The Lake - Dec. 2014 by The Lake - Standley Lake's News Magazine

the people Editors-in-Chief | Chaye Gutierrez Sabrina Pacha

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 December 2014 | Issue 2

Team Editors | Esteban Arellano Jamey Burky Nicole Heetland Olivia Koontz Tina Muscarelli Shylah Ogle Alie Settje Staff Writers | Mezhgan Aslamy Sarah Bennett Hannah Jensen Emily Leo Brittany Marks Emma Marlow Natasha McCone Meg Metzger-Seymour Ty Milliken Alyssa Murphy Laurel Nordquist-Zukin Ripley Ricketts Morgan Rubendall Christina Rudolph Max Uhrich Morgan Whitley Taylor Zangari Cartoonist | Aina Azlan Adviser | Ben Reed

social t

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

contents

32 15 17 19 36 40 28 20 10 10 46 what's cookin, good lookin'?

Used with permission of The Associated Press

the college app

Guide Hey Seniors! The College Application Season can be very stressful, use this guide to help steer you through it.

The In-State Dates You Need to Know

A Voice for the Voiceless malala Yousafzai, 17, wins nobel peace prize In 2012, Malala Yousafzai dared to challenge the forces of the Taliban, promoting female education in a country where sexism had recently become a strong infestation, earning her a Nobel Peace Prize two years later. The Taliban were so set upon their goals to shoot down the esteem of women that they were willing to shoot a 15-year-old activist on a bus home from school amongst her classmates to prove their point. Their main goal has been to reestablish the sacred dignity of womenwhose faces are viewed as poison to the unmarried man- and restoring “purdah,” the restriction of male-female contact. They have been achieving this through segregation enforced with brutality and through burqas, thick, robe-like garments that cover all of a woman except for her eyes.

CSU FOrt Collins Early Decision: Feb. 1

CU boulder Early Admission: Sorry, it’s too late, sucka

In Yousafzai’s eyes, she was safe from the Taliban’s cruelty; age proved to be irrelevant.

Regular Admission: Jan. 15

The bullet struck the left of her head, traveling down her neck. Luckily the injury caused no major brain damage (although she was put in a medically induced coma and suffered from paralysis to the left side of her face, which was repaired).

uccs Rolling Admission 90 days prior to the first

When any other person would have stayed down under the attempted murder by the Taliban, she returned to school once she recovered- a mere year-and-a-half-later. Clearly, Malala would by no means allow anything to get in the way of her studies, factoring into her deep devotion towards female education, proving that she wouldn’t heed the threats of the weaponized, fear-inducing bullies. And that’s all they were to her: bullies.

day of class

regis Early Admission: Apr. 15 Regular Admission: Aug. 1

In The Diplomat, Yousafzai said, “The terrorists thought that they would change my aims and stop my ambitions. But nothing changed in my life, except this: weakness, fear and hopelessness died. Strength, power and courage was born.”

Cu Denver Early Admission: Jul. 22 Regular Admission: Dec. 1

Mesa Admissions: Aug. 9-14

The Lake’s Tips

(Take it with a grain of salt, very few of us here have been accepted yet) Be yourself Always ask your English teacher to check out your essay. They know a thing or two about them. | Taylor Zangari

4 December 2014 | Issue 2

The extremists are afraid of books & pens. The power of education frightens them. Let us pick up our books and pens. They are our most powerful weapons. Malala Yousafzai

Currently seventeen wand living in the safety of the United Kingdom, Yousafzai has continued to contribute to her cause, extending aid to Syrian refugees crossing the border and becoming invested in the situation where the terrorist group, Boko Haram, abducted 219 schoolgirls. Most people face bullies in life; however, Yousafzai faced the Taliban. For her fierce loyalty to her cause and unwavering bravery, she was awarded the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize alongside Kailash Satyarthi, a 60-year-old Indian man who, as a prolonged activist against child labor, has rescued thousands from slavery. Yousafzai told Press Herald, “This award is for all those children who are voiceless, whose voices need to be heard.” | Ripley Ricketts

Test run Seniors across the state take a new standardized test, CMAS, for future comparison of schools in Colorado

Over the course of four years, students enrolled in a public school in Colorado will have taken dozens of standardized tests to measure their academic success. This year, the state introduced CMAS (Colorado Measurement of Academic Standards), a new online standardized test. All students in Colorado will take a form of the test by the end of this year. Seniors were tested on science and social studies curriculum.

“I felt dumb and in no way did i feel like that represented me academically.”

After taking the Social Studies and Science tests, Lisa Shileny ‘15 said, “I did not think the tests are effective. I felt dumb and in no way did I feel like that represented me academically.”

The surprise new testing made testing days full of emotion and caused some frustration based on the content, “It made me more angry than feeling like I needed to do well because I didn’t know what to prepare for,” Shileny said. CMAS has completely taken the place of CSAP, TCAP and PARCC testing. The content of these tests aren’t available to the public or teachers, “We’re hoping [the content] will

be better released especially if this impacts what colleges kids can go to,” Assistant Principal Mr. Trip Sargent said. Sargent is in charge of testing for SLHS. While the administration and teachers know this is not the highest priority for the seniors, “This is a state testing thing, not a Mr. Sargent and Mr.Pierson thing,” Mr. Sargent said. Colleges will ultimately use these scores in admissions, they won’t be used this year. “This is new, and it’s not really going to impact seniors. The colleges probably won’t look that closely at the numbers,” Mr. Sargent said. The final transcript that will be sent to colleges will contain the scores, but, “it would shock me if they used this information,” Sargent said. Because every student has a diverse background of what social studies and science classes they had, many students said the comprehensive test was an inaccurate way to test their knowledge, as students were being tested on material they have not studied. “Well, it was dumb because half the questions were economics and half the questions were about economics. Maybe it would be better if they did this in May,” Taren Stewart ‘15 said. The possible result of this could lead to a rearrangement of schedules next year. “We want to make sure they are on the right track to those courses

so [students] can get to where they want to go,” Mr. Sargent said I have no information about that yet. If it becomes a metric we will shift our classes so all seniors would have been exposed to economics.” Seniors from schools across the state protested instead of testing, and while Assistant Principal, Mr. Copley does not know a lot about the protests but said the communication helped the attendance from our school.“So we did communicated well, it makes me proud of my kids,” Mr. Copley said. The state will collect every test from the students and eventually give back scores. ”The timeline I have heard [for the fall senior testing] is we’re not going to get information back from the state until April or May, so nothing will appear on transcripts until then,” Sargent said. Freshman, sophomores, and juniors will also be taking the CMAS tests, but only in reading, writing, and math subjects. Depending on a senior’s math class, they may be required to take the CMAS tests that the lower classmen are taking in the spring. “That sort of data is worthwhile taking a look at. But, this is a baseline year, so there are a lot of things we’re going to learn,” Sargent said. | Alie Settje

here is the worst place for

Ebola to strike?

“Disneyland would be the worst because then it would definitely not be the happiest place anymore,” -Emily Buchtel ‘16.

Stopping

Ebola

For Alex Hay ‘15, the Ebola crisis began in a bio hazard suit.

Three weeks ago, when the director of his internship approached him and his team, Hay began his exploration in this frenzy surrounding the disease. Hay works in a small lab environment at the Anschutz Medical Campus, where he initially researched Ebola, but now, he and his team are working more closely with the disease. “We were given a small sample of Ebola,” Hay said. “Right now we are trying to see if mosquitoes can transfer it.” On a typical day, Hay spends many hours working at the lab. “We look under microscopes to see what it looks like,” Hay said.

So far, Hay and his team have predicted that mosquitoes cannot transfer Ebola, but they are still working at their beginning stages of research. But upon completion, his work will be sent to the directors of the program, and could be potentially sent to hospitals and institutions across the United States. “It’s fun, but scary at the same time,” Hay said. Working with the actual Ebola virus, any small mistake can have serious consequences. “If you drop Ebola in the vial, it can spread,” Hay said. “Ebola dies in two hours if it doesn’t have a host to infect... but if it gets on something, and someone comes in without their equipment, they can get infected if they touch it.” This fear of an outbreak is shared by millions across the

6 December 2014 | Issue 2

Alex Hay ‘15 works towards the future of the disease

Colorado just because I kind of live here, so…,” -Tiffany Vigil ‘18.

world, but Hay is not too worried. “The things I see are crazy, like ‘oh no its spreading’,” Hay said. “It has only affected two people in the U.S….but it’s nothing to worry about.” After Hay and his team find the information they need about mosquitoes, they will move on to greater projects. “Our next project is to see if we can find a treatment,” he said. “Although it has only affected a few Americans, it’s just a problem that we need to solve.”

“While shopping for bridesmaids dresses because then you would have to be like Megan and poop in the sink,” -Spanish teacher Ms. Julie Boswell.

| Esteban Arellano

“New York City because there are so many people, and it spread so quickly.” -Trevor Smith ‘17.

qa &

with Social Studies student teacher, Mr. Burgland

We know you were a Standley student, do you have any crazy memories?

Making a difference

“I almost got in trouble my last day of school here. I was moving on a skateboard, holding on to a car in the parking lot. Then some teachers saw from the windows and they called security, so they were looking for me for the rest of the day, but I put on a jacket.”

Ms. Stacy White helps to make difference in the lives of all students

Everyone’s dying to know...because we’ve heard around, do you have a girlfriend?

Ms. Stacy White helps Cory Stanek ‘16 and Madi York ‘15 with their math homework

Laughing...it is true, I do. Whether that be good or bad for anyone else. Sitting in the studio making up a math test isn’t the ideal way to spend Wednesday mornings, off hours, or study hall. But one special person helps make school a little less painful. As students walk into the studio they are greeted by a friendly face, paraprofessional Ms. Stacy White.

graduate,” White said. She knew she wanted to make a difference and make an impact on high school students lives.

“I try to keep it fun. I want kids to come here and work,” White said.

“I like helping and I want to make a difference with the kids, I want them to graduate, I want them to become something,” White said. “I don’t want them to struggle. I have had to struggle. I don’t want that for these kids and just make a difference.”

While the “Studio Lady” may just be another helpful adult you see everyday, she is much more than that.

Because of her past, she strives to influence the lives of everyone by helping and engaging in the lives of students.

“I missed a lot of high school [when] my dad passed away when I was 15, and so I didn’t

| Alie Settje

“I like helping and I want to make a difference with the kids.” -Ms. Stacy White

Are you hoping to one day have a permanent position here? I think that’d be great, since this is really the only high school I’ve been a part of. I did observations at other high schools and it was fine, but I really enjoy being here at Standley Lake. If that opportunity comes, that’s something I would definitely take advantage of it.

Oh hey! have you heard that. . . The Robotics Team won first place in design and second place overall at The Best In Show Competition. They worked everyday after school for months to make the most unique robot in Colorado.

Change the world in 5 minutes

6 WAYS TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE christina rudolph

write a letter to your senator Now that elections are over and Colorado’s political leaders are out of the public eye, how can a high school student get their attention? It’s as easy as writing a letter. If there’s an issue you’re passionate about, grab a pen, piece of paper, and write an eloquent but powerful statement to the people who have major influence. Write To

Rep. Ed Perlmutter Sen. Cory Gardner Gov. hickenlooper

watch a tedtalk

take a selfie

Did you know helping others can be fashionable? Lily and Laura bracelets are handcrafted by women in Nepal, earning them a wage they can use to support themselves and feed their families. Not only do the bracelets help to improve the condition of entire communities, they also look amazing. Each bracelet is a unique pattern of glass beads so yours will never look the same as any other on Earth.

TED Talks are videos of experienced professionals presenting their ideas or projects on hundreds of different topics, packing years of experience into one, short clip. Check out TED.com and choose an intriguing video. It can be funny or life changing, but as long as you learn something, it’s worth the time. Maybe it will even inspire you to present your own TED Talk someday.

In the wake of the ice bucket challenge, a new initiative is taking over social media for a good cause—selfies to help Syrian children. To raise awareness for children who have suffered from the Syrian Civil War since 2011, snap a quick picture of yourself RIGHT after waking up and post it on Instagram or Twitter. Your phone is next to you anyways so make it useful for a change!

Go To

change.org

lilyandlaura.com

are you human by ze frank

donate rice

sign a petition

buy a bracelet

One of the easiest (and most unique) ways to make a real difference in the world can also help you improve your English test taking skills. Free Rice is an organization that donates 10 grains of rice to the United Nations World Food Program for every easy vocabulary question you can answer correctly. Spend a few minutes completing random word associations and contribute to ending world hunger.

One of the easiest, fastest ways to make a difference in the world is to sign a petition. In the past, petitions were avoided like a disease because they usually involved a weird college student running around with a clipboard begging for signatures. Now, all you need is an email address and five minutes to get access to important online petitions focusing on hundreds of local and international issues.

freerice.com

8 December 2014 | Issue 2

Watch Use the Hashtag

wakeupcall

the essay guru: Mr. Spitler How do you write a hook? A universal question is a cool way to start sometimes, or maybe a cool quote from someone, as long as you analyze it and tell why it’s there, or a short story, like an anecdote or a narrative since people like reading stories and they’ll get drawn in and can know what you’re writing about and be led into your point. How do you write a killer thesis? I think that sometimes it can be beneficial to start with your body paragraphs first because then you have your topic sentences; you’ve learned what you want to say as you’re writing it. Then, you can combine your topic sentences and write a thesis. Conclusion? I think that a conclusion is kind of like articulating the significance of what you wrote. Maybe have an inspiring tone and offer a course of direction so people will have something that they can do about it. | Ripley Ricketts

winter

It’s the thought that counts So you got invited to a White Elephant party a gag gift swap where you pick wrapped presents, and steal your favorite gag gifts from other players and you have no clue what to even buy without breaking the budget. Well, The Lake’s got you covered. Here’s a list of the top 10 gag gifts we recommend.

toothpaste Subtly tell your friend that their breath could use some loving.

used gift cards Instead of having 15 dollars for a caribou mocha, you have 4 dollars. At least it’s something right?

It’s a must in the gift giving world. No party is complete without it.

the goods 1 tbs. Nutmeg 2 tbs. Honey 1 tbs. Cinnamon

mouse pad Nothing says “You’re a good friend” more than a mouse pad. Just return it.

coasters Save your friends’ wooden tables from those pesky water rings.

batteries The tables have been turned, there’s no gift included.

magic 8 ball Come on, help a friend tell their future.

glass figurines What a way to spruce up the living room, right?

basement chia pet

Face Mask

Don’t really over think this. You can always head to your basement to get the worst (best) present you can find. | Emma Marlow

Mix together ingredients (do NOT heat the honey) and smear onto your face. Allow it to sit for 20-30 minutes (note: do a small test spot on your cheek to ensure you won’t react to it). To remove the mask use warm water and rub off in small, circular motions to exfoliate the dead skin. Pat dry your face and apply a light moisturizer.

how it works The nutmeg and cinnamon act as inflammatory agents that help with acne swelling while the honey moisturizes your face and helps heal acne scars. Together, the ingredients act as a wonderful exfoliant to give your skin a soft, healthy glow. | Ripley Ricketts

It’s 6:30. You’ve hit the snooze button 4 times already. You’re a panicking wreck rushing to get ready. SO MUCH TO DO, SO LITTLE TIME. luckily The Lake’s compiled the best ways to look fab, and still manage to make it to first period on time. Here’s our top four ways to ensure this doesn’t happen again.

So you’re

running late... Danielle l.ombardi ‘15 reaches for the coffee in the morning with only 20 minutes before schools begins.

Stop slamming the Snooze button! The 10 minutes between each “snooze” doesn’t actually get you in the precious REM sleep, and you just end up feeling more tired when you finally stumble out of bed.

As tempting as it may be, do not set your favorite song as your alarm. Sure, it may make you happy the first few times it rises you, but you will end up hating it.

Set a time to wake up everyday, and stick to it (of course block days are an exception). Your body will become used to the wake up time, and it will begin the process of waking up before your alarm rings.

Make turning off your alarm a challenge. It’s guaranteed you’ve heard this old trick before, but you’ll be less tempted to press snooze continuously. So plug your phone into the outlet on the other side of the room.

| Brittany Marks

The cologne guide The Lake compiled our favorite manly scents to help the boys who just don’t have the time for a shower.

noir for men by bath and body works

True Religion by True Religion

guilty black by gucci

$12

$20

$55

10 December 2014 | Issue 2

Polo Red by ralph lauren

$61

Big Pony Blue the one by Dolce and by ralph Gabbana lauren

$65

$73

....in

only

minutes you can... do your make-up

30 Seconds later:

Apply moisturizer to the face. It’s a great primer and refreshes the skin. We recommend the Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion.

1 Minute 30 Seconds Later: After the moisturizer has set, apply a BB cream to give light coverage using a makeup blender or your fingertips. We recommend the Maybelline Dream Fresh BB Cream.

3 Minutes Later:

Make a burrito the night before

Lightly fill in your eyebrows to frame your eyes using an angled brush. We recommend the ELF Studio Eyebrow Kit.

4 Minutes Later: Apply mascara to the root of your eyelashes to make it seem like you applied eyeliner. We recommend the ButterflyExtensions Mascara by Loreal.

5 Minutes Later: Apply a colored lip product to your lips to give some color. We recommend the Maybelline Baby Lips Lip Balm.

| Emma Marlow

De-ice your car 1.

Directions: In a medium skillet, cook bacon until crisp and drain excess grease.

Turn on your car, and start the defrosting process

2. 3. 4. 5.

Ingredients: 2 bacon strips, diced 1 egg, beaten 1 flour tortilla 1 tablespoon shredded cheddar cheese Hot sauce (optional)

Add the egg, salt, and pepper to the skillet and cook until the egg is completely set. Spoon the egg and bacon mixture onto the tortilla and sprinkle with cheese.

Use scraper to break up ice, until you can’t scrape anymore off.

Fold the tortilla over the filling and wrap in aluminum foil. Place the burrito in the freezer and freeze for up to 2 weeks.

While heat is defrosting the ice, spray solution of rubbing alcohol and warm water onto desired windows. It won’t damage the windows like salt water solutions will.

When you’re running late and ready to run out the door, remove the foil and place on a microwave-safe plate. Microwave for 60 to 90 seconds or until heated through and then let stand for 20 seconds.

Wait inside your toasty warm car with windshield wipers going full speed. Ice will come off within 3-5 minutes.

Add a dash of hot sauce if you want a little kick and you’re ready to run out the door! | Christina Rudolph

Enjoy a clear view of your ride to school! | Taylor Zangari

What is your true color? Everyone has the possibility to show their true colors. Take this quiz to discover how colorful your personality is

12 December 2014 | Issue 2

Rate each sentence from the following sections 1-4; 4 being the one that relates to you the most and 1 being the least relatable.

Rate these a) Whenever there is a chance, you will take it. ____ b) You understand your responsibilities and you tend to act traditional. ____ c) Being compassionate and real is your thing. d) You are more watchful and careful of your surroundings. ____

and these e) You are constantly wondering why things work, how they work, when they work... knowledge to you is just wonderful. ____ f) Fitting in isn’t always a priority for you, yet you have the ability to communicate well with others because of how empathetic you are. ____ g) Things seem to flow practical for you, you’re sensible and dependable. ____ h) Competition is motivation, you believe in being impactful and creating results. ____

almost there... i) You’re conservative and loyal as you believe in organizations that have been around for longer periods of time. ____ j) Words flow poetically from you. It shows in your writing as you’re warm and devoted to what you love. ____ k) You value being adventuresome. You are open-minded yet realistic. ____ l) Knowledge is valuable. You are very theoretical with your thinking. You seek information constantly as if it were air and you couldn’t breathe. ____

pinky promise... closer... m) You are concerned and careful. You believe that procedures create cooperation. ____ n) Dares are sooo your thing. You are impulsive and never miss out on the chance to have fun. ____ o) Being dramatic is easy for you, you’re inspirational and strive originality. ____ p) You are completely determined towards goals and can take them down; even if they are complex. ____

finally q) Philosophical ideals is the way you live. You are rational and principled in reason. ____ r) You are a social wittle human being! You are affectionate and very sympathetic towards others. ____ s) Excitement sends you over the edge. You are courageous, skillful, and energized. ____ t) You are caring and conventional. Order is everything to you. ____

Add up the numbers and find out your group! Group 1 a ___ h ___ k ___ n ___ s ___

Group 2 b ___ g ___ i ___ m ___ t ___

Group 3 c ___ f ___ j ___ o___ r ___

Group 4 d ___ e ___ l ___ p ___ q ___

Total: ___ ___ ___ ___

Hi. Get to know yourself.

Orange

Group 1: You are orange. You act on a moments notice. Life is a game and you want to play. You desire fun, variety, and excitement. Competition comes easy to you as you are a performer, a natural trouble shooter. When you are STRESSED: you are rude, break rules intentionally, run away from problems. You LOVE: people, adventure, success. YOU DON’T UNDERSTAND: why people lie, interruptions, harsh criticism.

Yellow

Group 2: You are yellow. You respect authority and follow the rules because you have a strong sense of what is right and what is wrong. You feel the need to belong and to be useful. You value family, tradition, and home. When you are STRESSED: you get really tired, worry a lot, complain, self pity. YOU LOVE: tidiness, home, organized. YOU DON’T UNDERSTAND: slobs and procrastinators, change, the lack of control some might have.

Green

Group 4: You are green. You seek knowledge and feed on it. You need explanations and answers. You value the usage of intelligence, justice, and fairness. Problem solving and nonconforming comes easy to you. When you are STRESSED: you become indecisive, refuse to cooperate, want everything to be perfect. YOU LOVE: recognition, high achievement, being a part of a big picture. YOU DON’T UNDERSTAND: being controlled, why there has to be so much noise, unfairness.

Blue

Group 3: You are blue. You look for a meaning in life. You are constantly valuing relationships and integrity. Romantic, poetic, nurturer; it all comes natural for you. When you are STRESSED: you cry, zone out, use passive resistance. YOU LOVE: hugs, romance, the idea of acceptance, being there for others. YOU DON’T UNDERSTAND: disorder, injustice, disharmony. | Mezhgan Aslamy 13

the little team that did gymnastics team brings home state

The ground began to tremble as the little team of nine girls began their first meet: a new group, a new set of individuals, a new season. A few players did a back bend, others a double tuck; placing their hands firmly on the floor, unaware of the impact they would hold within their palms for the school and for themselves. The gymnastics champions almost didn’t have the opportunity to even hold that title. “We had to fight to even get girls to come out for the team,” said Maddi York ‘15. However, the team barely hit the limit and was able to prove a little team has more to offer beyond their numbers. One by one, the gymnasts banded together and realized how much stronger they were as a team than as individuals. Even as they stepped on that beam alone, they felt the eyes of the crowd and the support and love from their teammates carry them through each careful step they took. Their coach, Kristen Larington, worked together with the girls for ten hours a week, pushing their bodies to their limit. She encouraged the girls to keep pushing forward, no matter how small of a team they were. Their motto? The

little team that could. Unlike other sports, the gymnasts didn’t have a single athlete on the bench to pull in if necessary. And, as it so happens, something did happen. Rachel Cody ‘18 injured her foot and was out for much of the middle of the season. “Being hurt was terrible, I mean I got to watch my amazing team do great things, but it killed me to have to deal with not being a part of all the action,” Cody said. In retrospect, Larington speculated that Cody’s injury was really a blessing in disguise, both as she returned better than before, and as other teams underestimated the small but mighty team. Without any ‘fill,’ the other eight girls had to step up their game to hold onto the points Cody had brought in for the team before, causing each to improve out of an obligation to contribute to the team. Victory doesn’t come without a few hindrances along the way. Blood, sweat, and tears were what put the girls in the title of State Champions. The little team that could, did. | Mezhgan Aslamy | Olivia Koontz | Morgan Whitley

things you missed this season

1. Rachel Cody ‘18 injured her foot by attempting a back tuck on beam, causing her to watch from the sidelines for 4 weeks. 2. From the end of the state meet to the results, the girls waited anxiously for one hour to find out they were state champions. 3. With only 9 girls on the standley lake team, they beat the odds by conquering teams with twice as many members. 4. Kristen Larington was awarded Jefferson County Coach of the Year for her amazing work getting these girls to achieve victory.

Also specializing in relieving Jaw Pain

Also specializing in Sleep Apnea

FREE

Dr. Nelson is a braces expert.

initial consultation and X-rays for braces patients

The staff at Trinity can make your teeth look perfect with:

1. 2. 3. 4.

less time less appointments less discomfort less risk of decalcification and decay

FREE

annual follow-up We accept all major insurances

www.trinityorthodontics.com

Thanksgiving & Winter Break Schedules available! Driver’s education is a big step in every teen’s (and parent’s!) life. We get your student off to a safe start, from permit to license. Why use 911 Driving School? All of our instructors are police officers, and as trained driving experts, we have a vested interest in making your teen a great driver. Experience, Knowledge and Trust are what police officers bring to 911 Driving School and as a result, our students have fewer warnings, suspensions, tickets and accidents.

We offer a variety of options & packages to fit your needs:  30 hour classroom training and test for Instruction Permit  Behind-the-wheel drive training & Drive Fit Course Program  Colorado State certified written and driving road tests

Call, stop by or go online today! th 9100 W. 100 Avenue Westminster, CO 80021 303-425-0911 www.911drivingschool.com

Schedule a FREE braces consult today

Thornton 12720 N. Colo. Blvd. Thornton, CO 80241 Arvada 8723 Wadsworth Blvd. Arvada CO 80003

(303) 427-5000

named one of the top dentists by 5280 from 2010-2014

find us on social media. @thelakenewsmag

facebook.com/standleylakenewspaper @thelakenewsmag

thelakenewsmag.com

Getting Technical senior balances homework and pursuing his dreams through warren tech “Brandt! Get over here! I think the students in this shot are out of focus.” Brandt Wintzen ‘15 stops packing up the camera he’d just used to film other Warren Tech classes. He then rushes over to his teacher, Mr. Jonathan White. “I thought as they walked they’d get into focus,” Wintzen said. They didn’t. Wintzen begins to realize that doing what he loves requires work, understanding that once he gets the students of his video into focus, his future will be in focus, too. “Warren Tech is a school that provides traditional vocational education and 21st Century vocational education.” said SLHS Warren Tech Coordinator Mr. Matt Schacht. “It’s a place where people can find their passion.”

Brandt Wintzen ‘15 records the actions around him through his Black Magic camera. He misses classes in the morning so he can attend Warren Tech.

the 5 w’s of warren tech the who, what, where, when, why, and how about warren tech what is warren tech?\ where is warren tech? “Warren Tech is a scool that provides traditional vocational education and 21st century vocational education. It’s a place where people can find their passions.” -SLHS Warren Tech Coordinator Matt Schact

The North campus is located on 11325 Allendale Dr. It’s right by Arvada West. The central campus is located on 13300 West 2nd place in Lakewood. it’s right by Red Rocks Community College.

why should i go there? when are classes at warren tech? “It’s more interactive, and I love that. I learn by doing, not by taking notes. I’m definitely more hands on and that’s what I love.” -Ashlyn Bleimeyer ‘15, Warren Tech Student

Students must miss half of a day of classes at their regular high school to attend class at warren tech.

17 December 2014 | Issue 2

What classes are at warren tech? Classes are either in the AM or PM. Warren Tech offers multiple classes under the categories of Health Science/Public Safety, Hospitality, Cosmetology, Technical Science, and S.T.E.M. (Science, Technology, Math, AV Tecnhology, and Communications).

who can get in? Warren Tech only enrolls juniors and seniors.. simply talk to your counselors. registration is in february.

The decision to dedicate half his day to the TV/Video department at Warren Tech was a simple one. “Regular high school is just repeating what you’re told,” Wintzen said, “but here, you’re supposed to do it yourself; it’s more interactive.” Wintzen has sights set on video producing and realizes what he’ll need to do to reach those visions. “I hate going back to regular high school,” Wintzen said, “I go from doing something I love doing—something that will actually set me up in life—to sitting in a desk for 3 hours.” Wintzen’s love for film started the summer before sophomore year when he and his friends created their YouTube channel, ZoGreazy. Making four minute comedy videos inspired from YouTube sensation Balloonshop wasn’t enough for Wintzen. He needed more. He wanted more. “It started just when I saw some pretty cool movies,” Wintzen said. “When I was watching them, I just felt like I’m needed to entertain through film and video. It started by me making stupid little youtube videos with ZoGreazy, then I came across Warren Tech.” It seems true. Wintzen is the loud class clown who cracks jokes in his sixth hour Economics class at will, yet, he seems out of place in his classrooms, he’s at his job while he’s at school. When he’s at Warren Tech inside the studio editing his recently filmed video, it’s impossible for one not to notice that Brandt Wintzen is where he belongs. He’s home. l | Jamey Burky

yo, check this out. the can’t miss events of the end of the semester

dec. 2

IMPROV PRODUCTION 7:00 p.m.

finals week

dec. 15

HOCKEY VS DAKOTA RIDGE at ICE CENTER at the PROMENADE 5:30 p.m.

dec. 13

GIRLS SWIMMING VS EVERGREEN and RALSTON VALLEY at MEYERS POOL 9:00 a.m.

dec. 17, 18, 19 dec. 12

THE CHILDREN’S THEATRE 6:30 p.m.

GIRLS B BALL VS WESTy 5:30 p.m.

dec. 17 WINTER BREAK dec. 20 - jan. 6

dec. 11

WRESTLING VS GOLDEN at home 7:00 p.m.

good luck!

dec. 19 BOYS BASKEBALL VS POMONA at HOME 7:00 p.m.

yaaaaaasssss

Looking for a very uniqe gift that will last lifetime after lifetime?

Bronze Sculptures

by Scy Caroselli please view our website for the entire portfolio www.scaroselli.com email me with any questions at carosellibronze@gmail.com

Queen of the

nerds

Math teacher Mrs. Sheila Humphreys has taught at Standley Lake for 14 years, longer than some students have been alive. Because of this, many people may assume she’s the type of teacher who’s taught since the day she graduated, perfecting the craft along the way. “I started teaching school right out of college when I was just 21 and I had a 19 year old student which was very strange,” Humphreys said. But Mrs. Humphrey’s teaching history isn’t so black and white because her initial tenure as a teacher didn’t last long. In 1979, just one year after she got her first teaching job, she moved on to pursue other opportunities. “I went out to work in the industry for 15 years. I worked as a mathematician and a geophysicist for Texaco, and I worked as an engineer for a little company called CTA,” Humphreys said. While it may be hard for students to picture Mrs. Humphreys outside of the classroom, her career accomplishments don’t surprise them. “I just found out recently that she worked on the Star Wars project which is super cool,” Erin Garst ‘15, Humphrey’s AP Calculus BC student said, “I’m not surprised, though, because she’s a freaking genius.”

Mrs. Humphreys jokes with Kyle Bender ’15 and Jacob Naranjo ‘15 as they study for their test.

back?’” Humphreys said.

unique nickname.

Now, Mrs. Humphreys is known less for her impressive resume and more for her dedication to students, displayed in her willingness to divulge hours of her time for homework help and study sessions.

“Queen of the Nerds” may not seem like a term of endearment, but Mrs. Humphreys embraces the label as the culmination of a career full of hard work.

“I’m here from 6:30 in the morning to at least 3 or 3:30. Unless there is a study session and we’re here until 5, or a study session from 6 to 8,” Humphreys said. Mrs. Humphreys utilizes another unique teaching style by giving students her phone number when they need help with complicated concepts. “If they get stuck on something, sometimes the problem is something simple that I can fix right away so they don’t dig themselves into a rut,” Humphreys said, “It helps to make sure that you don’t waste your time. These problems can be difficult!” Mrs. Humphreys also tries to use much of her time with students for individual help instead of extended periods of notetaking. “She posts videos of her lectures online and then we use all of our class time for questions. That’s pretty much how college classes are so that’s cool,” Garst ‘15 said. Because of her extensive math experience, students gave Mrs. Humphreys a somewhat

“I’m a math person,” Humphreys said. Most people think math people are geeks or nerds. So I say, “Well I must be the queen of them.’ And last year they even got me a crown.” It’s possible Mrs. Humphreys’ aptitude for math is in her blood, stemming from generations of talent and achievement. “My grandma says we’re related to Sir Isaac Newton,” Humphreys said. Whether Mrs. Humphreys’ journey to becoming a math teacher started in 17th century England or her small hometown of Bridge City, Texas, her experience and longevity speak for themselves. Mrs. Humphreys has been a Teacher of the Year finalist, geophysicist, and professional mathematician, but to current students, her most important quality is what they would call a relentless dedication to teaching. “I’ve never questioned why she’s a teacher because she seems like she really enjoys it,” Garst said. ”Personally, I enjoy having her as a teacher, too.” | Brittany Marks | Christina Rudolph

Working in the oil and aerospace industries may seem like dream jobs for aspiring mathematicians, but certain parts of her job progressively aggravated Mrs. Humphreys. “I got tired of dealing with engineers and helping them with their math,” Humphreys said. However, having to instruct irritating professionals wasn’t the only reason Mrs. Humphreys decided to return to teaching. “I really enjoy working with kids. And at that point in time, I was like, ‘Why don’t you go

Colorado Even in the heart of the city, you can smell pine trees on the breeze. There’s no place in Colorado absent of beauty. Alpine lakes rest on purple mountain majesties. The sun-drenched hills lie under a watercolor sky. The trees are painted in gold and purple and green. If you’re from here, you’re no stranger to thin air and rich color. Stan the gator took a little field trip, to see just how scenic this beautiful state of ours can be. | Nicole Heetland | Emma Marlow | Natasha McCone

REd Rocks Golden creek Margaret’s pond

20 December 2014 | Issue 2

Old Town Arvada Lookout Mountain, Golden

Margaretâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Pond Lookout Mountain, Golden

Downtown denver Golden

Your food, Your stories, Your holidays.

22 December 2014 | Issue 2

Community wrapped up in cornhusks Tanya Escobedo ‘16 loves, learns from family Time is everything. Christmas time is a family time, a joyful time, a loving time, a giving time. And for Tanya Escobedo ‘16, it means tamale time. It was the start of a family tradition when Escobedo’s mom didn’t want to depend on her mother-in-law for those fabulous tamales. “My grandma from my dad’s side kind of babied him a lot,” Escodebo said. “But my mom was like, ‘Well, I’m married to him. Now I should be the one taking care of him.’ When my mom started making tamales for my dad, my grandma started to get jealous. She still comes over to make tamales, though, because she feels like she’s in charge.” Those first few batches weren’t exactly the pinnacle of success. It took a burnt batch, a raw batch, a dry batch to figure out the secret formula. Beyond tamale making, Escobedo, a self-proclaimed “mommy’s girl”, has learned from her mom the secret formula for guidance as well: prayer. And not just

praying to ready their hearts for Christmas—for Escobedo, prayer was and is a regular routine in her house. “Praying was a way my mom would calm me down, like when I wouldn’t go to sleep because I was too hyper,” Escobedo said. “She would say one part in spanish, and I obviously couldn’t understand it, and then I would repeat it back, and then she’d say the next verse and I’d repeat it back in Spanish.” The mother-daughter bond Escobedo has is only one piece of the heartfelt love she has for her family, and the time she can spend with them during the Christmas season making tamales. A unique aspect to her Christmas preparation is the community that comes from the chiles and corn husks. Both sides of her family—about 25 people—squeeze into their tidy but tiny kitchen to mix, spread, wrap, and perhaps taste the tamales. “My dad’s family is really serious,” Escobedo said. “They aren’t as loving as my mom’s side, but I guess when we make tamales, it doesn’t matter. There’s some separation sometimes...but when we’re making tamales, it doesn’t matter at all, and it’s more about making food together.” A time for prayer. A time for gathering. A time, where despite differences, tamales not only give off that distinct smell of cooking meat and sauces in the Escobedo kitchen, but also give off a once-a-year type of love and community. l | Olivia Koontz

Testing the sticky rice

Vannessa Inthavong ‘15 clings to community despite tragedy Giving, family, food. For most, the few short joyous months at the end of the year come to mind. But for Vannessa Inthavong ‘15, the giving doesn’t end with December. It lasts all year long—with the help of the Buddhist community. “Every other Sunday we go to the temple and pray,” Inthavong said. “There’s this tradition where the monks pray for an hour or two, and you have food in a traditional bucket. You bless the food and give it to the monks.” The food is a community effort. They all work together to provide a meal for the monks, similar to a family. “[We make] traditional rice plates, and traditional Lao food; the food dishes are made from members of the communities at home and brought to the temples,” Inthavong said. It’s not just the collective effort that brings this “family” together, their bond traces much deeper than friends. A bond that was tested when a fire of unknown origin burned the temple down on December 5, 2011.

24 December 2014 | Issue 2

“It’s really sad because I grew up there... but things happen and it gives us a chance to come closer as a community and grow from that,” Inthavong said. The sticky rice brings this religious family together, but it’s the “stick” of the rice that keeps this community at each other’s sides. l | Meg Metzger-Seymour

Not-so sweet temptations Brindan Adhikari ‘15 shares how indulgences influence his holiday with family It’s a sweet time of year... Literally. Brindan Adhikari ‘15 sat surrounded by mountains of dessert. He could practically feel the temptation rising within him as he contemplated taking one of the vibrant yellow balls rolled up with sugar and flour, topped off with fresh shredded coconut. Just one, two, maybe a third. All the way to 20. In celebration of Dashain, Adhikari and his family eat Laddo, the traditional fried and sugary dessert. The Hindu holiday lasts for fifteen days, and the Adhikari family celebrate by spending time at both his mother’s side of the family and his father’s side of the family. “What we’re celebrating is the goddess, Durga, defeating a demon called Mahishasura,” Adhikari said. “The celebration is receiving protection and blessings from elders to have a good life.”

marking that is often worn for special occasions. “My auntie places the tika on my forehead as a sign of guardianship,” Adhikari said. “After they bless us, we’re given the Laddo,” Adhikari said. Yet, after indulging in so much of the delicious dessert when he was younger, he won’t eat too many of them anymore. “I still can’t bring myself to have a second one after eating so many,” Adhikari said. Instead, he celebrates the sweet time he gets to spend with his entire family for the holiday, rather than stuffing his face with the tasty food. l | Tina Muscarelli

Once their elders bless them, tika is placed upon their forehead, which is a traditional

There’s no waning with tradition

Thu Nguyen ‘17 discusses sisterly bond, Vietnamese tradition

Sitting at the table, a smooth red envelope catches her eye. She begins to smile, reminded of what day it is. Tết, the Vietnamese lunar new year is underway. Thu Nguyen ‘17 and her family never fail to recognize this special time of the year. Usually falling at the end of January or the beginning of February, they cherish the importance of family and the traditions carried down for generations. “It’s a really big holiday, and it’s associated with money and luck,” Nguyen said. “We get money in red packages.” Food plays a huge role in the celebration of Tết, especially for Thu. “Moon cakes—I love them. They have lots of stuff inside, like meat, eggs, and nuts. They are baked and really soft. We usually buy them because they are really hard to make,” Nguyen said. “My mom also makes a lot of pho noodles. You put bean sprouts, sriracha sauce, and meat with them, of course.” For her, though, there are other activities that bring everyone together. “There are

usually lots of fireworks, and karaoke, but I don’t sing much. My mom does though,” Nguyen said, laughing. “We play lots of card games too, like Thirteen.” She recognizes that this is an event that comes once a year and that it is special, it is unique. “There are a couple times [every season] where I’m glad that we’re one family and not split or anything. I am definitely grateful for that,” Nguyen said. She notices that during the rest of the year, she and her family don’t usually have much time to spend together. “We’re independent, and we don’t always talk to each other,” said Nguyen. When the holiday season rolls along Nguyen admits that she and her sisters are definitely closer. “During the holidays, it’s happier because we have that spirit in us ,” Nguyen said. “It’s the only time we really get to bond...and that’s important to me.” At the end of it all, when the red packages have been opened, the moon cakes eaten, they still leave anxious for the next year, knowing that there will be more than just money and treats to look forward to--there will be the laughs, the smiles, and most of all, the memories. l | Emily Leo

26 December 2014 | Issue 2

Dishing up some dessert Britta Swanson ‘18 uses pie to bring family together While the family is in their living room, they are awaiting the last course. Dessert. They try to block it out because there is gingerbread house construction underway. While she’s kneading the dough, she tries to replicate the infamous pie that was passed down to her. For Britta Swanson ‘18, the day begins at Grandma Swanson’s house. Grandma Swanson begins to make the crust filling, and topping of what will become a quintessential dessert. When she’s baking, the cousins are at play. They await the aroma of citrus in the winter while they are playing games in their own winter wonderland. “Whenever we spend Christmas in Illinois, me and my cousins would play truth or dare,” Swanson said. “This one year they dared me to go outside in the ice in my underwear, but I was seven so it didn’t matter, but [my older brother] Christian would make me do everything. He’d say, ‘Britta you HAVE to do this.’” To calm the kids down, Grandma Swanson garnishes her pies with a slice of lime. That’s when the holidays get serious. Grandma Swanson’s pie would be eaten within a half hour of it coming out of the fridge. Swanson said, “My grandma made a new batch of key lime pie every day while we were there.”

Pie making is in the Swanson’s DNA. “The only dish that my mom really makes is cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie,” she said. “That’s our thing and I help my mom make it.” Even though it’s not Swanson’s preference of fun, she is masked with flour on her face and dough on her hands. “I don’t like to cook or bake,” she said. “but it’s fun because we bond a lot when we bake.” Swanson’s parents were raised in a Christian household, so they want that to be prevalent in their children’s lives as well. Her parents even met at a church when they were younger so being a part of the religion is a part of who her family is. The Swanson’s don’t mess around when it’s the big day. “Christmas Eve we usually wake up and make brunch and make cookies and gingerbread houses and pie, then we dress up really fancy, go to church, and then we open presents,” Swanson said. “On Christmas we make breakfast and just hang out and eat all day.” She sees her cross necklace covered in what was a traditional recipe passed down from her grandma. l | Emma Marlow

golden girl through the eyes of a young equestrian who dreams of the olympics

28 December 2014 | Issue 2

W We all know that one horse girl.

Maybe she was your best friend, or maybe she just sat next to you in elementary school, sketching mustangs and ponies all over her composition notebook that was covered in shimmery horse stickers. Maybe you went to her house and realized after seeing the posters all over the walls and the countless My Little Ponies and horse figurines, that this was a serious obsession.

Fast forward a couple years and her eyes are set on a different prizeâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;the Olympics. Bryanna Buie â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;15 was born for Gold.

Or at least that’s what she’s hoping for. She says that her equestrian obsession has been going on for as long as she can remember, but her self-proclaimed addiction started when she was eleven. Her knack for horses has only progressed. At the age of twelve, she got her first horse, Elle, for her birthday. Elle was her loyal, five foot tall horse until they had to give her up for adoption due to extensive injuries. Buie took it upon herself to make her new horse, Kitty, a show jumping horse to compete in competitions with her. “The Olympics have been in my mind for about four years now,” Buie said. “I really want to work up to becoming a professional show jumper, especially going into the Olympics.” Show jumping consists of systematic placing of fences, usually fourteen in all. The horse and the rider go on to jump the obstacles, carefully attempting to not knock over any of the fences. If a rider and their horse can successfully do this, they move on

“She has a lifetime to try, and a lifetime to love what she does.” -Sherri Skidmore to the second round and repeat the process. If the odds are in their favor and they have trained hard enough, they place in the finals. It’s a lot harder than it sounds. “Kitty has taught us a lot of lessons,” Buie’s mother Sherri Skidmore said. “Kitty is a fantastic horse, and we love her dearly but there are some challenges. That’s just part of horse ownership, you know, taking those injuries and those challenges. Taking ownership of that. There have been days that we love her, and days of extreme frustration. Some moments are harder than others, but that just comes with owning a horse.” Buie puts in extra hours just to make a project out of Kitty and to push her through any injuries. Not only does it help develop Kitty’s activeness but it also helps Buie with her perseverance for becoming a professional rider. “I’ve been doing a lot of riding, and especially riding a lot of different horses,” Buie said. “I’m also trying to do lots of competitions. Once you can do well in those then you can move up and start being recognized as being an international rider and moving up the rankings.” Buie is one of the lucky ones that have full support from her parents to help guide her.

30 December 2014 | Issue 2

Her mother has been her biggest fan throughout her many years of training. And her mother has recognized it since year two. “What I saw with Bryanna specifically--and I tell this story to everyone--but there are people that are just horse people,” Skidmore said. “They are born with it. Horses just make sense to them. Bryanna was born a horse person. Bryanna was talking about some kind of horse, or pony, from the time she was two...that’s all she ever wanted. What I tell people is that instantly she was a horse person, and when the time came I actually got her this first horse, and I saw how much that meant to her. And yeah, I think that’s the role of a mother, to find whatever passion they have, and let that passion be hers.” Skidmore vigorously works to do what she can to assist in Buie’s passion. Her devotion has helped her understand and appreciate the horses to prepare her for the Olympics. “Bryanna and I are trying to focus on confidence, putting her body in different positions by just an inch,” Harrison said. “Little things like that make the big difference. Especially because she does jumping. After we get the confidence she needs, we can focus more on performance. So, we need to develop the confidence in herself, so the horse can feel that.” Getting a feel for the horse is key to developing skill. And on top of that, keeping up an active attitude helps make your horse feel active too. This is a huge piece of Buie’s dedication to go to the Olympics. “They have a sixth sense,” Buie said. “They will sense, and feel whatever you are feeling at the moment. If you feel calm, they feel calm, if you are anxious or nervous, they will be, too. If there’s something going on, and you think even for a second that something’s going on, it will. They’ll spook. If you’re a really active rider, they’ll reflect that...but if you’re really slow and passive, they won’t like to ride.” Even if she doesn’t make it to the Olympics, she’s still one-hundred percent dedicated to a career with horses. It’s the only thing she knows and loves to do. “I want to be the highest level, that’s all really I want—to go to the highest circuits,” Buie said. “There are not many colleges that will offer, or move you towards being a professional rider. It takes a lot of training, and practice, and it’s not something college really helps you with.” She’s been able to go this far by pursuit of her own passion and the support of those closest to her. Horse riding in the Buie’s household is a family affair. Her mom watches from the sidelines every chance she gets, just like a football mom. “There’s a reason I watch her ride, every chance I can is this light that shines through her when she does,” Skidmore said. “Equestrian sports, you can compete at any age, as long as you’re still good. People that go to the olympics for horses, can be in their fifties and sixties. It’s a lifetime pursuit. She has a lifetime to try, and a lifetime to love what she does. It’s also the only sport where men and women compete equally.” The equality of the sport and the lifelong dedication is why Buie is in it for the long haul. Not for the title of the obsessed horse girl but for the title of an Olympic gold medalist or an international rider. And she’s prepared to push through until the end. l Shylah Ogle | Natasha McCone

3 things to know about horses according to

Caitlin Torgerson ‘15, another SLHS

equestrian

1. Understand the horse. Every horse is different and they all have personalities. If you understand the animal then working together will be smooth. 2. Horses are unpredictable, so be prepared. A horse can ride by the same barrel 1,000 times but on the 1,001st time, it could scare them. Horses are easy to spook. Don’t get mad, just calm the horse down and you will be fine.

Above: Bryanna’s mom, takes pictures of her and her horse Kitty for senior photos. Photo courtesy of Sherri Skidmore. Below: Bryanna and a horse, Louie, jump a two foot brick wall on a cross country course. Photo courtesy of Cody Harrison.

3. Have fun. Horses are incredible animals that can be a lot of fun. Constant training and play time will lead to more fun! Sometimes horses just need to let loose and run but it’s necessary for them to stay healthy.

They do y have lives how teachersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; jobs go beyond the classroom 32 December 2014 | Issue 2

o you’re at Adventure Golf with your squad, scorecard, blue pencil, and putter in hand. That’s when it happens. It’s awkward. Oh no. It’s so awkward. Your fourth hour English teacher is standing there at hole 1, wearing a cat t-shirt. He puts his arm around someone you can only hope to God is his wife. And what? He kisses her? Uh.. I’m pretty sure PDA is frowned upon. This isn’t making sense. Mini golf? Jorts? Teachers do things outside of school? Fun things? That us youngins’ do too? They don’t live at the school? What? As awkward as it is to see your teachers outside of school, they do live fairly normal lives; hectic and busy lives. “I have four kids, a husband, a house, and two dogs,” English teacher Ms. Lisa Cillessen said. “My life is just really busy.” Crowded desks piled with textbooks and essays, teachers never get a break. “It’s prep work, grading, prep work, grading for the entire time I’m here at school. Teaching classes, going to the studio, attending meetings,” Social Studies teacher Mr. Jeremiah Coraggio said. Once that agonizing minute from 2:29 to 2:30 p.m. passes, kids race out to the parking lot. However, teachers don’t have the luxury of leaving right after the last bell rings, their day continues. “I usually stay till 3:30 or 4:00 everyday, because I find if I stay here a little longer I tend to bring less work home,” Cillessen said. After the hours of grading essays and tests has passed, most teachers switch the title of “Mr.” or “Ms.” to “Mom” or “Dad,” and head home to their second life. A life consisting of their own kids, second jobs, and hobbies. Coraggio, however, never stops teaching. Once he arrives home he goes from a high school teacher to an elementary school teacher, “Around 3:00 or so, sometimes 4:00, I leave here and it’s another hour in the car. Get home, pick up my son, Get him going on his homework-- spelling words, math, and reading,” Coraggio said. From teacher to parent, they try to find as much time as possible to spend with their family. “Time is the most valuable resource,” science teacher Mr. John Evans said. “I want to give my time to my family.” That valuable time might be spent picking up Santiago’s breakfast burritos for Cillessen’s family, or watching The Conjuring at Coraggio’s house with his wife, even though he’s usually on

a day in the life Of Ms. Sloan 4:00 a.m.

“I get up at 4 a.m. every day, and 5 during the weekends. But I get up at 4 am, and I run 3 miles, at least.”

6:30 A.M.

“I usually get into work between 6:30 and 6:40 p.m., and it takes me about 20 minutes to get here, so not far. Then, I coordinate a lot of field trips because almost every single one of my classes takes quite a few field trips.”

2:30 p.m.

“At the end of the day, I teach a class that gives credit to kids that are working. My goal is to go out and help them get jobs. But because I come in to school early, I try to leave or be done with my visits between 3:30 and 4 p.m. every day.”

4:00 P.M.

“I go pick up my son, and then we always play after school and have ‘Mommy Dates’ like once a week. Usually he wants to go get donuts at Krispy Kreme and watch them go on the conveyor belt. Then we get home, and I do cleaning that I haven’t done already, and then just go into ‘Mommode.’”

6:00 P.M.

“We usually get dinner started, then play outside, and then my husband gets home, so we eat and then clean up together.”

7:00 P.M.

“I give Jet a bath, we read books, and then I try to get him to bed by 8 p.m. or 8:30, and then after that, I do a little grading.”

10:30 P.M.

“Sometimes, I watch tv at night but I usually try to get to bed by 10:30 or 11 p.m.”

34 December 2014 | Issue 2

YouTube not paying attention. Outside of school teachers really do live an actual life. Evans will swap a test tube for a saxophone, and play for his band, Homeslice. Hours of rehearsals practicing their illustrious horns and crescendo of vocal ranges.The band has become quite popular, going on a mini tour around the country and playing weddings in four different states. Most teachers have other jobs as well. Coraggio spends his time exploring Colorado. He has combined his love for adventuring around the state into building another career in photography. He takes snapshots of wildlife, landscapes, and weddings to sell on his own website.

“What I do is work. Hard, exhausting work. But I am so fulfilled with what I do.” English teacher Ms. Lisa Cillessen Science teacher Mr. John Moriarty spends nights announcing and working the scoreboard for volleyball. Nights spent in the sweaty gym with a crowd full of enthusiac parents, helps Moriarty to stay involved with Standley outside of school hours. While students may think teachers do nothing in their free time, other than plot how to ruin their students’ lives, they spend time being the chauffeur or pursuing another one of their passions. Teachers were once students too, working toward a career in education. Many students are striving to have their own career in education and better the lives of students and the future generations, but the work and progression to get there isn’t easy. “What I do is work. Hard, exhausting work,” Cillessen said. “But I am so fulfilled with what I do. I feel so strongly about my role in society, that there is no paycheck that could really reach that.” Despite the dwindling pay of teachers, they manage to stay strong and continue to fight for the education of their students, rather than simply jumping ship for a better career. “It’s great,” Coraggio said, “It’s a fun job. Every day is completely different. But to go into education now is going to be really tricky, depending on where you are.” After being surrounded by the political climate that they are in right now, teachers must stand strong to continue doing what they love.” “Go into teaching with your eyes wide open,” Cillessen said. “Know that you are going into a position that is inherently political, that is at the whim of political forces.” Aside from the many challenges that teachers face—whether it be politics, or time management, they continue to work diligently in their everyday lives. The next time you see a teacher at Starbucks or the grocery store, don’t run and hide in the nearest aisle or act as awkward as possible. Even though it can be hard to believe sometimes, teachers do have lives. Whether those lives consist of school work extending pass 2:30, or spending time with their family or band, teachers are humans too. l | Sarah Bennett | Ty Milliken | Tina Muscarelli | Max Uhrich | Morgan Whitley

Top left: Ms. Lisa Cillessen cooks soup for her family. Top right: Mr. Jeremiah Coraggio grades stacks of papers. Bottom left: Mr. John Evans practices skate tricks in his classroom. Bottom right: Cillessen works on an essay for a class in her Masters program.

well, that was Awkward. . . Students encounter teachers out in real world

“A group of friends and I went putt putting freshman year, and ran into our English teacher. We ended up switching courses.” Brandi Fenimore ‘15

“I went to Skate City with my friends and I saw on of my teachers skating with kids on both sides of her. Then, she fell and took out both of them.” Alyscia Redmond ‘17

“In sixth grade, I saw my teacher at Target buying the same underwear.” Jonah Staton ‘17

Sister, Sister Twin sisters create everlasting bond after miraculous moment at birth

Two baby girls were born at 11:58 a.m. and 11:59 a.m. One was healthy, one was dying. Something had gone horribly wrong. The whole family was waiting for the doctor to tell them good news about the two beautiful baby girls just born into the world. But that is not what they heard. Instead, they received the news about one healthy baby and one who wasn’t breathing. While the family got to bring home Shelby Carter ‘15, her twin sister Georgi was in the ICU for about two to three weeks. She was slowly dying. “The doctors told my family I wasn’t going to get better and probably wouldn’t make it through the next 24 hours,” Georgi said. All hope was shattered in that moment for their family. They were losing her. But then, the doctor got a wild idea, and a miracle happened. “The doctor had a theory that twin sisters had a bond that could help one of them heal, and they put [Shelby’s] blanket and hat[on me],” Georgi said. That night, Georgi healed. The family got to take home the second healthy baby. “The best day was when we got to go get her and bring her home. Then it was cool to see her and Shelby lay in the little bassinet and they always managed to touch each other whether it was just putting their hand on each other,” their grandmother Sandra McKeowen said.

15 December 2014 | Issue 2 36

Shelby saved her sister’s life. The sisters grew up, started preschool together, then kindergarten, went to sixth grade graduation, and continued to be best friends. But it wasn’t easy for Shelby the summer going into seventh grade. “I was very suicidal and depressed,” Shelby said. She was so desperate and lost, she went looking through a medicine cabinet. “I was holding a bottle when Georgi called me. She said, ‘I’m on my way home, and I wanted to call and say I love you.’” In that moment, Shelby thought about her sister. She realized she could never leave Georgi, especially in the harsh situation they were living in. “I remember whenever Shelby would cry I would just say, ‘Shelby, I love you. Don’t ever give up on me,’” Georgi said. This time, Georgi saved her sister’s life.

After moving to Colorado, they started sophomore year at Standley Lake High School. But, they knew absolutely no one. And the southern accents uncomfortably made them stand out. “When we moved here, I didn’t want to talk to anyone, I already had my friend,” Georgi said. But, with each other by their side, things began to improve.

Next year, they plan to move out and attend college. “But we’re going to different colleges so that will be really weird. I have never slept in a room without her and especially not with someone I don’t know.” Georgi said. Georgi plans to attend Colorado State University in Fort Collins, while Shelby plans to live in Greeley at the University of Northern Colorado. “It’s going to be weird and scary. I will have to compete with someone to tell her happy birthday,” Shelby said.

“Shelby, I love you. Don’t ever give up on me,” Georgi said.

After a tumultuous few years of family drama while living in Kentucky, the girls decided to move to Colorado to live with their dad—which was one of the hardest things they had to do.

December 2014 | Issue 2

They love to tell people how much they love Colorado. “I never want to move back, I love it here,” Shelby said. “Being able for Shelby and I to find ourselves and find who our friends are has been something I am so grateful for. And my life is so much better now that I have [stepmom] Lori and my Dad 24/7 and having a good support system at home,” Georgi said.

They made their own friends and relationships. They tried out for Poms and made Varsity. They joined NHS. They participate in class without feeling uncomfortable about reading out loud.

While the next year of their lives will create challenges they haven’t faced yet, they will overcome the challenge and learn to move forward. But for now, they are each other’s best friends. “Her opinion is the only one that really matters to me,” Shelby said. “We stick together through thick and thin,” Georgi said. After everything they have gone through in only four short years of high school, they never forget the love and compassion they have for eachother. They pick each other up, brush off the dirt and keep on keepin’ on. l | Brittany Marks | Morgan Rubendall | Alie Settje

Twin baby making 101 Identical Fraternal

Biologically, what makes a baby double?

Sperm fertilizes The first two sperm win!

Two eggs The chromosomes inside each egg are no more alike than normal siblings.

Embryos Two little embryos begin to form.

Sperm fertilizes

Egg divides

Embryos

The first sperm wins!

The chromosomes pair up and the egg divides. Both eggs are made of the same chromosomes resulting in identical siblings.

Two little embryos begin to form.

SOURCES: http://science.howstuffworks.com/life/genetic/twin2.htm

the good, the and everything in be

A look into the Roller Coaster Ride of Hig 40 December 2014 | Issue 2

ebetween bad

igh School Love

the

good times

The lunch line seems like an unlikely place to meet. The shoulder to shoulder traffic, the people yelling and shoving, the indecisive freshmen trying to decide between Garden Patch Salad or Big Daddy’s Pizza. But it happens. Awaiting in the endless line, Rachael Willihnganz ‘16 reaches out her hand to the cute boy standing in front of her. Dakota Ogata ‘16 takes the hand and shakes it. “That was kind of weird but I was like, ‘Well I better keep talking to this girl,’” Ogata said. Although, the couple didn’t feel the butterflies at first, they’ve been in a successful relationship for over a year. “For the longest time she did not like me,” Ogata said, “She just kind of stopped talking to me for like a solid three months. Then, Rachael saw me the next school year and within the first week she was all over me.” From there, grew not only a relationship, but a friendship too. And endless laughter, hour long phone conversations, and goodnight and good morning texts eventually allowed the butterflies to emerge. “He’s my best friend,” Willihnganz said, “You have to take the good times with the bad. There will be passive aggressive fighting but the good will be there too,” Willihnganz said. Willihnganz knows that they’ll be by each other’s sides to see their early achievements, hold each other’s hand through the tough times, and finish their journey through high school together. “I really enjoy her company. She’s one of the best people in the world. Whenever I’m with her, it’s always good. There’s never a dull moment. And she’s weird so…,” Ogata said. Ogata and Willihnganz, now seen as one of the top school couples and almost everyone’s “relationship goals”, know that things can be tough. “She’s my best friend. So even if she makes me mad one day, acting childish can throw it all away and we’re better off just getting through it,” Ogata said. Between football practice, volleyball practice, Student Council, IB, and family, balancing a relationship on top of it seems almost impossible for Willihnganz and Ogata. So how do they do it? “Next semester she’s not going to have any off hours and she’ll be doing club so I don’t know how we’re going to do that”, Ogata said. But Willihnganz has hope. “We make each other happy,” Willihnganz said. “You just learn what your priorities are and if you find people in your life that are really important to you you’ll make that time and effort.”

the not so

GOOD times

There’s a reason Taylor Swift’s albums always top the charts. Or why pints of Ben and Jerry’s were invented. There’s a reason why your Twitter feed will always feature the bleak, hopeless quotes coming from the same person for a month. Because when you put your heart out and hand it over to another person, chances are, at some point, they’re going to give your heart right back. But chances are, it won’t be in one piece anymore. For Madi Schmidt ‘15, being heartbroken had a whole different meaning when her heart was shattered more than once by the same person. “I just kept going back to it because I was so heartbroken. I didn’t think it could possibly get any worse so I kept going back to it. But every time I did go back, it just got worse and worse,” Schmidt said. After the weeks, months, or years you’ve spent building memories and sharing moments, one moment would put all of that to an end. It wasn’t easy for Tanner Uhrich ‘15 to move on either. “It just feels like.. you just feel kinda empty. Like a part of you is just gone,” Uhrich said. After crying your eyes out to pop ballads of the 90’s, the next phase will most likely follow

42 December 2014 | Issue 2

the theme’s of songs by the infamous break up queens, Taylor Swift, or Pink. You’ll get angry. You’ll get irrational. In these moments, Uhrich remembered why it’s important to stay calm, and leave revenge at the door. “Revenge is dumb. You shouldn’t do that because obviously that’s someone you cared about and that’s obviously someone you’ll still love forever,” Uhrich said. The days following a breakup will be painful. There are moments in which getting out of bed feels like the impossible, and the smallest feat like finally eating something feels like the largest victory. But after a few days, maybe weeks, or maybe even months, a day comes where you wake up and get out of bed feeling actually excited for the day, not even thinking twice about it. On this day, Schmidt and Uhrich could tell themselves, “Congratulations, you did it. You moved on.” “I just had to take it. There’s nothing I can do. I just gotta move on from that-it took awhile,” Uhrich said. Easier said than done, we get it. But with a broken heart, we all have to take the first step to healing. For Schmidt, it was stepping outside of her comfort zone, or her previous relationship.

“I think it was more of the comfort thing. I needed someone to be there. But if I let them go, they wont be there.”

-Madi Schmidt

5 date ideas that your date will love

Flagstaff Movie Night

Movie time with a pretty view, match with any movie, you can never go wrong with Disney.

Cook-Off

friendly competition that could never go wrong because it ends with food.

Stand-Up Comedy Show

Even if they aren’t funny, you could laugh at how horrible they are.

The Penny Date The new thing. Hop in the car, ask your date to pick a number between 1 and 100, and flip a penny. Heads is right, tails is left. And just let the penny tell you where to go flipping it as many times as your date picked.

Fort Building Competition

Who can build the best fort in under 5 minutes using whatever you can find. This is not a battle this is a war.

so why

keep

trying?

Ruffling her hair, she sits there, listening to the rest of her friends giggling and ranting. Some about their latest flings, others about their commitments of four years. All she can do is wonder what’s so different about her. As she gets up to leave, she waves goodbye to everyone, lying that she’s got somewhere to be. Everyone reaches a point where it seems like there is no one in the world cut out of the same shapes as us. But Rachel Conner ‘15 was able to sweep some of those gloomy thoughts away. She shed some light on why she never gets discouraged, keeping pace with her long distance relationship. She and Evan Narvaez, her boyfriend of two years, met in Science Club during a shark dissection. They have proven that even with the worst of obstacles, a healthy relationship is possible. Narvaez, a sophomore at Yale, and Conner, completing her final year of high school, battle their long distance relationship everyday, and it’s easy to question how-and why- they stay together. “I wouldn’t say it’s hard for us to stay together,” Conner said. “It’s just an adjustment you kind of have to get used to.” Constantly aware of scheduling around one another, the two illustrate what it’s really like trying to juggle time. Whether it be work, homework, parents, or friends.

“One of the things we [do] to not neglect the other is we set time each week to talk,” Conner said. Narvaez went into more depth as to how that system works. “We always say good morning and good night. We skype and we do little things once in awhile to show we care,” he said. One of those things are small silver rings they both wear on a chain. Evan has Vega. Rachel has Altair. They are based on a Japanese folklore about the Summer Triangle, a group of stars that stretches across the Milky Way. As it goes, Orihime (Vega) fell in love with Hikoboshi (Altair), despite the fact that it was forbidden by Orihime’s father.. Rachel and Evan relate to the story on less extreme levels, but they still see it as a way to make the distance more bearable. Rachel agrees that it is important to make sure that having a relationship with someone shouldn’t be a simple cruise around the block. “Don’t get into a relationship just because you don’t want to be alone anymore,” Conner said. Rachel and Evan both acknowledge that physical intimacy is important. However, it is not all that makes a relationship. Being in a serious relationship means showing the other person you care, especially when the road gets rocky.

“I send him care packages. So during really stressful times of the year, like midterm season, I always send him a package because when he’s studying, he forgets to eat...and that’s bad,” Conner said. Don’t be discouraged, it will only stunt efforts at happiness. If you and yours don’t immediately reach the point Evan and Rachel have reached, that’s okay, but do make sure just to dip your toes in before getting wet. Long distance often stops couples dead in their steps. They think there’s no hope because there are no physical qualities. “If [people] break up, it’s not because of the distance,” said Narvaez. “It’s because of the fundamental differences between the two people. It’s about the connection, not the proximity,” Narvaez said. “If you think it’s not gonna work, it’s not gonna work. You can’t go into anything with the mindset that it’s going to fail,” said Conner. “[But] you also can’t think of the future too seriously, you have to take it day by day,” Conner said. That goes for anything in life, both diving too fast and not diving at all could cause divots when pursuing a relationship. The right ones always come along when we least expect it; even if it’s just during a simple shark dissection. l | Sarah Bennett | Hannah Jensen | Emily Leo | Alyssa Murphy | Natasha McCone | Laurel Nordquist-Zukin | Sabrina Pacha | Morgan Rubendall

opinions

Seriously, stop freaking out about. . . . . .Ebola

. . .Your starbucks order The one day I am running late to school, the line into Starbucks is out the door. I am freezing my booty off, standing in the doorway. I try hard not to stomp my foot and run back to the warm car because I cannot be late. But, I keep my cool (kinda). When I make it to the front of the line, Erin, my favorite barista takes my order. When I see three other baristas juggling a million drinks, I feel bad but panic a little, because how long will it be until they make mine? I tell myself not to be rude but honestly, waiting for them to make my Iced Caramel Coffee at 7:10 a.m. when I have an Econ quiz with Mr. Eichorn at 7:15 is the single most stressful five minutes of my high school career. But, I don’t annoyingly rush the baristas. When Anna (my other favorite Barista) announces my drink is ready, I say thank you to them— they deserve it. Then, not a second goes by before I’m speeding down Wads and rush into the school without dropping everything and shattering my phone (again). I get in the classroom, get out a pencil, ace my quiz and keep on keepin’ on. Regardless of the hectic mornings, life goes on. No need to freak out, and always remember to be cool to the baristas. | Alie Settje

There is literally a one in a million chance that you will get Ebola. So stop holding up a cross everytime someone coughs; they just have a cold! If they are bleeding from their ears or vomiting everywhere, then maybe you have some reason to slide your desk away from them, but, honestly, who has ever seen that? If you see someone with red eyes, it’s not Ebola; they are just on the swim team and ran out of eye drops. Everyone’s Twitter is blowing up with the disease, whether it’s a joke or a serious post. Either way, calm the heck down. And no, contrary to popular belief, the iPhone 6 does not carry Ebola. Who even came up with that? And no, Obama is not sending a plague to decrease the surplus population. More people have been married to Kim Kardashian than have died from Ebola in the US, so calm down. If you’re so worried, wash your hands, devote the remainder of your lives to the indoors, and never go outside again. | Taylor Zangari

. . .Everything I stand up for a class presentation in English, and I feel my leg start to fall asleep. The numbness hits me, and I stumble my way up to the white board. I’m positive it must be paralysis. I start to feel my chest pounding, hands start to get clammy, and the embarrassment sets in. What if I’m having a heart attack, and keel over right here in front of the cute boy in the third row? Fast forward three hours to cramming for a 120 point test. What if I don’t pass this test, and I don’t get accepted to college? What if I am forced to attend clown college? The mountain of stress, the rosy cheeks, and stuttering my way through life has made me a self-diagnosed hypochondriac. 1...2… inhale...3....4… exhale. The percussion of my heartbeat starts to die down. As I look around, I see other students frantically scribbling last minute equations on graph paper, or tripping over that crinkle in the carpet you swear was there. We all do it—cause ourselves migraines over the little things. But, I promise your one D on a test will not take away all your chances of shaking Mr. Pierson’s hand at graduation, and the embarrassment is more in your head then anyone elses. Sometimes you have to step outside your head, and realize that life goes on. Seriously, slow down, breathe, and stop freaking out about everything. | Morgan Whitley

44 December 2014 | Issue 2

. . .Being forever alone . . .What you did Literally stop freaking

out about being forever alone. You’re in high school. What’s a relationship anyways? They all end… I mean, you’re either going to marry them or break up, so stop worrying. Everyone has someone out there. And if you don’t find that one person, there are these really great animals called cats out there for you. Seriously! Who needs a companion in their life? They don’t cuddle with you or purr or take cute weekly selfies with you. Your life should revolve around your friends and your family, literally anything else. Everyone just breaks hearts in the end so why put yours out there to be broken? No one needs a full on relationship in high school. No one should be worrying about finding “the one.” Your biggest worry should be what you’re going to wear or what homework assignment will be the most detrimental to your grade if you don’t do it. Not whether or not your boyfriend/girlfriend loves you. What even is that four letter word? To be honest… I have no idea. So stop complaining about that guy or girl who probably never actually wants a “real” relationship with you. You will survive I promise. | Morgan Rubendall

not click on

I was trying to work (really looking through Twitter) one night a few weeks ago, when I read something that caught my eye: “22 Signs You Were in The IB Program.” That took me to a recipe for Butterbeer, which took me to a car commercial, which took me to “How to Pet Your Cat” (I don’t even have a cat, what the heck!?), which took me to 1 o’clock at night. I stayed up another 2 hours reading BuzzFeed, and I definitely got something that was not an A on my test the next day. My point is, I completely wasted a whole night, and I’ve wasted about a whole year or two of my life Tweeting, BuzzFeeding, and Internetting (is that a word?). And chances are: you have too! So I’d recommend you do what I’ve done: stop freaking out about what you didn’t click on! You know what I worried about these last couple of weeks? Diddly squat! I actually did some homework, but more importantly: I slept, I spent time with friends, I ate some really good food. And you can too! All you have to do is delete those apps, dare yourself not to check your phone every two minutes, and actually look up to the world and live! And please, feel free to personally tell me about the good stuff you did. I guarantee you all that stuff will be more important than “How to Hack Your Own Poop” (a real story on Buzzfeed right now). | Esteban Arellano

Ib dropouts anonymous The truth about the differences between AP, IB, regular classes Hi, I’m Tina, and I’m a recovering IB student. After a rough year of IAs and IOPs and EE prepping and CAS hours and other unnecessary acronyms, I’m free. Well, for the most part. Yeah. . . Not really. Junior year, I was in all IB classes. For my senior year, I switched to AP, but stayed in IB math. There always seems to be that underlying argument about whether AP or IB is more difficult and which one is the better choice. It goes something like this: IB kids are super smart, but they also have no lives. And AP kids have it easy. And IB kids are all going to Harvard or Stanford or Yale to be doctors, nurses, lawyers, or engineers. And AP kids want to go in-state. And IB is a cult of the same kind of people. And AP has a bunch of stupid athletes.

like every single one of your classes is in an AP format (i.e. studying and preparing for a huge exam at the end of learning an insane amount of information). With AP, you just get to pick your poison. There really aren’t many differences at all, if you ask me. It’s all just a number score after an essay. A number score after about a million multiple choice and free response questions. A number score after that huge project that could either make or break a letter grade in class. A number score that gets mailed off to your future college. Since when do numbers describe people? ACT and SAT scores, test scores, grade point averages? Yes, because they can all explain exactly who a person is and what they are passionate about. Totally. Completely.

No.

Guess what? There’s definitely no less homework moving from IB to AP, that’s for sure. Everyone does homework. Sadly, there’s no getting out of that one. Trust me, I tried.

Actually, IB has it’s fair share of people who don’t understand anything going on in class. And AP kids are incredibly smart. And anyone can go wherever the heck they want to college. And IB is a melting pot of all different kinds of students. And AP is like that, too.

Whether it’s the letters AP or IB before the name of your class, it’s challenging. There are always going to be essays to be written, tests to be taken, speeches to be given, readings to be read, and projects that make you stay up way too late to be completed.

Honestly, both are super challenging. In IB, it’s

The way I see it, people just learn at different

paces. A person is in no way more entitled if they are in IB classes, AP classes, or regular classes. What I’m trying to say is that, yeah, IB is seriously freaking difficult. But for some people it’s completely perfect. Having so much to read and work on every day is just helping them to develop their knowledge even further. For me, it was just insanely fast. I could literally feel myself choking on all of the information being shoved down my throat. I ditched classes just because I needed a break from my no off hour day. With AP, it’s a little nicer because I could pick and choose which classes I wanted to take on that level. That means less exams, less information to remember all at once. I mean, really, it’s all up to you. Either path will challenge you. Just pick the right one. People learn differently. That’s just how it goes. | Tina Muscarelli

opinions

Attraction Distraction girls forced to change because of oversexualization of their clothes I’m told by my teachers that girls have a stricter dress code because it distracts the boys from learning. My question here is: why is it so much more important for boys to get an education than girls? Why are girls to blame for boys not being able to control themselves? Young girls should be taught to be comfortable with their bodies and who they are. That can be pretty hard, though, when schools limit what girls are allowed to wear. A strict dress code tells girls that they are just objects for boys to look at. We are just objects that distract the boys from learning. News flash: boys will get distracted no matter what. Just because my shoulder is sticking out doesn’t mean that the boy sitting behind me in class will want to stare at it and not learn. The administration and teachers keep over sexualizing body parts that shouldn’t be sexualized. My stomach isn’t showing because I want to get the attention of boys. I don’t wear a tank top because I want to have sex. I’m not saying I want to be treated like the guys, because I don’t. The administration pegs the boys as animals who just get off at staring at girls who show cleavage. However, I want to be treated like a human being. Not like some distraction.

46 December 2014 | Issue 2

I want to be able to be comfortable with what I wear and who I want to be as an individual. Not treated like a material object. Just a few months ago, the New York Daily Post reported that students at a school in Utah were protesting the dress code. A dozen girls were “dress coded” because their Homecoming dresses showed their chest and back. At the Homecoming dance. Just one month ago, students in a North Dakota high school were shown scenes from Pretty Woman, according to the Huffington Post. The school was “hoping to discourage girls from wearing tight yoga pants and leggings.” So showing a movie about a prostitute is going to tell those girls that if you wear tight clothing, you’re going to become a prostitute?

Because I want to be comfortable. See that? I’ll repeat myself again. Comfortable. I’m not making excuses to dress provocatively and parade myself around the school. I want to be comfortable with who I am without being called a slut or being treated as a material object. I just want to be able to wear what makes me feel confident with my body. I want the administration to stop thinking about everything else but how the teenage girls feel. Because we feel irrelevant.

That sounds about right.

I just want to be able to wear a tank top without being told it’s skimpy or revealing. I want to be able to wear comfortable pants without being told I look slutty.

When spring comes around, there will be girls in tank tops and shorts. It’s going to be hot out. I don’t want to die of a heat stroke in the school.

I’m done buying shirts I can’t wear. I’m done planning my outfits around what I’m allowed to wear. I’m done being seen as a sexual object of distraction.

The stupid thing is that I could wear a tank top that isn’t showing anything other than my arms and shoulders, and I could still get “dress coded.” Another thing that is pegged as “slutty” is leggings. Honestly, leggings are the best thing ever. They aren’t meant to be sexual and they aren’t meant to distract the boys. On any given day I would wear leggings over jeans.

| Hannah Jensen

time’s up purposeless tests overwhelm students

We need a break. We, as students, deserve a little less standardized testing and a little more time in the classroom. After years of frustration with CSAP and TCAP, it’s safe to say students are a little upset about the recent addition of CMAS and PARCC testing. In two weeks, seniors underwent 18 hours of testing. And that was just the fall. Freshmen, sophomores, and juniors will be forced into several weeks of PARCC testing in the springtime. Not just once, but twice. That’s right—two rounds of testing. Together, the adjusted schedules that standardized tests demand cause Standley Lake to change the time spent in classes for several precious months out of the year. But the annoyance isn’t just acknowledged by students at Standley Lake. Thousands of seniors spanning from liberal Boulder County to conservative Douglas County protested their testing. And the number of students who showed up for the state-mandated testing are, well, miniscule—just two of 414 Boulder High seniors sat in for tests and 24 of 877 seniors at Cherry Creek High. Superintendent Dan McMinimee said in an opinion piece published in the Denver Post that the state mandates are a “blizzard of underwhelming state tests” that have gone too far.

a staff opinion

They’ve gone so far, in fact, that the United States evaluates students more frequently than any other country in the world. Even with all of that testing, 29 countries around the world outperform the US in math, 19 in reading and 22 in science. That means the US is performing below average in math and close to average in science and reading.

As if that weren’t enough, get this: Pearson, the same company that sells textbooks and other educational materials to our schools, created the CMAS tests students are taking in Colorado this year. This allows the company to look out for their own self interest by writing a test that sets students up for failure so that our district feels obligated to buy more of their textbooks to raise test scores. And on top of that, our teachers’ evaluations, which are partially based off of standardized test scores, won’t accurately reflect the actual intelligence of their students due to these tests. Yeah, that’s probably ethical. So it’s time for a break. It’s time for students to have the time they deserve learning necessary material in the classroom, and it’s time for teachers to have the time they need to instruct and work faceto-face with students. It’s time we stop evaluating students for hours of their valuable school days, only to receive results that aren’t valuable or helpful in determining student progress. It’s time the individuals in power who decided to implement CMAS and PARCC testing in Colorado high schools realize that the added testing isn’t helping the United States’ education ranking. It’s time we stop letting corporations infiltrate our schools with their economic agendas. It’s time the US changes its ways to ensure a better future with educated--not tested--students. It’s time for a change.

ENJOY A TASTE OF ITALY TONIGHT Come to Carrabba’s tonight for one of our signature dishes, Chicken Bryan. Enjoy delicious wood-grilled chicken topped with goat cheese, sundried tomatoes and a basil lemon butter sauce. Carrabba's Westminster 7401 West 92nd Ave. • (303) 940-5620

PURCHASE $100 IN GIFT CARDS THIS HOLIDAY SEASON AND RECEIVE A $20 BONUS CARD!

CARRABBAS.COM