Paw Print Spring 2019

Paw Print the

Volume 9 • Issue 3

In This Edition: The Land We Occupy Power to the Teachers

18 Under 18 Kevin Cho Sneak Peak Catcalling Wildcats

WHO IS

SUIT

MAN? Find out on page 28

CONTENTS News Editors News Writers Features Editors Features Writers

1 Editorials

Editorials Editors Editorials Writers A&E Editors

10 News

A&E Writers Sports Editors Sports Writers

16 A&E 18 Features 22 Sports

Copy Editor Social Media Editors Web Editor Web Editor-in-Chief Design Editor Design Editor-in-Chief Editors-in-Chief Adviser

Ryan Factora Zoey Greenwald Jessica Son Shanzay Hassan Seabrijn Hutson Siena Zarrell Hannah Kim Alyssa Truong Brooke Johnston Katie Luo Alexa Empleo Ashley Park Sophia Kriegel Iman Baber Minjoon Kang Quynn Lubs Chika Ma Sydney Young Mary Waugh Emily Chang Erin Eskoff Jasleen Arora Daniel Lee Jay Singh Noah Neri Zachary Singer Harneet Arora Aerin Choi Christine Joo Timothy Kang Jay Park Allison Alben Skijler Hutson Audrey Kim Mina Jang Ms. Grothe

Cover photo by Maya Christensen

THE LAND

WE OCCUPY:

Remembering the "Indians” of This Valley and Understanding Our Duty to Their Legacy Story by Skijler Hutson and Alexa Empleo Graphics by Skijler Hutson Photos by Chika Ma and Skijler Hutson Sometimes we are oblivious to the lies we believe and even to the ones we tell. Some lies become so integrated into our everyday lives that we begin to forget that they were ever lies at all, or perhaps we never realized that they were ones in the first place. Often, a lie’s damage exists not in the lie itself, harmless as it may be, but rather in the absence of the truth.

The Canyon Cowboys vs. The Hart Indians: The great sports rivalry of the Santa Clarita Valley since the ‘60s, before Six Flags or Costco ever existed here. Hart was founded in 1945 and Canyon in 1966, and the two remained the only high schools in the valley until 1975. Even now, it’s easy to imagine the glory days: a cross-town rivalry, letterman jackets, model Ts and aftergame rendezvouses at Saugus Cafe. Beautiful to imagine, really.

Cowboys vs. Indians: a typo, a misconception, then a reworking of a story, and soon the identity of this valley’s history, from cowboy festivals to Newhall’s Western Walk of Fame. The truth is that there was never a great battle or struggle for land between Indians and Cowboys in Santa Clarita.

In fact, they probably never even coexisted in the valley at the same time.

Cowboys vs Indians: a harmless lie that became dangerous when we forgot the name of the “Indians” native to the land we now occupy. A harmless lie that became dangerous when it replaced stories of the enslavement of thousands.

A harmless lie that became dangerous when we forgot the truth.

THE TATAVIAM PEOPLE

In order to talk about the lie we’ve accepted, we first need to talk about the truth that has been covered and give ourselves the history lesson we never received.

Let’s start with this: Instead of calling them Indians, or perhaps more properly Native Americans, let’s call them by what they call themselves today: the Tataviams. The Tataviams (roughly translated to “people of the southern slope” or “people facing the sun”) were the first people to inhabit the Santa Clarita Valley. The name originates from what the Tejon Indian Tribe to the north would refer to them as; the name that the Tataviams would have called themselves has been lost due to limited documentation of the language. Nonetheless, modern tribal leadership and descendents have adopted the name “Tataviam.”

Contact with the Tataviams was first documented in 1769 when Father San Juan Crespi lead a Spanish missionary expedition into the Santa Clarita Valley. Before this, their population was estimated at around 3,500 individuals, but subsequent disease and enslavement exponentially reduced their numbers.

Dr. John R. Johnson, a specialist in Californian archeology and ethnohistory at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History and an adjunct professor of Native American History at University of California, Santa Barbara, explains what life would have looked like for the Tataviams before Spanish contact: “They all spoke the same language, but each rancheria — or each village — would have its own territory and be independent from other villages. [...] This is kind of true all up and down California. They had these independent social-political groups that would rely on each other — you know they would intermarry and rely on each other when there was external threat — but they were independent of each other too. Each [tribe] had its own chief or political leader that would be independent of the other political leaders, but then again they would get together

for ceremonies and fiestas and so on where they would exchange, trade, and people would meet each other.”

After the first contact with the Spanish in 1769, the Tataviams, along with most Indian Tribes in California, were brought to the local Spanish missions. This led to an almost complete disappearance of the Tataviam people from the Santa Clarita Valley by the early 18th century. Furthermore, in 1839, the Mexican government gave away much of the land in Santa Clarita, and thus the Tataviam ancestral home was never restored to their ownership.

Under the young Mexican government, conditions improved for the Indians once enslaved in the missions, and efforts were made to grant land to the Fernandeños, including the Tataviams. This was short-lived, though, as the United States gained control of California in 1848. The American government continued to dispossess the land of the Mission Indians, and throughout the rest of the century and well into the 20th century, the Commission of Indian Affairs oppressed Indian cultural and religious practices.

Often times, native men were forced to cut their hair, native children were sent to boarding school and native religious practices were banned.

After the Mission Period, in 1853, there were also some Tataviam people who were moved up to the Sebastian Indian Reservation in the Grapevine Canyon, also known as the Tejon Indian Reservation. This lasted until 1864 when Edward Beale bought much of the land in the area, including the reservation, and established Tejon Ranch.

Many of the Indians continued to live on the land and worked for Beale. Then a spiritual movement swept the country: the Ghost Dance.

“In the 1870s, there was this big Ghost Dance that was held up in a place called Poso Creek. A lot of the Indians, especially the Yokuts people at Tejon, left their little farms that were on [Edward] Beale’s Tejon Ranch, and they went up to the Ghost Dance to participate in that,” said Johnson. “The whole idea of the Ghost Dance was they were supposed to see their deceased tribal members come back to life through doing this ceremony and the dancing would help them get rid of the whites. But what happened was then dead relatives didn’t come back to life, and people were up there, and they were getting hungry and didn’t have food, and so the government comes in with wagons.”

These wagons moved much of these people, including Tataviams, up to the Tule River Indian Reservation near the Sequoia National Forest. The details about this march are spotty, but descendants of those who marched remember it as their tribe’s own Trail of Tears. Those who remained at the ranch became incorporated into the Tejon Indian Tribe.

Today, descendants of the Tataviam people exist within three main groups: the Fernandeño Tataviam Band of Mission Indians, the Tule River Indian Tribe, and the Tejon Indian Tribe. Kimia Fatehi is the Chief of Staff for the Fernandeno Tataviam Band of Mission Indians — the tribe with the largest retention of Tataviam descendents. “[The tribe] has over 800 citizens. These citizens trace their ancestry from the lineages within the area that was recruited to Mission San Fernando. At each village there was one lineage and that lineage was sovereign, it was

autonomous, it had its own rules, kinship, marital patterns, trade and economy. So each lineage was its own tribe.

Throughout time, these lineages were connected to one another through people intermarrying and through trade. The tribe today is a coalition of those lineages; they are bound together through a tribal constitution, tribal legislature and council of elders. They are a government, and they form a coalition since time of memorial,” explained Fatehi.

The disappearance of the Tataviam people is not just in land and body but also in the minds of the people who live here today. It isn’t with intention that most of us do not know the Tataviams; instead, it is perhaps the failure of our community as a whole to remember the history of this land. It is reflective of the fact that our library walls, street signs and school textbooks omit their name.

ENSLAVEMENT AND LOSS AT THE MISSIONS

Across the street from the Mission San Fernando Rey de España stands a statue describing the beginning of the end for the Tataviam People: A Franciscan Priest leads a little Native American boy forward. The priest is Father Junipero Serra, a man later canonized into sainthood and largely credited with the establishment of California’s missions. But the boy -- the boy is nameless, ambiguous, forgotten.

Approximately 30,000 indigenous people were enslaved at the missions of Alta California during the 18th century.

A total of 12 missions were set up along the coast of California by the Spanish crown in an effort to control the region and to civilize the local Indian people and convert them to Catholicism. Father Junipero Serra established the first nine missions, and the entire mission system lasted until around 1833.

The Tataviam people along with the people of the San Fernando Valley and surrounding areas were enslaved at the Mission San Fernando. (“Fernandeño” in the tribe’s name actually refers to the composite tribe’s shared enslavement at the Mission San Fernando.) The word “enslavement” comes with its own host of charged connotation, but it is important to understand that, for the majority of Indians, their internment at the mission was not by choice.

Upon meeting the native Californians, the immediate impulse of the Spanish missionaries was not only to “civilize” them but also to convert them to Catholicism. In one of the historical texts displayed at the mission museum, a caption reads, “Padres [Franciscan Priests] were instructors not only of religion, but of means to better living.” The caption echoes the message of the statue described earlier: The Franciscan friars were seen as benevolent, paternal figures who selflessly set to work to “civilize” the natives.

Not only were Indian people enslaved at the missions, but today at the missions, they are almost only remembered as a single homogenous population.

“When you walk in, see if you can count how many times they say — even mention — the tribe [Tataviam]. If you can find even one mention of the tribe, then you have succeeded,” pointed out Fatehi.

There is one mention of the Tataviam people on the Mission’s website, but Fatehi was right: at the mission itself, even in its museum, there is no explicit description -- or even mention -- of the Tataviam people. There were descriptions of the general cultural practices of California Indians including diagrams and artifacts, but the name “Tataviam” was absent.

A name gives identity. It proves humanity. It commands respect. Yet the Tataviam name is forgotten.

In the rear of the Mission stands a cemetery. Within it stands a wooden cross with an inscription at its base: “In memory of the 2,425 Native Americans who were interred in this cemetery of San Fernando Rey de Espana between 1797 and 1852 anno domini 1997.” The memorial is evidence of an increased effort to repair an ugly past, but it notably does not confess to the extent of the atrocities committed against native people, including forced labor and conversion.

In spite of this, there is still hope that this dark past will be remembered. In 2017, a new History Social Science Framework was passed in California, and the new curriculum uses a much more unbiased approach to teaching the history of the California missions, including an analysis for fourth graders on how the Mission system degraded California Indian culture.

The Mission San Fernando is just one example of the many ways local tribal visibility is ignored. The problem extends from simple issues such as street signs, to larger ones such as media representation and classroom curriculum, and, yes, even to mascots.

THE HART INDIANS

William S. Hart High School -- the oldest high school in the Santa Clarita Valley -- has found itself amidst a national controversy. Sports teams ranging from the Washington Redskins to the Kansas City Chiefs have come under fire for promoting negative stereotypes of Native Americans.

As early as 1972 Stanford University changed its mascot from the Indians to the Cardinals. Many schools have followed suit in the coming decades, but is it necessary for the Hart Indians to make the same transition?

The word “Indian” isn’t bad in and of itself, but it echoes the same problem seen at the Mission San Fernando: an attempt to homogenize a diverse group of people.

The word “Indian” raizes in the mind of most Americans images of Thanksgiving, teepees, or bison, none of which are representative of the Tataviam people. Just like at the Mission San Fernando, the Tataviam people are not even given the respect of their own name.

This homogenization goes past the name as well. Today, one of the main pieces of Native American iconography that Hart’s sports teams use is a feathered headdress.

The issue is that this generic headdress is more characteristic of Plains Indians, such as the Lakota and Sioux tribes. The Tataviam people would have worn a headdress similar to that of the Chumash, more of a circular crown of plumage with a main vertical feather than a large regalia of feathers framing the face. The word “Indian,” alongside a Plains headdress, disregards the rich local history and culture of the Tataviam people.

In response to this point on the headdress, Hart Varsity Cheer Captain Kayla Keys said, “I think Hart does a great job of teaching people of [Indian] history and I think, sometime in the future, there is really going to be a change

in how we portray our mascot.”

That change could be as simple as changing the headdress to one more representative of what the Tataviam people would have worn during religious and spiritual ceremonies. Although simple, something like that could spark discussions of local Tataviam history as well as a general awareness of how Native American people are portrayed. This change also wouldn’t be the first time Hart has made adjustments to its mascot.

“I believe that Hart has been extra careful to be respectful of our mascot. If you look at old yearbooks, you can see that we used to call ourselves the ‘redskins.’ We also had many displays of a man of Indian heritage on our shirts, yearbooks, posters, etc,” explained Hart senior Janny Oh. Nowadays, Hart tends to only use feathers and a Plains Indian headdress in its sports gear.

Another problem with Hart’s Indian mascot is its relationship with the Canyon Cowboys. As mentioned, Canyon and Hart were the only high schools in Santa Clarita for about a decade, so the Cowboy mascot was deliberately chosen to complement the Indian one in sports games. Even more, Hart High School and its district are both named after William S. Hart, a famous film star of the classic Western genre who often played the role of a cowboy.

Both of these facts, alongside a general adoration for the cowboy in downtown Newhall, has rewritten what happened to the native people of this valley. Instead of portraying the forced removal of native peoples to the mission system, a romanticized past has been laid out through the narrative of the Indian and the Cowboy. That is not to say that Cowboys never existed here or that their history should not be celebrated, but it is to say that the history of the Tataviam people should not be sacrificed in their place.

That being said, the actual effects that the mascot has on the student body and the community must be considered.

Mansi Sharma, a senior at Hart High school, said, “I personally haven’t felt like it’s offending anyone because we normally don’t promote it or talk about it. I sometimes forget what the mascot is because it isn’t seen around campus. It’s become so normal to be an Hart High ‘Indian’ because it feels like we’ve made our own definition of it. There’s Native American Indians and then there’s Hart High Indians. Those are two different things in my mind.

I could understand why someone of Native American descent would feel uncomfortable with it though.”

Moreover, not all native people have found the mascot to be personally offensive — some even take pride in it.

Charlie Cook was a prominent Indian community and spiritual leader for the Fernandeño Band of Mission Indians for over forty years, as well as a student at Hart High School.

“Charlie loved that mascot name. He was proud that they called it the Indians. Because that was the high school where he was going to school and his grandmother and grandfather always told him that he should be proud that he was California Indian,” said Johnson, who was able to conduct an oral history with Charlie before he passed in 2013.

Conversely, many native people across the country have

found the Indian mascot to be distasteful and insulting.

The National Congress of American Indians states on their website that “rather than honoring Native peoples, these caricatures and stereotypes are harmful, perpetuate negative stereotypes of America’s first peoples, and contribute to a disregard for the personhood of Native peoples.”

Again, the problem of assuming homogeneity comes into play: Individual opinions on the mascot range within native communities and their leadership just like they do in the United States at large. Regardless, the representation of what exactly an “Indian” is must be improved. Many schools across the country have taken steps to improve their mascots and foster an open dialogue with local tribes. The Fernandeño Tataviam Band of Mission Indians has even already taken steps to educate local high schools about their culture.

“We meet in Burbank with Johns Burroughs [High School]. They had a [Indian] mascot there as well. So we thought, okay, let’s work in collaboration, you don’t have to change everything but why don’t we do some culturally appropriate program in the school so people understand

whose land they’re even on. If they’re called the Indians, let’s have them learn about Tataviams -- or how do they say hello in Tataviam? Do they understand that they’re still here? We were trying to form a partnership so that we could bring those kind of resources into of the classroom,” said Fatehi.

Again, just like the headdress, the solutions don’t have to be drastic. Hart High School, along with other high schools in the district including West Ranch, could easily partner with the tribe to host an assembly or perhaps have social science teachers take a class to teach students about local Native American culture. The city of Santa Clarita could partner with libraries to set up kiosks with information about Tataviam history, or perhaps place more informational plaques on the paseos and hiking trails describing what used to exist here.

The important thing is that our community as a whole makes a conscious effort to inform ourselves about the Tataviam people and the history of these lands. It is the duty of all of us to honour the Tataviam people, learn about them, and think about them whenever we look at these horizons -- horizons they once called home.

''THE WORD 'INDIAN,' ALONGSIDE A PLAINS HEADDRESS, DISREGARDS THE RICH LOCAL HISTORY OF THE TATAVIAM PEOPLE.''

m a i v f a t o a T ut l o a n e io mad ers t i d ss a th r a T dre e f e d i hea magp

A PEOPLE LEFT BEHIND

The modern conception of Native Americans is of a deceased people, irrelevant to the contemporary world, and only having existed in the beginning moments of this nation. Modern America fails to recognize their humanity, their vitality, and their perseverance. Despite being the original occupants of this land, they are now reduced to living in third world quarters within a first world nation.

As of this moment, Native Americans have the highest poverty and suicide rates in the whole country. According to the U.S Census Bureau, the percentage of single-race Native American and Alaska Natives who were in poverty in 2015 is 26.6 percent, the highest rate of any racial group.

Chronic alcoholism is also thought to contribute to high rates of death, domestic abuse and unemployment on the reservations. The national suicide rate is highest among Native American groups, with a number of 33 per 100,000 for males, and 10.2 per 100,000 for females.

“That culture has become fully reliable on a government that gives a certain amount to the community to maintain itself; nobody seems to get ahead financially,” said David Grimes, the vice president of the Lakota Native American Outreach. “Without jobs and economic growth, these unfortunate people are stuck on a reservation, where if they leave, they would forfeit all their rights for government program funding until they return to the reservation.”

The Pine Ridge Reservation paints a picture of poverty and demoralization in the sprawling grasslands that sit in the southwest corner of South Dakota. As the second largest Indian reservation in the country, it’s a prime example of the disheartening third world quarters natives call home. Pine Ridge is home to the Oglala Sioux Tribe, one of the subtribes of the Lakota people. The Lakota were one of the original Native American tribes who once lived

and hunted all over the Rocky Mountain ranges before the arrival of European travelers.

“The reality is they [Lakota] are now of a proud people who struggle with the everyday temptations of the Western World. Much Lakota youth are losing the essence of what makes them identify as Lakota in today’s modern society.” said Grimes, “With no consistent work or industry on the reservation, most of all the support comes by full Government programs (ex. Food Stamps, Commodities, Monthly Checks, etc.), which results in a collapse in the family unit, decreasing job growth, high unemployment, high drug abuse, and alcoholism.”

“Most natives live in trailers, or FEMA trailers, with families up to 5-17 occupying each housing unit. Most live in poverty and struggle for finances every month to keep the heat running or the lights on. With no jobs on the reservation, some men and women are not educated on the value of stewardship, good work ethics, and the appreciation of a hard day’s work.” Grime reiterates, “They seem to be lost, trying to find their identity and a purpose on a reservation that offers no future. With so much time on their hands, the adults seem to fill their idle time with drugs or alcohol and the youth keep their heads down on their phones and games, unfortunately, not all, but some.”

One descendant of the Oglala Sioux Tribe is West Ranch French teacher Andrea Gannon. Her grandmother grew up in, and then later ran away from, the Pine Ridge Reservation.

“My grandmother was taken every year from her family during her time in the reservation and sent to a Catholic school to be ‘re-culturalized.’ The nuns washed the children’s hair with burning lye soap her hair and washed their mouth with soap when she spoke Lakota.” Gannon said, “She rejected her culture a lot because of that. The reservation land is beautiful but conditions are terrible.

The government didn’t give that much money either, and the life expectancy is lower than Afghanistan.

“It’s like living in a third world. It’s really rural, and there is a lot of alcoholism and unemployment. You can tell not a lot of money was put into it. Lots of reservations are destitute, but some, like in Oklahoma where there is oil money and others that have casinos, can do better.”

Despite these daunting circumstances facing Natives, many are still hopeful for and prideful of their culture and ancestry.

“The elders of the Lakota are still vigilant and I believe they are trying their best to encourage those coming up in this modern world,” Grimes said. “They seem to understand that the world has the capacity to rob the kids from their roots. This may sound depressing, but there is hope that lies in every man or woman that comes to truth that is experienced in truth and knowledge.”

Leila Bathke, a senior at West Ranch, has Navajo ancestry that she wears with pride. Her great-great-grandfather was the last Navajo Chief before they changed the leadership system.

“My grandma has played a vital role in fostering my connection to my Native American side. Ever since I was little, she told me stories, gave me Navajo jewelry and clothes, and took me to Native American landmarks. I also had a four-day coming-of-age ceremony on the

''MY GRANDMA HAS PLAYED A VITAL ROLE IN FOSTERING MY CONNECTION TO MY NATIVE AMERICAN SIDE. '' -LEILA BATHKE, '19 reservation, which was an amazing experience.” Bathke relays, “It was very rigorous in both a symbolic and real way. I realized the hardships that life would bring me as I become an adult, along with the blessings that will come.

“The matriarchal society, the strong sense of spirituality, the deep connection with nature and the earth, the core values of humility and generosity -- these are all aspects of my Diné culture that make me proud of being Native American. In 2016, I had the opportunity of participating in a college preparatory program for Native American students hosted at Princeton University.” Bathke , “This was the first time I even met other Native Americans that were my age. It was truly one of the best experiences of my life.

Many — the most impactful to me being the leader of the entire program — were also like me because they were of multiple ethnicities and had, themselves, also internally struggled with fitting in with a culture among many others.

All of our senses of native pride grew exponentially with that experience.”

Different organizations, outreaches and programs have volunteered on the reservations to aid in construction, relief and boost overall Native morale. One agency is the Lakota Native American Outreach, whose main objective is to rebuild the spirit of the Lakota man. The main programs and events they offer are monthly public feedings on the reservation, providing community service for the Adult Offenders Facility, and a Christian rehab center that is pointed to Lakota men who struggle with drugs, alcohol,

anger and suicide.

Though there is no doubt organizations like these positively impact the Native voice, students themselves can also personally contribute to this issue. The youth across the United States is constantly under the influence of native cultural appropriation such as movies and music festivals and is perhaps the most affected by these many misconceptions. However, they also have the most power to end them.

Grimes implores how students can do this practically: “Be aware of politics and the rights given to all legal citizens of this country as well as educate yourself on the treaties.

When you buy anything native, make sure it is made from real native people. Make sure the money goes into the hands of real natives. You can also encourage more commerce with native companies, and make time to put together groups to come in the summer to the reservation and immerse yourself in the culture, such as POW WOWs or building projects.”

Native Americans are not only victims to the vices of the western world, but also to a country who has forgotten its past. They’re left behind in their own land, repressed not only by the government, but by our ignorance and susceptibility to the media. Despite these circumstances, some have made the strenuous effort to recover native pride - which is exemplary, but not enough. In order to make a change, we ourselves must undertake the battle to learn the history of the lands we now occupy.

Gen Z: Too Soft?

Story by Sophia Kriegel Graphic by Iman Baber

Generation Z: a compilation of young adults born between 1995-2010. We have watched the world transition from an early technological era, filled with Disney stars in horrible outfits and iPod Nanos, to its current state: airpods and hoverboards. While progress can be good, it goes without saying that it will always be accompanied by controversy -- a trait that has caused Gen Z to be labeled a ‘cry baby’ generation.

In the era of the “Me Too” movement, the Women’s March, and other organizations effectively fighting for equality and social justice, controversial topics have come into the light and woven their way into many conversations. Things that were once swept under the rug now refuse to go unseen.

And while this progress has been hugely monumental in the history of America, it has cultivated a culture of displeased patrons, taking offense to many things spoken out loud, written on the internet or otherwise insinuated.

In Dec. 2018, Huffington Post released a video that labeled the Christmas classic “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer” as “seriously problematic.” The video claims that Rudolph was extremely marginalized, citing the passivity of bullying that occurs in the movie, by both Santa and the other reindeer. Donner’s father was accused of sexism when he forbade his wife from joining the search party, calling it a “man’s job.” Further, public tweets were shown in the video with user @Garytt stating, “Yearly reminder that #Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer is a parable on racism and homophobia w/ Santa as a bigoted exploitive prick.”

In other Christmas controversy news, the song “Baby It’s Cold Outside” was banned from a multitude of radio stations due to accusations of sexism in Dec. of 2018.

Stations like San Francisco’s 96.5 KOIT, Cleveland’s WDOK and even Canada’s CBC radio all ceased further playing of the song. The tune was argued to be “manipulative and wrong,” as described by Glenn Anderson, host of WDOK, due to it’s insinuation of somewhat forced consent and the uncomfortable nature of the woman that can be interpreted from some lyrics.

Both pieces stirred up controversy due to the public’s mixed opinion about their messages. With “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer” being released in 1964 and “Baby It’s Cold Outside” in 1944, both were born in substantially different eras than ours today. The standards of living, acceptance of others and recognition of injustices are nearly incomparable as the progressivity of our current state stands miles ahead of our past.

This is not to say that injustice, misogyny and political incorrectness did not run rampant at these times. But what went on then, at the time, was seen as acceptable.

As we have morphed into a nation of necessary change, our ideals have shifted with us. It feels somewhat pointless to desperately try to erase pieces of our history. These movies and songs serve as windows to what our world once was. And yes, while their themes and actions could

be interpreted as offensive, focusing energy on past issues when that passion could be pointed to the plethora of present controversies that plague our society seems like wasted effort.

According to RAINN, 995 rapists out of every 1000 rapes will walk free. AAUW states that by age 54, women earn 22 cents less on average than their male coworkers. The Gun Violence Archive records that as of Jan. 23, 2019, there have been 19 mass shootings across the United States in 2019 alone. In the past two years, NBC reports that 22 immigrants have died in ICE detention centers. Curbed LA revealed that there were 31,516 homeless people in Los Angeles in 2018.

The problems that lie beneath “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer” and “Baby It’s Cold Outside” that people feel offended by are problems that are still entirely present now. We must focus on constructing a future that does not allow these issues to continue rather than attempting to change the fact that they ever existed in previous eras.

Our country’s history is consistently flawed, a trait we have zero control over. Generation Z is undoubtedly soft in a time when controversy runs rampant in society, but perhaps we care too much about the wrong things. There is very little, if anything, we can do to alter the past. Yet the future is as malleable as the movements we choose to create and the current issues we work to erase once and for all.

"As we have morphed into a nation of

, our ideals have shifted with us."

Power to the Teachers

Story by News Team Photos provided by Scott Petri and Hilary Hall Graphics by Timothy Kang

The Strike

On Jan. 14, the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) teachers’ union went on strike in hopes of addressing class sizes, budgets and safety issues that have persisted since the last strike 30 years ago. LAUSD is the second largest school district in the nation. With these strikes, the district has been butting heads with UTLA, or United Teachers Los Angeles.

“There’s been a lot of talk of this happening for several years. The process took probably three or four years at this point,” said LAUSD teacher Hilary Hall. “It finally got to the point where they couldn’t agree, they wanted change, and wanted a voice in the charter issue.”

Section 1.5 of LAUSD teachers’ contracts stated that class sizes must reach a maximum of 39 students in elementary schools and 46 students in high schools. Teachers believe that the contract called for too many students per classroom and tried to get that section of the contract removed, especially since no other school districts in California have such policies in their contracts.

Since one in five LA students now attend a charter school, public school budgets have been largely ignored. Many teachers feel charter schools are syphoning money away from traditional public schools as five to six hundred million dollars that would usually go to traditional schools is now going to charters. Charters can also be run by for-profit organizations.

Furthermore, the union wants better school safety as 80 percent of LAUSD schools go five days per week without a nurse. They hope to attain full time nurses, social workers and psychologists.

LAUSD history teacher Dr. Scott Petri explained that a 6-percent raise, the amount that has been portrayed that the teachers want, would only raise his pay to $210 a month.

Because of this, Petri has been protesting alongside many teachers for several weeks.

“Every morning we show up at our high school, and we strike there in front of the school and make sure we don’t block students or parents. We all just chant, sing our songs, and wave signs from 7 to 9 a.m.,” said Petri. “After that, the teachers disperse and join other local rallies such as the one downtown in front of the district’s headquarters and at the California’s charter schools association, which was called the privatization of public education.”

In response to UTLA’s complaints, the district claimed that they had a limited budget with $7.59 billion available to them.

LAUSD stated that the union’s suggestions would bankrupt

them. However, the union dismissed this by saying that the district’s claim was an exaggeration. Eventually, differences were put aside to reach a negotiation between the district and the union, and the strike ended on Jan. 22.

West Ranch’s union leaders have their own opinions on the strike and its media coverage. The Hart District Teachers Association, or HDTA, has been working towards many of the same goals as UTLA. According to Laura Erickson, a teacher librarian and a West Ranch HDTA representative, about 99 percent of West Ranch faculty are involved in the union. But what sets the LAUSD strikes apart from Hart District’s own union?

“One of the things that we do well that LAUSD doesn’t do as well is transparency — we negotiate with the management — with the district — in a very transparent way,” said West Ranch English teacher Sean O’Brien, grievance chair of

“

It finally Got to the point where they couldn’t agree, they wanted change, and wanted a voice

“

Teachers surround each and every student. They provide guidance to promote success in every new generation and are responsible for bringing knowledge and awareness to people of all ages — especially the youth.

In America, the school system has been run by both board committees and educators, and teachers’ unions eventually formed to balance the power between them and the school authority. However, when a power imbalance forms, the union and the district develop conflicting views. The recent LAUSD strike highlights how they affect the school and the students when they cannot agree on certain issues.

the HDTA. “Everyone is in agreement on at least the facts.

We disagree on how to apply resources, but generally speaking, we agree on what those resources are. LAUSD doesn’t have that advantage — they don’t even agree on what those resources are.”

According to O’Brien, HDTA’s relationship with the district is “by and large successful.” But this success hasn’t come without an active push by the union in the form of regular union meetings, collective bargaining and sometimes demonstrations.

“Sometimes we’ll go into school board meetings in large groups to try and show strength. And that’s to show the school board when we have a speaker like the union president. She’s not speaking alone, she’s speaking with the power of 1,100 people,” said O’Brien. “It’s not supposed to be scary — it’s supposed to be impressive that we have one voice but many throats.”

A Brief History Since the 19th century, labor unions have increased the amount of rights workers deserve. UTLA has been reforming policies to higher teacher pay and safety in the workplace.

Labor unions across the United States have been stirring up what were perceived as “unjust” government policies towards workers since the Industrial Revolution. A big part of this revolution has been the union of teachers that gathered for the same reasons as the other unions: protection, equality and the general good. The ideals and values of workers is what ties modern-day unions together with historical unions.

In 1857, the National Education Association (NEA) was created, catalysing the historical reformation of educational freedom.

idea that “ Theunions

are somehow controlled by this secret cabal of elites is laughably false.

“

In the 1880s, people created the American Federation of Labor (AFL) to fight for wage, workload and safety rights. The AFL gained some strength and declared a series of policies regarding the equality of every worker regardless of skill, race, sex, religion, etc. In the beginning, in order to gain more power, they needed a little push. This push was the Committee of Industrial Organization (CIO). The CIO was a group of mine workers who joined together with the same values of AFL. The two unions intertwined into one big union named AFL-CIO. As more and more revolts accumulated throughout the years, the AFL-CIO created weekend breaks and eight-hour work days. The AFL-CIO is what created minimum wage. The AFL-CIO is what created the freedom for a worker to work as he or she, not someone else.

In 1902, the teachers, parents and students of Chicago gathered to begin the first teachers’ strike. In 1916, the American

Federation of Teachers (AFT) was formed in Chicago from the banding of many local unions. The AFT focuses their purpose on salaries, gender equality, and race equality in the workplace.

So for all these things — security against old age, illness, unemployment and overall unfair treatment in the workplace — one can thank all the unions across America, whether they apply to oneself or one’s parents or grandparents.

Strikes allow unions to fight for more than just wages — the rejection of the first pay raise offer means that teachers truly cared about students’ needs including full-time nurses and fewer students in classes. A strike means that the money is not what’s in control: The workers are.

The Response

The LAUSD teachers’ union had a precise plan in their strike.

They put forth specific goals and, in the end, did meet a lot of them.

This begs the question: If this was the system working as it ought to, then why was there so much media coverage surrounding the UTLA strike? Why has the strike been presented as a polarizing issue? O’Brien warned against media backlash perpetuating a fear of unions.

“The idea that unions are somehow controlled by this secret cabal of elites is laughably false,” says O’Brien. “I’m in the union. I’m an official, and I’m just like any member. I work. I come to work; I go to rallies; I go to basketball games. I am the union; everyone here is the union.”

Media backlash against strikes is only one component of a political machine that has been diametrically opposed to the power of unions. In fact, 2019 alone saw some of the most severe legislative attacks against unions. Take, for example, Executive Orders 13836, 13838 and 13839, all passed on May 25, 2018. These executive orders severely shortened due process for fired employees, reducing the possibility for grievances, cut the paid time that union reps are allowed to represent federal employees, and severely weakened the power of collective bargaining.

Both of these forces combined have had devastating effects on unions. According to the most recent Bureau of Labor Statistics data, 33.9 percent of workers in public sectors and 6.4 percent of workers in private sectors are in a union. And while public perception of unions is relatively higher than other years, 51 percent of Americans say that the reduction in union size has had negative effects, while 53 percent of Republicans and 59 percent of conservatives say it has actually had positive effects.

A LOOK TO THE FUTURE

Teacher unions are critical to an open environment in the district where new voices and ideas are welcome. The reform that unions provide keeps the authority in check and are hence needed just as much as a superintendent and a principal are.

Unions help keep the education system running and help promote the best environment for success in their students.

The strike by the LAUSD teachers was inevitable, and yet many people still misperceive their intentions. The strike that happened on Jan. 14 did not happen because people wanted higher salaries; it happened for the freedom of the future generations to come.

“ I am the union;

everyone here is the union.

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Photos by Allison Alben Graphics by Mary Waugh

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Story by Brooke Johnston and Katie Luo Photo by Katie Luo Everyone has a voice. It is how people choose to articulate, convey and express that voice that changes the world.

Kevin Cho’s voice is one that has resonated deeply within all lucky enough to hear it. He expresses it through the sharps and flats of piano keys and through the harmonies of chords, and the voice that he finds through the instrument is crescendoing to new heights every day.

The sophomore began playing piano at the age of four, thanks to his mom’s background in the instrument.

Despite his young age, he poured an impressive amount of time into honing his skills — three hours on school days and five to six hours on weekends.

“I really didn’t have a choice,” he explained. “My mom just started me on it, and it didn’t really become my own thing until I was old enough to understand why I was doing it.”

Practice wasn’t simply to help him play even more harmoniously, but it was to mold him into a prodigy who dove headfirst into competitions before most people that age even began pursuing a passion.

“The next year when I was ten, I made my debut at Carnegie Hall. Last year, I made my second performance at Carnegie Hall, and then this year I recently won the 2018 MTNA Kawai-sponsored National Junior Piano Competition in March,” he commented with a smile.

Even fully grown adults balk at the idea of walking on stage to meet the eyes of hundreds seated in the velvety seats of Carnegie Hall. While most children his age were still caught up in playground drama, Cho was dealing with the stresses of an unimaginably rigorous international competition.

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“The first time [I played there], I think I was too nervous to feel anything. The performance was when I was ten, so right before I got onto stage, I was in one of the most nervous stages I’ve ever been in in my life,” he said.

In 2017, he competed in the junior category and tied for the prize with a college graduate from USC. “Last year when I got to perform, I just completely enjoyed it. I didn’t feel nervous at all at my performance. It was just one of the best moments of my life,” he said jovially.

Although playing the piano has been his forte as long as he can remember, it took a significant amount of time for to become something that brought Cho profound joy.

“I actually didn’t enjoy playing the piano ‘till I think when I was thirteen when I started playing a certain piece called ‘Liszt’s Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2.’ That is when I started winning competitions, and I got to actually start impressing people,” Cho admitted.

“I made people happy and excited, and I feel that was my one goal as a musician. I feel like the duty of a musician is to show what music really is, how music can be a universal language to the rest of the world, and that really is the main reason I keep going.”

Cho has obviously come a long way since he first took up the instrument. Now he is accomplishing beyond marvelous feats with each hour he puts into his practice. Cho reveals learning the piano not only takes practice, but also a dedicated and willing mindset.

“Piano is always something you can go to whether you’re young or old,” began Cho. “Like sports, when you’re at a certain age you can’t do it anymore, but piano all you have to do is sit down and you can play.”

Cho has spent an incalculable amount of time harnessing the fire in his belly, and his tenacity emanates from within every note he plays. While many live by the metronome and never escape from life’s monotone normalities, this talented musician composes his own melody and has truly discovered what it means to have a voice.

Emily doi's

OTAMATONE Story by Sydney Young Photos by Audrey Kim

With a strange, electric hum coming out of its wide mouth and its small, black-dotted eyes staring into space, the Otamatone — a musical instrument most popularly played in Japan — may be pleasantly confusing at first sight. Freshman Emily Doi, however, is all too familiar with the odd little instrument as she adoringly holds it in her hands, fingers in place and ready to demonstrate a song for curious eyes and ears. Though not a traditional instrument seen in an orchestra or band, it is a twist on more familiar instruments, using similar movements to a cello and having a similar sound to a harmonica.

“You know when you take samples of sounds on a keyboard, imagine if someone just sampled themselves screaming, but then it’s in a tone. Also, the funny thing is that in Japanese, ‘otama’ means head, so it’s literally ‘head tone,’” said Doi. Doi’s current interest and time dedicated to learning how to play the unique musical machine has come a long way since her first interaction with it.

“My brother was just scrolling through the obscure parts of YouTube, and he actually bought it for me as a gag gift. And I actually started to like it — just playing around with it with my friends. Now, I’ve just accepted the identity of the girl with the weird instruments or weird toys,” said Doi. Playing the otamatone is a hobby that brings joy not only to herself but to the people around her. Whether listeners are giggling as she squishes the mouth to the tune of the music or inquiring more about the backstory of the instrument, Doi’s friendly face always responds keenly to her audience.

“I guess it’s just a lot more fun cause you don’t really have pressure to be the best at it, because you’re probably the only ones doing it. You know, it’s just a fun little thing to carry around and say, ‘Hey, I do this,’” said Doi. Her sound and passion for her unusual instrument are what set her apart — a quality she fully embraces.

"It's weird, and that's my favorite part."

sisters’ style Story by Siena Zarrell Photos by Daniel Lee Although great style is a constant between both the Jin and the Salin sisters, there’s a stark contrast between their perspectives on fashion, sisterhood and their combination of the two. While the Salin sisters practically spoke in unison, the Jins playfully bantered about their differences.

“I’m usually more conservative and neutral.

She likes sparkles and color,” Hope Jin shared.

They both attributed these differences to their personalities: “quiet, subdued, and mature” and “crazy” as Abi described her older sister and then herself. Regardless, Hope said they both get inspiration from their mom: “She gives us a lot of our ideas. Other than that, I think we’re pretty different.”

Mia and Avery Salin, on the other hand, said there are no key differences in their styles as they share most of their clothes and pull inspiration from the same Instagram influencers, like Devon Lee Carlson. Still, Avery admitted, “I wear more dresses.” Mia chimed in that she leans more towards denim: “I love a good pair of Levi’s.”

In addition to their knack for fashion, both pairs of sisters share a cool confidence that was emitted when asked about trends they’ve been afraid to try.

“I think it’s just we haven’t had the chance to wear certain things,” Abi responded.

Avery uttered the same sentiment: “I feel like even if there were, we’ve always helped each other get over that fear and do it anyway.”

Many of the risks they’ve taken have even become fashion favorites.

“I was definitely apprehensive about buying platform Doc Martens and what everyone would

think, but when I wore them, everyone loved them. They make me feel really confident,” Mia gushed.

Another stand-out piece in her wardrobe is a long, cherry-print dress from Realisation Par. “I really like the whole aesthetic that comes with it,” says Mia. Avery’s favorite piece also carries a sentimental value. “There’s this white lace tank top that I have, and my mom wore it when she was younger. It’s kind of cool how you can style things from so long ago and just make them work today.”

The Jins couldn’t decide on just one piece to deem their favorite, but they each shared what they gravitate towards. In general, Hope is crazy about big pants because they’re comfortable but still undeniably stylish. Abi loves shoes — the bigger, the better.

At the end of the day, the love for fashion that both the Salins and the Jins possess is rooted deeper than just clothes and trends. Mia and Avery view it as an opportunity to bond. On the weekdays, they help each other pick out outfits for school, asking what they can do to make each one better, and on the weekends, they go shopping together. “We love going to Melrose Trading Post, Reformation Vintage Fair, and we plan on going to the Pasadena flea market,” Mia explained.

Once again, the Jins shared a different perspective on how fashion affects their relationship. For Hope and Abi, it’s a tool to establish their individual identities.

Either way, it’s clear these sisters have great taste, and we look forward to seeing how their styles evolve even further.

Story by Daniel Lee Graphics by Timothy Kang

Q: Why did you choose this specific shoe model?

A: I’ve worn the same model since I was seven years old when I first started competitive cheerleading. They are lightweight and comfortable which allow tumbling and stunting to be completed easier.

Q: What is your most memorable moment in these shoes?

A: Savanna Rodrigo and I were trying to do a cool trick, but she fell on me and I broke my shoulder.

Q: Why did you choose this specific shoe model?

A: I had these exact shoes when I was younger and had just started to play basketball. I thought it would be cool to play my last season in a shoe I’ve worn before.

Q: What is your most memorable moment in these shoes?

A: I was wearing these shoes when we beat Saugus at their home this year.

Q: Why did you choose this specific shoe model?

A: I’m sponsored by Nike and I chose this model because it’s very comfortable and easy to put on. This shoe is amazing. They are weather resistant, great for walking, easy to clean and highly durable. By far the best Nike golf shoe to date.

Q: What is your most memorable moment in these shoes?

A: When I first got them and wore them out on the course for CIF, other teams and my teammates went wild because they are the greatest golf shoes. I also got second in that round of CIF and went on to the next round.

Q: Why did you choose this specific shoe model?

A: I was drawn to this style of pointe shoe because I felt the most support and comfort in it. I’ve gone through three types of shoes and this one just felt like an extension of my foot.

Q: What is your most memorable moment in these shoes?

A: Every single Nutcracker performance I had on pointe. I felt like a real ballerina with the perfect hair, costume and pointe shoes to match.

Q: Why did you choose this specific shoe model?

A: I really enjoy the outside texture and sock that makes the shoe look cooler. I really like the combination of performance and comfort that the shoe gives me. When I tried the shoe on, I knew it was perfect because it felt skin tight. With these shoes, I really get to enhance my shots, power, and control over the ball.

Q: What is your most memorable moment in these shoes?

A: I cut in with my left and ripped a banger from the 20 yard line during a game against Valencia this year. The ball flew from my foot to the upper 90 corner on the opposite side of the goal.

Q: Why did you choose this specific shoe model?

A: I was drawn to this model because it was light and pretty flexible. I wore these for two seasons, practices and meets.

Q: What is your most memorable moment in these shoes?

A: I wore these shoes so much that eventually, during my CIF preliminary race actually, my foot broke loose in one! My pinky and ring toe hung out the side of my shoe as I was hurdling down the track. It was awful in the moment but hilarious to look back upon.

Catcalling wildcats

Story by Quynn Lubs Photos by Quynn Lubs and Jasleen Arora Graphics by Timothy Kang Forty-three percent of women have been harassed while going on their morning or night time runs.

One of the most terrifying cases of female runner harassment occurred in July of 2018. Mollie Tibbetts, a 20-year-old student at the University of Iowa, was on her nighttime jog when 24-year-old Cristhian Bahena Rivera began following her in his car. Eventually, he parked and began jogging alongside Tibbetts. When Tibbetts threatened to call the police, Rivera got violent. According to charging documents, Rivera then “blocked his memory,” which is “what he does when he gets angry.” Tibbetts was missing for five weeks until Rivera brought police to where he had left her body.

The murder of Mollie Tibbetts raised concerns involving the safety of female runners. As long as men cannot take no for an answer, women are in danger.

Fifty-four percent of women have felt afraid while on their runs or preparing to leave their houses. “What if something were to happen to me?” This thought should not cross the mind of someone simply trying to get their daily exercise in.

Here at West Ranch High School, the track team runs through Santa Clarita every single day -- from 4 to 7 p.m. on weekdays and at 7 a.m. on weekends. According to Malone Erickson, a junior, members of the girl’s track team have been catcalled.

Erickson told The Paw Print, “One time in particular, it was a Sunday and we were on a long run. Some guys in a car were turning across the street from where we were and they slowed down, rolled down their windows, honked their horns, called out something I can’t remember, and whistled.

Then they just drove away.”

At the end of the interview, Erickson said, “This rarely happens. I would say probably two to three times a month.”

Catcalling should never happen. Two to three times a month does not seem rare, but some women are so used to constant harassment that this number seems like nothing.

Many teenage girls have been exposed to so much catcalling in their everyday lives that it seems like a normality. It’s been happening so much and for so long that it is swept under the rug, regarded as something that cannot be avoided.

Sarah Soltani, the track and field coach here at West Ranch High School, told The Paw Print about the team’s experience with catcalling: “I train the distance runners. We have to go on runs out onto the streets because they go for miles on end. Usually the girls get catcalled by people driving by. They get honked at, people will yell things, and so on. It’s been happening even when I was younger, and it’s continued.”

Precautions have been taken in order to keep the team as safe as possible. Soltani said, “I can’t control what other people say. The only thing we can control is how we react.

My coaches always told me to not mind it and just keep running. Be aware of your surroundings. I have a rule here where you can’t run alone to prevent anything serious from happening.”

Male runners have their own thoughts and opinions on catcalling. Matthew Linares, a junior, is a runner at Valencia

High School. He told The Paw Print, “I’ve never been catcalled while running, and I haven’t noticed or seen catcalling occur, but I’m sure there is some lurking around.

Personally, I feel it’s not right and just shows how immature people can be or become.”

Twenty-five percent of men have been catcalled, according to Stop Street Harassment. This number is significantly lower than the percentage of women who have dealt with street harassment (43 percent while on runs, 81 percent during regular activities). Men simply do not experience catcalling as often as women do, and therefore it isn’t as prevalent in reference to the male population.

In a study done by the International Men and Gender Equality survey, it was discovered that 90 percent of men who have catcalled women say they did it “for fun.”

“I was just having fun,” is not a valid excuse to harass women who are simply trying to exercise. It also does not give men a reason to catcall young girls who are trying to train for track and field. While it may be “fun” for the harasser, catcalling has serious psychological effects on the victim.

According to research done by Emma Rooney of NYU Steinhardt, being harassed can lead to self-conscious body monitoring, which can in turn lead to shame, anxiety and depression. The fear of being harassed can eat away at a person for when it happens once, it is always in the back of their mind and can cause women to constantly worry that it could happen again. Fear will always reside in the mind of someone who has been harassed, and experiencing harassment at a young age means that this fear will exist for most of the person’s life.

Female runner harassment has been a global issue for decades, and while preventive measures can be taken to keep runners safe, safety will always be threatened as long as catcalling exists. The well-being of girls should not be threatened simply because men want to have a little “fun.”

“I have a rule here where you can’t run alone to prevent anything serious from happening.”

Suit man

Story by Ashley Park Photo by Skijler Hutson Shiny suitcase. Sharp suit. Slick black sunglasses. Dane Bennett, a sophomore at West Ranch, enters the front gates of school every day and immediately catches everybody’s attention without saying one word. All eyes are on him, staring at his unique fashion style. Many students might have seen Bennett walking around campus or driving his “Jurassic Park”-themed Jeep during the day. Or, they may also know him as “the guy who wears a suit” and, as what many students like to call him, Suit Man. Stepping up and down the campus’s concrete stairs in his crisp black suit, he sports a white dress shirt, sweater vest and, of course, a suit jacket and pants. But there is only one question that needs to be asked: Why does Bennett wear a suit?

“I wanted to,” he says.

Suit Man’s answer to this is casual, as he finds that wearing suits every day is not that big of a deal.

“I mean, it’s clothes. It’s pretty much the same,” Bennett said.

Although his stylish wardrobe stays consistent, Suit Man does not have one primary store where he goes shopping. In a way, his process of buying new clothes is similar to most people as he buys his clothing separately from different stores.

“I don’t usually buy them in one distinct outfits. I buy it individually — Ross, Michaels. Goodwill’s a good place to find odd things, like a really specific sweater vest or trench coat,” he said.

While some West Ranch students might assume that wearing a suit every single day would be a hassle in the morning, for Bennett, it’s just like putting on regular clothes like any other daily routine.

“I have a lot of dress shirts and ties,” said Bennett. “My closet is completely full. I have more clothing than all my siblings and parents combined.”

Although, as of right now, he wears a suit every day, Bennett hasn’t been wearing this outfit his whole entire life. The Suit Man’s decision and commitment into putting on a suit every morning was not spontaneous but, in fact, was self-inspired to wear suits.

“There was a process into it. I began to tuck in my shirts in the beginning of seventh grade because it was just annoying. Then at Christmas, I got a flannel, so I started wearing a flannel and jeans, which slowly progressed to suits,” said Bennett. “I actually started wearing suits at the

end of seventh grade. The last two days is actually when I started wearing suits to school. And then throughout eighth grade, I started wearing them daily.”

Bennett does not only commit to dressing up in a suit to school daily but also keeps up in wearing his suits on the weekends.

“The only time that I really don’t is when I stay at home all day,” said Suit Man. “Or if I’m out inside my Jeep. Or I’m hiking.”

Some students keep these questions about Suit Man to themselves, but for others, their curiosity cannot be silenced. Bennett is aware that many people wish and ask to know why he dresses the way he does. On campus, Bennett is stopped and approached frequently by intrigued classmates and receives a lot of feedback and questions about his chic-looking attire.

In response to how often he gets asked about his clothes, Bennett says, “So many times. All the time.”

The clothes that one wears do not define who they are but sometimes can still help reassure oneself and be their support. Not only does Dane Bennett always dress to impress, but having his own select style helps him feel more comfortable in his own skin.

“It does give me a confidence boost,” said Bennett. “It makes me feel a little bit more assertive.”

Many students at West Ranch definitely have a sense for fashion, but Suit Man simply takes it to the next level — standing tall and staying original. Wearing a suit every day to school just because he just wants to, Dane Bennett finds that this eye-catching outfit is just as fashionable and comfortable as any other clothes.

Long live Suit Man.

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It gives me a

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