Tomatalk 2014 15 issue 8 by Laurie Bender

VOLUME 39• ISSUE 8•JUNE 4, 2015• KAMIAKIN HIGH SCHOOL • 600 N. ARTHUR ST. • KENNEWICK, WA 99336

Around the Campfire NEWS & FEATURE

THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015 The Tomatalk • Kamiakin High School

The Youth Apps Challenge is part of the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) Challenge program. Ada Developers Academy is also a part of this program. For more information, go to www.

The future is now: students win Youth Apps Challenge By EMILY AARDAHL OP-ED EDITOR

veryone has experienced it at some point: one second they were holding something, the next it’s gone and absolutely nowhere to be found. After what seems like hours of tearing a room apart, upturning pillows, moving furniture, and nearly screaming with frustration, victims cry out, defeated, and wonder if they will ever find their lost item again. Three students at Kamiakin set out to solve this common problem. The Youth Apps Challenge presents students with the challenge of conceptualizing and presenting their very own app. Freshmen Vincent Gizzarelli, Jordan Blum, and Zachary Sylvester stepped up to the plate.

“The app is a 3D scanning app. It allows you to scan a room and find pre-scanned objects,” said Sylvester. Blum added that the pre-scanned objects are saved into an online database so that users can scan for lost objects wherever and whenever they need to. “We just kind of did it for fun because we were bored. It was pretty easy,” Sylvester said. The trio developed their app over a few weeks, embarking on a journey with some little difficulties that phased them a little, but not too much. “We were making the pitch video and we had to restart because my friend’s computer crashed on us,” said Blum. “We had to remake half the video.” Despite this, the boys pulled through and submitted

their app, where it was later judged by students from the Ada Developers Academy. All three students are in technology classes here at school. “We did it just for fun, I guess, but it turned out to be a good idea,” said Blum. “We might work on it in 15 years or so.” As winners of the challenge, Gizzarelli, Blum, and Sylvester had the opportunity to travel to Dallas to present their app at a convention. The trio also won Kindle Fire HD 7 tablets. Gizzarelli said, “As a group, I feel like we actually accomplished something in the field of computer science and that we built upon something that we started earlier at the beginning of the year.”

Beloved Seminary teacher transfers By EMILY BAER STAFF REPORTER

After teaching seminary for 12 years, James Hales is being transferred to Richland High School. Over the years he has helped students through their trials and is a favorite of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints’ members who attend the school. He’s worked hard and has put forth a lot of compassion and care into his teaching. He wants his students to be successful and helps to put them on the right path to accomplish their dreams. Although Hales will be sorely missed, he will be doing great work at Richland. “Brother Hales has answered so many questions that I’ve had over the years, probably without knowing it, and he has changed my life for the better. He is so funny and nice. Seminary teacher Brother Hales has worked at Kamiakin for 12 I’m grateful for all that he has done years, almost a third of his life. Photo by Emily Baer

for Kamiakin, and I really don’t want him to leave,” said sophomore Kendra Czirr. A lot of students were shocked after hearing the news, and many are mourning the loss of one of their favorite teachers. Hales has worked hard to be supportive of his students, and although he is reluctant to leave, this teacher has accepted the transfer. “I am sad to leave because this has been a great place. It’s been almost a third of my life. I love it here, and it is hard to leave. I really think that Kamiakin is a great place. There are great kids and staff, and I am grateful for the opportunity I have had to be here,” said James Hales. Spencer Leavitt is replacing James Hales as this transfer takes place throughout several schools in the

surrounding area. Previously the institute teacher at CBC, Leavitt will have to adjust from college level to high school level. Although the transfer may be difficult at first, both teachers will no doubt strive to work their hardest and be their best. It is sad when such a beloved teacher is transferred. The care that James Hales has put into his job has caused a legacy of him to be left behind, one that will always be remembered. Richland High School is not only gaining a great teacher, but is receiving the opportunity to get to know a great man. As the end of the school year hastily approaches, students must say farewell to James Hales, but they will forever remember the man who taught them and helped them to grow.

THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015 The Tomatalk Kamiakin High School

Around theNEWS Campfire & FEATURE

The ‘Pirates of Penzance’ a pinnacle performance By KATELYN NEAL STAFF REPORTER

Major General Stanley portrayed by senior Britt Henderson cries on his daughters’ shoulders as the weight of his lies bear down on him. Photo by Noah Erhart

hroughout the years, the Drama Club has put on amazing plays and musicals. Their newest production is ‘Pirates of Penzance.’ This production, by Arthur Sullivan and W.S. Gilbert, is a comic operetta. Penzance is a coastal town and port that is no place for pirates because they can be seen easily and arrested. The story concerns Fredric, played by senior Tanner Larson, an apprentice to a gang of pirates, who decides that his task upon being released from his indenture will be to exterminate all pirates. He falls in love with Mabel, played by junior Blake Britten, one of the Major General’s (played by senior Brit Henderson) daughters.

The Drama Club did really well with this musical. The actors had their lines and songs expertly memorized, and the choreography was great, too. All the parts were assigned appropriately, too. The characters, especially the Pirate King (played by junior Chandler James) and the Police Sergeant (played by senior Tony Garcia) made the audience laugh in amusement. The 19th century talk made it a little confusing to understand but in the end, all of this amazing musical was understood. Throughout the performance, the audience enjoyed the funny parts that made everyone in the audience laugh. The music, performed by the orchestra and band, was really well done. It was the kind of music that someone could

dance to. It is the kind of music that is bouncy and really flows well with the action that was going on. The makeup, costumes, and props brought the whole thing together. It was a very nice touch to have the Major General wearing bunny slippers. The costumes for every character defined their parts and made it look like their characters. For example, the pirates looked more like pirates with not only their costumes, but also their makeup. The props that the actors used helped tell the story as well. For example, one of the props was a sword, which really made them look like pirates. ‘Pirates of Penzance’ showcased the talents of the student body and helped end the school year with a bang.

OZK clothing line: Senior Brave enters fashion world By ALEJANDRO ANDRADE STAFF REPORTER

It all started off with some simple drawings and sketches. After a few designs, senior Oscar Bautista took a step forward. Then he introduced the OZK clothing line. “I got started in 2012 when it really wasn’t a clothing line. It was just me drawing,” he said. Bautista has big dreams and eventually plans to expand what he is doing, but he is realistic about his goals. “What I’ve been working on are mostly tshirts because it’s a little easier to handle. I also want to work on hats and work on bottoms like pants and stuff,” he said. When Bautista becomes more familiar with how things run and operate, then he can focus on other things like hats and button ups. Bautista’s mom was his inspiration. “My mom was always telling me why I buy all of this clothing. She told me to spend my money on other things. Then she advised me that I could make money designing shirts and stuff,” Bautista said. Bautista’s mom was the person who gave him the idea, and he was the one who made it happen.

Bautista always sketched designs using paper and pencil. Then the designs would be transferred over to a computer to be edited. Bautista now has a spirit collection out and ready. The collection consists of two shirts, the spirit animal t-shirt and the spirit map tshirt. “I make all of my graphics, and I used a lot of Native American as a reference,” he said. Bautista would like to see his brand expand and learn at the same time what it takes to keep the clothing line up and operating. “In five years, I would like to see if my clothing could go into retail stores like Tilly’s and Pac Sun,” he said. Bautista’s dream would be to collaborate with some of his the makers of his favorite brands. “One of the bigger brands that I like are between Mishka and Stussy,” Bautista said. He hopes that one day, he can work more directly with these creative artists. It takes time, some thought, and effort for something like this to keep running. Bautista is still young and has plenty of time and ways to learn. His unique designs are located at www.OZKClothing.com Senior Angel Mendoza modeling an OZK shirt. Photo courtesy of OZK Clothing

Around the Campfire NEWS & FEATURE

Juniors Tanner Kirk and Phillip Fishburn studying in their AP class. Photo by Luke Mauth

THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015 The Tomatalk • Kamiakin High School

Junior Trey Coleman working hard to excel in his AP class. Photo by Luke Mauth

AP classes provide more preparation for the future By LUKE MAUTH STAFF REPORTER

P testing has come and gone, and students will find out if they will be allowed to use the class for college credit. Some will be disappointed that they can’t and some will be pleased. But how helpful really is the AP program? AP, or advanced placement, are college level classes that students at Kamiakin can choose to take. These are rigorous courses that challenge students to the max of their abilities. Students work and study all year to prepare for the AP tests, which determine if the students get the college credit or not. When asked about if he thinks AP classes really help with getting a head start in college, junior Cory Dearing said, “I really like

AP classes. I feel like they are really useful. Some of them I may not like, but they help. My only problem with AP classes are that they take away from my other classes and my ability to work on the other classes. Also they make doing out of school activities much harder to do. You work hard now to save later is my view on it pricewise for college.” After this year, Dearing will have taken seven AP classes at Kamiakin. Junior Noah Garrard said, “I like the classes because they really can help reduce cost of college because most colleges accept AP credit if you pass the AP test to the standard that they want. It all depends on the college but it can really cut the cost. Overall, I like the AP system that Kamiakin

offers.” Since freshman year, Garrard will have taken seven AP classes. Kamiakin offers 19 AP classes ranging from math and science to English and history. Some of the more commonly taken classes at Kamiakin are calculus AB, physics, English language and English literature. Incoming freshmen are also offered a history course which is Human Geography. Principal Chris Chelin said, “Colleges have told us and data shows that students who take more rigorous courses in high school are better prepared and finish college at a higher percent. By providing AP classes for as many students as possible we are preparing them for whatever their post

high school plans are whether it be CBC and university or the military. This high standard of class opens doors for students for later on in their life.” When asked what he does when a student comes to him about not wanting to be in an AP course anymore, Mr. Chelin said, “Because we push for so many students to take the AP classes, not all of them are ready to take the class. So all that we ask is that they stay in the course for a month, and if it’s still not working out, we will get them in a class more suited for them.” So the AP class system is there if you’re ready to push yourself to be the best you can be. With all the choices of classes, you might be able to find a class that you enjoy that you normally wouldn’t think of.

Boycotting the Make Your Day program By EMILY BAER STAFF REPORTER

The Make Your Day program is a discipline method used in many elementary and middle schools in the Kennewick School District.

The Make Your Day program was created with the purpose of helping students to gain self-confidence and receive opportunities to evaluate themselves. The program has two parts, the points and concerns system, and the steps system. At the end of each class period, the points and concerns system takes place. During this time a student says the behavioral points they feel that they received out of 45 for the class period. If other students believe that one of their peers does not deserve all of his or her points, they have the liberty to “concern” their peer and have their peer’s points docked. Many parents put their children in “time out” in an attempt to discipline their child. The first half of the step system can be compared to this. If a student is acting out in class or is interrupting the other students’ learning, then the teacher may choose to put them in step 1. Step 1 is where students must sit in a chair, face the wall, and think about the choices they made. If a student is not properly participating in step 1, the teacher may put him in step 2, where the student stands and stares at the wall. If the student doesn’t enact step 2 properly, then she may be placed in step 3, where she must stand facing the wall while reading the Make Your Day motto. The Make Your Day motto is “No one has the right to interfere with the learning or safety of others. Do what is expected and do it

the best way that you can.” The last steps, 4 and 5, are the most consequential ones. When a student is given step 4, his parent is required to come to school for a conference. Step 5 is suspension or expulsion. Many students feel disdain towards the Make Your Day program. Two students from Highlands Middle School have decided to take a stand for what they believe. Sixth graders Maya Monteblanco and Alexandra Sorenson do not believe in the idea of publicly humiliating children. This program leaves room for children disciplining each other publicly, which may make a student feel stressed and embarrassed. “Every student thinks differently. Some will take this as an insult. Some are sensitive to the point where their parents have to pull them out of school because of how much they are ‘concerned’ or tattled on,” said Maya Monteblanco. These girls are standing up for their peers, and their parents, Kelly Monteblanco, and Donald and Lisa Sorenson, support their decision. Other participants of this protest are sixth graders Cregen Antonsen and Mirija Britton. The Make Your Day program is not helping to improve the behavioral state of students. It is a disciplinary program similar to that used for toddlers. Students in middle school are starting their paths to maturity. They should not be treated as kindergarteners. It is time for change. These girls have realized this and are working for such change.

THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015 The Tomatalk • Kamiakin High School

Around theNEWS Campfire & FEATURE

Smartphones making kids smarter By KATELYN NEAL STAFF REPORTER

T TOP FOUR EDUCATIONAL APPS 1. Explain Everything- This is an easy-to-use design, screen casting, and interactive whiteboard tool that lets you annotate, animate, narrate, import, and export almost anything to and from almost anywhere. 2. Evernote- Evernote is the modern workspace that helps you be your most productive self. You’re on the path to something big 3. Hangouts- Google+ Hangouts is a messaging app that lets you send and receive messages, photos and videos, animated stickers, and even start free video calls — one-on-one or with a group! 4. Duolingo- Duolingo is changing the way people learn languages. With Duolingo, you learn a language completely free, without ads or hidden charges. You have fun while you learn, leveling up and competing with friends.

hese days it seems that students have gotten more and more skilled and proficient with their mobile phones. No matter where someone goes, chances are they will see someone with their eyes on their smartphone, especially in school. Plus because of the increase of technology, there is an increase in smartphones changing education. Students learn in a way they are comfortable, students get answers quickly, and smartphones allow for social learning. There are many apps that are improving education as we know it. One such app that is improving education is remind101, where students voluntarily sign up to receive text reminders when they have upcoming assignments due. It helps students to organize their assignments and projects. Other apps or sites that are changing education are dictionary and thesaurus apps. These apps are im-

proving education due to the amount of definitions and vocabulary that students need to know. Another app that is changing education is the calendar app. This app is changing education by students knowing what day their assignments are due. Plus, students can research in minutes information that would have taken hours to find in the library. These apps and sites, plus many others are improving education for students. Smartphones have been changing education with more than just apps and sites. Smartphones can be used to record lectures in class, email teachers, and research. Listening to lectures could become easier if lectures were recorded on a smartphone. Recording lectures on a smartphone helps students learn better and study. Throughout the years, technology has been changing education. So smartphones have made a huge improvement to education.

Alumni wins WHL Humanitarian Award By SAMUEL PERRINS STAFF REPORTER

Every year, each team in the Western Hockey League (WHL) votes on who their Humanitarian of the Year was, and then the WHL selects one candidate to be the winner. This honor is awarded to players who have gone the extra mile to make a difference in the community. This year, the WHL Humanitarian of the Year award went to Kamiakin Alumni Taylor Vickerman. “I couldn’t have done it without my family, Kathleen Adams, and God,” said Vickerman. Vickerman won this award for his work in the ‘Americans’ Faceoff Against Bullying’ campaign. He is the second Tri-City Americans player to receive the Humanitarian of the Year award.. “I don’t know why they specifically gave me the award. I’m honored to have been thought of for it, but myself and the American’s community outreach organizer Kathleen Adams came up with the idea, which we put into effect,” said Vickerman. Each player of the Tri-City Americans helps out in the community, doing community activities such as hospital visits, Humane Society visits, Salvation Army work, Habitat for Humanity work, and much more. Vickerman plans on playing two more years for the Americans and then moving onto professional hockey.

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, email tomatalk@ksd.org, or go online at www.tomatalk.com and comment there or take a poll.

Staff:

Adviser: Laurie Bender Editor-in-Chiefs: Chloe Grundmeier News Feature Editor: Sam Perrins Sports Editor: John Mantanona In-Depth Editor: Chloe Grundmeier Opinion Editor: Emily Aardahl Entertainment Editor: Andy Ha Online E-I-C: Andy Ha and Staci Trivett

Staff Reporters:

Alejandro Andrade, Emily Baer, Noah Erhart, Spencer Holle, Lindsay Lepper, Luke Mauth, Katelyn Neal, Samuel Perrins, Parker Pruneda, Sierra Reams, Rhiannon Rogers, Staci Trivett 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

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.

American’s player Taylor Vickerman with his brother Brayden Vickerman. Photo courtesty of Taylor Vickerman

“My best memory in hockey would either have to be winning the Humanitarian of the Year award or winning gold for Team USA in Czech Republic’s Five Nations Tournament,” said Vickerman. Kamiakin sophomore Brayden Vickerman is very proud of his older brother Taylor. “It was pretty cool to see. I know how hard he works and it’s awesome to see it all pay off,” said Brayden Vickerman. Brayden is a hockey player as well. Last season, he played for the Junior Americans. “I’m hoping that I could possibly get a chance to play in the WHL and eventually the NHL. It’d be pretty cool to play with my brother,” says Brayden.

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THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015 The Tomatalk • Kamiakin High School

Tomatalk seniors T say farewell

Tribal Talk

OPINION & EDITORIAL

By SPENCER HOLLE STAFF REPORTER

By NOAH ERHART STAFF REPORTER

lmost four years ago, I became a freshman. This was a scary yet exciting moment for me because it meant being at the bottom again. Fast forward a few years, and here I am getting ready to leave the place that helped mold me into the individual I’ve become. Every high school claims to be the best, but Kamiakin is truly the best. One phrase that was spoken to me in my last two years of high school is our motto, “Be the best you can be.” Those six words have helped me to push myself to be better not only in the classroom, but in everything I do. Anyone who is reading this, I urge you to truly be the best you can be. The summer before my sophomore year began, my family decided to host two exchange students: Nitta, from Finland, and Daniel, from Germany. Even though they each drove me crazy at times, they became two more siblings. I nearly cried when they had to leave at the end of their stay in America. They even stayed until the last possible day they were allowed to be in the country, which was the very end of June. Nitta and Daniel were definitely the highlight of my high school years. Most of my life, I thought I was going to go into either engineering or the Army. Since I was a kid, it was my dream to join the military. However, it wasn’t until junior year when my plans changed in a way I had not imagined. Taking photography class rewrote any previous career plans I had

made. Now here I was, halfway through high school, thinking I had everything set when suddenly I find out that I don’t want to be an engineer or a soldier. Instead I will be photographer for the rest of my life. The cliché “follow your dreams” is exactly what I find myself doing, simply because I am good at what I do, and it makes me happy, so please, do something that makes you happy in life. Senior year is the year most teenagers can’t wait for, yet at the same time, I am sad that I must leave the school that has given me so many good memories with such awesome friends and even more amazing teachers. Senior year has been the easiest yet most difficult. My last first day of high school felt like the average first day. Actually nothing seemed different until my second semester. That’s when everything became very real, especially the fact I am about to graduate. As a freshman, I thought high school would feel like an eternity, but in all honesty it feels like just yesterday that my friends and I walked through those gates that read “Through these doors walk the greatest people.” Now, I’m about to walk with my best friends by my side, just little punks yesterday, young adults today. If there is one thing I want all you underclassmen to learn from me, it’s that you enjoy everything while you can and make the most out of it. After all, you are only this age once in your life. Remember: once a Brave, always a Brave.

he time has finally come to graduate, and I couldn’t find myself in more disbelief. If you were to confront me in a previous year about what kind of disbelief this is, I would have told you that I was reluctant to graduate. I truly love this school because apart from finding who my real friends are, it’s taught me to accept others, and it’s taught me how to accept myself. However, days before my graduation, I do have split emotions about leaving Kamiakin. A part of me is scared of living outside of high school- how everything could crash and burn in a moment’s notice. The other part of me is excited to graduate and eager to pursue my passions in my future. Which brings me to another subject, my future plans. For four years, I couldn’t decide for sure what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. For a while, I considered anthropology, despite barely understanding what it was (all I knew was that it included studying culture). Additionally, I seriously pondered and prayed, wondering about living my life out as a Catholic priest, but later understood that the priesthood was not for me. Next, I briefly thought about going into music before I realized I honestly have no clue what an A minor diminished chord was, nor did I have the slightest interest in learning. It was when I was at my lowest when it finally came to me. Senior year was here, I didn’t know what I was doing career-wise, and I especially didn’t know how on Earth I was going to pay for it. I was having the crummiest of days when I got one of those stupid military recruitment calls. I didn’t want to be rude, however, so I picked up the phone anyway. We talked for nearly a half an hour before he finally let me go. I immediately thought to myself, “He really thinks that I would consider the military?

Ha! That’s… actually a really good idea.” Not only would I have a way to pay for college and secure an immediate career, but I would be helping make my country a better place while doing it. It was a total revelation. After seeking counsel from several military recruiters, I decided on the Air Force and am planning to pursue my career with help from the ROTC (Reserve Officers’ Training Corps.) ROTC is a program which allows recruits to train as officers throughout the course of college in return for a term of duty. The only problem with my new revelation is that it happened during my graduating year. Most teens who go into the military, especially through ROTC, would have considered their options well before graduating to give themselves time to train both physically and academically, not to mention simply applying for the ROTC. On a much lighter note, if I were to make it as an officer, I plan to become a chemist for the Air Force. Alternatively, if I were not to make it into the training corps, I would like to be enlisted as linguistic cryptologist in Mandarin, Arabic, or Korean. Finally, I’d like to thank Kamiakin for all that it’s done for me. On Jan. 14, 2014 I came out of the closet as gay, which took me ages to do, as I was terrified of the reaction I would receive from other students here. Fortunately, my worst fear did not happen: I wasn’t kicked out of my house, and I was hardly treated differently. I’m glad that I’ve been able to participate in such a safe and relatively tolerant school. From my experiences at Kamiakin, I’ve learned how to treat other people, and that sometimes the things which hold us from our true potential are simply in our heads.

Tribal Talk

OPINION & EDITORIAL

THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015 The Tomatalk • Kamiakin High School

Pro

By ANDY HA ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

Tri-Tech and Running Start at Columbia Basin College (CBC) are programs offered to juniors and seniors. Tri-Tech Skills Center is a vocational school that allows students to train in a field of work to become a certified professional in the respective field which they have chosen. Running start is a program that allows students to take classes at CBC in Pasco. The program lets students take classes that give them high school credits to graduate and college credits to obtain an associate of arts and science degree. This program is extremely beneficial. Running Start lets students get a head start on college and select diverse classes. It also allows them to transition to college life and helps them prepare for future education and careers. The program also saves money for students. They can save up to $6,000. Tri-Tech is also beneficial. TriTech gives students high school

credit required to graduate. Students are guaranteed three high school credits if they pass the class. Out of all the programs offered at Tri-Tech, over 90 percent of them have a college credit option. Senior Paul Knight, who is currently attending the radio broadcasting program, states, “Tri-Tech teaches you and gives you very different career opportunities. It gives you skills necessary to succeed in vocational fields.” Radio broadcasting teacher Ed Dailey says, “You usually don’t find programs like the ones at Tri-Tech at high schools. We have the high end technology and equipment to teach students what their home schools can’t.” About the benefits of attending Tri-Tech, Mr. Dailey stated, “We have inroads for students to get internships, apprenticeships, and jobs. That allows them to build a strong network in the field they are going into.

Con Having to take classes at Columbia Basin College may also interfere with students participating in extracurricular activites such as sports, drama, and music. Photo credit: www.stateuniversity.com

Students also have more time in class to do work.” On his personal experience at Tri-Tech, Knight said, “I’ve gained a better understanding of what I’m taking here at TriTech. I have more goals now than I did in the past.” Tri-Tech prepares students better for specific skills if students know of a career they want to pursue. “It’s beneficial towards their success in the future and teaches you skills you wouldn’t learn through high school. I recommend it because I wouldn’t have been successful in the work field I’m in if it weren’t for Tri-Tech.” Knight said. Tri-Tech and Running Start are here for a reason. Schools wouldn’t provide these programs if it wasn’t beneficial. Getting a head start on life is not a bad thing. If anything, it would be the best thing students can do.

Courses at Tri-Tech open up opportunities to step into a wide variety of fields, including everything from marketing and sales to nursing. Photo by: Spencer Holle

By SPENCER HOLLE STAFF REPORTER

any students at Kamiakin have heard time and time again of the Running Start and Tri-Tech programs and almost all have weighed the decision on whether or not they should join one. The question posed here is whether these programs are known through fame or infamy. Running Start comes with the promise that if students succeed, they will be graced with future college credits without having to pay for regular college tuition. Most would see no flaw in this plan, but taking a closer look, Running Start isn’t exactly what it presents itself to be. Running Start isn’t for everybody; that much is easy to see. If students think they are ready for college and attend, but really find that they weren’t actually properly

prepared, tough luck. Looks like said student just wasted time which could have been spent at their appropriate high school level. Not only might these students face the risk of failing their college classes, but after only being able to spend a half a day at school, they may lose their social lives as well. College can really take a toll on stress levels, but imagine having to precisely schedule the times one gets to talk to one’s friends back at high school. Similarly, Tri-Tech poses many benefits to its potential students by giving some very valuable technical and handson skills included into normal high school education. These hands-on skills can prove to be highly valuable if your future career is offered as a class choice at the school. Notice, however, as

previously stated, that TriTech is valuable if your future career is offered. Tri-Tech is a technical school which, much like the Running Start program, isn’t for everyone. This point is often overlooked in many promotional videos, campus tours, and counselor speeches, and could mislead students into making some serious mistakes. Don’t make the mistake of taking a Tri-Tech class you won’t use and miss out on a much needed high school education. Technical schools should only be considered if it will benefit prospective students in the future, not the present. There is something to be said for a general basic high school education. For most students, it leaves the doors of opportunity wide open.

THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015 The Tomatalk • Kamiakin High School

Chief Legends In Depth

Senioritis: it’s a real pain By NOAH ERHART STAFF REPORTER

enioritis is not just an excuse used by seniors when assignments are not completed. It is a very real condition that affects many seniors every year in the U.S. Usually within a month or two before graduation, individuals become more prone to senioritis. According to Webster’s dictionary, senioritis is defined as a de-

crease of motivation and effort by school seniors as evidenced by tardiness, absences, and lower grades. However, one would likely not need to look up the definition to know the meaning. Senior Ethan Sessions said, “I’d define senioritis as a mentality of being almost done with school and it’s your last year so you don’t think you need to do anything.” How exactly is one affected by senioritis? With some individuals, it might cause grades to begin

dropping towards the end of the year. Senior Kaitlyn Halsted said, “Senioritis has affected me pretty much the whole year. I’ve really slacked in a lot of my classes, and it has affected my grades, but I’m trying to get through it.” Others might just simply begin to slack because they are ready to be finished with school. Sessions also said, “This year, senioritis has affected me pretty harshly. I’m not doing so well in a lot of my classes because of it.”

Every year there are many seniors who use senioritis as an actual excuse for slacking off in class or on homework. While this excuse is used, there are inevitably going to be some consequences attached. Straight A student or not, once one hits the last month of high school, the chances of poor performance in the classroom increase. Halsted said, “Some cons of senioritis are definitely how my grades are, and it’s really hard to fight it.”

Senior Brandie Roueche said, “The con of it is not going to classes because then you don’t get your classwork done.” Year in and year out, there will always be students claiming to suffer from senioritis. Even when one is confident that they will graduate on time, it is important to absolutely give the best effort one can give and finish high school strong.

Graduate while you still can: tips and tricks for how to graduate By SPENCER HOLLE STAFF REPORTER

First of all, your senior year ain’t just sugar, spice, and everything nice. You have to do stuff. Some of this stuff includes finishing your culminating project, actually doing your career-related experiences, and ultimately, not being a complete screw-up. Not screwing up is arguably the largest key component to any high schooler’s final year, but that covers a very vague range of slip-ups. So without further adieu, here is a descriptive list of five failures which may keep one from walking at a graduation ceremony or be rejected from universities. Read up juniors.

Don’t skip… too much: It’s hard being a senior. We have to deal with lowerclassmen. Skipping is sometime a great way to escape the pesky youths, but skipping too much could be the quickest way to losing your diploma.

Culminating projects: Admit it, nobody wants to do a culminating project, especially when seniors are so good at procrastinating. It also doesn’t help that the class of 2015 is the LAST CLASS HAVING TO DO THEM. But even though they are incredibly annoying, they are a piece of the curriculum that must be finished in order to be free of this prison that is high school.

Senioritis: College is an exciting concept. You get to ditch the rest of your classmen and join a new and more mature atmosphere. Most just want to get their last year over with so they can move on. However, 5.1 percent of high school seniors will drop out in their senior year just because they waste away their time in class. Don’t be one of them. Skipping the rigor of education isn’t worth it if you’re college-bound. You still need to graduate, dang it.

Submit college applications: After three years of TRIBE classes supposedly learning how to correctly prepare themselves for their lives outside of high school, collegebound seniors are still caught blindsided by application deadlines. Say bye-bye universities if you don’t check up regularly, so write dates on everything so you are able to go off to college.

Sign up for an SAT: Similarly, your TRIBE class doesn't always let you know about the SAT deadlines. Don't find yourself stuck around for another year because you missed the deadline. That would totally suck.

Senior year is the last opportunity you have to let people know that you’re serious about pursuing a career, so follow the steps straight out the school gates. Not literally though- refer to rule 1.

Chief IN-DEPTH Legends

Most Likely to Save the World: Skylar Boehnke and Luke Harrison

THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015 The Tomatalk â&#x20AC;˘ Kamiakin High School

SENIOR FA Most Likely to Be an Angry Old Person: Carrie Orndorf and Christian Carman

Always Pajama

Rebecca H Brandon Sc

Most Likely to Run for President:

Most Likely to Marry Netflix:

Left Shar Yea

Alisha Nguyen and Connor Pestovich

Samantha Parks and Spencer Holle

Rachel Les Brandon

THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015 The Tomatalk â&#x20AC;˘ Kamiakin High School

AVORITES

s Wears a Pants:

Helman and Schwartz

rk of the ar:

shikar and n Boehnke

Chief Legends In Depth

most likely to break a world record

most likely to almost win an MVP award

Lindsey Schauble and Randy Luckman

Victoria Coronado and Tyler Herman

most likely to live at home at 30

most likely to have their license revoked

Noelle Wadlow and Ryan Cranston

Carly Migas and Devin Patterson

Chief IN-DEPTH Legends

THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015 The Tomatalk • Kamiakin High School

Senior pranks: the line between fun and destructive By PARKER PRUNEDA STAFF REPORTER

here are many common things that happen with seniors as they approach the end of their high school careers. Some seniors develop senioritis, the feeling of taking it easy the last month of school and not working as hard. Other seniors might resort to senior pranks. It is possible a senior could look at their final few weeks of school and want to make them memorable, and a major prank would be fitting. A lot of senior pranks are fun and harmless, but some of them are serious and can damage property.

“I think as long as you don’t damage property, or no one gets hurt, I think they’re pretty cool. I think the coolest ones are the ones where everyone sees it, and its super cool, and it’s not a lot of work. No one gets hurt, and it doesn’t cost a lot,” said senior Jared Deatherage. “When I was in high school, I probably would’ve thought that it would’ve been something fun to do, but I was also a very well behaved kid so I don’t know if I would’ve taken apart in it. But I might’ve secretly thought it was funny or fun if someone else did it,” said drama teacher Christopher

Hamilton. Senior pranks are often enjoyed but sometimes they can go too far. Less people will appreciate an intentionally mean or damaging prank, and there is a high chance that the pranker will get in trouble. “As a teacher now, it also really depends on what the prank actually is. I’m really against any kind of public property damage, or anything that causes permanent damage. But if it’s some kind of joke that gets played on some people, if it’s all in good fun and not mean spirited, I might think it’s okay. It just really depend on what it is exactly,” said Hamilton.

This sizable banner offered Sylvania Northview High School for sale earlier this week, and graduating seniors are suspected. All senior pranks are not as harmless. Photo credit to The Blade.

Charismatic, quirky, and college bound: Tanner Jones By STACI TRIVETT STAFF REPORTER

One of the biggest concerns of a high school student is getting into a good college. In their junior and senior years, students are often a lot more concerned with getting into the college of their dreams that they forget that high school is also about having fun. Senior Tanner Jones has found the good balance between the two. Jones was accepted to the Colorado School of Mines and will be attending this August, majoring in computer science. This small public research university focuses on engineering and applied science with special expertise in the

development and stewardship of the Earth’s natural resources. “I’m most excited about the opportunities that my college helps provide and also the amazing experience to come,” said Jones. Jones has spent the last two years of high school very involved in the Drama Club, most recently being a part of the spring musical, ‘The Pirates of Penzance.’ Jones’ favorite memory of high school is a recent one when he and some of the cast and crew of the musical danced in a huge downpour of rain after a performance. He has plans to join the Mines Little Theatre group and hopes to be accepted into the Visual and Performing Arts Themed

Learning Community. “Above all I’m going to miss the connections I’ve built and the family that has brought me in,’ said Jones. “Over the past two years, the Drama Club has become my life and has become a huge part of who I am today, and I will truly miss it.” Some college students go into school worried about what they will do with their future. Jones is quite the opposite, being very optimistic about his college experience and future after college, choosing a career in the computer field. “My plans after college are to follow my heart and live in the moment,” said Jones.

THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015 The Tomatalk •Kamiakin High School

Tribal Games SPORTS

Junior Kaden Enriquez delivers a pitch during a game against Richland. Photo By: John Mantanona

Braves baseball fared better than predicted By LUKE MAUTH STAFF REPORTER

raves baseball has come to a close once again this year. On Saturday May 9 the Braves played the Kennewick Lions in a single elimination game to move on to the district finals. They came out on bottom with a 7-10 loss. This ended their season with a 10-12 record. A step up from last year’s record, this holds promises for next year’s team because the team was made up mostly of juniors. Asked how he thought the season went, head Coach Ryan Carter said, “The season was pretty good for us. It ended earlier than we wanted it to, but all in all, it went very well. The kids bought into the program which is always good to see.” The Braves overcame many obstacles this season. They had a young team with only four seniors on the team. It looked good when the team had a strong pre-season but when it came to the start of the regular season, they got swept by the Hanford Falcons. This made the team have to rethink and reapproach how they ran practice and prepared for their games.

After that point in the season, the Braves were only swept by two other teams, the Southridge Suns and the Richland Bombers. During this season, the Braves really worked on building a bullpen with the coaches assigning players to be pitcher only. Five players were given this title and worked on their craft all season. The Braves did much better in the season than people thought they would with making it all the way to the semifinals for baseball. Junior Noah Garrard said, “It sucked that I got injured mid-season, but I’m happy I got back in and played my best for the team at the end of the season.” Next year will be interesting to see, with the core of the team being seniors, giving the team a sense of maturity. If the team works hard in the off season, they will be a formidable foe to contend with next year. Coach Ryan Carter. Photo by Luke Mauth

Tennis season has been a great one for the Braves By JOHN MANTANONA SPORTS EDITOR

The tennis season is winding down, and the Braves have performed admirably in competition. The tennis season is a long one, but the team has continued to practice and play hard. In the off-season, many of the tennis players played the game for both enjoyment, and to prepare themselves for the season. Many go to parks across the Tri-cities, the Court Club or the Racquet Club. Others have gotten jobs working with tennis. They are getting better and helping the younger generation play the game. There have been many matches up to this point in the season, and the tennis team has fared well in each. In the Lewiston Invite, the team came in second overall, and had a doubles and a singles team place first. Throughout the season, the team has done very well in both singles teams and doubles teams. Doubles teams are teams that consist of two players, and singles teams are teams that contain of only one player. Last season, the Braves sent many players to both regionals and state. Though the team didn’t win any state titles, the season was still considered a success. The season is winding down as the state tournament is approaching and the teams have high expectations for themselves. “We expect to win each match that we play. Now that we have teams in the state tournament, we expect to do very well,” said junior Connor Barany. The tennis team has three teams playing in the tour-

nament this year. The team has one girls doubles team, one boys doubles team, and one boys singles team. Seniors Rachel Young and Courtney Hall are representing the girls, seniors Brian Walker and Matt Inman make up the boys doubles team, and senior Colby McMahon is the boys singles player. The state tournament is located on the Kamiakin tennis courts again this season, and it will also be held in the Tri-CIty Court Club. The tournament is happening on May 29-30. This season is also the last that Coach George Carlson will be coaching the tennis team. He has been a part of the tennis program for the last 45 years and has worked with multitudes of kids. He is also one of the founders of the tennis program and has been very devoted to the sport and the kids throughout the years. “He’s been with us our entire career. He was the one that started this program. He has been hugely influential and helpful to the entire program and I am sad that he has to leave,” Barany said when asked about how Coach Carlson has helped the program. The season has been a good one for the tennis team, and they are ready to continue their success both on and off the court. They have put in the long hours at practice, then played many matches throughout the season. This season has been a good send-off for one of their coaches, and it has been a successful one for all of the players involved.

Junior Marlee Briggs prepares to take a shot during practice. Photo by: John Mantanona

Tribal Reviews ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015 The Tomatalk • Kamiakin High School

Reviews ‘Pitch Perfect 2’: The pitch is back By ANDY HA ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

itch Perfect 2 is the sequel to the 2012 hit ‘Pitch Perfect’. It saw the return of the amazing cast from the first film along with introducing new great cast members. Everything about the film was spectacular. The arrangement of the music, the acting, the storyline, and overall production. The film saw the return of many awesome characters, like Beca Mitchell and Fat Amy, just to name a few. The characters were played by Anna Kendrick and Rebel Wilson. These two females lit up the screen and basically owned the movie from their first scene. All the returning actors were outstanding, like they were in the first film. The film also saw new characters. They introduced a character named Emily Junk, portrayed by Oscar-nominated actress Hailee Steinfeld. Steinfeld did an amazing job as the newcomer in the film, and having previously not been known for her singing, proved that she is a Barden Bella with her great vocals. We also met the new antagonists in the film, the German acapella group. The actors did an amazing job as the characters and gave a great vocal performance. The storyline was great as well. It is similar to the storyline of the first film, but on a bigger scale. The first was about how, after having an embarrassing moment during the national competition, they redeem themselves at the following year’s national competition. The second follows that theme, but on a global scale. After embar-

rassing themselves in front of the world, they try to redeem themselves at the world’s competition. Though the plot is similar and can get kind of cliché, it still is very captivating and entertaining. The film made many jokes that could be considered sexist and racist, but then again, when looking at it, the film is to depict who the media is in society. The film had a run-on joke like it did in the first film. The first film’s run-on joke was projectile vomiting. This one was about Fat Amy flashing her private female parts to the world. The music arrangement was amazing, probably the best thing along with the acting performances. The film covered every end of the spectrum when it came to music. They had every genre included-Country, rap/hip hop, R&B, pop, EDM, folk, rock, and even Christmas music. They featured Carrie Underwood, Miley Cyrus, Beyoncé, Taylor Swift, and so many more artists. The music choice and arrangement was just out of this world. It is definitely Grammy worthy. The original song, “Flashlight,” is great, but it’s questionable whether it will end up as big as “Cups (When I’m Gone).” The expression that a sequel is never as good as the original does not count for this situation. ‘Pitch Perfect 2’ met all the expectations that were set for it when they announced the making of it and might have even exceeded it with all the amazing things about it. It annoyingly left kind of a cliffhanger and at some parts became cheesy, but it’s good enough to compete with the original film.

Hype Up & NorthWestKid’s ‘Lost Words’: The first of many mixtapes to come By RHIANNON ROGERS STAFF REPORTER

Many young music artists have launched their music career through rapping and producing their own music. Sophomores Sam Perrins and Parker Pruneda have been experimenting with this idea. Their first full length rap album will be released on June 1. Their album is called ‘Lost Words’ – an absolute gem. The album has a total of eight songs, each one different in its own way. In the song “Traction”, sophomore Megan Resseman was a guest artist with her highly comforting vocals. The piano share in the song “Traction” really sets a calming tone and a catchy beat. The third song “Good Time” features Kid Fooster – junior Logan Foster. That makes up three unique and talented rappers who have defeated the odds of young adults

having a rapping career. Pruneda and Perrins also wrote a song about school spirit and unity, which was very upbeat and inspirational and defined what it is to be a Brave. The song “Day One,” was a real mood setter, with the piano in the background and the lyrics that flourish about a loved one. “My Level” is an easy going up-tempo song with cool and ear catching additions. Many would say that it is about self-confidence and being a unique individual. The attractive beats of “Flatline” can make one’s adrenaline rush and put someone in the mood to dance to the beats. It also contains a very fitting additional part, which sounds like men shocking someone back to life. Overall, the album was a two thumbs up.

THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015 The Tomatalk • Kamiakin High School

Tribal Reviews ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

‘Avengers: Age of Ultron’ an ultra-disappointment By CHLOE GRUNDMEIER EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

he flash of that familiar comic book strip, the incredible music enough to get anyone’s heart pumping, and enough action to excite any superhero lover are what fill the usually incredible Marvel movies. These movies are generally filled with relatable characters, great relationships, and extensive character development as well as all the action. ‘Avengers: Age of Ultron’ failed in these categories. The movie, in general, was okay. The action scenes, as they always are, were quite entertaining. The characters flipped, jumped through the air, shot, and worked off of each other in scenes that showed incredible teamwork that was just fun to watch, even though these characters were fighting for their lives. The music paired with these scenes was just as incredible, raising the heartbeat of all the movie-goers. The character of Black Widow, portrayed by Scarlett Johansson, was simply wrong. The writers tried to give her depth and add more to her character, but the way they went about it didn’t work. The rela-

tionship she instigated with Bruce Banner, played by Mark Ruffalo, seemed very forced and uncomfortable. One of her lines that struck a chord was when she insinuated being sterilized made her a monster, as if having children is the only thing that keeps women from being monsters. While Jeremy Renner’s character, Clint Barton, did have a bit of character development, again, the way the writers went about it wasn’t executed well. Barton’s family - a pregnant wife and two other children - were forced upon the watchers without even the slightest bit of warning or preparation. These characters were only in the movie to further Barton’s plot. His wife, Laura, had hardly any screen time and was a completely flat character. The writers and producers of ‘Avengers: Age of Ultron’ did have good ideas though, such as including Wanda and Pietro Maximoff, who both had great character development in the few hours they were on screen. Some of the other ideas introduced were great as well, but the execution is what ruined the movie.

The Griffey Max shoes: Still popular to this day By PARKER PRUNEDA STAFF REPORTER

Major league baseball season is in full swing and the Seattle Mariners are off to a slow start. But in the past, there have been many great players to wear a Seattle jersey, one of which is outfielder Ken Griffey Jr. Griffey was drafted by the Seattle Mariners with the first pick in the 1987 draft. Griffey is most famous for his hit in the 1995 division series against the Yankees. The Mariners were down by one run in the 11th inning and Griffey hit a single up the middle, sending Joey Cora to third. Edgar Martinez then hit a double, and Cora tied the game when he reached home. Griffey sprinted from first base toward home as quickly as he could, sliding into the plate to win the game. Griffey was a great player and was rewarded with his own signature pair of shoes from Nike. The shoe is made with sturdy nubuck and leather materials on the upper part of the shoe. A strap wraps the top of the shoe and brands a large 24 and Nike swoosh on the end. A Nike swoosh can be seen on the outside toe and up the back. A wavy outsole surrounds the shoe. The shoe also features three Air Max units, one in the heel and two in the forefoot. The Griffey Max 1 released in 1996. While working with Nike on the design, Griffey wanted a unique and bold shoe that could be worn as cleats and turf shoes he could work out in.

The shoe was very popular, as it was the first signature shoe from a baseball player. The shoe has been re-released a few times and is still widely popular. The Griffeys can still be seen worn around today. A year later, Nike released the Griffey’s second shoe, Air Griffey Max II, which is shown above. Griffey’s second model was slightly altered with the Air Max units. The shoe still has a unit in the heel and two in the fore foot, but the air pods are larger. The swoosh on the toe of the shoe was downsized, and a carbon fiber overlay was added. The swingman logo is placed onto the heel of the shoe for a little more flair. Griffey was a superstar player, and Nike rewarded him with superstar shoes. We can all thank him for delivering shoes that will be remembered and worn for years to come.

Tribal Reviews ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015 The Tomatalk • Kamiakin High School

Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt: It’s a Miracle! By ANDY HA ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

nbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, created by Tina Fey and Robert Carlock breaks new grounds. The sitcom is an amazing new show, probably one of the best comedies to debut in the last few years. The show is not on ABC or Fox or even NBC, but on Netflix. The show became available for viewing on Netflix back in March. In doing so, it has broken new grounds in streaming television. It is currently one of the most successful streaming shows, and the most successful original streaming sitcom. The reason for it is because of the great storyline, amazing performances by the actors, and the trends that the show keeps up with. The storyline tells that of Kimmy Schmidt, who after being kidnapped and held captive underground for 15 years, is free and moves to New York City. She has only had an education up until she was kidnapped in the eighth grade. So her naive self moves to New York and becomes a roommate of Titus Andromedon, whose goal is to be a star on Broadway. Together, the show depicts their adventures and struggle to live in the big city. The leading female star is Ellie

Kemper, who plays Kimmy Schmidt. Kemper’s performance is outstanding. She nails playing a naive girl who basically still lives in 1990s. But the breakout star of the show is Titus Burgess, who plays Titus Andromedon, an aspiring flamboyant gay Broadway actor. These two stars make up the show and definitely deserve an Emmy for their great performances. The show follows current trends in today’s society, the main one being the theme song. The theme song is formatted to follow the auto tune news interview videos that go viral. Another trend is the theme of the show. One of the show’s themes is feminism. Kemper’s character tries to live an independent life, even though there are many things working against her, and she tries without the need of a love interest. She has love interests in the show, but the show displays the fact the character does not need a man to take care of her. The show brings new life to the sitcom genre and the streaming era of television. It breaks the traditional standards of a sitcom show and does it with flying colors. The show is definitely worth watching and will definitely bring a lot of laughs, despite the corniness and clichés that the show has.

‘In The Woods’: what really happened?

By SIERRA REAMS STAFF REPORTER

hen three children mysteriously vanish in the woods near their neighborhood, some people are trying to keep it hidden. Rob Ryan is one of them. As a young boy, Rob was one of the three kids that seemingly vanished without a trace. But he was miraculously found clinging to a tree out of fear. ‘In the Woods’, by Tana French, is an interesting read. It contains graphic details about the murders in the book. Also, this book is good if someone likes to learn about what goes on during a murder investigation that doesn’t take place on the TV. It feels as if you are actually in the book and are an official investigator. Not being able to remember the events that took place the night Rob was found clutching a tree with blood filled shoes and blood on his

clothes, he was unable to help in the investigation of the other two missing children that fateful night. In later years, Rob Ryan became a detective on the Dublin Murder Squad that was much needed when a 12-year-old girl was found in the same woods that Rob was found in. But he kept his past a secret. If you like a new and improved type of genre that lets the world of crime be explored, then this is the book for you. It has all the aspects of being a mystery and crime drama. Although it is very gruesome, and it does have a lot of details, it can be good, but only if mystery and crime is something you like. With the gore of ‘In the Woods,’ only a select number of people will like it. With Rob not sharing his past that he now remembers only pieces of, the case is even more difficult for him and his partner, Detective Cassie Maddox, who doesn’t know his secrets.

THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015 The Tomatalk • Kamiakin High School

Tribal Reviews ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Logic Pro X: The logical choice for musical artists By SAMUEL PERRINS STAFF REPORTER

home recording studio would not be complete without Apple’s Logic Pro X. Logic is a music production software which is easy to navigate and allows someone wanting to join the music industry to create beautiful sounding tunes. This app is available for Mac computers. Musicians who own a Mac have most likely experimented with the GarageBand app. Logic Pro X has a lot more sounds and abilities, but users can make an easy and smooth transition from GarageBand to Logic. Although the application has an expensive price of $200, it is worth every dollar. Logic adds multiple great sounding instruments, nice vocal mixes to change the user’s voice, and a fruitful list of Apple loops for users to place in their music. Logic Pro X includes new features for EDM and Hip Hop tracks. Logic also introduces a powerful studio mixer to help users change the levels of assigned channels and to help them create the best sound. The mixer allows users to add reverbs, other filters, and multiple plug-ins. One such plug-in is a device called

Space Designer, which allows users to simulate a room size and modify their music and instruments to fit that simulation. With Logic Pro X, users can plug in their own guitar or bass and it will add those notes and sounds to their musical creation. Along with this feature, there are also many software instruments for users to work with if they do not have musical instruments to work with. Users can also add drums that will automatically match up to their tempo and they can modify it from there. This comes in handy for those people who struggle creating their own drum patterns with their keyboard. Logic also allows users to plug in other external MIDI devices. Logic Pro X enables songwriters and musicians to create nice sounding music. It has helped many successful artists record and produce some of their hit songs, such as Christina Aguilera, Mary J. Blige, Guns N Roses, and many other artists. Logic Pro X is the recommended program for both beginners and experienced music producers.

DICE is Catchin’ Star Wars Fever By SPENCER HOLLE STAFF REPORTER

It’s every Star Wars fan’s dream! When Disney announced the resurrection of the Star Wars series by announcing the newest addition to the trilogy, ‘Star Wars VII; The Force Awakens,’ the crowd went berserk. But that’s not all! On April 17, DICE released its very first gameplay trailer onto YouTube for Star Wars Battlefront, the newest addition to the adored Battlefront series. Kids and teens alike gathered with friends throughout the early 2000s to live out their dreams of fighting alongside rebel troops, getting in dogfights with TIE fighters, or simply wreaking havoc as a Sith master. Now, nearly a decade later, the same teens can re-live their childhood in a newly designed game made to bring the series to next-gen heights. The trailer showed rebel soldiers locked in battle with imperial troops on the moon of Endor, looking as beautiful as it ever has on a gaming console. It took everything for the viewers to keep from screaming out of excitement from all the new gadgets and weapons. From mobile shield generators to realistically destructible vehicles, things seem to be going in the right direction for the game. However, many skeptics on Reddit have made comparisons of the game against its predecessors and have attempted to bring negative public opinion upon the soon-to-be game.

The critics include a side-by-side comparison of the content of Battlefront II to Battlefront 2015 in their posts. Many Battlefront loyalists and DICE employees have attempted to debunk most of these rumors about the future game, saying that their claims are incorrect, exaggerated, or even simply outrageous. DICE has even disclosed to Star Wars fans that, in the Battle of Jakku DLC, it will explain how the star destroyer derelict came to be. Not only that, but DICE says that it will help introduce the new alien planets Jakku (the desert planet with the star destroyer derelict) and Sulust, a volcano planet. Overall, DICE seems to be on the right track of continuing this epic classic, and true Battlefront fans eagerly await its newest addition in November.

Tribal Reviews SHENANIGANS

THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015 The Tomatalk â&#x20AC;˘ Kamiakin High School

Ceramic sculpture created by senior Sarah Baer

Senior Favorites Winners

Quote of the month from Kevin Durant

THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015 The Tomatalk • Kamiakin High School