The Lake - December 2019

the lake

DECONSTRUCTING THE DECADE Standley Lake High School | 9300 W 104th Avenue | Westminster, CO 80021 | USA | Planet Earth | Milky Way | Volume 31 | Issue 2 December 2019

Who We Are Editors-in-Chief | Jackson Kessel Aimee Yan

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.

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Staff Editors | Ben Bird Grant Hoskins Jay Keodonexay Kiana Miska Riley Ruff Megan White Staff Writers | Jane Ababei Brooklyn Galba Zoe Garrimone Sejal Goud Elaina Madrill Kaitlyn Pierce Ally Romero Features | Amelia Carlblom Sarah Hoskins Maya Merta Macy Mohlenkamp Artecia Moreno Olivia Overton Emma Phillips Kylie Rold Bridget Ronning Tie Sober Isabella Tucker-Sandoval Jenna Kirschenbaum Cartoonist | Milo Stunes Adviser | Lynn Schwartz

Social @thelakenewsmag facebook.com/standleylakenewspaper @thelakenewsmag thelakenewsmag

Can’t get enough? thelakenewsmag.wordpress.com

Table of Contents

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THE TIMES THEY ARE A CHANGIN’

A decade of monumental firsts, pushback, reform, and transformation is coming to a close, and we’re nostalgic, to say the least. We’ve witnessed the rise of countless viral trends, the election of a new president, and had the opportunity to grow up during the best and worst of times. We grew up into the people who we were meant to be during this decade; and thus, as it comes to a close, so does the first chapter of our lives.

These past years have been characterized by the rise of the #MeToo movement, of brave, powerful women standing up to the toxic masculinity that has defined society for decades. The ‘10s represented some of the most turbulent times, an era where hypermasculinity dictated expected behavior and encouraged damaging gender norms. During the last decade, we finally recognized the prevalence of the school-to-prison pipeline, a process in which disciplinary practices enforced by schools push students into prison. Climate change now resides at the forefront of our generation’s mind as we desperately look to young leaders for hope that we may save our planet.

We are Generation Z: the most progressive and open-minded generation to date and we are yearning to make a difference. We spend our time volunteering and giving back; we are artists and activists; we embrace diversity and strive to empower others; we are nurturing a new generation of politicians who won’t cower away from what the people desire.

The Lake is feeling sentimental as well. This past decade has seen dozens of editors-in-chief take on this magazine and all the challenges it brings. As for us, we have spent the past two years committed to telling stories that aren’t easy to tell, including ‘The Senior Challenge,’ the rescission of DACA, and ‘The Unattainable Teen.’ Around the world, these past ten years ushered in a new generation of journalists who fought relentlessly to give a voice to the voiceless and refused to shy away from controversy. The Lake hopes to carry on the tradition of courage—a hallmark of the ‘10s—into the coming decade.

We are groundbreakers and earth-shakers who will fearlessly enter into the next decade, committed to leaving a legacy defined by hope, change, and action. While the ‘10s have shaped the people who we became, the ‘20s will be the decade where we shape the future of our world.

TO A WINDOW CLOSING AND DOOR OPENING,

AiJa

A.K.A. Aimee and Jack, The Editors-in-Chief 5

ARTIST FEATURE:

SEAN RUMLEY

THE LAKE HIGHLIGHTS TALENTED STUDENT ARTIST

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he Lake wanted to highlight the incredible talent of student artists at Standley, and thus, the artist feature was born. We interviewed Sean Rumley ‘20, an artist who has always known that her passion lies in art. However, this year represents the first time she’s put her art into the spotlight for the public to see. The following is the direct transcript of an interview with Rumley about her art, sources of inspiration, and future plans to pursue her passion.

What inspired your initial interest in art?

My Dad is a tattoo artist, so I grew up in that community. I spent most of my time at the tattoo shop. A lot of my family are artists as well, so it’s all I’ve ever really known for as long as I can remember.

What has been your biggest inspiration regarding your artwork?

For me, art has just always been my outlet. If I’m sad, I draw; If I’m happy, I draw. Art is something that’s always there, and I have complete control over my art. Even when I’m stressed I just have always gone back to art. It’s a way to express myself and bring my thoughts to life, and it’s cool to be able to show people.

How do you plan on expanding your work?

When I go to college I want to major in fine arts, and either minor or double major in business through marketing. I still have to figure out the exact path, but I’m definitely going [to

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pursue] art no matter what. Also, since I’m turning eighteen soon I’ll be able to do a tattoo apprenticeship. I don’t necessarily know if that’s what I want to do for the rest of my life, but I at least want to have that opportunity and the ability to be one if I wanted to. Also, since I have such a large community of people that are in the tattoo industry it would feel selfish to not take advantage of that. But I’ve also been doing a lot of commission pieces—just really trying to get creative. I’ve been painting people’s water bottles, calculators, or really anything they will let me paint. I’ve even started an Instagram account to just really throw my stuff out there and see if anyone likes it. It’s also for myself to feel more confident about my work and be able to share it.

What does it mean for you to make art, how do you think it impacts your life?

Art is really my form of self expression. [Self expression] is something that a lot of people take for granted...[whether that’s] playing music, a sport, or whatever you’re into. I’ve always loved all those things too, but art has always been something that I’m passionate about. I love other people’s art, I love learning from it. I used to do a lot of murals downtown with my dad, and I think that art is a way of bringing people together for something common, even if that’s just looking at something pretty, or just enjoying art for what it is—I think that’s important.

What type of art can people commission from you?

Really anything. I’m also looking into doing T-shirts, and collaborating with other people so even if they themselves don’t feel artistic, we can sit down and put whatever they love or think is beautiful into a design and into a T-shirt, or a hoodie, something they can wear around would be cool.

I think we all have an artist in us.

How much do you charge for commissions?

Calculators - $5 Water bottles - $10 Jeans and hoodies - $20-$25 T-Shirts - Varies based on quantity and designs Posters - Varies based on quantity and designs If you’re interested in having art commissioned, you can contact Rumley on Instagram @seanrumley.doesart. | Jane Ababei | Aimee Yan

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The Right Angle The Right Angle

GRETA.

From 1 Girl to 7 Million People

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Worldwide

t began with a girl, huddled against a wall, knees to her chest, braid tossed heedlessly over her shoulder. A solitary face amid chaotic limbs. Clad in her staple yellow rain jacket and piercing glare, Greta Thunberg, just 15 years old, embarked on the movement spanning generations and borders. Her handmade sign reading Skolstrejk För Klimatet represented a message in Swedish that would soon ignite the world with an unrivaled passion.

Fast forward over a year and Thunberg has rallied over 7 million people worldwide— striking, protesting and advocating for immediate climate action. Thunberg uses her influence to address the shortcomings of society and policymakers across the globe.

Her goal: unite humanity under a single cause.

Growing up in Stockholm, Sweden, Thunberg struggled with social anxiety from a young age. This past year she was diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome. Asperger’s is a disorder on the Autism spectrum that affects an individual’s ability to interact socially as well as pick up on nonverbal cues. A condition society has characterized as a disorder, Thunberg claims as her superpower. In addition to the social setbacks, Asperger’s also allows for an intense focus and grasp on specific ideas. In Thunberg’s case, this topic was climate justice. It wasn’t until age seven that she first introduced to the climate crisis. Being confused as to why there was so little attention being paid to the cause among politicians, Thunberg’s passion culminated and flourished.

Thunberg’s unrelenting drive is, to say the least, unsettling to world leaders. In fixating her accusatory glare on politicians and policymakers, Thunberg has shaken up courts, boards, and assemblies, provoking fury from those previously complacent, and in doing so, inciting criticism geared specifically around her immaturity and age.

However, Thunberg doesn’t shy away from this point. Capitalizing on the importance of youth voice in the climate movement and politics alike, Thunberg has become a figurehead for both activism and youth empowerment.

Thunberg traveled to New York from Sweden on a zero-emission yacht to attend the UN Climate Action Summit. Following weeks of travel across the United States, joining in with local strikes as she moved

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west, she stopped in Denver and attended the strike in Civic Center Park on October 11th, alongside all of the other Colorado climate activists. Following her trek across the US, Thunberg traveled back to Europe again, this time by catamaran. She will be attending the 2019 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change this month in Madrid, Spain.

In forcing adults to stare their children in the face, world leaders can no longer continue to deny the reality of climate change.

Thunberg has incited movements of thousands of students across the globe, building off of the platforms and movements that organizations and other activists have created. The groundwork for a global climate movement has been set by those who came before and those who continue to fight for climate action; Thunberg is one of many activists fighting for the same thing.

In her recent speech at the U.N. Climate Action Summit, Thunberg conveyed the necessity for immediate climate action and capitalized on the failure of past generations to take such action:

“Right here, right now is where we draw the line. The world is waking up. And change is coming, whether you like it or not,” - Greta Thunberg | Jay Keodonexay | Bridget Ronning | Riley Ruff

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WEIGHING THE CANDIDATES Examining Their Stances on Criminal Justice Reform

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s the United States continues to incarcerate more people than any country on Earth, the 2020 presidential candidates have come under increasing pressure to solidify their stances on issues surrounding criminal justice. Each of the major candidates has a different plan to address this issue, with some making it a key point of their campaign.

Criminal justice in a broad sense is the sequence of investigation, trial, and potential sentencing of those who have committed actions in violation of the law. It also includes the exploration of the consequences of this system. The institution of American justice has systematically targeted minorities and those inhabiting impoverished communities, creating a call for reform which has come to represent one of the major tenets of the Democratic party as a whole.

Joe Biden, who continues to lead in the democratic polls, has resolved to curtail crime by tripling funding for education Title I, a measure that would provide at-risk youth with a leg up to prevent them from falling behind in school and falling into trouble. Biden has based this priority on statistics revealing that incarcerated individuals are disparately illiterate. He would also support the passage of the Safe, Accountable, Fair, and Effective (SAFE) Justice Act, set forth by Congressman Bobby Scott (D-VA), which would increase government transparency in processing criminal cases. Among other changes, the act would also specifically target issues of recidivism, or a criminal’s likelihood to reoffend, which stands as one of the most pressing issues regarding criminal justice.

Elizabeth Warren, currently trailing just behind Biden, has pledged to rescind Trump’s executive order allowing schools to receive surplus military grade weapons under the 1033 Program, then fully fund the Office of Civil Rights of the Department of Education. With increased police presence in schools following a slew of school shootings, Warren has voiced her concerns over schools becoming too heavily policed. With a large number of American schools lacking adequate social support such as counselors, Warren fears that schools will further feed into the prison pipeline. She has also centered her campaign around ending private prisons and decriminalizing mental health crises, with increased funding for mental health services through Medicare for All. Bernie Sanders, who is polling in third place as of November 2019, has firmly stated the importance of getting rid of cash bail through the No Money Bail Act of 2018 from his Senate run. Cash bail has been criticized for its effects on those in poverty, as those unable to post bail are kept in jail, leaving them vulnerable to loss of employment. His aim of reducing incarceration rates would be achieved through the decriminalization of drug use and lesser punishments for youth offenders. He has outwardly opposed the prison industrial complex, urging the end of private prisons. Sanders has additionally advocated for voting rights for incarcerated individuals, a stance which

has created stark divisions within the party.

Donald Trump’s campaign for re-election has been centered around immigration and economic policy, though he has achieved some criminal justice reforms during his tenure in office. On June 3 of 2017, the Trump Administration announced the National Public Safety Partnership, which cooperates with inner city areas to reduce crime. In addition, he has allocated $2 billion towards reducing school violence and has signed into law the bipartisan STOP School Violence Act of 2018. Notably, President Trump also signed and supported the First Step Act, a prison reform initiative built to help non-violent prisoners reintegrate into society.

All three of the leading Democrats currently oppose the death penalty, though Joe Biden has faced heat over his role in helping to author the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 as a senator, expanding the death penalty to cover a broader range of offenses.

Meanwhile, the Trump Administration and Attorney General Barr have announced the federal government’s plans to reinstate capital punishment after nearly two decades, with the Justice Department announcing 5 executions planned to take place in 2020.

Though each Democratic candidate plans to go about reform in their own way, all of their proposals stand in stark contrast to the aims of Trump.

With the primary and general elections fast approaching, the candidates will further buckle down on their priorities as they race to reach previous and future supporters. | Ben Bird | Sejal Goud | Jay Keodonexay | Aimee Yan

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The Right Angle The Right Angle

DIVERSITY AT SLHS Exploring the Lives of ESL Students

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reating a serene and accepting place for all cultures starts in the classroom. Acceptance doesn’t materialize without exposure to and education about people who are different from yourself. It is imperative that our school community exemplifies diversity, and more importantly acceptance. Celebrating a wide variety of cultures and implementing diversity in education is more than just acknowledging students’ different backgrounds; it’s also giving students the experiences necessary to understand that, although everyone is fundamentally unique, everyone deserves to be treated with the same respect.

One of the starkest barriers to acceptance is language because it makes communication so difficult. Standley Lake has an ESL program meant to integrate students into our community and provide a secure environment where they can comfortably express their own culture and individualism while also learning English. Hoang Tran ’22, who goes by Lan, attends this class. Lan has lived in Colorado for around 2 years, and her first language is Vietnamese.

Cultural differences have influence over a person’s values, hopes, beliefs, and views.

These differences are beautiful, but it can also be intimidating to fully open yourself and all your differences up to an unfamiliar community. Students have a desire to express their own cultures freely but they still face obstacles.

“It’s really hard to be yourself sometimes,” Tran said.

“I feel like I’m shy too because you feel like you’re different you know? Sometimes I do something like I eat a food differently and I talk differently, and then I feel differently and it’s really hard to be yourself sometimes… I don’t want to show up to people that I’m Vietnamese… [b]ut sometimes I really want to,” Tran Said.

This barrier can be extremely difficult to overcome. Hence, it is vital that as a community, we help make our peers feel that they don’t have to be enclosed, and rather

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promote acceptance. Not only does this have massive individual benefits, it provides depth and compassion to the SLHS community.

Another student, Maliha Sherif ‘22, has been attending Standley Lake since moving here from Bangladesh in 2018. She is also part of the ESL program and has faced similar issues regarding integration and acceptance.

“When I came to this school, it’s like I don’t know even anyone in here; it was like I [was] just watching,” Sharif said.

Sherif describes how difficult it was to transfer from a small and closed-off school to a big and open school. From not understanding what other people are saying to struggling to make friends in the completely new environment, it’s not an easy adjustment. Because of the difficulty of learning and speaking a new language, Sherif describes how, for the first few weeks of coming to a new school, she had trouble finding her way around classes and having conversations with new people.

“When I came to this school, it’s like I don’t know even anyone in here. It was like I just watching,” Sharif said.

People all around us differ from one another and in order to create an environment where everyone can embrace themselves, fostering acceptance is critical.

Diversity at SLHS is growing, and everyone could stand to be just a little kinder and more understanding of the barriers faced by those who are different. Our differences are beautiful and they only make our community better. | Jane Ababei | Emma Phillips | Riley Ruff

Maliha Sherif ‘22

According to Inside Higher Ed and Pew Research Center, students 81,981 international enrolled in US high

schools in fall 2016

400 languages are spoken

cumulatively across English language learning students in the US

5.5 percent

of the US higher education popuation is made up of international students

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SERVING UP KINDNESS Standley Lake’s Clubs Give Back to the Community

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ith the season of giving upon us, it can be easy to overlook the contributions of our own school to the community. While charitable donations are often seen as the most convenient way to give, the gift of time can be even more meaningful. Student-led groups at Standley such as C.A.R.E. Club, Key Club, Gators4Peace, and National Honor Society have taken change into their own hands, dedicating time to organize events with tangible impacts on the community.

C.A.R.E. Club, the most recent addition to the SLHS community, is a group advocating for greater environmental consciousness in day-to-day life. The acronym C.A.R.E. stands for Community Action for Restoration of the Environment. The founders of C.A.R.E Club, Brooklen Palma ‘20 and Michael Cox ‘20, talked about the goal of C.A.R.E. and what they hope to accomplish: “C.A.R.E is focused on raising awareness within our community about the environment and animal rights, which are both really topical issues today,” Palma said.

While Key Club and NHS have been integral aspects of the service culture at Standley, Gators4Peace is a new club combining the previous efforts of Peace Jam and Day Without Hate. Taylor Renquist ‘20, co-founder and co-president of Gators4Peace, laid out her aspirations for the future of the club.

“I hope to impact someone in a positive way. I don’t care whether that someone is 1,000 miles away from me and was impacted because of our donation to a non-profit, or someone at this school that benefited from Day Without Hate. I just want there to be a little less hate, conflict, and cruelty in our world,” Renquist said.

Gators4Peace organized the selling of boo-grams in October to raise funds for Heifer International, a non-profit dedicated to ridding the world of hunger, and will channel its efforts towards Day Without Hate during second semester.

Cox elaborated upon this:

Each of these clubs not only works to aid others, but in the process, provides leadership experience for its members. Renquist discussed how taking on Gators4Peace has directly influenced her personal skills.

“We are hoping to, through increased awareness, even a little bit make a slight change within our community. Even if one person makes a small lifestyle change, I see that as a very small success.”

“My ability to translate my thoughts into words has grown exponentially.

The growth in my ability to communicate has benefitted my day-to-day life as well.”

C.A.R.E was started because of Palma’s switch to veganism two years ago, and the club is now working towards making SLHS a more environmentally-friendly place.

The Standley Lake High School chapter of National Honors Society uses the skills of advanced students for community service in the school community. With frequent fundraisers for charity and opportunities for community service hours, the club is an important part of the SLHS identity.

“We are about to leave, so I figured now is as good of a time as any to get that going and then I can leave SLHS knowing that I started something and it can keep going with that legacy,” Palma added.

C.A.R.E. Club meets Tuesdays after school and is always welcoming new members.

Key Club is another major SLHS club focused on giving back to the community. As a volunteer-based club, it centers around aiding surrounding SLHS families, schools, and businesses. Key Club provides an opportunity to help out at various individual organizations such as the Denver Botanic Gardens, surrounding elementary schools, and Standley Lake itself. Current president of the club, Tam Vo ‘20, believes that developing a strong relationship within the school community is crucial.

“It’s important to be connected and aware of the community around us.

Key Club is an opportunity to interact with other people than just teenagers and teachers...The biggest goal of Key Club is to bring together the community in order to improve and enhance the world around us,” Vo said.

This year, the six new officers have made the club better than ever with new, unique service opportunities at the Butterfly Pavilion as well as the Taste of Homecoming and sock fundraisers. For several years, NHS has partnered with the Tennyson Center to provide support for children from abusive and neglectful homes. Toby Ziemke, the Vice President of NHS, wants to finish his senior year by leaving the club in a better position than he found it in.

“The goal of NHS is to provide a structure for students in high school to bridge that gap between being a high school student and the responsibilities of an adult and also the implications that go with that in terms of citizenship…I want to bring more meaning to what it means to be an NHS member,” Ziemke said.

Together, the combined efforts of these clubs makes the Standley Lake community a better place where all students have great service opportunities. | Sejal Goud | Grant Hoskins | Kylie Rold Riley Ruff

NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY

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The Counterpoint

TOXIC BONDS

HOW RELATIONSHIPS CAN CHANGE TEENS

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igh school: a time of discovering yourself as the people around you do the same. As students develop into the adults they want to become, personalities can clash and issues can arise. Relationships are the foundation of most people’s lives, a major resource for teens to fall back on in times of crisis. However, it’s easy for these relationships to slip into something more dangerous, where instead of giving support, it is ripped away. Toxicity can show up in any relationship, whether it be with family, friends, or even with romantic relationships. All three can change the student, for better or for worse, and leave a lasting impact that they carry with them for the rest of their life.

Parents’ relationships with their children are major factors in making a teen who they are. They not only mold the way their children will interact with other people, but also shift the perspective they might have on those relationships. Since parents are a part of everyday life, when tension exists in the filial connection, the toll of this tension breaks down into a much more toxic and unhealthy relationship. Kimmy Hill* ‘20 said, “Toxicity definitely lies in the communication and the different environments that [my parents] grew up in.”

Without a stable connection to be able to convey certain topics and issues, the strain only increases. Because most parents control every aspect of their child’s life, the influence they have puts them in a position to severely affect the way their child will perceive the relationship they have with their parents and the ones they will create with others.

Aden McMahan ‘22 states, “Parents can be toxic due to the lack of care and love in the home.”

That absence of compassion in a relationship makes the household that much more difficult, and that pain can be translated from home into other aspects of the teen’s life. “I think that the biggest aspect that makes our relationship toxic is the fake relationship that we show the world compared to the actual relationships that we have with each other,” stated Hill.

Parents have access to the personal lives of their children, so every argument or toxic occurrence that happens within the confines of the relationship’s environment would devastate the teens mentality. The toxicity of a parent-child relationship, whether it be verbal, emotional, or physical, would never be seen beyond the home, making it impossible for the teen to seek help.

Since parent interactions mostly occur at the beginning and end of each day, teens who face difficult and toxic households learn to distance themselves and dread any kind of communication.

Sibling relationships are also a major influencer on teens. Siblings are a part of every aspect of a student’s life; They’re at home, at school, and a part of every facet of life. According to Rowan Ehn ‘22, “They know everything that happens at home.” Since most siblings grow up side by side, they have a massive influence on an individual’s personality. Siblings are in a unique position in relation to each other, as they are more permanent than most friendships. Since they typically share so much time together, it offers a unique opportunity for them to grow very close together, much closer than most friendships and even romantic relationships.

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“The toxicity of a parent child relationship, whether it be verbal, emotional, or physical, would never be seen beyond the home, making it impossible for the teen to seek help.”

Since siblings are often the most foundational relationships for teenagers, it can cause serious damage when sibling relationships fall through or become toxic. Because most siblings encounter each other on a daily basis, having to struggle through interactions with each other several times a day can decimate the mental health of a teenager. Standley Lake High School counselor Angie Green stated, “the most telltale sign of a toxic relationship is when normal everyday interactions become dreaded.”

Friends are important to every person, but they can also become the most toxic for students. Green stated, “I see a lot of students involved in friendships that are toxic.”

Since students are constantly surrounded by their friends, it can be hard to break away or confront that person. “They cause so much hurt and drama, but then refuse to break away or give some breathing room for the other party to realize what they’re doing,” said Green.

Many things can cause destructive friendships. “Even though I have good friends that I love, we have some differing viewpoints on things whereas I generally don’t have different viewpoints than my family,” said Ehn. Although friendships can cause many issues in a student’s life, they also hold the potential to leave a positive impact on young people. “My friends’ relationships are what I truly do rely on. They are the only support and base in my life.” said Mcmahan.

Choosing nontoxic friends can be difficult, especially when students don’t know the signs of toxic relationships. “If one person feels unhappy, [that they are constantly] being watched, keeping scorecards, feeling always at fault, too much drama, that is not a healthy relationship.” said Green. Spotting toxicity from the beginning can also be difficult. Green says, “Pick friends who put in as much effort to relationships as you do. Hang out with friends that reflect and share your personal morals and values. Give your energy and time to friends who deserve and appreciate what you have to give.”

“Pick friends who put in as much effort to relationships as you do. Hang out with friends that reflect and share your personal morals and values. Give your energy and time to friends who deserve and appreciate what you have to give.”

-Green Another big relationship type is romance. High school is often the first place that students engage in their first serious romantic relationships, utilizing high school as a time for exploring what each teen wants from a significant other. However, since most teens lack relationship experience or an understanding of the basic ideas of a healthy relationship, teenage romance can easily slip into toxicity. Since pop culture places romance in the limelight, it’s difficult to escape, and the pressure to be in a romantic relationship leads to an even higher chance of teens becoming trapped in a bad situation. Green says, “ Move slowly to make sure that you are remaining true to yourself as you navigate all relationships.”

The relationships that teens make are a reflection of who they are, and in turn shape the individuals they will eventually become. Growing up, the teens of today face toxicity with their family, friends, and romantic partners; it follows them from home, to school, and into the depths of their mental state.

Though the situation seems bleak, there is hope. Stable communication, surrounding yourself with supportive friends, and knowing your own value all leads towards the building of the foundation of a healthy relationship. McMahan states that, “Good relationships get you through your life because you have someone else to depend on. And when you have someone else to depend on, when you go through tough times, they won’t just vanish on you.” Even though the toxic relationships teens endure leave a deep mark, the prospect of brighter and healthier connections make the wait worthwhile. *Name has been changed for anonymity. | Maya Merta | Macy Mohlenkamp | Kylie Rold

RELATIONSHIPS

BY THE NUMBERS

83% of adults state they’ve held onto friendships longer than healthy to avoid confrontation.

79% of people report having had a toxic friend at some point in their life.

1.5 million high school students in the U.S. admit to being intentionally hit or physically harmed in the last year by someone they were romantically involved with.

One in three adolescents in the U.S. is a victim of physical, sexual, emotional or verbal abuse from a dating partner.

Over 1 in 4 people are dissatisfied with their family relationships, with 28% wanting a closer relationship with a relative.

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COMEBACK SEASON SOFTBALL CONQUERS THE FIELD DURING RECORD-BREAKING SEASON

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he sun is beating down on the field and the quiet hum of anticipation hangs in the early fall air. Jojo Van Dyke ‘22 focuses on the batter and her teammates in the dugout shout support while they spit sunflower seeds. Dust from previous slides across home base coat the bleachers and the fans hold their breath as Jojo pitches. Welcome to Standley Lake softball.

The team poses for photos at playoffs in Pueblo

The year began with a strategy. In the past, varsity softball has been challenged by a lack of team unity and tough competition from neighboring schools, however, this season proved to be different.

“We set a bunch of goals at the beginning of the season to basically improve our all-around play. [We wanted to] improve our fielding percentage, our pitcher’s ERA, and increase our triples, doubles, singles, and whatnot,” Katie Hennesy, ‘20 said.

As one of the co-captains of the team along with Ciara Currigan, ‘20, Hennesy recognized that in order for the team to achieve success, it was necessary to focus on the skills that would eventually contribute to a strong base for later triumphs to be built upon. However, along with the goals to improve their play, the team wanted to strengthen their connection with one another as well.

“In past seasons, JV and Varsity practiced on different fields. It was like there were two teams: varsity softball and JV softball.

This year, we all practiced together which not only made the separate teams stronger, but it was like we were all one united team for once,” Lainie Caywood, ‘20 said.

Hannah Feeley ‘21, Clairisa Scott ‘21, Jojo Van Dyke ‘22, and Katie Hennesy ‘20 huddle before the next inning

Having played on the team for three years, Caywood reminisced on past seasons in which team unity was pushed to the back-burner while every player had individual focuses and goals.

In the aftermath of another season in which success was rare and unity was rarer, the team realized that they needed a new mindset.

“I think the reason we got so far this season was that we were all friends. We have such a diverse team and in the past, there has been drama with certain girls not liking other girls. This year, it felt like everybody was there because they wanted to be, not because they had to be,” Caywood said.

The new team dynamic proved incredibly successful. Following leagues in which SLHS defeated Green Mountain, the team qualified for playoffs—a feat that had not been accomplished in six years. Out of three games, the Gators won their second game and left feeling proud of themselves for a coveted victory that was ultimately a culmination of years of hard work.

“I just want to say thank you to all the girls for making it such a great last season, for giving it your all during our games and playoffs […] I think this team had a really special bond this year because we accomplished so much together, […] thank you all for everything,” Hennesy said. | Jackson Kessel | Aimee Yan

Jojo Van Dyke ‘22 pitches in game against Riverdale Ridge

14 December 2019 | Issue 2

Sports Editorial

PASSING ON THE TORCH LEAVING A LEGACY OF SUCCESS

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The girls huddle up after winning their first set against the Golden Demons.

fter two days of tryouts, the 2019 volleyball teams were chosen and the next day, 42 girls walked into the gym. From the beginning, we knew that our varsity team was going to be one of the most memorable teams that the volleyball program has seen in years. However, two weeks into the season, we became memorialized for another reason: Glenwood Springs. The retreat led to a major change in the coaching staff. This seemed to be the end of the season—a sign that the team was destined to be nothing more than petty gossip. Within a day, Ms. Post became the new head coach.

Thanks to her unrelenting determination to make sure our season didn’t end, she found Mrs. Morgan to fill in for JV and Mr. Thompson for Varsity. The season, despite a rocky start, was back on track.

Our first game was against Conifer, a team that had continually beaten us in the past. The support of the Swamp fueled our determination to start off the season on a high note, and we did.

In four sets, our communication and the athleticism of our players scored us a major win.

the possibility of postseason was more than just a dream. We swept through Green Mountain, Littleton, Wheatridge, and on Halloween night, we secured the victory from Golden. Standley Lake High School placed third in the league and 30th in the 4A rankings. For the first time since 2002, girls’ volleyball had reached the postseason.

The day of playoffs arrived, varsity players and swingers drove three hours down to Pueblo. We faced off against Pueblo West and Silvercreek, the 7th and 18th seeds in the state. Ultimately, we lost against both, even though we played our best games of the season. Although others assumed that sadness would encroach the team, we knew that we were leaving a legacy for the program to pursue in the following years.

“The previous motto of being ‘Just Gators,’ had been obliterated by the success of our hard work.”

The week of homecoming always contains the most exciting game, and this year we played our biggest rival: Golden.

Initially, we believed that there was no possibility of beating Golden in less than five sets. But after winning the first two, we knew we were capable of taking the next set. As the crowd cheered louder than they ever have, the game concluded with a win, 3-0 Gators.

Towards the end of the season, Coach Thompson realized that playoffs, a feat that had not been obtainable in 12 years, were in sight for our team. If we won the next four games,

The previous motto of being “Just Gators,” had been obliterated by the success of our hard work.

Dani Powell, Erin Paik, Jasmine Cummings, Maria Torsegni, and Brandy O’Donnell took charge of the reigns of the program. Without our seniors as leaders, we would have collapsed under the looming league matches, as well as playoffs. Not only did they give us the ambition and drive to compete, they gave us hope for a better future.

Rising from the ashes of the Glenwood events, a vision triumphed. From achieving our 4-2 goal to making playoffs for the first time in over a decade, the legacy created in our swampy gym will never leave the hearts of those who had the honor of witnessing it. | Maya Merta | Macy Mohlenkamp

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CRUSH THE BINARY Destroying Gender Roles, One Stereotype at a Time The prevalence of gender roles and stereotypes can be suffocating; the idea that certain people are expected to act and behave a certain way based on their gender has been ingrained within society for decades. The extremes on both the masculine and feminine sides of the spectrum only perpetuate the seemingly inescapable nature of these set roles.

Often a topic of debate, gender issues reveal the undeniable need to strive for equality for all individuals, regardless of gender.

While gender itself is not inherently toxic, the rigidity, expectations, and stereotypes associated with gender can morph it into a negative and pervasive force within society.

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o much of what is considered “socially acceptable” revolves around what is perceived to be inherently masculine and feminine. Appearing in places where gender logically has no role, it goes to show how deeply entrenched society is in gender expectations. Breaking down these ideals can be extremely difficult because changes to the status quo are often met with societal resistance, particularly when challenging deep-rooted societal structures like gender.

According to Teaching Tolerance, an organization focused on educating teachers about the importance of diversity and equality, “[r]esearchers have shown that there is very little difference between the brains of men and women. While gender identity is a deeply held feeling of being male, female or another gender, people of different genders often act differently, not because of biological characteristics but because of rigid societal norms created around femininity and masculinity.”

Not only is gender largely a social construct, it’s one that consistently and substantially alters and controls individuals’ thoughts and actions.

Frequently, the words gender and sex are used interchangeably, but the words have two different meanings overall. Sex is the biological characteristics of an individual, whereas gender is the way people identify. The gender stereotypes and expectations that society has created deeply influence people on an individualized basis, but also often times prove themselves to be toxic in nature.

The idea of toxic masculinity is a well-known concept that can be defined as the restrictive set of ideals imposed on men, specifically the notion that expressing emotion results in a degradation of an individual’s status as a man.

Toxic femininity exists as a counterpart to this idea and can be defined as the restrictive ideals imposed on women, specifically the objectification of their appearance and the idea that women play a submissive role in most situations. In both cases, people tend to subconsciously conform to these ideas even when it’s harmful and not necessarily a personal choice.

Shannon Fechtner ‘20, a member of Standley Lake’s Poms team, discussed her perspective on the toxic assumptions made about her and her teammates based purely upon being on the Poms team. “[T]here’s a stereotype for poms being ‘slutty’, or that we aren’t smart and are ‘easy.’ That because we do this, we can’t do [well] at school, and that we aren’t good people, or that we are

mean [girls]. That’s the complete opposite, we have two valedictorians on our team of ten, which I think speaks volumes. Then three of us are in IB, one of us is an AP scholar... We have to be good at school to be good at poms.”

High school can often feel as though people are relentlessly judgemental concerning just about everything. This puts pressure on students to conform to preconceived notions about all kinds of issues in addition to gender expectations.

Fechtner elaborated on navigating high school, specifically in regards to the gendered expectations she’s faced.

“Honestly I just don’t pay attention to it, because I know myself, and I know what I do, and I know how hard it really is. I take it upon myself to not let it get to me. I read more into my definition of myself rather than what other people think of me... If you don’t want people to make assumptions about you, you can’t make assumptions about them either.”

“...people of different genders often act differently, not because of biological characteristics but because of rigid societal norms created around femininity and masculinity.”

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Breaking Down the Lingo Toxic Femininity

Toxic femininity can include anything from the ideas that women must be pretty to be valuable and that they are naturally subservient to men to the perceptions that women are irrational and unable to achieve the same professional standings as men.

Toxic masculinity can include everything from the ideas that men shouldn’t show emotions and must be muscular to be attractive, to the perception that men are short tempered by nature and that they should assert their beliefs constantly.

Feminism

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Toxic Masculinity

The range of social and political movements, and ideologies that share a common goal: to define, establish, and achieve the political, economic, personal, and social equality of women and men.

Although often perceived to be harmless stereotypes, there are many who believe that the extremes on either end of the spectrum are the only way to function. It is this, rather than the inherent existence of gender, that results in a toxic binary.

Professor at Loyola University Chicago, writer and social psychologist, Devon Price, explains this: “Focusing only on the harm done by men—and the insecurities harbored by men—ignores the broader, systematic nature of the beast. The problem was never just masculinity. It was, and is, inflexible gender roles for men and women alike.”

Toxic gender binaries and expectations are not a product of gender itself, but rather the unwavering nature of those established roles and the harsh enforcement of them. The existence of feminism as an ideology stems from the inequalities between people on the basis of these gender binaries and advocates for equality among all individuals, regardless of their gender. Breaking down these gender roles and working to reduce and hopefully eliminate negative stereotypes is a key facet of feminism.

Adjacent to toxic gender roles, toxic feminism, an idea promoting gender equality, is defined as women capitalizing on the oppression they face, and fostering extreme anger and hatred towards men simply because they are men. While women undoubtedly suffer from inequality and the fight for rights is far from over, the existence of toxic feminism continues to exist. When feminist ideals are taken to the extreme, they simply exacerbate existing issues and create new ones entirely, rather than working to erase them.

Maia Weslar, a member of a group of Jeffco students who are pushing to normalize the idea of intersectional feminism, expanded upon the importance of not only being aware of toxic gender binaries, but also the need for feminism in society.

“Women are still being oppressed on the daily, whether you see it or not, it’s still happening.

There’s still a wage gap, there’s still a period poverty, there’s still job discrimination. [I] think that feminism needs to become more inclusive, which is why we added the intersectional part [to the club name], just so that we are including men, trans men, trans women, [and] non-binary [people], because if we all come together, we’ll make a way bigger difference than if it were just white cis women.”

Living and engaging in a society where girls are discouraged from certain professions purely for being girls, and likewise for guys, the effects of this reality are far-reaching and all-encompassing.

Awareness is perhaps the first step in moving away from the toxicity of rigid binaries and education is the next in reducing their impact. Removing the impact of the gender binary is not something that can be done by one singular individual, nor overnight. It takes conscious, consistent effort throughout society to move away from the standards that pervade society.

As Fechtner so aptly states: “It’s based around the problem of you can’t pick these certain things about you, I didn’t pick to be a girl, so why does it even matter? That goes beyond just men and women, it goes to all genders and sexualities, you didn’t pick to be this so why does it matter? It’s about changing the mindset that this wasn’t a choice and it’s unfair and unjust to discriminate based on that.”

| Jay Keodonexay | Artecia Moreno | Kaitlyn Pierce | Bella Tucker-Sandoval | Riley Ruff

“I read more into my definition of myself rather than what other people think of me.”

- Shannon Fechtner 19

DECONSTRUCTING THE DECADE A Walk Through The Past Ten Years

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tandley Lake has seen a vast variety of students walk in and out over the past 10 years. The 2010s have shaped us into the people we are today. We found some of our closest friends, first loves and formed some of our greatest memories. This decade has set many trends and phases that will be remembered as the years go forward.

In our last year before the roaring ‘20s, we look back at the music, technology, and trends that made the 2010s so memorable.

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usic has reached new and unexpected peaks in just 10 years. Specifically, in the last decade, genres such as pop, hip-hop, and cloud rap became mainstream and changed modern music. From the rise of electronic dance music (EDM) to the takeover of boy bands yet again, the 2010s was a legendary era for music.

In the earlier years, pop-music made its way as the most popular genre of music. Artists like Katy Perry, Adele, and BeyoncĂŠ were dominating the scene and shattering records left and right.

Just between 2010 and 2014, Adele won eight Grammys while BeyoncĂŠ won seven.

Songs with cheesy romantic lyrics sung by boys with perfect hair and flashy clothes became all the craze to teen girls worldwide. Boy bands were making a comeback and fast. One Direction, 5 Seconds Of Summer and The Vamps quickly became favored and their music was being blasted all over the radios. Coincidentally, all these boy bands were from the United Kingdom. This time was seen as a second British Invasion like the cultural phenomenon in the 1960s.

Around 2016, music started to form into what we listen to today. SoundCloud rappers like Juice World, Travis Scott, Trippie Redd, and Post Malone became very popular and created a whole new trend of music. Other artists like Ariana Grande, Billie Eilish, and Ed Sheeran have made their way into mainstream music in just the past three years.

Some of the best memories that have been made in the 2010s, were accompanied by the music from this generation. These songs have influenced the way that we think and express our emotions.

Music has always created a culture surrounding the ways we feel about worldwide issues. The lyrics captured within these songs reflect current relevance in politics and global difficulties.

Music has always had a way of making a substantial impact and being the unique voice of each generation. Encapsulating the dreams and emotions of the times. Music has been an important and valuable part of our decade and has influenced the pop-culture over the past years.

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ndoubtedly, Standley Lake’s athletic programs and teams have remained an unchanging staple in school culture over the past decade. Despite the hardships, any high school sports team face, the passion and joy exuded by the students and staff stays consistent.

Whether it be the Poms team winning state in 2019 or Gymnastics in 2016, SLHS has created and shared some truly great moments over the past nine years.

For many students, Friday night football at the NAAC is an unforgettable part of the high school experience. At the start of every weekend, the green and grey sprint on the field hype up the student and parent sections. Whether it be a warm homecoming game or a snowstorm in October, there are always fans cheering them on.

Mr. Morse, longtime head coach of the football team, enjoys the atmosphere of SLHS every day, even when overcoming adversity, especially this season in 2019.

“We’ve lost ten players due to injuries, so it was extremely gratifying that the kids overcame this with as much adversity as they’ve had this year. And that’s ultimately my goal as I became a coach— I want the kids to have memories, sometimes those of losses and the tears, not just the joy. That will stick with them forever, being in those big moments.”

Despite the setbacks this year, Mr. Morse’s coaching philosophy has lead to longtime success on and off the field. In the past 10 years, he’s lead

the football team to the playoffs four times. And every day, you can see him in the hallways supporting and encouraging players and students.

Regardless of the win-loss record, the football team stays a tight-knit group and is an important part of the SLHS community.

Boys’ soccer performs at a high level every year, regardless of the challenges they’ve overcome. With a solid senior core each year, they frequently compete at the tail end of every season. Since 2012, the team has made the playoffs every year and travels across the state to play elite teams. The three coaching changes have not distracted from the winning culture.

Softball went to the playoffs for the first time in six years with their strong group of seniors propelling them to an 11-12 record, this year the ladies on the field worked incredibly hard to make it to the playoffs.

Similarly, the volleyball team reached new heights this year. After unexpectedly getting a new coach, the girls made their way to the playoffs for the first time in 12 years. This season, with no doubt, has had its struggles; but the varsity team managed to rise above.

Sports at Standley Lake Highschool have certainly created a student culture over the past 10 years. Friday night football games, intense volleyball matches and everything in between, students always seem to make a strong appearance. The love for sports will endure into Standley Lake’s future.

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ver the past decade, social media and technology have taken over and become a very important piece of the 2010s. Platforms such as Instagram, Snapchat, Youtube and Twitter have become some of the most popular apps for teens and adults. Not to mention, the rise of technology has seen an all-time high. This decade is the first in history to be so greatly impacted by technology and social media.

Social media has become a prominent feature in our lives. Going on apps such as Instagram and Snapchat has become a regular routine. Within two months of Instagram being released, there were nearly one million users. Interest in social media platforms has grown so rapidly over time. As of this year, there are about one billion users with profiles on Instagram.

Social media platforms such as Vine and Music.ly have been ended by their creators and many apps such as Tumblr have died off even though they are still available in the app store. Other apps such as Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, Pinterest, Youtube, and Facebook are still trending among recent generations.

Social media and modern technology have made both a positive and negative impact during this decade. For the first time in history, any-

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thing can be researched with a click of a button, the world is among our fingertips. But, it seems to be that these new advancements are becoming a distraction. Many would rather spend their time by endlessly scrolling through their feed on Instagram rather than going out or doing homework.

There has been a huge change in motivation at school due to technology and social media. Standley Lake has seen a giant shift in students due to phones and had to transition to new policies. Technological advancements like Chromebooks and projectors have made a serious influence on teaching styles at Standley Lake. Teachers often base their lessons on computers and Chromebooks, creating a new revelation of teaching.

In just 10 years, social media and modern technology have made their way into our daily lives. This decade will be a huge mark for technological advancements. Every year, more and more people are active on social media sites. These apps and devices have constructed a dependency among the people of this generation. It has been a large contributing factor to the changes this decade has seen in life.

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he 2010s have set many fashion trends that will be remembered in future years. SLHS has seen countless numbers of styles influenced by trends set from past decades. While modern fashion has its classic spin-offs, it also has its own unique standing from aesthetics exclusive to the last ten years.

Early on, hipster-style became very popular. With nerd glasses, black high top converse, beanies, and the bizarre trends of mustaches, this was one of the first trends this decade had ever seen. During the 2012 to 2014 era, neon became the next big thing. Shirts, shoes, and accessories were colored in bright colors such as green, blue, pink, yellow and orange. Other accessories like chokers and scrunchies made multiple appearances.

The fashion trends generated in 2015 and 2016 were extremely influenced by famous YouTubers. It was often popular to wear jean jackets, brands such as PINK and Forever21 and accessorizing with pins and patches.

2017 was the start of fashion we see today. Social media has created many different aesthetics like VSCO, e-girls, e-boys, soft girls and soft boys. These looks have made an appearance in the halls we walk through everyday here at Standley. Brands like Nike, Vans, Thrasher, Champion and Ripndip have also become extremely popular among this generation’s fashion.

One common theme throughout the decades has been watching history repeat itself. Styles that were popular in the 70’s and 80’s have resurfaced and become fashionable once again. Pants such as bell bottoms and mom jeans have made a huge comeback along with tracksuits and crop tops. Vibrant colorful makeup and crazy hair colors are once again a fun way for everyone to express themselves.

The past decade has been an exciting time for our generation. The years have watched us grow from children to young adults. In our last year of this decade, we are leaving behind our childlike innocence and entering the next chapter. | Brooklyn Galba | Grant Hoskins | Sarah Hoskins | Jenna Kirschenbaum | Kiana Miska | Emma Phillips | Megan White

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A BROKEN SYSTEM An Exploration of the School-to-Prison Pipeline

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n the United States, there are 2.3 million people in local, state, and federal prisons— more than any other country in the world. With such a significant population in prison, questions arise regarding why so many people end up there, and how effectively people are rehabilitated in the prison system. People sometimes find themselves up against aspects of the modern justice system such as unjust prosecutions, unfair judges, and social prejudice. It happens everyday, whether people are guilty or not, and it’s creating a huge problem for America. People can be sentenced to numerous years in our prisons and never receive any rehabilitation or resources to help them live successfully after release. While other countries seek to make their citizens behind bars better people, America keeps them concealed and helpless.

One of the most concerning factors contributing to America’s growing prison population is the rising rate of incarceration of minors attending school, commonly known as the school-toprison pipeline. The rise in incarceration within the student population can be attributed to both zero tolerance policies and the increase of law enforcement presence within schools. Minors often face the most severe consequences in modern mass incarceration, with many kids and teenagers being raised into systems of crime, and never given the rehabilitation to get out of it, making them typically the least prepared for life after release.

Law enforcement personnel make up a large part of modern school security, and in many schools play a fundamental role in keeping kids safe. However, there are also significant negative effects of law enforcement presence within the school system.

In many schools, especially underfunded schools, law enforcement personnel are given no additional training to work with minors, often resulting in arrests for non-violent or minor offenses rather than simply educational intervention or in-school consequences.

Zero tolerance policies are among the largest contributors to school incarceration rates. These policies, which state that any infraction of certain school rules and policies will result in immediate suspension or expulsion, lead to massive increases in the rate at which students are expelled from schools. Expelled students are significantly more likely to end up in the prison and juvenile detention systems.

“I was drug dealing at 13 and I got locked up my first time at 13. When I got out I started doing the same thing: smoking, drinking, selling, and then I went back to jail eight different times,” Andrew Vu, a former SLHS student said, continuing, “[i]t was just the way that I was raised”

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Beyond the school to prison pipeline, one of the leading causes of the rise in America’s prison population has been large quota of recidivism. Recidivism refers to released convicts who are re-incarcerated after release. The percentage of people that re-

“I was drug dealing at 13 and I got locked up my first time at 13. When I got out I started doing the same thing: smoking, drinking, selling, and then I went back to jail eight different times...[It] was just the way that I was raised,” Andrew Vu said.

turn to jail after their release is soaring due to institutional issues within the justice system. A report by the U.S. Department of Justice found that 83% of prisoners released from state prisons in 2005 were arrested at least once over the next 9 years.

Despite the high rates of recidivism within the US prison system, some people make it through the system, and attempt to reform themselves.

One of those people is Marcus Madrill, a relative of one of our staff who spent a short time in prison, and was sentenced to two years probation.

“I’m glad that I was found guilty because it got me the help I needed and today I am still getting help because I still have a year to go and I don’t hate the world as much as I used to.” Madrill said.

The justice system has two inherent purposes: to punish and to reform.

However, the two roles of the system often clash, with certain punitive measures impeding rehabilitation and reintegration into society for many. While some may have the opportunity to get out of prison and back on their feet, many will spend their whole lives stuck in a prison system that doesn’t seem to do much to help them out.

“You’re given the opportunity to get out of here, use probation and all that. Take it for advantage because most people in here can’t get out, or are being sentenced to prison and are going to be there for the rest of their life,” Madrill said.

In many jails, there are programs that help prisoners with education, faith, drug abuse, legal help, and other issues that incarcerated individuals face. Most prisons also have some form of GED or English program, but the implementation and availability of these programs varies widely.

Educational programs for inmates help lower recidivism rates by preparing inmates for life outside of prison, with a research report by the Rand Corporation finding that inmates who participated in educational programs had a 43% lower chance of being arrested after release. However, such programs are often underfunded, underemphasized, and pushed to the side in favor of more short term solutions.

Out of the 2.3 million people incarcerated, roughly only 41% have a high school diploma, which in a age of extreme competition for job opportunities automatically puts those in prison at a major disadvantage. In addition, college courses can have massive benefits for incarcerated individuals, including an increased likelihood of holding a steady job after prison and a reduced likelihood of being reincarcerated. Only 24% of those incarcerated have any college education due to the fact that only about 35% of state prisons provide any college opportunity.

Privately owned, as opposed to government owned, prisons are a driving force in the problem of having so many incarcerated individuals. These private prisons are for profit and the government simply pays a certain sum per inmate. With profit as a factor, it makes more sense for these prisons to keep as many people as possible inside their walls instead of helping them get back onto their feet and into a progressive future. Profit motivated companies don’t have an incentive to provide humane conditions and rehabilitation programs for prisoners, and this system creates substantial issues.

One report by the US Department of Justice said that, “History shows that privately operated prison facilities were plagued by problems associated with the quest for higher earnings. The profit motive produced such abominable conditions and exploitation of the inmates that public agencies were forced to assume responsibility. The lack of contract supervision contributed, in part, to the squalid and inhumane living conditions in privately run prisons.”

Corporations that run these prisons have the ability to cut funding for specific aspects of the prison for increased profit. An article from Prison Legal News did some digging and found a good example of this. The Community Education Center (CEC) who moderates and approves of the education in prison, was caught employing inadequate staff that could be paid less than those who are actually qualified and not properly supervising inmates with serious alcohol and drug abuse issues. The point of these activities and rehabilitation centers in prisons is to provide prisoners with the opportunity of gaining sociable skills to help them outside of prison

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but are useless if the skill the inmates are supposed to be receiving is lost due to the lack of trained individuals that can provide this skill.

And this issue has spread throughout private prisons including medical care, building maintenance, and reentry programs.

Apart from the many issues of prisons themselves, there are also many issues with law enforcement, specifically with their discriminatory practices towards those of African American and Hispanic descent.

The prison and justice systems unproportionately target these ethnicities due to pervasive racism. For private prisons especially, it is more profitable to target groups that tend to have less access to education and wealth because there is almost no chance for recovery once their sentence is over and they will likely end up right back in prison. It is an exploitative method that disregards moral standards to generate a constant cash flow.

The cash flow, however, doesn’t transfer over to former inmates. Financial burdens on convicts can be immense with significant money being owed both in court fees as well as reparations to any victims.

Furthermore, the financial problems inmates face expand beyond the confines of the cell and into everyday life. After serving a sentence, there are consequences including fines, classes, and restitution, which can easily add up, not to mention the fact that landing a job after incarceration is oftentimes near impossible.

Madrill describes, “It was expensive for me but everyone is going to have to pay a price. I owe money to the courts and the victim that is in the thousands range, then you have to pay for classes that are $60 for me every Thursday and UA’s are $11 four times a month so it adds up.

I have a couple people that live in halfway houses and sometimes you have to pay to live there. But they help you with vouchers and if you are being good enough they’ll pay for your UAs and classes.”

With a criminal record it can be immensely difficult to find a job to keep up with all the fees associated with probation, as many employers don’t hire ex-cons, and biases against ex-cons may affect those that do.

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This can make finding a job on parole arduous, especially considering the significant guidelines on where ex-cons can and cannot work. Offenders such as Madrill who were convicted of a violent crime often can’t work with the general public, or in places which could cause conflict, and many parole conditions also bar certain jobs, such as ones in which alcohol is served.

However the financial situations of incarcerated individuals is often worse.

Work opportunities in jail can include negative and positive qualities but inmates usually get a sense of having a full-time or part-time job. They learn many of the skills acquired through these different jobs. Some of these jobs include maintenance, manufacturing, or manual labor. Generally it enlightens the inmates to sustain a work ethic through their sentence. The problem arises however when the skills from these jobs are not available because the job is full. Some jobs provide a grander reward outside of prison more than others do but if there are no more spots available then you have immediately missed an opportunity for a better life outside the walls .

Likewise, the pay can be either extremely low or non-existent. The average pay for prison jobs is .30-$3.45 an hour. Prisoners are excluded from the Fair Labor Standards Act, which requires that workers are paid at least the federal minimum wage in America. This makes it completely legal for states to exploit every working inmate for free and cheap labor. Alternatively, these low wages could be argued to ensure prisons are capable of employing inmates and keep prisons funded.

People make mistakes, and a system needs to exist in order to ensure that mistakes don’t repeat themselves. But too often the punitive tendencies of the Justice system not only prevent the rehabilitation of criminals, but create even worse circumstances for those individuals. The problems inside the system are varied, with no issue being independant of the others. Systematic change needs to occur within the system, not only to lower recidivism rates and prison populations, but to help give people the opportunity to pursue a better life. | Ben Bird | Amelia Carlblom | Artecia Moreno | Ally Romero | Tie Sober | Bella Tucker-Sandoval

CRIME BY THE NUMBERS BURGLARY AND THEFT Burglary and theft contains 21% of incarcerated individuals in state prisons and in federal prisons 4.5% are convicted. This includes theft, car theft, burglary, and fraud.

Out of the 1.3 million locked up 235,000 are property related. 45% of those released after committing a property crime were reconvicted within 3 years.

DRINKING AND DRIVING Driving under the influence is a minor percentage of those imprisoned, this is because out of the 1.3 million convicted only about 25,000 are incarcerated. Instead of jail time punishment for DUIs normally manifests as fines, probation, loss of license, and mandatory education and rehab programs.

VIOLENT CRIME Violent crime covers a wide spectrum of crimes, including assult, rape, robbery, murder, and manslaughter. Inmates arrested for violent crimes make up about one half of inmates in state prisons, and about one fourth of federal prisoners. Violent offenders released from prison have the lowest recidivism rate out of any category of crime.

RAPE AND SEXUAL ASSAULT Rape and sexual assult make up about 7% of state prisoners, however only about 5 in 1000 rape and sexual assult reports end in incarceration.

22% of those inacrcerated for violent crimes are charged with rape and or sexual assult which is the third highest amount of those imprisoned for violent crimes.

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Overall the podcast was interesting to listen to and contained enough depth of knowledge to make it worthwhile but was also simple enough to make it easy to follow. The inclusion of various anecdotes sparked curiosity and bringing the topic back to the real world made it much more interesting than a simple exploration of dinosaurs would be. This podcast is great for people who are simply interested in learning new information and dino fanatics alike, providing a fun and informative story all around.

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his podcast explores all the intricacies of the smallest habitable places across the globe. The first season consists of six episodes about Pitcairn, a small British island in the Pacific with a population of only fifty. Wendover Productions, the studio that produces Extremities, explores the outlandish past and present scandals that consume the town, whether it be a revolt on a boat or a criminal trial involving almost all the men on the island. The episodes last about thirty minutes each andengage listeners because of vivid storytelling and a complex plot about Pitcairn.

If that’s not your cup of tea, the second season dives into the Norwegian-not-so-Norwegian archipelago of Svalbard. This far north, arctic population exists thousands of miles from other civilizations. With polar bears strolling down the roads, its land hides earthly wonders, forcing innovation and competition since its discovery. Historically, all the European powers wanted a piece of the island, leading to occupation and rivalry during the global conflicts of the twentieth century. Both seasons keep the listener entrenched in these places, making them great for studying or a long car ride.

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he main goal of this podcast is to give listeners a place to grow into their best selves by helping them navigate through whatever life throws at them. The podcast explores the complex and often confusing aspects of life such as relationships (...or breakups), school, and self-care.

Providing an empowering take on these topics, the podcast is well worth the listen.

The hosts and founders of the podcast, Grenna and Lauren, strive to connect with their listeners and share their personal experiences of the topic being

discussed while also featuring other peoples’ experiences. By giving advice on a variety of topics, listeners are easily engaged in the stories and most anyone can find something to take with them from the podcast. Sometimes discussing sensitive topics, the podcast manages to present them not as something to be afraid of, but something to embrace.

Essentially, listeners can learn that while nobody is perfect, everyone can learn something from someone else and strive to be a better person. | Amelia Carlblom | Grant Hoskins | Kaitlyn Pierce

30 December 2019 | Issue 2

POWER

PODCAST

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n engaging and clear story, this podcast explored a weird occurrence: a rapid growth in the discovery of new dinosaur species.

Logically, there should be less fossils found as time goes on, but due to a renewed interest in dinos by countries and universities, the opposite is now true. The podcast goes on to explain this phenomenon, utilizing cool audio effects like T-rex roars and pterodactyl screams along with a captivating narrative, culminating in a real world connection and presenting an inspiring message to follow your passions.

The World is going to . end when The Boomers Die One day, the unthinkable will happen—the last boomer will perish and the world will simply cease to exist. There will be no one left to endlessly barate an exhausted Gen-Z customer service worker.

Nobody will complain that their drink was made wrong and demand a refund. Who will ask to see my manager? Who will tell me that I am worthless because I told them it would be a twenty minute wait at a restaurant? Who will drive 15 under the speed limit and then call the police when someone passes them? Without the cosmic balance that the existence of boomers provides, kindness and tolerance will reign which is simply unacceptable. I cannot imagine a world in which I may walk down the street without the fear of being mocked for my love of avocado toast.

| Jackson Kessel

POLLUTION Poisons us all The world is going to end when our earth is polluted to the point of it being unsafe with people unable to breath when walking outside.

When, to be able to go outside, we need to wear a mask with an oxygen tank. When the ocean is placid; no turtles, no sharks, no whales, no fish. When we have to walk wherever go because we are unable to drive cars, unless they’re electric. When there are so many people populating and polluting the earth to the point where food sources become abnormally low. The world will end when people realize it is too late to save our already unsafe, polluted earth.

| Emma Phillips

we ALL become Technology Zombies The world is going to end when social media turns all of us into technology zombies. All of the white women on Facebook will be screaming about respecting the country, and the teens will upload their minds into Instagram to live their aesthetic lives. All the boomers who cursed technology will actually be right, probably for the first and only time in history. Everyone’s gonna ditch the trashy planet that they’re stuck on and choose to live on the Internet exclusively, wasting away while hoping their newest post gets at least a million likes. And finally, the last human with the remaining resources from our wrecked planet will scroll through memes about the end of the world until he’s gone, too.

| Kylie Rold

Music Stops Being Made Music is the only thing that humans know for a fact that we all have in common—we all like listening to music. Whether it gets us pumped up to do something we’ve been dreading for a while or calms us down after a long day, music is a universal thing that helps everyone with something. Regardless of the physiological effects, life without music would be so boring. From pop to heavy metal, every song in every genre holds some meaning to somebody and that, to me, is really special. A bright poppy song to wake up to, that one ballad that reminds you of your ex or even just classical piano while you destress. The songs we listen to 27 times over until we can’t stand them, and the songs we break up with but can’t help going back to. You can show five different people that same song and five different meanings will be taken from it you will always hear what you want to hear most. That’s pretty beautiful.

| Zoe Garrimone

THE Aliens Invade The world is going to end when aliens invade Earth. Since the aliens will want to take over, they are going to kill all the humans so that there aren’t any e-boys, vsco girls, or boomers to get in their way. However, the aliens will bring more plants from other galaxies that will flourish here on earth and they will keep the animals. The aliens will make Earth their own personal vacation spot because of the luscious forests and vast deserts. There will be unoccupied skyscrapers that will become the resorts and hotels for the new inhabitants. The large variety of ecosystems and wildlife will make our planet earth the perfect resort for the new visitors. The human’s world will end, but Earth will return to a state of prosperity. | Macy Mohlenkamp

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