March 2018 Newsstreak Print Issue

the

Newsstreak

where every person has a story

@hhsmedia17 @hhsmedia17 @hhsmedia17 hhsmedia.com

5 4 0 . 4 3 3 . 2 6 5 1 • Vo l u m e L X X X I X • I s s u e 7 • M a r c h 2 3 , 2 0 1 8

S

TOGETHER. Members of the community join hands in recognition of the shooting at Stoneman Douglas High School. HHS spent 17 minutes holding hands in a unity chain around the halls to show their support.

’’

tanding in solidarity

PHOTO BY THEO YODER

Streaks unite for Parkland It could have happened

Lucie Rutherford Editor-in-Chief

Every inch of the 280,000 square-foot building fell silent at 10 a.m. Mar. 14. Shortly after, the words “Never again” were chanted in unison among all 1,800 individuals lining the hallways. At this moment around the nation, schools

showed their recognition for the school shooting in Parkland, FL and the 17 lives that were lost. These schools conducted their own ways of recognition, while HHS did so by creating a “unity chain” consisting of the entire staff and student body. With the help of Superintendent Dr. Scott Kizner, the Mar. 14 event

was planned by a group of HHS students, including seniors Karina Vasquez-Murillo and Dharakshan Shaikh.

The two seniors, along with other students, were approached by principal Cynthia Prieto due to their organizing of a walk-out two years ago.

See WALK page A2

to us and we would want people to stand with us, too. - Junior Farah Ragab

Berry receives key to city Theo Yoder Editor-in-Chief

PHOTO BY SWETA KUNVER

KEY TO OUR HEARTS. Postgraduate Brent Berry receives a key to the city for his efforts in organizing and participating in a food drive he put together to provide food for the hungry in Harrisonburg.

Transfer teachers bring knowledge from abroad Owen Marshall Sports Editor Teachers from thousands of miles away have traveled to Harrisonburg to observe students at HHS as well as take classes at James Madison University. The teachers arrived in Washington D.C. Jan. 4 to attend a conference before making their way to Harrisonburg until May 10. Vinay Kumar has traveled from In-

dia and is helping out with Kasey Hovermale’s chemistry classes. Kumar believes that being selected for this opportunity was fate.

“Everything has been in destiny for me. Since my teenage years things have come to me. When I [graduated], I didn’t go for most of the time to college, but I was a gold medalist [in my class].

See KUMAR page A2

A5: Students share their tattoos and stories

After nearly 10 years of collecting food for the Salvation Army through his food drive, postgraduate Brent Berry received a Key to the City for his homemade project. The award was presented by the Mayor, Deanna Reed, at the City Council meeting on Feb. 27.

Berry started the food drive with his father, Bucky Berry, after wanting to gather food for those in need in the City of Harrisonburg and Rockingham County.

Brent Berry’s food drive is held 12 hours a day, seven days a week, rain or shine at numerous food locations

such as Harrisonburg High School and Red Front Supermarket.

“My dad and I came up with the idea to keep people from going hungry, and that’s my mission,” Berry said.

The food drive encourages people to bring and donate canned and non-perishable food items.

At most locations, the food is collected and placed inside a city transit bus where it is then taken to a Salvation Army warehouse for distribution. Brent Berry began his mission with solely schools in 2009, but then expanded to businesses involvement in 2010.

“We go and we talk to people… we have helped a

lot of families in our area,” Berry said. Brent Berry’s father, Bucky Berry, has been with Brent from the very beginning, from starting at schools in 2009 to receiving the Key to the City in 2018.

According to Brent, Bucky Berry has been his biggest influence “He’s a good man, he puts food on the bus and I hand the papers out: the list of items that we are looking for the food drive,” Brent Berry said.

Contrary to popular belief, the Key to the City does not open anything. However, it is given as an honor to valued members of the community. Brent Berry ac-

See BERRY page A2

LGBTQ panel speaks out over issues in school Hannah Miller Feature Editor “You could be someone’s saving grace.” These are freshman Jordyn McHone’s words to faculty and students that attended an LGBTQ+ panel held Friday, Mar. 2. The LGBTQ+ community refers to people identifying as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or supportive allies. The panel provided a Q&A with students in GSA, the Gay-Straight Alliance, run by physics teacher Seth Berkeley.

“I think GSA is super important because it gives people a place to feel like they have a group that they belong to. It can be kind of bothering to belong to the LGBTQ+ community, and so giving them a space to [belong] is really awesome,” Berkeley said.

GSA is open to any students who are interested; all students have to do to join is show up, with no permission slips or other forms required. Junior

See LGBTQ page A2

A12: Experience Harrisonburg’s food trucks

PHOTO BY SWETA KUNVER

SAFE PLACE. The GSA club provides a safe space for students to voice their opinions and hear how others face their struggles .

B1: See Waldrop’s “tiny home” made from a bus

The Newsstreak

March 23, 2018

News-A2

Leaders strive for student voice, support WALK from A1

PHOTOS BY SAM HEIE

NEVER AGAIN. Students and teachers hold signs up during the stand of solidarity with Parkland. There were close to 200 posters lining the halls throughout the “unity chain” that wrapped around the inside of the school.

Berry family celebrates 10 years of food drive BERRY from A1 cepted the gift. “[The ceremony] blew my mind, it means a lot to me and what I do for the community,” Brent Berry said. In addition to the Key, Berry received a plaque that is going to be placed in City Hall.

Another influence in Brent Berry’s life is Special Education teacher, Walter Williamson.

Williamson has seen Brent Berry grow throughout the past years and has also supported him through his journey.

“He has always had a great work ethic but now he’s gotten more responsible with his time management and he’s learning the value of working,” Williamson said. “[The ceremony] was really special… we should all be doing ten years of service,” Williamson said.

Brent Berry plans to keep the food drive running for the next several years and hopes to see more success as residents of Harrisonburg and Rockingham County continue to participate.

PHOTO BY SWETA KUNVER

FATHER AND SON. Bucky Berry stands with Brent Berry as he holds the key to the city, which he received from Mayor Deanna Reed during the ceremony.

“I think it was really important [for students to know that they] have a voice in different things…

When someone dies in a public school setting [like] we’re in right now, it kind of affects everyone,” Shaikh said.

On this day of recognition, all students and teachers stepped out of their classrooms and held hands, lacing through the HHS hallways. Students held up posters, others quoted the powerful words of Stoneman Douglas student activists and the 17 names of each victim were announced over the intercom. For the leaders of the walk-out, it was important that students realized that no matter what issue may appear, they have a say.

“I hope that HHS students learn that… even if they think their opinion doesn’t matter, it actually does matter and that they can actually have a voice and actually have an impact in our school community,” Vasquez-Murillo said. “This is a big school and you might feel small, and this is a way for us to get comfortable with one another.”

In addition to having a voice, leaders aimed to give students the opportunity to express how they feel about school shootings, and realize that HHS houses

a safe environment.

“I hope that they can realize that they can talk to other people about what’s happening and that they realize that there’s a support system here,” Shaikh said. “That they don’t have to feel alone if they’re feeling traumatized through the whole shooting, if they feel unsafe here.”

In preparation for the event, leaders and organizers only had one week, which they used to make posters (close to 200 of them), write scripts and schedules and make final arrangements. Junior Farah Ragab took on the duty of poster-making, many of which said things like “Books not Bullets”, “Enough is Enough” and “Arms are for hugs not shooting.”

“We wrote our posters with famous quotes on them from Barack Obama and Emma Gonzalez,” Ragab said. “I feel like it could have happened to us and we would want people to stand with us too, so we took the opportunity to stand with [Stoneman Douglas High School] and do something where they would feel supported.”

To show Parkland the support, a photo booth was set up at all lunches, and the photos were meshed together into a video and sent to Stoneman Douglas High School.

“I [am excited to see] how Parkland is going to react to it, [and] that they know that other schools are with them, like schools in Harrisonburg where no one knows where this is,” Shaikh said.

Amongst many messages that HHS wanted to send to Parkland, they also wanted outsiders to know the kind of community there is behind its walls.

“The message that I hope gets across is that Harrisonburg High School is… a school that really likes to connect with one another and really likes to send out messages and speak up and actually do and not just stand there,” Vasquez-Murillo said. “We want them to know that we are growing as a community and we are going to keep being who we aspire to be and that we just hope to be an inspiration to other schools to have a community like ours.”

For more media coverage of HHS’s recognition of SGHS, go to hhsmedia.com

Kumar contrasts HHS, India schools KUMAR from A1 Similarly, in my post graduation, I was selected [as a gold medalist again],” Kumar said.

“My principal told me I should [apply] for this form, USIEF (United States-India Educational Foundation), [which included a] U.S. and India collaboration. More than 500 teachers were applying for it and we didn’t know how many teachers were going to be selected. When I got selected, I was like, ‘Okay, I’m lucky.’”

Some of the biggest differences that Kumar has seen is the abundance of technology that HHS uses and the way HHS functions.

“I think [HHS] uses a lot more technology.

It is a lot more activity based and practicum based. [In India], we don’t do activities every class,” Kumar said.

“Here, students move from class to class.

In India, the teachers move from class to class, the students are in their classroom for the whole year. When they pass, they are promoted to the next class.”

While attending classes at JMU, the

PHOTO BY SWETA KUNVER

EDUCATING EDUCATORS. During his time observing teachers within HCPS, Kumar gave presentations on his home country to the students. main thing Kumar is learning is how to incorporate technology into the classroom. He hopes to use this to make classes more appealing and fun for the students.

“There are things that I have learned here and I am still learning and there is a lot more to go,” Kumar said. “I have also learned to work tirelessly, to be a workaholic.”

One difference is that people in India are very family-oriented.

Unlike America, people from India often live at

home as long as they possibly can and won’t move until they absolutely have to.

“In India we live in a joint community system. Our parents are doing most of the things for us. They are paying for everything until I get a job. Unless my job is very far away, I will not move out. We are too connected emotionally. We care about emotions very much,” Kumar said. “There is a hindrance sometimes I believe because people will not take a good job because they want to

be with their family.”

Kumar believes the cultures are entirely different and would leave everything behind if he had the chance to stay in America.

“I can’t compare [America and India] because I believe you have some similar things and each country has some uniqueness and beautiful things associated with it. If Trump would say to me, ‘Vinay, do you want to stay here?’

I would stay here. I would forget my father, mother, everyone. I like it here,” Kumar said.

Gay Straight Alliance holds panel to express lifestyle amazing; they are wonLGBTQ from A1 are derful. We all have so much

Heather Whetzel knew she wanted to join as soon as she found out about it.

“I needed some place to really voice my questions, my opinions, everything.

I wanted a place where I could feel like I would be safe and no one would judge me… I knew that it was right for me to figure out things and to have people around me that have gone through similar struggles,” Whetzel said.

The environment created by individuals undergoing the same hardships allowed Whetzel to feel like she belonged. According to her, their differences also add to the accepting atmosphere.

“My experience has been nothing less than unique, extraordinary and amazing. The people there

in common, but our stories are all so different. We all share similar emotions, so it’s a wonderful area to be in, a wonderful group to work with, and it’s great to have any teachers around that we know support us because then it makes us feel like we’re not so alone,” Whetzel said.

After a few ice breaker questions about iPhones and pizza, Berkeley proceeded to ask representatives of GSA questions about where they feel safe, what our school can do to help and other inquiries from the audience.

“I know that a lot of students don’t understand. If somebody is to go by a different pronoun, and they may not exactly appear to be said pronoun, [other people] won’t call them that, and it bothers me,”

McHone said. “I worry that of discrimination. Whether if our youth doesn’t under- it’s race, sexuality, gender, stand it, maybe our adults anything. It should always also don’t. They could be have very strong boundaccidentally hurting some- aries, because if you make one’s feelings, someone feel not knowing unwelcome, what they’re they aren’t doing, so I going to be feel like attenwilling to open tion should be up, and that brought to it.” can lead to Many deother issues,” partments M c H o n e had teachers said. “No one present to should ever ask questions feel like they Jordyn and gain inaren’t welMcHone (9) sight from come somethe students. where, or they McHone believes teachers aren’t wanted somewhere should set standards at the when it’s very, very importbeginning of the class that ant [for them to know] that will express what will be someone’s always there tolerated and what won’t. for you, you just have to “I just feel like teachers find them. If teachers can setting boundaries for their reach out to students and classrooms in general is re- let them know that they ally important, especially are there [for them], you when it comes to all kinds could be someone’s saving

“Youbecould

someone’s saving grace.

”

grace.”

One assumption members of the LGBTQ+ community commonly encounter is that it’s a choice, rather than the way they are born. Whetzel considers it important for people to be educated and encourages questions, but she also understands that she can’t influence everyone.

“No matter what we do, there are going to be some of those that have religious beliefs where they’re just going to be against it, and I’m okay with that because we have all others who are very supportive,” Whetzel said. “I know that one teacher supporting us in a classroom could lead to all those kids supporting us in the future. That’s enough of an effect that I’m okay with [some people not supporting us]... because I know we can’t change the whole world, but we

can start step by step, and I think GSA is a great step that we’ve taken.”

Another member of GSA, sophomore Faith Evans-Haywood, urges teachers to take action now.

It’s never too late to start showing support or set boundaries.

“It doesn’t have to be the beginning of the year, the beginning of the class, to make changes. It’s okay a couple weeks in, end of the semester even, to have your class sit down and talk to them about what’s okay and what’s not okay,” Evans-Haywood said.

For any students looking to join GSA, or even drop in to have a few questions answered, go to room 116 on activity days. They also meet every third Wednesday in the library for ELT.

The Newsstreak

March 23, 2018

News-A3

DECA sends four to nationals

Nyah Phengsitthy Social Media Editor

22 DECA students and sports marketing teacher Cassandra Cason-Copeland spent a weekend in Virginia Beach to attend the annual DECA states competition.

The club focuses on business or any other type of entrepreneurship, involving students to take those skills and knowledge and put them into a project or assignment to compete.

Marketing, hospitality, lodging and managing are other examples of what students build work on and then take to competitions.

Cason-Copeland has been leading the school’s DECA for two years now, helping club members prepare and improve their event planning before heading to states.

For Cason-Copeland, having one of her students attend the DECA national competition is something she’s familiar with. Last year, class of 2017 Duncan Rutherford qualified for nationals in Anaheim, California. This year, five of her students will be attending nationals. Juniors Jenny Nutter and Mikaela O’Fallon won in their category of a startup business plan, and junior Audrey Knupp along with senior Lucie Rutherford won in team decision making. While four of the five will be competing in nationals, freshman Jennifer Carcamo-Bonilla will be attending nationals for leadership related workshops.

“All the girls that went to states [were] able to go up on that stage and represent Harrisonburg High School, so I think that shows a true testament to our true girl power,” Cason-Copeland said.

But before arriving to the states competition, students were in charge of their own preparation and project planning. Compet-

itors were allowed only fifteen minutes to present, all having the goal of hitting the right points on the rubric sheet such as including a problem, revenue stream and a solution.

When working with an event that he is fairly interested in, junior Nick Gladd attended the state competition with a topic he was familiar with.

“I [did] hotel and lodging management series.

It has to do with marketing for hotels, lodging and tourism… Last year I did principles of hospitality and tourism, which has to do with these events, and I just find the whole lodging and tourism industry really cool,” Gladd said.

For O’Fallon, one of the main things she believes should be focused on while presenting to the judges is speech.

“It’s difficult if you’re not good with the social aspect, then you get really nervous going up to the judge. How you present to the judge is the main thing.

If you mess up, points are deducted,” O’Fallon said.

Cason-Copeland plans on attending the national competition this year held in Atlanta, Georgia during mid April with her qualified students. While only six HHS DECA members will be attending, Cason-Copeland believes that the overall work ethic all 22 of the members that attended states with her ended the weekend strong.

“I think they worked extremely hard, especially the girls. They started of slow, but they really built on the skills they already had, and I think everything that they learned from the workshop and the information that was shared from previous winners,” Cason-Copeland said. “All of that came in handy, and they really used that to best of their ability, which was beneficial to them in the long run.”

PHOTOS BY LUCIE RUTHERFORD AND CASSANDRA COPELAND

RISKY BUSINESS. DECA students pose with the DECA hand sign at the awards event. (Top) Freshman Jennifer Carcamo-Bonilla receives a medal for leadership. (Bottom left) Senior Aiyanna Jackson receives a medal for her event on stage.(Bottom right)

Stoneman Douglas generates strength from tragedy

MOTS

What should we do about guns?

Farah Ragab

“[I don’t think] the U.S. should take all [guns] from people, but we should have control over them...If you’re younger than 21, you shouldn’t be allowed to [have a gun]. You need to be well trained before you hold one...I know that people sometimes need guns...But we should enforce more laws.”

“As a socialist I believe we need guns to oversee the government and to protect ourselves from military police forces. However, there’s clearly a problem with people shooting up schools so something needs to be done about gun control.”

Ashton Landes “I don’t think we should be arming teachers; that’s my top opinion. I think there are a lot of reasonable gun laws that could be made that most people agree on that aren’t getting passed. I think we need to at least put those restrictions in.”

Hannah Hrasky

Myron Blosser

“For me, a gun has been part of my life ever since I was a little kid. I also have a permit to carry it myself and for me it’s a tool, it’s like a pocket knife. I can also see how it gets abused.

I think some levels of gun control make a lot of sense. I the 21 age, to buy a gun, I think that’s fine. I also think some limits on what types of guns you can buy also make sense.”

Sarah Earle News Editor A day intended to be full of love shortly became a day comprised of hatred.

As the school day, which happened to be Valentine’s Day, came to an end, former student Nikolas Cruz instilled Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School with a sense of terror, firing bullets at 33 students, 17 murdered.

As one of the most deadly school shootings in the United States, politicians, media sources and the general public began disputes about the precise solution to end gun violence. Days later, students, teachers and family members spoke out and organized marches in efforts to suppress gun violence.

It all began towards the end of the school day when the fire alarm abruptly rang. Newspaper advisor and English teacher Melissa Falkowski was teaching her newspaper students that block when the alarm sounded. Students and faculty headed outside of the building, for what they suspected to be a drill, before they were suddenly ordered to head back inside. Falkowski let as many kids into her classroom as possible before Googling the name of the school on her phone, finding out that the school was under attack. For an hour and a half, Falkowski and her students franticly sat in a closet, waiting for it all to be over.

“I [thought] to myself, maybe this is a drill, a code red drill... [But it was] too close to the end of the school day,” Falkowski said.

“I think while we were in [the closet]... [I] was pushing down my own feelings because they needed me,

they were upset so I was change on current gun regtrying to keep them calm, ulations. tell them that everything Created by Stoneman is okay, we’re fine, we’re Douglas students, the together [and] to text movement “March For their parents to let them Our Lives” began on soknow that we’re okay. Af- cial media, speaking out terwards, [I was] shocked. and spreading awareness After leaving the school, to everyone for support in people were injured, the putting an end to gun vienormity of it was just a olence at the “March For feeling of shock. When I got Our Lives” rally. Falkowski, home and I found out it was among groups of survivors 17 people, then it was over- and community members, whelming.” are traveling Of the to Washingvictims in ton, D.C. for the shootthe march, ing, Meadwhich will ow Pollack take place was a forMar. 10. mer student “I went of Falkowsto three ki. Falkowski funerals in also teaches a five day Jamie Gutperiod and t e n b e r g ’s that was brother, Jescrushing. se, as well There’s the as Carmen sad and the ScheunStoneman Douglas crying, and t r u p ’ s comes High School teacher it b r o t h e r, in waves.

R o b e r t You think Schentrup. you’re fine She also knew both athletic and then [you] would just director Chris Hixon and as- be crying. Then you sort of sistant football coach Aar- feel numb; there [are] no on Feis. As for Nikolas Cruz, tears left to cry, but then Falkowski did not know of there always are…In the him before the attack. beginning, I threw myself While weeks have gone to do as many interviews by since the shooting, as possible to talk about it, the recovery process has for people to understand, moved in stages for Falkow- to talk about gun control ski and the community of and bring the issue to the Parkland, FL. As school re- forefront because I felt so sumed on Feb. 28, students strongly that this was prewere provided with therapy ventable, that it didn’t have dogs and grief counselors, to happen at our school and days were spent col- and it doesn’t have to haporing and playing games, pen to any more schools,” in order to ease a feeling Falkowski said. “I don’t realof normalcy back into the ly have time to sit and dwell school. on what happened because Recently, Falkows- everything is moving forki and the community of ward. The world marches Stoneman Douglas have on without you, whether fueled their misery into you’re ready for that or a movement, calling for not.”

“I went to

three funerals in a five day period, and that was crushing.”

-Melissa Falkowski

In terms of determining an adequate solution to gun violence, Falkowski finds it difficult to not blame gun violence on guns since guns triggered apprehension from a past experience. An incident in which her siblings, at a young age, accidentally fired a gun they came across in the house has made her uncomfortable with circumstances involving guns. That being said, Falkowski is opposed to the solution of having teachers hold guns in their classrooms. Falkowski believes the proper solution starts by raising the age limit to 21 and increasing universal background checks when purchasing guns.

“I think like any issue, [school shootings] are multi-faceted.

There’s not more mentally unstable people in the United States than there are everywhere else in the world, but there’s more guns here than everywhere else in the world, so [to me] it was infuriating... Politicians frame the argument, ‘It’s not the time to talk about it, we have to pray, we have to let people breathe,’ and then it was the mental health, then it became arm the teachers, which is absolutely ridiculous,” Falkowksi said. “I definitely agree that we have mental health issues and it’s not funded.

I definitely agree that it’s very difficult for the police to remove weapons from the hands of people that they think shouldn’t have them...But I get annoyed at the idea that the politicians aren’t going to address common sense gun reforms...It doesn’t matter what your political affiliation is, the safety of our students and schools, the safety of people in our society is everyone’s issue.”

The Newsstreak

March 23, 2018

Op/Ed-A4

HOT Or NOT Devil’s advocacy is both blessing, curse

By Jenifer Lopez and Karleigh Gentry

Bar Brawl: Man in Kansas shoots two Indian men in a sports bar in Kansas.

WWE Woman: Ronda Rousey signed a contract to join the WWE as a full-time wrestler.

Trophy Thief: Frances McDormand was nominated best actress at the Oscars, however, her Oscar award was stolen at the after party. Terrance Bryant Jr. was arrested for the crime.

State Ballers: Boys varsity basketball team claims a spot in the state tournament. Last time this happened was in 1989.

Facebook Live Tragedy: While live streaming on Facebook, Prentis Robinson was shot multiple times in North Carolina by Douglas Cleveland Colson, who eventually turned himself in to the police.

Superb Speaker: Senior Olivia Kasidiaris goes on to states for forensics.

Tennessee Lawsuit: A woman in Tennessee files a lawsuit against a highway patrol officer. The trooper allegedly groped her after he pulled her over on the highway for a seatbelt issue, and searched her for no reason.

Walking for Legislation: March For Our Lives is happening in Washington DC on March 24 to support gun control laws.

School Shooting: School shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida killed 17 on February 14.

Sam Heie Feature Editor

I am the most hated kid in the classroom on Socratic Seminar days.

I am the most hated kid at the lunch table when any prevalent political topic comes up. I am the most hated kid on the field trip, school bus, etc. etc. etc. I am an unrepentant Devil’s Advocate, and for this, I often find myself on the receiving end of heated ridicule.

Debate is one of the few things I pride myself on. I thrive in the hunt for inaccuracies and inconsistencies in arguments and hence, I debate every chance I get.

My willingness to jump into arguments has earned me a not-so-positive reputation.

Mainstream culture has turned the accusation of Devil’s Advocate into an insult. If a viewpoint is presented that contradicts the current political or social beliefs held by the majority, the viewpoint is often automatically considered invalid and the person is discredited as a Devil’s Advocate. I’ve seen it and experienced it dozens of times.

Diversity of ideas is rejected and repressed by this scapegoat ‘Devil’s Advocate’ claim.

The position we often reject due to its abnormality or half-hearted argumentation may just be the most important side of an argument.

CARTOON BY CHRIS CAMPBELL

The Devil’s Advocate Advocate to force peoforces reconsideration, ple to critically analyze which I consider to be their own arguments. worth any frustration The ultimate test of caused by argument. confidence in argument Being a Devil’s Advo- is composure. If somecate means taking sides one breaks down after a minute of with a belief arguing, then you don’t their argunecessarily ment is weak agree with for or unsubthe sake of arstantiated. A gument. The Devil’s Advoconnotation cate is sucsurrounding cessful when this is unHeie-er they make doubtedly Power you rethink, and unfortuorganize nately negasubstantiate tive. Why would people and point better. argue from a viewpoint your All of this being said, they don’t agree with?

I don’t speak for ev- there is an incredibly eryone, but I take Devil’s fine line to walk when playing on a side you

Goodbye Guns: Dick’s Sporting Goods announced it would stop selling assault-style rifles and restrict firearm sale to those under 21.

Morrissey songs show rare, genius lyrics

Tub Drowning: At a hotel in Dubai, a Bollywood actress, Sridevi, drowned. Police in Dubai report she drowned after becoming unconscious while in the bathtub.

Martin Beck Staff Reporter

Unlocking the World: Brent Berry from the Brent Berry Food Drive receives the key to Harrisonburg City.

A Wild Ride: A mother was stabbed on a bus after her three year old daughter was threatened by the stabber. After stabbing the mother in the stomach, the woman killed herself.

Upholding a Reputation: Taylor Swift is premiering the music video for Delicate at the iHeart Music Radio Awards.

Otter Issues: While kayaking in Florida, a woman was attacked by an otter. She later received treatment for rabies.

Clawing to the Top: Black Panther becomes Marvel’s third highest grossing movie.

School Scare: Harrisonburg City middle schools receive gun threat from student and more police are added to school security.

The Shape of Winning: The Shape of Water wins four Oscars including Best Picture and Best Director.

A Shady Situation: Files from the New York Police Department are released stating that hundreds of officers who committed crimes kept their job.

Awesome Awards: The Oscars were on March 4 with Jimmy Kimmel hosting.

Death of a Genius: Stephen Hawking dies on March 14 at his home in Cambridge.

Kardashian Crazies: On an episode of Keeping up with the Kardashians, Khloe Kardashian revealed she will be having a baby girl.

Yeats, who wrote the vivid descriptions of natural beauty for which In a show of despair Morrissey seemed to seldom matched in con- be yearning. Inherent in temporary pop, the 80’s many Smiths’ songs is a punk-rocker Morrissey tension between young sings the lamentation, romance and a molder“Oh, the rain falls hard ing backdrop: the train on a humdrum town / stations, housing develThis town has dragged opments and alleyways you down.” I lifted these where The Smiths grew lyrics from a song by The up.

Here in the ShenanSmiths, a band that Mordoah Valley, we need rissey fronted alongside only look to the horizon his friend, the acclaimed to find a little beauty, guitarist Johnny Marr. in the form of a mounTogether, the young tain or low-hanging musicians took the cloud. There are forests Manchester to disappear rock scene into, creeks by storm, to cool sore writing a few feet.

But one chart-toppers doesn’t have (see: “How to go far to Soon Is Now,” find evidence “There Is A of dilapidation Light That similar to what Martin’s Never Goes The Smiths deMessage Out”). They scribe. Behind found the bulk the pastoral of their fame luster that Virginia’s in a contingent of detravel brochures advervoted fans, who praised tise, a forgotten world the bread-and-butter of barns and warehouscombination of Marr’s intricate riffs and Mor- es crumbles, the vestige rissey’s somber, often of failed farms, busisardonic lyrics. With al- nesses that went belbums like The Queen is ly-up. These abandoned Dead and Meat is Mur- buildings dot the Valley der, The Smiths tapped like freckles, or tombinto the blossoming stones. Not even downcounterculture of urban town Harrisonburg, the England, which ques- most urban area for tioned the influence of miles, can escape the the monarchy on British old storerooms of Wetculture and embraced sel Seed Co., vandalized what social conserva- quite thoroughly, almost tives reviled: homosex- lovingly, in the century uality, vegetarianism, of their vacancy.

“Sorry, I broke the atheism, “makeup[,] window,” wrote one and long hair.” We owe trespasser, in graffiti. this band the sound of “Someone died restless youth in the here,” wrote another, on 80’s. a rotting plank of wood.

When Moz sings On the track “Never about that “humdrum Had No One Ever,” Mortown,” he’s likely rerissey croons the lines, ferring to his native “When you walk withManchester. Certainly, out ease / On these / his lyrics reflect ManStreets where you were chester’s poverty and raised / I had a really bad industrial decay. In dream / It lasted twenty stark contrast, at least aesthetically, from the years, seven months, poetry of Morrissey’s and twenty-seven days.” inspirations, Keats and

don’t truly endorse.

My sophomore year, I spouted criticisms of my friends’ ideologies and tried finding the polar opposition to their claims. This happened so much, I subconsciously began accepting the things I was saying as truth. Red was blue and black was white because I had literally convinced myself of it. Repetition had worn me down and restructured my mindset.

The same repetition and attitude is what I believe has led politics to become so polarized. A conservative will ruthlessly defend Trump even if his actions stray from their original be-

liefs and a liberal will protect Hillary’s name if it’s the last thing they do.

This is careless Devil’s Advocacy. If you don’t know where you stand on the political spectrum with substantiated evidence for that position, you are not fit for advocating the other side. I certainly wasn’t.

Devil’s Advocacy, when executed by the right person, is critical for reconsideration.

However, in the hands of the ideologically insecure, it is a tool for brainwashing yourself.

Make sure you can advocate for yourself before you take the other side.

Leaving comfort zone brings opportunities

CARTOON BY LUCIE RUTHERFORD

Emma Lankford Staff Reporter The comfort zone.

Everyone has heard the phrase “step out of your comfort zone”, but few truly have. As a high school student, it is hard to be sure of who you are and where you want to go.

This said, the only way to figure it out is to try something new.

At Harrisonburg High School, we as students are fortunate to have the opportunity to try a bit of everything. There are classes to learn about languages, arts, speaking, the sciences, and many other different categories.

Beyond this, there are a variety of after school clubs. While one may think they know exactly what they want to do with their life, it is important to immerse yourself in classes teaching a variety of skill sets.

Just over the course of this year so far, by en-

rolling in courses that I was unsure about, I have learned more about myself than I did in all of my years in middle school. Without having stepped out of my comfort zone even barely, I would not have had

Emma’s Dilemmas the opportunity to discover more about myself as a person.

Not explicitly in regard to education, the primary excuse given for not taking risks is fear. While sometimes this may be valid, even if you are not benefited by taking risks, you learn from them. Risks do not always end up working in your favor, but in most cases any outcome will help you

grow as a person. With each time you step out of your comfort zone and push your boundaries, you learn more about yourself. If things do not work out as planned, you have at least tried it and potentially have learned that you don’t want to repeat it in the future.

However, if you don’t try, there’s no way to know how it would have worked out in the end. You may have loved it, but you also could have hated it.

Either way, you learn a bit more about yourself through the experience.

Do not let fear hold you back from trying something new.

Whether it be a new class or a new friend, you should always let yourself have new experiences.

Don’t be afraid to take an opportunity, because even just a tip toe out of your comfort zone could change your life.

The Newsstreak

March 23, 2018

Reviews-A5

All Inked Out

Illiano holds tattoos at high standard Nyah Phengsitthy Social Media Editor For Christmas and most of his birthdays, senior Attilio Illiano usually doesn’t want anything. What he really wants and what he will save up to treat himself for, is to add more tattoos onto his body. As of right now, Illiano has two tattoos, one on his right forearm and the other on his rib cage extending down to his hips.

Illiano received his first tattoo when he was 14 years old, after being inspired by the multiple tattoos his father has. Not only is he interested in the actual art of tattoos, but Illiano is also someone who likes to draw, which influences what designs and flows he wants to get on his skin.

“I choose the style and the meaning of my tattoos, but the artist does the design. Of course you talk to them and say, ‘I want this one to look this way or that one to look that way…

Every single tattoo has a meaning, every single one you put together has a certain meaning,” Illiano said.

Illiano has traveled to places such as Fredericksburg and Woodstock just to make sure he goes to the right tattoo artist. While the most recent tattoo Illiano has gotten was in February of 2017, the thought processes he goes through before getting a tattoo is crucial to him.

“I’m somebody that doesn’t go to a friend that [can do] tattoos… I’m somebody that spends $200 an hour for a tattoo. When I go, I actually know what I’m getting. A lot of people go to their friends and they

have emojis on their arms, and it doesn’t look good, and it gets infected, and it’s just not right,” Illiano said.

Because Illiano won’t turn 18 until August, getting his parents to sign a form allowing him to get a tattoo is required, but in some cases depending on the shop, getting parental consent isn’t required. Once he does turn 18, Illiano plans on finishing the rest of his right arm and bringing the design onto the right side of his chest. According to Illiano, getting used to the feeling of getting a tattoo is not something that happens often.

“You don’t get used to it because every part of your body has a different feeling. For example, my arm has a different feeling, it hurts less. When I got my side [tattoo], it hurt more because it’s my ribcage and my hip, and that’s the worst because it really hurt,” Illiano said.

As a cashier and assistant manager at New York style restaurant Tutti Gusti, spending hundreds of dollars just to get an ink design onto his skin is well worth the cost. When Illiano gets a job that he plans on staying with and considers a “real job”, adding a tattoo on his left leg or thigh, side of his neck or on his hands is one of his goals.

“The way I see it, all tattoos are in contact with you skin. It’s a commitment to your life, so you want to remember it. It’s just a design on your body that stays there forever. It’s something you have to think about because it’s going to stay there for a long time,” Illiano said.

PHOTOS BY NYAH PHENGSITTHY

FULL OF INK. Senior Attilio Illiano spends hundreds of dollars to make sure he gets the right tattoo with the right meaning behind it. Illiano has traveled to places other than Harrisonburg to try out different tattoo parlors.

Da’Mes dedicates tattoo to mom Madison Varner Advertising Manager Many tattoos have a story or a reason behind them, senior Mariam Da’Mes is no exception. She decided to get her tattoo a little over a year ago just for her mom. Da’Mes decided to do this because she and her mother are really close, so that’s what inspired her to take the leap and get a permanent tattoo. Since she was under the age of 18, her mom had to agree to getting the tattoo and she did because it was going to be about her.

“My tattoo is of a triangle and at the bottom it says ‘mom’ in arabic. My mom is like my best friend, I know it sounds super lame but we are super close, closer than people usually are with their moms. So one day I asked her if I could get a tattoo if it [was] for her and she said yeah sure, and then it just happened,” Da’Mes said.

Da’Mes doesn’t plan on stopping with this tattoo. She has plans to get a matching tattoo over the

summer with her sister, of coordinates of where their families originally lived.

“This is my only one right now, but this summer [my sister and I] are getting the coordinates of my mom’s family’s summer house and the coordinates of where my dad’s family is from in the Middle East,” Da’Mes said.

Since this was Da’Mes’ first tattoo, she didn’t know what to expect and was more excited about it than anything else. She didn’t really think about the pain as much as she thought she should have. Her advice for anyone wanting to get a tattoo is to be prepared with what design you want and to be prepared for the pain.

“It kind of felt like getting stung by a bee over and over again, and mine is at the very top of my back. Make sure you know exactly what you want before you go in there and be ready for it to hurt, don’t just go in and be excited about it and not think about the pain later. That’s kind of what I did and didn‘t think that, wow this is going

Gelberg-Hagmaier represents gender identity through tattoo Sid Tandel Staff Reporter

PHOTO COURTESY OF MARIAM DA’MES

INKED. Da’Mes’ tattoo represents the close bond with her mom, as the triangle reads “mom” in Arabic. to hurt, until right before I was doing it. Also for your first one, pick a spot that’s not right above any bones

because going over bones hurts the most,” Da’Mes said.

PHOTO COURTESY OF MARIAM DA’MES

HERITAGE. Senior Mariam Da’Mes main reason for getting a tattoo was to pay tribute to her mom. Because of her Arabic heritage, Da’Mes decided to have her mom’s name written in Arabic rather than English.

The ink permanently engraved on senior Naomi Gelberg-Hagmaier’s tattoo has a special meaning to her. “[My tattoo] is the astronomical sign for comet, and for me it’s about gender identity because it’s an alternative on the traditional male and female symbols you see, which are Venus for female and Mars for male,” Gelberg-Hagmaier said.

Although Gelberg-Hagmaier wears her tattoo with pride, her mother didn’t approve of her decision.

“My mom was a bit hesitant at first, but since I’m 18 she can’t really do much about it. But when I actually got [the tattoo] she thought it was really cool and symbolic. My dad already has tattoos, as well as his daughters, so he was very supportive of my choice,” Gelberg-Hagmaier said.

Gelberg-Hagmaier feels the tattoo will not affect her through the course of her post high school career. “[My tattoo] is on my forearm and isn’t very visible. I think I’m going to get a lot of people that ask about the tattoo throughout my life, and I’m prepared to deal with that and

PHOTO BY SID TANDEL

TWO IDENTITY. Senior Naomi Gelberg-Hagmaier chooses a symbol that represents males and females.

explain what it means, but it’s very easy to hide so I don’t think it will affect me in jobs or interviews,” Gelberg-Hagmaier said.

Gelberg-Hagmaier is glad she got her tattoo at an earlier age, she feels waiting would have prolonged the inevitable.

“I’m actually really happy that I got [my tattoo] done now instead of waiting because now I know that tattoos aren’t as scary as everyone thinks they are,” Gelberg-Hagmaier said. “Of course the tattoo hurts, but its bearable and this has caused me to want to get more tattoos because it’s art on your body.”

March 23, 2018 The Harrisonburg High School Newsstreak The Policy The Newsstreak is published by the students of Harrisonburg High School every month. Reproduction of any material from the newspaper is prohibited without the written permission from the editorial board. Advertising rates are available upon request.

It is the policy of the Harrisonburg City Public School Board to comply with all applicable state and federal laws regarding non-discrimination in employment and educational programs and services.

The Harrisonburg High School City Public Schools will not discriminate illegally on the basis of sex, race, religion, national origin, disability or age as to employment or educational programs and activities.

Editorials appearing without a byline represent the majority opinion of the staff, but not necessarily the opinion of the adviser, school administration, or the school system.

Signed editorials are accepted from people on the staff, but are subject to editing according to published guidelines and policies. Editorials may be edited for special reasons.

Letters to the editor are encouraged and must be signed and a telephone number must be given.

Names may be withheld if the editorial board feels there is a just cause.

The Newsstreak reserves the right to edit and may refuse to publish ads or letters deemed inappropriate, libelous, or obscene. Please drop your letter by room 444 or give them to any staff member.

Letters may also be sent to the high school.

The Editors and Staff Editor-in-Chiefs: Lucie Rutherford, Theo Yoder, Olivia Comer, Garrett Cash Advertising Managers: Madison Varner, Audrey Knupp, Photographers: Sam Heie, Theo Yoder, Olivia Comer Page Editors: Theo Yoder, Lucie Rutherford, Sarah Earle, Forest Matter, Garrett Cash, Samantha Little, Audrey Knupp, Nyah Phengsitthy, Sam Heie, Noah Siderhurst, Hannah Miller, Owen Stewart, Owen Marshall, Jackson Hook, Sweta Kunver, David Beck, Holly Bill, Mia Constantin Staff Reporters: Carlos Arevalo, Jenifer Bautista-Lopez, Simon Beach, Martin Beck, Madely Blas, John Breeden, Ryan Caricofe, Garrett Cash, Olivia Comer, Marvin Copeland, Jesus Cortes, Sarah Earle, Karleigh Gentry, Caleb Goss, Ariyah Green, Ellie Hammond, Sam Heie, Andrea Holgui, Jackson Hook, Ashley Iscoa, Lare Jalal, Adriana Jimenez, Shyann Keier-Litwin, Audrey Knupp, Josie Koogler, Emma Lankford, Jessica Lawson, Samantha Little, Somaia Mallek, Owen Marshall, Forrest Matter, Nicole Mayorga, Hannah Miller, Ni’Kiah MoatsBryce Mullins, Nyah Phengsitthy, Ethan Power, Betsy Quimby, Edwin Rios, Emmanuel Franco, Lucie Rutherford, Sophie Sallah, Noah Siderhurst, Jalyn Sneary, Owen Stewart, Dany T Medhin, Sid Tandel, Oziel Valdez, Madison Varner, Na’Diha Whitelow, Theo 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 and 2015 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 DO NOT want my son/daughter (place student’s name here) to have his or her name or image published on the new online version of the newspaper, www. hhsmedia.com.

The Newsstreak

Op/Ed-A6

The time for gun reform is now NEWSSTREAK STAFF EDITORIAL School shootings need to stop.

Shootings need to stop. They say that gun laws won’t solve anything because “people kill people,” but wake up. A person can’t kill 17 people in seconds without a gun, so why do we still allow anyone who walks into Walmart to buy one?

Harrisonburg, VA is referred to lovingly as “The Friendly City,” but that does not mean our town is free of distribution of the same weapons used in school shootings like Parkland. From the annual Rockingham County Fairgrounds gun show in November, to the back right corner of Dicks Sporting Goods, guns are found everywhere.

Even right here in our “Friendly City.” It is chilling to see those guns being brought so casually to the counter for purchase. Within five minutes any customer can take the gun and leave. It is that easy.

Where are they going with that gun? Why do they need a gun of that size? Are we safe safe? How many people have made the same purchase and what are their intentions? All of these questions and more race through our minds, but one rings louder than the others.

How in the world could be that easy?

But it is ladies and gentlemen, it really is that easy. Gun violence is not the result of mental health or bullying or school safety, it is the result of living in a country where we can walk out of a convenience store with a rifle, no questions asked. Treating mental illness will not solve gun violence, anti-bullying programs will not solve gun violence and giving teachers guns will not solve gun violence. The only

way to stop these mass shootings is to restrict access to the weapons doing the killing. Something as simple as a background check and a waiting period could save lives.

Or maybe it won’t. There is no way to know that for sure, but doing nothing at all is for sure not going to solve anything, and handing out guns “for protection” just sends more bullets flying which is the opposite of what needs to happen.

You can not shoot anyone if you do not have a gun; this is not an opinion and it is not negotiable. This in mind, it makes no sense that accessing big time guns is so simple.

The White House says “It is too early to be talking about gun reform.” There have been 290 school shootings since 2013, shortly after Sandy Hook. It is already too late for those kids.

Here is a list of the senators who voted against background checks directly after Sandy Hook. Our source is everytown.org.

Richard Shelby, Jeff Sessions, Lisa Murkowsk, Dan Sullivan, Jeff Flake, John Boozma, Tom Cotton, Cory Gardner, Marco Rubio, Johnny Isakson, David Perdu, Mike Crap, Jim Risch, Dan Coats, Chuck Grassle, Joni Ernst, Pat Roberts, Jerry Moran, Mitch McConnel, Rand Paul, David Vitter, Bill Cassidy, Thad Cochra, Roger Wicke, Roy Blunt, Steve Daine, Deb Fische, Ben Sasse, Dean Heller, Kelly Ayotte, Richard Bur, Thom Tillis, John Hoeve, Heidi Heitkam, Rob Portman, Jim Inhofe, James Lankfor, Lindsey Graha, Tim Scott, John Thune, Mike Rounds, Lamar Alexande, Bob Corker, John Corny, Ted Cruz, Orrin Hatc, Mike Le, Shelley Moore Capit, Mike Enz, John Barrasso.

CARTOON COURTESY OF WALKER THOMPSON

ARMING TEACHERS. The cartoon depicts a comic interpretation of the recently proposed idea to pass legislation that would arm school teachers, in response to the recent school shooting in Parkland, Florida.

WHAT IS THE STAFF EDITORIAL? The unsigned staff editorial appears in each issue and reflects the majority opinion of the Newsstreak Staff Editorial Board. The Editorial Board is comprised of all editors-in-chief, page editors, advertising managers, photographers and selected freshman journalism students. In no way does our opinion reflect that of the school system or the administration.

“Dance with the Devil” proves Constitution does not itself as lyrical masterpiece protect gun ownership Noah Siderhurst Feature Editor

the song. We’re far from done with its 6:47 play time.

Billy manages to escape prison by “squealing,” but now It starts out with a for- he has to regain his respect. lorn piano melody. Then it Soon he is selling enough launches right into the bal- drugs to be within reach of lad. First we meet William, “fulfilling the scarface fanta“a feeble-minded young sy stuck in his brain.” So he man with infinite poten- approaches the drug kingtial, a product of the ghet- pins, but they “show him no to-bred capitalistic mental.” love,” saying, “any... cowThe first verse of the song ard can sell drugs, [anyone] sets up the premise for the with a gun can bust slugs, twisted story [anyone] with a we are about to red shirt can front hear.

William, like a blood.” or Billy, drops It’s here that out of school to we get the first sell drugs, and melody change. his mother is Now there a crack addict. are ominous “Dance with strings, the air Sagacious the Devil” falls of apprehenSiderhurst in the middle of sion mounting. the album RevoThe kingpins lutionary Vol. 1 by Immor- inform Billy that “only a real tal Technique (real name thug will stab someone till Felipe Andres Coronel). As they die, standing in front the title hints at, most of of them, staring straight the album consists of com- into their eyes.” The kingmunist propaganda that pins offer Billy the choice the Peruvian-born, Har- of either going back to his lem-raised Coronel spits out previous, pathetic life, or with righteous anger. This doing something horrible song, however, is different. so the drug lords will accept I first heard it as part of him. For Billy, it’s a no-braina pre-made Spotify playlist. er. “A hardcore [person] I was sitting in my room do- is all he ever wanted to ing something else, listening be, so he met them Friday to songs in the background, night at a quarter to three.” but when “Dance with the Technique’s voice saying Devil” began, I stopped this last line is almost pitiwhat I was doing, petrified. ful. We know what’s about I’m pretty sure at one point to happen. Will we be able I was literally shivering. to keep listening? Who That’s how powerful it is. knows. Can we bear to stop The second verse kicks listening? Certainly not. off exactly two minutes into Here we get a chorus

(including the line “devils used to be God’s angels that fell from the top”) so we can wallow in the growing dread and depression.

In the next verse we get a graphic description of what Billy does that night with the drug lords. Technique spits the words. The pain of it is riveting, enthralling.

We’re back to the forlorn piano melody now, and Billy must only do one more thing before he is guaranteed a spot on the thugs’ crew. You guessed it, he has to kill someone.

It’s here that we get a little quote from the 90’s hip hop duo Mobb Deep, “I’ve fallen and I can’t turn back,” played twice.

It adds a moment of relative calm right before the storm. We breathe, but only because if we don’t do it now, we’ll suffocate.

What happens next I can’t say without ruining the song, but ultimately Billy “dies with no soul.” It’s then that Technique reveals that the ballad is a true story, one that he himself witnessed as one of the drug lords (a bit of ego there?).

The song ends with the advice: “When the devil wants to dance with you, you better say never, because a dance with the devil might last you forever.” It fades out and suddenly it’s over. We sit back, sweating, relieved we are still alive, scared that what we just witnessed is art.

PHOTO COURTESY OF DISCOGS.COM

Garrett Cash Editor-in-Chief

Cash’s Conclusion America should not have automatic or semi-automatic weapons. We should not have shotguns or assault rifles, and quite frankly, if you look at the second amendment itself, we shouldn’t have guns at all.

The second amendment states explicitly that “A well-regulated Militia being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.” What this means is that the people do have the right to carry guns, but only to maintain a militia. Merriam-Webster dictionary defines a militia as “A part of the organized armed forces of a country liable to call only in emergency.”

During times of emergency in internal affairs, the national guard is sent out by the government to deal with the situation.

This means that a militia has already been set in place by the organized government, and since it certainly qualifies as well regulated, there is no reason for citizens to carry guns.

In addition, the founding fathers had just come out of a major war when they created this amendment. Because of no federally regulated militia, they strongly believed the people should be armed to protect themselves, and rightfully so; there was still unrest and no reliable way to protect the people. They were completely right to allow people to have guns. However, the argument that people

need guns to protect themselves today is obsolete. Unlike when the founding fathers created the second amendment, the federal, state and local governments have police forces to keep the citizens safe during times of unrest. Moreover, the amendment was created when muskets were used to protect people, as opposed to today, where we have assault rifles.

With these facts in mind, guns should be completely outlawed.

Take a look at Australia. According to BBC News, two weeks after the Point Arthur Massacre in 1996, where a shooter killed 35 people, Australia banned semi-automatic rifles and shotguns and added a more rigorous process to obtain a gun. According to NBC News, because of stricter gun laws, Australia has not seen a mass shooting in 20 years.

Not only does the second amendment not support the right to carry a gun, but the moral reasons for getting rid of guns are astounding. It has been seen that putting stricter gun control laws in place decreases mass shootings and the overall amount of homicides. If not a complete outlaw of guns, then the very least we should do as a country is implement strict background checks to make sure the holder of the weapon is mentally stable. Moreover, there should be absolutely no access to shotguns and semi-automatic weapons. While many people would be displeased and refuse to give up their weapons, societal- and hopefully worldwide- pressure, would eventually cause the people of the United States to see that guns are not a cause for violence, but are in fact a means for the violence to occur.

The Newsstreak

March 23, 2018

Op/Ed-A7

Women’s

PHOTO BY SWETA KUNVER

Month

Senior Keren Matala (left) carries the banner to lead the International Women’s Day March.

Brings Hope

Kuangu celebrates culture away from home Holly Bill Page Editor Thursday, Mar. 8 is the day of annual celebration of women all across the world to advocate for gender equality. International Women’s Day was adopted as a global holiday by the United Nations in 1975, but it’s been celebrated as early as 1909. The theme for this year’s International Women’s Day is “Time is Now: Rural and urban activists transforming women’s lives.”

The Democratic Republic of the Congo is known across the world for their inequality between men and women.

Known as the “Rape Capital of the World,” a study published by the American Journal of Public Health found that 48 women are raped every hour in the DRC. Staggering statistics like this only encourage women from the DRC to advocate

for strict laws against sexual violence. International Women’s Day is a chance to empower these women as they promote nonviolence and demand for gender equality.

Senior Brigitte Kuangu is from the DRC. She spent her childhood there, but she moved to the United States while she was still in elementary school.

“I came to the US eight years ago when I was nine or eight years old for a better education and new opportunities that they have here. I live here permanently, but I go back every summer,” Kuangu said.

While the United States still has gender inequality issues today, the US has come a long way from the early 20th century when husbands were expected to go to work and wives were expected to stay home and tend to the family. However, the Congo is still stuck in that time period, today.

“The man is supposed to work. The woman takes care of the kids. She stays home and she cleans. But over here, the man can work or the woman can work. It doesn’t really matter,” Kuangu said.

Celebrating International Women’s Day is a tradition for Kuangu and her family. Her family comes together to celebrate it by wearing traditional Congolese clothing and eating traditional food.

“It is celebrated by women wearing our traditional wear, called le pagne. [We] wear clean heels and wrap things around our heads. We cook, sing and dance [to] celebrate women around us,” Kuangu said.

Le pagne, or loincloth in English, is hugely popular throughout Africa. Le pagne is a native African garment fashioned from a rectangular piece of cloth. Covered with bright colors and distinct patterns,

women can tailor le pagne as head wraps, skirts or slings to carry young children or goods.

Celebrating International Women’s Day isn’t just a holiday celebrated with family, but it’s also celebrated in the classroom “At our schools, the girls have to dress up [in traditional clothing] and sing a song,” Kuangu said.

International Women’s Day is a time for women across the DRC to come together and celebrate one another, which is what liberates Kuangu the most about International Women’s Day. “[I find most empowering] the fact that we get to celebrate and embrace every woman around the world. We get to empower every single one of us women to say that we are strong and we are leaders.

We’re going to stand together no matter what,” Kuangu said.

PHOTO BY LUCIE RUTHERFORD

EQUAL. People of Harrisonburg and surrounding areas gather downtown Mar. 10 for the International Women’s March. Harrisonburg High School’s Black Student Union Step Team performed at the march to kick-off the event. The march was created to bring awareness to women’s rights, and a big portion of the event was aimed towards the stories of women from other countries.

What do you think of women’s rights?

Freshman Emily Serna

Sophomore Jade McLeod

“Some men believe women can’t do the things men can, but women are strong and we are just as important as them.”

“I mean I don’t know anything different [about being a woman] so I don’t have anything to compare it to.”

“I think [womFreshman rights] Keeki Phillips en’s are unfair because women get paid less.

If you look at male doctors they get paid way more than women do.”

INGOGRAPHIC BY ETHAN POWERS

Hrasky helps students with encouragement Jessica Lawson Staff Reporter Hannah Hrasky has been inspiring HHS students as an English and AVID teacher for six years.

Hrasky tries to keep a laid back attitude with her students, but also makes sure that they get done what needs to be done.

“I try to make relationships with my students,” Hrasky said.

Hrasky believes that this is an important part of teaching.

“I just try and show them that I think that they’re all awesome and that in of itself influences a lot of kids,” Hrasky said.

According to Hrasky, encouragement can help students.

“I think if you see that somebody thinks that your awesome and that you can be successful, that you start to believe it yourself and I think that’s more powerful than anything else,” Hrasky said.

Hrasky thinks that so many students struggle not because of their skills or capabilities, but because of the strategies they use to get their work done.

“It makes more sense to write an outline

before writing a paper, than just sitting down and writing a paper, even though it seems like an extra step it’ll actually save you time in the end,” Hrasky said.

Hrasky helps her students form strategies for success. In AVID, she leads them on a five stage plan for success “[The students] put focus on writing, collaboration, organization and reading and that if you can be successful in those five things you can be successful in almost any career,” Hrasky said.

Former student of Hrasky’s, Michelle Pineda-Hernandez says that the way that Hrasky has taught her changed her high school career “She has just been, absolutely amazing, she’s a very powerful women that touches every kids life that she encounters,” Pineda-Hernandez said.

P i n e d a - H e rnandez was in Hrasky’s AVID and English 11 classes, and as of this year is in her AVID 12 class.

“She looks at you as a person, not just like any other student,” Pineda-Hernandez said.

Prieto believes meaning is more important than label Olivia Comer Editor-In-Chief In the United States, the average payroll for a woman is lower than that of a man doing the exact same job. In fact, in Virginia, according to National Partnership, women get paid 20% less money on average for putting in the same amount of work. However, our high school is based on a merit system which means paychecks are determined by the amount of time an employee has been working or if they have extra credentials, not whether they are male or female.

Principal Cynthia Prieto believes in this wholeheartedly.

“I think it’s important in any workforce [that men and women are paid on the same scale] because while money doesn’t motivate, there is no reason that if person A is working as hard as person B and has the same skills that they should [not have the same opportunities]. If you can drive a truck, do

brain surgery, whatever, it doesn’t matter who you are and that should be [treated] in the same manner, so there should not be a difference based on your gender,” Prieto said.

While Prieto believes in equal rights for men and women, which is the definition of feminism, she would not consider herself a feminist because to her, the meaning is more important than the label.

“I am really proud of being a successful woman, I am proud of being independent.

People will call [my] house and say ‘Can I speak to your husband?’ No, there is no husband. This is my home and I built it… I didn’t build my house, I designed it, and so that’s a source of pride for me.

I would like to get to the day where nobody cares who designed it. That people don’t say ‘Oh your lawyer is a woman, that’s important,’” Prieto said. “I would love to get to the day where it’s just common, [where] nobody cares if that nurse is a male or that doctor

is a woman. I’m proud to ba a woman. I don’t really care about labels.

I am not a believer that you should categorize everybody, that this per-

re“allyI amproud

of being a successful woman, I am proud of being independent.

Cynthia

”

son is this age, this color, this race, this language, this intellectual ability.

Ethically, professionally, I will treat everyone who walks through this door the same way I would treat anyone else, regardless of how they’re dressed, or what their rank is or how much they make.”

For the most part, Prieto has been lucky to not experience the effects of gender discrimi-

nation in the workplace where she is today, but that has not always been the case.

“In getting from teacher to assistant principal [I experienced obstacles being a woman], because at the time it sure felt like white males between 35 and 40 were getting all of the assistant principal jobs,” Prieto said. “I actually did [an observation] with a group of my cohorts at George Mason University. We were tracking who got what jobs and some of it was politics, it depended on who you knew, but it really did feel like a lot of it [was due to gender]. Then when there was a switch in superintendents there was more of an interest in minorities and that didn’t seem to be as much about male or female, it was about race but prior to that it was very much gender.”

Prieto attended the downtown Women’s March in her graduation robes to represent the pride she has in our school and her background. She was asked

to speak, and did so gladly.

“I’m proud of being a Latina and a woman yet those were not my choices… Let me tell you about Harrisonburg High School. There are about 900 women, 40% of them are Latinas, here are their roles: top of the senior class is a Latina, secretary is a Latina, drum major of the marching band is a Latina, leader of the JROTC battalion is a Latina and an administrator, that’s me, is a Latina,” Prieto said. “The high school is pressing for progress by educating, cheerleading and celebrating the growth and success of all of our women, our Latinas too, by sending them into our community strong, curious and passionate women… I want successful women to be so common, so many of us, that our skills and talents and contributions are the notable facts. More than half of our high school is women. 40% of our future is Latina women.

Look out.”

March 23, 2018

James McHone Jewelry

The Newsstreak

Hours: Monday - Friday 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Saturdays 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Phone Number: (540) 433-1833

Ads-A8

Located at 258 Timber Way, Broadway, VA 22815 Phone:(540) 896-7095

Auntie Anne’s located in the Valley Mall

Present this coupon at the time of your next visit and get a medium soda or ice tea for free with the purchase of a pretzel.

Valley Plastic Surgery

2475 S. Main Street - Suite D, Harrisonburg, Virginia 22801 Phone: 540-434-1738 Fax: 540-434-1338

Timothy J Bill, MD

Adult Hand and Reconstructive Surgery

2058 Pro Pointe Lane, Harrisonburg, VA 22801 540-438-0600 FAX: 540-438-0800 Board Certified, American Board of Plastic Surgery Member, American Society for Surgery of the Hand

Kenco specializes in commercial vehicles to fit your business needs.

945 South High Street Local:(540) 434-7632 Toll Free: 866-434-7632

Bring in this ad & receive free enrollment!

24 Hour Access Harrisonburg & Bridgewater · Cardio Cinema · Indoor Track · Hot Tubs/Saunas Smoothie Bar · Childcare · Group Fitness Classes · Ladies Only Area

ALL NEW EXPANDED FACILITY FEATURING: NEW! FitZone Heart Rate Group Training NEW! EliteFit fitbox Training Center NEW! Functional Training Area

Contact

(540) 383-4119 ben@wysecycles.com www.wysecycles.com

-Bike Repairs from simple tuneups to full overhauls -Used bike sales -Special emphasis on biking for transportation

BAR-B-Q Ranch Family Restaurant and Caterer 3311 North Valley Pike Harrisonburg, VA 22801 (540) 434-3296 Sunday - Thursday: 11 a.m. - 9 p.m.

Friday - Saturday: 11 a.m. - 10:30 p.m.

The Newsstreak

March 23, 2018

hammond-insurance.com 3230 Peoples Drive, Suite 110 Harrisonburg, VA 22801 Phone: 540-442-8486

Ads-A9

Hours of Operation Monday - Thursday 8:00AM - 5:00PM Phone: (540) 442-9100 1663 Virginia Avenue, Suite 210 Harrisonburg, Virginia 22802 www.staciedietzdds.com

Newly Renovated

Gift & Thrift Booksavers of Virginia

Men’s, Women’s & Children’s Clothing, Books,

Housewares & Home Decor, Furniture & Electronics, Crafts, Office Supply, Silent Auction 731 Mt. Clinton Pike, Harrisonburg VA Mon-Sat 9:30- 5:00, Fri until 8:00 (540) 433-8844 www.giftandthrift.org

Buy one Blizzard get one of equal or lesser value for free. not valid with other specials or discounts. Coupon good at Carlton Street DQ location only.

The Newsstreak

March 23, 2018

Feature-A10

Tirado, JROTC members plan annual cadet ball Sweta Kunver Staff Reporter Amidst the madness of testing, grading and planning for next year, our school’s JROTC program prepares for the Cadet Ball.

This event is the most formal event in the program, even more formal than prom, as the cadets agree with Sergeant Major Russell Wilder that it makes prom look like a “backyard barbecue.”

Each year, Sergeant Major chooses his ball committee along with the battalion S-3 to plan out a perfect ball. This year’s battalion S3 is junior Milagros Tirado and according to her, planning is not the easiest.

“We have to figure out from what color we’re gonna do to what time we eat [to what] time we dance, when’s a break, when’s not a break,” Tirado said.

“That’s not even all of it either. The cadets are expected to go through an introductory line called the

‘receiving line’ in which cadets introduce themselves and their date, if they have one, and do that routine through at least ten people from the battalion commander to the special guests that Colonel Roy T. McCutcheon and Sergeant Major have invited themselves... Cadets then take their seats and follow the scheduled as planned: color guard posts flags, guest singer sings the national anthem, there’s six different toasts that cadets, well, toast to and then everybody finally takes seats to eat dinner.”

With all the festivities and formalities, the event provides the opportunity for cadets to show who they are.

“A ball to cadets is a final chance to show your professional side and really to have fun, be with your friends. It’s nice for the girls to dress up and feel like ladies and for the boys to dress up and be gentlemen,” Tirado said.

Aside from the receiving

A TOAST. Sophomore Mariela Mendez and junior Milagros Tirado take part in one of the toasts during the night. The girls planned the entire event including time for eating and dancing. The Cadet Ball had a number of special guests, include Dr. Kizner and Mrs. Prieto. line and toasts, the ball introduces dancing, skits and

other festivities.

“We have scripts, so we

make fun of the seniors. We also have a photo booth, a

Fontanez, Lobo win dance competition second consecutive year as sophomores Mia Constantin Feature Editor

DANCING DUET. For this year’s dance competition, Fontanez and Lobo create a pop-latino dance routine.

SWITCHING UP THE LOOK. Changing out of their dress or JROTC uniform, Fontanez and Lobo change into more comfortable clothes for their winning pop routine.

S o p h o m o re Francheska Fontanez has been part of JROTC since she was a freshman. Each year, JROTC has a ball for all of its members at the high school. One of the main events at JROTC ball is a dance competition, where the winners of that event win a trophy with their names permanently engraved on it. Last year, Fontanez won the dance competition with her dance partner sophomore Wiston Lobo. “[If we win] we get bragging rights among all the other classes.

We also get a trophy with our name and the year that we won with our class,” Fontanez said. “I want to win every single year, just to have our class name on the trophy every single year.”

As a formal event, ladies are required to come in formal attire, preferably a dress, rather than their

JROTC uniforms. As for the males, wearing their JROTC uniform is required for the ball.

Both genders are allowed to bring some more comfortable clothes to change into before the dance portion of the ball. “[My favorite dance move] is from the swing, where the girl would go from the right leg to the left leg on the guy, where he picks you up,” Fontanez said.

While some people may think performing a dance routine may look fun and easy, Fontanez explained that it actually takes a lot of preparing to be good dance partners.

“We have to rehearse [the dance], but last year we didn’t come up with a salsa routine because it was really late,” Fontanez said. “We completely improvised it, yet somehow we still got the highest score. It was just completely improvised.”

In order to be fair, JROTC takes the dance

NIGHT TO REMEMBER

competition very seriously by bringing in judges from multiple backgrounds.

“We change the judges every year, [the judges] aren’t from the [JROTC] program.

We’ll bring in some principals, [Superintendent Scott] Kizner, basically the people who run the school.

We [also] get a couple of teachers who really don’t know anyone in the [dance competition] so we don’t have any bias,” Fontanez said.

As for her victory last year with her partner Lobo, Fontanez hopes to take first place again at this year’s ball.

“We were putting it in our head that we did have some competition,” Fontanez said.

“But just hearing our names saying that we won, it was a good feeling for both him and I.” For this year’s results, Fontanez and Lobo won the dance competition for the second year in a row.

Starting off the evening with dinner, then followed by events such as giving a toast, senior skits and a guest speaker, the annual cadet ball ends with a dance competition followed by an open dance floor. Photos taken by Hannah Miller.

dance party and the receiving,” Tirado said.

JROTC RANKINGS Battalion Commander- Michelle Pineda Battalion Executive Office- Jazmin Franco Battalion Honor Guard Commander- Cecilia Diego-Munoz Battalion Command Sergeant Major- Margarita Hernandez Battalion Special Teams Commander- Kelly Ortega

PERSONNEL SECTION Battalion Adjutant- Kaylen Amador Assistant S-1- Israel Pedrizco Personnel Sergeant Major- Olga Gamboa Battalion Awards and Records NCOJennifer Santiago Portfolio and Publications NCO- Leslie Mondragon

SECURITY SECTION Battalion Security Officer(S-2)- Artem Artemenko Assistant S-2- Mark Hohnke S2 Sergeant Major- Farah Ragab Battalion Ordnance Officer- Mellser Aguilar-Lopez Safety Office- Margret Sarco Security NCO- Treyvon Jackson Arms Room NCO- Jaqueline Avila

TRAINING & OPERATIONS SECTION Battalion Operations and Training Officer Assistant S3- Mariela Romero S-3 Training Officer- Mariana Funes Special Projects Officer- Amy Acosta Assistant Special Projects OfficerEmily Serna

LOGISTICS SECTION Battalion Logistics Officer(S-4)Nayelis Pluma Battalion Military Property Officer(S-7) Nataly Ruiz Military Property NCO- Nayeli Hernandez Assistant S-7- Wiston Lobo Assistant S-4- Juana Bangueniguen Property Book Officer- Noor Hasan Jums Record SGT- Darlin Chavez Logistics NCO- Daisy Franco

PUBLIC INFORMATION SECTION Battalion Public Informations Officer(S-5)- Abdulla Alsadoon Assistant S-5- Ian Comer Public Affairs Officer- Shayan Rashid Newsstreak Liaison- Sweta Kunver Public Affairs NCO- Jordan Nguyen

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

SECTION

Battalion Information Technology Officer(S-6)- Guillermo Lopez Assistant S-6- Marlen Hernandez Automation NCO- Jeramais Domingo INFOGRAPHIC BY CARLOS AREVALO

March 23, 2018

The Newsstreak

Take the challenge at Bridgewater College

College is the time to raise the bar for yourself.

Consider all the ways you could grow. Think about what you could accomplish. Surrounded by faculty, peers, advisors and experiences that bring out the best in you.

Ask questions. Stretch beyond what you thought possible. Achieve excellence. It’s all here, waiting for you. Start your future today.

bridgewater.edu Call the Office of Admissions at 540-828-5375 or 800-759-8328 admissions@bridgewater.edu

Ads-A11

The Newsstreak

March 23, 2018

Feature-A12

FOOD TRUCKS STOP HERE

Mashita brings Korean-style twist to town Lucie Rutherford Editor-in-Chief Driving down Market Street towards I-81, Mashita is hard to miss. The light gray truck has graffiti-style writing on its side stating the food truck’s name, which means “delicious” in Korean. The owner of the truck, Mikey Reisenberg, was adopted at the age of four from Seoul, South Korea by a family in the Clover Hill area. According to Spencer Showalter, who has been working at Mashita for just under a year, the Korean-inspired truck has been open for about four years now, and has since then added a cultural twist to Harrisonburg.

As simple as it sounds, “steamed buns” is the most popular item on the eclectic menu. Steamed buns are a fatter, shorter-looking hot dog bun, filled with your choice of meat or vegetables. When it comes to adding the protein, customers have three options of meat: slow steamed pork, slow steamed chicken or beef bulgogi. Bulgogi, which directly translates to

“fire meat”, is thinly sliced pieces of meat, marinated and grilled.

The menu also offers odder, even more authentic items such as scotch eggs, which, according to the menu, consists of cured sausage, soft-boiled egg, rice, seaweed salad and blackberry Gochujang (a chili powder-like condiment).

As it was said to be a fan-favorite, the steamed buns had to be ordered, one chicken, one pork, with a side of seasoned bean sprouts. At initial glance, I thought the buns would be more colorful, though instead got a light colored meat on a light colored bun. The taste was about as similar to its looks, not super out-of-this-world.

It’s the sauce that does the magic. With the option of four different sauces ranging from sweet to spicy, Mashita aims to please all taste buds. As one with a weak sensitivity to spice, I went for the sweetened soy. This sauce brought on a whole new level of flavor to my steamed buns, making the meal infinitely times better.

PHOTO BY LUCIE RUTHERFORD DELICIOUS. Mashita parks at its usual location on Market Street. Open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., the korean food truck offers traditional korean with a choice of protein and sauce, along with combos, sides and dessert on its menu.

The side options call for that extra kick to finish off the meal, with the choice of steamed rice, seasoned bean sprouts, Korean black beans or the nation’s national dish, quick-pickle

kimchi, otherwise known as spicy pickled cabbage.

With simple ingredients like beans and cabbage, Mashita is able to put a Korean twist in everything they create.

If the mood for a night out is along the likes of Asian flare, Mashita provides a cultural change-up that not many in the area are used to. From steamed buns to kimchi to beef bul-

gogi, Mashita has added itself to the long list of check marks on Harrisonburg’s eclectic list of cultural food stops.

The Breakfast Bus provides morning comfort food, evening hangout

PHOTO BY SAMANTHA LITTLE

PURPLE N’ GOLD. The exterior of The Breakfast Bus sports James Madison University’s colors.

PHOTO BY ELLIE HAMMOND BUSTAURANT. The Breakfast Bus interior includes an order counter and kitchen at the back of the bus and booth seating in the front.

Ellie Hammond Staff Reporter While most people enjoy dining in the comfort of a restaurant, owner Christian Heafner decided to approach the restaurant goers in a unique way… a “bustaurant.” The Breakfast Bus, located on 710 Port Republic

Road, offers a customizable menu and unique concept.

Open for a cozy breakfast meal by day, and a swanky party bus targeted for JMU students by night.

What makes The Breakfast Bus differ from other restaurants is not only the fact it is placed on a bus, but the personalized

menu. Starting off, the bus incorporates only local and tri-state area products to produce the homemade meals. This provides for an authentic, locally produced meal. Not only are the ingredients fresh and local, they are charged in an exclusive way, with each ingredient having its

own price. This generates a more organized order, and gives the customer the opportunity to have any combination of sandwich in any size.

Despite some initial difficulties, my experience with this restaurant was well above satisfactory. What lacked in the time scheduling of opening and closing hours was made up for in the excellent service of delicious meals. The bustaurant is open from 7:30 a.m. to 2 pm everyday of the week, and from 10 p.m. to 3 a.m. on Thursday through Saturday to offer a more nightlife setting. In my opinion, the hours available during

La Taurina serves authentic, quality Mexican dishes Ashley Iscoa Staff Reporter At the rapid rate Harrisonburg is growing as a city, so is the competitiveness between restaurants.

When it comes to Mexican food, many restaurants come to mind such as Jalisco’s, Magnolia’s and El Sol, but taco trucks? Not as much. Experiencing a food

truck made me get out of my comfort zone, and it isn’t something I regret. La Taurina employee Florinda Clemente feels like this truck is a great truck that gives the full Mexican food experience. ¨This taco truck was established approximately 11 years ago. I don’t know the exact date because I haven’t been working here for

[long],¨ Clemente said.

The deal at La Taurina’s is that every dish is worth nine dollars which makes it easy to know how much to bring when you eat there.

It is so worth nine dollars because the portion size is big enough for a meal to fill you up. The four dishes the truck sells are tortas, burros (burritos), quesadillas and tacos. When it comes

PHOTO BY ASHLEY ISCOA

OPEN FOR BUSINESS. Mexican food truck La Taurina, located on North Main Street, is open during its 10 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. hours.

to rush hour, a few of these have become fan favorites. ¨[The most popular dishes are] campechanos [tortas], carnitas [tacos], and adobadas [burros],¨ Clemente said. ¨The truck is at its highest peak with business Friday through Sunday.¨ Freshman Amira Lucas was dining during my visit at the truck. She describes the experience as something different, though something she is looking forward to trying again. ¨It was my first time [eating here]. The service was perfect to me because not only was the worker really nice, but she understood my order well since I am not a big fan of onions or spiciness,¨ Lucas said. ¨I am definitely going back there.¨ I believe that more people should try the food at this taco truck. I ordered the exact dishes Clemente recommended trying. The portion size was exactly as I thought it would be. The tacos had more meat than any other Mexican restaurant serves in Harrisonburg.

All of the dishes were good, but the Adobada Torta was really the underdog in my food experience.

the day are pretty irregular. I understand that this is a breakfast bus and that it will serve around breakfast hours, but if it were to open earlier it would allow all people rushing to work to actually have time to stop for a quick bite. Upon arriving to the restaurant I encountered the staff packing the bus up an hour before closing hours, which was a inconvenience, but the friendly staff informed me that the bus would be parked and re-opened at the Sunchase JMU apartments at 3 p.m. that same day.

The Breakfast Bus offers a cozy yet very spacious at-

mosphere, which was surprising due to the fact it’s in a bus. About half of the bus held seating in booths and bar stools with a counter top, while the other half was a fully equipped kitchen. The chefs and staff working on the bus were extremely welcoming and friendly. They truly looked like they were doing a hobby rather than an everyday job.

I ordered their homemade waffles with fried chicken and maple syrup as well as a glazed donut with sausage, egg and cheese.

All of their donuts are from Strite’s Donuts, which is located in the same area.

The food took less than ten minutes to be made and time flew by from talking to the staff and learning about the concept behind The Bustaurant. The food was perfectly cooked and rich in flavor.

I would recommend this restaurant to anyone from a family who would want a quick bite with flavorful food to a hungry college student at 1:00 am looking for a meal to remind them of home.

La Taurina Menu All items are $9

BURROS

Suadero Carnitas Adobada Asada Jamon o Pollo Choriqueso Hawaianos Campechanos Al Pastor

Adobadas

TACOS

Carnitas

Choriqueso Campechanos Suadero Carnitas Adobada Cachete Lengua Asada Pollo

TORTAS

Hawaiana Jamon Adobada Pierna Suadero Pernil Pollo Choriqueso Campechana Milanesa Lengua

Campechanos INFOGRAPHIC BY SAMANTHA LITTLE

The Newsstreak

March 23, 2018

Feature-B1 Feature-B1

Waldrop begins construction of a tiny home

David Beck Staff Reporter Sarah Waldrop, an art teacher in her first year of public school employment, soon won’t have an average living situation.

“This time last year my husband showed me a couple Youtube videos of tours of other school busses that have been turned into tiny homes, and said, ‘Look at this. We should do this!’ and I was like, ‘No, that’s so much work!’ Then we watched a lot more videos and we decided, yes, that it would be really awesome to live in a school bus,” Waldrop said.

Building a tiny home will allow Waldrop, along with her soon-to-be husband, to live adventurously. The thing that sets Waldrop and her husband apart from many other tiny home owners is that Waldrop is creating a tiny home inside of a motorized vehicle, a bus. For those who aren’t knowledgeable about the tiny home community, the more traditional way of living in a tiny home is to have a small house on top of a trailer that is pulled by a truck. Waldrop wasn’t intrigued by this idea of living due to the bigger overall expenses. Tiny homes in general increase mobility, reduce a person’s carbon footprint, lower taxes, de-

crease maintenance and create for a self-sufficient home.

“We did some math on it and rent for the next five years; if we paid 500 or 600 dollars a month, it would be 40,000 - 80,000 dollars.

Living in a school bus is the cost of gas and insurance, which is significantly lower,” Waldrop said.

The average tiny home costs $23,000, according to restoringsimple.com.

Waldrop is hoping that their tiny home costs only two-thirds of that amount.

“This build we are trying to do [will cost us] about 15,000 dollars, including the cost of the bus,” Waldrop said.

Without knowing the small amount of money they spent on the bus, 15,000 dollars seems like a very optimistic goal for a place to live. “[The bus cost] $2,600.

It’s a 1994. It’s got about 140,000 miles on it, which means it’s about halfway through its life because it’s a diesel. Which means we have another 140,000 miles to put on it, which is very exciting,” Waldrop said.

One of the biggest expenses, on the other hand, is going to be the solar electric system. Waldrop decided using solar electric so they wouldn’t have to ever plug the bus in to be

Why make the

switch

to a tiny home

?

Cost

The conventional home costs $277,000 compared to the $23,000 of a small home.

78%

of small house residents own their own homes compared to 26% ownership of conventional houses.

Big houses produce big waste. A small house greatly reduces your carbon footprint.

Less time is spent cleaning and on maintenance in a small house.

Everything is there

Move

Green

Time Tired of living in the same area? Small houses can be made so that they can be easily transported.

INFORMATION FROM SOUTHERN LIVING

supplied with electricity.

In itself, the solar electric system will cost a couple thousand dollars.

Along with these other expenses, Waldrop also has all of the appliances needed in a house.

“We will have a kitchen, with a stove and an oven, we’ve got a sink with running water, we have a giant 100 gallon tank that we are going to mount under the bus. We’ll have a hot water heater and a shower, we have a composting toilet.

Oh my gosh, composting toilets are expensive, the one we are getting is 900 dollars. It’s absurd. It’s the fancy kind that doesn’t smell bad,” Waldrop said.

Waldrop has stripped everything on the interior of the bus and has finished making the ceiling out of reclaimed hardwood.

Even though Waldrop is planning on having a number of appliances, she still has to keep in mind the huge constraint of her living space.

“I think it’s about 115 square feet, which is very small. I am constantly stressed out about how much stuff I have and have to get rid of or put in a storage unit. We will see if I hate my husband after being in such a tiny space.

I think we will be okay, but we will see,” Waldrop said.

On the contrary, having

an easily movable home brings up more opportunities for traveling.

“I’m so excited to be able to travel. I’m a teacher, so we have summers off, so we are just going to drive across the country this summer. We are going to go to Wyoming. We are going to rock climb all summer and our house will be with us. We will not be camping, like I can shower, It’s going to be great,” Waldrop said.

When Waldrop is not traveling she plans to live and keep the bus in friends’ driveways for a few weeks at a time.

Waldrop’s tiny home is on its way to being finished, but she is racing against a deadline.

“We are currently living on [my husband’s] parents’ farm. They want to sell the farm, so we need to be done by the end of June.

We did some math on funding, and [my husband] is going to quit his job in May and June, maybe April also. So, [he will be there for] the last two or three months of the build to make sure we get everything done,” Waldrop said.

Waldrop’s tiny home has induced stress and required timeliness, but in the end, the adventures she will experience along with her husband will make up for the hardships.

PHOTO BY DAVID BECK

SMALL. Sarah Waldrop (left) and her fiance stand outside of their remodeled school bus tiny home.

Holton leaves her art up to interpretation

Samantha Little Staff Reporter

Starting in the fourth grade, senior Candace Holton began pursuing a passion for art that first originated in her interest in comics and the imagination involved in making them. After taking art classes in middle school and during her first three years of high school, she is now one of four seniors in the AP Studio Art class.

With an environment that allows the students to have their own time to independently work on projects, AP Studio Art is where Holton finds herself creating most of her art.

“I really like [the setup] a lot because it helps me focus and gives me a time to just think about art and no other classes… All of us are working on our own things at the same time and we do get to talk about things. It’s usually a positive atmosphere, and that helps me work,” Holton said.

Though she struggled with a perfectionist attitude when she first began taking art classes, she learned to work through that mindset with the help of the classes at HHS, which she views as being very impressive.

“The art classes here are really great and they do a lot to give their students as many experiences

they can with a lot of different medias. I’ve been to visit colleges and, for many of them that I’ve went to, their art programs aren’t as good as Harrisonburg’s,” Holton said. “They don’t learn half of the stuff we do in our programs, which is shocking…. So our art programs are really great and basically lay down the foundation for any artist that wants to do more with it in the future.”

Being one of those artists and wanting to pursue a career in art, Holton looked to the arts program at VCU, where she was accepted and will attend next fall.

“The years kept going by and I kept going back and forth between wanting to be an author and just drawing, so I put them together and even made my own comic series. I thought that was fun because it was a way to get my emotions out in a silly way,” Holton said. “The more I did that, the more I saw that it could also be shared with others, and so I decided that I wanted to keep doing that so that I could share my view of the world with others in a unique way.”

The application for the visual arts program, which is ranked first in the nation amongst public universities, included a digital portfolio of about twelve pieces that were then reviewed for acceptance.

Since Holton was only able to submit twelve of the many pieces she has created over the years, she worked to showcase a wide array of her talents.

“I tried to show all of my different aspects of stuff, even the ones that I wasn’t really good at. Certain mediums that I’m not as good at, like painting, I still used because it shows that I still branched out to do it.

That’s what people want to see even if you’re not the best at something. It proves that you can still try to do something,” Holton said.

While Holton has expanded her ability to work with more mediums throughout her time as an artist, she has also developed her style. With a focus on human figures and their interactions, she originally only drew cartoons, but then, as she experimented using a more realistic approach, settled for a mix between the two.

Another aspect of her style is the use of her emotions in a way that isn’t directly obvious. “[I do it] in a way so that people can interpret the emotion in different ways depending on how I do the strokes of the brush or what colors I choose.

It may not be completely obvious. If I’m sad, you may not see someone that just looks sad. It may be someone that looks happy, but the undertones

are actually sad,” Holton said. “Those are the ways I put emotion into [my work] so that it’s not slapping you in the face, but it’s more of an undertone that will make you think more about the picture.”

Wanting to find new ways to stand out as an artist, Holton draws inspiration from trend setting artists that try out new concepts.

Though she doesn’t necessarily see herself as one of those artists at this point in her career, she hopes that, in time, she will be.

“At this point, I would really be a follower. I’m kind of doing my own thing, but not enough to say that I’m a trend setter.

I am still following because I’m still learning, but I feel that

as I continue to improve my craft, I could begin to make something new and

trend setting,” Holton said.

ART BY CANDACE HOLTON

The Newsstreak

March 23, 2018

Feature-B2

Sochaki bonds with adoptive parents and I do not want to meet them,” Sochaki said. “I feel like my mom was too young to have me, and I was definitely an accident.”

Sochaki feels that if her biological mothFreshman Korry Sochaki was born in er wanted to keep contact, she would have Richmond, Virginia to a teen mom. Sodone that already. chaki was one of over 7,000 children that “They are the people who raised me, were in foster took care of me care the year of and wanted me to 2002, according be loved. My mom to National Kids was in her forties Count. when she adopted “I was born in me; she wanted a Richmond, Virgirl,” Sochaki said. ginia and I was For Sochaki’s in foster care for mother, the pro-Korry Sochaki about five days cess of adopting a for my mom to child was an easy finalize the paone. She almost adopted another girl at perwork,” Sochaki said. the time she adopted Sochaki.

Since she was so young, Sochaki does “I do not have any siblings, but I could’ve not have any memories of her biological had a sibling, there was a little girl and me. mother.

I am spoiled rotten,” Sochaki said. “Since “I do not know my biological parents, I don’t have siblings I don’t really like to share, and I had to learn that. I like to be alone, not around too many people.”

Sochaki’s mother was single when she adopted Korry.

“My mom married my dad when I was four years old. Both of my parents work at James Madison [University] and met there,” Sochaki said.

Her mother did get some backlash from adopting Sochaki, who is black.

“People would use racial slurs around my mom when we went somewhere,” Sochaki said.

Sochaki’s mother can remember getting stared at in public.

“My grandpa was the man who always loved me no matter what. He is the reason that I love to draw so much,” Sochaki said.

Her mother knew that Sochaki was going to eventually figure out that she was adopted. Because both of her parents are white, it didn’t take her long.

“My mom wanted to adopt a little black girl of her own,” Sochaki said.

Audrey Knupp Feature Editor

“People would use racial slurs around my mom when we went somewhere.”

PHOTOS COURTESY OF KORRY SOCHAKI

SINGLE MOM WITH A BABY. When freshman Korry Sochaki was first adopted, her mom was single. Her mom was also white and Sochaki was black. “People would use racial slurs around my mom when we went somewhere,” Sochaki said.

Clevenger finds home in Virginia Garrett Cash Editor-In-Chief At age four, senior Joël Clevenger’s adoption papers were finalized. He left his mom in West Virginia and came to live with her aunt in Virginia.

“I don’t know who my dad is, and my mom was not in the best shape when I left. She made bad choices,” Clevenger said.

Because of his mom’s activities and who she decided to spend time with, Clevenger voiced his opinion at a young age to move away from her. Unlike people he knows who were adopted, Clevenger is not bitter about moving away.

“It was actually mainly my idea because I didn’t want to live with my mom anymore because of the stuff she did and who she hung around. We never stayed in a house more than six months; we were always moving. I just said that I wanted to live with [my current family]... so they convinced my mom to sign the papers,” Clevenger said.

Another factor that played into Clevenger’s decision to ask his current family to adopt him was his food situation.

“Honestly, the biggest thing was food. Before I was adopted… we would eat a lot for one meal, and then we wouldn’t eat anything for about a week or so, or we’d have very small things, or if we stole it from

Lucas adopted from Changsha, China Caleb Goss Sports Editor

PHOTO COURTESY OF JOËL CLEVENGER WINNER. Senior Joël Clevenger wins his round in a wrestling tournament. Clevenger was adopted at four by his mother’s aunt. “After I got adopted, I could eat as much as I wanted. And I had a really bad food problem, because I would just eat and eat until I threw up, because I was still used to having to eat as much as I could and then surviving.”

the store or something,” Clevenger said.

Although he’s now living with a family that is able to afford food, his past still has an effect on him, and he finds his old habits coming back.

“After I got adopted, I could eat as much as I wanted. And I had a really bad food problem, because I would just eat and eat un-

til I threw up, because I was still used to having to eat as much as I could and then surviving. Even now, I still have some food problems, not as bad, but I still eat too much,” Clevenger said.

Clevenger was not overly affected by his adoption, except that his eating habits came with him. He states that his easy transition was due to the nature

of the adoption. His mother’s aunt is the one who took him, which made the in-family adoption an easy transition.

Clevenger, not being affected by his adoption, continues his life and participates in wrestling and competes in pole vault for the track team and even takes part in rock climbing at UREC.

Ardnt sisters relate about adoption Ryan Caricofe Staff Reporter The story behind Ruby and Olivia Ardnt’s birth is no secret to them.

Both of them were born in China, but a year after Ruby’s birth and six months after Olivia’s, the two were adopted by their current parents, who are not Chinese. With the difference in looks between the two siblings and their parents, it did not take long for them to find out that they were adopted.

“I found out pretty early because my parents were white and I wasn’t, so I put two and two together,” Ruby said.

With both of them being adopted so young, neither of the two have met their birth parents, but Olivia and Ruby have different feelings about finding them in the future. Ruby is open to the idea of maybe looking

is supported by her parents if she so wishes. Olivia on the other hand, while not against meeting them if the opportunity arises, does not wish to go out to find them.

When others find out that both

their lives would be drastically different if they were not adopted.

“Obviously I would be speaking Chinese and live in China, with different parents,” Ruby said.

Olivia felt slightly different.

“If I wasn’t adopted, I wouldn’t get asked all these questions, and maybe I wouldn’t have as many,” said Olivia.

The two sister appreciate having one another as siblings. Ruby likes it because they can relate to things together. They also like how when they both get asked questions about adoption, they have similar answers.

“Its cool because we can relate, but its not really any different than having a normal sibling,” Olivia said.

“If I wasn’t adopted, I wouldn’t get asked all these questions, and maybe I wouldn’t have as many.”

-Olivia Ardnt Ruby and Olivia are adopted, people occasionally ask questions such as: “Where are you from?”, “Do you want to meet your parents?” and “Do you ever wonder why they gave you up?”

However, Olivia gets asked more of these types of questions than Ruby.

Both of the sisters believe that

In ancient times and still to this day, silk is considered one of the most valuable items in China.

Found clothed in this valuable fabric on the steps of a police station, freshman Amira Lucas finds that even though her biological family gave her to an orphanage, she knows that they were doing what was best for her.

“Silk was very valuable, especially for my biological parents [who] were very poor. I was born in a very poor village outside a big city, so me being dressed in a whole silk outfit meant that they really cared about me and that they didn’t want to let me go.

[They did what] was best for me and especially putting me on the staircase, risking that for a six day old child,” Lucas said.

Following her discovery, Lucas would call an orphanage in Changsha, China her new home for the next couple of months.

“The police found me and put me into an orphanage. I stayed there for a couple months and then got adopted after I was thirteen months old,” Lucas said.

According to the Boston Globe, thousands of children are adopted across the world every year. For Lucas, she thinks her story is a really cool way to bond with other people like her, who are adopted.

“It’s really cool that I can bond with other people that are adopted because we both came from different places and we all met up here.

[Adopted people have] different lives, [and] we got a second chance at having a very close family,” Lucas said.

For Lucas and her family, the four bond

through activities like playing board games together.

“We sometimes do family game days with popcorn and board games. We also go on lots of family vacations,” Lucas said.

One thing that comes along with being in a family are the occasional disagreements. Religion is one of them for Lucas and her family.

“I don’t want to be Jewish. I don’t believe in what they believe in, so I didn’t go through with Hebrew school. Usually, a Jewish son or daughter goes to a bar/bat mitzvah when they come of age at thirteen. I’m fourteen now and I haven’t done my bat mitzvah, so I’m doing this equivalent thing for my parents,” Lucas said.

Lucas must read thirty books and summarize twenty of them instead of doing her bat mitzvah.

“Since I hate reading, me and my parents made a compromise that for the last ten books I would research Changsha and write an essay about it along with an essay on the one child policy,” Lucas said.

While Lucas spends time with her family, she also considers the idea that she might have a biological sibling. In the past, one of the policies that existed in China was the one-child policy, thus giving Lucas the possibility of having a biological sibling.

“The one-child policy is the policy that used to be in place when I was born, which states that parents can only have one child and if they have another one and the government finds out, they [can] either take the child, put them to death or put them in camps. I think I might’ve had a brother or sister because I was put up for adoption,” Lucas said.

Changsha to Harrisonburg

The Newsstreak

March 23, 2018

SMART TALENTED VISIONARY

Feature-B3

ALL PHOTOS BY HANNAH MILLER

FORENSIC SCIENCE. (Left) Juniors Noah Siderhurst and Maxim Untilov tap excess distilled water out of their tubes to isolate their cell pellets. Students were tasked with isolating DNA from their cheek cells. (Center) Junior Christa Cole puts a swab of her cheek cells into a tube. (Right) JMU biotechnology professor Dr. Raab assists students in loading their samples for gel electrophoresis.

Francis Collins, director of the National Institute of Health, encourages students to get involved in the future of science.

He was the keynote speaker this year for the 25th annual biotech symposium hosted by biology teacher Myron Blosser at Eastern Mennonite University.

Collins calls on youth to be the future of the science world Oziel Valdez Staff Reporter Eastern Mennonite University marks the setting for the twenty-fifth annual biotech symposium. Each year has a keynote speaker who leads a major presentation. Francis Collins, Director of NIH (National Institute of Health) and head of the Human Genome Project, was the keynote at the twenty-fifth annual biotech symposium. “[Being here] is a great gift. I am a fan of this symposium and a fan of Myron Blosser, who has been such an important leader in this space. I grew up only about half an hour away from here, so it’s nice to come back to the valley,” Collins said.

The biotech symposium, originally created by STEM teacher Myron Blosser, is a day set aside for high school students that are interested in the latest tech-

nology and information dealing with biology. Blosser chose Collins as the keynote speaker due to Blosser’s fascination for Collins.

“What really fascinates me about him is that he was a local boy. He was actually home schooled for a while, and so that tells me that you can start anywhere and you can go everywhere. When I stand up and look at my class of freshman, I realize that there in that class is the next Francis Collins,” Blosser said.

Blosser bases keynote speakers on how they communicate and speak to students. Collins has a PhD and MD, yet Blosser believes that he displays his ideas eloquently to people who do not have anywhere near as much education.

“I think students would be delighted. I think they [understood] what he says.

I oftentimes have a keynote speaker who speaks over our heads, but I think that

THE DAY detect and quantify substances such as peptides, proteins, antibiotics, and hormones

NO ACTION, NO HOPE. Francis Collins answers questions of curious students after his address, “The Impact of Genomic on Human Health”. Collins led students through his journey to where he is now, the Director of the National Institute of Health.

Francis Collins [did] not do that. I think that he talks to us in ways we understand, which I think is delightful. His personal skills are really cool. In answering and meeting kids after the symposium, because there are people who talk to him after he’s done, I think that students [were] very impressed with him.”

learn DNA fragment separation utilizing gel electrophoresis

SEMINAR SPEAKER:

Courtney Griffin

KEYNOTE SPEAKER: Francis Collins “The Impact of Genomics on Human Health” Dining Hall Buffet

Collins is no stranger to the stage at the biotech symposium. He previously was the keynote speaker at the 2006 biotech symposium. “[The biotech symposium] has gotten bigger since 2006. The lab part of the symposium seems more ambitious than was possible twelve years ago. I

“Epigenetics and the Influence of our Genes”

had a lot more I could say this time because science has rocketed forward in the last twelve years. Some of the things I presented today I didn’t even dream would happen when I was here in 2006,” Collins said.

“I think the future of biotechnology is incredibly exciting, but it’s only going to happen if really smart, talented, visionary kids get involved. The chance to come back and speak to four hundred students in one place is irresistible.”

Blosser hopes that students get energized and inspired for the future of science. Collins is hoping for a similar take away from students.

“I hope they get a sense of the remarkable excitement and the potential about biotechnology right now. This is a time like no other. I hope that maybe some of them will look into this further, be inspired by what has happened today, and seek further oppor-

what is biotechnology?

FEED

isolate, purify, and amplify your own DNA sequence with PCR

Blosser creates Biotech Symposium with new equipment Forest Matter Staff Reporter Twenty-five years ago, Biology teacher Myron Blosser received roughly $10,000 of biological equipment from the school.

“I remember in the summer of 1993 I unpacked all these boxes of equipment in my lab, and once I had it unpacked all these boxes of equipment in my lab. Once I got all the stuff unpacked I looked at it and I realized I had no idea how to use it. $10,000 worth of equipment and I didn’t know where to begin. I told someone I felt like a dog that been chasing cars and had finally caught one.” Blosser said.

When this problem arose Blosser recalled a unique solution used by a famous scientist James Watson.

When Watson didn’t know something he held a symposium, a collection of the finest minds on the subject from across the globe coming to teach what they knew. Blosser’s solution was to contact the company the equipment had come from and ask them to come demonstrate a bunch of local teachers how to use it.

“I contacted the other schools, and about five or six schools said ‘Yeah, we’ll come, we’ve seen this stuff, we’ve heard about it.’ So I suggested ‘Hey, why not bring a few students

HEAL

TAP, TAP, TAP. Student teacher Jessica MacIntosh assists juniors Genevieve Kennedy and Anna Rath in the level three lab, isolating their cheek cells. with us, that way the students can help us learn how to run this equipment.’ Then I said ‘Hey, why not have somebody speak at the beginning, like a keynote address.’”

Blosser invited a speaker from JMU who was working on biodegradable plastic to come. At this point around 60 or 70 people were coming to this learning opportunity, and so Blosser decided to hold it at EMU, where there was more space.

“One Friday at EMU we had a key-

note address, from Dr. Dennis, and we divided up into small groups and Carolina Biological Supply Co. ran us through the labs, and we learned how to use the equipment.”

The next year Blosser received a call asking for another seminar, and so with the help of some students he called up Carolina Biological Supply Co again, did a little organizing, and it all happened again in 1994. The STEM Biotechnology symposium has continued ever since.

tunities to be involved in.

Maybe even turn this into a career,” Collins said.

Blosser’s and Collins’ hopes for students may be coming true. Sitting in the crowd that day was freshman Silas Benevento. This is Benevento’s first time ever attending a biotech symposium, and he hopes to attend more in the future.

“Francis Collins’ presentation was very interesting… I think this will influence my future in ways that I’m not entirely aware of.

It definitely got me more interested in science, because I’m currently not thinking about a science career,” Benevento said.

To end his presentation, Collins used a quote said by Peter Levi to emphasize the major affect STEM students can have on the world in the future.

“Hope in every sphere of life is a privilege that attaches to action. No action, no hope.”

FUEL

Biotechnology improves crop insect resistance, enhances crop herbicide tolerance and facilitates the use of more environmentally sustainable farming practices.

Biotech is helping to heal the world by harnessing nature’s own toolbox and using our own genetic makeup to heal and guide lines of research.

Biotechnology uses biological processes and harnesses biocatalysts such as enzymes, yeast, and other microbes to become microscopic manufacturing plants.

www.bio.org/what-biotechnology

March 23, 2018

The Newsstreak

Ads-B4

Riner Rentals is a family-owned, locally-grown, second-generation property management and rental company. We have been specializing in residential housing in Harrisonburg and Rockingham County for over 15 years. Let us help you make Harrisonburg home, or help with your property management needs. Riner Rentals: For ALL your housing needs in Harrisonburg and Rockingham County.

(540) 438-8800 P.O. Box 1391 Harrisonburg, VA 22803 RinerRentals.com

March 23, 2018

The Newsstreak

Ads-B5

YOUR DE STINATION FOR F IRST– CL AS S E NTE R TAINME NT

Mar.29Apr. 1

Mar. 22-23

SING OUT! NEW VOICES AN A CAPPELLA CELEBRATION IN DANCE Apr. 11-12

May. 12

PROCEEDS SUPPORT:

OTHER UPCOMING EVENTS MAR. 3 MONTREAL GUITAR TRIO MAR. 12-13

MOSCOW FESTIVAL BALLET

CINDERELLA

MAR. 25 JMU SYMPHONY HONORS CONCERT

MAR. 27 APOLLO’S FIRE THE CLEVELAND BAROQUE ORCHESTRA A NIGHT AT BACH’S COFFEEHOUSE MAR. 29 JMU BRASS BAND

APR. 4 JMU WIND SYMPHONY AND SYMPHONIC BAND

APR. 6 RULING THE GREAT WHITE WAY BROADWAY LEGEND HAROLD PRINCE APR. 14 JMU GEORGE WEST JAZZ FESTIVAL

FEATURING JMU’S JAZZ ENSEMBLE

APR. 18 JMU MADISON SINGERS AND CHORALE APR. 25 CAMERON CARPENTER

FEATURING THE INTERNATIONAL TOURING ORGAN

APR. 24-29 STAINED GLASS

BY INGRID DE SANCTIS

TICKETS: jmuforbescenter.com OR 540.568.7000 Box Office: 147 Warsaw Avenue

FREE parking right next door SING OUT! PHOTO BY BOB ADAMEK; NEW VOICES IN DANCE PHOTO BY RICHARD FINKELSTEIN; H.M.S. PINAFORE ARTWORK BY AMANDA R. WILSON; COMMUNITY COLLAGE ARTWORK BY SUE OVERTON.

The Newsstreak

March 23, 2018

Feature-B6

Every Person Has A Story Digs aims for prosperous, famous future Lucie Rutherford Editor-in-Chief Junior Ja’Que Digs wants to become famous in any way he can. Born in Kissimmee, Florida and living in Miami until the age of 10 has given Digs the desire to live an upbeat, fast-paced life, a lifestyle which he believes parallels his personality.

“My personality [is what sets me apart],” Digs said.

“It’s like a lion’s roar. I’m very outspoken and I love people, but if people push me, I can be mean. Yes, [it’s gotten me in trouble], anytime I have to go out of that state into attack mode.”

Digs has found himself in night school for the rest of the year due to a few lunchtime shenanigans, and Digs believes that his personality is the main thing being missed by his peers.

“I am in night school for going to Walmart at lunchtime. I went to Walmart three times at lunch and they were like, ‘Okay, you’re going to night school.’ [I’m here] for this year,” Digs said. “Everybody misses me, I’m lit.”

Along with the parallels in personality, Miami brings a sense of style that Digs loves.

“I especially like going shopping [in Miami] because there is a bigger assortment of clothes and

the malls are way bigger.

We have more actual stores to get clothes and more popping clothes than what we have up here,” Digs said.

At the moment, Digs isn’t 100 percent sure on his career path, though he knows he wants to move back to Miami and eventually hit Hollywood.

“I don’t know [what I want to become famous for], I’m a triple threat. I want to go to Hollywood, I want to make a movie. I just want to get famous, I want money,” Digs said.

When asked who his celebrity idol is, Digs connected with Kevin Hart and even claims that he would become a comedian if that’s what it took.

“I will take anything [to become famous], like anything. If I have to be a background dancer I will be a background dancer, I just want to be famous and have money,” Digs said.

Digs is aware that not everything will fall perfectly in place for him, so he has given himself a backup plan. “[I’d want to go to] FSU (Florida State University), or any good college.

I wouldn’t want to stay at JMU,” Digs said. “I would major in producing because I could use that as a background for my acting.”

This major didn’t just come from anywhere; Digs remembers his one and

PHOTO BY LUCIE RUTHERFORD

HELPING OUT. Junior Ja-Que Digs helps post up a bulletin during night school on Mar. 8. Digs strives to end up in Hollywood one day, and hopes to major in producing at a college in Florida. only production that he created at the age of six.

“I dressed up my little brothers and sisters and I made them the Smurfs, I colored them blue and everything,” Digs said.

“My dog, I made him Papa Smurf, I dyed him blue. I stuck him in a bathtub with blue food coloring and I

dyed him blue. I put a red hat on him and some red pants and I named him Papa Smurf. It’s kind of on one of those VCR’s, you know, I’m kind of old. But it was really cool, it was like 15 minutes, but it was good.”

When looking back at the influences in his life

and what has shaped him as a person, Digs recalls his father, whom he despises.

“I think that I was made the person that I am today by my father. I don’t get along with my father, I hate my father with a passion.

He abused me, but I kind of took that and turned it into a good thing,” Digs

Raghab works as stable boy to pay for lessons, maintain riding skills from Egypt

said. “I made myself a better person because of that.

I don’t want to aspire to be anything like him, so it kind of made me a better person rather than me being a disrespectful douchebag.

He’s a lazy deadbeat, and you can put that in my life story because that’s exactly what it is.”

Mother’s job brings Mitchell to China Madely Blas-Valdez Staff Reporter

PHOTOS COURTESY OF OMAR RAGHAB

GIDDY UP. Omar Raghab rides a thoroughbred brown horse named Jay at Kemper Knoll farm in Mcgaheysvill.

Ryan Caricofe Staff Reporter Omar Ragab has been riding horses ever since he was six years old.

Nine years later, he is still riding, but now he rides on a different continent.

When Ragab was a child, his father once took him to a barn owned by his father’s friend, at a country club called the Horse Owner’s Club, in Alexandria, Egypt. Ragab was taught how to ride by his father’s friend at the club.

When Ragab’s family moved to Harrisonburg in Sep, 2014, Ragab started to look for a new barn to ride at. Three months ago, after talking to some people about horses and riding, Ragab discovered Kemper Knoll farm, a stable in Mcgaheysville, Virginia. When Ragab started riding at Kemper Knoll he began riding a horse named Jay, a brown thoroughbred, a

breed of horse commonly used in horse racing.

When Ragab began to ride in Mcgaheysville, he also began to work at the stables.

“I started working there because I wanted to learn more about horses and their daily lives, I also wanted to make money to pay for my lessons,” Ragab said.

On a normal day of work, Ragab gets up and goes to work at 10 in the morning on Saturday and Sunday, and waits to be told what he will be doing that day. Usually, Ragab cleans the stalls of the horses in one of the four barns at the stables, as well as refilling horses water buckets, and cleaning schooling tack, or practice equipment.

“I also help riders groom and tack up their horses before they ride,” said Ragab.

Working on at Kemper Knoll can be dangerous at times, and workers there must be constantly

focusing on the horse in front of them.

“If your not paying attention and a thousand six hundred pound horse go crazy your life might be on the line,” said Ragab.

In Virginia state law, any persons who willingly partake in activities involving horses, ponies, donkeys, mules, or hinnys, the owner of the animal are not liable for injuries obtained by the participant from the animal. If Ragab were to be injured by one of these horses, some of which weigh up to 1,000 pounds, Ragab would be at fault, legality wise, but that is not the worst part of the job.

“The worst part is working in the cold and getting really dirty,” Ragab said.

One of Ragab’s favorite memories from work was when a large, white, visually impaired thoroughbred named Keela became spooked, and

almost ran away. Being isolated in the county, a runaway horse could get injured quickly and lost.

Ragab was able to calm her down, and made sure she was okay, potentially saving the mare.

Junior Lauren Mitchell enjoyed her fifth grade year with the most interesting trip she could take.

Along with her mother and two sisters, she spent their vacation time and additional time in China.

Her mother works for Bridgewater College and got a research offer that she shared with her children.

Mitchell and her family got to go on a hiking trip on the Great Wall of China with the help of their mother’s colleagues.

“It was a two day hike, we had a tour guide and my mother got to go research in China because she works for Bridgewater College.

She got an offer, so she met lots of different people who worked there and one of her colleagues helped us along the way,” Mitchell said.

Although she had to do an overnight trip, go off the wall and into the wilderness, because of the military, she thought it was amazing. Another experience she took on that trip was being in a private school for six months.

“The food was very good. I got to eat in the high school cafeteria instead of the elementary school which was nice.”

During her time in the private school, she noticed lots of things that were different from there.

Due to their looks, the sisters got lots of curious reactions. Besides having blonde hair, it was obvious that they were not from that area, causing lots of stares.

“They would stare a lot, but I understand because I look very different. Both my sisters have blonde hair, so they got even more stares, but it was okay,” Mitchell said.

Lauren Mitchell also claims that she comes off mean and rude just because she doesn’t smile a lot. But she is a very sweet and kind human being. She has been struggling with what she wants to do when she grows up since she isn’t doing well in high school right now. But she enjoys playing soccer and joining the girls scout.

“I come off very mean and I don’t mean to, I just don’t smile a lot.”

The Newsstreak

March 23, 2018

Sports-B7

Rodriguez finds success after four years Jackson Hook Sports Editor Juniel Rodriguez had tried out for the baseball team every year since eighth grade and never made the team. Despite his failure to make the team at the junior varsity level, Rodriguez continued to try out into his junior year. He has family that has played baseball at the higher level and takes inspiration from them.

“My godfather, he played with the Minnesota Twins in the [MLB].

That means that I have a gift, I just have to find how I am good at it,” Rodriguez said.

Rodriguez knew that he could make the team because of his talent and mental attitude. He prides himself on his ability to keep a positive mindset. “[I continued to try out] because I knew that I had talent and I knew that I could make it. I knew that I could bring something to the team whether it be energy, motivation or playing on the field. I know that I could go out there and I could just improve myself and improve the team,” Rodriguez said.

On the last day of tryouts all of the athletes sit in the locker room and wait to be called in to talk to the coaches. When called in, the coaches tell the athlete if they have made the team or not and give some advice based on what they have seen in tryouts. Rodriguez was anxious to find out whether he had finally made the team or not.

“I wasn’t nervous, I was just anxious. I had a good feeling, but I just wanted to know if this year was the year or not,” Rodriguez said.

Coach Kevin Tysinger delivered the news to Rodriguez by handing him a paper that had dress requirements for team members.

PHOTO BY SAM HEIE

PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT. Junior Juniel Rodriguez takes swings in the cage during an indoor practice.

“I was excited. I felt like I had won the lottery. The first thing that came out of my mouth was, I looked at [Kevin] Tysinger and I told him, ‘We’re going to states’. They said that they liked my hard work and that I continued to come back and improved,” Rodriguez said. “I feel like that’s something everyone should do. If you fail at something you should always come back and try to improve, and come back harder, especially if

you know that you can do something.”

Rodriguez hopes that the team can build a healthy relationship so that they will work well together throughout the season.

“As a group, I hope we can all bond together because if we don’t have that team chemistry then we can’t play as a team.

If we don’t play as a team then we don’t win as a team… I just feel like we have a great group of guys

Sophomores take different paths in upcoming season Karleigh Gentry Sports Editor Though the usual makeup of a varsity team is juniors and seniors, this year’s varsity baseball team includes one sophomore, Kwentin Smiley.

At first, Smiley believed he would be trying out for the JV baseball team just like he did last year as a freshman, but after talking to coach Kevin Tysinger, he changed his mind.

“I originally went to JV tryouts.

Coach Ty told me to come to varsity tryouts, so I went and made the team,” Smiley said.

Tysinger decided to have Kwentin tryout for the varsity baseball team instead of the JV Baseball team, because he is confident in the sophomore’s abilities as a baseball player.

“I knew that he had the ability to play, and [I] thought he could really help us out. He’s done a great job so far,” Tysinger said.

Since he is playing with varsity as a sophomore instead of as a junior or senior, he hopes to improve overall as a player and also be challenged at another level.

“[Playing on varsity] will definitely give me experience, and it will get me better for the following years,” Smiley said.

Tristan Fink is another sophomore alongside Kwentin Smiley who decided to tryout for the Varsity Baseball team.

“I decided to go to the varsity tryouts to get in more work and improve the way I play,” Fink said.

After going to varsity tryouts, he realized playing on the JV team as a sophomore would be better for himself and the team as a whole.

“I was given the opportunity to stay down and lead the JV team, [as well as] help the eighth and ninth graders improve,” Fink said.

Despite the experience and skill level of Tristan, Tysinger believes he will be a great addition to the JV Baseball team.

“Tristan will provide leadership as a sophomore. He has a lot of experience, so they younger guys should look up to him,” Tysinger said.

Although the two sophomores are on different teams, both of them have the same goals: win games, have fun, and work hard.

2017 Varsity Baseball

By The Numbers Record: 12-5 Graduated: 6 players College Athletes:

4 players

Playoffs: 1st time since 1992 Defeated Turner Ashby: First time in over a decade

that can go out there and get it done,” Rodriguez said.

Rodriguez’s friends and family supported him in his journey of making the baseball team, and they helped him celebrate his accomplishments.

“My mom, she bought me a cake,” Rodriguez said. “And then my friend Corbin Royer, his mom took me out to Qdoba and I had never been to Qdoba in my life. It was pretty fun and it was a good vibe.”

8th Grade year: Cut from team Freshman year: Cut from team Sophomore year: Cut from team Junior year: Made the varsity team

Petock continues work at high school through masters program Jalyn Sneary Feature Editor Instead of stopping his college education after four years at Bridgewater college, Justin Petock decided to become a graduate assistant at Harrisonburg High School.

He is working in the athletics department.

“I [am going to] JMU for grad school, for sport and recreation leadership and Harrisonburg is paying for my tuition in order [for me] to have a job here. I get two years of experience here but also get a free education from the master’s program,” Petock said.

Petock learned about this opportunity through a friend that he works with.

“He told me about the program and then once I applied to the program they were telling me how [the graduate assistant program] could help pay for school,” Petock said.

Petock does different things to help with the sports events at HHS, but especially game management. With his master’s program, he is required to work 20 hours a week and mostly comes on game days.

“Basically I help set up games, I help tear down games, I run them and also I do the programs and rosters and stuff like that. Whatever Darrell [Wilson] needs me to do,” Petock said.

Aside from working at Harrisonburg High School, Petock leads a small job working for ESPN. However, most of his time is spent working for HHS. “I do some jobs for ESPN, the sports channel. Basically I do different things for them, I’m a runner which means I handle a lot of bench work for them. I have been what’s called utility which is cable and stuff like that but that’s a completely different job,” Petock said. “Mostly I only work for Harrisonburg and I only do Harrisonburg High School events.”

After Petock finishes this two year master’s program, he plans on becoming an athletic director or part of event management that runs these events.

“I love these big sporting events and stuff like that, so basically after this I want to find a big boy job,” Petock said.

Overall, Petock likes the experience that he is getting and loves watching games.

“I’m getting two years of experience

PHOTO COURTESY OF JUSTIN PETOCK

HERE’S THE PITCH. Justin Petock pitches in a game during his career at Bridgewater College. coming out of school, and it’s awesome.

I love watching the games. I love being at the games, that’s why I want to be an athletic director or partner,” Petock said. “I love the game atmosphere and watching the kids play. That’s the biggest reward for me.”

Petock helps the baseball team practice sometimes.

“When I do help the baseball team, I throw batting practice and critique players for hitting and pitching,” Petock said.

He likes doing this because he can relate to the experience of playing baseball because he played in high school.

“I enjoy [helping with the baseball team] because I am a huge baseball fan, been playing since I was 4 or 5 and played in high school and college. I love the game and spreading my knowledge to young athletes to help make them better,” Petock said.

The Newsstreak

March 23, 2018

Sports-B8

Eshleman attempts tennis for first time Owen Marshall Sports Editor When it comes to sports where natural athleticism and height are important to success, tennis isn’t one that typically comes to mind. However, sophomore Gabe Eshleman, who stands at 6’3” and previously played middle school and travel basketball, recently began his first season of high school tennis, believes his experience from previous sports have had a positive effect on his learning of the game.

“My other sports have helped me, [especially] with basketball, [which helps with] quick feet and being able to take really quick, small steps to position yourself correctly. I would say all of my past sports have helped a bunch, [like] baseball too.

[It’s helped with] just getting a nice, fluid motion,” Eshleman said. “Just being tall [also] honestly helps a ton. I can get to the ball a lot easier.”

Although his athleticism was a factor in taking up tennis this year, Eshleman also had some other reasons to decide to join the team.

“I had a lot of friends that were doing it and a lot of my family has really enjoyed the sport over the years. I enjoy watching it, so I thought that I might as well play,” Eshleman said.

Despite this being his first year playing competitively, it won’t be Eshleman’s first time on the course. After deciding to play, he took preseason

PHOTO BY SAM HEIE

ON TO THE NEXT ONE. Sophomore Gabe Eshleman attempts to return a ball at a tennis practice at Harrisonburg High School. This is Eshleman’s first year playing tennis competitively and on a team. measures to prepare.

“I played a lot over the summer at Spotswood Country Club, and I play with my parents and friends a good amount, so that’s been fun,” Eshleman said. “I mainly worked on ground strokes and serving, just working on getting consistent strokes on the ball and placing the ball nicely [and] consistently.”

Over the first few weeks of practice, Eshleman has continued to work on his consistency and limiting his

unforced errors. He hopes that his improvement will lead him into a prominent role on the team, which he has high expectations for as well.

“I would like to play, [get] in the top six, and I’d like to perform well. I think we’re going to do really well this year. We’ll probably place first in the district, so that’s the goal. I don’t know what the other teams are looking like, but I think our team is looking really good. Our top four; Toby, John, Mike and

Noah have looked really good, so I think it will be a good season for us,” Eshleman said.

Although he has seen some betterments to his game since the season began, Eshleman still has some pieces of his skill that he would like to improve over the next couple of months. “[My biggest weakness] is probably my serve. I just haven’t spent all that much time on it and I’m just gonna practice it over and over

to get it down. [Another] weakness is my backhand.

It’s getting better, but I still have lots to work on,” Eshleman said.

Throughout the season, Eshleman hopes to keep a strong balance of dedication and a loose attitude to keep himself enjoying the game as the season progresses.

“I mean, I’m definitely treating it competitively, I really do want to do well.

I want to improve, but at the same time, it’s hard to

keep motivation for a sport if you’re not having fun, so it’s a good mix of both.

You’ve got to be competitive and enjoy the sport,” Eshleman said.

Eshleman is excited for many aspects of the season, and believes it will be a good experience for him. “[I’m excited for] just getting better, staying in shape, getting quicker, learning the game more and hanging out with my friends. It will be a good time,” Eshleman said.

Boys tennis team losing multiple upperclassmen

Sarah Earle News Editor After a successful season last year, the boys’ tennis team was preparing for another optimistic year, that is, until a majority of the top six players decided not to return. With last year’s first seed graduated and second and sixth seeds not returning, junior Sam Heie was determined to lead the team this year in the top seed. However, two weeks before tennis tryouts started, Heie fractured his clavicle, setting the team back even more with yet another player gone.

The accident occurred on a upper-level ski slope at Massanutten Resort, as Heie, going 40-50 mph, took air off of a steep drop in the slope and landed incorrectly, skidding 200 yards. After hearing a pop, the sudden fall left Heie in disbelief and later in an arm sling for four to six weeks, along with three months of therapy following his surgery.

“It was a pretty freak accident; it shouldn’t have happened. I do this every run I do…[but] I landed sideways and I did this thing called catching an edge, where the edge of your ski digs in the wrong way and you kind of topple over yourself. I toppled over my left shoulder… My first words when my friends came [near] me were, ‘I broke something.’ It was pretty immediate,” Heie

PHOTO COURTESY OF SAM HEIE

OH SNAP. Junior Sam Heie will be missing most of his tennis season due to an accident he had on skis at Massanutten Ski Resort. His left collarbone broke when one of his skis dug into the snow at the wrong angle and threw him onto his side, ultimately landing on his shoulder. The tennis team has also had multiple experienced players from previous years not return to the team, placing junior Tobias Yoder in position to be the first seed for the Blue Streaks. “I feel bad for [Heie], it’s going to be hard not having him on the team because he’s one of our main players that we need. I’m hoping he’ll be there for part of the season,” Yoder said. said. “After saying, ‘My arm is broken,’ [my next immediate thought was], ‘There goes my tennis season.’ The second thing I was thinking about was tennis because I’ve been working so hard for it and then God yeeted me. It was really painful.”

Prior to the injury, Heie had been practicing with the Spotswood Country Club Elite Team throughout the summer, fall and winter,

working with country club’s tennis pro Rick Etchells to prepare for being the number one seed. Although the injury will set back Heie’s performance and technical skills, through physical therapy, year-long practices with the Elite Team and private lessons, Heie is determined to make a return on the courts.

“My expectations and what I want to happen ar-

en’t really aligned. I expect to be back in in the next two months, but I want to be back in tomorrow, which isn’t going to happen, so that’s a bit annoying,” Heie said. “My serve and backhand are going to be the most affected because that’s where the left shoulder is actually being used…

It’s going to affect my entire game, but… it’s going to get back to normal. It’s just go-

ing to take time, but that’s not going to happen during this season because I’m out for the season.”

With Heie out for the season, junior Tobias Yoder advances to first seed. Moving up from the fourth seed to the first seed this year, Yoder has been preparing through after school practices outside of the season and expects to increase his skill-level with the ladder

change.

“I feel bad for [Heie], it’s going to be hard not having him on the team because he’s one of our main players that we need. I’m hoping he’ll be there for part of the season,” Yoder said. “I think I’ll get better this year because I’ll be playing people who are better than me for the most part, if I play number one [seed].”

Going into the season, Yoder is uncertain if the team will be able to continue the same level of success from last year, however he expects the team to do well against most schools around the area.

Despite two high-tiered players not returning for this season, Heie expects a good turnout on the team.

While he awaits the unexpected outcome of the season, Heie has hope for the team, as he anticipates his comeback.

“Without me, Theo [Yoder] and Weston [Hatfield], I think the team’s going to be fine. It’s still going to be a lot of fun for the people there, which is what tennis is for… Competition-wise we’re not going to be too strong, but what the team is meant for will be fine, which is to have fun,” Heie said. “I’m just really upset.

It’s kind of devastating to work so hard for something and then have that taken away just because of a freak accident, injury. Recovery will happen and eventually I’ll be fine, but it’s disappointing right now.”

Henderson joins tennis to become two-sport athlete

Sophie Sallah Staff Writer

Freshman Nathan Henderson is among the numerous students playing tennis this season that have never played the sport competitively before. After spending his summer playing with family and friends, Henderson decided to participate in tennis in high school.

“I mainly wrestle, but I wanted to have two sports, so I decided to pursue tennis. My parents played tennis when they were young-

er and they wanted me to get into the sport,” Henderson said. “I started playing with my dad this past summer and I really wanted to get more experience. I’ve also taken a few lessons.”

Henderson, who wrestles on the varsity team, has also run track and cross country previously at Thomas Harrison Middle School. Henderson doesn’t think that the differences between wrestling and tennis will be a problem for him. “[Tennis] is a lot different from wrestling, you use a lot more muscles in

wrestling, but there’s a lot more technique in tennis,” Henderson said. “The practices are a lot longer than I would usually practice on my own, [but] not necessarily harder.”

Henderson believes that his ability to control his nerves and move around efficiently in a small space will be similar between wrestling and tennis and therefore help him before and during games.

“I think the work ethic and my mindset, like how to act in a game setting, will move between sports the best,” Henderson said.

“The size of the space is also something I can maximize in order to be successful.”

So far, Henderson has enjoyed the company of the team and the nature of the practices. Throughout the season, he hopes to become closer to everyone on the team.

“We’re all friends. I’ll say hi to them in the halls, none of us don’t like each other,” Henderson said. “I guess my long term goal is to be one of the top seeds. For now, I most want to gain experience and skill from this season, I’m just trying to

improve. [I] also [want to] have fun and win some.”

On Mar. 7, the boys tennis team traveled to R.E. Lee High School for a scrimmage. Each player went against another player from Lee in order to learn how the game works and what to expect for their first real match. In Henderson’s opinion, Lee was a challenging school to play, with many knowledgeable and skilled players on the team. “[Our first scrimmage] was a great experience.

I need to work on everything, specifically, my backhand,” Henderson said. “I

think practicing will improve my skills overall and give me an edge over the competition. I want to be able to win some matches this year.”

Henderson is looking forward to playing more, working hard and learning as he goes. He believes that the scrimmage was a good way to begin his high school tennis career.

“All in all, it was a really good start to hopefully a really good season,” Henderson said.

The Newsstreak

March 23, 2018

Sports-B9

Carcamo returns to softball after foot injury Owen Stewart Sports Editor After playing on the JV softball team during her freshman season, Kendra Carcamo was ready to move up to the varsity level last year as a sophomore.

While she was prepared for the change, she was held back by an injury that kept her out of the game.

“I was on the team, but I didn’t play because I was injured for the whole season,” Carcamo said. “I fractured my foot in a weird place. I had to be there to support my team and also go to rehab to get it better, but it wasn’t healing, so it took up the whole season.”

Due to the injury, Carcamo had to reset her mentality when it came to learning new aspects of the game and work on things during the offseason that she had already mastered previously.

“Since I was out for the whole season last year, I kind of stopped for a while.

I had to relearn how to do a lot of things that I already knew how to do. Like with ground balls, I couldn’t do [them] with my foot because it hurt to put pressure on it. I just had to get back to the basics,” Carcamo said.

Carcamo, an outfielder for the team, sees many possibilities for improvement in this year’s team after they finished below .500 last year on both the varsity and JV levels. She believes that having played with many of the girls in previous years will allow the team to work better together as a group.

“I think the juniors and seniors are already really close and we’re really welcoming to the younger girls. I think the chemistry is there. We all get along pretty well. We’ve all played together before. It’s basically the same team we had [my eighth grade year on JV]. A couple girls left and a couple girls are not playing, but the ones that are still here, we all know each other because we stayed,” Carcamo said.

For the team to improve, however, Carcamo believes the younger players will have to take over for the seniors that graduated in previous seasons.

“I feel like since a lot of seniors left this year, people are going to have to fill in those positions [and] have a big impact. We’ve just got to get it together,” Carcamo said.

To do her part, Carcamo hopes to improve her performance at the plate

PHOTO BY THEO YODER

DINGERS. Junior Kendra Carcamo prepares to hit a ball during softball practice. Carcamo will play her first season on the varsity team after recovering from an injury. this year to make her game more well-rounded.

“I really want to work on my hitting. I feel like it wasn’t that great [in previous years], but I feel like I can do good this year. [I want to get] more power.

I’m okay with hitting the

ball, but I just want more power,” Carcamo said.

Carcamo believes that this season’s group of players can perform better than they did at the JV level, and thinks that their passion for the game will help with that.

“Even though we weren’t really that good, we still kept it together and played as a team through our losses. We still had fun with it, too. I think we can get some [wins] and have fun with it [this year],” Carcamo said.

The softball team began their season with a scrimmage against Robert E. Lee on Mar. 7 and played their first game against the Albemarle Patriots Mar. 16.

Freshmen participate in softball with little experience Sophie Sallah Staff Reporter

PHOTO BY OLIVIA COMER

BREAK A LEG. Freshman Elizabeth Healy practices a dance routine for the musical Cinderalla on Nov. 18, 2017. Healy has made the transition from fine arts to athletics now that she has joined the JV softball team.

2017-2018

HHS

NEWSSTREAK

PATRONS

NEWSSTREAK SUPER SPONSORS

Bobby and Valerie Kibler Carmen Moreno and Tom Little Chayo Moreno Cynthia Prieto Dick and Nancy Krause Dr. Larry and Kathy Whitten Gretchen and John Sallah Kim and Ken Rutherford Larry Leffel Lynette Latham Mike Eye Ralph and Carolyn Custer Ted and Stephanne Byrd The Valdez Family You Can’t Take It With You Fund of The Community Foundation of Harrisonburg and Rockingham County GOLD SPONSORS Bonnie and Bill Stewart Brenda Lafavor Caroline and Timothy Bill David and Lisa Varner Gloria Ottaviano & Greg Stewart Greg and Nancy Simpson Jack Fleming

Jeanette Shepard Jeremy and Diann Beach Joe Glick Karen and Burns Earle Kealani Lambert-Brown Laura Sider Yost Lauren Jefferson Mark and Carolyn Varner Melody Wilson Nancy Lambert-Brown Nancy Miller Nate and Regina Hissong Noland and Barbara McHone Pam Power Paul and Jane Walton Rich and Martha Sider Scott and Lori Kizner Sean Rolon Shelan Ameen Suzanne and Jon Gilchrist-Thompson Tammy Krause The T-Medhin Family Wayne and Betty Jo Fleisher Weaver’s Flooring America Wen-we and Sune Shen Wesley Livick SILVER SPONSORS Adrienne Copeland Alan Quimby

Freshman Elizabeth Healy wanted to try a new sport this season, so she decided to try out for the softball team. Healy had last played at the age of five, but not knowing much about the sport in high school didn’t stop her.

Healy was also persuaded by friends and family to try out this year. Among the family members that convinced Healy to try out for the team is senior Sam Healy, Elizabeth Healy’s brother, who has played baseball at HHS for his four years of high school.

This season, Sam Healy is the captain of the varsity baseball team.

“My dad likes softball and he really wanted me to do something. I wanted to do a sport and I knew that softball was an easy sport to make,” Healy said. “I suck at it, but a lot of my friends were doing it so I [decided] to try it.”

At tryouts, Elizabeth Healy and numerous other girls practiced basic skills like catching, batting and hitting in order to

perfect their technique. According to Healy, hard work was what determined whether or not you made the team.

“If you had any desire to get better, then you made the team,” Healy said.

Healy is taking softball one step at a time. She believes that coaches and older, more experienced players will be able to help her get better throughout their season.

“I can practice and maybe I’ll be able to do something eventually. Our coaches are really good and they help us,” Healy said.

“Some of the other girls know what they’re doing and they can help me.”

Healy is intimidated by the upcoming schedule of practices and games, but hopes to improve and enjoy the season.

“I’m terrified [for our games].

There are only like 12 people on the team, which means that I’m actually gonna have to play,” Healy said. “That scares me so much.”

Freshman Eva Velker was another athlete with little to no prior softball experience. Deciding to try out was influenced by her family.

“My grandpa loves baseball a lot, and my mom would always talk about how she went to all these baseball games. I [watched] baseball games, and it was really fun,” Velker said. “I really like baseball, and you can’t play baseball as a girl, so I decided to play softball.”

Velker went to tryouts with an open mind about playing a completely new sport. “[Tryouts] were kind of hard, you just had to be diligent. [We] practiced catching, hitting and then we ran,” Velker said. “It was practically a practice, but everyone was super nervous.”

Velker has played a variety of sports in the past, including diving, soccer and basketball. She believes that through dedication and practice, she will be able to learn softball and improve her skills.

“Softball is completely new to me, but I’m gonna practice really hard [in order to learn],” Velker said. “[Practices] will help all of my technique and form. Most of the girls on the softball team are really good [and] I feel like if I practice enough then I’ll be able to be really good, too.”

Patrons are members of the Harrisonburg community and others who support the pursuit of excellence in the journalistic publications of Harrisonburg High School. Money generated from the patron program is used to offset costs of attending journalism conferences, to print our paper, and to purchase up-to-date technological equipment for our journalism lab. To become a patron, see any member of the Newsstreak Staff or stop by room 444. You can also visit www.hhsmedia.com to download a patron ad contract. Patron level is determined by the following scale: HHS Patrons, $5; Blue Patrons, $10; Bronze Patrons, $15; Silver Patrons, $25; Gold Patrons, $50; and Newsstreak Super Sponsor, $100+.

Andy Jackson Ann Marie Bill Annie and Mark Carpenter Anu Beheraj April Detamore BarGra International LLC Bethany Everidge Brad and Julia Stewart Caitlin Francis Carolyn and Donald Pittington Carolyn Earls Cathy Soenksen Charlie Mitchell Chris Milano Com. Russell Wilder Da’mes Family Darrell Wilson Dori Ottaviano Earl Clarke Emilee Hussack Esteban and Lizet Moreno Geoff Estes Heather Da’Mes Herman and Lethia Horne Jack and Mary Broaddus Jeremy Aldrich Jerome Li Jim and Julie Kramer Jodi Hale John and Jane Beach John and Marian Fitzwater Juan and Veronica

Moreno KYoder Craftsman LFM Michael and Gina Picone Moriah Hurst Myron E. Blosser Randy and Kim Hook Robert and Judy Wolfe Sara Gingras Stan Sneller Steve and Rachael Eckard The Menefees Tierra Copeland Virginia and Marc Healy BRONZE SPONSORS Anda Weaver Brendan Erb Brian Nixon Carlo Mehegan Cassandra Copeland Cecil and Dory Grove Dara Jalal David H. Shenk Debi, Emilee, Shane Burke Dorothy Custer Gretchen Cessna J. Patrick Lintner Joey Valente and Lynne Mason-Gomez Karen Fansler-Ryan Kenlyn and Carolyn Miller Korey Lamb Lisa Warren

Megan Holland Philip Yutzy Rachel and Ian Linden Trevor Chase Vaunda Brown BLUE SPONSORS Anca Constantin Christy Norment Costel Constantin Craig Shoemaker Curtis Walker Cyndi Smith Dana Landacre Danielle Brino Darcy Bacon Dorothy Copeland Elisabeth Glover Emily North Graciela Gallardo Heather Hostetter Holly Kincaid James Long Jane Thompson Jill Hagmaier Joe Beppler Joe Carico Kevin, Mary Beth and Grace Tysinger Kim Hill Kimbra Hill Kris Vass Kristen Fueton-Wright Lisa Thurman

Lora Cantwell Lori Spillman Luz M. Giron Marcos Quintana Mary K. Inge Mary Strickler Noah Heie Orenic Family Ramon Holguin Ray the Stray Hunter-Nickels Ryan and Amber Corriston Ryan Henschel Sarah Sweetman Seth Shantz Thibeault Thibeault Tracey Calderon HHS SPONSORS Betty Smith Bradley Walton Cara Walton Cathy Grogg Chloe Nichols Chris Shifflett Christy Oakes Clint Richards Colleen Morris Crys Roach Dale Phillips Dionne Jenkins Don Burgess Elena Histand Stuckey

Elisavet Savides Erich Sneller H & Mona Rawles Heather Hostetter Indira Holguin Jay Hook Jen Diggs Jenny Arteaga Joanna MacLennan Karen Alvarez Karen Whetzel Keith Gentry Lynda Blackwell Marly Estrella Matthew Denlinger Mia Lemon Monica Stringham Mr. Cosner Nathan Brown Preston Taylor Rachel Bolyard Rachel Hershberger Ron Ornstein Ross Foster Roy McCutcheon Russell Wilder Shony Ventura Stephany Holguin Susan Hermann Suzanne Smith Veronica Ryman

The Newsstreak

March 23, 2018

Sports-B10

Antonio prepares for increased role in goal Owen Marshall Sports Editor In previous years, the boys varsity soccer team has seen depth in the goalie position, but this year the team has seen a change. Last year, the team had graduated senior Toby Campbell, current junior Blane Murphy and current sophomore Josh Antonio, but after Campbell graduated and Murphy decided not to play, the spot was left to Antonio.

Antonio is no stranger to the varsity squad making the team as a freshman. The head coach Paul Rath believes that his raw talent helped land him a spot on the team.

“He just had natural understanding of the game and technique which is good,” Rath said.

Antonio believes with the other two goalkeepers leaving he has to step into a leadership role for the younger players. “[I have to] just work harder, show the other goalkeepers how to [be a good keeper], and see that we have good back ups,” Antonio said.

Rath believes that Antonio being left the only returning goalkeeper is what has sparked this leadership.

“The biggest change would be when you’re put out there by yourself you don't have somebody to step in, he is starting to take a leadership role. With himself and the other goalkeepers. [He is a good] role

PHOTO BY LENE ANDRAWAS

SHOWING OFF THE HANDS. Sophomore Joshua Antonio leaps in the air to make a save during practice in his freshman year. model,” Rath said.

The team saw an increase in success in

the previous season, making a run to the regional semifinals. Antonio hopes to build

off of that and go even deeper into the postseason. “[I would like to] win a lot of games and go to the state [tournament]. [We are hoping] to go farther than we did last year,” Antonio said. “[I want to] work hard and get focused on everything.”

Whereas Antonio set more team oriented goals, Rath believes he needs to work on positioning the defenders.

“He needs to take charge of the back defensive line more and instruct where people need to be because he is the last line of defense. [He needs to] orchestrate the back three or back four,” Rath said.

Through both of the varsity coaches have helped Antonio improve since making the team his freshman year. They run a series of workouts everyday to help them prepare for any situation.

“Coach Rath [has helped me the most] because of the drills they make us do helps us learn more,” Antonio said.

Rath hopes to see Antonio get the basics ingrained in his memory for the upcoming season.

“We always have to go back to basic techniques. Sometimes if they’re not trained they get sloppy and that’s with any sport. We want those techniques to become good and you need to perform them without thinking and that’s what he needs to learn,” Rath said.

How tough is it to play keeper?

A regulation soccer net is 24 ft x 8 ft (192 sq ft).

Soccer balls can travel up to 60 miles per hour.

The average human takes up 6.2 sq ft (only 3% of the net).

On a shot from the 18-yard box, the goalie has about .7 seconds to react.

PHOTO BY LENE ANDRAWAS

BLOCK IT UP. Sophomore Joshua Antonio drops to his knees to make a save during his freshman year. Antonio was the only freshman goalie to play varsity last year.

Pair of freshmen secure spot on varsity soccer Simon Beach Sports Editor Making varsity is an uncommon feat for freshman, but this year’s soccer squad has two. Both Nathan Brown and Carlos Diaz asked to try out for varsity. They both made the varsity soccer team this year, and as expected, were very surprised and excited to find out.

“I was pretty excited because it’ll be a good experience and I think that I’m going to learn a lot from the juniors and seniors who have been playing for a while,” Brown said.

“I was excited. It was the best feeling,” Diaz said.

Now that they have both made the team, they’re the small fish in a big pond with a bunch of experienced juniors and seniors. However, neither of them are very worried about being outcasts.

“I think I’ll be able to fit in because we all play soccer together so that creates a bond. I hope that the big guys will like mentor me and make me better,” Brown said. “[We need to] get to know them,

hang out and talk about things that we need to work on and building friendships,” Diaz said.

Brown has been playing soccer since he was four or five years old and plays center back and left back.

Diaz has also been playing soccer since that age and plays many positions including center back, center mid and wing. Diaz says that the trick to getting some playing time is to play like a complete tryhard. Both of them worked on their game during the offseason.

“I tried to get fit and fast. I also worked a lot on my weak foot, which is my right one, because it wasn’t very good. I think that I improved on it a good bit,” Brown said.

“I worked on everything during the offseason man. Passing, shooting, anything you need to know about soccer and just preparing myself mentally,” Diaz said.

Both of them agree that the style of play will be the biggest change from varsity to JV last year.

“The gameplay will probably be faster and more physical, but it’s definitely going to be a challenge,” Brown said.

COACH'S CORNER with Boys Soccer Coach Paul Rath STAR: Eric Ramirez "He is very creative and he is so consistent throughout each game. He makes everybody better."

SLEEPER: Jackson Weakley "We're going to expect a lot out of him. He'll help out immensely with depth in the back and his understanding of the game."

PHOTO BY KYLE BROWN

A NEW FRONTIER. Freshman Nathan Brown (#21) defends on the play against R.E Lee during his 8th grade season on JV. Brown made the varsity team as a freshman this year.

Mitchell takes step up, makes varsity squad as freshman John Breeden Staff Reporter Soccer season is here, and freshman Amelia Mitchell is ready to take the varsity field for the first time. She's confident that the team will have a successful season.

“I think we have a chance to go to regionals and possibly states if we try hard enough,” Mitchell said.

Mitchell will be playing goalkeeper on the varsity team, which for a freshman, is a big deal. It's rare to see freshman immediately jump up to the varsity level without any JV expe-

rience. For Mitchell, she would rather take the leap to varsity so she can get as much varsity experience as possible.

“I prefer to play varsity because I consider that there's harder competition to make me become a better player,” Mitchell said.

To prepare for the season, Mitchell has done a lot of the soccer workouts and has put in as much time as possible by showing up early.

“I did all the conditioning and came a little bit early to all the events for it [soccer],” Mitchell said.

Mitchell is ready to prove to everyone that she is a varsity lev-

el player. Not only is she taking over big role on the team, but she has the support of her team behind her.

“I know [my teammates] pretty well. I know a lot of them from my travel team. The people I know really well are glad that I'm on varsity, they're used to playing with me,” Mitchell said.

In her first high school soccer season, Mitchell wants to do the best to her ability to help her team win games. She wants her team to have a chance at states, and she plans to fulfill her goals for this season.

“My ultimate goal is to work my hardest and just win a ton of games,” Mitchell said.

Varsity Girls Soccer Roster by Class 3

freshmen

3

sophomores

6

juniors

6

seniors

The Newsstreak

March 23, 2018

Sports-B11

Harper pursues running in college Owen Stewart Sports Editor Sydney Harper was never planning to run in college. During her first season as a high school runner, she made it to the state meet in both indoor and outdoor track, running the 4x200 meter relay in indoor and the 4x100 meter relay in outdoor. Despite her early success, Harper didn’t see herself running past the high school level. That all changed a couple months ago when Roanoke College reached out to her about joining the track team.

“It was just kind of a whim thing because as soon as he called me asking to be on the team, that was when I decided I should go ahead and do it,” Harper said.

One reason Harper made her decision to continue running at the next level of competition was the persistence of the coaching staff in trying to bring her in to Roanoke.

“As soon as I got my acceptance letter, I got a call from the sprinting coach at Roanoke. That’s when he started recruiting me, [and] they just called me a lot and sent me a lot of their information. Then they just kept telling me how much

they wanted me to come run, so I said ‘Why not?’”

Harper said.

When Roanoke first contacted her, however, Harper was still conflicted, but eventually did make the decision to accept the coach’s offer.

“I was really excited and nervous [when he called] because I didn’t know if I was actually going to do it.

But then, like two days later, I called them back and said that I would,” Harper said.

Harper, who set her personal record during her sophomore season by running a 7.66 in the 55 meter dash, hopes to run college’s shortest event, the 60 meter dash, and also hopes to run in the 4x200 meter relay and the 300 meter dash in college. Harper hopes that new methods of practice and instruction while in college will help her gain some newfound speed.

“From what I’ve heard, the coaching [in college] is a lot more aggressive and better [in general], so hopefully I’ll get a little faster with the new workouts,” Harper said.

While Roanoke wasn’t the only school Harper applied to, she was limited when it came to options for track. She believed Ro-

PHOTO BY OWEN STEWART

FOCUS. Harper gets her block set to lead off on the 4x100 meter relay last season at an HHS home meet. anoke was the only college that would be a good fit for the combination of education and running.

“Every other college I applied to either didn’t have a track team or they were too big [of a program] for me to run at,” Harper said. “I was considering Randolph-Macon, but they

didn’t have a team.”

Although she’s reached the regional meet in her past three seasons of high school track and fell just one second short of qualifying for the 5A state meet in the 4x200 meter relay this season, Harper’s freshman state run still stands out for her as the moment she’ll remember.

“Getting to states freshman year [is my greatest memory] because I haven’t done that since. It just went downhill after that, and I’m not sure why. [It’s partly] because I was on the relay and all of those girls graduated, so it hasn’t been as good as it was,” Harper said.

While running in college

offers new opportunities and a chance to meet new people and coaches, Harper’s high school teammates and coaches will stay in her memory as she goes off to college. “[I’m going to miss] the people I got to run with and my coaches, my new and old coaches,” Harper said.

Beck accomplishes major running milestone Simon Beach Sports Editor Freshman David Beck has reached an important milestone yet again for his prowess on the track. This time at the Last Chance Meet at Liberty University, Beck broke five minutes in the mile for the first time in his indoor track career.

At first, he didn’t even know that he did.

“I was super happy once I found out, I actually didn’t think I broke five at the time when I came through the finish line. I was hearing my coach yell ‘48, 49, 50!’ but I was thinking that fifty meant 5 minutes. I’m not always thinking about things logically when I’m racing, so I was really scared that I didn’t break it at the time. I had gone to that meet specifically to break five. My coach came over to me and he gave me a fist bump and at that point I knew that I had broken five,” Beck said. His time was 4:54.33.

Beck enjoys having broken a five minute mile, but he isn’t satisfied with his

time. He wants to continue to lower his times and become a better runner.

“At the time, and for a few minutes, I was super happy and satisfied with it, but the next day you always want to go for more, I hopefully want to reach 4:39 in outdoor for the mile,” Beck said.

Beck thinks that he has the ability to come back next indoor track season and put up an even better mile time.

“I’m really hoping [that I improve my time]. I feel as though with a good outdoor track season, good summer training and a solid cross country season, that I can come back faster than ever before,” Beck said.

Beck has had support from many people during the track season, but he would have to say his coach was the most influential in making him faster.

“Coach Hertzler has been really supportive through it. His workouts are super hard but have been super helpful, and a few days after it, you feel great.

Sometimes you feel com-

pletely physically drained, but you know at the end of the day that it’s going to help you in your races,” Beck said.

Beck has many role models to look up to on the running teams who are more experienced than the young freshman.

“The upperclassmen have always been there as role models and people to look up to. Isaiah King was and still is a huge motivator to me. He’s always putting his best effort into every practice and every race. He makes me want to strive to be like not only him running wise, but also in his personality,” Beck said. “Jack O’Brien, another upperclassmen, has always been there for me throughout the seasons of running and throughout the entire school year. Not everything in running and school has been easy, but he’s been there to give me that extra boost and a little bit of his vast knowledge. They’re a great group of guys and I’m going to miss them when they graduate this year,” Beck said.

COACH'S CORNER

with Outdoor Track Coach Jerry Hertzler BOYS STAR: ISAIAH KING

“This is his last season; he’s super motivated.

He wants to be at the state meet in the 800 and I’m sure he also wants to take the 4x8."

GIRLS STAR: MIA CONSTANTIN “I’m just getting to know her. I know she had an outstanding cross country season. I think she’s going to have a huge outdoor season."

PHOTO COURTESY OF HUNTER EVANS

STRIDE. Beck pursues his opponents during the 1600 meter race at the Bulldog Invitational in the Liberty University Indoor Track Complex.

Brown continues triple-jumping career Betsy Quimby Staff Reporter This season marks junior Kyle Brown’s third year on the track team, and he will continue representing HHS in the triple-jump.

“It is my favorite event. It’s an event that I just kind of get how to do it, and it works,” Brown said.

Although Brown has participated in other events, like sprinting and hurdles, triple jump is his favorite event, and the event he finds that he’s best at.

“I really like doing triple jump. Triple jump is what I personally believe I’m the best at, and not to mention it’s just

a really fun event to compete in. Also, triple jump doesn’t have nearly as many competitors as some of the other [field events do], so it’s a bit easier to do well in,” Brown said.

Brown started practicing for this event before the season even started. Since he has been competing on the track team since his freshman year, Brown knows how to practice for the events he competes in.

“I prepare[d] mostly by just practicing. Once the season is going and I get back in shape, I will hopefully be jumping every day to just improve my form and strength in triple jump and also going through drills before a meet to help prepare me for the best,”

Brown said.

Brown also competes in other events including sprints, but his main event is the triple jump. Although it is his main event, he doesn’t compete just because it’s easy for him.

“Triple jump involves a lot of thinking and coordination with what you’re attempting to do. I would say for me personally, just running through the motions of what to do for triple jump is very simple, but when I try and tweak and fix my form to maximize my distance, that’s when it gets a little harder to do,” Brown said.

Brown is planning on competing both this year and next year on the track team.

BOYS SLEEPER: DAVID BECK

“I know that he’s not a sleeper but nobody else knows that. He made some huge strides during indoor season. I think he’s going to surprise quite a few other people with that.”

GIRLS: ANA RODRIGUEZ

“I don’t thinks there’s anybody out there that understands the impact that she’s going to make on this team. She dropped some major time during indoor.”

PHOTOS COURTESY OF TED BROWN

HOP, SKIP, JUMP. Brown leaps off the mark during an attempt at triple jump this past season.

The Newsstreak

March 23, 2018

Humans of HHS-B12

HUMANS OF 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.

HHS

Junior Esmeralda Ruiz PHOTO BY OLIVIA COMER

Senior Ashton Landes Do you have any special talents?

I can do this weird Russian dance.

Sophomore Jakaya Brandon How did you get into playing so many sports?

My mom just signed me up for everything I was younger and I liked all the sports that I played.

Which ones have you tried?

Basketball, softball, soccer, gymnastics, cheerleading if that counts [and volleyball].

Sophomore Paula Moreira

PHOTO BY OLIVIA COMER

How long have you been playing soccer?

“Since I was five.”

Why do you play soccer?

“I play soccer because I love it and my parents make me.”

PHOTO BY OLIVIA COMER

Sophomore Raghab Kharel

Do you have any special talents?

I am a good artist and I can do a cool dance move.

PHOTO BY OLIVIA COMER

Junior Joel Mutanbay What’s something cool about you that you wish more people knew?

That I speak French, and French is a really cool language. It’s my first language.

Where did you learn to speak it?

I was born in the Congo, it’s in Africa.

PHOTO BY OLIVIA COMER

Senior Israel Kakule Do you have any special talents?

I can put both legs behind my head.

Can I get picture of you doing that?

I’ll give you one leg.

PHOTO BY ETHAN POWER

PHOTO BY OLIVIA COMER

Where did you go for vacation?

“I went to Spain to visit my family and to explore the culture. It was eye opening, it was really interesting to see how different the two cultures are.”

Junior Evan Wood

PHOTO BY OLIVIA COMER

What’s something cool about you that you wish more people knew?

I’m double jointed.

Sophomore Jade McLeod (Left) What is your ideal doomsday scenario?

“Ok so I’m thinking either a zombie apocalypse, because that would be really cool, or sorta futuristic sci-fi... It wouldn’t be ideal, but it would be more probable. The fact that we have kinda been neglecting the environment so we are all dead and then the army of insects and all the animals and the ghosts of the species we have decimated come back to kill us all. Or dragons, there needs to be dragons.”