Granger high school
Tri-Color Times An open forum for student opinion and expression
TRICOLORTIMES.COM
MAY 2019 LXI-IX
Valedictorian Jelena Dragicevic is ready for her next act By Elena Flores Jelena Dragicevic (12) started high school in 2015, and with hard work and dedication was able to accomplish phenomenal things. Dragicevic is the class of 2019’s valedictorian and the Wasatch North Sterling Scholar champion in social sciences, but these are only two of the many achievements she has accomplished in her time at Granger. Dragicevic has collected roughly ninety trophies in her years at Granger, and she was even the West Valley City Youth Counselor Mayor. These awards have included local, regional, state, and national titles in debate and literature writing competitions. She has also participated in many academic clubs, ranging from National Honors Society to creating Granger’s Interact Club. Dragicevic started off her long journey to becoming valedictorian in freshman year in Mr. Brock-
some’s A.P. Human Geography. Brocksome describes Dragicevic as a highly intelligent and hardworking student. “Jelena stood out before the school year started, because before class had officially started she was already emailing me about the class, and during the school year she would be up late studying and would email me with questions, but I would never respond to her.” Dragicevic earned a five on her A.P. Human geography test, which is the highest score. During her sophomore year, Dragicevic was in Mr. Cousin’s A.P. World Civilizations class. “Jelena is a great student and will be an amazing ambassador for Granger in the future. She loves this school and is proud of where she comes from.” Dragicevic’s parents are refugees, and she worked hard by prioritizing her time to obtain what
she wants in life. “Jelena has an appetite for knowledge and she is willing to do anything to work, and she showed a great maturity from a young age. I would have been surprised if she didn’t win state for Sterling Scholar or earn the valedictorian title,” he said. She has succeeded during her senior year. Her accomplishments this year alone include state champ for sterling scholar, national debate finalist, valedictorian, and she made it into Harvard. Ms. Parrish expected Dragicevic to obtain these accomplishments. “Jelena always wants to know more and she never rests because of that. During senior year she has developed a great amount of confidence and it is very inspiring.” Something that is very interesting about Dragicevic is that she builds on what she knows through communicating with everyone around her, because she is so captivated by what her peers
and teachers have to say. “After having Jelena as a debate student for four years, I have seen her become more social, and she knows how to handle herself better,” Dr. Tuckness said. In her freshman year she won many first place trophies and she was even a nationalist finalist that year. “Jelena is recognizably the number one speech student in the state. In debate class, she always worked with other students, especially the younger ones to help them improve,” he said. She is described as a natural leader by Dr. Tucknes and many other teachers. Dragicevic doesn’t just work endlessly for herself, she also works to represent the students of Granger. Her friends describe her as kind, loving, and humorous. “I just wish she could see how beautiful and smart she is for herself, the way that others see her. It has been an honor being her friend,” Leila Mujic (12) said.
In the future, Jelena hopes to work as a human rights lawyer for the international criminal court.
Granger High School grows in culture and diversity By Tyler Danh Diversity is in everybody’s life, no matter where they go. Granger High School is one of the most diverse schools in the state of Utah. For Granger, diversity is a major key in making it a unique place. Granger’s diversity helps students prepare for the real world by helping teach people how to interact with other people of different ethnicities, nationalities, and cultures. “Unlike any other school on the surface, everybody gets along,” Mr. Sanada said. Sanada has taught at multiple schools. However, out of all of them, he believes Granger is unique with the diversity it has. “Other schools
have multiple groups that are not close to each other, but Granger has diverse groups where you will see everyone being nice to each other even if they are not of the same ethnic background,” Sanada said. Sanada believes our diversity makes us strong compared to other schools. “Everyone is good to each other, even when being different,” Isaac Lemus (9) said. Lemus likes that Granger is diverse. His group of friends come from all over the world. “I have friends of all sorts of ethnicities, and I am proud of it,” Lemus said. Lemus believes that Granger’s diversity is better than at any other high school. Lemus hopes that Grang-
er becomes even more diverse so that he can meet even more people of different backgrounds. “Everyone is different; you will not find the same people,” Bright Ametitiovi (9) said. Ametitovi likes that Granger is more than one culture compared to multiple schools that only have one dominant culture. Ametitiovi’s group of friends is diverse, and he enjoys that they are. Ametitiovi loves that Granger is diverse and would not change it. “I like the diversity that Granger has to offer,” Christian Roberts (11) said. Roberts likes that nobody is the same and that everyone embraces not being the same. Roberts likes that ev-
eryone has different knowledge and experiences to offer, which he feels is key to making lasting friendships. Roberts believes that Granger is more diverse compared to other schools. Roberts would not change the diversity of Granger and believes that everyone handles it pretty well. “Granger’s diversity is large and has a lot of varieties of different ethnic backgrounds,” Juleydy Natali Ramos (11) said. Ramos would not change the diversity of Granger because it makes Granger beautiful and unique in its own way. Ramos likes that Granger stands out more than other schools because of its divercontinued on page 4
Self discovery still important
By Analicia Montoya Every school year brings different kinds of stress, anxiety, and discomfort. Many things are thrown in one’s way; however, one is given a choice on how to deal with those things and most of all learn from them. Year after year, students become stronger without completely realizing it. All of this ties into celebrating the end of the school year and focusing on becoming a better you. People celebrate what they’ve succeeded in different ways and the progress they have made. Things like throwing a party, having a bonfire, traveling to a dream destination are all things students do once summer begins. These celebrations are a part of the “after high school” stage, but there are many other plans that extend to aspects of self-discovery, college, and career. Paola Estrada (12) had something to say about her plans after high school. “I am very outgoing and like to experience different things. So, after high school, I want to travel for a bit and then go to college in California, which is my home state,” Estrada said. Traveling is a chance to get a sense of the world outside of your comfort zone. Some people do the fun things first and want to go out and see more before actually starting on what they want to do as their career. Keep in mind this is not necessarily a bad idea. It depends on the person and what works for them. Things to realize after high school is that friendships do not last forever. It’s the sad truth. A plan you had in high school might not be what you want to do after. Also, realize that we are still so young and have time to figure out what we want to do with our lives. “After high school, I plan on taking a full year off to relax and adventure and save some money to be able to pay at least some of school on my own. I also plan on attending college and going into the business field,” Joselyn Reyes (12) said. “If you’re more certain that school isn’t for you, or if you’re not sure what you want to study, heading off into work might not be a bad idea. If you’re still living at home while working, that gives you time to stack up on money.” Students also get work experience and a better sense of what work they want to be in. People also get into building their own businesses. There are a lot of business owners who trade in their school experience. Maybe they have a brilliant idea or side hustle throughout high school.
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Tri-Color Times VOL. LXIII Issue 9
Talented lancers obtain athletic scholarships By Alexis McArthur NCAA Divisions I and II schools provide more than $2.9 billion in athletics scholarships annually to more than 150,000 student-athletes. Although that sounds like a lot, it is very hard to obtain an athletic scholarship. The athletes that are picked are the best of the best, and more often than not, athletes are bred to be recruited from the time they start sports. That being said a few of the students at Granger have been selected to be looked at for athletic scholarships. Keeva Mahoney (12) was scouted by a Wyoming community college. “Western Wyoming Community College asked me to come try-out for their team over spring break, so I did, and I ended up making the team,” Mahoney said. Mahoney is a point guard and shooting guard for the Granger girls basketball team. “They were never able to physically come watch me play, but my cousin ended up sending them a video of me playing,” Mahoney
added. Western Wyoming Community College is a D1 junior division. “I was the one that initiated the conversation with the college coaches about getting a scholarship to play basketball, and I’m very glad I did because now I have offers from two different schools,” Chancelor Leatherwood (12) said. Leatherwood is a shooting guard for the girls basketball team and has been playing for a very long time with her church and other teams. “I’m not sure which school I’m going to commit to, but I’m very grateful, and I can’t wait to play college basketball,” Leatherwood said. Leatherwood got offers from Minnesota West and Washington State. Kaelijah Sliger (12) is also a point guard for the girls basketball team and has been playing since she was in the third grade. “I got an offer from Mountain Hood Community College in Oregon,” Sliger said. Sliger has decided to attend a college in Idaho to pursue a career in the national guard.
Leatherwood’s at Big Bend Community College in Moses Lake Washington
“I might decide to try-out for their basketball team once I get there, but for now I’m just focusing on school,” Sliger added. Unlike other athletes that got scouted, Gates Leatherwood (12) took matters into her own hands and emailed the softball coach at Big Bend Community College in Moses Lake Washington. “One of my teammates on my competition team was scouted by them, and she told me they needed a catcher, so I reached out to the head coach,” Leatherwood said. Leatherwood was offered the best scholarship they could give, which pays for 65% of her tuition. “We talked on the phone and planned to meet so that he could give me a tour of the school and explain what they had to offer,” Leatherwood added. Leatherwood said that at the end of the trip, the coach took her out to eat, and that was when he offered her the scholarship. “I had gotten a few other offers, but I didn’t hesitate to accept that one when they offered me the scholarship,” Leatherwood said. Roulervee Vann (12) has been the varsity starting point guard for Granger since he was a freshman, so it was no surprise when he was offered a few different scholarships. “After the state game, the head coach at Northwest Wyoming Community College texted Coach Chandler and told him that they needed a point guard,” Vann said. T he coach texted Vann and offered up a full ride scholarship. “I went and toured the school, but it just wasn’t the ideal location for me,” Vann said. Vann declined the offer but is still contemplating two other offers from colleges in Montana and Oregon. Although it is hard to obtain an athletic scholarship, it is crazy to know that fellow Lancers did it and could someday make it to the big leagues. These athletes are the best of the best and have put in countless hours of grueling practice. Good luck to all of the Lancers in their future college sport careers!
Goals lead to success
By Nia Johansson THERE are many goals people want to achieve during the summer. People around the world have multiple reasons as to why they want to make up a goal. Goals help people feel like they are capable of accomplishing anything they put their minds to. Some goals people find worth accomplishing are losing weight, getting ready for a sport that’s going to start up soon, and actually enjoying their summer. Students here at Granger have already planned out their goal for the summer. “My plan for this summer is to go to Cali because I want to see my family, and I want to get out of Utah,” Fiso Kilifi (11) said. Summer plans have been thought out since the beginning of the school year. It’s also been something Lancers have thought about doing do for a very long time. Some of the goals Lancers come up with are laid back, chill, and fun. “My summer’s gonna be lit because I’m just gonna do dumb stuff,” Brian Hernandez (9) said. Whether it be dumb or actually productive, everyone’s goals are different. Many goals similar to Hernandez’s are what some of the students here at Granger are planning to do for their summer. Usually people like to keep their goals small and simple. Others like to go big or go home. “I’m going to grind throughout the summer so that I’m faster and more explosive as a football player,” Jordan Taula (10) said. There is no limit as to how far people’s goals can go. The only limit is themselves. Students have been wanting to achieve their goals desperately. “My goal for this summer is to better myself and mature as much as a teenager as I can,” Yudith Mendoza (10) said. Backing out is never an option if they put their
time and effort into it and stop at nothing to complete it. Lancers are just trying to have fun with their summer goals. They are also trying to be with friends and family while making the best out of every moment they spend together. “I’m really just trying to get out of here and spend more time with my family,” Priscilla Moleni (10) said. There were moments when Moleni would want to just leave school but had to persevere through everything and be a good student. When summer comes, she can just focus on her and her family instead of school and other stresses she has had to deal with. There are a lot of short-term goals people want to get through before summer ends. “I want to work out and practice hard so that I can start next year and prove to the coach that I can play with everyone else” Vikita Tausinga (9) said. Sometimes, there were certain instances when Tausinga felt like giving up but didn’t let himself back down. “Backing down from a goal means that I’ve given up, and I haven’t given up,” Tausinga said. When the time comes, he’ll be ready to show the coach what he’s got. Summer goals also involve jobs and adult things like that. While the underclassmen are out and about, the upperclassmen are trying to get their life on track. “A goal I have for my summer is to get a new and better job,” Katalina Tagaloa (12) said. Although Tagaloa already has a job, she wants one that gives her a far better experience than the one her current job gives her. No matter what goals Lancers may have for the upcoming summer and academic year, one thing is for sure: goals help focus people’s energy on doing something that sparks happiness and a sense of accomplishment!
Rearrange your way of thinking into a more positive direction By Liliana Arreola THE SKILL of this month is “You are what you think.” Each individual has their own thoughts, some positive and others negative. The things one thinks about themself becomes reality. When someone listens to the things around their surroundings, there seem to be a lot of negative thoughts swarming in the minds and thoughts of people. Listening to the people at Granger, one may hear all different things, such as, “I don’t look good today.” Rather than say this about yourself, be positive and kind to yourself because if you aren’t, how can you expect someone else to be? Another common comment is, “I won’t pass this class.” Certainly, this mentality does not pave the way for progress and improvement. So, change your thoughts in a positive direction! People say, “I am afraid to try new things.” Everyone is scared to take risks because one doesn’t
know what the outcome will be. It is always a fifty-fifty chance of it going either really well or poorly. Someone must train their mind to think of a better outcome and the positive outcome will likely happen. If it doesn’t, rather than view the experience negatively, view it as an experience of self-growth and awareness. “It is important that people think of themselves more positively,” Biancaflor Monrreal (9) said. Many people seem to have a low self-esteem. Change this mentality, and put yourself in a better place and have positive things to say about yourself. Set the standards high and know your worth. Everyone is capable of saying negative things about themselves, but when it comes to others, one knows how to compliment them and say positive things. One must learn to give themselves compliments just as much in order to boost their confidence. No one should view them-
selves as less than enough. “People should never think negatively of themselves; they should always have a positive view,” Jackie Campos (10) said. Everyone is always learning and growing. Some people are learning to become a better person and want to see things get better in their life. It takes time to become who one really wants to be, but learning to love the person one becomes and learning to say good things about oneself helps one’s self-esteem get better. Many people have trouble learning to like who they are, and they compare themselves to other people. “You should see you are enough, and you don’t have to compare yourself to others,” Monzerrat Rodriguez (10) said. Everyone wants to be like someone else; one may look at famous people with a “perfect” life and want to have their life. But, one must see, not everyone is perfect; everyone has flaws. No one can fix everything that is wrong
with themselves. But, that is the beauty of being human! “People should view themselves how they want and not how others see them,” Abril Murillo (10) said. Respect goes in all different ways; it can be how one treats
their body, how one compliments or criticizes themselves, or one’s confidence. Everyone has their view on self-respect, but one should always positively respect themselves so that there are no negative thoughts crossing one’s mind about themselves.
Liz Soledad thinks it is important people respect themselves.
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Tri-Color Times VOL. LXIII Issue 9
It’s the little things that matter Opinion by Nevaeh Chavez OFTEN times, we forget the significance of custodians here at Granger High School. They do not really get the recognition they deserve. There should be more ways to reward them for their hard work and let them know we appreciate what they do for our school. Walking around campus, you never really notice the mess students make and definitely don’t notice the individuals who pick it up when students leave. Granger High is such a large school that we often forget how things can add up. As a Lancer and seeing all the hard work our custodians put into keeping our school as beautiful as possible, we should appreciate it as much as we can. Students don’t realize just how much of a mess can be made. Janitors and custodians are people, too. They put up with a lot of stuff and take every disrespectful thing with maturity, whether you are one of the people guilty of treating these people indifferently or do all you can to contribute to their job. While talking with a few people about custodians and if it is an agreeable topic that these individuals who work for Granger get the recognition they deserve, it was often said that they do not. It is a tragedy that as a student body we know we could
be doing more but make the decision not to. Ask a custodian his or her name when you see them in the halls. Simply saying hello can go a long way. Spare 30 seconds of your day to thank the person that takes the time to make sure you have a clean space to learn in. Custodians are the unsung heroes here at school. Everyone knows to revere firemen and police officers; on the other hand, people find it hard to voice their admiration or sincere respect for custodial staff. To be fair, contemplating the trials of being a custodian can be something we may not understand. I am no expert on what it is like to be a custodian, but even my own limited observations have shown me just how much they have to put up with. There are standard job requirements for a custodian, such as mopping or sweeping and basic cleaning, but there are also unnecessary tasks they must spend time on created by us, the people they are cleaning up after, which unfairly burden people who already work with little to no thanks given by those they are helping. Individuals were asked on what small things could be done for the custodians here at Granger. After some thought, some ideas came to mind.
Throw a party and invite everyone who works in the building. Give your custodians a chance to relax. Cake and a short speech of recognition from the principal or a few students is plenty to make workers feel valued and appreciated. Even writing a thank you note, give specific examples of why you’re grateful, is great. In particular, mention why their work is helping the school grow and meet goals. By putting your appreciation into writing, it becomes a memorable keepsake. Our guess is that most custodial staff don’t receive that kind of attention very often. As Lancers, we should make it more of a priority to do these little acts of kindness. Research shows that most custodians feel overworked. Many custodians must work five days per week and clean more of the school if their coworkers cannot come in to work. Trash bins overflowing with garbage and spilling onto the floor… a thin film of dust coating the floor…grime leaving the table surfaces sticky… all of this would be happening if it wasn’t for the work of our custodians. Nonetheless, don’t be the person that goes against their efforts of maintaining a clean school. If you see a mess, clean it. The little things can go a long way.
Your emotions aren’t yours to keep
Opinion by Jocelyn Roberts IF A PERSON were to live in complete isolation from the world, with enough food and water to survive, would they have emotions? According to Lisa Feldman Barrett, the director of Northeastern University’s Interdisciplinary Affective Science Laboratory, the answer is no. Emotions cannot just happen to you. Rather, they are made from past experiences and from learning emotional concepts. The person who lives in isolation would be able to feel sensations, but they wouldn’t be able to feel the entire emotion. In other words, emotions require more than the raw experience of a feeling; emotions need to make meaning out of the experience. Isolation comes in many different forms. Social isolation is the number one form of isolation for Generation Z. There have never been more cases of social anxiety than as of recent. More and more people are becoming emotionally stunted because of things like social media. Barrett suggests that if they were to simply get out of the house more, so many conflicts could be avoided. Face-to-face conversations used to be a major factor in emotional development, and now that everyone talks online, some people are missing certain emotional cues. From the scientific perspective, Barrett did a neuroimaging study on anger, disgust, happiness, fear, and sadness. Not a single region of the brain held a “fingerprint” for any emotion. This helps to prove that emotions need to be developed. People aren’t born with the knowledge of emotion. “From your brain’s perspective,
your body is just another source of sensory input,” Barrett writes. So, if we were to completely go off of what Barrett says, then that would mean no matter how you choose to feel about a certain situation, there are social constructs that say how you should feel about them. Barrett believes that emotions are learned from cultural aspects and by seeing how other people react to certain situations. She does not agree with the claim “Emotions are personal.” Nonetheless, it is not safe to completely side with this argument, either. Everyone reacts differently to certain situations. People feel differently depending on the type of weather; clear skies might make someone super happy, but someone else might feel annoyed that the sky is clear. Consequently, there are times when it is not okay to determine how a person should feel about a certain situation. Take traumatic events for example. Some people may feel angry, while someone else might experience feelings of anxiety and fear. Emotions do not last. Shayla Love, a reporter at Vice, explains that emotions are triggered by things you experience throughout the day. “Anger, when someone cuts you off on the highway...the emotions come and go automatically.” She is using this to help demonstrate how feelings are temporary and used to help understand situations. Gianpiero Petriglieri wrote a brilliant article about emotions and how they can be classified as personal data. “We have come to regard emotions as assets—precious or toxic as they may be— rather than as data,” Petriglieri
said. He explains that trying to manage emotions leaves people without fully understanding them, which stops them from seeing a very important pattern—the pattern being how they really feel. They get to a point where they find themselves thinking, “Here I go again,” which causes them to want to stop feeling that way, and they therefore try and manage their emotions. Doing so stops them from seeing the bigger picture: emotions are personal. On the other hand, there are those who adamantly propose and support the notion that emotions are social constructs. Barrett mentions that emotions are not a reaction of the world, but rather our brain explaining the cause of sensations and actions. There are many theories regarding social constructs, the most notable one would be the Thomas Theorem. The theory is best explained by using this example. In 2019, so many people are significantly attached to their phones. Some people can’t even last a day without their constant connection to the internet. They begin to see their phone as a necessity. But, to someone who has never used a phone before, they obviously wouldn’t see it as a necessity. Barrett believes that the brain makes up emotions from seeing how other people react. This theory connects to that because overtime the brain will begin to fully think that something has become a need. There are fair arguments for emotions either being personal or socially constructed. If there is anything that remains clear, it is the question of where you stand on this hot debate.
Track trains athletes for life By Angelica Dwight Track is a sport all about running, and many would say it’s a very active sport! Track, from the sounds of it, would benefit anybody who participated, which is actually why coaches want their players also doing track along with their main sport. Running is a very common workout that a lot of people do, and there are proven facts that running does benefit you. Anyone from local coaches to champion players would recommend track to any athlete. Blogs. usafootball.com says, “NFL encourages all young players to compete in multiple sports in order to build well-rounded athletic skills.” Even coaches here at Granger High School state that track can benefit anyone but specifically athletes. “Track helps you stay physically and mentally focused; it’s all about endurance,” Coach Jefferies said. Over time, coaches have noticed multi-sport athletes keep up a longer endurance and perform better overall after doing track, so they’re strongly encouraging them to join and participate. At first glance, many people are actually opposed to doing track because of how hard the sport is. However, after learning about the many benefits that can come from persevering through this sport, people might be more inclined to join. many people. Coach Shipman here at Granger High School says he, along with
the other athletic coaches, do encourage our athletes to join track because of its benefits. “Every athlete should do it. It’s all about speed, and that’s a skill in many sports,” Shipman said. Track is teaching students how to work hard for a long time. Micah Kurtz of Stack.com states that, “The three reasons why football players should also run track include: finding your form, building better burst, and becoming faster.” For a lot of athletes who do track, it is something they do to help stay ready for their main sports’ season. “I’ve done track all four years of high school, and it really helped me. It improved my endurance for football, and I learned to like it,” Rayden Boguslawski (12) said. On the other hand, there are younger athletes just barely learning the benefits of doing track. “This is my first year, and I like it. I personally think it will help me with football in the future,” Vernon Laita (10) said. Athletes, along with coaches, are seeing results and realizing its [track’s] benefits. Overall, track is incredibly beneficial and can help anyone get or stay in shape. Track is a sport about running, but it also teaches good life lessons that cannot people not only with their physical activity but in their life. It teaches perseverance, which is a reminder that we all have to push through the difficult times.
Tri-Color Times Staff Editor in Chief Jelena Dragicevic
Social Media Editor Jocelyn Roberts
Reporters Miguel Acosta Liliana Arreola Landon Burton Erik Carranza Nevaeh Chavez Tyler Danh Angelica Dwight Elena Flores Nia Johansson Stephanie Gutierrez Karla Landeros Alexis McArthur
Reporters Analicia Montoya Layla Moo-Itch Nancy Otuafi Ivan Padilla Lina Philip Emma Pratt Adan Puerta Carlos Salinas Ivan Siete Mosese Sonasi Leilani Tima Karina Zavala
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.
Tri-Color Times c/o Granger High 3580 South 3600 West West Valley, UT 84119 (385) 646-5320
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Tri-Color Times VOL. LXIII Issue 9
Lancers thrive on progression, and they are ready for the future By Erik Carranza IMPROVEMENT is something that every Lancer wants. Anyone can improve in anything. It can be in social life, school work, sports, or even something as simple as playing a video game. Ms. Neibaur is an amazing example of somebody that has improved in many ways. “I have improved a lot through experience,” Ms. Neibaur said. Everybody has flaws and things they want to change about themselves. Facing and trying to fix those flaws can be a challenge. Ms. Neibaur believes that she can improve on her relationship with her students. “I want to keep healthy relationships with my students but not to the point where I get taken advantage of,” Ms. Neibaur said. Repetition has a lot to do with
improving. “If you do something over and over, five days a week. you are bound to get better at it. Teaching feels a lot more comfortable now,” Ms. Roberts said. Ms. Roberts has been teaching for five years and has seen some progression. She has improved by becoming more comfortable with students and people in the classroom. Her teaching instincts have developed, as well. Knowing when somebody needs help or wants to ask a question is really easy for her to notice now. It can get really hard trying to teach different lessons in class. Teachers try their best to teach the most important material and give students the knowledge they need for that specific class. “I plan on teaching a lot more through the books so that students get the needed materials,” Ms.
Roberts said. Teachers want their students to graduate and succeed in life. Ms. Roberts wants her students to seek what they are passionate about and to keep learning. School is a really big thing that people want to improve in. Andy Orozco (12) is super excited to graduate this year with the class of 2019. Orozco has always done pretty good in school and is really proud of his achievements that he has accomplished. “Overall, I think that I did amazing because of what I have to show for it,” Orozco said. However, being academically successful has not stopped Orozco from setting goals on other aspects of his life he could improve on, particularly with his mental and physical health. “I want to better myself in a healthy fashion
by going to the gym more and eating healthier,” Orozco said. Leylane Soto (12) is a young mother who graduated early. She believes that she has improved so much in her life. “Every obstacle outside of school has helped me become the woman I am today,” Soto said. Soto is constantly wanting to improve and grow as a mother and a student. She is planning on taking a little break from school and wants to focus her finances. There are always ways for somebody to improve. Soto wants to improve by being more grateful for things that people do for her and things that have occurred in her life. “I want to use my past experiences and turn them into positive aspects that I can use to better myself and my future,” Soto said. Motivation is really important
when it comes to improving and wanting to get better. Soto’s motivation has to be her child and her parents. Soto appreciates her parents for encouraging and being there for her, so she is determined to do the same for them. Christian Ruiz (12) has improved drastically, specifically in school. “I have improved so much and am really proud of myself,” Ruiz said. Ruiz has always had a rough time being dedicated to school and his work. A big part of that has to to do with procrastination. It can get really hard to do things last minute, but it is super easy to say that you will do something later. “I started off my senior year in high school with six credits, I now have 21. If that is not dedication, I don’t what is. I still have a little bit to go, but I know I can do it,” Ruiz said.
Teen marriages have high divorce rates By Ivan Padilla MARRIAGE is a cultural and religious staple in a human’s life; however, ever since the 1980s, marriage has been on a steady decline and is now at its lowest since the 1870s. People seem to be less enthusiastic about and less drawn to the thought of marriage. Of course, we all know that half of all marriages end in divorce, but there are more implications about marriage than might automatically come to one’s mind. Marriage is not all that hot in the minds of adolescents and young adults, either. Most people, when asked if they want to get married, will reply with ‘after time down the line’ or ‘not anytime soon.’ Marriage while still in high school or even in college is just added stress and overall unnecessary in the eyes of young people. However, it is most certainly on the minds of some communities, including religious ones. For many children, the importance of marriage is made clear. So much so that little girls in middle school go planning what they want for their marriage on the Pinterest.com website—everything from the perfect dress to what the style of the whole shebang will be. Statistically, the younger you are married, the more likely that marriage will end in divorce. The statistics actually show that anywhere from 25 to 32 is the best time to get married. Getting mar-
ried at ages below 20 have a 38% chance of divorce after the first five years. From 20 to 24, the stat drops, but is still high at a 27% divorce rate, according to Psychologytoday.com. This is likely due to young people being unstable and undeveloped emotionally. Along with this, the younger you are, the less experience you will have in how to navigate a relationship. Religious marriages have a lower divorce rate, but this does not mean that the relationships are any better, but rather that there may be more pressures within the community to stay together. Not to mention that many who get married early may have children soon after getting married, making divorce more complicated and less likely. Despite the good evidence that marriage at a young age is not a good idea, some adolescents will go through with it, regardless. “Honestly, it started out as a joke, as most things in our relationships do,” Dominique Johnson (12) said. Johnson is engaged to a man named Dennis, and she is very happy. She met him on Tinder, and they talked to each other as mere friends for five months before meeting each other in person. They met each other at a “haunted location” with a few friends; about two weeks later, they were officially dating. They got engaged about two months into their relationship and have been together for about a year. She is not blind to the risks of
a potential marriage, however, and still has her doubts. “I think about that a lot. It’s just a rational thought that 50% of marriages end in divorce. But, I’d rather try and fail than never know,” Johnson said. Of course, if an individual chooses to get married young, to each their own, but there are cases when getting married is less in one’s hands. “I am expected to get married in college,” Fahim Sediqi (12) said. Sediqi is of the Muslim faith and is going to Afghanistan in late May; he suspects it is to meet his bride. Although it may still be his choice as to whether he will get married, he is under unruly familial and societal pressures within his Muslim community. “I can only think of one of my cousins who isn’t married,” Sediqi said. Getting married young has been a part of his culture for a long time, and he understands why his parents want him to get married. Nonetheless, he feels that that it adds on a lot more work and stress in his life. However, he feels that just because it is traditional to get married young, it does not justify pressuring people to get married. He, personally, does not want to get married. To be completely clear, people of whatever faith or background can get married whenever, obviously, but it is a tradition and culture that may not be in the best interest of the people participating, and that is something worth thinking about.
Diversity at Granger High School
continued from page 4 sity. Ramos believes the diversity gives more opportunities to be open with more people. “I am used to being in a diverse environment,” Nathaniel Matuu (11) said. Matuu is used to being around different ethnicities, so he does not really notice the difference at school. “If I went to a different school, I am sure I would notice a difference,” Matuu said. Matuu believes it would be weird if a school did not have diversity. “The diversity at Granger shows you how many ethnic backgrounds students of Granger come from,” Rayden Boguslawski (12) said. Boguslawski
loves that Granger is diverse, and all his friends are of different backgrounds. Boguslawski believes that Granger can offer more diversity than other schools. Bogulawski would not change the diversity of Granger but would be happy if new diversity comes to Granger and would like to see it grow with different people. “I like that we can be diverse because I meet people from all over the world,” Brianna Suazo (10) said. Suazo likes that Granger is not biased to any one background and that everyone is welcome at Granger. Suazo likes that she can see more diversity
at Granger than at other schools, and she would not change how diverse [Granger] is. “This school is more diverse than the other school I went to,” Pearla Muniz (12) said. Muniz likes that there are more colored people at the school than at other schools she has been to. Muniz likes that Granger is more creative with culture, and everyone gets along. One thing is for sure. The Lancer creed that states, “Our differences make us stronger,” is a reality at Granger High. Lancers have come to view diversity as an element of pride and unity rather than an obstacle.
Lancers learn from embarrassment By Karla Landeros AS HIGH SCHOOL years pass, there are more stories people accumulate, and there is more to tell. High school is the part of life when most people go through a lot of growth, and it is intriguing to listen to them discuss these matters, regardless of whether the stories might be romantic, scary, weird, or embarrassing. Memories and high school are things that should always bring a smile to a person’s face, yet this remains untrue for many students. Instead, they look down on their years of high school, viewing it a place that brought bad memories. However, this is not how high school should be approached at all. Rather, it should be praised for the lessons it brought someone, both the good and the bad. “It’s a story you can tell people,” Ramona Muñoz (10) said. When one enters college, try as they might to fight it, memories of high school will return to their minds. Usually, it is the embarrassing stories that stick for a longer time because of the humor and lessons they provide. As young adults, many lack maturity and will proceed to embarrass each other constantly. Embarrassing situations tend to build up character, preventing people from making the same mistakes again. “You learn a lot because you understand the consequences and benefits from each situation and how you can improve on that,” Ethan Nguyen (11) said. Anything can be improved by taking time and analyzing mistakes. In the end, there is a better way to handle embarrassing situations without being as embarrassed as before. Getting embarrassed five years ago is different to getting embarrassed now. Growing up is part of this process. As a child, many people would just get embarrassed while attempting to make new friends. There isn’t much confidence in a child. Yet, several years later, the prospects of making new friends seems less intimidating, as people have found friends that have stuck with them throughout the years.
As young adults, years of education and experiences have taught us that coursework can and does get harder as years go by. Furthermore, this has provided us with a reasonable comparison of what we went through while being younger versus what we went through in high school and are destined to go through as fully-grown adults. The reality is, the older we get, the greater the pressure to perform well and deal with responsibilities. It’s an invaluable lesson that can benefit those who take time to appreciate its value. While going through these processes, mistakes and failures are destined to happen. However, many students cave in to the terrible feelings of embarrassment that come along with them rather than appreciate the better, wiser person they have helped create. Experiencing embarrassment is a natural emotion and everyone seems to run away from it most of the time. The biggest factor is that most care about their public image too much. Truth is, whoever is involved will most likely not remember. Stuff happens every day in a busy student’s life. “Either everyone is going to remember this forever or forget about it tomorrow,” Ethan Berk (11) said. It doesn’t matter how many times people embarrass themselves; it’s just a bad moment. Embarrassment takes the a situation and makes it feel too personal. Not everything is meant to be serious; people make mistakes. “Don’t jump to conclusions because that is how many embarrassing situations happen. It’s a natural thing that everyone experiences because nobody is perfect,” Ameena Ahmed (9) said. To get up from an embarrassing situation, many just play it cool. People notice if someone is uncomfortable right away, making an situation more awkward. Laughing it out is the best way to avoid embarrassment. If people laugh because someone tripped, the person who fell could just laugh along thinking it was funny, too.