Volume 46 Issue 3 - Dec.17, 2010

Toys for Tots makes a difference page 4

Happy Holidays from the Talisman staff page 6

&7

Pokémon still entertains some page 8

a student newspaper

the Tal sman shstalisman@gmail.com Sheldon High School 2455 willakenzie Rd., Eugene, Or 97401 vol. 46 Issue 3 Dec. 17, 2010

Mr. Irish contestant gives an insiders view of the event

Mr. Irish helps save babies with a great attitude and sense of style J.J. Juilfs staff writier

This year marks the 20th anniversary of when Sheldon student C.J. Martin began fundraising with his classmates to donate to the Children’s Miracle Network. Two years after he began raising money his effort evolved into a full fledged pageant including a dinner with the judges the night before, contestant made videos, a talent portion, a question and answer section, and a tear jerking mom and son part. This pageant has now become an annual tradition which occurs at twenty schools in the Sacred Heart service area, but it all started with a single student here at Sheldon. This year’s contestants, who were voted on by the senior girls, include JJ Juilfs, Terry Cobian, Ross Lindly, Colton Surcamp, Erik Larson, Justin Carpenter, Daniel Herr, Clark Fancher, Matt Melancon and Eric Robinson. “Our goal for ourselves is to leave a mark and separate this group of contestants from all the previous ones,” said Terry Cobian. Each of the male contestants is paired with a female coordinator who assists with fundraising and making sure all events run smoothly.

These girls are lead by Head Coordinator Bridget Jamieson.

Nearly one hundred percent of money raised goes directly to the Children’s Miracle Network. Fundraising events include a pizza night at Track Town Pizza, basketball games pitting the Irish contestants against contestants from other schools, letter writing, selling of contestant-made cakes and the pageant itself. Rumors has it the contestants may produce a Mr. Irish musical album in association with local Bona Records. The contestants also place donation jars at stores around town and carry

photo courtesy of J.J. Juilfs

Colton Surcamp, J.J. Juilfs, Terry Cobain, Eric Robison, Daniel Herr, Clark Fancher, Justin Carpenter, Erik Larson, Ross Lindly and Matt Melancon all are on a mission to save the babies. a donation jar with them at all times. “Check out my difference in children’s lives,” said Eric Robinson. The donation jars, I’m swimming in the money, come and find experience of being a Mr. Irish contestant is certainly me, Nemo,” said Colton Surcamp, who has already raised special. It is a time of personal growth and helps teach over three hundred dollars from his donation jars alone. In how joyful it is to think of others before yourself. It is 2009, $28,000 were raised giving last year’s group one of a time of great fellowship with other contestants and the highest totals ever. “The Lights shine their brightest it is a time that will be remembered by the contestants on the night of the pageant, but most of our fundraising and spectators forever. Most importantly it is a time that comes from all the events before,” said Justin Carpenter. will be felt by the thankful children whom it benefits; This year’s pageant will take place on March 5 in the because the children are the reason that twenty years Sheldon auditorium. “Bring your popcorn because it’s ago a single student at Sheldon made an admirable effort going to be a show. We’re going hard all the time for to help those he saw in need. Thank you C.J Martin, the babies, doing work getting that dough all to make a you have made a difference in many people’s lives.

4j reconfiguration proposal takes a new approach to school Superintendent proposes new school reconfiguration for K-3 and 4-8 Anthony Rhoads editor-in-chief There has been a big hubbub about the new proposal for the K-3 and 4-8 reconfiguration. The proposal would combine the grades kindergarten to third in the same building and fourth through eighth all in the same building. Many have expressed anger at this proposal.

Campus supervisor Darin Henry said, “I think it is a bad idea because there is a lot of peer pressure and a maturity gap. Maybe if it’s a small town with 200 people.”

The revised plan was presented on December 8. The board will next meet and on January 5, and there will be a public hearing. On January 12, the superintendent will

present the final recommendations for the reconfiguration.

Then on January 25 the board will take action. Right now there are a lot of mixed emotions and a lot of ideas in the air. However, this proposal is now off the recommendations list for now, but will need to be reconsidered in the future according to Russel. English teacher Jeremy Washburn said, “I can see both positives and negatives.

If we have to do anything, I think this plan would be reasonable.” The reconfiguration proposal is to cut costs.

Athletic Secretary Julia Girod said, “Several ideas come to mind. Immediately I feel they need to look at any and all excessive costs that exist in the district, for instance re-evaluate employees, job responsibilities to ensure better time management and make sure the work calendar matches the needs of the building. Secondly, as much as I support the alternative schools, I feel all classroom sizes must be equalized. This may force the re-evaluation of the

usefulness of schools.” The ultimate goal of this proposal is to save money, as well as provide education for the students.

Anthony Rhoads photo

Meadow Lark is a school that would have been affected by K-3 and 4-8 reconfiguration.

Teens and drug abuse is a real problem in highschool and society Drugs and teens mixing together causes problems in peoples’ lives Gabby Bernhardt staff writer Teen drug abuse is a reality in many schools. Alcohol is by far the most common drug in use among high school students, but marijuana is commonly used among teens as well. Even though most teens do not use drugs every day, the truth is that most teens have had some sort of experience with drugs, at least at one point in their lives.

In the case of alcohol, nearly every teen has tried it.

According to teen drug abuse survey 80% of high school students and 44% of middle school students have personally witnessed on school grounds, illegal drugs used, selling, or students who are “high” or drunk. “There has never been an incident where I have caught a student doing or selling drugs on campus,” teacher Jose Alonzo said. “I was a drug and alcohol intake counselor at Looking Glass before I was a teacher. Because of that I am aware of students

who use drugs.” There are lots of drug and alcohol abuse in high schools- there are problems with acid, marijuana and other common drugs.

A way to reduce this could be teaching students more about the outcome and problems of drug use.

Teenagers whose parents talk to them on a regular basis about the dangers of drug use are 42 percent less likely to use drugs than those whose parents don’t.

“I feel sorry for them,” said senior Jamison Glazebrook, “and I think it is for a Gabby Bernhardt photo reason and not just for fun.”

Do you feel safe coming to school with people using drugs? The current trend relates to how young people think of drugs. Many teens are not paying attention to the dangers of drugs. This may be due in part to the increased

attention being paid to the issue of drugs by parents, community groups, the media, and the government. Many rock stars sing the praises of drugs and sexual behavior.

Have you been peer pressured to do drugs? School is supposed to be a safe place you can go to learn and “get away” from the hard times. “Out of my friends very few use drugs,” said junior Dylan Johnson. “According to the appearance of Sheldon many people would think that the drug use isn’t very high, but I think there is a lot of marijuana usage here. I would say that 45% of Sheldon students are or have done drugs,” Johnson later added. 63 % of the youth who drink alcohol say that they initially got the alcohol from their own or their friend’s homes.

Having drugs on campus is illegal, so why do people do it? “They should just take it somewhere else, and do it on there own time,” freshman Daisy Rang said. “It doesn’t help that there is medical uses for marijuana, because then people think that it can help you,” said Rang.

More people know when you’re doing it than you might think. Not to mention it is illegal. Drugs should not be on school property, so keep them away!

2 December 17, 2010

News

the Talisman

New toys will bring Christmas joy to people New toys are being developed every year, providing more gift options Lauren Davies staff writer Every year for Christmas there is something new that comes out. Whether it’s a gaming system, movie, phone, or iPod, companies always seem to come up with something new and improved compared to their “simpler� versions the year before. Technology is getting more advanced as the years go on, and at Christmas everyone can get a new toy, whether it’s an iPod or not.

An item that seems to be on everyone’s list this Christmas is Xbox Kinect. It’s exactly like a Wii, except you don’t need a remote for the censor. Freshman Tanner Davies said, “I’m asking for the Kinect for Christmas; it looks a lot more fun than the Wii.� Although Kinect

and Wii are a tad bit different, they have very similar games. For example: sporting events like tennis, bowling, and boxing are all featured in both the systems. But, Nintendo’s Wii bowling has a lot more deďŹ nitive design which means it solidiďŹ es the motion-control concept more than the other sporting games that are included.

Junior Megan Haith said, “Bowling is deďŹ nitely my favorite sports game on the Wii. I have no idea which system I will like better. I guess I’ll have to try Kinect!â€?

Apple came out recently with the iPad. It’s like the iTouch except much larger in size. This has been a very popular “toyâ€? for people this year, although it costs around $500 with WiFi only. If you want 3G with it, the cost is around $630. Junior Alexa Hoselton said, “My brother bought the iPad a couple months ago. It’s deďŹ nitely great for people of all ages!â€?

Although technology seems to be very popular this year, some other toys that are not in the technology category are Pictionary Man Game, or Mega Moon

Mood Hopz which are great gifts for kids of a younger age. Movies and books like the Twilight Saga are also a great gift for people of all ages. There are so many great new toys for Christmas 2010. Now we have to start wondering ‘what does 2011 have in store of us?’

of people who agree with him. You always hear on the news and on the internet about people committing suicide because someone on Facebook, Myspace or some other online chat room, was bullying them and making them feel down on themselves. Harassment in any way, is not right.

You see both genders in our school bullying and harassing others. Both junior Lindsea Nance and Hellickson say that girls are the ones that get harassed more. When girls harass others it is usually verbal harassment. On the other hand, guys usually use physical harassment. No matter what type one uses, it’s all wrong.

Many people harass others because they think they can. Nance said, “People harass others because they feel there is something missing in their lives.� Hellickson said, “It is because people are more vulnerable.� No matter what the reason is, they like to do it. They only think about themselves and not the other person.

People don’t really know the real meaning of harassment.

Multicultural studies teacher Jose Alonso said, “[The

meaning of harassment] is disrespect to others, it takes many shapes and it violates people’s rights.� There is too much harassment that happens around Sheldon High. When Alonso sees harassment, he immediately intervenes and stops it, basically the only word he says is ‘Respect.’ The best way to stop harassment is to speak up and stop it. If you don’t say anything and just stand there and watch it, you are joining on the harasser’s side.

Harassment makes no one feel good in any way. Alonso said, “When I see harassment it brings sadness to my heart.�

People pick on other people to make themselves feel good; they only do that because something is missing in their lives.

You know how you always hear ‘ism’ at the end of words, for example racism, sexism, etc?

Those all come from harassment at points.

Harassment is never the right thing to do. When you see harassment you should stop it - you could approach them like Alonso does. No matter what, you should do the right thing to stop school harassment.

Cameron Ritchey photo

The toy aisles are full for the holiday season.

“Innocent� bystanders aren’t as innocent as they seem Get involved in the issues to help Danielle Peterson staff writer

School harassment is never acceptable. You see it going on everywhere, not knowing what to do. Most people just walk away and don’t try to stop it. But picture yourself as the person being harassed. How would you feel?

Many people think it is fun to harass. In reality it’s not.

Some people that get harassed have actually committed suicide because they have become so depressed by what people say to them. Harassment doesn’t just happen at school, it happens all around the world. You would think that only teens would harass others because they think it is fun. Sadly, not only teens do it, but adults do also.

There are many ways of being harassed. Senior Chase Hellickson said, “The most common form of harassment would probably be cyber.� There are probably a lot

Free and reduced lunch program important to many students Lunch support can give full stomachs Calvin Everitt staff writer People have always found that helping another is an act of kindness; no one knows this like a school or institute that helps under privileged kids.

The free or reduced lunch and breakfast program at our school has helped

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a signiďŹ cant amount of students in need. Almost 2/5 of the students use a form of reduced or completely free service. This has given students two square meals at school and made their life all around that much easier.

Those who qualify usually take the offer and after a small bit of paper work and a one to three day pause for submission, they usually have a hot lunch and breakfast ready for them if only they go and get it.

Yet even though qualifying and ďŹ lling out paper work is relatively easy, some families ďŹ nd asking for help embarrassing, and this only keep kids hungry at school.

The free lunch program has for about since president Roosevelt ďŹ rst introduced it to be a part of the school systems around the country in 1966. Our school is no exception to this rule, for it has taken this to heart with a supple supply of free food for students in need with a good variety of choices. This has been an important factor, seeing as 37% of the students in the entire school use this for either a breakfast or lunch (or both). Some, like our own head lunch lady isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t surprised by the fact that this many are in the program.

She blamed the recession and people becoming a little bit more tight-wadded around the house. A free lunch program is a great way for families to save a bit of money. She showed her enthusiasm when asked if she would use the program if a need arose for her family.

In which she responded, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Yes, I would totally take this opportunity if I still had kids at home.

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a great program, and I would be afraid if these kids didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t get a nutritious breakfast and lunch.â&#x20AC;?

Others when asked the very same question, Debbie Brooks had a very similar response, â&#x20AC;&#x153;I would use this program hole heartedly if my family was in trouble, but would try not to abuse it if I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t need it.â&#x20AC;? Both of these women felt that if they had the opportunity and the need they would use this if the time called for it, but what about students at our own school? After asking a random student among our halls, a Mr. Mikey Delegato answered what his thoughts where on the subject. He answered with his Idea of the school giving free lunch to poor or low-income families with, â&#x20AC;&#x153;I think itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a great idea, because if they need the lunch, they should ask and even if they are being modest and say theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re not hungry, they should still have the option availableâ&#x20AC;?.

So tell me, what is the price of a lunch at Sheldon?

For some itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s nothing for others it depends, but what everyone must understand is that not every one is created with equal opportunity and some have to do with what there given and that means getting a free hot lunch and breakfast.

Black Friday is a dangerous event

Bargain-seeking craze takes over Dominic Travis staff writer

Black Friday is a favorite day for shoppers. Everyone wakes up early for the chance to buy great gifts at low prices. For some it is a ruthless hoard of shoppers. Shoppers on Black Friday can be vicious and cruel. Many people have been injured or killed by stampedes on Black Friday.

People often enjoy going to ďŹ nd super deals on the newest technology or clothing. Lines can start as early as 3:00 A.M. Stores have given out tickets and paced customer entry to help prevent stampedes and injuries.

It has happened that the worker who opens the doors to the building has been trampled by eager customers. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve heard about stuff like people getting trampled at Wal-Mart,â&#x20AC;? said freshman Marcus McGovern. â&#x20AC;&#x153;People are crazy,â&#x20AC;? said freshman Cameron Reese. According to NY Daily News a worker at a Wal-Mart on Long Island Sound was trampled to death two years ago. This year a man was also trampled, this time in a New York Target,

according to CNN. The shopper was piled on top of by other tripping customers. He was pulled to safety by security guards. The man, though injured, was able to shop after a visit to the hospital. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Spirited,â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;full of energy,â&#x20AC;? and â&#x20AC;&#x153;chaoticâ&#x20AC;? were all words used to described the atmosphere during Black Friday here in Eugene according to shopper Troy Travis. Many shoppers went searching for amazing deals on electronics.

Most stores had legendary deals but the deals only lasted for a few lucky customers according to Travis. Black Friday in Eugene may have caused shoppers to have to park farther away than before. No violence broke out in Eugene.

Black Friday has created a new phenomenon called Cyber Monday. Cyber Monday has become pretty much the same thing as Black Friday but online. People can ďŹ nd the greatest deals online. The two entice over 1.3 million shoppers.

Black Friday can be a fun time of shopping and savings, sometimes people get violent and cruel. In Eugene, Oregon, however, there was none of this.

Entertainment

the Talisman

December 17, 2010

3

Card game playing gaining popularity with students Card games are bringing Sheldon students closer together Marisa Aiello staff writer Card games are played all over the world, but now they’ve come to Sheldon. If a person was to walk into the school cafeteria any morning, one would see an abundance of students gathered around the tables, almost all of them playing some type of card game. When the desire to play all these card games first appeared, it hit the student body hard. With students in every grade playing, it’s no wonder that friendships are forming as a result of common interests.

There are many games that students play at Sheldon, but there are many more that students know. “Spoons, BS Shaft, Nerd, Go Fish, and Poker are a few of them,” said sophomore Samantha Harding. Students tend to play different games at different times. “We play before school, lunch, free periods, and after school,” added sophomore Tom Urban.

Usually, one cannot tell how many students there are playing a game at a time. “There tends to be three to ten people who play one game at the same time,” said Harding. Some may wonder why Sheldon

Shyanne Church photo

The many card games people play create lasting memories of fun and togetherness. students play these games. Sophomore Kyle Gurisko some of the campus supervision staff have joined in on the said, “Because they’re really bored.” Harding added, fun. When they aren’t required elsewhere, they join the “They’re just looking for a way to pass the time.” students in the countless games being played. Some even With so many students playing games all the time, even get better at these games than the students themselves.

3D movies galore The new highly-anticipated Xbox Kinect 3D movies are becoming more and The debate of the holiday season: is the X-box Kinect better than the Wii? more popular Ben Chamberlain staff writer Who can say no to a movie that makes you feel like you are a part of the action? Or a movie that can make you feel like you might be killed by a flying piece of metal?

There is a lot of talk about brand new 3D movies. In fact, every new movie coming out seems to be in 3D. People will go pay three or four extra dollars to see objects from their favorite movie come out of the screen. But to learn more about this amazing new way to watch movies, we must look at the way the theater shows the movie.

To create the amazing images that feel like they’re really coming out of the screen at you, the theater actually uses two different projectors to create the three dimensional affect. They take the same image, or scene, and film it at two slightly different angles. Then they show the two different images together through two different projectors pointed at one screen. By doing this, it acts as if your two eyes are giving depth to the images on the screen.

The last part is the cheap glasses they give you before you walk into the theater. As you can see, they aren’t using the old red and blue cardboard glasses anymore.

To fully understand how 3D movies work, we must first look at how the human eyes work. People have two eyes spaced about two inches apart. The distance from eye to eye provides two slightly different angles of the same image. Then the human brain processes these images and combines them to create depth. The same goes for 3D movies. The glasses that you receive allow one angle of the film to go to one eye and the other angle to the other eye. In the same process that allows you to have depth in real life, 3D gives you depth on the movie screen.

3D movies have both positive and negative reactions after watching its amazing images. “I went and watched Jackass 3D. It was enjoyable but I felt pretty sick afterwards,” said sophomore Sam Alzahrani.

Many have said that the 3D projection makes them slightly nauseous. “I feel like there are extra shots added to make the movie more 3D, which makes the movies pretty lame,” commented senior Ashley Jones.

“I think it’s amazing that after only a short time, we can already have a 3D TV in our own houses,” said sophomore Eric Campos. It’s true, only a few months after 3D movies really took off in the cinemas, there are already TVs you can buy for your own house.

But they are more expensive than regular plasma TVs. If you are willing to spend the extra money, you can bring the 3D experience home with you. One thing about 3D movies is a sure thing, they are going to be around for years and years to come. We can expect our favorite movies of the future to be shot for 3D viewing. It may be the way of the future, or at least until a new way of viewing movies is invented.

Kyle Radley staff writer The Xbox Kinect is a new product released from Microsoft. It was released to combat the Wii in pretty much every aspect one can think of. The Kinect is basically a heat and voice sensor to give the player the feeling of being in the game. It works by sensing the heat of one’s body and transferring the motion into game motion. So far, the Kinect has battled the Wii very well.

“The Xbox Kinect is a full-body scanner that tracks your movements,” said sophomore Samantha Harding. “It works by using a red light to sense your movements.” This technology is called range camera technology by Primesense.

You can get “dancing and adventure games. They’re basically made to get your body moving,” said Harding.

Junior Bobby Huie said, “It works with two infrared sensors that work to make a 3-D image of your body and tracks your movements.” When asked if the Kinect had any workout qualities to it, Huie said, “Absolutely, it was made for the purpose of getting you to move.” Huie’s favorite game is “Kinectamals because it’s fun, cute, and I can enjoy it.” Huie stated that it wasn’t a good idea for Microsoft to put out the Kinect “Because it was too early.

They should have waited for more games to come out.”

Junior Qyaunna Barrios disagrees, having, “It was perfect timing for Microsoft to put the Kinect out.”

She went on to say, “Kinect is better than the Wii, so it’s only logical to put it out as soon as possible.”

The Kinect, as of right now, is revolutionizing game play as we know it. Unfortunately, it is difficult to purchase because it is expensive. It currently costs $150. Microsoft expects profits to skyrocket once the high price lowers after a period of time.

Christmas tunes for all of you Glee fans

The Glee Christmas album is out and is all the rage for fans of the show Hope Zima features editor

“Gleeks” everywhere have a reason for an exceptionally bright holiday season this year- the Glee Christmas album.

The talented cast of Fox’s Glee, a musical drama about high-school show choirs, has put together an album of their Christmas favorites. Glee has been a sensation since it came out, rocketing the little-known performers into stardom.

Now that same all-star cast is covering Christmas favorites, a combination that is sure to be wonderful, as well as record breaking for sales. At least, that is the common perception - perhaps not everyone feels the same way about it.

Students all over Sheldon are falling under the Glee fever and are eagerly anticipating the Christmas album, especially after the Christmas episode that aired last week. Sophomore Aubrey Brown, however, is one of the few who dislikes Glee. She stated, It’s annoying.

Musicals belong on Broadway, not on TV.” Although

she dislikes the show, she doesn’t continue that feeling over to Christmas music in general. She generally favors the “commercial Christmas music” over the “religious Christmas music” and said that ‘Jingle Bells’ is her personal favorite, “I like how many different ways it can be done—from ‘Jingle Bombs’ to ‘Jingle Bell Rock.’”

Senior Josh Cole agrees with Brown’s song choice, if not her feelings about Glee. He is a self- described “Gleek” and said, “I watch Glee every week, devoutly.” His favorite voice on the show is that of Matthew Morrison, who plays Mr. Sheuster. Cole also has several other holiday favorites, among them ‘Winter Wonderland’ and ‘White Christmas,’ which he said, “would make the perfect, ideal, holiday Glee mash-up (combination of songs).”

Sophomore Alex Reitman isn’t necessarily the complete “Gleek” that Cole is, but she has enjoyed the few episodes she has seen. She thinks that a Glee Christmas album would be “awesome, because they are amazing singers!”

Reitman’s favorite holiday song is ‘White Christmas’ and she thinks that the Glee cast would do a wonderful job with it.

Many people have expressed their different opinions about the Christmas album, but whether a hit or a flop, Glee’s Christmas album is sure to make the holidays loud.

4 December 17, 2010

Features: charities

the Talisman

Project Our Turn improves lives of needy children Project Our Turn raises money to help less fortunate children in Uganda Maggie Schmaedick features editor The holiday season is here, and that means that charities all over the nation are working hard to provide for those less fortunate. People are donating money, toys, time and energy to make a difference. Many students at Sheldon are involved in interesting charities that provide people with all kinds of aid. One such charity is Project Our Turn, a nonprofit organization that raises money for ex-child soldiers and other children in Uganda. Many of the children are orphans and have been affected by AIDS and war.

The program has been “surprisingly and wonderfully successful,” said Sheldon Project Our Turn advisor Mr. Wade Powell.Through bake sales, the club has met many of their fundraising goals, such as $7000 for desks for schoolchildren.

The club raises money in many ways, but one of their main fundraisers is baking. “We raised about $1000 in

four months just doing bake sales. This year we’re doing more, like selling T-shirts,” said Sheldon Project Our Turn president Ayantu Megressa, a junior. Amidst all this success, the program is still growing and expanding. It’s now an official nonprofit organization.

“Hopefully it will grow and expand to helping more people than just in Uganda,” Megressa said. Powell described two things he expects from the program in the future: “1 - the kids will continue to support the cause, and 2 - they will continue to be successful.”

Project member Jane Oh, a junior, hopes the program will spread to other schools, like Churchill and North.

“Since it started at South and came to Sheldon, maybe it can spread to other schools,” said Oh. Project Our Turn is a wonderful organization that is doing a lot of good for the world, as well as for the Sheldon community. “I feel more involved in the world.

I have gained leadership skills; it’s been a really good experience,” said Megressa. “Whenever you can be involved in something that makes the world a better place, there is nothing better,” said Powell. With more continued support, the program can grow into something great.

Scrawl: a unique after-school club Many students are involved in this creative club, which gives writers a place to publish their work Tim Alley copy editor Here at Sheldon, once fourth period ends, most people rush home after the long scholastic day of learning. However, for hundreds of students, staying at school after hours and participating in extracurricular activities, both physical and subject-related, has become a welcome habit. Sheldon’s writing club, Scrawl, is one of the many after-school clubs that are run by the students and staff at Sheldon that enhance the student experience.

Scrawl was started two years ago in December 2008 by Andie Kahl and Sam Peard who were juniors at the time. Peard later stepped down from co-presidency and left Kahl as the sole club president.

“Scrawl helps writers critique their work and produces a magazine of a collection of works we decided to publish,” senior Paige Wynkoope explained. “Hunter Anderson is the president, I’m the ‘keeper of things’ and Katheryn DeRoos is an assistant to the president.”

The fifteen regular attendees to Scrawl have

made a closely knit group of friends after all the meetings they have done together. The group has a habit of throwing parties to celebrate events and milestones for the club, notably last year’s release of the first issue of the Scrawl magazine.

“There’s no sentence to explain the Scrawl kids.

Basically, we’re a bunch of anime freaks who love to write and draw,” senior Matthew Sumner said.

Every Thursday at 3:30, members of Scrawl meet in either Mr. Hutchins’s or Ms. Tierney’s room, which alternate each week. The standard meeting is chronologically comprised of announcements and updates called “house keeping” followed by going over received submissions to the anthology during that week. After a story or poem is read, it is discussed and then voted on as to whether or not it will be included in the publication. “It’s a great experience,” said Tierney. “I get to participate in reading and writing and I get to steer students in creating something creative that they can be proud of while showcasing the best of their writing capabilities. Every new student brings a fresh new perspective, and that’s wonderful.”

As this school year goes on and summer break draws nearer, the Scrawl kids will make their final decisions on submissions continually coming in and turn out the second edition of the Scrawl magazine in the final weeks of the year which will showcase Sheldon’s writing talents. Last year’s volume had 39 pages, but this upcoming edition will likely surpass that count.

Maggie Schmaedick photo

The new Project Our Turn t-shirt is another way the group raises money for needy children in Uganda.

When you wish upon a star...

The Eugene-based program helps struggling families provide for themselves during the holiday season Tatiana Hasan staff writer Holiday seasons are all about giving, sharing and family. Being with loved ones is what makes the holidays so special. Unfortunately, some families are not able to provide gifts or a holiday meal due to a certain situation. That’s where the Wish Upon A Star program helps out.

The goal of the charity is to give families in need or who are struggling, a special holiday season. Providing them with things they need for example, food for a holiday dinner and gifts for family members. If needed, a Christmas tree will be provided for the family to decorate.

The Wish Upon a Star program is run by the popular radio station K-Duk, and Umpqua Bank. That’s where their funding comes from to keep the program going every year. The families get chosen by emails to K-Duk sent by loved ones who know the family is in need.

The phone call to the family is broadcasted live in the mornings on the radio. Tears of joy are shed as the good news is revealed to them that this holiday season will be a lot easier budget wise.

Sometimes people forget that some families are not as fortunate as others, but sending one email or even donating one toy can change their whole holiday experience. “Seeing the joy on someone’s face when giving them a gift is one of the greatest feelings in the world. I don’t think anything can come close to the special feeling that I get,” says senior Collin Peters, who likes to be very active in charities during the holiday season.

K-Duk and Umpqua Bank are very proud of the work they do for people.

They make the holidays special, and that in itself is a very special thing.

Heart Gallery provides “forever families”

This organization creates photos of kids to help them get adopted Madison Baker photo editor Can you imagine not having a real home?

Never knowing your real parents or sometimes even your own brothers and sisters? Sadly this is the reality for nearly 500,000 kids and teens in the United States. Sadly at least 250,000 of those kids will never return home. In an attempt to lower these numbers and give more kids what they call “forever families,” Diane Granito founded the Heart Gallery of America Incorporated in 2001. Her mission has been “to utilize the power of photography to capture the individuality and dignity of children living in foster care, in order to advocate for them, raise public awareness about their needs, and obtain support to help meet those needs.”

Around the holidays, not having a real family can sure hit home for a lot of foster kids, especially the teens. Sophomore India Potter said, “Not being able to know or be around my [biological] family would be extremely hard for me. I have much sympathy for children and teens dealing with those things.”

The Heart Gallery supports a lot of the foster families that take in their foster kids.

These families willingly open their homes to these kids for as long as necessary, taking them in as their own. Over time the families will sometimes adopt their foster

kid(s) giving them their “forever families.” Carrie Baker, a local adoptive mother who, along with her husband Ben have adopted two of their kids out of the foster system, said, “The Heart Gallery gives the more difficult to place kids or kids who have been waiting for a long time exposure to families who may not have ever thought about adoption.”

The Heart Gallery not only supports foster kids and their foster families but they also set up events throughout the year to raise money for the organization, including the Annual Dinner and Auction Event in November and the Princess for a Day event in the Spring. “[Though we don’t have any major events around this time of year] we collect donations at Christmas and put families [together] to sponsor [other] families and businesses during the holidays” said Christy Obie-Barrett, who is the Executive Director of the Lane County Branch of the Heart Gallery.

So how could a student or someone in the community help out? Barrett said, “We take volunteers of all ages; we have a long list of roles and jobs that volunteers do, they just need to contact us. [Even just spreading] awareness and educating the community [helps. The number of] Families going to DHS for foster and/or adoption in the last four years has quadrupled, I think partly due to this awareness. Over 500 children have gone through the [Heart] Gallery on to Forever Families” So even just spreading awareness can help. You never know, a person you talk to could start spreading awareness themselves or even end up adopting a kid of their own one day. After all, no child deserves to be without a family.

Features: charities

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Christmas films help bring holiday cheer People, from Christmas enthusiasts to scrooges, feel the Christmas spirit from favorite holiday movies Lindsey Ragsdale staff writer There are many ways of celebrating the Christmas holiday season. One way is to watch Christmas movies. There are lots of Christmas movies, varying from How the Grinch stole Christmas—a story about finding your heart—to It’s a Wonderful Life, a story about a man who finds out what the world would have been like if he was never born thanks to an angel. Everyone has their own favorites.

TV stations play Christmas movies over the holiday season to get people in the Christmas spirit. Some of the more popular movies are Miracle on 34th Street, A Year Without a Santa Clause, Elf, A Christmas Carol, and White Christmas.

These movies al have their own plot and bring Christmas joy in their own way. “[My favorite Christmas movie is] Santa Clause,” said freshman Courtney Carmen. “No matter how many times I watch it, it’s still funny.” There are three Santa Clause movies starring Tim Allen. They are about a man who accidentally kills Santa Clause on Christmas Eve and takes his place. They are very entertaining movies to watch over the holidays. “Frosty the Snowman [is my favorite],” said sophomore Cole Kasten. The movie was made in 1969 and is still popular today. It is about a group of kids who bring their snowman to life using the magic hat that belongs to a magician.

There are tons of Christmas movies. “[I’ve seen] too many to count,” said Carmen. Lots of them are older, but they are still popular. It’s a Wonderful Life was made in 1946, but modern people still enjoy watching it. “I like the older ones better,” said freshman Cody Blankenship “My favorite is Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.” Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer came out in 1964.

Many television stations play Christmas movies over the holiday season.

Christmas movies are played to help get the viewers in the Christmas spirit. “[Christmas movies] make me feel cuddly and cozy,” said Blankenship.

December 17, 2010

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Relief Nursery helps highschoolers The Relief Nursery supports local teenagers with the food, clothing, and counseling that they need to be safe Vanessa Hendricks staff writer The Relief Nursery is a non-profit organization that helps children in highrisk situations as well as their families. They provide clothes, food, counseling, and support for recovery. They don’t just help the children while at The Relief Nursery, they provide guidance at home to keep the vulnerable children safe and healthy. Many times a year they hold fundraising events like the annual wine tasting in early December and their annual Golf Tournament during midSummer. They also hold their main event which is a dinner and auction in April.

The Relief Nursery provides many volunteer opportunities throughout the year including preparing for and working events, helping in the classrooms or on their busses as well as doing office work. “I would volunteer there; it sounds like something that would really help kids in need,” said sophomore Matthew Lyons.

They strive to help the community with recognizing and helping to prevent or stop abuse while the children are still young. “Our community needs someone to be there for the kids,” commented Lyons.

Senior Talon Barber thinks that our community needs money, food and suitable places to live. The Relief Nursery not only helps families with those things but helps families with clothes, education and counseling. They are always on call, day and night, to make sure the children are safe and that the parents are okay. “Their function is to support families in crises and to protect the children. It’s also to support good parenting skills and to provide children with a safe learning environment,” said Rhonda Hendricks, the director of Lane Leaders Association, a business that The Relief Nursery is a part of.

The children in our community are the future of our world. The Relief Nursery is a non-profit organization that does all it can for the community’s children of today and tomorrow’s future. They have served 825 families and 1,105 children when last calculated. 100 percent of the families are extremely low income and 61 percent worry about where their next meal will come from. “What a child doesn’t receive, he can seldom later give,” wrote P.D. James in her book from A Time To Be In Earnest.

Toys for Tots: putting toys under every tree

Key Club helps to make the world a better place

Donated toys make Christmas just a little brighter for less fortunate families who may not be able to afford it

Club members make a difference for many local charities by fundraising and volunteering around town

Cameron Ritchie news editor

Alex Kalen staff writer

Christmas is here again and it’s time to give back! Charities for the holidays have become very crucial to society. Toys for Tots being one of these charities, is making a big difference in families lives. Toys for Tots, is a charity program that focuses on families and children during the holidays. The program has the less fortunate, fortunate again with donated toys. The program is run by the National Guard, but is helped tremendously by firefighters. Here in Eugene, firemen and policemen are coming together once again, to help out Eugene’s families.

This Christmas is an ideal time to help others and get them food on the table, a safe place to live, and even a Christmas tree and presents. For a different point of view, Isabel Owens, who is a 5th grader at Prairie Mountain Elementary and Middle School said, “I think if I were a kid that really needed money for Christmas, the toys that people donate would help a lot. Then my dad and mom wouldn’t have to worry so much.”

Not being able to provide for your own family is a pretty traumatic situation. Poverty in the United States is cyclical in our nature. Roughly over half of all Americans have been in the poverty category before the age of 65 and that percentage is predicted to rise to 60% in the next 10 years. Max, who is 5 years old, from Sheldon’s neighboring community center said that he doesn’t want to be poor and that “getting toys from people would make me feel sad, but I would give someone marbles if they have no toys” Clearly our youth is a very “giving” generation. considering that marbles are Max’s favorite toy.

Being in the Christmas spirit can really mean a lot to people. People don’t want a Christmas Scrooge walking around. It’s very easy to make a difference in someone’s life and something as simple as giving a child a toy can be a huge deal. Even here at Sheldon we have a Toys for Tots drive box. Even though today is the last day to donate toys, it’s never too late to find a local friend or neighbor to “help out”. Fireman Robert Benton Ritchey said, “Tots is an incredible way to help out families in your community. Having the privilege to help out a family in need, and doing it, is a great feeling.”

Key Club is one of the many clubs that is offered at Sheldon High School. Students have the opportunity to take part in giving back to the community and help others all around the world. The club meets once a week and gets students involved with different charitable organizations.

Already, Key Club has helped children all around the world this year by raising money for the organization UNICEF. Not only is Key Club a great way to get students involved at Sheldon, it also helps students give back to the community.

There are many members that have joined Key Club. Freshman Meredy Darland has been a part of Key Club for three months.

Darland said, “The best thing about being a part of Key Club is it gives you the knowledge and opportunity to help others.” She also said that the benefits of Key Club are, “Getting community service hours while being in a large group of friends.” However she also mentioned that she can work towards something she cares about. In addition to explaining the benefits, she also mentioned what they do at an average meeting. At an average meeting, Darland said, “We discuss volunteer opportunities, new fundraising ideas, and write letters promoting affordable service for people in need and promoting effort toward community growth.”

There are many goals this year Key Club has set for their club. Junior Taylor Dodrill, one of the two vice presidents of Key Club, said, “Our goals are to do better than last

year and have lots of room for improvement.” Dodrill said that, “Right now we are doing a project with Head Start and continuously working at Grass Roots Garden.” Also, “Helping out around the community with the resources we have at school.” Key Club is different this year according to Dodrill because, “We are more enthusiastic, and more people are coming; there is more man power to do community service projects.

Junior Anna Johnson, the Key Club Treasurer, said the main focus is, “Getting Students involved with the community and showing people how rewarding community service can be.” She also said that students help give back to the community because, “They are participating in projects that get them involved with the community they give back to.”

Key Club helps are community because it goes to charities that are located in the area. Joining the club is a great way to get your community service hours and learn how you can change the lives of others. To learn more and to get more involved in Key Club you can, “Come to the meetings every Monday and talk to Key Club members,” said Johnson.

Key Club is a great way to help out others. The club meets every Monday to discuss different community service ideas. This year they will be helping many organizations and helping others that are in need. Key Club is a great way to help change the lives of others.

Happy Holidays from the Talisman Staff!

Cameron

Anthony Kyle

Hunter

Mr. Cantwell

Calvin Gabby

Tatiana

Hope

Ben

Andrea

Marina

Ben Danielle Henry Vanessa H.

Quinn

Drew

Tiwanna

Lindsey Preston Noah Maddie Maggie

Alex K. Elizabeth Marisa

J.J. Shyanne

Karl

Kristina Vanessa T. Alex R.

Tim

Andy Dominic Lauren

8 December 17, 2010

Opinions

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What’s in the ‘black box’ of North Korea?

North Korea strikes the South: two civilians murdered. Who could be next?

Noah Jang opinions editor

At 2:34 P.M. on November 23, 2010, the North Korean military suddenly fired dozens of artillery shells on the peaceful civilian island of Yeonpyeong, South Korea.

The South responded with restraint by firing 80 artillery shells into the ocean, but this did not stop the North from continuing their attack. The civilian population of Yeonpyeong Island endured heavy artillery fire for over four hours, with a total of over 170 shells. The citizens quickly evacuated the island, but this bombardment left four South Koreans killed - two marines and two civilians - nineteen wounded, and much property damage. In March, there was a similar case when the South Korean naval vessel Cheonan was sunk by North Korean forces, killing 46 sailors.

Since 1998, South Korea has followed a diplomatic policy known as the “Sunshine Policy.” Its main goal is to soften the North Korean attitude towards the South through peaceful interactions and support of the economy.

The South expected reciprocity. However, it is clear that this policy has failed. At first, North Korea’s response was favorable. It culminated in the 2000 summit between North and South Korea with aid payments worth several hundred million dollars made to North Korea. But the leaders of North Korea have not truly changed their

attitudes since then. South Korea, together with other international organizations, has been assisting North Korea with financial aid, humanitarian assistance, and economic cooperation, hoping that these would help North Korea become more open to the world both economically and politically. But instead of using the aid to save thousands who are starving to death, North Korea has continued to conduct nuclear weapons tests and several intercontinental missile tests. These actions have posed a great threat to South Korea and the region, and were nearly universally condemned by the international community. Joel Brinkley, a professor from Stanford University said, “-Its behavior usually follows a consistent pattern―if you consider its two greatest needs. It demands to be respected, and it covets copious aid.”

In 1994, the U.S. and North Korea signed a treaty known as the “Agreed Framework” that indicated that North Korea would give up its nuclear program if the U.S. provided light water reactors power plants together with resources necessary for heating and electricity. However, North Korea has broken its promise by the continued manufacture of nuclear weapons, supposedly for selfdefense.

Kim Jong-il, the absolute dictator of North Korea, also greatly persecutes his own people by prohibiting freedom of religion, freedom of speech, the freedom to decide one’s future, and many other freedoms that Americans and South Koreans take for granted. The people have been brainwashed since Kim’s father, Kim Il-sung, came to power. “They also wanted me to know that, in almost

everything, North Korea was superior to the rest of the world… People look at you with a straight face and explain that a double rainbow greeted Kim Jong-Il’s birth, along with birds that sang in human voices” (“Welcome to North Korea” by a BBC reporter Ben Anderson) In the weeks before the recent attack, Kim Jung-Il visited Beijing twice to ask for more aid due to the severe condition of the economy in North Korea. His requests were rejected by the Chinese government. Not giving up hope, he then asked South Korea to resume the Geumgang Mountain tours to North Korea. Previously, they have received millions of dollars from South Korean tourists for these tours, and they wanted to resume this business.

But the answer was “no” again. The reason South Korea stopped this program was because there was an incident in which a North Korean soldier murdered a South Korean visitor to the Geumgang Mountain Resort. Still not giving up, the North promised to once again allow families divided between the two countries to visit each other, in exchange for the South providing aid, including 300,000 tons of fertilizer and 500,000 tons of rice (The Korean Herald “North Korea, the world’s problem child”

by Joel Brinkley). This was rejected also. After this, the United States and other countries refused to attend a meeting proposed by North Korea.

Why are these countries slowly turning their backs on North Korea? In the past, the South Korea, and even the U.S., wanted to help the North and expected North Korea

continued KOREA p.9

Airing Christmas music Is Pokémon still cool? Snow days- good or bad?

Is the day after Halloween too early to A television show that we all grew up Some students say that snow days play Christmas music over the radio? with may be suffering loss of fanbase are a plus, but teachers beg to differ Alex Rosen staff writer When is playing Christmas music ok? A lot of people have different opinions on this topic. Everyone’s opinion is very strong and makes sense. The answer to this question varies from person to person. It depends on age, background, and their beliefs. No matter what the reasons are, there are going to be different responses to this question.

Because there are many different religions in America, the period for playing Christmas music has been a subject of argument. Not everybody celebrates Christmas.

People from different religions are almost being ignored whenever they go anywhere because they see Christmas trees and Santas everywhere. So they wouldn’t want Christmas music to be played on the radio so early because they can’t listen to their cultural music. So why would they want to hear other religious music?

When was the last time you heard Chanukah music on the radio? Freshman Keegan Bradley said, “Christmas music gets annoying when it starts so early on the radio.”

Freshman Justin Byrd’s ideal date for Christmas music to start is the week before Christmas. He said, “There should only be one channel to play Christmas music, so if you want to listen to different types of music, you still could.” Byrd said that Christmas music should definitely be played because it makes people happy. To a lot of people, Christmas songs just mean “Jingle Bells” or songs about cold winter days. To Byrd, Christmas music provides happy messages to people.

It is not when the music is played that annoys so many people but how many times they play the same song over and over again. Freshman Nigel McKinnon said, “They should play more Christmas music closer to Christmas.”

That way we would be less annoyed with the radio stations repeating the same song every five minutes. Even though some people don’t think Christmas music doesn’t affect society I think that when you hear “Jingle Bells” five times in a row just sung by different singers it gets very annoying.

An old tradition is to go around singing to make people happy. We call this caroling. Very few people still participate in this tradition. Nigel McKinnon said, “People should stop singing to strangers.” Freshman Keegan Bradley said, “You should carol, but only to people you know.”

Byrd thinks that “People that carol have too much time on their hands and they should stop.” Personally I think that you should do whatever makes you happy. If you enjoy singing to people to make them happy then go out and sing.

I personally believe that Christmas music should only be played on one station. And on that station they should play all different types of winter religious music not just Christian music. I think that the religious music should not start until the week of Christmas.

Hunter Anderson opinions editor

Karl Kawders staff writer

Most kids know Pokémon as the entertaining, cute anime that a lot of us were raised on - Ash’s adventuring across the Kanto region, gaining the necessary badges to access the Indigo Plateau. However, many people have been watching the series since its beginning, and not many “veteran” viewers agree with the direction the franchise is taking. The addition of new regions and Pokémon is causing a decline in the franchise’s popularity.

Junior Katheryn DeRoos disagrees with the new shows, saying, “I stopped watching the series when they changed the voices during the Battle Frontier episodes. [Their new voices] grate on my ears like nails on a chalkboard.”

Isaiah Jordan, a 6th grader at Monroe Middle School, says that he prefers the original series. “I like the older version of Pokemon, because they have replaced a lot of characters and changed Ash a lot,” said Jordan. “I don’t think the games are childish, just go out and see how many older kids still like it.” Even though he wasn’t alive when the first season of Pokémon was on the air, Jordan dislikes the newer seasons, saying “They have too many new Pokémon that don’t even make sense!”

Over the years, there have been many Pokémon games. Blue and Red were the first games released in America, followed by Yellow: Special Pikachu Edition.

These games took place in the Kanto region. The second generation was Gold and Silver versions, which happened in the Johto region. Just like the first generation, a special Crystal version was later released. Next were Ruby and Sapphire versions, with a special Emerald addition, in the Hoenn region, followed by the remake of Red and Blue, LeafGreen and FireRed. Then, Diamond and Pearl were released for the DS, with Platinum as their special edition.

Gold and Silver were remade next, into HeartGold and SoulSilver. Black and White versions are expected to be released in the spring of 2011. There have been many other spinoffs of the Gameboy games, such as Coliseum and XD Gale of Darkness. Each game, apart from the remakes, takes place in a different region with new and different Pokémon. “I like the Kanto region the best,” stated Jordan. “It’s the first region, and it’s true to the first season of the show.” DeRoos believes that “TV wise, Johto [is the best]”, but since Sapphire Version was the first game she played, she also likes Hoenn, and Kanto as well.

Pokemon has been around for a while. However, as the franchise ages, its fans are unsure about its future and whether or not it will remain the series that they all know and love.

Over the past few years, Eugene has been stricken with numerous snow days. A snow day is any school day that is cancelled because of snow and ice on roads making it dangerous for students to get to school. Students normally call for more days off, while teachers want less. Any day cancelled because of snow is supposed to be replaced later in the year by a furlough day.

Everyone likes snow days, but kids love them the most. Most kids our age don’t necessarily play in the snow all day, but most of us like staying away from school no matter what the occasion is. Freshman Nigel McKinnon said, “I love staying home on a snow day.

I get to play video games and build snowmen all day.”

That pretty much sums up how most kids feel about snow days. However, they aren’t the only ones who have to stay home and not go to school - teachers do too.

As I said earlier, nearly everyone loves snow days. IHS teacher Wade Powell said, “Just like the students, the child in us loves a snow day. Unfortunately, snow days throw everything off, especially our curriculum.” For a teacher, a snow day is a nightmare. They have to re-arrange their schedule without getting that much say in the decision on which day to put back into the schedule. That is an important reason why snow days can be bad for the school.

Snow days are a major problem for the school district.

Dr. Bob Bolden, the school principal, said, “The district can’t win when we choose to have or not have a snow day. If we choose not to have a snow day, some parents will complain about putting their kids’ lives in danger.

If we choose to have a snow day, some parents will complain about wasting funds and what-not, especially if it clears up later in the day.” You see, no one is actually in charge of choosing a snow day. It used to be the assistant superintendent, but now 4J just talks to LTD and the school bus drivers, and also looks at what other school districts are doing. When I asked Dr. Bolden about how he responds to kids asking for more snow days, he said, “I respond with a smile, because it’s out of my control. If it’s a legitimate complaint I see what I can do, but otherwise it is really how easy it is for parents and buses to get to school.”

So really, most people enjoy snow days, that is obvious.

The real question is if snow days are good or bad for the school, and the answer is that they are bad. They can damage the budget, negatively affect kids academically, dismantle teachers’ curriculum, and make parents angry.

The snow days are deceptive that way. You may like snow days because they’re fun, but they hurt the school.

Opinions

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December 17, 2010

9

Fans looking forward to Potter part 2

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows franchise continues to thrill with magic and suspense Kristina Tamburrini staff writer The new movie Harry Potter, Deathly Hallows Part One has crushed the box office on opening weekend, making $125 million. People say that it goes hand-inhand with the book and was sound in animation and

special effects. Though it is not the top grossing movie of all time, it has still made a lot of money, and has made the Harry Potter series one of the top grossing series above James Bond and Twilight. Part One has definitely set the bar high for the second part of the movie.

Sophomore Sam Jaffe said, “I was pleased with what I saw in Part One.” He also stated “I will definitely see part two right when it comes out.” I agree. The excitement of the movie has brought junior Sam Kibby to say “I love all the Harry Potter’s but so far I’ve liked the newest one the best.” Kibby later stated, “I will be first in line for the midnight showing, because I’m a dedicated fan.” Many people are expected to go to the midnight

showing of part two of Harry Potter, because it will be the final addition to the series of movies.

The movies have brought a large amount of entertainment to the viewers, but junior Emily Morison said, “The books never appealed to me in the beginning, and the movies just never caught my interest, so I never got into the series.”

After seeing the movie, some were pleased with the movie and some were displeased. Regardless, they all saw it because of their dedication to the Harry Potter series, and everyone is excited for the epic ending. It will be a bitter sweet ending for the final part, and could possibly bring tears to some fans.

Goheen said that “Dickie Jo’s is by far the best burger spot and my favorite place in Eugene.” With the addition of Vietnam Restaurant on West 11th, Eugene continues to widen its international options.

With so many places in Eugene to grab a bite to eat, the

choices can seem endless. Many love the variety of food spots there are and some dislike it, but whenever you’re craving a great slice of pizza, a plate of Chinese food, or even a doughnut topped with your favorite cereal, Eugene is prepared and ready to serve your greatest indulgences.

Where to find the best food in Eugene?

Whether foreign, or all American, threre is no shortage of food choices Andy Conrad staff writer All around Eugene, people have been talking about the varieties of food available. Almost every kind of food can be found here ranging from Chinese food to hot dogs and doughnuts with bacon on them. Other places, including Giant Burger and Voodoo Doughnuts, are challenging customers to do it big, with a five pound burger and a doughnut six times the normal size. With cultures flaring, many events are booming with differentiated food. Places like Off the Waffle, Voodoo Doughnuts, and Dog in a Box are reshaping the limits of food and showing that it can be something much more than conventional.

Senior Sydney Phillips said that her favorite spot in Eugene is Milky Way Pastries. She also said that Eugene Needs more Indian food places. Junior Nick Ruiz-Anderson said his favorite seafood is salmon or shrimp and is excited for the new Red Lobster. Senior Dontee Prevost said, “Eugene’s pricing for food is a bit too high” and Eugene needs “no more new restaurants, because there’s already plenty of selection.” Senior Tyler

KOREA continued from p.8 would change its attitude. But North Korea responded by not keeping its word, continuing to persecute its people, building nuclear testing sites, conducting several nuclear tests, sinking a South Korean warship, and murdering a tourist. Taking into account that approaching the North with an open hand of friendship has not been effective, the surrounding nations have been lessening their efforts to support North Korea, leading to its frustration. This frustration seems to be one of the reasons why they took such an extreme action as the bombardment of Yeonpyeong.

I have seen a child on the street dragging his mom and whining to get her to buy him a candy. If his mom grants him one, he will do it over and over again, whenever he wants her to satisfy his wants. Far from improving his attitude, it might even worsen it. He will go on to demand more and more unreasonable things. He might resort to physical force against his mom and use violence on other people if he is really mad. I see North Korea as this “mad child” demanding for the impossible. He needs to be strictly educated for the sake of his future. The world, including the allies of North Korea, should firmly condemn North Korea for its actions and provocations because the actions have clearly violated international law and remain a threat to the people of the world. In order to sustain true peace, the other countries in the world should think of ways to deliver a lesson to the country such as isolating it by placing an embargo on their economy. In further provocations, the South should retaliate strongly. If the South and the world handle their relations with North Korea this way, it could be effective in delivering a lesson to the “mad boy.”

On a personal note, I sometimes worry about high school students in the United States. Since I have been at Sheldon, I have come to believe that most students do not accurately understand North Korea. They don’t care about North Korea. They don’t see the North as a country that poses a great threat to this world including the United States. American students should be correctly taught the history and the current status of the Communist Party in North Korea. They should understand that North Korea can bring serious damage to this world as long as the hereditary succession of the Kim dynasty continues.

Teachers should strengthen the education regarding the

Maggie Schmaedick photo

Dickie Jo’s Burgers, located at Valley River and on 13th Ave., is a favorite of students.

North Korean ability of military provocations that might surpass the Cheonan sinking or the bombardment of Yeonpyeong Island. They should be frequently reminded that the 25 million people of North Korea are constantly being brainwashed to believe the United States is their major enemy and a hindrance in uniting the entire Korean Peninsula in Communism. "Let's exterminate our sworn enemy U.S. imperialists!'' reads a slogan inside North Korean jet cockpits, sailors' cabins and army guard posts.

In schools, teachers tell students Americans are "twolegged wolves'' and the United States is a "hotbed of all evils swarming with beggars.'' (Sang-Hun Choe from the Associated Press). I have seen a North Korean film in which the North Korean students in kindergarten were playing an anti-American game. They each used clubs to beat a model of an American soldier that was made out of hay. One hundred percent of high school students in North Korea believe that the U.S. is their enemy.

They have been brainwashed and raised since they were infants to have enmity towards the U.S. They are aching to drive the “U.S. imperialism” out of South Korea.

But what about us? How many in this school even know that North Korean people see us as an enemy? How many even pay attention to North Korea? The awareness of national security must be enforced among American students.

The fate of our country depends on our education.

There is an old saying: “If you know your enemy and yourself, you can win every battle.” So we must pay close attention to North Korea and increase our knowledge of the tyrannical government there. If this is done now, it might save the United States in the future by making wise decisions that may avert major provocations and even a war brought on by North Korea.

The 21st century is an era of globalization and peace.

No matter what, true peace has to be our main goal. So before this “mad boy” who is constantly increasing the level of whining, complaining, and violence against other countries, finally brings a major damage to this world, the world should take firm action now to prevent a major war or conflict that no one wants. The U.S. was founded as a response to dictatorship and tyranny. It is truly up to us, the youth of America, to remember this heritage and remain strong in the face of continuing pockets of tyranny, such as North Korea, in the present day.

Talisman Staff Editor-in-Chief Assistant Editor Centerspread Editor Features Editor Features Editor Sports Editor Sports Editor Backpage Editor Entertainment Editor Opinions Editor Opinions Editor Frontpage Editor News Editor Ads Manager Photo Editor Copy Editor Staff Writers Marisa Aiello Simone Balazs Mercy Barnes Gabby Bernhardt Ben Chamberlain Andy Conrad Quinn Daniel Lauren Davies Calvin Everitt Henry Fowler Lucas Gomez Tiwanna Hamilton Tatiana Hasan Staff Advisor

Anthony Rhoads Hope Zima Madison Baker Maggie Schmaedick Hope Zima Drew Haugen Preston Johnson Elizabeth Davis Shyanne Church Hunter Anderson Noah Jang Anthony Rhoads Cameron Ritchey Anthony Rhoads Madison Baker Tim Alley Andrea Haxby Vanessa Hendricks JJ Juilfs Alexadra Kalen Danielle Peterson Kyle Radley Lindsey Ragsdale Andrew Reinhard Alexader Rosen Marina Ross Kristina Tamburrini Dominic Travis Vanessa Tshionyi 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.

10

December 17, 2010

Sports

the Talisman

The Oregon Ducks New Matthew Knight Arena promises to be bigger and better than its predecessor are BCS bound Both Oregon’s mens and womens After finishing the 2010 football season basketball teams leave storied 12-0, the Ducks are set to play Auburn McArthur Court to begin new chapter for the BCS National Championship in state-of-the-art Matt Court Drew Haugen sports editor

Oregon quarterback Darron Thomas took a final knee. As the clock hit zero, Duck fans stormed the turf at Reser Stadium in Corvallis. Oregon’s victory over Oregon State marked the third straight year the Ducks have found themselves on the winning side of the annual Civil War matchup. However, a win against the Beavers signified not only state bragging rights for a year, but an opportunity to play for a much larger prize on January 10, 2011. The Oregon Ducks are headed to the BCS National Championship game.

Second year head coach Chip Kelly and his gang in green are flying high, currently coming off a 12-0 regular season finish. It is the first time that a team has gone undefeated in the Pac-10 conference since its expansion in 1978.

The season is also the first undefeated football season in the school’s history. “Coach Kelly has really gotten the whole team to buy into his ‘Win the Day’ motto,” said sophomore Connor Strahm. “I think it has contributed to the Ducks’ success this season. They’re not looking ahead, only trying to give one hundred percent to the task in front of them.” Oregon has given one hundred percent to every opponent they have faced this season. The Duck’s opened the 2010 season with a 72-0 thumping of the New Mexico Aggies at home; followed by an impressive win on the road against Tennessee. The following week, Oregon dominated Portland State, 69-0 at a rainy Autzen Stadium. They then followed it up by getting the win in Phoenix against Arizona State. Oregon’s record stood at an impressive 4-0 after four weeks of football. However, their greatest adversary loomed ahead. “I really think that the Stanford game was the turning point of the Duck’s season,” recalled Strahm. “They rallied to come from behind and showed that they can play with the top teams in the country.” After a victory against the Cardinal in Eugene, Oregon went on to win their seven remaining games by a combined score of 309-146, including marquee wins over USC, Arizona and Oregon State.

Not only have the Ducks won impressively as a team, but both sides of the ball have made a name for themselves this season, showing blazing speed on offense and punishing tenacity on defense. “The team is really strong offensively and defensively,” said junior Mitch Carmen. “With Thomas running the offense with play makers like Jeff Maehl and LaMichael James no one can match our tempo.” Not many teams can match the stats Oregon has generated this season either. The Ducks have combined for almost 4,000 rushing yards led by James, and racked up almost 2,000 yards receiving. “The defense has playmakers as well,” continued Carman. “Players like Casey Mathews, Spencer Paysinger, and Cliff Harris all have a nose for the football.” The Ducks defense has allowed the fewest fourth quarter points in the nation. “The whole community is excited about Oregon football!” said senior Colton Surcamp. “The guys from Supwitchugirl are getting everyone pumped up with ‘I Love My Ducks’.

Jeff won’t you Maehl me a touchdown - I want one.”

With Jeff “Maehling” touchdowns and the Ducks mailing a BCS acceptation letter to Glendale, times are good for the Oregon football program. However, the final chapter to this magical season has yet to be written.

Henry Fowler staff writer

Since 1926, the University of Oregon’s basketball team has played their home games at McArthur Court, also known as “The Pit” and “Mac Court.” On January 13, 2011 the Ducks will play a game against USC in the new Matthew Knight Arena, which is replacing Mac Court.

The new Matthew Knight Arena is costing about $200 million to build, which will make it the most expensive on-campus basketball arena in the United States. There is some controversy over whether building the new arena was a good idea because of the money that had to go into building it. Freshman David Bellamy said, “I like it

because it will attract more fans.” Sophomore Spencer Clark said, “I think it’s cool and will attract new fans.”

The arena is named after Phil Knight’s son, who died at age 34 in a scuba diving accident. The floor in the new arena will be named Kilkenny Floor after the former athletic director Pat Kilkenny. The court has a very interesting and unique design, with trees on the court along with the words “Deep in the woods.” When asked about the trees, freshman Jordan Alexander said, “It’s an original design.” Bellamy said, “I don’t like it because it distracts from the game.”

The old Mac Court will always be remembered by Duck fans. Alexander said, “It’s a piece of history.” Clark said, “It has a lot of memories.” Even with all the memories, Matthew Knight Arena will be a huge improvement from the old Mac Court. For example, Matthew Knight Arena will hold 12,541 people while McArthur court only held 9,087 people.

The Ducks basketball team has struggled at the start of the 2010-2011 basketball season, but they have had some close games against top teams. They lost by a lot to the number-one-ranked Duke Blue Devils, but they only lost by two to the eleventh ranked Missouri Tigers after overcoming a twenty point halftime deficit. Maybe the new arena will help the Ducks turn their season around.

New crossfit gyms offer Some sports at Sheldon intense exercise training will earn you P.E. credits Crossfit training introduces a new Some athletes do not earn school type of workout that focuses on credit for participating in sports endurance and strength Andrea Haxby staff writer Have you ever heard of Crossfit? Crossfit is a fitness program that takes your muscle endurance to the next level! It’s the practice of repeating a exercise routine within a timed limit. It helps improve your body’s strength to maximize your ability.

The Crossfit website has a lot of information. Crossfit can be used for achieving many different goals. The intensity level of the exercise may vary from person to person. One may be very experienced and can be involved in a very intense routine. But beginners may be set in a class where they will teach you the basics of the program and give you drills to prep you for the next level. Level one is an introductory course of Crossfit.

The attendees will be offered the recourses and sufficient foundation to continue a successful development of a level one Crossfit athlete. All these lessons will help you by providing the correct way to perform the program, and help you move on to the next level of Crossfit.

Every year there is something called the Crossfit Games. It is a three-day event with gruesome workouts.

To get into the Crossfit Games competitors have to make the top ten women and men compete at a competition, sort of like a regionals. There, six will move on to The Crossfit Games. For three days these six constants will compete to be number one. “They say the person who wins is considered to be the strongest person in the world,” said campus supervisor Travis Melvin.

Crossfit athlete Tina Montoya said, “Crossfit has made me so much stronger. It has changed me to do things I was never been able to do before. If I can make it through these hard work outs, I can do anything!” Crossfit isn’t just a work out. It is a way to build self confidence.

Don’t think you’re fit or not strong enough? If your normal gym or video workouts are cutting it, take a chance and try Crossfit. You never know, you maybe become one of the many people who consider themselves “addicted” to crossfit.

Vanessa Tshionyi staff writer

How would you feel if the school rewarded you for participating in sports? Athletes would be encouraged to continue their involvement and it would also encourage students who don’t usually play sports to play. Some might think that it would be a good idea for athletes to get credits, but for others who aren’t athletic, they might think it is unfair.

Many of the sports teams here at Sheldon have morning practices and workouts that earn the credit. Senior Katy Cheung said, “In softball, we have morning practices that earn us credit, which I like because I get to play the sport I like and earn credit for it as well.” The softball team may earn credit for their early morning practices, but other sports teams don’t. The dance team has 5:00 a.m. workouts throughout the year and they don’t earn credit for it. Junior Rachel Milstein said, “I think that we should earn a P.E. credit for having to wake up so early and dance, and then have to get ready for school.”

Many students agree that it is unfair for some sports to get a P.E. credit for morning practice, but how would they feel if only a select few number of sports got P.E. credits? Junior Nik Ruiz Anderson said, “If football only earned a P.E. credit, I think that it would be unfair for the students that participate in other sports who would be left out of the opportunity to earn credit.”

Many students who are athletes think that earning credit is a great idea, but what about those who aren’t? Junior Lucas Gomez said, “I don’t think that it is fair that kids who play sports can earn a P.E. credit because there are people out there who don’t play sports or aren’t athletically inclined.” Other students agree with Gomez.

The argument whether sports should get a P.E. credit or not will still continue until the staff and administration get it resolved. Sports are traditionally separate from academics, but academics affect one’s ability to play sports.

Sports are what many do, but for those who don’t shouldn’t feel like they need to, to earn a P.E. credit.

They Said It...

“I think that our team is really improving. We put in a lot of a hard work in the off-season and it’s nice to see it pay off. Hopefully we can continue our success” -Sophmore Conner Strahm on 2010 Irish basketball season

Sports

the Talisman

December 17, 2010

11

Boys swimming has chance to win districts Head coach Scott Kerr has the opportunity to push his boys to be district champions Preston Johnson sports editor This school year of 2010-2011 could possibly be the swim team’s first district win in years, at least for the boy’s side.

With a nearly record-breaking number of participants including a load of returning seniors, victory seems imminent. Most remaining schools in the district have graduated a dangerous amount of their district winning seniors and in turn have lost their best chances of defeating the Sheldon Irish Swim Team.

“Our chances of winning this year are really high,” said freshman Nigel McKinnon. The boy’s team has a staggering 39 participants. Which is a huge increase from previous years. This means that they can participate in a larger number of events, scoring more points for the team to win the meet. McKinnon also commented on their training. “We practice really hard everyday until a week before a meet then we taper. We aren’t supposed to eat crappy foods such as McDonalds but try to eat as healthy as possible.”

The team will be losing at least five good seniors at the end of the season which could greatly effect their chances of winning districts in the future. Senior and captain of the girls team Jasmine Creighton Manis said, “We will be losing talent at the end of this year. But we will also be gaining talent next year through new swimmers and improved returning ones. At this point it looks bleak but you never know what surprises are yet to come.” Even with the loss of seniors, other schools still present big competition. Schools such as South Eugene High School and Roseburg High School, which are viewed as Sheldon’s biggest rivals. “I would say our biggest competition would be South because of the rivalry. We want nothing more then to beat them,” said Manis.

Endless hours of training and eating right aren’t the only factors that count towards winning. Attitude is a huge part of whole picture. “It’s

the captains’ (seniors Kevin Gleim and Rex Putnum) job to boost team spirit and morale by leading the team cheer before every meet and motivating the swimmers.

They also decorate our designated area at the district meet with tons of Sheldon posters and stuff and everyone walks around in irish hats and lots of green stuff,”

said senior swimmer Derek Vandervies. Though many people might find it boring, the competition attracts many people and the event is a hit. So if you ever find yourself bored on the day of a meet, and you have a friend or two swimming, come, cheer the Sheldon High School boy’s swim team tovictory!

Preston Johnson photo

Sheldon swimmer David Brody (right) on the blocks waiting to start a swim race.

Girls basketball has a new coach this year Head coach Brian Brancato leaves the JV team to become the varsity coach Tiwanna Hamilton staff writer

Girls basketball has a new coach this year, and a new style of play as well. Head coach Brian Brancato, who was previously the JV coach, is now the man in charge for the 2010-11 season. Former head coach Luke Roth had been the girl’s basketball coach for Sheldon for 27

years before calling it a season last spring. The job was then given to Brian Brancato during this past summer.

“I am excited to see how the season goes with a new coach,” said campus supervisor Darin Henry. Last year the girls only made it to the first round of playoffs before they were eliminated by St. Mary’s Academy.

The program staff consists of Brian Brancato as the head coach, Cory McGraw as the offensive assistant coach and Sarah Wobbe as the defensive assistant coach, at the varsity level. The JV coach is Curt Rasmussen and the JV2 coach is Mohona Vanderhoff who was a former player for Sheldon. There are thirteen players on varsity, seven on JV and eight on JV2. There are five seniors on varsity, eight returners, and five new players. Games take place on Tuesdays and Thursdays, with the JV and JV2 games

Body building takes dedication As the sport grows in popularity, athletes must work harder to be competative Quinn Daniel staff writer Bodybuilding is starting to rise up and become more popular. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Lou Ferrigno are what many people think of when someone brings up body building. Both were in the famous movie Pumping Iron that came out in 1977. Bodybuilding came from the ancient Greeks; who believed they were Gods in themselves so they sculpted their bodies to make themselves look like stone sculpted statues. Competitive bodybuilding really started in the 19th century.

Modern bodybuilding has become more competitive and more complex. There are so many more supplements and more ways to get protein. Modern bodybuilders push their bodies beyond belief and have amazingly sculpted bodies.

Freshman, Rebekah Galick answered “No, I don’t think bodybuilders are extremely attractive if they are too big, and their bodies look deformed.” Many people agree that some bodybuilders may be too big and the veins are all showing up and sticking out too much. Bodybuilder Justin Young, a senior here at Sheldon, declared, “Bodybuilding is the toughest sport mentally and on some days physically; as well it’s more of a life style than anything.” Young further stated Dragon Ball Z was a big inspiration and motivation to me, to look like a superhero and in-human.”

Who wouldn’t want to look like a super hero?

Many people who attempt to body build won’t go through with it because it takes so much work to do. All of the eating and pushing yourself to shred all your muscle so they will grow back bigger and stronger. For most bodybuilders, they eat 8 meals a day with many snacks in between. Eating is a major part in bodybuilding, to keep getting nutrition and protein throughout the day, and then having to work out hard and aggressively. “The last three or four reps is what makes the muscle grow. This area of pain divides the champion from someone else who is not a champion. That’s what most people lack, having the guts to go on and just say they’ll go through the pain no matter what happens.” That is one of many quotes that Schwarzenegger makes in the movie Pumping Iron. To be able to push yourself past the pain barrier is one of the hardest things your body can go through. It is one of the things one has to go through, but it is rewarding in the end.

There are many reasons why people body build, competitive, to find ones inner strength and motivation, self confidence, to become healthier, but for whatever reason people of all ages love to see the bodies of some of the most motivated and determined people to get up on stages and show their bodies that have gone through hard work, pain and suffering to get to a point of looking like a superhero.

taking place at 5:30 p.m. and the varsity at 7:00 p.m.

Before and after every game the varsity sings the Sheldon fight song. “The program as a whole feels that the changes that were made were positive and have helped us to become better teams,” said senior Chloe Stiles, who is a four year varsity player and shooting guard. In the past, the girls program has won five league championships and have taken twenty trips to the post season. The previous three years the girls have been in the Southwestern League, but now they are back in the Midwestern League, playing local teams like North, Willamette, Thurston, etc.

“I know the Sheldon girl’s program works hard, and with a new start this year, they will surprise a lot of people,” said senior Louise Mulvey, a former varsity player from Perth, Australia.

Backpage Santa brings cheer to all over the world!

The word ‘Christmas’ comes from Cristes maesse, an English phrase that means Mass of Christ.

Elizabeth Davis backpage editor Waking up early on that morning, taking in the earthly smells of the Douglas fir, seeing the stocking filled to the brim while hanging on the mantle, and the welcoming glow of the Christmas lights. This is how Christmas morning is for some people in the United States. Have you ever thought of how Christmas is celebrated in other countries? People hear Christmas and think presents and Santa. But wasn’t there a point in time when Christmas was known only for its religious aspects?

Some Christmas traditions still celebrated today date back over 4000 years to early Mesopotamians. They held a festival for their gods that lasted 12 days, which is where our “12 days of Christmas” comes from. Holidays in December around Christmastime are the oldest and were holidays for many countries celebrating the arrival of the sun,

battle of their gods, or even changing roles in society for a portion of the festivities. For Christians, December 25th is the day of rejoicing in the birth of Jesus. For Pagans it’s a celebration of December. In America however, Christmas is a holiday for either religious beliefs, or it’s just a day for giving and receiving gifts with family and friends.

Everyone has different traditions before Christmas. Some include going out as a family and cutting down a tree, decorating a tree as a family, or opening a present on Christmas Eve. “We get a pair of pajamas and we have to wear them the next morning,” said sophomore Bryce Jorgenson. That is his present every Christmas Eve. Some Americans have a big feast or go to Mass; either way there are many different and unique traditions in America due to origins and diversity.

Wouldn’t it be cool if you celebrated Christmas a day earlier? That’s what happens in Germany. Their Christmas is on December 24. Also, “Santa Claus is known as “Weihnachtsmann,” said German exchange student Marie Heinen. It means, “Christmas Man.” December 6 is called St. Nicklaus Day. The night before kids put their shoes out in front of their house so Weihnachtsmann can come and fill them with sweets and presents. On Christmas, Heinen’s family goes to church and watches a nativity play,

lights the candles on the Christmas tree when they get home, and they open presents. Then on December 25, it’s a day with family and kids play with their new toys.

Two days of Christmas basically. How cool is that?

Another great country with unique Christmas traditions is Mexico. Nataly Peréz said what her family does on December 25. On Christmas Eve, her grandma decorates the house. They get a big tree and fill it with gifts.

On Christmas, lots of family, friends, and just anyone comes to celebrate with them. She said all of the women make a type of food, like turkey, chicken, and salad. The people that come who aren’t family bring some kind of food for everyone. “When it’s the middle of the night, we gather around and my grandpa sits in a chair and when he calls your name he gives you your gift and you have to open it in front of everyone,” said Peréz.

But before they open the gifts, they put on music for the children under ten years old, and only the adults play games. Her family does not attend church before they celebrate Christmas. But other families in Mexico do.

Christmas is celebrated all over the world with different traditions. Everyone adds their own flavor to their celebrations. It’s what makes us unique. :) Merry Christmas!

Do you still believe Winter break in Santa Claus? is here!

Who do you think has been putting you on the naughty or nice list?

It’s time to toss that school stress aside and get into the spirit of the holidays and relaxation!

Shyanne Church entertainment editor

Marina Ross staff writer

It’s that time of year again. Trees are decorated with sparkling lights, stockings are hung above the fire, and young children are going to see Santa to tell him their wishes for Christmas. Lately though, fewer little children seem to truly believe in the everso-famous figure “Santa Claus.” So my curiosity brings me to ask why? When asking around, freshman Daniel Hafdahl said, “It’s probably the parents thinking kids shouldn’t believe in Santa after a certain age,” but that cant be the only reason behind fewer children believing in Santa Claus. “I found out Santa wasn’t real from overhearing my dad talking to my older brother about it,” said junior Aaron Polter. But what else could it be? Lack of imagination? Or possibly friends playing a game of telephone and spreading the word?

Throughout elementary school, around fourth or fifth grade, is usually when most children find out the heart-crushing truth about the tale of Santa. Whether it’s from a friend, parent, or connecting the dots through the Tooth Fairy,

Easter Bunny, and then to Santa Clause.

Whichever way the magic is gone. But for those who still believe, Christmas could be the best part of the year. Preschooler Olivia wrote Santa a letter, and asked for an American Doll. When I asked if she had been a good girl this year she said, “I know I’m on Santa’s good list.” Ha-ha enough said there. She is going to Hawaii for winter break, and Olivia still has total faith that Santa Clause will know where she is, to bring “her good girl gifts.”

Madeleine, another preschool girl, when being interviewed, asked if news editor Cameron Ritchey and I were elves. How adorable.

This Christmas, it’s a good idea for everyone to bring out their inner kid again. Because I think we should all go back to a time when we would literally countdown the hours on Christmas Eve, lying awake and just staring at the clock. Having these Christmas memories is what we can share with our children when we get older. We need to keep the Christmas spirit and continue it for years to come.

Santa caught red-handed in the cookie jar

Surely everyone is looking forward to the upcoming winter break. However, many of us are excited for many different reasons. Some students could be excited simply because they don’t have to wake up for school, while others are thrilled that they have family coming to visit. There are tons of things to do while school isn’t in session, but some activities must be done while it’s the winter season. Without going to a glacier, there is no way a person could ski in Oregon in August or have a snowball fight in June. However, being forced to wait for so long could make the cold winter days just that much more fun. So, what exactly are some Sheldon students planning for their winter break? “[I plan to] bake Christmas cookies, decorate the tree, [and] look at Christmas lights,” said senior Sydney Phillips. Some of the other things she enjoys during the winter include “snowboarding, making snowmen, [and] eating snow cones.” Another student, freshman Zoë Holub said, “[I like] drinking hot chocolate, sleeping in, and skiing.”

Not everyone is staying home during the time off, and a lot of people would rather travel anyway. When asked, many students replied that they would absolutely go somewhere else if they had the chance. The winter weather isn’t exactly ideal here in Eugene. Because of this, travelling elsewhere could have the benefit of additional break activities. For instance, sophomore Meaghan Ells plans to go to Michigan. She said, “[I would rather] travel because I love it.”

Perhaps one of the reasons that Sheldon students wish the break was longer is because there is so much to do in such little time. Most would prefer more time off, but for what exactly? “Sleeping,” said Phillips. Even though everyone has different plans for this winter break, we should all try and make the time at hand last. No one likes going back to the grindstone after drifting through the lazy days. However, there is no way to stop the time from moving forward to get back to class.

by Gabby Bernhardt