Tomatalk Issue 4 2017 by Laurie Bender

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Distracted Driving ‘13 Reasons Why’ VOLUME 41• ISSUE 4•FRIDAY, APRIL. 21, 2017• KAMIAKIN HIGH SCHOOL • 600 N. ARTHUR ST. • KENNEWICK, WA 99336

Around the Campfire NEWS & FEATURE

FRIDAY, APRIL 21, 2017 The Tomatalk • Kamiakin High School

Sp tlights

Connor Gaspar: future chemical engineer By TAYLOR HUNZEKER

E D I T O R - I N- C H I E F

unior Connor Gaspar is a guy who wants to attend the University of British Columbia and loves bicycling and running. He is the captain of Knowledge Bowl, and he has also been selected to be the treasurer of Key Club next year. Gaspar is also vegan and said, “I went vegan a year after going vegetarian for health reasons and to lose weight. I had become disgusted with all animal products and couldn’t bear to kill animals and damage the environment simply because I wanted to eat eggs or yogurt, which are also unhealthy.” To get to know more about Gaspar, we asked him these questions: Q: What would you say is unique about you? Why? A: I heavily base my view of life off of Nihilism (the belief that life is meaningless), which probably leads to more bad than good due to a lack of motivation. Q: What career do you want to pursue after high school? A: I would like to become a chemical engineer. Q; Do you prefer movies or TV shows? Why? A: I prefer movies because they don’t require emotional investment and are done quickly. Q: What is your favorite high school memory? A: Missing school for Knowledge Bowl, or when junior Delaney Wilde asked me, “What’s a DeLorean?” Q: What is your favorite school subject and why?

Connor Gaspar sitting in his AP English class. Photo by Taylor Hunzeker.

A: My favorite school subject is statistics because it is very relaxed. Q: Who is your hero and why? A: Elon Musk, because he has started so many awesome things such as SpaceX. Q: What is a strange hobby of yours? A: I enjoy listening to educational podcasts. Q: If you could visit a fantasy world, which one would you visit and why?

A: I would visit Terry Pratchett’s “Discworld,” because it is incredibly strange and would be interesting. Q: What would you want written on your tombstone? A: “Good riddance.” Q: What is your favorite Shrek character and why? A: Donkey, he has an endearing personality. Q: If you could change your name what would it be and why? A: Humberto, because it’s a majestic name. Q: If you could eat lunch with three people, alive or dead and famous or not, who would they be? A: I would eat lunch with Genghis Khan, Cyrus the Great, and Thomas Edison. Q: What is your dream pet and what would you name it? A: My dream pet is an armadillo named Fabian. Q: What past event do you want to personally witness? A: I would like to have witnessed the fall of the Persian Empire. Q: What kids TV show did you like when you were younger? A: ‘The Magic School Bus.’ Q: If you had to, would you rather be a rapper or an opera singer? A: An opera singer, it seems more dignified.

Get your hands dirty by taking Ceramics BY TATUM MCELROY

ST A F F R E P O R T E R

eramics is a sometimes forgotten opportunity here at our school. Teacher Vicki Gravenslund brings very valuable knowledge to the art program with her 24 years of teaching. Frequently the ceramics classes have their masterpieces displayed in the library. Most recently, Gravenslund showed off the pieces that were shown at the CBC Esvelt Art Gallery show in March. When Mrs.Gravenslund was asked why the art pieces were being displayed in the library, this is what she had to say. “The pieces that are featured in the library are some of the new Raku Ware I have been working with in my Advanced Ceramics class…Also there’s examples of New Glass work we have been interpreting into our ceramic wear with all my ceramics classes, so I thought why not show these new techniques off?” Gravenslund’s current seniors are working towards making ceramic piece portfolios to turn into the Allied Art Studio. If seniors have their

portfolios accepted, their ceramics pieces will be featured the whole month of May at the Allied Arts studio which is right next to Howard Amon Park in Richland. “I feel anxious about it actually… to be putting it together for someone else to judge. That’s where I start to get scared because I start to think what if I’m not good enough and they just don’t give me the time of day? I also feel super excited because this is a big chance for me to actually show people how passionate I am about every piece I make and how hard I work to make them come to life. I also get to see other people’s work and get new ideas for future projects so in a way it’s also a learning experience because even if they don’t like my work, I will at least know how to better myself for future reference,” senior Cory Azone said about putting his portfolio together for the Allied Art Show. Ceramics provides students with an opportunity to work with their creative sides, and it gives them something practical to take home to show for their efforts.

Corey Azone’s ceramic work on display. Photo by Tatum McElroy

Around the Campfire NEWS & FEATURE 3

FRIDAY, APRIL 21, 2017 The Tomatalk Kamiakin High School

Life at Kamiakin in the 80s more laid back By JACLYN GAZEWOOD

ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

amiakin High School was founded in 1970, 66 years after Kennewick High School, making it the second oldest high school in the Kennewick School District. The school was named after Kamiakin, a chief of the Yakima tribe in the 19th century and a leader of the American Indian side in the Yakima War. The school went through a remodel from 2002-2004 which added one new gymnasium, 15 new classrooms and it converted the ‘lecture hall’ into what is known today as the auditorium. It’s quite clear that the campus went through some changes throughout the years of its

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Instead, Kamiakin was one of the first high schools to adopt the system of ‘modular scheduling’ which allowed students an hour If you would like to comment, write a letter to the editor, or and a half study block every day. During submit a guest article, contact us at: this time, students would go off campus to eat lunch, study, talk with friends or The Tomatalk: Kamiakin High School, 600 North Arthur, Kennejust hang out around campus. However, wick, WA, 99336, (509) 222-7015, email tomatalkstaff@ksd.org, or modular scheduling was stopped because go online at students became too irresponsible and often www.tomatalk.com and comment there. got into trouble during the time period. Over the years, the school lunch has Staff: managed to earn a decent reputation. ToAdviser: Laurie Bender day, hundreds of students get school lunch, Editors-in-Chief: Madison Morgan and Taylor Hunzeker but back in 1981 it was a totally different News Feature Editor: Taylor Hunzeker case. The school lunch was dreaded by Sports Editor: Edgar Cazares most.

The people that I graduated with, we took care of each other, we were nice to each other, we were like family. Becky Willoughby

existence. One can’t help but wonder what it was like to go to Kamiakin High School back in the day. In the 80’s, there was no beige gate that circled the campus to keep students in, there was no 500 building, there was only one student parking lot, and the track was black asphalt instead of red rubber. Becky Willoughby, a former Kamiakin Brave from the class of 1981 remembers the four “fun and crazy” years she spent at Kamiakin. “Football games were big events that everyone attended. Our rival school was Kennewick High School. They would come over at lunch time and harass us, and we would go over there at lunch time and harass them,” said Willoughby. “At football games against them, a lot of people would wear ribbons that said ‘Lynch the Lions.’” The daily schedule at that time was very different from the one that’s currently used today. There was no such thing as Tribe.

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“Nobody ever ate school lunch, never in a million years. It was like ‘take what we give ya’ so most students chose to eat at home,” said Willoughby. Clubs were a big thing on campus back then, and they still are today. Many clubs that still exist currently existed in Kamiakin’s early years. DECA, FFA, National Honor Society, Drama, Yearbook and the Tomatalk were all major clubs that many people participated in. Seniors who were graduating didn’t have the luxury of attending the ceremony at the Toyota Center. Instead, graduation was held on the main gym floor at Kamiakin. Seniors would sit on the basketball court while friends and family watched from the stands. Old traditions that the students started back then are continued today, like the seniors releasing scarlet and gold balloons into the sky.

Pictures from the 1981 kamiakin yearbook of the senior class. Photo courtesy of Kamiakin Yearbook

In-Depth Editor: Madison Morgan Opinion Editor: Taylor Hunzeker Entertainment Editor: Jaclyn Gazewood Cover made by: Taylor Hunzeker Staff Reporters:

Edgar Cazares, Morgan Eckhardt, Kestra Engstrom, Jaclyn Gazewood, Taylor Hunzeker, Tatum McElroy, Madison Morgan, Emily Reynolds, Laney Torelli

MISSION STATEMENT:

The purpose of the Tomatalk is 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

Tribal Talk

OPINION & EDITORIAL

FRIDAY, APRIL 21, 2017 The Tomatalk • Kamiakin High School

‘13 Reasons Why’

Pro: a series worth paying attention to By MADISON MORGAN

EDITOR IN CHIEF

veryone has been talking about it. Everywhere on and off campus, students and adults have mentioned it. It’s a new drama put out by Netflix called ‘13 Reasons Why’, and it’s about teen suicide. In the show, high school student Hannah, commits suicide. She leaves recorded tapes to explain why she did it for her friend Clay to watch. Each of these tapes details why she commits suicide. She blames comments and careless actions by students around campus for what she did. Some have criticized the drama for its insensitivity to its teenage audience, saying that the subject matter might drive teens to suicide. It is also extremely graphic, especially in the last episode. However, even with these criticisms, ‘13 Reasons Why’ is worth watching. Bullying is a huge issue in high school these days, and teens need to think before they speak. Often teens don’t realize that their careless words can make or break a person’s day or worse. Actions that we consider insignificant can be huge in someone else’s life. While people shouldn’t feel totally responsible for other’s mental instability or problems, many teens just aren’t empathetic. A recent study in Developmental Psychology shows that teens do not practice empathy as much as they should, and while much of this can be explained scientifically, steps need to be taken to help teens develop it. This series offers one way to help teens think about how serious their actions and words can be for others. In Forbes magazine, Erik Kain reviewed the

series and said that its mystery is enticing, and the characters are not over simplistic, but complex, and some who seem completely evil have a soft side and vice versa. He said that even though there are some stock characters like the mean popular girls, “overall the characters are treated as complex people leading complex lives.” He said that the acting is top notch, as well. Kain also said that the series makes good use of the unreliable narrator in Hannah, which is surprising because the show jumps from the present to the past, and it can sometimes be confusing, but it makes the show so much more interesting. Because of its quality filming, characterization, and plot, this is a series that both teens and adults can enjoy. As Kain says in his review, “For all its flaws, ‘13 Reasons Why’ is a lovingly produced, well-written and beautifully acted teen drama for all ages. Whether it always handles its subject matter perfectly will remain a point of contention for everyone, but it’s a worthy effort.” Adults who have distanced themselves from the drama of high school should watch it, but teens need to be careful, make sure they are stable, and receive parent permission to watch it.

STAFF REPORTER

esides the obviously touchy subject of suicide, Netflix’s newest show ‘13 Reasons Why’ causes many problems for its teenage audience. The show gives an inaccurate visual of the steps taken to prevent a suicide, especially for a high school student. The only way that lead character Hannah Baker showed any signs was going to her school counselor, who put blame on her and told her that she would have to get over her problems. Any counselor is trained to instead immediately call the student’s parents and set up a plan to get the student help under any premise that the student had suicidal thoughts, regardless of any personal biases because the sad truth is that teenage suicide is very common in America. The counselor should’ve contacted Baker’s parents immediately when he heard that

KaHS Editorial Board

Tribal Talk

OPINION & EDITORIAL

Madison Morgan & Taylor Hunzeker Editors-in-Chief Edgar Cazares, Sports Jaclyn Gazewood, Entertainment 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.

What we think...

Why sports shouldn’t count as senior makeup days “While it would be convenient for many seniors, sports should not count as senior makeup days. They haven’t been counted as so in the past, so why should they now?”

H The ‘13 Reasons Why’ series poster. Photo courtesy by denofgeek.com

Con: not sensitive to the teenage audience By SARAH HAMILTON

FRIDAY, APRIL 21, 2017 The Tomatalk • Kamiakin High School

she was unhappy with her life. Baker also left behind a series of 13 tapes that blamed students and encouraged other listeners to commit crimes or horrible offenses against the students who had wronged her. This is not only wrong of her to do, but showed that her choice to commit suicide was purely for revenge, instead of the fact that she was truly hurting, which she may not have even been. For every person with knowledge of the series, a suicide in real life may be looked over because blame would be placed on students instead of on the fact that the student had a mental illness that could not be helped. The show has a very graphic depiction of several crimes, and in early episodes, shows crimes like underage drinking, teenagers under the influence of drugs, and sexual harassment. Crimes like these seem to be in many television shows these days and are fairly normalized, despite the fact that they are still serious crimes. Just because

something is on TV does not mean it’s okay. However, the larger issues occur in the later episodes when there are multiple different graphic depictions of rape and suicide. The issue itself does not lie in the story line, but rather the fact that they happened within a fictitious world that does not affect the audience in any way other than to gain their attention. The problem is the visual showing of two rapes for the sole purpose of shocking the audience. The biggest problem the show has is its use of graphic visuals of a teenage girl slitting her wrists and bleeding out in a bathtub. People should be able to talk about serious issues without exploiting them through means like ‘13 Reasons Why.’

er breath was ragged, and she could feel her heart beating in her ears. She tossed the ball, and her arm arced forward as she swung at the serve. Varsity tennis player and senior Savannah Forbes was spending her Saturdays on the tennis court. To graduate this year because of excessive snowfall, seniors have been asked to choose Saturday make-up day activities. Activities range from AP review classes, Hanford tours, and listening to speeches. But for seniors like Forbes who play sports, finding the time between school and athletics has proven difficult. “As much as I would love to say that [sports] should count-because it would be more convenient for me-I don’t think sports should count as senior makeup days,” she said. Forbes also said that because the snow days took away classroom learning time, the makeup days should be focused on academics rather than athletics. “We are facing this problem because students haven’t had enough inclass instructional time and sports don’t provide that. I think the Saturday makeup sessions are going to be really useful to seniors, especially those who are in AP classes and who will spend that time reviewing for the upcoming exams because they will get the opportunity to catch up with where other students in the country are,” said Forbes. Forbes, who is taking four AP classes this year, believes that Saturday classes would be beneficial to all seniors, but more important to those taking higher classes like AP. “Sports are amazing, and I think we can learn a lot from them, but they won’t teach us how to pass our...exams, and Saturday review sessions with our teachers will,” she said. Senior makeup days should stick only to academic activities. But while sports are valuable in teaching students lessons in teamwork and communication, school should take priority.

Bullying statistics and photo courtesyw of edtechideas.com

Students need to stand against bullying By MORGAN ECKHARDT STAFF REPORTER

ince bullying is such a huge problem with high school students, each year our school devotes a week to discourage it. This year, the week of emphasis was in March right before spring break. This year, each day our ASB featured a different video that showed how bullying was harmful. They had different themes for each day, and each student wrote encouraging words on paper balloons to be displayed outside the ASB room that week. These words were to fellow students to lift them up and make them feel good. About whether or not bullying exists at Kamiakin, students weighed in. “I’ve never been bullied, but I stood up for the person getting bullied, trying to defend them against the bully,” senior Amy Browning said. Bullying takes different forms. Students don’t realize that sometimes it’s even the little things we say to each other that can cause great harm or make someone’s day. For example, making jokes

about the way someone does something or dresses can cause harm. But some students don’t believe that it is a problem here. “I haven’t seen any bullying honestly,” said sophomore Christian Wilson. Even if bullying is not as obvious on campus, students’ exposure to social media makes them vulnerable. In a survey by DoSomething. org, they found that “about 43 percent of students are bullied online and 70 percent said they saw frequent cyberbullying daily.” What’s more troubling is that in that same study over 90 percent of teens who observed someone cyberbullied ignored it. Cyberbullying can be just as harmful as bullying at school. In fact, it has led to multiple suicides in the past. However, it is easier to ignore, too. Students need to be in the habit of reporting any kind of bullying that they observe. And if they are victims of bullying, they need to have the courage to tell someone. Not speaking up makes people just as guilty as the perpetrator. What you say or don’t say, do or don’t do, can have life or death consequences.

Chief IN-DEPTH Legends

FRIDAY, APRIL 21, 2017 The Tomatalk • Kamiakin High School

Chief Legends In Depth

Dangerous driving: a threat to students

Redesigned Audi A6 Safest cars: what students should drive By TATUM MCELROY STAFF REPORTER

his is the only compact car on the list. The Sentra has top IIHS ratings in all crash tests. Test engineers wrote that in side crash tests, the side curtain airbag will protect the head of both driver and passenger. Test drivers noted the Sentra as a good daily commuting car. It’s rated at 29 MPG. Also, its list price is about $20,760.

D T

his compact car received the top “good” rating within all of the IIHS crash tests, including a difficult Small Overlap test. That test focuses on the car hitting a tree or light pole with one corner of the car. Other tests include a broader front crash, side crash and roof strength in a rollover crash. Crash prevention Mitigation on the A6 includes automatic braking, plus adaptive cruise control that uses radar to keep the car a certain distance away from the vehicle ahead. The list price for this luxury car ranges from $46,200 to $70,900. The 2008 Audi A6. Photo courtesy of hdwalls.xyz.

The Buick Encore

he Encore was top rated in every IIHS crash tests, and has a turbocharged four cylinder engine that is rated at 25 MPG. Also Engineers noted that in a small front crash test, the front and side curtain airbags worked well together in protecting the dummy’s neck and head. The Encore price ranges from $24,065 to $30,935.

The 2017 Nissan Sentra. Photo courtesy of thenewswheel.com.

Other noteworthy cars: Kia Sorento: The Sorento has scored very well in the roof strength test which is key if you are in a rollover accident. It also passed with ‘good’ in every IIHS crash test. The Sorento is priced from $24,900 to $43,100.

Chevrolet Trax: A new generation of small subcompact SUVs, the

Trax also received the top “good” rating in all of the IIHS crash tests. Scientists noted that the knee airbag helped prevent against leg and foot injuries, while the side airbag protected the driver’s head in a side collision. The Trax has 26 MPG in a city, while 34 on the highway and is priced around $26,530.

Drinking

New drivers By DALANEY TORELLI STAFF REPORTER

he Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) is an independent, nonprofit scientific and educational organization dedicated to reducing the deaths, injuries, and property damage from crashes on the nation’s roads. They make a list of the top five cars that have tested ‘Good’ in two different categories. The first category is in is crashworthiness, and the next is measuring the mitigation within a car. Mitigation is technology that can prevent a crash or lessen its severity. The cars that are listed below are a list of the IIHS scientist top picked vehicles for 2016.

The Nissan Sentra

Impaired driving: causing serious implications

riving around a high school campus can be scary because of new and inexperienced drivers. These drivers are often fresh out of driver’s education classes, and are known for making mistakes. They are either overlycautious and skittish, or drive too fast and over-confidently. In 2014 alone, 2,270 teens in the United States from ages 16–19 were killed, and 221,313 were treated in emergency departments for injuries suffered in mo-

tor vehicle crashes. Students look past dangerous driving habits until someone becomes injured because of their reckless driving. Many experienced drives say younger drivers are more distracted, and in some cases it’s true. But some people think new drivers are better than most adults now. School security has seen its fair share of new drivers. There have been multiple car crashes on campus because people aren’t diligent enough when it comes to looking behind them. Several students have been severely injured because of these mistakes.

Texting

By EMILY REYNOLDS STAFF REPORTER

exting and driving is one of the main causes of accidents all around the country. According to textinganddrivingsafety.com, around 83 percent of Americans between the ages 16-17 own cell phones. Thirty-four percent of those people have admitted to texting while driving, and 52 percent have admitted to talking on the phone while driving. Pasco police officer Adam Brewster agreed the problem of texting and driving is serious. Over one million collisions per year involve texting and driving. Brewster had some advice on how to keep people off of their phones while driving. “Well, we could have apps that keep you off your phone while in motion, but I think the main thing here is awareness. Being aware of the true consequences of a simple text is the best place to start when it comes to keeping people off of their phones,” he said.

By EMILY REYNOLDS STAFF REPORTER

rinking and driving continues to be a huge factor in impaired driving. Officer Adam Brewster said that just last week he made around 12 traffic stops. Two were for texting, three for talking, the rest for drinking or other forms of distraction. When asked if he thinks DUIs will be going down at all in the upcoming future, Brewster responded, “As of right now?

Smoking By EMILY REYNOLDS STAFF REPORTER

By JACLYN GAZEWOOD ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

n 2012, Washington State became one of the first states to legalize the recreational use of marijuana. Although it has been legalized, there is an age restriction, a restriction on the amount you may have, and a restriction on how much may be present in a person’s bloodstream while driving. On the topic of smoking and driving, Kennewick Officer Paul Reynolds says that the legalization of marijuana has increased accident numbers since 2012, and statistics show that he’s correct. According to CBS Seattle, one in nine drivers involved in a fatal collision will test positive for marijuana, and marijuana-related traffic stops have increased by 16 percent in 12 years.

The 2013 Buick Encore. Photo courtesy of automoblog.net. All photos courtesy of pixabay.com.

No. DUIs have always stayed about the same. People will continue to do it. Even if some people decide to sober up and change their ways, younger people will get involved in the scene.” Brewester thinks that one thing that would help curb the issue is if people faced more consequences and sooner. “…As of right now you can have up to five DUIs before it becomes a felony, and that’s way too much. We shouldn’t be letting people off the hook so easily for distracted driving,” he said.

arijuana is the most commonly used illicit drug in the United States. Its widespread use among young people resulted in more than 11 million young adults ages 18 to 25 using marijuana in the past year. After a person smokes marijuana, it generally begins to affect the body 30 minutes to an hour later. Using marijuana poses many risks, especially behind the wheel. When someone is under the influence of marijuana, their reaction times become much slower, and they often have difficulty thinking and problem solving, and they can have impaired memory. Studies have shown drunken drivers tend to drive faster than normal and overestimate their skills. The opposite is true for people under the influence of marijuana. The deficits of being stoned really begin to show when people have to handle multiple tasks at once and are confronted with something unexpected.

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FRIDAY, APRIL 21, 2017 The Tomatalk • Kamiakin High School

Tribal Games SPORTS

Coach Spotlight: Joyce Donais

By EDGAR CAZARES SPORTS EDITOR

ne of the most successful programs at Kamiakin is the girls’ track and field team. The team has had many coaches, but one of the most well-known is English teacher Joyce Donais. Donais has been the Kamiakin hurdles coach for almost 25 years. “I grew up running track and field, and I got a full ride track and field scholarship to the University of Washington, and I just loved it,” said Donais. Some highlights during her time at Kamiakin have been when the girls’ team won three consecutive state championships coming in first place each time. Donais claims that no other school in Washington has ever accomplished that, or say they could have an achievement like this. “My most memorable moment was in 2006 when we had the Kamiakin Hurdle Dynasty, when I had first place in the men’s hurdles both in the 100’s and 300’s hurdles events at the state meet. Also in the girls, I had the 100’s hurdles state champion and second in the 300’s. So we basically had a Hurdle Dynasty. We ruled the hurdle events that year…as a team,” she said. Donais is thankful for the years she’s spent as a coach and all the achievements she been present for. “It’s been a dream come true, and instilling that same passion that I had for track into [students] and for them to win some state championships just like I did in high school, it’s been a joy,” she said.

Join Journalism! Can count as an Occupational Credit, an elective credit, or an English credit (seniors only).

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From left to right: Top: Junior Benson Smith, sophomore Parker Lee, Coach Donais, seniors Zach Borish and Nate Hieden. Middle: sophomore Alexa Hazel, junior Kylie Scherbarth, sophomores Britney Donais and River Holle. Bottom: freshmen London Nieffenegger and Grace Meek. Photo by Edgar Cazares.

Tribute to Cooper: baseball team honors teammate By MADISON MORGAN EDITOR IN CHIEF

he boys from the baseball team stood together, proudly displaying the baseball jersey, the one on the back symbolizing more than just a number. The jersey belonged to senior Cooper Ellison, who passed away due to an ATV accident Oct. 14. Cooper was a shortstop on the school’s varsity baseball team his junior year. “We unofficially retired his number. No one is wearing it this season, and we bring the jersey to every game and hang it in the dugout,” said senior Ryan Dearing. Dearing is a varsity pitcher and outfielder and played baseball with Cooper on the same team for three years, but said they’d been playing against each other since they were young. He also said he remembered Cooper as a teammate that raised the morale of everyone around him. “If one of us doesn’t do our job, we rely on the next person to pick him up. Cooper meant that little bit of life support when there was none left in a shut down game. He brought it up. Brought the energy. The support,” Dearing said. Varsity baseball coach Ryan Carter also remembered Cooper as a good player and teammate. “He was a very good kid. He was a very good teammate. And he could relate to everybody. So, you know, that was something that I enjoyed about him as well,” Carter said. Carter said that this year’s team is playing not

From left to right: Seniors Brady Bush, Riley Ellsworth, Tyson Brown, Chase Krumm, and Ryan Dearing holding Cooper’s jersey. Photo courtesy of Kamiakin Yearbook.

only to represent Kamiakin, but Cooper and his family. “Anytime you represent Kamiakin in anything, it’s a big deal, but you know, in particular, after we loss Cooper this fall, we want to make sure that we honor him and we play hard every single time, that we suit ‘em up and we represent

the Ellison family and Kamiakin as best as we can,” he said. Dearing also said this year’s baseball team is not only playing for themselves, but for their fallen teammate. “The season means everything. We are playing for each other alongside Cooper,” he said.

Tribal Reviews ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

FRIDAY, APRIL 21, 2017 The Tomatalk • Kamiakin High School

‘Thor Ragnarok’: a movie worth the wait By EDGAR CAZARES SPORTS EDITOR

he Marvel Cinematic Universe has been a huge creation by Disney Studios and has drawn fans from many generations to love it and some to hate it for their own personal reasons. One reason people dislike it is that the movies aren’t as accurate as the original comic storyline. The next film joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe after ‘Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol.2’ and ‘Spider-man: Homecoming’ is ‘Thor: Ragnarok.’ “I find the trailer to be epic and funny when Hela destroys Thor’s hammer and I’m like ‘WAHH’. Then I saw Thor in the arena when he sees the Hulk... It’s great,” said senior Robbie Jones. This is the third installment of the Thor series, last being ‘Thor: The Dark World (2013).’ Many are not a fan of the Thor movies partly because they’ve performed very poorly in the past due

to the dull and depressing tone of the movie. However, this Thor movie seems to be different from the others. There is more color, and it seems to be a lot more fun than the last, almost like the first Guardians of the Galaxy movies.

Photo courtesy of partysuppliesdelivered.com.

The plot consists of Thor facing the Norse goddess Hela. In a teaser trailer released on April 10, it is shown that Hela was released from her absence and wanted to destroy Thor’s

home, Asgard. In a small confrontation, Thor threw his trusty hammer, Mjolnir, at her but she caught it and destroyed it with ease. Thor was sent to Sakaar and got captured by the Executioner and Valkyrie. After being captured, Thor was given a new look and entered the gladiatorial games and faced off against a familiar friend, the Incredible Hulk. Marvel and movie fans everywhere are much more excited for this Thor movie for many reasons, most being obvious. People expect this movie to be a lot of fun. For those Norse mythology fans, they’ll get a feel for the destruction of Asgard alongside some great Marvel characters that many love. ‘Thor: Ragnarok’ will be released sometime in November of this year. This film will be one to watch if you want to experience a great adventure.

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

The ‘Arrival’ poster. Photo courtesy of thelinc.co.uk

t o d ay r o l e s n our cou e n n e w ic k Ta l k t o y . M e t a li n e / K 5929 W

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The ‘Thor Ragnarok’ poster. Photo courtesy of paperdream.it.

he Oscar winning movie ‘Arrival’ has gotten major views and has been compared to the legendary ‘Interstellar’ movie from 2014. ‘Arrival’ has gotten major views since its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival on Sept. 1, 2016, and at its release in the United States on Nov. 11, 2016. According to imdb.com, it has an 8 out of 10 rating with 294,321 involved in the vote. This movie is based off ‘Story of Your Life’ by Ted Chiang and involves the great unknown threat of another life force coming to Earth. Amy Adams stars as Louise Banks, a linguistics lecturer who is asked by the U.S. army’s Colonel, G.T Weber, played by Forest Whitaker, to help communicate with the aliens with the help of Ian Donnelly, a theoretical physicist who is played by the actor Jeremy Renner. When they come in contact with the aliens, it is the job of Banks and Donnelly to teach the aliens how to communicate with them and to find out their purpose here on Earth. Soon complications and terrors spread throughout the world and panic begins to rise in the community.

The aliens have 12 ships parked in 12 different locations across the world. China tries to further their understanding with the one on their territory, but things lead to suspensions of threat. The U.S. team has to hurry before China begins an attack on the aliens and maybe starts a war bigger than just a world war. Banks and Donnelly hurry to understand the true purpose of the arrival of these creatures and begin to connect to them. Banks begins to understand something that is greater than a person’s mindset and battles for the truth against the world and especially China. With visions, the bending of time, and new theories, Banks begins to unravel the great unknown, showing that flashbacks are maybe the future. This movie has gotten a successful outlook and rating since its arrival in theaters. With a rating in Rotten Tomatoes of 94 percent based on 309 reviews, with an average rating of 8.4/10, this movie has become a must see and is a movie that will make its audience think and question reality and time.