17-18 The Whirlwind - Issue 1

COLLEGE NOW

Recent changes may impact student transcripts

FROM 18 TO 21

New tobbaco regulations aim to deter teen use

LOCAL ARTISTRY

Students share their artistic inspirations

SPEECHLESS

How a silent protest sparked a national conversation

With new school hours implemented, will there be a positive correlation in student success?

5

College is expensive, but it’s still worth the cost

THE REBIRTH OF A LEGEND

AFTER 10 YEARS, THE WHIRLWIND RETURNS

A DECADE AGO , budget cuts and a lack of funding managed to snuff out a flame that had burned for over 100 years. A proud student-run news publication came to a standstill. As students graduated and teachers moved on or retired, only a few teachers and alumni remember that it ever existed.

Now, the Whirlwind is back, and it’s more important than ever. With so much going on in our world, it makes sense to have a group of individuals dedicated to bringing discussion of the world to the eyes of the student body, keeping them informed about what matters most. Within and outside of Albany, news is happening, and our community needs to be informed.

A NOTE

from the editors

That’s what we here at the Whirlwind intend to do. It is our belief that the people should be informed of the issues affecting them. The importance of a school newspaper also goes outside of the school’s walls. The student body and staff that attend West Albany represent the ideas present in all walks of life, allowing us to have information and stories relevant to virtually all of those who pick up a copy of The Whirlwind.

-Chase LaPerle and Will Randall

EDITORS-IN-CHIEF

Chase LaPerle

Will Randall

MANAGING EDITORS

Kate Looney

Curtis Allen

COPY EDITORS

Megan Carroll

Amber Stefan

BUSINESS MANAGER

Emily Haarstad

Jordyn Lockwood

ART DIRECTOR

Jackie LaPlante

PHOTO DIRECTOR

Brianna Graunitz

Geneva Mellison DESIGN DIRECTOR

Kaden Strametz

PUBLIC RELATIONS

Alizah Bueno NEWS

Malachi Murphy

Vada Shelby OPINION

Mattea Helman

Jonathan Perkins

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Jordan Andreas

Jaden Rodriguez STAFF

Maggie Bedrin

Illa McCulou

Hayley Harlan

Braxton Reece

Jaden Rodriguez

Abigail Winter

Kailee Young

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Reach 1,400 Albany teens directly. Advertise here.

FOR RATES, DATES, AND OTHER IMPORTANT INFORMATION, EMAIL WAHSWHIRLWIND@GMAIL.COM

At the crack of dawn

Parents. faculty share the academic positives and worrying negatives of the recent shift in start time within Albany’s school system

BY Illa McCaulou

AS OF THIS YEAR, the times, literally, are a-changing. In an effort to bolster student success, Greater Albany Public Schools has changed Liberty Elementary’s start time to 7:40 a.m. Though this has proven to be problematic for grade schoolers, it is expected to yield positive results. So the question is: what is the upside to an early start? The answer lies in recent studies about adolescents and education.

While elementary students have to wake up earlier, middle schoolers get to start later and sleep in longer. The extra time is meant help middle school students feel rested and improve their performance. Liberty Principal Tracy Day points to research that supports this.

“Research shows that adolescents stay up later and need more sleep,” Day said. This statement is something most teenagers can attest to, because sleep is something everyone wants more of. Yet, there has been little change to when school starts for students at West Albany High School, due to the scheduling of after school sports.

Students are expected to be in class at 8 a.m., but student drivers tend to arrive earlier. This has been the main cause of conflict due to the change. Both parents and administrators fear the possibility of collision between student drivers and elementary-age children arriving at school. Kyle Hall, a social studies teacher and Liberty

“Little kids don’t always look both ways and student drivers don’t always pay attention.”

KYLE HALL Social Studies teacher

CROSSING

Increased morning congestion at the crosswalks around WAHS and Liberty Elementary has raised concerns among parents.

parent, shares the reasoning behind this concern,

“Little kids don’t always look both ways, and student drivers don’t always pay attention,” Hall said. While parents’ concerns about their students’ safety are valid, student drivers have proven more responsible and less reckless than parents might assume.

Althought there have been no accidents yet this year, according to West Albany Principal Susie Orsborn, “There has been a concern for students who are speeding.”

Both Orsborn and Day seem confident in the abilities of the driving upperclassmen, but each school has taken precautions against any question of safety. Liberty has staff working outside, monitoring every drop-off and pick-up of students, whilst driver safety has been addressed at West Albany during multiple class meetings.

For now, it is unclear what the long term effects of the scheduling change will be. It could greatly improve the academic performance of middle schoolers, or it could changed again in the future.

“We can’t jump to conclusions without first surveying parents,” Orsborn said. “It depends on whether the positives outweigh the negatives.”

At the end of the year, it will come down to what parents and students want. Both administrators encourage community members to communicate their opinions on the changes because, ultimately, their voices make the final decision.

Brianna Graunitz

The development Of Albany

Albany: bigger and better, or bigger and worse?

BY Jonathan Perkins

THE DEVELOPEMENT OF

Albany in comparison to Corvallis, Albany has always lacked what Corvallis has. Corvallis is also more populated than Albany, but over the years, Albany has had a boost in population.

According to United States Census Bureau’s report “Population and Housing Unit Estimates” from 2010, Albany grew from a total of 50,158 people to an estimated 53,211 in 2016. That’s an increase of 6.1%. Corvallis, on the other hand in grew from 54,462 people in 2010, to an estimated 57,110 in 2016, which is only a increase of 4.9%. If this trend continues, in a couple of years, Albany will surpass the Corvallis population.

Our growing population gives Albany the chance to develop and advance. Albany is also utilizing the Central Albany Revitalization Area committee, or CARA, which is used to “Increase the economic vitality, encourage the use of vacant and underused land and buildings, and rehabilitate structures while increasing property values both in CARA and the City of Albany” as stated on Central Albany Revitalization Area (CARA).

Jorge Salinas, Assistant City Manager/ Chief Information Officer states for the Total annual value of CARA investments in public-private partnerships, Albany’s target is $500,000, which was met last year and again this year. Our private investment target is $2,500,000, which hasn’t been met yet with only $1,700,000. This will maximize the total investment and development effort in Central Albany.

With the increase in the Albany population and the CARA plan in play, renovation and construction are soon to follow. Ed Hodney, Interim Urban Renewal Director writes on Central Albany Code Update, “The proposed code changes are

GROWTH Workers have broken ground on contruction of a new housing development on Water St. With the projected growth in population, Albany can expect more projects like these to appear around town.

intended to encourage uses and development consistent with urban renewal goals. The amendments will affect the Historic Downtown (HD), Central Business (CB), and Waterfront (WF) zones and will create a new zone, called the Downtown MixedUse (DMU)”

From this, Albany plans on creating a downtown that is spirited and lively. Within the coming years, if everything goes accordingly, Albany will be more full and developed than ever.

MASTER PLAN

The City of Albany’s goals and guides

Business

Expand local businesses

Partnerships

Local/regional economic development

Prosperity

Grow and maintain income levels

Central Albany

Make an identifiable downtown core

Malachi Murphy

Education of News

By:Alizah Bueno and Brianna Graunitz

Turn it in.com

Turnitin.com is something that West Albany school has always had, but what exactly is it? Turnitin.com is a resource that has always been available to teachers but it hasn’t always been easy for them to use and it is also expensive. It hasn’t really been used in a while but our school has decided to bring it back into the system. This site isn’t just for the teachers:in fact, it’s mainly for the students. The site helps the students learn more about how to rewrite sources, allowing them to write ideas that they find in articles or books, without plagiarizing. Turnitin.com is helpful, not only for our teachers, but as well as our students with skills that will be essential in the future.

Outdoor Schooling is Outside?

Oregon Declining in Scores

Schools across Oregon are declining in reading, writing, and math scores. Middle school scores have decreased the most, but no schools have shown improvements in raising these specific scores since 2016. According to an article by The Oregonian published on September 14, 2017, “This year, roughly 60 percent of Oregon public school students fell short in mathematics as did 45 percent in reading and writing.” Due to the new Smarter Balanced tests, schools have been struggling to reach the new set standards. Even though there are declining in scores, the teachers are trying to find more ways to bring those scores back up to where they should be. Although the scores say that there is a declining across Oregon, some cities,such as Pendleton, Hillsboro, Newberg, Albany, and several others throughout the state show more than others. Schools are fighting to get back into the right lane.Woodburn, Riverdale, Hood River, and Sherwood are recognized to be improving the most, but just because our schools are declining in scores, doesn’t mean our students aren’t learning anything. It just means that our students are having a difficult time meeting the new standards.

Outdoor schooling isn’t something that we find very common in our small city of Albany, Oregon. In 2016, the state of Oregon voted yes for outdoor schooling. This was presented to the state as something that schools really wanted to expand on.While speaking to Nicole Duncan from the Greater Albany School District, she gave us some more information. A big question was how would this be payed from and where would the money come from. She said, “43 million of Oregon Lottery dollars have to go to schools to provide outdoor school opportunities for students of the 4th, 5th and 6th grade.” For what we know right now, only one select group of 6th graders are in the process of learning this new environment. Soon it should be something that all selected grades will be participating in.

43 Million dollars of Oregon Lottery dollars go towards Oregon schools

College: Worth the cash

Though expensive, higher education is still the most direct route to success

As many of our students approach the end of their time here at West Albany, they find themselves faced with a familiar, yet crucial question:

“What now?”

Our society has encouraged higher education in a way that almost makes it seem mandatory for students. While that may not be entirely true, the financial benefits of a college diploma are clear. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that in the first quarter of last year, individuals with a bachelor’s degree earned an average of almost $500 more per week than those with only a high school education. That adds up to almost $25,000 in a year. Clearly, attending college is a trustworthy vehicle to financial stability. So why hesitate?

EDITORIAL

The opinion of The Whirlwind editorial board

Cell phone: Worth the crash?

With new cell phone regulation, driving in Oregon becomes much safer.

BY Kate Looney

WHETHER IT’S A TEXT , a call, a Snapchat, a Twitter notification, or any number of other things, our phones are constantly demanding our attention. Whether or not this is a good thing, it is just the way of the world today.

Although smartphones offer many benefits, they also present us with new dangers, especially for teens. Car accidents as a result of distracted driving routinely cause injuries and even deaths. According to the Center for Disease Control, the leading cause of death for teenagers in America is motor vehicle accidents; this is a statistic that simply cannot be overlooked. Oregon, however, decided to do something about it.

On October 1, 2017, a new law was enacted, prohibiting any type of cellphone use while driving. The previous law, which was enacted in 2009, only explicitly prohibited texting or making phone calls while behind the wheel. This new law, however, forbids cell phone use of any kind from behind the wheel. This includes taking pictures or videos, using a GPS, or even checking Snapchat at a red light.

Is looking at this notification worth a thousand dollars?

Six thousand dollars? Someone else’s life?

This new law is necessary because the original law only explicitly outlawed calling and texting while behind the wheel. So technically, someone could still legally do things like, check an email, send a Snapchat, or watch Netflix while driving.

The primary concern these days appears to be the cost, and understandably so. Many feel the pay raise simply isn’t worth the bill.

But as costly as it may be, it is still worth it.

No, it ain’t cheap. Tuition rates are at a record high. According to the College Board, since 2006, the average public, fouryear, in-state university tuition has jumped from $6,863 to $9,648, adjusted for inflation. Over four years, it becomes $38,592. That’s enough to buy 70 Samsung flat screens. For private, four-year, nonprofit institutions, the increase has been $26,380 to $33,479, also adjusted for inflation. Again, after four years, that amounts to $133,916. With that money, one could buy a four-bedroom house in most parts of the US.

Even still, it’s a substantial investment, and easily an intimidating one; but it’s an investment with a significant return.

Not only is it uncommon for a high school graduate to make as much money as someone with a college degree, but it’s significantly more difficult for them to find a job. As of 2016, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that more than 1 in 20 individuals with only a high school education were unemployed. For fouryear degree holders, that number was less than 3 in 100.

However, as the College Board reports, there are always options to mitigate the cost. Debt.org states that $46 billion is distributed in the form of grants or scholarships each year. Also, though it does involve a long-term payment plan, student loans are a common route to affordability. US News reports that these loans are, on average, paid off in 27 years with the income a bachelor’s degree typically garners.

crash?

While this is a loophole not often intentionally exploited, it has existed this whole time. The more specific guidelines of the new law, however, create a legislation much more difficult to get around.

Although the urge to look at a phone while driving can be hard to resist, it will create a safer environment for everyone on the road. And, if safety isn’t enough of a motivator for teen drivers, the new law has also brought with it more harsh consequences. Now a first offender can expect a fine of up to $1,000, and a repeat offender can face up to $6,250, or even up to one year in jail.

So next time a phone buzzes from a pocket, bag, or cup holder, we must think to ourselves, “Is looking at this notification worth a thousand dollars? Six thousand dollars? Someone else’s life?” Our actions on the road affect every other person around us, and this new law is just another way to hold us accountable for what we, as safe drivers and decent members of society, should already be doing.

Now, it’s important to remember that college isn’t the only form of higher education available. Many individuals interested in being a mechanic, welder, truck driver, or electrician, among many other things, choose to attend a trade or vocational school. Careerschoolnow.org reports that this path only costs around $33,000, while the schooling itself could be completed in as little as one year.

If one doesn’t fall into this demographic, however, college remains the best path. Irrevocably stated, a college graduate is far more likely to obtain a job and a higher salary than an individual relying solely on a high school diploma. There are inevitable deterrents, but it is worth the sacrifice in the long run.

Malachi Murphy 10/21

Fieldside Conflict

With tensions high, the NFL combats oppression with kneeling for the national anthem, but that approach is inconsiderate of veterans

BY Amber Stefan

“TAKE A KNEE” IS ORIGINALLY AN army tradition that means to take a breather and to step back and look at a situation. Unfortunately, the idea of “taking a knee” has changed. It has become a symbol of racial divide in the United States.

America itself does not oppress anybody, individuals do. Well known figures, most notably NFL players like Colin Kaepernick, have taken it upon themselves to disregard the National Anthem in favor of their cause. Kaepernick took a knee approximately 14 months ago and in a press conference, he later explained why he did so, stating, “I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people, and people of color.”

Originally, Kaepernick remained seated during the anthem, however former Green Beret, Nate Boyer, convinced Kaepernick to kneel. In Kaepernick’s interview with Boyer, Kaepernick explained why he wanted to remain seated. In an interview with NPR, Boyer explained what happened in his discussion with kaepernick, stating, “He didn’t want to offend veterans, he didn’t want to offend people in the military, and even police officers that do it the right way every day.”

Kaepernick didn’t want to offend veterans or those serving, so both Boyer and Kaepernick came to the agreement that kneeling showed more respect. While this would be an appropriate form of protest, this has since evolved into a disrespectful approach to a sensitive subject for a multitude of people.

In theory, this form of protest would be a good idea if used appropriately. In the National Anthem, one of the last lines

“No, I’m committed to sitting until I feel that things are changing and that we’re moving in the right direction.”

Colin Kaepernick in an interview with former Ex-Green Beret discussing his contradicting feelings between kneeling and standing for the anthem.

World War II students in Philidephia felt standing for the national anthem would lead to

kneels

Over 200 NFL players kneel during the national anthem

is “Land of the free,” and the final line is “home of the brave.” By allowing this protest to continue, we are not “the land of the free, and the home of the brave.” Instead, it is deepening the racial divides we have tried hard to eradicate. We become the land of the divided and the home of the cowards.

Approximately 2.9 million military personnel have lost their lives fighting for the very right people are using to demolish the morality of America and spit in the faces of military families. In the NFL, over the duration of the last few weeks, over 200 football players have taken a knee to protest oppression in America.

We must acknowledge and not discredit the past and continuing difficulties faced by ethnic minorities, and particularly

African Americans in the U.S.; however, these athletes are making millions of dollars by playing a game.

Taking a knee or sitting during our National Anthem as our flag is flying high and proud says exactly one thing: those who choose this method of protest have never been handed a folded flag and don’t know the gravity of their actions.

Instead of using the NFL as a platform to protest during the National Anthem, go to a known political place and kneel, but not while we honor those serving, retired, and lost. Not during the minute and a half that we are able to take out of our day to remember those in our military. Not while we are taking our breather to step back and remember those we have lost.

MLK

during protest

“rabid nationalism”

Colin Kaepernick kneels during national anthem

1939-1945

What is your opinion on the new driving law?

“A lot of accidents are caused by distractions, and if people aren’t strictly disciplined for it, they’re going to keep doing it and accidents that could’ve been stopped, happen.”

sophomore Olivia Reller

“The laws before weren’t really enforced, and people didn’t associate them with real consequences.”

junior Grace Bender

“[The new law] seems a little too strict.”

freshman Jenna Scott

“I think it’s a good idea. Some people were getting too overconfident while driving and finding loopholes to use their phone with the previous driving law.”

sophomore Keely Kohlleppel

“It doesn’t really affect me because I’m not a driver right now, but I’m not opposed to it, it doesn’t seem like a bad idea.”

junior Arianna Branson

Post-tragedy commentary should make a statment

How we reacted to the Las Vegas shooting, and what it says about how our world reacts to terror and why it should change

BY Abigail Winter

On October 1st, 2017, in Las Vegas, Nevada, 64-year-old Stephen Paddock fired down on Jason Aldean’s show at the Route 91 Harvest festival from the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay hotel. Paddock killed 58 and injured over 500. This act is considered the biggest mass-shooting in modern U.S. history. Its events and how they unfolded woke people up fairly quickly—as they should.

similar condolences, heartfelt but without opinions—words and phrases that we have seen too many times before in times of crisis.

In contrast, some celebrities were more vocal after the incident, expressing their anger and irritation. “It sickens me the ease a TERRORIST can be sold a GUN,” fashion model Gigi Hadid wrote on Twitter. “Is the ease really worth all these lives ?! This needs to stop.”

Victims’ families, news reporters, other concertgoers that survived the incident, and celebrities reached out to share their thoughts through social media.

Aldean shared on Instagram, “It hurts my heart that this would happen to anyone who was just coming out to enjoy what should have been a fun night.”

“Woke up to the heartbreaWking news from Las Vegas, my thoughts are with everyone and their families,” tweeted singer Harry Styles.

Other celebrities and public figures shared

COMPLAINT FILE:

“The hallways are too crowded.”

Crowded hallways are a huge problem at West due to people walking in huge groups and messing around. The only way to truly change the congested hallways is for everyone to follow the rules and for bigger groups to move to areas like the courtyard, cafeteria, or the section out front instead of in the middle of hallways, such as F hall and E hall. Be considerate of others around you, and everyone will get to where they need to go faster and easier.

BY Kailee Young

Ariana Grande also shared her thoughts on Twitter: “We need love, unity, peace, gun control & for people to look at this & call this what it is = terrorism.”

We need to stop just sharing our “thoughts and prayers” for those affected by tragedies such as this. Instead, we need to start sharing our opinions on who caused the act, how it started, and how we can stop it from happening again.

We need to stop being bystanders and start becoming advocates for the events that cause harm to the people and overall society around us. We should follow the lead of those trying— and often succeeding—to get others to listen, and then individually, we can make a change.

RANDOM10

We asked 10 random Bulldogs what they thought about school dances, and here’s what they said:

5 of 10 enjoy school dances

3 of 10 do not enjoy school dances

2 of 10 don’t care

Maggie Bedrin

COLLEGE NOW or never?

Recent adoption of College Now grade transferring requirements leads students to worry about impacting their college transcripts

BY Mackenzie Wang

FOR MANY JUNIORS AT WEST, college application season is just around the corner. This marks the time of looking for a way to set yourself apart from the swarms of other high school students. One opportunity we have here at West Albany that is not offered in every state is College Now.

C

ollege Now is a partnership between Linn Benton Community College, West Albany High School, and 15 other high schools in Linn and Benton counties. High school teachers to become certified to teach college level classes in a high school setting, and LBCC gives them the option to award college credit to students.

Students need to be registered in College Now, take the College Now accredited classes and pass the class with either an A or a B, or pass a qualifying exam administered by the college, to earn college credit. Prior to this year, no grade would be submitted to college transcripts from a College Now class if it was lower than a B. However, this year that policy has changed. The grade a student receives in a College Now accredited class will appear on the college student’s transcript, even if it falls below the B level.

Though the change seems abrupt to current College Now students, LBCC did not make the executive decision to change College Now. In fact, according to Jeanine Howell, a specialist in the high school-college partnership at LBCC and former director of College Now for ten years, LBCC had no input on whether it should be changed, period. “Oregon’s department of education has actually had the requirement for whatever grade a student gets in a class for college credit to show up on their college credit for quite some time,” Howell said. “There has been a traditional period where community colleges that have been with College Now from the beginning have been exempt, and instead have been able to drop students from College Now classes if they earn less

than a B so it doesn’t show up on their college transcript. LBCC is one of the last, if not the last, of the community colleges to switch over to this system and comply with state regulations.”

Understandably, there have been mixed reactions to this new development. Some are on board with the change and think the new requirement makes sense, since that is what college is actually like. From that mindset, this change with College Now could better prepare high schoolers for the college setting. “I’d say [the changes in College Now] make sense,” LBCC sophomore and Winema School District graduate Justin Zeller said. “If a person is confident enough to take a college class before they’re ‘supposed to,’ whether or not they perform should be reflected in their college transcript.”

However, there are other people in the community that note some important distinctions between a College Now class and an actual college class. For one thing, the pace of a college class is far more rigorous and demanding than any class offered in high school. Students at West take the entire academic school year to cover material that is taught at LBCC in a single term. “ I think that [the changes in College Now] could compromise [a student’s future],” LBCC freshman and Sweethome graduate Sophia Brown said. “I don’t think [the grades from College Now] could count towards students’ college life when they’re in high school and trying to figure things out.”

It turns out that we—the College Now program with LBCC, WAHS, and fifteen other high schools— have not been following state regulations of College Now, and changing the standards has been a long time coming. So, whether or not people love or hate these changes, this new version of College Now is here to stay.

Oregon Promise

What you need to know about the grant to determine your future

BY Mackenzie Wang

What is the Oregon Promise?

The Oregon Promise is a state grant for all community colleges in Oregon that covers the majority of college tuition for recent highschool graduates and GED recipients.

What do you need to do to qualify for the Oregon Promise?

• Submit an Oregon Promise Grant Application (Seniors graduating or completing their GED from now until July 30th 2018 can apply!)

• File a FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) or ORSAA (Oregon Student Aid Application)

• Be a recent OR high school graduate/ GED recipient and plan on attending college 6 months after graduation.

• Be an Oregon resident at least 12 months before attending college

• Have no more than 90 credits completed or attempted

IN THE KNOW

For more information on how to apply for the Oregon Promise and how it works, please go to https://oregonstudentaid. gov/oregon-promise.aspx

What changes have happened to the Oregon Promise?

The Oregon Promise is $8 million short of being fully funded for the 2017-2019 school years.

How might this affect you?

On top of the other qualifications that need to be met to be eligible for the Oregon Promise, the HECC (Higher Education Coordinating Committee) will look a student’s FAFSA and ORSAA to determine their expected family contribution (EFC). If a student’s EFC exceeds $18,000, they will not qualify for the Oregon Promise.

Advice from the experts

Q&A with Business teacher Joey Running

Q&A with high school to college transition expert Jeanine Howell

Q: Do you think there are some benefits for high school students with these changes in College Now?

Running: I think this could be an open opportunity for more students who get a C in a College Now class to receive college credit. Because there will be more opportunities for students to earn college credit, I think more people will take advantage of it, which would be amazing. There are also many positives with this program: it’s free, students that earn credit get credit that transfers, and they save money. There’s really no downside.

Q: Do you think this change in College Now could affect student’s college admissions?

Running: I would hope that any college admissions would take into consideration that people enrolling in C.N are high school students trying to reach a higher level of comprehension and understanding. Overall I think the opportunity of this change will outweigh the negative

Q: How does WAHS feel about the changes to College Now?

Running: We feel neutral. It brings regional entities at the same level. This is mandated at the state level, so we don’t really have a choice. Hopefully the possible D’s and F’s are discouraged but we are also hopeful that more students will benefit and earn college credit. We at WAHS will try to compact the D’s and F’s as much as possible. If a student has any questions about whether or not they should drop a C.N class, please have them contact their C.N teacher so they can have more specialized insight on their performance and qualifications for the class.

Q: Do you think these changes in College Now could be beneficial for high school students?

H: This new regulation would prepare high school students for college more effectively because they would be more aware of the grades they’re receiving in classes and determine whether or not they want a less than adequate grade on their college transcript. This could help students who want to go to college be more prepared for the college setting because they would already have had to make academic decisions affecting their transcripts when they’re still in high school.

Q: Since some of the College Now classes are for people wanting to enroll in trade or vocational schools, could this change affect their admittance?

H: These changes would not necessarily keep a student who is interested in vocational or trades schools from being admitted. If a student at the high school takes one of the trades/vocation C.N in H.S and get a bad grade, they have an opportunity to retake the class in college and get a better grade. This is true for any College Now course.

Q: How does LBCC feel about the changes to College Now?

H: One thing I think we have to remember when thinking about this issue is that this change is not a new change. This has actually been the state of OR’s requirement for a number of years. There are always negative sides to change at first, and part of the negative in our case is getting H.S students, instructions, and faculty, as well as the instructors and faculty at the college, on board. However, in the long run, this will help our community be more compliant and in line with the state, which will be more beneficial to everyone.

Stubbing Out

Oregon government attempts to extinguish teen smoking by raising tobacco buying age

BY Mattea Hellman and Malachi Murphy

ALTHOUGH OUR LIVES are no longer dominated by them, cigarettes and tobacco products still live strong across our nation. Over the last few decades, an initiative toward a “smokefree Oregon” has prompted large legislature to attack the tobacco industry. Jennifer Bornheimer, head of the Health department at WAHS, had one response to the signing of the law: “I was ecstatic.”

As of Jan. 1, 2018, anyone under the age of 21 will not legally be able to purchase any tobacco products or devices in the state of Oregon. This law, also known as Senate Bill 754, was officially signed by Oregon Governor Kate Brown on Aug. 9 of this year. Our state is now the fifth to pass legislation increasing the legal age. Under this law, retailers of any tobacco product will be required to post notice of the prohibition when the law goes into effect in January. In addition to this, they will also be required to keep tobacco and any associated devices in a safe place where they

cannot be accessed without employee assistance.

As it occurs most often, when revoking a privilege, the government will allow those who are the current age to continue using the product, a process called grandfathering. This new bill does not include grandfathering, prohibiting those who are current tobacco users from continuing after the law is put into effect in January. Although she is completely for the age increase of tobacco use, Bornheimer is less in favor of the way the law has been rolled out.

“I don’t think it’s fair to give someone a right,” she said, “and then take it away.”

While it is a violation to sell these commodities to minors, it is not a violation for minors to possess them. This is because the Oregon government’s reasoning is based on lessening youth initiation to tobacco products rather than having early onset addiction; According to the government website, “Nine out of 10

Malachi Murphy

NINE OUT OF TEN ADULTS WHO SMOKE REPORT THAT THEY STARTED SMOKING BEFORE THEY TURNED 18, AND ALMOST 100 PERCENT START BEFORE THEY TURN 26.

SENATE BILL 754

Increases the tobacco use age to 21

DID YOU KNOW?

The law attempts to curb tobacco use by punishing business owners and employees who sell tobacco to minors rather than existing tobacco users.

Fines range between $250$1,000 depending on the person’s role and the number of previous violations.

One in three stores in Oregon that sell tobacco products sell them at children’s eye level.

Over 70 percent of middle schoolers and 80 percent of high schoolers have taken notice of tobacco advertisements on or inside stores.

Tobacco companies spend around a million dollars every hour in the U.S alone.

adults who smoke report that they started smoking before they turned 18, and almost 100 percent start before they turn 26.” As Bornheimer said, the later the onset, the less likely they are to get addicted.

Not only does our state government pass laws that lessen the grip of tobacco companies on our citizens, but they have also launched awareness campaigns with the intent of scaring teenagers away from tobacco products. You may have seen them, or laughed at them, but when funding toward anti-tobacco advertisements were cut in 2007, the number of cigarette sales jumped up, only to be counteracted when funding resumed.

Needless to say, our state has been waging a war against tobacco for decades, passing bills, advertising to us, and trying to pull us away. The results yield success, and only once the bill is put into action may we find out how it affects Oregonians and their teens.

Nearly 100 percent of tobacco users started using under the age of 26.

Delivery of tobacco products has also been banned in Oregon, as of Aug. 9.

according to the Oregon Health Authority

2017-2018 SPONSORSHIPS

WHAT IS IT?

The Whirlwind, West Albany High School’s reemerging student news publication, is seeking sponsors for the 2017-2018 school year. Whirlwind provides a unique service to the school community, covering news and issues related to the WAHS student body. Sponsoring The Whirlwind is a way to show your support for the civic engagement, open dialogue, critical thinking and free exercise of expression that good student journalism encourages.

WHO CAN BE A SPONSOR?

Any individual or business can sponsor The Whirlwind. Sponsorship does not indicate endorsement of the views or opinions expressed in The Whirlwind.

SPONSOR

Name of sponsor:

Name to appear in ad:

2017-2018 SUBSCRIPTIONS

WHAT IS IT?

(cut and return to WAHS Whirlwind)

The Whirlwind is West Albany High School’s re-emerging student news publication. After being out of print for nearly a decade, it’s returning to provide a unique service to the school community, covering news and issues related to the WAHS student body. Subscribers receive 7 print issues of the magazine.

WHY SUBSCRIBE?

You might be thinking, “Won’t my student get the magazine for free at school?” Yes, they do. Yet, there’s no way to guarantee it will make it home to you without receiving it delivered directly to your mailbox. Here are just a few reasons to subscribe:

• You won’t have to dig it out of the bottom of your child’s backpack to know what’s going on at school.

• You will have access to the latest news, trends, and topics related to your teen.

• You can keep copies as a record of your student’s time in high school, which can be packaged and gifted to your teen upon graduation.

• Your support the civic engagement, open dialogue, critical thinking and free exercise of expression that good student journalism encourages.

SUBSCRIBER

O say does that star-spangled banner yet wave O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

Fight on the home field

Players of the NFL have sparked a controversy all over America and its discussion has reached the minds of some students, staff, and members of our community

Braxton Reece

TAKE A KNEE

BY Hayley Harlan

A girl stands to look around the crowd during the Oct. 12 pep assembly as the announcer asks students to remove their hats and stand for the national anthem. She notices a student who stays seated but sits tall. She gives the girl a questioning look, hesitates, and then sits right back down. The two girls nod to each other and share a quiet smile.

Recently, NFL players have kneeled on the field during the anthem at their games, and this movement has struck a chord with people all over our nation. What does this form of peaceful protest mean to our country and our school?

For freshman Bella Forney, this raises another question:“Is everybody in this country free?... [Because] when not everybody is free in a country that’s supposed to be, something’s wrong.”

Junior Alex Schrems doesn’t personally know anyone who has been affected by police brutality, but says that doesn’t make it less of a problem to him. He describes the problem our country faces as “systematic inequality,” and is quick to defend the protest’s actions.

“People in the news have made a big deal about how it’s disrespectful to the flag,” Schrems

FROM A VETERAN’S PERSPECTIVE

BY Maggie Bedrin

said, and he provides a valid retort. “You aren’t supposed to use the flag for clothing, or advertising, or campaigning purposes… In comparison, kneeling during the anthem as a form of peaceful protest isn’t that big of a deal.”

Some argue that kneeling is extremely respectful. Students who participate in this type of demonstration protest with silence and reverence. In fact, they can’t normally be spotted while others are standing. Students who sit often become hidden in the crowd. However, you’d be surprised to know just how common the protest is becoming.

“I’m usually with my friends, so my friends sit down with me,” says Forney. “I just try to be respectful in doing it.”

History is relevant to some in this protest, too. In 1965, over 250 civil rights marchers were arrested in Selma, Alabama. Shortly after, a photo was taken of Martin Luther King Jr. as he led other protesters in prayer for those who were arrested. All who are captured in this photo are kneeling. While we fight a similar fight now, in 2017, many follow in MLK’s footsteps, and take a knee as well.

During the recent NFL protests when players have chosen to take a knee during the playing of the national anthem in order to protest racial discrimination, one group that continues to come up in conversations is veterans. The big question is whether or not veterans would be offended by this protest.

“They’re not burning flags,” substitute teacher and former

WAHS teacher Max White said. “They are taking a rather respectful approach to the matter.”

“I can’t speak for all veterans,” WAHS Army recruiter said. “If you wanna take a knee, go for it.”

Many veterans say they fight for America because they want to protect the rights they cherish.

“This made the protest more about freedom of speech than about racial profiling or police brutality.”

THE ATHLETICS

ANGLE WAHS coaches, athletes reflect on national protests and the relationship between respectful protest and free speech

BY Braxton Reece

NFL PLAYERS have sparked a real controversy all over America, and it has sparked discussion among students, staff, and other members of our community. The issue on the national level stems from Colin Kaepernick’s refusal to stand during the national anthem of an NFL game, as an act of protest to events regarding police brutality and racial profiling against African Americans. Now more and more players are joining his cause, as they raise more and more controversy. In recent weeks, the protest has reached the high school field.

High school players are following in the footsteps of their NFL role models and choosing to not stand for the national anthem. Sept. 30, two players for Praise Christian Academy in Crosby Texas were stripped of their jesrys and removed from their football team for kneeling

during the national anthem. Countless other schools are threatening students with disciplinary action or expulsion for kneeling, such as the chain of Catholic private schools in Long Island.

At the homecoming game on Sept. 29,WAHS varsity football players did not take the field during the national anthem, which many students assumed was some sort of protest. Offensive Coordinator Derek Duman stated, however, that the players not being on the field during the national anthem was normal for the team and not a form of protest.

said. Duman believes that the protests started to make the public aware of an issue, but now have transformed into something completely new.

“After the President made his comments,” Duman said referring to President Donald Trump’s statement that protesting players should be fired, “the issue was blown out of proportion.”

For many, this made the protest more about freedom of speech than about racial profiling and police brutality.

“It’s a bigger picture than just the flag, it’s more on police brutality,” said Nate Bassett, senior varsity football player.

But other schools’ administration don’t share the same philosophy as some of our own. Scott Smith, a Louisiana school district superintendent, fully expects all student athletes to stand for the national anthem.

“It is a choice for students to participate in extracurricular activities, not a right, and we at Bossier Schools feel strongly that our teams and organizations should stand in unity to honor our nation’s military and veterans,” said Smith.

Duman makes it very clear that the coaching staff here at West would be non combative with players choosing to protest and will always support their players.

Coaches and players had similar feelings about the issue.

“Where it is at now is not the intended purpose,” Duman

“We need to listen to why these players are protesting, and listen to their concerns,” Duman said.

“We would have a conversation with these kids [if they wanted to protest],” Duman said, “and talk about what they are thinking, why they are thinking it, and guide them in the right direction.”

Braxton Reece

MaggieBedrin

Changing Culture West Albany

BY Chase LaPerle, Kane Weekly, and Ruth Nash

WITH GREAT SUCCES

surrounding the West Albany Athletics Program, a recent downturn in wins continues to harm the overall culture of sports, but also affects the environment West Albany provides for their students. With a large jump between classifications and the recent decline in athlete participation throughout various sports within the athletics departments, has the culture changed?

Coaches, administrators, faculty, and students have witnessed firsthand the ongoing culture change, and many coaches discuss this within their sports programs.

Brian Mehl, head football coach who is close to finishing his fourth year as the “top dog” on the coaching staff, has made culture a prominent ideal in in his coaching philosophy, holding player and coach meetings discussing the topic. During a meeting coaches will emphasize the importance of what it means to be a bulldog on and off the field. Providing examples for how bulldogs are supposed to act and how to be a better athlete, student, and person.

“Culture is a shared collection of a common vision amongst coaches and their players,” Mehl said.

According to Mehl, the West Albany athletics culture is mainly “winning based,” and throughout the short years West was competing in the 6A classification, the culture he noticed that it evolved.

“[The culture] remained in development,” he said, “and it still remains a constant uphill battle that hasn’t

Culture at Albany High School

The culture surrounding West Albny has a particular meaning in the eyes of the student, teachers, and coaches, but has that culture changed? Is the culture ever changing, or prone to decline? Coaches comment on the effects of student body, and sports performance to enhance our understanding

nearly been reached.”

Yet, while Mehl acknowledges that coaches are an important factor influencing culture, he believes that ultimately “the players bring the culture to life, following the set vision the coaches input.”

Mehl also praised the pep assemblies West Albany holds for keeping students excited, motivated, and hopeful for in-season and upcoming sports seasons to come.

“I often give a fruit on the tree philosophy to my players, using the fruit as a motivation for players to continuously pick the growing fruit off the tree,” Mehl said. “Pep assemblies represent more than the wins and losses West encounters, and non-athletes participating in a pep assembly is another way to help pick fruit off the tree.”

Men’s basketball coach Derek Duman is entering his third year as part of the West Albany athletics program, and he believes that culture is largely influenced by the players on a team in a given year. “The record of the team doesn’t always reflect directly the results at the end of the day.” Duman said. “The athletes, themselves, who come through have a great effect. Talent varies between classes as they come through West Albany. Not every year will you have the same type of kid playing for your team. The results illustrate this.”

Yet, Duman also saw the negative effects jumping to the 6A classification had on the West Albany Athletics Department. “We were playing better competition, and on top of it, we don’t have quite as many athletes as we had,” Duman said. “I think it made it look worse than it was.”

Like Mehl, Duman also praised the use of Pep Assemblies to embed layers of excitement amongst the students at West. “I think that does say a lot about our culture,” he said, “be-

What’s new?

West Albany will be rejoining the 5A classification which they left four years ago.

How long it lasts?

The OSAA reasseses the classification of teams every four years.

What does this mean?

This will be the first time in four years that West Albany will play their cross-town rivals South Albany.

cause not every kid is an athlete, not every kid likes sports, but it’s kind of cool as a school we can gather in one place and kids get excited about being a bulldog. I think that’s pretty special and not something you find everywhere.”

Duman agrees with Mehl that there will be continuous change in the future based on the culture aspects surrounding West Albany athletics. “After the league change, all the schools will be closer, kids are more likely to know players from other teams since they are a town over, travel will be easier, and rivalries will be brought back to life.”

Don Lien, the men’s baseball coach entering his 21st year as a part of the athletic program, has witnessed many cultural changes that are now non-existent in today’s athletic department.

For example, Lien highlighted a critical event that would be seen as abuse in today’s athletic culture, “Going back to my first year, kids would make wooden paddles and spank freshmen,” Lien said. “The bullying piece was out of control, and society changed a lot of that.”

Since then, Lien explained, “West Albany, now, is much more proactive and more sensitive to how you act in a public setting.” Between what coaches have seen in the past and what were moving toward is a shining light at the end of the tunnel. This is best said by Lien when he said, “The culture of pride and commitment in things other than just what we do in the building when we’re in the school, when, we take that out into the community, whether it be a choir concert or men’s football team, what we take into the community is a very good product.”

Does winning really matter?

BY Vada Shelby

WEST ALBANY IS A SCHOOL KNOWN for school spirit and supporting their sports teams. Last year the girls Water Polo team took state, and the student body was there to cheer them on. The student body also sup ported both the boys and girls Lacrosse teams, although girls La crosse didn’t do as well as Water Polo. This begs the ques tion, does winning really matter?

We learn many things from team sports in high school, all while creating lifelong friendships. So, at the end of the day, what is it that drives us to keep playing? Is it winning, or is it something else? Junior player Erica Rietmann thinks that team dynamic, adversities, and atmosphere make a difference in a team’s winning record.

“Our favorite quote our coach uses is from the Uni versity of Oregon,” Ri etmann said. “‘Never you, never me, always us.’”

Rietmann believes it is the coach’s positive attitude that helps mold the atmosphere of water polo.

“I think we are such a big family,” she said. “We hang out and watch our film together. It’s always fun. It’s an amazing team atmosphere. We work together so well.” Rietmann expresses her love for the team in not only the words she speaks but also her overall demeanor when she is talking about her team.

“I don’t think there’s anything I would change. One thing I love that our coach does is he includes everybody. It was never just about the starters or seniors. Last year, he didn’t know

ence. Because of their experience, water polo and lacrosse girls will leave high school knowing they gave their all to their teams, and whether they won or lost, they achieved the true goal in team sports: finding a niche and working their hardest at what they do.

OVERCOMING THE ROUGH

The water polo team faced a challenging match against Newberg last year. It was especially difficult, Rietmann said, because both their team and Newberg’s team were strong at the sport. She described the team as being a little anxious about the game that day. “Our Water Polo team ended up losing, but they knew how to keep it from getting to them.” Because of the strong team dynamic and experience, the girls were able to keep their heads up and prepare for their next game. “It’s okay because we got back up on our feet and kicked butt,” said Rietmann. Playing Water Polo hasn’t just taught these girls how to dominate a certain sport physically--it has also taught them how to deal with frustration and excess energy in a positive way. Team sports have been teaching young kids through high school and college important lessons like this for as long as most of us can remember, and if these programs continue, the lessons will not be forgotten.

Maggie Bedrin

The Rugby Train

Student Emily Train of West Albany, keeps a low profile during school hours. After class ends, her personality shifts to that of a team captain of Linn-Benton Lady Lions Rugby

BY Ruth Nash

EMILY TRAIN: QUIET CLASSMATE or

rugby beast? Try both. After speaking with Train and her coach, these qualities became visible. Emily Train has a rigorous daily routine. From reserved student to intrusive rugby athlete, Train’s daily routine is unlike any known.

Around school, Train seems to keep to herself and just try to get through the day. “I’m pretty quiet,” she said. “I do my own thing.”

Few know, however, that this hushed exterior hides an aggressive rugby athlete inside. On the field, Train’s work ethic and determination are all displayed in the eyes of viewers, teammates, and her coach.

“She can scare people,” said Luci Betts, Train rugby coach. In the sports world, the word scare has a more symbolic meaning of intimidation. Other players going against Train see her as a threat, someone they need to lookout for, and be aware of.

Once she dresses down and steps onto the rugby

field, the switch is flipped. As a captain and two-time member of the all-state team, Train’s voice appears palpable. Her teammates respect her for decision making and coercive play calls. As a strong player on the field in the eyes of Betts, Train appears “being brave and smart when she plays.”

Emily plays the position of scrum-half, which is similar to a quarterback in football. In this spot, she works hard to distribute the ball and make plays for her team. During this physically demanding sport, there is no time for quiet.

Lady Lions is a state champion team of hard-working girls from all over Linn and Benton counties. Together represent the community with character and a winning culture. “The team gets along well and has a fun time playing together,” Train said. Train describes her team as a lively, entertaining group of girls who all get along, and work well together to make the team successful.

“The character she brings to the team has a great impact,” Betts said. “Her ability to perform tasks when needed and execute on and off the field stands out.”

When asked about her home life, Train said she is fairly talkative. Being close with her younger sister and family member she has a foundation built in her life. Train said if her parents asked to describe her in one word they would most likely say “mean.” Surprised on this response Train added on, it has a more representative meaning of a sassy-mean. Also known as, the typical teenage girl.

“[Emily] gives 110 percent on the field, and when she walks off the field she’s super smiley.”

Emily Train isn’t just another face at West Albany. At first sight Train doesn’t appear like the loud and outgoing person that she is when she’s on the pitch. She changes with her surroundings. From silent classwork, to loud, fast pace play, Emily Train keeps the surprises coming.

LACI BETTS RUGBY COACH

CAPTAIN Senior rugby captain Emily Train looks to make a pass during the April 8 game against the Barbarians. Train, while quiet and private in the classroom, is a vocal leader on the field.

Running the course

Social studies and track coach Brian Wadlow and local business owner organize the first annual Albany Challenge fundraiser

BY Megan Carroll

DON’T WORRY, PEERS , this isn’t the FitnessGram Pacer Test. There will be no beeping, no crying, no anxious squealing. Okay, there might be some anxious squealing.

The Albany Challenge is a fundraising multistage test that may or may not get progressively more difficult as it goes on.

This first-year fundraising event will start at the West Albany High School stadium at 2 p.m. on Oct. 29. The course itself will run all around the West Albany and Memorial Middle School campuses. The obstacle course consists of 20 challenges, both mental and physical, that will be appropriate for all ages.

“The idea came from Colonel Chris Reese, who is an Albany advocate [and] owner of Southpaw’s [Perfect Pizza and Sports Pub],” Bryan Wadlow, social studies teacher, track coach, and Albany Challenge organizer, said. “He wanted to help fundraise by doing a cool event, and he just thought an obstacle race would be fun, so we kind of just jumped at it.”

In order to complete the course, racers must finish all 20 challenges—but not necessarily in numerical order. The obstacles span a total of one to two miles apart, and all of the challenges are put together by sponsors in charge of each area. Wadlow says that it will be physically challenging, but everyone should be able to finish.

This first annual Albany Challenge is set to benefit the West Albany Track and Sports programs. The money is raised by sponsors and the participating teams, which pay a registration fee. However, the long-term goal for this event is to benefit West Albany, South Albany, and the Albany Community, as a whole, in the future. The Albany Challenge can be played competitively, but Wadlow says it’s meant to be “fun and memorable” with hopes for “lots of fun costumes” and “unity for the community.”

Organizers would like to reach the maximum of 250 teams, but Wadlow says that the show will go on regardless of the numbers.

“We are going to put on an awesome event for whoever is there,” Wadlow said.

20 OBSTACLES

The race starts at the WAHS track, and it ends with whatever obstacle you finished last. Obstacles don’t have to be finished in numerical order. Obstacles go around the West, Memorial, and Liberty campuses.

PARTICIPANTS CAN EXPECT:

Ropes courses of all shapes and sizes

To participate, you need: a team of five, 100 dollars (or 20 dollars per team member), and an awesome costume. If you are unable to pay the money to join, Wadlow suggests seeking sponsors.

from 15 different sponsors, such as:

AXIS ELECTRIC YMCA

LES SCHWAB DUTCH BROS SOUTHPAW’S

Mental challenges for all ages and groups

“I know that the online registration is difficult for some people, so on Monday [Oct.23], we will start having student registrations [so] that they can sign up on paper and get a waiver sent home and signed,” Wadlow said. “You don’t have to have your whole team together in order to sign up. You just have to get your

Maggie Bedrin

Traditional physically challenging courses

Visit albanychallenge.com or talk to organizer Wadlow in A10 to get a form and waiver sent home.

payment in, and even if you pay day of, we just want people to participate.” There are prizes at the end of the event for top teams and best costumes. Come in the goofiest, scariest, or silliest costumes you find.Whatever you do, make sure you come looking awesomely ridiculous with your friends and family beside while you making the best squad entrance you could imagine.

Hi-Steppers

‘believe’ in tradition

The Hi-Stepper dance team chants “I Believe” before their half time performance at the Sept. 8 game.

Jahnay Traynor, sophomore Hi-Stepper talks to us about the Hi-Stepper team and their pre-competition traditions. “We have a prayer circle. So we all stand in a circle and we put our right foot in the center and we all have our heads down. We pray to ourselves and when we’re done we all lift our foot up.” They do this before every performance, whether it be a competition or a half-time performance.

TEAM TRADITION

Used with permission of Karen Barnett

“We do “I Believe.” It’s a little chant. It goes, “I believe, in myself, in my team, and with teamwork something good is gonna happen.” The girls have a bittersweet tradition for the end of the season. “At state, we have a candle lighting ceremony which is in a back room and we go in as a team and the lights go off. Then we say our favorite memory of the year and we all give a memory of a senior on the team.”

Water polo from a player’s perspective

Sophmore Jaxon Shufelberger, helps give us a vision of the game of water polo. “It’s a lot more difficult than it looks,” said Shufelberger. West Albany has had a great record of wins with their boys water polo team, coached by Rob Nelke. The sophomore swimmer explains what water polo is in the eyes of the player, “It’s a lot of swimming back and forth,” Shufelberger said. “you have to rely on your teammates more than on yourself.”

Maggie Bedrin

Q& ATHLETE

VARSITY GIRLS SOCCER SENIOR KENNEDY GUILLIOT

WHAT MAKES PLAYING SOCCER WORTH IT?

What makes playing soccer worth it is the satisfaction of knowing that I am helping my team, and I am bettering myself in my position. I work hard, and when it pays off, that’s what keeps me going.

ARE THERE CERTAIN SACRIFICES YOU HAVE TO MAKE IN ORDER TO PLAY?

There are definitely sacrifices I have to make. Missing sleep is a huge one. When we have away games sometimes we don’t get home until midnight. School work is sometimes hard to get done as well because the bus rides are so long, homework has to be done on the way to games. A lot of my friends are on my team, so I really enjoy the time I get with them.

WHAT WILL YOU MISS/REMEMBER MOST FROM PLAYING FOR WEST ALBANY?

I’ll always remember the team unity. We are truly a family on and off the field. All of us spend so much time together, and all love each other’s company.

INSPIRED BY

Volleyball chain of inspiration

Freshman

HAILEY REAGLES is inspired by

“Freshman HANNAH STADSTAD because she’s a hard worker and gives 110 percent in practice and in games.”

who is inspired by

“Sophomore SYDNEY KICKNER because she’s a hard worker and she communicates well on the court.”

who is inspired by

“Sophomore KIERRA SANCHEZ because she’s never in a bad mood; she’s always nice. And she’s a good player.”

who is inspired by

“Junior LINDSEY STEWART because she’s a good all around player and she’s a smart player. She’s also nice and a good leader.”

who is inspired by

“Senior JACQUELYN CLARK because she’s always so positive on the court and is always there for everyone on and off the

Thriller

BY Jaden Rodriguez

Music in horror films builds suspense and influences fear

Some movies fill us with adrenaline and have us up leaping out of our seats. Do they make us tense because of the chilling images or because of the suspenseful music?

For some movies it can be both, but with a lack of chilling music, horror movies would not be the same. If the famously known knife scene “rcheeigh-rcheeigh-rcheeigh” from the 1960 horror classic “Psycho” hadn’t had the audio everyone knows, the scene would not be the same.

In the scene is a woman showering as a dark, shadowed object starts moving toward her with a knife making stabbing motions, with the audio going “rcheeigh-rcheeigh-rcheeigh.”

Say the scene had never had that audio: It would have just been the figure with the knife walking towards her, which would still build tension, but the sound is what the scene is remembered for. Would the feeling

still be the same?

In other horror movies, when the music starts to build, the sound is what signals that at any moment, something could go terribly wrong.

“Music affects the moment and how you feel about it,” sophomre Emma Sherwood said. “Loud music is scarier while quiet makes you expect more.”

The viewer is not sure what’s around the corner, or what the character will see in the dark, but the viewer can tell from the music that there is impending doom. The overall mood of horror movies would be different without music, because the music lets you know something is about to happen.

Without it, there would be no buildup of tension.There would be no suspense, completely eliminating the purpose of horror movies.

Horror Movie Stereotypes

THE DUMB ONE

In the movie “The Shining,” the wife, Wendy, doesn’t seem to notice or take action when her husband is obviously losing his mind.

THE DICTATOR

In the movie “Children of the Corn,” Malachi, the dictator of the cult of the town, is the one everyone fears and listens to. It doesn’t matter if he is a good person, everyone still obeys his orders.

THE COMEDIAN

In the movie “Split,” the man with 24 personalities has one personality that is that of a young boy. This character adds comedic relief, with the ignorance and innocence that comes along with being a little boy.

The Conjuring Halloween

RELEASED October 25, 1978

STARRING Tony Moran, Jamie Lee Curtis

BEST HORROR MOVIE Todd Zimmerman

RELEASED July 19, 2013

STARRING Lily King, Joey King,Vera Farmiga

SCARIEST MOVIE sophomore Josy Thompson has ever seen.

Silence of the Lambs

R E L E A S E D February 14, 1991

S T A R R I N G Jodi Foster, Anthony Hopkins

S C A R I E S T M O V I E Todd Zimmerman

Dark Skies

R E L E A S E D Februray 22,2013

S T A R R I N G Kari Russel, Dakota Goyo

S C A R I E S T B Y Mckenzie Morris

How art classes affect students

A look inside the minds of some of West Albany’s greatest artists

BY Jordyn Lockwood

NOT EVERYONE IS MOTIVATED to produce art, but everyone is constantly inspired to do great things. drawing or painting, sculpting or ceramics, photography or videography; art is a beautiful thing done by many people. But two artists, seniors Paris Barton and Sam Grove, stand out for their dedication to art.

Art teacher Babette Grunwald encourages both Grove and Barton to continue what they love in the world of art.

“Grunwald inspires me a lot,” Grove said, “because she knows herself. I want to be like her.”

Inspiration is the key to art. Grove believes that art can boost a person’s self-esteem.“[Art] makes me feel happy about myself [because] it’s something I know I’m good at,” he said, “and it helps when people tell me that I’m good at it.”

Unlike Grove who looks for outward inspiration, Barton prefers “to be and create [her] own inspiration.” She also looks

up to Grunwald. “Sometimes she plays a bigger role in my life than my parents,” Barton said.

Barton often finds herself longing for art even when doing completely unrelated things. “I don’t want to come to school. I just want to do art. [I wish] that I could just devote everything to art.”

Often times art stems from dark times and painful experiences. This used to be the case for Barton; she suffered from deep depression and eating disorders, which she says caused her to make much darker art.

“How you’re feeling really reflects in your art,” Grove said. He talked a when one is feeling sad, the art generally ends up seeming more dark, using darker colors, whereas if you’re happy or excited your art will have much brighter colors.

Barton told me that it was easier to channel dark emotions because it helped her vent what she was feeling, although she couldn’t do just dark art all the time.

INTO THE MINDSET

Here are some creative playlists from inside senior Paris Barton’s mind.

Lana Del Rey

Born To Die

Band Of Horses

Everything All the Time

Blue Foundation

“Eyes On Fire”

LEFT: Junior, Madison Rowe spent over an hour getting ready for this photoshoot, having glitter precisely placed on her face and body by senior photographer, Paris Barton. (There’s still gliter all over Paris’s room)

RIGHT: Senior, Sam Grove, spent 2+ hours using a combination of marker, oil pastels, and colored pencils to create this portrait.

In her interview she claims that she “tries to find the beauty in everything [she] sees… even if it’s horrible… more often than not days are filled with rain and darkness, rather than sunshine”

Previously in her life, Barton says she would simply translate how she was feeling into her art. However, now her art is much bigger than that. She tries to model her art after mainstream issues in life, and not just her own.

“[There are] issues that I care about ,” Barton said. “It’s bigger than a math, science or English class.”

Both Barton and Grove highly recommend Advanced Placement Studio Art for anyone who is willing to devote the time and energy into it.

“The class has a heavy workload, but it is a good class and readies you for the future,” Grove reminded “It is a lot of time and effort but, it’s all about how much you love art.”

Illustrating a future

Senior Jessie Elliott plans to become a 3D animation illustrator

BY Geneva Mellison

EVERY ARTIST HAS A DIFFERENT STORY. The when, why, and where their art career started is unique for every artist in the world. Jessie Elliott’s story began in second grade.

“I would copy artwork off of classmates’ folders with characters on them and book illustrations for my friends,” Elliott said, “it turns out I was really good at replicating stuff so that sparked my interest [in art].”

As she grew up, Elliott drew replicas of characters, experimenting in multiple medias, and drawing things like Disney VHS covers. She learned to draw using graphite and took photography classes when she was younger, though now she prefers to either collage with paper or digitally draw with her tablet or her Mac. Her parents also influenced her in the art world. Elliott’s dad designed houses when she was younger and her mom was an avid crafter.

“My mom made Christmas ornaments to sell at craft fairs when I was really little,” Elliot said. “She’s creative like me, but not into art the way I am.”

Elliott considers herself a social person, yet she also says she’s very introverted. “Social stuff wears me out faster,”she said “but I do enjoy being social when I have the energy.” She likes to keep a close knit group of friends rather than a large one.

Last year, in AP Studio Art, Elliott won the award for “Best in Show” at the portfolio exhibit, and her work has been displayed in the Albany courthouse. Her ultimate goal is to pursue a career in 3D animation. She plans to enroll next year in Animation Mentor, the number one online ani mation school, in order to start making a demo reel.

Elliott’s story is nowhere near over, but here is a glimpse into the making of a successful artist.

Three tricks, one man

Junior Tyler Chipman has brought fourth unique and interesting talents

BY Kaden Strametz

MY BEST WORK

When you think of dark art, what comes to mind?

Gloominess?

Isolation? In actuality, many artists who create dark art show depth and emotion in their work, that’s often more honest than other artwork. Dark art addresses many issues about topics that society tends to oppress. In doing this, this artform can push the boundaries that society holds on art and open people up to a more raw and real perspective of the world.

Kaden Strametz: So what are some of your hidden talents

Tyler Chipman: I Yo-yo, I do magic tricks, and I carve wood sometimes. I wouldn’t necessarily classify it as a talent of mine but

I do love to make stuff with wood and PVC pipe.

KS : So how did you get into this sort of thing? Did you have your parents choose for you?

TC: Well there’s a couple ways I got into it...My dad is amazing at making things, so

“I am mainly inspired to do dark art by the events and emotions that surround me.”

ANDREW STAGGS SENIOR

I would help him and I started asking to use his stuff to make stuff of my own. With yo-yoing,[my dad] bought us these tiny red yo-yos, so we practiced with those. Then later, [he] bought us more expensive yo-yos.

KS : So when did you have time to learn any of these?

TC: Well, within my family, we try and stay away from electronic[s] as much as possible... So anytime we have free time we have to find a way to spend it, and so I usually spend it learning new talents or practicing the ones I have.

KS: Do you think these [talents] could help you possibly get a job?

“What inspires me to do dark art is making something taboo into something mysterious and beautiful.” LILAH HERNANDEZ JUNIOR

TC: Yeah they allow me to talk to people more freely. It’s a way of socializing.

KS: Why do you continue to do these? What is your drive?

TC: Having leaning talents is fun and good. It would be easy to create a good community of talented people.

“Not being able to express those emotions any other way drives me to do art.”

Will Randall

Malachi Murphy