The Lake - October 2016

the lake

3 girls 480 seconds 1 Journey Standley Lake High School | 9300 W 104th Avenue | Westminster, CO 80021 | USA | Planet Earth | Milky Way Volume 28 | Issue 1 October 2016

Who we are Editors-in-Chief | Esteban Arellano Emily Leo

the lake the formalities Opinions or expressions made by students in this publication are not expressions of board policy. The district and its employees are immune from any civil action based on any expression made for or published by students.

The Lake is an open forum for and by the students, faculty, and community of Standley Lake High School. The Lake is willing to accept and print any appropriate articles submitted by the students of SLHS and reserves the right to edit any of these articles. We will not print letters sent to us without a name and signature. Submit letters to standleylakenewspaper@gmail.com.

2 October 2016 | Issue 1

Staff Editors | Kevin Han Hannah Jensen Meg Metzger-Seymour Ty Milliken Kayla Pray Patty Sokol Maxin Uhrich Staff Writers | AJ Ehrhardt Jenna Hines Grace Johnson Cheyenne Main Michael Pietroiacovo Sophia Stimpfl Cartoonist | Anna Nelson Advisor | Lynn Schwartz Website Editor | Gordy Saur

social @thelakenewsmag facebook.com/standleylakenewspaper @thelakenewsmag thelakenewsmag.com thelakenewsmag

Table of Contents

18

october 2016

36 44 36 24

06 30

The Good stuff 06 18 24 30 36 40

The Right Angle

44

Opinions

2.4 miles; 480 seconds A bold initiative Faces in the Crowd Battered & Bruised Brain Find A Way

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Our Mission. . .

Standley Lake Boosters is committed to providing students at SLHS with an opportunity to develop their talent to their highest potential by Promoting Leadership, Athletic and Academic Excellence, Life Long Health and Fitness, and School Spirit with SLHS Teams and Programs. Our mission is driven by values of integrity and the promotion of sportsmanship, community involvement, as well as personal growth and enjoyment.

SL Booster Programs & Events. . .

Jog-in-the-Bog Spring Storm at the Swamp Gator Gear Sales Team Concessions “Gator Café” Scholarship Awards Future Gator Nights Dave & Buster “Gator Spirit Nights” King Soopers and Safeway Script Cards (the easiest way to raise money for teams and activities)

Recent Funding Provided for. . .

Multi Use Score Board at SLHS Athletic Field New Risers for Choir New Sound System for Gymnasium Ice Machine in Training Room Scoring Table for Gymnasium Digital Scale for Wrestling Team Spring Cushioned Floor for Gymnastics New Stationary Bike for Training Room School Banner Printer Practice & Competition Mats for Cheer

www.standleylakeboosters.com

Visit our website to join Boosters, get the latest news on sports and activities, learn about Booster Fund Raising Opportunities and join us at our monthly meetings (the first Monday of every month) to get the latest news.

Hey there, It’s us again: E2.

While none of us look forward to getting back to the grindstone and waking up anywhere between four and six in the morning, truth be told, we here at The Lake are pretty happy to be back. Back in room B135, with the chance to provide you with more stories about the exceptional people that inhabit the Swamp and the things they do to make this place so gosh darn special.

This year our staff has nearly doubled in size and we are pumped to introduce them to our way of life: a jocky, nerdy, hodgepodged family filled with folk riffs disguised in hints of Kanye, bi-monthly late nights, inside jokes, hoaky hashtag movements, and bonds to last the works.

And so, with this issue we are happy to say that we tried to add some new tricks to the trade and expand from our bubbles—personally and collectively. We brought perfect strangers together to become the best of friends and approached the pressures that seniors encounter when preparing to enter that big, scary, amazing real world. We found better alternatives to an infamous campaign slogan. We reconnected with the girls involved in the car accident that occurred last spring to see how far they’ve come, not just as individuals with their injuries, but as a team with how they have grown closer.

As you read these stories, place yourself in the shoes of those they focus on. Even if you disagree or never thought of it that way before, try. Gain some perspective. Let it humble you. At this point in time, we as people—as human beings—need all the understanding we can get.

Catch yA next time,

E

2

A.K.A. ESTEBAN AND EMILY, THE EDITORS-IN-CHIEF

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THE RIGHT ANGLE

NEW FACES IN NEW PLACES With new teachers, come new stories

With a hunger to share his knowledge, Mr. Chris Russo is the perfect teacher. He has an eclectic job history that includes warehouse work. Along with his interesting job history, he also once wanted to enter the Air Force to be a pilot. Working in the math department and being exposed to new things, Russo has found a passion for Ultimate Frisbee and has serious intentions of creating a club for it. With a variety of incredible high school stories to make you laugh, feel free to stop in and talk to him.

Being a math lover, it’s only fitting for him to be a math teacher.

Mr. Cole Harding also happens to be an alumni of the building.

In his words, Harding has “lofty dreams and wants there to be a certain confidence and pride in going to Standley.” Having his mom as a teacher helped fuel his love for kids. If you think you have seen him somewhere before he was a teacher, it is because Harding used to be a substitute for Standley.

Athletes make the perfect gym teachers. So that makes Coach Corey Calcara highly qualified for his job. What makes it better is he played college football and now coaches for the Gators.

After graduating from Fort Lewis in Durango, he began teaching at various schools before ending up at his hopefully long term home here at Standley. | Grace Johnson

6 October 2016 | Issue 1

DOWN WITH THE

ANYONE OUT THERE? Potential habitable planet brings questions with it’s discovery

SICKNESS

For years, humans have searched throughout our universe in attempts to discover a planet that can sustain life. Space is the final frontier to many, sci-fi movies like Star Wars displaying hopes that life on other planets will someday be a reality. Throughout the years, many candidates have been cited as possessing the potential to host life; however, these planets are light years away, with no hope of reaching them without substantial advances in space travel. In August, the European Southern Observatory announced the discovery of a new candidate that could sustain life on its surface: Proxima b.

As political agendas stall congressional funding, Zika virus spreads into the U.S. and around the world In a world of consistent disasters, manmade and natural, it’s easy to get lost in the chaos. Certain buzzwords of the going-ons of the world float around, rumors spread, valid and accurate information diluted in the pandemonium. However, these disasters all seem to be so foreign, problems in other places far away from the United States. For the longest time, the Zika virus was considered a foreign problem, another epidemic in a far away country that wasn’t a direct threat to the US. But with natural cases erupting in Florida, and travel-related cases spawning in nearly all of the 50 states, Zika can no longer be ignored. | Kevin Han

The symptoms for Zika include mild fever, conjunctivitis (red sore eyes), headache, joint pain, and rashes. Zika in general is not deadly; however, the biggest threat from Zika is its indisputable link to microcephaly and other birth defects in newborns of pregnant infected women.

There is currently no existing vaccine or treatments for Zika, only alleviation of symptoms.

$

Funding for Zika prevention is rapidly decreasing as Congress stalls on passing a new bill that would provide more funds. Political agendas from both parties have frozen congressional progress in its tracks.

ZIKA: THE NEED-TO-KNOW INFO

Zika virus is primarily transmitted by Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. Zika is also transmitted sexually.

This newly discovered exoplanet orbits the red dwarf star Proxima Centauri, the closest star to our Sun. More importantly Proxima b is a mere 4.22 light years away, making it the closest exoplanet that could sustain life ever found.

Proxima b orbits at just the right distance from its sun, increasing the likelihood of its ability to support life on its surface.

There are major differences between Earth and Proxima b. The planet’s orbital period is short; lasting a mere 11 days. In comparison, Earth’s orbital period is 365 days. Weather on Proxima b is also extremely different due to the planet’s proximity to its sun. Proxima b could be tidally locked like the Moon, meaning that only one side of the planet would face its star. As the same side would always face the sun in this situation, the dark side would never see the light of day. This would leave the in between spot; the area where the light would meet the dark, creating an eternal morning for one side, and an eternal evening for the other. Scientists have hypothesized that if Proxima b were to possess liquid water on its surface, it would most likely reside in this inbetween region.

The habitability of Proxima b is still all speculation. Nonetheless, Proxima b is still one of the best candidates to sustain life out of all the potential planets ever discovered. NASA plans to answer the question, “Is Proxima b able to support life?” by 2020. For all we know, potential aliens on Proxima B are trying to figure out if we exist. | AJ Ehrhardt | Kevin Han

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THE RIGHT ANGLE

not just a club STUDENTS AT STANDLEY LAKE ATTEND OUT OF SCHOOL CLUB There has been lots of talk about Young Life, people have been approached with fliers that say “Go to club Monday night at 7:04.” What happens there though?

Jason Zaboth, the Young Life area director of Arvada, opened up his life and released some personal stuff. He talked about how his basement flooded and how his cousin killed himself.

He didn’t just leave everyone feeling hopeless though, he said that there’s always a sunrise round the corner and that he found his at Young Life club.

Young Life has most likely been heard of, but never seen. It’s not an official extracurricular supported by the school, nor is it directly related to the school. But many students and teachers participate in Young Life.

Young Life is a Christian organization but that aspect is seldom the focus. “[It’s] a place for kids to come to find community and be in a safe place where they’re not gonna have any drugs or alcohol, or just really any of those really bad influences that will affect their life,” Jadon Tanguma, Young Life Head Leader at SLHS, said.

It’s a safe place for kids who don’t have one elsewhere.

“It’s really accepting and you’re not judged about anything,” Mykayla Flores ‘17 said. “You can just be who you are.”

There aren’t any specific types of people at Young Life. There are jocks playing football, geeks playing Magic the Gathering, punks listening to music, and anyone else you could think of. One of Young

8 October 2016| Issue 1

Life’s mottos is, “If Young Life is a ‘clique’, everyone is in it.”

“a place for kids to come to find community and be in a safe place where they’re not gonna have any drugs or alcohol, just really any of those really bad, awful influences that will affect their life,” -Jadon Taguma There’s more behind the surface however.

“It’s really all about the relationships we build with kids because we really want it to be a place that everyone feels welcome,” Tanguma said. “We really just want to be a voice in their life to give them that guidance.” Through sharing past experiences such as Zaboth’s or simply giving advise, the leaders make the

most with each kid.

Tanguma emphasized that “Young Life is a Christian organization, but it’s [also] an organization where college mentors can build relationships with high school students, in hopes of guiding them along in life and being another person besides a parent to give them direction.”

However, that’s not all there is to know. At Young Life, kids and leaders can be found singing, doing skits, playing games, and laughing.

Leaders can connect with students outside of Young Life too. “We just really get to know and we spend time with them and be just another friend, an older friend in their life that can really help them and guide them along,” Tanguma said.

It’s made of chaotic peace, loving leaders, and a safe place for all who need it. The leaders don’t see themselves as authority figures but as “the big brother or sister who is supporting kids.”

“We really just wanna be a voice in their life to give them that guidance and not necessarily discipline them,” Tanguma said. | AJ Ehrhardt

STUDENT TAKES THE FIELD AS A FOOTBALL PLAYER AND MARCHING BAND MEMBER

ON THE FIELD AGAIN

The timer counts down until it reaches zero.

Half time signals and all the players head into the locker room. The pep talk ensues and all the players sit and listen intently, ready to make changes for the next two quarters.

Every player is in there--except for one.

He walks out of the locker room to the center of the field. He lifts up his trumpet and begins to play. The enthusiastic marching band plays their set, and before you know it, he’s back on the field. Only he isn’t holding a trumpet, he’s holding a football.

Elijah Lueveo ‘18 is not only a defensive and offensive tackle, but participates in the marching band as well. He goes to football practice, then marching band until after dark.

“So, it’s basically right from football, to right to marching band, right away, Mondays and Thursdays.”

Lueveo said. “And we practice until about eight thirty?

So, those are basically the longest days ever.”

ment. “A lot of them are like, ‘Aw, that’s pretty cool, I wish I could do that’.” Luevo said.

opportunity to show others how to follow their dreams.

His bandmates are very sup-

“I think that’s really just, showing kids they don’t have to just stick to one topic, and be that guy, you can be that, and transpire to do more.”

Lueveo said.

as well. “They love “A lot of them are like, portive just having a football player, love having different ‘Aw, that’s pretty cool, they people into it.” Lueveo said.

The thrive for music and I wish I could do that’.”sports came together, and it Lueveo’s football teamwas almost destiny. Lueveo mates are very supportis the half time show to his elijah Lueveo ‘18 ive of his band involveown game. He sees it as an

Q& A

WITH

Katie Joyce

What country are you from?

I’ve lived in a lot of countries. I’m not really from anywhere but the one I just moved from was Bahrain.

How is the culture there?

You can have anything you want delivered to your house, you can have any fancy restaurant delivered there, and workers, like mechanics, can come work on things at your house at like 10 o'clock at night, you don't have to make appointments or anything. Everyone there works for cheap, we had a worker name Muhammad who picked up our dog poop, he worked for only 4 dollars and he also mowed our lawn, nail people can come to your house and do your nails.

It’s not like the stereotypical high school movies, where that football players shove the band members into lockers. It’s a community. Everyone follows their passion, whether or not they may collide with each other on paper. | Hannah Jensen

Freshman tells us about her life in the Middle East.

Was terrorism a threat?

Well the majority of Americans thinks that all muslims are bad people and I take that very personally, coming from experience, I know first hand what muslims are like, they are very nice and work very hard and I feel like if a group of Christians got together and bombed a building, people wouldn't say “all christians are bad” but they would do that to muslim people.

Do you like the culture here?

I mean it's totally different here, I mean over there women cover their bodies, and men also act like they are more powerful but they also do that here, and the way people dress here like they wear whatever they want. A good thing about being over there in my opinion is they’re conservative but sometimes a little [too] conservative.

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THE RIGHT ANGLE

VS Instagram released a new feature called Instagram Stories and it’s almost similar to Snapchat stories, here’s a few similarities and differences between them.

The original social media that lets you share a picture or video on your “story” for 24 hours and then it's gone forever. You can share the snap to a few select people from your friends list that allows them to see the message once or be able to replay it once a day.

Instagram Stories will let you post photos and videos on your story for 24 hours, you can't adjust the time on them so you're stuck with 5 seconds. Now videos can be upto 3-60 seconds long, compared to Snapchat which can only be 1-30 seconds long.

A great feature that Snapchat has is how you can customize your photo or video with different filters, geo tags, and 3D face modifiers. You only have 4 options of filters: black and white, a pinkish filter, a brightener, and one with an orange tint. When you go to take a selfie you can tap your face and add a 3D or morphing filter to yourself, like the dog filter or the face swapper. You can do all of this in videos as well but you can also change the speed of the video.

Instagram Stories lets you post as many photos or videos of yourself without feeling like you post on Instagram so much. You're free to edit the photos with a couple of different filter and you're able to draw with three different pen tools, a small point pen,a highlighter markers, and a cool neon glowing marker.

Snapchat also has big companies like ESPN, MTV, and BuzzFeed have their own personal stories and have small little news articles and videos that everyone can see.You can also susbcribe to these “channels” to see more or have that “channel” be your favorite so you’ll see it first when you open Snapchat.

Now you can't send your one photo or video to one specific person you have to share it with everyone on your friends list, but you can hid it from people you don't know or maybe even people you don't like by blocking them from your story.

Music talks, money walks Artists protesting for their recognition for their work and art lost to the digital music movement.

10 October 2016| Issue 1

Music is something almost everyone loves, but when an artist releases an album people rarely go to a store to buy a physical copy of the album—it's all digital now. Artists like Kanye West, Adele, and Beyonce, just to name a few, put their music on apps such as Apple Music and Tidal, but the thing about these platforms is it costs money to stream music.

CD copies don't really sell all that well nowadays and streaming music on your phone is how people listen to music. Chesle Parson ‘17 is fan of this idea of streaming on his phone, “I would prefer to stream it even though I do love having a physical copy of a CD”.

Ever since Taylor Swift took all her music off

| Ty Milliken of Spotify to put it on Apple Music she has gained a lot of hate. It's not that she doesn't want her fans to not be able to listen to her music it's that she wants to get paid for her music. Most artists put passion and soul into their albums so they know that their fans will listen to it with the same passion.

“I feel like people should be able to pay because at the end of the day this is still the artist’s work that they are putting out their,” Parson says, “and there's a sort of pride that comes from paying for an album/song and listening to the music you enjoy.” | Ty Milliken

BLONDE ALBUM REVIEW Frank comes back with a different set of vibes Frank Ocean’s awaited second album Blonde was released on August 20, 2016 to stream only on Apple Music, but after three weeks it’s available on Spotify.

The 18 song concept album was suppose to release in June of 2014 but due to the music being leaked, he delayed the release to 2016. This album is unlike his other album, Channel Orange, as it includes slower beats, guitar and piano tunes, but still has that Ocean vibe. Not much has been released about the album besides the album itself. It’s been hinted at who contributed to the album, but not confirmed, people like The Beatles, Kendrick Lamar, Tyler, the Creator and many more. As I said it’s not like his last album. Channel Orange felt like each song belonged where they were, it flowed, but Blonde feels more or less incomplete.

Each song doesn’t sound the same, the have their own uniqueness to them and it’s a nice change. They sound like Ocean was in his room with a piano and a guitar and a microphone and just sang his heart out till he couldn’t anymore. The more mature 28 year old’s voice is much more defined and his voice sounds sincere and each stanza of each song sounds like he means it, there’s some sort of deepness to them. For example, in the song Seigfried, he says “two kids in a swimming pool”, he’s talking about settling down and being normal. When he sings this it’s like he’s realizing that that might be happening or even in the single Nikes he says pays tribute to ASAP Yams, Pimp-C, and Trayvon Martin and it even though it’s been about four years since Martin died theirs meaning in those words still. Ocean just has a talent to sing about things that when you’re listening to it doesn’t mean a whole lot but they really do and it’s a good feeling to actually listen to an artist that pays more attention to lyrics than bass centered beats. Overall Blonde has some really good aspects to it and through the filler songs and shorter songs this album is really sincere and makes up to Ocean keeping this album from his listeners for three years, this album gets a 4 out of 5 stars. | Ty Milliken

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no room in the swamp Issues with space threatens upcoming cheer competition On Oct. 25 and 26, Standley Lake will be hosting the Jeffco Spirit Competition. Sarah Nickell ‘17, co-captain of the team, described the competition as a place where “the surrounding schools in Jeffco, their cheer and competitive cheer teams all come to our school and do a performance with stunts and dances and jumps.” Oct. 25 belongs to poms and Oct. 26 belongs to cheer.

“I think it’s a great opportunity for the girls and it allows them to get a behind the scenes look at a cheer competition,” Cheer coach Ms. Alyssa Martillaro said. “It’s also a great fundraising opportunity for the cheer team and the school.”

However, a problem with space has presented itself for the team. “Before our competitions, cheerleaders need to practice their stunts, their dances, and their tumbling. This has to be done in a separate area than the actual competing floor,” Nickell said. “[It can be] really hard because we don’t [always] know where they’re going to do that.”

“We need to warm up the entire routine with nine mats,” Mykayla Flores ‘17, the other cheer captain said. “Nine mats don’t fit in the cafeteria and the small gym has all the wrestling and gymnastics stuff in it.” The amount of mats the school needs is 17, compared to the 13 it already has.

“We are going to need to borrow a lot of new mats,” Nickell said.

to cater for those numbers. Food, tickets, and clean-up all hold a place in the list of jobs to make the competition to happen.”

Cheer and poms have a lot of planning to do between now and Oct. 25. Judges, money, and competing cheer teams all need to be coordinated for the upcoming competition. It will be an exciting event for the Standley Lake Spirit teams and community.

There’s also a need for labor. “It’s a lot of parent volunteering,” Flores said. “There are going to be a lot of people in the school and we will need

| AJ Ehrhardt

Photo Courtesy of Spencer Johnson

GOLF

CROSS COUNTRY

SOFTBALL

Jonathan Southworth ‘17, Dylan Drennan ‘17, Tyler Dorn ‘19, and Sean Hill ‘18 all qualified for regional tournament but all fell short of the state tournament.

Trevor Smith ‘17 set his personal record of the season with a time of 16.40.00 at the Centaurus Cross Country Invitational. And at the most recent meet, Anna Nelson ‘17 placed 12th with a time of 20.34.00

Softball is searching for their first win on the season with a record of 0-15. Go get ‘em Gators!

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VOLLEYBALL The Volleyball team rests at 5th place in 4A Jeffco with a record of 5-4.

Elizabeth Dill ‘17 leads the conference with 29 serving aces and senior Sadie Heffelman ‘17 leads the conference with 144 digs.

SIMMER DOWN NFL players don’t have to stand for national anthem A sports column:

SOCCER After losing their first game of the season, Soccer went on a roll and improved their record to 6-3. Josh Griffin ‘17 leads 4A Jeffco with six assists going along with two goals.

gymnastics Gymnastics competed at the Overland meet and competed with a score of 161.225 which placed them 12th as a whole team, Rachel Cody ‘18 finished in 3rd place All-Around at the meet.

Colin Kaepernick, quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers, started a nationwide controversy that will most likely carry out through the rest of the season and possibly into following NFL seasons.

Kaepernick stated this following a preseason game when he chose to sit out for the nation’s anthem, “I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color,” Racism in America will still happen even if you choose to take a knee, raise your fist, or lock arms with your teammate. It’s great that the iconic figures in our society are using their power in attempt to spark change but I don’t think it’s going to solve anything.

Why are we making this such a big deal?

The media is driving the issue forward.

Media publications from across the nation prepares the country and write stories that a team is expected to this, or a team is suppose to do that next Sunday.

I’ve noticed cameras on the field seem to be focusing primarily on the athlete sitting out rather than the talented singer performing.

It’s not just the NFL either, high school student athletes from all over the country have participated in these protests. In particular, a high school football team located in Seattle, Washington chose to sit out during the national anthem, coach said it was player driven.

I don’t see the problem with sitting out during our nations anthem, in my English class, an abundance of kids choose to sit out for the Pledge of Allegiance. I always thought it was odd and unusual at first but I realized that we live in America, citizens can just do what they please.

Let’s not have the peaceful protests take away from the elegance of the game. | Maxin Uhrich

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14 October 2016 | Issue 1

Football Following a week one loss, football bounced back and won three straight games putting their record at 3-1. Quarterback Jake Foutz ‘17 leads the conference with 481 passing yards, and five passing touchdowns.

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THE RIGHT ANGLE

living LIFEON THE

Edge (LEGALLY)

Step 1: Wake Up Step 2: Go to School Step 3: Come Back Home Step 4: Do Homework Step 5: Go to Sleep Rinse and Repeat We get it, Life can get a little monotonous at times. It’s not uncommon to feel as if your life is following a written procedure or schedule. But everyone has a set time limit for their life. We only have so much time before we expire. Boredom and dissatisfaction should be alleviated.

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Hence, we here at The Lake have create a guide on little ways for you to (legally) live life to the fullest and seize the day October 2016 | Issue 1

Drive your car with an almost empty tank

Go get food in the dead of night Hit up all the stores in your area and load up.

Not only will you be satisfying all your midnight snack urges, there will be barely any wait time or lines! (Note: We are not advocating breaking into closed food establishments. 24 HOUR RESTAURANTS ONLY)

DRIVE SOMEWHERE WITHOUT KNOWING YOUR DESTINATION

The thrill that your car may actually run out of gas will definitely spice up life. Just make sure to drive safely (LEGAL ways to live on the edge remember?) and have a plan in case your car actually does run out of gas.

Walk around downtown with no particular destination.

Sometimes our lives become so busy that driving becomes another step in our daily schedules.

Driving becomes just a method of transportation. But it should be more than that. Driving aimlessly could lead you to where you subconsciously want to go or help you discover new places for your mental lexicon of locations. (Or you could just get straight-up lost and have to phone a friend to save your directionally-challenged self.)

MIDNIGHT SNACK

Cities are complex structures that require exploring. Try to move past the obvious tourist spots and find your own niche. Find a hole in the wall restaurant and make it your own. Stick around and watch all those street performers do their thing. And for bonus fun, explore the city with your friends, so that you can all lose track of time, get lost, and blame each other.

To give authenticity to our tips on living life on the edge, we tried ONE of them It was a dark and stormy night….

Except there’s no rain. Or thunder Or lightning Or even a storm for that matter actually.

So it was a dark night. Kinda. I mean the moon’s out so it’s not totally dark.

Ok. So it’s nighttime. 3 a.m. The streets are abandoned. Street lights flicker. The wind howls.

And I’m getting food.

I drift into my local 24 Hour IHOP and settle in. Even at 3 a.m., the store’s relatively busy. A waitress greets me cheerfully, a bright smile plastered onto her face. In response, I grunt tiredly. No one can be that happy at three in the morning.

Honestly, there are only seven other people here. My omelet cannot be taking this long.

I check my phone. It’s only been five minutes since I ordered.

I eventually get my food from the same smiling waitress, her grin stretching from ear to ear. I proceed to dig in.

Food, the only thing that matters to me.

Because why have goals and dreams, when you can have carbs?

At roughly 4 a.m. I exit the restaurant.

Just as the early birds begin their rush.

Only one thought remains in my mind.

I am so tired. | Kevin Han

I order and wait. And wait. And wait.

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8 4 .

S E L I m .4

18 October 2016 | Issue 1

480 SECONDS .

THE ROAD TO RECOVERY

2.4 miles. 480 seconds. The day before a big game where Shannon Patrick ‘18, Natalya Stark ‘18, Tessa Edwards ‘19, and the rest of the varsity girls soccer team would take on Valor Christian High School. The three load up into Patrick’s Ford pickup truck to drive through the Countryside neighborhood to Stark’s house for a team dinner- a tradition the team has had for years. They were traveling down a road so familiar to them—a route they’ve taken hundreds of times. But in the 2.4 miles and 480 seconds they had from the field to the house, their lives would change.

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Stark and Edwards ignored their seatbelts as the girls cruised down the street with the windows down. The truck, a vehicle with three pedals, took on the first speed bump with no problem, yet when it came down to the second speed bump, Patrick’s foot slipped onto the accelerator. Patrick lost control, swerving into oncoming traffic. Attempting to get back on track, she jerked left, then right. But Patrick had overcorrected, flipping the vehicle over into the adjacent field.

The first roll ejected Edwards and Stark out of the truck—with Edwards landing nearly 150 feet away from the final position of the vehicle.

Patrick, the only one with her seatbelt on, was battered after colliding with her windshield. She gathered the strength to leave the now totaled truck and reconvened with Edwards and Stark as they lay unconscious on the ground.

With the entire team behind her, Patrick wasn’t worried about getting help. Emily Naysmith ‘18, a teammate who was three cars behind Patrick when her car flipped, said “I glanced up and saw her truck flipping in the air and I honestly didn’t realize that it was her truck for a second.”

Panic was a common response for all the girls

20 October 2016 | Issue 1

who witnessed the crash, but that didn’t stop them from rushing to help their teammates. “I got out of the car and sprinted to them lying on the ground watching Shannon get out the car all bloody,” Emma Smith ‘18 said, who was one of the first girls to see what happened and respond.

“I knew what was happening, but I also didn’t have time to fully process how extreme it was because I didn’t want to freak out.”

“I tried to help Shannon,” Naysmith said. “She just got out of the car because she was the only one with a seatbelt on, but she was bleeding a lot, so I tried to help her calm down.” It took 10 minutes for parents to arrive and 20 minutes for the paramedics. With no real experience with this kind of situation, the girls did the only thing they knew how to do: to keep each other calm and support each other until help arrived.

Other members of the team didn’t know what was going on until they reached the scene, where they saw the rest of their teammates gathering around Patrick’s totaled truck and their unconscious teammates.

“I knew there wasn’t much I could do for Natalya and Tessa,” Garcia said. “As one of the older girls on the team, I calmed myself down and decided the best way I could help was by helping my other teammates who weren’t dealing with the situation very well.”

“At first I had no idea what was going on. I saw my teammates frantic and running around and I thought they pulled over to mess around or do something funny,” Camille Garcia ‘17 said.

“Once I saw how demolished Shannon’s car was, I looked around and saw two bodies on the ground. I threw everything I had and ran out and just remember screaming at first, everything was in slow motion and it didn’t feel like it was happening.” The team together rushed to help Edwards and Stark, but also made sure Patrick was okay.

Their teammates weren’t the only ones unable to completely register what had happened. Edwards was in so much shock that she couldn’t physically remember where she was or what she had done that day. “All I remember is that we caught a lot of air and swerved to the left and then I blacked out,” Edwards said. “I remember waking up in the field, totally lost.

I knew I played soccer and I knew I went to Standley Lake but I don’t remember going to either [school or practice], but the EMTs told me where I was and what had happened.”

After help arrived and the girls were taken to the hospital, the reality of the situation started to kick in. The initial shock had settled and now the team had to figure out how to go on the rest of the season knowing that their teammates were in the hospital in very grave conditions.

“At first, it almost felt like we didn’t deserve to be happy and excited about finishing the season when we knew that the other girls were at the hospital or at their homes just sitting there or doing physical therapy,” Garcia said. “It was just a really heavy first few days after the incident.”

Others felt a more personal pain to not having their teammates on the field with them. “I’ve played with Tessa for a long time so not having her on the field was hard,” Smith said.

But that didn’t stop the girls from playing their hardest to honor their teammates. “We realized that we had to be strong for the girls and finish up what they worked so hard to start,” Naysmith said. “If we would have just gave up, then the girl’s prior hard work would have been for nothing. We wanted to honor them in a way.” Naysmith had been injured previously during the season, but even though she herself

wasn’t out there playing with her team, she still found it difficult to watch her team play without the three of them out on the field. “It was unfair because it shouldn’t have happened in the first place.”

For Edwards and Stark, the crash put them in the hospital for a number of days. Having broken her left femur, her right ankle, and five vertebrae, resulting in a 23 degree scoliosis curve, Edwards had one of the toughest recoveries.

“I was in the ICU for three days and then general floor for nine days and then I was released,” Edwards said. “For about two months I wasn’t able to get up on my own. My parents would have to push me up and I’d have to roll on my side.” Edwards found herself in a position that required her to relearn even the simplest of tasks, like walking. “Since I broke my right ankle and left femur, I was in a wheelchair for 6 weeks.”

For Stark, major injuries were also sustained.

“I have a fractured spine, and I had six broken ribs, a concussion, and a punctured lung,” Stark said. “I had to go to physical therapy for my back, but there’s not a lot they could do. I’ll most likely have pain in my back for the rest

of my life, but everything else healed up on it’s own and is much better now.”

While Patrick walked away with seemingly less severe physical injuries, only sustaining a concussion, stitches in the hand from the glass of the windshield, and a torn ligament in the thumb, the mental toll on Patrick is substantial.

“There are so many things I could have done differently,” Patrick said. She was the first allowed back to play soccer after getting cleared from her concussion. “Since I was the one driving, I thought I shouldn’t be able to play,” said Patrick. “I was the one who put them through it, but I felt like I needed to play for them.”

Patrick has continued to deal with the guilt from the accident—processing the ‘what-if’s’ and the lasting impacts of accident. “I still have to live with the fact that I could have lost 2 of my friends and teammates,” Patrick said. “I still question that maybe if I had dropped my keys going to the car or [left] 5 minutes later that the outcome could have been different. I’m trying hard to stop thinking about the “what ifs” because it can’t change anything.”

After weeks of being bedridden and not being able to walk, Edwards is finally back to

21

playing non-contact soccer, a point in her recovery that she was not expected to reach for a much longer period of time.

“Soccer is one of the reasons why I’ve been so strong through this,” Edwards said. “I remember how soccer made me feel before the crash, so getting to that point in my life again would be a very big accomplishment.”

The rush that Edwards gained from soccer might be what prompted her surprisingly quick recovery. “[The moment] I found out I could still physically play soccer made me want to [become] the player I was before the accident,” Edwards said. “It gave me something to look forward to.”

After three days in the hospital spent in the ICU and in a separate room she shared with Patrick, Stark was allowed to go home, but was warned about the future problems her back would have as she grows older, and will return to soccer in the spring.

Though Stark had physical injuries to worry about, she found that recovering in school would be one of the hardest parts for her. “I missed over a month of school,” Stark said.

“Since I had a really bad concussion, it was very difficult getting back to school and learning all of the stuff that I missed. Being in IB also made recovering a little bit more challenging.”

Stark feels that although it’s been months since the accident, she’s still not 100% back to where

the lifeline across your chest speed limit 25

Over half, ranged 53% to 59%, of teens and adults that weren’t wearing seatbelts died in car accidents in 2014.

she used to be before the accident and isn’t sure she ever will be, but hopes that one day she will be close. “Realistically, being a part of something so unreal can really mess up your mind,” Stark said. “We’ll always have parts of it with us and I don’t think I will ever be able to move past the incident completely and go back to how things were before all of that happened.”

The accident prompted the three of them to strengthen their bond, and the rest of the Jefferson County soccer community rallied in support. Numerous cards and goodies were sent to each of the girls, and schools from all over reached out and showed their individual support for the girls.

“Different schools and different soccer programs like Jefferson Academy were writing [our names] on their wrists,” Patrick said. “We played Valor Christian High School the next week [because of the accident], and we prayed with them after the game for everyone. It was great to see the community come together in such a bad situation.”

2.4 miles. 480 seconds. That’s all it took for the universe to change Patrick, Edwards, and Stark’s lives- for their outlooks on life to be reversed, and for one very common lesson to be learned.

“Wear your seatbelt no matter how far you are going even if it’s just going down the street,” Edwards said.

The girls want everyone to not only be aware of

Approximately 50% of deaths and injuries caused by accidents can be reduced by seatbelt usage.

An estimated 33,000 people are killed every year in motor vehicle accidents.

22

*thousand

In 2014, wearing a seatbelt saved 12,802 people.

the dangers of not wearing a seatbelt, but also realize how easily life can be taken.

“Make sure you’re living life how you want to because it can be taken from you in a day,” Patrick said. Even though the accident was a horrific moment in all three of their lives, they don’t all see it as something to forget about. “I’m kind of glad I experienced [the accident],” Stark said.

“When I have kids of my own I can tell them [about the accident], and hopefully they’ll always wear their seatbelt and they won’t be in that situation like I was.”

The girls and the accident have not only made a lasting impact on themselves, but also on the rest of the team, who now look at every day as a blessing.

“Tragedy can happen to anyone, at any time, anywhere,” Garcia said. “It can happen when you least expect it and it can happen to anyone whether they’re considered to be good or bad people. This experience has definitely helped me wake up everyday well knowing that tragedy could happen to me, but deciding to be stronger than that possibility.”

The girls plan to return to playing soccer for the school in the spring, where their teammates will once again become their family, and last springs accident will be a thing of the past behind them. l | Kayla Pray | Patty Sokol | Sophia Stimpfl

Unrestrained passengers may end up injuring other passengers that are restrained with seatbelts.

More than $45 billion in medical bills and car damage affected people in non-fatal crashes.

$$$ $

Q&a

with

Mr. Pierson

Has there been any precautionary measures for the school since the accident happened?

I don’t think this one incident caused us to do or think more about precautionary measures, but I think what it did was it resonated in our minds that safe driving is of utter importance to all of our kids, and to all of us as a community. We’ve put a contract in place for anyone who buys a permit to park on the grounds which states that they will wear their seatbelts, be more cautious when driving, and will not text and drive. We’re also working with the department of transportation to put some incent and instill some pieces around the building around safe driving. Some kind of an assembly will be in place within the next couple of months to talk about how to become safer drivers.

What is your goal for instilling safe driving?

Our goal is to create awareness for why to follow the guidelines, and why safety should be the number one measure in [students] minds. So we’re bringing the fire department and some others that are going to keep an eye out and see how many people are actually wearing seatbelts. We’re also going to do some type of campaign where we’re giving smarties out, to the kids that are wearing [seat belts], so they recognize the good behavior, yet we don’t want to tell kids shame on you for not doing it.

In your view, how do you think this has impacted the community?

I think it impacted the community tremendously, I think anytime a teenage driver is involved in any accident it becomes a concern. This can happen to anybody at any given time. Take a look every day in the news-- there’s some kind of a tragic accident.

You may have just seen, not even two weeks ago, two teachers died in a rollover accident because they didn’t have their seatbelts on, but their daughter did and she survived the crash with no injuries but they both passed away. It’s just a horrific tragic loss, but at the same time if they had their seatbelts on then maybe that wouldn’t have happened or they wouldn’t be in this position, so we just want to create that awareness, and make an impact to the community. We have to take this more seriously.

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24 October 2016 | Issue 1

a bold Initiative "what are you doing after high school?"

The dreaded question every high school student hates to hear. Usually confronted by hopeless grunts and rolling eyes, truth is, not many have their future after high school completely solidified and perfectly planned. We are told the exact moment we start high school to start planning for college; look for schools, apply for scholarships, and that the next four years are going to pass more quickly than we’d like to believe.

And to some extent, they are right.

Seniors at the beginning of every school year confront that fate—three years have already passed and it’s time to begin looking towards what comes next. Most plan on enrolling in college, as it is the plan our counselors have preached to us since the beginning. However, there are some who also choose to take a different path. Angelo Valero ‘17, Beau Cooper ‘17, Zack Hunter ‘17 and Omar Gonzalez ‘18 are choosing these alternative tracks—ones which do not include attending college immediately. Here are their stories:

25

the family line Angelo Valero ‘17 to follow family tradition to join military

I

n place of attending college after high school, Angelo Valero ‘17 is following the steps of his family before him: going into the military.

“I have a lot of family in the Marine Corp, I look at them and [see] they are true heroes to this country,” Valero said.

"I see my parents struggling with student loans and I just didn’t really want to be in their position," -Angelo Valero '17

Valero has chosen this path despite the anxiety he feels about going into the military, considering that his uncle still lives dealing with the effects of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

His decision is also the result of seeing his parents trying to finish paying their student loans.

“I look for financial stability.

That’s all I really want when I am older. I don't want to have to struggle and go through all the stuff that [my parents] had to go through, ” Valero said.

Valero is not unique in those looking for financial stability when investing in the expense of going to college. According to a study conducted by the Harvard Institute of Politics, seven out of every ten millennials say that financial circumstances played an important role in the decision whether or not to pursue a college education.

Yet, there is also the influence of Valero’s parents.

“My dad is still repaying his loans. The whole plan was to get that degree and repay his loan with the job he [got] because of that,” Valero said. “My mom was a single mother and when she was very young, it was hard for her to go to school. She shared some of her stories with me about how hard it was. I see my parents struggling with student loans and I don’t really want to be in their position.”

But despite the challenges that his parents have endured, Valero still has plans of eventually attending college.

“I might attend college at a later time. It's just, I really don't see college as the most important thing in my life right now," Valero said. If I really wanted to go to college, it would be after Marine Corp. I never really had a plan to begin with to go to college.”

Valero believes that colleges shouldn’t be making students go into debt and have to struggle through life with lingering payments.

He is also very concerned about the consequences that could ensue by not going to college.

"What else would you really do after high school

26 October 2016 | Issue 1

besides going to college or pursuing a military career, unless you have something else figured out,” Valero said.

After his four years in the Marine Corps, Valero believes that he’ll be trying to figure out what he wants to do next. He might reenlist himself for another four years.

Valero’s plan is comparable to many high school students—having a general concept of what is to come following high school, but with a fair degree of uncertainty.

a wish to serve Beau Cooper ‘16 plans to be a police officer to help communities

B

eau Cooper ‘17 is planning to take a year off before beginning his studies in Criminal Justice to further his career in law enforcement.

“I want to help people, and becoming a police officer is a good way to do that,” Cooper said.

This time off will help Cooper save up more money to attend college, to avoid the problem of student debt which plagues many young people with the intent to go to college.

“I just think [college] is too expensive, but at the same time, it’s nice to have a higher education,” Cooper said.

According to a study conducted by Pew Social Trends, student debt is at a record high in the United States, having doubled in the past decade.

The average amount of student debt jumped from $12,000 in 1993, to $27,000 in 2012.

Despite his plan, he is still wishful about the overall expense of attending college.

“Making [college] cheaper would be nice. Opening up some programs that allow kids to have better opportunities like giving grants to kids who aren't just graduating,” Cooper said.

But as with many high school students, the decision about college is also heavily influenced by parents. Cooper is no exception.

“My parents are okay with this decision because as long as I am not being a deadbeat and I am doing something, they respect my choices,” Cooper said.

Yet despite this, Cooper still has worries about the stigmas surrounding not going to college.

“Society sees people who don’t graduate as unsuccessful,” Cooper said. “High school students are pressured to go to college at a young age and this sets up a conflicting view on those who don't want to.”

It is the combination of all these factors to which Cooper has made his decision to take a year off and save up to eventually attend college and pursue his dream of becoming a police officer.

27

examing the future Zach Hunter ‘17 enlists in military as radiologist

Z

ach Hunter ‘17, is on a path to the army to specialize in radiology. It is a position in the military that Hunter feels he can learn a lot from.

“I took the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery test, and I got a good score on it," Hunter said. "Then I realized I wanted to be a radiologist.”

By choosing to enlist, Hunter plans for the military to pay for his college expenses so that he can eventually go to school to become a doctor.

“Going into the military will be a good foot through the door in order to become a physician,” Hunter said.

Like so many other students, he has made this decision as a result of the attitudes attributed to college by society.

“We live in a society where everybody wants to have a college degree but nobody’s going to want to do menial labor such as being a construction worker. If the construction worker has a degree in engineering, he won’t want to do any of the hard labor,” Hunter said.

Hunter believes this also affects other jobs that may not directly link to degrees.

“Jobs [that do not require a college degree] shouldn't lower the bar for those without a degree looking for a job,” Hunter said.

As a result of this, Hunter also believes that there should be greater opportunity for high school students entering college.

“I don't think the government should give grants to students that graduate because that is going to leave bias for colleges. Colleges will cause the government right now to only give money for colleges that have kids graduate and it's messing with the entrance qualification.”

These beliefs ultimately affect Hunter’s decision to attend college by only first going into the military, then pursuing his dream of becoming a physician.

28 October 2016 | Issue 1

brother's footsteps

Omar Gonzalez ‘18, follows his brother's trail to attend college

O

mar Gonzalez ‘18, has no immediate plan of going to college after he graduates from high school.

Instead, he plans to work at a construction site and help his dad and brother.

He prefers to gain experience in this field by doing hands on work.

“I am not sure what I want to do yet," Gonzalez said. "[Helping] my brother and step-brother right [now] seems like the right thing to do. Plus they need construction workers right now,” said Gonzalez.

Gonzalez is unsure of his future career path. He wants to have a set plan of what he wants to do in life before choosing to go to college.

Considering this, Gonzalez’s brother is a strong influence upon him.

“I am following in his footsteps. He wants to get construction money right now and later on he is planning on going to college,” Gonzalez said.

But for now, he plans to continue working alongside his brother, building houses while they both save for college.

Gonzalez’s ultimate goal is to attend college for carpentry, as he feels the pressure from the expectations of society. “[Society], in general expects less of you if you don’t go to college,” Gonzalez said.

" I am following in his footsteps. He wants to get construction money right now and later on he is planning on go to college."

-omar gonzalez '18

Having a bachelor’s degree is increasingly becoming the standard in the workforce. According to Pew Research, the millennial generation is to be the most educated generation on record so far with 48% of the population 18-33 with at least a bachelor’s degree.

And following this trend is Gonzalez and his brother, with their plan to work their way to college together.

| Meg Metzger-Seymour

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-

faces in the

crowd: The friends you haven’t met yet

30 October 2016 | Issue 1

I

t’s assumed that the average person will meet approximately 80,000 people in their lifetime, yet they only ever get to really know a few. Odds are that people barely acknowledge the other thousands of faces they pass by.

Every person has a story, a life of their own, but with human lives like ticking time bombs, only so many stories are heard. There are people who will never meet, who could be the best of friends and just don’t know it. The line between stranger and friend seems insurmountable at times. Why meet new people when comfort can be found in already established friendships? The Lake stepped in to organize “blind dates,” in an attempt to introduce two strangers to one another and prove that it is possible to initiate friendships with people that you haven’t met before. We scheduled meetings for four pairs of strangers and had them interview one another—keeping their identities a secret until the very end. As in a romantic blind date, after each setup we had to determine if there was potential for these meetings to create relationships and whether it was appropriate to continue the process. As the groups participated in an array of different activities, the theory rang true: A stranger is just a friend you haven’t met yet. | Kevin Han | Jenna Hines | Michael Pietroiacovo | Patty Sokol

31

goodvibrations A pair of chill, down-to-earth gals ignite a meant-to-be friendship When you place two free spirited, open-minded individuals together, it doesn’t allow much room for error when it comes to friendship.

Lauren Dodson ‘18 and Carter Hopkins ‘19 are on two opposite ends of the “chillness spectrum.” Dodson, a self-proclaimed goofball, is initially timid when you meet her, but once comfortable, a strong, hilarious persona shines through. Hopkins is a genuine, go-with-the-flow soul with a unique fashion sense and a pixie-like quality. Once the two of them sat down, these attributes became all the more real.

Dodson and Hopkins were two of the most willing individuals to participate in the friends blind dating process. “[I’m always open to meeting new people because] you can never have too many friends who make you happy,” Dodson said. The two shared an instant connection, almost as if it was “friends-at-first-sight.”

As Hopkins shared her love for the feeling someone gets after a really big laugh, the pair’s quirks became more apparent, like Dodson’s bad habit of being a brutal grammar freak, Hopkin’s eye for killer thrift store finds, and a mutual agreement that they both dance like white dads at a birthday party. The two connected quickly, and got along really well.

“...you caN NEVER HAVE TOO MANY FRIENDS WHO MAKE YOU HAPPY” -lAUREN dODSEN ‘18

Good vibes is what these two are all about. After the aux cord was handed over to Hopkins in the passenger seat, the vibrations beneath the seats sparked smiles between the two. Heads bobbed, and the car shook. It only took a few minutes of driving to arrive at Ketner Lake—a photogenic, peaceful “chill spot” that only added to the good vibes the both of them were hoping for. The sun heated the “chill spot” to a perfect temperature that somehow seemed to make Starbucks coffee taste even better. They went on an exploration, and decided that a low, easily-climbable tree was a wonderful spot to sit down and enjoy what nature had to offer.

Their eyes were drawn to the small lake with a morning fog barely hovering over the top. The sun had just barely risen, and clouds covered the sky. The two talked about cats and dogs for a while, and it became clear that the both of them are dog people, yet they also agreed that cats are definitely amazing creatures. The time for class was approaching, so they both decided to leave the lake and head to school. Dodson very cautiously climbed down to the bottom of the branches, and jumped onto the damp grass. With their seatbelts buckled, they could feel the beat of the music in their chests until they approached the parking lot of Standley Lake High School. They quickly said their goodbyes and headed to their first classes, arriving just before the bell rang.

Hopkins and Dodson seemed to be the perfect match. They were very happy when they spent time together, and both plan on staying friends.

Like these two have proven, new friendships arise rapidly when you are willing to be yourself and accept others. Hopkins has no limitations when it comes to meeting new people and making new friends. “I’m not picky with my friends - as long as you’re nice, and you treat me with respect, we can get along.” Hopkins said. Dodson seeks respect in a friendship, just as Hopkins does.“If they’re nice to me, [I will want to be friends with them] as long as they’re not judgemental.” Dodson and Hopkins have established a valuable relationship, bound to carry on abundant with good vibes. l

32 October 2016 | Issue 1

Dodson ‘18 is climbing the tree while Hopkins ‘19 watches. The girls were on their friend date.

Neubauer ‘17 abd Heetland ‘19 bond over video gamees

talk nerdy to me Sophomore and Senior bond over their long-lasting love for legos and video-games Ultimately, nerves are the reason people are not always looking to make new friends. Jackson Heetland 18’ said it best, “What’s there not to be nervous about?” He revealed that the reasoning behind why people fail to initiate friendships with the other people around them is “not knowing what kind of person they are, first impressions not being good, [and] worrying that they won’t like you.” We fear not being liked, we fear getting hurt, we fear awkwardness, and most importantly—We fear the unknown. We fear not only what could happen, but we also fear not knowing what could happen. There are so many possibilities and we never know what could be until we bring it into existence. It’s easy to run away and never contact that person again after the first awkward silence or a bad first impression, but in order for a friendship to develop, you have to push through. Heetland continued, “[You can overcome that fear by] just spending time with that person. Then they get to know you, you get to know them, and then you figure out if you want to be friends with this person,” Heetland said.

“And chances are, if you want to be friends with them, they are the kind of person that wants to be friends with you.”

When Heetland and Greg Neubauer ‘17 first met, all they knew was each other’s names. As their first conversation continued, they learned more similarities with one another: they’d both travelled to Germany and were each amazed with the country’s customs and culture, and they also shared a hidden love for legos and video games. By the end of each of their meetings, we couldn’t help but wonder why they hadn’t been friends before this moment.

Heetland believes friendships play a huge role in his life due to “hu-

mans [being] social creatures. When we’re kids [we’re trained] to connect with other people and share our ideas.

As we grow older, [friendships become] deeper and we learn a lot about other people and how to socialize.”

Both he and Neubauer were willing to make a new friend.

“I’m open minded to meeting new people,” Neubauer said.

“At times I get nervous, but then I put the nervousness to the side and go for it.”

“And chances are, if you want to be friends with them, they are the kind of person that wants to be friend with you” -Jackson Heetland‘19

The day the two convened to hang out, it was as if the sun shone from behind the clouds and the angels started singing. The pair met up at Heetland’s house for a video game marathon and a junk-food extravaganza. “First, we went to look at his huge collection of legos, and then we went and played Legoland,” Neubauer said. “After that, we played Super Smash Brothers and ended the night with Black Ops 2.” The two members of The Lake staff who came to facilitate the date witnessed how the two got along and connected as the night progressed. Even after our two staff members left, Neubauer stayed behind with Heetland. “We just kept talking,” Neubauer said. “Then I met his parents and even talked to them for a while.”

Heetland noted that he didn’t understand how we knew he and Neubauer would have so much in common, and the truth is, we didn’t. Perhaps it isn’t that they had so much in common that led to their friendship, rather than that they both invested enough time and effort to find the similarities. It makes a person wonder whether they could be friends with anyone if they simply put in the time and energy to really bond.

Neubauer and Heetland ended the night exchanging numbers and chatting about the next time they plan to hang out again. The two both overcame the nerves of talking to someone new, and from this achievement came something perhaps even greater than legos and Black Ops— Friendship. l

33

Beauty and the Beach boy

live up to her sister’s legacy— who won a full scholarship, was valedictorian, and well-loved by many. When sharing something few people knew about himself, Crosby said he understands people may see his towering height and think better of confronting him, but he is always elated to meet a new face. Crosby is a natural when it comes to making friends, quick to ask the next question, interested in learning about others.

Two goofballs become more to each other than their first impressions They’d seen each other in the halls. Chris Crosby ‘19, the typical “Beach Boy” with shoulder-length bleach-blonde hair, a 6’3” build, and a pronounced SoCal accent. Then, there is Aimee Yan ‘20, a 4’11” fiery ball of sunshine with quick wit and a killer vocabulary. When we had them sit back to back, they both had trouble fighting the curiosity of whom they were talking to—their distinct personalities vibing off one another.

The connection was almost immediate, laughing with each other right off the bat. A key component in friendship, most prominent in this one: humor. It’s important to find someone with a sense of humor compatible with your own when making a friend. They found shared experiences in volunteering, a common love for Starbucks, and learned each other’s favorite drinks.

When Crosby told her of his hate for boring people, Yan said, “Oh my gosh, yes. I feel exactly the same way.” She then explained that she had spent the summer volunteering to help struggling children. She loved most that they had no filter, “They just said whatever they wanted to, and I wish that older people were like that.” The two then bonded over a mutual hate of the artificial aspects of people and life.

As part of The Lake’s social experiment was testing how the pair got along outside of school, we sent Crosby and Yan to Barnes and Noble and created a scavenger hunt of books for Crosby and Yan to find, including The Day the Crayons Quit and The Satanic Bible.

With Crosby’s enthusiasm and Yan’s astute sense of humor, it was no surprise the two got along so wonderfully, constantly teasing and joking with each other.

“...meeting new people is how you better yourself” -Aimee yan ‘20

After their adventures at Barnes and Noble, Crosby was in for a surprise when Yan convinced him to go to “the store next door.” There was an immediate groan of surprise and horror when walking into the perfume infused, make-up filled, female-oriented Ulta. He was a good sport, joking as Yan tried on different eye shadows, powders, and foundations, and he even found interest in what he called “man-bands,” rather than headbands.

In our first interview with Yan, she told us of the reasoning behind her willingness to make new friends, noting that “meeting new people is how you better yourself.” As she and Crosby bonded over the past few weeks, it’s clear that even if her entire self hasn’t been reformed due to her meeting Crosby, she’s had more laughs than she may have had otherwise—and if that isn’t better, then you tell us what is.

What started as a mere recognition of the other in the halls evolved into an easy-going friendship. They now have each other’s snapchats and can always share a good joke. Even if they never hang outside of school again, they will at very least be able to smile at each other when passing in the halls. And sometimes, a smile is all we really need. l

On a more serious note, Yan told Crosby about how she struggles to

spice up your social life Fun Things to do With Your Pals, New Or Old, to Make the Friendship Last

1.

Go out to eat at new restaurants you’ve never been to before.

2.

Try out that new Mediterranean place downtown or hit up that gelato kiosk. Not only will you get to know a new friend, but you could also find a cool place to hang out and eat great food.

See the new movie you’ve been dying to see, or attend a concert.

A movie or a concert are the perfect to unwind and enjoy some good ol’ fashioned entertainment. If you’re bringing a new friend to one of these events, it also allows for some conversation to build up a relationship.

3.

Visit the batting cage, or challenge your friend to a basketball game, one on one.

If you’re the sporty type, a great way to bond may be to get together and practice, or just have fun! Some healthy competition isn’t a bad thing every now and then.

34 October 2016 | Issue 1

Yan ‘20 and Crosby ‘19 try to figure out the scavanger hunt.

4.

Get a small group of friends and host a board game night.

This is a cheap and easy (not to mention extremely fun) activity that almost anyone can enjoy.

A technology free game night might be just the thing to bring you and your friend together.

Don’t forget the snacks!

Careful though, a game of Monopoly or Catchphrase can get really intense.

5.

Visit your local farmer’s market, then make dinner together There are plenty of markets in Cherry Creek to explore, and some have games to play and unique food trucks to try. After that, Cook one of your favorite meals at your place, then next time, they can do it at their house. It’s a perfect thing to do to show off your cooking skills and the food gives you and your friend something to talk about.

6.

Play a game of laser tag or Try to solve an escape room together Boondocks is a great place for laser tag, and if you get bored of that, you can go race go-karts or play video games at the arcade. EscapeWorks in Denver locks 2-8 people in a room together for 60 minutes with only one goal: to break out

7.

clear out a day to take a hike and picnic in the mountains.

It’s quiet and peaceful, and it’s the perfect place to talk with your new friend, plus, you get to grab some exercise and enjoy the view.

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Battered AND Bruised BRAINS 36 October 2016| Issue 1

As head injuries become more common in young athletes, The Lake takes a look at what really are the effects of the hard hits The crack of the helmets sound and you go down on the play. Except this time, you aren’t able to get up. Your body is almost glued to the ground because every part of you is numb. Panic overwhelms your body, and yet, you’re calm at the same time. The only thought that goes through your mind is, “what if I can’t get up?”

Any injury has an impact on an athlete and how they play their sport. The most common injury, though, is the one that is known to most as “invisible”—the concussion.

While most concussions may not get to a point this extreme, they are becoming a common occurrence among athletes. There were more than 300,000 high school athletes last year who suffered from a concussion, which makes up about 10% of all sports related injuries.

In the NFL, the rate of concussions reported have increased from 206 in 2014 to 271 in 2015.

The brain disorder that injuries such as these cause is known as Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE).

CTE is described as a progressive disease found in athletes with repetitive brain trauma. This causes the brain tissue to degrade resulting in memory loss, impaired judgement, depression, and increased dementia in the later years.

Ty Webber ‘18 talks about the concussion he got sophomore year playing football. “I got hit in the head,” Webber said, “[I] couldn’t remember what was happening, and [the] lights were all bright so I couldn’t really focus on anything so I kept my eyes closed for most of the time.”

Concussions are all too common in sports with so much contact. Sports like hockey, football,

and soccer are at the top of the list with the sports with the most concussed players.

Sydney Rodriguez ‘17 experienced a concussion while playing soccer. “It was really cold outside and that [made] the soccer ball really hard.” Rodriguez said. “A girl went to send it up and it just nailed me in the side of the head.”

According to Brina Wade, the Gator athletic trainer, there are different symptoms one experiences when your brain has gone through trauma.

“It changes for everybody.” Wade said. “The most common ones are headaches and dizziness.

You’re out of it, memory problems.”

When returning back to school, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics, the concussed individual should be able to tolerate the symptoms of a concussion for 30 to 45 minutes at a time. This may be as many as five days after the initial hit.

Even if you are able to give yourself the full treatment, most will live with side effects from the injury. These include daily migraines, memory loss, nausea, sleep loss and motion sickness.

Even in school, the students can’t seem to focus on learning with their brain throbbing inside their head. “[The concussion] made me end up forgetting a lot of stuff so it made me be a little slower at remembering what was for homework, made me focus less, and sometimes I couldn’t be in the class rooms because it hurt my head.” Webber said.

Kids become so dedicated to their sport they

37

don’t want to sit out for weeks at a time. Rodriguez was out for 2 weeks with her concussion and Webber was out for 3 weeks with his.

hit then you go back too soon and you die from it.” Second impact syndrome kills about four to six young athletes each year.

What individuals who have a concussion don’t realize is, though, that if they go back out and play their sport with their brain unhealed, it can lead to something much worse than a week on the bench.

“After enough concussions you can’t do any more sports,so that’s what I would be afraid of.”

Webber said.

Death.

Just last year, a high school football player died after being hit in the head too hard. According to CNN, Andre Smith was hit in the head during the football game, then later walked off the field only to collapse and die later the next day.

Zackary Lystedt was hit during a football game in 2006 when he was only thirteen years old.

After going back in 15 minutes after the initial hit, he was hit once more.

Lystedt then spent the next two years in recovery. He was in a coma, then moved to a feeding tube, and more than a year after his first hit, he was finally able to take one step again.

It was because of this tragic accident that the state of Washington put forth an act known as ‘The Zackary Lystedt Law.’ This sets a time period a player must go through in order to be able to return to play. The Zackary Lystedt Law is now reached over all 50 states.

“It’s called second impact syndrome.” Wade said, describing how a concussion turns fatal.

“It’s where your brain isn’t healed, you take one

Rodriguez agrees that many people don’t take a concussion as seriously as they should. “It’s not like a big gash in your leg or a nasty bruise on your shin or a black eye.” Rodriguez said.

“It’s an injury you can’t see.” she continues, “People think it’s just a headache and pain and sensitivity to light. But it’s more than that. Your brain got shaken around your head slamming into your skull. People don’t realize how serious that really is and how bad severe concussions can be.”

With so much dedication to the sport, many athletes don’t do anything after they get hit in the head.

After having multiple concussions, Rodriguez admitted to not “[seeing] a doctor or anything” for one of her concussions.

This dedication is seen in many young athletes.

If an athlete has already had one concussion in their life, chances are they are more vulnerable to another one as well.

In Rodriguez describes the process she had to go through in order to be cleared to play soccer again.

“So the first one was i had to take a list and

The impact speed of a football player tackling a stationary player is

25mph

A helmet that offers the safety standard for protection still leaves a player with a

95%

chance of still getting a concussion 38 October 2016| Issue 1

write if had certain symptoms or not and if I did I had to sit out and not do anything.” Rodriguez said. “Once I was headache free and symptom free I was allowed to go back into no contact which is basically me just running and I couldn’t do anything else and then after like three days I went back into contact and after that I was back in the games.”

The process of getting into no contact took about 5 days, then from there it was another week of no contact practices and light touches on the ball.

Webber doesn’t let one concussion hold him back in his game. With his stats rising each game, it’s obvious he doesn’t let one injury hold him back--even if school is a little more tough after the concussion.

“I still forget a lot and truthfully after I got a concussion it helped me get over my fear of talking in front of the class, I don’t know why.

Rodriguez as well doesn’t let the hard hits damage her soccer career. “I’m still good with going for headers and stuff but I’m just more cautious of getting in the way of the really hard kicks.”

Rodriguez said. .

This time you might get up from that hard hit-maybe even the next time as well. While dedication and the strive to be great is okay, just remember all it takes is one unreported hit to cost you the entire game. l | Hannah Jensen

Where are they now?

We caught up with former Gator football player Trey Jarvis ‘14 who now plays for one of the most elite schools in Colorado.

What school do you play for?

I am playing for the Air Force Academy

What is the best thing about college football? the best thing about college football is the competition level knowing you are playing against the best college athletes I'm the US it's a rewarding feeling!

Do you miss high school football?

[I] miss high school football a lot those were the best days by far when it came to the sport.

Last year in the NFL there were

271

documented concussions High school football caused

120,000

concussions last year

college football Only caused while

70,000

concussions last year

39

A 40 October 2016 | Issue 1

A look inside the dynamic of the Special Needs department You walk down the business hallway, en route to the computer lab for this week’s Naviance installment or English assignment. You’ve been down here many times, but you have never stopped to really think about what else there is. For one, the special needs classroom sits right next to the lab.

Students are always in there, but you aren’t really sure what they learn about—if it’s different from the proofs you solve in geometry or if they also have to endure the unit circle this year.

In reality, most students that are part of the special education program pass through high school just like anyone else.

“I can guarantee you have been in a class with at least 5 to 10 of our students without ever knowing,” Emily Holman, Department Manager and Special Needs (SPED) English teacher, said.

She added that “they do the same activities [as anyone]: cheer, sports, clubs—it’s only [about] 5 percent of the

students who have severe needs, that everybody notices in the halls.”

Holman emphasized that the long-entrenched stigma behind special needs about intellect offers nothing but inaccuracy, only giving way to a misinterpretation of the field and the people within it. “Special Ed does not mean [students] are not intelligent.

I have kids that are brilliant when it comes to testing, but they struggle with other issues,” Holman said.

As with anyone, learning in the Special Needs Department cannot be generalized by one aspect of a student’s learning abilities. It just means that the students involved in the program need more direct assistance with certain skills.

With this in mind, Tamra Lowe, SLHS’ ESS (Exceptional Student Services) teacher in Social Studies, added that the SPED process isn’t about a student who has “difficulty in one class one year, [and is] fine the next. It’s a long term process,” Lowe said.

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“The work just is what it is; I don’t think anyone goes into special ed without passion and a heart for it.”

- Ms. Emily Holman 42 October 2016 | Issue 1

Abbey Oxenfield has spent her time as a Speech Therapist at SLHS, working with special needs students to directly improve their speaking and communication skills.

“I work on social pragmatic communication which is how to interact with other people— things like eye contact, body language, tone of voice, those kinds of things,” Oxenfield said. “I also work on breaking down assignments with them, like writing a paper and executive functioning like organizing a locker, organizing a backpack, figuring out how to get homework done, and managing a calendar or schedule.”

This goes to show how much time and effort goes into ensuring that each student is provided with the resources and opportunities to reach success.

Oxenfield continued to note

that teaching in this field requires so much more than inclassroom work. The planning for activities like breakdown assignments and IEP meetings takes time outside of the eight to four school day.

“There is so much; you are a teacher, you are a counselor, you are a case manager, you are their ‘go-to’ person,” Oxenfield said. “If you talk to any special education teacher, I guarantee they work at least 15 hours outside of school.”

In terms of case management, Holman described the parent connection in teaching special needs students as a very important relationship. Each student is carefully monitored in growth and need, to guarantee they are receiving the ideal education. “We have annual IEP [Individual Education Plan] meetings, where we fill out a 25-page document, reevaluate every 3

years with a 50-page document for our entire caseload, and check caseloads of 27-29 each year,” Holman said. “That’s if they only have one meeting.”

Holman outlined the general process for building a career in special education. “You have to be licensed as a special education teacher, elementary education teacher, and secondary education teacher with a focus in one area,” Holman said.

The need for licensing in primary and secondary education makes each teacher adaptable to every one of their kids, allowing students to further their education appropriately and subjectively.

“There are different levels of need and you have to be able to meet the student at whatever level they’re at and use techniques accordingly,” Holman said.

Holman, Lowe, and Oxenfield all agreed that the commitment of being a SPED instructor is no easy task, but that the takeaway and bonds that are built make the workload worthwhile. They connect with their students on a level not all teachers have the chance to reach because of how much time they spend with the kids.

“We work very closely with our kids,” Oxenfield said. “The thing that really brings us all together is that we love our kids, and we’ll all do whatever we need to help them succeed.”

Holman continued, stressing that she doesn’t consider the time commitment or workload a burden in any way. “The work just is what it is; I don’t think anyone goes into special ed without passion and a heart for it,” Holman said. “You want to see them graduate, get good jobs or go to college— you want see them have a life that they can enjoy.”

To help them accomplish this, Holman, Lowe, and Oxenfield encourage students to hone their basic skills like following directions, keeping a clean space, and helping others.

“Sometimes they help out like teacher aids in the office by handing out passes or doing smaller tasks,”Oxenfield said.

“Sometimes you see them cleaning [in the cafeteria] but it’s just to help them follow instructions—to get things done a certain way.”

She acknowledged that we all learn these skills, but as with any student, in any circumstance, that approach can also vary in special education. “The kinds of things you might learn in a FACS or cooking class are very similar, sometimes we just have to teach them in different ways,” Oxenfield said. “So we approach it by asking, ‘how would a clean room look?’ ‘does this look clean?’.”

In years past, the special education students would help out in the cafeteria

kitchen, preparing foods and supplies to aid in minimizing the workload for the lunch staff. But due to this year’s schedule change they’ve been unable to work that in that time. “They would help us do the things that were rather time consuming,” Karen Ramos, Cafeteria Manager, said. “They would stack our racks with chips, do the vegetable trays, bag carrots, put drinks out, stock the refrigerators, they would help out so much.”

Holman noted that helping out around the school in these ways allows students to develop relationships and habits they wouldn’t necessarily obtain in a closed off classroom environment.

“If you talk to any special education teacher, I guarantee they work at least 15 hours outside of school.”

- Ms. Abbey Oxenfield

“A lot of kids don’t need [too much] help anymore,” Holman said. “They learn strategies and methods to work through their problems so that at the end of the day, they are where they need to be, just like every other student in the school.”

Holman recognizes that the most important aspect of her job is reminding her students of their potential—as learners and as people. Too often there is a desire to separate others from ourselves based on subtle differences, but Holman firmly believe that no matter who you are, or what challenges you encounter, “you can be and do whatever you want.”

“It doesn’t matter what your disability is, you just have to find your way around it,” Holman said. l | Esteban Arellano | AJ Ehrhardt | Emily Leo

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a collection of Mini-Editorials

accepting

Make America Again.

In high school you are constantly judged, for everything: your shoes, clothes, hair, and even for things no one should care about but you. You make your choice on what to wear. You make your choice on who to be. People shouldn’t have the right to judge you on anything. Maybe this is unrealistic, but we need learn to accept everyone. Who cares that I like Nickelback, WWE, or Supernatural? I should. That’s all. It doesn’t mean I’m good or bad. We are all different and should live as such.

Take other people’s feelings into consideration besides your own. Love is a word that isn’t used very often. We need to change that and we can start here at Standley. The time for hate is up and your time is now. This is it the time for change—for our sake, for the sake of the next generation. After being bullied and judged and hated for a good majority of my life I decide there needs to be a change now. The bullying started in 6th grade and continues into high school, even though it’s gotten better it still needs to change and we need to put attention of the bullies and not just the victims. | Grace Johnson

educated Each day, Twitter is blessed with stupid people trying to make compelling arguments with facts that are only based off of stuff others wrote on Wikipedia. An educated argument is what sells your audience into taking your side--and just in case you were wondering, no a conspiracy theory is not a compelling argument. This is what our society has come to, going online and ranting about your opinion with no facts to back up your argument. If you really want people to agree with your racist Facebook comment, how about adding a couple commas and spell checks to make it more compelling. It’s just the small things like knowing the difference between “you’re” and “your” or “their”, “there”, and “they’re”. I don’t really care if your opinion is different than mine, everyone should be free to have and express their own opinion. Just don’t sound so illiterate when you tell me who our next president should be.

Next time you want to express your political or religious beliefs over Facebook, make sure you do a quick Google search first.

Real

Excuse me if I’m wrong, but I thought I lived in The United States of America? For the duration of my life, there hasn’t been a point of absolute solidarity within this country. Granted, there will always be some type of divide whether it be in relation to the government, social issues, or the media, etc. But it has always seemed that at least we were striving for that “more perfect union.” In this day and age, the divisions have become wider and the lines have been drawn clearer. For example, with the upcoming presidential election, it’s becoming more apparent that sides are being chosen. With such a separation of ideals, hostility and anxiety have become more prevalent—digging the wedge deeper. No matter the issue or controversy, one side is focused on proving the other wrong instead of convening to solve said issue. How do we preserve our unitedness when our dividedness is constantly mentioned and brutally used to turn one against the other? | Patty Sokol

| Hannah Jensen

confident

I wish America was real again. I’m thinking this. Now. I’m thinking of the next word I’m going to say. My thoughts enter through a keyboard, and display on a monitor. After this, they will be printed on a paper, and read through the eyes of you. My thoughts will enter thousands of medians in my lifetime - cameras, microphones, keyboards… More and more things that will make what I think less real and less valuable. It’s like a copy of a copy of a copy of a painting.

Something that is real, and did exist, but isn’t real from your perspective… It’s fake. It’s impossible to make the whole world stand in front of you and listen to you, this i know.

But the thoughts that I am willing to share with specific people will give it more value. It says so much more to hear me say what I want to say simply from the soundwaves my voicebox sends - rather than the sound waves coming from a telephone or a recording. To live a life is to live it through your own eyes, rather than a screen. I wish people could be real again. I wish America was real again. | Michael Pietroiacovo

44 October 2016 | Issue 1

united

“Politically Correct” culture is a culture that has become the front of social behavior for the 21st century as we know it. Walking on eggshells in the hopes that nobody will be offended. The United States has this deep fear that we’ll be seen as a racist or a sexist based on one small comment. I’m not saying that racist comments should be accepted however people should learn to laugh at themselves rather than own a thin skin and have their whole day or week ruined by one “average Joe” comment. A movement that believes in the avoidance of offending anyone is an almost impossible goal to achieve. Someone will always have some risque joke that spills from their tongue. It’s called being human. Stereotypes shouldn’t be something to be offended by but rather be seen as a challenge to prove wrong or some silly joke. So what do we do to fix this? Answer is simple. Let’s all be stronger.

Who said one comment had to put us down? We’re better than that. | Michael Wall

The Definition of No: no.

No “if”’s, “and”’s, or “but”’s

Question everybody: what does “no” mean? I’ve was cold, he was erect and had to get rid of “it.” He’s heard about ten different definitions, all of which a big boy and I’m pretty sure he figure out how to go are rather strange. I believe the definition of “no” is about such things in a different manner. I know he’s “no”. I’m not entirely sure where the definition, “to been pampered his whole life having a rich father and give approval, consent, or to say that it’s ok to rape all, he probably hasn’t heard no before but that’s not me,” came from. Last I checked if you’re forcing much of an excuse. You don’t get everything you want someone’s clothes off and they’re in life, and sex with an unconscious girl screaming at you to stop or that they behind a dumpster is one of them.

Last I checked “don’t want to do this” or “you’re not allowed to do that”, that means you if you’re forcing Why did he get so little amount of jail time, too? That’s a question for the legalities of need to stop. Also, when did it become a someone’s the situation. Although I’m completely okay to rape an unconscious person? aggravated by the lawyer on Turner’s case, Just because they can’t say no doesn’t clothes off he was doing his job. I’m mad at the judge mean it’s not a no. If you say “boys will and they’re who couldn’t see through the transparent be boys” that’s basically saying it’s okay for them to rape an innocent person screaming at you situation.

because, well, they just happen to have testosterone in their body. It’s unfair to people to just give boys this excuse. It leaves girls defenseless and without help.

It’s saddening and disappointing.

telling you to stop or that they “don’t want to do this” or “you’re not allowed to do that”, that means you need to stop.

I have a new puppy at my house and I’ve taught him within a couple days what “no” means. What confuses me is that 18 year old boys don’t seem to be able understand the concept of “no.” It’s not that hard of a concept to understand. When you’re forcing people into things they don’t want to do, they’ll probably tell you to stop; what that means is that you need to stop, apologize, and discontinue similar actions in the future; easy and simple as that.

We shouldn’t be babying boys either. In the case of Brock Turner, the argument was made that since it

It’s not right to assume girls are just toysonly there when guys need them and when guys are… well, in the mood. This may come as a surprise to most, but girls are actual people, too. I know, shocker, but listen here: why isn’t this so easily seen? Let’s be honest here, the human race needs women—not only because we couldn’t reproduce—but because chances are at least once in your lifetime some girl saved you from doing something stupid. Give them some respect because they’ve probably saved your life more than once.

We need to quit giving excuses to boys to rape innocent people and start giving them the punishment they deserve. It’s not okay to force people into situations they don’t want to be in; just because you can get away with it doesn’t mean it’s okay. | AJ Ehrhardt

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opinions

The Year of you

Learning to prioritize the things that really matter As my last year of high school is kicking into full swing, I’ve realized a lot of things- 1) I have no idea what I’m doing right now, 2) I have no idea what I’m going to do after high school, and 3) I really have no clue what I’ve been doing for the last 4 years. Honestly, everything up to this very moment is a complete blur. All I really remember from the previous 3 years is all the stress it’s caused me. Nights staying up late doing homework, football games and social gatherings missed because of doing homework, and figuring out how to balance (the ridiculous amounts of) homework with practice, having a job, and a social life (granted my social life consisted mainly of my 3 friends and my dogs). That was me then. But I’m a new me now.

timesevery class period (which I do, I totally do). But it’s a part of growing up.

One thing I’ve learned to do this year is prioritize. And the number one thing at the top of my priority list? My happiness. How can I expect myself to do anything to my full potential if I’m not happy? So I’ve relaxed on getting all my homework done on time because a couple late assignments won’t hurt. I’ve relaxed on worrying about wasting the free time I have by doing something that’s the complete opposite of productive (like watching 8 hours straight of How I Met Your Mother on my only free day I’ve had in weeks). But it’s the little, unproductive things that keep you happy, and healthy. Your happiness and mental health is so much more important than that 5 point math homework assignment.

Your happiness and mental health is so much more important than that 5 point math homework assignment.

We’re only a little over a month into this final year and I’m already cramming pages of homework with two and a half hours of practice into every night, and several projects and essays with games into every week, but this year, it feels different. Maybe it’s because I know this is my last year of high school (even though I still feel like a freshman), or maybe it’s because my dad never ceases to remind me that I’m (almost) an adult now. And surprisingly enough, he’s right. I am almost an adult. In 5 short months I’ll be 18, which means I’ll have to start doing everything on my own, and in a year, I’ll be forced to move out and pursue the whole new world that makes high school look like a tiny grain of sand- COLLEGE. Just the thought of college applications and deciding on majors and the future alone is enough to make anyone threaten to drop out at least three

46 October 2016 | Issue 1

High school flies by. It’s our last time for “firsts.” We have to let ourselves make the most of it because in an instant, we’re going to be sitting in the 1st Bank Center, wearing those blue cap and gowns, waiting for our names to be called so we can get that stupid piece of paper that we stressed about for 12 years. We can worry about the future then.

But for right now, worry about your happiness. Take your free days to sit in your pajamas and watch your favorite tv show. Turn in assignments late and don’t worry about it being late. This is the year of you. | Kayla Pray

how did we get here?

Increased intolerance adds fuel to false pretences about Islamic culture a staff editorial It was a month ago that French officials in Nice recovered from the attack with a ban on Muslim swimwear for women.

It was four months ago that Donald Trump accused Barack Obama of founding ISIS after the Orlando shooting.

It was a year ago that Ahmed Mohamed, a high schooler, was arrested for bringing a class project to school.

How did we get here?

How did we get to a world where 75% of people fear the other 25%? Since the Middle Ages, other groups have targeted the Muslim community. This spiked after 9/11. But while the bigotry started to decline a few years after 2001, new acts of terrorism have unfortunately brought tensions to a head yet again. According to a report by California State University, hate crimes in the US against Muslims has risen by 78%. Just last month, a man set fire to the Islamic Center of Fort Pierce in Florida: a location occasionally frequented by the shooter at the Orlando Pulse nightclub.

But the fear doesn’t just ignite in the most drastic of situations: it simmers quietly. Yes, Islamophobia is the grand scale offenses, but it’s also the little things. It’s citizens accusing fellow women in hijabs of being terrorists. It’s the collective placement of all Muslims into the ranks of ISIS. It’s about fearing men in turbans in

TSA security lines.

How did we get to a place where that is okay? Over the past 15 years, we have easily become desensitized to Islamophobia. Maybe it’s the slieu of Muslim terror (or maybe it’s our confirmation bias to attribute every crime to Muslims). Maybe it’s the serious threat that radical terrorism actually poses. Or maybe it’s just a fear of something different. But we as people have seemed to unite together in our bigotry. It can range from a simple hesitation to full-blown hatred, but Islamophobia survives because it is the only form of racism still socially acceptable. It’s okay to hate because we naively attribute the actions of one small group to the entire population that they claim to represent.

Frankly, why should any of us care? We could sit here and spew cliches that “injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere”, but the fact is that Islamophobia gives a victory to the real terrorists. Since 9/11, the divisive direction of this world has confirmed the very principles for which the extremists fought.

So, it’s a question of what we truly want. We can either be apart of the anger or emerge from this cloud of fear to unite together. We have to choose whether we want to stand as a country and a world to affirm the humanity of everyone else. It will not be an easy move for some, but it will certainly be less dangerous than communally choosing hatred.

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Take it easy.