Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse page 2
Softball Wins State page 9
hits every note. It is dramatic, well-produced, and seamlessly integrated.
Rating Grade: A
When “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” came out in 2018, it was hailed as artistically innovative, breathing new life into both superhero-genre movies and animation. Future films from Sony Pictures Animation followed the style, like “The Mitchells vs. The Machines.” All of this is to say that the sequel had big shoes to fill. “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” couldn’t be too stylistically different from the original, but it also couldn’t ride off of its success and novelty. “[‘Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse] was not really anything like it,” said senior Stella Hergenreter. Luckily, “Across the Spider-Verse” threads the needle successfully. It incorporates new styles without having any elements feel too out of place. No matter how you feel about the film’s story, the art direction will sweep you up and take your breath away.
Senior Evie Hergenreter agreed with the hype and said, “Not a huge superhero fan, but the last one was one of my favourite movies of all time. I liked the animation and the story line.” The film opens with Gwen Stacy/SpiderWoman (Hailee Steinfeld) as she continues to grieve her universe’s Peter Parker. To blow off steam, she takes up drumming in a band. The way the animators seamlessly blend the music and art showcases how far the art direction has come. This opening feels like one cohesive, breathtaking unit. The anger, guilt, and sadness Stacy feels is so palpable, even without any words being said. This is not only a fantastic introduction to the art, but also Daniel Pemberton’s score, which (pardon the pun)
As the film goes on, Stacy soon encounters a legion of Spider-People who focus on keeping the multiverse stable, led by Miguel O’Hara/ Spider-Man 2099 (Oscar Isaac). Stacy is reunited with Miles Morales (Shameik Moore) when he faces off against The Spot (Jason Schwartzman), a villain who has the potential to break the Spider-Verse.
Stacy and Morales encounter a multitude of Spider-People, and the character design of each is phenomenal. Spider-Punk (Daniel Kaluuya) is an excellent example, with his aesthetic fittingly reminiscent of punk and underground zines. While the integration is a bit out-of-place, it feels intentional, fitting his rebellious attitude. Kaluuya and Schwartzman shine through as the best actors. Schwartzman balances the Spot’s chaotic and worldending, yet occasionally hilariously pathetic self. Kaluuya, despite having a decentlyrecognizable voice, disappears into SpiderPunk, which can be a difficult task for actors who don’t typically take on voice roles. Senior Else Dinsmore is also fond of Kaluuya’s Spider-Punk, and said, “Spider-Punk is just one of my favourite [Spider-People]... I literally screamed every time cool characters came on screen. [It was] a [expletive] banger of a movie.”
Overall, as a sequel, “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” definitely exceeds the first movie. Senior Matthew Higgins agreed, “It was better than the first one.” While the ending may be cause for concern for some, any superhero comic book fan would tell you that dramatic cliffhangers are a staple of the genre, and it is supposed to be a love letter to the medium.
characters and the plot feels forced,” said Phillips. “The Little Mermaid” is going to be a remake movie that people will remember.
she has a strong opinion.
Lots of us grew up with Disney and even though some of their newer movies are more diverse, many have nostalgia for a certain generation of Disney. Sophomore Ashley Phillips loves Disney and it is part of her childhood. With the live action Little Mermaid movie coming out recently, many people are reminiscing about their favorite childhood movies. The new “Little Mermaid” has had a lot of conversation about who is in the cast, but the majority of people aren't bothered as long as the film lives up to the original. “I don’t think it's going to be that bad of a movie, Halley Bailey is definitely mermaid material,” said Phillips. “The Little Mermaid” is said to have stayed close to its original plot and kept most of the characters the same. Many people agree that changing the plot makes a movie less exciting because we love our original characters. “It doesn't feel original or the same as the old movies; they try hard to force new
Changing Disney movies affects lots of people whether that's a bad or good thing. Freshman Natalie Barnett is the one of the people who thinks the Disney remakes are going downhill. For example, Barnett thinks that Mulan was one of the worst movie remakes. “In Mulan; they completely changed the story and plot. I get they were trying to make her be more independent but she already was a strong independent woman in the original. They might as well have called it something else because that is not a remake, that's a completely different movie," said Barnett. Many remakes have been getting hate for the execution of the film, because when your favorite childhood film gets changed, it can be disappointing. Barnett agrees that some of these new movies have been disappointing, “I grew up on Disney. It was all I used to watch.” Barnett watches new Disney movies also, so
Some of the high school students have a certain love for old Disney, but some of us forget that kids now grow up with only new Disney movies. Penelope Brennan is a sixth grader at Cal Young Middle School who has a younger opinion that really shows how the new generation of kids sees these new movies: “I like the new movies. They are really cool, and show new ways to share the stories.” Brennan sees this as a good thing and many other people in her grade do too. “I have only really watched the original Ariel movie a couple of times. But the new movie was really good and I think that they captured her inner mermaid. I do think that they could have kept her to her original self, because it sends mixed messages.” Disney has been changing and will continue to do so.
Is Eugene, Oregon, the place to be in the summer months? Sheldon students answered with various responses. Eugene is fairly limited on what it has to offer for locals during the summer season, but there are some fun activities that keep students busy when they aren’t in school. Sophomore Kai McCormack said, “Summer’s not always boring here, but it can be very easily.” McCormack continued, “We’re not near anything…and there’s pretty much nothing to do.”
Sophomore Beck Marshall agreed with McCormack, stating, “Eugene is limited in what it has to offer; we need bigger groups in the community doing more things to provide entertainment.”
Junior Dylan Dignan thinks a little different and stated, “Summer can be boring or not fun if you’re unproductive.” Dignan shared that kids need to take advantage of what Eugene does have for entertainment: “If you like rivers and lakes and going outside to hike, then no, it’s not limited. If you’re not into anything Eugene has to offer, then it’s limited. It depends on your creativity level and it’s up to you to take advantage of the things Eugene provides for us.”
Kids can solve their boredom by finding things Eugene and Oregon have and trying them out. Kids should try to
find a swim spot they like, a hobby, or maybe a hiking trail. Some kids stay inside all summer, but that is not the case for most Oregon residents. Dignan continued, “The kids I hang out with do the same things as me; all my friends are pretty active. They’re not the sit inside all summer type of kids; they’re Oregonians and do Oregonian things.”
Since Eugene is limited on what is has for entertainment, teens have to be creative to solve their boredom. McCormack’s form of entertainment comes from, “Skating, hanging out with friends and just adventuring around Eugene. Maybe find a pool, river spot, or an abandoned building to mess around in.”
McCormack’s favorite swim spot is the river by Mount Pisgah, close to Lane Community College. “The river is
fairly deep in some spots, with a soft current and there’s a rope swing that goes into the water.” Marshall’s favorite swim spot is Wildwood. While it’s a slightly lengthy 45 minute drive outside of Eugene, Wildwood is worth it to Marshall: “It has waterfalls with a swimming hole that are perfect for cliff jumping.” Dignan’s favorite swim spot is, “Fall Creek because it has the best cliff jumping. And I mean the creek itself, not the lake. It’s got super good cliffs to jump off into fairly warm water.”
A good thing about Eugene is it has few tourists. The main attraction last summer was the Olympic trials at Hayward Field, which brought many tourists. Marshall said, “But that was the first time in a while Eugene’s had tourists.” McCormack continued with, “Nobody visits Eugene. It’s not a sought after place that people want to visit.”
Dignan agreed that Eugene doesn’t get many tourists, but if you do visit Eugene, Dignan recommends, “checking out Cottage Grove Lake; it’s a really pretty lake. Spencer’s Butte is iconic for Eugene and has an easy hike with a good view at the top. A good place to stay is The Graduate hotel and they have all the Oregon history stuff inside it. Food wise, Cheeba Hut is my favorite. For swim spots, Silver Falls and Triangle Lake rock slides are cool.” Eugene provides limited entertainment for teens, but for most, it’s a good thing! Kids can learn to be creative and use what Eugene has to offer to their advantage.
As always this year’s Lane County Fair will be held in the Lane County Event Center, July 19 through 23. At the fair there will be many activities such as: livestock exhibits, entertainment, food/vendors, contests/competitions and education, as well as carnival games, rides and excitement. Musical artists performing at the fair include Lil Jon, Sara Evans, Scotty McCreery, Quiet Riot and Sheila E. Senior Seth McEwen is most excited to see Lil John perform at the fair: “My favorite artist at the fair would probably be Lil Jon because I like rap and I think his energy would be good for the fair.”
The fair will host a variety of food. There will be enough food for three courses with many different options. An example of this would be to have fried ravioli and curly fries as an appetizer, philly cheesesteak as an entree and elephant ears for desert. Senior Isaac Peters is most excited
for the blackberry grilled cheese: “I think the food I’m most excited to try at the fair would be the blackberry grilled cheese because I’ve tried it at home and it is a weird but good food combination and I want to see how someone else makes it.” There will definitely be lots of weird food at the fair, but you’ll have to try them for yourself.
The fair will also host a wide variety of rides. The rides have been around for a long time at the fair and every year they continue to be a hit. People come from all over Lane County to try the rides but they come at a hefty price. For about 50 dollars you can buy a ride bracelet and have access to all the rides you want. If you choose to buy them when you get there you will have an increased rate for fewer rides.
Junior Andrew Lugo goes every year and said, “I love going to the fair every year because it is fun to hangout with my friends and do all the rides and have good food.” Many people will relate to this as the fair is a blast with great music, food and rides every year.
of the Borders, and then the following weekend they will be participating in the U of O team basketball camp at Matthew Knight Arena and the Rec Center.
challenging experience for players of all levels.
Summer basketball is a great way to focus and work on your skills in order to become a better basketball player. It only happens in the month of June where athletes play around 25-30 games. There are two levels, varsity and JV. Tryouts were May 30, and practice was on June 2. Junior Owen Cramer said, “Summer basketball is really fun, going to different tournaments and getting better.” Their first tournament was in Salem on June 3 and 4, and they are also going up to Washington to compete for the Battle
Junior Kaden Jacobson said, “Summer basketball tournaments are the highlight of my year. It’s a chance to showcase my skills and compete against high level teams and players.” These tournaments are a great way for players to stay sharp during the off season and build chemistry with their teammates. With games happening all day long, it’s easy to get lost in the competition and forget about the heat. Whether you’re playing for fun or for a college scholarship, summer basketball tournaments offer an exciting and
Freshman Cooper Anderson said, “It’s a great way to compete with other players, challenge yourself, and show off your skills.” Summer basketball tournaments are a great way to take your game to the next level and push yourself to be the best player you can be. Whether you’re playing in a local tournament or traveling to compete against teams from all over, the experience is unforgettable. With the warm sun on your skin, the sound of the crowd cheering you on, and the thrill of the game, summer basketball tournaments are an experience like no other.
Gabby Steele page editor
Graduation is a time for celebration, transition, and reflection. It is also something that all students have collectively been working towards for the past four years. As seniors get ready for June 10 and to say goodbye to Sheldon, we look back on the last four years of high school and share some of the best moments. Senior Spencer Stout said, “My favorite year of high school so far has been my senior year. I’ve met and made a lot of friends and it’s been a very memorable year.” Stout’s favorite class the past four years was being Mr. Whalley’s teacher’s assistant because he didn’t have to do a lot in the class and it gave him time to finish work for other classes. Stout
enjoyed prom the most out of every Sheldon event because “It’s more for upperclassmen and I get a chance to hangout and dance with my friends.”
Senior Luna Madani has attended Sheldon her entire high school career. Throughout her high school experience she says her favorite class was Spanish, “It was a fun class and I enjoyed Senora Albrich as my teacher. She made the class enjoyable and it was never boring unlike other classes I had.” High school can be difficult for many and it’s good to have a support system. Madani says her friends were a big help in getting her through the past for years. The biggest lesson Madani has learned that will stick with her is not using Chat GPT on essays.
Similarly to Madani, senior Isaac Peters agrees that senior year was his favorite. Peters thinks senior year
gave everyone a lot of freedom which was very enjoyable. In high school, there are many obstacles that can’t always be overcome; for some the low points seem never ending but for others the high points are continuous. Peters said, “The worst low point the last four years was definitely COVID. I was always bored and it was depressing. The highest point was senior year football season. It was a super fun time and a decent end to high school football.”
As another school year comes to an end, we say our goodbyes for the summer. As for the seniors, we say goodbye to the classmates we have known for the past four, seven, and some twelve years or more. Seniors give their thanks to Sheldon for providing a community for them to thrive in as everyone goes their separate ways.
Osvaldo Canchola Garcia staff writer
The end of this school year is near and for seniors, this is their final year of attending high school. With many seniors, each one has their own opinions and favorites about Sheldon, which is what makes everyone unique.
Senior Samba Traore is attending his final year of high school at Sheldon. Arguably the scariest year for most students, Traore’s favorite year was “freshman year, because we had more friends and it was the start of a new journey.”
Being in high school for four years allows one to experience many teachers with different teaching styles, personalities, and strategies. For Traore, his favorite teacher is Mr. Saraceno. Traore explained, “He always thinks with passion and loves helping students no matter the circumstance.”
Traore is very big on most sports and watching games. Out of the variety of sports Sheldon has, Traore lays his eyes on basketball because, “It’s the sport I used to play before I started playing soccer.”
Sheldon is one of the luckier schools to have many options for lunch.
Traore’s favorite place to eat lunch
is Subway “because it’s tasty and healthy!”
High school is filled with memories because of how much time is spent in school. Traore played varsity boys soccer for Sheldon and his favorite memory was “getting to miss class and travel with my teammates.”
Sheldon is not the biggest but isn’t small either; everyone always has their own specific spot they like to go to. For Traore that’s the “soccer field, because that’s where I’ve spent the most time on campus, other than a classroom.”
As a senior, Traore has to have a plan for his future and he figured out that he would like to “attend the University of Oregon and get a BA in Advertisement.”
Traore is an incredible athlete and in doing so he earned his favorite achievement of his high school journey which was a “Most Improved Player” award.
Senior Chiloh Straub’s favorite year of high school has been her senior year. She explained, “Being a senior you have a lot more freedom, more free periods, etc. so it’s overall a lot more enjoyable. I also feel like there’s a different level of respect that teachers, peers, and other people give the seniors.”
For Straub, her favorite teacher made that class her favorite. She explained chemistry was her favorite
class because. “Ms. Buckson was always so positive and had a smile on her face. Her class was always so enjoyable to be in and she truly wanted the best for her students.”
One sport Sheldon is known for is football. For Straub, she likes watching the games because “there’s so many people coming together to cheer them on and they are just a lot of fun! It was also fun to get dressed up for whatever the theme was.”
Straub helped start up Sheldon’s Genchurch club during lunch. Her favorite part of it was “having the opportunity to be able to start it and being able to see it grow with more people throughout the year! It’s great to be able to come together with other christians and learn more about God together.”
Straub’s favorite quote to help her throughout high school is Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”’
When going to prom, having a great group of friends is what creates those great times and memories. Straub explained last year’s prom was her favorite: “I went with a really great group of friends that made it so much fun!”
As the school year comes to a close and the seniors are preparing for graduation, the anticipation is on the rise. The main topic of discussion among most seniors right now is the day of graduation and how it’s going to go. While everyone is focused on June 10, not many people think about what seniors are going to do the day after graduation when they are finally free from high school. There is a vast difference in what people are doing the day after graduation. Some are spending time with family, some with friends, and others are going to graduation parties. For senior Kolby Hartford, he already has his day planned out. Hartford said, “I will be attending other people’s grad parties and will probably hang out with some friends at the lake.” He has been planning this agenda for a couple weeks now and is very excited for the day to come!
Graduating is a very anticipated event that many students look forward to. While this accomplishment is very exciting, it can also be scary and tends to give seniors mixed emotions.
Senior Shyonna Landrumstated, “I am feeling ready for graduation, though I don’t think it has fully hit me that I am moving away and won’t be seeing my friends and family every day, but overall I am excited.” Landrum also plans on spending the day after graduation with her friends as she attends their grad parties in order to soak up the last few moments that she has with them.
The majority of seniors have the same agenda for the day after graduation. Senior Braylen Harris will be spending time with his family to celebrate his graduation. “My grandparents are coming in from Florida and Texas. There’s not a lot to do in Oregon so we won’t be doing anything too crazy. We will be going to watch the new ‘SpiderMan: Across the Spider-Verse’ movie so that will be fun,” said Harris. Whether you’re spending the day with family, friends, or enjoying it alone, it’s a great time to pat yourself on the back and reflect on how you made your high school experience unique to yourself.
Ulises Ruiz Lopez staff writer
In today's world, the traditional route of attending a two or four-year college right after high school is no longer the only pathway to success. The choice of deciding what to do after high school is a pretty big deal. Every year, many seniors around the globe struggle to figure out what the next step is. For some, the college path is the way to go, but deciding what college to go to is a very difficult decision. Some people value different aspects of college like athletics, social life, or academics. But also included is the financial struggle to keep up with attending college. We often forget that learning can take various forms, and success can be achieved through many different ways.
For example, the military provides a structured and disciplined environment that instills valuable skills, leadership qualities, and a sense of
Article Title: Softball Dominates So Far
Writer: Jyce Jones
Publication: The Talisman
camaraderie. Students out of high school can explore various branches of the military, such as the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, or Coast Guard. Ninth grade transition coordinator Jackie Owens said, “When you go into the military, you can usually choose a MOS (Military Occupational Specialties): you can be in electronics or technology or a medic. Always keep your future career in mind.”
Other paths students can consider are taking a gap year, taking time off before college to travel, engage in community service, or pursuing personal projects which can provide valuable life experiences and personal growth. Gap years allow students to gain a broader understanding of the world, discover their passions, and develop a sense of independence before embarking on their academic journey. Junior Anica Smith stated, “I like the idea of taking a gap year after high school; it can give me more time to focus on myself and not worry about the financial and emotional struggle college can do at the moment.”
Smith is debating whether she’ll take a gap year or go to college after high school: “I’m keeping my options open; I just have to wait until I graduate and see what the future holds.”
Culinary school is a great path for those who have a passion for making food. The culinary world offers an array of opportunities for those with a passion for food and drive to turn their culinary dreams into reality. Many colleges offer four-year degrees, providing chefs and food enthusiasts with immersive and hands-on experiences, though some may start off working in a kitchen without formal education. Junior Michael Urias finds the culinary path very interesting after high school, “Culinary has always been intriguing for me. I watch cooking shows on Netflix, and it has caught my attention even more.” Urias is a football player and has plans to go to college for football after high school, but he may take some cooking classes in between, so he can stay connected with culinary: “Cooking has always been a thought of mine; I might just take up some cooking classes to see how good of a cook I can be.”
Alternative paths to college offer diverse opportunities for individuals to pursue education and career success that can help gain skills and real-world experience that align with their passions and goals. These alternative paths can provide a more flexible path to personal and professional growth.
Bibiliometrics: volume 60, issue 5, May 4, 2023
We, the Editorial Board of The Talisman, retract the following quote of copy because it is not accurate in its attribution to the source referenced:
“My personal softball goals include increasing my batting average while also improving my role in a team aspect.”
Additionally, the other source quotations in the article may have been fabricated.
University of Oregon
Sarah Barham
Kyleigh Cooke
Christopher Corzo Mendez
Logan Crowley
Shea Darden
Olivia Davis
Veronica Dutton
Allison Erickson
Katarina Escobar
Olivia Feist
Lillian Fitzpatrick
Kailand Ford
Caylin Haffner
Imogen Haring
Madeleine Hoke
Penelope Huling
Raoul Johnson
Kavi Lakhani
Alicia Lancaster
Aleanna Lengkong
Michael McCondochie
Angela Mehta
Omar Nashawi
Ahna Neubert
Kellen Nicol
Camryn Nicholson
Olivia Parks
Giovanna Pesiri
David Peterson
Sydney Potter
Evan Poulsen
Paige Prociw
Allistair Rutherford
Cuauh Samano-Chavez
Mauricio Barria
Andrew Song
Jaidyn Sprouse
Zachary Stapleton
Brielle Stefely
Natafira Suryanata
Faith Sylte
Grace Temple
Angely Terrazas
Brock Thomas
Brooke Tucker
Zoe Valentine
Dori Vaughan
Maria Vega Meza
Donald Waller
Zach Wergeland
Victoria Wolf
Ryan Yakovich
Coen Yancey
Faith Zacharias
Oregon State University
Zachary Bernard
Gaige Borek
Charles Cleveland
Luc Dale
Devin Donaty
Jamison Gaines
Ethan Henry
Stella Hergenreter
Joshua Kubu
Cole Meyer
William Morach
Isabella Nelson
Jaedan Neumann
William Peacor
Meagan Pentelei-Molnar
Emmett Peterson
Rubi Prado
Cody Reuter
Jonah Scott
Grace Singh
Kylee Smith
Derek Starr
Gabby Steele
Madison Stephenson
Isaiah Tichenor
Santiago Valdivia Camacho
Grace Williams
Kassidy Willow
Carsten Yeung
Lane Community College
Asha Abdi
Zaqueo Ambrocio
Jaxen Andersen
Kiana Ayoma
Kayla Barber
Addison Bardwell
Sydney Bartel
Zachery Brillon
Collin Brown
Kaiden Butcher
Jasmine Butler
Kailynn Christensen
Eugene Chun
Ian Clevenger
Maia Contreras
Jeniffer Corzo Mendez
Jacoby Crawford
Kendall Cross
Else Dinsmore
Juan Dougherty
McKenna Drews
Colton Ensley
Riley Ewoniuk
Gavin Ferrell
Colten Garges
Joshua Gores
Braylen Harris
Mika Lange
Tori Line
Olivia Lyons
Luna Madani
Zachary McEwen
Emma McManus
Whitney Michaels
Audrey Miller
Broderick Mittge
John Mueller
Ayoni Nunley
Carlee Osterman
Lily Overton
Trinity Peterson
Chase Prusz
Michael Reed
Grafton Robinson
Calvin Ruiz
Saman Setoodeh
Maximillian Shepard
Mason Sloniger
Mary Frances Sluga
Troy Sproul
Bricen Stewart
Spencer Stout
Jake Traylor
Brevin Tuttle
Ivan Valle Luna
Samuel Villa
Ana Villagomez-Lopez
Sahali Waldrop
Ellie Walls
Wiley Watson
Ally Wells
Isabella Whalley
Stella Williams
Taylor Young
Benjamin Zepeda
Chemeketa Community College
Anthony Franklin
Eastern Oregon University
Issac Peters
Lewis and Clark College
Skylar Willow
Linfield University
Meara Sain
Tanner Thomas
Cade Welch
Mt. Hood Community College
Ryland Detzler
Oregon Tech
Luis Espinoza
Elsa Peterson
Portland State University
Jack Crawford
Aubrey Jamieson
Stephanie Kern
Southern Oregon University
Eva Hergenreter
Delaney Iddings
Mia Steinbaugh
Umpqua Community College
Lydia Fricke
Southwest Oregon
Community College
Taylor Cryns
University of Portland
Camila Garibay
Hailey Gorham
Idaho
Boise State University
Madison Schwake
Brigham Young University
Anneliese Lewis
Northwest Nazarine University
Beaux Bruegman
Gabriella Harms
California
Humbolt State University
Ruby Pendowski
Mount Saint Mary's
University, Los Angeles
Lily Knopp
University of California
Berkeley
Chazifer Mills
Kiran Parthasarathy
University of California
Merced
Piper Ferris
University of Southern California
Jet Sherman
College of the Siskiyous
Noah Snyder
San Bernardino Valley College
Malayna Anderson
Santa Barbara City College
Washington
Gonzaga University
Jonah Donde
Natalie Kaiser
Arizona
Arizona State University
Kolby Hartford
Riley McIlveen
Grand Canyon University
Arthur Franklin
Oregon State University- Cascades
Cadee Hoffman
Sylvia Moss
Anneliesse Hernandez
Ava Heusch
Matthew Higgins
Skai Jenkins
Pacific University
Cameron Cabuco
Alexa Marcyan
Nevada
University of Nevada- Las Vegas
Nalani Angeles
Eastern Washington University
Elle Bruegman
Washington State University
Luke Leighton
Rocky Mountain College
Kaitlyn Wood
Concordia University
Felicity Junge
University of Michigan
Brandon Kauten
Muskingum University
Kai Hundt
Drexel University
Isabela Dedrick
University of Pittsburgh
Mitchell Dennick
Allegheny County Community College
Grace Kidd
Utah
University of Utah
Gwen Fife
Mirabella McIntyre
Utah Tech University
Noelle Sherle
Colorado
Colorado State University
Luca Offet
Metropolitan State University of Denver
Taylor McKillop
University of Denver
Riley Strode
Tennessee
Southern Adventist University
Shinny No
Vanderbilt University
Sofia El-Shammaa
Fashion Institute of Technology
Jessica Lee
New York University
Sofia Kokkino
St. Lawrence University
Auden Flinn
Out of CountryBritish Columbia
University of British Columbia
Aidan Chance
*information based on data provided by students in NAVIANCE as of June 1, 2023
College is a scary transition for many high school graduates, with adulthood and a new chapter beginning. Although not everyone takes the college path, it can provide students with the time and opportunity to learn about themselves and their futures.
College price tags can be high which leads many to take out student loans to help aid the cost of pursuing an undergraduate degree. According to the US Department of Education as of 2021, the average amount of student debt for an undergraduate degree was $27,800 after graduation. With the high price tag that college poses for many, there are benefits
offered to enrolled students. 2022 Sheldon graduate Emily Mitchell, now attending University of Oregon, advises freshmen to “take advantage of the free resources and activity nights your school provides because you’re paying lots of money in fees, so you should use everything available to you.” College programs attract students to help set themselves up for success, not only academically, but also mentally and emotionally while dealing with college coursework.
Friday Night Lights and other athletic events in college provide students with the opportunity to escape from schoolwork. 2022 Sheldon graduate Chris Coven, now the football recruiting assistant for Northern Arizona University, elaborated on the
difference from high school football games: “There’s a lot more energy at the [college] games because people from all over the state come to watch the games. Knowing that there are thousands of strangers all rooting for the same team is amazing.” College football teams are composed of future professional athletes, making games more intense and exciting for fans to watch.
Mitchell is pro-college football, and stated, “Go to the sports games. You get free tickets as a student and it’s worth it.” Although she is not directly involved in sports, Mitchell plays the flute in the Oregon Marching Band, bringing the Duck spirit to fall football games.
As the school year comes to a close, Sheldon says goodbye to the senior class
of 2023, while they say hello to college as the class of 2027. Memories that students make in high school carry on in their adult lives, especially those made with friends. 2021 Sheldon graduate Emma Reposa, also attending the University of Oregon, encouraged seniors to spend more time with friends: “Throughout high school, I was always so busy with sports or band that I wasn’t able to spend time with my friends outside of a school setting.” As friends split apart after graduation in different places to pursue their future paths, high school starts to become a memory and the class of 2023’s bright path starts to illuminate.
Sheldon’s reputation as an athletic school leads many athletes to post-secondary success. For many, success in sports can mean playing at the collegiate level. Often, people dream of being a collegiate athlete, so what does it really take?
Senior Cameron Cabuco will play lacrosse for Pacific University starting this fall. She said, “Being a collegiate athlete really is all about how much you put into the sport and how committed you are because that is most of what it is being a collegiate athlete. The drive and want to win is definitely going to be way higher at the collegiate level and I am so excited [for that].”
Senior Elle Bruegman will play volleyball for Eastern Washington University, a Division I school, this fall. She said of her Division I dream, “Lots of studying and training are definitely in my future. Part of that process starts right now and throughout the summer. I’ve been working out about [six times] a week to be in the best shape possible for my report date.”
While lots of work is expected, another challenge is deciding which school would be best for you. Senior Jonah Donde said, “I decided on [running cross country and track at] Gonzaga mainly because of the super strong running program. I absolutely love the coach and the team and it’s been exciting to see their progress at the national level over the last few years.”
The recruiting process is unknown for many
people, whether you are on the outside or looking to get recruited later in high school. Cabuco said, “For me [it] was super easy just because I already had the connection with the team and coaches before I was officially offered a spot, so for me I had no issue committing to Pacific right when I got accepted to the school.”
Bruegman started early on in the school year as she said, “My recruiting process was extremely long. I started my sophomore year, but then COVID hit and everything came pretty much to a stand still. I continued to go to college camps and recruiting showcases to get noticed.”
Everyone’s recruitment process looks different. For Donde the process “was a little complicated because I’ve been injured the majority of this year, but I was able to be recruited off of junior year’s accomplishments.”
Playing at the collegiate level is a major accomplishment. Many people are aware of the challenges, but not necessarily the details that go into playing after high school. Sheldon leads many students to post-secondary athletic success, like these students.
Kamani Melton-Winger staff writer
College is right around the corner for seniors and the majority of seniors have a plan for what they will be doing. Senior Braylen Harris is doing his first year at Lane Community College. After that he plans on attending the University of North Texas or the University of New Mexico. New Mexico is an option for Harris because he has some friends who are going. North Texas is another option because Harris has family who live close to the school. Harris’ dream college is the University of Florida: “That’s my college team so going there would be a full circle moment.” However, Harris probably won’t go there because he wants to play football and walking on at that school would be a real challenge. Harris is excited to leave Eugene because he doesn’t like it here that much. Harris wants to live off campus, but that seems harder than living on campus.
Senior Rubi Prado is attending Oregon State University in the honors college to major in biochemistry on a pre-med track. Prado said, “Since it’s only a 45 minute drive from home, I am really excited to be able to come home and visit my family whenever I want, but it’s far away enough for me to be independent.” OSU was one of Prado’s first choices
because they accept a lot more of her IB credits. Prado has a lot of good friends who are going to OSU and she is going to be happy to see some familiar faces, but she is also looking forward to meeting new people. Prado still isn’t sure if she is living in a dorm because OSU has such a big freshman class and there isn’t that much room, but she might get a house in Corvallis with roommates instead. If Prado does end up in a dorm, she has no idea how she’s going to be able to bring all of her stuff because she wants to bring as much clothes as possible. She is not planning on bringing that much decor because she doesn’t like clutter. Overall, Prado is excited to have her own space.
Beloved science teacher Christine Buckson has made tremendous impacts on those around her and to the Sheldon community as an incredible friend and teacher. While no amount of words could describe how truly loved she was, a few of the many students and staff whose lives she touched shared their appreciation and fondest memories of her. The Sheldon community will forever cherish Ms. Buckson’s memory in their hearts. Her battle with cancer, and love for her students will never go unrecognized.
“Early in my career, she got hired at the Opportunity Center High School, where I worked, and there were only eleven staff members, so I got to know her fast and we became really good friends. She had a huge heart and really connected with students, but she also was a badass who could give students the structure and parenting that at-risk kids needed. There was just that great balance. I learned a lot from her. She talked me into taking a marine biology illustration class. She loved marine biology, and I loved drawing. We would sit for hours with big tanks of sea creatures and draw them, and then go to the local pub . She was the friend who you wouldn’t see for a long time, but then you would pick up right where you left off like no time passed.
I guess you could say a lot of people had respect for her, but I would say that’s so much less important from how much people really loved her.”
-Art teacher Peter Saracenowith a huge smile on her face. She was so happy
“To make her classrooms more enjoyable she always was very welcoming with a huge smile on her face. She was so happy and positive all of the time with such a great attitude about everything, which just made the whole atmosphere uplifting and enjoyable! I wish I could get to tell her one last time about how much she impacted my life and how much I love her. She will always be my favorite teacher for the rest of my life. She made chemistry my favorite subject. I just wish I could tell her all of that and how every single person she has crossed paths with or taught has been impacted positively by her and I hope she knew that. She showed care for each and every one of her students and truly wanted them to succeed.”
-Senior Chiloh Straub“Ms. Buckson was my first trimester chemistry teacher. Chemistry was a daunting class, probably one of the hardest classes I’ve ever had to take. There were so many times when I felt like giving up for the day, and she was just the most encouraging person. She had a way of knowing exactly what you needed—and when in doubt, she would probably just crack a fart joke. Even through finding out about her cancer relapse, starting treatment again, and dealing with the endless emotions around all of it, she was so positive. The perfect example of a selfless person. Her students were always her first priority and that was so clear in everything that she did. Her presence in my life was the biggest blessing, I feel so thankful to have witnessed the light she brought to this world.”
-Junior
Jill Potter(pictured above with Ms. Buckson)
A tous les seniors avec qui j’ai travaillé pendant vos années ici à Sheldon, je vous souhaite de grandes félicitations. Je suis si fière de vous et de ce que vous avez accompli. Je me souviens bien quand vous êtes entrés pour la première fois dans le cours de français un ou deux. Vous étiez si nerveux, spécialement quand j’ai commencé à parler en français ☺ Mais peu à peu, nous avons créé des liens et nous nous sommes apprivoisés, malgré les cours de Zoom. Vous resterez toujours unique au monde à moi et j’espère qu’un bon souvenir de moi restera toujours avec vous… en particulier quand vous commanderez un croissant au café avec un peu d’accent français. Bonne chance dans votre avenir et tâchez d’être heureux !
Mme Barley 2023“I only had Mrs. Buckson for my science classes freshman year, but she always made me laugh and feel happy. I remember she had this joke she used to say if she or someone else missed drinking their water and it spilled onto themselves. She would say that she or the other person would have ‘a drinking problem.’ It always made me laugh.”
The Irish took home another state trophy, this time thanks to the softball team. The team won 1-0 against Oregon City on June 3. Junior Brooke Peterson was rounding third and attempted to run home. She collided with Lily Riley, the pitcher for Oregon City, who was covering third base during the play. The umpires decided that Lily Riley obstructed Peterson’s ability to round third base without obstruction. This resulted in Peterson, and Sheldon, earning a point and the state title.
Sydney Potter page editor
For over a decade, the girls of Sheldon High School have not been allowed by the school to participate in an official game of Powderpuff football. This has caused a commotion with the upperclassmen girls because of the unfair connotation between girls and football. It has been prevented out of fear of injury, but this year, Athletic Director Ricky Rodriguez gave the green light for the students to put together a student-run flag football game.
In a thrilling display of athleticism and teamwork, the highly-awaited Powderpuff game between the junior and the senior girls left everyone on the edge of their seats until the very last play. The intense matchup held on Friday evening on the football field, showcased the previously-unseen football skills of many talented female athletes and demonstrated the growing popularity of flag football as an annual Sheldon tradition. All of the girls who participated showed out at practices just as much as the real game. Practices were packed with these
dedicated young women to improve their skills, coached by Sheldon’s very own football players. “I didn’t really think we were going to do much at the practices, but the guys actually had a good plan and I actually feel like I improved some of my skills,” senior Mia Steinbaugh said. With this being one of the last school-orchestrated events for the seniors, they all participated and took advantage of the time with each other as the school year comes to an end.
Though it was only the first game put together in years, it was a hit with students, parents, and staff as it brought in over 100 cans of food which were donated to Food For Lane County. The stands were packed with fans of both teams, wearing their respective colors of black (seniors) or pink (juniors). Senior Olivia Feist said, “I thought the idea of making the entry fee a can of food was great. It was a good way to have fun while also helping the community.”
Throughout the game, both teams exhibited great amounts of teamwork, determination, and skill, leaving coaches beyond impressed. It was a close game, but in the end the junior girls brought home the win with a score of 17-7. Junior Carter
AP test season takes place mostly during the first half of May. For Sheldon’s AP Literature class, that means they have the last six weeks of the school year to put on a theatrical production. The two periods of the AP Literature class are putting on separate plays, one of which is a play the class has already read, and the other is entirely new to most of the students. This creates an interesting dynamic for both the students and the teacher, Andrew Cabrera, as they all attempt to put on a respectable performance within a very limited amount of preparation time.
“King Lear,” “an epic and bloody tale of ambition, betrayal and madness,” as described by AP Lit teacher Cabrera, follows a king handing down his kingdom to his daughters, which indirectly causes his descent into madness. This year’s performance will take place on June 13 at 4:30 p.m. in the auditorium.
Preparing for her big role as Queen Lear, junior Taylor Bittle has had a lot of work on her plate leading up to her performance. Bittle shared, “I feel pretty prepared; there’s still more work I need to do before the day of the performance, but I feel like I’m starting to get the hang of this character as well as acting in general.” Although this is not Bittle’s first time acting, all characters are vastly different and require both time
and effort to remain true to one’s character when performance time comes.
“A Midsummer Night’s Dream” is a “comic tale of desire, trickery, and spectacular silliness, sprinkled with magic and fairies and donkey heads,” according to Cabrera. The play follows an intertwined group of Athenians and Fairies, in which mischievous plots of romance are employed by magic. This year’s performance will take place on June 12 at 4:30 p.m. in the auditorium.
Enjoying his time acting in “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” junior Ben Krebbs has been able to gain experience in acting. Explaining the difference between his current role and past performances he has been involved with, Krebbs said, “This is not my first time acting, although comparing what I have done to Shakespeare, there is a big difference, in that it takes a lot longer to memorize specific lines, whether from how old the language is and the different/unusual sentence structures, or just bigger monologues.” Krebbs credits this year’s rendition as entertaining and short, also noting that he gets turned into a donkey within the play.
This year’s AP Lit plays have taken an interesting turn compared to previous years, and everyone should see them, not only for entertainment, but to support fellow Sheldon classmates. Everyone has put in a lot of work into these plays, and they are confident they can put on a viable performance comparable to years past.
Johnson said, “I think going into the game everyone doubted us in some aspects, but the game showed what happens when you put in that extra work to get better and become more of a team, which pays off because in the end we capped off with a win.” Despite not having the outcome that was anticipated, the graduating seniors hope that this exciting event continues to be a tradition for the Sheldon students for many years to come.
The Sheldon baseball team ended the season ranked number seventeen by OSAA with an overall record of 14-13 for the 2023 season. The team continued getting better after every game and every practice. “The season has been doing better the last few weeks because we got to practice outside,” said freshman Ty Burnham, who is on varsity. The first day of practice started February 27, and the first month of the season was filled with rain outs and wet fields.
Lots of the athletes on the baseball team have been playing for many years. “I have been playing my whole life and I want to keep playing as long as I can; I want to play in college,” said Burnham.
Lots of people forget that athletes are still students and they also have school and work outside of baseball, and it can be a struggle to keep track of it. No matter how nervous they could be feeling before a game they never seemed to play as if they were nervous.
The next season will be different because they won’t have the current seniors on the team anymore, but they will have new players joining the team and get another shot at doing well.
“I’m proud of how we came together as a team and brought in together for a play or run,” said sophomore Asher Olson.
The whole varsity baseball team has
put in a great effort in building a better team each season. All of the teammates try their very best to improve their skills and their teams skills by working together as a union. It helps them work better together when they are close with their coaches and mentors. “We have a good team environment and we are all close to our coaches,” said Burnham.
Before a game, athletes always want to be physically prepared, but people forget that being mentally prepared is also as important. There are lots of different ways to mentally prepare, like maintaining a positive attitude, maintaining a high level of selfmotivation, and using positive selftalk. Mental training helps prepare the mind to help you perform at your best. Mental factors such as confidence, focus, self-belief, and motivation are very important to an athletes’ performance and can help take an athlete to the next level if the physical ability is already there.
Sheldon students, staff, and coaches are so proud of how hard student athletes work. “I am most proud of the way we improved towards the end of the season,” said senior CJ Franklin. They have succeeded working through the obstacles of stress, pressure, and the task of balancing academics and athletics. As the school year comes to an end we have to say goodbye to all of the amazing senior athletes who worked so hard to get where they are, and how hard they will work in the future.
Many people only write for school. Some people have a strong passion for writing. There’s many different types of writing such as free writing, song writing, and journalism. Ideas for writing can come from anywhere. English teacher Jesse Lawton, a songwriter at Sheldon said, “I am not quite sure where the ideas came from. I will come up with a line or phrase and then I get another line or phrase for it. I write and then it evolves throughout the writing as it goes.”
English teacher Andrew Cabrera, also a songwriter at Sheldon said, “Lots of the times I get, from books I read or things I teach, inspired from books and poetry and fit them into my songs in less obvious ways, like lines from something I taught or looked at.”
Senior Audrey Chamberlain said, “I have actually gotten a lot of my inspiration from my biology class, especially the units that dealt with genetics. As I am writing a science fiction story, I try to take elements from real life and expand on them by adding my own sort of twist.”
Chamberlain also said, “Another place that I have gotten inspiration from is the author Brandon Sanderson, as his many books have contained, at least in my opinion, some
of the best characterization and world building that I have ever seen. I always want to make my characters feel like real people and their cultures feel like real cultures, and I think that Sanderson does that really well. I also get a lot of inspiration from my dad, as we will often discuss story ideas and he helps to refine how it all fits together, and work over things I might be stuck on.”
People have all different amounts of experience in writing. Chamberlain said, “I have been writing since about eighth grade, and I have definitely spent a lot of time working and reworking my stories. It has definitely been a lot of work to develop convincing characters and plot lines, and I have enjoyed watching my stories come together and make good connections. Overall, I would say that writing can be challenging at times, but it is also very rewarding to see something I spent so much time on come to life.”
Writers can be inspired by lots of different people. Lawton said, “One of my favorite writers of all time is Jack Kerouac; he’s a very creative writer. The thing he does is he finds all the beautiful moments throughout everything and how he writes with everything is amazing.”
Writers may not have a favorite piece they have written, while others know of their favorite piece they have written. Lawton said he favors “some albums that I did back in the
day because I am a songwriter and I wrote a song called ‘ink got jack.’ I couldn’t say I have a personal favorite because everything I’ve written has been fun.”
Chamberlain said, “My favorite thing that I have written is the current project that I am working on. It is a collection of multiple short stories that all sort of come together to complete an overarching story. The specific story that I am the most proud of is titled, ‘Father Returns,’ and is one the first stories that I have actually gone back and edited, so I feel like it is higher quality than many of the others that I have written. It also contains important interactions between two extremely different cultures, and a look into internalized sexism and the portrayal of gender roles. There are others I have written that I like, but for now, I think that ‘Father Returns’ is the one I am most proud of right now.”
Cabrera said, “I wrote a song called ‘The Woods Are Burning’ about the forest fires and it evolved after a while and I felt like it was one of the only songs that I have written that was fully true because a lot of my songs I write are based on not real things or stories.” There are tons of people who write and hopefully more that will in the future.
The 4j district has decided for the 2023-2024 school year to change the schedule. Instead of having five of the same classes five days a week, students would have A, B, and C days, and instead of five classes, we now have eight classes at the same time. Sophomore Sarai Miranda doesn’t particularly like this new schedule and would have preferred the board to ask for the students’ opinions first, but that they already made the decision and there's nothing students can do about it. Miranda also doesn't like how
there are more classes and students may not be able to see the same people and teachers every day.
Because of all of the new classes, the workload will probably be affected quite a lot. Miranda agrees with this: “It will probably give us more homework because of more classes which really sucks.” She also said that there will be less time to study for tests because there are more classes and less time.
Ninth to eleventh graders forecasted their classes for next year in advisory. They had to choose about 24 classes for the whole school year. Miranda said, “I liked forecasting. It was easy to pick all the new classes and it was quick.”
Some of the classes she forecasted for were radio broadcasting and political science. She specifically chose radio broadcasting because she had taken the class before and had enjoyed it quite a lot.
There are a lot of ups and downs to the new schedule. Some people agree that this was a good decision to make, but others don’t. Miranda said, “I would keep the old schedule. I’m already familiar with it, however, it's not a huge deal for the new schedule. If I could change it, however, I would just keep the old schedule and add a study hall or something.”
Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been becoming more mainstream in schools with the growing popularity of AI websites, including ChatGPT. Many students have been using these sites to write essays or complete work for them. Though it seems like AI is troublesome for schools, there could be some benefits of using it. For example, AI could help teachers with grading or assigning work.
Junior Faith Merwin said, “AI could benefit science or math teachers with things such as research projects, but it negatively impacts English and literature teachers.” Many students are having AI write their essays, which creates an obstacle for many English teachers to determine if AI or students wrote the assignments. Merwin said that she thinks “individuals should be able to express their knowledge without the use of AI.”
On the other hand, the use of AI is beginning to threaten the integrity of students’ work and although most use of
AI can be detected, teachers still have some trouble with deciding if a student's work is their own.
Junior Avery Walkoviak said, “There needs to be limits and restrictions on how AI is used, or even going back to more pen and paper assignments instead.” Over the past few years, many schools have become more online-based, and going back to pen and paper would be a very difficult shift, though it would also limit the use of AI.
Although Walkoviak believes there are some advantages, including, “writing essays and teaching certain subjects,” she believes that overall, “AI takes away many fundamental learning skills from students, such as writing and grammar skills.”
Junior Alexa Burger said, “I think it is a waste of students' time using AI to cheat because you aren’t gaining any real knowledge.” AI can be useful at times to finish an assignment, but once a test comes around, students won’t be as prepared as they should. Burger did mention the possible benefits of AI: “It helps students check their work,
and if you are outside the classroom it can help you learn when your teacher isn’t [available].”
As the use of AI is becoming more popular, schools have to figure out ways to actively teach students without them cheating or utilizing AI, especially since technology is a very crucial part of education in today’s world.
Frontpage editor..............................Natalie Kaiser
Pop Culture pg.2 editor....................Sydney Potter
Summer in Eugene pg.3 editor......... Ella Schmeling
Reflection pg.4 editor......................Sofia El-Shammaa
Future pg.5 editor...........................Sofia Kokkino
Staff Writers:
Rylee Brennan
Caedin Brown
Osvaldo Canchola Garcia
Bethany Cochran
Will Haverland
Jyce Jones
Kamani Melton-Winger
India Mohiuddin
Lola Peterson
Ulises Ruiz Lopez
Laura Stanton
Noah Steeves
Nathan
Witherspoon
Centre Spread pg.6-7 editor......Victoria Wolf
University pg.8 editor...............Natalie Kaiser
Teachers pg.9 editor................ Sofia El-Shammaa
Events pg.10 editor.................. Brady Rust
Student Issues pg.11 editor....... Gabby Steele
Backpage editor......................Sofia El-Shammaa
Editor-in-chief......................... Victoria Wolf
Staff Adviser............................ Greg Cantwell
