Tri-Color Times 2019-12

Granger high school’S

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TRICOLORTIMES.COM

December 2019 LXII-IV

Graduating Excaliburs feel nostalgic about drill team

By Jessica Francisco HERE AT Granger High School, there’s an amazing drill team.

The drill team’s name is the Excaliburs. Ms. Lago is the person who directs the drill team. Students in any grade can join the drill team. Many of the current members joined their freshman year because they love dancing, while others wanted to gain more experience throughout their high school years.

Seniors that are part of the Excalibur team will be enjoying their last year in drill before they graduate. Many of them are going to miss dancing for assemblies or competing with different schools. These seniors will definitely miss their whole team they have spent time dancing with throughout high school.

Leslie Jara (12) is the captain of the Excaliburs in her last year

before leaving Granger. Many Excaliburs gained opportunities by being on the team. “Drill has absolutely opened many doors for me and different new opportunities, and I’m glad it did,” Jara said.

Jara joined the drill team in her freshman year. “I joined because I love to dance and I want to become better at dancing,” Jara said. All of the girls on the drill team became comfortable and created a great bond among its members. “I look up to all of my team, I see them all as my little sisters. I will most definitely miss them all once I graduate,” Jara said.

Raja Benning (12) joined drill in her freshman year alongside Jara. Joining drill also opened many doors for Benning, and it also helped her form new friendships that got her out of her

comfort zone. These seniors recommend that if a student loves dancing, she should definitely consider trying out for the team.

“By joining drill, it has given me more opportunities like more dancing experience. It also made me involved in school more,” Benning said. She joined drill because she loves dancing and wants to become better. “Once I graduate, I’m going to miss my team. All of them are my little babies,” Benning said.

Seniors that are part of a club or are in any sports for the school are going to miss their team once they graduate, but hopefully many of them will continue on to do what they love the most. “So far, my senior year has been really fun and I’m sad that it’s my last year here at Granger, but I really enjoyed it,” Benning said.

Taunya Perkes (12) also

joined the drill team her freshman year. “I learned many more things by being part of the team and I’m happy that I get to enjoy my senior year here at Granger,” Perkes said. The team has had many good impacts on these students. They are all comfortable among one another and they can trust anyone in the team.

Drill has created many good opportunities for Perkes. “I always wanted to move on to the next step of being in studio and by joining drill, and it has helped me into taking the next step,” she said.

Perkes will most definitely miss her whole drill team as well as participating in school events and dancing with the Excalibur drill team for assemblies and games. “I feel really sad to go but also excited to move on in life,” Perkes said.

Seniors Leslie, Taunya, and Raja enjoy dancing as Excaliburs until they graduate in the spring.

Tennis and baseball boys hit in drive-by paintball shooting

By Jaxon Wolfley ON WEDNESDAY, November 6, members of the tennis and baseball teams were shot at by a paintball gun.

This event was a hit and run.

The suspect in the car has not been identified by the team or anyone else who saw him. Luckily only two students were injured.

“The pellets hit me in the side of my head and my elbow. It was pretty hard, too. It gave me a headache.” Will West (10) said.

Many students involved were unsure about what to do in this situation. This could have been an incident caused by hazing, or just someone playing a prank.

The man in the car drove away and was said to appear too old to be a student at Granger High

School.

In an online article on paintballic.com, it states, “a standard paintball gun can shoot between 240 to 280 FPS. This speed is between a range of 163 to 190 mph.” Therefore, one of Granger’s Lancers could have been seriously injured. Some students were lucky enough to run, or not get hit by these paintball pellets.

One tennis-playing Lancer who experienced the incident described his experience. “I ran along with student vice president Ian, but other people got hit because they just stood there,” Tyler Khopha (9) said. Students were not the only thing hit during this paintball shooting. Some of Granger High’s property was damaged in this incident. A poster on the tennis court was hit

with a pink paintball. This caused the paint to drip down it, onto the tennis court as well as onto the net on the court. Additionally, pellets from the paintball gun were found on the ground.

Some players took it as a joke, even playful hazing. “The man in the red truck said, ‘my bad!’ as he drove by and shot us,” Oliver Yeh (10) said.

Many are questioning why an older man would yell that for a joke as well as hurt minors. Paintball can be a brutal sport, but this was not a game. There are many paintball related injuries. Nolo. com said in an online article that these “types of paintball eye injuries include hyphemas and vitreous hemorrhages (bleeding in the eye), retinal detachments, cataracts, corneal abrasions, and

commotio retina (bruising and swelling of the retina).” Some of Granger’s Lancers during this incident were not wearing eyewear to protect themselves. Yeh, for example, was hit in the glasses.

His glasses protected him from an injury that could’ve seriously hurt him.

“It was a red truck and the paintball shooting happened at around 5:15 p.m.,” PJ Khonsanait (10) said This situation is a new one at Granger, and many do not know how to deal with the problem. The truck the man was in had no plates. All the office can lead with was that it was a red truck. Now, Granger police and administration is unsure what to do about the situation.

They seem to want to just move on from the incident.

Lancers use Life360 app

By Krystina Soriano LIFE360 is an app that allows people to track family and friends in real time. Customers can see where the people in their circle are and where they’re going.

The founding of this app happened after hurricane Katrina.

The co-founder realized that first responders didn’t quite have the required tools to find someone who needed the help. “It is designed to protect and connect the people who matter most,” a Life360 spokesperson said. They wanted a way for families to manage their hectic lives.

Many users like the app because it allows them to keep an eye on their kids, friends, and lovers. Most users’ favorite part of the app is knowing when someone has arrived safely. Another popular feature is knowing the battery percentages of friends. It gives them some sense as to why someone isn’t responding to calls or messages.

Life360 data isn’t always accurate. Many people have reported inaccurate locations or the app just doesn’t give the right location at the right time.

Avero Larson (12) believes Life360 is an invasion of his privacy. He feels he cannot go where he wants, as his parents can see where he’s going. He does find it partially helpful. “My parents will go on long drives, and I’m like, Are my parents dead? Did they crash the motorcycle? And then I look, oh they’re moving they’re not dead,” he said.

The app allows users to do a variety of things. Location sharing is the biggest and main use of this app. Customers may also see their Location ETA. Location ETA is the time it takes someone to get to their destination from where they are currently.

There are level packages one can subscribe to monthly. Those packages would be the free package, plus package, and driver protect package. Each level provides a certain amount of options. Driver protect gives the customer everything on the app for $7.99. In contrast, the free package gives just the essentials.

“You can see how fast they’re driving,” Kaylee Leyba (9) said.

This is a feature one can have with the driver protect package.

This allows those in the circle to see if a driver is speeding or not.

Another useful feature is roadside assistance. This allows you to call someone from Life360 with the push of a button. They will tow a car up to five miles, fix a flat tire, jumpstart your battery, and give you three gallons of gas if you happen to run out on the road.

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December 2019, page 2 | News

Tri-Color Times VOL. 62 Issue 4

GHS closed campus status not enforced

By Adrian Solorzano GRANGER is a closed campus, but not many students know that. Students have come to the realization that they have the opportunity to leave the campus during lunch. However, many students don’t know is that Granger High School is a closed campus. Many don’t realize this, though, because it is not very heavily enforced. Lancers such as Jorge Bassoco (11) weren’t aware of the closed campus policy.

“I didn’t know that Granger is closed campus. I thought it was an open campus, you usually see a lot of people leaving during lunch,” Bassoco said.

There are many students that believe that Granger is an open campus. When a student leaves the campus, they are obligated to take care of themselves.

The school is a safe place for many high school students. There are a lot of things students may face when they leave the campus. “When a student leaves the campus, they are facing fights, drug use, and also tobacco use. We as officers are short staffed, we only have a couple of officers for 3000 plus students,” Officer Van Scoy said.

The officers try their best to keep everything under control, but with students leaving and staying on campus, it gets increasingly difficult to keep track what’s happening in the area. Most of the officers recommend that students stay on campus during school hours, because if anything happens to them, officers can respond faster to the situation if students are on campus.

Granger is labeled as a closed campus, but the administration and officers don’t heavily enforce this policy. Many students have the opportunity to leave campus. “It’s like an oxymoron, a figure of speech. We can’t be a closed campus if we don’t have fences around our school. The only schools I know that are closed campus are elementary schools if you think about it, I haven’t seen any high schools that are a closed campus, they are just labeled like that,” Mr. Jackson said.

The bottom line is that while Granger is technically a closed campus, many students will continue to leave during lunchtime. Administrators and officers recommend that students stay on campus or close by, though, for their own safety.

Vaping causes lung damage and fire drills

By Leila Puentes FIRE ALARMS are devices that are in many people’s houses or work buildings. They can detect smoke, fire, or carbon monoxide.

Then, if it detects those things, it will make an annoying noise that will alarm the people to get out of the building and get to safety.

Vaping is when people inhale and exhale aerosol which is often referred as vapor. The devices that people use to do vaping or smoking is called an e-cigarette, Juul, or simply a vape. E-Cigarettes do not produce tobacco smoke, instead they have aerosol which is often mistaken as water vapor.

“I have been here for four years as an administrator. There has been three fire alarms, smoking and vaping are mostly the cause of the fire alarms. We have alarms in the bathrooms that detect vaping and smoking,” Mr. Jackson said.

“My feelings in general about how vaping is connected to fire alarms are that students should not vape in school. At all. When a student is taking a ‘bathroom break,’ they are pretty much going to vape and cause a fire alarm and cause a disruption for the whole school. In Granger, there is an alarm that detects

vaping, and then the vape will cause an alarm to go off. Students should know that there are a few levels of consequences of getting caught vaping in school, and that it is against the law to vape in a school. Then if you get caught, you will be going to court because you have set up a disruption for the entire school to go out and wait until the teachers learn what set off the alarm.

Don’t vape!” Mr. Beck said.

Studies show that nicotinefree vaping can bother people’s respiratory system, cause cell death, trigger inflammation, and harm blood vessels. So yes, vaping can hurt people. High school seniors who mistakenly believe that vaping is ‘just flavoring’ increased to 25.7 percent from 20.6 percent in 2017, according to a December 17 press release from the National Institutes of Health available on the nih.org website.

“My thoughts on vaping are that if a person was dumb enough to do it in school, then they should get in trouble and not do it anymore. I think that there are certain consequences when you vape or smoke in school, certainly if you are the reason why a fire alarm went off. Honestly, I would not do vaping at all because it can lead to other bad

things, plus I do not think it is right to do it,” Stephany Lopez (9) said.

Vaping began as an alternative to smoking, but now vaping itself is under more careful scrutiny.

“I think vaping is better than smoking cigarettes, but at the same time it is bad because you are putting smoke in your lungs.

I’m not against it but I’m not with it either. Plus, it helped my dad stop smoking cigarettes,” Katelyn Thompson (12) said.

Whenever an adult is vaping to try to get rid of the habit to smoke, it seems to be more socially acceptable. But whenever a teenager is vaping, it is not OK because they do not need those substances inside their lungs.

Plus, the teenager who is vaping might get into smoking later on in their life, and that can ruin their lifestyle.

“Honestly, I feel like parents should be called because a lot of people’s parents do not know that their child has a vaping device, and the child is getting away with it. But if you suspend them or feel like taking the device away is going to stop them, they could get it again because everyone got their hookups,” Thompson said.

Katelyn Thompson appreciates that vaping helped her dad quit smoking, but she isn’t enthusiastic about it.

Scholarship leaves some behind Opinion by Jocelyn Roberts THE ‘FOR Utah Scholarship’ is a game changer for low-income students. This new scholarship will cover four years of tuition and fees at the University of Utah. For eligible students, this will impact their lives and future generations to come, so worrying about how they will pay for college is now a thing of the past.

To be eligible for this scholarship, students must be Utah residents, first-time freshmen, have an average GPA of 3.2, complete the FAFSA, and be Pell Grant eligible Students must also be accepted into the University of Utah. Students are required to be enrolled full time for eight semesters and maintain a 3.0 GPA. It was brought to my attention that holding the press release at Granger may have had more to with Granger than just its size.

It is smart to make announcements at a place where it’s most relevant. Granger has a larger number of students who will be impacted than say, Skyline .

Dr. Ruth Watkins, the president of the University of Utah, tip-toed around the exact financial requirements by simply saying, “all students who are Pell Grant eligible will be in the running to receive this scholarship.”

About 200 Lancers could benefit from this opportunity this year.

As Dr. Watkins listed the requirements, I was eligible to receive this scholarship up until the Pell Grant requirement was mentioned. The Pell Grant financial requirements are grouped into categories. If a families income is $30,000 or less, the student applying will get it. If the income is in the range of $40,000 to $50,000 the student will most likely get it. Anything more than $50,000 and the amount of money received will be quite low, if any. This is where I became in-

eligible. And where many other students, including many Granger Lancers, become ineligible.

Another Pell Grant requirement that will change the number of students eligible is a very sensitive topic for most. Students must be in the United States legally. Either have a green card, or be a US citizen. Along with this, other requirements include applying for the draft, and having no convictions (criminal record).

The studentaid.ed.gov website lists more specific requirements.

It’s upsetting because, while it’s an amazing opportunity, there are still many students—like myself—who just barely miss the cutoff, and still can’t afford college without numerous student loans. In my opinion, it’s not fair to say that someone can go to college because their parents don’t make good money, and the students whose parents do make good money can’t make college happen without amassing a huge pile of student debt.

Students are practically being handed this scholarship if their family is low-income. Having an average GPA of 3.2 is not very difficult. The only hurdle is being accepted into the University of Utah. With a lower GPA, ACT scores would need to be in the 20s, but students with higher GPAs can qualify with lower ACT scores.

Dr. Watkins wants all students to know that “cost is not a barrier to coming to the University of Utah.” Even though it still is for many students across the state.

Don’t get me wrong, I understand how amazing this is for all students, and I’m happy for all of the lives that will be forever impacted. It’s just saddening to know that, yet again, because my family is financially stable, I am not eligible for this amazing opportunity.

December 2019, page 3 | Sports

Tri-Color Times VOL. 62 Issue 4

Phellip Ngin is ready for track season to begin one another get better, whether Phellip Ngin (10) runs track and

By Angelica Dwight MANY STUDENTS love being it’s at school or in sports. Other says it’s really fun but gets chalactive in the school and included athletes often befriend everyone, lenging sometimes. “The hardest in extracurricular activities. Stu- including the few SPED stu- part is being tired because of godents in resource classes often dents. Tiger Laita (11) has met ing so often,” Ngin said. He also need accommodations, though, a few SPED students and said he states that although he struggles which makes it difficult for them is proud and looking forward to a lot, other athletes are always to participate in sports. Although, being on the team with them this there to help him if needed. when resource students have coming season.

Although the resource stu“The SPED students that dents are interested in sports, this opportunity, they respond with enthusimost do not atasm. These stutend. These students can enjoy dents are not able the benefits of to attend for nuGranger’s athletmerous reasons, ic facilities and one being that have new experitheir accommoences. dations wouldn’t People in be met in the Granger’s comenvironment of munity look up to a game. Some student athletes SPED students including rehave needs that sources students. need to be met, However, these and unfortunately students don’t get that makes it difto witness a lot of ficult for them to what these athenjoy school acletes do because tivities like going Phellip is eager to join the track team in the spring. of some restricto sports games. “I tions. Resource don’t go to games, students at Granger love to be aren’t involved in sports still but I like watching basketball,” involved with the crowd and love being active and enjoy our Aaron Brooks (10) said. joining a sport would guarantee adapted PE teacher that comes in It is unfortunate for these stuthat, therefore a couple of these once a week,” Ms. Poirier said. dents that want to be a part of the students have taken on the chal- She says a lot of her students social aspects and more included lenge. These students look up to also enjoy simply walking the but can’t or aren’t. SPED stuother student athletes and would track,.“They enjoy anything that dents could be playing amongst love to be a part of the social as- lets them be active and includ- other students if the rules were ed,” Poirier said. pect of sports. different or could be more acThese students are very in- commodating. “Giving our re“A lot of my students would enjoy and excel in many sports, terested in sports, especially at source students an opportunity but these sports would need to Granger. So much so that some like being able to play with or adapt to their needs and sched- resource students even joined on a team would give them conules,” Ms. Case said. At Grang- sports here at the school, one of fidence and a bump of self-eser, we pride ourselves on helping those sports being track and field. teem,” said coach Vaitu’u.

Swim team is more than a playful class

Wrestlers have high hopes for season

By Pedro Melendez SWIMMING class is a class that takes up a lot of energy, but it can be very fun if a student is really into it. Students tend to take the class because it feels more like an activity than an actual class.

“I feel like the swim class is a very challenging class, it doesn’t only have a purpose of showing you new skills on how to swim but also how to manage time and challenge yourself to difficult things. It trains you to not give up,” Citlali Diaz (11) said.

Being a part of a sport at school really does teach students how to manage their time better and shows them that giving up is never the right thing to do. “I do enjoy swimming, and I enjoy the vibe it gives me after practice and the excitement when winning,” Diaz said.

Many students believe that swimming is just a fun class where you could swim for the whole period and just mess around. “Swim focuses on proper technique not just swimming back and forth. You have to know when to kick with every stroke and when to breathe. We also focus on how long a swimmer can swim and how to manage long distance. We have to learn the proper technique on how high our elbows should go and how far on the water they should go,” Diaz said.

According to an article on the AlabamaWritingTutor.com website, “Swimming is considered to be one of the hardest and most challenging sports. Swimming is one of the few sports that train year-round, as swimming athletes always need to be in sharp shape if they do not want to lose strength and speed.”

“I think swimming class can be a challenge, but it’s a challenge that you can enjoy and have fun with,” Cassandra Diaz (10) said, “I enjoy the challenges the class comes with because it’s something that I like taking on.”

By Scott Laguna ARLETH Antonio (11) joined the wrestling team here at Granger because her brother was encouraging her to try a new sport. She learned a lot of stuff in wrestling, including both mental and physical skills. Even though the team lost some of their good wrestlers last year, the team is planning on working with the talent they do have. This year’s team hopes to make it to the region tournament.

Alexander Jimenez (11) has been wrestling since 7th grade. He chose wrestling because his cousin told him about it and he decided to try it out. Ever since that day, he has been enjoying it because he is constantly learning new things and growing his skills in the sport. It’s not always easy, but Jimenez is always striving to be better. “The hardest things about wrestling are the practices and cutting weight,” Jimenez said. According to Wrestlers Starvation Effect in jmu.edu website, cutting weight as a wrestler is one the hardest things they do. Wrestlers do this because “it is universally known that someone will have a better chance of winning a wrestling match if they are naturally bigger and stronger.”

Many of the wrestlers have high hopes for this season. “I think we’re the best team in the region for sure, we work the hardest, we grind the hardest and we’re the best,” Jimenez said. Jimenez is confident about his team heading to region this year and has hopes that they will win this year.

Sometimes girls don’t get treated the same in wrestling, and this year’s team only has two girls in the wrestling team. It’s very difficult for them to be treated the same. Since there are not many of them, they often have to wrestle with the guys.

Jimenez thinks that this shows that they need more girl wrestlers, so they could be treated the same as the boys on wrestling team this year.

Rose is excited about the new players, and she can’t wait to meet them.

Girls basketball is fired up

By Christian Rocha THERE is no doubt that this year’s girls basketball team will be an excellent team. Although tryouts are not for another couple of weeks, there have been some very talented girls going to open gyms. This year’s coach for the girls basketball team at Granger High School will continue to be Ms. Smith.

If students are thinking about trying out for the team, Ms. Smith has a piece of advice: “the students that we are particularly interested in are the students should have great work ethic, good attitude, and coachability.

We do not want nor need students who believe they know everything and who do not want to learn.”

This is a great mindset to have when trying out. Coaches do not like to take in students who act like they know it all. The students who try to undermine their coaches may cause problems on the team and make it more difficult for the team to work together. Freshmen are the most sought-after players for many different reasons.

One of the reasons is that they can build a long and strong bond with the coaches. In addition, freshmen tend to have a bigger urge to learn new techniques and make new friends than their older teammates. The girls bas-

ketball team is hoping for a large amount of freshmen to try out for this year’s team.

“Freshmen are one of the best classes to work with. We love make good relationships that will last the rest of their high school careers,” Ms. Smith said. The basketball coaches are excited to have great point guards, better offense, and due to the new students, they will be able to run different sets this season.

Rose Nguyen (12) has always had an interest in basketball. She is a senior here at Granger and has been on the girls basketball team once already. “I am excited to try out for this year’s basketball team. There are lots of new girls who are trying out, and I can’t wait to meet them,” Nguyen said.

Being on the girls basketball team is anything but easy, though. Nguyen expressed how it may be difficult keeping up with practices, trusting teammates, and learning new routines. However, this should not stop anyone from trying out this year.

Nguyen isn’t doing it for career later on in life. “I’m mainly doing just for fun. Basketball is a way for me to escape my problems, at least for a moment. It never seems to fail to cheer me up.” Nguyen said. Nguyen and her coaches are excited to see what this season will bring.

Tri-Color Times Staff Executive Editor Jocelyn Roberts

Scorekeeper Stephanie Gutierrez

Reporters Michaella Aguiar Branden Alvarado-Perez Jamie Argumendo Nevaeh Chavez Ashley Cuadra Angelica Dwight Jessica Francisco Vazquez Elisa Gaona Aranda Alexus Gillette Kara Givens Grace Glines Breawna Howell Leyla Ilyazova Jenny Jimenez Avila Ioana Johansson Scott Laguna Arellano

Reporters Whitnie Larsen Destiny Linan Giselle Lopez Alyssa Luna Pedro Melendez Duron Karen Morales Morales Alysa Munson Leila Puentes Christian Rocha Naomy Romero Steven Sola Adrian Solorzano Krystina Soriano Maritza Tolentino Macaela Williams Jaxon Wolfley

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

December 2019, page 4 | Winter Break Feature

Tri-Color Times VOL. 62 Issue 4

Ms. Smith can’t wait for for a change of scenery—winter break will help a lot.

Teachers ready for a break, too

By Macaela Williams IT IS FINALLY winter! Some things to be excited about and plan for are winter break, winter sports, hot cocoa, sleeping in, and just lounging around the house all day. While it’s easy to focus on how students plan on spending their breaks, many don’t realize that their teachers will be enjoying the break, too.

Ms. Smith will be traveling to Idaho, where she’s from. She travels to Idaho quite frequently for the holidays. “I can hike, ride my bike, and drink great coffee,” Ms. Smith said. “I listen to music in different cafes and visit my cousin.”

Ms. Smith also talked about how this Christmas break won’t be any different from any other break because whenever she gets the chance, she goes back up to Idaho.

“Being a teacher is great because we get extra time off compared to other jobs that I have had,” Ms. Smith said.

“I am looking forward to spending time with my family and having a break from work,” said Ms. Smith.

“I travel a ton. I usually try to go to new places when I get vacation time. Last summer, I went to Spain,” Ms. Smith said.

Ms. Clark will be going to Nashville, Tennessee this winter break for a few days. Part of the reason she is going is because of a concert being put on by Amy Grant, as well as a Vince Gill Christmas concert she wants to go to.

Ms. Clark went on to explain about how she’s mostly looking

forward to the Christmas concert because she bought the tickets last April and it’s been on her travel bucket list for quite a while now.

“This break will be different because I’ve never been to Nashville, but it’s also in a way the same because I always love to travel,” Ms. Clark said.

“It’s nice to have a few weeks off to enjoy the holiday,” Ms. Clark said. “Just this year I’ve been to Disneyland, Arizona, and on a trip to visit my cousin in California, and New York,” Ms. Clark said.

Mr. Staraces is from New York. Therefore, his holiday plans are simply to go back to New York and spend quality time with family. When he is in New York he likes to go to Adirondack Mountain, where he can go skiing, hiking and snowboarding.

He also says just going to Saratoga is fun because of the restaurants and how nice it is.

Mr. Staraces said that the thing he is most looking forward to is going back for family and seeing them after four months.

Mr. Staraces said that he usually travels a lot for holidays and breaks, but he also does work prep for the coming weeks for when we get back to school.

Mr. Staraces explained it’s different this year because he is going to go see his family for the holidays.

Each teacher expressed how being a teacher and having about a two-week break is great, and none of them even mentioned anything about grading homework, surprisingly.

Alex likes to take a break from his life here and go to Mexico.

Mexico lures Lancers to visit for weeks

By Maritza Tolentino WITH THE holidays coming up, many students plan to go out of town while others stay here in West Valley. Going away can be a fun thing to do. Mexico is a common place for Lancers to go for the holidays. Mexico has its own way of celebrating different things, starting with what they call Las Posadas. This is a celebration that starts on December 16 through the 24 which takes some Lancers there.

“I have gone to Mexico every year, so I can visit my family,” Alex Zavala (12) said. Zavala mentioned that he likes to take a break from his life here and go to Mexico, just to spend time with his family. When Zavala goes to Mexico, there is no one particular thing that he does.

Zavala and his family gather together just to go on with their day to day life and do not really have traditions. The family just celebrates Christmas and enjoys their time together, since they do not see each other every day.

Zavala did mention that when his family goes to Mexico, they stay at his family’s house that they own there. They stay there whenever they go. The planning

part of this trip was just decided from one day to another and they bought the tickets to go.

“Visiting my family is always the best way to celebrate the holidays,” Ariana Hernandez (12) said. Hernandez is going to Mexico for three weeks during the holidays to spend time with family and to celebrate. A tradition that Hernandez and her family in Mexico have to on Dec. 25 is that they go and ask for candy, sort of like Halloween. Christmas is always a fun time for Hernandez as well as her family, since they do not see each other very often. Hernandez said her family planned the trip well in advance, and she has already filled out the necessary forms.

Going to Mexico is a tradition for a lot of the students here at Granger. “I go every year to spend my time with family and enjoy the time that I don’t get with them when I’m not there,” Karina Castillo (9) said. Like Hernandez and Zavala, Castillo and her family go to celebrate las posadas and to party. Castillo also does the same and it is her ‘get away.’

Taking time to rest from school for a few weeks is amaz-

ing as Castillo mentioned. What she finds most beautiful are the streets when they get filled with children and candies and everyone is just out having fun. In Mexico, technology isn’t something huge, they all just enjoy their time outside and together not worried about what other people post online. Going to Mexico was not a difficult planning process for Castillo, since she goes every year. She just needed to check the plane tickets and book her trip in a matter of seconds.

“When I am in Mexico, I don’t use my phone as much as I do here,” Stephanie Mendoza (11) said. She lived in Mexico a year or two ago and then moved here to Utah. She is planning on going there for the holidays for a week or two.

For Mendoza, it’s about the time spent around family and not about the number of days that she is there. She and her sister are excited to go back and visit with friends and neighbors.

Mendoza has family here in Utah as well, and she can spend time with them, but for her it is not the same as spending it with her family in Mexico.

December 2019, page 5 | Winter Break Feature

Tri-Color Times VOL. 62 Issue 4

Staycation ideas for an SLC winter break

By Ashley Cuadra THE WINTER break is near, and Lancers are preparing for one of the largest holiday celebrations: Christmas. Students will be going home and relaxing for almost a full two weeks. Some have decided that the break is a perfect time to leave the state or country for vacation, but there are some Lancers that prefer to stay in town. One of the most popular places to visit during winter break is SLC’s downtown area.

“It’s a tradition to visit the temple every Christmas break, so me and my family can enjoy the lights and plays at the temple,” Grace Leota (9) said. Leota and her family enjoy going downtown because it’s festive in the month of December. They like to go find restaurants after they see the lights because they are hungry, or they go to City Creek Mall beforehand. Overall, Leota loves going downtown because it’s like an actual city that has many places that she can explore during the holiday season.

Though many people go downtown to visit the temple and City Creek Mall, there is much more to do during winter.

Families can ice skate at an outdoor rink while the snow comes down and drink hot cocoa after.

Lancers can visit bakeries or restaurants that serve noodles.

People can go to the planetarium or aquarium with friends or family. Lastly, thrift shopping has become popular over the years and there are many second-hand stores downtown for people who love that aesthetic. There are many opportunities, and some might say that it’s almost like a mini New York City.

“For the most part I love staying indoors and drawing while watching the snow cover my neighborhood, but I really like going downtown,” Cathy Guiterrez (9) said. Guiterrez likes it because of the lights, she gets fascinated by the Christmas spirit and the decorations. Guiterrez also really enjoys going to restaurants and walking around and enjoying the weather.

Having great snow weather here in Salt Lake City is also a very enjoyable activity. It’s very aesthetic to walk around as the snow is falling and having your favorite hot beverage in your hand. Many students agree that the lights and the snowy weather are some of the most enjoyable things about going to downtown Salt Lake. The snowy weather also means that sledding is an option.

Other areas near or in Salt Lake are some of the best places to go sledding. One of the most popular places is the Sugar House park. Some other popular spots are: Peteetneet School in Payson, Rock Canyon Park in Provo, Flat Iron Park in Cottonwood Heights, Mueller Park in Bountiful, and Soldier Hollow in Midway. Sledding is an amazing activity to do during the Christmas break. Lancers get to enjoy the beautiful snow of Utah and slide down a huge hill. Sledding is very fun and exciting activity to do with friends or family.

Other exciting activities are the festival of seas in The Living Planet Aquarium, zoo lights at the Hogle Zoo, festival of trees, and Winterfest in downtown. The festival of seas is where Santa and his elves dive into the full glass exhibit. At the Hogle Zoo there will be Christmas themed lights, and people can take pictures and enjoy watching. For the festival of trees, people decorate their tree and patrons get to walk around in awe of all the Christmas trees. Lasty, Winterfest is an event that lasts six nights and there are many activities and concerts over time, along with celebrating the coming of the new year.

Grace likes to walk around downtown with her family in search of restaurants after seeing the lights.

Mia and Zoie excited to visit Hawaii during winter break

By Leyla Ilyazova HAWAII is an incredibly alluring destination that only a very few lucky students get the opportunity to visit. From breaks on Hawaiian beaches to visits into the cities, any student would be lucky to go to such an incredible destination.

These islands have fashionable shops, dramatic tours, and captivating destinations that would draw almost any teen visiting these islands.

“It’s probably a once-in-alifetime trip, so I’m super excited. Right now, we’re planning to go sightseeing and shopping.

Even just walking around Honolulu would be so fun, it’s not something you get to see every day,” Mia Cardenas (9) said.

Many people’s interest in Hawaii comes simply from the spectacular beaches, cultural interests, food, traditions and so much more. Not everyone gets to take a trip such as that, and for the very few who go, they should do everything they can to take advantage of it.

“It’s the perfect place to go to during winter break. It’ll be warm weather with amazing sights so we’re really excited,” Zoie McKnight (9) said.

The diverse scenery also manages pretty well at attracting more tourists. Some Hawaiian activities include surfing, snorkeling, scuba diving, and fishing according to Tripster.com. “We read about submarines you can go on for an underwater dinner,” Cardenas said.

You can find some of the most beautiful beaches and waterfalls in Hawaii. Many choose to go on a tropical hike and end up at a magical waterfall. The hikes are one of the best reasons to visit Hawaii.

Hawaii is home to the world’s most active volcano, Kilauea.

Millions of people make it their dominant destination to visit in Hawaii. Driving around the main road in the national park,

guests will see steam vents, sulfur springs, and varieties of dried lava formations according to the Hawaii.com website.

Deciding to book a perfect Hawaiian vacation takes effort and time. It’s known as “America’s tropical paradise” and has something unique to offer each one of its visitors. With unreal five-star hotels and breathtaking islands, the grace of Hawaii is unlimited.

The stunning scenery isn’t all there is to enjoy in Hawaii, as the culinary scene will charm anyone. From Asian to European and everything in between, whatever they’re craving, they’ll find it there. Hawaii’s food reflects its diverse culture, putting a Hawaiian spin to whatever dish you order. From ordering out a simple breakfast to dining on a large dinner, there is no shortage of amazing experiences.

There is always the option to sit and relax on vacation, but the island has so much to offer.

Biking around and exploring the views is a popular way to make memorable moments that will never be forgotten. It’s a cheap way to tour the area around you and view the impressive sights and events going on around the islands.

Day trips are also a common way to explore according to travelguide.com website. On day trips, guests take a ferry around the island’s main sights. Deserted beaches, plantations, and WWII aircraft are some of the many things tourists may see.

Ferries drive around with a tour guide that explains the history of some of Hawaii’s iconic locations. It gives tourists an insight to the land around them and educates them about the background of all the sights around them. Students who have the opportunity to visit Hawaii are considered to be very fortunate. We hope these Lancers enjoy their time in island paradise while others are at home in the snow.

Lancers enjoy creating memories during Thanksgiving and Christmas

By Alysa Munson STUDENTS during breaks from school usually stay home with their families. Either they watch TV or spend time with siblings. Many people have family traditions they participate in every year. For some, that is watching movies or taking trips they go on each year.

Others will spend time with family and siblings going shopping and cooking dinner. Some traditions are special, and others are different, but students will always have them.

“I watch movies and in my spare time I do makeup.

When I’m with my family, we go out places and watch movies. We either watch funny or scary movies drinking hot chocolate and eggnog. During Thanksgiving I will help out in the kitchen cooking food as family comes over.

After they arrive, we watch football. That is a special family tradition we do,” Angelica Vasquez (12) said.

“When I’m with siblings, we usually go out shopping.

For Christmas, my family and I open one gift on Christmas Eve. Then on Christmas morning, we open the rest of the gifts together,” Vasquez said.

Sometimes break is nothing but being alone for some Lancers. They may spend time in their room rather than spending time with family. During this time, people learn a lot about themselves. They may also get the opportunity to do the things they like to do. Many students have certain hobbies and skills they try to be successful at. That being said, being alone during the holidays isn’t as bad as

some people may think.

Getting out, dressing up, and spending quality time with people is a good use of one’s time, too. Family dinners and Christmas gatherings are also a part of the special Christmas experience. Some students spend their break visiting their grandparents and other extended family for the holidays.

“I usually go on cruises, but when I stay at home, I usually watch my nieces. We go swimming and play games. I watch movies, usually A Dog’s Purpose, and we eat food.

On Thanksgiving, I go to my family’s house and we eat food there, or sometimes we go out to eat. For Christmas, I drink lots of hot chocolate,” Penny Tonge (12) said.

“On Christmas morning, I sleep well until my dad comes in and sits on me. We go downstairs and open gifts.

After, we go to my grandparents’ house and visit. When I’m with my grandparents, they will ask questions to catch up. We’ll sit in the living room and watch movies. I usually fall asleep,” Tonge said.

“We throw a Christmas party and do secret Santa. My family and I also like doing a lot of bowling. I don’t spend much time with my siblings, but I do enjoy my Christmas break,” Tonge said.

Christmas or Thanksgiving break is not only about the Christmas gifts or the crazy amounts of food. It’s the memories you make while on break that mean the most.

Sometimes staying at home with family is what makes these holidays special.

Angelica enjoys lots of holiday traditions with her family.

December 2019, page 6 | Student Life

Tri-Color Times VOL. 62 Issue 4

Tattoos require careful thought

By Ioana Johansson TATTOOS are imprints on the skin that individuals use to show their creative sides in life. Society gives many opportunities and life lessons to have a good tattoo.

When getting interviewed for a certain career, employers might check for tattoos because some might not want someone with tattoos to work for them. Even if tattoos are pretty and inspirational, they would want employees to look professional and clean.

Jobs that typically don’t want tattoos in their systems are law firms, government agencies, and health care professions.

Tattoos can be a great way to show off to friends and family.

However, there might be some difficulties. The pain is the first thing most people consider, and if someone wants a tattoo then they have to be sure that they can handle pain. According to the healthline.com website, the most painful areas to get a tattoo include, “foreheads, neck, spine, ribs, hands, fingers, ankles, and top of the feet.”

Another thing to consider is it could get infected. Taking care of a tattoo takes a while, so people have to be patient. It can take

up to 24 hours for the tattoo to finally heal. There are steps and precautions you still have to take, so listening to the tattooist is a big deal. The tattoo artist might put some kind of bandage on the tattoo and is recommended to leave the bandage on for three hours instead of ripping it off right away.

Gage Snyder (11) is a junior who has a total of three tattoos and is planning on getting more in the future. “All my tattoos have a meaning,” Snyder said.

Some might just get tattoos when they are bored, and some might get them because life has taught them many things that they would like to express on their bodies. Snyder has an arm tattoo that has his last name on it.

When a person gets tattoos, there are many things to consider. First, kids under the age of 18 have to notify a parent about the tattoo. Parents/guardians play big roles in a child’s life, and some parents might not encourage their kids to get tattoos. If a parent says no to their child getting a tattoo, many kids will not do it. It won’t be the end of the world, as one can decide to just get it later when it would be more appropriate.

Christopher Hernandez plays guitar mostly for himself, but music is very important to him.

Music provides an opportunity for expression

By Alyssa Luna ALTHOUGH it may seem like your typical high school setting, Granger High School is a place filled with unique individuals with various different talents and interests. These interests can range from your typical STEM-based disciplines to passion-filled fine arts. For many students, the arts are a way of self-expression and a way to articulate their ideas that need to be heard. Every student’s experience is just as important as another’s, and each one is capable of creating a work of art that can bring a unique perspective to people’s lives.

One of the most popular forms of art present at Granger is music. Music is a well-received form of art all around the world, so it should be no surprise that it is also highly common here at Granger High School. According to a variety of students, music is considered a major stress reliever. It’s a way in which kids have the freedom to represent their feelings and expressions that they tend to store away deep inside themselves.

These young, promising artists commonly promote their talents on social media. Examples of platforms where they share their musical ability would be Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, or SoundCloud. Many of the big musical stars that exist in the

music industry today started off as young people with a passion for music and a simple dream to share their emotions with other people. Each artist has their own reasons and motivations behind the music they create, but it could only be understood through the content of their music and listening to each of their unique stories.

Daniel Tippetts (12) has been making music for about three years now. He has been mainly influenced by his older brother who also makes music.

He admired his work, and it inspired him to make some music of his own. The genres of music he was most influenced by originally consisted of hip-hop and rap, but he has since broadened his view by opening his mind to other genres in order to create a more alternative style This style is exclusive and sets itself apart from others. Due to having such a long experience with music, Tippetts has learned many valuable lessons and information.

“You can’t be scared to try anything new,” Tippetts said.

Jonathan Pacheco (12) always had a passion for music. He took an interest after being introduced to both his culture and his father’s interests. After teaching himself how to play the piano and guitar, Pacheco focused on his ability to create and refine the songwriting aspect. He kicked

off his music career on apps such as GarageBand before obtaining better equipment for his productions. Examples of artists that have had an impact on him and his music are Playboi Carti and Lil Uzi Vert, since they have such distinctive styles. “What I want people to know when I make songs [is that they] are based on dreams and goals that I have, and I feel like people can relate to that,” Pacheco said.

Christopher Hernandez (11), much like the fellow artists mentioned before him, has had an affinity for music ever since his childhood. Unlike Tippetts and Pacheco, Hernandez mainly plays the guitar for his songs.

However, his passion for music is more of a personal hobby he keeps to himself rather than a form of art he unveils to others.

Besides music, other interests Hernandez keeps himself busy with include working on cars and going to work. “When I play, I want the people to like it. I want them to know that I do my best,” Hernandez said.

These students take in a lot of criticism and feedback which causes them to keep moving forward with their musical talents.

They give up lots of their own time and put in a ton of effort which deserves so much more recognition, not only from the school but from any other place as well.

Jobs can teach responsibility

“All my tattoos have a meaning,” Snyder said.

By Branden Alvarado HIGH SCHOOL students getting jobs is a common topic that is brought up, and many people wonder if it is a bad idea and if it will negatively impact a student’s performance in school. According to the bachleorsdregeeonline.com website, teens should get jobs because of the experience they gain behind it. “Students who are able to work during their high school and college years are able to demonstrate this experience and build valuable entries on their resume. This experience also demonstrates that they are able to successfully balance work and education at the same time,” as stated on the website.

Students get jobs for many reasons such as wanting their own cash, to gain independence, to or to start making a living. This is not a bad thing, because as high schoolers grow up, a good thing to start doing is getting a taste of the world outside of school. It is good to gain experience applying for a job, talking to complete strangers outside of class, and learning the value of money.

“It’s very important to start working while you’re a teen, it builds your work ethic and grows your responsibility, so it helps you mature and gain experience,” Stephanie Durfey (12) said.

“I work to be able to afford my car, and I work to be able to take out my boyfriend,” Durfey said.

Teens learn to value money when they don’t have it and spend it more wisely once they do. From experience to responsibilities, the list of advantages of a

student working keeps going.

Some might wonder what the best is for a teen to start working. There is no specific answer, because every teen works and learns differently. Sometimes it can be hard to be a student and have a job on the side, it can be hard to do both school and work at once. “I don’t think freshmen should have jobs, I believe they are still too young to be able to juggle an education and a job,” Durfey said.

Parents know how expensive a teen can be. Allowing them to get a job can teach the value of money and hard work. This can lead to teens making better financial choices. “Once a teen begins earning money and paying for her own things, she’ll realize the amount of time and effort she has to devote to her job in order to earn enough to cover the bills. This scenario builds an appreciation for the value of money and encourages responsible money management,” as stated on the chron.com website. “‘I got fired two weeks ago from my job and now I have to find another to pay my bills and subscriptions I have,” Bryan Rodriguez (12) said.

“I think all teens of all ages should be allowed to work and get a little extra cash in their pockets,” Rodriguez said. These two working students have different views regarding when the best time to start working is. The more work experiences a teen has, the better their work ethic, responsibility, and maturity are. However, having a job isn’t always the best option for some students.

December 2019, page 7 | Student Life

Tri-Color Times VOL. 62 Issue 4

Lancers see a future in makeup

By Kara Givens GRANGER High School’s makeup artists are talented but very unrecognized. Although just in high school, these girls are ready to take the next step with their makeup. Some of these steps include investing in a YouTube channel, taking cosmetic classes at Salt Lake Community College, and even making their own makeup products.

Granger is home to many experienced makeup artists. “I’ve been doing makeup since I was 15, so about three years now,” Angelica Vasquez (12) said.

From her years of doing makeup, she has done many looks and improves her skills every day. For example, she has this beautiful rainbow look, done with a James Charles palette.

Makeup has come a long way since the 1920s, when it was just becoming popular. Back then, makeup was just seen as a way to enhance beauty. Today, makeup is a very realistic career destination for many people. “I’m going to start taking college classes at SLCC, and I’m looking into making my own lip gloss,” Harley Zissi (10) said.

Pursuing a career in makeup

may be tough, but for Zissi, she has her grandmother to look up to. From her many inspirations, her grandmother is her biggest motivator. Because she works in the cosmetology business, Zissi feels inclined to want to be like her. Although her grandmother fits into the role of an idol for Zissi, she says that her own vanity was the biggest inspiration.

“I shaved my head and started doing makeup because I didn’t want people to focus on that,” Zissi said. Curious Lancers can follow her work @harley.muaa on Instagram.

Even though cosmetology jobs are being popularized over other job areas, some makeup artists at Granger don’t see themselves doing makeup full time in their futures. “I’ve been doing makeup for quinceañeras and weddings, and I have thought about going to school for it. I’m not so sure, though,” Amairany Maldonado (12) said. As one of her childhood interests, makeup has always been interesting to Maldonado. Although she’s done it for almost four years now, she can’t decide if she wants to be in the cosmetology industry in her future.

There are many challenges faced by makeup artists. A few of these challenges include not meeting the client’s expectations, having to always be presentable, and enduring the hate. Hate is a motivator for some and can actually shut other people down. According to Haters Gonna Hate: 10 Ways to Use Haters as Fuel for Success, by John Rampton, using the criticism of others is a good way to correct oneself.

Another challenge faced by makeup artists includes the fact that they have to be creative and original. In recreating looks, unique touches may be added by the artist. Whilst adding those special touches, the recreated look can be transformed into a whole new look.

Creativity is a big factor in the makeup business, and many girls are not ready for that type of time-consuming commitment.

Granger’s makeup artists, however, are ready for their exposure. Exposure for these artists can be many things. Following them on Instagram, subscribing to them on YouTube, or even just acknowledging that they are very talented can help these artists’ following grow.

Harley Zissi wants Lancers to follow her makeup account on Instagram at her @harley.muaa handle.

Granger grads have advice

By Destiny Linan EMILY FLORES (‘18) is a Lancer that graduated back in 2018. Flores said she learned lots of fun things like how to be more social and how to be a better person when she gets older.

“Granger helped me with being brave and made me more motivated to do things,” Flores said.

Now that she’s in college, Flores isn’t so shy and takes more risks when it comes to school. She actually joined a program that is based in the military, and they are helping her pay for her schooling. The program can also give her a scholarship that will pay for two or more years in school, and her main goal is to get that scholarship. “School can be hard, but trying new things and looking for help can be so good because you just don’t get help, and you gain a lot of new information,” Flores said.

Flores also has had an experience of living by herself and also working to help provide for her younger sister who also lives with her. Just being two students who go to school and work is hard for them both, but especially for Emily because she’s the older one. Being older means that she is able to do a lot more things because of her age, as she’s also an adult now. “It ain’t easy going to school, but I have to make money to provide things for myself and also for my sister,” Flores said.

“School is very fun, and ever since I have left high school, college is stressful but very fun because everyone’s older and knows what they’re doing. A lot of them just really attend the school to get their schooling

done and that’s what I like about it. Everyone just goes and are really forward on going to school and really no one gets into your way. Just you have to push yourself on your work and be responsible on the things you do and the assignments. In my own opinion, everyone should at least attend a college—it’s fun,” Flores said.

Suliana Cardenas (‘15) graduated from Granger High in 2015.

“I miss going to Granger and being a student there because it was so much fun and teachers would look after us and paid good attention to us,” Cardenas said.

“It’s a challenge being an adult, because now it’s about being a grown up and doing lots of things especially now to start providing for my family, work, pay bills, and pay for school. I just think when we are young and we have school we should enjoy it and actually have fun, but also be smart about the things we do because being young ain’t going to be here forever. Because after high school, you’re literally entered the adult world,” she said.

Cardenas explained that paying for school is difficult, and maintaining a family can make that even more difficult. Cardenas would want to advise the kids at Granger that think about school first before making a family, or just to be smart about the things they do and be responsible. Because working, going to school, and having a family is hard because you have to make time for each thing. “Think about yourself and find yourself when you’re done with what you want to do, then do whatever you want. Just have fun while you are a teenager,” Cardenas said.

Melanie Martinez sings about school issues on her new album Review by Whitnie Larsen THERE is no doubt Melanie Martinez hit it out of the park with her new album, K-12. This album features 13 songs that takes an adventurous perspective on school life. Martinez decided to compose a feature film to progress along with this album, and the film Martinez produced, wrote, directed, and acted in is available on YouTube and iTunes.

She starts in Kindergarten with the song, “Wheels on the Bus.” Martinez sings about how she had a crush, although he is dating someone else. This sparks a rivalry.

“Class Fight” picks up in the first grade. This song talks about how there’s countless fights over foolish drama. She talks about how crushes can start drama and consequently they can also bring you into fights. Melanie said this song also uses the expression of toxic parents.

The next song is, “The Principal.” In this song Martinez talks about how the principal only wants money and recognition, he doesn’t care about the student’s safety.

“Show and Tell” is arguably one of the biggest songs from her album. I believe this signalized being a celebrity or someone who is well known. Several celebrities have come out saying they feel like they shouldn’t be treated differently than everybody else. The lyrics, “I’m just like you, you’re just like me imperfect and humans are we,” tells me Martinez agrees with this statement.

The song, “Nurse’s Office,” is another popular song on this album. Some people believe Martinez shouldn’t have included this song. I believe this song is well written and

deserves to be included. “Drama Club” is the sixth song on the album. Melanie sings about she doesn’t want any drama in her life and how it won’t bother her.

I believe “Strawberry Shortcake” is the perfect song for girls who use social media to hear. It talks about how girls are frequently objectified by men. “Lunchbox Friends” talks about the troubles of making friends. In this song, Martinez expresses how she wants a friendship that will last forever. People in high school can be quite fake and rude, Martinez says in her song, “I don’t want no lunchbox friends. I want someone who understands.”

“Orange Juice” is such an exceptional song of this century for students or teens. In this song, Martinez speaks out about how everyone is perfect, and they shouldn’t change themselves for anything. She uses the analogy, “you turn oranges into orange juice.” Another lyric Martinez sings is, “the way you look is not an issue.”

“Detention” is the ninth song on this album. I believe this song could be about depression because she says how no one cares about her and how she feels locked up in jail. “Teacher’s Pet” is one of the more controversial songs on this album. Martinez talks about the romantic relationships between teachers and students, she sings from a student’s point of view.

The next song, “High School Sweethearts,” is about being in a relationship. Relationships can be hard, and the addition of social media doesn’t help many relationships.

“Recess” is the final song on this album. This song is

about growing up. “Recess” talks about being younger and how she was naïve but grew into being smart and strong.

This album was one of the best I have listened to. This album was extraordinary. Melanie Martinez is a perfect example of an independent young female in the music industry. Her voice is beautiful, and the songs were moving.

My favorite song would be “Orange Juice” because of the beautiful message it shares with its listeners.

December 2019, page 8 | Entertainment

Tri-Color Times VOL. 62 Issue 4

In its second season on CW, All American continues to thrill fans Review by Naomy Romero ALL AMERICAN is a popular show from The CW and is now streaming on Netflix. It opens up in Crenshaw High School. Spencer is Crenshaw’s best wide receiver, and he makes a touchdown during the football game. Right after he makes a touchdown, everyone cheers and then gunshots are fired which causes everyone to run. After the game, a man named James Baker comes up to Spencer offers him to play for him at Beverly Hills. However, Spencer declined his offer. The next day, Spencer comes home after school only to find James Baker in his living room talking to his mom, and she convinces Spencer to take it.

Coach Baker is the head coach at Beverly Hills High, and he has convinced Spencer to play for him. However, the team does not accept him. They begin to do whatever they can to get him off the team. I felt bad for Spencer, because it was a big decision for him to switch schools. Going to a new school and a team full of kids who don’t like him doesn’t make things easy for him. Spencer tries his best to ignore it all and focus on what he came to do: play football.

Jordan, who is the coach’s son, and his best friend Asher, tell on Spencer because he lives in Crenshaw but comes to a school in Beverly Hills. They do this because he is out of the school boundaries. That’s when Spencer decided to move in with Coach Baker and his family. After that, Jordan gives up on trying to get Spencer off the team.

Throughout the show, there’s a big secret Coach Baker

and Spencer’s mom, Grace, hides from everyone. Jordan starts to get suspicious and suspects his did is Spencer’s dad too. Spencer’s dad walked out on him and his family when he was younger. Coach Baker tries to desperately help Spencer and even moves him into his home. Jordan’s sister, Olivia, starts to grow feelings for Spencer, but Jordan tries to stop her by saying that he is her brother. Jordan and Olivia eventually ask the coach is Spencer is Olivia’s brother, and he confirms it’s not true, Spencer is not his son.

Spencer finally feels included in the team, but he still feels like an outcast in school, yet he doesn’t let it bother him. Layla, who is Asher’s girlfriend, helps him feel a little more welcomed. Spencer helps bring the team to many victories at football games and helps make it to playoffs.

Spencer starts to become less focused while he competes in football because of his friends back in Crenshaw. For example, his friend Coop gets involved with bad people like Shawn, and this upsets Spencer.

Coop tries to help out Shawn and his daughter. When Shawn finally decides to change his ways, they shot and killed him. It was an extremely emotional part for all viewers to watch. What was even more sad was when Spencer’s real dad came back, Spencer didn’t accept him at first, but he slowly began to let him in. Spencer played against his old team Crenshaw in finals, and after a good talk with his dad Spencer went out on the field and won the state championship game for Beverly Hills. I highly recommend it.

Jumanji offers up its third level of fun Review by Breawna Howell IN DECEMBER many movies are coming out of theaters, such as Jumanji: The Next Level, which is the third movie in the series. The second movie was kind of a surprise to many people, because the very first Jumanji came out in 1995 when it was just a board game that a kid named Alan (Robin Williams) found. He found it because it was making a noise like a heartbeat, so he decided to take it and played with a girl he liked named Sarah (Bonnie Hunt).

When they played the game, Alan got trapped in the game for decades.

He was released out of the game when two curious youngsters, a boy named Peter (Bradley Pierce) and a girl named Judy (Kirsten Dunst) moved into a mansion.

The two explored the mansion and found the game because they heard the heartbeat noise, and they then played it. Later, they found out that the game was alive and did crazy things when they found out someone had to beat the game for it all to go away.

All the players got together to complete the game so everything would go away. At the end of the movie, they buried the game and hoped no one would ever find it.

The director of this 1995 movie was Joe Johnston the movie got a 54% Rotten Tomatoes rating and 92% liked the movie.

In the second movie, a guy that passed by the board game

decided to pick it up to give to his son. When his son looked at it, he threw it to the side because he was more interested in video games. That night, the board game turned into one. That morning, he found it and the game was making the heartbeat noise and

so he played it. But then he got pulled into the game and was a part of the game. As a result, and no one knew where he went, and he was missing for twenty years.

Then, four high schoolers got detention and had to clean up the school attic and found the game.

They all decided to pick their characters, and after that they all got pulled into the game. They became the adult avatars they chose. The four of them had to go through the jungle, desert, mountains, and dangerous animals to save the fantastical video game world of Jumanji in order to get

back home.

What they discover is that you don’t just play Jumanji, you must survive it. To beat the game and return to the real world, they’ll have to go on the most dangerous adventure of their lives, discover what Alan Parrish left 20 years ago, and change the way they think about themselves, or they’ll be stuck in the game forever.

The four high schoolers Bethany (Madison Iseman), Spencer (Alex Wolff), Martha (Morgan Turner), and Anthony “Fridge” (Ser’Darius Blain) became the avatars Ruby Roundhouse (Karen Gillan), Dr. Smolder Bravestone (Dwayne Johnson), Franklin Finbar (Kevin Hart), Professor Shelly Oberon (Jack Black), and Alex (Nick Jones) who played as the teen that was missing for twenty years.

Towards the end of the movie, they saved Jumanji and got released from the game and went back home. The teen who went missing got to go home too and lived his life like nothing ever happened and even had his own kids and a wife. The four high schoolers found the game and they smashed it with a bowling ball. After that, the four high schoolers got close and became good friends and are standing together when they hear the board game making the heartbeat noise.

Now, with the new movie coming out, it’s time for the next level of the game.

Kiera Cass’s The Selection

Review by Grace Glines THERE ARE a lot of genres of books to choose from, and you’ve probably found the ones you like by now. Most people look for books that include all of their favorite genres, but those are rare to find. Three common favorite genres are comedy, romance, and dystopian. There are a lot of books that include two of those genres, but rarely all three. However, I have found a series of books, called The Selection, that is a dystopian romcom.

The Selection series includes five main books.

The first three main books circled around the story of America Singer and Prince Maxon Schreave’s relationship. The 4th and 5th were about different main characters, but America and Maxon appear.

In the first book, The Selection, we were introduced to the palace. The palace was in Illéa, the United States 300 years in the future. Illéa’s citizens were divided into seven castes, with ones being royalty and sevens being the homeless. The higher your caste number, the poorer you were. Everything was very controlled, and there was almost no choice in anything.

In Illéa, people hate the caste system but don’t know how to seamlessly get rid of it. This created a lot of drama throughout the whole series, making the book focus on the broken society as well as the romance.

The selection was the contest America entered in the series, and the main goal of it was to become the next queen by winning Maxon’s heart. It allowed every eligible girl in Illéa that wished to enter to fill out a form. The forms

were put it in baskets and later, 35 girls were drawn and flown to the palace to win Prince Maxon’s heart.

America and her family were fives. Her mother wanted her to enter because, while competing, each girl’s family received tons of money. She only entered to make her family and boyfriend, Aspen Leger, happy.

She wanted to marry him, even though it would mean she would be moved down a caste since Aspen was a six, After she entered, he broke up with her, and her name was drawn. During her sendoff, she saw Aspen hugging another girl.

After being chosen, America decided to stay at the palace, but not for Maxon.

She told Maxon that she needed to stay, although she didn’t wish to marry him, the second time they met. Maxon agreed to keep her as a friend. However, they soon fell in love and everything changed. The arguments they had throughout the series really made for most of the drama.

The fact that America was so in love with Aspen was very important to The Selection. America thought about Aspen a lot during the series. Although it doesn’t say, I believe many choices America made were because of Aspen. For example, she didn’t say she loved Maxon until The One, and I think it was because she was still holding onto Aspen. Later, we find out Aspen was doing the same.

The series was so amazing that I couldn’t put it down the entire time I was reading. America was an incredibly complex character, and Kiera Cass, the author, has exceptional writing skills. Altogether, this series was an amazing read and I recommend it to anyone interested.