Sterling Cub Reporter: February 2018

CUB REPORTER Sterling High School | Volume 4 | Issue 5 | February 2018

STERLING’S SWEETHEARTS Pg. 8

Invitational Insight Pg. 4

Winter Dance Debate Pg. 7

Holiday: Hassle or Heartfelt?

Sterling High School |

Pg. 15

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| February 2018

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EDITORIAL

No excuse for sexual harassment

www.sterlingstudentpublications.com 308 E. Washington, Sterling, KS 67579 Phone: 620-278-2171 • Fax: 620-278-3237

STAFF EDITORS: • McKiah San Miguel • Grace Rowland REPORTERS: • Morgan Anderson • Natalie Nichols • Andy Norez • Taya Wilson • Kaylie Zimmerman ADVISER: • Todd Vogts GRAPHIC ARTISTS: • SHS Graphic Design Class ADVERTISING SALES: • Sterling Publications Staff

POLICIES The Sterling High School Cub Reporter and all subsidiary publications are designated forums of free speech. The print edition is published October through May of each school year by the journalism class at Sterling High School. It is distributed for no charge throughout Unified School District 376 buildings and the Sterling community. The first copy is free. Subsequent copies will cost $1 per copy. For information about being added to the subscription list, contact Todd Vogts at 620-278-2171. Letters to the editor are welcome. Email them to journalism@usd376.com. All letters must be signed. Anonymous letters will not be printed. All letters subject to editing for legal, grammatical and factual reasons.

ABOUT THE COVER PHOTO The lady black bear bench celebrates a made basket during the first round of the Sterling Invitational.

(Photo by Morgan Anderson)

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Sexual harassment. A phrase commonly used in today’s society and even more the last couple months as women began a powerful movement. #MeToo was a hashtag that began a national phenomenon starting Oct.15 when actress Alyssa Milano tweeted, “If all the women who have been sexually harassed or assaulted write ‘Me too’ as a status, we might give people a sense of the magnitude of the problem.” This soon spread across America as people responded with their own story of sexual harassment using #MeToo attached to the story. There have recently been many allegations against politicians and celebrities as women find their voices.

Looking over the statistics of sexual assault or rape, we see that younger women are more vulnerable to sexual harassment starting at as young as 12 years old. According to Rainn.org, Every 98 seconds, someone is sexually assaulted in America as of 2015, which averages out to around 321,500 people a year, and only about two percent of those are false allegations. Most people who perform these actions are normal, average people that come from good families or cultural backgrounds but choose to do wrong things.

President Donald Trump reportedly has been sexually assaulting young women since 1980 and has continued to do so even to present day. In his interview in 2005 with TV host Billy Bush, Trump began to brag about openly groping women because of his celebrity status by saying, “I don’t even wait. And when you’re a star, they let you do it, they let you do anything.”

Our president is a prime example of sexual assault. Women should continue to stand up and speak out against men who sexually assault and harass them because they deserve to be heard.

Often, these men will say, “Oh, they’re just overreacting,” or “Women should just behave and dress differently.” Why should women change?

Prominent men, such as Hollywood’s Harvey Weinstein, even paid women to keep silent about his sexual assaults.

Many men are guilty of this and should

prepare their apologies now for the women they’ve hurt for their own enjoyment. It’s no wonder women have been silent for so many years. Men have been overpowering women to where they have no freedom to speak out.

Time Magazine announced its Person of the Year award in December to The Silence Breakers which is a group of women consisting of Adama Iwu, Ashley Judd, Taylor Swift, Isabel Pascual, and Susan Fowler, who were the most influential people during this movement. Women are beginning to have the final word and beginning to speak for themselves without the acceptance and permission from men. They deserve the right to feel like a person and not an item to society, and they shouldn’t have to deal with the disrespectful actions of men who feel like they are entitled.

One of the most important people in America, who holds a high position of power, is even guilty of sexual assault in 1991: Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. A woman by the name of Anita Hill shared her story in 2017 of the harassment that took place in 1991 when she was sexually assaulted while working for him. All of these stories show the imbalance of power in this country as women are still treated unfairly. Later, Hill told the Washington Post, “I still don’t think it takes ownership of his role in what happened. He also doesn’t understand that it wasn’t just that I felt it was not fair. They should have been using best practices to show leadership on this issue on behalf of women’s equality.

They did just the opposite.”

Women of the world, keep speaking out and working to create a safe society where the stories coming from victims of such awful actions are heard and believed. Sexual assault and harassment should never be accepted or normalized in our society. Men of the world, I urge you to take a step back and realize the situation at hand. Women are not items to society, but rather are powerful people that deserve respect and a voice.

— For The Editorial Board

BRIEFLY STATED State Debate Teams Place Third Competing at 3-2-1A 2-speaker State Debate, the team of senior Aniston Ramsey and junior Jeremy Thorpe took third. In 4-speaker, the team of seniors Alley Rowland, Mia Steinmetz and Katie Comley, along with juniors Max Dutton, Jacob Pieplow and William Weiner also finished in third.

Zeroto100

Have you ever wondered about all the cool stuff going on around SHS, and then thought of all the unfortunate stuff to happen? Here’s your guide to all the hot, and cold, stuff going on at SHS.

Both basketball teams won the Sterling Invitational Tournament.

Second semester Forensic session starts

“I’d just really like to get some time with Alan. I don’t really mind what I get.”

Senior Lauren Schueren strained her MCL while longboarding.

Freshman Kayley Clark says what she wants for Valentine’s Day from freshman Alan Anderson.

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| February 2018

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NEWS

Ploutz scores at the Sterling Invitational Taya Wilson For most the Sterling Invitational Tournament is simply a week full of basketball, but for some it’s a little more special than that. Sterling’s new Chief of Police, Derrick Ploutz, and his wife met at the Sterling Invitational Tournament.

In the Boys 26th Annual Sterling Invitational Tournament, senior Ploutz from Ellsworth High School was warming up at halftime while senior Jessica Crandall, now Ploutz, from Little River was keeping book at the scorers table.

“I was at the desk, which was different than it is now, and he walked over to grab

Reporter @_twils_

a ball off of one of those old metal ball racks and he gave me one of those head nods and I was like, ‘hmm, he’s kinda cute,’ and I don’t know, that was probably when I started ‘stalking’ him,” Jessica said.

“Stalking” was a little bit harder 20 years ago than it is now, but Jessica had a head start.

“It was a very slow process compared to now, it wasn’t like I could just text him or facebook stalk him. We had some mutual friends, and I didn’t even realize who he was until later that evening I was thinking about it and I was like, ‘oh my

gosh that’s the same guy I met last summer.’ It just kind of triggered the memory that, ‘oh yeah, I met him very briefly’ and then I knew that my friend knows his friend so we kind of sent messages back and forth like, ‘hey tell him to ask me out,’ and he was like, ‘no tell her to.’” Jessica said.

It took a couple months for the couple to start dating.

“Actually we didn’t start dating until June after we graduated high school, when she called me.” Derrick said.

After the summer the two of them

(Photo by Natalie Nichols) Sterling High School girls basketball team poses with their Sterling Invitational Championship trophy after beating Beloit. Back row: head coach Jill Rowland, assistant coach Staci Lewis, Kaylie Zimmerman, Kidist Wilson, Kayla Morris, Elizabeth Horsch, Kiah Zambo, Kinzie Comley, Debi Schmidt, Grace Rowland and assistant coach Paula Crandall. Front row: Taya Wilson, Alley Rowland, Aniston Ramsey and Camille Schweizer.

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(Photo by Abby Riffel) Sterling High School boys basketball team poses with their Sterling Invitational Championship trophy after beating Hutch Trinity. Back row: Garrett Sankey, Kenan Comley, John Schweizer, Trent Jones, Blake Richter, Brady Myers, Logan Weigel, Conan Ball, Lucas Briar and manager Brian Montoya. Front row: Max Dutton, Cade Wilkey and Caleb Lambert.

parted ways briefly.

“He went to college at Colby and I went to Concordia, and then again I followed him there after one semester. He said he never got away, but he never tried very hard.” Jessica said.

Both graduated in May 2000 and married that same year in August. Derrick earned an associates degree in Criminal Justice, worked as a detention deputy in Thomas County from 1999 to 2001, then in 2001 began his law enforcement career in Haskell County where he was an undersheriff and worked as a school resource officer in the Sublette School District. Jessica graduated with a dental hygiene degree and worked as a registered dental hygienist at Effie N. Gaskill.

Their story came full circle when they moved to Sterling in September of 2017.

Derrick was given the job of Sterling’s Chief of Police. Jessica currently has a fill-in job at Lyons Family Dental and is getting ready to start at Prairie Star Dental. They have two boys, Nolan (10) and Kevin (9).

(Courtesy Photo Tiffany Koehn) LEFT: The Ploutz family gather for a picture. From left to right is Nolan, Jessica, Kevin and Derrick Ploutz.

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| February 2018

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NEWS New ‘Denim and Diamonds’ winter dance met with differing opinions Morgan Anderson

Reporter @_morgs.__

With many recent requests for Sterling High School to add another dance to the winter season, the booster club met those requests in adding a “Denim and Diamonds” dance for students to enjoy.

“I liked the theme a lot because it was different,” said senior Taylor Petz. “It wasn’t like a formal winter dance, and I like how everyone participated in it for the most part.”

The dance crowned two students as the “best dressed” for the event, as well as awarding them an Amazon gift card. The winners were senior Taylor Petz and sophomore Cade Wilkey.

“It was kind of cool winning the best dressed because I don’t always participate or fully participate in things like that,” Petz said. “I didn’t really expect it by any means, but it was cool that they had a king and queen for the best dressed.”

Although many students were in favor, the event received mixed reviews as the dance wasn’t like they expected.

“I thought the dance was fun, but they could’ve gone with a

Junior McKiah San Miguel and sophomore Elizabeth Horsh two-step to a country song at the winter dance.

(Photo by: T. Wilson)

better theme,” said Junior Lydia Miller. “They could’ve done a poll for it, like a vote, which would’ve been a better idea. People don’t usually buy clothes that go along with the theme, so when I showed up in sweats and a T-shirt, people didn’t really approve.”

STAFF THANKS

Mrs. Jill Rowland, You are a wonderful example to the young women of Sterling High School. You lead by example and strive to positively impact those around you.

Though you do this daily in the halls of the school, you are most visible on the basketball court, and you make Sterling proud as you lead your girls to victory in the game and in life.

— Black Bear Supporters Sterling High School |

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| February 2018

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FEATURE

The Story of Us...

Grace ROWLAND

Alex Burgess and Brooke Boeken

F

Reporter @GRAACCEE54 High school relationships, for many, often end in heartbreak, grudges, and gruesome revenge, but for the lucky few the end result can be worth it. Though some might look down on the concept of being in love while in high school, assuming the couple will be doomed to split as soon as college begins, this isn’t the cause for all couples. In fact, high school sweethearts across the country often defy the odds and end up married after graduation. Former Black Bears are no different, included the following four couples who started meeting at lockers and ended up joining together forever at the alter.

ourth of July in 2012 was most likely just another Fourth grown so entirely much since then.” of July to most, but for Alex Burgess and Brooke BoekWhile getting to know each other, the two sweethearts fell in en it was the start of a beloved romance. The couple met love with each other’s unique and loving personalities.

Brooke’s freshman year and Alex’s sophomore year, with their “I fell in love with Brooke when I stopped trying to make love story starting in a high school Spanish class. someone love who I was. I felt like I had to try so hard with “Alex’s class of guys were big time jocks and extremely inanyone I talked to,” Burgess said. “From day one she loved me timidating to a shy, mute freshman,” Boeken said. “Alex would for me, and I could always be myself. It was effortless. She made get his friends to stare at me across the room. When I noticed I it easy to want to spend time with someone like that.” would try so hard to act very focused on my work. That did not For the lovers the feelings for each other haven’t changed work because I would start blushing and then the nervous smile despite the number of years they have been together. would, unfortunately, follow. The flirting by Alex and smiling “The beginning of a relationship is exciting, but when you back from me began and never seemed to stop.” realize that you are in love with the person you held hands with, After the constant flirting came the constant hanging out, kissed in the hallways, giggled with, and always wanted to immaking the two become even more fond of each other through- press throughout high school, the real butterflies set in,” Boeken out their high school years. said. “Today we know each other’s quarks and are able to fall in “Our relationship in high school was all giggles, getting to love more and more each minute spent together.” know each other without friend groups on the weekends, and Alex and Brooke will continue their love story October 2018 then finally Alex getting the nerve to ask my parents about when they exchange vows. “About half way through college we taking me out on a ‘real’ date,” knew we would be together till Boeken said. “When we grew “Today we know each other’s quarks the end, forever,” Boeken said. close, it was so easy to bab“Trust, loyalty, many laughs, and are able to fall in love more and ble on-and-on as we were so and continually reminiscing intrigued by whatever each one on all of our memories lead to more each minute spent together.” of us had to say. The butterflies spending the rest of our days — Brooke Boeken together.” have not stopped, but we have

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Zach and Jessica Boor

(Courtesy Photo) Jessica and Zach Boor

S

terling High School class of come with responsibilities, 2007 graduates Zach and “She caught my eye, and I knew she stress, and trying to find time Jessica Boor began their for each other. In high school, ‘I had to be mine, even though she love story the first day of junior love you’ was said a lot, and now high and have been together we don’t say it enough.” played a little hard to get.” ever since, totaling 16 years as a high school the Boors — Zach Boor loveAfter couple. For the Boors, their love for each other never falfor each other hasn’t changed. tered, even seven years later, “We met first day of seventh grade. I wasn’t really interestwhen Zach proposed to Jessica. ed in anyone at first. We were all playing basketball at Peace “When he asked me to marry him, at first I said, ‘no,’ but that Park and my girlfriends kept teasing me and telling me Zach was his fault because he chose to scare me on Halloween while was going to ask me out. Sure enough, he did, and I gave him a asking me,” Jessica said. “Although, I wouldn’t have expected chance,” Jessica said. “After hanging out all the time and several anything less. When he asked, I was really happy and thought it hours on the wall phone until early mornings because no one was about time.” would hang up first, I just always wanted to be with him. To this Not only did Zach and Jessica fall in love with each other, but day that has not changed.” many character traits made the romance even easier.

If being high school sweethearts didn’t make this story even “He was adventurous. We always had fun,” she said. “He was sweeter, the love at first sight factor might be a sweet addition. athletic and a football player, and I was his cheerleader. It’s never “She had a great smile and personality,” Zach said. “She a dull moment with him, and he is a handy, hard working man.” caught my eye, and I knew she had to be mine, even though she The Boors reside in Sterling, and have two boys and a girl. played a little hard to get.”

The couple is anticipating a long life together.

Zach and Jessica dated throughout high school, spending “For many years it has been rather crazy and busy, so what time together and even took sports pictures together.

I am looking forward to is balance, a slowdown, and to enjoy “Our relationship was a little rare for our age, but somewhat watching our babies grow up now that our family is complete,” dramatic and a lot of fun,” Jessica said. “Compared to now, we Jessica said.

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| February 2018

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Michael and Aubree Hendricks

A

(Courtesy Photo) Michael and Aubree Hendricks

fter meeting in junior weekends. The distance was not “As I got to know her, I was able to high, Michael and a strain on our relationship. It Aubree Hendricks have made the time we spent togethsee how special she was and how been connected at heart ever er more special and brought she made me a better person.” since they became attracted to us closer together. Being apart each others qualities. ensured our desire to get — Michael Hendricks also “Aubree and I met in junior married.” high, but did not get to know Michael and Aubree both each other well until high agreed their love and desire was something to look forward to school,” Michael said. “It was at eighth grade promotion that in their relationship. All that was needed was a proposal and a I noticed her beauty. From then on, question from Michael.

I knew I had to get to know her.”

“After a Valentine’s Day basketball game, my friends blindFrom then on the two spent a lot of time together, and their folded me and took me to the park. sophomore year they made it official and started dating.

Michael was there waiting for me and asked me to marry “From the very beginning of our relationship we were quite him. I immediately said, ‘Yes,’” Aubree said. inseparable,” Aubree said. “During high school, we spent a lot of The couple got married soon after on May 26, 2016. This year time getting to know each other.” the couple is looking upon a two year wedding anniversary but While getting to know each other, Michael and Aubree realhas been together for a total of seven years. ized their love for each other was more than inseparable and the “Being with the same person so long has been a very special two thought about life beyond high school. experience,” Aubree said. “We know everything about each “I knew Aubree was the one a couple months into our relaother. The most amazing part has been going through major life tionship,” Michael. “As I got to know her, I was able to see how events together. You cannot ask for much more than walking special she was and how she made me a better person. It was through life with your best friend.” during this time that I knew I could not imagine my life without As for Michael and Aubree, they are looking forward to her.” walking through life together and growing in their relationship.

As their love for each other continued to change, so did “We are most looking forward to spending each and every their lives, as they both would journey off to college at separate day of the rest of our lives together schools. and growing in love together,” Aubree said. “If God allows, “After we graduated, Michael and I went to separate schools we hope to someday start a family and become parents. We are that were only an hour away,” Aubree said. “We would text also looking forward to our upcoming life changes with moving and talk on the phone during the week and see each other on to a new town and Michael starting medical school.”

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oung lovers, couples, sweethearts, or whatever you might call them are often look down on for “artificial love” starting in high school. Despite the haters, Matt DeWerff and Jill Oden look back fondly on their high school years. They have been together since 2012, first meeting in junior high, but their relationship never started until their later high school years.

“It started off by him asking me to go with him to help him with his senior project, and I needed to get stuff for mine,” Oden said. “Then we started going on dates after that. We had common interests, and we both liked sports, so we were able to strike up conversations pretty easy.”

After getting to know each other, DeWerff and Oden’s relationship was bound to end as they traveled off to college; however, their relationship was in it for the long run.

“Fortunately we chose to go to the same college and the same career path,” Oden said. “We have had our struggles and hardships, but we got through it by communication and hard work.

We make sure to always talk about things and understand where the other person is coming from. It would not work well if we did not talk and listen to each other.”

College brings new paths and opportunities for all, including for relationships. For DeWerff and Oden that seemed to be the next step in their relationship.

“I always had pictured being married, but I never knew when or to whom. I was hoping it would be to Matt, but there were times I just had to be patient,” Oden said. “We had been together for several years and our lives were getting more complicated

separate. We had to be adults, so it was time to get married and start our lives together.”

From knowing each other since junior high, to going to the same college and even choosing the same career, DeWerff popped the question for Oden’s hand in marriage.

“When Matt asked me to marry him, I did not know it was really coming,” Oden said. “He was being sneaky about it. I was so happy and thrilled. I actually had tears in my eyes I was so excited! At first, I told him the ring was upside down in the box, then I said yes. It was such an awesome moment.”

Before the engagement the couple had been together since 2012. As of March 2018 the couple can look forward to the rest of their lives together. Until then, the pair plans on working on their relationship.

“For us, love is a constant thing. It grows and strengthens but we have to put the time in,” Oden said. “If not, then it is like that toy you get on Christmas day that you are excited about for a couple days before it gets put on a shelf and is forgotten. We are constantly working at our love and making sure we are doing

“For us, love is a constant thing. It grows and strengthens but we have to put the time in.”

— Jill Oden what is best for each other.”

Matt DeWerff and Jill Oden

(Courtesy Photo) Jill Oden and Matt DeWerff

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| February 2018 11

Infographic by Taya Wilson

INFOGRAPHIC

France Language: French Fun Fact: Valentine’s Day is thought to have began in France when Saint Charles, Duke of Orleans, sent love letters to his wife while he was imprisoned in the Tower of London, 1415.

Valentine’s Day Cards are still popular today.

(Ex) Tradition: Loterie d’amour – translation: “drawing for love.” Men and women would fill houses that faced one another, and then take turns calling out to one another and pairing off. Men who weren’t satisfied with their match could leave a woman for another. The women left unmatched gathered afterward for a bonfire where they burned pictures of the men who wronged them and hurled swears and insults at the opposite sex. The French government eventually banned the tradition, for obvious reasons.

Love in

Language: Welsh Fun Fact: Whales doesn’t technically celebrate Valentine’s Day, instead they celebrate Saint Dwynwen’s Day on January 25. Saint Dwynwen is the Welsh patron saint of lovers.

Wales

Tradition: Men make a “love spoon” and present it to his love. A love spoon is an intricately carved wooden spoon with patterns and symbols to signify different meanings; for example a horse shoe means good luck, a key means the key to the man’s heart.

mo Every Language st

Al

South Africa Language(s): Afrikaans, Swati, Zulu Tradition: Women wear their hearts on their sleeves... literally.

Women sew a heart onto their sleeve with the name of their “crush” in the middle of the heart. In some cases this is how men find their secret admirers.

The tradition is based off of the ancient Roman tradition called Lupercillia.

Denmark Denmark Language: Danish Tradition: Men give women a gaekkebrev or a “joking letters” which is a funny poem or rhyme written on an intricately cut paper signed in anonymous dots. If the woman guesses who sent her the letter the male owes her an Easter egg later that year. Lovers also exchange snowdrops – pressed white flowers – and cards.

Info from: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/viator/10-valentines-day-traditi_b_9190888.html

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| February 2018 13

SPORTS

THE SHS

The Cub Reporter strives to cover everything we can, but with so many things going on during the year, it can be difficult. And so: The SHS Extra Inning was born. Here we cover everything we can fit in this space.

EXTRA INNING Natalie Nichols

Reporter

@natalie.e.n

Players develop family bonds on the court Freshman Haddie Boeken

Sophomore Bryson Brownlee

Junior Conan Ball

School Spirit

Senior Aniston Ramsey

The Cub Reporter takes a look at student section theme preferences.

24% 49% America

14% 13% Formal

Roller Coasters Senior Aniston Ramsey leads the student section in the “roller coaster” during the Sterling Invitational championship game on Jan. 19.

(Photo by Natalie Nichols)

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Blackout

Hawaiian (Poll taken by 70 students)

The winter sports season spans many months, leaving the players spending more time with each other than their own families.

Due to this, many athletes tend to view their teammates as more than fellow players.

Sophomore Caleb Lambert said he has grown close to the other guys on the boys basketball team.

“We’re all pretty much family and brothers,” he said.

These familial feelings create special bonds between the players, and this applies to the girls team as well.

“We always look out and take care of each other, and I really enjoy that because being a freshman is a big change from junior high,” freshman Natalie Schweizer said.

Q&A

Basketball Player Kayla Morris

CUB REPORTER: What’s it like playing varsity as a freshman?

Kayla: It’s very overwhelming, but I’m always really excited about being apart of a team that I never expected I’d be on as a freshman.

CR: How is high school basketball different from junior high?

KM: It’s more competitive, and I’m able to learn more than I did in junior high.

CR: What is your relationship like with the girls on the team?

KM: Since I’m on the same team as they are, I’ve gotten close with them, and they’re like a family to me.

CR: What are you most looking forward to as the season progresses?

KM: I’m looking forward to playing with all the young ladies on the team and new experiences with them.

OPINIONS POINT / COUNTERPOINT

Buy Me Love?

Valentine’s Day has lost its value to commercialization

Sacrifices made should be acknowledged and celebrated

In third-century Rome, Emperor Claudius II decreed that soldiers fought better without the distraction of a wife and family, and as a result, Catholic priests were no longer to perform marriage ceremonies. Saint Valentine defied this decree and continued to marry young couples in secret for a year before being arrested and martyred on February 14. Out of his bravery, in the name of love, the holiday Valentine’s Day was born. Sadly, this is no longer the meaning of the holiday. It is about spending money on expensive and unhealthy candy or chocolates, on gigantic, useless, stuffed bears, and flowers that will die in three days. It has become a commercialized holiday that is used by businesses to rip people off and charge far more for merchandise than is ethical. This Valentine’s Day, the National Retail Federation is projecting that $18.2 billion, an average of $136 per person, will be spent for the holiday in the United States alone. $18.2 billion for spoiled rich Americans to show their significant others how much they love them on a certain day by giving them useless garbage. Instead, spend time, effort, and money on smaller acts of love that are more meaningful than chocolate and bears. Rather than spending hundreds of dollars on candy or a fancy dinner, get back to the true

Emperor Claudius II in third-century Rome, decided that single men make better soldiers ones with wives and families, he made marriage for young men illegal.

Valentine decided this law was unfair and went against Claudius’ word. He continued to perform marriages for young lovers in secret. Due to Valentines rebellion, it allowed many lovers to express their love together, and we use the day St. Valentine died, because of the sacrifices he made. Valentine’s Day is a very controversial holiday for many reasons, one being that it is a day set apart just to celebrate your love for an individual.

We don’t need a specific day to celebrate love, but it’s

COLUMN BY KAYLIE ZIMMERMAN @kayliezimm meaning behind Valentine’s Day and do something fun and unique that will help you become closer to your boy/ girlfriend. Spaghetti, homemade chocolate chip cookies, or board games are a great way to laugh and have fun without spending a ton of money. Ask your significant other what they would have the most fun doing. Stop caving to the social pressure to “give valentines” and all of the cliche, commercialized, fake “love” and find the true meaning of Valentine’s Day.

Sterling High School |

COLUMN BY MCKIAH SAN MIGUEL @kiiaahhh great that it exists. The day is an opportunity to love, love.

We can celebrate our love for family, friends, and significant others. A way we choose to do this is giving candy to our loved ones to show small tokens of affection, celebrating other types of love, hanging out with the people you love, and loving them harder. Even making a thoughtful gift for your significant other is just as appreciated as a dozen roses, it’s the thought that counts.

Valentine’s Day is more than just being showered in gifts, and the gifts in my opinion are completely unnecessary.

We’re able to use this day to show how much you love someone and getting to put all your love out there. The love that is shown doesn’t have to romantic, but could be directed towards your friends. Who needs a boy when you have the girls? The heart is so receptive to love on this holiday.

In any shape or form we seek to find it especially on Valentine’s Day. Celebrate this holiday with friends and family, or just treat yourself to some good chocolate. Valentines Day should still be celebrated, because of the history behind it. The sacrifices St. Valentine made allowed us to be able to love without having to hide it.

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| February 2018 15

ENTERTAINMENT NOTE: Killer Serial Fiction is a part of Sterling Student Publications. It is the home of creative writing by Sterling High School creative writing students. Stories appearing here are works of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental. These stories are presented for entertainment purposes only and are not intended to be read as being part of Sterling Student Publications news coverage. For more stories, visit www.sterlingstudentpublications.com/fiction.

A Change of Image

BY ANNA CARROLL Liquid clouds, still and light, reflected by the glass waters, did not but stur slightly in a chilly northern wind that teased of a heavy rain, unneeded and unwanted. Where the waters ceased and the clouds began, was indiscernible. The real question was did one end and one begin or were they simply one? A mountain, unpredictably large, stood behind as if an answer that was as unwanted as the prowling rain. The fluid of the delicate, shapeless clouds obscured the height of the great mountain, which seemed to awkwardly sit, unable to leave and unable to accept its presence. Its roots burrowed into what seemed to be the ground, but was it? If the sky and sea were one, would it be floating or sinking? All was a single liquid, all flowing together around me.

The only discernible and predictable thing was the building I sat inside of. The black bleakness of it was shocking, almost as shocking as the sudden mountain. Everything was damp from the moisture the clouds emanated. Even then, I felt myself begin to fold into the landscape, becoming fluid myself, awaiting to evaporate and disperse into the air where I would hover aimlessly.

It was time to…

“HOWARD!” “Carson, my name is NOT HOWARD! And I was about to achieve zen. I was-.”

“I don’t actually care, HAROLD. Take off your dumb VR Yoga gear and come on. The only “ommm” I want to hear is when I’m taking a huge bite of sesame noodles.”

Sighing heavily, I took off the gear. It was handy. It helped me when I was stressed but it was good for avoiding conversation.

One look at my Indian-style stance, the back of my palms resting on my knees, my middle finger and thumb touching gently, and people would leave silently. Too bad Carson didn’t give a single crap about me and my stress.

I couldn’t stop picturing the scene in my mind, even after lunch hour had come and gone and I was back at work. It was almost annoyingly calm how much the vision pressed forward through my thoughts and distracted me from my work. I didn’t understand at that time what was happening to me. A fortune teller later that week would say that it was where I had lived in my former life. A close friend would mock me and try the VR gear himself, only to find that it was just an image and had nothing to do with me or my emotions. My boss threatened to fire me when I asked him to look at the image. Then I ended up asking a complete stranger, who had the answer.

I was sitting outside of a coffee shop, staring into my untouched green tea. I couldn’t stop thinking about it: the image.

16

I had seemed to be floating in mid air, though I had been seated on top of my desk. I had seemed sleepy and yet enlivened. I didn’t want to leave that vision ever. I had gone back to the image multiple times, walking around in the virtual world but always ending up back at the spot where I started. It was like a maze in the fog. The mountain would go on for miles left and right and nothing remained inside the house. So many times I remained in the house, staring at the still clouds, gazing at the shallow waters that surrounded me, reflecting everything as perfectly as glass.

What was it that I wanted there? What did I need so badly that I couldn’t leave that image alone?

“You need peace.”

“Excuse me?” I popped out of my trance and saw a waiter standing next to me, glancing occasionally to my cold tea as he continued to explain his words.

“You need peace. Your life has been an endless cycle of understanding, repetition, and thoughtless actions. You find peace in difference. When your schedule is disrupted, you love it. It is difficult to adjust to the change, but you love it. It’s the closest thing to a thrill you’ve ever had. I understand. I am the same way.

May I?” He pulled out a seat and set down his tray, locking eyes with me. “I’m not saying I have peace for you. I’m simply saying you need to find your peace. You need something to stir the still pools of your life. You’ve only ever lived here haven’t you. May I see this image?” I handed him the VR gear, stunned silent. A large grin spread across his face as he turned, taking in the virtual landscape. “This is your life. This image represents your life. That is why it upsets you and you can’t let it go. You need this for yourself. The fog is the haze that you are living in, the constant cycle of events, the same exact thing every week- everything is the same for you. The mountain represents your will to change your life.

You feel the mountain will continue to block your way no matter how many times you try to go around and the top is not visible so you think the risk of doing something daring is not worth it. The house represents everything that you have ever done in your past.

It’s what defines you, or so you feel, and you keep going back to it because you feel safe. It’s something you can see, it’s something you recognize, and it’s something that has always been there for as long as you remember.” He removed the gear and locked eyes with me once more, the smile softening. “Now this only came from what I needed to tell myself. It may not perfectly fit your situation. But I hope I helped a little bit. Have you ever tried… changing the picture?”