2014 15 issue 1 by Laurie Bender

VOLUME 39• ISSUE 1•SEPT. 19, 2014• KAMIAKIN HIGH SCHOOL • 600 N. ARTHUR ST. • KENNEWICK, WA 99336

Table of Contents Pg. 4

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Pg. 18

NEWS AND FEATURE

Drum Major Britt Henderson salutes the audience before the Scarlet Tide Marching Band’s first performance.

SPORTS

Kamiakin finally has a male cheerleader after decades.

IN-DEPTH

Should children really have phones as early as they do?

OPINION AND EDITORIAL

ENTERTAINMENT

How the media twists and flips everything to make you think what they want.

Who’s that Pokemon?

FRIDAY, SEPT. 19, 2014 The Tomatalk • Kamiakin High School

FRIDAY, SEPT. 19, 2014 The Tomatalk Kamiakin High School

Around theNEWS Campfire & FEATURE

Students bring home big awards from Benton-Franklin County fair By CHLOE GRUNDMEIER EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

h, the fair. A time of caramel apples, elephant ears, and endless screaming while enjoying the rides. But some Kamiakin students don’t think of these things when the fair is brought up. They think of the animals they’ll be showing and the anticipation of winning an award for their beloved livestock. Senior Chris Senor has been breeding animals for the past four years and considers himself somewhat of an expert in the art of Future Farmers of America (FFA). “None of the awards really surprised me. I’ve been doing this for four years now. Nobody else is as experienced!” Senor remarked. His list of awards goes on and on, including the Grand Champion for multiple categories – a higher honor than first place, Best in Show more than once, and more than eight blue ribbons. Senor has bred and raised his market stock animals for the fair and has been rewarded for his efforts. Junior Kendall Halverson has juggled the task of raising animals for years after having been in FFA for two years and showing horses in 4H for seven. She takes a lot of pride in her rabbits, especially because she’s raised them from birth. “I bred the

Fair Results:

Senior Chris Senor: Livestock: Market Rabbits: 2 Blue, Grand Champion (FFA); Fitting and Showing: 1 Blue, Best in Show (FFA); Breed Stock: 4 Blues, 1 White/DQ (pulled teeth out of alignment at fair), Best Opposite Sex in Show (pet); Round Robin: Grand Champion (FFA); Rabbit Judging: 1 Blue, Grand Champion (FFA); Rabbit Breed ID: 1 Blue, Grand Champion (FFA). Metals: Rose- Blue, Superintendent’s Choice; Dragon welcome –

rabbits that won from the rabbit that I own and I’m really proud of them because they were her first babies and they did really well,” Halverson said. When hearing the news that her rabbits had won Reserve Champion, Halverson didn’t even take the time to stop and think about what she’d been told, seeing as her focus in that moment was on her horses. Many Kamiakin students don’t only show livestock, but create metal art as well. Junior Austin Roach won a special prize – since the metal art category had no Grand Champion – for making a metal art dragon with a few of his friends. But even after winning the prestigious award, his pride still remains with FFA. “Honestly, I’m more proud of my rabbits than the metal dragon. I’ve made more friends through FFA and met way more new people, and it’s made me lots of money,” Roach said with a laugh. Senor, Halverson, and Roach weren’t the only Kamiakin students to take home FFA awards at the fair. The list goes on and on including members of every class, from the incoming freshmen to the top dog seniors. Their countless ribbons, awards, and metals show that Kamiakin students know what they’re talking about on the topic of FFA.

Blue, Dragon Yard Art – Blue, Specialty Award Junior Austin Roach: Livestock: Market Rabbits: 1 Blue, 1 red; fitting and showering: blue; Breed stock: blue, Grand Champion (FFA- Sr New Zealand doe); Rabbit Judging: Blue, Reserve Grand champion (FFA); Rabbit Breed ID: Blue Metals: Dragon Yard Art- Blue, Specialty Award Junior Sarah Alzaydi: Livestock: Market Rabbits: 1 red, 1DQ (underweight); Breed stock: Blue; Fitting and Showering: blue

Junior Emma Hewitt: Livestock: Rabbit Fitting and Shower: blue, reserve champion (FFA); Breed stock. DQ (overweight); Showed horses in 4H as well. Junior Juliette Bianez: Livestock: Market Rabbits: 2 red; Fitting and showering: blue Breed Stock- Blue, Best Opposite Sex Variety (ARBANetherland Dwarf Sr Doe); Rabbit judging: blue; Rabbit Breed ID: Blue, Reserve Grand Champion (FFA) Junior Kendall Halverson: Live-

Senior Morgan Haberlack (left), junior Sarah Alzaydi (center), and junior Juliette Bianez (right) all raise livestock, mainly rabbits, for Future Farmers of America (FFA). Photo By: FFA Teacher Denise Senor.

stock: Market Rabbits: 2 red; Fitting and Showering: blue; Breed: Blue; Rabbit judging: Blue; Rabbit Breed ID: Blue; Showed horses in 4H as well. Sophomore Tyler Chamberlain: Metals: Wagon Wheel Sign- red; Freshman Cassidy Plumb: Livestock: Reserve Grand Market Sheep Senior Morgan Haberlack: Livestock: Market Rabbits: 1 red, 1 DQ; Fitting and Showing: blue; Breed Stock: red; Rabbit Judging – blue; Rabbit breed ID – blue, Floral: Dry

flower centerpiece – red Junior Cody Carr: Livestock: Market Rabbits: 2 red; Fitting and Showing: blue; Breed Stock- Blue, Best Opposite Sex Variety (ARBA- Netherland Dwarf Sr Doe) ; Rabbit Judging: Blue; Rabbit Breed ID: Blue, Reserve Grand Champion (FFA) Junior Brandon Maher: Livestock: Market Rabbits: 2 red; Fitting and Showing: blue; Breed Stock: Blue; Metals: Rose- Blue

Racing Past the Freshman Fears By STACI TRIVETT STAFF REPORTER

Freshman Friday: one of the biggest fears of incoming freshmen. Are the rumors of this terrible weekly day where the upperclassmen take their victim of choice, put them face first into the trash can, shove them into their locker, or hang them from the flagpole to be left for whichever poor janitor has to remove them, true? Or just some facade put on by cheesy movies? For freshman Casey Mount, his biggest fear was getting to his classes on time. As a freshman who is 6’2” and is always wearing a huge smile, it isn’t hard to spot Mount across campus. Students who know him often de-

scribe him as funny, energetic, and most of all, humble. When he was asked what he would have if he could have anything, his answer was a simple nothing. “I don’t want anything because I feel like I have everything I could want. I already appreciate what I’ve been given,” he said. Since the seventh grade, Mount has been participating in track and plans to compete this spring. “I’m really hoping to make JV for track this year. Not only would it be a great accomplishment to be on JV as a freshman, but I really want to make it somewhere through track,” he said. Anyone near him when he talks about his favorite sport can see the pride and love for the sport through his face.

Running isn’t the only thing 15year-old Mount is passionate about. He is really excited to be learning German this year from teacher Patrick Matthes. “I really look up to Mr. Matthes. He makes learning and coming to class every day really fun.” This freshman, whose favorite talent is doing the wave with his eyebrows, proves that coming into such a big high school isn’t as scary as those cheesy movies make it seem. There’s no big, scary upperclassmen duct taping the frosh to walls every Friday. We all eventually become one big, united family. “My favorite thing about Kamiakin is meeting all the new people. They’re all really cool,” he said.

Around theNEWS Campfire & FEATURE

FRIDAY, SEPT. 19, 2014 The Tomatalk • Kamiakin High School

Buddy Club gives students chance to develop friendships with others By EMILY BAER STAFF REPORTER

W Buddy Club members enjoying lunch together! Photos By: Emily Baer

ith all the clubs available at our school, how can students decide which one to join? As the beginning of the school year slowly passes by, many of us search for a club to participate in but give up after a while due to unsuccessful searching. How about one that propels students out of their comfort zones, challenges them to serve others? Such a club would be Buddy Club. Members have a chance to interact with some of their fellow students with special needs and are given a chance to bring happiness to others. On Mondays, students meet with their buddies to eat lunch together; jokes are shared, games are held, and the room fills with a happiness that everyone feels. Sophomore Aaryn Frewing said, “You should show up every Monday because if you don’t, they get sad and miss their buddy.” Upon joining Buddy Club, students are assigned a buddy, whom they will get to know and most likely become great friends with. Now you may be wondering what Buddy Club is all about. Long time substitute Starla McKee said, “It’s to help

each other see both sides of life.” Club members get to see the normality of their buddies’ lives, and vice versa. Those who are compassionate and have a desire to help others should consider joining this wonderful and uplifting group. Buddy Club provides an environment for friendships to grow, with plenty of activities to build that friendship. There are events once a month, such as bowling, car washes, and at the end of the year is the Buddy Club prom. A soccer league for students and their buddies may form soon! Pasco High sometimes hosts dances, and different schools set up different activities for the district’s clubs. The special needs students at our school are fun to be around. They always seem to be happy, especially when visiting with their buddy. Sophomore Kendyl Holle said, “They make me happy because they’re always smiling and always fun to be around.” Many members of Buddy Club will agree with Holle. Buddy Club is definitely recommended for anyone who is looking to participate in a club. If you’re interested, stop by room 418 and ask for an application to join.

Volunteering at Christian music festival is an excellent way to attend event By NOAH ERHART STAFF REPORTER

After months of preparation and partnership with a Christian organization called Compassion, an exciting event called Creation Festival happened in the Tri-Cities for the very first time. Up until summer 2014, Creation has been held in the Gorge amphitheater and Enumclaw, Wash. Creation Fest is a Christian music festival that features many big name artists such as Switchfoot, Newsboys, Thousand Foot Krutch, Family Force 5 and many more. The tickets for this event ranged from $47 for just a day ticket, to $350 for a VIP ticket. Most people paid over $100 for their experience, so volunteering was a great opportunity since their admission was $20 for the entire event. Senior Rachael Pickard had the opportunity to serve at Cre-

ation 2014 and said, “My experience was very big feelings of family and it was really cool because everyone was there to worship God.” People volunteer for many reasons. Some do it because they want to serve others or they are invited by a friend. “I volunteered because I was invited by a friend and I researched it and I decided that even though I was invited, it was probably something that I would choose for myself,” said Pickard. Many people sign up every year because it is such an incredible experience. Pickard said, “I absolutely plan to volunteer again next year. It was a very fun experience.” Some of the jobs given to volunteers range all the way from garbage duty, working in the box offices, working traffic in the parking lot, even stage crew on the main

stage! Shifts last about four to four and a half hours, except for stage crew whose shifts are closer to six hours. There are also some perks to volunteering besides reduced admission. They get to watch performances and work with amazing people. Pickard said, “The best part of volunteering was that after your shift was over, you could still go out into the park and you could watch the bands play, so you had the freedom to do that after you were done.” Pickard also said, “My favorite band was probably Newsboys and NEEDTOBREATHE.” Creation Northwest is being held at the fairgrounds in Kennewick from July 30-Aug. 1, 2015. If students still need volunteer hours for TRIBE, this is an awesome and very fun way to complete their hours.

Marching is trending now! By JORDAN CARRERAS STAFF REPORTER

The Scarlet Tide Marching Band leaves behind the seriousness and brings excitement and exuberance into this year’s show with their “What’s Trending Now” theme. The Scarlet Tide band is hoping to engage the audience and make them excited with their new show. To do this, the new show is filled with excitement and is even more dramatic and different than in years past. It will hopefully charge the atmosphere with enthusiasm. Technology will be combined with the show, and it will be interesting to see its effects, especially on the audience. Musical director Keith Russell said, “The exciting part of the show will hopefully be the enthusiasm and the involvement with the crowd with the band as they perform.” The push of the band should take them to a new level, and they will be more passionate for each time the show is played whether at a

football game or competition. The band will be working with the audience to have physical involvement as they participate by moving with the music. Senor drum major Brit Henderson said, “We have a phrase here called “grandma dropped the nachos” and that’s where the band is playing their loudest, and that’s where “the grandma” will “drop her nachos” just because the music will be so extremely intense she will not be able to hold her nachos anymore.” So hopefully this year’s marching band will have a great year with the different choice in the theme for this show, from the involvement of the crowd to roaring applause presented. The hard work of the group will be seen from the first time they play it out on the field to the last time they play it for the audience. The excitement for each member is different. Freshman William Pack said, “The exciting part will be playing in front of judges and going out onto the field and playing for the audience.”

Drum Major Britt Henderson salutes to the audience telling them the Scarlet Tide Marching Band is ready to perform. Photo By: Ronda Carreras

FRIDAY, SEPT. 19, 2014 The Tomatalk • Kamiakin High School

Around theNEWS Campfire & FEATURE

Get to know our newest Tribe members By NATALIE DOWNARD EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Learn more about some of our new teachers this year Doug Reppe

While this is Mr.Reppe’s first year teaching at Kamiakin, he has been teaching for 20 years. He teaches Computer Science, AP Computer Science, PC Troubleshooting, and Engineering. He is also the club advisor for Tech Club and Real World Design/Engineering Club. “I love playing basketball, computers, technology, more computers, and more basketball,” said Mr.Reppe about what he likes to do when he’s not teaching. Mr.Reppe attended Touchet High School, Columbia Basin College, and Eastern Washington University.

Tina Ross

Not only is this Mrs. Ross’s first year at Kamiakin, this is her first year ever teaching! “I became a teacher because I wanted to have a positive impact on our youth,” Ross said. When Mrs. Ross isn’t teaching, she enjoys staying active and being outdoors. She attended East Valley High School in Yakima, and got her teaching degree from University of Phoenix. She teaches English here.

Rich Harris

“I got into teaching because I really enjoy working with kids. I started out tutoring kids and decided I wanted to get into education. Plus, I have a family background in education. My sister is a teacher, my aunt is a teacher, my grandma was a teacher, and another aunt is a principal,” Mr. Harris said. He has been teaching for 16 years now, and this year is teaching biology and physical science at Kamiakin. Mr. Harris went to Prosser High School, then graduated from Eastern Washington University with a degree in biology. Then he went to Heritage University for his teaching certification and earned a master’s degree from Grand Canyon University.

Megan McGrath

Mrs. McGrath, who teaches American Literature, Classics, and English 3-4, has been teaching for five years now. She attended Central Valley High School in Spokane, and then she got her Associate’s Degree at Spokane Falls Community College. Then she transferred to Washington State University (Go Cougs!) for her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees before getting a second Master’s degree at Eastern Washington University. “I became a teacher so that I could spend every day impacting the lives of young people. I became a teacher for the struggling students and for the students who think no one cares about them, so that I could help them see what they’re capable of. It also helps that I get to talk about my favorite subject all day long,” McGrath said.

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FRIDAY, SEPT. 19, 2014 The Tomatalk • Kamiakin High School

Tribal Games SPORTS

Junior Jace Navejas returns a punt during the first half of the Fenrndale game. Photo By: Zane Pruitt

Braves football in full swing By LUKE MAUTH STAFF REPORTER

he weather is cooling, the air has a fresh crisp smell, fall is here. With fall here, so is the new football season. Braves football team is ready to get under way with another strong season. With this season, there is lots to look forward to, such as our secondary on defense and how they will perform, and lots of other expectations for this young team. When asked about how the team this year looks, head coach Scott Biglin stated, “We have a strong secondary with lots for returning juniors and seniors making our defense really sound.” Our season starter was a strong opening for the Braves with a 34-14 win over the Ferndale Eagles. Starting QB Tyson Patton had four touchdown passes, showing that

we will have a good passinwg game this season. Also senior running back TJ Faamasili rushed for one TD for the Braves. Our defense was strong as well, only allowing two touchdowns against, both of them being given up in the first half. Last year the football team made it to the quarter finals before losing to by Shadle Park, causing an abrupt end to our strong season. We finished with a record of 8-2 in the regular season and 2-1 in the postseason. Judging by the start of our season, it looks as if we might be able to repeat those records. Senior Varsity Linebacker Dalton Tuveson said, “Of course I do I believe in our team, and our coaches will lead us to the right spot.” We lost a lot of weapons on the offense last year, with losing our senior quarterback Kylle Robertson, offensive

line and quite a few starting receivers, making this offense very young and inexperienced. The year will be interesting to watch to see how these players build as a team and come together to keep the legacy that the last few years has left for them. About weaknesses of the team this year, Coach Biglan said, “Our offense is right there, and in three weeks we’ll see how that all works out. Weakness for us is our leadership. We need a vocal leader to help direct this young team.” Hopefully there will be some leadership because there is a lot of potential and expectations for these guys this year. With hopes to make it a perfect year of 10-0, the Richland and Chiawana games are ones you won’t want to miss.

Sports to Watch: Cross Country By SAM PERRINS STAFF REPORTER

The Kamiakin cross country team has been training hard this summer, with practices every morning, and they seem ready for this upcoming season. This team has gone to state every season for the past five years under the excellent training of Coach Matt Rexus. Rexus says, “The boys have just been steadily raising the bar to the next level. And it seems like all the younger guys coming in have been expecting that that’s the way it’s done.” Our boys’ cross country team has been undefeated in the

league for the past five years in a row, placed in state every year for the last five years, and were also ranked seventh at Nike Nationals in 2012. These runners work hard and will stop at nothing to accomplish their goal: To be the best they can be. The team pushes themselves to the maximum in practices. Senior Andrew Snyder says, “The best way to get better at running is to run,” and this season, he says you can expect “fast runners.” The girls’ cross country team has been training hard this summer as well, and they are really excited for this season. Senior Emily Moon said, “We

have really big goals this year, but as a team, we want to win state.” The girls’ team has placed in state a total of five times-once in 2003 and four times in the last four years. “I want our team to make it to state, and our goal as a team is to win state,” said junior Lindsey Lowe. Cross Country will be a very exciting sport to watch for both teams. Lowe said, “I think the fans can expect a lot of exciting finishes. A lot of our girls have really good kicks, and we have all been working on that.” “Besides getting them to do

their best, my biggest excitement for this year is to see how far along the freshmen and sophomores can come,” said Coach Rexus. Sadly, one cannot participate in high school sports forever. Eventually, the senior class must graduate and say goodbye to their team. It is then in the hands of the younger runners to step in and keep up the good work. But Rexus said, “I really feel like that’s already happening. I already feel like people are stepping up.” This cross country season will be a very intense one indeed, for both genders and all ages.

Tribal SPORTS Games

FRIDAY, SEPT. 19, 2014 The Tomatalk • Kamiakin High School

New soccer season brings high expectations By JOHN MANTANONA SPORTS EDITOR

he girls’ soccer season is approaching with fall camp in full swing and the regular season coming quickly. It seems as if they haven’t missed a beat. The team is working hard to beat the heat and get better every day that they are on the field. They are teaching the freshmen how the team works and coaching them up on the fly. When asked how their summer workouts have benefitted them, senior Sarah Burns says, “Really good. We do The Florida Puke test as a fitness test, and I did really well in it. I also trained in the summer doing a lot of running, and it really helps.” The Florida Puke is a test that pushes the athletes to their endurance limits. It is doing sets of timed sprints,

starting with 800m, then 400m, then another 400m and a final 800m sprint with a shuttle sprint in between each. The team lost many seniors last year, but the expectations for this team are still very high. When asked what her goal was for this year, junior Rachel Ensign responded, “Beating Southridge. That’s all I want to do this year.” Trying to build off last year’s second place finish at state, the girls expect to take home the trophy this year. Excitement is building throughout the program and with the loss of the seniors, some freshmen are being brought up and expected to contribute. Senior leadership is starting to show through already this early in the season. When asked what their greatest strength was this year, junior Heather Donais

said, “Communication. We talk a lot. ” It’s obvious that the chemistry on this team is very important, as they are constantly around each other during practices and working through the heat together. It is obvious to see this on the field as the communication is nearly flawless, and everybody is constantly talking to one another. “Duh,” said senior Sarah Burns when she was asked if she thought that they would win the state championship this season. This team has a lot of confidence going into the season, and they are ready to grow as a team and continue to improve throughout the year. Though replacing the seniors from last year will be tough, new people are ready to lead this team and to try to win the elusive state championship.

(Top) Senior Dariann Oaks defends for the Braves during the first half of their game against Chiawana. (Bottom)Sophomore Katie VanPelt pushes the pace in the second half. Photos By: John Mantanona

Athlete Spotlight: Lane Dahl Kamiakin’s male cheerleader By ANDY HA ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

For the first time in many years, Kamiakin now has a male cheerleader. Senior Lane Dahl joined cheer because “My girlfriend, Sydney Rupe, inspired me to do it, and after working together, I got better at it.” “He adds a new aspect to the team and adds strength to the stunt teams,” says Co-Captain Kennedy Bailey, senior. “He brings positive energy because it’s something new and different to him,” Coach Dawn Boehnke said. Since joining, he has added a new dimension to the cheer squad. Dahl also brings a lot of fun into the cheer squad. Bailey said, “Lane is definitely someone who likes to joke around and be goofy, but he works hard,” Coach Boehnke said, “He’s very eager to learn and is very energetic.” Dahl has proven that he does work hard and is eager to learn and try new and challenging things. “I learned how to tumble in two days,” said Dahl.

Cheer is not the only sport that Dahl plays though. “I play baseball also along with doing cheer,” he said. He, in general, is very athletic. His free time and his hobbies really only include sports. “I just play sports in general, and I work to get better at them. Other than that, I do homework and hang out with my girlfriend,” Dahl said. He isn’t the first male cheerleader at Kamiakin. It’s not 100 percent sure when the last time Kamiakin had a male cheerleader was, but it has been quite a few years. “Kamiakin had male cheerleaders before. When I was a cheerleader here at Kamiakin in 1989, there were six male cheerleaders on the squad,” Coach Boehnke said. Coach Boehnke said of having a male on the team this year, “Lane is a positive role model and shows that cheer is not just for girls.” Male cheerleader, senior Lane Dahl. Photo By: Noah Erhart

FRIDAY, SEPT. 19, 2014 The Tomatalk • Kamiakin High School

Chief Legends In Depth

There’s an app for that! By RHIANNON ROGERS STAFF REPORTER

Apps are a big business, and they're one of the many reasons for the success of Android and iOS. The most popular apps of 2014 for iOS are MyRoll, Hours, PackPoint, and Facebook Messenger, although many people have different opinions of what the best apps are, such as social media. Junior Chase Priest said, "My favorite app is Soundcloud because I like to listen to music most of the time. I also like iFunny and Instagram. iFunny has funny pictures and makes fun of celebrities. I like Instagram because I follow bands and they post pictures of them playing." Different apps can be used for different purposes. There are many varieties of apps that range from music, social media and even educational apps. The best music streaming apps according to imore. com are Spotify, Rdio, Songza, and Pandora. Spotify lets you create whatever type of play from their library of over 25 million songs. Free users get all unlimited music which is supported by ads. Premium subscribers at the low cost of $9.99/month get on-de-

mand streaming and the ability to download tracks. Rdio has approximately 20 million songs available and has many of the same offers as Spotify. Rdio also offers free streaming through online and in their apps. Premium subscribers also have the ability to get offline downloads for songs. Pandora offers many of the same services as Spotify and Rdio. Although Pandora doesn't have the ability to download songs, the main feature is being able to stream live music and the ability to save favorite stations. For ad free live music, Pandora One plays music with no interruptions for $4.99 a month. Junior Esten Dunham said, "My favorite apps would have to be Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat. Facebook is my favorite because I can see what's going on with my friends... And it's jazzy." Dunham is a good example of having a different opinion about what apps are the best, which ties into the most popular social media apps such as Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Snapchat, Twitter, Tumblr and many more.

Facebook takes the lead of being most popular at 75.6 percent of users. Instagram comes in second at 43.1 percent, and finally Snapchat is third at 32.9 percent users. Junior Claudia Myers said, "My favorite app is Soundcloud because I can find chill step music. My other favorite is Instagram because I don't know, when I'm bored it's fun to go on, and Tumblr because Tumblr is bae."

Cyberbullying: bullying beyond the school grounds By KATELYN NEAL STAFF REPORTER

Cyberbullying is different from regular bullying. Cyberbullying is the use of electronic communication to bully a person by sending messages of an intimidating or threatening nature. People who are cyberbullied are often bullied in person. Cyberbullying occurs 24 hours, 7 days a week, and reaches people when they are alone. Only one out of 10 people inform a parent or trusted adult of their abuse. Junior Shiloh Bagley said, “I hate it. It is the easiest way to bully someone now because it is everywhere.” Eighty-one percent of people think bullying on-

line is easier to get away with than bullying in person. Cyberbullying messages and images can be posted anonymously and distributed quickly to a very wide audience. People who are affected by cyberbullying generally have lower school attendance, poor grades, lower self-esteem and more health problems. In the end, nearly 43 percent of people are bullied online. Eighty percent of teens use a cell phone regularly, making it the most common medium for cyberbullying. About 53 percent of people admit someone has said mean or hurtful things online. Fifteen percent of teens on social networks have experienced someone being mean or cruel to them on a social network site. There

are no statistically significant differences by age, gender, race, or any other demographic characteristics. Sophomore Megan Resseman said, “I feel like it is a poor way of making some people feel better about themselves, just because they put people down.” If you know somebody who is being cyberbullied or if you are being cyberbullied yourself, then listen to the words from senior Lauren Beckstead. She said, “Talk to an adult that you trust, and get the adult to stop it.” If you are being cyberbullied, talk to your counselor or a teacher you can trust and find a way to stop it. Cyberbullying is a growing concern that must be addressed by more education and awareness.

Electronics: Why does procrastination have to be so easy? By ETHAN SESSIONS STAFF REPORTER

It has happened to the majority of us at some point or another. The night before a big project is due, you are star-

ing at your screen, your mind is blank, when all of a sudden your phone goes off. You look down, and it is one new notification from Facebook. You decide it won’t take too long just to read this one status, but soon

you see another one just below it that catches your eye. Then another one, or two, or maybe even three which soon cascades until you glance at the time and realize over an hour has passed. Over an hour wasted, only looking at this “one quick status.” Easily accessible and at times difficult to avoid, social media can cause students to get distracted. This distraction leads to long periods of time on an assignment. Generally when

you spend longer periods of time than you were expecting on a task, it helps to justify pushing less important works back. This can cause a vicious cycle of getting nothing done and moving everything else to another date. When asked if he thinks social media can lead to procrastinating, Cain Aronson said, “It will when it comes up and you don’t expect it to.” Luckily for those of us who are easily distracted by such things, there is one sure way to counteract it. Simple and easy, yet also extremely difficult, the only good method to prevent social media procrastination is to just not open

social media. Or at least not until you are done with your assignments. Generally, once you open a website such as Facebook or Twitter, they can be difficult to close. Even after you have looked through all of the current statuses, many people will just sit there watching the site waiting until a new one pops up. If this is what you are doing, just for one week count the number of hours you spend on social media. Now see how much better off you would be if you used those hours catching up on homework, or even working a job.

Chief IN-DEPTH Legends

FRIDAY, SEPT. 19, 2014 The Tomatalk • Kamiakin High School

10 Technology: Old Vs New

Motorola was the first company to produce a handheld mobile phone in 1983. It weighed 1.1 kg (2.43 lbs.) and measured 23 cm long, 13 cm deep and 4.45 cm wide. The cellphone offered a talk time of just 30 minutes and took 10 hours to recharge.

The phonograph, in its later forms also called a gramophone, or record player, is a device introduced in 1877 for the mechanical recording and reproduction of sound. The first record player was invented by Thomas Edison and used tin foil to record and replay sound.

#WhatsTrendingNow?

The first computer devices were conceived of in the 19th century, and only emerged in their modern form in the 1940s.

By JAMIE STEWART STAFF REPORTER

Wondering what everyone’s talking about on Twitter? The site’s top trends list contains the hashtags that receive the most usage. Here are some that have recently risen to the top.

# F a s h i o n R o c k s A chance for tweeters to respond to the Sept. 9 ‘Fashion Rocks’ fashion show. Pictures of Miranda Lambert, Justin Bieber, Nicki Minaj, and other celebrities who made an appearance on the red carpet were tweeted as well as fan reactions.

#ExplainAFilmPlotBadly In this trend, Tweeters use as few words as possible to explain the plot of a movie. The fun comes in guessing the title from descriptions like ““A couple of short, big footed guys walk a lot to throw jewelry into a volcano.”@ mrmbrennan (Lord of the Rings.)

# N e w S t a t e M o t t o s State mottos are undergoing serious rethinking in this trend. One user suggests Delaware’s be changed to “You obviously took a wrong turn on I-95”. ‫@‏‬chaensaw Our own state receives “Washington: No not that Washington.”

# N F L R a p p e r s This trend provides opportunities for the respected worlds of football and rap to collide in clever wordplay. Users come up with the names of rappers who might well be chosen in the first round of the draft. “50 cent yard line, Colin Cap-Ya-Neck, and Sacklemore are a few.

FRIDAY, SEPT. 19, 2014 The Tomatalk • Kamiakin High School

Chief Legends In Depth

Zooming out: how the internet can widen your world view By EMILY AARDAHL OP-ED EDITOR

We’re living in the Information Age, where vaults of knowledge are available at the press of a few keys and the click of a mouse. Some say that the technology in our lives is isolating us from each other. But if anything, the internet is changing us for the better. They say that you can’t teach an old dog new tricks. This is true in some ways and false in others. True in that we get stuck in our ways after thinking in one mindset for so long, but false in that with effort, we can change ourselves. Lack of exposure to new experiences— and stories other than our own— brings stagnation of the mind. And this is where technology comes in. Through the internet, we are introduced to new ideas and people that can affect us in various ways—sometimes for better, sometimes for worse. Recently, the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge has taken off via video and a tagging system that keeps the challenge going. It’s almost become a fad—pouring ice water over yourself and then donating $100 to the ALS Association. Over $111.1 million have been raised since the challenge began, and there’s no sign of the surge stopping. This wouldn’t have been possible without social media platforms like Instagram, which allows users to take a video of 15 seconds or lessjust enough time to tag three others and dump the bucket over yourself before the video cuts out. Besides spreading awareness, the internet also serves as

a news source. “A lot of people don’t read newspapers,” French teacher Katrina Thorne said. She went on to say that it’s a lot of people’s main connection to the news. If anything, the internet is even better than a newspaper or channel. All you have to do is Google something and you instantly have thousands, if not millions, of results on the subject. There are a multitude of databases to look through, whether it’s for a school project or just because the subject interests you. Chances are that no matter what you type into the search box, there’ll be at least a thousand results. And all in less than a second. However, the downside to the internet being so integrated into our lives is that there is often no escape from it. Mme. Thorne said that, “You don’t want to put your face out there…if someone tags you in a picture and you’re at a party and you’re drinking or something, it’s not good.” More and more companies—and even colleges—are looking into the social network accounts of potential employees and students. One such tagging mishap could determine whether the student/ employee is even looked into. In some cases, it could jeopardize their chances of getting into any school or workplace at all. A great source of stress for some people using social networking sites is the thought of triggering material popping up in the very place that they came to escape from it. Many sites are implementing tagging systems, allowing people to “blacklist” tags that they don’t want to see. But this doesn’t completely eliminate the possibility of someone running

Earlier cellphone use on the rise among 12 and under crowd By JORDAN CARRERAS STAFF REPORTER

More and more children between the ages of six and 12-years-old are being given cellphones by their parents. In fact, in 2012, according to consumerreports.org, 60 percent of children under the age of 12 have cellphones. Most parents say they provide these devices for their children for safety reasons in order to be able to contact them after school, for example. Eighty-nine percent of the parents who provide them have no regrets. Sometimes children using cellphones gives them an advantage in the adult world. They know more than many adults about technology. Fourth grade elementary school teacher Martha San-

dusky said, “I like the idea that kids know a little more about electronics than older people because then they feel helpful when I am having issues with something on the computer and they know how to fix it.” However, there is definitely not agreement on this issue. Health care providers caution people against jumping on the early cellphone band wagon. The biggest reasons why are because of internet misuse and possible radiation harm these children are exposed to at younger ages. Elementary school Principal Lori Butler said, “I feel that the appropriate age or grade is middle school, because they are involved in after school activities, and this would allow them to contact their parents when they need a ride home.”

Consumerreports.org says that only 16 percent of parents reported problems with their kids over their phone use. Less than one in 10 parents said the phone caused a misuse of time, and only three percent reported improper use of a cellphone. That is despite the fact that 27 percent of these kids were given smart phones, and 20 percent were given other phones that can access texting and web. Overall, earlier exposure to technology may increase children’s creativity and use of their minds. Mrs. Butler said, ”With the advancement of children’s minds today, they are able to create their own apps, where older people are just capable of using the app itself.”

across material that they’re sensitive to. Unsuspecting people click on links thinking they’re going to be redirected to funny cat videos and they end up with a screamer taking up their entire screen instead. Clicking through to people’s blogs and hearing their automatic playlists blaring out through the speakers can give noise-sensitive people severe panic attacks, or at the very least, a heart-pounding scare. All in all, technology has become a kind of a double-edged sword. Through tagging systems (which might inform your family of some things you might not exactly want them to know about) and malicious links like viruses and screamers, some might believe that the internet does more harm than good—both to your psyche and your wallet. But in the end, there turns out to be a silver lining. Senior Andre Bungat says that he’s changed immensely since joining a variety of social networks. “My life was so boring back then,” he laughed. “There’s a big difference between me now and me before.” Despite all the varying things that the internet throws at us, it’s nice to know that at the end of the day, most people’s experiences with it are a sort of mundane, dayto-day thing. It’s become so intertwined with our regular life that people share things they’ve seen online with their friends in regular conversation: “Did you see that post on Facebook? That tweet?” Bungat relays his own simple learning experience. “I learned that sharks can drown. I dunno, I think that’s pretty interesting.”

Chief IN-DEPTH Legends

FRIDAY, SEPT. 19, 2014 The Tomatalk • Kamiakin High School

12 Ones and zeros making streets a safer place By SPENCER HOLLE STAFF REPORTER

In 2013, America heard news of Google headquarters developing a self driven car, currently in beta testing. This car includes about $150,000 worth of technology, including a $70,000 light-radar system named Lidar. For decades, society has fantasized a future where food existed in pills, everything was chrome, and most prominently, cars would either fly and/or drive by themselves. With that dream, Stanford Artificial Intelligence Lab created a fully automated robot named Stanley which won a $2 million award from the U.S. Department of Defense in 2005. Stanford's former lab director, Sebastian Thrun, who was in charge of the production of Stanley, is now the lead engineer of Google's project. The team behind the car consists of only 15 different engineers, four who were a part of Stanley's production. The car seems to be doing very well and has had no computer related errors or accidentsthe only two incidents involving a Google car was when a test vehicle was

rear-ended by another driver at a stoplight, and the other was when it was being driven manually. With these safety rates, Google feels confident that the streets will be a much more secure place with their new Google car. But is this a reality? At the legalization ceremony of fully automated cars on public roads, controversy arose when the governor was asked who was responsible when a Google vehicle runs a red light. The governor responded by saying, “I don’t know — whoever owns the car, I would think. But we will work that out. That will be the easiest thing to work out,” and a Google employee jokingly remarked, "Self-driving cars don't run red lights." Although this may be vaguely true, a big point was made clear to Google that if something were to go awry, the com-

pany would be at fault. Not only would this cause possible economic damage to the car making industry, but could affect a car buyer's choice in vehicle. Also, once new car companies start to produce their own self-driving cars, who's to stop them from ignoring safety features originally innovated by Google? On the other hand, self-driving vehicles would be a much safer alternative to human controlled ones. For example, if someone were to run in front of a car, the car would stop and the car's operating system, Google Chauffeur, would warn all other Google cars around that a hazardous situation was ahead so the cars would know immediately how to make traffic diversions to avoid a normally unavoidable accident. Not only will this feature improve street conditions, but Chauffeur will include communication to city infrastructure, security and police, automatic traffic control, and much, much more. Apart from the excitement and concern of the matter, the general public seems to be in favor of selfdriving cars with a 62 to 38 ratio. Considering the popularity of the idea of fully autonomous cars, the future of driving is most likely on the verge of a grand revolution.

Who knew apps could be such a great way to find a job? By ALBERTO ANGUIANO STAFF REPORTER

Apps are made to make life easier, from being able to stay connected with someone to staying updated on your favorite TV show. Jobs are now easier to find on your mobile device. Most teens have a harder time finding a job compared to 20 years ago. The economy has changed. Since so many adults need to have two to three jobs to be able to support their families, teens are competing against more experi-

enced people for a job. With the availability of apps, teens now have an advantage over these less tech savvy adults. One popular app for job hunting is Snag a Job. With over 15,000 new jobs added daily, Snag a Job is the nation’s top source for hourly employment. This app allows the user to search for and apply to over 350,000 jobs through many industries, like restaurants, retail and customer service. Snag a Job filters out the location where the user is. It is even possible to have a video profile with a 30 second video to make the applicant stand out. This app has help-

ful job tips for applying, interviewing and career growth. Another popular app that is known to help people get jobs is Craigslist. Although this app is mostly known for buying and selling, it also shares available jobs. Jobs varying from accounting to writing and editing are often listed here. The great thing about both of these apps is that they are updated daily. This gives the applicant more opportunities to find a job. As technolgy advances, businesses will try and get the word out in different ways. These apps are just two examples of many others out there that can aid in the job search.

FRIDAY, SEPT. 19 The Tomatalk •Kamiakin High School

Tribal Talk

OPINION & EDITORIAL

Athletes should be able to count their sports as PE credit to free room in their schedules By PARKER PRUNEDA STAFF REPORTER

ust say Kamiakin football, soccer, cross country, or basketball to students from other schools, and they shudder. They know we are a force to be reckoned with. Just last year, we won three state championships. Our school is known for its excellence in sports. Because our school is so big into sports and so many students take part in a variety of sports, students should receive PE credits for sports. Senior Taylor Fabbri said, “Seminary students wouldn’t have to take summer school to get enough credits.” This has been an issue for seminary kids across the street, and it’s only going to get worse when the

school district raises the amount of credits required for graduation. It will be hard for others to grab those credits and exercise their faith at the same time. Senior Kassi Hanson said, “Yes, because if you go to practice every day and work your butt off, you’re still getting a workout, maybe more than PE.” It would be a lot more convenient for avid athletes because they can use the extra class slot for doing something they actually enjoy, such as art, pottery, or photography. This could expose some students to passions they didn’t know they even had. This could also spark an interest in sports that they could choose to pursue. That could be the case for some students,

Students spend five hours a week in P.E., while sports teams spend twice that time--or more --at practice.

but Gracie Rosenbaum talked about the others. “Nobody would do PE probably. Everyone will play sports they don’t care about. They would play just for the credit.” Coach Cheryl Schauble was completely against the idea. “No, I don’t (like the idea). What if they do volleyball for 12 weeks and get a credit for less than a semester? PE enhances them in fitness--sports don’t.” Yes, it’s true, sports only last 12 weeks while a semester of PE is 18 weeks. This detail alone could completely destroy the idea, and students might have to attend PE for a while longer because of it. Unless the school district decides six weeks is not that much, sadly our students will be stuck lifting and running laps.

P.E. is needed for only 1.5 of the 21 required credits to graduate.

Sexism in the Dress Code

Is comfort of boys more important than education of girls? By CHLOE GRUNDMEIER EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

A boy sees a girl. Her tank top shows that she has shoulders, like any human being. Her shorts show her legs do in fact exist, like any other human being. But her shoulders and her legs are different, simply because she’s a girl. The boy is so distracted by the small bit of shoulder that is shown by her shirt that he drops his pencil to the floor as he takes notes. He is so distracted by her thighs – a normal body part – that he can’t focus on the lesson anymore. “Sir? I can’t focus, the girl in front of me isn’t following dress code. It’s so distracting.” This situation would never happen, but the possibility

that it will is the reason so many girls are forced to miss class while waiting for a longer pair of pants to arrive. Girls are told to cover their completely normal body parts, such as their legs or shoulders, for the comfort of the boys in their classes. Too many girls already believe themselves to be lesser than males, so why must their suspicions be confirmed? Why are they being told their education is less important than the comfort of the boys around them? A girl’s bra strap is shown by her tank top. She’s told to cover it up with a jacket – even in the 90 degree heat. “Women wear bras! It’s not a secret!” junior Raella Green said. The idea of a girl wearing a bra is – apparently – too much for the boys to handle, so the girls must be

uncomfortable for the rest of the day. This is completely untrue! “Boys will be boys” is a phrase that many take far too seriously. Boys will not be so distracted by a simple bra strap that the girl needs to change. If this does end up being the case, the fault is of the boy, not the girl. A much simpler solution to the dress code debate that has been going on for years is not to make it stricter. The solution is not to make girls cover up more for the sake of their male classmates. The solution is to teach boys that women’s bodies should not be over sexualized. The solution should be to teach boys to treat women like people instead of dolls to stare at.

Tribal Talk

OPINION & EDITORIAL

If you would like to comment, write a letter to the editor, or submit a guest article, contact us at The Tomatalk: Kamiakin High School, 600 North Arthur, Kennewick, WA, 99336, (509) 222-7015, Laurie.Bender@ksd.org, or go online at www.tomatalk.com and comment there or take a poll.

Staff:

Adviser: Laurie Bender Editors-in-Chief: Natalie Downard and Chloe Grundmeier News Feature Editor: Natalie Downard Sports Editor: John Mantanona In-Depth Editor: Chloe Grundmeier Opinion Editor: Emily Aardahl Entertainment Editor: Andy Ha Online E-I-C: Andy Ha

Staff Reporters:

Alejandro Andrade, Alberto Anguiano, Emily Baer, Jordan Carreras, Noah Erhart, Spencer Holle, Luke Mauth, Katelyn Neal, Samuel Perrins, Parker Pruneda, Sierra Reams, Noah Rhea, Rhiannon Rogers, Ethan Sessions, Staci Trivett

Retractions: MISSION STATEMENT: The purpose of the Tomatalk to to inform, entertain, and further educate the students at Kamiakin High School and the surrounding community. PUBLICATION POLICY: Content is determined by the staff. Students are protected and bound by the First Amendment of the Constitution of the United States and other protections and limitations afforded by the Constitution and the various court decisions relative to student publications. The Tomatalk has been established as a forum for student expression and as a voice in the free and open discussion of issues. The staff of the Tomatalk is expected to be professional, objective, truthful and accurate. The staff will adhere to Washington State Law (WAC 180-40-215) which prohibits the following material to be published: 1. Potentially libelous material 2. Malicious attacks on an individual’s character 3. Material which is excessively vulgar or obscene 4. Material which encourages illegal activity

FRIDAY, SEPT. 19, 2014 The Tomatalk • Kamiakin High School

Cellphones can further students’ learning, not just prohibit it

ur school’s policy on cellphones in class is that they must be turned off, and if they aren’t the student is subject to having them confiscated. Their reasoning behind this is that electronics should not be a distraction during class time. Teachers seem to have different policies for their classes, but we will focus on just the school policy and act as if every teacher enforced this same rule. The first major issue with having all cellphones off during class is it greatly affects our safety. As much as we hope our school never encounters a serious emergency, such as a school shooting, it could happen. In that situation, it would be very helpful to police and other emergency response to instantly

have communication with people all over the school, not just in the office. Another flaw with this policy is that having electronics on in the classroom is a distraction. While students can use them to distract themselves, they are just a tool for distraction. If students are choosing to not pay attention, then it doesn’t matter if they have their phones or not. A counter to this is that by making students turn their phones off you are making them more distracted. The absence of it will make them wonder even more what their friends and family are up to. Yet another flaw with our cellphone policy is the punishment for breaking it. Students’ phones are usually paid for by themselves or their parents. If parents decide that their

children are mature and responsible enough to have cellphones at school, then it should not be the school’s place to take that responsibility away. A solution to this issue would be the teacher having the student put the phone away, rather than take it. Our school’s cellphone policy is outdated and flawed. Smart phones can be a valuable learning tool in the classroom. For example, in foreign language classes, students can look up words they forget or don’t know. In math classes, they can use a calculator app if they don’t have a graphing calculator. They can use them in English to check spelling errors. All around in every subject, a student’s phone can further learning, not just prohibit it as the school thinks.

EDITORIAL POLICY: Editorials are the opinions of the individual members of the Tomatalk staff and are not intended to express the opinions of the administration, staff, students of Kamiakin High School, nor the advertisers in this newspaper. As a forum for student expression, the Tomatalk will publish letters to the editor. All letters are due one week before the next publication date. The staff reserves the right to edit or omit submissions as necessary. All letters must be signed by the student submitting them, However, if a student prefers his/her name not appear in the publication, his/her name may be withheld. All letters to the editor must be 300 words or less. In cases involving political or controversial issues, staff members are encouraged to solicit all points of view.

Five out of five editors agree with this.

FRIDAY, SEPT. 19, 2014 The Tomatalk • Kamiakin High School

Tribal Talk

OPINION & EDITORIAL

Concealing the truth: bias in the media and how it affects us By EMILY AARDAHL OP-ED EDITOR

rom the moment we started using computers, parents and teachers have told us that not everything we see on the internet is true. But what if, in some cases, the internet is the only place that we can find the truth? In light of recent events in Ferguson, MO, it has become clear to me that there are some glaring discrepancies in national media coverage. Peaceful protesting at Mike Brown’s death was turned into riots by NBC, and a New York Times article about Mike Brown—published on the day of his funeral—said that he “was no angel”. When asked about bias in the media, teacher Dan Price said that “when a source publicizes an event, they have a habit of publicizing one side of the issue.” Though this is almost always the case, shouldn’t the news try and choose the “side” of the issue that is closest to the truth? The “truth” many news stations and papers have been telling depicts the citizens of Ferguson as an angry mob. However, the twitter accounts of many reporters on the scene— updated daily—shows non-violent protestors standing in the face of militarized police. With such a vast difference in how the situation was presented and how it actually happened, it calls into question what else the media has been dusting over. Though it hasn’t happened since late 2011, the American editions of Time have

occasionally run covers—and, subsequently, cover articles—different from those in other regions of the world. In December 2011, Time ran “Revolution Redux”, an article about the rebellion in Egypt, in Europe, Asia, and the South Pacific. But “Redux” was swapped for “Why Anxiety Is Good For You” in the U.S. edition. It almost feels like false advertising. Though Time didn’t completely remove “Redux” from the issue, changing the cover changed the way that passersby saw the magazine. The outward message was switched from a current world problem to one that could be seen in any old health column. How many people opted not to read because the title on the front didn’t interest them? Nearly everything we see, from advertisements to practically every news article and segment, has at least a hint of bias in it. But “bias” isn’t a synonym for “ignoring the truth”. When asked, junior Noah Nilson said he “feels knowing is better than not knowing something that could be potentially be harmful.” No matter how good the intentions of the media when they decide how to publish a story, absolutely no good comes from concealing the truth. Ignorance has a cure, but if the primary antidote is spiked, the sickness only gets worse.

What you see...

...isn’t always what you think it is.

“Hats on” to the hat policy By NOAH RHEA STAFF REPORTER

Some say the hat policy is the most ridiculous rule we have at our school. Others say this policy is much needed. Just a while ago, senior Zak Leininger almost got his hat taken right off his head by one of the security guards, Adelia Dobin. Besides demeaning students, the hat rule is unnecessary in its current state and needs to be reformed. Hats should be allowed on campus, but not in class. When first starting high school, many people think that the hat rule is ridiculous. Leininger said that the rule is “ridiculous”, and that people wearing hats “wasn’t gang related.” “I wear hats every day, and

I’m pretty much the definition of a hat guy,” said Leininger. So as expected, Leininger is very much in favor of this policy change. He’s had many hats taken and even lost. “Girls can wear bandanas. Why can’t guys wear hats?” Not all adults on campus necessarily feel as strongly about the hat rule. Ms. Dobin said on the topic of the hat policy “… yeah, you have to follow it.” Ms. Dobin said that the staff have to set an example for the students. Ms. Dobin doesn’t really want to be the bad guy. She’s just doing her job. Attendance secretary Donna Crocket, on the other hand, had a much firmer standpoint on

the issue. “Hats are distracting. They were also part of gang issues in the past. Some kids just abused their privileges.” On a similar vein to Leininger, she said that girls being allowed to wear bandanas was “kind of a gray area.” However, she did say that “[The hat rule] helps students to follow policy, and the kids just need to follow better.” We’re all in high school, learning how to be adults, and we should learn how to follow the rules better. But even though it’s the school policy, that doesn’t mean we can’t challenge it! The rule should be revised so that everyone can wear hats on campus. But students should have to take them off during class for respect.

Tribal Reviews ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

FRIDAY, SEPT. 19, 2014 The Tomatalk • Kamiakin High School

Reviews

Zinful: a sinfully delicious place to eat By CHLOE GRUNDMEIER EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

“Pa-ni-ni: [noun] a succulent sandwich grilled to tasty perfection at Zinful,” states the extensive menu at the Panini Grill and Wine Bar located in downtown Kennewick on West Kennewick Avenue – Zinful. The huge menu ranges from the ever so classic grilled cheese to the more adventurous crab melt – all served on authentic Italian Panini bread and grilled perfectly. The appetizers were a perfect start to any meal. The grilled flatbread may sound simple, but the herbs mixed with the delectable feta cheese, that had been cut so it was just on the perfect side of not too strong, all topped with cranberries made the seemingly plain starter simply divine. The hummus with flatbread was a second simple scrumptious appetizer. The cranberries that topped it off being the easy touch to change an everyday snack to a hors d’oeuvre fabulous for any occasion. Appetizer score: 3.5 out of 5. Each Panini is served with a choice of a soup or salad and while the soup changes, the salads stay enormous and fresh and delicious. The variety of dressings is vast, ranging from blue cheese to a sweet but not overbearing apple vinaigrette – that when paired with the northwest salad is remarkable. Salad score: 4 out of 5. The Paninis weren’t quite the highlight of the dinner, but they are definitely worth returning for. The daring ‘foodies’ will appreciate the bold flavors of the Grecian Goddess. Mushrooms, spinach, zucchini, feta spread, all topped with a delicious ‘Goddess sauce’ make this grilled sandwich completely marvelous. Those who may crave a slightly less adventurous sandwich will enjoy the Spofford’s BBQ. Turkey, ham, and bacon topped with cheddar cheese and a delicious BBQ sauce that will leave anyone wanting more is definitely enough to bring people back. Panini score: 3 out of 5. The only downside to the whole dinner was the service. The single server did a fine job but was quite overwhelmed by the several groups of people and could’ve used a bit of assistance. Service score: 2 out of 5. Overall, the whole experience was quite pleasant. The amazing food outweighed the far too small staff. Zinful is definitely a grill fit for a family that will not soon be forgotten. Overall score: 4 out of 5.

‘Ghost Flower’: Coming Back to Life

Blended: 3rd time’s a charm

By SIERRA REAMS STAFF REPORTER

By ANDY HA ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

Deceitful, devious, and distrustful. If one likes mystery or thriller books, which also includes a little bit of romance, then ‘Ghost Flower’ by Michele Jaffe is definitely the book to read. Once it was started, it could not be put down. Eve is a runaway, who happens to look exactly like Aurora, Bain and Bridgette’s cousin who disappeared three years ago, after her best friend Liza had died. Bain and Bridgette had a plan for Eve; stage a return in front of the whole family, get the money she’s going to inherit, then split it all between the three. As Eve easily becomes Aurora, Liza comes back to haunt her. When Liza appears to Aurora, she provides glimpses of the night she died, the party she was at, and gives her messages to aid her in solving the mystery of Liza’s murder. What is she trying to say? What else happened to Liza and Aurora the night Liza died? Did someone have something to do with Liza’s death? If so, who? As Eve looks to answers as to why Liza’s back, she finds things out and starts to shed new light on her own dark past. The whole book was so good, there could not be a best part. Although there is a little bit of romance in it, there is a more exciting plot and scheme to it. At first, it was a little slow, but the book got better and better as time went on. There are many twists and turns one would never expect to happen, from ghosts, to psychics, to haunting messages, ‘Ghost Flower’ is an exciting and suspenseful book. Score: 4 out of 5.

‘Blended’ is a romantic comedy about a man and a woman who, after having been on a terrible blind date with each other, end up spending their family vacation together in Africa. This film marks the third time that Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore collaborated on a film, after 1998’s ‘The Wedding Singer’ and 2004’s ‘50 First Dates.’ The film references the two previous films by having two characters cameo in the film. The movie shows a character named Georgina that is a reference from the character George in ‘The Wedding Singer’ and 220 Tom that comes from the character 10 second Tom in ‘50 First Dates.’ Sandler’s and Barrymore’s performances were exceptional. Barrymore comedic timing was superb and Sandler, well he is Adam Sandler and that should be an explanation itself. Sandler and Barrymore’s chemistry is also amazing, they could pass as a real life couple. There were many scene stealers in the film. The biggest scene stealer would have to be Terry Crews in his performance Nickens. Every word, every dance move, and every outfit made Crews stand out and made him the highlight of the film. His comedic timing was perfect and his accent would make anyone laugh no matter what he said. The kids were also scene stealers in their own ways, whether it was those funny and cute one-liners or the crazy activities they were doing. Overall, even though it is labeled as a romantic comedy, some could consider it a family comedy. The film has some of the standard cliché and cheesy moments that one would see in a family and romantic comedy that some can find annoying. Adam and Drew, another one of Hollywood’s perfect acting duo (ex. Meg Ryan & Tom Hanks, Jennifer Lawrence & Bradley Cooper) can make a movie that everybody can enjoy. Score: 4 out of 5.

FRIDAY, SEPT. 19, 2014 The Tomatalk • Kamiakin High School

Tribal Reviews ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

TRXYE EP: The Debut Of Troye Sivan

By ANDY HA ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

roye Sivan is a name that some people might have heard and someone that some people have seen. He is a 19-year-old Australian actor, singer, and youtuber. He has an acting resume that includes a role in X-Men Origins: Wolverine and the movie adaption of the book, Spud. As a youtuber, he has the second most subscribed YouTube channel in Australia with 2.5 million subscribers and over 112 million views across his YouTube videos, Sivan has built a huge fan base in a short amount of time. With his success on YouTube, in June 2014, after having released several song covers and a few original songs, Sivan announced that he had signed a record deal with EMI Universal Australia. Two months later, the EP TRXYE was released. The extended play, or EP, which is pronounced by saying the individual letters, not by saying a word, has five songs. The first song, “Happy Little Pill”, which serves as the lead

single, is the perfect introduction for Sivan into mainstream music. The electropop track has an amazing beat and a deep meaning about loneliness and depression and how someone copes with it. While at first glance, “Happy Little Pill” seems to be about abusing drugs to forget someone, Sivan has explained how it’s about a person and being lonely and depressed without that person – that person is his drug. The song and overall record is very mature and dark compared to other typical pop songs and records. “Touch” is the next song and it’s another electro and synthpop song. The song is presumably about overcoming fear and taking risks. It has an infectious beat and is the perfect song to listen to while laying out in the sun or having a late night bonfire. It’s the highlight and best track on the EP. Following that comes the song “Fun”. “Fun” is about war, written from the perspective of a father telling his son how he will have to go into war and fight and do it for the people he loves. The song talks

about how people believe that war is nothing and that it’s basically just fun. The song shows how mature Sivan is as a songwriter and an artist. After that is “Gasoline”, a breakup song about how it feels being dumped. It describes heartbreak as having gasoline poured and lit on a heart. The track sounds similar to how a break-up song would sound from Taylor Swift. Sivan has said in a YouTube video that the song means the most and is personal to him. Then the final track, “The Fault in Our Stars”, is a tribute to the book of the same name. The song lyrics follow along the storyline of the book and movie, which is about love. Overall the record is remarkable. It’s an amazing debut and the perfect introduction into the music industry. The only downer is that it’s an extended play, which generally only has three to six songs, and not a full length album. The sound of the record is similar to that of pop artist Ellie Goulding. We will see a lot more of Troye Sivan in the future. Score: 5 out of 5.

Adidas’ energy boost revolutionizes shoe cushioning By PARKER PRUNEDA STAFF REPORTER

Adidas is revolutionizing shoe cushioning completely. They have pushed aside the traditional foam cushioning for running shoes, known as EVA, and have created what they call Energy Boost. Boost cushioning is made up of over 2,000 small pebbles made of thermoplastic polyurethane pressurized together. When tested at 20 degrees Fahrenheit and 120 degrees Fahrenheit, it is less affected than most shoes. With the standard EVA, the cushioning gets harder at colder temperatures and softer in hotter, but the Adidas Energy Boost is much more resistant. Aside from the incredibly comfortable feeling, the shoe was designed to return the energy that is otherwise released into the ground. I had the opportunity to try on the shoe, and I was very impressed. The shoe has a flexible upper, and the cushioning itself is very bouncy. For a long time I have praised the Nike Free Runs as the most comfortable shoe I’ve ever worn. But I think it’s safe to say Boost just took the title. Boost is also now competing with Nike’s longtime success in Air Max. Air

Max has had one of the most comfortable cushioning since its creation in 1987. Adidas came out with the first Energy Boost shoe in 2012. Now the Energy Boost cushioning has evolved into the Energy Boost 2.0 ESM, D Rose 5 Boost, and the Crazylight Boost. Adidas shocked the world when they announced that Boost will be put into basketball shoes. For what seems like forever, Nike has made the most popular basketball shoes, but Adidas is looking to turn the tables. Another cool thing about the shoes is that when creating the shoe, the brand noticed professional runners switched shoes during races. First they would wear a soft, comfortable trainer. Then they would switch to a low, lightweight shoe to get them past the others and to the finish. When creating the shoe, Adidas made sure it was plush, but lightweight and responsive, in an attempt to eliminate shoe swapping during races. If one is interested in buying the groundbreaking shoe, they can find the Adidas Energy Boost 2.0 ESM on the Adidas website for $160. Score: 4.5 out of 5.

Tribal Reviews ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

FRIDAY, SEPT. 19, 2014 The Tomatalk • Kamiakin High School

Pokemon of the month type: Electric height: 2’ 07” weight: 54.0 lbs.

Jolteon

For all those people who need a charger, you’re welcome.

Best and Worst Songs of the Summer By SAMUEL PERRINS STAFF REPORTER

any songs showed radio dominance this summer, but according to Billboard Music, the number one track was “Fancy” by Iggy Azalea. With its super catchy chorus and almost hypnotizing beat and synth line, this Australian female rapper’s new classic was probably everyone’s summer jam. “Fancy” has made its way to number one the U.S., and Iggy’s album, ‘The New Classic,’ has taken spots in both the United States and the United Kingdom’s Top 5. Azalea has a flow that simply can’t be ignored. Like most rap songs, it would be smart to purchase the clean version of “Fancy” for the kids, but it is definitely a great song. Iggy talks about her life as a musical sensation and all the nice things she has, and to be honest, this talented artist deserves all of those nice things. She won the Young Hollywood Award for Best Song, and also earned the MTV Video Music Award for Best Pop Video with her recent performance in Ariana Grande’s “Problem”. Iggy Azalea is one of the first major female rap artists to appear on radio ever since Nicki Minaj

stepped onto the scene. Stay tuned into the radio stations for more hit songs by Iggy Azalea. This has been a summer of many hot tracks, but some songs did not make the top spots for Billboard. Although it is popular, “Happy” by Pharrell Williams is considered by many “so sweet, it rots the teeth.” Repetition of certain words and lines has proven to be effective in music these past few years. This summer, however, listeners didn’t seem to have the urge to “clap along” for more than a minute before they changed the station. This song, no doubt, will be remembered and played over the next few years. It’s a song where one simply cannot be unhappy while listening to it. The almost childish rhyming scheme and cheerful melody made by Pharrell is undeniably catchy, but it just didn’t seem to hold the potential to be this summer’s most liked song. “Happy”, however, appears to be the least of his talents. For a man who can compose the entire soundtrack of the film ‘Despicable Me,’ which was nominated for a Golden Globe in 2010, making hit songs for both kids and adults to enjoy must be a walk in the park for the gifted Pharrell Williams.

Fancy By Iggy Azalea Ft. Charli XCX. 7 weeks at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100. Spent every week at #1 on the Songs of the Summer Billboard chart. Best song of the summer.

Happy By Pharrell Williams. 10 week at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100. Worst song of the summer.

FRIDAY, SEPT. 19, 2014 The Tomatalk • Kamiakin High School