Volume 44 Issue 1 - October 2, 2008 by The Talisman

New Band Teacher

Girls Soccer

“Luck” of the Irish

page 3

page 7

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the Talisman shstalisman@gmail.com

a student newspaper

Sheldon High School 2455 willakenzie Rd., Eugene, Or 97401 vol. 44 Issue 1 Oct. 2, 2008

ASB officers work hard once elected Sheldon students benefit from all the hard work put in by ASB officers by Anthony Rhoads ads manager The Associated Student Body (ASB) seldom receives schoolwide recognition for the work they do and the contributions they make to Sheldon High School. They work quite hard at the set up that they do in preparation for all the activities that are fun for us, as the student body. They organize dances, assemblies, and community involvement projects. When students pay for parking passes and student body cards, they are contributing to all the activities that ASB puts on. ASB has seven members: president Olivia Girod, vice president Kendra Desler, treasurer Ali Kerns, publicity Annie Mohler, and two activity directors, Olivia Alison and Brad Bevens. Each member works very hard to put on all of the activities. Girod said, “To get ideas, we go to Seaside in November to share ideas with other schools.” Girod also stated, “We meet three times a week: Sunday for just ASB, Monday for executive leadership, and on Wednesday for big leadership. You need a 2.5 GPA, and passing all classes and no drug or alcohol use to be in ASB.” Girod said people can join ASB in the spring; ASB elections candidates campaign the week before, and then give speeches at an ASB elections assembly. Girod said in addition, “It’s a huge amount of responsibility, also a very large time commitment.” The meaning, or goal, of ASB according to Girod is, “To increase school spirit, increase community involvement,

and to beautify the school.” When they get ready to put on an activity she said, “It takes a lot of preparation and organization to make sure the events run smoothly and are fun for everyone.” ASB is not just student organized, as Girod said. “We do have advisers who are all hard working and help to ensure that everything runs smoothly.” Some of the upcoming events are the fundraiser, “Snowﬂakes of Joy,” and its corresponding dance. Michael Voss said that the meaning of ASB is, “It provides leadership and a boost

of school spirit, and it affects the student body by, showing what leadership looks like and how to be involved.” Vice principal Mike Johnson said, “ASB is a representation of what the student body wants to happen at school and provides what students need to have a student voice on the campus.” Johnson also said, “ASB over all is a support group for the student body, and an important link between administration and the students. For me personally, I have to applaud them for taking that responsibility.”

Molly Morris photo

The hello dance is just one of the many dances ASB ofﬁcers help organize throughout the year.

Letter of concern forms make Sheldon safer New forms allow students to help inform staff of school problems by Michael Zimmerman staff writer The intent of a letter or statement of concern is to alert the staff of Sheldon High School about anything that had or will have an effect on the campus. Beginning television teacher Pam Crisalli said, “The school started to use the letters of concern forms after the incident last year when a new student brought a gun to Sheldon High School and started to ask about gangs in the area.” It is a way for

students, parents, or the community to bring awareness to something that has happened or is happening on school grounds. In the past, statement of concern forms have saved and protected students and staff from harassment and various other circumstances. Campus supervisor TJ Johnson said, “You can fill out a concern form for anything ranging from harassment, threats, to even anything not directly involved with you, but someone else.” These forms are really easy to find. If you are having a problem, just go to the office or to your counselor and ask for a letter of concern form. They are yellow with bold letters marked at the top saying “Statement of Concern Form.” You write about who the person who started the conflict is and what exactly happened. Multicultural studies teacher Jose Alonso said, ”If not explained all the way on what is going on in the conflict, then conflicts may not be solved all the way,

then you will get the feeling that this system isn’t useful.” A lot of students who go through high school being bullied tend to not try to stand up for themselves or tell someone. Either because of what the bully or harasser will do after the person has told on them, or because of the “silent rule,” which says, “It’s not cool to tattle tale on someone.” It is because of these reasons or “silent rules” that people like the two boys from the Columbine incident decided that the only way to solve a problem was to bring guns to school and start shooting people. But the truth is that no one has the right to bully or harass anyone because no one should have to go through their whole high school experience afraid or nervous about what the next day will be like. Alonso said, “The schools image is number two on the list of importance; the number one goal is to stop any harassment going on in school.”

New Internet Authenticator Service helps track internet use IAS program tracks user web history by Adam Green features editor In past years the 4J school district has struggled with keeping students in check on school computers. Websites associated with games, chat rooms, or social networking such as MySpace, Addicting Games, and Teen Chat, have been banned from school computers. The district has been trying to ﬁnd a way to completely block students from accessing sites like these for some time, but the methods the district has used have continually been thwarted by proxy servers that allow students backdoor access to any webpage. Could the solution to this problem have been found, or will the attempt only create new problems? This year, all 4J schools have been equipped with an Internet Authentication Service (IAS). IAS prompts

teachers and students alike for their username and password when trying to access the internet. While logged in, the authenticator scans the site for key words and phrases before allowing access. If it detects inappropriate material, the authenticator will block the page. Since the page itself is scanned beforehand rather than just the name, proxy servers can no longer falsify the name of the sites to allow backdoor access into them. With this new system, every time someone tries to visit a website unrelated to 4J, everyone is asked to put in his or her username and password. Once logged in a small window pops up. While this window is running, the user remains logged in. Students can learn their username and password by talking to their teacher, the librarian, or technology director Bob Cherney in the technology department. If someone ﬁnds the initial password difﬁcult to remember, all passwords can be changed by going to the website https://password.lane.edu. However,

librarian Melinda Warburg had the following to say about password changing, “We have recently been encouraging students not to change their password. It has to go through a set of processes at the district level which may take time and if you need on the internet right then, you’re out of luck. And if you forget it, I have no way of accessing that.” Not to fear. If the changed password is forgotten, it can be recovered by talking to Cherney. The 4J school district has a very vague description of what is appropriate and what is inappropriate. The Children Internet Protection Act (CIPA) implemented in 2001 states “Schools subject to CIPA are required to adopt and enforce a policy to monitor online activities of minors.” Although the “appropriate use guidelines” page on the 4J website does not directly disallow games, chat rooms, or social networking sites, Sheldon High School speciﬁcally bans them, as is stated in the school handbook. see Authenticator page 3

2 October 2, 2008

News

the Talisman

Presidential election 2008 is near McCain vs Obama: election to change the future? by Molly Morris centerspread editor

We’ve all heard about the history-making election that is happening this year. Either our country takes a big step in electing the first black president, or rather the first male president to not be white, or the first woman vice president. Junior Erin Vickroy said, “It’s really good that we’ve gotten to the point of having a woman vice president and a black president nominated.” This year’s election is showing up everywhere from news broadcasts and television shows, to our recent pop culture. Almost everywhere

you go nowadays, someone is talking about who they are going to vote for and why they think that person should win. If you’re not a Barack Obama fan, but favor John McCain, there is a new campaign headquarters in Oregon City. The Obama “campaign for change” headquarters is on 150 West Broadway in downtown Eugene. If you’re unable to vote, help out at the nearest campaign office. In September, Barack Obama gave a speech in Dover, New Hampshire. Many commented that he was sporting a new tone to his fight for the presidency. Of Obama’s speaking ability, junior Angela Widmer said, “Obama rocks my socks!” For those of you who watch television all day, you might have noticed one of Obama’s newest ads against McCain. This ad is the most pointed criticism against his opponent so far in the race. Obama’s new tone will soon be heard in interviews and ads broadcasted in the five swing states (Ohio, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Florida, and Nevada). A theme for some of the advertisements will be

“pay equity for women.” Senior Mandi White stated, “It’s about time [that we had a black man run for president].” The way that McCain and Sarah Palin were greeted at a recent campaign stop has been said to be reminiscent of greetings for Prince Charles and Princess Diana. Though Charles had the strong royal background, Diana was the young new face that seemed to draw people in. Also, Diana’s inexperience and youth made people think she was perfect for the job because she could be molded into it. Even when she told about her problems and imperfections, everyone just seemed to love Diana that much more. Though older than Diana was, Palin’s inexperience makes the people of the U.S. think she is perfect. The more her personal and family issues are revealed, the more everyone loves her. No matter who one supports, this 2008 election is going to be close and exciting. Our country has made it so far from our history, with the election holding either a woman as vice president or a black man as president.

Student jobs: time balance is difficult task Is having a job harder to manage as a student? by Bethany Jordan copy editor

As most students know, each passing year in high school brings a new slew of responsibilities that are in preparation for adulthood. For most sophomores, juniors, and seniors, this often means entering the workforce and finding a job. This new responsibility for upperclassmen is sometimes welcomed, other times not. It can either be the result of a goading parent or simply a student wanting more freedom, but most of all, money. The money earned from working consistently is not just great for spending, but also an advantageous way to start saving for a car or the ever-increasing cost of college tuition. Unfortunately, finding a job in today’s society is not always easy. Because of the economic conditions the United States is currently hurdling, even landing an interview with a company is getting increasingly difficult. However, there are certain resources, tips, and tricks to scoring that perfect high-paying position while still in high school.

With technological resources at their peak, using the internet to conduct your job hunt may be the quickest, easiest, and most efficient way to find which companies in your area are hiring. Some websites are specifically dedicated to job postings like www.monster.com, www. careerbuilder.com, and www.eugenejobs.net. Others, such as www.craigslist.org, have a range of uses, but allow you to search through many job categories like ‘retail’ and ‘sales’ for those specific postings. Some students use a more basic way to find out which companies are hiring. Junior Brandon Shaw suggested his method, “I go to the store and say, ‘Hey, give me an application.’” Some important qualities to look for in a prospective job are first and foremost, whether it would be a long-term position that as a student, would work with your school schedule. Another key factor in finding a job best fit for you is to gauge how badly you need it against how probable it is that the places you are applying will hire a high school student. While some companies are notorious for hiring students that are ages sixteen and older, others are very specific in saying they require a high school diploma or equivalent. The companies that do hire high school students are often the more popular places to work and in some way appeal to a younger crowd. Junior Alex Huynh suggested that

some of the most desired places to work are “electronic stores like Best Buy, Circuit City, and RadioShack.” Huynh also suggested that these places are more popular than others because of the discounts they offer to employees. On the same token, there are also places that are widely undesired among Sheldon students. “Nobody wants to work at a fast food place,” stressed Huynh. Finding a job that appeals to your interests will increase the likelihood you will enjoy it, and in some cases, can also help you choose a future career. For some, like junior Hannah Albright, deciding where to work is half of the battle. “Choosing what you want to do and narrowing it down is one of the hardest parts,” said Albright. Once you have scored a job, it may be a challenge to manage time in between school, work, and any extra curricular activities outside of school. Albright said, “It’s hard to balance it out. It was hard for me to keep up with both cross country and work. I checked my schedule to make sure when I had to work didn’t coincide with when I had to run.” While sometimes stressful, the benefits of having a job in high school are substantial in the long run. With a positive disposition, discipline, and a welcoming attitude towards heightened responsibility, having a job in your later years of high school and even into college is attainable.

Irish Nation: new incentives for school spirit A new and enthusiastic cheering section for our dedicated athletes by Julisa Hall staff writer This year at Sheldon High School, there is a new way to draw in students to participate in school spirit, called Irish Nation. Olivia Girod, ASB (Associated Student Body) president, who has defined Irish Nation said “Its

a student lead group that helps promote better school spirit and better sportsmanship. One of the aspects of Irish Nation is that it is aimed at helping everyone, even those with financial difficulties. She went on to describe other attributes “We are more than willing to help students who have financial hard-ships. All the student has to do is go talk to the new athletic director, Mr. Binkerd individually, and he will decide if the student qualifies.” This will hopefully be a tradition but this is just a trial year. The idea of Irish Nation came from Binkerd who created The Miller Mob at Springfield High School. Since his transfer, Binkerd has noticed poor sportsmanship in all of the 4j schools. When you pay to be a part of Irish Nation it comes with a contract, stating that its members will obey what is said. “The contract is just a little form, but means so much.” Binkerd feels that when you sign a document, you are putting yourself and who you represent on the line. Mr. Binkerd also stated, “When you are wearing an Irish Nation shirt, people know you are from Sheldon, so you are not just another face in the crowd. People in our community know where we come from and when we put our names on a contract, we are automatically taking responsibility for things students at Sheldon may do wrong. It is better for the school that we are known for the good vibe we put out, and not for the bad.” We are almost equivalent

to the pit crew for U of O, except we sign a contract. The perks of being a member of Irish Nation include: priority seating during home games, free admission to the tailgater, and in the future free football or basketball games. Binkard is open to any suggestions any students may have concerning extra curricular activities to support Irish Nation, He is available every day of the week.

Talisman Staff Coeditor-in-Chief Coeditor-in-Chief Backpage Editor Ads Manager Centerspead Editor Features Editor Frontpage Editor Opinions Editor Sports Editor News Editor Copy Editor Staff Writer Staff Writer Staff Writer Staff Writer Staff Writer Staff Writer Staff Advisor

Michael Chase Jeff Toreson Alicia Luck Anthony Rhoads Molly Morris Adam Green Jeff Toreson Lauren Scott Michael Chase Brittney Schooley Bethany Jordan Jordan Belcher Kyle Cramer Julisa Hall Chelsea Laflam Johnnie Ramirez Michael Zimmerman 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.

Features

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Teens struggle with school anxiety Different ways students can deal with school related stress by Lauren Scott opinions editor Eek! You have two essays due tomorrow, your parents want you to babysit for a week, you’re juggling a part time job, your diet consists mainly of caffeinated products, a huge social studies project needs to be finished tonight, and to top it all off, hours of community service are looming over your head. Welcome back Sheldon, to the inevitable part of your high school life – stress. Sure it’s only the beginning of the year, but anxiety-ridden teens are not an unfamiliar sight in the hallways. Seniors are pressured not to trip at the proverbial “finish line,” while juniors are expected to be applying for college and taking the SATs, which could affect the course of their entire lives. According to the school mental health therapist Joy Lum, “Academic stress is related to other stresses. It is pretty common for people to feel stressed when they lose support or resources.” Lum said there are not only mental consequences of stress, but physical as well. “Sleeplessness is a big one. If you’re worried, you’ll probably lack sleep which leads to lack of concentration. Sometimes anxiety can lead to sugar cravings. Physically, you can feel lousy. Long term stress is really tough on your body.” Students cope with school stress in many different ways. Junior Chelsea Schwartze said, “I’m on the swim team, [so] I swim for a few hours. I stay involved with school sports.” Sophomore Jessica Fraeman stated, “I talk to my parents or do something not stressful after school.” There are two things you can do at Sheldon if you find those pesky nervous tensions sneaking up on you again. The first is to visit the Health Center if feeling severe anxiety. The second would be to make an appointment with your counselor. He or she can help you find a way to balance all your activities and schoolwork. Lum also suggests school clubs and sports as a way to do away with the strains of school so you can have a fantastic year!

Homecoming is just around the corner The football game and dance are high school traditions by Jordan Belcher staff writer The start of a new school year welcomes the preparation and excitement involved with the age-old tradition of homecoming. Homecoming, a blanket term for a football game and a dance following one or more away games, is a celebration aimed at boosting school spirit and to celebrate the school. One aspect that is heavily looked forward to is the announcement of the homecoming king and queen, a title that some students hold with high regard. It is also tradition that the homecoming dance will have a theme. While some embrace the theme, others do not. “I won’t dress to match the theme unless it is jungle themed,” said sophomore Bailey Streeter. For others, going to homecoming just means having fun. “I go just to have a good time,” said sophomore Jake Brown. Much effort is put in to the organization, decoration, and safety of homecoming, but some don’t realize exactly how much. “I’ve never been to it so I can’t really appreciate the preparation,” said senior Damon Smith. Though homecoming is a celebration intended to allow students to have fun, there has been some controversy about the dance. There have been rules instilled to limit the way students are able to dance in order to keep the dance clean, safe, and appropriate. As it stands now, homecoming is for all students, but some do not agree with that. “I think homecoming should be for just upperclassmen because they are more mature,” said junior Taylor Evans. This year, the homecoming football game is on Friday October 24 at 7 p.m. Sheldon will play the South Eugene Axemen. The dance is the following Saturday from 8:30-11:00 p.m.

October 2, 2008

Coming back to school How are Sheldon High students reacting to new school year? by Chelsea LaFlam staff writer At the beginning of the year, some students are returning to familiar hallways, as others are walking into an entirely new environment. Some students are ambitious about the new year. However, many are dreading the hours of homework they know awaits them. Students may find this year to seem more overwhelming than previous years Students like Senior Camilla Eide were quite excited about this year. She declared, “Being in American school is great! It is so different from Norwegian school. The classes here are much better.” Other students share the same enthusiasm. Junior Tahani Yoakum said, “I love

school and [I] am so glad to be back with my peers and friends.” While freshmen are more likely to be excited or nervous for school, sophomores and upperclassmen seem to be used to the routine or eager to finish. Senior Clyde Simmons said, “I am looking forward to my last year of high school and all the changes that are going to come once I am done with school.” Sheldon High School is increasing in both population and diversity as the years progress due to the welcoming of students from other school districts and other countries. As a result, our hallways are beginning to become more crowded and there are those who are not too happy about how populous the school is getting. Sophomore Hillary Baumgart remarked, “The people at our school are so loud and annoying sometimes.” Because of this issue, some classes are overflowing and the parking lots are more than full. Debi Brooks said, “We have already sold 310 parking passes and I am not sure on how many are left.”

Shira Fadeley: the new band teacher Sheldon welcomes a new teacher to the 2008-2009 staff

Since the school has grown, more students are unable to get into the classes they want. Some students with Sheldon’s two-day-withdrawal rule, although few schools are set up in a way that students can drop or add classes whenever they like as long as they do so within the term. Junior Dalannah Gheen claimed, “I have already gotten a lot of homework this year and it is stressful.” The school year has only begun and students are already having a difficult time with stress, this odd weather, and overwhelming homework loads. However, even though things are tough now and the road to the end of the year may look gray, it is important to look forward optimistically. Being at school may not be the easiest or most fun thing for students to keep up with, but they should enjoy it now before it is too late. Soon enough, high school students will be paying bills, going to work, and raising a family. So maybe consider relaxing a little bit. Have fun, relax, and the school year will fly right by.

Band student Caitlin LeDuc said, “Band is going to be amazing this year. Shira is a great teacher and we are lucky to have her.” Fadeley was introduced to the marching band during band camp. The first home football game was Friday, September 19, where the band performed two-thirds of their new marching show. It was decided by the band staff that help run the marching in late April that the marching show would be a three part musical melody using music from the video game Halo. The music was written by the drum line instructor Jeff Tinsley. This year the Sheldon band is going to be different, but everyone is happy to have such as nice person as the new band director.

by Alicia Luck backpage editor

Shira Fadeley took over teaching Sheldon High School Band after Tracy Ross was offered an administrative job at Lebanon High School. This came as a great shock to many of the band students because they expected Mrs. Ross to always be the band teacher. Mrs. Ross taught here at Sheldon High School for seven years. Fadeley said, “I took this job because of the great teacher who came before me. That’s the reason I took this job not because I was looking for one.” She continued, “Tracy Ross built a great program here at Sheldon.” Fadeley previously taught at South Salem High School. If you ask any band student you will get a different opinion on what is going to happen this year without Tracy Ross. Band Council member Kathleen Richter said, “Mrs. Ross and Shira are both great teachers, but they operate differently as a band director.”

Alicia Luck photo

In her first year at Sheldon, new band teacher Shira Fadeley has a strong tradition of quality performances to live up to.

New Internet Authentication System (Continued from page 1) by Adam Green features editor

The IAS is a requirement by the 4J district, but many faculty members seem to dislike this new way of monitoring internet use. Cherney said, “I don’t like this new system. I like the old way better. I think it will solve some problems but create new ones.” Warburg added, “I don’t think it will solve the problem very well. The education on using the system is lacking. I can only imagine passing

out passwords every year if this system stays in place… I believe in freedom for everything. For students who have internet access at home this is not such a problem but for those who do not, they need to be able to look freely on the internet to find what they need.” There are many problems with this system and some staff members feel strongly about this subject. Warburg began stating all the problems with the authenticator, counting each one on her fingers, “Well, incorrect passwords have been given out and the student and teachers are not-well taught on use of this system. Also, before, Bob Cherney or myself, was able to go through individually and using proxies, block specific web pages. Now we cannot.” It is obviously

a controversial issue among some faculty members. Students have also had a difficult time using it. Freshman Sally Stender said, “It’s a good idea but I think they are too strict on some stuff. I couldn’t get onto a site I needed for a report on Queen Elizabeth.” However, Warburg reassures, “This system is no different really. Simply be wise. It is supposed to be used to help with the education process.” Although the authenticator comes with more problems than solutions, if you know how to use it, internet use will not be much different. Be smart, use the internet for what it was meant to be used for, and online surfing can be a breeze. Sure problems will arise, but as Cherney said, “[The Authenticator] is only getting better.”

Fall Sports Thurs., October 2

Football

N. Medford @ Sheldon Girls Volleyball 7:00 P.M.

Volleyball

Fri., October 3 Roseburg @ Sheldon Football 7:00 P.M.

Tues., October 7

Cross Country

Sheldon @ S. Eugene Boys Soccer 6:00 P.M.

Soccer

S. Eugene @ Sheldon Girls Soccer 6:00 P.M. Sheldon @ S. Medford Girls Volleyball 7:00 P.M.

6 October 2, 2008

Opinions

the Talisman

Ask the Staff: Students are feeling What is the Best Song Ever Made? Michael Chase - Editor in Chief

“Wonderful Merciful Savior” and “Prince of Peace”: they are a great way to lift me up.

Jeff Toreson - Editor in Chief

“Lollipop” by MIKA: because it gets me pumped up!

Alicia Luck - Backpage Editor

“The End of the World” by Three Dog Night: because no one in the history of the world can sing fast enough to hit all the notes.

Lauren Scott: Opinions Page Editor

“Kiss the Girl” by Sebastian: because every time you hear it, you have this weirdly intense urge to grab some random person and kiss them!

Bethany Jordan: Copy Editor

“Dame Un Poco Mas” by MDO: for obvious reasons.

Anthony Rhoads: Staff Writer

“Hotel California” by The Eagles: because of the rhythm.

Julisa Hall: Staff Writer

“Under Pressure” by David Bowie and Queen: because it’s amazing! It represents how people feel.

Michael Zimmerman: Staff Writer

“Florescent Adolescent” by Arctic Monkeys: because it just brightens your day!

Adam Green: Features Page Editor

“Comatose” by Skillet: for the good use of string and rock.

Jordan Belcher: Staff Writer

“But I Could be Wrong” by Tim Wilson: because it’s funny.

the typical hallway chill Students are left wondering why it is so cold at Sheldon High School and if there is a solution by Jeff Toreson coeditor-in-chief As the 2008-09 school year kicks in to full force, some questions may start to arise as to why Sheldon is so cold. Regardless of which season it is, there will always be some classrooms that are an uncomfortable temperature. The temperature problem is not just in the classrooms — the open hallways seem to always be cold as well. Sheldon students want to know just one thing: Why is it so cold here at Sheldon? There are many causes for the school being as cold as it is. Some of which staff and students can not control, such as the [California design] of the school. “Sheldon needs to take the tents out and fill it with ceiling,” said junior Christine Johnson on her thoughts of how to

Today’s lyrics: too violent? Change is sweeping the music frontier, but students are asking: is it for the better? by Brittney Schooley news editor

Chelsea LaFlam: Staff Writer

“Kashmir” by Led Zeppelin: because it’s a good old song.

Brittney Schooley: News Page Editor

“My Girl” by The Temptations: because it’s full of love and pure happiness (and catchy)!

Johnnie Ramirez: Staff Writer

“Disturbia” by Rihanna: because it just gets stuck in your head!

Molly Morris: Centerspread Editor

“With a Little Help From My Friends” by the Beatles: because no one can get by without a little help from their friends.

Kyle Cramer: Staff Writer

“What is Love “ by Haddaway: because it makes me feel relaxed.

help heat up Sheldon. Johnson brings up a very good point. The tents in the hallways were put in to save the school money on lighting cost and also keep the hallways free of snow and rain. It serves the purpose of light, but what about heating? The school has to spend extra money to heat the hallways. The logical thing for the school board to do would be to fill the tents in with something that would serve for both heat and light. Churchill High School also had a California-designed school with open halls and tents to cover the locker bays. Churchill solved some of their temperature problems by replacing their tents with some windows that served for both light and insulation for their halls. Vice principle Mike Johnson said that he had once tried to have some windows installed to replace the tents, but the school district would not allow him to do it at the time. The future looks cold for students roaming Sheldon hallways. You now have to ask yourself: What can I do to make myself warm up? Christine Johnson said, “Students need to wear more clothes if they are cold and take some clothes off if they are too hot.” Sheldon staff and students may have to deal with the hallway chill for years to come as the school board continues to be stubborn and does not allow for a solution for the hallway tents.

Some people in the world, from culture-to-culture or state-to-state, have seen the change in music lyrics throughout the years. Every year new artists top the charts and make huge hits. With the different types of music there are, it’s hard to keep track of the changes first hand. Music of this generation has evolved drastically over time. The types that people used to endure in the 70s and 80s were all about love and happiness, but now it seems as if that isn’t expected from today’s artists. Often now sexuality is expressed in forms of explicit lyrics degrading women as well as abusing the use of alcohol and drugs. Some songs are full of gang-related violence, descriptions of criminal activities, or there is profanity and other words that are offensive. The types of music in today’s society refer to people’s emotions and experiences in their lives. The country has many different genres. Rock, alternative, metal, pop, hip-

hop, rap, experimental, ambient, indie, punk, country, R&B, folk, and grunge are just some of the genres that are listened to by various people. Some song’s lyrics are about revenge, animosity, inspiration, and messages to express concern of politics or religion. Music is a large, influential part in some people’s lives. Past lyrics expressed happiness such as, “I’ve got sunshine on a cloudy day, when it’s cold outside, I’ve got the month of May…” from the song “My Girl” by The Temptations. Now some lyrics are considered so offensive that they are censored in text, on the radio stations, and on television channels. How does this affect the communities in our region? Sophomore Alyssa Brosig said lyrics in today’s media are “boring, lame, and discriminate” and that “now hip-hop and rap are more common and people just talk about violence and sex.” Sophomore Austin Neet said lyrics today are “full of lies” and that compared to past generations the most noticeable change is that “back then it was more classic and now is hardcore, people sing so fast that you can’t understand them.” Junior Rebekah Blake and sophomore Lizzy Bloomfeldt suggested that their change in music is most seen in the “clothing choice in music videos and the meaning of the lyrics.” Blake and Bloomfeldt agreed that they think pessimistic lyrics connect more with society than encouraging lyrics because “it fits in to what is going on in the world better.”

Lacking student sections at every game but football Irish spirit is lacking at less popular sporting events by Michael Chase coeditor-in-chief Go to any Irish home football game and on the right side of the bleachers there will always be an energetic mob of students screaming their lungs out for the defending state champions. Then go to a soccer, basketball, baseball, or softball game, or swim meet, volleyball, or water polo match. What do you see? Proud parents cheering on their sons or daughters and a few select friends of the players sitting down wishing them luck. After looking at that, ask yourself this question: Where are all the crazy fans with their faces painted screaming their lungs out for this game? The fact is, football is the dominant sport at Sheldon, which makes sense as to why it always has a large fan

base at all the games. As for any other sporting event at Sheldon? Not so much. While other Irish teams may show the same dominance as the football team, the seats in the stands prove the point that Sheldon students are football fans and not much else. However, the blame can’t fall solely on the students. Every week of an away football game the announcements always have a special message giving the price for a ride to and from the games on the rooter bus. When has anyone else ever heard of a rooter bus announcement for an away soccer game or a basketball game? In the over two years that I have been attending Sheldon, I have not once heard about a rooter bus for an away game for any other sport besides football. The term “home-field advantage” is traditionally brought up at every game where the home team is cheered on more than the visiting team. While the Irish only have three home games this season, the amount of parents and students who go to the away games all but eliminate the opponent’s home field advantage, which gives the Irish players a boost in morale and, in turn, helps them play to their fullest potential. If the administration offers a rooter

bus it would cost more money, but if we spend it almost every week for football games, shouldn’t we use the same resources to give our other teams the same advantages? In no way am I bashing the Irish football players and staff. I am just merely bringing into the picture the fact that student sections should be an integral part of all sporting events. Basketball student sections at Sheldon, in my opinion, are the worst. Last year, at most, there were three rows of students standing up, being loud, and heckling the other team all in good fun and respect. Sorry, but three rows don’t affect an opponent as much as a whole bleacher section. It never helps that underclassmen take all the good seats at basketball games and sit and text the whole game. If you plan on doing that, don’t bother showing up. A student section is for being loud and being around friends, not sitting around and gossiping. I am all for school spirit and cheering on our Irish teams at their games. I just think that if people are so committed to cheering on the football team every week, why can’t the student body show the same enthusiasm and support for all of the other Sheldon teams? Show your Irish pride for all teams and show everyone you care.

Sports

the Talisman

Girls varsity soccer prepared to dominate Three freshmen make team, ready to contribute to team’s great success by Johnnie Ramirez staff writer Shooting, passing, and dribbling the ball down the ﬁeld are some of the many things that soccer players strive to get better at everyday. For some girls, however, it just comes easily. They make it seem simple when it’s really not and that’s why three freshmen girls, Marissa Specht, Caitlin Castillo, and Kate Trahan made the varsity soccer team. “When I found out I made varsity, I was shocked, amazed and nervous,” Specht stated. “I thought I had a chance, but it was a very, very low chance. I felt I would have to work extremely hard, like go above and beyond to even be considered making varsity. I was more concerned on just making JV 1.” Assistant coach Laura Kent said, “When I ﬁrst saw Marissa tryout I noticed that she was very technically sound and she had skills that met and exceeded the skill level of her peers.” The last freshman to make the varsity team was Taylor Housley, who is now a junior. “We don’t look at age; we look at talent,” Johnson mentioned. “As a coach you love to have players like [these three freshmen] because of their ethic and coachability. You can tell that they’re there to improve everyday.” The competitive tryouts for all players was in late August, where players had to tryout with about 50 other girls hoping to make a team. Tryouts started at 8 a.m. and ended at 10 a.m.; they would go back later that day at 3

p.m. and practice until about 5 p.m. Daily doubles were their tryouts. Coach Johnson stated, “Choosing teams after daily doubles is always hard every season.” The first practice of the day was mostly the conditioning with head coach Jose Da Silva, former soccer player at University of Oregon; T.J. Johnson, the J.V. coach Adam Barton; and Natasha Cohen, who is the J.V. 2 soccer coach. Specht, Castillo, and Trahan would all do their stretches and warm ups together with the other girls, but they stuck out to the coaches. “When I first saw Marisa, Kate, and Caitlin tryout I was impressed with their technical and tactical skills. It can be hard to come into an established program as a young player and play with confidence, but they showed no intimidation,” coach Johnson said. Specht grew up playing soccer. She played on the Sheldon Heat in elementary school and half of middle school. Then, for the rest of middle school, she respectfully needed a challenge and left to play for the F.C. Willamette club team, where Castillo played as well. Specht said, “High school soccer is more challenging and competitive than middle school; they expect you to know all the fundamentals.” Trahan played for the competitive club team, EMFC. “The season has started off strong. I think we’ve had some games that we lost but we’ve learned from them,” said Coach Kent. “Our goal is to win league again, get deeper into the playoffs, and win state.” Coach Johnson stated, “The season has started of great. You would think we have been playing as a team longer than four weeks. We are meeting our goal by improving week to week.”

Committed junior shares all Having already commited to play for Oregon after he graduates, Curtis White is ready to prove his worth by Kyle Cramer staff writer Curtis White had a successful season last year on the Sheldon Irish football team. Sheldon fans wish him and the team the same luck this year as they did last year. White has been heavily involved in Sheldon football, as well as in the community, which shows all the progress he has made as an athlete. White is a determined football player and works well with his team during practice and games. He strives to become a football legend and hopes to play for the University of Oregon and possibly in the NFL. Fans are eager to know what will happen during the varsity team’s football season. Though the team’s progress is improving, some students may wonder what the rival teams’ progress is like. White said, “If we play together and play well, the possibilities are endless.” He also said that he feels more prepared for this season than he did last year. As most students know, for several years in a row now, the Irish have made it to the playoffs. Last year the Irish won the State Championship which was a great honor for the team as well as Sheldon High School. White said, “I hope, along with my teammates, to go to the State

Michael Chase photo

Junior football player Curtis White knows when to have fun and when to be disciplined Championship again this year and win.” As wonderful as this may be, White said, “It’s like having a target on your back and every school highlights us on their schedule which gives them a chance to beat us.” He said that South Medford should be a challenge this year. Others might wonder what will be Sheldon’s luck this year. However, no matter how this year’s season goes, Curtis White and the team will still be admired throughout Sheldon history for their accomplishments.

How it feels to...

by Jeff Toreson coeditor-in-chief

A seasonal feature spotlighting prominent Sheldon athletes, and what it feels like when they accomplish amazing things be one of the highest ranked recruits in the state of Oregon? “It feels good to know that everything I’ve done in the past few years has worked out. It’s also nice knowing I’ll be able to go to college for free, and have a choice of where I want to go.” - Charles Siddoway

photo courtesy of Charles Siddoway

-Charles Siddoway, shown at left with Alabama coach Nick Saban during his recruit visit, has been sought after by teams such as the Crimson Tide, Oregon, UCLA, and Arizona State

October 2, 2008

Matt Binkerd: Sheldon’s new athletic director

Michael Chase photo

Athletic director Matt Binkerd works hard to make sure all athletic and school-based events run smoothly

One of the newest members of the Sheldon staff, Mr. Binkerd is committed to preserving the integrity of Sheldon athletics by Michael Chase coeditor-in-chief High ethical standards, loyalty, honesty, and an advocate for kids. These qualities are among the several which vice principal Mike Johnson considered for hiring Sheldon’s new athletic director. He and the hiring committee found those qualities in Matt Binkerd. When Johnson was asked why he hired Binkerd, the answer was simple: “Because he is the best. Sheldon always wants the best.” The former athletic director, football, and track coach at Springfield High School, Binkerd said his wife and young children played a great factor in coming to Sheldon. “Sheldon was a great fit due to the proximity of where my family and I live, which is in Coburg. With two young sons and a daughter (ages 9, 7, and 5), it just made sense.” An unknown fact about Binkerd? “My father was an [athletic director] when I was a kid, so it was kind of cool to say that it could be something that runs in our family.” Binkerd also said he appreciates working at a school with a strong sense of school spirit. “Positive school spirit is nice. Fans represent Sheldon High School at all events, so they need to watch what they say, what they do, and how they act. I get all the phone calls [regarding bad behavior].” When asked what his feelings were about the atmosphere at Sheldon, he said, “I liked Springfield High and the campus, and here it’s just a different feeling. I am very impressed with the campus atmosphere as a whole. In general, everyone seems very well-mannered and respectful, and they have a lot of pride in what they do.” Binkerd also gave some advice to people who may not know him just yet. “I’ve been involved in the classroom for the last ten years as a social studies teacher and understand the importance of the concept of studentathletes being ‘students first, athletes second.’ I also appreciate and support all students who are involved with any co-curricular program at SHS.”

BACKPAGE

“Luck” of the Sheldon Irish The ups and downs of the school year wage war on the backpage editor

many people in this school, but I would like to make new friends. I’m scared to see what life has in store for me this year because I’m a junior in IHS which means lots of late nights and a mountain of homework piled up in my backpack (even the teachers admit it’s hard). Let me give everyone a little piece of advice: work hard no matter what. I learned that lesson the hard way during sophomore year, and I never plan on letting anything pass me by . Don’t live your life like it doesn’t mean anything because as much as you don’t think schoolwork or high school means anything it does. What does school mean to you? Well, to me, and probably to a lot of other people, it means that if you do well in high school you can get into college and then from there on you can ﬁnd a job. I also think that high school is about growing up and understanding things that you might not have understood before. I’ve learned a lot just in this past year that I think have changed my

by Alicia Luck backpage editor

Welcome back, Sheldon High! This year is going to be exciting! I’m not sure what that means but we should all be ready for anything. To those new students, buckle in your seatbelts because it’s going to be quite a ride . A school year is a lot of days, but sometimes a week can change your life. These last couple of years have been quite a blur for me and this year I think I’m going to try and slow it down. I know

Word Search of Sheldon clubs and sports m

football soccer petanque lacrosse volleyball hockey ultimate frisbee archery bowling baseball softball golf tennis

waterpolo basketball chess equestrian french yearbook newspaper dance team cheerleading choir band harry potter GSA

feminist guitar shredding key break dancing debate drama art black student dubs french fbla choir knitting

korean student latino student leadership multicultral orchestra national honor peer mentors ski team spanish swimming track video wrestling

perspective about life (I know that is a little cliché.) Some may think high school is the best years of your life, but for me I don’t know if they are. I just hope in the future I’m not holding onto this. I think that everyone, no matter what, holds onto who they used to be. If you are unsure like I have been all my life, I hope you ﬁgure it out along the way. Strength is the key component that has gotten me through these rough and tumble years (I’m totally kidding about it being rough and tumble). Strength is what is going to see me through and also you, but most of you out there through some of the saddest and happiest moments of this short time we have on this earth. Use all the time you have well. We all have regrets even at this young age and I hope you let go those because no one wants to live like that. Live your life while you’re in high school; don’t let it go by without appreciating it.

Overheard in The Sheldon Halls Is that 3 minutes of you whipping?

Cool Beans? Word up home slice wait, I forgot... do carrots talk?

everything from china is legit! Let

it Be Fault!

Ltd’s

You’re a hybrid : Half China, half not!

You smell like clothes... and hair!

Aliciia Luck photo

An aquatic scene welcomes patrons to one of the girls restrooms.

It involves a dog..,and a blade of grass