Sheldon students go to national chem competition
Possible Sheldon Community Pool closure
Hardcore parkour is on the rise
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Prom ‘13 Sheldon’s 50’s theme prom had students dancing to a different beat on a special night Grant Schmaedick staff writer
Steve Klump photo
Seniors Nathan Klump and Hunter Turner smile for a picture before heading to the dance where they were voted king and queen.
Chrome-plated flip-tops cruised in from all directions. Dates dressed to the nines were swingin’ to the poppin’ jams. Okay, enough crazy talk. It was prom. The chocolate fountain, authentic 50’s décor, and prom court were all present. But did it live up to expectations? Prom is insignificant to some but extremely important to others, which begs the question, was it the incredible night that many expected? Freshman Michael Young thought so. As a first-year prom attendee he was one of the many uninhibited dancers that attended. “I went hard in the paint,” he exclaimed jokingly. Dance floor antics were a common theme this year according to junior Tanner Harrel, who described the scene as “pretty crazy” especially when “David Bellamy jumped on Marcus McGovern’s shoulders and started dancing.” What inspired Bellamy to do so remains a mystery; however, a large circle of dancers formed around them and motivated them to continue. When asked about the music that was played at the dance, Liam Talty stated his approval, saying that songs such as “I Love It (Icona Pop)” and “Get Low (Lil’ John)” made the dance a success. The chocolate fountain that has been present at every year’s dance was yet again a success, although many chose not to partake in order to avoid staining their elaborate attire. Plans for before and after the dance are always an important component of the prom experience. Before the dance, girls often go to each other’s houses and “get ready together” and guys generally “hangout.” Next, groups of attendees mingle in yards or houses and pose for a seemingly-endless stream of pictures for the scrapbooks of parents; dates awkwardly meet parents, and appetizers are often enjoyed to break up an uncomfortable silence or a cautionary glance offered by a protective father to a nervous boyfriend. After the dance, however, the variety of activities is astounding, often free from the constraints of parents and/or campus supervision. For instance, a large group stopped by the popular Yogurt Extreme on the University of Oregon campus, while countless others attended parties around town and at prom-goers houses, lake houses, etc. The Sunday after prom (and the Macklemore concert at Matthew Knight Arena, which occurred almost simultaneously and was a huge success), was a day of reflection upon the night prior. The feeling of coming-down from the excitement and festivity hung heavy over the heads of prom-goers and concert attendees. Another prom is in the books, and it can only be remembered by the pictures and the experiences that made it a unique and special night.
Education forum
Sheldon High School 2455 willakenzie Rd., Eugene, Or 97401 vol. 48
Issue 7 May 10, 2013
Community talks about the future of education Jackson Darland editor-in-chief
On May 2, 2013, between 7:00 and 9:30 in the evening, a group of 60 people, including students, parents, educators, and elders concerned with the future of education, participated in a public discussion at Kelly Middle School. Kelly Middle School Principal Jose Desilva, and Edison Elementary School Principal Thomas Horn led off the energy-filled forum. “We want to help kids find their true passions so that they can be productive citizens and continue to inspire others,” said Desilva. Similarly, Horn stated, “We want students to feel empowered to affect the world in a positive way.” Soon after the introduction, all of the participants split into groups of three in order to share ideas about the current state of education and generate questions that would be used to prompt further discussion. Nearly two hours of the event were dedicated to an evolving fishbowl style conversation with a central circle of eight individuals and a large ring of active listeners around the perimeter who eventually moved towards the inside. The idea was to get everybody involved with fresh thoughts and perspectives pulling along the conversation. There was a strong consensus among attendees that education is becoming increasingly corporatized in the sense that standardized testing has forced educators to focus more on numbers and less on individuals. One participant brought up an interesting point when she commented, “We are not alone in our thoughts, but society creates a space where we feel isolated.” Within the public school system, students can easily feel as if they are against teachers, and teachers often feel separation from administrators who feel pressure from government officials. One individual in the fishbowl went as far as to say that the system is “fear mongering.” The forum worked to open communication between teachers, students, and administrators, and it was apparent that there was agreement on almost every issue discussed.
Jackson Darland photos
Participants, including school board member Jim Torrey (center), breakout in threes to discuss education.
An empty chair invites a new perspective as Oregonians cycle through the evolving fishbowl held May 2.
Of those issues, one that was acknowledged was that, over the past twenty years, state funding towards education has been slowly decreasing, while more and more standardization has been implemented. Although the negative effects of a reduced per-student budget have been felt since the beginning of the trend, in recent years, the connection between funding and the actual experience of kids can be seen with numbers—it’s obvious. The educators at Thursday’s forum talked about the bad combination of reduced resources and the expectation that the classroom should be about teaching kids to meet standard levels of proficiency. Because of House Bill 2220, a new system will be enforced in September 2013 that requires teachers to grade solely on proficiency, which means that tests will become even more central to public education than they have been in the past. As curriculums are narrowed to meet specific state and nationwide expectations, many educators stated that it is increasingly difficult to meet the actual needs of diverse, individual students who often have very different backgrounds. Several students from the University of Oregon touched on the issues of social injustice felt by minority groups that need the public education system to adjust to their unique situations. Towards the end of the forum, the group kept going back to the idea that education should be about engaging the human condition. Professor Greg Smith from the Lewis and Clark graduate school of education emphasized the necessity to connect kids to their communities. There was no specific plan of action presented that would address the problems with the current education system and the direction it seems to be headed, but several attendees mentioned the need to continue free communication.
Beauty & the Beast opens Sheldon theatre has its first showing of Beauty and the Beast tonight at 7:30pm Marin Radloff staff writer Students and staff all around campus are buzzing about the school’s upcoming play Beauty and the Beast. The play closely follows Disney’s movie Beauty and the Beast, but also has its own creative twist on things. The skilled actors and actresses have put all their efforts together to make the production spectacular. Senior and newcomer to Sheldon Theatre, Sophia Roberts, has worked especially hard at the lead role, Belle. The play is much more than a few students acting for a few nights; it has taken blood, sweat, and tears to turn it into the wonderful production it will be opening night. The drama crew started with auditions. “Auditions were brutal and nerve-racking,” said senior Jackie Jones. “It was hard seeing people audition for the same part, and knowing they have a lot of talent.” The audition process lasted for four days. One day dedicated to the girls auditioning, the next to the guys, then everyone auditioned on the third day. The fourth and final day was call-backs. After call backs the actors and actresses waited, some for hours, to see what part they got. No time was wasted to start rehearsals in early February. The actors and actresses learned lyrics, harmony, when to sing, and how to sing. Next they learned the choreography and the major scenes of the play. “The rehearsals are long. There’s a lot
of stopping and starting, and we have to redo scenes a lot,” said chorus member Jones. On average, the drama crew spent about eight to ten hours a week at the long rehearsals. The actresses and actors ran the play all the way through, beginning to end, just two weeks before opening night. With each rehearsal the drama crew got closer and closer to the opening of a wonderful production. “I am freaking out for opening night,” said Sophia Roberts. “There’s a lot of pressure to perform well, plus I have to kiss people.” Roberts has always loved musical theatre, but hasn’t been apart of it in high school. “I realized it was my last chance to do it at Sheldon, so I went for it,” she said. For the past four months the drama crew has been working extremely hard to have the best performance possible by opening night (May 10). The expectations are set high for these young actors and actresses, and students are excited to see the production. “I’ve never been to a Sheldon play before, but I’m excited to go to this one,” said freshman Abigail Nelson. There’s a lot more to theatre than just the actors and actresses. There are the generous volunteers who have to make costumes, find props, construct the sets, and do hair and makeup. “Most of the hard work comes from the techies and the crews. They do a lot of work for the show and don’t get much recognition,” said Roberts. The entire production is much more than entertaining the spectators for a couple hours. It takes memorizing hundreds of lines, learning lyrics, making props and sets, and overall putting the show together piece by piece. The entire drama crew should be extremely proud of the hard work they’ve contributed to make the production Beauty and the Beast spectacular.
2 May 10, 2013
News
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Sheldon coffee corner begins to serve students Student-run coffee corner welcomes Sheldon students and staff Carly Gough staff writer One of the newest additions to Sheldon is the school’s coffee cart. Located near the front office, the coffee cart is almost completely student-run, with the help of Mr. Phillipo. Students who have taken a business class volunteer to work the cart during the day in order to serve their classmates. The coffee cart is convenient, as it provides many popular drinks without the need to walk or drive to a nearby café. So far, the coffee cart has proven to be a hit around the school. Sheldon’s coffee cart is basically student-run, with a small amount of business faculty oversight. One student in particular, junior Tyler Strong, has worked diligently to train other students as workers, and in turn those students train other newcomers. According to Strong, “The coffee cart started up much faster than anticipated and has met very positive feedback from students, but there is still room for improvement.” So far, all of the proceeds made by the coffee cart go to pay off the costs necessary to keep the cart going, such as the machines and the materials to make the drinks. Some of the workers use previous
work experience as baristas to help the coffee cart move forward. Senior Danielle Clark uses what she has learned from working at Vector’s Espresso to assist her fellow Sheldon Coffee Cart workers with technical questions. “I think that already having worked for a coffee shop has been a
huge help, since I know how to make drinks and I can help anybody who doesn’t,” said Clark. Senior Jordan Hatleberg also works at the Sheldon Coffee Cart. “It’s been a really good experience so far,” said Hatleberg. “I’ve had fun being able to learn how to make the different drinks, and it’s cool to see
how the business side of things works.” The coffee cart provides a great opportunity for students to connect to the business aspect of something that they enjoy while serving their peers at the same time. The cart is open every school day, and everyone is encouraged to support the program.
(From L-R) Seniors Jordan Hatleberg, Sabrina Wheelhouse, Mr. Phillipo, seniors Broni Foster, and Carley Kanahele proudly show off the just-opened coffee corner.
Noah Jang photo
Big Data technology begins to revolutionize modern society By analyzing big data, organizations seek to extract valuable information Noah Jang news editor Many people produce data every day. Posting writings on blogs, posting comments and pictures on Facebook, and tweeting a 140-character tweet all become part of big data sets. In 2012, an average of 2.5 exabytes (2,500,000,000,000,000,000 bytes) of data was created each day. Google processed about 24 petabytes (10^15 bytes) of data each day in 2009, and AT&T currently transfers 30 petabytes of data each day. The term “big data” refers to such data sets so large that it is difficult to collect, save, analyze, and browse
using traditional database and software techniques. According to Gartner Group, an information technology and research company, there are three aspects of big data. It is “big” in volume, variety, and velocity (“3Vs”). In other words, large amounts of data sets are produced in various forms and transferred quickly. The development of the internet and social network services has allowed explosive amounts of data to be transferred quickly, taking on various forms such as images, comments, videos, and audio recordings. In the past, these data sets were difficult to process and manage, and therefore were not thought to have much value. In recent years, however, with the development of computers and data processing technologies, it is now possible to analyze big data and extract valuable information. More and more people are paying close attention to the fourth aspect of big data-value. People use big data technology to predict economic, political, and social trends. For example, Amazon.com analyzes customer purchase records and uses them to understand shopping tendencies and to predict future
purchase items. It then creates coupons for corresponding predicted purchases to induce further purchases. Walmart uses data in social networking services to analyze consumer patterns. Then it adjusts the stock sizes according to the consumer patterns for a more efficient business. It’s not just individual firms that are trying to harness big data technology; more and more countries are also realizing the importance of big data. The U.S. government has been investing more in big data research. The website E-Commerce Times reported that according to a study by Deltek, the annual spending for big data technologies is expected to grow from $5.7 billion in 2014, to more than $7 billion by 2017. The website Digital Reasoning wrote, “Greg Elin, chief data officer of FCC and participant in Deltek’s big data seminar, explained that the U.S. government will not only focus on gathering as much information as possible, but the overall process involved in collecting data.” Big data is expected to continue to evolve, potentially changing the way society works. It will be interesting to see how big data technology development unfolds in the near future.
Bombings at the Boston Marathon shock the nation and the world Sheldon students react to the Boston Marathon bombings Ayla Bussel copy editor Senseless. Senseless is the only word that can be used to describe the events that took place on April 15, 2013. Families were torn apart, tears that used to flood endlessly now are unable to come. So many questions come to mind when someone brings up the Boston Marathon bombings. Who would do something like this? What kind of human being is that evil? Devastated by sheer horror, a once exciting and youthful city has been turned into a place of utter panic and anxiety. Shaken by the terror that is bombs and guns, a nation continues the hunt for justice and answers. Freshman Jackson Mestler, who has run track since sixth grade, said, “I think the Boston Marathon was the place chosen for the bombs to go off because it’s a very popular international event.” When asked how he had learned of the bombings Mestler stated, “At track practice, the coaches announced it to the team. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and everyone impacted by the tragedy.” Mestler also added, “I do have a desire to visit Boston and
I still want to even after the bombings and everything this little bit better.” Leung also went on to say, “If someone city has gone through because I trust the first responders wants to do something like this, they’ll probably figure and everyone who is working to keep this place safe.” out a way to do it. I don’t think security really could’ve Freshman Aubri Rodriguez said, “The bombings made been tighter because obviously nothing like this was me feel really sad and upset. I just couldn’t wrap my mind expected to happen. However, I do think that we as a around it. How could someone do something like that?” country need to be wary of things like this all the time.” Rodriguez also said, “I want to go to Boston because it seems like a cool place and someWe Have the Latest Fashions in Eyewear thing like [the bomb*Versace *Juicy Couture *Christian Dior *Dolce & Gabbana *Giorgio ings] could happen Armani *BCBG *Vera Wang *Candies *Prada *DKNY *Coach *Nine anywhere, to anyone. Boston might even be West *Ray Ban *Kate Spade safer now because security is probably tighter.” We bill most insurances including Regence Blue Cross Blue Shield, Pacific Senior Stephen Leung Source, VSP, Eyemed, Providence, North West Benefits, ODS, OEA Choice, stated that people affectand many more. ed by the bombings are beginning the process Dr. Steve Jung, Optometrist of healing by “taking 207 Coburg Road, Suite 105 things one day at a time Eugene, OR 97401 and also knowing that the bombers had been Ph:541-388-4844 M-Fri 9-6 Sat 9-3 caught would probably Located next to TJ Maxx make the victims feel a
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Entertainment
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May 10, 2013
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Macklemore comes to Matt Knight Arena Many students had to choose between the Macklemore concert and the Sheldon Prom Sammie Tracewell staff writer On May 4, Macklemore and Ryan Lewis performed live at Matthew Knight Arena. The facility holds 12,369 and the show was expected to sell out, but didn’t because extra seats were opened up. This has been a much anticipated concert, as Macklemore’s album, The Heist, was just released in October of 2012. One of his and producer/DJ Ryan Lewis’s most popular singles, “Thriftshop,” has sold over five million copies since it’s release in August of 2012. The concert was held the same night as Sheldon’s prom, so many students had to choose between the two. Sophomore Sarah Hall attended the Macklemore concert with Mariah Moore and Emily Park. Hall bought her ticket last week, and had never seen Macklemore perform live. Hall likes all of Macklemore’s songs, but “American” and “Wings” are her favorites. Hall commented that she likes Macklemore for his “interesting personality and song lyrics.” Hall also noted that she is looking forward to the concert just for “listening to the music,” in general. Junior Tyler Strong is one of the Sheldon students that had to choose between the concert and prom. He had a long list to choose from, but Strong decided that his favorite song by Macklemore is “Can’t Hold Us.” Strong bought
his ticket in March, and went with one of his friends. Strong also noted that he thought his ticket price was, “very reasonable, especially for the lower bowl.” Sophomore Wyatt Johnson atteneded the concert this past Saturday. Johnson claimed that his favorite part was when, “Macklemore performed ‘Can’t Hold Us’ because the crowd was going crazy and also the Oregon Duck came out and danced.” Johnson also noted, “I really enjoyed Macklemore but I would have rather gone to prom because you can only go to prom twice in your lifetime unless you are lucky.” When asked if anything about the concert surprised him, Johnson said, “I was surprised the duck came out; it was a cool surprise to see him come out in a big fur coat when Macklemore performed ‘Thrift Shop.’” Lastly, Johnson commented, “I definitely plan and hope I get to see Macklemore perform live again, it was an awesome concert.” In the end, some Sheldon students had to make the decision to go to either prom or the Macklemore and Ryan Lewis concert. Though it was a tough decision, there were some who chose the concert. Many students looked forward to the concert, and enjoyed it at that. The Oregon duck mascot appeared on stage, which was a big surprise for the crowd. According to several social media websites, very many fans were satisified with Macklemore’s overall performance. From the looks of it, it’s safe to say that if Mackemore and Ryan Lewis show up in Eugene again, Isabella Kuennen photo the crowd will be just as big, or bigger. Macklemore performs in front of thousands of fans at Matthew Knight Arena.
Lady Antebellum’s Golden is a big hit
In the Sheldon community, the group’s fans are few, but faithfully devoted Cayla Walker staff writer Lady Antebellum has been a music group since 2006. They released a new album called Golden on May 7, 2013. The trio is composed of Hillary Scott, Charles Kelley, and Dave Haywood. They won their first Grammy Award in 2010, and by the end of 2011, they had six in all. On January 22, 2013, they released the fourth song from the album Golden called “Downtown.” Golden is their fourth studio album, which includes twelve songs. Lady Antebellum is not overly popular at Sheldon, but a few students find their music interesting because it is a new type of country. Sophomore Hannah Schwarte said, “I like the lyrics of their songs. Their new song “Downtown” is my favorite so far because it is catchy.” Students from Sheldon listen to Lady Antebellum on their phones and iPods using Pandora or YouTube. Schwarte added, “I’m excited for their new album Golden to come out because it is nice to hear something new.” The trio is known for adding a little pop to their country so listeners don’t get bored with their music. Not many students from Sheldon listen to Lady Antebellum because country music isn’t very popular compared to rap and hip hop. Junior Sarah Price said, “If I didn’t have to pay to go see one of their concerts, I would go and travel far along the West Coast.” Something that students at Sheldon are looking forward to from the group’s new album is that the music group might become more popular because of their new songs. Price later added, “One thing that sets them apart from other groups is that they are not just country and not just pop. They are a mix of both which allows them to get a different kind of audience.” Another important factor of Lady Antebellum is the fact that they write their own lyrics. Sophomore Madison Edwards said, “There weren’t many ‘country groups’ before Lady Antebellum. Now more country singers are coming together instead of being independent vocalists.” Students are excited for the new album and know about it because of the hit single “Downtown,” which is becoming increasingly popular on the radio. In addition, Edwards said, “My favorite of the three is Hillary because her voice is amazing and she stands out.” Lady Antebellum shows us a unique kind of country music which gives them more room to get fans. Recently, on The Voice, Hillary Scott was recruited by Adam Levine to be his team’s mentor. He raved over working with her, bringing more attention to her talent and what she contributes to Lady Antebellum. Release day began with appearances on Good Morning America and The Ellen DeGeneres Show and ended with an exclusive and intimate release show at New York City’s The McKittrick Hotel. They had a V.I.P release party to celebrate their new album which will give a select number of fans a preview of the new songs. Lady Antebellum is coming on stronger than ever.
Much-anticipated 2013 MTV Movie Awards are met with mixed reviews Some students were a little disappointed with this year’s show; others were impressed Isaiah Cartwright staff writer The much-anticipated MTV Movie Awards had high expectations, and with host Rebel Wilson, who won an award for Musical Moment of the Year and Breakthrough Performance, it would be difficult for the movie awards not to meet the high standards. 3.8 million people tuned into the movie awards on April 14, and the show received a 3.4 star rating. Sheldon students had mixed feelings about the show. Although the ratings were up from last year, students around the school were less impressed by this year’s awards show than last year’s. Sophomore Pavel Specht said, “The movie awards were kind of funny, but I thought it was too slow and boring.” Specht added, “Last year’s show was definitely better.” Specht later went on to say, “I didn’t agree with Will Ferrell winning ‘Comedic Genius.’ I think Kevin Hart is much funnier
than he is.” This year’s MTV Movie Awards overall rating improved by 1.6 stars from American viewers this year, but obviously not in the eyes of everybody. Even though students pointed out dull moments of the show, they also had good things to say. Sophomore Martana Hoffman said, “My favorite part of the show had to be Mackelmore’s performance. He was so good live!” Hoffman added, “Selena Gomez also did a really good job with her part.” Sophomore Kyrell Jefferson said, “The best part of the show for me was when Aubrey Plaza jumped on stage while Will Ferell was accepting his ‘Comedic Genius’ award.” Jefferson went on to add, “Will Ferell’s suit with all the money on it, looked money!” Whether the show was funny or boring, nominees were showing off their sense of fashion left and right, up and down the red carpet. Sophomore Brian Chastain said, “Rebel Wilson’s costumes were pretty weird. They were funny, though!” When asked about who looked the best, Chastain said, “Selena Gomez had it going on! I think she definitely looked the best out of all the nominees and hosts at the movie awards.” Whether or not the MTV movie awards were enjoyable, the celebrities sense of style couldn’t be ignored.
Students Take Chemistry Competition by Storm
Oregon Battle of the Books Cya Silva opinions editor
As the year draws to a close, OBOB players look back on their experiences
For the past six years, Oregon Battle of the Books — more commonly known as OBOB — has continued to be a tradition between middle and high schoolers, and has been the grounds of many trophies and an element of school pride. There was no OBOB before I was here,” senior Justice Nunley said. She also added, “I had just come out of eighth grade OBOB, and Sheldon had no OBOB. So I went to Ms. Kessinger and asked if I could start an OBOB team. So, I’m basically Sheldon’s founder of OBOB. And I’ve been in it for all four of my Sheldon years.” OBOB was founded in 2006 for reading motivation and comprehension, and the battles truly started becoming common in 2007. A list of books is decided on each year, and those whom decide to participate form groups of four to five people. There can be anywhere from two or more teams in a school population, and the teams battle at least twice with each other group. “This was my first year being an advisor for OBOB,” librar-
ian Ms. Kunz said. Kunz added, “[And] I was super impressed with the enthusiasm, camaraderie, and good sportsmanship of the teams this year.” Due to a minor lack of advertising of the club, this year there was only two teams, and therefore there weren’t many battles. This year was especially gratifying for the Sheldon team, as they won many competitions and helped boost scholastic pride. Unfortunately, this year the Sheldon team was not able to go to state, due to the fact they missed a question in their final regionals competition. Even so, everyone who I talked to has positive things to say about it. “I started out in fifth grade, and did it in seventh, eighth, and now my freshman year.” Freshman Brandon Nunley said, “[I liked this year] because I got to do it with a lot of my friends and my big sister.” Justice Nunley agreed with her younger brother, saying, “[I really liked] the fact I got to teach so many new freshman what OBOB is like in a high school setting and be able to take them to regionals for my last year [in high school].”
NHS Providing Opportunity to Students Jarod Bays features editor
F E A T U R E S
NHS is giving a headstart to students who seek a higher level of learning
If you have a Grade Point Average of 3.6 or higher, you may have received a letter in the mail about the National Honor Society. Although many students have already applied for or joined the Society, others have been skeptical as they are unsure as to what you do as a member. Unfortunately, applications were due on April 19, so if you want to join you are going to have to wait until next year. In order to join, you must fill out the application form sent to you, Jarod Bays photo include a recent copy of your transcript, include photocopies The current members of the NHS during a lunchtime meeting. of any awards or honors you have been issued and write a short personal essay about yourself which will help officials decide who to interview. On joining, junior Sam Braziel said, “It looks good on your college transcript, and it feels good to help out and be a part of the community.” “As a member, you get opportunities to help your community by doing community service and tutoring every term,” said senior Hana Kamata. “I feel that in the long run, it is definitely worth it to become a member, as it expands your horizons in the community,” Kamata later continued. The National Honor Society has also been responsible for hosting the recent blood drive on April 25 and April 26. Many students willing or hoping to help out in the community will find plenty of opportunities such as these as part of the National Honor Society. Braziel said, “We do five community service activities a year, like the blood drive, and also help tutor other students.” Junior Allie Heusch later stated, “More people should join because it’s a great opportunity for people to get their community service hours in.” Those who are eligible to join may be skeptical at first, but the opportunities one gets as a member are very much worth the work.
Green Club Working For Community Betterment Though not very well-known, Green Club is working to get new bike racks
Cody Koch photo
Campus supervisor Darin Henry often rides to school.
Cody Koch staff writer
Among Sheldon’s many clubs is the Green Club, a group dedicated to environmental awareness. The Green Club tries to help out the environment by encouraging recycling, bike riding, and making environmental issues better known. They have many projects around the school, but the most recent one is putting in new bike racks. This project is scheduled for next year, and they hope this will encourage bike riding. Sheldon students have a lot of different ways of getting to school. Some drive, some take the bus, some walk, and some bike. The people who get here by riding bikes usually lock them up in the bike racks in the courtyard. The bike racks out there are getting very old though, and a lot of students feel the need for new bike racks. The current wheel racks will be replaced with upright hoop racks which are better for locking bike frames to. Although some people, such as freshman Katie Warren, feel the bike racks are fine and do not need to be replaced, the Green Club is still very eager to start on the project. The Sheldon Green Club plans on having the bike racks installed next year. The Green Club isn’t very well-known yet, but they hope to use this project to gain reputation.
Sheldon students Hamblen and Meyer work to reach international level Daviana Smith staff writer
F E A T U R E S
Few students around Sheldon know about the chemistry competition that our very own sophomore Isaac Meyer and senior Clare Hamblen went to. The event took place April 13 in Corvallis. Both being highly gifted science students, Meyer and Hamblen seemed to enjoy the experience. There were three parts to the test: they had to take a multiplechoice exam, do free-response word problems, and then had to take an exam in the lab. Each part was roughly an hour and a half. They have not yet received their scores, but remain hopeful to be two of the twenty participants that get to go to the international competition. Meyer says he wasn’t scared before or during the event. Meyer and Hamblen were the only contestants that arrived at OSU that cold morning, so there wasn’t as much pressure as there would have been otherwise. “I would definitely recommend it to other students,”
Daviana Smith photo
Senior Clare Hamblen and sophomore Isaac Meyer excel in chemistry and enjoy competition.
Six-year Sheldon basketball coach steps down Haleigh Krause staff writer
Ron Lampe may have resigned from coaching basketball, but it seems he has other things on the horizon
After leading Creswell to two state titles and Sheldon to six berths to the OSAA State Playoffs, Coach Ron Lampe decided to resign. His resignation has raised many questions, such as, what is the reasoning for resigning? What is he planning on doing now? Coach Lampe has had a great career coaching basketball, and he will be missed immensely. Senior Wyatt Swick said, “Coach Lampe is and always will be a great coach no matter what he does later in life.” He hasn’t just been a good coach. He has also been loved in the classroom, too. Swick later added, “I had him every year for four years. He was a great teacher and fun guy to be around.” Coach Lampe might be done coaching, but he has decided to stay in the classroom and teach for four more years and retire in Oregon. He said that he wants to pursue his administrative degree.
There is a lot of talk about who is going to be the next boy’s basketball coach. Sheldon alumni Tommy Stewart said, “Whoever they choose to make the next head coach will have a lot to live up to. Everyone loved Lampe!” Replacing a coach that everyone loves and adores is hard to do. But they will get the right coach to keep Sheldon’s winning record going. Coach Ron Lampe’s post-resignation plan is to focus on finishing his degree in administration. He will continue to teach at Sheldon as a physical education teacher, as he works towards completing his degree during the next year. His plan is to retire in four years, to reach 30 years of teaching in the state of Oregon. After that he is going to move to Hawaii to pursue his administrative degree. Junior Justin Albertini said, “I think coach is making a good decision; he is trying to pursue his dream beyond coaching.”
Sheldon Choir Visits Ireland
Sheldon Choir sings graces in areas all across Ireland
Emily Pierpoint staff writer
Budget Cuts forcing teachers to teach out of their Primary Subject Areas What has inter-curriculum teaching done for the school budget? Keionna White staff writer
Due to budget cuts, Sheldon has quite a few teachers who have to teach multiple classes to fill gaps outside their primary subject. They are forced to know more about different subjects and teach multiple classes or at more than one school. Because of the information they have or don’t have on that subject they may not have the requirements they need to teach a second class. These teachers need to fulfill certain requirements in order to teach more than one class. Rather than hire new teachers to teach classes we just ask teachers to teach
multiple different classes to fill the gaps outside of their subject area. Sophomore Aaron Muller believes that our school is in this situation because, “Our school is becoming poor.” Some teachers who teach multiple classes include Mr. Temple, who teaches a technology class as well as geography and economics. Mr. Bell teaches geography, health classes, and government. The teachers are all very informative about the different classes that they have. They also have more homework to grade, different students to teach, and don’t get any more benefits. One benefit to having teachers teach multiple classes is that the school is saving some money and can offer a greater variety of classes using the teachers they have. Another is that teachers are able to widen their horizons, and learn more about other subjects. Sophomore Hunter Hill said, “I believe teachers should be able to teach classes when there is no one else available, and that they should have knowledge on the subject where they are needed.”
Meyer said. To prepare, he had to watch videos, talk with Hamblen on the ride to Corvallis, and study a CollegeNow chemistry textbook. Hamblen wasn’t nervous either. “It was just like any other chemistry test,” she stated. It was like any other test…that lasts for hours on end! Hamblen found it enjoyable because it didn’t seem like a big deal for her. She isn’t sure she would recommend it because while studying for it was fun, there are plenty of other tests for gifted science students. She studied for the competition by practicing with Sheldon’s Mr. Whalley twice a week and taking two chemistry classes. It was very long and tiring for her even though the individual sections felt like they were flying by. Whatever the outcome, Sheldon students continue to back the duo as they continue their pursuit of science.
F E A T U R E S
Emily Pierpoint photo
Sheldon Choir (left to right): senior Justice Nunley, freshman Brandon Nunley, senior Ian Rankins, sophomore Haley Horton, sophomore Clara Riordan, junior Marissa Chizum, senior (at front) Jackie Jones
This year has been action-packed for members of the Sheldon Choir. Several members had the opportunity to travel to and perform in Ireland, getting to celebrate St. Patrick’s day with the Irish themselves. With more and more students joining, the choir is becoming a diverse group of singers with a wide variety of voices and talent. Sheldon Choir students had an awesome time not only singing, but sight-seeing during their Ireland trip. Sophomore Clara Riordan said the most memorable part of the trip was going to The Cliffs of Moher, where certain parts of Harry Potter and The Princess Bride were filmed. Some of senior Marissa Chizum’s most
amusing memories include talking to drunk people and everybody singing “Bohemian Rhapsody” together. The group also had a once-in-alifetime experience that Riordan and the gang will never forget: getting to sing in Saint Patrick’s Cathedral. “The acoustics of the cathedral are some of the best in the world, so the nine of us singing sounded like a whole choir. People from all corners of the building gathered around us. It was beautiful,” said Riordan. Sheldon Choir gives students the opportunity to do the singing they enjoy, hang out with friends, and (if your hard work pays off) maybe even go on a sweet trip.
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May 10, 2013
Opinions
the Talisman
Sheldon pool in danger of being closed won’t pass. I’m extremely frustrated by that. The city has guaranteed that the additional revenue from the fee would cover the threatened programs for one year, after which, future City Councils would have the right to reassign the funds however they see fit. That means it’s just a scare tactic! Furthermore, the City Council has calculated that our current spending habits have created a $6 million Maggie Schmaedick budget gap. If the fee passes and the maximum amount for entertainment editor each household and business is charged, the city would raise $14.4 million – to fill a $6 million gap. The Eugene City Council has introduced a measure on Tim Westerman, Senior Recreation Program Supervisor the May 21 ballot that would impose a “City Service Fee” – Aquatics for the city of Eugene, said in an email, “Our on citizens and businesses. If the measure does not pass most consistently popular activities [at the Sheldon pool] and the city does not receive those additional funds, the are our water fitness classes that promote healthy lifestyles Sheldon Pool, along with many other public safety and and speed rehabilitation, and our learn-to-swim program, quality of life services, will be closed. which is busy in the evenings all year long. And of course According to a March 2013 publication from the the swim teams that we have in at least twice a day all year City of Eugene entitled “A Community Decision about long.” Westerman also said that “children comprise almost Community Services,” other services that would be cut or all our swim lesson and recreation swim attendance, but reduced if the measure doesn’t pass are the Sheldon branch we have an equally large population that uses the pool for library, the Eugene Public Library, emergency shelter and water fitness.” other homeless services, police detectives, and public The Sheldon Pool is important not only to the quality park maintenance, among others. These services are vital of life of the general public, but also to the students of to the quality of life of this community. The City Council Sheldon High School. Senior Melissa Jaffe, a member of knows that if they threaten those services that have the the swim team, said, “Our high school community will be greatest impact on our lives, there is no way the measure really negatively affected [if the pool closes]. Swimming
Yet again, our community is under attack from the dreaded budget cuts. Right now, our Sheldon pool is threatened
College Headstart: DuckLink! An opportunity to get a headstart on college while in high school! Elizabeth Davis backpage editor Everyone likes to save money. Consumers like sales. We love discounted clothes, especially if they are from our favorite stores. We love specials at our favorite places to eat or to buy coffee from. The same goes for big purchases; we take into account the prices of cars, houses, and college for our final decisions. If college credit was on sale right now you would take it. It’s like when there is a sale at Dutch Bros, I know about the special, I buy coffee and save money, and I tell my friends about it because I think my friends should get in on the good deal as well. DuckLink is a program through high school that allows students, like me, to take classes at the University of Oregon at a discounted price. It’s a great experience that has allowed me to save over $700 on a single class, and I think that other students should get in on this great special as well. DuckLink is a program right in your backyard at Sheldon where you are able to take classes at the University of Oregon after you’ve taken all the classes in a subject available here and wish to continue on. How cool is that? I am one of the four students from Sheldon in the DuckLink program. I was surprised to learn how few students are involved with this opportunity. Not only am I still able to take my necessary classes at Sheldon, but I’m also able to start college early. I already was on track to complete my last year of Spanish before the second semester of my senior year so I was also lucky enough to only have afternoon classes
fourth term of this year so my DuckLink course fit right into my schedule. However, not all students know of this program and are able to complete all of one subject at Sheldon beforehand. Senior Kelsie Burke is one of those students who missed out on getting ahead. “I would’ve done that [DuckLink] if I knew of that program last year,” she said. She is going into engineering, so she said she would’ve wanted to get her prerequisites like math and science through DuckLink. If only more students were informed about DuckLink before their senior year, maybe more students would be involved. In my opinion, I think if you can get some of your college prerequisites done before graduating high school, then by all means you should do it. If you are an ambitious student who qualifies or wants to qualify for DuckLink, think about talking to your counselor, for it may be the perfect program for you. I asked junior Lisa Evanoff if she knew about DuckLink, and she had heard of it. When I asked her if she thought about doing DuckLink next year she replied, “Yeah, I plan on doing it for chemistry, health, and/ or Japanese. It depends on if it works with the 3 x 5 schedule next year, though.” Evanoff is planning on becoming a nutritionist so DuckLink will help her get a head start. However, the schedule next year could definitely have an effect on whether or not students can be involved in DuckLink. Mr. Voss is the man to talk to if you are interested in the program. I asked Mr. Voss if the new schedule will affect Ducklink, and he said the only thing that affects DuckLink is a student’s ability to qualify by taking all of the classes in a subject offered at Sheldon. Therefore, it is up to the student to finish the classes in a subject to be able to continue on. Voss lastly stated, “It has to be one of the most fantastic educational opportunities for a high school student to receive free tuition at a university level.” I completely agree with Mr. Voss and I think that if you can be in DuckLink, you should pursue it.
is a major part of our lives. It makes you who you are.” Jaffe, who also participates in club swimming, added, “Swimming is my life. I can’t imagine [the pool] being shut down.” I am not on the swim team, and the Sheldon Pool and Community Center has still played a large role in my life. I’ve used the pool on numerous occasions over the years, and I would hate to see it go. With that said, I don’t believe that the citizens of Eugene should have to give up any more of their hard-earned income to the government. Clearly the government hasn’t shown that they can be responsible with the money we give them - why would we give them more? Instead of charging an additional fee and increasing the tax burden on the citizens of Eugene, the city needs to prioritize and reevaluate their spending habits. What the City of Eugene needs to do is start from scratch. Junior Meredy Darland said, “I just think we need to get our priorities straight. [The city] is not putting funds into the right things and it’s frustrating.” Darland added that “the younger generation should be encouraged to do healthy things” such as swimming, but closing the pool would prevent youth from participating in swimming. The City Council needs to look at the bottom line and eliminate wastefulness. Surely there can be a better place to cut funding than our beloved swimming pool.
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Jarred Rogers Jarod Bays Cya Silva AJ Smith Elizabeth Davis Micah Tamasaka Ayla Bussel
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Cole Bruns Morgn Challburg Carly Gough Cody Koch Emily Pierpoint Grant Schmaedick Sammie Tracewell Keionna White
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Greg Cantwell
A message from the Talisman The Talisman is run by students for students. The views expressed in the Talisman are not necessarily those of the Talisman staff, those of Sheldon High School, or those of the Sheldon community. If you have any letters to the editor, please e-mail the Talisman at shstalisman@gmail.com, or drop a letter in our box located in the office. We kindly reserve the right to edit all stories we print.
Anti-piracy: The humiliation of the DRM Digital Rights Managment: The underlying cause of discord in the video-gaming community Jarred Rogers features editor Ever since its’ creation, DRM - or Digital Rights Management - has been creating controversy and conflict everywhere. Supposedly used to stop online piracy, DRM has been used on anything ranging from videogames to music, or even movies. Although its proposed intentions sound reasonable, people are having more and more cause to oppose it, especially in recent days. Although DRM is claimed to be able to stop piracy, it seems like it’s doing more harm than good. A particular DRM called Star Force was even reported to cause
computer crashes, as well as decrease PC stability and compromise overall security. Some groups have even gone so far as to classify Star Force as malware. It can be argued that this is an isolated case; it certainly doesn’t make DRM look any better. DRM laws are vague enough for developers to take advantage of, and this seems to happen often, and not just with Star Force. EA is another prime example of DRM abuse. Anyone using the internet recently may remember some controversy caused by SimCity, a game launched by EA. Upon release, SimCity suffered massive server issues, resulting in the majority of players being unable to play the game that they purchased. This may seem like just one more poor choice drifting amongst EA’s endless river of unethical business practices, but upon closer inspection, people are beginning to speculate that it is directly linked to DRM. SimCity was developed to be “always online,” meaning that if you can’t access the internet, you can’t use it. Although EA attempts to justify their action by saying having an offline mode didn’t “fit their vision,” they also
refuse to even acknowledge claims of DRM abuse. EA has been voted “worst company in America” two years in a row by a poll on The Consumerist, and how they handled the SimCity situation should make it abundantly clear it was completely justified. Junior Apollo Kenney said, “People are trying to stop online piracy, but are only going to end up failing.” This sort of always online “piracy control” only ends up hurting paying customers, and has done little, if anything at all, to hinder the progress of game piracy. Overall, DRM has done virtually nothing to stop online piracy, be it games or music. It ends up hindering people who pay for their content fairly, while others are still easily able to pirate whatever they want without any danger. Digital Rights Management laws are incredibly easy to manipulate, and this is abused by companies in order to make more money. The CEO’s of companies who use this aren’t going to wake up one morning, realize the error of their ways and abolish DRM, but it may be possible to reach a better solution.
Sports
the Talisman
May 10, 2013
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Sheldon’s ultimate team pushes limit at Spring Reign With a fourth place finish at the Spring Reign tournament in Washington, the ultimate team looks to win state this month
AJ Smith sports editor
AJ Smith sports editor Sheldon’s ultimate team has risen in popularity over the past few years and their progress has shown in their growing numbers around the school. This year the team went up to the Spring Reign tournament in Burlington, Washington, the largest youth tournament in the nation. They finished fourth, but all of the players had a great time. Yet Spring Reign isn’t the most important tournament of the year for the players; the state tournament is what they really have their eyes on. After all of the dust was settled in Burlington, Washington, the Sheldon ultimate team placed fourth. With expectations so high, it might appear to be a letdown for the players. Yet the team has kept their heads held high and their spirits up for state.
Senior Alec Schauer said,”I don’t think anything went wrong exactly. We worked really hard as a team and got really close to beating the best teams in our division.” The team started thirteenth in their division and made it all the way to the fourth by the end of the tournament. Schauer later said, “We played a bunch of great teams.” When asked what they need to do to win state, Schauer said, “I think we will work on our offense and come out on top.” The team has grown a lot since the beginning of the year, and it has really shown in their play. When asked what the team has improved the most on since the beginning of the year, senior Hope Zima said, “We have really improved our sense of being a team. The team bonding we did helped everyone get familiar with one another.” The team from year to year has improved as well, going from the last
Del Clark photo The ultimate team at Spring Reign in Washington.
division in the Spring Reign tournament two years ago to being a high seed in the highest division this year. Before the Spring Reign tournament began, Zima said, “To win the tournament, it will take a lot of hard work since the competition is better this year.” The ultimate team has been through a lot this season, but along the way there have also been many positive moments that they have experienced. Senior Sam Hobbs said, “The team dinners have been one of the best parts of the season so far. Those dinners were a great time to bond with the teammates and eat delicious dinners.” Hobbs, who is on his third year as an ultimate player, also has high hopes for the state tournament, “I expect us to win state and to go out and do our best and to have a lot of fun.”
Hardcore parkour: The art form has grown in popularity Parkour is coming alive with young adults and teenagers trying to express themselves through jumps and wall-runs Will Hopson staff writer A lot of people don’t know what parkour is. Parkour is an extreme sport where people speedily and skillfully climb over obstacles, jump from ledges, and run up walls, while trying to look as cool as possible. Usually parkour will take place on roof tops and other man-made structures and is done unguided and by yourself, which you can probably guess is incredibly dangerous. That’s why there are parkour gyms and trainers so that you can practice parkour in a safer environment. Why would someone do a sport like this? Freshman Alex Brecke said, “[For] the adrenaline rush.” Parkour is performed by teens and young adults who want that adrenaline rush, and want to push themselves to the limit. Lots of people are able to do parkour because it doesn’t take up much time, and you don’t need money to do it. Parkour is a lot of fun but is also very challenging and tough. You need to be strong, and fit to be able to climb higher, run faster, and jump farther. You also need to be smart and
know exactly the speed you need to run, the places your feet need to go, and what to grab onto or you can get seriously injured. Does this mean anyone can do parkour? Freshman Walker Davidson said, “Anyone can, but not everyone can be good at it.” Parkour is a challenging, adrenaline pumping, and extremely dangerous sport for anyone who wants to do it. How dangerous is parkour? Freshman Alize Townsend said, “[Its] probably pretty dangerous. Most people don’t know just how dangerous parkour is. Even though parkour is fun, it can change from thrill ride to severe injury or Micah Tamasaka illustration death because of a small misstep. Many people have been severely injured from parkour, and some have even died. If you misplace a foot or underestimate a jump you can fall or hit your head on an object which could lead to broken bones, concussions, and death. You can make parkour much safer, though, by not risking your life on a rooftop, but instead going to a designated gym for parkour, and being instructed in the safe way to perform.
Sheldon track and field sprinters are off to a fantastic start The boys spinting team has broken the school 4x100 relay school record Cole Bruns staff writer This year’s 4x100 team is the most talented Sheldon has ever seen, but with a good crop of sophomore and freshmen runners, the future looks even brighter. Sheldon’s most talented sprinters, juniors Tyus Kykundal, Mitch Horning, Adam Stearns, and Nathan Stearns, Tristan Melhaff, and senior Troy Grove are at the peak of high school sprinting skill, poised to sweep districts and possibly track and field state. Other athletes are hard on their heels though, athletes like sophomore James Stock and freshman Cade O’Connor, solid runners with years of high school sprinting left in them. With all of their talent, extreme jockeying for position will be apparent within Sheldon’s sprinting team. It might shake up the 4x100, and who knows which four runners will run in districts? This year’s record-setting 4x100 team is a solid group of runners. By beginning training as early as October, these elite athletes have been learning and growing under the leadership of Coach Kelly Walk. Their dedication to their team and their coaches has kept them going during the last seven months of work. Together they have overcome challenges both painful and difficult, such as running up hills week after week in the preseason, and workouts getting faster and harder with every repetition. Trying to outrun the state’s fastest group of sprinters might seem like an impossible task, but Coach Kelly Walk says
that four younger runners are quite possibly on their way to becoming just as fast as the current 4x100 runners. Sophomores Braden Seiber, James Stock, and freshmen Cade O’Connor, and Michael Young are Sheldon’s fastest underclassmen runners, and they are in the perfect position to outrun their current competition. This bodes well for future years in which these runners take over the mantel of states fastest, but some of these runners appear to be ready to take over the 4x100 team this year. While another group of talented and successful athletes might be chaotic and backstabbing, Sheldon’s team is dedicated to one another, and the level of professional competition pushes all of the athletes to become better than they could be alone. Coach Walk believes that the greatest strength of the 4x100 team is their camaraderie, and she hopes that this friendship will continue to the next group of elite runners at Sheldon. Junior Tyus Kykundal gave his views on his new teammates, the Starnes twins: “The team is a whole second faster. [It’s a] whole new team.” They speak for all of the 4x100 runners and hopefully all of the sprints team, guaranteeing a positive future for sprinters in the next couple years.
Cole Bruns photo (So) James Stock, (J) Tristan Melhaff, (J) Tyus Kykundal, (J) Mitch Horning, (J) Nathan Starnes, (F) Michael Young, (J) Adam Starnes, and (Sr) Troy Grove at a dual meet against Thruston High School on May 1, 2013.
B A C K PA G E Prom: Then and Now Has the excitement of the dance shifted elsewhere? Josiah Darland staff writer Unsurprisingly, prom has changed drastically over the past twenty to thirty years, but not in the ways you might think. Not only have the music and clothing style changed photo courtesy Phillipos but also things like the student’s interests and the way we prepare for the special night. Mr. and Mrs. Phillipo before their prom during high school. Mrs. Blythe Wardwell clearly remembers her prom experience, “I remember getting ready with friends, dinner on top of the brand new Hilton, and the dance itself like it was yesterday.” Getting ready with friends and going to the dance seemed to be the favorite part of the whole experience for many teachers at Sheldon when they went. Mrs. and Mr. Phillipo both remember their prom night quite well. “I remember going on our carriage ride through the rose garden by the river; that was my favorite part, “said Mrs. Phillipo. “Going with my lovely date was my favorite part,” said Mr. Phillipo with a smile. The roots of excitement for students now seem to have far changed from what they were when our own Sheldon staff went to prom. Freshmen Jackson Johnson and Bennett DeLong both agreed that the part of prom they are most excited for when they go is the after-parties. “I feel like most kids now are far more excited for the after- parties that go all night than the actual dance itself,” stated junior Meredy Darland. Attendees now are more exited for what they will do after the actual dance than going to it, and that is a definite change from twenty-five years ago.
Mother’s Day
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A day to appreciate the women in your life Micah Tamasaka graphics editor Mother’s day is a time when we all have the chance to gather around our mothers to show them that we appreciate what they have done for us. Junior Josh Baker said, “For Mother’s Day I made my mom breakfast.” Many people will make their mothers breakfast and others will take their mothers out for a fun and relaxing filled day. The first Mother’s Day was celebrated in 1908, when Anna Jarvis held a memorial for her mother who had died two years prior. She then began a campaign to make “Mother’s Day” a recognized holiday in the United States. She had her wish in 1914. Many mothers work hard to provide for their families providing knowledge, food, and taking care. “My favorite Mother’s Day was last year. Me and my family were going out for breakfast and my youngest son was sitting behind me and giving me a massage and I was able to chill for the day,” said Michelle Philipo from scheduling. Mother’s Day has been widely celebrated and will continue to be celebrated deep into the future, but we can’t forget what this day is symbolic for; it’s the day that we give a little back to our mothers for what they have done, and provided for us.
Micah Tamasaka illustration
Glee! Let’s see how far they’ve come Morgan Challburg staff writer Glee is a musical comedy about a group of eager and ambitious students who strive to outshine their singing competition to win nationals. It focuses on the William McKinley High School glee club, New Directions, competing in the show choir competition circuit. The series follows the club and the mixture of student’s who have joined the club. The series was created by Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk, and Ian Brennan.The three wrote all the episode’s for the first two seasons, and Murphy and Falchuk served as the show’s main directors. Throughout the seasons all of the characters have undergone personality changes from the first episode to the last. Rachel is a strong, driven girl but somewhat neurotic, and show’s Rachel’s journey to become more of a fun team player as well as fulfill her own aspirations. In the past episodes of season four, Rachel’s appearance has shocked a lot of people. Finn Hudson has also had many changes throughout the Glee seasons. In the first season he is a popular jock at the top of the school’s social hierarchy, but when forced to join the glee club, he finds he loves it. His storylines have seen him struggle with his decision to stay in the club, which is at the bottom of the social ladder, while he maintains his popular reputation and the respect of other jocks. All of the Glee characters have changed, but there are some that have changed more than others. Characters have developed relationships and have gotten more views on the drama and are more realistic. A lot of the characters have gone through hard times and are slowly getting over them and most of the Glee characters have stuck together and grown closer and closer to each other throughout the seasons. The song choices have also changed throughout the season. There is a good variety of song choices on Glee. Music choices are usually made when each episode is written, with songs that match the plotlines. The original pop stars behind Glee’s songs have benefited from the show’s success.