Tri-Color Times 2018-04

Granger high school

Tri-Color Times An open forum for student opinion and expression

TRICOLORTIMES.COM

April 2018 LX-VIII

Granger’s PROM was a hit at the Viridian

By Gabriela Thompson & Hayley Rigby ON MARCH 24, juniors and seniors donned their formal outfits and readied their moves for prom.

As seen in most movies, prom is one of the few events left for the upperclassmen to enjoy in their last year of high school.

The theme was “Au Clair de Lune,” which translates to: by the light of the moon. It was located in West Jordan at the Viridian Event Center. As usual, the dance started at 7 pm and went to 10 pm.

The event center was decorated with white fabric panels that touched from ceiling to floor, that were intertwined with mini led lights. To one side there was a table for refreshments and on the other a full dance floor for Granger Lancers.

Prom is the dance that many students at Granger High School look forward to all year. Dances like this take much preparation and many hours of getting ‘dolled up.’ “It definitely took a long time to get ready, my date and I took our time so that we could look great for the dance,” Jesus Jimenez (12) said.

After all of the stress of day activities and getting ready for prom, the Lancers sure brought it all together for the dance. “In the weeks following up I was prepping for the day. My girlfriend and I wanted to throw a party to make the most out of it. When we arrived, it was really fun and exciting,” Tyler White (12) said.

Another Lancer simply couldn’t find what he needed for the night. “It really did take me

a long time to get ready because I couldn’t find my belt,” Angel Malepeai (12) said. This goes to show that not only does it take the ladies some time to get ready, but the gentlemen as well, with the hair and the makeup preparation the ladies sure brought it all for this one amazing night.

“It took me about an hour and a half to get ready which is kind of a long time. I didn’t show up until about 7:30-7:45ish because of the preparation,” Chantel Hammond (12) said.

As the evening darkened, Lancers arrived as singles and in groups to dance the night away.

The DJ kept spinning songs from the ‘80s to now. Some crowd favorites included: “Red Red Wine”

by UB40, “Finesse” by Bruno Mars featuring Cardi B, and “The

Cha Cha Slide” by DJ Casper.

By the time students were done dancing the “Cha Cha Slide” they needed some replenishments and Lancers loved the snacks table, “I really enjoyed the snacks, I heard it was pretty expensive to supply the dance with all of the cream puffs and mini water bottles,” Malepeai said. Many students couldn’t keep their hands off those delicious cream puffs.

It was also a great time for all the students and faculty watching the dancers, and while the music was questionable for some, all together, it wasn’t bad. “The music was pretty good, could’ve been better though. Overall it was a good environment to be in.”

White said. Lancer’s hope next year’s prom will be just as amazing as this year’s.

Granger High’s 60th Anniversary Prom at the Viridian Event Center was a night to remember—an evening in the moonlight.

The Pi Project helps keep Polynesian students on track to graduate

By Molirae Afemata THE Pi project is a program specifically for Polynesian seniors that are at risk for graduation.

This program has helped students purchase packets that many could not afford on their own.

This program is only within the Granite School District, and it has helped several Polynesian students enjoy the relief of knowing that they will be able to graduate on time with their class. It also keeps students updated with extra outside opportunities that’ll help them with their CPA as well.

“This program has made me more cautious with how close we are to graduation,” Anthony Seiuli (12) said. With graduation only two months away, most students are not aware of how fast time is passing.

This is the first year the of the Pi project, “I go to the Granite schools only, and between Granger, Hunter, and Cyprus, Granger has the most students that are at

risk for graduation,” Joey T., the program manager said.

The Pi project was made originally to help Polynesian students defeat that stereotype of not graduating. Many Polynesians students have parents who graduated from high school, but were not able to enroll into college because their parents had just moved.

It was hard for most students’ parents to go to college, because their family would not be able to provide enough money for their education. This year, parents expect their children to graduate, so that they can have the opportunities many of them did not have.

This program also encourages students to push harder towards their full potential. “I’ve had a lot of pressure on me because my family from out of town are already setting the date to come down for my graduation.” Michael Fuimano (12) said.

One thing Polynesians are mostly known for is having huge

families. Polynesians love supporting their families especially when they’ve made a huge accomplishment, such as graduating from high school.

It’s always a reunion to Polynesian families when special events such as graduating from high school occurs, because they are representing their last name in a good way.

Graduating from high school plays a big part in everyone’s life because it determines how bright the future will be. Getting that diploma helps open the next chapter, and it is a big sign of accomplishment for parents knowing that their children can be independent after high school.

“My parents have always made it clear to me that I was going to graduate. I never really took anything they said seriously.

Now that I’m drawing near to the deadline, I see how much it not only means to me, but to my family, too.” Don Nuusila (12) said.

It’s as most people know, Polynesian families come straight from the Pacific Islands because they know that the United States has better opportunities.

The program manager knows what most Polynesian parents expect from their children and is willing to encourage them to finish strong.

As you can see, most students that are in this program are very

insecure. But this program has motivated many students and that’s helped them to boost their confidence. “I’m going to get it done, regardless,” Seiuli said.

The PI project has been helpful for a lot of students and is making huge progress with Granger Lancers. It’s program has motivated students to put in their best efforts and is continually pushing them to finish strong.

Don Nuusila is ready to graduate.

Want more Granger High School news? Check articles at tricolortimes.com or add us on twitter.com/tricolortimes.

Tri-Color Times VOL. LX Issue 8

April 2018, page 2 | Student News

Granger has several plans to use when responding to threats

By Eric Antonio IN RECENT years, schools all over the nation have witnessed or at least have heard of school shootings happening with most recently, the Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Florida on February 14.

The event sparked an ongoing debate throughout social media about gun laws and being “mentally ill.”

What is also being discussed is what schools and students should do in such situations.

In a casual survey taken at Granger High, 9 out of 10 students feel safe at Granger High.

The reason why is because students have noticed the quickness Granger has of handling situations. “I was here when we had a soft lockdown, I felt like the school did a really good job on reacting to the situation. They were fast,” Caitlyn Olsen (9) said.

Fortunately, Granite School District has a Safe School Protocal which explains three different levels of lockdown protocols: ‘Shelter In Place,’ Lockdown,’ and ‘Lockdown with Cover.’

‘Shelter in Place’ is when there is a potential threat off campus but nearby. It used to be called ‘Soft Lockdown.’ Students participate in normal classroom activities while outside doors are locked, and resouce officers guard school entrances.

‘Lockdown’ is the protocol used when there is a potential threat to student safety either on campus or adjoining to the campus. Classes proceed normally, but all classroom doors are locked and no visitors are allowed. It used to be known as ‘Hard Lockdown.’

The final protocol is ‘Lockdown with Cover,’ and that is when there is a for-sure threat on campus; all students and staff must immediately take cover in the nearest room until the situation is clear. All doors are locked and resource officers respond to the threat.

This information can be found on the Granite School District website under ‘Employee Links.’

The big concern is what happens if Granger faces an extreme threat. The district emergency

manual has a plan for this called: ‘Run, Hide, Fight.’

‘Run’ means to have a plan and route and mind. Get away as fast as possible.

‘Hide’ means to keep out of a shooter’s view and stay quiet.

Block the hiding place entry.

‘Fight’ is the last resort in a case where individual lives are in complete danger. This means to try and incapacitate the shooter in any way possible. Physical aggression is required, for lives may depend on it.

Lancers are also getting an idea of what to do in the situation. “ With this being all over the place, I might start thinking about what to do in the situation a bit more often,” Andrew Fleischel (9) said.

It is important to stay as calm as possible at all times, and it is recommended to be ready to react quickly. Staying quiet plays a huge role in staying safe, and most importantly, staying hidden.

Teachers and administrators are ready for any situation that puts students in danger. Every school is required to have seven

first responders in each building.

A first responder is an individual teacher or administrator who attend special training like CPR or emergency situation training. The main priority is to promote safety around the school and act on any situation where medical attention is needed.

In the case of an active shooter, these individuals are to wait until the threat is gone then help any possible injured students. First responders may also work with the administration and the police officers to stop possible threats. The school’s plan is to keep students safe from a shooter and alert the police.

Once the police stop the shooter, then first responders and officers help students get to a trained individual to aid possible injuries.

“Students should not fear coming to school because of certain events that have taken place somewhere else,” Mr. Babcock, a first responder and Granger counselor, said. “Students shouldn’t fear coming to school. I trust that the students, teachers, and administrators have the opportunity to

know the students and have relationships that can help students have a good life at school,” Babcock said.

The administration encourages students to download the SafeUT App in order to report any threatening activity. The Lancer Plan is to stay calm at all times, listen to the adult in the class and hide until the threat is gone. If lives are at stake, then physical aggression is encouraged.

First responders will take care of any students needing CPR or have any injuries until an ambulance arrives.

There is no need to worry and fear coming to school, the administration and staff will take any necessary action to keep students safe at all times. Granger is a safe place to learn, but it is always helpful to be ready for any threatening situation.

Students who have concerns about school safety should feel free to visit their counselors or favorite administrators. They stand ready to discuss the challenges facing today’s schools and students.

Gaming culture is about communities that come together to play

By Luis Rodriguez THERE are some people who think gaming is a culture, others believe that it is a waste of time.

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion about what they think about gaming and how it affects people. Granger students think that the gaming can be a stress reliever, simply a form of entertainment, or a way to get their anger out of the real world.

Lancers also play games just to escape reality to not think about all the stress that is going on in their life. “I am only focused on the game, not anything else in my life,” Jose Topete (12) said.

Some think that it’s a waste of time like Marcos Suarez (12).

“You can be playing football, soccer, etc. I prefer playing in real life rather than on a console,” he said.

At the same time people may enjoy playing games with their

friends online, most people cannot play most of the time because of distance problems.

Everyone who plays video games recognizes the negative effect of gaming: lack of sleep or the time being played at the moment. “Sometimes I stay up too late playing video games, and I wake up late for school,” Kyle Thompson (12) said.

“Gaming affects your body and your health. It affects you in a good way because you learn more about technology and coding, that is really all that is good about gaming,” Suarez said. Some Lancers believe that it helps one learn more about technology and what’s going on in world.

Although, there may be some positives to gaming, there are a lot of negatives that go along with it. Some students feel as though it has a bad influence.

In some cases people have done

some serious crimes, blaming it on the video games. It may also be that their mind is not really in the right state to be playing such violent games. Most Lancers play around 6-10 pm due to working or doing other things throughout the day.

Some Lancers also believe that gaming doesn’t have a culture.

Reasons for this is because they simply play alone and/or when they have free time. During this time, students are looking for entertainment to wind down from a busy day. “I want to escape reality,” Gilad Lara (11) said.

Others believe that gaming really brings people together. With many races and living styles, teams of people can come together. People may sometimes fight online, but really there is nothing that can really happen over the internet, because know one really knows the people that

they are talking to. People that have friends that are at a very far distance, maybe say they are in a different country or state, whatever the situation may be, they can come together to play in a game.

They can have fun like they use to when they were together at one point, like the saying goes, “we may not talk a lot, but when we do it is like we never stopped talking.”

GHS students can take game development classes and create their own games.

‘Escape the Ordinary’ contest challenges readers at Granger High

By David Laumatia MS. ASAY started Granger’s reading challenge four years ago.

To participate in the reading challenge, a student checks out a book from Granger’s media center.

There is a slip that the librarian gives includes that can be used as a bookmark. However this bookmark has a secret use as a ticket for a drawing in the reading challenge. Students put that ticket in the ticket box, and if selected that student will receive a prize. The next drawing will be towards the end of May. Every year, there is a new theme. Last year it was about super heroes, and this year it is about escaping the ordinary. The challenge started four years ago and each year more students have started to participate.

This challenge has encouraged more Lancers to read and talk more about books. Throughout the challenge, readers focus on a different subject every month.

This month they are focusing on

local heroes, but they have something new coming up next month.

The librarians have tried to do a promotion that goes through the whole year, and they hope that these challenges will get students to finish their books instead of stopping halfway.

Ms. Asay explained her inspiration when it comes to her souce for these themes: “Just talking to all the other librarians and trying to come up with something that will promote the library and encourage kids to read,” Ms. Asay said.

This challenge has been affecting Lancers and helps them to take part in school activities. It has been positive and has encouraged more Lancers each year to read and talk about books.

Some Lancers even had opinions about how the challenge is going. “I think reading is important and every student should participate because reading is good for your brain,” David Simon (12) said.

“Reading it is not only educational, but you can learn a lot from it, and it can also distract you from everything in the real world,” Elena Johnson (12) said.

It has been successful since it began four years ago. Faculty also have opinions about the challenge “Anytime you can get the students to read and to think and broaden their mind, it not only helps the school, but helps all of society,” Ms. Judy said. The library always attempts to do fun things for Lancers by encouraging more students to read and participate in these activities.

Administrators and faculty also have thoughts on the reading challenge “Well I hope that they’re reading more, because there not reading the same stuff they always would, so they get to choose something that they like to read and influence them to see the escape the books can be,” Mr. Anderson said.

“I hope kids finish their books,

not just simply checking them out. If you don’t finish it you don’t get that satisfaction of reading the book,” Ms. Asay said. All the faculty and administrators hope that Lancers are reading more books every year and want them to talk about how that book has affected them.

“I think success can be measured by the students who do it.

Each student who does it experiences the joy of reading and the opportunity to improve themselves as far as number did,” Mr. Anderson said.

There are prizes that you can obtain if you are picked from the ticket box in the library. The prizes are candy, chips, toys, and some G-cards.

But the main prize of the reading challenge that librarians will be giving out Kindle Fires to Lancers. “At Christmas time, we gave away three Kindles, and we will do so again at the end of the year,” Ms. Judy said.

Some of the students had an

interesting opinion about the prizes “I think it’s a good thing, but also those that are reading to get a prize will stop as soon as that prize has been taken off the table.

Sometimes it will get someone to find out that they love to read,” Johnson said.

For those who want to know what next year’s challenge, too bad. It is still a mystery, but there are a few themes that it could possibly be next year: it might possibly be a survivor theme like the Hunger Games or Bookopoly.

David Simon likes to read.

April 2018, page 3 | Opinion

Tri-Color Times VOL. LX Issue 8

In what ways can we help prevent gun violence?

This is not a drill Opinion by Taea Edwards RUN, HIDE, fight. Many people have heard these words, especially when it comes to danger from a shooting.

These are the basic actions that police officers and other authorities recommend you to do in case of an emergency.

Why is this not spoken of more?

News has been circulating like no other about the recent shootings that have been happening in our country.

There have been walkouts, rumors, threats, lockdowns, and much more throughout the past few months.

A lot of things have been happening around our own school, and one thing I don’t think many people do is prepare.

After the Florida shooting many people began getting anxious and worried.

It is completely normal to wonder, “What if this happens to me?” And other questions.

Well, maybe we should all work on actually doing something about it. Not by revolting or anything extreme like that. Just as in school, it is always helpful to be prepared.

In my journalism class, after the Florida shooting we sat down, and the teacher, Mr. Carlisle,

helped plan out with us what we could do if something ever did happen at Granger.

Recently, our school was placed under a series of lockdown protocols—’Shelter in Place’ and ‘Lockdown with Cover’—which weren’t drills.

Instead of worrying or freaking out, many of my classmates followed through with the plan by barricading the door with chairs, shutting off the lights, and crouching in the back room.

Personally, I feel this could have gone a lot worse.

I heard from various people that in other classrooms that tears were shed, and some classes were more frantic, and some people weren’t confused, but they weren’t as prepared as they could have been.

It is always useful to know, at least personally, what you are going to do in these situations.

Just knowing what you can do in certain situations or in different classrooms is a good way to help keep nerves down and handle things with a bit more of a clear mind.

I believe my class handled it very well, and while there was still panic and worry, I felt a lot more comfortable knowing that we were prepared, and that we knew what we were doing.

Opinion by Gwen Loloma THERE have been several tragic mass shootings in the past year, and one of the most common places where they take place is at a school. I discovered some appalling statistics on the cnn website. It claims that there have been 17 school shootings since the beginning of 2018, which is 1.4 per week so far.

That gut feeling you have as a student attending school knowing that you could be in danger or the feeling of a parent sending their child to school thinking that it could be a possibility that they may lose their child whilst at school is not pleasant.

To help ease these kind of issues, there should be certain rules and guidelines set up not only in schools, but in our local communities. Schools should be a secure environment where everyone should feel safe at school.

As we witness so many unnecessary deaths of innocent people taking place in schools and local communities, we need to find more efficient ways to help prevent these things from happening.

The idea of having a no gun zone in the area surrounding our local schools is one good way to decrease the chances of gun violence in schools. I have heard many opinions on what can help but none of them caught my attention.

Opinions ranged from school officers checking students as they walk onto school campus to students learning self-defense and even the idea of teachers being able to carry firearms legally in

Is school the right place for activism?

By Bryon Brinley IT SEEMS that student activism is currently at a high point here in America. With the recent events at Parkland, students are now rising up to see a change. While the Parkland students are ruling the news, there is lots of student activism here at Granger, too.

There are plenty of reasons and topics for student activism, but McKelynn Barber (12) has found hers, and she is looking to spread the word through the introduction of a new club.

“I wanted to make a club where the goal is to have African American students come and be more involved with each other and be more involved with the community. I think there’s this stigma that African American kids are just deadbeats and we’re going to drop out, and I want to change that. I’m just now figuring out the officers and finding an adviser for the club,” Barber said.

Apart from changes being made within the school, many students have realized how easy it is for change to be discussed and started through the use of social media. And Leslie Sandoval (9) is pushing this change online.

“The reason I became so passionate about changing the idea of inequality is because when I was growing up, I saw the injustice around me and in my community, and I thought that it had to change.

The new presidency we have also causes others to see things differently, and it angers me to see that in my community. I have a blog,

but most of my movement is from posts on social media,” she said.

In the history books, it is common to see high schools abd colleges used as tools to combat oppression and bring change. It happened with the civil rights movement with several sit-ins and walkouts, and it happened recently in Parkland, Florida where students from the Marjory Stoneman Douglas spoke out against the gun laws of this country.

As student activism rises to the forefront of many news stations around the country, there are many mixed opinions on the ways that students are handling their movements—both on and off school campuses. At Granger, those movements can expect to be greeted with open arms.

“It can be hard to express all of your opinions here at school because it is school. We do restrict some freedom of speech, because students cannot disrupt the education of other students. As long as these activities are done in a peaceful and non-disruptive manner, the school will have the students’ backs,” Mr. Beck said.

Despite many of the motives behind student activism being rooted in injustice, some students believe that there are many positive reasons for change. Manuel Tolayo (12) found an entertaining way of bringing his community together.

“The way people act and the way people think are totally different these days. We need to bring everyone into that same mindset

of community, and not just for us, but for future generations. I am bringing together many artists in a group called Kollective, where I bring in singers, rappers, photographers, designers, etc. to create a beautiful image in a place so rough and to bring hope to others,” Tolayo said.

Not all students see student activism as passionately as others, but they still see the need to be informed in today’s society. If the saying, ‘Knowledge is power,’ holds true, then Flaviana Hawley (12) is surely on top of it.

“I just think that there is so much going on these days that if you aren’t at least informed on current events, you will get lost in many of the conversations going on. It’s a crazy world, so I just like to stay woke,” Hawley said.

Much of the student activism that goes on at Granger goes unseen, but although it is hidden, it is still going on strong. Student activist Sierra Aston (12) tends to work silently in her battles for change.

“I think society needs to change big time. We have adults who want us to think like adults, and when we finally, do we are told we are nothing but some kids. The adults are letting us down, and it shouldn’t be this way. I don’t put on the events myself, so when I participate, it’s because I hear or see something about a walkout or a protest, and I go and help. I think the want for change is not selective, it should be for everyone,” said Aston.

class.

From my perspective, I think that the opinions that I gathered from people from were too dramatic and say that if these things were to happen, it would make everybody’s job so much harder.

The importance of conducting fire drills and earthquake drills is stressed commonly, so I think a lockdown drill should be necessary to conduct every month in case of a possible intruder walking into school.

I researched and found more efficient methods to help prevent gun violence at school on the cbsnews website.

I found some interesting ideas that included tightening restrictions on gun sales and implementing things like background checks. In addition, some suggest that we should improve the mental health care system, conduct gun violence research, address illegal firearm sales, remove guns during protection orders, and much more.

One idea that stood out to me as I was reading them was improving the mental health care system.

This was intriguing to me, because even if you have that gut feeling that someone you know isn’t mentally stable, taking action could reduce the possibilities of that person you know becoming the next school shooter.

On the scientificamerica website, I read that what most attackers have in common and one thing listed was having difficulties coping with significant losses or personal failures. In addition,

most of them more likely had considered or attempted suicide.

Another issue that was addressed above that I thought should be necessary is making the rules around purchases of guns in local communities more strict.

As stated in the constitution of the United States, “The right to keep and bear arms and those rights shall not be infringed.”

The way I see this is that keeping a loaded gun for self-defense or protection for your family is legal and should be, and that people with these intentions should not be stopped from purchasing a gun by any means.

This in particular is a good example of why firearms are being issued with no hesitation to anybody. I believe that guns should still be purchased so that people may feel that sense of security that they need, but in order to pursue that, I think that background checks should be thoroughly examined.

The saying, “If only we could turn back time,” gets to me because what if we can change what’s going to happen in the future now, instead of having to regret everything we didn’t do in the past.

All these ways should be considered so that shootings anywhere may come to an end.

Overall, I think the most important way to help ease these tragedies is to determine whether to help somebody out who is going through a lot. There are a number of things that we can do to prevent shootings in schools, and this isn’t even half of it.

Tri-Color Times Staff Editor in Chief Skye Rouse

Photo+Online Editor Hayley Rugby

News Editor Gabriela Thompson Opinion Editor Taea Edwards Copy Editor Madison McWordy Layout Bryon Brinley

Student Lifestyle Editor Natalie Aiono Sports Editor Stephanie Gutierrez Photographer KayLynn Gonzalez Social Media Calissa Loomis

Reporters Luis Acosta Molirae Afemata Sanah Alkaswan Eric A. Antonio Kalesita Apele Darrian Bennett Edward Carrasco Allen Carrillo Lorena Garcia Alexus Gillette Jr. Heimuli Braxton Henrie Nathan Hernandez Daniel Krouskop

Reporters David Laumatia Gwen Loloma Nyibol Makol Jonathan Manriquez Ester Manriquez Marcia Victoria Martinez Everestt Masters Douglas Mayer Tiffany Nguy Luis Rodriguez Shaolin Tabile Afatia Tiatia Andrew Tippetts Marleit Vargas

The Tri-Color Times serves as a student forum for student opinion and student expression.

The views expressed herein reflect neither the opinions of Adviser John Carlisle and Granger High School, nor those of Granite School District. The Tri-Color Times invites and publishes letters to its editorial board; all letters will be edited for taste, length, and liability.

Granger High School 3580 South 3600 West West Valley, UT 84119 (385) 646-5320

Tri-Color Times VOL. LX Issue 8

April 2018, page 4 | Student Life

Update breaks Snapchat

By Douglas R. Mayer ONE OF the weirdest things people do is laugh. Animals and humans alike have many things in common, but one of the most curious is a sense of humor. At a young age a person isn’t taught to laugh, it is instead presented with something to laugh at: Peek-aBoo. This game however, is only fun with infants.

If someone tries playing this game with an adult, it would be highly frowned upon. From an evolutionary standpoint, people laugh to create a form of community. Laughing in a group tends to bring animals and people together. After all, nothing is better than a good joke.

HuRL, or Humor Research Labs, proposed that in order for something to be funny it needs to break what people expect and what they find natural.

The Benign Violation Theory states that if something people are used to (something benign) is mixed with a small violation (something wrong) humor will occur. A large problem with this is the joke being too lewd or offensive. “Telling these jokes is insensitive and rude,” Shayla Anderson (10) said.

One of the biggest problems students are facing is being in a room while someone tells a joke they don’t find funny. It’s difficult to know what to do in this situation.

“Kids are dumb and will laugh at anything you tell them...if people get stuck in this situation, they’re going to have trouble because they don’t want to be the buzzkill and don’t want to sit through the jokes,” Brenda Hays (10) said.

Some students think, “Clean

jokes are lame and boring. Violation is what makes it funny,” Angela Larson (10) said.

Being able to laugh about problems is a major coping mechanism for some people.

Although, having to worry about offending someone stops people from saying what’s on their mind. Hays has some advice to keep jokes on track. “Know the person, know the joke. You have the right to tell your jokes but you also have the right to choose your audience,” she said.

Calling friends dumb in a joking way is humorous but for some people it’s offensive.

“Some people need to thicken up, but there is a line you should NOT cross,” said Abby Kramer (10) Finding a balance between what is right and what is funny is the hardest part of being a comedian.

By Gabriela Thompson SNAPCHAT is one of the top five social media apps that Lancers use. It’s an app that allows users to send a pictures and messages that will last for a minimum of twenty-four hours. The pictures and messages can be saved if the user saves it manually or screenshots it. A user can also take pictures with filters that enhance a semi-perfect selfie. The user can connect with friends and develop group chats including notifications regarding who in the group reads or sees messages.

In the middle of February, Snapchat was updated with new features. Some of these include: a more realistic look-alike of a user’s Bitmoji, a screen that has conversations and stories with your friends together, and another screen for advertisements, stories, and public stories.

With this new update, as any update, it is supposed to improve the application and make it more accessible. However, some Lancers feel that it became more of an inconvenience than an improvement.

“The new update is kinda OK, but it isn’t really that good. The old version is better, it was an easier format. Unlike the other one it gets a little confusing,” Van Mang (12) said.

Brianna Olivera (12) feels that people becoming hot and bothered over the update is pointless. “At first, it had annoyed me with the location of my friends’ stories, but I hardly watch them now,” Olivera said.

“At first I was confused because I didn’t know where to go or look at certain stories. I didn’t hate it but I also didn’t like it,” Yesenia Leon (12) said.

By Tiffany Nguy THERE are many things that are a tradition for a specific holiday that some may do from watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York on TV to pinching people when they’re not wearing green on Saints Patrick’s Day. Here are a few things that resurface into people’s lives when spring begins.

There are multiple things to do in April, for example, there’s concerts and home games like the Utah Jazz, they’re playing against Los Angeles Lakers here in Utah on April 3rd. Tickets for those events usually run around $75 for a good seat. Now moany Lancers don’t really have money just to spend and go to a concert or a game, and there’s no doubt to think that students are on a budget and can’t really go out a lot.

Here are some things for students that just don’t want to spend much money just to do something. For one, they could easily do something that would make their parents happy and that is start spring cleaning. First off, teenagers do not like cleaning, but it is something to do that doesn’t include going out and spending money.

Easter is one of the first things that pops up into mind there is some history to Easter, but most kids are mostly looking around the area they’re in for some plas-

tic eggs that have a little prize inside. “To be honest I haven’t looked for a plastic egg with a little fun-sized candy because it’s not worth it,” Rigoberto Contreras (10) said.

Well if looking for plastic eggs not as interesting as other activities simply go outside and play a sport. Being all cooped up inside because of the snow and cold and finally getting out without a big puffy coat should be a nice feeling. Some students are very fond of the snow in Utah and some aren’t. “I personally liked the snow since I didn’t experience it before because I lived in California,” Joelen Bailey (9) said.

All the plants are beginning to sprout and grow. April is a month that comes to mind when thinking about spring. Expect all the sunny and rainy days, but Utah, being bipolar, could easily bring more snow.

In addition to spring activities, this is also a time for fresh looks.

Students around Granger have been noticing some of the trends being held around the school and in the media to look forward to the weather. A popular fashion trend that has been around recently are Timberland Boots.

“Timberlands are waterproof, and they won’t get ruined in the rain or snow and that’s just the perfect shoe,” Contreras said.

Timberlands are very similar

to rain boots, but they do look very different although they are very fashionable especially in this generation. Although students that don’t have a job or any source of income can’t afford to spend the money on boots. Lancers don’t need waterproof shoes this spring, they’ll survive without them, Classic Vans are also suitable for spring.

“I’d recommend to bring a hoodie just in case because the weather might change during the day,” Bailey said. There are a few more things that are on the spring to-do list there’s Easter, Earth

Day and don’t forget April Fool’s Day. Earth Day is such a great day for the planet because students and teachers will be able to help it by planting trees and helping to reduce the problem of pollution in the air.

There are multiple events on this day to support the Earth like farmers markets and pep rallies to voice one’s opinion.

Spring isn’t a big season to go all out and do extraordinary things, although the small information about spring is engaging.

A big festival that plays a big

Comedy and jokes require balance

This update has seemed to affect these Lancers lives much less than the media has let on.

Nevertheless, for those who are bothered, the trustedreveiws website gives the steps to reverse the annoying update for iPhone users. Delete the current version of Snapchat, go to the phone’s settings, tap on iTunes and App Store, look for Automatic Downloads header, and switch off the Apps tab if one wants to be completely positive that another unexpected update won’t download in the future. Finally, re-download the application and it should be fixed.

However, a couple of students have done this or something similar and have had zero results. “I saw it on Twitter, and I tried it, but it didn’t work,” Leon said.

She saw that there was a plethora of tweets that said that the update went away, but when she tried it on multiple occasions, it wasn’t as successful for her.

On the flip side of the performance of Snapchat, other students don’t care for it. “I only use Snapchat for the filters so it doesn’t matter to me,” Karina Prez (11) said.

Most students who have this opinion usually use Instagram, Twitter, or Messenger instead of Snapchat. “I don’t really care anymore. I used to care about it, but now it’s just whatever to me,” Olivera said.

With these views on the new update of Snapchat, students are hoping that if there is a new update that would actually make the app accessible and convenient for the users or simply have no other updates. “They better change it back to how they had it when it first came out,” Leon said.

part in spring is the Holi Festival of Colors.

This Spanish Fork festival happened in March, and it’s a spring festival celebrating the arrival of spring. It’s a Hindu tradition to honor different deities depending on beliefs.

“It seems really fun but at the same time frustrating because of the chalk, if I had a chance I’d go,” Contreras said.

Spring may not be the as exciting as other seasons, it does have some trends that most people follow around its time and is still popular for the years to come.

Spring is a time for new ideas, activities, and trends

Rigoberto is ready for new trends and ideas for the spring season.

April 2018, page 5 | Student Life

Tri-Color Times VOL. LX Issue 8

Lancers love to travel, despite jet lag and grumpy locals

By Luis Acosta MANY OF the over 3000 kids here at Granger have had a chance to go to places all over the world and have experienced a great deal of new things. Their experiences have all varied, but there is one thing they all had in common: they all had a great deal of fun.

The countries that Lancers have visited have many different things about them.

“Germany just seemed to have it all figured out, like the trash it was separated into different sections. Like glass had to go in glass you know and you would get a ticket if you didn’t do it or like the license plates on cars said what city you’re in and where you were from and it was super rare to see an actual house,” Xochiquetzal Colunga-Martinez (12) said.

Colunga-Martinez described more things about Germany, like the fact most of their cars are small and have to go through very strict gas tests to see if they are safe enough for the environment.

The way she put it all, it sounded like a very organized place. The German people also seemed to be very introverted people. “The people act very different. Germans feel harsh and are not a very open people,” Colunga-Martinez she said.

Attitudes and ways of living change from place to place and no one knows this better than Roby Karangalan (12). He has been everywhere: Philippines, South Korea, Paris, and Hawaii. He has seen a lot of things and the very different attitudes of people from all over the world. “The people

in South Korea were very nice people, very approachable. There was always someone drunk in the streets. I even saw a man breaking down one night,” Karangalan said.

In comparison, the people of Paris were very different. “The people in Paris were very closed up, and they seemed to be annoyed with tourists. One of them warned about keeping my phone in my back pocket—in French, of course, that I didn’t understand at all,” Karangalan said. People’s way of thinking and personality certainly change from place to place.

Jet lag is a tiredness a lot people experience when traveling between time zones. Our Lancers here are not immune to it. Colunga-Martinez had difficulty adjust-

ing. “It took me about a week to get used to the 8-hour difference in Germany, and it hit me even harder when I came back home,” Colunga-Martinez said.

From the sound of it, it was a very hard thing to deal with. Even Karangalan had trouble getting used to it. “Well when I went to all these places, I didn’t have a hard time getting used to it, but when I came back is when it hit me. I couldn’t sleep at all,” Karangalan said. They both seemed to have a hard time sleeping after coming back, and it seems like jet lag is the only downside to travel.

Lancers are just starting their travels, and many of them have places they want to visit. “Thailand is a place I want to go to because it’s like hot and jungle-y like the Dominican Republic, but

it’s in Asia,” Alexander Valdivia (12) said.

Lancers have many dreams of visiting places they seem to imagine as a great place to go to. They seem to describe it all in a way that makes it sound magical. The food was something that wasn’t very different compared to here. It was described as more authentic but more or less the same. “The food felt more real. Like it wasn’t fake like more fresh I guess,” Valdivia said. Food wasn’t really a reason to travel or something that stuck with these travelers.

Love is a word people seemed to use a lot when describing their travels. They loved it all—everything about it. Everything sounds lovely about travel, and it’s something I’m sure everyone wants to do more.

Spring break means friends, family, and maybe homework

By Ester Manriquez Marcia DURING this time of season, there are lots of things to start doing again. This includes being outside more because the sun will finally be out and starting to wear different clothing. The fun and amazing spring break weekend for high school and college students gave everyone a break.

Many students in college like to take their time to visit their families or friends, but here at Granger, students already spend most of their time with their family, so they most likely visit family members in other places. They like to travel to interesting cities, towns, or maybe even different countries.

During this weekend off, most kids spend their time flying out somewhere else. “For spring break, I’m flying out to Chicago with my son,” Gloria Elena Serrato (12) said. She and her son will be visiting Chicago for her cousin’s quinceanera. A quince is a celebration when a young girl

is turning 15 and turning into a young lady. Most girls have their quince during the summer, because of the weather. But since spring is coming, the weather is supposed to get better for the attire required for a party like that.

Therefore, after the break there will be more parties to attend.

Spring break is a very busy week for the airlines because of all the people flying in and out of the cities. “This is going to be my son’s first time in an airplane, and he’s only 8 months old. I hope that he lasts good in the plane, he lasted a 2-hour drive when he was only a month old,” Serrato said.

While some kids are going out and traveling, others are staying here and just relaxing. Over the spring break weekend, they’ll probably stay home and watch television or watch something on their phone. “My plans for the weekend are pretty much just sleeping in, not doing homework , and just watching Netflix in my new house,” Ariana Rojas (10)

said.

Sometimes, the highlight of someone’s spring break can even be moving into a new home. Rojas was excited to move into her new home. “I’m excited to move there because it’s a bigger house, and we’ll have so much more room than we had at our other house,” Rojas said.

Everyone has a different highlight for their weekend: it can be traveling, moving, or even just relaxing with family and friends.

Some might do something as simple as camping. “Me and my family went camping for the whole week, and it was nice cause me and my family are already close and it got us closer together,” Fatima Garcia (10) said.

Spring Break is really just a week that kids spend additional time off of school and homework for a little while. School can get stressful for Lancers, with everyone trying to get their grades up, this break can help students relax. “Going camping really

helped with my stress, I had less City Creek. But there are also stuff to worry about, and most of shopping centers such as Jordan my teachers started being lenient Landing or even The Traverse Mountain outlets. with homework,” Garcia said.

However, while people go out, Some teachers don’t like to most times, some students stay give students homework so that at home.

They do things such as they can spend their time not worwatching movies, eating take out, rying about school. But, some still or eating snacks.

For the weekend give their students homework, so off, Lancers are ready to relax and that they don’t forget what they chill out with their friends, famare currently learning about. “My ily, and their loved ones. math teacher gave me homework about triangles because he said he doesn’t want us forgetting our knowledge on them,” Rojas said.

Although some kids hang out with their family, others usually spend time outside with their friends. “My previous breaks, I take up my time by hanging out with my friends, going shopping or sometimes even eating,” Garcia said. When people go shopping, they go to popular malls here like Valley Fair Mall, Fashion Place, Gateway, South Towne, and Ariana spent spring break in a new house.

Lancers mix up their style with really extra outfits

By Natalie Aiono APRIL is the time when the season officially shifts. With winter out the door, spring enters. While the weather shifts, it is not the only thing. Fashion for spring begins. No more heavy, thick coats. Wearing 50 layers is no more. Now comes the lightweight jackets and flowy floral designs.

Spring is a cause for celebration, both in life and fashion.

Some don’t like to change their style at all very much. “I still wear sweaters and jackets.

I get cold easily, so I prefer to wear warm clothes most of the time. My favorite piece of clothing is my wool turtleneck sweater. I love turtlenecks and I hope they make a comeback,” Alyssa Valiquez (10) said. Turtlenecks are very warm and groovy when it comes to fashion classics.

Star Wagstaff stylin’ out.

Chanelle Congrove (11) is great with fashion. “I check how the weather is outside, and then that’s how I know what to wear.

I don’t have a specific style, I just put things together, and they become cute outfits. I really don’t like how everyone dresses the same to fit in, especially the guys.

My favorite fashion era would be the 2000s, they have a lot of styles that I like,” Congrove said.

“My favorite clothing brand is Nike, they have the best clothes and shoes. I really enjoy Nike. My advice to other students would be not to dress all the same just to fit in. It would be nice if everyone had their own kind of fashion instead of everyone trying to fit in with the same fashion,” she said.

Star Wagstaff (12) is a beast when it comes to style. “Fashion is definitely one of my biggest forms of self expression. I like to wear really extra outfits and be out there. I really like things that don’t match. and outfits that don’t match but subtly do kind of match. I think [fashion trends] are all unique and what looks good to some people but doesn’t to other is what makes the appeal,” he said.

“I love the ‘70s era of fashion, and the ‘90s as well. If I could combine the two into a bunch of different looks that would be ideal. I love these fashion styles and the ways they dress and don’t care what anyone thinks. It’s a unique style, and it’s not limited to girls’ or boys’ clothes but both, kind of androgynous, you know?

I’m about whatever I find that I can put together that looks good,” he said.

“Be yourself and be true to yourself, wear whatever you want, and rock your socks off. Don’t be afraid to be super extra, and don’t care what people think,” he said.

Wagstaff is a wonderful Lancer with wicked style.

Destiny Wallace (11) is super cute with an adorable style.

“I express myself with fashion by wearing clothes that make me feel the most confident and I feel that reflect my personality or how I want to be viewed. I really love the whole wearing men’s and women’s clothing because they both have amazing clothes and different styles. As well as it allows your fashion to have many more options,” Wallace said.

“I’m not a huge fan of the

cropped hoodies. I just don’t understand why you would make it super short if you wanted to be warm. My favorite era is definitely the ‘70s simply because it was a decade full of experimental fashion. I love the loose fitting clothes and the colors used in clothing, but there was also a more casual side to it that makes it to where you could wear it every day,” she said.

There are lots of fashion ideas on YouTube and Instagram, and it’s useful to keep on eye on sources of inspiration.

“One of my biggest fashion inspirations is Hitomi Mochizuki because she has such a unique style and you can see how comfortable she is in her clothing. I don’t have one favorite clothing because I thrift most of my clothing but I do love Wrangler pants because they’re pants last forever,” Wallace said.

“Some advice I would give is to wear whatever makes you comfortable and to wear what you like. As well as that clothing doesn’t have a gender and you can wear whatever you want,” she said. Wallace is an ideal Lancer with amazing advice.

Tri-Color Times VOL. LX Issue 8

April 2018, page 6 | Sports

Connor Casaday is a stellar athlete and Sterling Scholar

By Braxton Henrie HARD WORK has the potential to go in two directions good or bad. Connor Casaday (12) has the bright side of that deal and has had success in baseball and also in school as Granger’s Sterling Scholar for math. He is excited for a fresh start this season, it being his final year. “My personal goals for this season are to get a base hit in very game that I play in and to get on base more than I strike out, but to also help my team succeed,” Casaday said.

One benefit of starting the new season is that instead of being in 5A, Granger is now in 6A. It gives them an opportunity to play against well-matched opposing teams and to make it to the state tournament. Colton Hunter (12) is one of Casaday’s closest friends and has known him since freshman year.

“Connor is an awesome guy whenever you need him he is always there, he helps you when

you need help and even when you think you don’t need help is will still help you,” Hunter said.

“Conditioning is a huge part of the sport we have to be fit enough to play through all seven innings, especially since the innings can vary in length,” said Casaday.

During the offseason, Casaday tries to stay in shape with push ups, sit ups and running to remain ready.

Connor’s greatest motivation this season is that he wants to leave the program on a good note and without regrets.

His biggest role model on the team is his assistant coach due to the legacy that he had left at the school for all of the future baseball players and teams. “The reason that I joined baseball is because I love to compete and playing baseball gives me that chance to compete,” Casaday said.

Wanting to play a sport is totally different than actually playing.

For those special players who can

to both, school and sports have a very special talent that very few athletes have.

“My favorite feeling during a game is when are team is getting hot bats and when I go out as pitcher and shut the opposing batters down to help me team win,” said Casaday. The best feeling in sports is when the team starts to do well because that causes other players to bring everybody’s game up as well.

“I always try to keep my teammates in the game no matter the circumstances we are under,” Casaday said.

“He is a great teammate and a good friend,” Patrick Rigby (12) said.

When in a game he attempts to keep a clear, calm and collected head when the odds are either with them are against them.

“I have not played any other competitive high school sports, but given the chance I will play any sport with my friends,” said

Casaday.

His favorite sports quote comes from the famous movie The Sandlot: “Heroes get remembered, but legends never die. Follow your heart kid, and you’ll never go wrong.”

Sports movies usually provide great sports quotes for athletes to lvie their lives by and provide inspiration for them.

“Before a game I take a few deep breaths and try to get in the zone,” said Casaday.

To get in the zone is very important especially since you can’t perform if you are distracted.

“Before I got into high school, my parents would transport me to and from my games. Now they are sure to be there for me and support me in any sport and no matter what happens in that sport,” said Casaday.

Baseball has changed his life by allowing him to get out and do something with his life and has given him the chance to meet new

people and forge new friendships.

“You can always count on him when the game is on the line because he is always calm. He has many characteristics of a leader he is responsible, dependable, leader and very smart,” Chris Freestone (11) said.

To give back to baseball, a sport that has done a lot for him, he wants to keep it in the family, especially when he starts his own family. He hopes to encourage his kids to play the sport, too.

He wasn’t satisfied with last season and hopes to redeem himself and come out on top for his final season as a Granger Lancer.

“The challenge that I look forward to the most this season is having a very prominent role in the lineup and hope to help prepare the new players to take the ropes next season,” said Casaday.

Connor and the team have high hopes to come out on top this season and bring the title back to Granger for their last year.

To succeed, student athletes work hard and make sacrifices

By Kalesita Apele STUDENT athletes at Granger high have accomplished longterm goals. Within the high school years, every student has the option whether or not they want to participate in an extra-curricular activity.

Most students don’t fully un-

derstand how difficult it is to balance school and sports. “Growing up, my mom always made sure that I put school before sports.

It was always God first, school second, and then sports,” Tavite Tonga (12) said.

It’s not always easy to make time for homework if students

always have practice. When you play a sport, showing up to practice is very important.

“Practice didn’t just determine whether or not I was going to play in that week’s game. It was also a good way to help me improve on certain skills and techniques,” Tonga said.

Practice can get in the way of students’ school work. It might even take up too much of their time. After practice, most students get tired and don’t feel like getting anything done. “After practice I’m usually so tired because it would always take so long, and it was very hard to get my homework done,” Lily Yu (12) said.

Some students really like being student athletes and filling their schedules. “I can honestly say that playing volleyball was one of the best experiences of my high school life,” Yu said.

There was always more than one sport going on at the same time and for some students that was a challenge. “I really liked playing tennis but, I knew I wanted to play volleyball, and that was a big decision for me,” Yu said.

Playing a sport takes a lot of hard work, and students have made plenty of sacrifices to participate in the spots that they enjoy. “I always liked to hang out with my friends, and I couldn’t really do that because I always had practice or I had a football game,” Mason Fue (12) said.

Playing different sports that are enjoyed by different students from Granger is great thing. “Playing football has really helped me and bettered me to become who I am today. I’m really glad I took the chance to play football,” Fue said.

As students at Granger High began to realize, it’s not that easy

being a student athlete. Some students made the decision to just drop the sport and put all their focus on bettering their education.

“Playing rugby and trying to keep up with all my school work was kind of hard, so I just wanted to stop playing rugby and really pay attention to school,” Anthony Fiaputa (12) said.

There are many good things that come out of playing a sport and getting good grades. “Playing football, I was able to get a scholarship and make my family really proud,” Tiger Mulitalo (12) said.

It can be a wonderful experience to play a sport and keep up with grades, but first knowing what it takes to be a successful student athlete is very crucial.

Every student at Granger high has the opportunity to be a great student athlete, but they need to know that it will take a lot of time and hard work.

Espinoza said.

One reason Espinoza loves the game of soccer is because it been around him from such a young age. “For me it’s been in my family since I was little, and I couldn’t imagine being without it. It is a sport that brings people together,” Espinoza said. Soccer is the number one played sport in the world, and that’s one of the reasons why it brings people together.

Espinoza’s hard work and dedication does not go unnoticed, his drive is one of the first things that was said about Espinoza.

“He’s very driven, hard working, dedicated, funny, when he wants something done, he gets it done” Valeria Rojas (12) said.

The sky’s the limit for Espinoza’s potential, other seems to agree as well. “It’s really high, I can see him on TV, he’s going to be famous, he’s driven, he stops at nothing,” Rojas said.

“He is a team player, shows signs of self and team development, very positive,” Coach Bewar said. “His character is one of his strongest attributes as a person, one of the reasons he will make it far in his soccer career.”

“I can see him playing college soccer, he has the drive and the skill,” Bewar said.

For an athlete, it is very critical to be able to communicate with teammates. Communication helps cut out confusion and enhances the level of execution.

Coach Bewar considers communication to be one of Espinoza’s strengths.

“His ability to communicate, when in soccer is critical, he shows signs of being a captain

at high school and college levels, and he picks up kids when they feel down. Aside from communication, he can adapt to any style of play, he’s a hard worker, he is one that you never have to worry about being fit,” Coach Bewar said.

With Espinoza’s hard work and dedication towards soccer, there is no doubt that he will have a great season this year for the Lancers and have tremendous success at the college level.

Pierre Espinoza has the drive to reach his ‘goals’

By Edward Carrasco DRIVE is one of the best traits to have in an athlete. Pierre Espinoza (12) definitely has the drive to take him far in his soccer career. His passion for soccer started at a young age “I been playing soccer since I was 5 years old” Espinoza said. Though soccer is his passion, he does find time to play other sports.

“I play other sports for fun like basketball, but not competitive,” Espinoza said. Soccer has provided many great things for Pierre, one in particular stands out. “It’s provided me with a distraction, and it is my passion, and it got me into college,” Espinoza said.

Espinoza’s hard work and dedication towards soccer has provided him a chance to play on the next level in Colorado. “I signed my letter to intend to play soccer in college at Adams State University,” Espinoza said.

This goes to show that if hard work and dedication are put in day in and day out, it will eventually pay off for a tremendous opportunity. Espinoza has a very bright future ahead of him if he

keeps up the work he is putting in.

As expected for hard working athlete like Espinoza himself, he sets his personal goals to a high standard. “My personal goal is to be an all state player and win region,” Espinoza said. Though he does set a high standard for himself, he also has high expectations for his team as well. “I expect us to perform at a high level and win region this season,” he said.

Espinoza’s love for the game is just one of the reasons he gets motivated to keep going during games, practice, training, ect.

“Just the love of the game, I’ll always love playing, so I’ll just keep playing. I also think of my family to go out and do better,” Espinoza said. With the passion that he has, it should rub off on his teammates to help raise their level of play.

So far, receiving a college scholarship has been one of his biggest achievements, with the hard work he puts in and with the drive he has, he will accomplish even bigger things in his lifetime.

“Getting an athletic scholarship, it’s a message for others to work hard and never give up,”

Pierre Espinoza works hard on his soccer skills to help bring him success.

April 2018, page 7 | Sports

Tri-Color Times VOL. LX Issue 8

Softball takes aim on self-improvement

By Shaolin Tabile THE SOFTBALL team sets goals to their highest abilities and is trying to achieve them together as a team.

“Our goal this year, as a team, is to make it to state. Personally, my goal is to be consistent with my hitting and on defense, I hope to be able to stop every line drive that comes to me and always have my team’s back. I’m going into the season feeling super confident in my team and myself,” Cierra Olsen (12) said.

Olsen’s ability to stop line drives would make a successful outcome for the season. She is going to be the one that is always there to help push the team.

“I know they have my back and I have theirs! We’ve got this.

I’m SUPER excited to be playing with my best friend and cousin this year! I love her. CHEEHOO family!” Olsen said.

Olsen is going to help make her best friend and cousin better at playing softball. She will also be the one that is going to be there for those two, and also her team as a whole.

“I personally thought that tryouts went really well. They were fun, and I liked meeting new girls.

I like that we have new players on the team. I’m excited for this

season because I know that we can go farther then we have been before,” Aspen Earnshaw (12) said.

With being on a high school team it’s easier to meet new people, and understand the diversity of the new culture on the team.

“My goals for this season are to become a better player and to be able to connect with all my girls this year.” Earnshaw said. It helps to set goals, because it helps you become a better athlete and keep up with school.

“I tried out for softball and it was awesome because it was my first time playing this sport. I feel like I’ve done pretty good for a first timer. My goal this season is to become region champs,” Sosefina Maafu (9) said.

It’s exciting seeing how a firsttimers attitude goals are set high.

Maafu is a freshman playing softball and is becoming a better player each day.

“Being a freshman makes me wanna try new things. The last few weeks I’ve pushed hard and am working on how the sport is played.” Maafu said. Having new freshman on the team is the future of the team and they learn more about the sport.

“I liked tryouts because I tried my hardest and challenged my

abilities by doing things I really wasn’t good at. My goal is to keep my grades up and to complete my goals and reach each goal as I continue to play for Granger’s softball program,” Monica Dedrum (9) said.

Dedrum’s ability to challenge herself is something she could use out on the field. Being on the team helps her with her academics and to complete her goal.

“My main goals for this softball season are to build muscles, make memories on playing and build myself to be physically strong,” Dedrum said.

“So I tried out for softball, and I was nervous. I was going through thoughts of, ‘I am going to make it or not?’ I was having fun with it though. Once I made it to the team, I was excited to learn things I was never taught,” Andy Benitez (10) said.

Being taught new things is something Benitez has come across.

“I’m glad that I made it onto the team with people I knew, so I wouldn’t feel left out as I was also meeting all the new girls. My main goal for this softball season is to win good games. Also, I plan to just have fun and learning new things I never knew,” Benitez said.

April 2018, page 8 | Reviews

Tri-Color Times VOL. LX Issue 8

“This Is Where It Ends” addresses sensitive topics through interesting characters Review by Taea Edwards THIS IS Where it Ends is a #1 bestselling book written by Marieke Nijkamp. I was really not surprised by this ranking, considering how interesting this book actually is.

It’s not the best I’ve read, and I only actually shed a few tears, but it was definitely a good read.

You also have to take into account the fact that I was in the middle of school while reading this, so crying was not a very valid option at the time. Were I at home, things may have played out differently.

This is Where it Ends is a book written from the perspectives of four high school seniors.

They are going about their normal day, although things seem off. People are in deeper thought, there are things that just seem odd, and you really question a lot

in these first few chapters.

As an assembly that nearly all of the school is attending begins, things go well, until a shot rings out, and bodies drop. The students realize they are locked inside a school auditorium with a former student turned shooter.

As I said before, this book was an amazing one. There was a lot of really good foreshadowing, and it really had me asking myself what certain signs meant, especially towards the beginning. What was good about this was that it made me want to keep reading, but it also ended up answering all of my questions in the end.

There were some parts that were really predictable, but I was overall happy with everything I learned and figured out in the end.

Now, recently there have been multiple cases of school shoot-

ings in the real world, and as it’s an extremely heavy topic that is hard to get into. Regardless of your viewpoint or stance on this issue, this is a very good book to pick up and read.

This novel gives a prime example of how everyone is affected by the events surrounding a school shooting. So often we think of what we can do to stop it and more recently what we did to wrong the shooter, and this book touches on all of these topics along with how it affects the survivors involved.

This book has amazing characters, taking perspective from Autumn, the mysterious Tyler’s younger sister, Sylvia, Autumn’s girlfriend, Tomás, who is Sylvia’s twin brother, and Claire, who is Tyler’s ex-girlfriend.

The better the characters,

the better the book, and I can definitely say that this book was amazing in this aspect. I could really connect with Autumn, and Tomás turned out to be one of my favorites.

I loved Matt, who was not a main character, but was Claire’s younger brother. Almost every character in this book I found some way to connect with, even if they only had one or two lines, and the deaths of some of them hit me pretty hard.

The author did an amazing job of keeping the book full of so many emotions without making it too gruesome or horrific so as to keep me from finishing it.

I think one of the biggest things I took from this book was how precious life is, which seems fairly obvious, but it was different as I read this.

As I said, I was really able to connect with all these characters, and the author kept touching back on this thought of “the moments before your death.” As I read the things that each individual thought: all the regrets, loves, precious moments and memories, it really made me imagine myself in a situation like this.

Would I be brave enough to survive what they did? What choices would I make? Would I have sat in the shadows or stood up to the shooter?

The reflection this brought upon me was really quite interesting and I think self-reflection is a good thing for people to experience; to not only draw you to what you are reading and the characters, but also to your own reality and what’s happening around you.

Nothing beats the classic Mario Party Video game actions can ruin friendships Review by Allen Carrillo WHEN IT comes to party games or games to play with friends, we all have our choices. This may be things like video games such as Halo or Call of Duty and board games like Monopoly and Twister. However, one of the most fun and annoying games would be the Mario Party series. I am referring to the classic Mario Party 2 from the N64, which is rated the best one in the entire series by the gaming community.

Those of us who have had a childhood know how fun Mario Party games were and how many times we got mad when someone steals your star. The new Mario Parties give you traps, and you win bonus stars by getting the most coins in mini-games, unlike the classic version. The original takes more skill because you have to win the most mini-games to get a bonus star and you don’t have any fancy shmancy traps.

For those who want to experience the original Mario Party that took true skill, there is no need to worry about the game only being for the Nintendo 64, because the Wii U released a remastered version of it. Kids nowadays can now know how much more fun the classics were compared to the new Mario Party games. In addition, they’ll now know how difficult the maps were, as sometimes 15 turns could barely get you around the map once.

With the new Mario Parties like 9 and 10, you can go through the entire maps about 4 or 5 times in just 15 turns while in the classic Mario Parties it takes 25 turns just for everyone to go through it 3 times.

Yes, there are smaller maps where it is possible but those smaller maps in Mario Party 2 had more passages and routes to take. In newer ones, you just set traps for people, like in Mario Party 7 with the orbs.

There is not really much of an adventure when it comes to new Mario Parties in comparison to Mario Party 2. Plus, Mario Party 2 had costumes if that is something you enjoy. Yes, every map has its own little outfit that each character wears. The following maps in the game, ordered from easiest to hardest, are: Pirate Land, Western Land, Space Land, Mysteryland, Horror Land, and finally Bowser Land.

For Western Land the characters get into little sheriff costumes with hats and sheriff badges. They all get the sheriff clothing except for Peach because she loves her dress.

In Pirate Land, they have pirate hats, sashes, and swords. In Space Land they are dressed like an astronaut/space patrolers with mini ray guns. In Mystery Land, they are dressed like archeologists and in Horror Land they have mage hats and robes.

The costumes really makes a difference when it comes to gameplay because the 1v1 mini-games changed into pirate duels, shootouts, spell brewing, and telekinesis battles based on the map that you were on.

Some 1v1 mini games are more challenging than others or take more strategy than others, which is what causes close friends or family members to end up turning on each other and getting mad.

It is true that in order to have the best experience, you have to play it on the original console. But as I mentioned in the beginning, the Wii U brought it back to download but I do not know how much it is or if it is even still is available.

So the other way to do it is to go to an outdoor swap meet and buy it there or find someone that still has it and play it. Keep in mind that some of the animations are pretty cringey, such as trees in a mini-game island.

Review by Jonathan Manriquez IF YOU are a gamer, then you understand the rage you feel in some multiplayer games. Sometimes when playing it just for fun, it gets competitive and turns into something ugly. This is especially true when a friend does something that ruins everything. They could do this by bringing an enemy to the group and everybody dies or playing a free for all game and they mess you up.

The main game that really ruins friendships are any of the Mario Kart Games.

Let’s just say going from 1st place to last place because someone threw a blue shell or any of the shells in the games is pretty enraging.

What makes people more mad is when one person keeps going after a single player only and not the other racers, and they to make sure that you don’t win just to make you mad for no reason. I want to play it, but not for competitive reasons—just to try it out.

Another popular game is Super Smash Bros because it is a fighting game and it is a free-for-all game. The game can make people rage because there could be the friend that never loses no matter what character he chooses or the map they are playing on.

Then there is the friend that only goes after you, especially when he gets a item that falls on the stage. Then you also have the friend that just spams Falcon Punch with Captain Falcon–I hate that person.

Fortnite is a new and upcoming game that is taking the world by storm. This can ruin friendships when your teammate leaves you to deal with others or doesn’t revive you just to get your loot. One video I saw on Facebook was of friends playing squads and one of them left them because

he had a scar to go face another team while his teammates were already fighting one group.

Another game I can think of is the game mode in Call of Duty and that is Zombies.

When you’re doing well fighting off the zombies and you go down and your teammates decide to play around and start reviving you right as you’re about to die is pretty frustrating. It’s enraging because you die and have to wait until next round to come back. Some people don’t have the luck to get the same guns they had before they went down, especially if they had the ray gun.

Another one that I found was Mortal Kombat, another fighting game where you can get that friend that is insanely good for some weird reason. Then you also have the friend that just spams the same move over and over again. So basically any fighting game can probably ruin a friendship. Try not make the game super competitive with one another.

Any sports game can ruin friendships, too, because you have the friends that don’t go easy on you when it’s your first time playing.

You may get mad because you thought you were good, but then your friend destroys you in the game. Some people get really hurt when this happens. They thought they were the best in the game before their friend showed up.

Duo games like Guitar Hero also get people mad. You practice and practice in the game to get perfect scores. Then you decide to play with a friend that decides to play around and mess up the score by playing wrong. Or you have the friend who says he’s good, but he sucks really bad and messes up every time.

K-pop alert: Listen to the amazing South Korean Boy Band called BTS Review by Alexus Gillette KOREAN Pop is a genre of music that is getting more and more popular.

Here at Granger High School, we’ve even made an entire club for it. One group in particular that I find amazing and recommend is BTS (방탄소년단). This Korean boy band has been gaining a lot of attention because of their appearance on the BBMA’s as well as getting an award for Top Social Artist.

Their music videos always portray some kind of meaning, or they have some kind message that connects it to other music videos.

The songs also portray meaning.

They always strive to give a message.

In fact with their latest album release Love Yourself 承 ‘Her’

they also started a campaign called LoveMyself. The campaign focuses on how you should always have hope and strive to be your best you, all while loving every part of yourself.

The members Kim Namjoon, Kim Seokjin, Min Yoongi, Jung Hoseok, Park Jimin, Kim Taehyung and Jeon Jungkook all support one another and have shown their brotherhood to the fandom in many events. The ARMYs (BTSs fandom name) have helped the boys get many of their awards with voting and streaming of videos.

You could say that they dedicate their time to helping the boys in any way by also setting up huge birthday projects through fan pages. By donating money to the fan page, you are directly

contributing to the fan project. It is a good way for the boys and the fans to connect.

It is very common for teenagers to find a band that they like, but when you start listening to things that are in another language, I feel like the dedication is that much deeper. You take time to read the lyrics to learn the song, and you do everything on their time.

Also, since they live in a different country, you’re constantly checking their social media to see what they’re up to.

BTS as a group is really popular internationally, but not as popular in their own country.

They’ve caught the eyes of Jimmy Kimmel and even Ellen after their appearance at the BBMAs. That has generally contributed to

the rise in popularity they’ve gotten in the past couple of months.

When people think of K-Pop they generally start thinking of BTS since they have gotten so much attention, but let me remind you that K-Pop is a whole genre of music with multiple amazing groups.

ARMYs are a strong fandom who consider one another family, and when you have fake people coming in they make not only the fandom look bad, but the boys as well. Bandwagoners are people who claim to be fans without knowing even the simplest things about a group. It can cause a bit of frustration, because when you are a true fan, you earn the right to call yourself that.

BTS’s music is very empowering and I love the messages that

they send to their fans. It is very encouraging to know that even though you don’t know your idols personally, you can still know that they care.

Although most would be skeptical of listening to a new language and getting into something completely new, you shouldn’t.

It is actually really fun to follow a foreign artist because you do dedicate time to things and then it feels better when you know them because that was your effort you put into that.

Also it is really fun to be in such a strong fandom because you’ll never be alone and it’s like a sense of security and support. You can download the BTS ARMY Amino and that is a great way to get into the fandom even more.