The InvestiGator

CoEditors-In-Chief

Violet LaMela

Liliana Burke

Section Editors: News: Bradley Geiger

Features: Kinsley Pribe Elyse Gamiao

Sports: Brysan Willson-Harrell

A&E: Jasmine Golmoka

Ameya Naduvalath

Opinion: McKenzie Shelton-Lott

Reporters: Breezy Beck Joshua Berson

Stormy Byrne Kennedy Milton Olivia Patai Briana Quezada Laycie Taylor Delia Waring

StaffManager: Kennedy Milton

Adviser: Eric Johnston

The InvestiGator is a student-run and oper ated 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

Grreen Valley High School 460 Arroyo Grande Henderson, NV 89014

Note Editors

By The InvestiGator Staff

Welcome back to another year in the swamp Gators! We hope that the first month back on campus has treated everyone well thus far, despite all the new policies that had to be learned. While everyone else is easing back into annual routines, our staff has been hard at work. We are very proud and excited to release our first issue of the 2022-2023 school year.

Our main focus in this issue was directed at success and the harsh stigma that surrounds the requirements needed to obtain it. Oftentimes, what society deems as success is not always what individuals would describe it as for themselves. Yet, despite feeling personally content, people still look down on their achievements based around their monetary status. In reality, success is very objective and should be determined by a person’s feelings as opposed to societal pressure.

The new section highlighted the newest rules here on campus, along with some of the new faces instructing classes. In the feature section we shine light on the idea of influencers and the success of that particular career choice, as well as students who have made the permanent choice of a tattoo & delve into the personal meanings behind the art. As far as sports, we recognized men’s soccer for their kickoff and the cross country team for a home meet that was put in place to honor a late coach.

Arts and entertainment had writers listening and replaying films and albums alike, with several reviews on current media. From comedies like “The rise of Gru” to the horrific “The Black Phone”, our team was treated to a wide range of genres to add a strong sense of variety.

Finally, we debate the reasoning for such high expenses when it comes to attempt ing to pursue a healthy lifestyle and the idea that it is important for teens to have jobs outside of school.

Our staff is eager to share all the changes we’ve made to this year’s magazine. We hope that it was well worth the wait.

On the cover

Take an inside look at students’ peception of success and how it affects them in their everyday lives.

by Liliana Burke

Students of all grades compete for a cash prize.

this Inside Issue

SPORTS FEATURE A&E

The Cross Country team holds a home meet in memory of past coach.

Drake’s new album fails to hit the mark of his previous albums.

With an increase of teens getting tattoo’s, some discuss the stigmas and sterotypes surrounding the art.

OPINION

16 9 20 26

With struggles and financial burdens, not all can eat healthy. Why?

by Violet LaMela

NEWS IN BRIEF

Turning Back Time

Rise and shine Gators! Students have set their alarm clocks an hour earlier this year, with school starting at 7:00 instead of the previous time of 8:00. Many students who were once weary of this change have now embraced the early start due to the benefit of getting out of school an hour earlier as well. One thing is for certain, sleeping in was a convenience of the past.

Hall Pass

The new school year has seen several new policies implemented. One such system is the addition of color coded restrooms for each wing of the school. This new rule has been implemented in order to help reduce vandalism of the restrooms, an issue prevalent in previous years. With the rise of viral TikTok trends that promote defacing property to simple mischief, the implementation will hopefully minimize further damage to the restrooms.

Things Are Getting Strange

Homecoming is looking like a blast from the past, with this year’s theme being centered around Netflix’s “Stranger Things.” The festivities start on Oct. 10, and continue throughout the week. The week wraps up on Saturday, Oct. 15, with the annual homecoming dance. Be sure to play the part and dress up during the spirit days.

New kids on the block

Programs welcome two fresh faces to campus

By Breezy Beck

New teachers can bring fresh points of view and teaching styles to their students and campus. After several years of being taught by the same teachers, the Theater and Orchestra programs have been taken over by two teachers with different experiences and visions for what the groups can become.

they are able to join performing arts classes due to their lack of knowledge and skill, but with a new teacher comes new opportu nities and willingness from both parties to excel.

Studies have show that stu dents who are involved in per forming arts programs, they tend to do better within school and overall feel better about them selves. Once they put the work in and succeed in what they are do ing they gain confidence in them selves and their work.

14 sports

Salerno Shreds

By Violet Lamela

Everyone has that one thing that gives them that “on top of the world” feeling. For senior Max Salerno, snowboard ing does just that. His parents first introduced him to the sport as a young boy at the age of three.

him and his two younger brothers.

The new Orchestra teacher, Sarah Mumula, has had a career on the professional side of this ensemble on a worldwide scale. She has parlayed this into a teach ing career and has taken pride in working with any and all stu dents, regardless of how much experience they have when they enter her classroom.

“My parents, ever since I was young, have always wanted me to do better,” Salerno said. “Whenever I would feel like I didn’t do the best I thought I could do, I would get frustrated, but they always helped me get through it. They would push me to do everything I could possibly do, and for that I’m so grateful.”

“I plan to help the students of Green Valley’s Orchestra who think they are not good enough to realize they can become ex cellent with the right amount of guidance and hard work,” Mumu la said.

me wanna do it more.”

“My mom and dad are really what got me into it,’’ Salerno stated.

“They just put me on a snowboard and pushed me down a mountain. Ever since then it has been a big part of my life.”

Salerno, like his mother, was born and raised here in Las Vegas, Nevada. His father, was born in California, but moved to Las Ve gas when he was very young. Both Salerno’s parents got involved with snowboarding through family members, and they passed it onto

Salerno’s parent’s passionate attitude about snowboarding has really been a key factor as to why Salerno has so much love for the sport as well. His parent’s motiva tion and support are really what keep him going.

“I have played and conducted international orchestras. On the opposite end, I have also enjoyed teaching kids who started off not even being able to read music,” Mumula said. “And by the end of my time with them, those stu dents were creating their own original pieces. The entire process is very rewarding.”

Many students do not think

“If I didn’t have them telling me to get up and try again, I probably wouldn’t be snowboarding any more because of how difficult and how frustrating it is, But because of how much they enjoy it, it makes

Although snowboarding is his primary hobby during the winter, during the summer Salerno pres ently works at Lake Las Vegas as a lifeguard and as a dockhand. His

job allows him to use his outgoing personality to be able to communi cate well with tourists and natives of Las Vegas who are visiting the area.

Anthony Coffield, the new Theater teacher, is another addi tion to the faculty as of this year. Coffield has been interested in theater ever since he was in high school.

His job requires him to have good conversation skills, due to the fact that he communicates with customers effectively. He gives them instructions on how to use the rental items, such as boats, kayaks, flyboards, and paddle boards etc.

Along with knowing how to use each rental, he must know how to properly clean each one as well. For this job the employees also have to be able to withstand in the hot sum mer conditions, as it is an outside job in the desert.

“I am a very passionate teach er, very passionate in the arts. I love everything that has to do with theater and the develop ment of the art,” Coffield said.

Previously having taught at

Although being able to with stand the Las Vegas heat for long periods of time is nothing new for Salerno. This is because he is also

Spring Valley for several years, he has been in the Clark County area for some time. Coffield is familiar with differing reputations around the Valley and CCSD when it comes to Theater.

“As I grew up, I always heard about how amazing the Theater program was at Green Valley. COVID hit the program very hard, and I want to be able to bring back its glory,” Coffield said.

There are many opportunities for students with differing abili ties to be involved in the produc

Joshua Berson

tion of a play, from leading roles to theatre tech, almost anyone can find a role in a the program. One challenge that Coffield has found is that some students are wary of taking the jump into a new elective.

“No matter what group you are in, whether it’s sports or aca demics, try theater at least once,” Coffield said. “There is so much unused talent at the school be cause people do not think they would do well, and you might be surprised if you just try it.”

RIGHT HERE- Orchestra teacher Sarah Mumula instructs a cello player during class as they learn new pieces of music.

END SCENE- Theater teacher Anthony Coffield reads lines with students as they prepare for their upcoming play.

Theywouldpushme todoeverythingI couldpossiblydo, andforthatI’mso grateful.

MaxSalerno ,

, ,

,

The show goes on

Talent show returns after three year hiatus

By Jasmine Gomolka

The last time a talent show was held was in 2019. After the school year switched to an online setting, students were not able to have an other show until this school year. It was held on Aug. 31 at 6:30 p.m. in the theater and tickets were five dollars per person.

There was a list of 16 different acts for the show. The line up had a variety of different acts such as a six-person dance group, solo singers, guitar duos and pianists. While some of them had tried out for the talent show freshman year, others were entirely new to the experience.

“I knew a lot of the people there because I am in the per forming arts program. I did not know everyone, but a good amount of people there but it was a little intimidating. I mean, it is intimidating to perform in front of your peers in general,” senior Lily Wolfe said.

For the returners like Wolfe it was a different experience due to the changes within the talent show process since the freshman year showcase. The new theater

teacher, Anthony Coffield, who knows the ins and outs of theater tech, added a new aspect to the event.

“We could not see the audi ence this year because the lights were very, very bright. It was dif ferent because of Mr. Coffield,” Wolfe said. “He is a theater tech guy, so he knows how to work the lighting pretty well. The stage was a lot brighter than usual.”

The show was also publicized more than in the past. As a result, more people decided to come out and support the show and acts.

“My freshman year, I could see the audience clearly and there were not a ton of people there, but I heard there was a big, big audi ence,” Wolfe said. “It was great be cause the lighting was brighter so I could not see the crowd, which helped me calm down a little bit.”

Before the official show, per formers got a sneak peak of what acts they were up against during the auditions. Some of the acts were very supportive of one an other and spoke above and be yond about the different acts put on by their peers.

“My favorite had to have been [sophomore] Tanner Lewis and

[senior] Riley Stannard doing “Man or a Muppet” because they were just hilarious, but if I am going from a talent standpoint, Kevin. He is amazing. Kevin Shinn on the piano is just incredible,” senior Logan Murray said. “It was a little nerve wracking to be the person who went before him es pecially since we both are playing the piano and singing, but he did a great job.”

A few days after the talent show the top three winners were announced. The winners in or der from first to third place were Lewis and Stannard singing “Man or a Muppet’’, the KPOP dance group (seniors Victoria Dickerson and Daphne Zaluaga along with juniors Allison Tindera, Leilani Kaupe, Paul Mojica and Alexis Valle and the singing and guitar playing duo, Pablo Padilla and Ian Hanley.

“The talent show was actually really fun, I did not expect to have as much fun as I did. The audition was a little nerve wracking, but after the audition, it felt good to do it, and it felt natural to play in front of those people almost. On the day of the talent show, Ian and I were super nervous,” Padilla said.

“We played later that night and then a week later we were told that we got third place, winning a $50 prize and that was crazy to us. We did not expect to place at all and then we did and it was just a really good, happy feeling.”

The second place runner-ups felt proud of their performance as well. They had a lot of confidence within the group and themselves and ended up with a $75 prize.

“It felt good to win up there, it felt really good. Me and my group were all just celebrating with each other just because we did it. We did not think that we would get up there and perform our dance but it surprised me that we did and that we won second place,” Valle said.

First place winners, who had not thought they would win but tried their best, ended up win ning $100 for coming out on top out of all 16 acts.

“We had high hopes we were going in there hoping we were going to win, I did not think we were going to but I am happy we did,” Lewis said. “I would definite ly participate again. It was an ex perience that I am never going to forget and I loved it.”

Isabella Pupo

Riley Cardenas,

Aiden Sulpacio,

Alexander Guzman,

Tatted Teens

Students display body art while ignoring common stigmas

By Laycie Taylor

The amount of students getting tat toos on campus continues to rise every year, with every design hav ing a different meaning for each person. This new age of art allows for younger generations to express themselves through body art and modifications.

According to a recent study done by John Hopkins University, results showed that 1023% of adolescents have tattoos, depending on their location. The percentage continues to grow among high school students and will see increasing numbers in the following years. More than 50% of those high school students polled who do not already have a tattoo said they are interested in getting one.

Tattoos may be skin deep, but their mes sage can be much deeper. Body art can repre sent many different things for individuals.

“I’m obsessed with the small linework dainty tattoo trends like Hailey Beiber and Zoe Kravitz kind of style, and I definitely want more like that in the future,” senior Riley Cardenas said. “I got ‘Star Girl’ because I feel like it represents divine feminine energy and I think it’s beautiful. I also love the Weeknd and Lana Del Ray, so I thought it was perfect.”

As times change, so will designs and style. Less than 30 years ago, it was illegal to get a tattoo in New York City, not to mention a large ly taboo topic in many other parts of the na tion. Today’s trends can be seen as much more varied and mainstream, as tattoo artists tend to show off designs on social media inspiring all types of creativity.

Tattoo television shows also premiered over the last several years to cast a whole new perspective on the industry. These shows, combined with the rise of social media, have allowed tattoo artists to become influencers and showcase designs and trends. Since then, artistry has become more refined and more widely respected in areas the art originally was not. Though the pandemic has complicat ed the idea of impulse art, the desire for tat toos seems to be as strong as ever.

Minimalist trends have become popular through all social media platforms allowing body art to take on the same style. Minimal ist tattoos have several typical characteristics. Usually, they are the delicate and small-scale opposite of the other end of the spectrum from a sleeve tattoo. These types of tattoos may still allow the message to be clear yet

delicate and subtle. While tattoos can have the ability to mean a great deal to a person, teens today may face negative and dated stereotypes that could harm their future.

“I’ve never experienced discrimination or hate, but I’ve definitely received looks that I’ve noticed. People tend to think I’m older, espe cially at work, people always think I’m 18 or 19. They would never expect a 16-year-old to have this,” junior Alexander Guzman said.

In the past, various types of body modi fications such as tattoos were often associat ed with teens and young adults engaging in high-risk behaviors including substance use, violence and sexual behavior. More recent data has shown that this belief is not entirely accurate. When comparing the perception and opinions of tattoos among older generations and younger generations, those individuals younger than the age of 50 tend to be more ac cepting or indifferent about tattoos in general.

“My mom was really iffy at first, but then when I told her why I wanted to get it she didn’t really care. My aunt was really against it which really shocked me,” senior Aiden Sul pacio said. “I got my tattoo because my grand father had passed away. It is a rose. My grand father always grew them, and there’s a clock at 10:27 because that was his birthday. It was important to me to get something meaningful to remember him.”

A common misconception about tattoos is that the look can damage your future. Ac cording to a study done by the University of Miami, colleagues surveyed more than 2,000 people in the United States. They found that those with tattoos were equally as likely to be employed as their uninked counterparts and the average earnings were the same for both groups. In fact, tattooed men were slightly more likely to have jobs than other men.

“I was 14 when I got my first tattoo. I got it shortly after Kobe died; I love Kobe. Kobe is probably my inspiration, so that was the first tattoo I got,” Guzman said.

Las Vegas is the home to some of the most well-known ink artists in the country. Some of them have appeared on television shows and tattooed celebrities, contributing to a bigger advertisement for the overall culture in the area. A teenager in the Las Vegas area may be more likely to explore any of these options given it is legal for a minor over the age of 14 with parental consent. Some believe that a tattoo has to be something meaningful and big to make such a permanent decision. While

that may be the case for some, at the end of the day it is up to the individual and their per sonal self-expression.

“Ever since I was a little boy I have always wanted tattoos, so when I got my first one it made me think of all the other ones I wanted to get,” Guzman said, “I definitely want more and I have plans for the future.”

Elyse Gamiao

Unattainable

Perfection

Personal ideas of success, happiness differ from that of societies wealth-filled, perfect ideals

By Lily Burke

Get a higher score. Do better. That does not pay well, a doctor gets paid well. No, you should look like this. Be rich. Be successful. Sound familiar? These are all phrases burned into the heads of many of today’s people from a very young age and especially as a teenager approaching adulthood. This idea of needing to be rich and wealthy or wealthiness equals happiness has been so imprinted in so many peoples heads that it can be detrimental to the happiness of the world population.

From Oxford Languages, the definition of success is “The accomplishment of an aim or purpose.” Contrarily, society created its own definition of success which is that of “getting or achieving wealth, respect and fame.” Due to this forced, twisted perspective of being an achieving person, people from all around the world face the pressure of

conformity to a specific set of standards.

Furthermore, this can lead to even more stress, depression, anxiety and feelings of uncertainty as a person may battle with what they want in life versus what is expected of them.

To achieve the wealth, respect and fame that society expects everyone to obtain or try to obtain, a certain look, attitude and monetary value are required. More so the looks or aesthetics a student may follow can greatly affect how “successful” or popular someone may become. After all, it is drilled into heads growing up that certain things to wear just do not look good or simply are not in style.

While this may be true, the extent to which the need to look good is used in society goes much further than that. Every year, students all around buy new clothes and spend time planning outfits for a singular six hour period of time which is the first day of school.

“I think society has placed so much pressure on the beauty standards and pretty privilege allows for an unfair distribution of success,” senior Amador Guerrero said.

However, some people do this everyday even if it is just to go to the supermarket.

Looking good has become such an important factor to society and

becoming successful that it has high schoolers and even possibly several years younger worried about what one may look like to even step out of the house for five minutes.

“I check myself every time I am in the bathroom, but I don’t go out of my way to check every time I leave the house,” Guerrero said. ”I think this is because I care about how I look, but I’m not overly obsessed with it.”

Another experience that shows this is the problems with dress code that schools nationwide have gone through. Many students care so much more about their outfit than just following the dress code and going to school for the intended purpose of learning.

“I used to care a lot about what I look like, but I realized that everyone is too focused on worrying about themselves to remember what you wore to school last Tuesday,” Guerrero said.

It is pressed through magazines, movies, TV shows and especially the ads a student may see everyday on social mediawhether it be scrolling through Instagram Stories or even just looking at the news - that everyone in our society must look a certain way. Even if it is not portrayed as the exact same outfit or hairstyle every time, it is always expected to fit into a certain category and follow the trends in order to feel like you can belong.

“I have definitely felt the pressure of societal perfection through social media,” Doebler said. “I have felt it scrolling

through different social media accounts seeing flawless people and wondering why I am not as perfect as they are.”

Though aesthetics are a huge part of what students worry about, another factor is personality. Many people feel they have to put up a facade of a personality that does not actually exist, within them at least. When a student does this, it can trap one in a certain way of acting that does not truly reflect how they are as a person simply because society indicates that one must portray a certain persona to have people like you.

“I don’t think you necessarily have to look a certain way for people to like you,” Guerrero said. “I think you do have to fake a personality for people to like you though. Maybe multiple.”

Flipping to a different aspect, every person, whether they know it or not, may have a personal definition of success to go by. It might be the same what the general population tells each other or it could be some other specific meaning to live life by. Either way or anything in between, not everyone’s definition of true success is the same.

“My personal definition of success in life is happiness,” Doebler said. “As long as you are happy, you are successful.”

Make an impact. A thought that runs through many heads that is a sort of goal to achieve with life. However, society turns it to where you must be overly successful to make any sort of impact but the truth is you could make the biggest impact in a single person’s life or even a small community.

“I think my definition of success is leaving an impact and being happy. I think it doesn’t really differ from society, because my definition is based on how other people characterize success,” Guerrero said.

The level of impact is not entirely dependent on money, unless goals of wealth and fame are what a person wants. However, it can be hard to achieve a desired impact without a lot of zeros to back it up.

“I do think you have to be successful to leave an impact. At least a good one,” Guerrero said. “Making an impact is important

to me. I want my life to be worthwhile, and I want to be remembered when I’m gone.”

While there are many people who wish to achieve this kind of impact, there are also countless others that maybe want a more localized, but effective impact on a people. Ergo, a goal filled more with a more purposeful aim rather than one filled with hopes of being well known.

“I would prefer being purposeful over rich because money can only do so much. How big of a difference can you make with money?” Doebler said.

Back to society’s idea and definition of success, it does not only include appearances but also aspects of monetary value. While more teenagers may be more focused on what they look like during the day, there is also a pressure for older teenagers and young adults to make a life choice that will result in a large check.

“I do think society puts a large emphasis on the importance of money. Money is the most important factor in most decisions that people make,” Guerrero said. “Having a lot of it gives you greater opportunities and power, which can give you more success.”

Money, money, money. A piece of paper or a coin that means the world to people globally. Something that is worthless if not for the weight of the word “dollar” that the nations have put on it. Furthermore, why does something that is so small impact our lives so much? Why does the number in our bank accounts define how successful people, as individuals, are?

“The first thing I think of is money, honestly. In my mind, success is having a lot of money and being happy, because money buys happiness,” Guerrero said.

However, even with notions of true happiness through personal contentment, everyone has the chance to experience that living life in this day and age can be a difficult task and a lot of it does have to do with the question of if you can live and support yourself and possibly a family or not. It is difficult to not make decisions off of the placement of a decimal point and not be worried about the repercussions.

“Trying to find a forever job is

a hard task to do. I will own up to being concerned with the salary and how I can live off the money that the job offers,” Doebler said. “I do have limits of a minimum job pay and would find jobs that do not reach below it. It is hard in this day and age because you need to find a decent, if not great, pay to get through life in simple ways.”

All of the different paths being forced on someone along with the paths the person truly desires to take can set off a catalyst for

self-consciousness.”

This goes to show that this pressure can be so far extended that it has the ability to target even young groups of students. Life may not be simple and stress free but is this intense societal influence beneficial for students or is it just an outlet for more expectations?

“ I think the solution is just going through life as you are, and people will realize that originality

However, even though many people fall victim to this uncertainty, there are those who have the ability to stick true to personal definitions of success.

“Personally, I think that as long as you are happy, you are successful,” Doebler said. “It does not matter the money you make or the things you achieve. It is whether you are content with where you are.”

even more of this uncertainty. It could even result in the constant changing of ideas for the future due to stress about making this big decision and trying to make the right one.

“I have changed my life plan many times because I was still finding who I am as a person and what would make me the happiest and feel most fulfilled,” Doebler said.

Not living up to images and clips of perfect days, whether it is because of money or the carefully selected snapshots of an appearance, can impact anyone but the problem is not that the expectation is not achieved, more the possibility that it is not achievable to begin with. Not only famous people but even your own family may say ‘to look like me, do this’ or ‘act this way to achieve this goal I have now set’. But everyone’s supposed to be different and unique, right?

“I think the first time I felt pressure from society was in Kindergarten when I had a really bad haircut,” Guerrero said.

“I was afraid people at school would make fun of me, so that is probably my earliest memory of

is better than fitting in,” Guerrero said.”

This societal pressure does not just refer to the career and money aspect of our lives or even the aesthetics and appearances and can stretch to so many areas of life. It is part of simple everyday things that are not even life defining, such as achieving a certain score on a test or even possibly thinking a certain way.

This idea of ‘perfection’ is an impossible high standard to live up to even for the most driven of people. There are so many different expectations for people to do this or think this way that it can cause unbelievable amounts of stress.

Uncertainty can form when a person is torn between what they want and what they know society wants of them. Trying to weigh the pros and cons in each situation, though the simplest way to make the decision, still might end in unhappiness and disinterest if the decision was not made wholeheartedly.

Many people might not even see the impact this idea of success has on individual lives. Given that this has been so engraved into students’ heads from such a young age, it might almost feel abnormal for some to not worry about every little detail. While some students may thrive off these stressful decisions and embrace them, there are those who are not necessarily alone in hoping for an altered future.

“I hope it will change, but I don’t think it ever will,”

“

”

I think society has placed so much pressure on the beauty standards and pretty privilege allows for an unfair distribution of success.

Guerrero,

Electives gains popularity

Various cultural classes added to course catalog

By Olivia Patai

Most high schools offer World History, Ameri can History, or even AP World History. Howev er, GV has taken it to the next lev el, with two new classes, African American Experience and Latin American Studies. These classes offer in-depth lessons in history, but from different perspectives. Social Studies teacher Ryan Foun tain has many goals regarding the topics being taught.

“I would like to have a broad er understanding of areas that don’t particularly get full coverage within World History, and a lot of times the default ends up going towards Europe and their histo ry,” Fountain said. “I want to focus on places like Africa and Latin America and the contributions to the world as well as the African American experience of what Af rican Americans have contribut ed in this country as well.”

Fountain teaches regular World History and is also one of the coaches for boys’ basketball. He was inspired to bring these classes to GVHS because he took similar courses in college.

“I saw them in the catalog, and me being an African American teacher [I thought] back to some of my more impactful classes,”

Fountain said. “I took an African American literature class in high school and I took African Amer ican history in college as well. I also had a Latin American geogra phy class in college, so those sorts of things, having that passion for learning those things, helps me to have the passion to teach them.”

The African American Expe rience class goes into full detail about the experience of being an African American in the United States. They additionally learn about culture, architecture, music, dance, literature, art, drama and philosophy. Many students are ex cited to learn about history in a non-Eurocentric perspective.

“I decided to take the class just to learn more about the African experience and the culture, and just to learn more in general. Over the years I’ve learned so much about the culture, I know a lot al ready, except for things like what happened in B.C. and A.D.,” soph omore Drew Brown said.

Along with the African Ameri can Experience class, Latin Amer ican Studies focuses on culture and art, however it also talks about the social, economic and political development in Latin America. It covers from coloniza tion to modern times.

“I like learning about the cul ture, and whenever I go to Mexico

I like to do whatever I can to be part of the culture,” senior Aileen Chavez said.

GV is one of the only schools in Las Vegas to offers these cours es. However, not many people on campus know about these classes, and what they represent. Foun tain is hoping to double-down this year and showcase some of the things students in his classes are learning.

“Having counselors encourage kids to join the class is another great way, they offer flex cred its. I also have fliers hanging up in the cases around the school,” Fountain said. “I think that there’s quite a few things being done, but we can continue to grow.”

Fountain is also helping out with the development of the Black Student Union. The Black Student Union(BSU) aims to offer opportunities for their communi ty with cultural enrichment and education. They strive to main tain representation within the school community.

“As an advisor, my goal is to help guide them to what it is they want to do and how they want to express the needs of black stu dents on campus as well as any initiatives that they want to go forward with,” Fountain said. I imagine that there’s going to be participation in things like First

Friday, participation in commu nity service, as well as workshops and classes to help with learning black history along the way, and taking on topics that need to be discussed.”

These classes may provide comfortable environments for students on campus and provide more opportunities of learning.

“It makes me feel good just to know that I can make more friends. When I first entered the class I was really nervous, and when I saw Mr. Fountain, he was nice too, and he still is. He told us things like ‘everything will be al right’,” Brown said.

There are about 60 students enrolled in the African Ameri can Experience class, and in Lat in American Studies there are around 30 kids enrolled. These classes contain a variety of eth nicities.

“In my Latin American class, there are quite a few people that have family histories in different countries; there are students from El Salvador, students from Nicara gua, and students from Brazil,” Fountain said. “African American Experience is fairly diverse, a lot of them are African American, but there are other kids as well. Everybody who comes to class is welcome, and I want to make this a safe, fun, learning environment.”

Olivia Patai

HEAD OF THE CLASS- Social Studies teacher Ryan Fountain lectures during his African American Experience class. With over 60 students, the elective class continues to grow in size.

Influencers Own The Industry

Online presence brings about job opportunities

By Elyse Gamiao

Social media influ encing has created job opportunities for countless people in several different industries be cause of the content they pro duce. From small creators to well known brand ambassadors, they all strive to promote a product of some sort to a specific audience. Many get a bad rep in the corpo rate world because it is viewed as easier and less demanding; how ever, there is still so much work that goes into being an influencer. In some cases, the role itself can present more problems and chal lenges than standard careers.

If the title was not obvious enough, social media influencers do just that — influence. Whether it is to a big audience or a small one, they must be conscious of their words and actions, as they can greatly shift the course of many lives. Depending on the platform, their impact can vary. For instance, on social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok, they are often viewed as less legitimate than platforms like YouTube and Twitch. This could be due to the type of media pub lished on each platform. An influ encer on TikTok has more leeway to get away with things than, say, a YouTube influencer. This is due to the guidelines set by each plat form.

“TikTok influencers can have a quicker effect on a larger group of people,” junior Carter Williams said. “And there’s also less guide lines to follow, so they can say more harmful things and get the wrong ideas into people’s heads. Whereas a YouTube influencer or publisher would have to be more careful on what they say and less direct with it.”

While being an influencer can be considered a career, some fac tors play into this job that other careers may not consider. Alter native careers require more dedi cation than the trend-setting path because the commitment is more flexible.

“To have a real job you need to

dedicate some jobs as far as your life and your hobbies you might have to give up for it. But for an in fluencer, you can do your normal things and have less dedication and still have a noticeable effect on people’s lives,” Williams said.

Influencers can also leverage negative situations or controver sy in their favor. Being controver sial has its risks, but the coverage alone can be used to increase their following; something sought after by all influencers, but de manding of high risk.

ing factor of their success.

“It’s on the luckier side of things you need to have the right timing. You need to do the right thing at the right time to get into it, and then consistently doing it—whether it’s often or rarely— consistently doing it is what keeps you relevant,” Williams said.

Finding the right time to start an influencer career can be a daunting task. One of the biggest factors is a person’s age. When starting young, a person has to consider the safety of social me

so you might be more prone to saying or doing something that someone finds offensive. Versus when you’re older, you’re more mature, and you have the mon ey to have people help you, with what to post and what to do,” Stew art said. “I think it’s safer. And you have more time to think about if that’s what you really want in life because you can’t really turn back from being famous.”

A social media influencer’s career is not only affected by age, but the numbers as well. Keep in mind, an influencer’s entire ca reer is constantly published for strangers to see, and is dependent on how often people like to view their content. The numbers are the likes, views, and followers; it is the feedback influencers study to adjust their performance to im prove their statistics.

“I think, to other people, it would probably be more moti vation. But I just see it as: if 500 people liked your post, that’s 500 people complimenting you,” Stew art said. “I feel like it’ll influence me a little bit. Like if I change my hair color, and it doesn’t get as many likes, I’m like oh my hair color doesn’t look so good.”

Constantly analyzing one’s per formance takes its toll. Aside from the professional aspect of study ing numbers, influencers are also psychologically influenced by them. They will be hated regard less of their actions. It can easily impact the life-altering decisions they make and the consequences that follow.

“A lot of people don’t think to post a lot, but it helps your algo rithm and also being controver sial,” junior Savanh Stewart said. “Because then more people talk about you.”

Although some aspects of being a social media influencer can be used to their advantage, one downside is that luck plays a huge part in becoming successful. A person can devote a significant amount of time and effort to their influencing career, but their view ers are ultimately the determin

dia, balancing their personal and professional lives, going about contracts and new opportunities, and what they publish. On the other hand, older influencers have more experience to help them with the inner-workings of platforms, but they have to direct their concern toward figuring out how they are going to earn a con sistent income while simultane ously trying to keep up with the current trends.

“I think when you’re younger, you don’t have publicists. And

Working as an influencer is an immense gamble. The biggest risk in this line of work is how unre liable everything is. As Stewart mentions, this profession is un predictable and can be over in the blink of an eye.

“I don’t think it’s worth the risk. Anything that has to do with looks, that’s not with your brain. I feel like that’s always a risk be cause you’re only going to look that way for so long. You’re not on a salary. You’re not on a paycheck,” Stewart said. “You can lose it in a second.”

Elyse Gamiao

Ready for redemption

Varsity team looks to make another run at State after overtime loss in 2021

By Kennedy Milton

After a heartbreaking overtime loss in last year’s state championship game, men’s soccer won three of four games in the Southern Nevada Kick-off Classic Tournament held at Green Valley from Thursday Aug. 18-30 to start their 2022 season.

The team faced off against opponents Cristo Rey, Spring Valley, Centennial and Las Vegas High School.

“We had some good teams show up. We got to play against some of the better 5A schools which is important for us because we are not going to normally play them during the season,” head coach Jacob Rivera said.

The Kick-off held many challenges. Not only was there big competition, but the weather became excessive, with the temperature highs ranging from high 90s into the 100s. Players battled the heat throughout the tournament, as well as a bit of controversy in their semifinal

matchup vs. Las Vegas.

“The last game versus Vegas, that was very frustrating. We scored on the final play of the game and the ref called it offsides, even though it wasn’t. We have footage. I’ve watched it 1000

“

got a volley goal during one of the games, and then I celebrated with my friends in the stands,” senior Cruz Barron-Renteria said.

After losing in the final game of the 2021 season to Sunrise Mountain, returning players have

I think about how hungry I am for success, so I feel mentally ready for every game.

Pablo Flores, 12

times, it was not offsides,” senior and co-captain Kevin Kucik said.

However, early season challenges are expected, as these are typically the times of the year where kinks get worked out.

The tournament also had some big moments. Highlights from the weekend included the team winning their first three games and the plays that led to the goals.

“My favorite play was when I

”

made it a point to focus on getting another chance to bring a state title back to their school. Many players are stressing the mental aspect of the sport.

“I think about how hungry I am for success, because I am not playing after high school, so I feel like mentally every game is my last one,” senior and co-captain Pablo Flores said.

Soccer contains many different positions, each requiring their

own unique skills. Game scores at the recent Kick-Off Tournament were very close and often it is the actions and experience of the goalie that can be the difference between a win and a loss.

“I always watch the ball and make sure my angles are covered and I’m ready for a shot. I always make sure I’m on my toes, especially for crosses and high balls. Timing is key for catching the ball at its highest point,” senior goalie Edwin LagunasMonroy said.

Working as a team was a key aspect in getting through not only playing in, but hosting the season opening tournament. As the team moves forward, they are banking that the time spent together in August brings a trophy home in November.

“Playing these games and winning a lot definitely boosted the energy and boosted the morale,” Kucik said. “Everybody is ready for the season, even with the loss to Las Vegas High School at the end. We want to get back on the field and the team is motivated to win.”

DEFEND - Sophomore Daniel Mercado steals the ball during a game against Cristo Rey High School. The Gators found their first win of the season with the 9-1 victory.

GET OPEN- Senior Jake Juliano looks downfield for a teammate to pass the ball to. The game served as the season opener for the 2022 varsity team.

Evelyn Plummer

Evelyn Plummer

ThompsonTwilight

Legacy of former coach lives on

By Brysan Wilson Harrell

This year the cross coun try team hosted their first race to kick off a long overdue season. Originally the race was supposed to be a way to start off the year, but then it quickly became more than that. Varsity head coach Bri an Decania decided that it would be in memory of former coach Blaine Thompson.

“Coach Thompson used to be the old cross county coach a few years ago before he passed away due to pancreatic cancer,” Deca nia said. “We always do a bunch of different things in his name and this race was one of them be cause it felt right. Naming the race Thompson Twilight just seemed like a great way to honor him.”

Even to students who had nev er met coach Thompson, the race served as a very meaningful expe rience.

“It was really special because I know that coach Thompson was a big part of Green Valley High School and just knowing I was racing in his name was every thing and more,” sophomore An

drew Poirer said.

The team even made it a po tential fundraiser effort to raise money for a scholarship that is in Thompson’s name. The athletes wore purple bibs to represent pancreatic cancer and why they are running.

“I am very proud of the team for working together and putting in the work at the race. We truly felt we were unstoppable that day. Even with all the stress from the event I wouldn’t change any thing at all,” senior captain Adam Welsh said.

While the event had the im portance of the first event of the year, the weather also played a factor as the race approached.

“The day of the race it was 108 degrees which was way too hot to run,” Decania said. “But because we ran it at night, we ran in 89 degree weather. Running at night was never the plan but happened for a reason and worked out for the best.”

“The race was at night which was strange because races are most common during the day time. We worried it was going to be too dark, but luckily we

contracted a company here in Las Vegas that literally lit up the course,” Decania said. “But what really made it amazing is because if you think about it, Las Vegas is known for its lights, it’s a big part of the mystique. So when people come to Las Vegas it’s like ‘Look at the pretty lights,’ which is exactly what happened at the race.”

Setting up for the race at night was challenging, and for many runners it was their first chance to compete in a different setting. Racing at night was a new expe rience the athletes had to adjust too.

“It was very different running under no sun. But our coach paid for neon lighting across the track and made our medals glow in the dark which was really nice,” Welsh said.

The course had a variety of different lights. It had LED lights, colored lights and spotlights and it created a very fun, unique race for the team.

“I honestly really liked it be cause it looked cool and fancy when racing. It also helped me have a better race because I felt more motivated with the spot

light on me when racing. I think that was probably one of my best races, “ senior Hanna Miller.

The event was a success overall and there were a lot of positive things said about the race from the players and coaches that at tended. Sierra VIsta, Clark, Bishop Gorman are just some of the high schools that participated.

“There were some problems starting up an event like this, but nothing that’s completely insur mountable and can stop us from attacking next year’s race,” Deca nia said.

During the race the sprinklers came on due to a misunderstand ing by the city. Then the times for the race were also a little off for most runners, but that didn’t stop them from finding the positives from the event.

“When we all gathered and worked together to make the race special was the best part. I loved racing with my teammates and it really made for a fun day,’’ Welsh said. “I know the next race we do is going to be just as fun, as we now know what it feels like to race and set up an event together.”

ALL

Fall Sports In Full Swing

Volleyball

Aby Tibesar-Magassa,

Theo Edquilang,

Honestly-- Nevermind

Rapper’s new album fails to meet expectations

By Bradley Geiger

Drake announced and released his newest studio album, “Honestly, Nevermind,” within the span of a single day. Much like his fellow music juggernauts in the industry, his album was streamed so much that it hit number one on the charts in under 24 hours.

However, unlike his rapper colleagues, the album was panned by fans and critics alike. With several glaring issues, from sloppy and narcissistic writing, to empty and lackluster beats, it is no wonder that this album stands at a low point in Drake’s everexpanding discography.

Sitting at just under an hour, “Honestly, Nevermind” feels bloated and drawn out. The opening track, “Intro,” is a moody composition of compressed synths and woodwinds that would not sound out of place in a fast paced thriller. By the time Drake finally mutters his first ad libs on “Falling Back,” the album has transitioned

into nu-wave dance music with dry and pounding beats. The main gripe is when these beats start to overshadow and drown out Drake’s vocals. In songs such as “A Keeper” and “Massive,” Drake sounds like an afterthought in his own songs. It is moments like this that shine a light on an ever-prevalent effort from Drake to reinvigorate his music. In this case, the concepts and ideas end up being a lot stronger than his execution.

Throughout the project, thee are glimpses of innovation through smooth genre-bending rap. These fresh moments, such as on “Sticky,” show that Drake can flow effortlessly on dance beats and create groovy club hits. These parts, although far and few between, are definite highlights of this album.

This principle hits a peak when Drake embraces the cocky, almost corny persona he gives off and embodies the character he plays to the media and his fans alike. A prime example of this is on “Currents,” where Drake spits

double entendre after double entendre on a beat composed of a bed squeaking. Although arguably laughable, this is a clear high point on this album.

When Drake finally showcases his abilities, it is almost too late. The last song of the album, “Jimmy Cooks,” sees Drake and frequent collaborator, 21 Savage, in a return to formula. While tonally and melodically out of place in the album, it seems refreshing to hear Drake rap on a standard trap beat compared to the past fifty minutes of dance music.

Even though this is nothing new for Drake, these stadium jams are what made him famous and keep him relevant today. Some predictable lines and poor delivery hold this song back, but this is still a definite peak for “Honestly, Nevermind’. When Drake stays in his comfort zone he outperforms his peers by miles.

While experimentation is always a welcome album trait, the execution of “Honestly, Nevermind” was blatantly sloppy. The concept

of mashing rap and dance together is not an easy thing to do, with Drake’s take coming off as lackluster for both varieties of sound. Even with these shortcomings, when the album hits its high points, they really shine. Honestly, unless you are out on the dance floor, I’d say Nevermind to this album.

Bradley Geiger

‘Honestly, Nevermind’ feels bloated and drawn out.

“ ”

Box office blowout

Summer horror over-hyped on social media

By Ameya Naduvalath

R

etro thriller The Black Phone, by Scott Der rickson and Jason Blum, is based on a 2004 short story by Jason Hill, and was all the buzz last summer. Hill is the son of well-renowned hor ror novelist Stephen King. King’s influence is even recognizable with the coming-of-age, clownish villain and “horror-through-child hood-trauma” elements of the piece.

Although the movie was execut ed beautifully, it is less certain whether the movie lives up to the hype it received as a horror film. Countless movie reviews and so cial media posts rave about a ter rifying film, however I found my self sitting in the theater wholly dissatisfied.

The story takes place in the late-1970s from the perspective of a preteen named John Finney. In Finney’s town there’s an ac tive serial kidnapper, called “the Grabber,” who snatches teenage boys, and Finney eventually finds himself abducted and locked in a dusty soundproof room with nothing but an old-fashioned black wall phone, a worn-out mattress and a dirty rusty toilet.

Finney soon learns that he can use the phone to com municate with the other kid napped kids. As his sister search

es for him, he remains within the room learning his limits with the kidnapper and attempting new escape methods, taking advice from the previous kidnappers through the telecommunication; it’s later revealed to the audi ence that all the children Finney is communicating with have al ready perished.

The unique serial-kill er-turned-ghost-story concept is skillfully weaved into the sto ryline of Hill’s original version, but less so in the adaptation. The beginning of the film leading up to Finney’s kidnapping accelerat ed quick and the paranormal as pects seemed out-of-the-ordinary as they were only revealed later in the plot. Besides the kidnapper, the children were also dealing with other struggles including their grief for their late mother, their alcoholic father and their school bullies. With too much

going on all at once, none of the side-plots finish developing, and it leaves the audience feeling like everything is magically resolved at the end of the film with Fin ney’s great escape…

Don’t get me wrong, the idea was interesting, and the produc tion team did a great job in exe cuting the mood described in the original story. However as some one who dabbles in the world of true crime, the supernatural el ements of the film downgraded it for me, and besides one stellar performance from Finney’s little sister, played by Madeleine Mc Graw, near the beginning of the movie, the plot did not deliver as much as it could have. I would not give this film a rating more than six-out-of-10 in an online review, but I would still encourage movie lovers to watch because there are just aren’t many modern films like it.

Teens arrive at theaters dressed absolutely despicable

By Joshua Berson O cult classic characters left people wanting more; in return, people’s attention got caught by the scene where Kevin, Bob, and Stuart learned martial arts.

n July 1, 2022 theaters were packed every where for the release of Minions: The Rise of Gru. While the movie got mixed reviews, Audiences added their own twist.

Kid Gru is back but with the Minions. Gru dreams of becoming a villain. He gets an invitation for an interview with the Vicious Six, the most evil group in the world who recently stole the Zodiac Stone which Gru works to steal back. The minions on the other hand want to help their master, so when Gru gets kidnapped, Kev in Bob and Stuart try to find him.

The movie received decent reviews on websites like Rotten Tomatoes. A lot of people liked the humor, comedic violence, and Kevin, Bob, and Stuart. These

“I think my favorite part of the movie was when Kevin and Bob were learning karate. It was just funny during the movie,” se nior Cruz Barron-Renteria said.

The movie grossed $354.8M in North America and $514.1M in worldwide box office sales and a significant portion of the movie’s attention was a result of the TikTok trend “GentleMinion.” It was created by content creator Bill Hurst (@bill.hirst) and gained popularity amongst teens. The TikTok video shows a group of teens in suits, anticipating a great movie after the five year wait from the last one.

After the TikTok video reached 38.6 million likes, more

people began dressing formal ly to watch the film on the big screen, including some Green Valley High School students.

“If people were being reckless I would not,” senior Evan Otoole said. “I like how my theater was chill.”

“We were trying to follow the trend,” Barron-Renteria said. “We wanted to look good while watch ing the movie.”

The trend sounds harmless, but there have been reports of kids getting kicked out of theaters before buying a ticket and of teen agers behaving absolutely despi cable in the theater. Some people would rather view it at home than going to theaters.

People showing up in suits does not sound bad, but when they do other distract ing things it affects the theaters. Some are ban ning people in suits while others are stopping movie showings all together.

“It isn’t the smart est move. They could be making money,” Otoole said.

Minions: The Rise of Gru is clearly popular, especially with all of these teens showing up in large groups. The movie made millions, but it could have made more money had some movie theaters not banned showings.

We wanted to look good while watching the movie -Cruz Barron-Rentiera

#BookTok

Social media platform influences readers

By Kinsley Priebe

TikTok creators and users have instituted several sub-communi ties to the app, revolving around many different topics. One of these interests being books, mostly within the fiction genre. This community began to gain popularity in the spring of 2020 with people posting videos about their favorite and least favor ite books. Many recommendations could be found by people based on the type of book they wanted to read. This surge of book ac claim has brought light to many authors and their works.

Romance author Colleen Hoover has been a huge part of BookTok. Beginning her career in 2012 with the publication of her first book “Slammed,” and followed shortly after by the sequel “Point of Retreat”. They both were in the top 20 on the New York Times bestseller list. Her work has become amplified through the influence of this community.

“I like that she starts her books off with something that completely throws you off,” sophomore Madison Rose said. “I like her most well-known book ‘It Ends With Us’ but my all time favorite by her is the thriller ‘Verity’.”

This popularity has caught the attention of bookstores like Barnes & Noble, who have begun to create displays in their stores ded icated to these books. They have gone so far as to partner with TikTok to create a sum

screen adaptations. Plans had been set in motion for these shows and movies before the rise of BookTok, but the anticipation of fans grew as they began to be familiarized with the stories.

“Shadow and Bone,” a fantasy trilogy writ ten by Leigh Bardugo, did just that. The first book was published in 2012 with the other two following a year, then two after; the Net flix series was announced to begin produc tion in the beginning of 2019. The books and the duology “Six of Crows” that is set in the same world but a separate location, after the events of the trilogy gained masses of atten tion.

The first season of the show was finally re leased in April of 2021 and was an instal lation around the Top 10 list worldwide as fans devoured the story on screen. Merely two months later it was renewed to begin shooting the second season, which is cur rently in the making.

All of this interaction from people has been very beneficial for some authors. The New York Times reported that it helped sell 20 million printed books in 2021 alone. Since then sales have been up 50 percent.

All of this discourse has brought light to many authors and their works. It has also created conversations surrounding ones who have written some rather harmful things.

“It sucks, because one of my favorite authors is apparently really problematic,” sopho more Julia West said. “I am like ‘dang it, be cause I really liked her books’. It makes me really sad to learn of all of this stuff that she wrote about.”

The BookTok spiral of popularity has allowed people who may or may not have read before, to open their eyes to the diversity within literature. Some

one who would not have ever thought about picking up a book solely for the purpose of reading for pleasure, could have seen one vid eo that sparked their interest and once they read it, their previous notion of reading has been altered. It has also broadened the hori zons of people who do enjoy leisurely reading. “I have read more genres because of it. I would not have gotten into mysteries without it,” West said.“You Deserve Each Other,’ That is my favorite book. I saw a video about it, got it, read it and I loved it. I have read it multiple times.”

Kinsley Priebe

Tote-ally Scholastic

Backpack alternatives are gaining popularity amongst students

By Stormy Bryne

As the school year approaches, some students begin to won der whether they should buy a totebag or a backpack. For many it is the latter, but as a trend of tote bags floods social media, we might see a new change among students.

According to a campus survey held on August 22, 91.2 percent of current students use backpacks whereas 8.8 percent prefer tote bags. Though the amount of tote-bag-wearing students is low, there has been an increase since last year.

Starting in 2021, more peo ple were seen on social media platforms donning the newest tote bags out. Fashion trend blog

Who What Wear predicts that large tote bags will continue to be in style this season and for many to come.

“This is my first year using a tote bag,” sophomore Jayda Powell said. “I needed a new backpack this year, and I was on Amazon and found this bag, and loved it.”

However as the trend continues, it begs the question of whether tote bags are really as practical as the backpack. About 73 percent of students surveyed claimed to have chosen their bag based on the practicality of it, but there were 27 percent who decided on their bag from the style of it.

“They’re cute,” Powell said. “It is definitely not reliable, since it doesn’t close.”

Many people share the con cern of a tote bag being unsafe

“

I don’t think I have any thing that people want to steal... unless they want my math homework.

-Jayda Powell

”

because of the open top, but how many teenagers carry priceless valuables in their school bag? The most expensive thing inside of a teenager’s bag is usually their school-issued laptop, a com mon commodity among students. Despite all the warnings from the school about keeping that safe, it is not typically a student’s highest priority.

“I don’t think I have any thing that people want to steal... unless they want my math home work,” Powell said.

But besides the possibility of theft, comfort is also a main concern for the everyday student. According to the survey, 100 percent of participants believed backpacks to be more comfort able than tote bags. According to Larissa Hirsch MD of Teen sHealth, backpacks are a better option for carrying books and supplies. This is because the weight of a backpack is even ly distributed whereas with a tote bag it’s resting on only one shoulder, but Powell argues that this issue is prevalent with backpacks all the same.

“Whenever I wear a backpack, I have a bad habit of just wearing it on one shoulder, so get ting a tote bag isn’t going to make that much of a difference.”

While tote bags may be

Stormy Bryne

cute and stylish, those with issues such as back pain and injuries or those who often overpack their bag will likely benefit more from a backpack. Carrying an overpacked tote bag would lead to leaning only towards one side, offsetting extra weight and could cause neck and back pains. However at the end of the day, what kind of bag someone wears is a personal choice and whether that’s based on comfortability, practi cality, or style, bags are a good form of self expression. From choosing a children’s backpack to a sim ple grocery store tote bag, each bag has a meaning, even if it is as simple as finding it cute.

Perfect

Job environment produces chance for growth

By Delia Waring

Should high school students have jobs? This is a question many debate. Does having a job affect students' ability to succeed in school?

Nearly 30% of high school students have jobs which is a pretty big chunk of students. There are many different reasons a student would need a job, some need to save up for college or their future, some need to have a job to help their parents with money and others may just want extra money to spend. No matter the reason they all still have a lot on their plate.

It is a little different for each student depending on the job and how many hours they work a week. When interviewed most students with part time jobs find it very manageable to keep up with work and school. Statistics from CNBC have shown that in many cases a student having a part time job increases their grades due to them gaining more responsibility and feeling the need to succeed in many aspects of their life.

Having a part time job allows students to make some extra money, learn good social skills and learn responsibilities. A part time job is the perfect way to prepare a young adult for the real world of being an adult. When it comes to having a full time job it can be a little trickier however, still achievable to have while attending school. This is because students will still have time to do things for themselves, sports, clubs, hobbies etc.

“When I get off of work, I tend to watch movies or play video games with my friends,” senior Miguel Quezada said. “I feel like my job helped me mature and get better at socializing with other people. The pros of having a job

outweighed the cons.”

A majority of students want to have a job for the extra money they would make. Money benefits teens because some students only get a minimum amount of allowance just for their needs, some teens don’t even get an allowance.

A job makes it so that you have freedom and are able to have fun and go out through your teen years. A job benefits the teens

Of course a job is not going to be for every student. Some people have other things they have to do such as extracurriculars.

Only some can handle the pressure of both but all teens should definitely have the opportunity to work. In some cases jobs can actually help students out. For example Emily Bilan, a junior here at Green Valley, tutors students at Mathnasium.

A job like this could be

Balanceoff. This teaches teens this lesson before growing up and having to realize it as it happens. It builds work ethic and responsibility. If you were thinking about getting a job, go for it!

that don’t get any allowance from their parents. Having a job as a teen will also help you learn the value of money before you are an adult and have bills and deadlines for important aspects of life.

“I like going out with my friends and being able to spend money on not only things that I need but want,” senior Mikayla Waring said.

If you get your first job when you are 18 you are less likely to have control to just spend it on needs.

“There are restrictions, you have to show up to work, you have to be responsible and follow guidelines because if you don’t you will no longer have that job.” Psychology teacher Tanya Rasmussen said.”

beneficial because one can study as well as teach. Tutoring helps not only the student you're teaching but you as well because you have to make sure you understand certain topics very well.

”I've definitely learned how to talk to kids a lot better,” Bilan said. “And I think they've taught me a lot too.”

Bilan, as well as many others, say she has become way more responsible with her schedule after getting a job. Having a job sets a good foundation for your life. It teaches you that you can not always do things whenever you want like many usually could if you were not employed.

You have to take time off or do things on the days you have

Liliana Burke

“ ”

Having a job sets a good foundation for your life.

Work-overload

Growing stress dooms students

By Briana Quezada

Are Students being pushed too far? Being a teenager is hard. Working while being a teenager is even harder. Teenagers are going through one of the most difficult experiences of their lives, and this specific experience is high school.

During this time teens are trying to adjust to new situations and seeking WWWto find where they fit into this world. They do this while attempting to maintain good grades along with being involved in clubs and sports to get the ‘full high school experience’. Imagine trying to balance all these factors in addition to a big responsibility such as a job.

Many students do not have an option but to work these jobs for multiple reasons. These reasons vary from having no financial support for college, along with having to support their families. What is unknown to the particular students that choose to work is how negatively this can affect their mental and physical health, along with futures. Working high school students are affected poorly by overworking Teens that are overworked are more likely to indulge in adult behavior that can affect them in an obstructive way. These actions are prone but not limited to sex, drug and substance abuse.

The University of Washington researchers have gone as far as to state this can cause behavioral problems and delinquency that is caused by multiple elements such as enervation.

“They’re exhausted, they’re tired and when you’re exhausted and tired, you’re overwhelmed. You can lose it. You can break down and just get frustrated extremely easily.” Psychology teacher Tanya Rasmussen said. “And that is a side effect of working too much. Plus, you know, you’re expected to perform at school as well.”

Suppose a student athlete had to have the responsibility of a job,

imagine the different stress and pressure they are going forced to undergo. Student athletes have to provide time and focus to not only school but sports, and to the obligation of a job.

These are three big responsibilities that can affect teenagers in many different and negative aspects. This would cause an unnecessary amount of stress for students who are constantly trying to steady all of these important duties.

“It takes a toll on you. Especially when you have a volleyball game on that Friday and then you have to work that Saturday, and that Sunday.” sophomore Deja Wharton said. “Then you have school on Monday. It stresses me out. ”

Along with targeting teens mentally, jobs tend to damage GPA’s. A study by the Bureau of Labor Statistics discovered teenagers that work more than 20 hours a week have an average of 2.9 GPA’s. This was proved to be caused by not having enough time to set aside for studying but

rather use that time to work.

This can even affect their performance in school by overworking them to the point of exhaustion to fall asleep in class; consequently students who would fall asleep in class would either face punishment or lower grades. Even without these factors, they face the punishment of choosing to work a shift instead of doing assigned work from school, therefore a lower grade.

“Sometimes I don’t get homework done because I have to work that shift. And then I just get tired and then I don’t want to do my homework,” Wharton said.

“It kind of affected my grades because I wasn’t getting a lot of stuff turned in because I was working.”

High school students already suffer from high levels of anxiety and insomnia. In school they are overworked and exhausted from their responsibilities. This can be said the same for adults with jobs.

Workers face these factors as well due to the amount of stress a job can provide, whether it

is arriving on time or actually focusing on the job; furthermore they face exhaustion from not getting enough sleep as well .

A working high school student would have to face double the amount of these negative aspects that would later reflect onto their school work.

Especially in a school like Green Valley, in which the starting time for the school year has been pushed to an earlier starting time.

“Their ability to comprehend and be successful at assessments is affected. They’re working so much they don’t have the proper time to study,” Rasmussen said. “Your guys brains are developing, growing, and you need a lot of sleep. If you’re not getting that you’re gonna be dozing off and not understanding concepts.”

Being a full time student while maintaining a job is a huge responsibility that most teenagers should think twice about.

Even though hvaing a job can create great lessons for youth, students may not be prepared for the overall work.

Nanase Kimura

At what cost?

Low- income communities and health costs

By McKenzie Shelton-Lott

Oxford dictionary defines health as “the state of being free from illness and injury” however the World Health Organization says it has many definitions.

“I consider being healthy the motivation to pour into yourself. It’s mainly mental and having healthy relationships. If you have a will you have a way,” senior Angel Merino said.

Many people believe that being healthy is as simple as working out and maintaining a good diet, but for many these things are inaccessible. Organic fruit, vegetables and meat are produced without the help of any chemical fertilizers or artifi cial agents. Due to this process, as well as the strict government and farming regulations that must be followed, organic farms often produce less than conventional farms do which raises the price of these items.

“In my experience, it is less ex pensive to buy junk food. There are always deals and sales and it

is just easier,” Merino said.

Recent research done by the US Department of Agriculture shows that the price of food has increased 10.9 percent from July 2021 to July 2022. With the increasing price of food, many who already struggled to choose the organic option are finding it harder to choose the healthy option at all.

“I have noticed that the price of food has gone up. I have seen everything go up in price so food is definitely more expensive now,” Merino said.

The argument about if these components directly affect certain groups of people is a controversial one, but one that is undeniable. These factors could make it difficult for any individ ual to maintain habits deemed “healthy” by society’s standards, but they make it especially hard for people in impoverished communities to reach a constant state of well being in all areas of their lives.

“Some people struggle more than others and it makes it hard for them to be healthy,” Merino said.

A higher frequency in car diovascular disease and obesity within low income communities stems from a lack of access to healthy options. Multiple studies show disparities in how neigh borhood vegetation is distributed, the proximity of playgrounds and outdoor fitness areas and access to supermarkets and grocery stores.

“It definitely depends on where you live. A lot of people do have a lack of resources. Certain people in certain areas do not have access to a lot of things,” Merino said.

The price of food is not the only thing that makes living a healthy lifestyle difficult. When it comes to discussions about health, people tend to disregard mental health and its effects on the physical well-being of a per son. Things like depression and anxiety can affect how motivated someone may be or their willing ness to do things like workout.

“Being healthy really means living your best life. If you are not happy you are just staying in the house, you are not healthy,” senior Jayden Green said.

According to a report by Sim plePractice, in 2019 the average cost of therapy ranged from $60 to $200. This is yet another financial barrier that stands in between so many and the jour ney towards total health.

“A lot of people want to be healthy but they do not want to struggle. Eating healthy can already be expensive so a lot of people just cannot afford it,” Green said.

Although for many, maintain ing a good diet and working out in the gym everyday are unat tainable. There are alternatives for them.

”You don’t need a gym to be healthy. There are alternatives. It is really just how you work with what you have,” Merino said.

Some alternatives include walking around a local park or participating in activities in your gym class. Some nonprofits and social service organizations offer affordable or even free therapy as well as financial assistance for anyone facing hard times.

“Try to hang in there, stay fo cused,” Green said. “Stay motivat ed and you can find a way”.

Another school year, Another day of stress

By The InvestiGator Staff

Whether it was two months of work and labor or summer fun, the season of hot weather and free time is over. Well, not the hot weather. It is the beginning of the 2022-23 school year and the time for schoolwork, clubs and athletics has returned. With full schedules or possibly even reduced schedules, the stress anyone can face begins to build.

Freshman may face the worries about transitioning to a high school setting from the simpler middle school times. Sophomores may be feeling confident after having a year to learn the in and

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top of that, there are expectations that many student feel they are supposed to meet or try to live up to whether it be from parents with keeping up good grades, potential bosses for the working students to get the job done perfectly, teachers to complete all work on time all the time, peers to always be in good spirits or even possibly the expectations from all of society to look, act and think a certain way.

Especially from society, students can feel pressured to live up to the social expectations of perfect lives and to follow the step-by-step directions that society places to be a successful person in this world. Though

Students can feel pressured to live up to the social expectations of perfect lives.

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outs of the campus and some of the teachers. Juniors may be noticing that the next school year they will enter will be their last of the high school experience.

Furthermore, there is the senior class of 2023 that is also facing the reality that college applications are due soon (at least early decision) and life after high school is quickly approaching with all the responsibilities and decisions that entail. But hey, it is only the beginning of the school year so save that for later. However, there are still stresses that all students, regardless of grade, may feel everyday and stresses that generations before and generations to come may feel the weight of.

The work loads of returning upper and underclassmen alike is enough to cause stress but on

different paths for success do exist, one must have the end goal of being rich and looking good, maybe even one or the other, as long as a student has one of those two things going for them.

Being popular and well liked, even if for the wrong reasons, appears to be of more importance than living a purposeful and joy filled life as long as it ends in wealth and “success.” This impending expectation for all students has been around for awhile and it is not necessarily going away any time soon.

The importance of money, looks and certain personality traits to society is a topic that may be sore to talk about but it is one that some might need to hear for whatever reason that may be individualized to anyone who reads or hears about it.

What are you most passionate about?

“Dance and fashion. I’m passionate about both because I feel like with dance there is always fashion.” senior Aaliyah Kieskowski

“Basketball. I love the sport and always enjoy learning more about it.” sophomore Angel Espino

“Skateboarding, because it’s fun to just look at the sky and see different places.” junior Johnathan Carranza

“Tennis, because I get to meet new people and it can lead to scholarships.” freshman Brooklyn Cox

JUST WIN IT