2018-19 Issue 5 by Laurie Bender

“We’re all in this together”

-High School Musical

VOLUME 43• ISSUE 5•JUNE 6, 2019• KAMIAKIN HIGH SCHOOL • 600 N. ARTHUR ST. • KENNEWICK, WA 99336

Around the Campfire NEWS & FEATURE

THURSDAY, JUNE 6, 2019 The Tomatalk • Kamiakin High School

Sp tlights

This senior has big dreams that are coming true By MERIAH RODRIGUEZ STAFF REPORTER

leopatra Howell is a senior here at Kamiakin High School. What makes her spotlight worthy is that she recently discovered that she was accepted into Stanford University. Praised by her classmates and students, many may wonder how she achieved such success or what drove a student to reach high. Howell gave us insight to her accomplishments and struggles, and she even has some advice for others who want to aim high.

A: I kept going no matter what obstacles were there. I definitely did not always know that I would succeed in all my goals, but I think the important part is to keep trying. Q: How have you gone the extra mile to get into Stanford?

A: My parents have worked hard all their lives and have taught me everything. Their kindness and values inspire me to be the best I can be.

A: I was a part of this scholar program called Questbridge, which helped me apply to Stanford University back in October. On the Questbridge application, I was able to add my numerous AP classes, SAT score, and my leadership positions at Kamiakin. I would say working at PNNL (Pacific Northwest National Laboratory), devoting endless hours to theatre and drama at and outside of Kamiakin, and maintaining a high GPA were all contributing factors.

Q: Have you always wanted to go to Stanford?

Q: What advice would you give to students?

A: Ever since I was a little kid, it was my dream to go to Stanford. Over time, I discovered other great colleges as well, but in the end, I have always loved Stanford University.

A: Get involved, be a part of some community, either here at Kamiakin, or somewhere else, and don’t give up.

Q; Who has influenced you in/out of school?

Q: How have you pushed/motivated yourself to reach your goal?

Photo courtesy of Meriah Rodriguez

Students use Cinco de Mayo to teach culBy GRISELDA RIVERA STAFF REPORTER

Photo courtesy of Griselda Rivea

inco de Mayo is all about the Battle of Puebla. On May 5, 1862 Lorencez gathered his army to confront the French army. The city of Puebla was vastly outnumbered by the French. They saw Mexico as weak because of their economic situation, so they decided to attack them to win more land. In Mexico Cinco de Mayo is primarily celebrated in the state of Puebla.

Military parades, recreations of the battle of Puebla and other festive events are some of the things that are included in the Cinco de Mayo traditions. Many people who aren’t from Mexico mistake Cinco de Mayo with the Mexican independence, but the Mexican Independence day is Sept. 16, 50 years before the battle of Puebla. Some companies and businesses use Cinco de Mayo to advertise, celebrate, and party. During this time companies see the chance to earn more money and to sell their products. “People don’t really know what it means. I think it’s just another way to drink,” said counselor Ana Claro. Some people believe that it is the Mexican independence which it is not, and they try to associate Cinco de Mayo with it because it’s a Mexican celebration. We recently had a Cinco de Mayo presentation during our prom assembly. “What we were trying to showcase is the culture. We were trying to have a multicultural event,” said Claro. Rather than celebrating the Mexican Independence which is in the beginning of the school year, it wouldn’t give the students enough time to prepare and plan for the event. They decided to just celebrate Cinco de Mayo. It is more into the year, and the weather is nicer than it is in the fall. Everything was more beneficial.

THURSDAY, JUNE 6, 2019 The Tomatalk • Kamiakin High School

Around theNEWS Campfire & FEATURE

Senior Jared Lustig developed passion photography in four years of class By DAKOTA STEVENS STAFF REPORTER

hotography is an art. To excel one has to be trained and have a passion for this art. A student at our school who meets both criteria is a photography 4 student, senior Jared Lustig. Lustig has taken years of photography here, and he has learned valuable techniques and in the process has discovered a passion for the art of photography. Lustig said that he receives inspiration from other photographers. Nature and adventure are also what inspire him, so most of his photos reflect that. Lustig’s nature photos are very colorful and his portraits are always well lit. According to teacher Charlene Hardy, Lustig’s skills as a photographer have definitely improved through his years as a photographer. His use of shapes and color help you see the bigger picture through the smaller picture. Another photo technique that Lustig uses in his photos bring nature to the indoors. When asked what he would like to portray in all his photos, he said, “I want nature and urban to become one.” Some of his photos in the latest portfolio really show Lustig’s true purpose in photography. His composites look like you could just walk into the photo, take something, and then walk right back out of it. Lustig plans to continue photography as a hobby.

Photos courtesy of Jared Lustig

If you would like to comment, write a letter to the editor, or submit a guest article, contact us at: The Tomatalk: Kamiakin High School, 600 North Arthur St., Kennewick, WA, 99336, 509-222-7015, email tomatalkstaff@gmail.com, or go online at tomatalk.com and comment there.

Staff: Adviser: Laurie Bender Editor-in-Chief: Thomas Metcalf News Feature Editor: Jonathan Ziegenfuss Sports Editor: Maddie Briggs In-Depth Editor: Thomas Metcalf Opinion Editor: Rucy Questad Entertainment Editor: Alison Fellman Cover made by: Dakota Stevens Staff Reporters:

Louis Barrett, Jeremai Hernandez, Jorge Munguia, Taya Questad, Griselda Rivera Madrigal, Meriah Rodriguez, Imogen Santoyo, Anna Solis-Garza, Dakota Stevens and Vazgen Yedoyan

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

THURSDAY, JUNE 6, 2019 The Tomatalk • Kamiakin High School

Gang violence on the rise around school campus By GRISELDA RIVERA STAFF REPORTER

Photo courtesy of Griselda Rivera Bridge with gang taggings

hese past few weeks, we have been aware of gang related activity around campus and around the Tri-Cities and Benton County. We had a week of shootings, fights, murder, and missing people. Are all these related? KEPR Action News said that one of the shootings and the murder of Nunez are definitely related. Kennewick Police Department started “Operation Safe Streets” May 13, and officers made 15 arrests, all gang related. Gang related activities have been increasing in the past couple of years as well as the drug distribution like marijuana, cocaine, LSD (Acid), PCP, inhalants, heroin, and depressants. Methamphetamine has been one of the only drugs that has decreased. Many kids join these gangs to receive protection from other gangs. Other reasons they may join are peer pressure and interpersonal bonding. Being involved in any kind of gang has short and long term consequences, from dropping out of school to serving time in prison. Some students even pay with their lives because of gang rivalry, and if they are in it when they are older, they risk losing their family members. Here at Kamiakin, some gang related activity has been observed although the percentage is very low. “Our staff and administrators work really hard to keep the percentage low,” said Kamiakin security Audalia Dobin. Some students have heard gang whistles, and they have seen bandanas and drurags that represent different gang colors. Recently there was a fight right outside of our campus during lunch, possibly gang related. One thing that security does suggest is that “if you see something, say something.”

McLeod’s science classes have experienced hands-on excitement in space By THOMAS METCALF AND RUCY QUESTAD STAFF EDITORS

eacher Scott McLeod’s physics classes have launched multiple weather balloons into the atmosphere this week and last week. “They’re designing and building a payload to make it to the edge of space, carry three or four GoPros, a whole slew of sensors, and a parachute and a cut down system to get the stuff back,“ said McLeod. McLeod’s classes have been hard at work on making their weather balloons work in order to finally launch them and temporarily be the highest object in the world that is within the atmosphere. “We have three GoPro cameras that take about four hours of video apiece. One gets the curvature of the earth from space, one is the upward facing camera so we can see the balloon burst in space, one looks down so we can see where we are, and then we also have a 360 camera that we can use for [virtual reality] after we’re done and experience the weather balloon launch like you’re in it,“ said McLeod. The balloon used for the launch is a biodegradable and powdery latex balloon. It expands from three feet across to thirty feet across upon the burst. Along with going up into the atmosphere, the balloon records a lot of interesting properties of space. “We get some really weird effects going up there. We have a loud beeper on there, and the beeper goes completely silent because sound doesn’t travel in a vacuum. As soon as you hit the vacuum of space, everything goes silent. All the beeping that happens just disappears until it comes back down,” said McLeod. Another strange property observed by McLeod occurs when the balloon pops in space. Because of nothing being out in space, the helium that was originally in the balloon becomes visible. “The temperature gets down to below Antarctica temperatures, about negative 60 degrees, and then as it kept going up, there’s a point where it starts getting hot again because it hits the ozone layer. Two launches ago, we got up to about 120 degrees fahrenheit up in the upper atmosphere,” said McLeod. There have been a few launches going on this week, and they did a couple last week as well. There will also be videos going up on McLeod’s YouTube channel called Wacky Freaky Science in the near future.

Photo courtesy of Scott McLeod Weather balloon from space

THURSDAY, JUNE 6, 2019 The Tomatalk â&#x20AC;¢ Kamiakin High School

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Tribal Reviews ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

THURSDAY, JUNE 6, 2019 The Tomatalk • Kamiakin High School

“Big Fish” a play that awed students and adults alike By TAYA QUESTAD S TAF F R E PO R T E R

Each year, the drama club performs a couple of plays. This May, they, along with instrumental music, put on the musical, “Big Fish.” It was a huge success. “I think it’s one of our best shows ever, truly a testament to the hard work the kids and our parent volunteers put into the production,” said director Chris Hamilton. There was so much hard work put into this fantastic play. Thirty-two students acted in it and devoted a lot of their own time to perfect their performances. In January, the work began with casting. Rehearsing started in February with some missed practices due to the snow, making them work extra hard for this production. “There were a lot of difficulties, especially with the costumes and choreography. The dances and costume changes were complex! It’s the biggest and most ambitious show we’ve ever attempted,” said Hamilton. This show ended up being a

big hit with the audience. “It was our most well-attended show since I’ve been at Kamiakin,” said Hamilton. The students had to sing complex songs, and the main characters, freshman Brayden Schwartz, senior Jonathan Edwards, and senior Cleo Howell, did such a great job with the singing and acting. The play was a heart-warming tale about appreciating family and not taking them for granted. It was about loyalty and what really makes a person great. “I chose it [the play] because I thought it had a fantastic story that the community could connect to, and I loved the music,” said Hamilton.

Senior Cleo Howell and Senior Jonathan Edwards performing on stage.

‘Educated:’ an absorbing memoir tackles family estrangement By ALISON FELLMAN E N T E R TAI N M E N T E D I T O R

“Educated” is a 2018 memoir by Tara Westover. Tara grew up in the mountains of Idaho, raised by a religious family of survivalists. Her mother worked as an herbalist and midwife, and her father spent his days preparing for the end of the world, when he wasn’t working in their junkyard. Their children did not go to school, except for the oldest ones, until they were persuaded to drop out by their father to help work in the junkyard. His individualistic views grew increasingly radical as the children got older, to the point where getting government aid or going to the hospital was synonymous with surrendering to the illuminati. Tara, the youngest of seven, was homeschooled by her mother, limited to reading and basic mathematics. Literacy was very important in the family, as the children had to learn to read in order to read the Bible. Beyond those basic principles, Tara grew up unaware of many historical events and figures, such as the Holocaust and the Civil Rights Movement, Martin Luther King Jr. and Michelangelo. When she made the decision at the age of 16 to leave home and go to college, she couldn’t have imagined how vastly and quickly her world expanded. Her memories growing up in the iso-

lated mountains of Idaho transformed the more she strayed from them. Tara’s education forever changed her perception of religion, of womanhood, and of her father. Westover, now more than a decade after she first began her education, shares her reflections in sweeping detail. She chronicles all the injuries she and her siblings endured working in the junkyard, her father’s long lectures that bared his paranoia, and her eldest brother’s violent abuse. After attaining her BA degree, Tara traveled to Cambridge, then Harvard to achieve her PhD. Her extensive education shines in her beautifully structured and fully coherent writing. The memoir is compelling and never dull, and it shows that Westover took her time to fully flesh out her story. Though Westover’s upbringing is unlike any other, it is likely the reader will be able to relate to the changing perspective of her family as she grew older. For readers who enjoyed memoirs like “The Glass Castle,” and books involving family dynamics, “Educated” will make the reader contemplate the extent of family loyalty and what it truly means to be educated.

THURSDAY, JUNE 6, 2019 The Tomatalk • Kamiakin High School

Tribal ARTS & Reviews ENTERTAINMENT

The long awaited “Borderlands 3” continues to excite fans By LOUIS BARRETT SHENANIGANS EDITOR

When Gearbox Software released the first installment of the “Borderlands” series in 2009, who could have predicted its 10 year reign over the first-person shooter genre? With a total of four games released so far, the “Borderlands” series has amassed a large, dedicated fan base. The first two games, “Borderlands” and “Borderlands 2,” take place on the planet Pandora, sharing the story of four vault hunters in search of a respective vault. The two outliers in the series are “Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel” and Telltale’s contribution to the series titled “Tales from the Borderlands.” Considered by many to be the shining star of the franchise, “Borderlands 2” is highly praised for its engaging gameplay, humorous dialogue, actionpacked story, and memorable characters. Despite these high standards to live up to, fans are beginning to believe that “Borderlands 3” will give fans an equally good, if not better, successor. Ever since the developers teased the upcoming cast of “Borderlands 3,” fans have not only been excited for the new lineup of playable characters, but the return of many fan favorites as well. Along with many iconic characters from the franchise, the game will also feature characters from the story-driven “Tales from the Borderlands” along

with previous playable characters as NPCs. Despite the controversy about casting a new voice actor for the main character of “Tales from the Borderlands,” fans are still thankful to see that Rhys will be in the sequel. On May 1, Gearbox Software showcased upcoming gameplay for “Borderlands 3,” revealing new features and a glimpse into the story. Not only will the game have many improvements in mobility, such as sliding and climbing onto ledges, but it will also include a new co-op format. On top of cross-play becoming available, co-op will be fairer in regards to loot and shared difficulty. For example, these changes will allow all players in a session to pick up rare loot and prevent difficulty gaps between low-leveled and high-leveled players. Fans are also excited to see that there will be multiple planets which players can travel between via the new and improved “Sanctuary 3.” With the announcement of the upcoming cast, game features, and story details, “Borderlands” fans are ecstatic, anxiously awaiting the release of “Borderlands 3” on Sept. 13. The game is currently available for pre-order on the PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC. Before the game releases later this year, make sure you’re

caught up with the previous installments to make the most out of your “Borderlands 3” experience.

‘Gotham” a series worth watching on Netflix (SPOILER WARNING) By DAKOTA STEVENS S TAF F R E PO R T E R

Batman has forever been a hero that is loved by a large number of people, from his dark backstory to his cool martial arts and gadgets. But the most recent telling of Batman’s backstory, “Gotham,” shows not just the backstory of Bruce Wayne, (SPOILERS: he is Batman) but Jim Gordon. In the first season, it starts out as every Batman story does. Bruce and his parents are walking down a dark alley and his parents are murdered by a low life thug. This is where Jim Gordon comes in. He starts as a rookie who accepts the Wayne Murder case. This season ends up with some of the most dangerous crime bosses going out of business or dying. Oswald Cobblepot aka the Penguin, who is very good at manipulation, becomes a huge crime boss. Going into the second season, Bruce enters school, the first joker is introduced, and a plot to take over the mayor begins. Bruce starts his training, Gordon loses his position as detective, and Theo Galavan is becoming mayor. In the third season, Bruce is trained by the League of Shadows, led by Ra’s al Ghul. Barbara becomes a crime boss, Barbara is Gordon’s ex-girlfriend who becomes insane, and she starts running her own club called the Siren’s Club. Season four is all about the first joker, Jerome Valeska. He finds a bunch of villains like himself to help terrorize Bruce Wayne and the City. In this season Jerome Valeska dies and his brother

Jeramiah Valeska becomes the real joker. At the end of the season, Jeramiah blows up the bridges into and out of town, sending Gotham City into an Apocalyptic time. The fifth and final season of “Gotham” has this post-apocalyptic vibe where the police department is against Jeremiah Valeska and the government/army. This is one of the most important seasons in developing characters, heroes, and villains. Characters like Bane, Talia al Ghul, and Barbara Lee Gordon are introduced, and people who have already been introduced are finally coming out to their full potential. All in all, the wrap-up of this series was very well-written and we will miss “Gotham” as a series.

Chief IN-DEPTH Legends

THURSDAY, JUNE 6, 2019 The Tomatalk • Kamiakin High School

SENI

All about Kamiakin’s gr

Where is the senior class going afte By RUCY QUESTAD STAFF EDITORS

AND THOMAS METCALF

Location

Number of students

Tri-Cities CBC WSU Tri-Cities CWU BYU Provo WSU Pullman EWU Gonzaga BYU Idaho Wenatchee Valley College Portland UW Johnson and Wales University Penn State Grand Canyon University Life University Germany Montana State University Cal Poly BYU Hawaii Stanford West Virginia Perry Tech UNLV Emory University Western Washington University Eastern Oregon University University of Iowa Campbell University US Air Force Academy Navy Military

16 22 5 6 5

**NOTE: These results are from a class survey of which only a few teachers were willing to participate, so that is why the results are incomplete.

8 4 4 5 2 3 1 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 3 1

Seniors have shared where they will be going after grad

THURSDAY, JUNE 6, 2019 The Tomatalk â&#x20AC;¢ Kamiakin High School

IORS

Chief Legends IN-DEPTH

raduating class of 2019

er graduation?

duation. Here is where they are going. Photo courtesy of commons.wikimedia.org

Chief IN-DEPTH Legends

THURSDAY, JUNE 6, 2019 The Tomatalk • Kamiakin High School

Seniors share some of their special memories F By MADISON BRIGGS SPORTS EDITOR

our years of high school go fast. As seniors near the end, it is easy to reminisce about both the good times and bad. Here some of our seniors share their favorite moments: Karen Harrison

“I started playing tennis in my freshman year. I had never played before. But I’m always interested in trying new things. Each year I made a lot of good friends in tennis. Sarah Miller and Jeff Van Eaton, the varsity coaches, would mix it up sometimes where we would get a guy as a partner and every 10 minutes we’d switch. It was a lot of fun! This year we went to the Boise Tournament. I played mixed doubles with a partner I’d never played with before. It went a little rough, but we had a blast! It’s so much fun getting out of school and out of my element. It was a lot of fun socializing and playing together. We had a blast! My senior year was my favorite because my partner and I got along so well. We had great energy and communication skills.” Photos courtesy of Madison Briggs and Leah Kennedy

Rylie Clark

“During basketball season we practiced every day and sometimes on Saturdays. The drills made us better at certain motions. With all the snow this year, we held extra practice time. Coach Lane Schumacher was always supportive and wanted us to do the best we could. His work ethic was reflected in our practices. There was a big push to get to State since we had gone in previous years, so we trained really hard. We hung out together before games and even when we weren’t playing. We would listen to music together. I really liked my team. I enjoyed playing and getting to know everyone on the team.” Trent Meacham “Man of La Mancha,” my first full-length play and my first experience with one acts, gave me my roots and love for acting and drama as a whole. “Man of La Mancha” took a longer production time since it was a musical. Normal plays take about a month. But producing a musical,

you need to incorporate the band, the singing, the choreographing, the fight scenes, and maybe some dance numbers. So musical productions, like “Man of La Mancha,” take about three months. I was with some other cast members as part of a group called the muleteers. We were kind of like a gang. A bunch of jerks rough-housing around. At that time, I only had one line, so it wasn’t difficult. I just had to express myself with body language. During one scene, as a whole group, we had to lift up this large pallet table with one of the actresses on top. It was the scariest thing the first time, and she was a bit freaked out! But as we practiced, we got used to it. Our first and final performances were probably the best. The first and last have the most energy. You want to start off strong and end strong. It’s always a bit nerve-racking but it’s always fun. As a senior, you get used to that by now. “Big Fish” was the last play for us seniors so it was a pretty emotional experience. There were a lot of seniors this year in drama. We were all crying at the end, and it was really sad to see it end. But we made great memories.

The puzzling question many have about seniors dropping out their last semester of school By IMOGEN SANTOYO STAFF REPORTER

ore than 27 percent of seniors leave school because they are failing too many classes. Seniors forget it’s their last year, and 26 percent of seniors drop out because they are bored. Seniors leave at what should’ve been their last year of being a student. Seniors don’t see the ending of the race but a long road with nowhere to go. So they give up. Some of them choose what seems like the easier alternative, like getting their G.E.D. All of this seems so crazy to students who are reaching the finish line and to other high school observers. Why give up now? Why give up something they dream of achieving since middle school? Seniors drop out because life gets in the way. “About 26 percent also say that they dropped out to become caregivers, and more than 20 percent say that school simply wasn’t relevant to their lives.” (LearningLiftoff.com) But there are some other reasons, too, like needing to make money to support their families, being held back, and also becoming pregnant. Finally, there are also too many expectations made by teachers. Seniors get what is called “senioritis” and tend to not care for anything and just ignore anything school-related. These students tend to only care

for the fun and not the school, nor the schoolwork being provided to them. So, this can also be why some students drop out. To seniors It seems there›s no time to finish anything at all. Some can’t take the pressure put on to them, but some students don’t mind the pressure given to them. Also, some seniors are given support through whatever they choose while a portion of seniors aren’t even supported at all. As you can see, there are so many factors that explain why seniors drop out. Some of our students add their ideas.

Q: Is being a senior difficult? A: Senior Ashelyn Lockarde: Yeah, people telling you, you need to grow up. A: Senior Felicia Esquivel: More stressful. Worrying about college and you have to multitask a lot. A: Junior Emily Cox: Being a senior comes with a lot of responsibility, and it’s when you’re considered an adult and on the last stretch of your high school journey.

Q: Why do you think seniors leave before graduation? A: Senior Ashelyn Lockarde: It could be because they don’t care anymore. A: Senior Felicia Esquivel: Teachers put on a bunch of extra pressure. A: Junior Emily Cox: It could be a number of reasons: Home life, financial problems, lack of drive to finish the school year. Photo courtesy of Imogen Santoyo.

THURSDAY, JUNE 6, 2019 The Tomatalk • Kamiakin High School

Tribal Games SPORTS

Special bond between soccer girls will not be easily broken By DAKOTA STEVENS STAFF REPORTER

Colleges noticed many of our athletes’ accomplishments

ports has always had the power to bring people together, and sometimes these sports teams can turn into sports families. Our soccer team here at Kamiakin has created a small family of their own out of nine students who have been here since their freshman year. Teacher Joyce Donais said, “They all played on the Kamiakin soccer team all four years together.” Britany Donais, Sarah Ensign, Emma Johnson, Izzy Conover, Caeri Ward, Rylee Clark, Maddie Morgan, River Holle, and Bela Nicacio have developed close relationships borne out of their common teamwork and experience. Also before school sports, most of the girls played club soccer together from young ages. Since all of these girls are having a graduation party this year, it was not possible for the moms of these girls to go to all of them. So the moms had a special party for them on this Memorial Day, all giving special gifts to every one of them. But one of these gifts was very special because it was handmade and represented what each of the girls are. Ensign’s mom started on these

By JONATHAN ZIEGENFUSS STAFF REPORTER

T Together, the girls soccer team spend a special day with their moms making quilts. Photo courtesy of Joyce Donais.

quilts three years ago and put lots of time and work into them. Each of these girls’ quilt is based on her personality and what she represents. These special quilts are something that these girls can have forever that will remind them of their time together playing for the Kamiakin soccer team.

“They all played on the Kamiakin soccer team all four years together.”

Coach Elise Fleming had her start as a Brave By TAYA QUESTAD STAFF REPORTER

Elise Fleming jumping into school spirit as she leaps towards the finish line. photo courtesy of Elise Fleming.

oach Elise Fleming was a former student herself. When she attended Kamiakin over 10 years ago now, she also was involved in track and field. When she graduated, she attended Eastern Washington University for four years, where she also competed in track and field. She could not have done it without support, which she found most through her coaches. “They were very supportive and encouraging to me,” she said. When Fleming graduated from Eastern, she had the opportunity to return to her alma mater as a coach this time. She will be going into her seventh season next season.

Fleming said that coaching isn’t always easy. “I think when you want something so badly for your athletes and you see them work so hard for it and it’s just not their day. This is the hardest part about coaching because you get to experience all of their successes and their struggles in their athletic journey, and it’s important to be there for all those parts, but you want them to succeed,” she said. One tradition that Fleming cherishes is that before each meet, she and her athletes do a fun jumper cheer where they put their hands in and count to three. Then they jump at the same time.

Fleming finds it rewarding to coach the types of girls she has the opportunity to coach. “They’re the best in the state, and we have the most athletic and talented kids in the state of Washington,” she said. Fleming feels like she really connects with her athletes. “I relate to them in so many ways. I’ve experienced the things that they are now experiencing at the same school with a lot of the same coaches and same teachers, so I know the struggle and also the joy that can come from those experiences. I think that’s the easiest way to connect… when you have shared experiences,”she said.

he college sports signing celebration was on May 29. There were 25 students who decided to go on to the next level to continue to play sports plus a couple more who are still in the process. At the beginning of the celebration, athletic director Casey Gant spoke about the group of seniors that signed on. Gant said during the beginning of the ceremony that he had no doubt that this group of students will go on to do amazing things in the future. Senior Gavin Ayers is going on to Wenatchee Valley Community College to continue playing baseball. He is really looking forward to playing there. “I always just wanted to play in college and just being able to go there, it meant a lot to me,” Ayers said. He also said that Wenatchee Valley wasn’t the only college that he was looking at, but he had a few other colleges in mind. The reason that he chose this school was because of the atmosphere around Wenatchee, and the coach. Senior Brayden Frietag is going to Eastern Washington University to continue with Track and Field. “It means a lot. I’ve worked really hard these past four years, so it just means that all the hard work is paying off,” Frietag said. He said that this was the only college he was looking at. The reason he chose Eastern is because “my dad went there [and also did Track and Field], so I just wanted to continue the legacy.” When asked why he thinks this celebration is important to the school and/or community, Frietag said, “Because it recognizes everybody that may not get recognized in all their sports that they do. Some of the smaller sports don’t get recognition on the big scale [like swimming].”

Tribal Talk

THURSDAY, JUNE 6, 2019 The Tomatalk • Kamiakin High School

OPINION & EDITORIAL

PRO: Medical marijuana serves a legit purpose and should not be criticized ByJORGE MUNGUIA STAFF REPORTERS

s of 2019, 33 of the 50 states have now legalized medical marijuana, and 10 of those states have legalized it for recreational purposes. Is this a good thing, or has it mostly hurt society? If used correctly, marijuana can have many benefits, especially for those who suffer chronic pain or those who have been diagnosed with diseases like cancer which lead to lives filled with chronic pain. For many years, marijuana has been a controversial topic and over the years, society has given “pot” a bad image although there have never been any reported deaths on overdosing on this drug. In fact, it is impossible to overdose on marijuana, unlike other drugs including alcohol. According to potguide.com “Someone would have to take 40,000 times the normal amount of cannabis to die. Other estimates say that a smoker

would theoretically have to consume nearly 1,500 pounds of marijuana within 15 minutes to induce a lethal response” or “smoke 20 to 40,000 joints with .9 grams of weed each before dying.” The part that marijuana affects is not located in the brain stem and does not affect any essential functions, like breathing or our heart rate. Medical marijuana has lot of benefits (for the people who need it). For instance, people use marijuana to calm pain that Trigeminal Neuralgia (TN) causes. The trigeminal nerve is located within the brain. It is primarily responsible for transmitting sensation from the brain to the face. It is considered “one of the worst pains known to mankind.” Most people who suffer from this chronic pain compare it to “severe burns, birth, and a bite from a bullet ant.” About 62% of people who

use medical marijuana use it for chronic pain. It comes in many forms (medical marijuana) from liquids, oils, candies, lotions etc. Each has its own kind of effectiveness. Some people might prefer the candy and some the actual flower to smoke. Others might use the lotion depending on where the pain is. Marijuana does not just help with pain. Doctors also prescribe it to people who suffer from depression or anxiety. People have to go through the correct process if a doctor approves them, too. The doctor issues them a medical card showing that they have the approval to use medical marijuana. This card will allow a person to use it in the states that allow the use of medical marijuana, and it allows them to possess more than the legal amount for recreational purposes.

CON: Legalization of marijuana has only hurt teens

By JERMAI HERNANDEZ STAFF REPORTERS

arijuana is a controversial drug because of all the medical benefits it has and also many risks. Marijuana use harms more than just the person using the drug. The cost of marijuana use includes paying for increased emergency room visits, medical care, and addiction treatment for those who aren’t insured. Traffic accidents have increased 62% following the legalization of marijuana. Driving under the influence of marijuana is very dangerous. Studies done by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) have shown the effect of THC, which marijuana contains. It can cause slower reaction time, risk-taking, and impaired route planning. [Marijuana] impairs the student’s ability to make appropriate judgment, especially in regards to how students react, especially with students because your brains are still developing. The impact of drugs on your brain affects your ability to learn because your brain is still developing and what you are doing is impacting the development of your brain. A person’s brain doesn’t fully

develop completely until they’re in their twenties and so you’re stunting that growth when you expose your brain to something like that,” said vice principal Mary Isley. In the last few decades, marijuana has been modified and engineered to become much more potent, to the point that it may cause psychosis (a severe mental disorder in which thought and emotions are so impaired that contact is lost with external reality). Marijuana’s main ingredient is THC (tetrahydrocannabinol, a crystalline compound that is the main active ingredient of cannabis). There’s strong evidence that THC is related to psychosis regardless of other risk factors. CBD (cannabidiol, one of the many cannabinoids, or chemical compounds, found in marijuana and hemp) is also another ingredient in marijuana that seems to counteract THC effect. “The tough thing with drugs is that kids are pretty creative in hiding things and so when we have kids who have integrity, when we have kids who want to keep the school safe, when we have

kids who care about others and want to make sure they are protected, these handful of kids come forward and tell us about what they see or they hear and we act on it. Usually the students with the drugs aren’t thinking about safety, and all they think about is the money they will make. The kids that are caught with drugs on campus go through a procedure that we have to follow established by the school district, and usually they don’t come back but we try to keep the school a clean and safe place for our students,” said Isley. Marijuana is having a great impact on this generation in a negative way. Now that marijuana is legal in 33 of 50 states, it’s very easy for students or anyone to get ahold of it, and the legalization of marijuana has caused death rates to rise because of the impairment of driving.

THURSDAY, JUNE 6, 2019 The Tomatalk • Kamiakin High School

Tribal Talk

OPINION & EDITORIAL

KaHS Editorial Board Jonathan Ziegenfuss, News and Feature Thomas Metcalf, In-Depth Alison Fellman, Entertainment

Rucy Questad, Opinion Maddie Briggs, Sports

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.

Goodbye...

Letters from the Editors

ear Kamiakin, I’ve spent two and a half years at this school. Before that, I went to many activities at Kamiakin before I even attended the school. Both of my parents even went to Kamiakin. And after all of that, I still cannot call Kamiakin my home. The amount of changes that have occurred since my return to the United States have been massive. There were some changes that were small, but there were also some that were massive. But before I get into that, I’d like to thank some people. First, I’d like to thank Mrs. Bender for being a great adviser for the Tomatalk. She has been a great guide and an influence on me and my writing. I’d also like to thank the rest of the Tomatalk’s editors and reporters for making this a successful year in the journalism class. I also want to thank the instrumental music students, especially Logan Terry and Stephen Osmonson. They have been my closest friends ever

amiakin, finally graduation is here. We have been waiting 12 years for this day to come. This final stretch is the hardest, and we want to give up. At least I know I want to give up. The past four years at Kamiakin has been unforgettable for sure. I have lots of people to thank for making my high school career a success. First person I would like to thank is Mrs. Senor for everything you have done for me. If it wasn’t for you and FFA, I don’t know what I would have done. So thank you. I would like to thank Mrs. Bender and Mrs. Feth for nurturing my love

since middle school and I’m so grateful that they are in my life. I want to thank Mr. Russell as well for being an amazing music teacher. He’s taught me more than any other teacher in these years and I’ve enjoyed being in the many ensembles and bands at Kamiakin. But, even with all of this, I don’t feel like Kamiakin is my home. Starting freshman year, I felt excited to be at this school. It seemed so inviting and like it was such a close-knit society. But I realized quickly that this wasn’t the case. I expected cliques to exist, but I never expected it to be so massively divided. This year, it’s gotten even worse. Politics and racism have negatively impacted the already divided school up to the point where there’s been a walkout against it. Not only that, but the arts and other activities have been getting more and more overshadowed by sports. I remember my freshman and sophomore years of marching band. I felt like people actually enjoyed watching our halftime perfor-

of writing. Thank you to all my friends who stuck with me and for those who didn’t you taught me a valuable lesson. Come fall 2019 I will be attending the University of Idaho in their agricultural program. As of right now I will be majoring in agribusiness. This letter is going to be short and sweet because senioritis has hit me like a ton of bricks.

Sincerely, Thomas Metcalf

Photo by: Jamie Green

Sincerely, Rucy Questad P.S. My actual name is Eyerusalem for those of you that don’t know. My name means the city on the hill

mances. But this year, it felt like we were just there and that no one was really interested, though our show was subjectively one of the best in the past few years. I’d like to finish off by saying that even with all of these issues, I can’t say I didn’t enjoy my time here. I met some great people and had some amazing teachers who have taught me a lot. Overall, thank you Kamiakin for giving me a place to learn. At least the education I obtained was fine for the most part. And thank you for being the reason why I want to go to college so badly.

Photo by: Devon Donnelly

Tribal Talk

OPINION & EDITORIAL

THURSDAY, JUNE 6, 2019 The Tomatalk • Kamiakin High School

Why we shouldn’t stray from literary classics By LOUIS BARRETT SHENANIGANS EDITOR

he importance of language arts has been heavily emphasized in our English education, exposing us to poetry, writing tactics, and most notably, classic literature. Whether you’re invested in or distasteful of the subject, there’s no refuting the benefits of the art. Given the subject’s advantages of literacy, analysis, vocabulary expansion, and exposure to knowledge, reading is becoming tragically underappreciated. In a modern day full of technology and societal changes, younger generations are beginning to stray away from the independent practices of reading. Schools provide us with the resources and encouragement to read by revolving entire units around books. In turn, some students complain about or outright refuse to read their books, despite how it may affect their grades. When assigned to read classic literature, the opposing question is simply: “Are these stories outdated for our modern day society?” While

playing the devil’s advocate, many points can be drawn from each conclusion. The primary argument for those opposed to classic literature is that classics revolve around a world far behind them, taking place in a culture they’re unfamiliar with. Another justification may be that modern day problems aren’t addressed, and that they cannot relate to the story’s context. Despite these plausible points, I beg to differ on the subject. Classics give us a glimpse into history, provoking our thoughts and allowing us to compare their respective time period to ours. As they stand the test of time, stories such as “Lord of the Flies” hold themes related to human nature, a subject that will never grow outdated. The emotions portrayed in classics are also a universal quality, empathizing feelings of love, jealously, and sadness. Not only do we gain knowledge of ourselves and humanity, but we are also challenged by the story’s structure and writing. Classics define

the art of literature with their mastery of diction, characterization, foreshadowing, symbolism, imagery, etc. For example, classics will significantly benefit those who wish to pursue a career in writing, teaching the literary devices that strengthen a story. But even beyond the literary dreamer, an individual will learn the themes and lessons presented in a story, along with the analytical skills needed to comprehend them. A notable example are the themes presented in “To Kill a Mockingbird,” revolving around equality, point of views, and society. Even if classic literature isn’t your cup of tea, there’s a sea of stories that’ll teach man far more than the horizon of his own life ever could. With the limited time and circumstances of our lives, classics provide us a point of view that we’d never know otherwise. The foundation of education depends on literature, which brings upon knowledge, literacy and open-mindedness.

Bullying is a problem that needs to stop By JAMES ARANA G U E S T CO L U M N I S T

ullying is a thing that happens everywhere, and I want to change that. When students are bullied, they will tell someone or hold it in. Some students fear what might happen if they told. I can personally relate to the feeling. Sometimes the schools aren’t even helping the student out with the bully. They will make all these promises and not follow through with them. I have a friend who has gotten notes that say, “Go kill yourself. The world would be better off without you.” This note was only one thing that made his life so miserable that he tried to take his own life, and he didn’t tell the school because when he came to them with the problem before, they did nothing!

So how are we going to stop bullying when we can’t trust the schools to help? When the school doesn’t help out the student, the student will stop coming to them and then that student may hurt themselves. According to “Dosomething.org” it states, “Over 67% of students believe that schools respond poorly to bullying with a high percentage of students believing that adult help is infrequent and ineffective.” Can you believe that? How are students going to get the help they need if something doesn’t change? But this problem isn’t just local. It is nation-wide. In Elko, Nev. a 16-year-old boy suffered serious brain trauma as a result of an encounter with a bully. So what is to stop the same thing hap-

pening here? Nothing, that’s what unless something changes. I want to create something for the students who are being bullied and the bullies. I would like to make a club or even a paper that students could write what is happening to them anonymously. Because having a week devoted to anti-bullying isn’t enough, and I was even bullied during that week. This needs to be an all year thing. It’s time to make a change and that starts today. If you are interested in being part of the solution, or if you want to share your story, please write us at tomatalkstaff@gmail.com.

Concerns about vaccine safety leads to massive increase in cases of the measles virus By ALLISON FELLMAN ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

rom Jan. 1 to May 3 of 2019, there have been more than 940 outbreaks of the measles, the highest number since 1994. Since the spread of the disease was declared eliminated in 2000, the number of cases, which are continually increasing, is alarming in today’s society. So much so that the Washington state governor declared a state of emergency for fear the spread of the disease would get out of control. In Washington there have been 72 cases of the measles as of April 24, according to the State Department of Health. The increase in outbreaks and cases is linked to the growth of the modern antivaccine movement, upheld by the influence of concerned, paranoid parents to celebrity skeptics.

While the stigma surrounding vaccines (that they are untested, that they can cause neurological disorders, or that the number of vaccines needed is unnecessary) is untrue and not fact-based, vaccine-hesitant parents allow their paranoia to overpower the health of all unvaccinated people in their community, most of them being children who are too young to be vaccinated. Their main concerns lay in the safety of their young children receiving them, leading to them putting their kids on a delayed schedule to receive vaccinations, thinking that delaying them would allow their child’s immune system to grow stronger in order to withstand the several vaccines, but it actually isn’t. If parents follow the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) schedule, a child would be immune to over 14 diseases by the

age of 2. All delaying vaccination does is increase the amount of time a child is at risk to possible diseases at their most vulnerable age. Delaying vaccinations can also increase seizure risk for children over 15 months old, according to a study done by the American Academy of Pediatrics in June of 2014. Though the vitality of anti-vaccine rhetoric is disheartening, the only way to relieve parent apprehension is to keep consistently providing evidence-based information, not by ostracizing their views or aggressively challenging false tropes that belong to more radical groups. Ultimately, their concerns are based on wanting the best for their children, though not on their impact of the people around them.

THURSDAY, JUNE 6, 2019 The Tomatalk • Kamiakin High School