The Eagle Angle Issue 1 by The Eagle Angle

the eagle angle Volume 33 issue 1

tuesday, september 22, 2015

Athletes

take on new

role PAGE 6

Changing Paths a letter From the new Editor

Editor-In-Chief Rachel Moretti

Sr. Managing Editors Jordyn Ruiz

Audrey Stelmach

Jr. Managing Editor Sara Schleede

Design editor Madison Reynolds

Photo Editor Jackson Stone

Sports Editor Dillon Tye

News/Feature Editor Layal Zalkout

Commentary Editor Megan Shankle

staff

Bryn Chambers, Cambria Tognaci, Ciara Carr, Coleman Pyeatt, Danielle Guzman, David Bryant, Deatrik Bledsoe, Divya Jagadeesh, Ella Geosits, Evan Kalvesmaki, Farah Nashat, Josh Magpantay, Julia Zaksek, Kaitlyn Brown, Katy Schwegman, Madeline Chalkley, Makayla Nerpel, Maleeha Ashnullah, Mark Young, Michiah Fickle, Naomi Fluckiger, Parker Primrose, Sydney Slater, Tate Peterson

Adviser

Kelly Juntunen

Policy:

The Eagle Angle distributes 1000 copies of each issue on campus to faculty and students. Content may be viewed online at theeagleangle.com. Letters to the editor should be submitted to eachiefs@gmail.com. Businesses who wish to advertise should contact Kelly Juntunen, newspaper adviser, at 469-319-6216. The Eagle Angle reserves the right to deny publication of advertisements. Advertisements are not necessarily endorsed by the staff or administration. All editorials reflect the views of the authors, and do not necessarily represent the views of the staff, adviser or administration. The Eagle Angle is a member of Quill and Scroll, the Interscholastic League Press Conference and JEA/NSPA.

ith every new school year comes a new set of leaders: new student body presidents, new football stars, even new famously annoying people on Twitter. In newspaper, we gain a new editorial board and staff, ready to achieve higher levels of journalistic excellence. While I am proud to say that I am the new Editor-in-Chief of the Eagle Angle for the 2015-2016 school year, I know that this means far more than the title. It’s going to mean more than a few late nights, early mornings and missed deadlines. More than a few red stands full of newsmagazines we poured our heart and soul into. Being an editor means being a leader of an ever-evolving part of Allen High School. K113 is quite literally the heart of our school, because the Eagle Angle never stops. We strive to keep our readers informed, entertained and constantly thinking deeper about our lives. Yes, we do make a few mistakes along the way, but that’s expected. This year we are going through some of the biggest changes our newspaper has ever experienced. Many elements of previous years will be incorporated into the fast-paced, forward moving publication we are working to maintain. We plan to publish more issues than any other year, while also rebuilding our multimedia platforms. Change can be scary, but incredibly rewarding. That’s why in this issue we highlighted the unique journey of two student athletes that gave up their sport to pursue other passions. It was a major change for them, but they have both expressed anticipation for their new directions. I cannot express enough how excited and hopeful I am for the Eagle Angle this year. I know we will continue to improve and build further upon the steady foundation our previous editors have created for us. This summer we worked harder than ever to ensure we are prepared to deliver the highest quality website and newsmagazine the Eagle Angle has ever had. So keep a close eye on us, because we are ready to show you Allen from every NEW angle.

Sincerely,

Rachel Moretti Rachel Moretti, Editor-in-Chief

5 Help for our Homes

6 Act II

8 Behind the Wheel

photos by // Katie Serrano and Blake Bush

9 An Honorable Mention

Contents

10 Hall Way to Fame

Indulge on Toxic Music

Eagles in a Class of their Own

Streaming Giants

news briefs

Briefs by: Naomi Fluckiger and Sara Schleede Carly Fiorina called out Donald Trump and his frequent insults pointed at other candidates at the GOP Debate Sept. 16. Trump dismissed Fiorina’s criticisms, saying she had a “beautiful face.” Fiorina later responded to the remark, saying, “Women are half this nation. Half the potential of this nation. But somehow we still spend a lot of time talking about women’s appearance and not their qualifications.”

Millions of people in the Middle East and neighboring European countries have been forced to leave their homes due to war in Syria, persecution, oppression and terrorism connected to ISIS. These refugees have fled using any transportation possible further into Europe, many dying along the way. The European Union held an emergency meeting to determine how to handle the situation last week.

The death of Freddie Gray last April while in police custody caused riots in Baltimore. Now,five months later a $6.4 million settlement with the city has been proposed by Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake. The settlement does not hold the city or the police officers liable for the death and is the proposed end to the unrest.

ICE JUST 4 DIE FRED ! A GR Y

Kentucky county clerk Kim Davis was released from jail Sept. 9. Davis was arrested last week for resisting a court order to issue same-sex marriage licenses. Judge David L. Bunning declared that her office was “fulfilling its obligation to issue marriage licenses to all legally eligible couples,” and so she was allowed to return to work so long as she doesn’t interfere with the office’s efforts to issue marriage licenses.

Irving ISD freshman Ahmed Mohamed was arrested for bringing what was suspected to be a bomb to his school Sep. 14. After extensive investigation, the homemade device was found to be a clock. “#IStandwithAhmed” trended on social media in response to the news, as much of the population suspected the arrest to be based off of racial profiling.

4 Photos from Tribune News Service

taking root

Story by: Divya Jagadeesh Photo by: Kaitlyn Brown

environmental awareness team plants grass to restore ecosystem

he Blackland Prairie, the city’s ecosystem, has been continually restored over the years to how it used to be, and now with help from local high school students, it’s closer than ever. The Connemara Conservancy, located at the corner of Bethany and Alma, is one of the state’s leaders in environmental conservation and education. It aims to help farmers, landowners and local governments. The Advanced Plants and Soils class, led by Heidi Reese, is helping the conservancy to restore undeveloped land by propagating seeds and reintroducing native grasses to the ecosystem. “[The] main goal of the Connemara Meadow Preserve is to return the meadow to its original tall grass Blackland Prairie ecosystem and preserve it as an example of the biodiversity native to this area,” Reese says. “It is used as an educational tool to teach the importance of nature and the preservation of our natural ecosystems.” Reese said that the conservation effort can be crucial to the local ecosystem’s survival. “There is less than one percent left [of the Blackland Prairie] and the tall grass prairie is considered the most endangered large ecosystem in the United States,” she said.“If conservation efforts are not put forth, we will lose our original native ecosystem forever.” Senior Randi Barham, one of Reese’s students

taking part in the project, agrees with her teacher, saying that people need to take care of our resources. “We live on a planet with limited resources that we will run out of,” Barham said. “We need to take care of what we have.” Barham says she hopes that the reintroduction of these tall grasses will be good for the local ecosystem. “I would hope that some of the native species of animals would go back to it [the land],” she said. Barham also says that although she isn’t sure what she’ll do after this project to help the local environment, she is definitely interested in continuing to help the environment. “After this project is complete I’m not sure what I’m doing yet, but there are so many projects out there or people who just need volunteers to create a difference, and I’ll definitely find one to help out in,” she said. Reese says she believes that this project will help her students learn better than sitting in a classroom. “There are not too many things you can do in high school that will have that kind of long term, positive impact on their community,” she said. “These students will forever be tied to this area and will more than likely care about how the environment is treated here because they have a vested interest in how their grass is being treated.”

ACT II Athletes leave the sports spotlight and take center stage

veryone had a dream job that they put down on their “about me” poster at some point in elementary school. Whether it be a professional athlete or a doctor, individuals want to be someone who did something great. High school tweaks some of those goals and sometimes completely turns them in a different direction. Junior Patrick Vu and Senior Dwight Taylor both turned their dreams around and focused on something different. Vu decided to stop swimming after eight years to pursue Encore Choir and become a full IB candidate. Yet, giving up swim had positive effects. “I noticed that I have a lot more time to do schoolwork because I don’t have anymore after school practice,” Vu said. “I (also) don’t have to wake up at 5:30 in the morning anymore.” Encore has provided Vu with the ability to see and experience how a show choir would run. He is currently considering pursuing a career as a choir director after college. “This summer I went to a choir camp at TCU. Their music education program is wonderful,” Vu said. “My passion is music, so I love that I get to join Encore. Every day I get to go to a music class, which is awesome.” The accolades for high school sports are big, as is shown in the huge trophy case in the front entrance of Allen High School. “If I had stayed in varsity swim, I feel like I would have continued it in my senior year to stay in varsity,” Vu said. “That would have been a big achievement. My whole [view] on things would have been different.” Similar to Vu, Taylor quit basketball right before earning a spot on the varsity team. Instead he joined Encore and Chorale. Taylor is actively pursuing alongside his other fine art activities. The choice did not come easily for him. “Honestly, it was a leap of faith,” Taylor said. “Nothing really made me want to quit. It was just a decision that was in my head and then one day at practice, [I decided] that I wanted to see how others things [would] be.”

Taylor moved to Allen from Georgia, where he participated in basketball and theater at the same time. He said that moving to Texas forced him to choose between the two. “I had to make a decision. It was either basketball or theater,” Taylor said. “In freshman year, I wanted to play basketball, and I stuck with it for as long as I could.” Taylor has currently taken on the role of Captain Hook in the “Peter Pan” production and is considering pursuing musical theater in college. His new path is much different from his previous athletic standpoint, but he feels like he made the right decision, despite people’s expectations. “[Basketball] was more about meeting the expectation of everybody else,” Taylor said of meeting the athletic standards. These expectations are what drive many athletes. “That was killer by itself. [With theater], there are expectations that I do have to meet but I feel like they are of my own, in a sense,” Taylor said of the expectations then versus now. Drastic change causes a drastic alteration in perception. “People look at me and I am 6-foot-2 inch man. People see me as an athlete. But I am not an athlete – I’m an actor,” Taylor said. “I feel like the biggest difference [after switching paths] is how people perceive me.” For both Vu and Taylor, their dreams and ambitions came with prices to give up something they had both held dear for so long. The decision has been made though, and neither one of them are looking back wondering if they made the wrong decision. Vu said he encourages those wanting to try a new activity to give it a shot. “If it’s something that you want to pursue and it is something you love doing, just try it,” Vu said. “We are in high school and this is the time to try new things. On rare occasions will you get another chance to try something new. Have that experience.” Story by: Dillon Tye and Layal Zalkout Photos by: Dillon Tye and Jackson Stone

behind the wheel

Allen bus driver places in national and international bus driving safety competitions Story by: Kaitlyn Brown

us driver Angie Ortiz represented Texas in the annual School Bus Driver International Safety Competition, or “roadeo” where bus driving skills are challenged. She placed first nationally and third internationally. Following her success, Ortiz gives insight into the behind the scenes of a bus driver’s life, and her recent decision to leave the world of bus-driving mostly behind. In Minneapolis, she competed against bus drivers from around the nation and Canada. Ortiz relates the changes as a result of her win. “You get recognized by your peers [when you win], [my peers] recognize what I do and they give me that respect,” Ortiz said. “If there is an employee that is doing something to put the name of the school district out there, it is very commendable.” Ortiz described how she reached this point of success in her career after having driven a bus for 9 years, and competed in the roadeo for eight years. “I never got discouraged, I just wanted to do it again and again,” Ortiz said. “I just love it. The roadeo made me a better driver. Not necessarily a better bus driver, [because] that comes with the attitude.” Ortiz was originally from Mexico, and she moved to the U.S. when she was 20 years old after marrying her husband, who is from the states. She said she started driving out of necessity to take care of her two daughters. “I had to do something that would allow me to still care for my little one and have the same holidays off and Saturdays and Sundays off,” Ortiz said. “Driving the bus was perfect because they let

me have my baby on the bus with me. So I drove the bus all the time and she was there with me. She grew up on the bus, literally.” Throughout her nine years, Ortiz has gotten to drive the Escadrille to the football games, and she said she enjoyed getting to know the students. After she started winning competitions, she got to put her name on the outside of her bus. “I had a brand new bus, and they put my name outside the bus. It was the only bus to have a name, and it had it on the title: ‘State Champion,’” Ortiz said. “I drove them every single Friday, and they called my bus the party bus.” Now, after 9 years as a bus driver, Ortiz has taken a part time job as a Spanish teacher at Curtis Middle School. She only drives the bus in the mornings, but said she enjoys teaching because it means more time with her students. “Driving the bus, I worked with kids, especially middle school age, and that is what inspired me to become a teacher,” Ortiz said. “I wanted more than 20 minutes, 15 minutes that I would have with the kids and that’s why I decided to be a teacher. I love teaching, I love doing it and talking with students. I love the school environment.” She said she is also working for her math certification, and continues to encourage her students, both on the bus and in the classroom. “I always tell them ‘you have to act like a leader or be a follower,” Ortiz said. “Don’t you ever ever quit if you don’t get something right, do not think you cannot learn a new language’. I learned English when I was 22, so if I was able to learn by myself, I didn’t go to school to learn English, I tell them, you can do this.”

An Honorable Nomination

Staff member nominated for Presidential award

story by: Jordyn Ruiz

ormer Anatomy and Physiology teacher Cara Johnson was nominated for a Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching this past January. This is Johnson’s first nomination for a Presidential Award in her teaching career. “Simply being nominated is huge,” Johnson said. “I know very few teachers [here] in Allen have even been simply nominated. So [to be nominated] was a huge recognition.” The Presidential Awards for Excellence in Science, Engineering and Mathematics Teaching(PAESMET) is a program that was created to identify and recognize individuals and organizations that have contributed outstanding efforts in mentoring and have enhanced the participation of individuals who might not otherwise have considered or had access to opportunities. Johnson began her teaching career educating health care patients as a dietitian before transitioning to being a teacher at Allen High School. “It was a very frustrating job, I couldn’t give patients willpower

Photo by: Tim Carroll

to eat healthy to lose weight,” Johnson said. “So after six years, I decided that I loved the teaching part but I didn’t like any of the sick people so I went back and got my teaching certification.” Since then, Johnson has been teaching in Allen for the past six years and is currently in her seventh year with the district. “Allen was very brave and they took a risk with me. I had no experience in the classroom [and] they hired me,” Johnson said. “When I was at the hospital I knew that one day I would do something different. This is where I’m supposed to be. I will be here at Allen until I retire. I love it here.” Johnson taught Anatomy and Physiology for five years until she was recently promoted over the summer to Science Instructionalist Specialist. In her new position, Johnson is no longer teaching students in the classroom but instead teaching the teachers how to “implement their instruction.” “Now I get to be more impactful. I get to make a bigger difference because now I get to help all of the science teachers at both Lowery and at the high

school,” Johnson said. After Johnson’s nomination, she had to fill out an application which included a written 22-page paper, a 45-minute video, a resume and several recommendation letters. “It was almost like a college application on steroids,” Johnson said. “I started crying when I submitted it, it was so long.” Out of those who applied only five science teachers were selected, Johnson included, and one of those five will be chosen as the Presidential Recipient. Johnson will be honored, along with the other nominees, at a science conference in November called CAST. Johnson has also been rewarded with a trip to Austin to speak at a school board meeting and to be recognized. The winner of the actual award, which will be announced this following January or February, then get to go to Washington D.C., to meet the president, and they will also receive $10,000. “It’s a huge deal,” Johnson said. “Clearly, to be the best science teacher in Texas [would be] huge.”

hall way to fame//

Student trains for upcoming Miss Teen Texas USA Pageant

story by: Bryn Chambers

yanla Hall would’ve won. That’s what her mother always says. Iyanla would’ve won if she hadn’t walked the stage crying for her mom. But walking out the door with a third place Pretty Little Princess trophy in her hand, she changed her mind. “Why didn’t you do that when it was your turn?” her mother said. “I don’t know. I’m 3.” “That’s how it all started,” Iyanla says. Iyanla is now a junior training for Miss Teen Texas USA 2016, and her mom will be there every step of the way. “For Miss Teen Texas, I was not expecting to get an acceptance letter. I was like ‘Oh my goodness,’” Iyanla says. “It’s like that thing when you think ‘Oh they won’t notice me,’ and then they do, and it just takes your breath away.” Although Iyanla started pageants young, she didn’t really get “serious” about them until a year ago when her mother saw a billboard for AMTC (Actors, Models and Talent for Christ) while driving home on a Friday afternoon. Iyanla looked up the agency’s website and saw that the audition was the very next day. “I was freaked out,” Iyanla said. “I was running around cause I really wanted to do this, and it was so sudden.” Over the summer, Iyanla attended a conference called Shine in Florida. On the day of her flight, a series of complications arose, and she had to navigate

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the airport and a completely new state without her “Momager” for a day. “It gave me a lot of experience,” Iyanla said. “It showed me what it was gonna be like when my mom’s not around. It was a learning moment to show when I feel alone who I’m gonna put my faith in, and that’s the Lord. If it weren’t for Him, I would’ve been a mess. It was really scary being without my mom.” Iyanla is training to prepare for the upcoming pageant’s categories such as the interview in evening gown and the swimsuit portion. “It’s been a lot,” Iyanla says. “It honestly feels similar to Shine, but a lot more competitive. Now I have to get a trainer and start getting in shape more. I’ve been working out at home. I have a potential personal trainer opportunity. I’ve been conscious of what I’m eating. I’ve been trying to keep my skin clear.” AMTC has also been preparing Iyanla for auditions to go in front of VIP’s from big companies such as 20th Century Fox or VAT. “I’ve always been a confident person, but I used to not want to go in front of a bunch of people and talk,” Iyanla said. But she’s not scared this time. “I’m really looking forward to it,” Iyanla says. “I feel like I’m going at a good pace right now with my preparation, so I’m very confident about that.”

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Indulge on toxic music Indulgent band leader Abhi Velaga writes and produces album story by: Ciara Carr photo courtesy of: Subhanjali Velaga

Indulgent band members Gnadt(left), Velaga (middle), and Duncan (right) rehearsing a song in their studio.

odies are packed tightly into a small upstairs bedroom with garage punk music making the carpet floor vibrate. In the corner, three figures have the entire room’s attention. The energy is high as heads move with their beat. In the near future, Abhi Velaga and his band Indulgent hope to recreate this scene. Junior Abhi Velaga has self-produced his own album as a solo project and put together a band to perform his originals. Inspired by bands like Red Hot Chili Peppers and Deftones, Velaga taught himself how to play the guitar, bass and drums. “I wrote all the songs myself [and] I played all the instruments,” Velaga said. “Everything you hear in it is me.” Without any previous experience in the world of music production, Velaga decided to do everything himself. Introduced by an audio software on his MacBook, Velaga began messing around with loops and writing songs. “No one taught me anything,” Velaga said. “I never had any exposure to any audio producing.” Only a week before the set release of June 9th, Velaga realized he had to finish producing the album. Half of the tracks were recorded, while some of them were unfinished. Because it was finals week, he was then left with two choices: to finish the album or to study for exams. “I did all of the recording during finals,” Velaga said. “My mom still jokes about it.” When the album was complete, Velaga decided to release it under the band’s name, Indulgent. Even though he was the only one featured on it, Velaga figured he would put the content out without the band fully assembled. “There’s no literal meaning behind the word,” Velaga said. “It was a phrase that kind of hit me in the face when I thought of it.” The album title, Toxic, was chosen to reflect all the negative aspects of his teenage years.

“I found that the entire album is centered around me getting out toxic things that have happened to me in my life,” Velaga said. While producing Toxic, Velaga enjoyed the process so much, he didn’t feel as if he just created an album. “It started sinking in the past few months of how big of a deal it is,” Velaga said. “Not many teenagers do that apparently.” The final product was released at 4:20 P.M. on June 6, 2015, for a small cost of $6.66. But these numbers were not just a coincidence. “It’s the holy trinity,” Frisco senior Alex Duncan, bassist of Indulgent, said. After searching for over a year, Velaga was finally able to put a band together. Junior Tricia Gnadt joined and was taught to play the drums by Velaga from scratch. “It’s going surprisingly well,” Gnadt said. After the addition of Duncan in the summer, Indulgent was fully formed. The band hopes to make it in the music industry and become full time performers. Although they are aware of their slim chances of actually making it, Indulgent is still optimistic about the future. “I learned that if you don’t go into it head first with full passion, your chances are pretty much zero,” Velaga said. Outdoor gigs and house shows are next on the agenda for Indulgent. They haven’t performed since coming together, but are excited to plan shows soon. “We’ve spent the entire summer rehearsing,” Velaga said. “We’re pretty much ready.” With the album dropped and his band completed, the only thing left for Velaga to do is make a final statement. “Screw your idols, don’t be a consumer, be independent.” For more information visit Indulgent’s website here: http://indulgent.bandcamp.com/

Photo by: Jackson Stone

EAGLES in a class of their own Allen Named Only Public School in Top 5 for Football

he Allen Eagles are a known football powerhouse throughout the nation. The team is the defending national champs and the three-time defending Texas state champions. That past success has earned the Eagles a spot once again on top of the national polls. Allen sits at No. 5 in the nation along with Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas), St. Thomas Aquinas (Florida), Centennial (California) and Dematha (Maryland). The Eagles are distinguished from that group by the fact that Allen is a public school and the rest of the teams on that list are private. “Allen has such great facilities including our stadium, weight room, training staff, our coaches and our fans,” junior cornerback Michael Newsome said. “No other school can compete with us.” The Allen football experience is different than most other public schools when it comes to Friday night lights. Texas is huge on high school football but maybe no other city makes that more evident than Allen, from the $60 million stadium to the 20,000 plus people who fill the stadium every Friday. “It is like nothing I have ever felt before. It feels like you are on top of the world, it is an amazing experience,” junior wide receiver Sammy House said. Although most top flight athletes usually choose private schools instead of public, Allen has managed to keep many of these players from leaving its program. “Most of us grow up dreaming of being an Allen Eagle so when it happens we put everything

we have and more into it,” junior right tackle Will Sherman said. “It all starts in elementary school with performance course. It molds us into great athletes and people.”

“No other school can compete with us.” -Michael Newsome

Allen’s community is centered around the Eagles — thousands of people come out for the games every Friday night and a lot of them show up a few hours before kick off. The citizens of Allen have adopted the Eagles as their team and show unbelievable loyalty to the Eagles and have great pride in the city. “The support coming from the fans helps a lot during the games because it gives us even more confidence when we are playing and sometimes stuns our opponents,” Newsome said. Allen has once again started off the season on a positive note with a 3 and 0 record through the first three games of the season. The Eagles have yet to miss a beat and look to be on course for another run at the state title and look to continue as a top five team in the nation unlike any other public school. Story by: Mark Young

REAChing new heights Suspended two stories in the sky, Allen High School senior Nick Froman relishes in the adrenaline rush. “[All you’re thinking about is] trying to get that next hold,” he said. Froman is rock climbing, and like many other Allen students, is seeking the mental and physical challenge that comes along with it. “[Rock climbing is getting popular because] people want to get outdoors,” Froman said. “We’ve spent so much of our time staring at our phones, indoors. The ability to get outside [attracts people].” With everyone looking for new ways to work out and stay in shape, Froman says rock climbing is a great place to do just that. “It’s definitely a good way to [exercise],” Froman said. “It hurts a lot at first. You’re gonna have some really sore forearms and shoulders, but it’s a lot of fun.” Rock climbing isn’t just a physically challenging sport though, as it requires the mind

to be in shape as well. “Being good at rock climbing has a lot to do with your technique,” Froman said. “You’re having to exercise your mind just as much as your body.” The best way to improve as a climber, Froman said, is to “pick

a goal.” “Every time you get into the gym, [pick a goal],” Froman said. “Pick a route and do it until you get it right, or pick a hold that you’re trying to get to and [climb] until you make it.” Climbing isn’t just about

Story by: Parker Primrose

pushing yourself to your limits though, Froman says, as it also gives you an opportunity to clear your head. “It takes your mind off of everything else,” Froman said. “If you’re having a weird day or have a lot on your mind, you get out there and when you’re 20 feet up from the ground and trying to get that last hold, you’re not thinking about anything else. [Climbing’s] got a meditative quality to it.” Nearby climbing gyms include places like the Canyons Rock Climbing Gym in Frisco or the Summit Gym in Carrollton, where Froman goes. So whether a student is a thrill seeker, looking to get outdoors, or just looking for a good workout, rock climbing might just be the sport for them. Froman just has one tip: “Stick with it. It’s a lot of fun.”

Photo submitted by: Nick Froman

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streaming giants

Music has become an integral part of the modern high school student’s arsenal against typical class boredom. The right streaming service just might make your Pre-Cal class a bit more bearable. I’ve picked apart three of the streaming giants to give you the ins and outs of each and help choose the best fit for you.

Song recommendations are pretty solid

Apple Music offers a 3 month trial period

“Thumbs up” and “thumbs down” options

The second you start using Apple Music, it immediately learns your taste in music to build better song recommendations

Sleek and user-friendly interface Obnoxious ads. Every five seconds. Seriously. Lack of playlist creation The user is completely at the mercy of Pandora’s song selection algorithm

I was impressed by the wide range of music recommended

Fast, relatively bug-free streaming Wide customization options Offline streaming Wide selection of music

Apple Music’s free version has extremely limited features The app is obviously still improving. It had a lot of bugs when I tried to use it

STAFF EDITORIAL From an outspoken business mogul to a former First Lady to a neurosurgeon to yet another Bush, there is a colorful collection of candidates participating in the 2016 presidential race. While such a variety of potential presidents can lead to plenty of interesting conversation, the upcoming election is no joke, and discussion should be about politics, not the extraneous “hilarity” of those running. The Huffington Post made the decision to post all updates about Donald Trump’s candidacy under their entertainment section. Social media is saturated with images and memes about several different politicians. Overall,

Gorgeous interface

the presidential race has become nothing more than a new story to laugh at, ignoring the actual matters at hand. Who to vote for is an important decision. A candidate’s opinions on relevant topics are revealed as they campaign, and it is the media’s job to inform the public about these political stances. The appearance of Donald Trump’s hair and the brand of Hillary Clinton’s suit jacket aren’t relevant topics. We students especially need to take part in informative conversations about issues that affect us as we become voters and independent adults. As our political stances form, any

I’m really not a fan of the search function. It saves every single little thing you type into the search bar. Review by: Makayla Nerpel

information we can gather is important. Measuring presidential candidates for entertainment value instead of their professional credibility is distracting and can lead to misinformation. So let’s not vote for Donald Trump because it’s “funny.” Let’s not superimpose pictures of Bernie with corny comments in silly fonts. Let’s pledge to try our best to filter through the jokes flooding social media. Let’s use our platform on social media to share information about issues affecting the country we live in. Let’s take the presidential race seriously, because one of those colorful candidates will be running the country.

make for an incredible debut that’s already sent her into stardom. Just hearing a few songs on Badlands will really show listeners where Halsey truly shines; her lyrics. The track “Colors” has taken her fans’ Twitter bios by storm, with every line in the song better than the last. “You’re dripping like a saturated sunrise/ you’re spilling like an overflowing sink,” Halsey croons. The lyrics that make the song, however, are the spoken-word bridge. “You were red/ and you liked me because I was blue,” she begins, the

Badlands Review B

adlands is the debut album by 20-yearold Ashley Frangipane, who performs under the name Halsey. The record features “Ghost” and “New Americana,” and explores the Badlands, a metaphor for Halsey’s dynamic headspace. Her deeply personal, envelope-pushing lyrics, combined with her sultry, raspy vocals

atmosphere shifting from an upbeat chorus to a more quiet, intimate tone. “You touched me and suddenly I was a lilac sky/ And you decided purple just wasn’t for you.” Halsey finishes soberly, leaving the listener feeling just as raw as Halsey sounds while delivering the heartbreaking line. Halsey’s lyrical genius on Badlands however, wouldn’t be as impactful without her rough, emotional, effective delivery of it, with a perfect example being a later track, “Control.” “I’m meaner than my demons / I’m bigger than these bones” she sings confidently. The bridge goes nearly dead silent, aside from a bit of horror movieesque ambiance, where she echoes ominously in a monotone voice, “I’m

well acquainted with villains who live in my head/ they beg me to write them so they never die when I’m dead.” However, her low vocals are a two-way street. On one hand, they provide good accompaniment to her somber songs. But Halsey also limits herself on the higher notes, which are only really heard in the background harmonies. They add for nice ambiance, but it’d be nice to hear her really flex her vocals and put those highs in the spotlight. Overall, Badlands is an amazing debut that showcases what Halsey does best —; be herself. She’s bold, snarky, and doesn’t let anything hold her down. Review by: Evan Kalvesmaki

STUDENT OPINIONS ON CANVAS use Beginning this year, Canvas has become mandatory throughout all of the classes at Allen. Its main purposes are to give students and teachers a central tool to organize classwork, make use of a “flipped classroom” environment, and provide an online tool for school in this technology-centered world. Despite its good intentions, almost 70 percent of 100 students polled want to get rid of the site while a small minority like it.

8.3% Doesn’t like Canvas

22.2% 69.5%

Likes Canvas

Impartial

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