January 2014

A7: Cold weather camping

A10: In-Depth Look at the Nursery

The

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B3: Tea time in town

where every person has a story

Harrisonburg High School • 1001 Garbers Church Road • Harrisonburg, VA 22801 • 540.433.2651 • Volume XIIC • Issue 5• January 30, 2015

Student bands perform in downtown Harrisonburg

Evan Dotas Feature editor

To welcome in the new year, Harrisonburg hosts the annual First Night celebration, showcasing local talents through musical performances, magic shows and, of course, fireworks. On the last day of 2014, two groups of HHS students entertained a packed crowd in the Community Mennonite Church.

Opening the set was nine-piece band Begging to Differ, with juniors Laura Ruple and Jaymie Inouye on lead vocals, senior Chloe Richard on keyboard and vocals, junior Noah Heie on guitar, junior Rachel Rohrer on saxophone, sophomore Patrick Badia on trumpet

and alumnus Dryden Labarge on drums. EMU student Drake Wagner played bass, and senior Miranda Stoner filled in for sophomore Cecily Lawton on saxophone.

Since this was only the second gig for the young band, some members, like Rohrer, were especially nervous about needing a substitute.

“It was kind of difficult.

[Miranda] wasn’t able to make a lot of practices, so mashing it all together was difficult. But for the most part it worked out,” Rohrer said. However, Rohrer wasn’t too worried about performing for her peers.

“We knew everyone that was coming was going to be

See BANDS page A2

PHOTO BY EVAN DOTAS

I’M WITH THE BAND. Juniors Douglas Ritcher, Ava Reynolds, Ellie Plass, Kieran McClay, Valerio Aleman and alumnus Cameron Ritcher perform at the First Night New Years’ Eve celebration. “It was a different experience than any other gigs we’ve played before, because the crowd wasn’t just our friends,” Reynolds said.

Upperclassmen tutor AVID students Key Club, DECA sponsor warm clothing drive

Faith Runnells Managing Editor Advanced Via Individual Determination [AVID] has been a prominent program offered at HHS for a few years now, with benefits ranging from college and SAT preparation to social support to tutoring.

Exclusive tutoring has been a component of AVID since the program was implemented into the school. Volunteering for the job, HHS juniors and seniors join James Madison University [JMU] students to tutor AVID students twice a week.

Senior Natalya Murray became an AVID tutor in Tracey Barr’s first block freshman AVID class this September.

“I’m not really comfortable with [approaching someone random to tutor them]. I kind of got finagled into my current situation [of tutoring], but I don’t mind it. I’ve come to enjoy it,” Murray said.

Murray volunteers the 90 minutes of her free block every B day to go into Barr’s ninth grade AVID classroom, where students are split up on account of what subject they are struggling with. Murray is the

See AVID page A2

Abby Hissong Staff Reporter

PHOTO BY MIA KARR

CLASS ACT. AVID teacher Peter Norment addresses a group of AVID 10 students. Many of these students are part of a tutoring program where they team up with upperclassman to master material.

Kizner focuses on safety in snow day decisions Brenna Cowardin Editor-in-Chief

PHOTO BY BRENNA COWARDIN

WINTER WONDERLAND? Senior Victoria Giron and sophomore Amanda Herrera Castro walk into school on a chilly morning that warranted a one-hour delay.

On the Web Updated sports scores and schedules for all seasonal sports Feature package stories and extended coverage of print packages Advertising forms and information Breaking news from school and the community Video footage of sports Variety of reviews and blogs Up-to-date gas prices in the area

Superintendent Dr. Scott Kizner would tell anyone he is “overly cautious” when it comes to closing schools due to inclement weather, but there was a time when he wasn’t quite as careful, and the memory left a lasting impression of mother nature’s fury.

When Kizner was superintendent in Martinsville, Virginia before coming to Harrisonburg, the temperature dropped unexpectedly, and a bus slid off the suddenly icy roads and into a guardrail.

“That was a situation I’ll never forget because we had parents of students in the emergency room. Everyone was fine, but seeing

all those police and ambulances and crying reminded me that there’s no reason to be macho or the hero,” Kizner said. “We can have a delay or make it up.”

If inclement weather is called for, the process of calling off school begins the night before and is mostly a game of “Is the weatherman right?” Kizner and his Director of Operations, Craig Mackail, both get up around 4:30 a.m. to see if the weather predictions panned out. Mackail drives around the city while Kizner keeps a close eye on the weather forecast.

“Because the high school’s schedule is so early, the first buses leave around 6:15, so I have to make a decision early,”

See SNOW page A2

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Scan this with your cell phone to go to www.hhsmedia.com

With the chilly winter months upon us, the lack of proper winter apparel owned by students throughout Harrisonburg has become alarmingly clear. As daily morning temperatures drop below freezing, the problem of keeping kids warm who can’t afford to do so themselves has become a widespread issue.

In an attempt to lighten the burden of struggling families who have trouble making ends meet, DECA and Key Club are working together to solve this crisis.

The students participating in “Operation Warm” collected new and lightly used coats, hats, gloves,

and scarves to help out their classmates and community. The clubs set up booths at events such as basketball games and the LEGO League Virginia-D.C. competition held at HHS for people to bring their donations. DECA club sponsor Mallory Cromer is passionate about this issue.

“It breaks my heart to hear that there are so many kids that have to wait outside for the bus every day without anything to keep them warm. Especially when all it takes to help is cleaning out your closet and donating any warm clothing you don’t use anymore or have outgrown.

This really is an easy way to make a big change in some

See WARM page A2

Dod starts petition to allow graduation cap decorating Mia Karr Editor-in-Chief Like many seniors, Maddy Dod wants to be able to show her college pride on graduation day by decorating her graduation cap. Unlike most of her classmates, the future University of Tennessee student is taking action to fight the ban on graduation-cap decorating imposed by the administration earlier this year.

“I really wanted to decorate graduation caps, so I was trying to think of a way that would be appropriate for getting that [issue] settled and that would show support from the entire school,” Dod said.

The solution that Dod came up with was a petition that she wrote and has been bringing around to students in all grade levels

since November. Dod plans to turns in the petition to the administration at the end of January. Her goal is 600 signatures.

“I know, from myself, that I’ve worked extremely hard all four years of high school...so I think that getting into college is just validation for that effort and I think we should be able to show it off- we worked hard,” Dod said.

In her petition, Dod addresses the administration’s concern that they won’t be able to regulate how students decorate their caps, and as a result they might have to bar students from walking at graduation if their caps are inappropriate. Dod’s solution is for seniors to have a day where they all go to the cafeteria and decorate their

See CAPS page A2

Coming Up Seussical the Musical Valentine’s day Personality profiles Winter sports postseason Spring sports preview Food reviews JROTC winter ball Debate and Forensics Columns and editorials Humans of HHS feature

The Newsstreak

January 30, 2015

News Briefs ShenVaFl championship.

On Jan 31, qualifying debate and forensics students will compete in the Shenandoah Valley Forensics League Tor Johnson championship tournament.

AVID Mentorship English teacher Peter Norment and senior Kelli Showalter are looking for students who have excelled in academic areas and are interested in one-on-one peer tutoring. If this describes you see Norment or Showalter for an application.

STEM day STEM day will be held on Feb 21 at the Valley mall from 103. STEM students will give demonstrations, and present exhibits related to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

Parent/teacher conferences Parent/teacher conferences will be held on Feb 5 from 2 to 7 p.m.

PEO Virginia State Scholarship Fund This scholarship is available for female students with a GPA of 3.5 or higher who will be attending an accredited Virginia college or university.

Applications are available in the counseling center.

NEWS-A2

First Night features local teen bands BANDS from A1 supportive of us no matter how bad we were, so it wasn’t too bad,” Rohrer said.

Despite not having every performer present, Ruple said that the general mood leading up to the concert was very positive.

“We were excited. We were very happy to have a gig before First Night to prepare us and it was more exhilarating to have a different crowd. It shows you that people really will hear what you’re doing,” Ruple said. Ruple acknowledged that something about this performance felt different.

“It was really fun, I really liked it. The time went by really fast. Our first gig, I thought we were out there for an hour.

With this, it felt like five minutes,” Ruple said. However, despite the general positivity, Ruple was slightly disappointed with one aspect.

“It was unfortunate that we were in a church with seats so people couldn’t stand the whole time, but people were having fun and we could tell. Even if they weren’t, they were still trying to be energetic since they felt like they should be,” Ruple said.

Seven other HHS juniors played as a part of This Side Up, including trombonist Valerio Aleman.

“I guess I would call us a soul-funk-jazz kind of group, all comprised of juniors except our sub,” Aleman said. Juniors Bianca Pierson and Hollyn Slykhuis were out of town for the performance and were replaced by juniors Adrianne Berry on saxophone and Mary-Hallet Culbreth on vocals and alumnus Cameron Ritcher on trumpet.

Playing with the stand-ins was a different experience for Aleman.

“It was kind of interesting, especially because we had to teach them the music that we already knew so well. It was weird to take a step back and have to rework everything. But once we got it down, it was good.

PHOTO BY EVAN DOTAS

ROCK STARS. Vocalist, junior Ellie Plass, and drummer, junior Kieran McClay, perform with This Side Up as a crowd of students dances to the music.

It was good to have new players we hadn’t played with before. It gave us a different kind of sound that we didn’t have before,” Aleman said. Despite that setback, Aleman was very happy with the end result.

“It was a pretty good gig. At first I was a bit worried about how the subs were going to handle, but they handled it fairly well,” Aleman said.

Aleman, Berry and Ritcher, along with fellow members Douglas Ritcher, Ava Reynolds, Kieran McClay and Ellie Plass, teamed up with Begging to Differ and Help Wanted, a band of mostly college freshman, to

end the set with Mark Ronson’s “Uptown Funk.” With all of those players, some musicians had to find alternative instruments, namely the drummers.

“It was fun, I played an empty plastic egg like a shaker for that,” McClay said.

Reflecting on the whole experience, Ruple was most satisfied being able to perform for people on the holiday.

“It’s kind of fun to think that other people are coming to see us, and that’s what is going to make their New Year’s fun,” Ruple said.

WACE National Co-Op Scholarship program Students with a 3.5 GPA that have been accepted to a WACE partner institution (see guidance department website for list) are eligible for this scholarship, due Feb 15.

Applications can be found at http://www.waceinc.org/ scholarship/ George E. Allen Academic Scholarship Eligible students must be planning to attend an academic of technical school, demonstrate high ability despite obstacles, and demonstrate academic progress.

Visit the counseling center for more information.

SEE MORE ON THE WEB! HHSMEDIA.COM H See more photo galleries taken by staff photographers and in depth coverage of timely news and features by going to our website, hhsmedia.com. While you’re there, don’t forget to vote on our poll, watch videos made by WSBC and read other pieces written by staff reporters.

All grades get involved with grad cap petition CAPS from A1

caps together under teacher supervision, and for all decorations to be velcroed on, or otherwise easily removable.

Dod is optimistic about the petition’s reception.

“I think Mrs. Prieto is very reasonable, so I think she’ll try and figure out a way to make it work, and if she doesn’t, I guess I’ll go to Dr. Kizner and see what he thinks,” Dod said.

Senior Pishdar Abdul has been helping Dod collect signatures, and also thinks the administration will react positively.

“I think they’ll be alright it with it. [The petition] was well-written, and I think they’ll be okay with it,” Abdul said.

While collecting signatures, Abdul received an almost completely positive response from the student body. One student who feels passionately is sophomore Casey Wilson, who caused Dod to alter her original plan of having only juniors and seniors sign the petition.

“I would like to decorate mine when I’m a senior, because I think it would be something fun to do,” Wilson said. “It would be a cool little touch to add on to graduation.”

Dod has also found that she’s not alone in her feelings about this issue.

“I think some of us are pretty passionate about it, because we have worked hard.”

Dod said. “We’re graduating high school.

It’s a big deal.”

PHOTO BY BRENNA COWARDIN

NO SUCH LUCK. Students stream into school during one-hour delay. School has been canceled twice and delayed three times so far this year.

Kizner receives few complaints about weather-related closings SNOW from A1 phone number, and three or four people Kizner said. “Our buses are on the roads from six until nine in the morning. I have to anticipate at five in the morning what it’s going to look like at nine in the morning.” If he ever needs more time to decide, Kizner will call a two-hour delay.

Kizner takes into account that people across the school system will always be unhappy with his decision to delay or cancel school.

“This is my sixteenth year as superintendent, and there’s not often a decision that’s more difficult than snow days,” Kizner said.

“It’s a decision that I know is probably one of the most controversial, half of Harrisonburg will be supportive, and the other half won’t be.”

Despite the debatability of his decisions, Kizner doesn’t get very many complaints.

“I really don’t [get lots of complaints].

Honestly, I get the same complaints from the same people. Somehow people got my

will complain,” Kizner said.

“At the end of the day, I’m responsible for 5,600 students and 800 staff members and I take that responsibility very seriously,” Kizner said. “I think I would get a lot more complaints if there was a decision made and people’s safety was at risk.”

Still every now and again, Kizner wishes for a do-over.

“There were a couple decisions that in hindsight, I wish I could have a redo [and instead of canceling school, just have a delay], but I make this decision based on the information I have in front of me,” Kizner said. “I don’t want to blame it on the weather people, but I could always be right if I could make the decision the day after.

Unfortunately I don’t get that advantage.”

Freshman Neilliza Porter is happy with the number of snow days we’ve had so far. “[I feel] good [about the number of snow days that we’ve been getting] because then we don’t have to come to school,” Porter

said. However, she has a few improvements of her own she would like to add to the snow day decision process. “[If snow days were my decision to make] I would get the students’ points, and then move on from there,” Porter said.

Sophomore Yaritza Garcia is also glad about the snow days we’ve had so far.

However, she dislikes the schedule change that occurs, where students have two A days or two B days in a row if we miss a day.

“I don’t like that schedule because we’re repeating the same class twice,” Garcia said.

To date, we’ve had two snow days and two, two-hour delays. Kizner doesn’t look farther in advance than 24 hours before calling off school.

“If the weather report [on Sunday] says that on Wednesday or Thursday there might be snow, I won’t really worry about it until the night before, but everybody worries for me,” Kizner said.

Tutors help with variety of subjects Multiple coats donated AVID from A1 head of the history section.

“Some of [the students I’m tutoring] stick around-- either because they have a lot of trouble with history or they’re good students and they choose my section because they enjoy having me as a tutor,” Murray said.

Sophomore Monee Willingham has been a member of the AVID program since her freshman year and had her first oneon-one tutor experience this year for her math class, Geometry. She is thankful for the opportunity AVID has provided her.

“Personally, I wouldn’t have asked for a tutor [without AVID’s help finding me one].

I probably just would’ve been like ‘Okay, I’m going to fail. It’s okay, can’t do anything about it.’... I was really happy that I could get a tutor through AVID because I’m not just going to go up to someone and be like ‘Hey, are you good at geometry? Let’s do this!’” Willingham said.

With her tutor, senior Aarash Heydari, Willingham mainly focused on big projects or chapter tests approaching in her class.

She enjoyed having the individual assistance rather than a student-filled, classroom environment.

“I didn’t like having to stay after school with a teacher. A teacher has other kids and other students to worry about and you

don’t get anywhere….You kind of can relate to a student better than to a teacher,” Willingham said.

Junior Yordanos Tewolde receives tutoring in all subjects, focusing on whichever is most difficult for her at the time. This year, Tewolde works on AP English and AP Psychology after school with her tutor, senior Kelli Showalter.

“Last year, I had geometry, and that class was pretty hard. [Being able to have a tutor] helped me out a lot to actually get a good grade in that class,” Tewolde said.

Along with assisting students in their studies, one of the main aspects AVID tutoring targets is to build a bond between students and either their teachers or their student tutors. Murray enjoys the attachment she has created with the students whom she tutors.

“Working with the kids and kind of forming a bond with them [has made me enjoy it]... It’s nice to feel appreciated,” Murray said.

Tewolde enjoys having Showalter as not only her tutor, but as her companion. “[Kelli is] really cool. She’s also my friend on top of my tutor,” Tewolde said.

Students who might enjoy helping to tutor in the AVID program are welcome to speak to one of the teachers about how they can help out.

WARM from A1 one’s quality of life,” Cromer said.

The clubs also added a little extra incentive for the students at HHS to participate in the cause. A donation box was placed in every classroom in the school and the second block class that brought in the most items by Jan. 16 won lunch of their choice.

Key Club member, junior Karan Chalishajar, hoped that this event will be successful.

“I think that if everyone participates that this could be a really good thing. People like helping out during the holidays, and free food is always a bonus,” Chalishajar said.

Key Club individually has taken their contribution a step farther. The club raised $1,000 earlier in the school year and received a $200 donation from HHS cafeteria staff to go towards helping out students specifically at HHS. Over 100 students in need at HHS will receive brand new coats courtesy of the drive. Students in need will accompany club members and get the opportunity to personally shop for age-appropriate coats. Key Club plans to save funds that are left over for future donations.

“Seeing how many of my peers were in need was a real eye opener for me. It feels good to know that something I did made a difference,” Chalishajar said.

January 30, 2015

The Newsstreak

NEWS-A3

English teachers bond through artistic endeavor Atticus Bolyard Staff Reporter The English Department had an opportunity to discover each other- and their own inner artists- in the waning moments of 2014.

The week before winter break, English teachers, along with principals Cynthia Prieto and LeSonya Bullard, attended a team-building event where they snacked,

painted, and mingled with coworkers. The event was run by Wine and Design, a Charlottesville-based company that specializes in providing a setting where “guests can relax in a creative environment and share a common experience together,” according to their website.

English teacher and yearbook adviser Mary Strickler organized the event, which featured professional artists from Wine and Design and snacks that teachers

brought.

During the school day, teachers often find themselves too rushed and overwhelmed to socialize properly with their colleagues, according to Strickler.

She said that the relaxed atmosphere allowed teachers to break down social barriers.

“I thought it would be a fun activity,” Strickler said. “It’s important [for us] to meet in a social setting.”

A total of 17 teachers and administrators, along with their spouses, attended the event. Strickler said that it was nice to have discussions centered around things such as family, instead of just school, with her coworkers.

The group met at the Eagle Carpet com-

munity room in Harrisonburg.

At the meeting, the professional artists provided three paintings that teachers could attempt to emulate. They offered advice and support, and after what Strickler calls “a lot of hard laughing,” everyone had a painting finished.

Strickler said that because a lot of teachers are perfectionists about their work, it was difficult to get them started.

“But we got happier as the evening went on,” Strickler said.

Strickler said she would be interested in setting up another team-building event in the future if others supported it.

“Painting’s a different medium,” Strickler said, “you don’t have to analyze it, only enjoy it.”

PHOTOS COURTESY OF VALERIE KIBLER

WE’RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER. (Above) English teacher Crystal Roach paints a reindeer at the team-building event. (Below) The entire English department proudly displays their finished work. (Right) Richard Morrell and Cindy

Corriston’s passion takes her many places Ariel Vogel Feature Editor Dance instructor Amber Corriston has been teaching dance all across the country for years. Spanning from Seattle, Washington to Connecticut, Corriston has been able to share her love of dance to students of all ages.

“My favorite part? Definitely watching the students grow from beginning to end of a year or semester. That’s just the most rewarding thing,” Corriston said.

Originally, Corriston went to school to get her degree in engineering.

“I love math and science, [but] I decided to teach dance while I still could and I could be an engineer later,” Corriston said.

Her freshman year of college, she was Miss Washington with the Miss America scholarship program and it was through this that she realized her love for working with students.

“So I’ve been teaching since then. I lived in New York City for 10 years, taught around there, performed, took lots of classes. I ran a dance school in CT for [a while], taught a lot of jazz and a lot of little kids as well. I lived in Seattle for a while [and] ran a program there as well,” Corriston said. Next on her plate?

“I have also opened my own business teaching after school as well. It’s totally separate, kind of like a dance studio,” Corriston said.

Teaching dance in a public school system has brought its own joys and challenges for Corriston.

“The hardest part for me right now is planning a curriculum that spans all the different levels of dance,” Corriston said. “It’s a new position--it’s a brand new program-[so] figuring out what needs to be included with the Virginia Standards of Learning, how to include that in a way that’s really

fun for the students and [in a way] that they’re learning history and they’re learning about the world and they’re learning about their anatomy all through dance. Figuring that curriculum is the hardest part.”

Part of the strict curriculum for dance programs at a public school is that it takes teaching dance from a different angle.

“I think one of the things that I’ve learned is I want the students to grow in their own creative and artistic development as much as I want them to learn how to dance, it’s different than teaching in a dance studio maybe where you’re really working on a finished project,” Corriston said.

For higher level dance classes, she expects more of a dance studio setting where she’s teaching the students more technique and the students directly aim to become good dancers, so she said that the aspect of personal growth comes out more in Dance 1.

“I think one of the things I’ve learned the most is I want them to be creative and use their own voice and for me that’s having a big balance of what I’m teaching them and giving them enough time to explore and be creative and fail and succeed,” Corriston said. This has also developed into one of her favorite parts of teaching dance at our school.

“I really like seeing students grow in their self confidence, not only in their ability to dance but just confidence in general,” Corriston said.

As for the dance program as a whole, Corriston has far-reaching plans for its future. Besides building the sizes of classes, Corriston hope to fully ingrain dance as a major part of the Fine Arts program as a whole.

“My overall dance goal is to eventually have a dance program that spans enough that we have a company that gets to meet

PHOTO BY BRENNA COWARDIN

JUST DANCE. On the second day of the second semester, students in Corriston’s dance class are already warming up for the months to come. Corriston has been teaching dance since her freshman year in college. and perform, be out in the community, possibly work with JMU students and really be a vibrant part of HHS. It’s like Symphonic Band and the upper level [Honors] Choir getting to perform and being invited [to events],” Corriston said. Additionally, she hopes to build a strong enough program to instate a dance honors society for dance students.

“Then the upper levels can be performing and we can go to conferences. And to get the students to choreograph as well and share their own work,” Corriston said.

Currently, her classes perform sporadically throughout the year at a variety of events depending on the level of class.

“In Dance 1, we do performances [where] we invite [other classes]. JROTC al-

ways comes in, Creative Writing comes in, [and] we have very informal performances,” Corriston said. The higher level classes have more official performances near the end of the year.

“In Dance 2 it’s a similar thing but we’ll perform actually at the Forbes Center at the end of this year and during Fine Arts Week, the [arts] celebration week in Harrisonburg,” Corriston said.

Her system, fortunately, allows for classes to be used for much more than working towards a big final performance.

“We laugh all the time. We’re laughing at our mistakes, we’re laughing at our accomplishments, we’re smiling, we’re praising each other,” Corriston said. “It’s just a great positive energy all the time in class.”

SV-SLI graduates its first class of seniors this coming spring Alex Osinkosky Staff Reporter Scholars Latino Initiative (SLI) is a program that offers Latino students an opportunity to overcome challenges they might face and enroll in a good college. The program originated in North Carolina and began here in 2011, accepting three of its first scholars in 2012.

English teacher Hannah Bowman is the HHS Academic and Mentoring Program head. She works with Dr. Carlos Aleman, a professor at JMU, to organize college tutors for students and activities for them to do.

“It provides mentoring from JMU, guiding kids through high school and helps give the students a ‘behind the scenes’ opportunity for scholarships,” Bowman said.

Bowman believes that many students go into college unprepared, and this program not only helps the students get ready for college, but it also helps make going to college an option for many. “[The program] helps improve their academic ability, common sense, and is really focused on leadership skills while making

them better people as well. It makes what is not possible, possible,” Bowman said.

Juniors Kenia Lopez, and Jose Escobar are members of SLI and both plan on going to college.

Lopez believes that this is a great mentoring and college-readiness program. She was accepted halfway through her freshman year. Lopez enjoys that the program not only can help you financially, but it also helps with your decision making.

“I like that I get a guiding mentor to talk to for advice. It helps me improve in school, and gives me study habits,” Lopez said. She has also gotten help with finding scholarships through SLI. Escobar has been in the program for two years now and loves it.

“They help us out a lot. They are there to help us do better in school and outside of school and to prepare us for college,” Escobar said. “Younger kids may not see how they could get doors opened for them, but this program did for me, so it might for them also,” Escobar said.

Aleman became involved in this program several years ago and has cherished

its importance since.

“The effort to start SV-SLI at HHS began during the fall of 2011, and was largely through the effort of former HHS math teacher Sandy Mercer. After several months of working with school principals and counselors of HHS, administrators of HCPS, partners at EMU, and people in the community, SV-SLI was chartered and inducted its first three high school scholars.

Those students are now graduating seniors,” Aleman said.

Aleman loves this program and the people in it for multiple reasons.

“The first [reason] is that it gives me chance to work closely with and advocate for some amazing HHS students. The second is that the high school and college kids who are part of SLI are just lots of fun! I see them all as part of my family. But I guess the third thing I like is how SLI helps our community realize the leadership potential of HHS students,” Aleman said.

Aleman sees SLI as a way for students to reflect the Latino image in a positive light.

“SV-SLI helps create opportunities for students to develop themselves academ-

ically and as leaders. There are many opportunities that most HHS students take for granted, usually because they don't think about their activities as opportunities. For example, many students don't think about writing for the Newsstreak or being part of the marching band as an opportunity, but they are,” Aleman said.

Aleman knows that being involved in these activities gives students chances with learning skills and leadership, that can even help with college. However, for students here, some of these opportunities are not available due to the amount of money and time that they require.

Aleman recommends applying because of the chance to not only get a great opportunity for a good college, but also to help out and make an impact in your community.

“SLI looks for individuals who are committed to developing themselves as students and leaders. We look for individuals who may need some support when talking to their high school teachers and parents about their college aspirations,” Aleman said.

January 30, 2015

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The Editors and Staff Editors-in-Chief: Print: Mia Karr, Brenna Cowardin Online: Isabelle Burden, Julexus Cappell Managing Editors: Faith Runnells (print) and Ellie Plass (online) Advertising Managers: Joshua Byrd Online Staff: Sam Imeson, Jessica Nguyen Photographers: Savannah McNeal, Ava Reynolds, Maria Snell-Feikema, David Gamboa-Pena Page Editors: Marley Adamek, Yogesh Aradhey, Danny Dombrowski, Evan Dotas, Naomi Gelberg-Hagmaier, Victoria Giron, Hunter Manzano, Ella Marian, Eddie Mestre, Ava Reynolds, Faith Runnells, Austin Swift, Ariel Vogel, Harmony Wilson Staff Reporters: Brian Alvarado, Atticus Bolyard, Martin Beck, Juleian Cappell, Garrett Cash, Ben Coffey, Phoebe Copeland, Olivia Corner, Carson Rising, John Earle IV, David Gamboa-Pena, Julie Hedrick, Aarash Heydari, Abigail Hissong, Randee-Rose Joven, Isaiah King, Jennifer Marquez, Maxwell McDaniel, Alex Osinkosky, Christian Ramirez, Briana Rodriguez, Lucie Rutherford, Ethan Scribano, Maria Snell-Feikema, Joshua Stratford, Corin Vogel, KiYosia Wallace, Theodore Yoder Professional Affiliations The Newsstreak participates as a member of several journalistic evaluation services including the Columbia Scholastic Press Association (CSPA-2010 Gold Evaluation and 2005 & 2009 Silver Crown Winner), Quill&Scroll Journalism Honor Society (2012 Gallup Award), National Scholastic Press Association (NSPA) All-American, the Virginia High School League, Inc. Trophy Class Award, and the Southern Interscholastic Press Association All Southern Ranking and 2010 Scroggins Award winner. hhsmedia.com opt out notice: If you do NOT want to allow your student’s full name or image to appear on the school newspaper site, please send an email to vkibler@harrisonburg. k12.va.us stating: I understand that the school newspaper, newsstreak. com, now has an online version of the publication.

I DO NOT want my son/ daughter (place student’s name here) to have his or her name or image published on this online venue.

OP/ED-A5

Seniors lead petition to decorate graduation caps NEWSSTREAK STAFF EDITORIAL Reprinting of original petition written by Maddy Dod: The Class of 2015 feels that it is unfair to prohibit the decorating of graduation caps for various reasons.

To begin, Harrisonburg High School promotes going to college more than any other school in the area. Students who have put forth countless hours of hard work and dedication to finally be accepted to their dream school deserve to show off this exhilarating moment by fulfilling it with visible school

pride. Not only would the students be thrilled to let others know how exciting this moment is, but it would make it much easier for family and friends to locate you in the swarm of graduating seniors.

Along with the promotion of going to college is the acknowledgment of diversity throughout the school. HHS prides itself on how diverse the student body is and all the benefits that come with it. Saying that the administration wants to keep everyone looking the exact same on graduation day invalidates core beliefs that we strive to maintain.

Each student under the gradu-

ation cap is different in numerous ways, and therefore they should be able to demonstrate these differences until they graduate and every single day after. The next component administration brings to the table is “tradition”.

The senior class feels that this argument is invalid because much of what is done today no longer follows traditional routes. One of the most controversial topics that is presented with decorating graduation caps is students placing inappropriate slogans or images on their caps. A few members of the senior class met up to discuss this vital obstacle. We figured that if

students made everything on their cap removable by using velcro or any other adhesive like velcro, it would be much easier to take the inappropriate design off.

Lastly, the few students noted that the seniors could have a day in the cafeteria where they bring their own materials and crafts to decorate their cap under the supervision of the administration. At this gathering, students could decorate their caps with their future college or place something about graduating from HHS. This would allow each faculty member to watch over what the students are creating and prevent any negative connotations.

The Breakfast Club just misses points it could have made Mia Karr Editor-in-Chief I’m trying this new thing where I make my new year’s resolutions as vague as possible so it will be a lot harder to tell when I fail. So, this year’s resolution is to be more honest and worry less about the consequences of speaking my mind. In the spirit of that, I’m about to tear apart something that the American public and probably most of you hold dearthe movie The Breakfast Club.

It’s not the whole movie that I hate, really. For those of you that don’t know, this classic film is about five teenagers who fall into very different stereotypes- “the criminal”, “the princess”, “the athlete”, “the brain”, and “the basket case”- who find themselves stuck in detention together on a Saturday morning and discover things about themselves and each other by dancing around, getting high, listening to the criminal’s extensive monologues, and defying their evil detention teacher. All this is fine, if a bit overrated. It’s not

The Breakfast Club for a man to attract a that I hate, but the woman- perhaps it’s end of The Breakfast even romantic someClub. how. Um, no.

For a movie about As disgusting as that subverting stereois, what really drives me types, The Breakfast into a fury unlike any Club has a laughably other is the pairing up stereotypical ending, of the athlete and the The Mia with not one, but basket case. You see, at Perspective the end of the movie, two, sets of people getting together in the weird, dandruffy the end- the criminal and the prin- basket case puts on a little make-up cess, and the athlete and the basket and gets pretty. And bam, true love. case. After scoring some major fem- This is a common trope in moviesinist points for an honest discussion the strange, unliked female takes off about the disdain girls face for both her glasses and suddenly it becomes losing and retaining their virginity clear that she really is worthy of afin the middle of the film, the movie fection. takes a turn for the horribly sexist.

I wish so badly that the basket First, there’s the princess and the case would have stayed ugly. Becriminal. Throughout the majority cause she’s complicated and interof the movie, the criminal harasses esting and bold and a good artist. the princess, asks her invasive ques- But when the athlete sees her for tions, and goes so far as to touch the first time after her transformaher where she does not want to be tion and falls in love, the patriarchy touched. Despite all this, she some- lets out a great wallop of triumph how falls in love. This movie perpet- and all of her good qualities are uates the idea that harassment is a shattered under the realization that compliment and a legitimate way it was always that easy- get pretty

and get the guy. Which is a lot harder to do when you don’t have a Hollywood makeup team.

To be fair, there is evidence that the athlete was interested in the basket case before she metamorphosized and that this just sealed the deal, but this doesn’t make things much better. It perpetuates the idea, like Belle and the Beast, that if you are selfless enough to fall in love with someone ugly you’ll be rewarded by the revelation that they’re actually gorgeous. (As you can see with my example, this problem is not entirely specific to women.) Because actually having to love someone ugly would be, like, the worst thing ever.

I’m not trying to ruin the legitimacy of one of our culture’s most important films. However, I think it’s important to realize the sexist ideas that it contains. If a girl has to fall in love, and a girl always has to fall in love in the movies, I would prefer if it wasn’t after she was harassed or suddenly became beautiful and therefore lovable.

Ted Talk raises awareness of continental stereotyping Evan Dotas Feature Editor I recently watched a Ted Talk

by Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie about the ‘single story.’ To put it simply, this concept is formed when we are only exposed to one type of media about an issue. For Adichie, this was first introduced to her in American children’s stories, where each white protagonist played in the snow and was excited when the sun came out (a slightly different experience than that of a Nigerian youth).

But this phenomenon is not just true in childhood. A lot of our perceptions of foreign lands are formed through news. The biggest case of the single story in this case is Africa. We lump about 55 states (a number disputed throughout the world) into one suffering image of a malnourished child. We see an entire continent as one rundown plain, which helps to explain (but not justify) the 14 percent of Americans that believe Africa is a country.

We are grossly uninformed when it comes to that vast mass of land. I doubt most people could name over ten African nations, and most people wouldn’t be Evan able to say whether Belarus is in Africa or the Middle East (or East Asia, the real location).

So with all of this information to know, we only settle for that one image. If we hear about Africa, we think of starvation and poverty.

More recently, we hear about Boko Haram and civil unrest. While, of course, this is a problem there, this is a problem everywhere. We don’t associate any other continent with such a unanimous pity. Why Africa?

I don’t claim to know why Africa is the largest victim of our sympathy. I guess we could say that, in regard to skin color, it is easiest to see Africans as strangers and outsiders, and so we treat them as such. I sure hope that isn’t the case. But whatever started this trend, it needs to end.

Our regard to the typical African child is very degrading. We don’t need to swoop in and rescue every poor soul there because we face similar problems. Not every Knows person is a part of some tribe. Not every man goes out with a spear at night to hunt the bountiful gazelle in his backyard. Africa houses businessmen, entertainers and professors.

Tribal music doesn’t blast through every unpaved street.

If an Ethiopian child comes to the United States, he should not be treated differently than any other immigrant. We should not view the label ‘African’ differently than we would ‘European.’ The assumed primitivity of Africa as a whole leads to the generalization of every individual. The longer we look at Africa as a starving wasteland, the harder it will be for Africans to be taken seriously.

When someone googles ‘European boy,’ the results are all nice-looking children. The search

engine also suggests enhanced searches with the keywords ‘guy,’ ‘man’ and ‘hot European guy.’

Searching African instead of European triggers ‘sad,’ ‘starving’ and ‘poor.’

Adichie said that she felt like children were supposed to be living the life of the stereotypical story-book American. If this is true, what happens to the young African children who see themselves painted as slum-rats who ought to be completely emaciated? No matter how hard one works in Africa, the rest of the world sees the individuals as poor, dying souls.

If we want to try to help the poster-child African, maybe we should reform our judgments. This certainly won’t stamp out the poverty that riddles these countries or fix any wars, but it will help both parties. Those in Africa will be able to see themselves as humans with a chance at life, rather than beings who ought to be impoverished.

And for us privileged Americans, we can hopefully start to understand that a picture of a child is not a mural of a country.

but I didn’t care. If evment was a complete eryone was going to blur. We all made it be at that party, I had back in one piece to be at that party. though.

Everyone Case closed. claimed their corners, But there’s one blankets, and pillows weekend in particular and passed out. that changed everyIt was four in the thing for me. morning when I was Just Julexus awakened by the It was winter time, but that wasn’t going to sound of vomiting. This stop my fun. I met up with a group wasn’t unusual though, so I laid my of girls I’d been cool with for some head back down. “Who cares? That years and we planned out the eve- tends to happen when you drink ning– party hopping and crashing too much.” But this time was differat a friend’s apartment which hap- ent. I wish I could explain it to you pened to be in the middle of the all, the feeling I got. Something just “turn up central,” as I liked to call it. wasn’t right, so I looked up.

We all got ready together, throwing My friend was choking on her on crop tops and pencil skirts like vomit. Her face was pale. A scary it wasn’t 30 degrees outside, make- pale. I yelled and got everyone else up; all the girls night out essentials. up so we could help her. I watched Once everyone was ready we pre- her struggle to catch air into her gamed to the newest rap songs lungs. When we finally lifted her and talked about how “it [the par- up, she was alive, but I was shaken. ties] better be live tonight.”

That was one of the most frightWhen we left, I was on the verge ening moments of my life to date. of staggering, but I wasn’t going to How exactly were any of us going speak up and say “Guys, maybe we to explain to the police, her family, should just stay in tonight.” Oh no. or really anyone how we were too Too late in the game for all of that, inebriated to initially notice her alplus who wants to be seen as a wet most dying? blanket anyways? I carried on.

Worst part? No one really Well, the parties didn’t disap- seemed as affected by it as I did. point. There were so many people That’s when I knew. and so much alcohol. Like the new I went from going out almost guests coming through the door every weekend to not at all shortof the house, the liquor flowed the ly after that. My head was clearer same way. I told myself “Julexus, it’s and I was seeing things for how fine. It’s totally fine. Have a little fun, they were for the first time. I was you’re always so uptight.” So I did. I messing my own life up. My grades had a lot of fun, too much fun ac- weren’t where they were supposed tually. The walk back to the apart- to be. I was kind of gliding through

life, not really taking a moment to consider that there’s a life after high school, and if I didn’t get it together fast I wouldn’t have too many options when my senior year came. I started actually trying. By my sophomore year I was back on honor roll, working, and slowly but surely avoiding the whole “party scene.”

So what I had a bad academic first year in high school? I was still in this and could still change things for the better.

And here I am today. There have been a few scholarships I couldn’t qualify for because my freshman year slightly bruised my GPA and I had to retake a usually freshman level SOL, but other than that I luckily made it out of my former life mostly unscathed. I don’t regret a thing I’ve done, not even the story I just told. It was moments like such that would ultimately change the road I was traveling on. I needed those experiences to make me who I have become, regardless of how scary, irresponsible, and reckless they were. We all have to learn,, right?

The conclusion boils down to this– I believe people can change. I believe that people can change for the better, no matter the situation. I also believe that sometimes we get an opportunity to save ourselves from our own dooms, and sometimes we’re even fortunate enough to actually do it. If you’re reading this and happen to be in the kind of situation I described, please hear me when I say it is not too late to turn it around.

It’s never too late to turn your life around Julexus Cappell Online Editor-in-Chief As I sit here anticipating a letter from my top choice any time now, I can’t help but think of just how much of a different person I am than I was in 2011. “She’s not the same person she was almost four years ago, how shocking” a lot of you might think, and while that isn’t what some consider a huge amount of time, trust me when I say it was enough for me.

I want to share a story with you all because I find I can express how I feel more vividly with anecdotes.

Some of the things I’m about to say might cause people to look at me in a new light. Whether that be a good or bad light is all up to the reader, but before I begin I want to say this– I’m writing this because I know somewhere in the world there is a kid who is dying to be in the “cool” crowd and might even end up doing things that they’ll regret for the rest of their life solely for popularity. This is for them.

I was a freshman and feisty. I felt too cool for school… literally. It was a miracle if I showed up all five school days in a week. My favorite question?

“So what are the mooooves this weekend?“ Usually my friends at the time would tell me by the middle of the week, which gave me time to think of an excuse to tell my mom why I was going out that weekend.

Like every other weekend. I knew she was getting suspicious,

The Newsstreak

January 30, 2015

HOT

Society needs to learn how to watch film Eddie Mestre Opinion Editor

The store is opening near the mall very soon! It is now hiring as well.

sponses. We want to go on a journey with the filmmakers. If we want to watch extremely accurate films we watch documenFilmmaking is an art, much taries (though they can most like literature or oil painting certainly be fudged too, but the or dancing. Psychologist Hugo intention is different). Films that Munsterberg said film “obeys Eddie the Yeti are extremely accurate should the laws of the mind rather than be applauded for that fact (Linthose of the outer world” and these laws coln comes to mind), but the filmmakers allow us to create stories by literally map- aren’t trying to say that LBJ shutout Martin ping out our mental voyages. We simply Luther King Jr. and aimed political agendas get to experience the director’s mind in against him, they simply are providing a motion. Film is a means of storytelling, of means for allowing audiences to challenge propaganda, inspiration, anger, laughter, history and consider what was happenand pain and we all need to understand ing at the time. Besides, this observation how powerful that is. is highly debated, with historians arguing A large problem with film culture today both ways. is the fact that it ridicules films based on Sometimes historical inaccuracy can be their historical inaccuracies. While films a rather large problem. I will argue that alshould most certainly be accurate to an ex- most the entirety of Theory of Everything tent (IF they are classifying themselves as was a disservice to Jane Jones in that it historical pieces), film is art and subject to ignored almost every negative aspect she the interpretation of the filmmakers. wrote about Stephen Hawking in her book.

Unless there are far-fetched, horren- Stephen Hawking was a difficult husband dously wrong and blatantly flawed story not because of his unfortunate disease arcs and motivations that drive the plot, (which the film leads us to conclude as it a film should not be judged on this aspect continuously paints Jane as being mentally alone. Denouncing the film Selma due to broken by his syndrome) but because he some debate over what President Lyndon was a misogynist and a narcissist. But the Johnson actually intended during the Free- film’s writing and directing has been lauddom Marches is ignorant and pedantic. ed. THAT is problematic, what Selma did The film simply challenges its audiences to isn’t. “interrogate history,” as director Ava DuSo next time you watch a film, try to Vernay says, and realize how revolutionary appreciate it for its artistic merit, not (necthis era has been. Instead of viewing the essarily) for its historical context. Unless film as “they got X wrong,” we should view something is just pitifully wrong, try to this film and all films with an open mind. accept it and understand what the stoWe must appreciate the artistic vision of ry is trying to say as a whole. Film is able the filmmakers while also accounting for to seamlessly disguise fact among fiction, history. intertwining the two beautifully to make And on a side note, does anyone ACTU- stunning and powerful works of art. If you ALLY watch a movie for a history lesson? don’t like this idea, Fox News poorly disNo. We watch motion pictures to escape. guises fiction as fact 24/7, and it’s a lot For entertainment. To elicit emotional re- cheaper than going to the movies.

Football Season

Facebook posts captivate future freshmen

Award Season Golden Globes, Grammys, Oscars, it is time to see who critics find to be the best of 2014!

Snow Let it snow! Students (and some faculty, we know) live the days hoping to find snow on the ground the next morning.

Halfway done with school Well folks, we are over halfway done with the school year, now we count down the days until summer!

No more college apps!

Seniors are happy that mostly all college apps have been submitted by now! Let the notifications come in! Good Luck!

State of the Union Obama discussed many popular plans between both parties including emphasis on the middle class and education.

New Classes With a new semester comes new classes, we hope you enjoy them!

Popeyes

Bowl games have been played throughout January, now we wait for the Super Bowl.

Costa Rican Exchange Students Costa Rican exchange students just came to Harrisonburg! Give them a warm welcome!

New Record Shop A new record shop has opened in Harrisonburg. Check out Wonder Records today!

NOT Midterms/Finals Though they are finished now, they caused stress and headaches when they were here.

Charlie Hebdo Shooting A group of terrorists gunned down several at France’s satirical newspaper. A#JeSuisCharlie Doctor Shot in Boston A doctor was killed recently after being shot. The motive is unclear but it is thought that the shooters mother was a patient and recently died.

Oil Spill in Yellowstone Over 50 thousand gallons of oil have been spilled in Yellowstone after a pipeline burst.

ISIS Isis is demanding $200 million for the lives of two Japanese dual citizens.

Pulled fire alarm A false alarm, but many people were in lunch. Not cool.

Fake Money found in Area Counterfeit money has been found in at least six businesses in Stauton.

Flu The flu has been cycling through recently. Remember to wash your hands and stay hydrated.

Football Controversy 11 of 12 Patriot footballs were significantly deflated leading to many debates over what should happen to the organization.

AirAsia A plane crashed resulting in the deaths of 162 people. The cause of the crash was the pilot climbing too fast.

OP/ED-A6

Ariel Vogel Feature Editor

There are a few mocking posts from people with similar disdain for this system.

Clay wrote his description as The letter came. The down Spongebob, while Dan (Edward payment was sent it. It’s official: Maximilian Hamilton the 74th?)

I have a future. wrote a ridiculous synopsis I was accepted to the UniverThe Aerial View suited to a retired James Bond. sity of Richmond through their However, even their sarcasm ulbinding Early Decision program, setting me timately portrays a desire to impress the up to attend their fine institution starting in slew of Richmond conformists. Through the fall of 2015. their forceful attempt to show everyone However, regularly I am hit with bursts they don’t care, it comes clear that they do of regret stemming from one dark pit rep- care. A lot. resenting the school I will attend.

And yet, I can’t stop reading them. It’s The Richmond Class of 2019 Facebook like I’m either trying to torture myself to page has been haunting my notifications seal my fate as a pessimist and dread my center for the past few weeks. Posts like college career or I’m searching for a kin“Anyone else kinda want to go to Richmond dred spirit. Someone confident in themnow instead of waiting almost nine more selves enough to post a self analysis differmonths??? I can’t wait to meet all of you!” ent than the fifty or so other senior class (Susie) and “Happy New Year Richmond treasurers. family! *insert blushing squinting emoji*” I’ve seen journalists, English majors (al(Emilie) garner 50+ likes and leave me won- though there was a grammatical error in dering if I’m the only one not idealizing the her post and so I doubt the likelihood of her next four years of my life. survival in the grammar nazi department) Recently, a fun girl named Ashlee (who and theater kids. There are people who are names these people? Will I have to go by terrible at sports (well, there’s one person Aree when I start school?) started a new terrible at sports) and people who watch trend: introductions. “Okay y’all, I think Friends religiously. There are people who it’s time we start introducing ourselves... I shop second hand (I was horrified at the know we all want to make friends and how amount of Ralph Lauren-exclusively-clad else are we gonna find roommates???” peers) and people who warned us of their Apparently, urgency must be portrayed tendency towards sarcasm. Mostly, there through an excessive use of punctuation are people who have one thing in common for otherwise tranquil questioning. There- with me and 50 things as opposite from me fore, for the past 18.5 hours, my phone as they come. has been updating me regularly about a In lieu of my traumatizing experience on new future BFF (probably) letting everyone my class’s Facebook wall, I’ll be requesting get a glimpse of their Type A personalities, a Chinese foreign exchange student who sports involvements and love for Netflix.

We need to value different opinions Josh Byrd Online Editor Benji Backer was being bullied at his high school in Appleton, Wisconsin. This is something we hear too often; however, this situation is a little different. Backer was not being bullied by classmates; he was being bullied by one of his teachers because of his political views.

Backer is a conservative activist in his state and has been for some time. He has spoken at Tea Party rallies and, in 2012, was the co-chair of Young Americans for Mitt Romney in Wisconsin. He was featured in his local newspaper in 2010 for his political efforts and he was a speaker at CPAC in 2014 where he told his story.

Backer’s story began in 2011, when Wisconsin unions went on strike to protest against Governor Scott Walker and the legislature for passing a budget bill that stripped unions of collective bargaining rights.

In Backer’s English class, his teacher gave lectures opposing Governor Walker’s actions, but soon lectures attacked all conservatives, including Backer. Backer was openly called weird and racist by his teachers because of his political views.

Sadly, this is not the only case of individual teachers or of a school system exercising discrimination against conservatives views. Many school systems have been called out by students where the school system blocked websites that were Pro-Life and Pro-2nd Amendment like the National Right to Life and the NRA, but did not block liberal websites like Planned Parenthood or the Brady Campaign.

The core of this issue is the left’s attack on speech that they disagree with. Liberalism has long boasted open-mindedness and has prided itself allowing knowledge to all. Even Kristen Powers, a liberal commentator and columnist called the latter case “illiberal,” because the school system tried to restrict another point of view.

As Harry S. Truman once said, “Once a government is committed to the principle of silencing the voice of opposition, it has only one way to go, and that is down the path of increasingly repressive measures, until it becomes a source of terror to all its citizens and creates a country where everyone lives in fear.”

barely speaks English. I’ll introduce her to American culture--my American culture-and I won’t have to live with Stephanie from Philly who plays golf and love love loves Chipotle. (“Don’t you???”) And I’ll make it out alive.

You never know what the future holds Faith Runnells Managing Editor

merchandise over the wall to fall on him.

I started. I threw a pair of Nike leggings (which made it I love winter break. Dec. 28 over perfectly in the first shot, especially. might I add). We could hear him This past winter break was in the dressing room across the Have Faith the first time my mom, my wall, laughing to himself. That in brother and I were able to spend itself was enough to make me time together in five months, and my mom fall on the floor laughing. which is much too long for a crew as close Thirty seconds later, a white t-shirt bomb as we are. On Dec. 28, we decided to give dropped in our dressing room. It was hiDick’s Sporting Goods a visit, just looking larious. The back and forth throwing and for a casual shopping trip. geeking out continued until my evaluation It was the hardest I’d laughed in a assistance was needed by Connor in the month (which is pretty hard- I laugh fre- other room three minutes later. quently and fervently) and then it was the After we felt we had done our damage most startled I’d been in my life. at Dick’s (one shirt got caught on top of the I had accompanied my mom in her wall-- I bet it’s still up there if you look for dressing room to give my opinion on a grey it), we were headed out. Even though I reshirt she was ambivalent about. At the cently received my learners permit, Connor Harrisonburg Dick’s, the opposite dressing took the wheel this time because, admitrooms are separated by a white wall that tedly, I’m not the greatest at the stick shift. is three times the height of the average Heading onto Neff Avenue out of the person, however, that still does not quite parking lot, we had the green light. reach the ceiling. My brother, Connor, “Connor, you’ve got to follow me on just so happened to be in that opposite Twitter. I set it up so every day it tweets a dressing room, so obviously, my mom and pharmacology question of the day out to I thought it’d be hysterical to throw some all my students,” my mom said. She’s a pro-

fessor at Norfolk State University; she feels the need to connect with her students through Twitter, don’t ask me why. She reached out her phone to show him the Twitter set-up.

Some drivers in this world forget what a red light means.

A Lincoln Town Car blazed through their red light at 50 mph, taking zero notice to our small car. Connor looked up and jerked to an abrupt stop- in the exact millisecond he needed to not have had his life taken by a car ramming full speed directly into his right side.

It was paralyzing.

As humans, we know that bad things happen. We just don’t always remember that those things can happen to us. At any second- even when just five seconds ago we were laughing in bliss.

Any second of any minute of any hour of any day. That’s when something horrid could happen; occurring in a time frame too quick to imagine. I could not tell you why we were spared that day, and another passenger filled car somewhere else was not, but I can tell you something. You never know what’s coming, so be sure enjoy this exact day.

We want your opinion! Submit your letters to the editor to room 444!

The Newsstreak

October 31, 2014

OUTDOORS-A9

EVERY SEASON IS

CAMPINGSEASON

Being at one with nature can relieve stress, worries

Hunter Manzano Outdoors Editor

Albert Einstein once said, “Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.” There are few people in the world that would disagree.

Often times when I feel bored or angry, I’ll take a trip into the woods and interact with nature. It’s almost as if nature casts a spell on you, and all your worries go down the drain. The winter, and the cold weather that comes with it, is no exception.

My friends and I will keep a weekend free, meet up, and go camping. Whether it’s in hammocks next to the Shenandoah River, or on the ground in the mountains, we always have a good time. To some extent, it becomes a game of “who’s gonna wimp out” in the night, or during a swim

in the river.

Fellow page editor Yogesh Aradhey and sophomore Tyler Rodriguez are my go-to campers.

“The lowest temperature we’ve slept on the ground was about 0 degrees,” Aradhey said.

Even though camping in the summer might seem better, there are some benefits to spending a night in the cold. During the winter, you won’t have bugs, you can have a bigger fire, and the bonding experience is even more memorable.

Whenever, or wherever, you camp, I deeply believe that it refreshes your mind, and has a blanket effect over your worries.

I’ve found that the flame of stress that takes over your world as a student and a teenager is snuffed out in the woods. It’s a beautiful thing to experience that everyone should at least try.

PHOTO BY HUNTER MANZANO

TIME TO SET UP FOR THE NIGHT. Outdoor Editor Yogesh Aradhey sitting next to his hand made overnight shelter in the Appalachian Mountians.

Robinson has experience with camping in the warm and cold seasons

Marley Adamek News Editor From rocks under his sleeping bag, to pouring rain, avid camper freshman Andrew Robinson has dealt with it all. Robinson has camped in conditions ranging from rain in the heat to ice in the cold.

“I guess figuring out the differences between warm weather and cold [is my favorite part of cold weather camping],” Robinson said. Cold weather and warm weather are two very different extremes.

“You’re used to all the sun and the rain and then you get to cold weather and it’s a lot different because you can get dehydrated faster,” Robinson said.

According to the Human Performance Resource Center (HPRC), cold weather also has the effect of moving body fluids from your extremities to your core, causing increased urine output and adding to dehydration.

“You have to take more precautions in the cold, since you don’t know how cold it will actually be during the nighttime. You have your sleeping bag and that’s it so you have to make sure that you’re warm in the night, because if you aren’t, you’re in trouble,” Robinson said. Robinson has had many battles with the elements in all sea-

sons. how great it felt to have our wrinkly feet still goes camping all the time. He would “There was this one summer camp that out in the open, but then we had to put our like to add that people should try camping I went to where it was raining all week. Ev- cold, wet socks back on.” even if they think they’re not going to like ery afternoon it was raining. And I’m like Robinson has been through it all, yet he it. ‘oh this is bad’ but then the next day it was 90 degrees so I figured rain was better,” Robinson said.

“I got so cold one time; I drank hot chocolate and I couldn’t get warm. I tried getting in my bed, nothing.

So, I just went to sleep to calm myself down and I was thinking ‘okay this is better,’ but then I woke up and my shoes were wet.”

Wet shoes weren’t the worst problem he had on the trip.

“The other thing with the wet camping trip, was that everything was water. We walked through a field and it was like we were just walking through a very low lake. Half of our stuff got soaked, and I was just trying to find a dry pair PHOTO BY YOGESH ARADHEY of socks!” Robinson said.

“When we took our shoes WATER HACKS. Having access to clean water is important but don’t camp too close to it. Cold air will off, we were talking about sink into these areas of low elevation. You are also in danger of a flash flood.

Essentials you need for camping trip in woods Winter camping makes campers take on a whole new challenge.

Preparation is key.

Julie Hedrick Staff Reporter Cold weather camping, also known as “winter” camping, requires many pieces of equipment including shelter, means of staying warm in extreme conditions and special foods that can be kept edible in the cold weather.

A key element of surviving a night of winter camping is a stable, warm shelter. Types of snow shelters include igloos and quinzhees. Most types of shelters for winter camping look the same from the outside, but differ slightly in the interior.

Some who camp in the winter choose to use tents, but not just any tents. These tents need to be sturdy and be able to withstand wind and snow. Sometimes a tent that is rated “4-season” is best. For tents, it’s best to bring extra poles and stakes in case one breaks.

Studies also showed that in the cold weather, your breath forms humid air and will condense to form liquid that will freeze on the roof of the tent and must be removed quickly. Most tents are designed to let the moisture out; however, sometimes it can cause problems.

No one is quite sure when or where winter camping originated, possibly from American Indians who lived in Alaska and had to adapt to the cold weather.

There are many things that people take camping that are unnecessary and just add on to the weight and volume of a pack. The only way to truly determine what you personally should take is through your own experiences. But here is a bit of help: these items are not all necessary, but are all helpful to have with you on a cold weather expedition.

Tools A knife is an essential tool that contains many practicalities. Canteens are ideal for storing water. Backpacks are a must for storing many of the things on this list. Make sure to protect your eyes from the sun and from snow blindness by bringing sunglasses. A flint and knife makes for a quick and easy fire.

Clothing Wear dark colors to attract sun’s warmth. The head and neck lose heat very easily so cover those areas.

Wear layers so you can adjust to the amount of activity that you do. Wear winter or mountaineering boots as they are well insulated and waterproof.

Remember that wool has better heating properties, whereas synthetics should be used if you are being active in the snow. Waterproof outer layers will keep you from getting wet.

Sled A sled is ideal for carrying a large amount of gear over snowy terrain.

It usually will not replace your back pack, but rather take some of the load off.

Sleeping Bag Sleeping bags contain cushioning and insulation from the cold winter floor. Use a foam pad under you for better insulation. Remember that a sleeping bag will not make you warm it will only help you keep warm so go to bed while warm.

Food Meals should be warm.

Keep meals simple, and remember that canned food will freeze. Remember to eat, eating helps keep your body warm.

Drinking plenty of liquids will prevent dehydration, altitude sickness and hypothermia.

Extras Waterproof gaiters help water and snow stay out of your boots in deep snow. Avoid sweating as sweat cools down the body.

The Newsstreak

January 30, 2015

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January 30, 2015

The Newsstreak

STYLE-A9

NEW YEAR, NEW MOVIES

Disney successfully adapts Into The Woods Ariel Vogel Style Editor I am what they call an Into the Woods fanatic. I first saw the musical when my father designed the set at Washington University’s production in St. Louis. I stood by while my parents met James Lapine, the Oscar winning author of the book (script) for this musical as well as two others. I have watched the filmed 1987 Broadway production countless times and listen to the Pandora station regularly.

Thus, I went into the movie version in a far different mindset than the average viewer. I wasn’t looking for a family friendly film for a few hours of entertainment one evening. Instead, I walked into the movie theater partly filled with trepidation and partly with anticipation. With the awareness of my distinction from the rest of the viewing public, I will attempt to review the movie as just that--a movie.

Into the Woods is a compilation of several Grimm Brothers’ fairy tales; Cinderella, Rapunzel, Jack and the Beanstalk and Little Red Riding Hood all make appearances. There to tie all the stories together is a childless baker and his wife, cursed by the witch next door (Rapunzel’s mother, coincidentally) to forever be barren--unless they can successfully track four specific items (milk white cow, blood red cloak, corn yellow hair and a purely gold slipper) in three days. The first half of the show guides all the characters to Happily Ever After; the second half allows for the reality of the

world to step in, even in fairy tales.

The movie was a spectacle. Most of the CGI was tastefully used and oftentimes the effects added to the song numbers and allowed for a different take on the story. For example, Cinderella’s big number, “On the Steps of the Palace,” is shot suspended in time. Chris Pine (as the Prince) is frozen at the top of the stairs while Anna Kendrick (Cinderella) contemplates her first major decision, moving freely among unmoving sparks from the torches lighting the stairs.

Other times, as in Red Riding Hood’s analysis of her wolfy misadventure, the director, seemingly in an attempt to save money, had Little Red reenacting her neardeath experience of being swallowed by the wolf in a tube of fluttering cloth. It looked awkward, unrealistic and downright absurd.

Most of the casting worked out. Chris Pine and Billy Magnussen as the princes were arrogant, suave and laughably confident. Anna Kendrick surprised me with the ease with which she tackled Cinderella’s soaring notes. Some critics have said that Anna Kendrick as an actress is too modern, too “Pitch Perfect” to be playing such a classic fairytale role, but I thought she fit in perfectly. Rapunzel’s story, simplified in order to lower the ratings, left MacKenzie Mauzy underutilized. James Corden and Emily Blunt as the Baker and his wife were adorable each in their own right and had wonderful chemistry. Daniel Huttlestone, playing Jack (of the beanstalk), made his second appearance in a movie musical after 2012’s Les Miserables. He was cute,

sweet and sang like an angel. At times, his Cockney accent made it hard to understand him, but for the most part he charmed audiences everywhere.

Johnny Depp, cast as the creepy wolfman stalking Little Red with the intent of consuming the girl and her grandmother, did fairly well given the discomfort of his role. Tracey Ullman, Jack’s mother, was another one who was mostly ignored. Her voice? Powerful. Her acting ability? Strong.

And yet she had only a few minutes of screen time to let out her chops.

Little Red Riding Hood was played by Lilla Crawford who recently completed a run on Broadway as Annie. And it showed.

Her voice maintained the nasally belt that oftentimes accompanies the red-headed orphan and the close-ups allowed by filmography revealed that Crawford has very little ability to portray real emotion on her face. She was shrill, passive and was highly disappointing as a performer.

Meryl Streep was another disappointment. As a seasoned, renowned actress, I was mostly able to appreciate her emotional attachment to her adopted (kidnapped?) daughter, Rapunzel. I saw her desperation to be returned to her original beautiful self.

Her singing, though, was a real letdown.

The witch’s songs are some of the most powerful and famous in the show, and her untrained voice was unable to fully portray that intensity.

Lucy Punch, who played an evil stepsister, has had her destiny set in stone. Ever heard the phrase, “always a bridesmaid, never a bride?” Her mantra is “always an

evil stepsister, never Cinderella.” Into the Woods is her fourth time being an evil stepsister and she may never stop.

Into the Woods is an entertaining musical for theater people and normal people alike. The fairytale aspect appeals to the younger family crowd, and that’s encouraged by the alleviation of a lot of the scarier or disturbing parts in the original musical. Disney successfully removed the sex and death from this typically intense story and delivered a fun, twisted, singing fairytale good for all ages.

The music (obviously) is amazing, too.

The Interview more fun to watch at home Victoria Giron Feature Editor The Interview already intrigued me from the second I saw the trailer. Then once the entire Sony hacking controversy happened, I was really interested in watching the movie. I, for one, didn’t believe that anyone would bomb a theater for showing a movie, but I can understand why Sony originally decided not to release it in theaters. The movie painted North Korea and it’s leader in a satirical, unflattering way. In one scene they showed Kim Jong Un crying and making a mess in his pants. However, I’m very glad that Sony finally decided to release it online, showing that online terrorists can’t mess with our freedom of speech.

I watched the movie from Youtube which allowed for the utmost comfort. I was lying in bed with hot chocolate and I could pause the movie for a bathroom break if I wanted to. I think digitally re-

leasing movies could be a new medium of watching new Hollywood movies. The only downside to digitally releasing a film is for the large potential of pirating.

The movie revolves around an entertainment talk show called Skylark Tonight, hosted by James Franco’s character, the dimwitted Dave Skylark. Skylark Tonight’s producer Aaron (Seth Rogen) wants Skylark Tonight to be taken seriously by the media and the public. Aaron then sets up an interview with North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un (Randall Park) who is a fan of Skylark Tonight. The CIA enlists Dave and Aaron in a plot to kill Kim Jong-Un. I liked the movie enough to watch it, and it did have it’s moments of hilarity, but it wasn’t as good as Neighbors, a movie made by the same people. I felt that often Seth Rogen was the only person on screen who made me audibly laugh. James Franco served as the dumb handsome character.

He had his funny moments but overall his

stupidity was just not very funny to me.

Randall Park as Kim Jong-Un was shy and timid although he occasionally exploded to become the North Korean dictator we know and hate. Park made Kim Jong-Un a character that I actually liked and sort of ended up rooting for. The movie was creatively written. It wasn’t as predictable as I thought it would be. In the end, I’m not really sure what the message of the film was, but at least it was funny.

The movie was not as much of a stoner film as Rogen’s past films, but I still would recommend this movie if you are a fan of Rogen because he shines in this film. I would also warn against watching this film with parents or younger siblings, it’s rated R for a reason. Obviously there are a lot of expletives said in the film, but there are a couple of scenes that include partial nudity. This movie is the type of movie that you watch with a bunch of friends to have a nice laugh.

Unbroken makes viewers want to be better people Hunter Manzano Outdoors Editor There are very few films that have been released in the past couple of years that, during the duration of the movie, will actually encourage its’ audience to be better people, as well as motivate them to be stronger morally.

“Unbroken”, directed by Angelina Jolie, is a film that makes you grip the edge of your seat while putting an occasional sympathetic tear in your eye.

In its two hours and 17 minutes, the audience follows closely to the life of Louis Zamperini, played by Jack O’Connell, an Italian immigrant to the United States whose family name keeps him out of trouble as a boy. Zamperini spends his childhood and early adulthood running in track, breaking many records, and eventually competing in the Olympics. He ends up in the army during World War II, where, during a rescue mission, his

plane crashes. After 47 days in a life raft, a Japanese ship picks the survivors up and puts them into a prisoner of war camp, where he remains until the war comes to an end.

Senior Tony Colindres, “really liked” the movie.

“It surpassed my expectations,” Colindres said. “The best part of the movie was when he picked up the log above his head and regained his strength.” That scene showed how even after Louis had been tortured and worked to the bone, he could still reach deep down inside of himself and fuel his muscles with determination.

Jolie truly captures a sense of complete despair while still keeping a seed of hope inside Zamperini. Practically overnight, Unbroken has brought over 95.9 million dollars into the box office. It is an incredible experience to watch this movie, and it’s more than worth every cent.

The Hobbit should have never been divided into thirds Ellie Plass Online Editor-in-Chief

I’m afraid that I’m the wrong person to be reviewing this movie. I’m just not as dedicated as the true Hobbit fans. I didn’t camp out at any of the premieres, I didn’t dress up as Legolas and I certainly didn’t learn elvish. But here’s what I can give you as far as credibility goes. I grew up reading the book over and over again, and I’m pretty sure Thoren was my first crush. So I promise I’ll do my best to do right by it.

For those of you who don’t know the story (noobs), I’ll give you a brief synopsis.

It’s a fantasy book in the best way; full of dwarves, elves, dragons and most significantly little human-like characters who don’t like adventures called hobbits. It centralizes around one hobbit named Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman) and a company of dwarves that drag him onto the adventure of a lifetime to try to gain their mountain homeland and treasure back from Smaug (Benedict Cumberbatch), the

treacherous dragon.

First of all, the dragon was killed in the first five minutes. I was shocked. That’s almost the culmination of the book and they knocked it out just like that. Once that happened, I didn’t have high hopes for the rest of the movie. And where did Tauriel (Evangeline Lilly) come from? She was definitely not in the book. While I like a dwarf-human star-crossed lovers thing as much as the next girl, let’s be honest. That would never happen.

To sing a few praises, the special effects were just amazing. There was a scene in which Legolas (Orlando Bloom) was battling an Orc and leapt on falling rocks like stairs that just looked so, so cool. The Orcs themselves were more terrifying than ever before, with metal sewn into their disgusting faces and blackened teeth. Smaug was smoldering and furious, exactly the way he was written.

The simple biggest problem with The Hobbit: The Battle of Five Armies was that it was made. Before you say “Woah, that’s really, really harsh.”, hear me out. The book

itself is only about three hundred pages.

If you divide that into three, each movie was about a hundred pages worth of material. That’s just not enough. They all felt really drawn out to me. The third movie was basically a two and a-half hour fight scene. I can’t complain because that’s how the book ends, but had they cut a few less important things previously and gone with two movies, I would’ve enjoyed it a lot more. I guess then I would’ve been complaining about how they cut things.

Yeah, I found a lot of faults. But my sentimental side won out in the end. After loving the book for so long it was exceptional to see it brought to the big screen, and it didn’t ruin any of the feelings I had about the book. The Hobbit trilogy was one that was well done, with good special effects and an exciting plot. I would definitely go see this movie. It’s the sort of thing that requires you to decide for yourself what you think of it, whether you’re one of the people who learned elvish or you didn’t even read the book. I’ll give it a generous 7/10 stars.

January 30, 2015

The Newsstreak

STYLE-A10

Our youngest students

An in-depth look at the HHS nursery Rafael strives to be neonatal nurse because of own experiences Mia Karr Editor-in-Chief Just like an average high school senior, Teresa Rafael juggles school, a job, and planning for the future. However, Rafael has another element in the mix- raising her two-year-old daughter, Jaelynn. Rafael had Jaelynn during her sophomore year and has stayed in school to finish her degree, with the help of the nursery.

Rafael arrives every morning at 7:30 a.m. and drops her daughter off at the nursery, usually arriving to class around 7:55 a.m. She sees Jaelynn at third lunch, feeds her, and then goes to fourth block.

For Rafael, keeping up with school work and motherhood is a challenge.

“It’s really hard. I know I need to pay more attention to schoolwork and her, but sometimes she goes first,” Rafael said.

According to Rafael, the hardest part of being a mother is contending with lack of sleep. Her sleep deprivation is caused by not only Jaelynn, but other obligations as well, such as her job at Jalisco. “[It’s hard] trying to balance being a fiancée-student-mother-daughter.

And work,” Rafael said. Rafael is engaged to Jaelynn’s father, who graduated from HHS last year. The couple has been together for over three years.

In addition to her fiancé’s support, Rafael has received other sources of help. “[The nursery has helped with] not dropping out. Not dropping out, having

support- with Jaelynn and whenever I need advice,” Rafael said.

Her parents have also supported her “financially and emotionally.” After taking the allowed six weeks off after the birth of her daughter, Rafael returned to school and her father watched Jaelynn until a spot opened up in the nursery.

Through her experience, Rafael has had the chance to meet and befriend other teen moms. “[We talk about] how their labor was, if they had a risk of being a teen mom [before their pregnancy], how they raise their kids, different names we call things,” Rafael said.

Rafael’s experience with motherhood has influenced her career goal- she plans to become a neonatal nurse. After graduation she plans to attend college for two years, participate in the MTC nursing program, and then complete two or more years at the University of Virginia to achieve her goal. This plan looks very different from the one she had earlier in high school.

“I wanted to go to the army before. I wanted to do a bunch of other stuff- party, hang out with friends. Now I barely have friends. My time is with her now. It’s not ‘me time’ anymore,” Rafael said.

Despite the challenge, Jaelynn is a great source of joy for Rafael. “[My favorite part of being a mother is] just the smiles and every single moment that we have together. Her learning, me teaching her stuff that I was taught,” Rafael said.

PHOTO BY BRENNA COWARDIN

MOTHERLY LOVE. Senior Teresa Rafael holds her daughter, Jaelynn. She and Jaelynn’s father are engaged and plan to have more children in the future.

Rafael plans to have more kids down the road. Her experience with Jaelynn has taught her several lessons about being a mom. “[My advice is to] be strong. Whenever

you need anyone, like my mom told me, just pray. Be patient. Have lots of patience with your kid. And it’s okay to cry,” Rafael said. “For your kid, you will always be supermom.”

Quintero mentored through RMH program Hand-in-Hand Faith Runnells Managing Editor It is ironic that adding a permanent member to a family can sometimes make an expecting mother feel alone- especially in the case of a younger mother. Reaching out to over 100 teenage mothers a year, the Hand-in-Hand program assists, encourages and aids teenage moms from the first knowledge of their pregnancy to their baby’s first birthday.

After a pregnant teen has been referred to the program, most commonly through the local obstetrics practices or the teen’s school, Hand-in-Hand assigns a resource mother to the teen for continuous support and encouragement. This resource mother makes home visits to the teen’s home two to four times a months throughout their pregnancy, along with calling and texting to check in.

Debbie Bullis, the program’s coordinator, organized and schedules all of the visits and check-ins with the multitude of teens in the program.

“Once a week we try to make some sort of contact [with each teen]. That’s the minimum,” Bullis said.

The teen’s resource mother makes home visits to the teen’s home which focus on health education.

Senior Abii Quintero has a 9-month-old son, Xavier Rivera, enrolled in the nursery

at the high school. She began the Hand-inHand program when she was two months pregnant and continues the program today. “[When I was pregnant, I received home visits] every month. [My resource mother now] focuses on something that has to do with the month age of my baby, like if he’s nine months right now they’ll teach me something about him being nine months,” Quintero said.

The Hand-in-Hand program emphasizes health education about mothers and their babies, both before and after childbirth.

“We do follow a curriculum that teaches the teens about the changes [that occur] in pregnancy... with changes to their body, nutrition, to what to expect when they’re expecting. Once the baby comes, it’s also a parenting curriculum,” Bullis said.

Not only does the program target education concerning motherhood, but it also works for increased moral support and dependability for the teenage mother.

“Besides the health education, [the Hand-in-Hand program] goes a lot further than that with the one-on-one relationship that our resource mothers are developing with the teen moms. They can be longstanding and very trusting relationships,” Bullis said. “Sometimes our teens don’t always come from the best home circumstances and environments and they need another caring adult in their lives, and that’s what we bring. Some consistency,

Orebaugh leads nursery program

Nursery helps Vest balance school with parenting Phoebe Copeland Staff Reporter

Martin Beck Staff Reporter The nursery at HHS lies on an offshoot of a hallway, behind a plastic kid-proof gate. The room is quiet, aside from the occasional babble of a content child or the bawling of an upset one. Usual classroom furnishings are replaced by changing tables and rubber playthings.

Nursery caretaker Liz Orebaugh sits in a rocking chair towards the back of the room. The florescent lights on the ceiling are completely off. Soft sunlight filters in from outside.

Eleven total children, aged six months to three years, spend their days here. For eleven student parents, this place means a safe environment for their children and the freedom to complete their high school educations. There is no fee to have a child stay at the nursery, unlike you would find at a daycare establishment.

Orebaugh is one of two full-time employees at the nursery, along with Randi Clark. Orebaugh and Clark ensure the children are fed, diaper-changed, and generally content.

The rest of nursery work falls upon either high school or JMU volunteers. Over 100 JMU students volunteer annually.

The nursery routine is not unlike a conventional preschool: Student mothers (and, in some cases, fathers) drop their kids off between 7:00 a.m. and 7:45 a.m., before going to class.

An average day in the nursery consists of breakfast, followed by exposure to primary music and art, nap time, “and lots of poop,” Orebaugh adds.

Student parents are required to eat

some stability, just some encouragement.”

Quintero’s resource mother focused on pregnancy education, along with schooling aid and self-esteem assistance. “[My resource mother would] give me papers saying how to feel good with yourself,” Quintero said.

“Let’s say if you’re not comfortable with your body, [they say] just to accept yourself and think about PHOTO BY BRENNA COWARDIN why you’ve changed bePUT YOUR HANDS TOGETHER. Senior Abii Quintero cause you had your baby. plays with her nine month old son, Xavier. Quintero is [Also,] to be happy with constantly learning new things about Xavier from the yourself because you were Hand-in-Hand program. able to do things that some others couldn’t.” [under 5.5 ounces] and repeat pregnancy Although Hand-in-Hand reaches out to rates [the teen mother getting pregnant over 100 local teenage mothers each year, again within a year or two] are lower than many mothers are still not a part of this the state average, along with higher gradprogram. uation rates than the state average, with “Our greatest struggle is that some- 95% of the mothers in the program either times the teens that need the most help in high school, college, or working. are the ones that don’t choose to be in the “Those are just some of the things that program. That, to me, is always really sad, we are making a difference [in]... That’s a because if we could get every single teen real, huge, wonderful thing… We are workinvolved that is pregnant and help them ing side by side with the teens and encourthrough it, I just think it would help them aged them and supporting them to be the so much,” Bullis said. best parents possible,” Bullis said.

According to Bullis, low birth weights

INFOGRAPHIC BY JOSH BYRD

BY THE NUMBERS. The nursery hosts 11 children cared for by two full-time employees and many JMU volunteers. Mothers are required to have lunch with their children.

lunch with their child at the nursery.

“I love seeing the kids’ milestones–their first steps, their first smile, trying new foods… talking–all their firsts. It’s just really fun,” Orebaugh said. The nursery staff keep parents engaged as well.

“We [at the nursery] have lots of experience with children, and we can help [parents] out if they have any questions.

We’ll help guide if they need help in any area,” Orebaugh said. “We are really proud of all the parents because they work really hard… A lot of them have jobs in addition to being parents. They’re doing really well.”

In another time, these parents were often forced to either abandon their education, give a child up for adoption, or grant care taking duties to extended family.

The nursery enables a different solution: one that offers parenthood and a degree.

Many students complain about waking up early for school. But for freshman Kiara Vest, mornings bring their own challenges. As a student parent, Vest not only has to get herself ready for the day, she has to get her one-year-old daughter Maleyna ready as well.

Vest got pregnant at the end of her seventh grade year. “[Having a child] was pretty hard.” Vest said. “In eighth grade, I began to show when I was six months.” Although some teachers were really nice about her pregnancy, Vest says some people were quite rude. Vest received six weeks of maternity leave and cites the school nursery as the reason that she’s been able to keep up with her studies.

“I like [having] the nursery, because like it helps me [with Maleyna]. Without the nursery I would have had to drop out of school and watch her myself,” Vest said.

Vest’s mother does help out with the child, but most of the responsibility still falls on Vest.

“I don’t really have time for homework,” Vest said, laughing. “I usually do it here [at school], in my other classes.”

Being a mother also means Vest doesn’t have time for any extra curriculars.

“I’m usually really tired [at the end of] every day,” Vest said. But Vest hasn’t given up on college and hopes to pursue higher education when it works in her life and in her child’s life.

The most exciting thing for Vest is watching her daughter grow up. The summer after she gave birth, Vest’s mother worked on the weekdays so Vest spent a lot of time just bonding with her daughter.

PHOTO BY BRENNA COWARDIN LUNCHTIME. Freshman Kiara Vest gets her daughter, Maleyna ready for lunch. Despite the challenges of motherhood, she stays positive.

Vest also says that growing up alongside her daughter is exciting.

“Some people say that’s a bad thing, but I think it’s cool,” Vest said. Vest gave birth at Rockingham Memorial Hospital with few complications.

With the child’s father out of the picture, the road forward isn’t clear and could be difficult. However, Vest has stayed positive.

“If I would have looked, in seventh grade at my life now, I would never have imagined that I would have had a daughter, but now that I do, there’s no regrets,” Vest said.

The Newsstreak

January 30, 2015

FEATURE-B1

The (1/2) Year in Review

Prieto has enjoyed first semester as principal Ava Reynolds Managing Editor

A

new town. New school.

New administration.

New students.

New job, new experiences.

Cynthia Prieto did not let this hold her back during her first semester as HHS principal.

Of the many new experiences for Prieto, the friendliness of the students in the Friendly-City, the high school was one thing that pleasantly surprised her the most. She was previously employed at Lake Braddock High School in Fairfax County, Virginia, with almost 2,500 kids.

There, she would work with her 700 students as assistant principal. These were the students she tracked grades for, disciplined and monitored attendance, but to her Harrisonburg just has a “different feel”.

“I was surprised in a positive way, about how 1500 kids could be. Getting to know names, I love how the students make eye contact and smile and say hello and good morning and how are you. I just enjoy the interaction with them; that they don’t feel shy coming up and saying ‘Are you the new principal? I have a question’. That was just really refreshing,” Prieto said.

After 29 years in one school system, there are certain challenges that present themselves when transferring to a whole new phase of life. Through the challenges of learning the ropes of a new system, Prieto stayed positive.

“My mind goes constantly, and often when I’m winding down at night, I’m still pondering what I learned and what we did. It made for a lot of revelation, and that was a lot of fun,” Prieto said.

Always looking for ideas on things, Prieto emails back and forth with her former principal, which has allowed Braddock to adopt some of the things done at

Harrisonburg, in exchange for ideas on things that might work here.

“You start living in your own little cosmos, and you don’t think about how others do things, and you think kids are kids everywhere, and that’s true, and school is school everywhere and that’s true, but there might be a different way to do that that is better or more effective,” Prieto said.

Not only is Prieto the new kid on the block at HHS, but this is her first time in the position of head principal. She described her experience in this new role as “incredible”, “exciting”, and “intense”, complete with “a lot of learning”.

“I’ve always looked for new adventures and new learning experiences, and I couldn’t even dream it like that,” Prieto said.

One key element of the first semester’s success for Prieto was a collaborative staff. Prieto herself tries to be as collaborative as possible when it comes to making decisions with the leadership team that meets Tuesday mornings, before taking the topics to department chairs, and having a whole new set of eyes on the topic of development.

From there, a decision is made that is best for the students.

“The group is a really good vibrant group coming

from a lot of experiences, so everybody is very comfortable and trusting to say ‘In my old school I did it this way’, or ‘I learned it this way’ or ‘this is how we’ve always done it’, and we’ll kind of compile all these ideas in the center and figure out what’s best for us,” Prieto said.

With one semester down, Prieto is not looking to change all that much for the second. She and the administration look at each thing as it comes up and is relevant. The current topics of discussion are scheduling and budget for next year. “[First semester] was just awesome,” Prieto said.

Students’ Extracurricular Activities Fall/Winter Sports: 289 students

Musical/Band/ One Act: 157 students

INFOGRAPHIC BY JESSICA NGUYEN

Attendance by grade level

Freshmen

Sophomores

Juniors

Seniors

On average, 93% of students come to school every day. With 1515 students, this means that 106 students don’t come to school. 76 students show up tardy.

made with piktochart

INFOGRAPHIC INFORMATION BY JOHN EARLE

PHOTO BY VICTORIA GIRON

STUDY HARD. The extra ELT days gave classes like Mr. Blair’s class extra time to study.

Second ELT bootc amp in consideration Ali Price Staff Reporter The administration has found the ELT boot camp of a month ago to be successful.

“We don’t really have a way to compare last year[‘s results] to this year in terms of the boot camp,” said guidance counselor co-director Rachel Linden.

“Overall, my impression is that we had more passes for students who were not currently in the class who took the SOL, than we did last year.”

The boot camp allowed over one hundred students who were not then enrolled in an SOL course to retake the SOL they had previously failed in order to graduate. Other students were directed to classes in which they had C’s or D’s, and still others who were requested by teachers in classes that they were not failing.

Though the administration was not able to compare last year’s SOL scores to the most recent scores, a possible second ELT bootcamp in the spring semester may provide that oppor-

tunity.

“We are examining the pros and cons [of another ELT boot camp] and look to make a team decision on that,” said assistant principal Eric Miller. “As it looks now, [we will] most likely [have another ELT boot camp].”

For now, the administration has made no new plans to remediate SOL scores.

“I think we are doing a great job in what we have going on,” said Miller. “We may… [add] after school help.”

The Newsstreak

January 30, 2015

STYLE-B2

Student LEADERS Paulette Ruiz

Jasmin Quiroz Monee Willingham

Raman Mahmud

Olweus leaders passionate about their message Brenna Cowardin Editor-in-Chief

me,” Ruiz said. “I tell them it may not be important for them, but it’s important for somebody else. That goes over pretty well.” The importance of the conversation touches Ruiz on a personal level.

“When I was in Puerto Rico, I had a friend who was bullied because of her height. She was pretty short. Nothing was really done about it, but here I can make a difference,” Ruiz said.

For sophomore Monee Willingham, her involvement stemmed from a personal experience.

“My freshman year, I was in earth science... and there was this one kid who was taking a long time working on a worksheet and I was helping him. [Two other students] were already done, and instead of helping him, they were making fun of him,” Willingham said. “My teacher yelled at me for telling them to stop. We actually got

into an argument and she kicked me out of class... I went to guidance, and [Mr. Ward] came to talk to me, and he said, ‘I want you to be part of Olweus.’”

Senior Paulette Ruiz is a self-described Both Ruiz and Willingham take the core seed. As an ambassador for the Olweus of Olweus teachings to heart.

Program, she strives to spread the anti-bul“I strongly believe that bullying should lying, community-building message wherbe stopped, and I believe in everything else ever the winds will take it. in the Olweus message. It’s also very di“I say that I’m a seed. I’m just planting verse. There are many countries representsomething here, and letting these people ed in the program,” Ruiz said. Willingham see if it’ll grow or not,” Ruiz said. She was enjoys teaching students the difference nominated to the program last spring by between bullying and argument. home school liaison Edson Arango, and “I’m the type of person that if you’re then moved through the interview process smart with me, I’m not going to make fun with HHS psychologist David Ward. This of you,... but I will put you in check,” Willyear she is stationed in math teacher Aliingham said. “I teach a freshman class, and son Whalen’s class as the ambassador for I love being able to show them the differclassroom meetings. ence [between bullying and argument] be“The class I lead is mostly Hispanic, so I cause you don’t have to feel bad for getting help with translating a lot of the time. The into an argument, but you don’t have to teacher reads the slides in English, then make fun of the perwe have discussion and son in the argument.” questions. If people don’t The program reunderstand things, I reword quired a steep learnthe questions in a simpler ing curve on Ruiz’s way,” Ruiz said. The class part, but by the time hosts somewhere between the second extended 18 and 20 students, but learning time classdespite smaller classroom room meeting came size, it can still be difficult around, she was to get a conversation startready. ed.

“The first time, I “[My least favorite part had no idea what I is] when they don’t talk; was doing. The teachthey’re probably still shy er and I were really because they don’t know confused. Afterward, each other very well. we [had a meeting to] They’ll open up as the year figure out how to do goes on,” Ruiz said. the next [meeting],” Ruiz also faces challengRuiz said. Now, she es in the form of student atenjoys every meeting. titudes. Not everyone takes PHOTO BY BRENNA COWARDIN “My favorite part the classroom meetings se- TALK THE TALK. Sophomore Monee Willingham leads an Olweus discussion is the class meetings. riously. with a group of freshman. Willingham is one of a number of students who are Every time it’s differ“[I don’t like it] when leaders for the program. ent,” Ruiz said. She they’re disrespectful to

does wish for more out of the classroom Olweus experiences for students as well, though.

“I’d probably do more activities outside of the class, not just the classroom meetings, but one ELT where it’s required to go to the auditorium and do something big,” Ruiz said. “That’d be awesome because in the ELT meetings you’re with the same people the whole time, and when you’re out in the auditorium, you’re with everyone. You get to experience a different thing.”

Ruiz describes Olweus as “unity,” and sees the program growing from here on out.

“Every year [Olweus] is going to grow, but like everything it starts out small, [but the most most important thing is] just being heard and people standing up for this,” Ruiz said.

The Olweus Program has made Willingham a better person.

“Last year, I probably would have been like, ‘If someone makes fun of me, then I’ll make fun of you.’ But this year, being in Olweus, it’s made me a better person. I’m a lot calmer because I know how to handle things. If someone’s making fun of me, [I ask myself] ‘Do I say something back, like the old Monee would or do I act like Olweus Monee?’”

As for the future, Ruiz looks to college. She applied early decision to her top school, and was accepted.

“I just my [acceptance] letter from George Mason, and I want to study law. I want to be a business lawyer... I’m really happy, that was my first option, it was the first letter I got,” Ruiz said, and the Olweus Program helped her get to where she is today. “[Olweus] made me be more open minded on how to handle things. I feel like it’s helped me a lot and will help me more in the future when I’m trying to handle situations,” Ruiz said.

Mahmud serves as mentor for peers

Austin Swift Sports Editor Multiple ethnicities, multiple languages and multiple jobs. Kurdish Club president senior Raman Mahmud has become accustomed to breaking down such barriers. His position requires him to act as the figure to go to for guidance.

“I have to keep everything together for the club. When we’re about to do something I have to plan it, help Mr. Kareem plan the whole thing. Almost all of us are foreigners, so when a student needs help, they come to me and I help them if they’re in trouble or they need to do something and I help them,” Mahmud said.

In his first year at HHS and in the club, Mahmud ran for a leadership position as well.

“Last year I was going to [run for] secretary, but I lost by one [vote], and this year I

HHS Club Presidents

said I was going to [run for] president and I [was elected]. [The election] is not anonymous, so it depends on how the people like you in the club,” Mahmud said.

With some members who are new to the school or country, it is necessary for Mahmud to be aware of and open to the help they may need.

“It keeps you kind of busy, because the kids come up to you every day asking questions about school, about how to keep their grades up,” Mahmud said. “[I tell them to] ask for help, to not to be afraid [to ask], and just ask whatever they need, not just to me, but to anyone, like the teachers or other students, their classmates.”

In years past, the club has welcomed multiple other ethnicities. However, the recent addition of the Arabic club to the school has found Mahmud overlooking a smaller group.

“Last year there was only Kurdish club

and we had the Arabs with us too, along with Turks and Persians. Most of the Arabs went to the Arabic club, but some are still with us and we still have a Turk and two or three Persians,” Mahmud said.

Kurdish club adviser Muhamed Kareem praises Mahmud’s reliability and ability to connect with all members of the club.

“Raman is aware [of] Kurdish culture, he speaks Kurdish, he speaks some Arabic.

Kurdish club is not just for Kurdish speakers, it is like international club for Kurdish, Arabic, Spanish, Chinese, any [ethnicity] can be in Kurdish club,” Kareem said. “He is a polite boy, taking care of the assignments, a dependable boy, a good student too, so he’s open and can send the message to students.”

Mahmud’s popularity within the club showed during officer elections, this time coming out victorious.

“We did an election as well in the last

meeting, and all the students chose Raman to be Kurdish club president,” Kareem said.

Kareem also appreciates the example Mahmud poses for the rest of the club.

“He’s an open boy, good boy, and he’s polite and [respectful] to others, and that’s what we wish all Kurdish club members to be. In our culture the respect is power number one and I am always telling the Kurdish club to be respectful to teachers, friends, family members at home,” Kareem said.

Mahmud’s leadership extends beyond Raman as, to the pleasure of Kareem, his sister, Mastan Mahmud, is an officer for the club as well.

“His sister is the Kurdish club vice president, because on [club] election day they chose her too. They are very much active boys and girls, both the brother and sister, that is why I like to work with them in the club,” Kareem said.

National Honors Societies

International Clubs

Other Organizations

Art Honors Society: Sanarea Ali & Emily Holmes Tri-M: Rachel Cavoto English Honors Society: Ava Reynolds

Russian Club: Vanessa Perez-Trotsyuk Kurdish Club: Raman Mahmud French Club: Atticus Bolyard

DECA: Katherine Komara Forensics: Anna Dick Governor’s STEM Academy: Austin Engle

Quiroz makes time for her Key Club presidency Ella Marian Feature Editor Senior Jasmin Quiroz has taken special interest in Key Club throughout her high school career. Being elected reporter her junior year, she was up for nomination to become the next Key Club president. When the previous presidents Sara Franco, Madison Ward and Rayda Qadir and Vice President Salar Haji elected her, Quiroz was thrilled.

“I was very excited, I kind of almost cried. It was unbelievable to me because it means a lot to me,” Quiroz said.

To Quiroz, Key Club isn’t an average club. There is a lot of heart that goes into it.

“Most people think that it is just a club, but to me it’s a way a life. I always like to help out people and it makes me feel good all the time and so that’s why it means much more to

me,” Quiroz said.

One of Key Club’s projects this year is Operation Warm. Every classroom has a decorated box labeled “OPERATION WARM” where students in their second block class can donate clothes (mittens, hats/beanies, coats etc.) to Key Club so they can give them to kids in need that are a part of the Harrisonburg City Public School system.

“I feel like it will be really big. I don’t think the school really knows about it right now because it’s not that well known but I feel like it will be,” Quiroz said. Quiroz and the rest of the Key Club even presented Operation Warm to the school board before winter break.

Along with her presidency of the Key Club, Quiroz also took an interest in yearbook her freshman year (with a break her sophomore year). Quiroz is the Club and Activity section leader for the TAJ. “[I joined because] it was something I just really liked because it’s

where you can just express yourself.

It’s also really creative because you can design so much on InDesign and Photoshop and stuff like that. It’s really nice to see how your work looks at the end and it gets printed out in the yearbook,” Quiroz said.

Balancing Key Club, Yearbook, school work and applying for college can take a lot of time. Quiroz manages by forcing herself to make time.

“It’s really hard. I kind of just do it all. I have to make time for everything because I really don’t have time for anything. It’s really hard especially [with it] being senior year,” Quiroz said. Quiroz hopes to attend University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and major in education.

Quiroz has some advice for future Key Club presidents.

“Be dedicated to Key Club and be really passionate with helping others and about the club itself because it’s not just your regular club,” Quiroz said.

PHOTO BY ELLA MARIAN

LISTEN UP. Senior Jasmin Quiroz pays attention during a Key Club meeting.

The Newsstreak

January 30, 2015

FOOD-A3

Any Time is Tea Time

PULP offers tea that’s best served warm Evan Dotas Feature Editor With the smell of rubber and the music of socket wrenches permeating the air, you don’t expect to find high-quality food at a restaurant inside of a bike shop. Yet PULP has persevered throughout the years to become a local favorite.

PULP is known specifically for their organic acai bowls and smoothies. However, on bitter January days, it is much more tempting to try their fresh tea. If you find yourself in that situation and you are someone who does not regularly have tea, I would recommend that you move on.

I readily admit that I am no tea aficionado. However, that should not invalidate my opinion. Therefore, here is the average Joe take

on the tea of PULP. I sat down at the little counter and waited for the steam to fade away. In my three layers and hat, I must admit that I was eager for a warm beverage. But I was also nervous; every time I’ve had tea, it hasn’t been anything impressive.

I thought that maybe this was the drink that could turn me into a believer.

As per recommendation, I ordered the Heritage Golden Buddha, a type of oolong tea. After a few minutes of waiting, I decided I was ready to take that fateful sip. Of course, as everyone who has ever had a hot beverage can relate, it was a miniscule sip to test the heat. But as time went on, I began to indulge myself in the foreign liquid.

To be frank, it tasted like leaves. All tea tastes like that to me. I felt like I was

drinking a specialty from mother Earth herself, and while that sounds good for the soul, it isn’t good for the taste buds. I swished it around in my mouth a little, hoping to find some hidden flavor, but nothing changed.

As I kept drinking, I started to question myself. After all, how could a beverage so popular taste so bland?

The only gratifying qualities were the warmth that contrasted with the weather and the knowledge that this liquefied bark was healthy.

Due to what had to be the placebo effect, I started to enjoy it. Maybe its popularity lay in its simplicity. But that appreciation was fleeting within a few more sips.

I will admit that they gave a very good deal. I received a large cup for an inexpensive $2, and that is certainly nice. However,

by the last quarter of the drink, I was getting almost depressed. I didn’t want to be rude and throw it away, but I also was very much done with the drink. On the other hand, preserving it for later was a punishment for my future self.

I grudgingly finished it, taking big, quick gulps to make it go faster. I even plugged my nose while drinking to try to avoid the taste. But when I left, I didn’t feel wronged. I don’t believe that PULP deserves this kind of criticism.

I stand by my common sense in thinking that the drink was bad. I was especially repulsed when, after five minutes, the drink became lukewarm and lost that pleasing sensation of heating me up. But I wholly attribute my disgust to my own faults, and not the faults of the restaurant.

For those people who really enjoy tea, I would say that you should go to PULP and prove me wrong. You can easily look at my novice opinion and laugh at my idiocracy, and I wouldn’t argue with you. But the fact of the matter is, I wanted to

like their tea. I was looking for a drink good enough to change my opinion on tea as a whole. But sadly, the tea at PULP is not good enough to inspire any change in a malleable opinion.

PHOTO BY EVAN DOTAS OOLONG TEA. PULP can be found at 133 South Main Street, Harrisonburg, VA 22801.

Leaman learned how to make Chai tea in Kenya

Isaiah King Staff Reporter

Just on the outskirts of downtown Nairobi, the capital of Kenya, resides a 20-acre coffee estate that was revamped into Rosslyn Academy. Opened in 1967, Rosslyn has grown from primarily a mission-based school to a Christian international school that has over 50 nationalities teaching all students grades kindergarten to twelfth.

Junior Kayla Leaman, a former resident of Rosslyn, returned last summer to revisit Kenya along with her family who arrived three weeks earlier with a group of EMU cross cultural students.

For the first five years of her life, Leaman lived in Kenya where she explored, adapted, and learned the routine of Rosslyn Academy with the people she met.

Not affected by the ongoing business of Nairobi, Leaman emphasized how much traffic and people there were passing by the campus on a day to day basis. The campus itself is fairly small when compared to United States standards considering that Rosslyn Academy included an elementary, middle and high school, although Leaman, at a young age, enjoyed visiting the five different playgrounds with her friends. “[Even though I was five], I played with my neighborhood friends, and we were pretty much able to go anywhere on the campus because it was fenced in and guarded,” Leaman said. She was introduced to numerous family friends who Leaman is still in contact with today. Two

families in particular had children around Leaman’s age at the time. One of them remains in Nairobi, but the other one lives here in America.

“An African woman, Anne, on the campus was sort of like family to us and she is still working in Kenya,” Leaman said. Anne was the one who introduced the traditional Kenyan tea to Leaman and others.

Moving to America from Africa was a major change in environment for Leaman.

There was serenity and a society made up of people near and dear to your family back at Rosslyn Academy.

“I miss the laid-backness of people and their communication and manner, but people are still driven to do things and get places and still have tea time at four and ten,” Leaman said.

Kenyan tea is a prime cash PHOTO BY BRENNA COWARDIN crop grown and processed within the country that is MASALA. Junior Kayla Leaman mixes masala into the previously made chai tea. the leading foreign exchange Still continued today, Leaman carries To prepare the traditional Kenyan tea, earner for Kenya. There are several types of tea that vary depending Leaman pours half a cup of water into a on this tradition back home in America. on the region, each with its own method pot. From this, Leaman boils water on a Though she misses Nairobi and Anne, her stove and pours a half a cup of milk into last visit has brought back memories of of production.

“Anne made tea for us every single day the tea. Leaman then explains how she life before moving. The casual lifestyle, and my brother continued the tradition lifts the pot up off the stove as the tea Kenyan tea, escape from all worries and and taught me later in the U.S., he drank boils over multiple times and traditional the brewing of memories to cherish for a lifetime.

Kenyan tea is ready to be served. it once or twice a day,” Leaman said.

Food Maxx has wide variety of teas Naomi Gelberg-Hagmaier Op-Ed Editor

PHOTOS BY NAOMI GELBERG-HAGMAIER IT’S TIME FOR TEA. The top picture is of the teas out of the packages (in the picture above) and the picture to the right is the tea after it has been steeped for a minute.

When I walked into Food Maxx I was hit by the smell of fish. It doesn’t take too long to get used to and then it’s like any other grocery store, besides a few odd items and the labels in foreign languages. I proceed to pick out my tea, purchase it, and return home to try it in the comfort of my own dwelling since sitting down to tea in the middle of Food Maxx is not the way to do things.

I ended up with three different teas to try, all of which were loose leaf teas, an oolong, a black, and a Japanese green. With the addition of Chinese teacups and a gaiwan, a fancy cup with a lid that the tea is steeped in, which my father already owned, I was all set to try some teas.

To steep the teas, about a tablespoon of the dried leaves is put in the gaiwan and boiling water is poured over them. They steep for at least a minute, and during that time the lid of the gaiwan can be used to push the leaves around in the water, stirring it

in a way. From there, the tea is poured into the cups, and the lid is used to keep the leaves in the gaiwan. Then, if desired, milk, sugar, honey, can be added, but I decided against doctoring up any of the teas.

The first tea I tried was the green tea. A tablespoon of the leaves was steeped for about a minute. The leaves themselves smelled like sweet grass. As it steeped, the leaves slowly unfolded and almost doubled in size.

Even when fully steeped, the green tea was still very light in color. This tea had a very crisp taste, with a sweet aftertaste. It was strongly reminiscent of spring.

The next tea up on my taste test was the oolong. These leaves smelled quite earthy, but the liquid itself had a slight burntness to it. I was informed by my father that oolong has a certain quality he likes to refer to as “The Magic of the Oolong,” no brew of it tastes exactly the same. The first one I had was quite bitter and I could taste in the back of my throat, the next batch was less bitter, and had a sweet tint to it.

Last, but not least, was the black

tea. These leaves had a strong spice smell emanating from them. When this tea was fully steeped it was very dark brown. Even though it is a darker than the oolong, it had a slightly more sweet taste, and seemed to be almost as sweet as the green.

I’ve encountered teas like these several times. Most of these encounters were when I was younger. It was nice to have the chance to sit down and try them again. Personally I enjoyed these teas more than bagged teas, and plan to buy them from now on.

Earth and Tea Cafe serves delectable tea in calming atmosphere Eddie Mestre Op-Ed Editor Tea is definitely not underrated in today’s world, but the number of quality tea shops doesn’t supplement this fact at all. We seem to be too obsessed with our mediocre Starbucks to give quality beverages any real thought.

Fortunately Harrisonburg is (very proudly) denouncing the claim that coffee is

the coolest kid on the block and reminding citizens that tea is just as cool (arguably cooler).

Earth and Tea Cafe is first and foremost one of the most relaxing places to dine in the ‘Burg. The couch could use a bit of work, but it will always remain my go-to location. The color scheme and fabrics displayed on the walls give it a truly peaceful vibe, which is complemented excellently

music is always present but never distracting which makes everything a bit more tranquil.

After perusing the menu for a little too long, my friend and I decided to go with the Chai Sansibar. It is an Oolong Tea with a “vanilla cardamom taste.” Its many ingredients included rooibos, cinnamon, pink pepper, vanilla and ginger bits as well as cornflower blossoms.

tea was presented to us. A cute little yellow pot with two teacups. The initial smell was quite good, hints of cinnamon and spice could be detected immediately.

I calculated precisely how many packets of sugar and how many teaspoons of honey I should add to my cup of tea. I arrived at one packet of sucrose and half a teaspoon of honey.

It was borderline too sweet

work on my sugar and honey estimation skills, but the tea as a whole?...

Well it was delectable. I could instantly taste the vanilla, cinnamon, and cardamom, all of which were accentuated by the sugar and honey. The temperature was also perfect for me, though my friend found the initial sips to be a challenge.

Thanks to the serene atmosphere, I felt like I had been transported to the Orient,

gardens and climbing the stairs to an ancient temple.

I would definitely recommend this tea to anyone because it was as perfect as I could possibly imagine Chai Sansibar to be.

Earth and Tea Cafe is really a unique little restaurant. If you haven’t been, I strongly recommend a trip there. And if you have been… go more. This local business definitely deserves attention.

January 30, 2015

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January 30, 2015

SPORTS-B6

Wrestling team focusing on technique this year Victoria Giron Online Editor There are many new faces on the wrestling team this year. The roster includes several freshmen and sophomores. There is also a new wrestling coach this year, Kim Thwaits. However, the new members have pitched in along with the wrestling veterans to make this season run smoothly.

Coach Thwaits might be new to HHS, but he has been coaching wrestling for 20 years. His experience in wrestling has influenced what he focuses on during coaching.

“I focus on technique and conditioning,” Thwaits said.

Thwaits has also dealt with the challenge of adjusting to a new group and coaching many beginning wrestlers.

“It’s a little rough because we don’t have as many bodies. It’s a young group so we’re slowly building up. We have mostly freshmen and sophomores, so it looks good for the future. We have a core to build with. It’s a good group of kids that we have.”

Thwaits said.

New wrestler, senior Campbell Rutherford, has felt that the sea-

son has gone well, despite having a lot of first-time wrestlers. “[The season has] gone wonderfully. As a team we have a lot of new wrestlers, myself included, so for people not having that much experience we’re doing pretty good,” Rutherford said.

Junior Anthony Cruz is no stranger to wrestling. He thinks the new additions to the team are a good thing.

“Our team right now has a lot of new guys, but they’re all developing a lot faster than I expected,” Cruz said.

Cruz has realistic goals for the season.

“As a team, I don’t expect us to win them all, but as individuals I expect a lot of personal successes,” Cruz said.

To prepare for the tournaments, the team practices together despite the fact that wrestling is an individualistic sport.

“During our practices, we pick a partner and we drill and do a lot of conditioning. Our coaches help us a lot with our technique and strength wise. We switch partners every so often so we’re not just used to wrestling with one person,” Cruz said.

Rutherford likes the preparation that practices give him as

PHOTO BY FAITH RUNNELLS

DON’T LOSE YOUR HOLD. Sophomore Duncan Rutherford and sophomore Fernando Varela work on technique during a practice on Jan. 20. The team practices in the multi-purpose room every day after school. well.

“We go through different types of moves and defenses and stuff like that,” Rutherford said.

Young boys basketball team rebuilding this year Julexus Cappell Online Editor For sophomore varsity basketball player Matt Meiser, the clear purpose of the game is to win. “[The goal of the season] is to win states,” Meiser said.

A strategy for winning, according to the player, is a fundamental concept.

“Working together as a team [will assist us in winning],” Meiser said.

According to Meiser, doing just that is what got the team a win against cross town rivals the flames of Eastern Mennonite High School.

“Playing EMHS [was my favorite game of the season thus far] because we all played together and we beat ‘em by like 40 I think,” Meiser said.

Meiser also feels that the team’s morale is vital to a winning season. “[The team could work on]

attitude, I think, and just keeping our heads up,” Meiser said.

For head varsity boys basketball coach, Scott Joyner, the purpose of the game exceeds just winning. It extends to learning and improving as well.

“Defense and rebounding [are the most important parts of the sport]. That’s what wins games and that’s what we need to work on,” Joyner said.

A strength Coach Joyner sees within the team is the abilities of the team’s guards.

“Our wing players get us some good scoring. We’ve got about three wing players this season,” Joyner said.

According to Joyner, knowing some of the basic fundamentals of the sport is a weakness of the team’s. Joyner is working on that with the team during practices and games.

“We need to work on taking pride in our defense and being more aggressive in our offense so we can get to the foul line,” Joyner said.

Although Joyner has been a basketball coach for 25 years, this is his is his third year working for HHS athletics. As of now, the team’s record is 2-9, but Joyner believes new plays have been helping the players to become more successful.

“We have put in a five man motion offense in this group, that I have very seldom used, and that we started about a week ago. It helped us again Turner Ashby. I think it [the play] really works with this group,” Joyner said.

Currently, the boys varsity basketball team is considered a very young varsity team. Composed of two freshmen, eight sophomores, two juniors, and three seniors.

Joyner hopes that through the age gap of the team, a basis can be implemented for further seasons.

“We’ve got a lot of young players, but I’m hoping we can build a foundation in the new few years,” Joyner said.

As for the rest of the season, Thwaits hopes for more improvement.

“I would look for more indi-

vidual advancements throughout the postseason,” Thwaits said.

The wrestling team has tournaments until February.

Track teams place in Valley District Ethan Scribano Staff Reporter The Indoor Track and Field team started off their season in late November and have already competed in three meets. In the team’s meet at Liberty University, the girls were the Valley District Champions and the boys finished third overall.

Head coach Jerry Hertzler, coached cross country and track for 18 years before “retiring” for eight years. He returned this year because coaching fit his schedule.

“My goal for the Boys and Girls Indoor Track team is to win the Conference Meet, sending many athletes to the Regional Meet, and hopefully several will qualify to the State Meet,” Hertzler said.

He coaches because he loves to relate to students outside of the classroom, and enjoys helping them reach their personal

goals. “[My favorite part about coaching is] interacting with the athletes. Getting a chance to help kids meet their goal. It’s out of the classroom; it’s a different side of me, it’s a different side of them. That’s the thing I missed the most in the last 10 years of not coaching was not having that relationship with the athletes,” Hertzler said.

Freshman Joey Sun hopes to set a personal record for the 500 meter dash this year.

“Being a freshman isn’t too bad although sometimes we have to carry some crates on the bus,” Sun said.

With the results of the Valley District Meet, everyone seems to be satisfied with the results.

“The coaching staff has been very pleased with the team this year. They are a hard working bunch of individuals that make it fun to coach. With continued hard work, I am sure we will be successful,” Hertzler said.

Despite losses, girls basketball team stays positive Randee Rose Joven Staff Reporter The girls varsity basketball team has played 11 games so far and has only won two of them.

For senior captain Kara Simmons, that doesn’t give them a reason to give up though. According to Simmons, they’re coming together a lot better than they were at the beginning of the season.

“It’s not going as well as I would like. We’ve only won two games and I was hoping there’d be more,” Simmons said. “It’s just that we can’t finish a game.

We can’t get our scores down, so that’s frustrating. I hope it’ll get better.”

Despite this, having Durmont Perry as coach has been one of the things Simmons loved about the season.

“The seniors this year, we’ve

had four different coaches coming through the seasons, and now we have the best coach we’ve had except it’s our last year,” Simmons said. “But he definitely has changed the whole atmosphere of the team.”

Junior Jeraldine Martinez says that the season is going well in general. She feels that they’re getting better not only as a team but as individuals also.

“We’re really close at being

PHOTOS BY LUCIE RUTHERFORD

BE SURE TO FOLLOW THROUGH. Senior Kara Simmons (22) works on free throws warming up for a game against Robert E. Lee on Jan. 20 (right). Simmons prepares to pass in the ball against the Lee Lancers (top).

there,” Martinez said. “We just have to give it our all from the beginning of the game and play good all four quarters.”

One of Martinez’s least favorite things is almost winning.

“Having a really close game, you’re trying really hard, and you’re almost there then you just end up losing,” Martinez said.

“Which is probably one of the worst feelings.”

According to freshman Constance Komara, they are coming together as a team despite the near misses.

“We’re getting better and better each game, and working hard each practice,” Komara said. “Every game we pick out our flaws and see what we did wrong and work on them then we do well in the [next] game.”

Being the only freshman on varsity, Komara says that the older girls don’t treat her like a rookie.

“They might say, ‘Stop playing like a freshman’ because sometimes I do play like a freshman,” Komara said. “But, they don’t really call me out like that.”

She loves how she gets to play with her sister, senior Katherine

Komara, this year. “[She and I] are really close,” Komara said. “There’s always arguments, but we’ve never really gotten in a big fight. Normally, when we do get in an argument, we’ll play the next game and come to practice and be totally fine. We come out as best buds.”

Komara has also gotten close with the other members of the team.

“We’re a family,” Komara said.

“We’re like sisters.”

Simmons appreciates the close-knit bond the team shares.

“We’re really close this year.

We’ll have movie nights and just go to a girl’s house, and have team meals,” Simmons said. “It’s like we are a family this year. Closer than I’ve ever had in a team.”

Simmons claims that a big goal for the team is to make it to regionals since they didn’t last year.

“We need to work on our offense and shooting because our defense has gotten better,” Simmons said. “We just can’t finish and if we could, we’d be much closer with the teams [we’ve been playing against]. Hopefully, winning more.”

New, young faces add variety to swim team Lucie Rutherford Staff Reporter With already having many meets under their belts - or suits - the HHS swim season is well under way. Not much has changed since last year except for the many new faces coming out this year.

One of those faces is freshman Jane Wyatt. Despite it being her first year, Wyatt has good things to say about this year’s season.

“It’s been pretty great,” Wyatt said. “The team is amazing, and even if you’re not good at swimming, it’s still super fun to be on

the team.”

Wyatt, who has also swum on Valley Area Swim Team for seven years, specializes in the backstroke. However, this year swimming Coach Richard Morrell has pushed Wyatt out of her comfort zone and she is trying something different.

“Every single meet he signed me up for the 500 freestyle. I do not swim distance and I do not swim freestyle,” Wyatt said. “I got third the first time I swam it and fourth the second time.”

With the help of Morrell, Wyatt and many other swimmers have reached new heights with their events. Many records have been set.

“The last meet we swam, let’s say we swam 42 events, I think we had 21 season best swims and 18 lifetime best swims,” Morrell said.

Morrell also has high hopes for this season.

“The season is going just as we would like, we’re peaking at the right time,” Morrell said.

This is Morrell’s fifth season coaching swim at HHS on top of seven previous years coaching for the summer swim league.

Having so much experience, he has lots to expect from the swimmers.

“I expect them [swimmers] just to give their best effort and try to constantly improve what

they can do, but I also want them to enjoy the sport,” Morrell said.

“I want them to push themselves and have fun.”

Valley Area Swim Team [VAST] is a big part of the swimming careers for the majority of HHS swimmers. Being all year round and very competitive, it helps the swimmers grow and learn during the off-season.

Another of these VAST swimmers is sophomore Andrew Rath. Rath who specializes in the backstroke.

“My event is the 100 backstroke. I also do the backstroke for the 200 medley relay, I swim in the 400 freestyle relay and I usually do the 200 freestyle as

well,” Rath said.

The team practices every day after school at Westover swimming pool and has meets most every Friday.

“Practices usually consist of a warm-up, a couple different sets, and then a cool-down or some type of exercise or sprints at the end,” Rath said.

This kind of structured practice is needed throughout the season. Especially now that the season is well under way, these practices are needed more than ever. Meets get more and more competitive as the season goes on, and swimmers know what they need to do to be on the top of that competition.

The Newsstreak

January 30, 2015

SPORTS-B7

Bell values swimming, relationship built with team Maria Snell-Feikema Staff Reporter Starting at just seven years old, senior Austin Bell has been swimming for nearly a decade of his life. Although he’s been swimming for the high school swim team for all four years, Bell says before high school, he swam with Westover Waves over the summer during middle and elementary school.

“In the beginning, my mom and dad probably pushed me to swim a lot, but then I started moving on by myself instead of having to be pushed by them all the time,” Bell said. “It’s a fun team sport and I was pretty good at it, so I just continued that and became competitive with it.” According to Bell, one of his best experiences during swim was traveling to a meet in Christiansburg, Virginia. The meet, held at the Virginia Tech pool, had around 40 teams from across the state participate.

“There were people that were extremely fast,” Bell said, “I was a decently fast swimmer and there were kids that were seconds off of world record times, so that was pretty exciting to see as a high school student, and I thought it was pretty inspiring.” Since his very first season of swim, he’s grown not only as a swimmer, but also as a person.

“Every season I’ve been able to go faster from being in better shape or having more practice in the water, and I’ve also learned

to help people out,” Bell said, and isn’t just yell“If someone is struggling on ing at you all the the stroke or nervous about a time.” Throughrace I’ve learned how to help out all his years them get through that.” Howof swim, meetever, according to Bell, swiming people and ming hasn’t always been the making friends easiest for himself either. His has been one of biggest accomplishment in the best things swim was after breaking his about it. foot last year on the third day “I think I’ll of swim practice. miss the team “I was going to swim camaraderie the practice and I jumped over most,” Bell said, a hedge landed on my foot “I made a lot wrong,” Bell said, “Little stuof good friends pid decisions.” After being over the course out for nearly three and a of the year. Some half months, Bell was able of them have left to come back to practice two already because PHOTO BY FAITH RUNNELLS they graduated weeks before the end of the CHLORINE GLORY. HHS senior swimmer Austin Bell emerges from the pool before me, but season.

“Even though I’d only during the Jan. 15 swim meet at Westover Pool. when I graduate swam for two weeks and I I’ll have all the rell] was there to keep my head in the younger kids to couldn’t even kick with my left foot and could only use my arms, I game, so if I was nervous about a race he leave my legacy to. It’ll be sad to leave made it to regionals in both my individu- told me there was nothing to worry about them behind and miss out on some fun al events,” Bell said. During that time his because even though I was handicapped times.” After all those years, the biggest coach, English teacher Richard Morrell, I was still able to go pretty fast and work thing he’s learned is to never back down. hard.” He appreciates Morrell’s coaching, “When the going gets tough and you’re helped him stay motivated. tired and you’re sore just stick with it,” Bell “Last year when I had broken my foot it and that he isn’t like the ordinary kind.

“He’s cool because we can all mess said. “If something hurts because you’ve was hard for me to stay motivated because I was only able to use my arms and I was a around and he can joke with us,” Bell said, been swimming for an hour and a half just lot slower than people,” Bell said, “[Mor- “It’s good to have a coach that’s a friend swim through it. Don’t give up.”

Hartzler enjoying senior season of indoor track Danny Dombrowski Sports Editor January at HHS means that winter sports are in full swing. Most sports like indoor track have new coaches. The track team added two new coaches, Jerry Hertzler and Tricia Comfort.

Senior Isaiah Hartzler is in the middle of his second season of indoor track.

There are a few differences between indoor and outdoor track. Indoor team competes inside and at polar bear meets. An Indoor track is only 200M long, half the size of an outdoor track, so there are slightly different events. Track athletes are only allowed to compete in a maximum of six events.

“I do long jump, triple jump, high jump, 55M, 4x2 relay, and the 4x4 relay,” Hartzler said.

Indoor track allows you to get closer with your teammates rather than being outside all the time.

“Indoor is closer together so you can get to know your team better since you’re inside a lot,” Hartzler said.

Hartzler has a few goals in mind before the end of his final season on the team.

“I am trying to go to states again and I want to get in the school record book,” Hartzler said.

Hartzler is a multisport athlete, but enjoys track the most.

“I also play football, but indoor is my favorite sport because of the competition aspect,” Hartzler said.

Hartzler’s best memory from track came last year at states.

“Last year at states it was us versus a team that had beaten us at regionals, but we ended up beating them by like four hundredths of a second by diving across the finish line,” Hartzler said.

Gymnastics worth risks for Goradia Ava Reynolds Style Editor For a lot of us, swinging through the air or balancing on a thin beam precariously far from the ground are not desirable pastimes.

For senior Krishna Goradia, this is a celebrated and familiar feeling.

Goradia started gymnastics as a young child, at the local recreation center. After stopping her participation in that, she picked up gymnastics again in eighth grade through the Harrisonburg school system, and has stuck with it ever since.

Now in her fifth year of gymnastics, Goradia has definitely seen improvement, especially on the bars.

“Just being on them every day helps a lot, and same for all the others [events],” Goradia said.

Out of the many gym-

nastics events, Goradia particularly favors the beam.

“I’m good at balancing, so I’m good at staying on, but I think it’s the more fun of the events,” Goradia said.

The time Goradia has spent on gymnastics over

the years has led to many high points of her career, particularly the meets and receiving awards.

However, her time spent in gymnastics hasn’t always been easy. One specific memory has stayed with

PHOTO BY NAOMI GELBERG-HAGMAIER

BALANCE IS KEY. Senior Krishna Goradia on the bars.

Goradia regarding a fall.

“I fell this one time, off a high bar, and it kind of sucked. It was during a competition. It didn’t even hurt, it was just embarrassing,” Goradia said.

There have also been injuries to overcome as well.

“Last year I sprained my ankle, so I was out most of the season. Injuries have been the most challenging part,” Goradia said.

But despite the setback, Goradia is back again, to end her high school career in gymnastics. She is unsure about whether she wants to continue the sport in college; it depends on where she attends. However, she has enjoyed her time in it the past few years.

“If anything, I have gotten more comfortable, and the more comfortable it is, the easier it is to stay calm and do your best,” Goradia said.

Williams enjoys competition of track Eddie Mestre Opinion Editor For most people, running a single lap around the track proves to be a hefty challenge. To senior Mikaila Williams, running three or four is a total joy.

Williams has participated in indoor track and outdoor track for all four years

of high school.

Along with four years of track in high school, she also ran for two years in middle school.

I’ve always liked running and being competitive” Williams said. She was approached by coaches in seventh grade who recommended the sport to her and hasn’t stopped since.

During her six years of

track she has had many experiences, but her most memorable was pulling her hamstring.

“I was practicing and then out of nowhere it just popped,” Williams said.

The pain continued for an extended period of time which inhibited her from participating during the 2014 outdoor track season.

Fortunately for her, her

hamstring healed and she was able to participate in indoor track this winter.

Outdoor and indoor track differ in that they have different events.

“Instead of a 100m there’s a 55m, there is no four by 100 [meter relay], there’s a four by 200, [and] the track is 200 meters instead of 400 meters,” Williams said.

Simmons continues improvement as player, leader Ali Price Staff Reporter For senior Kara Simmons, the girl’s varsity basketball team is a family.

Before practice, Simmons can usually be found with her teammates, eating snacks together and laughing as they greet one another. Such a close-knit team is why Simmons has continued with the sport.

“We don’t win much, so it’s not really for the winning,” Simmons said of her continued involvement on the team. “But it’s just a

fun sport, and I’ve become really close with the girls.”

Coach Durmont Perry, who previously coached junior varsity boys’ basketball, has found Simmons to be a strong example for her peers.

“She is a leader on and off the court,” Perry said.

“She has really helped in bringing the players together as not just a team but as a family of sisters who will do anything for each other.”

Aside from being a captain, along with the three other seniors on the team, Simmons plays versatile

roles during the team’s games, usually acting as a guard or small forward.

Perry hopes to see Simmons continue to improve throughout the season.

“Since the beginning of the season, Kara has gained confidence in her shot and in how she plays basketball,” Perry said.

Though Simmons has been playing basketball for well over 10 years, she would not attend a college solely to play basketball.

“There’s one school in New York that, if I went there, I would go there

for soccer,” Simmons said.

“But their basketball team is kind of people from all sports mixed together since they don’t have a lot of kids who play basketball, so I would play basketball there for them.”

Despite the team’s lack of a winning record, one of Simmons’s favorite memories of playing was beating Turner Ashby in a bid for districts.

“They were like one of the top teams,” Simmons said, “and they didn’t get to go to regionals because of us. That was kind of nice.”

PHOTO BY ELLA MARIAN

SWISH. Senior Kara Simmons drives against TA.

“What makes you look up to the veteran players on your team?”

AC White (Freshman-Football) “They are a little better than I am whether it is athletically or physically they; know how to get the job done.”

Collin Morris (Freshman-Basketball) “They have been on the team longer than the younger kids on the team.”

Sydney Harper (Freshman-Track) “They’ve done it before and know what to do.”

Aaron Gordon (Sophomore-Wrestling) “They have traits most people don’t have, they are leaders, they lead.”

Mason McAfee (Sophomore-Basketball) “They are older and more experienced.”

Juan Cardoso (Freshman-Soccer) “I guess because of their skills and how developed they are in playing soccer.”

INFOGRAPHIC BY DAVID GAMBOA

The Newsstreak

January 30, 2015

SPORTS-B8

Shot putter branches out into long distance running

Austin Swift Sports Editor Shot put and long distance running are polar opposites in the world of track, however, sophomore Ore Funmilayo intends to conquer them both over the course of indoor track season. Having thrown shot put in previous seasons, Funmilayo will participate in both events this year, and the transition is no small task for her, as it requires mental and physical adjustments.

“Before, when I used to do shot put, I didn’t even run at all. All I did was go, work out and not even stay as long as [the runners], just chill, and all I did was practice techniques. I barely even did anything, so transitioning and knowing that ‘this and this and this’ is what it’s going to take every week shows that I have a determined mindset,” Funmilayo said.

Funmilayo sees the move as a change in not only physical performance, but mental as well.

“What made me want to switch is I feel like everyone needs to self examine themselves and really look into your soul and be honest with your soul,” Funmilayo said, “One thing that I personally realized is that I was becoming a little lazy and I just wanted to self discipline myself, and something that running long distance has taught me is, like I said earlier, to endure, and I feel like that’s how life is. You know, in life we really need to learn how to endure and keep pushing and keep going.”

Physically, it holds advantages as well.

“It’s really challenging, because it teaches you to endure, you know, like I didn’t run that much before, [not for] that long or in that kind of weather,” Funmilayo said.

In relating shot put to long distance, she believes there is an overlap in mental thinking and preparation.

“Always be ready and always know you’re capable. One thing I always told myself is if they can do it I can do it, you know, and I’m very competitive so that helps me

a lot,” Funmilayo said.

Her practice routine is an area in which she intends to improve upon, but because she’s now taking on two events, she’ll have

PHOTO BY BRENNA COWARDIN

READY, SET, THROW. Sophomore Ore Funmilayo competes in shot put at the Polar Bear Meet held at Fort Defiance. Funmilayo came in third.

to find a balance between them.

“I’m definitely going to run with the long distance. Another thing that I plan to do is work out more, but do both running workouts and arm workouts for shot put. Also I’ll be practicing 10 minutes a day throwing,” Funmilayo said.

While shifting full focus from one event to two could result in a decrease in performance in either event, Funmilayo believes they will better her in both areas. She also sees this bettering herself outside of track.

“I think [running long distance] will better [my shot put] because I’ll be more fit and I’ll be stronger, plus I think it’s always good to learn how to balance things,” Funmilayo said. “Like I said, that’s all life is; we’re not just going to be focusing on one thing at a certain point of our lives, like there will be different things that we focus on at one time, so doing shot put and long distance will help me become better at both.”

Coaches and teammates will be vital in assisting her adaptation to long distance and balancing that with shot put.

“My teammates are really, really helpful, especially in long distance, because they’re just always happy and excited and I don’t think there has ever been a day where I’ve seen them down, they kind of just encourage each other, so the atmosphere they create is helpful for somebody who is just starting and that encourages me,” Funmilayo said.

As she begins her season, Funmilayo has set goals for herself in both events.

“I run half a mile in four minutes, so my goal is to cut that down [by] 30 seconds.

And for shot put, my [longest throw] was 26 [feet] and I want to make it to 30,” Funmilayo said.

Funmilayo will hope to find success in both shot put and long distance running over the course of the track season, which is now in full swing.

Dive team just two men strong this season

Julie Hedrick Staff Reporter Junior, Abner Johnson and freshman, Isaiah King are the only two divers on the HHS varsity diving team. Johnson has been diving for three years and King dove for HHS JV last year.

Johnson heard about diving from a lifeguard he knew, while King uses his gymnastics background to dive.

“I spent my whole life doing gymnastics,

but there aren’t a lot of gymnasts that are guys. Diving uses the same technique as gymnastics. I hope to get 11 really strong dives by the end of the season,” King said.

Johnson, who placed second at states last year, is aiming to win the state competition this year, while King hopes to improve and qualify for states.

While competing, Johnson likes the feel of showing off his dives to divers from other teams.

Competing brings nerves for some, but

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King feels no pressure.

“I don’t get too worried or feel pressure, I just stay calm and think about my dives,” King said.

Practice is a key element to success. The two divers usually practice and critique the dives they will do in the next meet and keep working on the things that they’re not as good at.

“I would totally recommend diving to other people. Right now there are only two people on the team. It’s a really fun

experience and you don’t really have to know many skills. Plus, it’s not like you’re constantly hitting the ground, you’re just splashing into the water,” King said.

At the moment, Johnson is unsure if he will continue diving after high school.

“I think I’ll probably do it next year but I don’t know if I’ll do it in college or not,” Johnson said.

With the diving season currently in progress, Johnson and King look forward to finishing strong this season.

Wrestlers work hard to make weight Atticus Bolyard Staff Reporter During a match, the amount of power a wrestler puts behind one move could mean the difference between walking away with victory or being pinned down to both the mat and defeat.

In a sport where things that seem insignificant to the outside world are enough to push one competitor to a win, and the other to the ground, special measures must be taken to ensure that the game stays fair. Using weight classes is one of the most trusted and helpful ways to make sure the playing field stays level.

According to Duncan Rutherford, a sophomore wrestler, all of the wrestlers on the HHS team “weigh-in” at the beginning of the season. They then are measured a few different ways, and coaches put their metrics into a complex formula that determines how much weight they could lose throughout the season. They are then assigned to weight classes.

The smallest wrestling weight class starts at 106 lbs, and they go up by anywhere from 6-10 lbs, according to sophomore Christian Zuniga. Zuniga said that wrestlers are required to weigh in right before their matches in front of a referee, and that they aren’t allowed to compete if they don’t make the cut.

“It’s about keeping it fair,” Zuniga said.

Rutherford explained that because wrestling is a game of leverage, even a few pounds can make a huge difference.

In order to put themselves in the best possible position to win, Rutherford said that wrestlers often aim to compete in lower weight classes.

“Wrestlers try to [weigh into] classes that are below their true normal body weight,” Rutherford said. “That way you have mainly muscle mass but you’re going against someone who has fat and muscle, but weighs the same as you.”

Zuniga said that “cutting,” or losing weight right before a match, is common.

He said that generally wrestlers do cardio to cut, but sometimes make dietary adjustments, too.

Weight classes can cause additional problems when multiple competitors want to be entered into the same class. Rutherford said because schools are only allowed to enter one person in each class, wrestlers often compete against their teammates during practice for the coveted spot.

Despite minor drawbacks, most wrestlers agree that having weight classes is a necessary prerequisite to having good competitions. Some, like senior Yad Kabachy, try not to think about it too much.

“I just want to go compete,” he said, “I let the other stuff work itself out.”

Basketball players lead teams Point guards direct offensive plays Brianna Rodriguez Staff Reporter A basketball team is made up of several distinct positions like the point guard who directs the play of the game from the backcourt. HHS’ basketball teams have won their games with the direction of their point guards. All the moves of each player rely on the point guards.

Freshman Stephen Willy is the point guard for the JV team. He believes that his position is of utmost importance to the team.

“Being a point guard on the team is hard, confusing, and irritating even though it isn’t my first time being one,” he said.

“You also have to be short, not tall, because it’s more of an advantage to the team.”

Point guards need to be smaller than their teammates because players who are shorter can dribble faster and have better control of the ball. It’s an essential skill for the point guard to have.

JV’s effort to win their games has scored them two wins so far in their season and Willy said he will continue to help his team to the best of his ability.

Freshman varsity player Collin Morris enjoys playing point guard despite the difficulties.

“It’s fun because you get to touch the ball before everybody else does. It’s cool that I get to lead the team to get the points and how my teammates kind of look up to me to lead offense,” Morris said. Varsity’s offensive plans have won them two games this season as well and they have plans that can lead them to more wins.

On the girls varsity team, junior Soma Barzanji finds the position stressful.

“It’s a lot of stress because I’m bringing the ball down, I’m calling the plays, and I basically work them off,” Barzanji said.

“Also, mainly the freshman look up to me to help them maneuver down the court. I’ve been point guard since I was in third grade, so it’s cool to see myself change over the years.”

January 30, 2015

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HUMANS OF The Newsstreak

January 30, 2015

In keeping with our motto “Every person has a story,” the Newsstreak interviews students every month in the style of Humans of New York creator, Brandon Stanton. The idea is to tell the story of as many of our students as possible. Check out a similar project at www.hhsmedia.com.

HUMANS OF HHS-B10

HHS

Sophomore Keeshawn Perry Senior Huma Afridi “I like taking care of people.”

Freshman Doyle Dick “Why are you carrying a trophy around?”

“For broadcasting, for the commercials.”

“If you could give advice to large group of people, what would you tell them?”

“Stay out of trouble, stay in school, and get good grades.”

Junior Ayanna Shine “I like the way [history] is told. Everyone has a different view, a different opinion.”

Freshman Danializ Chabrier “I was listening to,” laughs. “Usher.”

“Why do you like him?”

“He’s cool, I guess.”

Senior Rina Reyes

Freshman Aminey Harrera

“What is your New Year’s Resolution?”

“I guess to pass my DE English Class.”

“Why?” “I just want to keep it passing. It’s really hard to get higher than a C.”

“Where did the bear come from??”

Laughs with friends. “My boyfriend.”

Freshmen Nabihah Williams, Noelia Alcantara and Yashira Veinon

Junior Julexua Robinson “Where do you see yourself next year?”

“North Carolina because my mom wants to move there.”

“Do you want to move there?”

“Well, I have no choice at that point.”

Freshman Nelson Carmona

“How are you guys friends?”

“We’re friends from classes.”

“What do you guys like about each other?”

“Rudeness.”

“It’s been a wild semester.”

Photos and interviews by Brenna Cowardin and Ella Marian

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Junior Dylan Haughton

“What’s your biggest dream?”

“Just to be something.”

“How do you plan on accomplishing that?”

“Going to college, getting good grades, keeping my head straight.”

Seniors Erin Davis and Melissa Diaz “What do you like most about each other?”

“Our humor. We have the same humor.”

Freshman Rewand Ali “I love soccer. I play soccer, and I love engineering.”

Sophomore Yashira Vellons

Junior Diana Mendez

“What was the happiest moment of your life?”

“The last time I was in Puerto Rico, my country... That was a long time ago, two years. I plan on going back this summer.”

“What advice would you give to a large group of people?”

“Stay in school so you can become somebody.”

Freshman Jair Guerrero

“What advice would you give to a large group of people?”

“Keep learning, calm down, listen to your teachers.”