2015 16, issue 2

VOLUME 40• ISSUE 2•OCTOBER 30, 2015• KAMIAKIN HIGH SCHOOL • 600 N. ARTHUR ST. • KENNEWICK, WA 99336

Around the Campfire NEWS & FEATURE Remembering Andrew By

FRIDAY, OCT. 30, 2015 The Tomatalk • Kamiakin High School

2

SHILOH BAGLEY

STAFF REPORTER

A

few weeks ago our tribe lost one of our own. He was a friend, a brother, and a boyfriend. He was loved by many and will be missed by all. His memory will live on through his friends and family.

“It was when I went shooting with him for the first time. It was me, Shaylyn, Jacob, and Andrew and they were in the backseat and I sat in the front seat. Andrew had a dove that he shot and he pretended to make it fly out of Shaylyn’s car and then he put the dead bird on my shoulder and proceeded to laugh,” said senior Alliyah Scallan.

Dayton loved to hang out and be with his best friends and his girlfriend, junior Shaylyn Henson. He often spent lots of time with them at lunch and outside of school.

Dayton was described by friends as understanding, patient, kindhearted, and persevering. “If you saw him walking around, he was just a regular guy, but if you sat down and talked to him, you’d see that he was…different, like you don’t find people like him anymore,” said senior Jacob Kutrowski. He was a genuine guy who cared about those around him. He was also friends with tons of students and he

Andrew Dayton, junior, cuddling a puppy at a pet store. Photo courtesy of Shaylyn Henson

could make anyone laugh or smile.

He was Scallan’s best friend, Kutrowski’s brother, and Henson’s other half.

Even though he was their best friend, there was one thing they didn’t know about him. Scallan said, “I didn’t know he could play the guitar. But his brother is very talented with that stuff.

I was hanging out with Andrew and [his brother]. Andrew just picked up a ukulele and just started playing it.” He was a very talented kid who also loved to hunt and fish.

More than anything, he loved his girlfriend. He’d do anything for her. “He

(left to right) Yzabelle Towe, Alliyah Scallan, Jacob Kutrowski, Andrew Dayton, and Shaylyn Henson holding their pride and joy, cupcakes. Photo courtesy of Alliyah Scallan

would tell me I was beautiful every day and never forgot to say ‘I love you’,” said Henson. “He always cheered me up if I was lacking confidence, and he always knew what to say and when to say it.” Henson said that Andrew left behind an unconditional love, and he will be in her heart forever.

Andrew Dayton has been a light in the lives of the students. His legacy of patience and kindheartedness will forever live on in the hearts of our tribe.

He is gone but most definitely not forgotten.

Shaylyn Henson and Andrew Dayton getting ready for the school dance.

Photo courtesy of Shaylyn Henson

“Punch It Up”

By AMBER PERRY STAFF REPORTER

W

hen asked about the school’s new punch cards, Andrew Scrimsher said, “We have school punch cards?” Four other students concurred. “You mean the Dutch Bros punch cards?” junior Parker Rabe said, “because I know about those!”

No, not those-and no, we’re not talking about the Brave gold cards either. These are the brand new Kamiakin exclusive PUNCH CARDS! But really, what are they? The name is kind of vague.

“Exec. (Executive ASB officers) came up with the idea to get students going to the events and getting involved,” exec. delegate Jaret Maynard said. Lots of different aspects of our school don’t get as much recognition or involvement. Take swim meets versus football games. The punch cards are just like the Dutch Bros. cards, but for Kamiakin. It’s a small card that you bring to any and every event for our school. ASB representatives will be at every Kamiakin activity- from lunch time activities, ANY sport (ex. golf, swim, wrestling, cross country, cheer) to plays, to spirit days to *punch your card. The student at the end of each season (fall/winter/spring) who receives the most punches on his/her card will

practically be named Mr./Mrs. Kamiakin Spirit, receive a valuable prize, and honor on par with “the senior rail,” Maynard said.

How does such tradition and hype start from scratch? It has to start from within each student.

“It’s what ASB and the students of Kamiakin make of it. It has the potential to be pretty cool,” Maynard said. Not only the Exec. thinks this way- senior cheerleader Rachel Cooke said, “I think it will actually motivate people to go (to all the events).” Cool ideas need action, not just small talk, and Kamiakin is not your average apathetic high school.

SO JUST DO IT. But- “Where do we get the cards?” They aren’t in circulation -just yet.

They’re fresh off the press, but ASB has had their hands full with Homecoming and recently Pink Week packed into the first couple weeks of school. They will be passed out during first period within the month.

Kelsey Dearing showing off an example of a punch card. Photo by Kelsey Dearing

*Think you can punch your own card? Think again! The punches vary in size and shape and for every event- no cheaters here!

The new punch cards. Photo by Rachel Soh

FRIDAY, OCT. 30, 2015 The Tomatalk Kamiakin High School

3

Around theNEWS Campfire & FEATURE

College applications: the nightmare before graduation

By RACHEL SOH ONLINE EDITOR

I

t’s college application season and seniors are applying for colleges or getting information about potential career pathways to take. The main concern about going to college is the tens of thousands of dollars in debt the student will receive after graduating.

To give financial aid to students who are thinking of pursuing an education in college, there are various scholarship opportunities for everyone with different backgrounds. There is also the option of Free Application For Student Aid (FAFSA), which is a government run financial aid program that gives student loans to students for college.

In the school, there is a college and career center which focuses on scholarship opportunities. Debbie Smith, the career center coordinator, stays at school from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. to help students with scholarships.

“Scholarships are available online! There is more competition because college gets more expensive, but most of the scholarships are write-in essays,” Smith said.

Some scholarships are given solely based on GPA, but others are based on other criteria, like income/ need, race, sex, sexual orientation, and college-specific, and region-specific. “For more information on scholarships in college, there are financial aid departments and you can always ask admission representatives,” Smith said.

There are scholarship websites such as fastweb.com or scholarship.com that have information on national scholarships that are available for everyone. Another great alternative for Washington State students

is TheWashBoard.org, Mrs. Smith said.

“It only takes about five minutes to apply. The website doesn’t sell your information, so you won’t have junk mail in your emails. Also, if you want text messages to remind you of new scholarships, you can text @ef63a to 81010,” Smith added.

English teacher and University of Washington aluma Joyce Donais gives some insight to seniors of what college will be like. “I call it the ‘yahoo’ factor because you’re away from home and you’re independent. It’s the best years of your life-at least it was for my life. The biggest thing would be time management because for the first time there’s no mother, father, or teacher to tell you that you have to wake up for class or do your assignments. I was on an athletic scholarship, so I had people to tell me to do my work, but not a lot of students are on athletic scholarships,” Donais said.

The thought of college and a life away from home can be nerve wrecking for some students who don’t know what they want to do or be. Mrs. Smith gives an alternative to how students can figure out what they would like to be-the ASVAB test.

“The ASVAB test is a skills assessment test that most students don’t know about. A lot of people recognize this test for the military, but it’s also good for figuring out what you want to do. The test is open to anyone, and it’s about a three hour test. The next test is Nov. 18. It’s an early release Wednesday. It’s a lot less stressful and easier than a standardized test like the ACT or the SAT because it’s all about self-evaluation and there’s less pressure-however, if you’re taking the test for the military, there are certain scores you need to meet,” Smith said.

Seniors should currently be applying or getting ready to apply for universities. Counselor Nicole Bailey emphasizes the importance of applications and getting to know the school students are applying for. “Getting applications started is a good idea of where students want to go. If you want a clear picture of where you want to go, a good idea is to visit the campus. It’s important to visit different campuses because you get to know what you want. Before you finish your applications, make sure you let your teachers or your counselor know about the application so they have time to write a letter of recommendation,” Bailey said.

This time of the year is the most stressful time of the year because of the college application process.

Seniors can also find Mrs. Smith in the career center or counselors who can help seniors who don’t know how to apply for colleges or scholarships.

There is information about college loans and scholarships in the career center. Photo by Rachel Soh

Scarlet Tide marches into competition season By

ALEX GRUNDMEIER

STAFF REPORTER

O

n Oct. 3 the Kamiakin High School Scarlet Tide Marching Band performed for a prelimi-

The Scarlet Tide drumline set in choreography in the first movement. Photo by Shellee Bagley

nary and finals performance at the 34th annual Cavalcade of Bands at Neil F. Lampson Stadium, led by three drum majors-seniors Ethan Vo, Michael DeFord, and Trey Coleman-two color guard captains-seniors Shiloh Bagley and Shalaney Woodward-supervised

by Keith Russell, Kamiakin’s band director, and student teacher Skyler Mendell.

This isn’t the first year that Kamiakin has competed in Cavalcade. Scarlet Tide has been competing for several years, and this year’s show theme was ‘The Giving Tree,’ with music by Jeff Chambers and drill by Donovan Arambul. In their division, the Scarlet Tide placed third with best auxiliary (flags, rifles, etc.), earning them a dignified spot in the finals competition against 11 other bands. Senior Trey Coleman said, “It was a really great experience

to see because since the beginning of the season, the band’s grown a lot. I think they did all right.”

In the finals performance, Scarlet Tide performed third, indicating that they got 10th place overall in preliminary performance. Once the award ceremony started, it was revealed that Scarlet Tide got 11th place, with Hanford High School getting first place, and Mead High School winning it all. Mead received the Sweepstakes award.

Even though they got 11th place, it didn’t really matter to some of the band, including color guard captain and senior Shiloh Bagley. Bagley said, “I think we did pretty good. I think that was the best performance we’ve done this season so far.”

The reason that some think this is because to them, the preliminary performance was very fulfilling. Whether

the finals performance was fulfilling is debatable.

With the marching band as a whole, the drum majors and section leaders are in charge for the most part. They are the ones who lead the band, but they are still followers, and they are still learning. Senior Michael DeFord said, “Don’t get a big head. You can be a dork, but don’t let this idea that you have to be this image of leadership, that you have to give pep talks, and have a heart to heart conversation.

You don’t need to do that. That’s not what leadership is about. You gotta be your own person first.”

Senior Ethan Vo said, “Treat the ensemble with care and love, and they’ll do just fine.”

Around the Campfire NEWS & FEATURE

FRIDAY, OCT. 30, 2015 The Tomatalk • Kamiakin High School

4

Reviving Ophelia: A riveting ode to maturity

D

By CHLOE GRUNDMEIER E D I T O R- I N- C H I E F

Jill, portrayed by Esme Contreras, ignores her adopted mother, portrayed by Cleo Howell, as she tried to convince Jill she’s just as good as everyone else. This scene is very heartfelt and many will be able to relate to it.

Photo Credit: Chloe Grundmeier

ealing w i t h problems such as depression, selfimage, and judgment as a high school student is tough. High schoolers are expected to deal with these issues without ever talking about them while also completing everything else on their plates.

These issues are hardly ever talked about in the open; this is where ‘Reviving Ophelia,’ the play Kamiakin’s drama program is putting on this fall, stands out.

The play follows four girls throughout their lives - from the ages of 6, to 13, to 18, and to 21.

“The four main girls are seemingly normal but each of them has

a hard problem that everyone has probably had to face in their life,” junior CharLee Bethje, who portrays one of the main girls, Allie, said.

The main character of the story is Lia, portrayed by senior Blake Britten. Lia is a young, independent girl who loses her mom, throws her whole self into the boy she’s dating, and loves to write.

Junior CharLee Bethje portrays Allie, who goes through the issues of questioning what she has been raised to believe in. Junior Joe Pickard plays Ophelia’s love interest Alex, a very serious actor who comes from a complicated household. Se-

nior Chandler James portrays a womanizing boyfriend, who considers his character Zach “a catalyst.”

The cast includes many others including junior AyJay Mulholland as Dawn and junior Esme Contreras as Jill, the other two main girls. “The cast is perfect and everyone is so dedicated and devoted to it,” Pickard said.

Bethje says she identifies with her character because “we both have questioned whether we should believe what we’ve been told to believe all our lives.”

Britten agrees that she identifies with her character. “Lia is by far the most ‘real’ character

I’ve ever had the privilege of playing,” she said.

Not all of the actors feel as though they identify with their characters.

James doesn’t like his womanizing character at all, but he loves to play him. “Zach’s seriously a womanizer. He tries to be with more than one of the main girls and he’s just overall a jerk. Even though I’m nothing like Zach, I love being able to portray him. It gives me a chance to get better at certain types of roles that I usually wouldn’t be interested in playing,” James said.

On the surface, Pickard says he doesn’t identify

much with his character. “He’s very rude. He swears all the time. He’s a very physical person.

Deep down inside me there’s probably a little bit of Alex.”

Opening night for ‘Reviving Ophelia’ is Nov. 13. The cast is working incredibly hard, and they are all sure the play is going to be a success, not just because of their hard work, but because of how the play itself relates to everyone. “‘Reviving Ophelia’ is a very special play because it connects to the audience by telling their story.

It’s very inspirational and very entertaining,” Bethje said.

Student Spotlight: Sierra Wagner By

EMILY BAER

NEWS& FEATURE EDITOR

E

veryone has their individual hobbies and activities that makes them unique, but sophomore Sierra Wagner’s brings something completely new to the table. Wagner is a beginner falconer. Falconry is the art of training or breeding different fowls to hunt. Wagner is being taught by a master falconer at Inka Falcon LLC, which is a facility dedicated to falcon training.

Sierra Wagner’s interest in falconry began a year ago when she had the opportunity to participate in a falcon hunt. After that experience her love for falconry grew and she decided that she wanted to train to become a master falconer. There are different levels of falconry, and it takes five years to advance to the next level. “My goal is to become a master falconer, and I’m being trained by a master falconer right now from Peru actually,” said Sierra Wagner.

Currently Wagner doesn’t own a falcon of her own, but she hopes to own either a Kestrel or a red tail hawk by the end of the year if she’s learned enough. Training falcons

takes a lot of patience and dedication, and Wagner is certainly developing both of those values.

“Usually it can happen two ways; you can capture a falcon from the wild and train it from there to respond to your food, and eventually they’ll hunt for you and come back to you because you have the food. The second way is to breed them and you can imprint on one of the babies,” said Wagner.

Imprinting is when the first thing an animal sees and knows is people, resulting in the animal being comfortable around people. The falcons are then trained to hunt for falconers; typically the falcons catch quails, pheasants, ducks, geese, and other fowl like these Falconry is not only a hobby, but a lifestyle. With advancements in levels that take five years, it will take a lot of time and dedication to become a master falconer. Sierra Wagner understands this and works hard to accomplish her goal to become a master falconer, her dedication to what she loves is truly inspiring. For more information about falconry visit the Inka Falcon LLC main website: http://www.inka-falcon.com/about-us.html .

Sierra Wagner, beginning falconer. Photo courtesy of Sierra Wagner

THURSDAY, OCT. 30, 2015 The Tomatalk • Kamiakin High School

Teacher Spotlight: Skyler Mendell

By SHALANEY WOODWARD STAFF REPORTER

I

t’s not every day that a student teacher comes to Kamiakin. This year we are lucky to have an instrumental student teacher--Skylar Mendell. He has an inspiring teacher to look up to--Keith Russell. Mendell said, “If you want to be a student teacher, you have to be willing to commit and if you are not serious, don’t waste your time.”

“Mr. Mendell’s biggest strength is that he is willing to try new ideas and approaches,” said Russell. As a director, instrumental music is fairly hard. You have so many different instruments and ample ways to manipulate the instrument to make it the way you want it to sound. Most of these ways depend on how the person is playing, how much support they have, and how confident they are in themselves. Mendell said, “I play trumpet. I can sing a little, and I can play some piano.”

Just as there are instruments, there are also a vast amount of genres such as country, hip hop, classical, pop, rock, and a large amount of others that appeal to everyone in the world.

Mendell said, “Jazz is my favorite type of music, but I like anything that has thought put into it. Not just people trying to make money.”

“Mr. Mendell is very knowledgeable about music and has a pleasant cooperative personality,” said Russell.

In music you have to know what to look for just like in sports. You have to look for

5

Around theNEWS Campfire & FEATURE

what is good and fix what you can. Mendell said, “You need to understand what you are looking for and how to communicate it in an If you would like to comment, write a letter to the editor, or effective way.” submit a guest article, contact us at: For an abundance of Kamiakin’s students, music is a major portion of their lives, whether it includes performing or listening to music. The Tomatalk: Kamiakin High School, 600 North Arthur, Kennewick, Music can transform your mood and brighten WA, 99336, (509) 222-7015, email tomatalk@ksd.org, or go online at www.tomatalk.com and comment there or take a poll. your sad day. Music encompasses the feelings you can’t express.

Staff:

Adviser: Laurie Bender Editor-in-Chiefs: Chloe Grundmeier News Feature Editor: Emily Baer Sports Editor: Sierra Reams In-Depth Editor: Chloe Grundmeier Opinion Editor: Emily Aardahl Entertainment Editor: Andy Ha Online Editor: Rachel Soh and Staci Trivett

Staff Reporters:

Alejandro Andrade, Shiloh Bagley, Ryan Folta, Veronica Henderson, Rueben Hopper, Taylor Hunzeker, Madison Morgan, Kacey Owsley, Amber Perry, Cassandra Welch, Shalaney Woodward, Kaylee Zuhlke MISSION STATEMENT:

Skylar Mendell conducting the wind ensemble class Photo Credit: Shalaney Woodward

Cotton Candy Grapes: satisfying for even the “sweetest” sweet tooth

By KAYLEE ZUHLKE STAFF REPORTER

T

hey look like real grapes. They seem like real grapes. But they taste like cotton candy?!?

Welcome to 2015, a year blessed with the scientific breakthrough of cotton candy grapes.

Grapery Growers, a California-based business of grape farmers, created a breed of the oblong fruit we know and love matched with the intriguing flavor of pink and blue festival food without the stringy texture.

Rather than being the product of genetic modification, these grapes were produced as a result of an accident. After years of cross-pollinating among distinctly sweet varieties of grapes, scientists at Grapery ended up with a delectable strain of fruit with a carnival-esque flavor to it.

“I’d be willing to try it.

It sounds like a really cool idea,” junior Zach Yoder said.

Healthy, tasty, and out-ofthe-ordinary, these grapes have few disadvantages. One to note is that the growing season is limited from Aug. 10 to Sept. 20.

Nearby retail centers such as Fred Meyer and Win-Co Supermarket had them available during a short period this past summer with a price tag around $3.99.

“I think it’s cool! It’s great that agricultural scientists can create such new and different flavors for us, especially in healthy food like that,” Food and Fitness teacher Cindy Miller said.

Critics and consumers nationwide are raving about this delicacy that made the quote “these grapes taste like candy” come to life.

“I’d be so down to eat

those, man,” senior Nick Olsen said.

In a nation plagued with obesity and addiction to sugary junk food, maybe these fruits are the blessing that we need. This could be a great way to kick that sweet tooth while maintaining a stable waistline.

Cotton Candy Grapes have a limited growing season

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.

Follow us on Twitter! @KaHS__Tomatalk

Around the Campfire NEWS & FEATURE

6 Pink Week: building awareness By

TAYLOR HUNZEKER

STAFF REPORTER

A

t the Pink Week assembly on Oct. 2, ASB students told facts about cancer to the students. In 2012 over 14 million people were diagnosed with cancer. One out of eight people are diagnosed with breast cancer. One out of seven people pass away after being diagnosed with skin cancer which is the most common cancer. About 124 students would be diagnosed with lung cancer if we put it to ratio with the number of Kamiakin students.

Cancer is a deadly disease.

The first week of October was Pink Week. Instead of just focusing on breast cancer, the whole week was devoted to different types of cancers affecting people all over the world. Cancer is a horrible disease, and in some cases it means death.

Valerie Feth, a teacher in the English department, has a daughter who went through the trauma of being diagnosed with melanoma four years ago. Melanoma is an aggressive type of skin cancer. Even though things are rough, Feth has learned to see the good in the world. “Time is short; be kind,” Feth said. She gives a big smile to those around her and is grateful for the many blessing she has been given.

She, like other staff, loves the idea of students coming together and becoming more aware of the results of cancer.

As Braves, the desire to help with the fight against

Student Section at the Pink Game. Photo Credit: Taylor Hunzeker

cancer has become a tradition. Over the week, students collected money in first hour classes for a competition. The winning class would be recognized and receive a special prize at the Pink Week assembly.

Brian Klos’s class won first place raising $729.35.

They were awarded special seats at the assembly and got to have drinks from Dutch Bros delivered to them. Joyce Donais’s class placed second, raising $322.94 and Megan McGrath’s class was in third place raising $299.81. Over $200 was also raised at the Carousel of Dreams on Sept. 30. In total, over $7,000 was raised for the Tri-Cities Cancer Center where the money will fund screenings and mammo-

FRIDAY, OCT. 30, 2015 The Tomatalk • Kamiakin High School

grams.

At the assembly, three guest speakers spoke. Kylie Minnick and Brittany Mclouglin came on behalf of the Tri-Cities Cancer Center and discussed how the money raised would be used and how it would benefit patients. Dalton Stupack, another speaker, presented his story of how his oldest son was diagnosed with Burkitt’s Lymphoma, a type of blood cancer. In the summer of 2013, he started noticing swelling on his son. Thinking that it would just be a trip to the doctor for medicine, he was shocked and horrified by the news of the cancer that was growing in his 4-year-old son. He is now done with treatment and is doing really well, but Stupack will never forget the dreadfulness of that summer. “Cancer doesn’t care if you’re male or female and certainly doesn’t care about the impact on you or those around you. Cancer sucks,” said Stupack.

At the football game on Oct. 2, the theme was pink.

Students in the student section cheered the football team on while supporting cancer awareness. The check of over $7,000 was given to the Cancer Center at the half time of the game. More school spirit could be felt on the field and in the stands as the football team won 35-7 against Chiawana.

Staff and students raised awareness and money to help fight cancer and became closer as a family, supporting those who have cancer or those who know someone who has cancer.

LIFE SKILLS FOR LIFE: sending our students to the workplace

By AMBER PERRY STAFF REPORTER

T

he real world lurks just beyond our four miniscule years at high school, and almost no one is better prepared for that than our Life Skills Students. Many students often wonder what their days are like in school. What classes do they take?

What’s different than our school experience? Actually a lot. Their preparatory program has them more than dipping their toes in the real world; they’re immersed!

The program is called Career Exploration. A good chunk of their school time isn’t even at the school. “Some of the Life Skills students are going off campus for work experience,” said Life Skills teacher Janet Samples.

“Some ride the transit and are learning to navigate on their own.” They literally leave school to work seven to eight hours for a five day work week. Life Skills has become just that-- life skills.

The community has not only done these students a favor, but allowed them to “learn skills that may help them after they graduate,” Samples said.

The community partners include

Value Village, Rite Aid, Tri-City Court Club, Ranch and Home, Ted Brown Music, and Columbia Industries. Assistant Manager of Ted Brown Sol Mondragon said, “(The Career Exploration) is a cool thing to be a partner of, having them apart of the community.”

Their work ranges from golf course maintenance, sorting shoes, customer service to cleaning plastic ducks. The Life Skill students, accompanied by their job coaches, leave campus around lunch time to go work. In all, 12 out of 15 students participate, all upper classmen.

One of the 12 students is senior Austin Basche. As Basche’s job coach, Lindsey Helfer assists him with his job at Ted Brown. “He cleans, washes windows, sanitizes pianos, and dusts. It’s his favorite workplace,” Helfer said.

Basche has also worked at Albertsons and Value Village, but he loves music and instantly fell in love with his new job. “He was excited when he first came- well, he’s always excited and he still is!” said Helfer.

When asked about his favorite part of his job, Basche said, “Do you want to see the best thing? Come over hereit’s the turntable...someday I’m gonna

own this!”

Rappin’ and cleaning are what Helfer finds herself hearing Basche do- she said, “He’s doing really good, and such a people person. I don’t mind coming here! It’s fun, relaxing and low key.” (pun intended).

Basche’s love for music was evident in his enthusiastic demeanor.

Helfer summed up being a job coach to Basche. “I feel good about my job every day. I’m living the dream.”

The workboard in room 418. Photo by Amber Perry

And does Basche like having a job?

“Yes! I do!”

Making the students feel independent and helpful is the embodiment of the program. Six years later and the independency that the program was designed for has been truly evident among the students by “helping with responsibility that (gears them) for after high school when we’re not around,” Helfer said.

THURSDAY, OCT. 30, 2015 The Tomatalk • Kamiakin High School

7

ADVERTISEMENTS

Tribal Talk

FRIDAY, OCT. 30, 2015 The Tomatalk • Kamiakin High School

8

OPINION & EDITORIAL

Should young children be exposed to horror?

PRO:

By STACI TRIVETT STAFF REPORTER

I

n ancient Celtic times, it was believed that one day a year the dead would revisit the Earth on a day called Samhain. To disguise themselves as the real spirits, people would dress themselves as the dead. The wearer believed that if they dressed as disgusting, decomposed figures that they would be ensured protection from these spirits.

In the early 1900s, Halloween costumes were all scary. People put time into their handmade costumes and creepy decorations in attempts to give other children a fright. Ghosts, witches, vampires, and ghouls were some favorites among children.

Parents these days will sometimes go through extra measures to keep their children away from things that have a frightening potential. Some children may be easily susceptible to being scared, but keeping children from things that may scare them could just make them even more scared when something actually scary happens to them. Halloween can be scary, but all things on Halloween are not real, so it’s

CON:

By RONNIE HENDERSON STAFF REPORTER

O

ne time, a 9-year-old girl begged her parents to be able to watch a movie called ‘Caroline.’

When her parents finally allowed her to watch ‘Caroline,’ the outcome was horrific. The little girl wasn’t able to sleep for two years from all the nightmares she had. Since she stayed up late, the little girl had to pay the price. Was the movie really worth all the sleepless nights?

Photography teacher Charlene Hardy thinks that young children shouldn’t be exposed to horror. “In my house the kids end up coming in our room and sleeping on the floor,” she said. Mrs. Hardy also said that the kids should start to be around horror around the age of 13.

Another person who thinks kids shouldn’t be exposed to horror is sophomore Ridley Leliefeld.

“It can cause nightmares and take away innocence,” she said. “It could probably really damage them and their minds.”

Besides nightmares and outcomes that can be anticipated, exposing children to horror can have even more serious effects. “Horror movies can cause dissociation and mental problems, such as anxiety,” Leliefeld said.

Researchers at the University of Wisconsin did a study with 150 college students who watched horror as a child. The researchers found out that more than 50 percent of students had disturbances in their eating and sleeping habits as well as an increase in

“

[K]eeping children from things that may scare them could just make them even more scared when something actually scary happens to them.

”

easy to explain to a child that the things they see will not actually harm them and that sometimes it’s fun to get scared.

If a child is never able to get scared in a fun manner, they can grow up to be even more scared of everything. Senior Maggie McLain feels very strongly about this subject. “It’s a part of our nation’s history. If we shelter our children too much, then they will grow up scared.”

What is the point of even sheltering children from being scared? In the worst case, the child will cry for a little bit. With reassurance that they will be fine, they will become less scared of whatever scared them in the first place.

“

The researchers found out that more than 50 percent of students had disturbances in their eating and sleeping habits as well as an increase in anxiety.

According to ‘The Future of Children,’ younger children are most scared of characters and events that look or sound scary. Photo courtesy of huffingtonpost.ca

”

anxiety.

Furthermore, 25 percent of students talked and thought obsessively about the scary situation. One out of every four students had a “lingering effect” for many years to come from the disturbing movie.

The results showed that the younger the person was when they watched the movie, the longer the effects lasted.

English teacher Valerie Feth also agrees that young kids shouldn’t be exposed to horror. She said, “I think they need to be at least 10 or 11 before they watch horror.”

When asked what the outcome would be if a child was exposed to horror at a young age, Mrs. Feth said, “I think that the vivid images stay with them and can cause emotional issues, like disrupted sleep. They want to act out and hurt other people. Because their brains are so young, they can’t process it like older people can.”

If the parents of the 9-year-old girl would have waited until an older age for let her watch ‘Caroline,’ then there wouldn’t be any sleepless nights. There wouldn’t be any nightmares or tired eyes from the little girl. Kids should wait to see horror because the

‘The Future of Children’ says that there is a growing amount of evidence that fear children experience becuase of the media they consume is sometimes severe and long-lasting.

Photo by Ryan Folta

consequences are not worth it.

THURSDAY, OCT. 30, 2015 The Tomatalk • Kamiakin High School

9

Tribal Talk

OPINION & EDITORIAL

Carrots are not candy: students don’t like the idea of a healthy Halloween

By EMILY AARDAHL OP-ED EDITOR

I

t’s Halloween, and kids are running crazily around the neighborhood. They’re racing up driveways and down sidewalks, ringing doorbells left and right, grins on their costumed faces. A small group of children slams the button down, already holding out their bags in wait of their sugary treats.

The door opens and the occupant of the house smiles down, then drops a few small bags of baby carrots into each bag before turning and shutting the door behind him.

As the nation has become more health-conscious, its people have changed everything from their exercise routines to their eating habits. The growing favor for a healthier Halloween is the result of this.

However, it’s a little harder to change the tradition than givers of healthy candy would hope.

“Candy is pretty much one of the main definitions of Halloween,” said freshman Thomas Metcalf. “Trickor-treating, candy, eat candy, it’s really good. And carrots are not candy.”

“You can have fruits whenever,” said freshman Logan Terry. “But Halloween’s the one time of year you’re supposed to be given candy.”

While it’s well within the rights of parents to determine what their kids do and don’t eat, studies have shown that chocolate in small doses actually helps to make the metabolic system work harder to offset other fat intake.

An article in the ‘Daily Mail’ published researchers’ claims that chocolate’s calories are not like normal calories. And while it says nothing for the content of other candies commonly handed out at Halloween, this should at least set parents’ minds at ease about

Chocolate’s main ingredient, cocoa, contains an antioxidant called flavanol. According to the ‘Daily Mirror,’ higher cocoa content in chocolate bars equals better blood flow to the brain, which means better reaction times and slower-aging brain cells. Photo by Emily Aardahl

their kids’ chocolate intake.

In addition, it isn’t necessarily that kids don’t like healthy foods; it’s that Halloween is widely advertised as being all about the candy. Kids ring a doorbell expecting taffy and chocolate and end up with apples and carrots which, while sometimes sweet, don’t compare to the sugary goodness of

store-bought candy.

“Halloween’s the one and only time you get sugar without asking,” said senior Dylan Cauraugh.

“Unless you specifically ask your parents while you’re at the store, ‘Mommy, can I have a candy bar?’ then you don’t get it unless it’s Halloween. And then you just go out and get it for free.”

What we think...

A student’s health is more important than their education Many high school students make the choice to fill their schedules with AP classes, honors classes, and other challenging classes. These classes all do eventually help the students in the long run, but what do they do to the students while they’re taking them? They rule their lives.

Almost every AP or honors teacher expects their class to be taken as a priority. They expect students to work during the whole class and work on another hour of homework every night for a huge project that is just putting stress on them.

If students take six classes, as most do at Kamiakin, this means that they will have six hours of homework outside of school. After seven hours at school, six hours of homework, and the eight hours of sleep they’re expected to get, most students will then have a total of three hours to spend doing extra-curricular activities,

spend time with their families, and try to keep friendships and relationships strong.

These three hours are not enough. According to the National Sleep Foundation, teenagers require nine and a half hours of sleep every night. Cutting from that important block of sleep is incredibly unhealthy for students, so the only place to take from is the six hours of homework forced upon them.

Say students want to spend a bit of time with their friends or maybe want to go on a date. These students want to be free of the stresses of school and work for a few hours so they can have a good time. But when they get home after the date and they see their bag full of six hours of homework, they are riddled with anxiety.

This huge amount of stress over a long period of time—say, one’s high school career—can lead to many horrible side effects. According to the

American Heart Association, extreme amounts of chronic stress can lead to headaches, stomach aches, feeling tired without a good reason, and in many cases mental illnesses such as depression or anxiety.

Short term results of this intense mental strain could lead to students doing poorly in the class which adds more stress on them to keep their grades up.

Every class cannot count as a priority, and some teachers need to realize this. If students need to take a mental health day from all the stress they’re under, the workload to get back on track should not be so demanding that they miss more school. And yes, some classes should be held as a priority in the students’ lives, but if every teacher so strongly expects this, students could suffer massive physical and mental health issues at far too young of an age, and this needs to stop.

Tribal Talk

10

OPINION & EDITORIAL

FRIDAY, OCT. 30, 2015 The Tomatalk • Kamiakin High School

Doctors need to be more careful about what they prescribe

By SHILOH BAGLEY STAFF REPORTER

I

think that I have always had some degree of anxiety. By this I mean that I freak out over something that causes stress and it causes me not to function. Back at the beginning of August, my stress was starting to trigger some odd breakdowns. I didn’t tell anyone because I thought I could handle it. I had struggled with this for over two months, but it wasn’t until I got a prescription from a doctor that it got worse.

In mid-September, I had some back pain in the lower left section of my back that kept returning, so naturally I went to a doctor. Turns out that I had an inflamed ligament in my back. This doctor prescribed a pain medication called Naproxen. Some of the side effects of this drug are tightness in chest, skin rash, and color blindness.

One of the rarer side effects is anxiety.

Not knowing this, I had started taking the medication. And within a couple of hours, I had my first anxiety attack.

Anxiety isn’t just freaking out. I felt alone and scared even though I was talking to friends. I felt like my whole world was just crumbling. It was one of the darkest times of my life. Luckily I looked up the side effects and stopped the medication immediately. Even though I stopped, I still felt miserable.

Some symptoms of anxiety are

changes in the workplace, relationship issues, and wanting to remain isolated.

Anxiety comes in all shapes and forms like OCD, Social Anxiety, PTSD, and General Anxiety Disorder (GAD).

According ehealthme.com, 20, 563 people reported that they suffered from the side effects of Naproxen. Out of these people, 1,076 of them said they experienced anxiety. The summary at the top of the page states, “Anxiety is found among people who take Naproxen, especially for people who are female, over 60-years-old, have been taking the drug for [less than] a month, also take medication Zometa, and have pain.” About 69.82 percent were females who reported. So why did they give it to me?

I found another story similar to mine on Drugs.com, a website where people can openly ask or answer questions about medications and symptoms. One person by the name bere81 posted on Feb. 20, 2012 that they had anxiety and chest pain. They told their story about how they had a history of anxiety and finally were feeling better, until they walked into the doctor’s office for chest pain.

Of course they were prescribed Naproxen. And within a couple of days, their anxiety was coming back.

They felt dizzy and nauseous as well.

They looked up the side effects because they were terrified and stopped the prescription.

Naproxen is an NSAID drug, and can cause an increased risk of bleeding, ulcers, and fatal perforation of the stomach or intestines. Elderly patients are at an even greater risk for these symptoms.

Photo by Shiloh Bagley

Doctors need to talk to their patients about the side effects of the medication.

If I had known the side effects, I wouldn’t have taken my Naproxen.

The doctor only told me that they were giving it to me for pain, but when my mother picked up my medication from the pharmacy, the pharmacist said, “They’re giving this to a teenager?!?”

Also, the prescription said, “If you’re pregnant or of childbearing age, ask a doctor about the risks/benefits of

this medication.” This makes me absolutely angry because that means those doctors should’ve known not to give it to a 17-year-old girl.

Doctors need to tell their patients the risks before they just give them medication. They need to talk to them and consider things like age, stress, gender, and other factors that may contribute to anxiety.

Schools got everything wrong about Columbus

By REUBEN HOPPER STAFF REPORTER

As a counter-celebration to Columbus Day, the International Indian Treaty Council began Indigenous Peoples’ Day in Berkeley, Calif. in 1992.

Photo courtesy of vwmin.org

Schools have taught students many things over the years. Most of that information is forgotten immediately after the test but some of it is drilled into students so much that they have a hard time when they learn that information is completely inaccurate.

Americans’ knowledge of Christopher Columbus is just about as inaccurate as it can be. First off, Christopher Columbus did not discover that the world was round. Ancient Greek mathematicians proved that over 2,000 years earlier. The fact that the earth was round was well known among educated Europeans during his time.

It was easily noticeable by anyone watching a sailor travel across the horizon; the bottom of the boat would go out of sight before the sails did.

The thing that Columbus did have wrong about the earth was the size

of it. He believed that he could easily reach Asia by going west. Of course he tried to do so and then ended up discovering land that was definitely not Asia.

Columbus’ perception on earth’s curvature isn’t the only thing Americans get wrong about him. Most Americans believe that Columbus was the first European that discovered America. This is because schools don’t emphasize what really happened and lead them to believe this.

Columbus actually never stepped foot in the U.S. and instead landed on the island of Haiti and the Dominican Republic, where he made himself governor and brought slavery into the New World. Yes, Columbus was a slave trader. No, he definitely was not a good person like the schools teach.

Columbus killed thousands of slaves and would even feed their brains to the dogs and roast slaves over fires. (Read more about this on theoatmeal.com/

comics/columbus_day.)

So why do Americans celebrate Columbus Day and view him as a hero? Back then, America was at war with Britain. Besides the Vikings, led

by Leif Ericson, John Cabot was the real first European to land in North America. But since Cabot was British, they didn’t want to give any credit to him and instead gave it to the Spaniard, Christopher Columbus.

In addition, not even Cabot landed in the U.S; he landed in Newfoundland, Canada. The first Englishmen to land on U.S. soil were a group of people in the London Company in 1607. When they got there, the U.S. had already been colonized by the French and Spanish. The British fought against both and eventually gained control of the present day U.S., causing the French to move to Canada while the Spanish had already colonized Central and South America.

THURSDAY, OCT. 30, 2015 The Tomatalk • Kamiakin High School

11

Chief Legends In Depth

Unsolved crime:

Was Lizzie Borden really who she seemed to be?

By TAYLOR HUNZEKER STAFF REPORTER

“L

izzie Borden took an ax and gave her mother forty whacks. When she saw what she had done, she gave her father forty-one.” On the Thursday morning of Aug. 4, 1892, Lizzie Borden became an axe murderer from River Falls, Mass. Or did she?

Lizzie Borden was born on July 19, 1860. She lived with her older sister Emma and her stepmother and father, Abby and Andrew Borden. Lizzie didn’t have a close relationship with her sister or her stepmother.

The family was religious and attended the Central Congregational Church. Lizzie was involved with activities at her church like teaching Sunday classes to recent immigrants to America.

On the morning of Aug. 4, 1892, Abby Borden was upstairs cleaning the guest room when she encountered her killer. The murderer faced Abby and struck her with a hatchet along the side of her head, making her fall face first to the hardwood floor, causing her nose to crack and bleed. Her killer then proceeded to sit on her back and deliver 19 direct hits to the back of her head.

After breakfast, Andrew Borden had gone out for his daily morning walk. When he returned home around 10:30 a.m., he had trouble unlocking the door so he knocked, having their maid, Bridget Sullivan come to open the door. Bridget later testified that when she was trying to open the door, she heard Lizzie laughing upstairs. Lizzie later denied that and testified that she was not upstairs. When she was asked where Abby was by her father, she said that her stepmother had received a summons from a sick friend. Her father then went to sleep on the couch.

Lizzie then proceeded to take off her father’s boots and informed Bridget of a sale at a department store.

Bridget declined going and, feeling unwell, went to her room to lay down. While Andrew was asleep on the couch, he was struck by a hatchet 10 to 11 times to the head. Even one of his eyes were split open.

Lizzie gave two different stories when she was questioned by police. The second time she was questioned, she said she had been outside in the barn trying to find an iron or tin to fix a door and remained in the loft of the barn for 20 to 30 minutes eating pears.

When police investgated the barn, they couldn’t find any footprints in the thick dust on the floor and

couldn’t understand how someone could stand to be in the loft when it was so hot outside. Police also said that Lizzie was replying to their questions in a strange manner.

Bridget Sullivan testified that she was in her bedroom on the third floor when she heard Lizzie yell, “Come quick! Father's dead. Somebody came in and killed him." That is when she saw the dead body of Andrew Borden on the couch in the living room.

Lizzie Borden was indicted on Dec. 2, 1892, but on June 20, 1893 she was acquitted of the murders. During the trial, testimonies provided by others were inconclusive. There was never a murder weapon found from the scene and no definitive proof that Lizzie committed the murders. Some suspected a laborer who had done work for them or an unknown male, but this could never be proved either. Some still say that it was never Lizzie in the first place, but others were convinced she was to blame. Even though she did a lot of community service and donated money and time to charities, she was always known as the woman who whacked her parents with a hatchet.

Haunted items to definitely avoid this Halloween season

By EMILY AARDAHL OP-ED EDITOR

Annabelle

This possessed Raggedy-Ann doll was gifted by a woman to her daughter in 1970. However, soon after the doll was put into her apartment, she and her roommate began to see strange things happening. It would move on its own, write on small pieces of paper, and even stand up on its own two legs. Annabelle now lives in Ed and Lorraine Warren’s Occult Museum in Connecticut, kept in a glass display cabinet. The doll also inspired a 2014 film in her name, though the doll used in production is a much scarier rendition of the original.

Ouija Boards

Even in the 19th century, people were fascinated with the supernatural.

Spiritualism, the belief that the dead can communicate with the living, was so popular that the first talking boards (most famously the Ouija board) were invented in early 1891. There were a few different kinds of talking boards, but all had the same essentials in common: a board printed with the alphabet, the numbers 0 to 9, and the words “yes,” “no,” and “goodbye.” Last but not least was a planchette, a small device with a window to move around the board and interpret the board’s messages. Legend has it that the inventors of the board asked the board what it was called. When it replied “Ouija,” they asked what that meant.

The board said, “Good luck.”

Dibbuk Box

This haunted wine cabinet is so famous it’s had a book written about it and a website put up to tell its story.

Horror movie lovers can even see it in the 2012 film ‘The Possession,’ where the main character’s daughter buys the infamous box at a yard sale. According to its website (www.dibbukbox.com), the wine cabinet had been previously owned by a WWII concentration camp survivor and brought over to America when she moved from Spain. Though the old woman died, her granddaughter said that the wine cabinet contained a dibbuk—a possessing spirit believed to be the soul of a dead person—and that the box was never to be opened.

Robert the Doll

A resident of an art gallery and history museum in Key West, Robert appears to be just another one of countless allegedly possessed dolls.

However, museum-goers say that to take his picture, one has to ask permission. Legend has it that the doll will curse all those who don’t. The walls around his exhibit at the museum display letters from those who were ‘cursed’ and have asked to be released. Robert is also the inspiration for Chucky, the possessed doll in the 1988 horror film ‘Child’s Play.’

Chief IN-DEPTH Legends

I

t’s late at night and no one is home. A noise distracts you from your movie.

Something calls out for you.

You slowly get up to see what it is. You hope it's not what you think it is. You hope that it isn't your worst fear, but what could possibly go wrong?

There is an atrocious amount of differences between each person at Kamiakin. One of those differences is everybody’s worst fear.

FRIDAY, OCT. 30, 2015 The Tomatalk • Kamiakin High School

12

What scares Kamiakin students sh “T “M “I

he idea of loss is ally scary, like l ing the people I’m close I treasure the good frien I have now because wh I was younger I did have many good friend

y worst fear is definitely public speaking. I don't think I've overcome it, but I've learned to deal with it with lots of preparation.”

’m completely terrified of spiders.

Hands down spiders are my worst fear that I’ll probably never get over.”

-Principal Chris Chelin

-Freshmen Hyrum Jarvis -Sophomore Adam DeF

The Taxidermist:

a short story by a Kamiakin writer

By EMILY AARDAHL OP-ED EDITOR

“S

ometimes it sits in the fireplace.”

The man and the taxidermist were sitting quietly in the parlor, listening to the rest of the party buzzing through the back wall. She was staring at some invisible thing off to the left, and he was staring at the centerpiece on the table—a make-believe scene of three mice at a tea party. If he looked closely enough, he could see the thin line of stitches across each of their spines.

“It sits there and it stares,” the taxidermist said as she swung her legs back and forth beneath the chair. The man shifted slightly to the side, but could only see the top corner of the fireplace in question. The paisley wall suddenly cut over into a gaping black hole, scarcely big enough to fit a small animal...much less whatever the taxidermist was talking about. “Sometimes it talks. Sometimes it doesn’t say anything.”

The man snapped his eyes back across the table, watched the taxidermist sip her tea. “What kinds of things does it say?” he found himself asking, like someone had reached down his throat and pulled the words from his mouth.

She laughed and set down her cup.

“It doesn’t like overly snobbish people.

And it doesn’t like men.”

“So, half the people in the house?”

He had the feeling that someone was watching him. But that someone

couldn’t be the taxidermist because her eyes were screwed shut with harsh laughter.

“Doesn’t like them a bit,” she sighed

above the man’s head. He couldn’t remember the exact arrangement of animals on the wall, but he was positive one was a crow, fully mounted in

Photo courtesy of insomniacsattic.com

and sagged back in her chair, then let her eyes wander over the doorway

flight. He found himself unable to look away, some sinister humming starting

up in the back of his head.

And then he realized that the taxidermist was still talking. And that he hadn’t been listening. And for some reason that turned the hum in his brain into an alarm bell.

“Pardon?” he coughed as he sipped at his drink, flinched at the instant hardness in the taxidermist’s eyes. “I apologize.”

“No harm done,” she waved it off, mouth curving into a lopsided smirk.

“I was just saying that sometimes it brings me things, too.” She raised her eyebrows in the direction of the animal heads on the wall, then settled back in her seat and shrugged. “Like a cat, I suppose.”

He wondered what kind of cat could bring back animals in such a way that they had barely any scuffs on them.

Wouldn’t they be bloodied up? Fur ripped, eyes gone? The taxidermist sat up again and rested her elbows on the table. Sighed.

“Why do you invite all these people into your house if it hates them?” he asked, letting the words pop free from his mouth before he could stop them.

Something in the atmosphere of the room shifted and he thought he saw a speck of movement behind the taxidermist.

From the fireplace.

The taxidermist blinked at him, then let her face fall into that easy smirk once again as she picked at a fraying thread on the tablecloth.

“Well it has to eat, doesn’t it?”

FRIDAY, OCT. 30, 2015 The Tomatalk •Kamiakin High School,

Chief Legends In Depth

13

s you?

hare their worst fears “S “M “I “P

relose to. nds hen dn’t ds.”

Ford

'm afraid of the dark. Ever since I was a little kid, I wouldn't walk into a room that's dark.”

y biggest fear is being burned... or birds.

Birds are so creepy, and they scare the crap out of me.”

-Senior Brandon Weimar -Junior Carlin Cooley

By RONNIE HENDERSON STAFF REPORTER

robably heights.

I used to always be afraid of heights until I started snowboarding. Now I’m afraid of cliffs.”

piders. They have lots of arms and legs and it’s not natural. It’s gone to a point where I’ve thrown shoes onto the roof to get away from it.”

-Senior Garrett Gastman

-Teacher Jennifer Tillenburg

The dark side of Washington: serial killers in the suburbs

By SIERRA REAMS SPORTS EDITOR

S

ome of the most notorious serial killers seem to come from Washington State. It’s always weird to think that a notorious serial killer could live right where you grew up, and that those

serial killers could hold some of the most gruesome and horrific murders in America. Just a few of these serial killers are Ted Bundy, the Green River Killer, and Westley Allan Dodd.

Ted Bundy Most know Bundy for the brutal raping and slayings of 36 women, but some thought he actually killed 100 or more women in his lifetime. Using his good looks, charm and intelligence, Bundy was known world-wide for being one of the top U.S. American serial killers. He went to the University of Washington and met a young college girl, who eventually broke his heart. Some think this is when he began his killing spree. Others think he started even younger, beginning with his fascinations with knives at the age of 3. Just in the Pacific

Northwest and the Rocky Mountain areas, Bundy killed a total of 17 women.

Bundy was somewhat of a celebrity during his court case in the 1980s. He was caught when a routine traffic stop was made and the arresting officer found burglary tools which were visible in the back seat. The officer then suspected something else was going on and took Bundy in for questioning. Bundy was considered a psychopath and was finally executed on Jan. 24, 1989.

Gary Ridgway

From 1982-2001, Ridgway was known for killing around 75-80 women, making him known as serial killer with the most killings in U.S. history. He kidnapped young runaways and prostitutes off of Route 99 in King County, Washington.

The Green River Killer eventually was caught because of the new technology made in 2000 to

wESTLY ALLAN DODD Killing a total of three children in Washington State, he has been named as “one of the most evil killers in history.” Born in Toppenish, Wash., Westley Allan Dodd in 1989 attempted to abduct two young girls. The girls then told the police but no action was taken against Dodd. Not being charged with any of the crimes he committed, he did the unthinkable and lured two brothers into a secluded area, molested, and eventually killed them.

Confronted by police, Dodd began to cry and

confessed to the murders and rape of three children, the two brothers and four year old Lee Iseli.

He was sentenced to death. Dodd had the choice between a hanging and lethal injection. He chose to be hung, “because that's how his final victim died,” making this the only hanging in the U.S. since George York and James Latham in Kansas.

Dodd also wanted the hanging to be televised, but was denied.

detect matching finger prints. In December 2001, Ridgway was convicted of four counts of aggravated murder, but later admitted to 48 counts of aggravated first-degree murder. He was sentenced to death but made a plea deal to be sentenced to multiple lives in prison.

Chief IN-DEPTH Legends

FRIDAY, OCT. 30, 2015 The Tomatalk • Kamiakin High School

14 Halloween: a time of trends and traditions

By MADISON MORGAN STAFF REPORTER

H

alloween is full of trends and styles, and Halloween 2015 is no different. Students around campus have a variety of plans and traditions for this year’s Halloween.

“According to new data from Pinterest, the National Retail Federation and Halloween costume retailer Spirit Halloween, this year’s hottest costume trends include big-name superheroes, fairy tale favorites, science-fiction allstars and throwback Thursday outfits,” said ABC News Oct. 6.

“I am going to dress up as an 80s chick,” said sophomore Hannah Tatro.

“You know, with the leggings and the tutu. You know, do whatever they did.”

Students have also shown a tendency towards staying at home passing out candy or trick-or-treating with friends and family.

“I’m going to go trick or treating with the fam,” said sophomore Maddy Hansen of her Halloween plans.

Students have also visited the TriCity Scaregrounds, which is quoted

as “the largest haunted house complex in Eastern Washington” on the Terror Behind the Screen website.

“The lines were long, but it was worth it if you do all three. They weren’t as scary as I expected, but that’s probably because I wasn’t leading my group, but there’s definitely a bunch of jump scares that got me,” said sophomore Kyle Carr Silverwood Theme Park is hosting its annual Halloween attraction Scarywood, where the park is transformed into a haunted Silverwood.

“Step into the realm of the dark… where the sightless rely on their senses to navigate through the jagged cavern.

A faint flicker of light and a spinetingling breath fills the tunnels as you begin to wonder… Is this cave alive?” said scarywoodthemepark.com of their attraction Cave In. For a number of students, Halloween is a day of candy, costumes, and fear.

“It means candy, candy, scary, candy, and ‘Halloween Town II.’ I like watching ‘Halloween Town,’” said Tatro of

Photo courtesy of scarywoodhaunt.com

what Halloween means to her.

While Halloween is full of yearly trends, many families make it a point to celebrate Halloween with personal traditions.

“My kids are going to get dressed up and go trick or treating, but before that I always make mummy dogs,” said

Spanish teacher Sarah Robinson. “It’s hot dogs and crescent rolls, and then you bake them in there and then they look like mummies. It’s a tradition. My kids ask for them every year.”

Mrs. Robinson and her husband also like to watch the 1989 cut film ‘The ‘Burbs,’ starring actor Tom Hanks.

Near Death Experiences:

Is the bright white light really waiting for you on the other side?

By KAYLEE ZUHLKE STAFF REPORTER

Your heart stops beating. Your body status has completely flat lined. Your consciousness fades away into nothingness after the failure of the brain…or does it?

NDEs, or “near death experiences,” have been studied and pondered upon for years and years beyond our own generation. After all, mankind has always had a fascination with death; where does the soul go, are we reincarnated, are ghosts real? But what about those situations where we’re classified as dead by science but alive in our own consciousness, possibly peering down upon our lifeless bodies?

Some traits associated with NDEs are feelings of detachment from the body, levitation, total serenity, security, warmth, and the presence of a light. There

have also been reported cases of people seeing visions of deceased relatives or feeling an overwhelming reluctance to return to their physical bodies.

In a study conducted at the University of Michigan, a set number of test rats were connected to sensors to monitor their brain activity after being induced to cardiac arrest. The results, a burst of brain activity after the heart had stopped, led scientists to believe that conscious brain activity after death may be more than just a possibility.

“We’re pushing through the boundaries of science here, working against assumptions and perceptions that have been fixed. A lot of people hold this idea that when you die, you die; that’s it. Death is a moment - you know you’re either dead or alive. All these things are not scientifically valid, but they’re social

perceptions,” said Dr. Sam Parnia, one of the world’s leading experts on the scientific study of death.

Opinions on life-afterdeath vary along a wide range, typically backed up by scientific, religious, or non-religious belief.

“Psychologically speaking, there are those in the medical field that believe that near death experiences are simply the final neurological impulses of the brain,” said AP psychology teacher Tim Bisson.

The debate between the afterlife and oblivion is one based upon the lack of absolute evidence of either.

From reincarnation, limbo, ghosts, damnation, and the line between heaven and hell, we as humans might never know exactly what there is beyond our mortal life until our brain activity ceases.

Above: “What do you remember from your near-death experience?”

Above: “What do you think happens to you after your body is considered scientifically dead?”

It got really dark then I saw myself in the water, kind of like a blurry bird’s eye view.

Then it got really bright and I was coughing on the side of the pool. –Senior Garrett Gastman

Usually after you’re dead, you just kinda stay dead.

From what Stephen Hawking said, once you die, you die.

– Freshman Banter RosinWeaver

Above: “Do you believe that the soul leaves the body?”

I believe in a higher authority, so my answer would have to be yes. – Tim Bisson

Photos by Kaylee Zuhlke

THURSDAY, OCT. 30, 2015 The Tomatalk • Kamiakin High School

15

Chief Legends In Depth

The story behind Western State Mental Hospital

By RYAN FOLTA STAFF REPORTER

T

here have been numerous cases of paranormal activity all around the United States. From old cemeteries to abandoned buildings across the country, there seems to be haunted places. But here is a place that is close to home. In Tacoma, Wash. (approximately 240 miles from Kennewick), there is a residence called Western State Mental Hospital. In 1870, when Washington was just a territory, tax money from the territory was used to buy the U.S. Army post of Fort Steilacoom from the federal government and converted the buildings into an insane asylum.

The first patients included 23 men and women, who had been looked after by two local contractors who cared for the patients in a mentally ill daycare. The facility asylum grew as new buildings were erected and a dairy farm that provided food for the patients. The excess was sold to support the facility. Over time, the asylum was renamed Western State Hospital, which covered over 860 acres between Tacoma and Steilacoom. Early hospital supervisors were idolized for their ideas of care for the mentally ill, and the hospital itself was considered one of the best in the nation, but that changed.

By the 1940s, many of the hospital buildings had deteriorated from the Pacific Northwest rains. Around 2,700 patients crowded into deteriorating buildings designed to house a maximum 2,200. They were cared for by 14 doctors and assisted by 38 graduate and student nurses. By national standards, there should have been six more doctors and a total of 107 nurses.

Stories grew of patients being raped by orderlies, who also ran certain

wards as brothels for soldiers from nearby Fort Lewis. Some said these were rumors. What were not rumors were the misguided medical treatments performed on many patients.

Lobotomies was a very common procedure at Western State. A lobotomy is a neurosurgical procedure, a form of psychosurgery, also known as a leukotomy or leucotomy. It consists of cutting or scraping away most of the connections to and from the prefrontal cortex, the anterior part of the frontal lobes of the brain. The majority of patients who get a lobotomy do not survive either the procedure, or days to weeks after it. The reason why doctors thought lobotomies were a success was because if a patient survives the procedure, they would wake up and were very calm and lifeless. Since lobotomies were for treating anything from autism to schizophrenia, there was a wide range of patients who could receive lobotomies. Since a lobotomy is a part of a doctor’s practice, if a patient dies during or after the procedure, the doctor was not responsible for the patient’s death. One of the surgeons at the hospital, Dr. Walter Freeman, was the “lobotomy gets them (the patients) home” doctor.

Paranormal activity in this abandoned hospital seems to be very active. Lars Stenseth, a student who has been there, has experience paranormal activity in the hospital. “There was a group of friends and I playing like a night time game we used to do. It's like hide and seek and tag sort of deal. We were playing it in a Frisbee golf course on the southwest end. The north end of the course is the south end of the abandoned hospital. It takes up like

700 or so acres. I'm not sure how many but is huge. Anyway, I go to hide and my friend and I get separated from the group and end up in one of the buildings of the old hospital. I really don't know how we did. It was so dark. We are lost in this old hospital at night and the thing is like a labyrinth. You might not believe me, most don’t, but we are walking down a long hallway and there are multiple doors on either side and we have the lights on from our phones. We are walking down to-

wards a light because we think it's the highway and a ball or something rolls out of one door and into the other and it stops quickly. We ran out of there and that was it.”

Stenseth also reported that because of a child injury due to paranormal activity for a Halloween haunted house at the hospital, it was shut down. The child was described to have several cuts and bruises on his arms and face.

He was rushed to the hospital as soon as they were discovered.

Man receiving a lobotomy in the Western State Mental Hospital. A lobotomy is a very controvercial procedure that consists of cutting or scraping away most of the connections to and from the prefrontal cortex.

It supposedly helped reduce the symptoms of some mental disorders who resided in mental hospitals.

Photo courtesy of mctcampus.com

Teenage trick-or-treating: should there be an age limit?

By ALEX GRUNDMEIER STAFF REPORTER

Many parents take their kids trick-or-treating when the kids are young, maybe 2 or 3-years-old. This tradition tends to stick around for a good few years. For some kids, it might even go up to their high school years. Some parents and candy givers think this is a bad thing, yet a good amount of high schoolers still do it.

Teenage trick-or-treating isn’t necessarily a bad thing. The reason those high schoolers go trick-ortreating when they are sometimes old enough to drive is to relieve stress. School is very stressful for many students, and going trick-or-treating for one night like when they were 8 just calms some people down. It takes the weight off a person’s shoulders for a single night, even if everything is back to normal the next day.

Even though their school stress is gone for that night, there is another thing revolving around Halloween that can bring some people to an all-time low--the parents who hand out candy. Some parents say, “I’m not going to give them candy. They’re too old to be trick-or-treating!” or “Trick-or-treating is something that should be left for the younger children!”

Yes, those parents do exist, but the reason these parents say that is because when some teens go trickor-treating, they don’t dress up in a costume. In that case, those teens are a waste of one’s time and energy, having to get out of their comfortable chair, pause whatever Netflix show is on, walk to the door and open it, only to see five teenagers wearing regular jeans and T-shirts. If teens go trick-or-treating, they should at least dress up for the occasion so they get the candy they deserve.

Some would disagree with those parents, and those

are the parents who defend the cause. Lots of parents agree that kids and teens alike can go out and trickor-treat. These parents are also the ones who hand out candy to anybody that comes by, including the adults escorting small children on their everlasting quest for candy.

The reason a good amount of parents are like this is because they trust their children to not get into trouble doing something stupid, like stealing some child’s candy basket or pillow case. Smart teenagers wouldn’t do something like that; they are more responsible.

A fairly large amount of people think teenagers shouldn’t trick-or-treat because it is a tradition that should be left to the younger ones, but there are lots of teens, parents, and other kids who think teenage trick-or-treating is more than just okay. It is something that should be encouraged.

Tribal Reviews ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

16

FRIDAY, OCT. 30, 2015 The Tomatalk • Kamiakin High School

Reviews

Cousins’: Local “down home” restaurant

By SHALANEY WOODWARD STAFF REPORTER

C

ousins’ great slogan is “Home style cooking at affordable prices.” When I walked into Cousins’, I was immediately greeted by a worker and shown to a table. Right as I walked in, I automatically felt like family. I looked around and was sitting in a home style environment, and it felt like I was out in the country to get a traditional home cooked meal.

The back of the seats are made of cow hide and on the walls they have great country pictures. Cousins’ tries to honor their family traditions.

Cousins’ is an incredible place to take your family for a great night out. It can also be a stunning place to take a date for homecoming or prom. My experience every time I have gone has been nothing but wonderful. Every meal I have gotten has been cooked to my specification. As well as cooking the meals the way you like, all of the staff have an extensive knowledge of the gluten free menu and know almost everything the food is cooked with and in to accommodate all types of allergies.

One of my favorite things about Cousins’ is the staff.

Two months ago, one of the employees was leaving, so her last two weeks of work she had googly eyes in her pocket. She had all different sizes. When she was working, she would stick them on anything she could.

Many times she would ask other workers to put the eyes on the objects if she was doing something. Later that week, the manager looked around and saw the googly eyes. The managers loved the idea and accepted what she was doing. All of the staff loved the joke and the home feel. She left Cousins’ with a bang!! After about a month the regional manager who inspects the restaurant told them to take the eyes down. After he inspected the rest of the place, they reluctantly took down most of the googly eyes.

Out of all the restaurants I have been to, Cousins’ is my favorite! One waitress named Karen always helps our family when we eat there because of my mom’s allergies and special diet. If you need help like this, Cousins’ is the place to go.

Cousins’ waitress working. Photo by: Shalaney Woodward

The Scorch Trials: burns up at the box office

By ANDY HA ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

Courtesy of 20th Century Fox

‘The Scorch Trials’ is the sequel to the 2014 box office hit ‘The Maze Runner.’ It is based off the book series by James Dashner. The storyline is about a boy named Thomas, who, after escaping the maze in the first film, continues to fight against the organization W.C.K.D. by fleeing the organization through the Scorch, the obliterated ruins of a city.

The second film sees a huge improvement over its predecessor, but it still lacks in some departments. Despite the handful of lack of improvements in some areas, the areas that were more developed will have people rushing into the theaters to watch the film.

Some of the improvements were the acting performances given by the actors and the direction of the film. Wes Ball, who directed both films, stepped up his game and brought the second book to life more than he did in the first film. All the scenes were better shot and the action was more attention grabbing.

The action itself also fit more seamlessly into the storyline, and the cinematography was superior to the original film.

The actors’ performances improved majorly. The whole cast showed a lot of progress with their acting skills. No one actor really stood out from the other, but overall

they did extremely well compared to their performances in the first film.

Despite these major improvements, there were some things that were lackluster. There was no real plot, and the story got boring at some points. The action scenes did help keep the audience’s attention, but the storyline was pretty weak. It became repetitive and started being too similar to the first film.

Another thing that was disappointing with this film was the lack of character development. It seemed that the majority of the characters didn’t show any progress as the film went on. Despite the major turn of events and everything that had happened to them, it seemed as if it had no real effect on them.

A surprise that will come for the audience is the amount of profanity that is used in the film. It’s not a lot, but it is enough to surprise and possibly even shock the viewers - especially since this film is geared towards the teen and tween demographics.

The film was entertaining overall. It was definitely better than the first film. Audiences will be pretty pleased to see what has improved from the first film. They’ll also be satisfied with all the action scenes. But despite some lack of development in areas, the audience will enjoy the film.

Tribal Reviews ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT 17 ‘The Perfect Guy’: Perfect Thriller

THURSDAY, OCT. 30, 2015 The Tomatalk • Kamiakin High School

By KACEY OWSLEY STAFF REPORTER

W

The Perfect Guy movie poster. Coutesy of DVDreleasedate.com

ith a fulfilling career and a loving relationship, lobbyist Leah Vaughn seems to have it all.

Things come crashing down when Dave, her long-term boyfriend, questions her future plans for marriage and a family. The resulting breakup leaves Leah heartbroken, until she meets the charming and handsome Carter Duncan.

Leah’s new romance seems to be what every love-obsessed person wants, but things aren’t always what they seem. Leah’s new relationship turns dangerous once Carter reveals his creepy, more violent nature, forcing Leah to turn the tables on the man she

thought was Mr. Right. Leah goes through watching her back constantly outside, to defending and protecting herself inside her own house. This intense, twisted story proves that things are not always what they seem and to always have your guard up.

‘The Perfect Guy’ is a must see movie. It shows us how easily we trust people and how we are blinded by what we choose to see, not what we need to see. Every twist and turn that you think you may get before it happens will throw you for a loop when you are wrong and something completely different happens instead.

The movie is very impressive because the entire time, viewers stay involved in the movie. They will never stop guessing what actors do or what they will say. This

movie keeps viewers on the edge of their seats. They become so entranced and connected to the movie that they will end up talking to the screen. The intensity of this movie never ends. It is a continuous cycle of never knowing the outcome.

So the next time you meet someone new, get to really know who they are. Of course not everyone you meet is a psychopath who is obsessed with you, but you always need to be careful about who you let into your life. This movie definitely reminds us of everyday lessons on always being careful. Remember that everyone wears a mask, but there is a difference between hiding behind a mask and hiding behind a different personality.

Twenty One Pilots: Delivering cold lyrics with warm tempos

By KAYLEE ZUHLKE STAFF REPORTER

If you’ve ever found yourself sitting in silence because your car radio was stolen, this is the band for you.

Straight out of Columbus, Ohio comes a duo with a fiery passion for whatever genre they actually are; they have been described as indie pop, alternative hip-hop, and electropop, all dependent on the track in particular.

They infuse the sounds of less common instruments like the ukulele and synthesizer with traditional drums and vocals to formulate songs that deserve more than just typical attention. Tyler Joseph, the front man of the

duo, claims that Twenty One Pilots is its own special genre called “schizoid pop”.

Following the release of their studio album ‘Vessel’ after being signed by the Fueled by Ramen label in 2013, Twenty One Pilots embarked upon a tour later that year as an opener for Fall Out Boy and Panic! At the Disco on the Save Rock and Roll tour. 2014 could be considered their total breakout year with help from their shows at events like Lollapalooza, Firefly, and a performance at the MTV music awards show.

“We’re writing songs that we wish other people were writing. We write

songs that we truly enjoy to play and to listen to. And then, we’re just honest in the music and we talk about things that are a little more important than how much money we make and how many girls we get, and stupid stuff like that that’s on the radio these days. So, I hope that’s why people are drawn to us,” said Tyler Joseph in an interview with Spinnaker magazine.

Twenty One Pilots offers those types of rare songs with lyrics that really are left up to individual impersonation.

In the song “Car Radio,” you could choose to understand that he simply had his car radio stolen from him. On the other hand, you could also make

the decision to assume it represents something so much more. Maybe that stolen car radio is really the absence of something in his life that he’s failed to replace.

Their newest albums, ‘Vessel’ (2013) and ‘Blurryface’ (2015), have received massive commercial success since their releases. Popular tracks from ‘Vessel’ are “Car Radio”, “Guns for Hands”, and “Holding onto You”. Similarly, ‘Blurryface’s’ hits are “Tear in my Heart”, “Goner”, and “Ride.” Fans can catch Twenty One Pilots on tour throughout December of this year.

‘Killer Instinct’: A plot twist no one will expect

By EMILY BAER NEWS EDI TOR

Lane appears to be the typical teenage girl. She’s a good student, volunteers in her community, and has a family whom she loves. But what lies beneath her mask is something nobody would expect. Lane is obsessed with studying serial killers, and her thoughts reflect those of the heartless killers she studies. She has urges to kill, and in an attempt to control those urges she begins to hunt criminals and deliver them the justice she thinks

they deserve.

Given the name “Masked Savior,” Lane becomes the mysterious vigilante of her town. Her various encounters with criminals bring her the containment of her urges that she needs, but her actions capture the unwanted attention of an experienced and twisted serial killer.

This serial killer named The Decapitator makes another appearance in society by committing another murder and starts anonymously contacting Lane. Lane must discover The Decapitator’s identity

before she/he kills again.

As she investigates and digs herself deeper into The Decapitator’s game, Lane finds a web of lies spun around her past that could hold the answers to the identity of this devious serial killer.

In this book ‘Killer Instinct’ written by S.E. Green, the reader begins to suspect nearly everyone to be The Decapitator. Green weaves an intense story so intricately detailed that the reader can never see what will happen next. Her writing style draws us into

the psychopathic mind of Lane and brings readers to an understanding of how psychopaths think and act.

With a plot twist the reader will never see coming, this book is one that has you on the edge of your seat throughout the entire story. The story is suspenseful, mysterious, and brings a fresh new subject to Young Adult fiction novels. A little dark, this book is definitely not for the faint of heart.

Courtesy of Goodreads.com

Tribal Reviews ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

FRIDAY, OCT. 30, 2015 The Tomatalk • Kamiakin High School

18

‘The Visit’: Not worth the trip

By SIERRA REAMS SPORTS EDITOR

‘T

he Visit’ is the story of two kids, Becca and Tyler, played by Olivia DeJonge and Ed Oxenbould, who go to their grandparents’ (played by Deanna Dunagan and Peter McRobbie) for the week. Their mom had a very bad relationship with her parents when she left many years ago.

This is a very interesting and exciting movie. Although it’s supposed to be considered a horror movie, it wasn’t as bad as the commercials made it out to be. The commercials made the movie seem scary and basically, a horror movie that would end in gore.

When the kids first show up and get off the train, they didn’t even know what their grandparents looked like. They only knew it was them because they had a sign hung up. Becca wanted to make a movie for her mom about how her parents are now, and Becca wanted to interview everyone that came into contact with her grandparents about how they acted since

Courtesy of Movie TV Tech Geeks

Becca and Tyler’s mother left as a teenager.

Because this movie seemed like a horror movie, not a lot of people went. The opening day made only about $8.8 million. It may have been pegged as a horror film to watch, but ‘The Visit’ was anything but horror. The scariest part about the whole movie was mainly the jump scares, when people or things just popped out randomly.

As the week progresses, the grandparents act weirder and weirder making it harder for Becca to interview the people who show up to see her well-known grandparents. But why are they acting so weird? And it only happens at a certain time of night.

So whether you like a scary movie or a funny movie, ‘The Visit’ seems like the right one to watch. It has all the aspects of a great up and coming movie.

Fall 2015 Fashion Trends: New flair to the season

By SHALANEY WOODWARD STAFF REPORTER

From flip flops to boots! From short shorts to sweaters. Every year the styles change. As fall starts, there is an abundance of darker colors coming into the stores. Manager Clara Gay from Down East Basics said, “The colors that we have gotten in so far are burgundy, navy, orange, and a big one this year is olive green.”

Take a look around the mall. There are plenty of stores to choose from such as Down East Basics. They have high quality clothing and they last long periods of time. Another great thing about Down East is their affordable prices. “Not only are our clothes affordable, but it is a great style and everyone can find something they like,” Gay said.

“You will see the fall colors in clothing, but you will see a lot of the colors in accessories, too!” Gay said.

One major thing that has been a trend for the past couple of years are boot socks. Boot socks are a fun and creative way to put that extra kick in

your style! Gay said, “Because fall is now here, skinny jeans will be popular because boots are coming back in.”

Another great and affordable place to check out is Vivo. They have a wide variety of denim and dresses, as well as blouses. Sales associate Zaily Rothwell said, “Longer sleeves, vests, jackets, and scarves are all in right now, and they are all super cute!”

Both down East Basics and Vivo provide a great aura when you walk into the store, and everyone is immediately greeted. Each store had a different style so if there is nothing that sparks interest at one, go look in the other store. This way everyone has their perfect shabby chic style.

New fall fashion trend. Outfit from Down East Basic. Photo by: Shalaney Woodward

Get cozy with oversized everything. Outfit from Vivo. Photo by: Shalaney Woodward

THURSDAY, OCT. 30, 2015 The Tomatalk • Kamiakin High School

Tribal Reviews ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

19

Photo: Spirit of Halloweentown via Facebook. Halloweentown, St. Helens, Oregon.

Halloweentown brought to life with special guest

By STACI TRIVETT STAFF REPORTER

F

lashback to Oct. 17, 1998: a Halloween themed movie was released at Disney, which was an instant hit and has carried on through the years as a holiday favorite. You guessed it-‘Halloweentown.’

‘Halloweentown’ is a movie that focuses on Marnie Cromwell, who has no idea that she comes from a family of very powerful witches. Marnie’s mother, Gwen, has been keeping Marnie and her two siblings sheltered from all things Halloween in attempts to protect them from finding out about their ancestry, until Marnie’s 13th Halloween when her grandmother Aggie shows up unannounced and gets the children excited for Halloween and all of its joys.

The story progresses as Marnie is eavesdropping on her mother and grandmother having an argument after Aggie drops hints to Marnie that she is

a witch. Aggie is very intent on training Marnie as a witch but when Gwen declines, Aggie explains that training Marnie wasn’t the main reason she came.

Aggie explains her concern that people from Halloweentown have been disappearing mysteriously and that they need to get the Cromwell witches together to find out what is going on. Gwen again declines saying that the people have probably moved. Marnie, hearing this whole conversation, decides to follow her grandmother back home to Halloweentown to start her training but is followed by her brother and sister.

The rest of the movie goes along as Marnie finds out just what she can do and how to help her grandmother figure out what is going on with the disappearances.

The movie from our childhood was filmed in a

town only hours away from home in St. Helens, Ore. Every year in October, the town recreates the memorable movie in their “The Spirit of Halloween festival,” complete with a pumpkin lighting ceremony just like the movie.

This year, Kimberly J. Brown, who played Marnie in the series of movies that continued with four sequels, announced that on Oct. 10, she would be dusting off her broom and attending the ceremony.

Brown made the announcement via YouTube saying, “I’m honored that not only St. Helens does this for the movie, which is really, really cool, but that they asked me up to celebrate the film.”

Brown isn’t the only one excited. Thousands of fans expressed their excitement for the reunion over social media and traveled to Oregon to let out their inner witch at the festival this fall.

‘Hocus Pocus:’ still bewitching after 22 years

By MADISON MORGAN STAFF REPORTER

Hocus Pocus Movie poster. Courtesy of Amazon

In 1993, Disney produced the film ‘Hocus Pocus.’ The movie focuses on teen Max Dennison, who has recently moved from Los Angeles to Salem, Mass.

While taking sister Dani out trick-or-treating, Max runs into his crush Allison. Allison tells Max of her love for Halloween myths, and Max decides to take her and Dani to the house of the fabled Sanderson sister witches.

The sisters, having been hung in 1663, are brought back to life when Max lights the mystical black candle. From there, Dani, Max, and Allison must stop the witches from taking the youth from children, which the sisters plan to use to make themselves young for eternity.

There were both elements of comedy and a general creepiness present in ‘Hocus Pocus.’

The scariest part of the movie

was when Sanderson sister Winifred brings back her lover Billy Butcherson as an undead zombie.

Comedy, though, was the main genre of the film. The different dynamics of the Sanderson sisters were the central source of humor. Winifred Sanderson (Bette Midler) acts victim to her sister Sarah’s (Sarah Jessica Parker) stupidity, and other sister Mary’s (Kathy Najimy) constant failures.

Costume designer Mary E. Vogt’s intricate dresses help to bring the Sanderson sisters to life. The outfits help distinguish Winifred’s superiority over her two sisters, as her dress implies a regal authority, while sisters Sarah’s and Mary’s attire reflects that of lesser peasants.

The ‘Hocus Pocus’ makeup artist Cheri Minns creates a ghoulish effect upon the three sisters, conveying that the sisters really

were fresh from the grave. Winifred Sanderson had amazing makeup and was given buck teeth, which only enhanced her appearance as a frightening witch.

Director Kenny Ortega, who would eventually earn notable success on Disney projects such as ‘High School Musical,’ incorporated musical elements into ‘Hocus Pocus’ as well. Sarah Jessica Parker sings a chilling piece titled “Come Little Children” while Bette Midler sings a Broadway-esque song, “I Put a Spell on You.” Besides these two performances, no other part of the movie suggested a musical.

Overall, ‘Hocus Pocus’ provided the right amounts of comedy and spookiness. The movie told a chilling Halloween story in a fun and entertaining way.

Tribal SPORTS Games

20

FRIDAY, OCT. 30, 2015 The Tomatalk • Kamiakin High School

Tracking Pattillo’s progress

By ALEJANDRO ANDRADE STAFF REPORTER

S

ophomore Jeremy Pattillo started off his sports career back in the seventh grade. He participates in two school sports, a fall sport and a spring sport. In the fall he participates in cross country, and in the spring it’s track and field. “Last year I participated in the 800 and the 1600 meter,” said

Pattillo.

Joining a new sport can be intimidating. Pattillo said, “Just try to keep up with the top guys as long as you can.

They can teach you some things or you can ask them things you want to know about.” He practices every day after school.

No one is guaranteed success in a career. If he was guaranteed success in

any career, Pattillo would like to step in the direction of the National Basketball Association. Pattillo said, “I would like to be an NBA basketball player.”

Student athletes’ schedules could often be overwhelming and it’s their responsibility to find that correct balance between school life and their personal lives. When Pattillo has time off, he likes spending that time with friends.

Pattillo said, “I like running and hanging out with my friends.”

Money can change people’s lives.

Pattillo said, “If I had a million dollars I’d put it in the bank and probably try to buy a really nice car.”

Many things can be learned. What better way to learn than to be inspired by your favorite athlete? Pattillo said, “I’d like to meet Jimmer Fredette.”

Braves touchdown at number one

Braves playing during the Pink Week game against Chiawana. Photo by Taylor Hunzeker

By S I E R R A R E SPORTS EDITOR

AMS

The Braves started off the 2015 football season with a loss against Ferndale. But now they have a 6-1 record, making them tied for first with Richland High School.

“We fixed the little things and finally woke up,” senior Brandon Searls said about the first loss of the season, “We knew that every team would be gunning for us from there on out and we knew that we have a team that could make it to state, so we put in the hard work, day in and day out because we know what we are capable of.”

The Braves had a hard game against the Richland Bombers on the Oct. 23. Both teams have the top two defenses in the conference and they were both tied for first in the MCC (Mid-Columbia Conference) meaning these were the top two teams in the whole conference. When asked about what it is like

to be tied for the number one seated team in the conference with the Bombers, Searls said, “Honestly, it’s frustrating. We want to be on top, not tied. We feel like we are the best team and we intend to prove it.”

Unfortunately, the Braves lost a hard fought game with a score of 1427 to the Bombers. Luckily though, with the record the team has, they can stay on top.

“The season has gone extremely well,” Searls said about the wins of the season.

“We have a really strong bond as teammates and we have a really strong team.”

The boys have come a long way from losing the first game of the season and then becoming undefeated until the game with Richland. “There isn’t one special thing I’m looking forward to. I just want to get out there and show why we are a strong team that everyone else should be scared

of,” Searls said about what he looks forward to during the rest of the season.

The Braves are still seated number one for the 3A in the MCC. They have one more game left against Walla Walla until the playoffs begin. The playoffs start with a crossover game with a team from Spokane. Then if they win that game, they keep going. Also, throughout the playoffs, the Braves have home field advantage at Lampson.

Although it has been a hard fought season for the Braves, they have stayed together as a team and are looking forward to the games to come. Searls said, “I just can’t wait to get out on that field and play my heart out with my brothers beside me.”

THURSDAY, OCT. 30, 2015 The Tomatalk • Kamiakin High School

Buh Dum Tss

21

By SAMUEL PERRINS STAFF REPORTER

Tribal SHENANIGANS Reviews Famous last words of convicted serial killers

Jimmy Glass

Convicted of escaping prison and murder Death by electric chair “I’d rather be fishing.”

George Appel

Convicted of murder Death by electric chair “Well, gentlemen, you are about to see a baked Appel.”

James French

Convicted of 2 cases of murder Death by electric chair “How’s this for a headline?

‘French Fries!’”

Thomas Grasso

Convicted of 2 cases of murder Death by lethal injection “I did not get my SpaghettiOs, I got spaghetti. I want the press to know this.”

Amelia Dyer

Convicted of 400 cases of murder Death by hanging “I have nothing to say.”

Tribal Reviews SHENANIGANS

22

FRIDAY, OCT. 30, 2015 The Tomatalk • Kamiakin High School

THURSDAY, OCT. 30, 2015 The Tomatalk • Kamiakin High School

23

ADVERTISEMENTS

ADVERTISEMENTS

24

Seniors

want to be in the Yearbook?

TURN IN A PICTURE and Quote by OCTOBER 30th

Email to: braveseniors@gmail.com

Or turn in to Dillon Crawford at lunch or after school in room 432

Questions E-mail us or talk to us in room 432.

FRIDAY, OCT. 30, 2015 The Tomatalk • Kamiakin High School