October 2016

October 2016

investigator

the

Vol. 26, Issue 1

Green Valley High School Ů 460 N. Arroyo Grande Henderson, NV 89014

Golden Gator see pages 8 -9

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9/20/16 11:23 PM

October 2016

investigator

the

Contents

Vol. 26, Issue 1

Green Valley High School ٠ 460 N. Arroyo Grande Henderson, NV 89014

On The Cover

Golden Gator see pages 8 -9

#BLM reaches Vegas page 20

GV alumnus Connor Fields captured a gold medal at the 2016 Rio Summer Olympics.

pages 8-9

SECTIONS NEWS 4 FEATURES 6 SPORTS 11 ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT 13 PHOTO ESSAY 16 OPINIONS 19 EDITORIAL 23

FEATURED STORIES 6 globetrotter

A student’s summer adventures in Deutschland

11 off and running

Men’s cross country team aims to validate #1 ranking Ava Meade-Scarpitta

The Black Lives Matter movement that has garnered national attention recently saw a protest take place on Fremont St. in downtown Las Vegas.

editor's note: With the rise of a new school year comes new, exciting innovations from your newspaper.

We have decided to transition over into a news magazine style and format. To say the least, the whole staff, our advisor and both of us are all especially excited for this new chapter in our newspaper’s history. After being a broadsheet newspaper for 25 years, our program is ready for a revamp and we hope this year brings many blessings and successes.

Nothing great in life goes without hard work, and we have been working extremely long hours while meeting an early Homecoming deadline to put this issue out for our school and community. We are extremely proud of what we have done.

We aim for this student-run magazine to highlight the best, most entertaining and intersting stories that come out of Green Valley.

In other exciting news, our alumnus Connor Fields recently won a gold medal at the Rio Olympic Games of 2016 in BMX Racing. The community is extremely proud to have Connor represent Green Valley and shine a light on the place we all call home.

We have featured traveling students, CCSD’s new policies, and the all important debate about Pokémon Go. Our staff also wrote about the pumpkin spice craze, cultural appropriation, football players receiving college attention and Harambe.

A combination of different stories have been sprinkled in to create a unique mixture, much like our school, to try to accurately represent who we are and what we aspire to be.

We hope these stories are enjoyable and that anyone reading this will find something they enjoy or identify with.

- Sarah Fernandez and Lena Navarro, co-editors-in-chief

13 harley’s house

A sensational icon featured in the hit movie ‘Suicide Squad’ takes center stage

19 the return of the PSL

Spicy seasonal drink hits town early once again

22 that’s my bulbasaur

Is this new game craze ruining our youth?

pokemon.wikia.com

4 NEWS

SENIORS RISE UP

S

Lena Navarro

By Taylor Strezlec

enior Sunrise is a special tradition that has been around for years at high schools across Nevada. It is when all of the seniors get up early and meet at the school to watch the sunrise together and have breakfast to signify the beginning of a new year. This year, seniors set their alarms for this special event on Sept. 2 at 5:30 and pulled up to the football field on the first Friday of the school year.

The event also inititates the countdown to the end of the high school experience, bringing up memories for some, including senior Autumn Beltran.

“I felt nostalgic going to Senior Sunrise because that made me realize that high school is pretty much over and I’m not going to see many people anymore,” Beltran said. “Being a senior feels pretty good but is kind of scary because I’m going to be an adult. Then I’m going to have to do stuff for myself.”

Student Council president senior Claire Parker was very happy with the outcome.

Parker gave all of the credit to seniors Joseph Cupp and Kelsey Iwanylo for making it possible.

“Joe and Kelsey literally killed it. They were super prepared and they got all of the food donated,” Parker said.

Seniors Alexandria Frayer, Baylee Means, Alexa Blazek, and Christine Sarti (left to right) are all smiles during the annual Senior Sunrise event that took place on the football field on Friday, Sept. 2.

Student Council member and organizer of the event with Iwanylo, Cupp noted the generous donations of Einstein Bagels and Pink Box. “We went to Einstein’s and we asked them if they had any bagels they wanted to donate and they gave us 250 bagels,” Cupp said. Then Pink Box donated 10 dozen donuts as well.”

The event also seemed to bring forth some sentimental feelings from the seniors that woke up early on the first Friday of the school year.

“My favorite part was watching everyone take pictures, knowing they’re going to remember that forever as their Senior Sunrise,” Parker said. “And we also had a bomb selection of donuts.”

CHEER SPRINGS BACK WITH A NEW COACH

By Kiara Thomson With a long standing history of success, Cheer has faced some major challenges over the past 16 months. The 2016 school year will see a new head coach take over the team for the second consecutive year in an attempt to reenergize the program as a whole.

“I think it takes someone really involved in the school to handle this program,” new head varsity cheer coach Treasure Gan-

“

It really is the fastest four years of your life.

- senior Jaycee Blankmeyer

burg said.

Ganburg was an assistant on the coaching staff last year and became very close to the team. When the position opened up, Ganburg was one of the names at the top of the list of possible new head coaches.

“I have been cheering my whole life.

I started when I was four years old. I cheered for countless competition teams, two years in high school, then I cheered all four years at UNLV. I still to this day cheer for NCA (National Cheer Association),” Gansburg said.

Not only did Ganburg’s experience with

The InvestiGator t October 2016

cheer qualify her for the job, but her previous relationships with team members from last season were an added bonus.

“Coach is great. We are much more organized and focused this year,” sophomore Reagan Thompson said.

The current routine sees the team having everyday practices and daily conditioning to prepare them for the lengthy school year.

“I am planning to get the girls to at least top 3 in competition this year,” Ganburg said.

Hoping to move on from the difficulties from last season, the team is focused on becoming closer in order to succeed. Upperclassmen team members are taking a step to create a positive and fun place for the girls to come.

“We are more like a little family,” said senior, Jaycee Blankmeyer, “I want the girls to enjoy themselves in high school. It really is the fastest four years of your life.”

Although, the team goes through their ups and downs, the girls are reminded to move on and keep a smile on their faces.

“Being a cheerleader is a big responsibility, everyone is looking at you. We are representing our school and supporting our students. I am proud to be a Gator.

We promise not to disappoint,” Thompson said.

Kiara Thomson

500 AND COUNTING On Sept. 12, varsity volleyball coach Erin Hill won her record 500th NIAA match in style.

Hill reached the milestone as the Gators swept Centennial 25-16, 25-15, 25-21 in a non-conference match held at Centennial High School.

“We’ve been lucky to have some great groups of kids to reach 500 wins,” Hill said. “You figure that you need 20 wins a year for 25 years and you can’t do that without a lot of hard working athletes. It doesn’t just happen overnight.”

The Gators are currently 17-5 overall and 2-0 in conference as they head into the last month of the season.

NEWS 5

CCSD PREPARES TO REORGANIZE

By Maycee Labo

During the 2017-2018 school year a reorganization is scheduled to occur in the Clark County School District. This means that the superintendents would no longer be in charge, and principals would have more say in how the school is run and how they allocate their budget on a yearly basis.

“Hiring would be done a little bit differently and we would be able to purchase things on our own,” Principal Kent Roberts said.

“

Their job is still to...provide a great learning environment and deliver high quality lessons.

- Principal Kent Roberts

Superintendents are going to go from being in charge of up to 27 school campuses to as few as five locations each.

This plan is designed to get the community involved because each community and each school have specific needs. But many school staff members have questions regarding the district-wide change.

“What kind of money are we going to get at this school? Are our funds going to

be affected, or our budget? And also the kids, where will the kids be coming from?

Is zoning going to shift a little bit? Will we have more administration? Are we going to have less teachers? Or more teachers and less administration? So I’m just wondering about the staff and the budget,” English teacher Angelique Callicoat said.

Many students and teachers may be affected by this significant change in how the district is run and organized.

“Students might react poorly because they’ll realize that their teachers won’t have much say and that means that there is less equality amongst the school,” junior Samantha Shire said.

Surveys will also be required to be given out in order to get feedback from the students, staff, parents, and community.

However, Roberts believes that things will continue to be business as usual around campus.

“I think that teachers will not feel the impact as much simply because, for them, it’s not going to change their mission,” Roberts said. “Their job is still going to go into PE, math, and English and provide a great learning environment and deliver high quality lessons.”

Homecoming 2016 will kick off with spirit days beginning Monday, Oct. 3.

Monday will be “Late for a Very Important Date” (PJ Day), followed by Tuesday’s “Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum” (Twin Day). Wednesday’s theme is “Cheshire Cat Day” (Stripes). The last two days of the week will be “Oh No, I’m Growing Older!”

(Mom, Dad, Grandma, or Grandpa Day) and “Down the Rabbit Hole Day” (Blackout Tee Shirts).

On Friday, Oct. 7 there will be an Alice in Wonderland themed parade and carnival before the football game vs. Silverado, which kicks off at 7:00 p.m.

Concluding the week of festivities, the Homecoming Dance will be held on Saturday night at the school.

GV’S GONE MAD

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͹ ǡ ʹͲͳ͸

Ǩ

Animal Abuse Story Hits Close To Home

By Sydney Lum The Animal Advocates Club, run by seniors Robyn Meyers and Isabella Clemete, builds awareness for animal abuse and uses the best of their abilities to help animals. And with a new national animal abuse story, club members have found reason to continue to promote the importance of their organization.

Baylor football player, Ishmael Zamora, took a belt and started to repeatedly hit his dog with it. He had his friend record the whole thing as they were laughing, and then decided to post it on social media.

Zamora was charged with a Class C misdemeanor. He got fined $500, assigned 40 hours of community service, and received a three game suspension.

“It’s ridiculous that he didn’t get more of a punishment. It’s already horrible that he was beating his dog,” Clemente said.

“The fact that he was laughing as he did so makes the situation all the more disgusting. I mean what kind of person beats an animal for pleasure?”

Zamora tried to apologize stating how sorry he was and how he just took his frustrations out on his dog. Zamora claimed that he truly loves his dog.

“He didn’t mean his apology. He didn’t need to take out his anger on an animal that couldn’t defend itself,” Myers said.

“We love animals. We never want to see one go through that kind of torture,” said

Kiara Thomson

Seniors Robin Meyers (right) and Isabella Clemente work on an Animal Advocates poster prior to a club meeting.

Myers. “All animals are beautiful. They’re smart, loving. They don’t deserve to take the hit for mankind’s violent tendencies.”

The club focuses on giving those abused animals justice.

“They don’t have voices to defend them-

selves. And that’s where we come in at the Animal Advocates Club,” Clemente said.

“We try and help as much as we can to try and give them their rights.”

The club currently meets on Tuesdays in Room 907 after school.

October 2016 t The InvestiGator

6 FEATURE

On the

Road Again courtesy Noelani Mattstedt

Senior Noelani Mattstedt (center) smiles with her mother and sister with the Alps in the background during her summer vacation in Germany.

By Deanna Chea une 10, 3:00 a.m. Senior Noelani Mattstedt woke up, groggy and disorientated. This day, Mattstedt was not preparing for another ordinary day as a high schooler. Her flight was in 3 hours. After weeks of feverously packing, the Mattstedt family was ready for their annual vacation to Germany.

“My family and I generally spend most of our time from the summer in our little city of Garmisch,” Mattstedt said. “We take advantage of the many things it offers and just have a great time diving into the lakes and eating incredible amounts of food at the local Braeustueberl, the old brewing house turned restaurant. The alps are all along it, and it’s just really beautiful having the green meadows and snowy mountains. It’s breath-taking.”

Back in Germany, Mattstedt journeyed around the country, from her home in Garmisch, to the cities of Mainz, Heidelberg, and Tubingen. Her whimsical travels soon led her and her sister to complete several backpacking and biking tours.

“I love Germany and miss our lifestyle there everyday,” Mattstedt said. “In the morning my brother would bike into the city and buy some Semmel, or German bread rolls. Then my family would all eat breakfast together on our balcony. We’d also go biking a lot. Some of the best memories were from those biking tours with my family.”

During one backpacking trip, Mattstedt and her sister spent a week traveling from

J

The InvestiGator t October 2016

North Germany to the South. They rode the Flixbus, a new form of transport, which takes riders between many major cities.

They also visited several castles along the Rhine River.

“One place we went was called the Neuschwanstein Castle,” Mattstedt said.

“This is better known than the other castles in the area because Disney modeled their famous castle off of it. The castle is as aweinspiring as its movie counterpart, and being able to go inside it was incredible. It was so much fun going place to place with only my sister.”

Standing as Germany’s largest annual fair, Oktoberfest is a traditional autumn

“

Even I have to laugh when I go back and remember the quirky German laws.

- senior Noelani Mattstedt

festival, featuring music and traditional German food. The beginning of August hosts an event similar to Oktoberfest, named Bierzelt. Partaking in the festive activities of Germany, Mattstedt and her family wore the traditional German-style clothing for the event. The women wear the traditional dress, and the men wear the Lederhosen.

“Germany and America are so wildly different,” Mattstedt said. “For example, every single store is closed all day on Sundays. You cannot purchase anything on Sundays, and it is so challenging to go from

a culture where everything is open 24/7 to a culture where everything closes at 7:00.”

Germany also has “mittagspause” from 1:00-3:00 in the afternoon. During this time, all citizens are supposed to relax for a midday break. Also contrasting Mattstedt’s life in America, German traffic lights are programmed to turn off at 8:00 every night. When the lights are off, drivers must be especially aware to prevent accidents.

“It’s basically a giant free-for-all,” Mattstedt said. “Even I have to laugh when I go back and remember the quirky German laws.”

Another plus for tourists is the close proximity of Germany to its neighbors.

“The best part about our little city, Garmisch, is that everything is super close,” Mattstedt said. “You can be in Munich in one hour, Italy in three, France in four, Austria in fifteen minutes, and basically everywhere in between in a reasonable amount of time. We had the chance to visit many places within a few hours drive.

Dachau, the German concentration camp used during WWII, was the first place we went to. It was awfully haunting but a worthwhile experience.”

After a two month relief from the American lifestyle, Mattstedt returned home mid-August and is looking forward to returning next summer.

“I just love the city, country, and culture,” Mattstedt said. “Anyone with an opportunity to travel to a place as unique and beautiful as Germany should take it in a heartbeat.”

FEATURE 7

Foreign exchange students become Gators

By Erinn Veach As kids who grew up in the Las Vegas valley, most students don’t notice the behavior of others, the slang, or other things people do. The culture teens that grew up in is not noticed in day to day life, but someone who did not grow up in that reality sees the AmerLas Vegas, NV ican world through different eyes. Foreign exchange students coming to America from out of country live an interesting life as they find their way in a new place.

The foreign exchange program gives students the unique opportunity to live with a host family and go to a school in an entirely different country than where they were raised, allowing them to learn and experience a culture unlike their own.

“It is an amazing cultural exchange and it allows kids from other countries to see the United States of America in a different light,” counselor Ira Goldberg said. “It’s fascinating to see the growth of those foreign students.”

Junior, Zhibek Kozhakhmetova, or Zhizhi (pronounced “Gigi”) applied to become an exchange student in her home country of Kazakhstan, a large desert nation south of Russia. In order to be an exchange student, she had to have above a 2.5 gpa, have good attendance, and all together be model student. After winning a scholarship and taking many classes to

learn about the U.S., she headed to America. Stepping off the plane, she walked into a completely different country than the one she had departed from.

Standard American things aren’t quite so normal in many other countries, whether that be slot maGermany chines natives Kazakhstan have become indifferent to or common slang teenagers use day-today.

“The f i r s t thing I saw here were gambling machines in the airport, which was weird,” Kozhakhmetova said. “Also, slang is very strange, it is a lot of words I don’t know or understand.”

Zhibek hopes that the journey she has taken will make her a better person. Living a diverse experience that most people don’t ever get to be a part of can definitely change a person.

“This is a great opportunity to become a better person, I want to become way more open minded after this year,” Kozhakhmetova said. “I feel like I’m becoming much more responsible because I’m far from my parents and I have to take care of myself most of the time.”

Exchange student Sarah Polkehn, has had a similar experience. In Germany, she signed up to spend her junior year in

America. Arriving in the sunny Las Vegas Valley, a large contrast to her cold and rainy home, she began finding her way.

U.S. schools differ from those in other countries. Sarah noticed very quickly that American school would be different than what she was used to. Germany’s class structure differs greatly from American.

“The first day of school was very exciting because it’s so different than in Germany.

There we would stay together as a class for each subject, but here in America you switch around,” Polkehn said.

The diet of a student in the U.S. is also much different from the rest of the world.

Packaged and processed foods are common staples in an American meal, while other countries have more fresh and wellproportioned foods.

“In Germany I mostly ate healthy foods,” Polkehn said. “But here in America I have noticed the food is very bad for you. It’s really good tasting though, and it’s also much bigger.”

Polkehn hopes to learn more about herself because of her year in America. Living without her family, she has to become more self-sufficient, a great trait to have.

“I’d like for this experience to make me more self-confident and allow me to learn to be more independent,” Polkehn said.

The world is so much bigger than the one a person is raised in. There are hundreds of different cultures out there to explore and learn about, all it takes is a step. Foreign exchange students get that unique opportunity to be part of a whole other place, growing as a person, and shaping a better self is the best way to live life.

ness when they weren’t wearing makeup.

And some students are trying to end this idea that one has to wear makeup to feel beautiful.

“It’s kind of sad that a lot of women feel as if they are unnatractive without makeup on,” senior Jamie Cordon said.

And many students are trying to end this

“Every person has the right to wear makeup, especially if it makes them feel more comfortable in their own skin,” Guzman said. “But the thought of having to always rely on makeup, to make me feel more confident, doesn’t settle too well with me.”

Even many those who wear makeup are trying to end this dependency on makeup for confidence.

“Although I wear makeup most days, I still try to inspire girls to not depend on makeup as a means of security,” Quintana said.

She doesn’t understiamte the power of makeup, but realizes it should be about more than fixing one’s imperfections.

“It super cool that make up can help boost people’s confidence by covering their dark marks and blemishes,” said Quintana, “But we should all realize that we’re beautiful inside and out, no matter if we’re wearing a full face of makeup or not. Let’s use makeup to rise ourselves up rather than push ourselves down.”

Makeup and its effects on self image

By Hailey Gross “Makeup is more than my hobby. It’s more than a means of hiding my insecurites. It is my passsion,” senior Ruby Quintana said. “Makeup is my outlet. It’s my art. It’s how I express myself.”

Wearing makeup is becoming this means of expression for many people.

“It makes me feel good about myself even when I’m not at my best,” sophomore Mackenzie Mitchell said. “Makeup is not a necessity to me, but I do love wearing it.”

Makeup is an artform and positive influence to Quintana, Mitchell and many other men and women all around the world. But some feel as if they can’t leave the house without wearing it.

“Even if it’s Sunday and I have to make a run to the grocery store, I have to put on some sort of makeup product,” sophomore Michelle Nelson said.

Nelson is not alone on this. According to a new survey, 44 percent of women experienced negative feelings of self concious-

“

It makes me feel good about myself even when I’m not at my best.

- sophomore Mackenzie Mitchell

expectation that one has to wear makeup to feel good about themselves.

“I prefer not to wear makeup. I feel like makeup can have a lot to do with insecurities. I am confident with my looks and myself already,” sophomore Mikaela Guzman said.

Even though Guzman herself doesn’t wear a lot of makeup, she respects those who do.

gator WINS GOLD

By Lena Navarro “I sat in class, daydreaming about winning a gold medal. I would lay in bed at night, day dreaming about it. And when it finally came true, it didn’t feel real,” said Connor Fields, a 2010 alumna and 2016 Olympic BMX racing Gold Medalist, a sport deemed for sprint bicycle races.

Since 2003, at the age of 10, Connor Fields had been hard at work training in hopes of one day becoming an Olympian for the US BMX team. And this past summer in Rio, Fields did just that.

“It all started when my mom found a flyer for the local BMX track at a bike shop, and I liked riding my bike so she thought it would be something I’d enjoy,” Fields said.

That joy Fields got from riding his bike as an adolescent transformed into a passion for competing in BMX races as a young teen.

“I realized I was good enough for the Olympics at about age 15. And at that point I dedicated myself to becoming better,” Fields said.

Just four short years after, Fields and his bike traveled overseas to London to compete with the US BMX team in the 2012 Olympics against riders from over 205 countries.

“Going to the Olympics for the first time was crazy. It was unlike any competition or World Cup I’d ever been to. From having special lines for our bags at the airport, to having a special lane on the highway for Olympians only, it was all around a crazy experience,” Fields said.

And after coming home to America with no medal to show for his love, dedication and talent in the sport, Fields was devastated.

“Going into the London Olympics as

“

I love the rush that comes with racing...every time and every course.

-gold medalist Connor Fields

the number one racer in the finals, I completely expected to get a medal. And the fact that I didn’t was really hard to accept. But it was losing that motivated me more than ever to bring back the gold in Rio,” Fields said.

And along with the intensive training Fields committed to in hopes of making his mark in the next Olympics, came dire crashes and injuries in which jeopardized his chances of redemption.

“I actually broke my wrist this past March, and I had to take a two months rest while I let it heal. I only had an eight-week training camp before the Olympics. Training those few weeks was really jammed, which made everyday really important,” Fields said.

His dedication to healing his critical injuries, rather than giving in to the impatience of wanting to train, definitely paid off. By the time Olympic trials came, Fields had fully re-

FEATURE 9

covered and had tunnel vision set on ridside his BMX training and races. ing better than ever before.

“Going to college while pursuing a career in “This time around, I was more prepared in BMX racing definitely keeps me busy,” Fields that I knew exactly what to expect from the said. “Plus, when I’m injured I’ll teach classes event. Compared to my first Olympic expefor younger kids. I remember when I was a kid rience when I was just looking around at the and how much it meant to me spending time 10,000 Olympian Village thinking it was absowith the pros, so I try to pass that forward.” lutely crazy I was even there,” Fields said.

As a professional athlete and an American With Fields knowing exactly what to expect gold medalist, Connor is constantly in the pubfrom the 2016 Olympics after his first time lic eye. And with that exposure he gets from his around the block, he expected nerves, and a lot accomplishments in BMX, he uses to inspire of them. and motivate those who look up to him.

“Every single person at that event is ner“My advice to those with a hectic schedule vous. But you have to learn to accept the nerves like me is to be really good at time manageEveryone is nervous. You have to realize they’re ment. You can’t waste time. If you have a few normal and completely okay,” Fields said. free minutes, you just always have to be proAnd as the gun goes off, those nerves subductive,” Fields said. “Sometimes you have to side and the adrenaline kicks in. sacrifice things. Sometimes you won’t always “The races happen so incredibly fast. In thirhave time to go out with your friends, or whatty seconds it is over. And in those thirty secever it is you want to do, but you have to keep onds, it is about reading and reacting as fast as the end goal in mind and keep going.” possible. It is purely instinctual,” said Fields. “I love the rush that comes with racing, and that riding is different every time and every course.”

The Rio BMX race was unquestionably different from any other competition Field has ever participated in. Because this time around the track, he got to walk away as a golden Olympian.

“When I realized I won the gold medal, it was shock. For the first couple days, and even now, its weird, because you dream about it your whole life,” Fields said. “I haven’t stopped celebrating since I won.”

In addition, Fields had to compete in this thrilling BMX event against not only skilled athletes from foreign countries, but against his own American teammates for that first place slot.

“I’ve been competing with the other BMX racers on the US team for years…we’re all friendly,” said Fields. “But we all give each other space.

It’s a hard thing to balance, because we’re teammates, but we realize we’re also competing against each other. It’s just about respect.”

As Fields works on finding that balance between friendKelsey Dunton ship and competition, he also Opposite page - Fields smiles with his gold medal at the Summer works on balancing his hectic Olympics Closing Ceremonies in Rio. schedule, which includes being a part time college student Above - At a local event Fields accepts a ‘Key to the City’ from Henat Nevada, Las Vegas and vol- derson Mayor Andy Hafen and signs autographs for fans afterwards. unteering with kids, along

cover photo and photo on page 8 courtesy of Connor Fields

October 2016 t The InvestiGator

10 FEATURE

E

MUSIC TO HIS EARS

By Shila Serfafat

lectives are a way to steal students away from their piles of homework and take them into a more creative world. For some students, these classes are a stepping-stone and a taste of their dream job. Junior Raja Patel turned his elective into a way to get his name out into the music world and take him further into his passion for the viola.

“I started playing in sixth grade because it seemed like something really cool to be a part of,” Patel said.

Patel has continued to play extensively inside and outside of school, motivated by his interest in music. He has been in the GV Symphony Orchestra for three consecutive years, starting his freshman year.

Shelly Burger has been Raja’s conductor for Symphony Orchestra since his freshman year. Burger encourages her students to go outside of school and play for other events and be involved in the Nevada AllState and CCSD Honors Orchestra.

“I have helped him find multiple events to play at outside of school, but a lot of his concerts have been set up by himself,” Burger said.

Patel and his fellow peers also play at events together. Some of these performances include charity events. Burger supports her students whether they play for school events or non-school events.

“I go to see Raja and my other students play at some of their events, as they always

find a way to play for the community,” Burger said.

Although Patel appreciates musicians like Ludwig van Beethoven and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, he does not view them as an inspiration. Instead, the music itself is an inspiration to him.

“There is not a specific person that is an inspiration to me because it is the thought of making my own music and perfecting it to touch the lives of others that keeps me going,” Patel said.

Patel plays the viola which is one of four instruments in the orchestra family including the violin, cello, and bass. The

“

As I began to play more often, I discovered other gigs to play at, like parties and weddings.

- junior Raja Patel

viola is the second highest-pitched instrument behind the violin since the viola has a low-pitched C-string, while the violin has a high-pitched E-string.

While Patel annually participates in AllState Orchestra, he also chooses to play alongside others who share his passion for music. He furthers his love for the viola by not only playing other’s songs, but also creating his own. He then posts his composed songs on Youtube.

“I started playing at school-related

Brynne Hilton

Junior Raja Patel practices the viola in the quad before a school rehearsal.

The InvestiGator t October 2016

events that I discovered through my orchestra director. As I began to play more often, I discovered other gigs to play at, like parties and weddings,” Patel said.

“For most of my gigs, I played them with a friend of mine whom I started a band with about a year ago.

He and I would go out and play on a regular basis, and sometimes someone would notice our music and book a gig with us.”

Not many orchestra students go out of their way to create their own music in their spare time, let alone perform it in front of a huge crowd of people.

P a t e l h a s taken this art of wrti n g music very seriously. He has dedicated many hours of his life in and out of school to his music.

“One of the first gigs that I ever played with my friend was at a wedding which was being live broadcasted,” Patel said.

“We even got feedback from people outside of the country.”

He also notes the large distinction between his work for the school orchesta and his work for out of school performances.

“Usually for school-related events we are given sheet music to play, but for non-school-related events, I have always played my own music,” Patel said. “In particular, at the wedding we played at, we got to play our own music which was pretty cool to have people around the world hear it.”

After almost six years of continuously playing the viola, Patel has seen improvement not only in his playing abilities, but his analyzation of music as a whole.

“The main difference between when I started and now is the way I listen to music. I used to hear music, now I listen instead. I have now realized there is a huge difference in the two.” Patel said. “I plan for viola to always be a part of my life. It is just incredible to connect with other people through music.”

SPORTS 11

READY TO RUN

By Nora-Jo Paramo Each state offers cross country as a secondary school sport for boys and girls.

More than 440,000 secondary school students compete during every school year.

Cross country is an intense sport that requires immense dedication, both physically and mentally. It is both an individual and team sport, where the runners are judged by their individual times finishing a certain event. This year, the team is ready to impress with another amazing season.

“I have some very high expectations.

Both the boys and girls are returning defending region champions and so the expectations are going to continue,” Coach Demetrius Beam said.

The 2016 season for cross country has already begun and the team is prepared to make groundbreaking history.

“The thing I’m most proud of was winning region last year as an individual and as a team,” sophomore Mia Smith said.

“This year I’m hoping to do the same thing.”

Although cross country is a difficult sport that requires strength and endurance, it is enjoyable to those on the team.

“I try to create a very relaxed environment out there. I try to let the kids know they should be having fun to a degree. ” senior Amy Amezcua said. “I’m always really supportive to everyone who needs help and always give them advice on what they need to get better.”

Additionally, whether you continue running ahead of the pack or behind it the difficulty can change by individual aptitude, duration, and the length of the race.

Brynne Hilton

Junior Milton Amezcu (left), and seniors Lenny Rubi (middle) and Omar Rubio (right) run together during a race at Cornerstone Park on Sept. 21.

“My favorite thing to do [after a long race] is to catch my breath and sit down,” Smith said.

Back in early 2015, the former cross country coach, Blaine Thompson, passed away. The cross country team is now going on its second season without Thompson but they still honor him by mentioning his name at the end of a cheer they do.

“We’ve always had the ‘Do it for Thompson’ cheer, so we always remind ourselves no matter what, we always got to go and strive for the best because we’re doing it for him,” Amezcua said.

The team is a very supportive group and

sticking together through a tough loss is what got them through it. The current coach, Demetrius Beam, has attempted to fill the void that was left.

“I’d say the transition was definitely difficult. However, our coach has done such an amazing job to fill in a place that usually wouldn’t be able to be filled in at all,” Smith said. “But he’s filled that place and he’s doing an amazing job. He’s one of the best coaches I’ve had.”

Through all of the challenges, the cross country team is sticking together and working hard towards another successful season for all of those involved.

in film study where Araujo and the team watch and analyze other teams to learn their plays to prepare offensively and defensively for the game.

“I really like to watch a lot of film to see

and Athletic Gaines and I go to the gym almost everyday,” Hershberger said.

Hershberger has been playing football for a long time and the sport is extremely loved in his family.

“I started playing football when I was in 4th grade and it has been a tradition for my family to play the sport. My dad and grandpa played football long before I did,” Hershberger said.

Brian Castro is the head coach of the Varsity football team.

He expects his players to show attitude, toughness, and pride on and off the field.

He is also looking forward to the rest of the season, especially the Henderson Bowl.

“The Henderson Bowl is one of the best rivalries in town and an opportunity for our guys to play for more than just a win, a trophy is involved. The Henderson Bowl is a must win for us,” Castro said.

The football team is prepared for the season and have hopes to continue the legacy of Green Valley football.

Athletes attract college attention

By Seth Beekman

Recently, the football team has had interesting things happening around the squad, with CJ Araujo and Brock Hershberger, two of the biggest names on varsity, attracting colleges to them.

CJ Araujo is the senior middle linebacker on varsity football and he has already accomplished some impressive feats.

Araujo is one of the top five linebackers in the state and has received many scholarship offers from schools such as Cornell University, Stetson, and Adams State.

He trains all year for the football season while striving to get better and better.

“During the off season I really focus hard in the weight room and trying to get bigger.

I take at least two days out of the week to do some kind of speed and agility training to make sure I’m getting faster while putting on weight,” Araujo said.

Not all training and prep for an opponent happens on the field, it also happens

“

It has been a tradition for my family to play the sport.

- senior Brock Hershberger

my own weak points and see how I can better myself,” Araujo said.

Brock Hershberger is a senior defensive end and has also attracted attention from colleges including Cornell University, Trinity University, Adams State, and Oklahoma Baptist.

Hershberger is the current sack leader in Nevada and plans to hold on to that lead, his training over the season has helped him succeed on the field.

“All off season I trained at Van Hook

October 2016 t The InvestiGator

12 SPORTS

NEW SOCCER FIND IS A KEEPER

T

By Cameron McCormick

he women’s varsity soccer team has a new goalie, and she happens to be one of the top ranked players in the area. Last year, as a sophomore, she committed to Boise State University. Her name is Emberly Sevilla, she’s new to the school, and she’s ready to perform on the field and in the classroom.

For the past two years, Sevilla attended Odyssey online school to make time to train and to be able to commit to a college early. After her sophomore year she made the decision to attend Green Valley.

“I figured going to Green Valley would be more beneficial for me academically. I know attending Green Valley will force me to manage my time between athletics and academics more effectively, which will better prepare me for the collegiate level,” Sevilla said.

The social aspect of public school was something Sevilla had missed.

“Coming back has let me reconnect with old friends and make new ones. I’m also loving the guitar and video production classes, which are things I’ve always been interested in but weren’t courses that were offered at my previous school,” Sevilla said.

Sevilla has dedicated much of her life to playing club soccer. She has played for several clubs around Las Vegas and currently plays for Las Vegas Premier as well as Arsenal FC of the ECNL in California.

However, the transition to high school presents a new set of challenges.

“You’re representing your school and playing in front of your peers, so there’s a different kind of pressure, a good pressure

Kiara Thomson

Junior Emberly Sevilla attempts to save a shot heading for goal during practice on Thursday, Sept. 22.

nonetheless,” Sevilla said.

Sevilla has embraced that pressure and reacted to it well, in part, thanks to her new teammates.

“All of the veterans quickly welcomed me and the rest of the rookies, so I’ve been enjoying the new environment so far,” Sevilla said.

The Gators are set to have another strong season, returning twelve letter winners from last year. Alexis Kirson (30 goals, 10 assists) is returning as one of the top scorers in southern Nevada.

“We have a strong core squad in all of the returning players,” Sevilla said. “We have a great chance at the regional and state titles if we stay on the same page, play as a unit, and keep the right mentality,” Sevilla has already committed to Boise State, a school that she has had her mind on since middle school. The academic pro-

gram, athletic facilities, and coaching staff at Boise State were all major factors in Sevilla’s decision.

“Boise State has been my top university choice since eighth grade, I had a gut feeling it was the school for me,” Sevilla said.

The recruiting process for Sevilla was different than most, being an underclassman.

“Because coaches can’t contact you directly until junior year; myself, my goalkeeper coach, and some other coaches contacted them,” Sevilla said.

It came down to two schools for Sevilla.

She took unofficial visits to both schools.

Both went out to see her play for her club team, and offered her a scholarship.

“I ended up choosing Boise State, it was nerve-wracking making my first call to coach, but once you do it, it gets easier and easier each time,” Sevilla said.

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A&E 13

THE EVOLUTION OF A ROLE MODEL the movie she is portrayed as independent, strong willed, and of her own devices, which is very much admired by young women in this day and age.

Much like the positive qualities about Harley that girls are admiring, they are also irrationally romanticizing the abusive relationship she has with the Joker.

By Anastasia Koulich

D

r. Harleen Quinzel, informally known as Harley Quinn or “Pumpkin pie” by the Joker, has evolutionized into the Mia Wallace of 2016. In the 90’s, every girl fantasized of inhabiting the body of Mrs.Wallace. Today, the same situation has progressed to Ms. Quinn. By the laws of popularity, as more eyes see a persona, the more that persona governs viewers’ decisions and intentions.

“Harley Quinn represents an outlet for those who wish to do and say outlandish things but are too reserved in demeanor to do so,” said junior Alexandria Fincher, a die hard fan of the homicidal clown.

Many people, not just easily impressionable teenage girls, prevail themselves to do something they have always wanted to through the indirect help of film and TV characters.

“What makes Harley so different is the sense that she is a charismatic, bubbly, alluring female character, while typical villainous females are portrayed as hideous and brooding with no personality other than the aspects of the average villain,” Fincher said.

Granted, Harley suffers from multiple personalities, sadomasochism, histrionic disorder, OCD, and other psychological profiles. However, that doesn’t mean she can’t be the cute and kind girl next door.

The allure of the new Harley Quinn may not fade. She may be a permanent pop culture figure. In

Throughout the Batman: Animated Series cartoon shown in the 90’s, Harley and the Joker sustained a relationship that most people wouldn’t want. In one episode, the Joker front kicked Harley out of a window because she didn’t make a joke while doing his dirty work for him. Yet, time and time again, Harley submissively comes back to him. The glamour of their exotically colored costumes, their foreign cars, their adrenaline driven criminal escapades, their larger than life personalities, and their millions and millions in the bank is why you see “goals” next to every picture of the two on social media.

Since Harley’s secondgeneration costume in the new film ‘Suicide Squad’, an influx of hotpants have made their way to Comic Con. Teenage girls are preplanning their Halloween costumes, posting videos of themselves impersonating Harley’s scenes in the film on social media, and working towards the goal of having some aspect of her psychotic softball player personality in theirs. These pink and blue pig tailed renegades will be running around aimlessly, doing acrobatic tricks all over the place until the fad dies.

Dear world, be ready to see a great deal of the Harley Quinn fanbase come out of the woodworks this year.

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October 2016 t The InvestiGator

14 A&E

The battle of the apps

By Bethany Casall

On Aug. 2, 2016, Instagram added a new feature that seemed all too familiar to social media users. Snapchat is an app where you can send and receive pictures along with a story that stays up for your friends to view for 24 hours while Instagram is used to post photos and stay up permanently. Recently, Instagram decided to add an aspect to their app where you can take a picture and post it to your “story” for 24 hours, which sought the attention of social

media users everywhere.

With the apps are already much alike, they have little to no differing standpoints to present. Starting off, the fact that you can see who viewed your story with both apps shows how they are very much similar. Then, unlike Snapchat, Instagram doesn’t have as many user interactive filters. It does, however, have different pens and colors to draw or write whatever one would like on a photo, just like Snapchat.

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Students have varying views on this new platform of media, which up brings the consideration of people’s preferences and form of entertainment.

“I use both Instagram and Snapchat on a daily basis, but for stories I like to use Snapchat because you get to see people’s daily lives. With Instagram, most people aren’t using it to that extent,” sophomore Abigail Hinton said. “Instagram Stories is just a knock off version of Snapchat Stories.”

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There is a big controversy as to what the creators of Instagram have to say about everything that is going on throughout their big step of a feature.

Instagram CEO, Kevin Systrom had been interviewed by Josh Constine and he talked about how Snapchat deserves all the credit for bringing filters to the forefront, but this isn’t about who invented something. He viewed it as a format and how they took it to a network and put their own spin on it.

With that being said, there are students who do believe that it is more than a stolen idea in which it cannot be expanded from.

Snapchat started off with this aspect. Having another platform to use it as a feature of their own, has its perks.

“From a business standpoint Instagram is being smart because they saw an opportunity to add a feature to make their app better. Although it was a good idea from that point of view, I don’t think it can work out well because the Instagram community took it the wrong way. People accuse Instagram for stealing ideas in a negative sense,” sophomore Bradley Streeter said.

A poll was taken by Hypebeast to target the big question, ‘Which branch of “stories” do you prefer more’. The numbers were quite varying with 61% of social media users preferring Snapchat to the 39% that think Instagram is more suited to their taste. This shows that the original app mostly kept is target base of users.

Regardless of the features being used, both applications have their own appeals to their respective user bases that can help anyone put their content out there. Now have fun with a glowing drawn on moustache or cute little dog filters.

A&E 15

Frank Ocean makes a splash

By Irie Douville Creativity, for most, never comes in an instant. It begins as a mere concept and either continues to ripen over time, or withers away if it is not deemed worthy of expansion. This is a commonly-held belief for many people within the music industry, namely those who take lengthy amounts of time to tailor their latest releases--one of them being R&B singer Frank Ocean.

Preceding the double release of his visual album, Endless, and his sonically-driven album, Blond, there was a brewing unrest within his fandom, mostly in a passive aggressive influx of posts on Twitter and countless rumors. Such unrest concerned itself with the amount of time he took for these releases--which took him approximately four years.

“I found these passive aggressive posts funny because it’s really been a while since he’s said or done anything, really,” senior Edward Abarca said. “However, I don’t really think he took them personally to the point of where it pushed him to prolong the release of the album. I’m sure he found them entertaining, too.”

Some artists, however, such as house duo, Daft Punk, and alternative rock band, Fall Out Boy, have taken much longer than Ocean to release an album after lengthy amounts of inactivity, ranging from five years to almost a full decade.

Throughout this period of silence, people have taken to the internet in a cathartic release about their qualms of Ocean’s musical consistency, as well as his absolute lack of acknowledgement towards both.

“Personally, I feel like they [Daft Punk and Fall Out Boy] never had as big of an impact as Frank Ocean,” Abarca said. “He [Ocean] is a legend, as his music is relaxing and not having that supply of such music for so long is pretty rough for not just

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casual listeners, but die hard fans. He only had the one album for us to listen to, so there’s been a clear lack of variety up until now.”

Of course, most were taken to the enigmatic release of Endless, the aforementioned visual album that appeared on August 1 at the stroke of 3:00 a.m.

It is centered within a desolate warehouse, while the audience view Ocean woodworking, playing various instruments, among other odd activities that took place in almost complete silence from Ocean.

“I was excited [for Endless] because I guess it was kind of like him telling us not to give up on him,” Abarca said.

Although this was Frank’s first real reappearance, besides a couple of cryptic Tumblr posts about the album release date, it was slightly odd.

“I was really all over the place with Endless when it popped up on his website, and I couldn’t contain myself. I was very confused, too, because nothing in particular was happening, as I’m sure everyone was,” Abarca said.

While both albums received a considerable magnitude of attention from the inners of his fandom and even those who wouldn’t consider themselves fans of Ocean, initially it wasn’t so much about the true content of the albums themselves.

This publicity was mostly fueled by the fact that he actually released something without so much as a forewarning or hints littering any of his social media. He did no interviews beforehand or had any leaks from his inner circle.

“I feel like it [Endless] was a door to his actual album,” Abarca said. “Nobody really thinks of it that way because it was just him doing random stuff, but I feel like he was preparing us for his new artistic vision because we couldn’t handle it all at once.”

October 2016 t The InvestiGator

16 PHOTO ESSAY

Welcome back to The Swamp

B.

A.

D.

C. A. Junior cheerleader Shal-Asia Washington gets the crowd excited while the band plays the Gator Fight Song.

B. Freshman Dane Rose brings the noise as he leads his section in a cheer.

C. Student council president senior Claire Parker looks on during the first assembly of the school year.

D. A group of sophomores do the symbolic gator chomp during the Welcome Back Assembly.

E. The sophomore section tries their best to capture the first Spirit Stick competition of the year.

Brynne Hilton

The InvestiGator t October 2016

E.

A&E 17

Coming From a Galaxy Far, Far Away

By Lexi Demoleas There are new exciting additions to the Star Wars franchise, a new movie and a whole land dedicated to the Star Wars universe. Disney bought Lucasfilm for $4 billion back in 2012, which gave them all rights to the Star Wars films. Disney and director JJ Abrams, released Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Now director Gareth Edwards and Disney are producing Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.

People get into Star Wars at a very young age and their obsession blossoms from there, making them become some of the biggest fans out there.

“My mom got me into the franchise because she owned the original [films], so I watched them all the time with her and I grew a special place in my heart for Star Wars,” junior Lorenzo Luna said.

With the opening of Disneyland’s Star Wars Land coming soon, people have an overall excited opinion about it. This unlocks a whole new creative door for attendees of the land, expanding their

minds to possibilities out there.

“Yeah, I’m really looking forward to Star Wars Land, I literally dream about how great it’s going to be. I see the real life cantina everytime I close my eyes,” junior Skylar Flowers said.

Recent polls from the campus suggest Star Wars land is going to have a lot of visitors from students and their parents.

74% of students plan on visiting the land, 26% do not.

The original Star Wars movies, with the exception of the prequels, set a fairly high standard for what we expect from the new movies. Changes in producers and directors put the new movie “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” in a high pressure situation. Any disappointment from this movie could be detrimental to the whole enterprise, taking Disney and Lucasfilm down with it.

“I do think that the original movies set a standard for the new movies since the prequels were hated so much. People wanted to remember why they love the franchise so much, so there is a lot on the line for this new movie in term of expectations,” Luna said.

The Force Awakens, the eighth

addition to the movies is the most recent Star Wars movie to have been released.

“I think it was a very good movie, one of my favorite of the seven, but it had a lot of similarities to the fourth movie.

Although, I do appreciate it because The Force awakens and the fourth movie, A New Hope are really what made Star Wars what it really is, also I enjoyed that they choose an amazing female role and I think she is going to be an amazing Jedi,” said math teacher and Star Wars enthusiast Rey White.

The main character for the newest addition of the movies is Jyn Erso, played

by Felicity Jones. Jones has starred in “The Amazing Spider man” as Felicia and in “The Theory of Everything” as Jane Hawking. In Rogue One, she plays a strong female role model similar to the character Rey, who was previously played

by Daisy Ridley. Jyn’s part in the movie is to steal the plans to the Death Star, a moon-sized space station with the ability to destroy an entire planet. The Death Star was seen in other original Star Wars movies and is mainly controlled by Darth Vader, who is supposed to make an appearance in the movie.

“I’m still learning about the new movie and I do not know the general basis of what it’s going to be about, but again I do like that they choose a lead female role. Yet, I’m still waiting to see what characters are going to appear on there as in characters I already know from the originals and what new ones are going to be in there that are going to be tough to beat. I do hope there’s going to be a lot of Darth Vader,” White said.

Rogue One is being directed by Gareth Edwards, who has directed many movies including the reboot of Godzilla. In order to keep up his reputation, Rouge One needs to be a hit.

“I have high hopes for Edwards for this new movie, I enjoyed watching the Godzilla movies as a kid and loved his interpretation with the new movie. He should do a great job with Star Wars,” Flowers said.

Rogue One is the film to look forward to at the local movie theaters on December 16, 2016 and Star Wars Land is the land to look forward to flying the Millennium Falcon in, in Disneyland. They are highly anticipated and definitely going to leave their mark. So ride over in your TIE fighter and get there in less than 12 parsecs because the force is strong in this one. starwars.com

October 2016 t The InvestiGator

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Harambe Lives On

By Sarah Fernandez

Our lord and savior, our motivator, our go-getter and our driving force. Some might call upon a religious figure, others might think of Harambe.

Harambe was one of a kind.

If you have not heard of the slain gorilla turned internet-extraordinaire – here follows a summary of the tragic events.

Harambe was a gorilla (he was much more but for the sake of simplicity), killed on May 28, 2016 at the Cincinnati Zoo after an unsupervised 4 year old decided to climb into the enclosure. Many would say they too would climb into a gorilla enclosure, just for the daily dose of thrill.

Harambe and the child had a rather inconclusive encounter. The child was dragged around the moat, or as others speculate, was being protected by Harambe.

As the zoo keepers believed the child was in danger, they shot him, killing him instantly.

To quote Beyonce, “Here lies the body of the love of my life,” also known as Harambe, to the many who shed tears over his sudden and rapid death.

It is an understatement to say that the internet loves Harambe, and Harambe would probably love the internet if he were able to use a computer. Nonetheless, it is important to point out the hypocrisy of animal captivity.

Don’t get me wrong, it makes perfect sense to put animals into enclosures, and when they act as such animals they are, get

mad at them. But on the upside, since we have guns we can just kill them if they start acting a bit “wild.”

Logic.

There should be a social experiment where humans are put into tiny spaces that enclose them in tiny spaces, which are 1/1000th of the size of their natural habitats, and then have animals come and look at them through fences and glass dividers.

As Harambe took the internet by storm with several memes, they have depicted him in various different lights.

One with Harambe in a bathtub full of bananas with a caption that read, “This is how I like to imagine Harambe is in heaven.”

Another with Harambe depicted with Michael Jordan’s infamous crying face, another viral meme.

Another illustrates Harambe being knocked out by the late, great, Muhammad Ali. People might as well name their first born Harambe at this point.

In fact, hilariously enough, a teenager dressed up in a gorilla costume at his local football game started dragging kids around the field. Clever boy.

Following the incident, the Cincinnati Zoo had to shut down their twitter as their direct messages were flooded with Haram-

be memes. These incidents, out of many, were major tipping points. Public frenzy and the internet encouraged the outright discontent of Harambe’s death. This was partly done for individual entertainment as well as vengeance for the gorilla.

Needless to say, Harambe is everywhere.

Regardless, Harambe stands for so much more than what many might see. He is more than just another animal dead at the mercy of human hands who continuously seem to think acts of violence are more necessary for their daily functions than their morals.

He is a representation of internet hysteria.

Not to get too philosophical, but Harambe becoming a meme-god was one of the best things that could happen to us.

He was a handsome gorilla. His memes are funny whether you love him or not. He advocates for animal rights. It’s perfect internet bait.

On the flip side, some memes actually inform people about the atrocities committed at numerous animal-exploiting institutions.

Consider Sea World. Here is, the magical land of large aquatic mammals doing tricks from coercion by humans. On top of this, said humans enclose them in a tank that is significantly smaller than the parking lot of the venue.

Props to humans. Why look at your TV or play with your kids or go for a run when you can pay money that goes into capitalist, money-hungry hands of institutions who use animals for human enjoyment? As if we were gods on earth, as if we even had the right to do so.

Harambe will be a name etched forever in the brains of many. He lives on forever, in our hearts. Harambe is eternal.

crazy as they want for this festive beverage.

In addition, the early arrival of this popular drink overshadows other holidays like Chocolate Milk Shake Day (9/12), Fortune Cookie Day (9/13), and Elephant Appreciation Day (9/22).

Despite the media attention, many people are not fans of the drink.

“I don’t like pumpkin spice lattes because they’re overrated and come out way too early,” junior Alexis Gonzales said. “I drink coffee every day but never pumpkin spice. I’d rather have anything caramel.”

Having pumpkin flavored coffee is where the line should end, but of course when Americans buy one thing, thousands more of the same follow. There are pumpkin spice bagels, pumpkin spice ice cream,

yogurt, cheerios, Oreos, and even pumpkin spice cookie dough.

There’s something wrong with a drink that has more Twitter followers than most people on the app have.

Starbucks has started a pumpkin revolution. If this madness continues, Christmas will start in July, Thanksgiving will start in June, and fall flavors will be unveiled during February, making people forget about more important holidays including: Toothache Day (2/9), Ferris Wheel Day (2/14), and my favorite, Public Sleeping Day (2/28).

Pumpkin Spice is Back

By Michael Goldstein

The 2016 election is just around the corner with our two amazing candidates, Hillary and Donald. But more importantly, pumpkin spice lattes are back. And this year they are armed with their own twitter account with 114,000 followers and still growing.

Pumpkin spice lattes coming back an entire month early is outrageous. While September might mean colorful leaves, sweatshirts, and cooler weather in some parts of the country, in Vegas it’s still 100 degrees and the last thing that people want is a hot fall coffee drink. This nonsense needs to stop. Pumpkin spice needs to wait its turn.

It can have the whole month of November all to itself, letting Starbucks fanatics go as

OPINION 19

October 2016 t The InvestiGator

20 OPINION

With Liberty and justice for all*

By Kaeli Britt Baton Rouge, Dallas, Ferguson, Sanford, Baltimore, Milwaukee--all these cities, all too familiar, and for all the wrong reasons.

The list of places where innocent black people have been shot and killed without reason could go on. It seems that every day people find themselves waking up to a new name, new hashtag, and new story, but these stories always end the same way -- someone’s life being taken away too soon. Although America has come a far way from how society functioned five decades ago, racism remains prominent and alive.

On July 16th, 2016, a protest took place in downtown Las Vegas to raise awareness about Black Lives Matter. It displayed the unity, equality and strive for justice that our country is in desperate need of today.

“I’m for all lives – everybody,” junior Matthew Applewhite said. “[Black Lives Matter] is going to stay. Honestly, it’s a race war in the U.S. It’s all up to us where the world goes.”

Earlier this summer, people across the world expressed outrage and grief concerning the loss of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile as the videos of their murders went viral. What’s worse is that they were slain within less than 24 hours of each other.

This is not the first time that the Black Lives Matter movement has been brought to light; Trayvon Martin was shot and killed by George Zimmerman, a volunteer to his neighborhood watch group, in February 2012. Another unarmed black man, Michael Brown, was also shot and killed by officer Darren Wilson in August 2014. His death segued into the Ferguson riots and the eventual conception of Black Lives Matter on Twitter. Both Zimmerman and Wilson were found not guilty by their respective juries, meaning Martin and Brown’s families were left to grieve their sons without true justice for what

The InvestiGator t October 2016

Ava Meade-Scarpitta

Protestors march along the Las Vegas Strip to support the #BlackLivesMatter movement on the night of July 16, holding signs that send messages of anti-violence and solidarity.

really happened--that they were murdered in cold blood.

It’s not just those who are outright shot by police, though; Sandra Bland, a black woman who was pulled over for a blinker issue, was incarcerated by the police even though she had complied with their orders.

Later that day, she was found dead in her

“

Honestly, it’s a race war in the U.S. It’s all up to us where the world goes.

- junior Matthew Applewhite

cell, supposedly hanging from her bedpost.

However, compelling evidence suggests that she was murdered within her cell.

Such as that in her mugshot, signs of post mortem--the process of a body’s decomposure after death--are present in her facial features.

Recently, the movement has found its way into the professional sports world as athletes began showing their support through similar means of protest. On Friday, Sept. 2, Colin Kaepernick, quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers, remained seated as the National Anthem was observed before the preseason game between his team and the Green Bay Packers.

After seeing his protest, other athletes like Megan Rapinoe of the U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team, joined Kaepernick’s side in silent protest. According to statements made by the NFL and his spokespeople, Kaepernick sat because he refuses to “stand up and show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and other people of color.”

The way Kaepernick protested the first time got a lot of recognition and was noticed by many people. Some say that it was disrespectful because of what the anthem

stands for. On the other hand, some say that Kaepernick’s actions are justified and that he is exercising his 1st amendment rights.

Everyone’s life matters, is important and has worth. The people who follow and encourage Black Lives Matter simply acknowledge the racism and hate that black people have dealt with since the colonization of Americas.

This organization desires equality and for the hate to finally come to an end, as any human rights movement has promoted.

The common misconception of Black Lives Matter is that those who support it are racists themselves. People who support the movement are seeking peace and for the oppression to stop. Like any belief group, there are extremists–people that lash back out and kill police officers. There are also people who take advantage of the tension and begin to loot stores, commit arson, and other violent acts that give the cause a disorderly reputation. The majority of those who are part of the Black Lives Matter movement are participating in peaceful protests.

“A lot of people are dying, but it’s not just police killing. It’s people killing other people,” junior Masen Schaus said. “I agree with [Black Lives Matter] a lot, it’s going to help many people in America when others start seeing why this is important.”

All lives matter, that’s a given. But, if those who are suggesting that all lives matter, then why they disapprove of black people’s warranted infuriation about the deadly pattern of police encounters with their people is questionable. Instead of trying to negate the movement, people should support the reason why it was initially started-to cease police brutality.

*may ultimately depend on race

OPINION 21

G

By Ava Meade-Scarpitta

hosts, vampires, zombies, fairies, superheroes--these are all harmless, fictional costume ideas that wouldn’t cause offense to anyone in this realm. There are millions of possibilities for creative Halloween costume ideas that make it easy to avoid wearing something insulting. Dressing up as a Native American princess, or donning a sombrero and poncho for Halloween needs to be taken for what it really is: offensive.

Culture is not a costume. Culture is beautiful and significant to so many different people around the globe. Stealing something incredibly significant that large groups of people have been mocked and ridiculed for their whole life and “just trying it out for a night” is disrespectful to those people.

“I think [dressing up as someone’s culture for Halloween] offends the culture as a whole. It is basically commodifying a culture to the point where you are stripping it of its morals,” Rohini Mandal, senior and the president of the Social Justice Club, said. “If you do not understand a culture there is no way you are going to have the right to use it. Especially as a costume because people hold, for instance Indian head dresses, which are commonly known as saris, or any other form of Indian national culture, people hold that to not only religious values but also cultural, personal values.”

The world is vast and diverse. Appropriation of culture is harmful in any respect to hundreds of groups of people around the world. People in positions of privilege need to be able to recognize this in order for it to stop. They are not just throwing on a cultural costume to wear to the next Halloween party, they are offending an entire group of people.

“Once you try to strip that away from them, you are stripping its significance to people and it is not one’s right to do something like that as a person of privi-

Night of The Living Offenses lege,” Mandal said. “It [cultural appropriation] is essentially using either a minority’s garments, attire, or even philosophies when you fundamentally do not understand them and when you are in a position of power.”

Cultural appropriation is not limited to costumes. Everyday, non-people of color style their hair in cornrows or dreads, people who are not Indian wear bindis, and those who are not Japanese will wear kimonos. All these are things that belong to their respective cultures, but are frequently abused by those who are not directly associated with the culture either by race or religion. Things that people have been abused and victimized for throughout history are casually donned without repercussions because one’s race is more accepted

than the other. This is extremely unfair and supportive of discrimination in society.

“Native American head-dresses, saris, geisha robes, kimonos--all of those garments and much more are incredibly important to specific cultures,” Mandal said.

“When a person not belonging to that culture is using them, they are directly diminishing the importance and they are commodifying a culture instead of trying to appreciate it from a respectful boundary.”

Halloween is a holiday based purely off of having fun, dressing up, and getting spooked.

Using a well-known holiday to appropriate and offend other cultures is making an even stronger statement about the carelessness present in American society.

“By allowing a person to wear a cultural appropriating costume you’re basically allowing them to diminish the importance of a culture,” Mandal said. “Since it is on a holiday, people try to think that they are getting off scot-free, like it is a no-stringsattached holiday in which people can be as problematic as they want. Once you are allowing people to do it on a really important day of the year, like Halloween, you are basically saying that if it is important enough to do on Halloween it is permissible to do on an everyday basis and so it only makes the problem larger.”

The fact is that wearing items from another culture for Halloween is disrespectful. It is unnecessary to dress up in cultural garb when there are millions of other inoffensive costumes to wear. So if you’re stuck between being a cat or a Pocahontas wannabe this Halloween, go with the cat.

Irie Douville

October 2016 t The InvestiGator

22 OPINION

PLEASE PROCEED WITH CAUTION

By Meka’la Parker

Decades ago, you could catch kids playing the popular card game, Pokémon.

Nowadays, the card game has gone moblie.

Say hello to Pokémon Go. The game came out July 6 and in a matter of days became a big sensation. It requires people to get up and be physically active in order to capture digital Pokémon in their area. It gets teens out and about to walk around and explore.

However, many people do not realize the dangers that come with playing the game.

In recent months, people have been taking Pokémon Go to dangerous, and even deadly extremes. Over the summer, a teenage girl in Wyoming found a dead body while playing the game. In California, two men fell off an ocean edge cliff while hunting for Pokémon. This was just the start of the bad luck the game would bring.

Over in Japan, a truck driver was playing Pokémon Go while driving. He ended up hitting and killing a woman on the sidewalk.

People see the game as a way to get out the house while still being on the phone.

They argue that the game lets them stay connected through social media and tech-

nology while being outide at the same time.

But those Pokémon Go players that venture outside are too busy with their faces in their phone to even appreciate the nature or people around them.

Another major downside to Pokémon Go, is that people are playing in inappropriate places such as cemeteries and museums. Imagine a family going to a cemetary in remembrance of a loved one, but being distracted by a Pokémon Go player running amok trying to catch a nonexistent digital character. It is discourteous and completely absurd.

In addition, many businesses and memorials such as the National Holocaust Museum and the 9/11 Memorial in New York City, have banned the game due to the rude behavior people express while using the app.

“People should be able to play the game but it’s highly disrespectful to play the

game in places where others have died or risked their life for our country,” science teacher Thane Webb said.

Another issue with the new viral game is that players have been robbed after criminals lured them to specific locations. Police have warned the community to be aware since Pokémon Go can easily be hacked and the locations of certain Pokémon can be false.

“They should be mindful of their surroundings. People aren’t paying attention and are too busy in their phones that they don’t realize they are in potential danger,” Webb said.

Since the release of Pokémon Go, people are finding themselves in compromising situations across the globe. While some say it is all in the name of fun, a little more awareness of the world around you is never a bad idea no matter what you are doing.

ALL HAIL PIKACHU

By Casey Li Bulbasaur, squirtle, charmander, and pikachu. We have all seen them before.

We played with them in our GameBoys as children, grew up with their trading cards, and watched their television series. It’s undeniable, Pokémon has found a deserving home in popular culture and our hearts.

On July 6, 2016, Pokémon returned to the public eye as millions of people step outside for the first time to try out the new hit mobile game Pokémon Go. Featuring its AR and real-world platform, it is no wonder why the app has topped charts.

Even though Pokémon Go became one of the largest games of 2016, it has also become one of the most criticized. People have constantly cited how dangerous Pokémon Go is and how the game is obtrusive to culturally important sites. News headlines describing people being attacked while playing has caused people to feel like the game causes violence. Traffic jams, littering, and vandalism caused by obnoxious and irresponsible players have given the new game and its players a bad rap within the first few days of its release.

At a closer look, a lot of these complaints do not hold any ground on their own. For example, the idea that Pokémon Go is dangerous many people do not realize that a lot of other common activities can also be considered dangerous. Much in the same way people have been attacked while playing Pokémon Go, people are also attacked going to the grocery store, walking home from school, or biking to work. News out-

The InvestiGator t October 2016

Shae White

lets cover attacks involving Pokémon Go disproportionately compared to other attacks because of its link to current events, creating the illusion that attacks involving Pokémon Go are frequent and common.

These attacks were not the game’s fault, but much rather the player’s themselves.

The majority of players play responsibly and treat their pokemon-catching grounds with respect, but there will always be someone who disregards the rules and plays without integrity.

Pokémon Go is progressively changing for the better. It is hard to complain about a game when it is constantly fixing it problems and addressing its shortcomings. Regardless, players should always be aware of their surroundings, much like how we always should when we leave our homes.

In addition, this international phenomenon has caused a positive global movement. Kids around the world are finally willing to go outside, while monuments previously left underappreciated finally have a new audience to see them. In a generation where obesity and lack of physical

activity is a large and imminent problem, Pokémon Go has given rise to a prominent and national solution.Complete strangers, young or old, are finally able to bond with each other in a single common interest.

The game also rewards people for jogging by giving them badges, creating an incentive for people to move around rather than staying at one Poké-stop. The hatching eggs function, in particular, has people tying their tennis shoes and going on extralong walks. Pokémon Go has pulled people out of depression and bonded families together, treated social anxiety and helped people make new friends. In the end, Pokémon is much more than a game . It is part of our culture.

Today, Pokémon Go still has many active users and draws many players outside.

New features and discussions are being created and the game, like its Pokémon, is constantly evolving. With its nostalgiainducing characters and active real-world gameplay, we can see why this game has caught the attention and curiosity of children and adults around the world.

EDITORIAL 23

RARE AIR

A gold medal.

No, seriously, a gold medal.

Over 10,000 athletes competed in Rio during the 2016 Olympics with 812 gold medals up for grabs. There were also 205 countries represented, 75 of which have never won a medal of any kind.

We use cliches in sports all the time and talk about how it takes heart and determination to be great. However, we likely will ever fail to truly grasp what it takes to become an Olympic medalist of any kind, much less a gold medal winner.

Another cliche that we throw around our school is Commitment to Excellence.

But in reality, we would be silly to think of it as simply another meaningless phrase.

This school produces champions around the clock. From marching band to the wrestling team, from speech and debate to the girl’s golf program, the list of regional, state, and national awards has become so long that the school has actually had to put an outside person in charge of keeping track of all of the accolades that GVHS piles up each year.

And now we have a gold medalist to call our own. Connor Fields is a two time Olympian who in his own words, realizes that making the trip in 2020 will be a difficult task. Olympic athletes have a small window when it comes to medal opportunites. He was favored to win a medal in 2012 but fell short, leaving Rio as a second, and most likely final chance to capture what he has devoted his entire life to.

To see Fields back at Green Valley allowed us to see how worthy he is of such an accomplishment. Bombarded by interview requests, teachers who wanted to hold the actual medal, and students who simply wanted a picture with him for their Twitter feed, Fields met every inquiry with a smile.

So as the new year begins and the homework piles up, take a second or two out of your day to realize how amazing your campus is and how many opportunities surround you everyday. Get involved and dedicate yourself to be something great.

After all, you just might be sitting in the same desk that a United States olympic gold medalist sat in.

STUDENT SPEAK

How does seeing gold medalist Connor Fields back at the school inspire you?

Editors-in-Chief: Sarah Fernandez Lena Navarro Editors: News: Kiara Thomson Features: Erinn Veach Sports: Meka’la Parker A&E: Ava Meade-Scarpitta Opinions: Irie Douville Copy Editor: Deanna Chea Photo Editor: Brynne Hilton Reporters: Seth Beekman Kaeli Britt Bethany Casall Lexi Demoleas Michael Goldstein Hailey Gross Anastasia Koulich Maycee Labo Casey Li Sydney Lum Cameron McCormick Nora-Jo Paramo Shila Sherafat Taylor Strezlec Business Manager: Lexi Demoleas

“Connor Fields inspires me by reminding me that everyone is capable of success, even coming from a public school.”

“It makes me strive to do better and achieve something great.

To leave my mark on something in the world is important to me.”

Alexandria Fincher, junior

Justin Gardner, freshman

“It’s cool to see that our athletic program is good enough to the point where some of us can grow up to be a professional athlete.”

“Seeing him shows that although we are from a little suburbia in Nevada, we can still aspire to have big goals and achieve them.”

Cody Judd, sophomore

Annika Johnson, junior

Staff Managers: Kaeli Britt Hailey Gross Staff Artist: Shae White Advisor: Eric Johnston The Green Valley High School 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.

Letter to the editors or staff may be delivered to room 825 to Mr. Johnston or emailed to him at emjohnston@interact.ccsd.net.

October 2016 t The InvestiGator

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