangliang Li, former head of Herbalife’s China operations,

and Hongwei Yang, who ran the external affairs department, with conspiracy in violation of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. Yang and Li apparently ran a decades-long scheme in which they bribed the Chinese Ministry of Commerce and the State Administration for Industry and Commerce, who were investigating Herbalife, to sway said investigation and to obtain sales permits. While Herbalife was not charged or named in the criminal indictment, they were required to pay $20 million in a settlement with the SEC, which alleged that Herbalife misled their investors about their operations in China. Herbalife neither admitted nor denied the allegations. Despite countless investigations, class-action lawsuits, and hundreds of millions of fines, Herbalife does not seem to be going anywhere. In fact, it seems to be growing. Herbalife has a new product, but it’s not a mealreplacement shake that has been associated with liver damage (yes, Herbalife products have been associated with hepatotoxicity, which is chemical-driven liver damage, according to several articles and studies published in Journal of Hepatology). They’re called ‘Nutrition Clubs.’ And, in late 2021, Eugene got its very own Nutrition Club, called One Vision Nutrition. However,

oddly enough, these Nutrition Clubs are explicitly described, by Herbalife themselves in their 2022 Nutrition Club Operator Training pamphlet, as “not franchises, retail stores, restaurants, or cafés.” They must exclusively exist in service establishments, not other retail businesses, as “those could convey that your location is a retail establishment.” In addition, Herbalife seems to want the businesses to be completely unknown.The same pamphlet stated, “Your customers should be attracted to your Club through personal invitation only. Nutrition Clubs are not intended to attract people passing by.”

So if they’re not retail establishments, what are they? And why is Herbalife seemingly trying to hide these Clubs? Senior Dori Vaughan theorized, “They avoid ever letting on that the products are Herbalife because Herbalife has a bad reputation.”

The location in Eugene is called One Vision Nutrition, and it opened earlier this year. The owner, Ken Gene, has worked with Herbalife since 1996. He opened his first Nutrition Club in Costa Rica in 2019. Gene does not think that Herbalife is a pyramid scheme. How does he know that? Gene has been in a pyramid scheme before. Gene says since his business is focused on customers, it is not a pyramid scheme. He

said that, “When the [FTC] investigation came, we actually became stronger because we know what needs to be fixed.”

Gene wants to work with Herbalife for the foreseeable future. Gene said, “My favourite part of my day is seeing the results of my customers.”

Even though some people have been harmed by MLMs, it’s important not to vilify the people who get caught up in them. Sheldon economics teacher Timothy Neeno said, “You’re not a bad person [if you get scammed]. You’re not the first person and certainly not the last.”

Despite Gene’s good experience, Neeno, Vaughan, and Dinsmore all implore those involved in MLMs to get out as soon as possible. Neeno said, “It’s always bad. It takes people’s money out of the community. It hurts because you can lose everything you’ve saved.”

So, how do people get out? You might have to lose your money and be unable to recover it. “You really need to teach kids economics. The more people are aware economically the safer they are… We could also fund more agencies [to catch] MLMs,” suggested Neeno.

What Does Misogyny Look Like in Society?

Lucy Fromm staff writer

Sheldon is no stranger to the different conceptions of masculinity that exist. Football and wrestling are regarded as very masculine sports in which males need to show toughness. The demand to be “masculine” tends to show within sports, as athletics call for competition and physical strength; yet the definition of masculinity in our society is still up for debate.

In a program using studies to explore masculinity and what it means to be a man today, Michael Kimmel, founder and director of the Center for the Study of Men and Masculinities at Stony Brook University, explored the difference between a “good man” and a “real man” in his class. When his students were asked to describe a good man, they used words such as caring, honest, and empathetic; but when asked to describe a real man, the same students said that real men never cry, they suppress all weaknesses, and take charge to establish authority.

There seem to be two types of masculinity that exist within our society, one of which is a gender normative standard that toxic masculinity stems from. Toxic masculinity defines manhood with aggression, drive, status, and violence, while simultaneously restricting the feelings that men and boys should be able to openly express. Toxic masculinity is often excused as “being a real man,” and its influence lives deep within misogyny, rape culture, homophobia, and general discrimination.

Sophomore Jack Toomb shared the negative effects that toxic masculinity has on women and LGBTQ identifying people, and said, “Traditional and toxic masculinity call for women being obedient and submissive housewives who must comply with gender norms in behavior and appearance. LGBTQ identifying people are commonly discriminated against due to toxic men not viewing them as their vision of masculine.”

Often when growing up, girls are told that when a boy teases them, the boy has a crush on them. This lesson taught to young girls associates aggression with affection, teaching young girls that violence and love come hand-in-hand. This leads to the normalization of sexual assault and violence at a shockingly young age. Often, boys are taught these ideas through their role models,

such as men in places of power and influence, with “boys will be boys.”

At the time of Donald Trump’s run for the presidency 2020), an audiotape was released on the news of they [women] let you do it. You can do anything…grab by the p*ssy.” Trump later dismissed these words room talk,” which much of America accepted. In wave, sexual assault was more normalized than something acceptable, perhaps even amusing. Rachel the cofounder of an Oakland-based Girls Leadership discovered a pattern in calls she received from stories of games their elementary school children victims of. “Trump Tag,” young boys called it, around grabbing young girls by the crotch.

Sophomore Emma Sullivan shared that in relation policies and punishments for sexual harassment, “the school hasn’t really done anything for me I also don’t usually come forward. This is because time when people do, the school just tries to bury they can to keep up appearances.”

Sexual harassment and assault is a difficult conversation

Dead Malls

Retail Graveyard: The Untold History of Dead Malls in Oregon

Victoria Wolf photo editor

Have you ever been in a place and got an eerie feeling you shouldn’t be there; that you weren’t supposed to see something? Maybe it’s something you’ve only experienced in a weird dream. Maybe you’ve walked through a mall and approachedl,k in os a row of stores that are shuttered. You’ve just walked yourself into a liminal space called a dead mall. There are hundreds of malls all across America that are sitting mostly abandoned, stuck in a time capsule, unknown from mainstream society. Although most malls decide to go through major renovations, the ones that don’t lose tenants while management desperately tries to balance keeping the remaining stores while trying to sell the property to whoever will update these lost pieces of history.

Most of today’s malls were built between the 70s and 80s and they were a hit when they first opened, usually providing a boom of business to the surrounding areas.

Contary to popular belief, online shopping is not the reason many malls go under. When we talk about malls that have ‘died,’ they all share one thing that caused their downfall: bad management. In the early 2010s, a lot of older malls decided they wanted to sell their property and get better management that would have plans for innovative renovation. These old malls were severely undersold at a price anyone would take for the amount of land offered. A lot of companies that bought these malls did not care for the mall they bought and let them sit to rot and empty out, so they could bulldoze them and use the property for something else. Unfortunately, this is never what usually happened because the malls never fully cleaned out and sat with an occupancy of just 5%, holding mostly mom and pop shops that were happy to have a brick and mortar store.

We all had a childhood mall we remember going to on the weekends, where our parents took us to get candy and play in the play area. For most Eugenians, it was Gateway Mall. Before its renovation into the Shoppes at Gateway in 2015, the Gateway Mall was a local wonder for parents and kids. An old cow field had big plans for a new mall being built on the property, right off of the Interstate 5 highway

in 1988. The grand opening of the mall came just two years later in 1990, showing an instant boom for the surrounding area. The mall’s peak 80s aesthetic was eyecatching; featuring a gorgeous glass entryway with its signature two arches to welcome customers into the mall. Inside the mall, round, vaulted skylights were in the center courts with metal paneling lining the ceiling in the hallways. Even though the mall provided lots of natural light thanks to it’s many skylights, there were lots of little lights inside for the dark winter months. When walking through the front, the food court greeted customers with a variety of food options, along with a Cinemark, later becoming Movies12, a local discount theatre, off to the right. In the surrounding area, there was a Chuck-E-Cheese restaurant, Target, Big 5 Sporting Goods, Circuit City and a Hollywood Video.

Junior Abigail Sorahm shared her fond memories from Gateway as a child. “When I was in 4th grade, I met one of my international friends from Korea at the old HomeTown Buffet. We really bonded and we continued to get dinner there for the next year and a half until he moved back home. When I heard the news that the place was closing down, I actually shed a few tears because it was a place that I remember so fondly from my youth.” The HomeTown Buffet now sits abandoned on the inside part of the mall, with only a label scar remaining to identify what once occupied its space.

So if the mall is dying, what brings people to the mall? Well, a main draw for most Sheldon students is actually one of the mall’s longest standing anchors, Target. Target was once fully attached to the mall with an entrance to the inside where the Starbucks now sits. It is debatable whether or not Target is a freestanding store or not, but what is certain is the appeal the store has to the younger generation.

Senior Lea Zaring, who works at the mall, explained her idea of what Gateway can do moving forward: “If they want to keep the mall open, they need to do a better job of marketing to the younger crowd.” Zaring believes that malls nowadays, especially Gateway, are targeting the older crowd of shoppers, even with stores that try to have a younger appeal to them. The only way to move the mall positvitely forward is to get attention from the new generation of shoppers. The problem is, does the new generation even want to shop at malls or have they moved on to a different form of retail?

with the excuse

presidency (2016of him saying “... anything…grab ‘em words as “lockerIn a sudden than before, seen as Rachel Simmons, Leadership group parents, telling children had been the in which they ran relation to school harassment, she believes personally, but because most of the bury it as fast as conversation

that most people are not willing to contribute to, as they are more often concerned with how it will affect them personally, not how it is already damaging millions of people throughout the world. Several national surveys throughout the US have found that one in four women are raped within their lifetime, and roughly one in ten men will end up rape victims.

RAINN (Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network) studies have found that females between ages sixteen and nineteen are “four times more likely than the general population to be victims of rape, attempted rape, or sexual assault.” This means that during the middle and high school years, it is ardently important that support and accountability are accessible to people.

Sullivan shared their experiences with misogyny among teachers at Sheldon: “I feel like with the staff, the women get babied and are expected to do less and the men are expected to do more…[which] feels dehumanizing…I find that the staff also likes to slight us by comments about women and how they should be more careful.” Telling women they should be more careful insinuates that if they are victims of violence, it was their fault, perpetuating victim blaming.

Gym teacher Danielle Glenzel said, “We [teachers] want to model what our kids [should learn to do] … so they will model back what we want to see. It’s like a mirror.”

Similar to the Shoppes at Gateway is the Lloyd Center in Portland, Oregon. Plans for the mall began as early as 1923, but were delayed due to the Great Depression and World War II. The mall eventually opened in 1960, sporting an impressive 100 stores in an open-air configuration. The mall did amazing for it’s time, but similarly speaking, slowly died out as the mall continued to age. Every anchor left the mall by January of 2021 and moved to new locations that better supported business. The mall currently sits at less than 5% occupancy and is now home to Carrington College, using half of the mall’s space as its campus. Many Sheldon students vividly remember visiting the mall when they were younger on a weekend trip to the Portland area. Senior Joshua Gores shared his memories: “The Lloyd Center was a great mall because of its size and variety of stores. The ice skating rink is a big plus and I loved the food court being on the third story.” Lloyd Center’s famous ice skating rink is still currently open to the public and is a main draw of visitation to the mall.

The current state of the Shoppes at Gateway is not looking good. With all interior parts of the building being mostly abandoned and with the loss of Sears as a fifth anchor in 2018, the mall has seen a recent mass vacancy. The vacant Sears building has experienced a number of break-ins from teenagers seeking a place to graffitti. No plans have been released at this time to revive the inside parts nor tear down the empty Sears wing, so the mall continues to sit empty, patiently awaiting renovation. The only thing circulating are rumors about the mall desperately trying to clean up its empty stores before the owners put the place up for sale.

When malls are left empty, most people don’t think much about it except that it’s a building that is taking up space, but when we learn to appreciate the malls while we can, it can provide a new purpose- exploration. Visiting these dead malls can bring in a new crowd of people who eagerly await to appreciate the rich history that resides within these grand structures that reflect the time period they were built in. While dead malls are not for everyone, raising awareness and learning about a small piece of history is important to move the future of shopping for consumers in a better direction.

photo illustration by Sofia El-Shammaa

Sears in Gateway Mall in 2016 (left) vs. in 2022.

Hot Girl Holiday Activities

Sofia Kokkino page editor

The holiday season is one of the most anticipated times of the year. From caroling in the streets to watching holiday movies, there are endless amounts of traditions that people enjoy. While traditions can bring people together, they can also divide them. Senior Tanner Thomas loves the holiday season so much that he starts playing Christmas music on November 1! While some may say that this is too soon to start playing holiday music, he disagrees: “Why would you wait longer to play songs that bring so much joy? You may as well start early.” Thomas said he plays this music on the big speaker in the Coffee Cart for all to hear, even though some don’t enjoy it. “Even though my friends tell me that it’s too early to play Christmas music; I ignore them and continue to spread holiday cheer.”

Some agree with Thomas’ early holiday cheer; senior Sydney Potter loves to start celebrating the holidays as soon as she can. In Potter’s eyes, the earliest indicator of the festivities beginning is when Starbucks releases their seasonal Pumpkin Spice Latte (or PSL). Potter stated, “I will be a PSL stan until the day I die. Starbucks

should have it on the menu all year round.” This drink brings a sense of familiarity to Potter that reminds her of how the holidays make her feel–warm and happy.

However, there’s others who don’t share the love for this popular seasonal drink, like sophomore Kanoa Smith. Unlike many, Smith hates hot chocolate: “Personally, I think eggnog is better. Hot chocolate is just so boring.” Smith’s opinions almost completely contradict Potter and Thomas’ love for hot chocolate. In spite of these varying opinions, a middle ground can be found. Smith added that he too loves the PSL, just like Potter. The holidays are such a unifying time of the year, even if the way people celebrate can be wildly different.

185 out of 556

surveryed Sheldon students answered “No” to “Do you believe that November first is too early to play Christmas music?”

photo by Victoria Wolf

Controversial History of Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is the fun, wholesome American holiday where family members reunite to eat mediocre poultry. However, some people would beg to differ, as Thanksgiving’s history isn’t so merry. Becky Youngblood, the Equity Manager for the Natives Program at Sheldon said, “I no longer celebrate American Thanksgiving in a traditional sense. Generations of Americans were taught that the brave Pilgrims arrived in the New World, with almost no supplies left, and were greeted by the friendly Natives, who prepared a giant feast for them and helped them survive the harsh winter months. [The

Wampanoags had] been dealing with Europeans raiding their villages for the slave trade for over a hundred years, several of the Wampanoags spoke English, had travelled to Europe and back, and even personally knew some of the Pilgrims before their arrival.”

Historical connotations aside, how should we get together with our families? “Over the last several years I have done many different things, from participating in Day of Mourning protests, to cooking only Indigenous foods for my family. I gather with family and talk about the factual history of Thanksgiving, and donate time and resources to those with less.

Harvest, family, gratitude, abundance; these are all wonderful things to celebrate. We just need to correct the

narrative around the origins of the day,” Youngblood said. This goes to show that we don’t need a traditional holiday to get together with family.

But how do students feel? There’s no real way to stop one’s family from celebrating Thanksgiving. Sheldon graduate Keith Schick said, “I personally wouldn’t choose to [celebrate Thanksgiving]. [My family] uses Thanksgiving as an excuse to be with family and friends.”

This forced celebration of Thanksgiving may lead some to feel guilty. After all, you don’t want to be the kid who hides in their room during family gatherings. “I don’t think it’s acceptable to celebrate Thanksgiving, at least the traditional whitewashed version. I’m amazed that nobody has looked at the full story surrounding

the feast, and what came before and after,” said Schick. But where did all of this confusion come from? Some would say it’s religious bias, others that it’s simple whitewashing similar to the majority of history. Schick said, “There’s nothing holy about what happened at the first Thanksgiving. The whitewashing of any history is horrible, [and] it spreads misinformation, so that people could look like heroes instead of what they really were.”

Owen Fitch page editor

Christmas trees in Gateway Mall

Two out of three people do not think that November first is too early to play Christmas music

Three out of five people think Nightmare Before Christmas is a holiday movie

The

Cafeteria Lunches in demand at Sheldon

Caedin Brown staff writer

The cafeteria at Sheldon has been making lots of changes over the past few years, including changing the lunch system and areas in the cafeteria. Last year student ID confirmation wasn’t required to get lunch and now it is, making the line for lunch much longer. Junior Ryan Borneman said, “I think it would be a good idea to remove ID confirmation because it would make the line much faster.” The lines currently are messy and unorganized. The lines aren’t so much lines as blobs moving to the lunch area.

There’s an area in the cafeteria for students who need clothing if they can’t afford clothes or just in general. Freshman Brielle Brown thinks that the clothing closet is important because it’s a very important addition to Sheldon for students who don’t have clothes. The free clothing area takes up a lot of space but it can be important for students who need clothes and supplies.

Sophomore Eli Turanski said, “I think they should maybe shrink down the size of the clothing cart. I think the cafeteria is a decent place for it but there could be better places for it.” The clothing area is taking up quite a hefty amount of

space and with proper organizing could be shrunk down quite a bit.

Brown said, “I like what they have going on with the separate lunch room. I think it’s a cool addition because you can walk in and out of it, the lunch cooks have a separate area to cook and the coffee cart is there and it is cool for students.” The lunchroom is set up in a good way currently but there could be much better ways to lay it out than it currently is.

Turanski said, “I think the biggest improvement would be to the meals; I think there should be additional vending machines in the cafeteria, but overall the seating environment I have no problem with, I think it’s fine.” Having vending machines in the cafeteria would make more sense too since they already have a few in the halls.

The cafeteria is definitely not that bad in its current condition but some changes to it would definitely be ideal and a nice change up for students.

Holiday Recipes Return for the Season

Brady Rust page editor

With the winter holiday season coming up, many students here at Sheldon are preparing to commemorate the season cooking and enjoying some of their favorite winter recipes. The beginning of winter is well known for the many holidays surrounding it, and one of the ways people typically celebrate

is to make their favorite cultural, regional, or family recipes. Junior Finley Olsen makes her grandmother’s personal potato roll recipe. In addition to the recipe’s connection to the holidays, Olsen said, “It reminds me of time with my family.”

The Winter holidays are known for bringing people together, and food is one of the many tools people use to do so.

Olsen’s grandma developed this recipe through trial and error. Since then, she has passed it down through generations of her family. Olsen has taken the tradition upon herself and makes her grandmother’s potato rolls every year so her family can enjoy them on Christmas day. This recipe has been a part of Olsen’s Christmas traditions for her whole life. Olsen recalled, “When I lived in Arizona we would go to my cousin’s house on Christmas day and have [potato rolls].” Her grandmother’s recipe makes the holidays more memorable to Olsen and allows her to feel at home.

Junior Samiha Ghonaim enjoys her grandmother’s banana bread recipe during the holidays. Ghonaim’s mother has a collection of recipes given to her by

her own mother, including a special banana bread recipe. Ghonaim reveals it’s “easy to make” and a go-to recipe for her mother. Although Ghonaim doesn’t consider it a food specific to the holidays, it is a family tradition to bake it during the winter season.

Junior Claire Butler’s family celebrates with a homemade cranberry sauce. The recipe was passed down through her mother’s side of the family. Butler has many memories related to her family’s recipe, and remembers “making it with my mom when I was little. [I remember] grinding up the fruit specifically.” Butler said the recipe is easy to follow and only takes a few ingredients such as cranberries, sugar, and more surprisingly, oranges. Butler sees this recipe as a must-have during the holiday season and encourages others to try cranberry sauce if they haven’t.

The holidays are a time of unity and food is one of the many ways people celebrate. Remembering family members through generational recipes is one way people are further brought together. Not everyone celebrates the many winter holidays, but anyone can enjoy the food produced during these holidays.

Popular Lunch Places Near Sheldon

Lunch is a big part of a student’s day and it’s a nice break from classes that provides free time to leave campus to go get lunch from the restaurants around the Sheldon area. If you don’t like going off campus for lunch, Sheldon also offers a hot lunch in the cafeteria, or you can even go home and make yourself food. Junior Briana Hamel said, “Lunch is my favorite part of my day. I look forward to lunch because I have a lot of freedom to pick where I get to go to lunch everyday and I get to see all my friends. It’s also a nice break and helps me get ready to focus in my next class.”

Lunch may be students’ favorite part of the day, but there are still some flaws that come with letting kids

leave campus for lunch. Senior Brooke Hubbard said,“Traffic coming back to the school can be crazy and a nightmare. I have been stuck in traffic and late to class so many times this year.” Traffic in the parking lot and around the school is often very heavy. Students can be late because of traffic. Extending the passing period from lunch could help, or fourth period teachers could have more leeway for students coming in late from lunch.

“If the gym was open during lunch I would use it because I usually have some free time and would like to utilize it,” said sophomore Luke Gass. Opening up the basketball courts and the weight room would be a good idea for the kids who want to stay at the school and have some free time. Opening up the art rooms would provide a space for the students who want to

use those for some free time during lunch. There’s many places around Sheldon that students have the freedom to go to. A lot of students walk to McDonalds, Dairy Queen, or Market of Choice. “During lunch I like to go to Market of Choice because it’s the cheapest place to go and it’s a close walk from Sheldon. All my friends go there so we all walk together,” said sophomore Jordan Lorig.

Cooper Benson and Ethan Matteson staff writers

photo by Brady Rust

Junior Finley Olsen’s homemade rolls.

photo by Sofia El-Shammaa

illustration by Natalie Kaiser

Students enjoy lunch in the cafeteria.

Food Banks Available to those in Need

Peyton Reese staff writer

As the holiday season grows nearer, more resources are opening up for people in need. Food for Lane County is a large organization made up of different pantries throughout the community that all work together to provide food for citizens around Lane County. “The bulk of the food goes out through a network of partners, which directly distribute it to community members,” said Carrie Copeland, the program director for FFLC. People in need can visit food pantries, or they can have someone pick up food for them if they are unable to leave their homes. There are also many meal sites where people can go to eat breakfast or dinner, or just to pick up food. If you want to help people in need, you can also volunteer at Food for Lane County. If you visit their website, there are many volunteer opportunities at the different pantries around town. Things such as volunteering at the kitchen or driving for Meals on Wheels can really make a difference and help people during the holidays.

Another good way to find food banks near you is through the Oregon Food Bank website. Through that website, you can find food pantries in the general area of where you live, along with the dates and times where those pantries are open. This food bank provides things such as free groceries to nutrition education for new mothers or families with young children. The food is also free and available for all. On the website it states, “Our network of food pantries and meal sites are here for everyone - inclusive of all races, gender expressions, religions and immigration statuses.”

There are many ways to volunteer at this chain of pantries, such as repacking food and speaking with neighbors. The website describes these ways to help as an “opportunity to build relationships in your community while working to address hunger.” Volunteering can help make a difference in your neighborhood, and it’s a great way to help people in need.

Feeding America is the biggest charity working to end hunger in the US. The network consists of 200 food banks and 60,000 food pantries, all available in different locations around America. Feeding America works towards “getting nourishing food – from farmers, manufacturers, and retailers – to our neighbors while addressing the root causes of hunger.” There are many different programs through this organization where you can go to find free food in pantries around your community. Feeding America also partners with other organizations to help to address homelessness and health care.

While there are people in need throughout the year, sometimes it is most evident during the holiday season. Fortunately, there are many places that are open to help for whatever people need to stay safe and healthy throughout the holiday season.

Resources Offered for Students

Kamani Melton-Winger & Tennen Balikian staff writers

There are a number of different resources available around the Sheldon campus to help students with many different things. All of these resources serve a different purpose with a main goal of helping all Sheldon High School students get what they need to be able to learn and succeed. One of these resources is the food pantry. The food pantry is a room that can be found near the IHS hallway in between the storage room and vending machines. The food pantry has a variety of different snacks and drinks that students can have if they are hungry. The food pantry is also a place where students in need are able to get the proper food they need to take home in order to stay healthy. Senior Andrew Song said, “I think the food pantry is a good idea for hungry students that need the food but is also often used incorrectly.” Song is saying that he thinks some students use it incorrectly when they take food that they don›t actually need.

Another great resource here at Sheldon is the Sheldon Outfitters. The Sheldon Outfitters is located in the cafeteria near the Sheldon Coffee Cart. The Sheldon Outfitters is a place that students can come to get clothes for free that are donated by others at the school. It is a great place for students that can’t

afford new school clothes to be able to find the things they need. Junior Natalee Paul said, “I think that the Sheldon Outfitters is a great idea and is very beneficial to students that need clothes. I also have friends that have gone there and gotten clothes they needed.”

Students also find that the counselors are a great resource. When you need someone to talk to or need to go to someone for advice, you can talk to a counselor by going to the front office and asking if you could speak to your specific counselor. The counselor you have depends on the first letter of your last name. If your counselor is busy already talking to a student then you could always schedule a meeting with them. Junior Sam Kline, said, “I think that the counselors are a great resource at Sheldon because they give students someone that can help them when they need someone to talk to or need advice with something.”

The counselors are one of the most important resources here at Sheldon because they help so many students everyday with problems they might be facing.

photos by Victoria Wolf

The food pantry offers lots of variety.

Food is offered in Sheldon Food Pantry.

photo by Victoria Wolf

Sheldon Basketball Season Begins

Jyce Johnson & India Mohiuddin staff writers

The start of the basketball season is looking promising for the Sheldon Irish. The players are excited about the upcoming season because the overall team chemistry is much better than last year and everyone on the team worked hard this summer so we should see a lot more success then last season. Junior Owen Cramer, who is the starting point guard for the Sheldon Irish, thinks he’s improved the most and said, “I’d say probably just my understanding of the game [has improved]. I feel like I know how to set up my teammates better than I did last year.” The boys basketball team has been practicing hard and is ready for their first game against Wells.

While the team had a rough season last year they are looking forward to having a redemption year and making the playoffs and possibly making State. In order for them to be successful they need to work very hard, play together as a team and execute their plays, offense and defense at a high level. They also need to be able to play at a fast pace in order to compete with the top teams in Oregon. Junior Joey Rubino, who

is a varsity basketball player for the Irish, said a high-level player needs “to be able to make clean and quick decisions, play hard and make open shots.”

The team is excited for their first home game against Churchill High School on December 5. The stands are going to be packed which will make it a crazy atmosphere to be in and a great opportunity to show the teams in Oregon that the Irish aren’t a team to mess around with at home and just in general.

Junior varsity basketball player Colby Parosa is looking forward to “going to Vegas with the team and making memories.” As a whole, the team is looking great and can’t wait to start the season.

New Pool Opens at Sheldon Recreation Center

Joseph Delahanty staff writer

The Sheldon pool, a 55-year-old facility built next to Sheldon High School, was closed in Spring 2021 for expansion and renovation thanks to funding from the Parks and Recreation Bond measure passed by Eugene voters in May 2018. On September 26 of this year the facility was reopened after a $10 million improvement. The southeast corner was expanded, adding a 4,980 square foot natatorium that includes a unique warm-water pool and current channel that provides a space that serves for fitness, recreation and swim lesson needs. The deepest water level being 3’ 5’’ makes it a great place for young children. “We’ve been waiting for so long, it’s great that it’s open,” said Mandi Vance, a resident of the Sheldon community who enjoys swimming with her two young daughters. Vance said, “This is our favorite pool.” Along with expanding the building the parking lot was expanded towards the Sheldon football field. A hot tub was added to the main pool deck on the east side of the building next to the two main pools. The locker rooms have been renovated with better technology and the addition of family changing rooms. They did experience several delays that held the opening from spring 2022 to early fall, and Eugene Rec acknowledges

the extended closure of one of the city’s three pools was an added hardship to the community. As construction neared its finish, continued delays with the hiring for the project along with critical supply chain issues and staff problems set back the completion timeline. Specifically, items related to the new warm-water pool and current channel that needed to be addressed before Sheldon Pool was ready to be opened to the public. “We were disappointed the delays prevented the pool from opening sooner,” said Recreation Director Craig Smith, “but we didn’t want to open a pool that wasn’t safe or ready to use.”

In the lead up to approving the May 2018 bond and levy measures, the Eugene City Council increased the amount asked for because it felt it was important to include Sheldon Pool in the plan. The facility was built in 1967 with money from another bond, and since then, repairs, replacements, and upgrades have been made that enhanced enjoyment for their guests. Many essential systems though, such as plumbing, electrical and equipment were beyond their expected useful lifespan and needed replacement. Sheldon pool closed in 2010 for upgrades and again in 2012 to repair serious leaks, but a full overhaul of the building ensures the facility can help the growing needs of the community as a key part of the aquatics program. The Sheldon pool is a key area in the Sheldon community used by many different groups of people. The new pool, hot tub, and family changing rooms have definitely been enjoyable improvements to the Sheldon pool.

Winter Offers Fun Activities

Gabby Steele staff writer

With winter approaching, the cold weather follows close behind. With the weather changing, so does people’s daily rituals. Senior Chris Mainard said he enjoys the weather change. Mainard said he likes the snow and rain because “it’s very comforting and peaceful.” He also enjoys going on hikes during the snow season, and has a tradition of going to a river and jumping in with friends. Mainard’s typical winter attire is a big change compared to his other season attire. He normally layers, wears baggy clothes, boots, beanies, and gloves. During the months of November and December, there are many holidays, and not everyone celebrates the same ones. When asking Mainard which winter holidays he

celebrates, he responded with “Christmas and Thanksgiving with my mom’s side of the family.” On a snow day, he would make hot tea, hang out with friends and mess around in the snow. His favorite drink during winter is a dirty chai, due to it being a comforting flavor. One of Mainard’s favorite winter activities is snowboarding because he enjoys the thrill it gives him, and prefers it over skiing. He says snowboarding is more difficult and looks cooler.

Although some other students may agree with Mainard’s opinion on snowboarding over skiing, a higher percentage of students enjoy skiing more. Junior Grace Schade said she would take skiing over snowboarding because it’s all she’s ever done. During the holidays,

Schade’s favorite activities are going to Christmas towns, looking at Christmas lights, and shopping during holiday sales. One of Schade’s holiday traditions is going to her grandparents for Christmas Eve, and on Christmas day, have her grandparents over to her house. Her favorite artist during the Holidays is Mariah Carey, with Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas” being Schade’s favorite holiday song. Senior Stella Williams, agrees with Schade and said, “Mariah Carey is the queen of holiday music.”

Williams spends every Christmas with her family, and says the best present she has ever received were tickets to Taylor Swift. Williams’ favorite memory during winter is sledding with her cousins and falling over. These activities create lifelong memories that hold significance to what brings us comfort.

The Sheldon basketball team during practice.

photo by Sofia El-Shammaa

graphic by Natalie Kaiser