The InvestiGator by The InvestiGator

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Vol. 31, Issue 3 January 2022

Green Valley High School 460 Arroyo Grande Henderson, NV 89014

Are you an int ro

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Editor’s Note By The InvestiGator Staff

Happy New Year Gators! We hope everyone enjoyed their well deserved break and had a welcoming start into the new year. While it has been a struggle to readjust back into a daily routine, our staff has been hard at work in order to pick up where we left off last year. Like any other year, 2021 was filled with several ups and downs, such as finally having calm nerves over the vaccine after being approved by the FDA, to the devastating death of the beloved golden girl, Betty White. In this issue we focus on reconstructing the stigma that surrounds introverts and extroverts and the benefits of being both. Our news section shines light on some of the different groups found around campus, for example, Varsity Quiz Club, Key club and our school’s chapter of National Art Honors Society. In our feature section we detail a gymnast’s journey to UCLA, as well as a student led band. In the arts and entertainment section, we wrote about unconventional national holidays and some of the somewhat unusual upcoming roles Chris Pratt has. Lastly, our opinion section discusses the idea of high school relationships and several conspiracy theories created by our generation. We also debated whether or not technology is helpful when it comes to future generations and how it has affected our society thus far. Our staff has been eager to share our third issue of the year with everyone, despite many of the challenges we encountered along the way.

Co Editors-In-Chief: Brenna Knight Tyler Bonnette Violet LaMela

Managing Editors: Kristel Alfaro Borbon Cherie Franklin

Section Editors:

News:

Stormy Byrne Emma Trifonova

On the cover

Features:

Shaelyn Gamiao

Sports:

Jeremy Anderson Dilara King

A & E:

Lily Burke Adrian Sifuentes

Opinion:

Neyta Flores Esquer McKenzie Shelton-Lott

Reporters:

Explore the benefits of being an introvert or being an extrovert and how it affects you in social settings. Brenna Knight

Brandon Anderson Joe Byington Kayla DeMenezes Malia Deramus Simona Grigonis Evan Halfhill Ameya Naduvalath Nathan Paet Kinsley Priebe Brysan Wilson Harrell

Staff Manager: Jasmine Gomolka

Business Manager: Brook Gray-Vanderbur

Social Media Manager: Laycie Taylor

Copy Editors: Taylor Hunt Sowmya Kumar

Adviser:

Eric Johnston

The InvestiGator is a student-run and operated news magazine. All opinions and views expressed within are those of the author and not of the student body or staff of Green Valley High School. Letters to the editor or staff may be delivered to room 825 to Mr. Johnston or emailed to him at johnsem1@nv.ccsd.net

JETÉ - Senior Emma Rojas and the rest of the Dance Team leap as a part of their routine. The dance was preformed on Dec. 2, 2021.

Bailey Johnston

Green Valley High School 460 Arroyo Grande Henderson, NV 89014

INSIDE

GET SOME AIR Junior Max Segal attempts to score during a home game vs. Mojave on Jan. 13. The Gators dropped the conference game, 62-53.

CHERIE FRANKLIN | PHOTO

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NEWS Take a look into the highlights of 2021

FEATURE Student band releases EP and album

SPORTS Gymnast’s journey to UCLA

A&E Unconventional holidays that more should celebrate

PHOTO ESSAY

OPINION Consideration of questionable GenZ theories

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Aferdita Vinca

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Orchestra students exhibit skills Just like the other programs at Green Valley High School, excellence is an expectation. Every year, students in the orchestra, choir, and band prepare for multiple performances where they exhibit their skills that have been developing over the course of the year. For orchestra students, this means putting forth their best effort in expectation of a chance to perform with their classmates in front of family and friends to show just how much time and practice they have dedicated to succeeding. This dedication was evident at their winter concert that took place on December 10th, with the auditorium giving thunderous applause by the end of the night.

Seal of Biliteracy signups to close Hablas español? A i ʻole ka ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi? O Tagalog? Ou français? Ou português? If you speak another language besides English, then you are eligible to register for the Nevada Seal of Biliteracy! The Seal is awarded in recognition of students who have studied and attained proficiency in two or more languages by high school graduation. Sign ups are closing soon, so make sure you as a foreign language teacher about it today!

Gators gather gifts During the holiday season, it is often the case that many children are unable to receive gifts. Whether due to economic limitations or living conditions, missing out on this tradition of the holiday season is not a positive experience. Students noticed this issue and immediately began working on a way that they could contribute to solving this problem. The result was a program called Gators Give. Every year, the program works to manage a gift drive that students contribute to in their fourth period class. From this point, the program circulates the gifts to the parents of the children, who are able to make sure that their child’s christmas is as holly and as jolly as any other year.

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Getty Images

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Honorable expression

Art society draws their future plans By McKenzie Shelton-Lott

ince the beginning of time, art has been a form of expression for so many. Art has been used to release anger, sadness and even exhibit happiness. Many young people need this outlet and have found it within a community made specifically for them. National Art Honor Societies is a program designed for students with exceptional abilities in visual art to be recognized and supported. This provides a safe space for students to enjoy art with those who have similar interests.

opportunities to better themselves as artists and as students. They have done many community service events including working the school’s robotics competitions, helping out at Art in the Park and even school beautification. The club is currently working with the Memory Project to paint portraits of orphans in a different country and send the portraits to them. “I feel that we’re helping out the community and making a difference. It’s nice to do art related projects in the community,” sophomore Emi White, NAHS’ vice president, said. Many students also feel that NAHS is allowing them to form unique rela-

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through NAHS such as Pratt School of Art and Design, Maryland Institute College of Art and Columbus College of Art and Design. The current requirement for a graduation cord for NAHS is two years being an active member, with 70% of the meetings attended. “Unfortunately this year we cannot give out cords but we definitely plan to next year. Covid interrupted

many things including getting to start NAHS earlier,” Eames stated. Although this is the club’s first year existing on campus they do recognize the achievement that comes with starting a chapter, gaining membership and maintaining it. “Everyone has shown how they can cooperate. We’re a small group but we came to bat and we’re doing a really good job,” Eames said.

NAHS has allowed me to make friends who enjoy art just like me.

Emi White

This year is Green Valley’s first year having a NAHS chapter. It is currently run by art teacher Sarah Eames and they meet every Wednesday from 2:20 pm to 3:20 pm. In order for students to join NAHS they must meet the minimum requirements which include maintaining a 3.0 overall GPA, taking at least one semester of art and passing with an A. NAHS, unlike National Honors Society, does not focus solely on academic achievement although they do recognize its importance. “We require the 3.0 GPA because we don’t want students to get so caught up in extracurriculars that they forget the importance of their school work,” Eames said. NAHS also requires that their members have seven hours of community service per quarter. Through NAHS, students are offered many

tionships while practicing what they love. “NAHS has allowed me to make friends who enjoy art just like me. It’s different than meeting someone in class, we all know we share this interest,” White said. Some students, such as senior Eva Hopkins, even practice other forms of art, and make connections using NAHS. “Having another outlet for your art is so important. If you practice any type of art, you should connect it with another form of art,” Hopkins said. “I’m in theater and NAHS has really helped me with my art.” NAHS provides other outside opportunities on a larger scale as well. Students are offered chances for their art to be published in the NAHS newsletter, virtual exhibits and they are also offered virtual workshops. Many art schools even offer scholarships

Emma Trifonova

January 2022

6 news

Social and emotional assistance is in

Program highlights importance of SEL for young minds By Jasmine Gomolka

ocial and emotional skills have the ability to shape a student’s path for life. From first job interviews to start their career path, they may not know what to expect and may get anxious then begin to feel queasy and sweaty with nerves. Though many teenagers already have jobs, the professional skills needed to apply for a job and maintain emotions under stress might not come naturally to everyone. “I think it’s extremely beneficial

for them. I actually really feel like I’m teaching the class like I raise my own kids. We work on things like resolving conflicts, self awareness, energy and time management,” SEL teacher Elvin Dick said. SEL is also known as social and emotional learning or freshman studies. It is a starting base for students to help them develop and learn basic skills such as social awareness, establishing and maintaining healthy relationships, understanding and identifying emotion. “With 81 minute periods, I like to, at least once a week, try to do some-

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Social and Emotional learning gives you the skills to be a higher qualified pick when getting a job, and knowing how interact with customers, or colleagues. Social and Emotional learning gives you the skills of being able to compete fairly, and build great teamwork among peers or teammates. Learning how to communicate openly with peers or teachers with confidence while not letting negative emotions get in the way.

SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING Evan Halfhill

The InvestiGator

thing that we’d get outside and move around. They just think they’re shooting free throws, but it’s actually tied to a visualization like drill. It’s physical, but it’s going to tie back to the mind as well. So I try to intertwine all those things,” Dick said. The major topics of this program are self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationships and responsible decision making. Being open to change and self management through communicating clearly and managing time effectively can all be proof of these skills. “One of the three things I really try to focus on with the students, it not only helped me be a better collaborator, but it also helped me personally. You know, if you’re on a team or in a group, teachers and coaches might say, ‘Hey, you got to work together, right?’ But you never really work on what you can do individually as a person to be like a better teammate,” Dick said. “And that’s one of the things we’ve done and like the three things I talked about are being humble, hungry, and smart. Sometimes people that are introverted and shy, it can be a negative thing and they have to learn to speak up for themselves. So we work on that. As far as being hungry, it is someone who’s motivated to do well, usually is a good team player, but also being smart, smart as an intellectual, smart, but emotionally smart.” Freshman studies is mainly being taught through activities like journal writing about your day and progress, daily greetings, class meetings to talk about managing emotions, art projects, giving responsibilities to the students to practice time management such as setting goals, practicing problem-solving skills, encouraging positive self-talk and many more tasks for the students to work on. “I think more it’s helping with mental health as far as dealing with conflicts, recognizing our own emotions and being able to not allow some of the negative emotions to take over and situations, whether it’s in class getting upset with the student or the teacher learning ways to keep from flipping your lid, but I think that ties in to academics as well. Like teamwork, I think you need teamwork to be able to do a lot of things in the classroom with other students,” Dick said. “A lot of teachers do a lot of collaborative assignments, projects. You know, if you’re very shy and introverted, it’s hard to communicate

with others sometimes. And we work on that in the class as well as learning how to not only communicate with teachers, but also communicate with your peers.” SEL sets out to build many skills for students’ futures and help the development of such young and impres-

“ I actually really feel like I’m teaching the class like I raise my own kids.

Elvin Dick

sionable minds. When the students build up their social and emotional skills it motivates them, they may become more engaged in their school and work lives. “It’s like once every week we go outside, but I feel like it gives me time to work on school work that I have missed or do the work for his class. I feel like I’ve learned a lot of lessons, the real stuff like teamwork and how to build teamwork, which is one of the things you do on the football field. Another one was repetition and getting to do stuff more and how you get better, was another activity outside,” freshman Siena Farber said. SEL can also affect their peers and authorities. When teaching SEL, the teachers may be aware of their own social and emotional skills. It can affect everyone around them due to the positive thinking and affirmations within the minds around the one person who acquired the knowledge being taught in this program. Originally, this class included all grades and it was only one time a month. Now only freshmen are taking part in this class. This program helps students fill the gap between their childhood and adulthood lifestyles and prepares them for their lives in college and the workforce. Freshmen currently attend SEL every other day due to the newly implemented block schedule.

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creativecommons.org

January 2022

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Test your knowledge Varsity Quiz team takes on trivia competition against schools

By Shaelyn Gamiao

arsity Quiz is a trivia competition where CCSD schools compete in headto-head matches to correctly answer the most questions as possible. “It’s an exciting event to watch because schools can have teams of up to five members, and each member gets a buzzer to ‘buzz in’ if they think they know the answer to a question,” adviser Kaaveh Akbari said. The question topics vary but range from anything academic to current events. “They can include math, science, social studies, arts, and literature. There are also questions on sports and current events,” Akbari said. “So, anyone, regardless of how ‘smart’ they think they are, is capable of participating and contributing.” Intersquad competitions are held a couple times a week to prepare for competitions with other schools. “I’ll pull up a bank of trivia ques-

tions, and we’ll simulate a match,” Akbari said. “It provides a good opportunity for everyone to feel that ‘game pressure’ while still having fun.” As far as how the teams are set up, a limited amount of people are allowed to compete, but the players are cycled to give everyone a chance to play. “Essentially, we get one ‘team,’ and anyone that wants to be a part is welcome to join,” Akbari said. “While we can only have five players playing during an actual competition, we’re usually able to give everyone a chance to get some playing time throughout the season.” The team is open to everyone considering or curious about it. “Anyone that’s interested in joining the team can swing by Room 809 after school on Mondays and check it out,” Akbari said. “They can watch a practice, partake, or simply ask questions. The door is open for anyone to participate and enjoy. The more, the better.”

Brooklyn Tumminia

BUZZZ!! - Sophomore Weston Steed (left) and junior Tanner Langevald (right) compete during a Varsity Quiz meet on Nov. 30, 2021. The team practiced every Monday in Room 809, welcoming anyone else who joined.

INFOGRAPHIC HERE

Service for the holidays

Key Club organizes clothing drive for those in need

By Sowmya Kumar

he holiday season is a time of joy for many, but it is also an opportunity to help others and spread that joy around the community. Key Club, a student-led organization, arranges volunteer opportunities aimed at doing just that throughout the year. For members, the club is a perfect way to serve local neighborhoods, and it is one of the oldest and largest service organizations for high school students. Whether it be park clean-ups or participating in food drives to raise funds for charity, Key Club engages members in fun activities that bring students closer to the community. One popular event in the past that brought together many members was the Miracle Network Dance Marathon. Students gathered donations from friends and family, dancing the

night away alongside other members to raise funds for pediatric hospitals. “We’ve also had canned food drives and we’ve done a penny wars event where we collected money for Relay for Life,” adviser Hanna Santee said. Especially during the winter months, the service events that Key Club organizes can be hugely beneficial to those around the Valley. The Winter Wear Drive, a clothing drive event organized by Key Club, is the club’s way of providing to the homeless during the wintertime and getting the school involved in the project. “This was a new event we came with a couple of weeks before we actually did it. It was spontaneous, but it was super fun and a way to help the less fortunate,” vice president junior Sarah Maddison Doebler said. The drive lasted two weeks, with each fourth-period class competing

against one another to gather the highest amount of donations, with the winning class being awarded donuts. Each classroom was given a box that acted as the “drop-off” center for clothes that students and teachers were able to contribute to. “I believe the winner was the counseling office. Theatre also came in close. They only had one less clothing item,” Doebler said. At the end of the two week period, all the boxes were collected and taken to Santee. Club members then scoured through the boxes in her classroom, sorting the clothes into piles based on the clothing type. “One Saturday the kids helped sort out the clothes into jackets, hoodies, etc. And then I took it over to the Salvation Army. This is the first time the students have worked with them. However, Green Valley Kiwanis, which is Key Club’s parent organization, has a very close rela-

tionship with the Salvation Army. They help the food pantry pass out food on Tuesdays and Thursdays,” Santee said. This project brought members closer together while working towards the common goal of helping Vegas’ homeless community, ensuring that everyone can be comfortable in the colder weather with warm winter wear. The event may have been new, but it brought rewarding results. “I think the event was pretty successful. The students were very generous, and the entire back end of my SUV was full. It makes me proud of the kids because they’ve found a need in the community and helped fill that need,” Santee said. Events like this hosted by Key Club are just one way to give back to the community, but it creates lasting memories for both the students and those in need.

January 2022

10 feature

Poly club takes the stage Students celebrate Polynesian culture around campus By Brandon Anderson

f students have participated in the First Friday events in the quad or the Homecoming assembly in October, it is likely that they have seen students wearing colorful flower leis and performing hula dances in the courtyard or on the football field. These cultural celebrations, which have repeatedly drawn crowds of curious onlookers, can be attributed to Polynesian Club. “Not a lot of people know what Polynesia is, and it kind of gives us a community to just gather together,” senior Magdalene Timoteo, Poly Club president, said. Poly Club is all about the Polynesian culture and how it has grown over the generations of Neolithic Lapita origin. The club meets after school in Room 216, every Thursday. The meetings center around helping students connect to their heritage through studying traditional Polynesian dialects, the islands and customary songs. When the club is not

learning in the classroom, members practice Polynesian dances that they will perform at First Fridays and assemblies. “We try not to practice all the time because there is so much more to the culture,” Timoteo said. “We have found a balance by practicing after school when we can schedule meetings for everyone.” Each Polynesian dance is unique to itself and tells a different story. Two of the most well known dance styles include Hula Kahiko and Hula Auana, which represent both ancient and modern styles. These dances are typically accompanied by contemporary songs and chants to help explain stories of Polynesian mythology and cultural traditions. “I love [Polynesian dances] actually, I’ve been performing since I was young,” Timoteo said. Both dances and traditional instruction have helped members of Poly Club grow in their understanding of the culture. With Nevada having the sixth largest Polynesian population by state, the club serves

as a way for members to come together and share in their tradition. Poly Club’s role in bringing together students, who may otherwise feel disconnected from their upbringing, has also allowed for them to immerse themselves in learning about a line of heritage that often goes unrecognized. “I think we’ve all grown since we’re more connected with our family and ancestry,” Timoteo said. “Also, we’re connecting with each other by growing to love our culture and know it too.”

Poly Club also accepts members who do not come from a Polynesian heritage, and believes that everyone can come together to learn about the culture. Nobody is forced to partake in any activities, thus allowing students to take part in the events at their own pace. In doing so, the club has created an atmosphere that promotes unity and diversity. “Polynesian culture in general is all about love and acceptance,” Timoteo said. “Coming together to celebrate definitely should attract people to join.”

HULA - Poly Club performs on Oct. 22 during the Homecoming Assembly. The club practices after school on Thursdays in order to choreograph their performances.

Tyler Bonnette

Beloved Boy Band to return

Battle of the Classes gets moved to Spring Assembly By Brook Gray-Vanderbur

inter is often a time for fun and cheer, or during previous years, a little bit of acrobatics. The winter assembly at Green Valley is always looked forward to, and is known every year for numerous exciting moments - most notably Boy Band. Every year, six to eight boys from each grade level get to perform acrobatic stunts and tricks to whatever school appropriate music or mashup of songs the boys have selected. They pull off flips and choreographed dance moves to try and win the contest of which grade level is best. “Most classes have their own auditions.” senior Caleb Stewart, student body president, said. “We announce it with posters and post about it on Instagram. Usually auditions will be announced on GVTV and basically goes ‘Hey, come in the StuCo room and audition for boy band.’” In past years, all groups would make up their own choreographed dance moves to impress the school.

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Boy Band is known most for the acrobatic skills the boys bring to the table. Flips and stunts are the show stopping pieces that get the crowd going. “We held auditions in the studio room, on a designated day. We didn’t have too many people show up,” junior Tyler Kiuzo Okui said. “We ended up just pulling people, so there were about three people who actually came, and we asked them for their friends and then they ended up coming to the StuCo room.” For most years, the Winter Week, filled with dress-up days like PJ Day or Ugly Sweater Day, is concluded with the Winter Assembly, which showcases games and activities in addition to Boy Band. The performers would be the main showcase. “It was a group effort. All the class officers and the boys had a little bit of say on the choreography. We just picked popular songs, put dance moves that seemed fitting and went from there. It had to be somewhat school appropriate though,” Kiuzo Okui said. Although Boy Band has always

been held in the winter, this year will be different, since the gym cannot be used for the assembly. There is the option of the football field, but the staff came to the conclusion that doing a rally outside in the winter may not be for the best, as the weather may not agree with the boys participating. “Also, the bleachers in the gym are broken, so only half the gym is able to be seated comfortably. Unfortunately, we don’t know when that’s going to get fixed,” Stewart said. Doing the Battle of the Classes in

the spring seems to be the overall plan agreed upon by Student Council and the administration. Luckily, students were still able to celebrate the festivities for Winter Week, including the dress-up days. “We’re going to move boy band to spring. We’re thinking Spring Week, since we can have Boy Band but we are having the name changed,” Stewart said. “It’s going to be called ‘Battle of the Classes.’ It’s the same exact thing, we’re just changing the name a little bit, to make it more inclusive.”

JUST DANCE - The class of 2023 performs during the Winter Assembly on Dec. 5, 2019. Student Council has since changed the name of Boy Band to ‘Battle of the Classes.’

Tyler Bonnette

Bleeding GREEN and BLUE

Tyler Bonnette

Students demonstrate more school spirit over time

By Nathan Paet

s the bleachers are being packed, the marching band plays in the distance, and the cheerleaders wave their pom poms in the air. An annual competition during the spirit week pep rally is held to see which class is louder, and in turn, who has the most school spirit. Screams travel in waves throughout the bleachers, as students dressed in their class colors compete to have their class secure the title of most spirited. Freshmen start and are introduced to their first glimpses of school spirit, then the upperclassmen finish and seem to have an endless supply of it. This typically ends with upperclassmen being the loudest and most distinct winners. While the underclassmen whisper amongst themselves about the usual conspiracies on how the contest was rigged or having a complete loss of hope to begin with. It is no surprise that each grade level seemingly has more school spirit than the one before it. However, why is the evolution of school spirit

among each grade level a thing to begin with? School spirit is the pride that one has in their school. Showing it off can be done in a multitude of ways. It can be as simple as cheering on the basketball team, or dressing up in pajamas during spirit week. “School spirit, I think, can be defined in a lot of different ways. Like it’s how we act as a school. How we interact with each other. How we display ourselves as a school. Everything we do here can be seen as school spirit,” junior Talmage Fairbanks said. The fundamental importance of it builds the foundation for the environment that the students’ are situated in. Although it is not a necessity, it is something that everyone is able to participate in. There is no exclusivity when it comes to something inclusive for all. “We need an identity for school to all come together under one thing we need to be able to identify with who we are. We’re Green Valley High School. We’re a bunch of kids that all have a common goal. If we all come together, we can all achieve that goal easier and more successfully,” Fairbanks said. “I think that school spirit

is what helps us to do that.” Generally, underclassmen are not known for carrying their weight when it comes to school spirit. This is nothing new, and has been a recurring staple of high school norms for the longest time. The long running stereotype of the freshmen class is that they are known to shy away from showing off their school spirit, but that may not be far off from the truth. “Freshmen I would say probably do not have a lot of school spirit. The freshmen I’m surrounded by just don’t take pride and school spirit seriously just yet. I think that school spirit develops over time because you have to have experience with the school and you have to be around long enough,” freshman Lorelai Bleyl said. On the other hand, seniors are often viewed as the complete opposite of underclassmen. They are known for not shying away from showing off how much spirit they have, while also being playfully arrogant towards underclassmen. The reasoning behind this could vary from person to person. Whether it be because it is their last year, and they would want to spend it having

fun and making memories, or to simply set an example for the upcoming seniors of the next class and continue the tradition. “I think that we have the most school spirit because we’re the oldest and we’re not going to be here next year, so it gives us a reason to leave with a bang and leave with our own legacy,” senior Samantha Orozco said. After four years of high school, the feeling of uncertainty during freshman year turns into a feeling of confidence in a students’ senior year. The growth that occurs within those four years is the main cause of the school spirit dynamic between freshmen and seniors. This not only comes from the relationship with peers being built throughout the years, but it also comes from the connection that has stemmed from a sort of emotional attachment with the school itself. Seniors set the standard for what school spirit should look like. “In freshman year, I was a little scared. That was typically because not a lot of freshmen participated,” Orozco said. “As the years went on I think I became less intimidated to cheer for our school and became more proud to be a Gator.”

January 2022

12 feature

Analyzing the personality spectrum

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How stereotypes classify individuals into character groups

By Brenna Knight

olored, flashing lights illuminate the room, drinks and snacks are littered around the house. Ecstatic screams can be heard from the next room of competitive game players. One person sits alone, feeling warm from the humid air created by the flood of people in the room. They feel claustrophobic from the walls that seem to be pulsating with every beat of the loud music. Thoughts run through their head faster than they are drinking water, trying to compose themselves. Another person, h o w ever, stands o u t in the crowd. Every movement they make looks so natural and effortless. They seem to thrive around these people with confi-

Brenna Knight

The InvestiGator

dence. In their mind, they feel comfortable and excited to socialize with anyone; waiting impatiently for what is going to happen next. As people grow up, personality starts to form through experiences, relationships, and interactions with the outside world; these factors shape people into who they become and how they act. In psychology, the way one thinks, acts and feels is the core of determining the difference between introversion, extroversion and what lies in be-

You can train yourself to be one or the other, an introvert or an extrovert. Eventually there are certain genetic tendencies that are just going out be there.

Barnaby Butterfield

tween - ambiversion. Being extroverted is portrayed as being an outgoing, expressive person. There are countless qualities showing extroversion; most commonly being associated with enjoying social settings, seeming happy or enthusiastic hours on end or being approachable and friendly. “I’m able to talk to, I would say, almost every person I come across,” senior Asiah Webster said. “It’s not hard to start a conversation. All around, I can interact with people fairly well.” Having extroverted qualities has its perks; being able to make others feel comfortable, flourishing in social settings, having a sense of natural confidence - the list goes on. Possessing these qualities give advantages in many scenarios: going in for a job interview, public speaking or professional presentations. Less formal scenarios include making new friends, being in unfamiliar settings and speaking in class. Being more comfortable and confident in what one does can help raise self esteem and inevitably lead to accomplishing future goals.

“Being an extrovert definitely helps in interviews because it allows me to get to know possible future employers easier. Most occupations require interacting with different types of people so it helps when I’m able to talk to them easily,” Webster said. “Presenting in class is a little easier because I’m able to actually enjoy myself while presenting in class. It helps ease my nerves sometimes.” Due to the nature of extroverts, there is a ‘people pleasing’ aspect to them, which is not necessarily a bad quality. Having the ability to talk to people and make them feel comfortable tends to have positive feedback. This feedback can give extroverts the confidence they thrive off of and in a way, boost their self esteem. As there are privileges that come with being extroverted, there are disadvantages too. Stigmas curated by perception of others that come with this are never being sad, always having good days, wanting attention - just the expected, perfect life. The stereotypes made from unaware assumptions create a heavy burden extroverts may feel. “They associate being an extrovert with being happy in a way or always smiling, but sometimes there is a stigma where you’re not ever allowed to be sad because the minute you’re sad they’re like ‘Why are you being like this, it’s weird, that’s not like you,’” Webster said. Introversion, on the other hand, is described as being shy, and more reserved. Introverts hold characteristics of being more self-aware,

thinking before making decisions, being a good listener and more. Being an introvert brings a natural tendency to read rooms, being able to think before speaking and empathize before engaging with another person. This forms a good foundation for deep, close relationships with others. More on the side of normal for introverts, they have the tendency to spend time in solitude for peace and comfortability in themselves. “I’ve only been so introverted these past few months. I’ve just really sat in my own thoughts to understand why I used to think the way I did and get to know myself,” senior Leah Villanueva said. Over the past 10 years, mental health awareness has been much more prevalent in society. Social media has emphasized the aesthetic for mental health with posts of quotes and affirmations. Brands and companies, such as We’re Not Really Strangers or The Happiness Project, have put a greater emphasis on mental health and created an outlet for people to be more open about their feelings - perfect for introverts. We’re Not Really Strangers even sell a ‘conversation cheat code’ crew-neck, which is seemingly made to poke fun at introverts not being able to hold a conversation. This is not to say that extroverts cannot use these products, but it seems to be more revolved around introverted emotions. Putting this spotlight on self-awareness is the embodiment

“ Nobody can love you or understand you more than yourself.

Leah Villanueva

of introversion and embracing one’s social anxiety. “Nobody can love you or understand you more than yourself. It took me a while to figure that out,” Villanueva said. “Having these past few months to spend time with myself and begin to love myself has

been so life changing.” Just as extroversion, with all the pros of being an introvert, there are cons. Due to the shy nature of introverts, it is hard to be more socially present and seem confident. Going to a job interview and being under the impression of being judged causes a lot of stress and anxiety. For students, having an introverted thought process can make school difficult with assignments, presentations, etc. It can be detrimental to one’s mental health as the process of overthinking starts to set in. This can also be troubling for those around the introvert, such as teachers or instructors, who attempt to make them comfortable and at ease to benefit them. “My intent is to always engage the content first and get them interested; to find something relatable that they can attach themselves to and find meaning with,” Social Sciences teacher Barnaby Butterfield said. “My content area, Psychology and Sociology, definitely provide ample opportunity for the students to find relatable topics.” Immersing an introvert in a social setting for too long may be overwhelming, since all the noise and activity may cause a sense of fatigue. This feeling, although it is not an actual diagnosis, is referred to as ‘social burnout,’ one of the disadvantages of being an introvert. Social burnout is also known as “introvert hangover,” making fun at how introverts are more likely to be “hungover” or mentally exhausted simply by being social as opposed to being actually hungover like an extrovert might be. Extroverts may also get social burnout, but during the moment of socializing, they seem to get more energized. After the setting, both introverts and extroverts tend to feel tired as socializing expends energy from multitasking by listening, processing what was being said, responding, and other factors. “I surprisingly get social burnout fairly often. Sometimes I don’t get a lot of time to myself. Of course ev-

feature 13

eryone has different mental things that they are dealing with and sometimes it gets really difficult to just be okay,” Webster said. “It sometimes feels like I have to try to be okay to make everyone else happy and in return, I usually get social burnout towards the end of the night. I tend to just want to go home.” Regardless of being an introvert or an extrovert, social burnout in person or even on-line, can affect relationships of any kind. Social burnout, without any communication, is detrimental; some do not mention it but most push through the burnout or are just honest with those around. “It has affected me with longer relationships I’ve been in. I get bored, not even with the person, but with the actual relationship itself and I just want to be by myself again,”

Villanueva said. “But I’ve learned to grow past that way of thinking especially if it’s with something I love.” ‘Are you an introvert or extrovert?’ This question may be difficult for some to answer; they do not know where they lie on the spectrum because they see both sides of them in themselves. With introversion and extroversion, there is a middle - ambiversion. Ambiverts exhibit both qualities; some may even feel extroverted one day and then the next they feel more introverted. Based on the context or situation the person in, they can recharge their energy from a social setting or from spending time to themselves. Well known psychologist, Carl Jung, has a famous quote saying, “There is no such thing as a pure extrovert or a pure introvert. Such

January 2022

14 feature

a man would be in the lunatic asylum.” In Jung’s research on the temperaments of humans and creating his spectrum of introversion and extroversion, there is no mention of ‘ambiversion,’ but he did believe that not one person lays on the ex-

amount of energy one has gives an advantage when being in a situation that needs to determine the room’s mood; it helps know when it is appropriate to act one way or another. Ambiverts can use this to help maintain relationships and create a calm

vs tremes of the spectrum. “I believe I’m an ambivert because some people will say I’m quiet, while others think I’m highly social,” junior Alex Vasquez said. “It honestly depends on who I’m with. But, I would say I’m more on the introverted side.” Being able to recognize the Brenna Knight

www.positivepsychology.com

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environment for both

parties. “It can be difficult with relationships at first but it helps to gauge my energy for specific people in my life,” Vasquez said. Just as introversion and extroversion, society has an expectation of ambiverts, that because of how

they feel in different situations, that they have two personalities. Having ‘two personalities’ can lead to ambiverts being flexible in relationships, which can be interpreted as good or bad. Ambiverts would need to advocate for themselves so that, when keeping a balance between their extroverted side and introverted side, it does not put an extra strain on themselves and the ones around them. “There are two sides to it, definitely. The advantage is that no one can say you’re fully introverted or extroverted. You’re an ambivert and it’s never just one thing intentionally,” Vasquez said. “The disadvantage is some people may think you have different personalities or different lives because you act differently around specific people.” Relating back to Jung’s quote, not everybody conforms to one side or the other, even if they show signs of leaning more toward introversion or extroversion. Some extroverts are able to read rooms or introverts might be loud and talkative around those who they are comfortable with. Upon research, “nature vs. nurture” can be associated with introversion and extroversion. Nature vs. nurture is a debate on whether human behavior is based on genetics or by the environment one is surrounded by. Is one introverted because their mother is and the trait happened to pass down through genes? Or can one be extroverted because of the experiences they have gone through? “Introversion and extroversion,

very much in a similar tactic [to nature vs. nurture], your environment does create a lot of your behaviors. What is modeled by others, the exemplars in your life, do essentially create who you are,” Butterfield said. “Then there are genetic tendencies that do make us who we are; we are more naturally prone to do certain things.” When determining the association of nature and nurture with human personality, take into con-

“ Some people will say I’m quiet, while others think I’m highly social.

Alex Vasquez

sideration that it may be both. Surrounding environment and temperament are the factors that add to one’s behavior. To be brief, starting off with one’s natural inborn traits can be changed due to experiences with others or simply changing them to one’s desire. “You can train yourself to be one or the other, an introvert or an extrovert,” Butterfield said. “Eventually there are certain genetic tendencies that are just going to be there.”

Google survey taken from Nov. 2021 to Jan. 2022

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How is the weather up there? Students discuss stigma surrounding height

By Laycie Taylor

eenagers in general are all different, especially when it comes to sizes. It is more common to be shorter at a younger age, but what about when it comes to being tall? When being tall, being asked silly questions like “how is the weather up there?” is almost expected. Things like doorways and ceilings can be a challenge since the average person simply cannot compare. Although, it is a small price to pay for the advantages that come with it. Things like reaching the top shelf or having the greater advantage to win in sports and activities. “I like being tall, there’s a lot of advantages to it like looking over people at concerts, looking over people in general. It’s a boost of confidence because to me everyone else is just really short. It definitely feels like

“ It’s definitely a physical advantage that can apply to everything.

Miguel Medina

you are a lot stronger when you are taller. It’s definitely a physical advantage that can apply to everything. I’m 6’3” and still growing but I definitely want to be taller,” sophomore Miguel Medina said. Not only can height affect your ability in sports but it can affect your day to day life as well. Being tall can genuinely boost your confidence, especially in men. The act of looking down upon someone can have the effect of feeling more empowered and in control, not to mention, more feelings of possible safety. Not to mention not using a step stool is definitely an-

other bonus when it comes to height. When it comes to athletics as a whole, lots of player advantages come from being tall. Things like basketball and volleyball require a lot of jumping which can be easier with more height. Disadvantages come with being tall as well. The most serious disadvantage of being tall is the health-related risks that extra height brings along. With a longer spine, tall people are more likely to experience back pain-especially in the lower back. When a tall person lifts something from the floor, the range is larger and the angle of the spine narrower. This means that the stress on the spine is bigger, and the risk of getting injured is, therefore, higher than average. Another risk is blood clots, which results from taller people having a higher blood pressure in general. A larger body with longer limbs is in itself reason enough for the higher risk of getting a blood clot. There is simply more blood and blood vessels in a longer body. The lifespan of a tall person is also said to be shorter than that of a person of average height. So, even though we try to live tall lives, our life will probably be shorter in the end. “I love playing sports in general and I’m a very aggressive person so I do enjoy it, although I did actually start playing basketball because of my height. My brother suggested I play because I was getting really big and I thought it was a good idea. I ended up really enjoying playing but it did start off because I had the physical advantage,” Medina said. Taller men are perceived as having higher status, stronger leadership skills, and as being more occupationally successful than average or shorter males. Men of average or shorter height also suffer in the realm of social appearances, which includes personal adjustment, athletic orientation, and masculinity. Tall people may have greater self-esteem and social confidence than shorter people. In turn, others may view tall people as more leader-like and authoritative. The correlations are expected to be more apparent among males than females, as height is a physical feature that relates more closely to masculinity than femininity.

“For me personally, being tall has given me a lot of advantages I think. I’m the president of two clubs and I really think that has partially to do with my height. I think people just see me as more authoritative because you see so many leaders everywhere being over six foot,” senior Alyssa Delzer said. “I play volleyball and I was the middle blocker on varsity last year and for that, you absolutely have to be tall because your front row jumping and blocking all the time.” Power and height have been associated for a long time. For centuries, members of the British monarchy tied their height to their royal pow-

"Do You Play Basketball?"

"What's It Like Being Tall?"

"How Big Are Your Shoes?"

er. However, in reality, most of our prominent world leaders aren’t particularly tall. Barack Obama stands about 6’1”, David Cameron the same, former prime minister of Canada Stephen Harper is about 6’2”. Tall, but not extremely impressive. The majority of the world leaders stand somewhere in the five-foot range. Abraham Lincoln stands at 6’4”. All of these leaders are great examples of how height can boost your ability to be seen as more of a leader. “All I know is that being tall has gotten me into a lot of trouble and I intend to keep it that way,” Medina said. Nathan Paet

"How Tall Are You?"

"How's The Weather Up There?"

"Could You Reach That For Me?" January 2022

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Part II and the Electric Boogaloos Student band brings newfound energy to campus ROCKING FESTIVAL - Juniors (from left to right) Ben Bernstein, Jeffrey Gill and Cameron Ancell perform at the Lollapalooser Festival in California. The event took place on Sept. 10.

courtesy of Cameron Ancell

By Jeremy Anderson

nsomnia. Not the issue of sleep, but one of many songs of the local punk rock band, Part II and the Electric Boogaloos. The Boogaloos are made up of three students from campus. One of the three members is junior Ben Bernstein, who takes one of the most pivotal roles. “I am the main bassist and producer in the band, so I do all the recording and mixing of our tracks and handle the distribution and release of it to all the streaming services,” Bernstein said. “I also sing backing vocals and drum on a couple tracks.” There is also Jeffrey Gill, who is the guitarist and main vocalist. Chords, which are a group of typically three or more notes sounded together to create some sort of harmony, are the base for his vocal duties. “To make a band sound good, all the pieces need to come together just right and the members have to know each other’s rhythms,” Gill said. “I try my best to find a chord progression that fits the tone of the song or fits the tone of the lyrics to make everything really come together.” The band first started during the pandemic and had to deal with many of the obstacles of restrictions before being able to work together to create music. For junior Cameron Ancell, who is the main drummer/percussionist, being a part of the school

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band is not enough to express musical creativity. That is why Part II and the Electric Boogaloos were formed: to demonstrate their capabilities which can often be limited by school. “We started when Jeffrey got into a band called Blank Slate, which Ben was in before being kicked out,” Ancell said. “Ben liked Jeffrey and wanted to play more music with him, but they didn’t have a drummer so they asked me to be a part of the band.” Collaborating to make new tracks and albums takes plenty of time and a devotion to studying the aspects of production outside of just recording. “It’s actually a lot of fun, it’s definitely a learning curve figuring out audio engineering and producing,” Bernstein said. This includes their one of two albums released on various platforms, including Spotify. The “Elders Part 1,” which was their first release, is composed of 11 songs and a total of 30 minutes of music, came out just within the past year. “You got to be confident that your song is the best it can be or how you imagined it before you release it,” Gill said. “Otherwise, what’s the point of releasing something that you think is just okay?” Innovation and resourcefulness are key to record albums that have more than 10 songs, especially as a high school group. This includes using various websites that sell the items necessary for the recording process.

“I found a bundle pack on eBay with a mic, audio interface and headphones and I began learning about recording mainly through trial and error, just trying things out and comparing them to songs I like,” Bernstein said. From the start, each of the members have had their fair share of experimenting their music. This has come with the stress of late nights and little sleep happen frequently to try and meet personal deadlines. “Finding time to get together and rehearse, record and practice has to be the hardest part because Ben and I are very busy people, we are involved in a lot music wise,” Ancell said. “We usually do three hours a week while school bands take up to 15 hours.” Having said that, they find more worth in this type of “work” knowing

the group. “Deus Vult” is Latin for “God’s Will” which was what crusaders would scream before they went to battle, as the battle is their next big gig. On Dec. 12, they also released “Merry Christmas,” an extended play (longer than a single but shorter than an album) consisting of many of the classic holiday hits, including “Silent Night” and “Deck the Halls.” They recently had an acoustic set and album listening party at the Silver Springs Amphitheater for “Deus Vult.” These types of events include different punk rock bands, such as Death Basket. “We are still a small and new band. I’d say about 25 people max come to see us when we are headlining in Las Vegas,” Ancell said. “We plan to play with some other big local bands here in hopes that we gain more listeners

“ It’s still a lot of work but there’s something about it that makes it all worth it.

Ben Bernstein

there is an end goal. With everyone working toward one feasible deadline, they are able to enjoy themselves and get things done. The Boogaloos have meshed with ease even through the past year, finding a special cohesion with each other. “I enjoy playing with Ben and Jeffrey because they know their craft and they show up prepared and we get to play music that we all enjoy and love,” Ancell said. “I love playing for others because I like seeing people enjoy the hard work that we put into this project.” The Boogaloos released their second full-length album, “Deus Vult,” which first became available on Dec. 26, and is composed of 25 songs, making it the longest album produced by

from it.” In fact, on Monday, Jan. 17, the Boogaloos were able to play with multiple old school metal bands. This included instrumental death metal band Eyes of Perdition, Glee Club and the Last Ten Seconds of Life. The event was held at Eagle Aerie Hall. For the Boogaloos, as their listeners and followers continue to grow, music provides an outlet unlike any other, no matter the instrument with which it is being produced. “Honestly, it’s not at all stressful really, because it’s something I just love doing and it’s not like school work where it’s painful to do,” Bernstein said. “It’s still a lot of work but there’s something about it that makes it all worth it.”

sports 17

Soccer drops heartbreaker Gators’ playoff run ends in overtime defeat

By Kristel Alfaro Borbon

fter spending much of the season undefeated, the men’s soccer team ended their season as State-runner ups after reaching the State championship game. The championship game vs. Sunrise Mountain was held at Foothill High School on Nov. 12. Despite playing a man down due to a red card late in the first half, the team battled back to tie the game twice before falling in overtime, 3-2. “The game started off really well, we came out there and started playing with a lot of heart. The climax of it was being down a man because one of our teammates got a red card,” junior Pablo Flores said. “That kind of hurt a lot because they came out and they scored right away off of it, in our heads, we were just like this cannot be happening and so we came back and scored.” At halftime, the teams were tied 1-1. Sunrise Mountain made a hard push to retake the lead early in the

second half. “I felt like we had a slow start so we just had to get used to the game to gain momentum. They started off stronger than us,” junior Anwar Ben

second half, GV scored a goal, evening the score at two and forcing the game into overtime. However, it did not take long in the extra period for Sunrise Mountain to find the net. TAKING AIM - Senior Eden Houle runs up for a penalty kick against Sunrise Mountain. Houle’s kick tied the game at 1 late in the first half.

Tyler Bonnette

Rhouma Torres said. “With them leading we made silly mistakes, later in the game we started picking it up but it was not enough.” With time winding down in the

“I personally think I did my best. I think the [team] did too. I feel like they knew that they did not want to let the seniors down,” Flores said. “They knew that they wanted the

championship so they went out there and let it all out on the field.” The team credited the coaches and atmosphere that surrounded the progam all season, going all the way back to intramurals. “Sometimes our coach would push us to the limit, but that is how it is supposed to be if you want to win championships. You have to just break your limits, get faster, that is why I enjoyed every moment of it,” Ben Rhouma Torres said. “When you were slacking the coaches were just on you [and asking] if you want to win then you have to pick it up. I never took it in a bad way because he is doing it because he wants us to win.” After seeing their season fall just short of the ultimate goal, players were able to look back on the year in a positive way. “Honestly, I feel like a lot of people did not understand that we were probably one of the best teams in the state,” Flores said. “We were the underdogs coming into the season, so we made a lot of noise and upset a lot of people.”

Silver Knights takeover Famed pavillion is torn down for new AHL arena

By Evan Halfhill

or years, the Henderson Pavilion was an iconic amphitheater known for its large, canopy-style roof. It was a venue for both visual and performing arts, held symphonies, theater productions and concert space for many world-class performers. The Henderson Pavilion was opened for use in 2002. It had a maximum capacity of 6,587 people. The Pavilion was severely damaged by strong winds twice in recent years, causing the tent-like covering to be completely removed in 2019. Upon closer inspection, a lot of things needed replacement or improvement such as the sound system or the seats. The support structure for the tent needed to be built anew in order to pass updated building code requirements. It was eventually demolished in August 2020. “It was really sad when I found

out they were gonna tear it down for an ice rink,” senior Kalena Blake said. Blake is in Advanced Studies Theater and the prospect of the pavillion’s demolishment has been disappointing to other locals who enjoy the performing arts, which the pavillion was known for. “I know people that I know that live around that area would always go to the Henderson Pavilion were pretty sad about it,” Blake said. The impact of losing a pavilion is felt for those who love the arts, to which it has stripped opporunities to view them. “I feel like we lost a sense of community and also a place for the arts to thrive, and it’s just all about sports now,” Blake said. The new indoor arena replacing it will be used for ice hockey. Currently, the Henderson Silver Knights play at The Orleans. Their history began on Feb. 6, 2020, when the Vegas Golden Knights bought the AHL franchise, the San Antonio Rampage

from Spurs Sports & Entertainment. They were renamed to the Silver Knights and relocated to Henderson once their plan was approved by the league on Feb. 28. The city and the Golden Knights began working more closely together to gear the already planned arena more for hockey. The site where the Silver Knights will play was given the name The Dollar Loan Center on March 30, 2021. The arena is expected to be completed sometime in 2022. The new rink is planned to host concerts, cultural arts performances, graduations and other community events. “I’m pretty excited because a lot of because like, there’s also options for state championships there for hockey,” freshman Carson Rowe said. Many people in the valley have become hockey fans due to the popularity of the Golden Knights and the Silver Knights are bound to bring similar energy. “I have season tickets to Silver Knights and Golden Knights,” Rowe

said. The Golden Knights have a reputation of doing well, making the playoffs every year of their existence, whereas the Silver Knights are typically competing to sneak into the playoffs each year. “When I went they won both of their games,” Rowe said. Las Vegas has other rinks, too, which are well kept and maintained. The Las Vegas Ice Center, the City National Arena and the Lifeguard Arena are good examples. “From where I’m from there’s only really one rink and it’s not that good. But if you go to Sun Valley, there’s really good hockey programs. So there’s a lot more rinks,” Rowe said. The new rink will be here soon, and with it will come an influx of new opportunities for the already established hockey-oriented desert city. “I think it’s good. I think It’ll grow the sport for sure. A lot more people can get thrown into the sport,” Rowe said.

January 2022

WINTER SPORTS previews Cherie Franklin

By Adrian Sifuentes

FLAG FOOTBALL

ON STANDBY - Senior Angel Almaraz gets in position during a varsity game at SECTA on Dec. 10, 2021. The Gators managed to take home a victory after a long game.

Bailey Johnston

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After a long while of being off the field, the flag football team was roaring to get back to competing this winter season. Many of the players were thrilled to start up again, and have been enjoying the season so far. “I look forward to playing with new girls on Varsity,” junior Sandy Leon said. “It’s like a whole new team, so I’m looking forward to learning how they play and where I find myself fitting in.” Due to distance learning, it was a long and difficult off season for

returning players. Being unable to participate and having a lengthy time away from the sport was an unfortunate consequence. “I was pretty bummed for missing my sophomore year. I left so much in my freshman year so not being able to play sophomore year sucked,” Leon said. “But we did have a club team, so that helped.” The team has had several games to prove themselves, and it has already been an exciting season for those in the audience as well as those on the field.

sports 19

WRESTLING

STAY ON GUARD - Senior Tyson Cuamba moves in on an opponent from Spring Valley High School on Dec. 1, 2021. The season has already seen tough matchups between the Gators and the other schools

Danneisy Ochoa

MEN’S AND WOMEN’S

BASKETBALL The Basketball teams have started off the season with several intense games and exciting matches. The players on both the women’s and men’s teams have been preparing for their return to the court for quite some time. “I’m just excited to be back and playing with my teammates since I missed my whole junior year,” senior Magyk Hall said. It is expected that being away from the sport for so long would affect the players’ performance, but some have taken the opportunity to

keep practicing as much as they can, even when it was difficult. “I feel like I’ve gotten way better,” Hall said. Practicing during the offseason seems to have paid off and has made many of the team members better than they were before. Though the restriction of the last school year made it difficult, they have returned to show off their skills. “I’m looking forward to all the games we have left and the time I spend with my coach and my teammates,” senior Burcin Kuru said.

Wrestlers are, without a doubt, ecstatic to be back on the mat. with the beginning of a new season, some gators are preparing for it to be the final season of their high school career. “This year, I’m mostly looking forward to State because it’s going to be my last year wrestling,” senior Caden Hunsaker said. Like the school’s other sports, the wrestling program was temporarily unavailable to students during the year of online learning. “I wrestled my freshman and sophomore year but not my junior

year because it was canceled,” Hunsaker said. “I think the most challenging thing would be to make up for the last year of wrestling.” The wrestling program offers numerous challenges for its participants, and its setbacks are what make the drive for improvement worth it in the end. “Out of all the sports I’ve done, like baseball and football, this is the most fun sport I’ve ever played,” Hunsaker said. “The team is always really nice - I think that everyone who does wrestling is a good person.”

EYES ON THE BALL - Senior Kya Brooks watches her shot during a home game vs. Canyon Springs. The Gators lost a close conference game, 35-32.

Evelyn Plummer

RIGHT UP HIS ALLEY - Junior Alexandre Cipili sends the ball rolling during a bowling meet on Jan. 10, 2022. The team met at Sunset Station’s StrikeZone, one of the most popular local bowling alleys.

Cherie Franklin

BOWLING Tryouts for the latest season of bowling went smoothly as the program started up once again this year. The participants trying out for the men’s team had to compete with each other, but all five girls that showed up automatically made the women’s team. “We bowled all 10 frames for three games. Then, you average your scores and pick the people who had the best averages,” junior Rayne Robinson said. The bowling team has 12 games this year, and just like any other sport, they are playing against other schools at bowling alleys around the

Valley. “We’re gonna play foothill first and just go for three games like we did for tryouts,” Robinson said. While bowling is still overlooked by most people, the team loves demonstrating their abilities at competitions. Improving with every frame they bowl, the team is prepared to give it their all. “Since it’s varsity level, the teams are going to be a lot harder, and there’s going to be more competition,” Robinson said. “Plus, our last two seasons we won championships, so it’ll be a hard thing to live up to.”

January 2022

courtesy of Selena Harris-Miranda

Champion in the making Aspiring gymnast finalizes commitment to UCLA

By Kayla DeMenezes

enior gymnast Selena Harris-Miranda is committed to UCLA and will start competing for them next year. Her passion for gymnastics and competing has made way for this opportunity to pursue what she wants to. Harris-Miranda started gymnastics when she was three because of a field trip she went on to see what it was like, and enjoyed it so much that, by the time she was six, she had started competing. The pressure that comes with being in the spotlight - competing in front of everyone - is exhilarating for her. Though, at one point, it was less enjoyable because of all of the work that higher levels demand, as well as the amount of school she had to miss. That being said, it still remained one of her favorite things. “When I was doing elite, I did not like the highest level gymnastics. I didn’t enjoy it as much because of how much training we had to do and how much school I had to miss, so when I dropped back down to the lower jail levels, I was enjoying it more,” Harris-Miranda said. “There are a lot of opportunities, especially just to be a role model for the younger little girls in the gym.” With a goal to continue performing well until she eventually begins competing for UCLA, Harris-Miranda signed a national letter of intent stating her commitment to them, now technically being considered a part of their school. This opens a lot of doors, especially considering her plans to enter the medical field after gymnastics. The sport has helped her develop skills that can be useful in all aspects of her life. For example, it has helped her improve focus at school, practice time management and develop organizational skills. “Just for how big the school name is, it just exposes me for more sponsorships and job opportunities since I want to go into the medical field,” Harris-Miranda said.

Gymnastics has given Harris-Miranda the opportunity to form relationships with the teammates she competes with. As with most other sports and physical activities, relationships with teammates is often comparable to sisterhood, since team members spend time together every day for hours on end. The camaraderie involved brings an energy to gymnastics that Harris-Miranda thrives under. “I compete with a bunch of different girls on my team, and it is so much energy and different

“ There are a lot of opportunities, especially just to be a role model for the younger little girls in the gym.

Selena Harris-Miranda

moods,” Harris-Miranda said. “I think it is motivating because we are all trying to push each other to be better.” Harris-Miranda’s old teammate, senior Lia Whitman, used to compete with her when they were younger and have known each other for nearly nine years. Whitman’s history with the gymnast has given her insight into how much she is truly committed to UCLA. After such a long time of knowing one another, the two have grown to understand one another’s strengths. Work ethic, ambition and

humor are all aspects that are considered to be beneficial to one’s leadership abilities - something that Whitman and Harris-Miranda appreciate. “She is super goal oriented,” Whitman said. “If she sets her mind to something, like a full ride to UCLA, she will absolutely go and get it.” Harris-Miranda’s abilities have inspired not only her teammates but all the people she is around at the gym. Her time spent perfecting her abilities has made her into a role model for some of the younger gymnasts that look up to her. “We spent a lot of time together, so we know each other ridiculously well, and competing with her is probably the coolest thing ever,” Whitman said. “I mean, she’s the funniest person ever, and she really inspires me to work hard at whatever I do.” Her health is a priority this year because she wants to finish the season off strong before starting her journey as a bruin, transitioning smoothly into college. Harris-Miranda’s determination to follow through with her aspirations and not stopping until she achieves what she set out to do is something that many of her peers admire about her. “My most important goal is to stay healthy the whole year,” Harris-Miranda said. “So that when I stop and finish the season I will be in one piece and I would be healthy, especially to go into college with no injuries would be amazing.” Gymnastics has largely been involved with securing a plan for her future, and helping her become a better person in the process. She has dedicated herself to mastering her abilities and is starting to make a name for herself, while continuing to grow in the sport she loves. “It has definitely helped me with school, in fact learning how to pay attention and stuff like that and staying organized,” Harris-Miranda said. “It’s such a big opportunity for my family and I. It’s a step for me to pursue my medical career that I want and just make a name for myself also.”

January 2022

a&e 23

Twist on the ordinary

Unusual national holidays go unnoticed till now

By Dilara King

ug. 20, a relatively normal day, early in the school year and not much going on. Somewhere out there, perhaps a bake shop or an admirer of chocolate pecan pie, are celebrating the delicious day that is National Chocolate Pecan Pie Day. This is one of the several hundred national holidays going on throughout the year. There is no real set truth to why there are all of these holidays other than to just have fun. Creating one of these national holidays is quite simple; people can submit a form online for a request to turn something into a national holiday. Alice Anderson and her husband are the founders of these national holidays. Anderson says in a report with WUSA’ 9 News that they receive over 18,000 requests a year. This process follows with anonymous votes that give their input and proceed to honor 30 requests a year. Feb. 26 is a nuts day, it consists of two national holidays including National Pistachio Day as well as National Tell a Fairy Tale Day. Celebrating National Pistachio day is pretty simple: spice up all meals on Feb 26., starting with breakfast adding pistachios to a fruit parfait or some greek yogurt, followed with lunch adding some pistachios to a salad or make some pistachio butter to substitute for peanut butter, finishing off with dinner slow cooking a pistachio crusted pork chop meal. At the end of the day after being exhausted making all of these new recipes, a good way

Putting a twist on even the most boring days can be a great way to add some extra fun into one’s life.

Dilara King

to end would be to read a fairytale. Rereading a childhood fairytale can bring back all of the magic that once was, and finally lights out to conclude National Pistachio and Tell a Fairy Tale Day. National Nature Photography Day happens on June 15. A good way to celebrate is going out on a hike and finding some pretty flowers or even a viewpoint to take pictures of the beautiful nature around the world. Having a connection with nature can create a relaxing way to let go of a stressful day. July. 9 is a sweet day topped off with it being National Sugar Cookie Day. Learn how to make sugar cookies and bake them. Sharing the experience of baking and sharing the hard work it takes to make these wonderful treats. Fancining up the cookies with different colored icing and making them into as many shapes as one could think of. Hosting a sugar cookie decorating party could be an amazing way to bond with new people or getting to know some-

one even better. One of the more popular national holidays is National Girlfriend Day happening on Aug. 1 every year. A day to show love and affection to the significant other in one’s life. It is interesting that the word, ‘girlfriend’ went from a way to describe a female friend to a romantic partner. The term girlfriend was first used in 1863 as a way to describe a woman’s female friend during youth. It was not until the 1920s when the word started being used as a way to describe a person’s female romantic partner. Ways to celebrate National Girlfriend day include; doing a romantic gesture or going out to dinner with them for their special day. Nov. 23 is National Fibonacci Day. For example: 1, 1, 2, 3...is a Fibonacci sequence. When Nov 23. is written in month date format it creates a fibonacci sequence meaning the sum of the first two numbers add up to the third number and the second and third add up to the fourth number. Leonardo Pisano Bigollo Fibonacci,

the creator of the fibonacci sequance was born in 1170 in Pisa, Italy, was also responsible for making the Hindu-Arabic numerals popular in Europe. To celebrate this holiday an easy way would be to learn more about the sequence as well as educate the people around about what the sequence is and how it was created. Dec. 3 is National Make a Gift day, a wholesome start to the magical month of December. Making a gift can be as simple as making a simple paper craft or going all out and creating something out of modeling clay wood. Finding supplies at home can be a really good way to make the gift inexpensive and thoughtful. Putting a twist on even the most boring days can be a great way to add some extra fun into one’s life. Life is short and there are many beautiful things to be appreciative about. Making cookies with friends, taking pictures of nature, appreciating a significant other, or even just looking at a pattern of numbers can make a boring life to a new level.

January 2022

24 a&e

Straight from the source Farmers Markets provide fresh produce for communities

ith most shopping being done at massive grocery chains, and most produce being sold without any knowledge of where it might have come from, sometimes it can be beneficial to appreciate something simpler, organic, and traditional. Farmers Markets, having grown rapidly in the last decade or so, are an excellent way to support small businesses, as well as helping the environment and the economy. They effectively bring communities together and increase accessibility to authentic produce and merchandise. Farmers Markets include a wide variety of activities to partake in - from shopping for produce and homemade clothes and merchandise, to trying out brand new restaurants and foods, there is always something new to do. “I like just seeing a bunch of different things, because it isn’t just food,” junior Leila Diouri said. It may seem like all there is to it is

farm fresh produce, but many Farmers Markets set up an assortment of new events to attend, even in Las Vegas. The biggest group in the valley, Las Vegas Farmers Markets LLC,

“ I just like seeing a bunch of different things, because it isn’t just food.

Leila Diouri

is hosted every Saturday in a variety of different locations throughout the city. They also host community events such as Fun Runs, and although cer-

tain locations like the Henderson Pavilion are no longer hosting these events, there are still a variety to check out weekly. Besides new things to do each week, the environmental benefits from shopping at Farmers Markets are huge. The increased access to fresh produce that is organically sourced and untouched by chemical enhancements allows for both supporting small businesses and reducing one’s carbon footprint. Furthermore, it promotes a significantly healthier lifestyle for anyone looking to purchase organic products of all kinds. The Farmers Market Coalition (FMC), a nonprofit group dedicated to the longevity of these markets, advocates for the both the consumers and the farmers that are involved. Their goal is also to make sure that farmers are given a fair amount of profit for their labor, an issue that some believe is common among most of the largest produce companies. In

fact, the FMC states that over 150,000 farms across the country participate in Farmers Markets, meaning that they create fair paying jobs as well as a great outlet for those who are interested in helping the economy. As beneficial to both the environment and the economy, Farmers Markets are also beneficial to any community that they exist in, enriching the culture of any town or city that they are located in. As mentioned previously, not all vendors serve food. Some sell items such as clothing, homemade jewelry, and even various kinds of artworks, promoting the sustainability of any product being sold. Part of any purchase at a Farmers Market is the connection between the consumer and the vendor - knowing that the purchase being made is contributing to a potentially struggling economic sector. The FMC believes that it also preserves land and ensures that arable land is used to its fullest extent rather being sold for commercial development.

WINTER

photo essay 25

Spirit Week

DONNING FLANNELS - Students celebrate Day One of spirit week with flannels and festive hats. The first day saw students of all grade levels show their school spirit in the decorated quad.

NO BACKPACKS ALLOWED - A table of seniors use boxes, bags and other containers to carry their school supplies. Day Two of the spirit week had students being as creative as possible to bring anything but a backpack.

FESTIVE FASHION SENSE - grade Svetlana Serapian and grade Mercaediez Craft show off their ugly sweaters on Day Three. The tradition of wearing poor quality Christmas sweaters was celebrated by dozens.

DECKING THE HALLS - Student Council and Gator Pride went all out to decorate the quad. Winter Week had games and activities in the quad to celebrate the festivities.

COMFY AND COZY - A group of students wearing pajamas gather in the quad on Day Five. The crowd cheered as the Winter Sports Teams competed in a game of Tug-of-War after being announced.

Tyler Bonnette

26 a&e

New Year, Same Me

Following up on resolutions made to kick off 2022

By Joe Byington

n America, New Year’s resolutions are an annual tradition in which people make goals in order to alter the parts of their lives that need the most improvement. However, they are oftentimes not as successful as people hope for them to turn out. The first idea of New Year’s Resolutions began in ancient Babylon. They would pray to their gods and make promises to repay their debts. Some 4,000 years later, New Year’s resolutions have now become a modern tradition in a large majority of the Western world. Now, people make promises in hopes to grow and better themselves. This is not a bad thing, but it is not the best thing for people because of how spontaneous it is, and seems forced instead of something that people choose to do for themselves. According to Wavelength.com, only 46% of people who make New Year’s resolutions keep their goals for over six months and only 8% keep them for the entirety of the year. Despite having such a low success rate, there is a more efficient way to make resolutions easier to obtain. Based on large studies, the easiest way to keep resolutions is to make them small and attainable, give a time frame and to add behaviors, not take away. Even simple things like reading more or getting more exercise are going to be more beneficial than resolutions like watching less TV or attempting to change emotions and other behaviors. Changing behaviors is not something that can be forced - it is a natural occurrence that happens over time. “My goals are to turn in all my work in on time and to not procrastinate getting them in. I’m getting a planner and organizing my things to do and setting a due date for myself. I think people should make goals always and aim for them whatever time of the year,” junior Kassandra Quintero said. “Good steps people should take are writing them down or telling other people about your goals so they can hold you accountable.” A popular goal for students is to be more organized and efficient with their work. With the new late work policy as well, there will be a lot more effort taken into turning in work on

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time. This is a great goal to have as long as people take steps in order to complete it. The first resolution that comes to mind for most is working out, getting a good summer body, losing weight, but making goals like that do not always help. Resolutions are not something that should be solely for the beginning of the New Year. Making goals throughout the year is much more attainable and much easier to benchmark. It is okay to not complete those goals however; not everything is going to be able to be done in entirety, but making some slight improvements like losing a little weight, or just feeling better when it comes to exercise makes a huge difference. The problem with New Year’s Resolutions is that many times they are very unhelpful as well as demoralizing if they are unable to be attained. In fact, many people have stopped making resolutions for that reason alone. When deciding to make a drastic change strictly for sake of tradition, people are much less likely to follow through with it than if they

were to recognize changes that they should make in their lives and follow through with them. “I think they’re dumb, because if you’re going to do something just do it now, don’t put it off because if you put it off you’re just not gonna do it at all,” freshman Dax Arnold said. “I think they should write down their goals, highlight the most important one and do that one. They should just take whatever steps they need to every day and just work on it slowly.” Working out one of the most common examples of a New Year’s Resolution, and can even be seen in teenagers. The large trend in teenagers and other youths starting to work out more is definitely going to affect that a lot, as more people are trying to be more active as well as healthier. These goals can only be accomplished if they are well planned out and strategic. The most popular New Year’s resolutions according to Statista.com are to exercise more, eat healthier, spend more time with friends and family and to quit bad habits. These are habits that are extremely beneficial

if done right. The biggest part about setting goals is creating a plan in order to track progress and have steps in order to attain it. “I’m going to go to the gym every day. I’m not trying to miss any days, and I’m going to keep adding weight until I fail and keep going until I don’t fail anymore,” sophomore Nicholis Hogdon said. “I think people should make goals at the beginning of the year like New Year’s Resolutions, but to make them attainable.” By making attainable goals, it makes achieving those goals much easier to follow through with. Realistically, setting goals throughout the year rather than just one time a year it is popular to do because people are more determined to follow through with them if they really want to accomplish them. Making New Year’s Resolutions are a tradition that provides a clear and focused goal into the new year, but they are not always as beneficial as they are made out to be. Making short term, realistic goals that are well thought out is the best way to be able to accomplish the goals that

Elyse Gamiao

Turn it up

a&e 27

How music streaming changed throughout the years By Ameya Naduvalath

ccording to the Nielsen Company’s third annual Music 360 report on consumer tastes and habits, music is the most enjoyed form of entertainment across America. That being said, the process of discovering new music has become significantly more efficient in the past century. Forty years ago, the journey of getting to listen to a new song went something like this: Walk into a record store, pick up a tape that looked interesting, go home, stick it in a tape deck, and decide if it is good. This process has essentially been eliminated, as many people in this day and age subscribe to audio streaming services like Spotify or Apple Music, where they can download hundreds of songs within minutes (if they have the storage of course). The first popular music player was the radio. Prior to the 1920s, they were exclusively used for naval and military communication. The widespread diffusion of this device unified people, and it was the first step to a

new music culture that has been developing ever since. During this time, jazz, ragtime and swing and blues became popular because people enjoyed dancing to them. However, the radio was vital in expanding the exposure and led to eventual success of jazz specifically. Additionally, the element of improvisation, unitized by musicians Miles Davis and John Coltrane, also led to jazz’s popularity. “As far as jazz goes, I like the challenge of it,” English teacher Aaron Severson said. “Jazz is like a conversation where you have something to say, but it’s also important that you listen. Miles Davis and Coltrane don’t play at the same time; Davis will have a solo here and then Coltrane will answer him. It’s just like they have different voices with their instruments and different tones.” This interactive aspect made jazz adaptive and playful. Musicians were able to influence and innovate, an example being the creation of beatboxing, evolving partially from the scatting and humming of jazz musicians performing together. “It’s more of a communication

Joseph Byington

than “music” itself. It feels like a language. The better you get at it, the better you’re able to communicate with other people and the more ideas you’re able to communicate through the music,” junior Ben Bernstein said. Perhaps the most important factor of jazz was its role in kick-starting America’s music evolution. With each decade succeeding the 1920s, artists were able to influence, develop, or branch off each other through the creation of new music genres and ideas. However, the most significant component to a booming music industry came three decades later. “The 1950s were where the economic conditions were right. You started to have young people with money that wanted to buy records with their interests being supplied, and I think that was good for the culture,” Severson said. “We were focusing more on teenagers and [young adults] as a music-buying populace, rather than people that were my age. There were ingredients that would go on to nurture other ways to listen to music.” This shift in target audience sparked the popularity of record shops. Around the 1930s and 40s, the first ones popped up, but record stores really boomed in the 70s. These shops sold more than the days’ hits, so the owners decided what they wanted to sell and curated their shops accordingly. The combination of posters, trinkets, t-shirts and seemingly-endless music supply, created a sense of culture. It soon became a hip place where music lovers enjoyed spending time. “They had a lot of knick-knacks and cool tchotchkes, but CDs, vinyl and cassettes too. [It was clear that] the music was front and center,” English teacher Michael Lamb said. “They also had a well-informed workforce; young men and women who knew a lot about music, and were more than happy to share [their knowledge, as well as,] critique or inform you on what [your taste] should be.” As you would expect, planning, researching and then visiting a store was a time-consuming process. Whether this is a good or bad thing, in the early 2000s, people began developing new ways to stream music online. With the rise of YouTube and Pandora in the early 2010s, people began uploading their music to the in-

ternet. By the late 2010s, Spotify and Apple Music became popular streaming platforms. Most artists nowadays publish their discography on Spotify to get the most reach. It is easier to get people to check out music by sharing a link that redirects them to an app like Spotify, something that many people use than to convince them to come to a concert or buy a disc. However, it is difficult for musicians to make a reasonable wage through Spotify specifically. “I wish they would do a better job compensating artists,” Severson said. “I appreciate the genius behind developing Spotify and marketing. I give the technocrats so much credit, but there’s nothing to share if it wasn’t for the artists.” According to a 2020 report from Business Insider, artists only made $1 per 250 streams, which is why many people like Severson would still rather purchase music from contemporary record stores. Others like Lamb and Bernstein mostly enjoy visiting these shops for the environment. Since most are locally run, owners of shops in different cities across the country style their store unique to their tastes. Lovers of this culture make it a point to visit these spots and encourage others to do so as well. “Record stores are trying to diversify a little bit to stay in business, so you could buy pop culture [trinkets,] used clothing, books, or DVDs and there’s something for everybody,” Severson said. Some record stores in big cities will likely remain popular for some time. However, many smaller shops have disappeared in the past twenty years. Because of the ever-raging shift towards streaming services and their convenience, many young music lovers have discovered new interests in music genres from around the world. Artists have been exposed to and influenced by a variety of cultures, incorporating them into their style. “I think people are finding bands and songs that they’re really into. There’s more of an ease to it now. Some people my age are resentful that it’s easier for kids now to find new and interesting bands just at the click of a button, whereas we had to go to the store, get magazines and read up and so on and so forth,” Lamb said. “But that’s just a ‘Get off my lawn,’ mentality. It is what it is, now it’s great.”

January 2022

28 A&E

e animated Famous movie star to voice act classic characters in upcoming films

e To

From

By Simona Grigonis

ell-loved actors and actresses are constantly growing in their careers. They periodically tend to take on unconventional roles causing fans to question why, whether it is a blockbuster movie or small time film. Actor Chris Pratt has been in the spotlight for a few recently announced upcoming movies he is set to star in. Known for movies such as “Guardians of the Galaxy”, “Passengers” and the widely notable sitcom “Parks and Recreation”, Pratt has caught audiences off-guard with the announcement of starring in an animated production of “Super Mario Bros” considering most of his roles consist of live action/adventure works such as “Tomorrow War” and “Jurassic World”. Set to release in 2022, the untitled film starring Pratt has the intention of bringing the classic “Super Mario Bros” video game to life on the big screen. Not terribly long after this announcement, it was also released that he is set to voice Garfield in an animated r emake of

the lazy, orange cat many know from childhood cartoons and comics. “Chris Pratt plays those types of characters well because with his personality he is able to fit into those lighthearted roles and roles for younger audiences,” senior Sara Leavitt said. “I think it is a bit surprising because I have not seen him in any voice acting movies as of right now but I feel like he would do a good job.” Pratt’s dynamic acting ability has prepared him for his upcoming roles in rather unusual movies. By combining his comedic abilities with his strong commitment, Pratt seems to be prepared to take on the roles of voicing Mario and Garfield in the animated movies set to release between 2022 and 2023. Pratt is not necessarily known for dramatic and serious roles, and he has very scarcely entered the realm of voice acting in most of the films he has starred in. Apart from voice acting roles in “The Lego Movie,” Pratt has stuck to movies that highlight his humor yet exemplify the action-packed opportunities he often takes on. One role that Pratt is very well-known for is Peter Quill, a.k.a Star Lord, in “Guardians of the Galaxy”, one of Marvel’s many t r e a -

www.pngwing.com, www.unsplash.com

Action sures that combines comedic values, action and an iconic soundtrack rolled all into one. “Guardians of the Galaxy”, released in 2014, centers around Pratt’s role as a bold space adventurer who finds himself as prey of a mighty villain after stealing a ancient relic. Following Quill and his group of four other outcast heroes, they work to fight off the powerful villain. With a third “Guardians of the Galaxy” film on its way in 2023, Pratt’s strengths with humorous, antihero characters continue to grow and evolve. “[Pratt] is very funny, he plays a really good role of Star Lord. I think that he embodies the character really well,” Leavitt said. “Star Lord, the character, was a bit more on the goofy side; “Guardians of the Galaxy” obviously was good because he was more comedic.” Pratt’s early acting days have proved to be as significant as his recent work. His breakthrough role as Andy Dwyer in the comedy series “Parks and Recreation” truly set the tone for his future roles. “Parks and Recreation” is a sitcom centered around a comedic take on local politics. The satirical nature of the sitcom builds t h e perfect set-

ting for actors who excel in comedic roles - actors such as Pratt. Specifically, Pratt’s role as one of the many goofy and ridiculous characters compliments the show’s writing as well as his interactions with his costars. “[Parks and Rec] is very funny yet really awkward,” junior Eduardo Tarango said. “Chris Pratt plays as the comedic relief in an already funny show.” On the other hand, Pratt’s role in the 2016 film “Passengers”, starring alongside prominent actress Jennifer Lawrence, shows that despite playing mainly comedic roles, he is able to take on more serious characters. The Sci-fi romance film is about a passenger on a ship amongst many others who are all in a deep sleep. Pratt’s character Jim Preston wakes up 90 years too early as the ship malfunctions and through the feelings of loneliness he decides to awaken another passenger. site. “[Passengers] makes Chris Pratt a lot more well-rounded as an actor,” Tarango said. “It is very interesting to see how many different roles he can take on but his comedic roles are what people pay more attention to.”

opinion 29

(Un)necessary graduation credit Required versus optional physical education classes

By Kinsley Priebe

rom endless laps around the track to awkward locker room interactions, a lot of students have a distaste for their P.E. classes. Students are required to partake in this class for the first time typically in elementary school, and then a minimum of two more times until they graduate. While these credits are required to be given a diploma, they should be optional. Starting all the way back in 386 B.C. physical education originated in Ancient Greece, taught to children over the age of seven to learn the importance of physical fitness. This was helpful as they grew up and became warriors for their country, and/or

“ P.E. classes do not conform to the usual structure of a class and are said to be an easy A.

participated in common sports such as boxing, wrestling and chariot racing. It was not until the mid 19th century that a physical education curriculum was introduced to schools in the United States. Likewise, it was used to prepare children for war. After the American Civil War the government enacted laws mandating that this be a part of student’s standardized education. Schools took this class as an opportunity to hone in on physical health and development education for their students. After World War I, approximately one third of soldiers were still deemed unfit, so the government passed laws in order to reform the nature of this curriculum. Even though war is not as big of a threat to young Americans as it has been in the past, physical education is still a part of student’s mandatory school credits, meaning this class

counts towards their GPA, which is quite unreasonable. P.E. classes do not conform to the usual structure of a class and are said to be an easy A. Students are not regularly assigned any assignments to evaluate their understanding of the subject like they would in a class such as Math or English. Therefore it is illogical to count it towards a student’s graduation if they are required to take it, because it does not properly reflect their work ethic. The purpose of this class is to strengthen the mind and body of the students enrolled, but many students have negative feelings towards it. In the majority of teen centered movies, P.E. teachers are often portrayed as slackers who are equally as disinterested in the instruction as their students. That is not typically the reality, for most educators do recognize the importance of physical education for students. However, running the mile in a certain amount of time or playing aimless games for 80 minutes does not teach students to live a healthy lifestyle. Even so, the lifestyle students are taught to adhere to does not align with every student’s individual health needs as their bodies and medical requirements are all different. P.E. does not often show an increase in physical health of students as it is intended to; rather it increases the amount of absences for students. However, students may choose to go to class to maintain their attendance but still choose not to participate. The P.E. curriculum itself is outdated, as is the separation of boys and girls. This sets them up with an unrealistic viewpoint of society. When students move on from school and into “the real world” they will not typically be separated by gender on a daily basis. Students are not put into separate classes for any other subjects at school, and as they are not competing in organized sports competitions, it is unnecessary to have them separated. Separation can also make students who do not conform to one or the other feel out of place. On the other hand, some students find their P.E. class is the one class a day where they are not glued to their desks and pencils. They can move around and be active. There are also students who are disinterested in the instruction, and are no longer glued to their seat but rather glued to the clock; counting the minutes until the bell rings to set them free. Thank-

Survey Taken on jan. 6

Physical Education At Green valley Should p.e. Be optional? 51% said yes 49% said no

Do you enjoy p.e.? 62% said yes 38% said no

Is P.e. an easy a? 97% said yes 3% said no Nathan Paet

fully there are options for these students. Students can choose to take the course on-line over the summer, or if they are a student athlete they can be given a waiver to be signed by a coach. Choosing to take this class out of a student’s schedule can leave them with an open period where they can take an extra elective they enjoy or fulfill a credit requirement they otherwise had no room for. The amount of time spent in a locker room is often longer than necessary and unpleasant. In a class set-

ting, P.E. takes a collective effort from both students and teachers to keep it engaging. Although, a little less than half of the students in a given class do not participate because they do not enjoy it. This leads to time being taken up by lectures from teachers on how you need to participate to pass and the apprehension of those who still choose not to. Given the option, students who would rather not be there would not have to and vice versa, which could result in a more productive class and contented students.

January 2022

30 opinion

Pathway to higher education Addressing the community college stigma and false perceptions

By Shaelyn Gamiao

ost-holiday season can be a demanding time for students engrossed in the college application process, and for others, the pressure to zero in on a target school serves as a wake-up call for those who have yet to start. In the midst of all the chaos, it is important to know your options. Community colleges have long been perceived as nothing more than a poor man’s path to higher education, and it could even go so far as to say that they are out of the running to be considered one of your dream schools amongst other, more distinguished ones. The media is partially to blame

stable future, the conversations are brief, based around what is necessary for graduation, and limited to what is asked, if students even ask the right questions. So then, what is community college? Exactly as the name implies: it is an academic institution that primarily serves its surrounding area and offers courses -- two-year long programs towards an associate’s degree -- to people within that community, who are seeking a higher education after high school. Oftentimes, students enrolled in universities focus their first two years on the general education requirements, which make up around half of the credits needed for a bachelor’s degree, and include intro-

“ This provides extra time to explore career options before choosing a major.

for pushing the idea that community college is only for people who cannot handle the rigor and prestige of fouryear universities, or those who do not have the financial capabilities to afford said universities, but nothing could be further from the truth. There is a great deal of confusion about what exactly community college is, faulting the stigma around having it as an option for post-secondary education, and while counselors are available at any time to provide information for such things, it can be difficult to layout, in full detail, the pathways to success for all three-thousand students enrolled at the school. Even with designated days, conveniently scheduled throughout the year to set students on track for a

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ductory courses to an array of core subjects meant to develop skills with real-world application. Though, some people find that completing those credits at a community college is a more viable option financially. This can be a good way for students to ease into the pace and demand of a life after high school and learn at their own pace. It also provides extra time to explore career options before choosing a major and deciding whether or not the time and money needed to complete an undergraduate degree at a university is worth the investment. Affordability is a major consideration when choosing a school. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, undergraduate tuition and fees, including room and board, at public four-year institutions

were estimated at $18,383 from 2018 to 2019, and $47,419 at private nonprofit institutions. Annual tuition for community colleges averages nearly half that of universities, which equates to much less debt after the first two years of college as compared to a university. Educational elitism is the fundamental basis of the reputation preceding community colleges as a whole -- the notion that the education is poor quality, or that courses are less challenging and invaluable, in terms of career longevity. Affordability does not define the quality of education nor does it compromise it. Professors at community colleges typically have at least a master’s degree or higher, with prior teaching experience and are more likely to have a background in industry than university professors. Furthermore, certifications from these colleges can take you straight into the workforce because, while there is a desire for both education and experience, employers pay more attention to your resume than the institution you received your education from. Students who work full-time or part-time while attending school, are involved in clubs or sports, or have a well-developed resume, exhibit qualities employers consider when looking for a candidate to fulfill a certain position. Convenience is one of many reasons people, especially those who plan to study alongside work or have other priorities to tend to, opt for community college. Many offer smaller, more personalized courses, which can benefit students who learn better in interactive environments and need to ask questions in order to retain the information efficient For those with other commitments and familial obligations, the flexibility of community college gives it an advantage over traditional universities, in terms of school-life balance. Level of participation is a determining factor in what you get out of it. Society needs to reject the perception that community colleges offer insufficient education and should only be considered as a last resort, so students can both understand and weigh their options appropriately, according to what their lifestyle demands.

Shaelyn Gamiao

opinion 31

Sweetheart, is this the right time?

“

Whether adolescent relationships interfere with success

By Taylor Hunt

he morning is fresh and getting to see that one person who just radiates positive energy, has that amazing smile and who just knows exactly how to get the day started is one of the best feelings in the world. It sounds like a dream for sure, and for some it is their everyday life. During this time, a lot of high school students need more motivation and someone to hold them accountable other than parents and teachers. While some say that having a partner has only caused them to push school aside and cause tensions with other activities or people that are used to getting devotion, others believe that time management needs to be something that is learned anyway. That being said, having a special someone advocates for better perfor-

Elyse Gamiao

mance and work drive within school when they encourage success and are understanding of priorities. In the sense that a boyfriend or girlfriend does promote better academic effort, anyone would get a sense of reward and pride for the fact that it feels good to impress your partner. Showing someone why they should be proud and appreciative obviously is a great part of having a lover, but it is also gratifying to get homework done, study for tests, and get a nice report card. Learning to be able to make this a routine is a life skill, except now you have a supporter right by your side. Now, it is understandable to feel crowded and overwhelmed by the time, effort, money and sacrifices someone may be asked to give up, and these things may come first to some people, but that is their choice. All of this is only a choice, but it is

Adopting moderation and maintaining maturity within connections one has with others helps create balance between personal goals and relationships.

a matter of the goals being set and whether or not someone wants to include another person on that journey with them. It does not matter what is more important at any time, but just know, high school students have the chance to benefit from any sort of life they create. It is possible to build any kind of lifestyle, but why not create it with someone who wants that too? The most frustrating part about seeking love and comfort from another person is those who say students in high school are too young, they have too much ahead of them. Hearing this is a major downer, especially when someone starts to get happy spending their time and talking to their crush. It is easy to get carried away in trying to find that one true love, and it may concern those who care for the future of their families and friends in academics or a career that they may want to pursue. But, adopting moderation and maintaining maturity within connections one has with others helps create balance between personal goals and relationships. With this being said, a relationship should be an addition to a person’s life, not their life itself, and that is often what high schoolers fail to believe. When they start involving their partner too much in their life is when it becomes hard to manage them between school, sports, activities, family, and friends. This is often where disagreements occur, school is lacking, they may not be as productive in your extracurriculars, and they

and their family may be on different terms. This all comes from misunderstanding and miscommunication between two partners, and it could be taken as a chance to talk and get to know what the other person needs, or it could take the turn we all know and love: the decision to break up. It is great when relationships can be evaluated and it is an awesome feeling getting back in the groove after a “reconstruction.” Do not worry, if the bond were to be separated, it still can help your performance in and out of the classroom. This is the chance to become the person that may have been unattainable to you before. Getting on track, boosting your grades, working on strength, mental power, confidence, health, and different connections with those who are supportive of you and loving is sometimes all that you need. Nothing can show the importance of connections more than having a relationship in high school, so do not be afraid. It can be scary, questionable, turbulent, and confusing, but getting out there and creating strong relationships whether it lasts forever or not is valuable; there is always something you can learn. Relationships in high school represent what can be made from any opportunity. Nothing can be predicted, but there will always be experiences that are meant to show us who we are. Be patient and give it the best shot possible. This is high school and we create the future with nothing but each other.

January 2022

32 pro/con

IMPRESSION Of TECHNOLOGY Kids negatively influenced by early access to media

By Liliana Burke

nsomnia, eye-strain, carpal tunnel syndrome, headaches and attention deficit. All of these health issues are caused by something as simple as staring at a screen. Those few extra minutes on that tablet are never really worth it. Technology is ever evolving and the framework of the internet is impacting people’s lives every day, from a teenager doing schoolwork to a toddler watching their favorite videos. Technology is becoming so influential to everyday life that even toddlers at four or five years old are getting angry when the phone or tablet is taken away. Everyone has heard a child screaming in a store after they got their iPad taken away before they were done playing. According to inc.com, most children get their first phone around 10 years old, but they have access to mobile devices and social media much longer before that. Even toddlers as young as two years old usually have access to nursery rhymes on YouTube. According the Nation Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), tech exposure has been scientifically linked to mental health issues, social anxiety and decreases in social and cognitive functions. “I do not think younger kids should have as much access to technology as they do,” junior Amador Guerrero said. “They need to go out and play and get some exercise, not stare at a screen all day.” If it is already bad with teenagers and adults now, who did not have as much technology at such a young age, imagine what the future will be like with the current amount of “iPad kids” seen in stores - children who were given access to technology incredibly young and are therefore attached to their devices. “I have a niece who is on electronic devices every day for a good few hours at least,” Guerrero said. “I see the impact it has on her by her mannerisms and phrases that she has learned from watching TV and playing games.” Having this much technology is going to make these health issues

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even more frequent and with tech becoming more and more embedded in everyday life. It is only going to get worse; even more kids crying and developing health problems despite the benefits people bring up when debating about how important technology is to the future. “The only positive aspect of getting technology at a younger age I can think of would be teaching kids

“ I do not think younger kids should have as much access to technology as they do.

Amador Guerrero

how to be responsible and try to gain a sense of maturity,” Guerrero said. “But I think it would be better to just enjoy your time as a kid, because it doesn’t last forever.” Imagine a world where there was no internet connection, no phone to look at and no TV to binge watch the top shows on Netflix. It can be hard to do this because of how much the internet has affected the lives of people all over the globe. According to Statista.com, as of early 2021, there were 4.66 billion active internet users (59.5% of the population) and 4.32 billion of these same people accessed the internet via mobile devices. “I see myself being addicted to technology too much and on my phone much more than I probably should be,” Guerrero said. Technology is already too influential, and it will only get worse as time goes on. With so many children accessing the internet, more behavior or mental problems may develop, not to mention the potential eye problems from constant use.

However, there are more physical impacts than just eye issues. Increased screen time also is correlated with weight gain. The more time someone spends sitting down staring at a screen is less time that is spent outside getting physical activity done. The phrase “get off your phone and go outside” is said for a good reason being on technology affects the health of a person with a much greater impact than many people even think of. This is even more impactful at younger ages because, unlike adults, they do not yet grasp what they are doing to their bodies and minds. The screen-filled lifestyle impacts their health for years to come, and they are not yet capable of understanding the consequences of being addicted to technology. Not only that, but by the time they reach adulthood or the teenage years and people are saying they need to get off the phone, it is too late. They would be used to it by then - why is it suddenly wrong? Why is it only just now a problem that screen time was so prevalent in the life of a child? It was always a problem, even if children are too young to understand what they are doing to themselves. Even with all these negative effects, there are many people that argue and say that children should have access to technology at a young age. Since it is so incorporated into society today, they need to know how to use it for the future. However, this is only going to make the problem worse and only cause more problems for children. Technology should be reduced in society, not added; the issue will only get worse from here if more kids are given an opportunity to stare at an iPad. “One thing I think that is beneficial with providing kids with technology is it can allow them to stay connected with each other and their teachers,” Guerrero said. Having access to technology at such a young age is detrimental to a child’s health. Usually, the only way screaming iPad kids will calm down is if they get that extra minute of watching Youtube. To change the bad behavioral issues, the tablet needs to be taken away, before more minutes of screen time begin to add up.

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iHelp

Children

Advantages of technology sources for youth By Emma Trifonova

he beneficial and detrimental effects of technology in school have been a continuous debate between students, teachers, staff and parents. There are arguments to be made either way, but it is clear that technology is a useful tool for learning. It is so commonly used in society, whether it is used to text friends, email someone, and as is now seen, for young children to use iPads as a learning tool. School districts like CCSD have utilized school-given devices to improve instruction even from home. Meanwhile, iPads used at school make for a more engaging environment to learn. Some students may enjoy more subjects thanks to familiar and intuitive devices used during their younger years in a school environment. Teachers can make a quick but effective game of online trivia about a specific topic for the whole class to participate in and because of this, stu-

“ I use technology everyday in school and in my free time, so I find it important to my everday life.

Bailey Johnston

dents may speak up in class if they feel more at ease in their environment while still learning. At home, parents can use iPads to advance their child’s educational development. Despite these benefits of kids using iPads, the other side can argue that children having access at such a young age is bad because caretakers will just use devices to appease children rather than caring for them. However, softwares like Net Nanny let the guardian manage the total number of hours their child spends

on an iPad, set time limits on when the device can be used, and restrict or monitor certain activites. Whenpaired with educational apps such as Jazzy ABC, where children can learn music and letters through interactive games, tablets can actually be useful for child development, both in and out of school. “iPads can be used in a beneficial way when it comes to learning and education,” senior Bailey Johnston said. “ I do because some people learn better with technology than on paper.” There are other learning apps for kids to use on computerized systems, such as Kahoot, Quizlet Live and Quizizz that push students to help with group projects and retain information. With Kahoot and Quizizz, kids compete against one another to answer questions correctly as fast as they can and at the end of the game, the winner is announced on a podium. A game like this is exactly what the classroom or household needs to send a rush of adrenaline through everyone while promoting learning. Kids can play against each other in the classroom, with siblings, parents and other family members. “I use technology everyday in school and in my free time, so I find it important to my everday life because of how much I use it and because of how big of a role it plays in my everday life in and out of school,” Johnston said. Quizlet Live is a team based competition where everyone gets put into groups and they help and talk to each other in order to beat rival teams. If kids start using these devices in their younger years, they will be more comfortable using these resources at a more advanced level in middle and high school. Being familiarized can teach kids how to get the best out of their education early on, all while interacting with one another in group games. There are a multitude of ways that iPads for children can be utilized as a tool for improvement in communi-

cation amongst students,such as students being able to work on projects together over the internet and having video chats when they are unable to meet outside of school. These options are not as easily accessible if children do not have proper access whether it be from school or at home. With iPads accessible to kids, they can be used by kids to broaden and strengthen their social skills. Another thing that further helps kids to communicate with the outside world is easy access to the vast amount of information and knowledge on the internet. Kids can look up information on a topic they take an interest in and immediately find multiple resources that can help them in different ways, depending on how they retain information. Access to iPads in the first place is what helped the spread of information throughout homes and school for kids via online databases. Take this article, for example; a device given by the school is currently being used to type this. Then, this information goes out for students, teachers and other staff members to read, as well as parents and anyone else in the community that can get their hands on the printed copy of the newspaper. However, say that one does not have a physical copy of the newspaper. They can hop onto issuu.com and search “The InvestiGator” on a device to read the newspaper. There is an abundance of ways that iPads can be used to positively impact kids and as technology continues to advance in the real world, it is important to utilize it at home and in the classroom for kids to gain the most from it. Computerized devices will inevitably become a big part of life for kids as they grow older so using tablets or phones at a young age only helps them become more prepared. The benefits that iPads provide for children will only grow as society continues to incorporate the use of computers into everyday life.

January 2022

34 sports

Stranger Than Fiction Gen Z creates new realities from old stories

By Brysan Wilson Harrell

veryone has a book or movie that has been reread or re-watched, and with that, they find new things that once were not as apparent the first time. Authors and producers have their own organic, original story, but often leave clues/hints for the viewer to pick up and assume why something is happening. Uncovering these mysteries is nothing less than exhilarating and helps create conspiracy theories. It only makes sense that the same can be applied to more than just movies and television. Recently there has been a debate on whether Helen Keller is real or just a character she made up when writing the book, “The Story of My Life” in 1905. Keller was deaf and blind, and she became an advocate for the fitting demographic. Everyone thought of her as a role model to young children around the world Because of her impairments, Gen Z is questioning how she could have written the story while having no traditional forms of communication. She was suspected of fraud and was all over the news when a now deleted post stated that she could not have written an autobiography because she was impaired. Although this is a shortsighted assumption, reading the “fine print” reveals that she had help from her husband, Sullivan. Over time, more interesting theories have been developed. Another big theory that has more facts to stand by is from the movie “Finding Nemo.” “Finding Nemo” was a big hit when it was released due to it’s funny and adventurous content that was relatable to both children and adults. The movie is about a clownfish named Marlin, a dad on a quest to find his son, Nemo. During that quest, he eventually does find Nemo. But what if that is not the whole truth? Theorists have come up with a new story; Nemo never disappeared and has actually passed away. Ironically, the title “Finding Nemo” when translated in Latin actually means “finding no one,” which most find suspicious. Additionally, there is more evidence making this theory hard to ignore. Along the journey, Marlin is accompanied by his friend Dory, a royal blue tang. In the movie, it is made known that Dory suffers from short term memory loss making it difficult

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for Dory to remember Nemo’s disappearance… or death. Marlin could use this to his advantage to make up a story of his death into a disappearance. “I would say that the dad was feeling heartbroken from the loss of the son, so he was just playing stuff through his mind in order to think of what might have happened to his son,” freshman Gavin D’Angelo said. Those who have watched the movie may disagree, but that is the whole

point. Conspiracy theories are not at all about being wrong or right. It is really just about a hunch that one has; there will be facts, evidence and all the data on what is true or what actually happened, but it does not mean much if you have your own assumption that they do not line up with. There are so many stories with other meanings behind them for those who are just paying a bit more

attention than usual. When a large group of people remember something differently than how it actually is, it is known as the Mandela Effect. For instance, a famous cartoon by the name of “Looney Tunes” was mistaken for being spelled “Looney Toons” by multiple people who had watched the show. The history of the Mandela effect is named after Nelson Mandela, who passed away in 2013. However, countless people believed that he passed away in prison in the 1980’s. This difference between what the majority thought and what actually happened created the term “the Man-

“ Conspiracy theories are not at all about being wrong or right.

McKenzie Shelton-Lott

dela Effect.” “Wow, that’s actually really crazy,” junior Carlos Gonzalez said. “I remember watching the cartoon as a kid and always thought it was spelled ‘Toon’ and not ‘Tunes.’” The Mandela Effect is slowly becoming more of a normalized term. In fact, during June of 2019, the famed New York Times crossword puzzle made this phenomenon a theme; defined as “a recent refinement of false memory that typically refers to pop culture or current event references.” This term was also defined by paranormal researcher, Fiona Broome, as when one remembers something that does not match historical records. From confusing the name brand of peanut butter or creating theories of the Bermuda Triangle, confusion is highly expected. For many, bringing new perspectives to old stories in the form of a conspiracy theory is seen as much easier and often more enjoyable than simply repeating the same story.

editorial 35

Thriving indoors

How to enjoy a pandemic like an introvert By The InvestiGator Staff

n March, it will have been two full years since the first quarantine began and everyone prepared for what they thought would be just a month from home. After it turned out to be a full year of remote learning and an even longer time of social distancing, people took to social media to complain about being forced indoors without social interaction. Then, there were the introverts, who probably benefited the most from social distancing and quarantine. An excuse to stay home and rarely have to interact with people? It was a nightmare for thousands, but for some it was a dream come true. Many in the workforce even found their calling when they learned they could do their entire job from the comfort of their home, and vowed to never go back. School was a different story, obviously, as seen by the statistics of falling grades and even worse attendance. A majority of students and teachers agreed that remote learning was far from the right choice. For the introverted students, however, a break from the first day of school introductions, front of the class presentations, and general social interactions was a blessing more than it was a curse. It only made sense that introverts fared better during the pandemic, and still continue to do so as long as certain activities remain closed, social distancing is still enforced and overall, extroversion is heavily discouraged. As stated before, introversion has been under something of a spotlight with the presence of social media in everyone’s lives. Programs and projects devoted to helping those who are a bit more introverted reach out and talk about mental health issues have been prevalent on social media. And, the longer the pandemic lasts, the more people start to grow accustomed to the restrictions. Most people can recall the very start of the pandemic, when people were flocking to stores and toiletries were disappearing from the shelves. Outcry was prevalent about the government controlling people’s lives and forcing them to stay home. And yet, after a couple of years in, there

are still social media posts of people hoping that certain things stay the way that they are. Obviously, everyone has had their fill of the pandemic, and no one would be upset if COVID-19 was completely erased from the world. Still, some people find comfort in the restrictions. There are people who adore the idea of wearing masks everywhere. Other than being generally safer for the prevention of sickness, people have discovered the newfound love of being harder to recognize in public. Not only that, but the idea of social distancing has found some appreciation, with people hoping that the six feet minimum distance in grocery store lines will be here to stay when the pandemic comes to a close. And of course, for introverts, nothing beats the excuse of being unable to go out. Instead of desperately trying to come up with some kind of excuse to avoid going to a party they were invited to, simply saying “I’m not feeling great right now, I might be sick” is enough to make anyone understand. Even just saying that one is paranoid about the pandemic is usually enough, whether they are feeling sick or not. After all, who WOULD want to go to a crowded room full of people in the middle of a pandemic, even IF they were an extroverted person? There have been plenty of difficulties for everyone, though. Regardless of whether someone is introverted or extroverted, the vaccine debate has been incredibly controversial. Not only that, but no matter how introverted someone is, cabin fever can be experienced by anybody. That feeling of being stuck inside your home with nothing to do, the same thing happening every single day. It can get difficult for just about everyone, even if somebody prefers to be less sociable. In addition, despite school returning to in person for the 2021-2022 school year, last year posed a number of difficulties for students of all social circles. While the lack of social interaction may have been preferred for some students, many found it to be significantly difficult to be instructed by a teacher that they were not in the room with. With the latest spike seeming to falter slightly, there is hope that the pandemic is nearly over, and even introverts that prefer restrictions can rally behind COVID’s eradication.

STUDENT SPEAK

What is your New Year’s Resolution?

“My resolution is to try to get straight A’s for once.”

Chase Northam, junior

“Mine is to fix my posture, because I think it’s important.”

Sohini Mandal, senior

“To get over my fear of spiders, since they have eight legs for no reason.”

Shawn Carter, sophomore

“To get a better sleep schedule, because I stay up late too much.”

Aiden Putnam, freshman

TYLER BONNETTE | PHOTO

Junior Cruz Donovan does consecutive pull ups during a military recruiting event. The activity took place on Dec. 17, 2021 during lunch.

SETTING THE BAR

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