WEST
ALBANY MARCH 2018 / ISSUE 4
FLOW RESALE
Local band grows, changes
CONCUSSIONS How head injuries affect the teenage brain
WAHS RADIO
New radio program slated to begin this spring
DISTRACTION
When pop culture is bigger than politics
SHADOW OF A DREAM
How the looming DACA deadline impacts students, community
INSIDE
CONTENTS
SPORTS West Albany athletes prepare for upcoming seasons PAGE 22
OPINION Open periods are vital to the mental health of juniors PAGE 14
NEWS Long working hours impact students’ academic performances PAGES 8-9
ENTERTAINMENT Annual spring musical,“Seven Brides for Seven Brothers,” captivates audiences with comedy, drama, and music PAGES 28-29
CONTACT US C or r ect ion s and L e tt er s t o t h e Ed i to rs P lease sen d c orrec ti ons or c om m en ts on thi s i ssu e to: w a h swh irlwind@gmai l .c om
NEWS
3 Editors’ Letter 4 DACA 6 WAHS Radio 10 Physical to Digital 11 Features
OPINION
ON THE COVER DACA National Deferment program approaches March 5 expiration date
12 DACA 12 Pop Culture 16 Working Long Hours 16 Concussions 18 Features
2 THE WHIRLWIND/ MARCH 2018
SPORTS
19 Gendered PE Courses 20 Concussions 23 Dance Team 24 Profile 25 Features
ENTERTAINMENT
26 Media Distractions 28 Spring Musical 30 Flow Resale 31 Profile 32 Features
WHIRLWIND STAFF
A FRESH START
The sun is coming! The weather is still a little cold, but a new season of change is winding its way through the halls of West Albany. As winter ends, this new spring season offers much more than LETTER FROM sun and flowers. Leaving behind indoor winter sports, activities are starting to make their way T H E E D I T O R S outside as spring sports start up. Changes from our nation’s capital are felt here as well, with the DACA deadline on March 5th looming over the heads of students within our school and other people across our nation. And here in our own “cafetorium,” actors and CHASE LAPERLE actresses finally get to show off their hard work WILL RANDALL as Seven Brides for Seven Brothers opens for general audiences. The spring season can also bring in new emotions which the winter may have suppressed, giving students a chance to spark a new fire within themselves. Many more activities will begin as March comes around giving students an opportunity to try new things. The season of transitioning brings with it a fresh start for many students who may have struggled to overcome great challenges and hardships the winter presented.
HOURS
Tuesday -Saturday 11 a.m. - 8 p.m. eat@thefirstburger.com
541-704-1128
EDITORS-IN-CHIEF Chase LaPerle Will Randall MANAGING EDITORS Curtis Allen Kate Looney COPY EDITOR Megan Carroll BUSINESS MANAGERS Emily Haarstad Jordyn Lockwood ART DIRECTOR Jacqueline LaPlante PHOTO DIRECTORS Brianna Graunitz Geneva Mellison DESIGN DIRECTOR Kaden Strametz PUBLIC RELATIONS Alizah Bueno NEWS Malachi Murphy Vada Shelby OPINION Mattea Hellman Jonathan Perkins SPORTS Ruth Nash Kane Weekly ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT Jordan Andreas Jaden Rodriguez STAFF Maggie Bedrin Hayley Mae Harlan Hailey James Sydney Morgan Braxton Reece Patrick Spence Abigail Winter Kailee Young ADVISER Michelle Balmeo CONTACT wahswhirlwind@gmail.com
The Whirlwind would like to thank to following 2017-2018 sponsors GOLD LEVEL BULLDOG LEVEL
Anonymous B and B Speed Shop Costain Family O’Bryan Family Tom and Sherry Gaulke Tradewinds Transportation
Bruce Madsen Margie Graves Patrick Moser Mike & Terri Shelby
BLUE LEVEL
Garrett Brittan Lack Nancy Cottle Matt Hellman
MARCH 2018 / WHIRLWIND 3
800,000 WAITING WORKING WISHING HOPING DREAMING.
Thousands of undocumented immigrants brought to the U.S. as children wait anxioulsy to see if Congress will act before the impending March deadline
BY Chase LaPerle
T H E E V E R Y D A Y A M E R I C A N lifestyle prospers in the country’s declaration of liberty and justice for all, but for a certain group going out into this free world is nothing less than a great fear. With the upcoming DACA deadline rapidly approaching, some undocumented immigrants are preparing for the worst as President Donald J.Trump has announced that he will not renew the act currently in place. The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Act, an Executive Order issued by President Barack Obama in 2012, allowed undocumented immigrants who arrived in the U.S. as children to remain in the United States for two extra years without the threat of deportation, given they register with the government. This also allowed many of them to seek and retian jobs within U.S. borders. This act has allowed these immigrants to live freely, with a sense of fear being subsidized by knowing the DACA plan is in place. On March 5, however, the act in place will expire, and the president has left it up to Congress to determine its replacement, ultimately making March 5 feel like a judgement day for many immigrants. David Jazmin is a manager for the Greater Albany Public Schools Welcome Center, which offers transition ser4
THE WHIRLWIND / MARCH 2018
vices to new families, especially Spanish-speaking families, arriving in Albany. Jazmin has witnessed firsthand the already occurring effects the DACA deadline has had on Albany inhabitants. “Many families affected by this upcoming deadline have flooded to hidden spaces to stay away from the limelight, hoping for something beneficial to come about,” he said. Although unable to provide information on specific families due to safety concerns, Jazmin described various interactions in which parents and their children were weeping nervously for what’s to come. “These families have been able to lay low and get by for so long without having to worry, but with Trump’s election and his feelings towards the DACA deadline, families are almost convinced nothing positive will come about for them.” Seemingly enough, Jazmin described the DACA deadline as a “harrowing experience” for anyone connected to it, and hopes that something positive will arise after the long-awaited trial date.
0
NEWS
MAGGIE BEDRIN
WHAT IS IT?
DACA AWARENESS
The DACA Deadline ultimately decides the deportation implications for undocumented immigrants. As of now, the DACA law allows undocumented immigrants to seek and retain jobs within U.S. borders.
We asked 109 students what they think about DACA. Here’s what they said.
48 PERCENT
did not know what DACA is
71 PERCENT As the deadline approaches, it may seem unnoticeable within the halls of West Albany, but this deadline gravely affects the students you pass in the halls every day. Study skills teacher Jane Marshall, who also advises the student club Encompass West, has not personally been affected by this deadline, but has seen its potential outcomes worry some of her students. “The DACA deadline is a scary time for all of us,” Marshall said, “but many students here seem to have no idea what it is.” In fact, out of 109 surveyed students, 52 percent didn’t know what DACA was, 71 percent were unaware of the upcoming DACA deadline, but 51 percent believe DACA recipients should be protected from deportation. The lack of awareness these facts display show how many of the DACA recipients effected by this issue tend to keep their feelings unknown to the public eye. When asked how she felt toward the issue, she simply replied with, “I’m very nervous for what’s to come, but can’t do anything about it.” Like Jazmin, Marshall truly does hope for the best when the deadline comes around on March 5, trying to help students she knows are affected by this issue ease their worries and fears. In the end, DACA recipients will have to si back watch, ultimately awaiting the future of their lives.
were unaware of the upcoming DACA deadline on March 6
51 PERCENT
believe DACA recipients should be protected from deportation
15 PERCENT believe DACA recipients should not be protected from deportation
34 PERCENT have no opinion either way
“We’re going to show great heart. DACA is a very, very difficult subject for me. I will tell you. To me, it’s one of the most difficult subjects I have.” PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP
NEWS / THE WHIRLWIND 5
Braxton Reece
Fine Tuning
Radioheads Junior Marcus Ohlhauser, and Senior Jordan Douglas research copyright laws and how they apply to their project, during class on Feb. 22.
Two students are in the final steps of creating West Albany’s very own radio station BY Braxton Reece
J U N I O R M A R C U S O H L H A U S E R and his Senior partner Jordan Douglas are working on bringing an old form of media back to the mainstream. The duo is planning to create West Albany’s own radio station. Ohlhauser hopes the radio station will be available to the public March 12. The radio, which will be a streaming site similar to services like Pandora, will be available online for students to access. “We are trying to get a link on the school website. It will run all the time, and you can also do song requests,” Ohlhauser said. The radio will be available under the student and parent tab on the website. The radio will mostly consist of music from the 80’s and 90’s, including a “Mr. Hall Happy Hour” featuring social studies teacher Kyle Hall, but will occasionally feature talk show sessions. “We were thinking about doing a talk show during third period or recording something and hav[ing] it play sometime during the day. We will play what people want; we are like the people’s radio,” Ohlhauser said. “We sent out a Google forms sheet to [some] teachers, and they sent back what they listened to.” This all is part of a project Ohlhauser and his partner are doing for Media
6 NEWS / MARCH 2018
Lab. “Jordan was researching how to do a local radio station, and I said, Are we really doing this? and he went, ‘I mean, I guess.’’ Media Lab teacher Matt Boase is leaving the production of the radio station all up to his students. “I don’t know anything about radio stations. They are taking it on; it’s their thing,” Boase said. “I think it’s just something that they are interested in, that they wanted to pursue.” The team has taken on all of the project by themselves, teaching themselves how to do everything as they go. They have a lot of progress to make before their March 12 release date, just recently tackling issues such as music licensing. “The website we are using takes care of all the legal stuff and we’re not making any money from it so it shouldn’t be a problem,” Ohlhauser explains. So until then, stay tuned.
As one door closes
“It’s very inconsiderate to our well being” sophomore Bjorn Carlson said, “and I think an open would be of more value to us than another elective.” “They should be letting us have opens.” sophomore Cheyenne Such said “It just allows more time for resting and at-home NEW ELECTIVES studyFOR THE 2018-19 ing.” In SCHOOL YEAR Rasmussen’s 8th • Intro to Athletic period Training English • Intro to Health Serclass, vices most responses • Sports psychology matched • Abnormal Psych • Pottery 3 with Carlson • Advanced Acrylic Painting and Such’s • Advanced Jewelry opinion. Making and Metals Many • Applied business sopho1,2,3, and 4 mores that were interviewed weren’t aware of the Work Op period and its regulations. The Work Op period will not require students to provide a work schedule; they will only need to provide proof of them working. This means that if a student didn’t work right after school, they could still apply for Work Op and have an open period to take care of things like studying or sleeping. Sophomore Corbin Ulibarry said what everybody was thinking: “This system can be easily taken advantage of.” “I think this, in almost all cases, could be a great opportunity.” said Olivia Dykast. “I have a friend who could never do school activities because she, by necessity, needed to work. This will be a great opportunity for her.”
While juniors lose the option to have opens, the choice for electives widens BY Vada Shelby and Kailee Young
A N E W C H A N G E is coming next year: juniors will not be allowed to have open periods. In 2015, the Oregon School Board Association passed a law that has been “phased in” since. The new law is stated by the Oregon Department of Education, as Each school district shall ensure that at least 92 percent of all students in the district and at least 80 percent of all students at each school operated by the district are scheduled to receive annually the following minimum hours of instructional time. A student with an open period MAGGIE BEDRIN no longer meets the required amount of instructional hours, therefore, West can only give opens to one class. Seniors are also required less instructional time, according to the Oregon Department of Education, seniors need 966 hours of instructional time, while grades 9-11 need 990 hours. Seniors will be the only students allowed to have an open period, so the school is in compliance with the new law. Since juniors will no longer have opens, there will be more students in school for the whole day, which will increase the demand for elective courses to fill those open slots.
Due to this change, WAHS will be adding new electives, mainly for freshmen and sophomores, that will create more classes for juniors to take in later years. “Students will have the opportunity to take more classes,” sophomore class guidance counselor Ryan Graham said, “and will graduate with more credits.” For juniors who work, however, there is an alternative. Next year, juniors who are holding jobs can apply for a “work op” period, which would allow them to leave school during 7th or 8th period in order to get to their job. According to Principal Susie Orsborn, the new changes won’t impact class size too much due to the fact everyone is already in the core classes they need to be in and the school board is adding many new electives. “Hopefully, we’ll be able to hire some new staff,” Orsborn said. Orsborn anticipates using money from the recent passing of Measure 98 to hire additional staff and offer more Career Technical Education classes. The bulk of new classes being added are CTE classes, which give students a head start in their future careers becuase they are more related to what a student wants to do after high school. The sophomore class has just recently found out about the new law, and the majority of the responses have been similar.
START/END TIMES
EARLY RELEASE
•
•
•
Out of 12 neighboring schools seven schools, start 7:20-7:30 a.m. and six start between 7:50-8:00 a.m. Lebanon starts the earliest at 7:20 a.m.
•
Mcnary has late start Thursdays, where they come in 30 minutes later, in place of an early release Corvallis High School does early release on Fridays when they have even periods, where the students get out two hours earlier than usal
NUMBER OF PERIODS
• • •
Six schools have eight period days Lebanon High School has the least classes with only five periods Three schools have different schedules for every day NEWS / THE WHIRLWIND 7
Y HO M EW
M
UT
E • WO R K
UD T S
K•CHORE S OR
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weekends O OL• C O CH M •S
While some teens focus on studying and enjoying their free time, others find their limited hours filled with hard work BY Malachi Murphy and Patrick Spence
Malachi Murphy
M I D N I G H T S N A C K . Senior Hannah Engom takes a customer’s order at downtown pit stop--Hasty Freez--on February 25, 2018. A busy West Albany student and worker, Engom regularly spends schoolnights working long hours behind its counter.
SENIOR HANNAH ENGOM WORKS AT: Hasty Freez HOURS PER WEEK: 25 WORKS FROM: 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. WORKDAYS: Monday through Friday SCHOOLWORK: Takes two AP classes EXTRACURRICULARS: Varsity Hi-Stepper WAKES UP AT: 4:30 a.m. AVERAGE HOURS OF HOMEWORK: 2 WHAT SHE DOES: Takes orders, serves customers
8 THE WHIRLWIND / MARCH 2018
A
S T H E S U N S E T S and teenagers all over Albany dig into their textbooks and worksheets, students like senior Hannah Engom spend their night working. Like Engom, 35 percent of American teenagers are members of the labor force during the school year, with another 13 percent of teens wishing they were, according to The Atlantic. Rates increase by half during the summer. With 53 percent of teens also taking summer classes , 60 percent taking a full course load, and many engaged in internships, teens in modern America often find themselves studying at school and working well over 40 hours per week—the official designation of a full time job.
“Sometimes they would make me
work five hours in a week; sometimes they would make me work 25.” JUNIOR ANNIE RASMUSSEN
Here in Oregon, restrictions on teenagers working are lower than in other states. Once a teenager turns 16, they are allowed to work up to 44 hours per week.
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”
In other states, teens under the age 18 have limited hours they may work to ensure they balance their work, school, life, and sleep: but no such laws apply in this state. As such, the number of teens working at least 10 hours per week during the school year is higher here than the national average. This has its pros and cons: teens develop employable skills, get savings, and can pay more easily for college and other big expenses. However, it also may contribute to higher stress and depression, of which Oregon has a rate well above the national average. Poorer sleep and health, less time for one’s self, and poorer performance at school may also result when students work long hours. Indeed, this may depress Oregon’s graduation rate, which, at 75 percent, is among the nation’s lowest. Nevertheless, at the community level, working high school students benefit the economy, and future employers appreciate those with hands-on experience. Here at West Albany, students have responded differently to balancing the challenges and obligations of working as a teenager. Two juniors, Annie Rasmussen and Isabelle Zerr, recently quit their jobs because of it. Rasmussen, who wanted to keep her employer undisclosed, spoke of the erratic schedule being the biggest difficulty with working. “They only told me when I would work a day or two before,” she said. “Sometimes they would make me work five hours in a week; sometimes they would make me work 25.” At times, management required her to close as late as 10:30 or 11:00 at night, after which she would have to head home and get homework done. When she told management she needed a more consistent schedule without such late weeknights, they were not receptive and scheduled her to work those hours anyway. It was hard to maintain good grades and time with her friends with such variable hours. After months of this, she quit her job, choosing to “put school first.” Nevertheless, she was aware of the benefits the job offered her. Rasmussen claimed work experience was valuable, noting how she learned to work well with others and deal with rude customers. Her paycheck, of course, was important as well, but she does not plan to look for a new job soon.
Zerr told a similar story of her time spent working at a local restaurant. Like Rasmussen, she has a variable schedule—10 to 20 hours per week—including often working eight hours on Saturdays. As a hostess, she spent all her time on her feet except on the particularly long days, when she begged for a half-hour break—which all teenagers working long days in Oregon are legally entitled to. Indeed, she had to buy special shoes to be up for it—which cost her $60 —before her job even started. In a similar vein, employees were responsible for purchasing parts of their uniform, and if anything-even a name tag--was lost, they were expected to cover the cost themselves, despite such practices being illegal under Oregon law.
“I want to enjoy the rest
of my time in high school, because I will be working for the rest of my life.”
JUNIOR ISABELLE ZERR
Her employers were sexist and condescending, time for sleep and homework was limited, and her grades were on the decline. Employees were expected to jump through elaborate hoops to move up in the staff hierarchy, and as a hostess, Zerr received no tips. After six months there, she decided the paycheck was not worth the cost to other aspects of her life, and she too is not looking for another job soon. “I want to enjoy the end of my time in high school,” Zerr noted, “ because I will be working for the rest of my life.”
ON THE CLOCK One-hundred fourteen Bulldogs of all grades were asked about their work.
YES
27%
YES
40%
73%
60%
NO
NO
DO YOU HAVE A JOB?
30+
IF YOU HAVE A JOB, HAS IT HARMED YOUR PERFORMANCE AT SCHOOL?
1-10
YES
25%
30% 40% 30% 10-20 IF YOU HAVE A JOB, HOW MANY HOURS DO YOU WORK PER WEEK?
75% NO IF YOU WORK, IS IT TO HELP YOUR FAMILY FINANCES? NEWS / THE WHIRLWIND 9
From physical to digital Music streaming dominates the market BY Jordan Douglas
OVER THE PAST SIX YEARS, the music we consume has been moving to digital streaming. Instead of buying CDs from a store, people are going to websites like iTunes and Spotify for their music needs. The year 2008 marked the start of the digital uprising with the iPhone growing in popularity and Spotify raising $21.6 million according to Crunchbase, a data collection site. The increasing need for online music helped these companies grow fast. Spotify was able to pay off record labels and invest in their music library. By 2015, they had 75 million users. According to ifpi.org, a non-profit that promotes recorded music, streaming music has become the preferred way to consume media with 52.8 percent of music sales being digital and only 34 percent of sales being physical. Larger companies like Best Buy are pulling CDs from shelves this year. According to Billboard, Best Buy will be pulling all CDs off shelves on July 1. Throughout 2017, only 87 million CDs were sold compared
to the 800 million in 2001. With the dropping numbers, stores like Target are starting to consider pulling CDs as well. They are giving an ultimatum to CD and DVD companies that says they only want to pay for what they sell. This could mean that if the companies do not accept, Target could pull their products from the shelf. Although physical music sales are decreasing, vinyl sales are rising. At Happy Trails, a small music store in Corvallis, vinyls are what keeps the store alive. “Eighty percent of our sales are vinyl records,” store owner Doug Dicarilos said, “You can’t make a living selling CDs.” Curerently, many high school students are purchasing vinyl records from Happy Trails. “I haven’t played a CD in years,” said Junior Rachel Gilley Spotify is my main source of music, but I still collect vinyls as well.” Vinyl records are the reason so many music stores are still in business today. High school and college students contin-
JORDAN DOUGLAS
CHANGING TIMES
The graph below shows the difference between physical and digital music sales from 2016..
SOURCE: RIAA
ue to buy vinyl records. One of the reasons vinyls are coming back is because of their sound quality. With the right turntable, vinyl records will sound better than digital music would. This is because online music is being compressed to allow easy access. With records, there is no need to compress the music. People are beginning to believe vinyls will be around in the foreseeable future. NEWS / THE WHIRLWIND 10
Women for Equality
Women’s equality in schools, communities, and the nation BY Alizah Bueno
Women’s March I N T R I B U T E to the National Women’s March on Jan. 20, 2017, Corvallis held a small Women’s March that brought a lot of people to the city. The march, titled “Still We Rise,” featured speakers Nasim Basiri, a poet and activist; Melissa Bird, a writer and professor; and Shelly Moon also a poet and activist; and the band, The Familiars. The march was put on by a group called the Corvallis Changemakers. They began as just a small group of friends who were inspired by activism and decided to do something. Not only does the group help with events like women’s marches, but they also help put on events that provide a chance for social change. The “Still We Rise” march was meant to recognize the neglect in women’s rights in jobs and social norms. On Jan. 20, women gathered togeth-
PHOTO BY “ANOTHER BELIEVER” VIA WIKIMEDIA COMMONS/C-BY-SA
T H E W O M E N ’ S M A R C H on Jan. 20 in Portland shows a place where people gathered and showed their respect and passion towards women’s equality.
er in Washington D.C. to celebrate another women’s march. With the millions of women that participated in the past march, they created another march to gain more recognition for the problem. A large group of women met in front of the Reflecting Pool by the Lincoln Memorial to start off their march along with speeches from sev-
Women Teachers in Schools R E C E N T S T A T I S T I C S made by The Oregonian show there are more female school employees than male. If we were to look around at the teachers within the halls of our school, we can see a balance in both male and female teachers being 47 percent to 53 percent. “The principal was always a man,” social studies teacher June Morris said of her years in school. “By high school it was all exclusively men. The teachers were men, our principal was a man, and the vice principal was a man.” For a while, men had a dominant role in schools. Now there is a balance between both men and women. “Since I’ve been here, it has been 50/50,” Morris said. State wise, there have been a lot of improvements in the balance between male and female principals. The percent of women principals has spiked to 51 percent since 2016.
Albany Female Mayor
en different people. After the speeches, the women marched past the white house to send a message about why they were out there. Women stood with signs and shirts that represented the national issue of women’s rights.
“Twenty years ago it was not okay.”
I N O R E G O N , only five cities have female mayors. Albany is one of the cities with a female mayor, along with Eugene, Keizer, Salem, and Springfield. Sharon Konopa, the Albany mayor, has been mayor since 2009. SHARON KONOPA MAYOR OF ALBANY “Twenty years ago it was not okay,” Konopa said. “It was still a man’s role.” Yet, in the time that Konopa has been in office, she says she has not seen a big problem with women’s equality. While other communities have been viewed as more progressive than Albany, Konopa doesn’t see a difference. “I don’t think that we are any more different than the community around [us],” Konopa explained regarding Albany.
NEWS/ THE WHIRLWIND 11
To rescind DACA is a clear contradiction of America’s fundamental principles EDITORIAL The opinion of The Whirlwind editorial board
“WE HOLD THESE TRUTHS to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” These words, blazoned across the US Declaration of Independence in 1776, effectively established the “American Dream” we know and cherish - a principle encouraging individuals of all faiths, ethnicities, and affiliations to work their hardest and find joy. Historically, this ideal has stood as a global beacon of hope. The US has become the perceived archetype of democracy, justice, and merit. In America, they say, anybody can be anything. Now imagine an American for whom the “Dream” remains perpetually out of reach; they wake up every morn-
If Kylie Jenner’s baby is news, we have a problem
Pop culture distracts youth from global issues BY Megan Carroll
M A N Y O F U S wake up every morning and check social media before rising from our beds. Opening Snapchat, users find “news” stories about Kylie Jenner’s newborn baby, the relationship status of Selena Gomez and Justin Bieber, and other news fillers. The social media platforms we love do not prioritize social awareness and global issues. Pop culture distracts us from reality. 12 THE WHIRLWIND / MARCH 2018
Any student who has Snapchat can see that news stories in the story section cover things like how to know if your significant other loves you, or how to know if you’re a good kisser, yet social issues are often at the bottom of the list. The lack of awareness this creates will eventually catch up with us. If we don’t learn how to be aware and get involved, we will never be capable, self-sufficient contributors to our society. A report by Common Sense Media showed teens spend an average of nine hours on social media per day. Naturally, the way our generation views the world is going to be affected.
ing fearing their labors will ultimately amount to nothing. They walk the streets of their neighborhood and the halls of their school with a lingering dread of failure and exile. They exhaust themselves as they perpetually run in place. This is the America DACA recipients are desperately fighting to avoid. Created by a President Obama executive order in 2012, the “Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals” program grants temporary amnesty, or pardoned residency, to certain undocumented immigrants brought to the U.S. before the age of 16. Though not gifting legal citizenship to “Dreamers,” the program protects accepted applicants from deportation for a two-year period, subject to renewal. This security enables these individuals to legally obtain invaluable employment and education. According to the Migration Policy Institute, most The world is larger than a phone or computer screen. It’s important to invest in the future by acknowledging the problems our world is facing. Instead of picking up your phone in the morning and immediately checking last night’s Snapchat stories or Instagram posts, check a neutral news source such as CBS or NBC. Although the current state of global affairs can be overwhelming and frustrating, lack of awareness breeds ignorance. Soon, we will be voting on important things like political leaders, new laws, and health care systems; a lack of knowledge about our country’s affairs will lead to a skewed vote—if we even choose to vote at all. Pop culture has blinded young minds from the harsh realities of today’s world. Although many issues are publicized, such as Florida’s school shooting, gun control, sexual harassment in Hollywood, or the problems of plastic pollution, there are
of the 800,000 DACA recipients are employed, and a majority of the unemployed recipients are attending school. A specific study from Tom K. Wong, a political science professor at the University of California - San Diego, additionally suggested that 5 percent of recipients have started businesses, a rate higher than that of the general American population. In September of last year, however, President Donald Trump announced that the program would be rescinded at its March expiration date. As for the 800,000 affected men and women? Crickets. Trump has put forth no alternative plan for these helpless individuals, and congress, perpetually divided by a partisan fissure, is similarly empty-handed. This means, starting on March 6, almost 1,000 DACA recipients could lose their protection each day. Plainly stated, the President is cheating nearly a million Americans out of their very livelihoods. Of course, a great number of people would quickly contest the titling of undocumented immigrants as “American.” The question consequently begs itself: how do we define the word “American”? Many would only assert U.S. citizens as true Americans — excluding any and all DACA recipients. Legally, this classification would be correct. In reality, however, the distinction is much more complex. According to Brookings, almost 70 percent of DACA beneficiaries were brought to the U.S. before age 10, with nearly a third of them arriving before they were even
five years old. They’ve likely attended the same American schools, enjoyed the same American entertainment, and lived in the same American neighborhoods as any other youths around them. These children are no less “American” than their native-born counterparts, and should thus be entitled to the same rights and privileges. At the very least, they shouldn’t be subjected to an existence of perpetual anxiety and shame. The solution to this issue is far simpler than many would assume. The DREAM Act of 2001, first introduced by Senators Dick Durbin (D) and Orrin Hatch (R), offers these individuals both temporary amnesty and a path to citizenship. It has since been reviewed and amended on four different occasions, but with no results. Far too many conservative lawmakers refuse to support such an act, even with 77 percent of Americans supporting a path to citizenship for the Dreamers. Now, as DACA sails steadily toward a cliff, this legislation is the only practical hope for these young Americans. Illegal immigration, as a subject of political debate, has divided our nation’s citizenry for decades. It often seems our lawmakers may never find a bipartisan solution to the issue. At this very moment, however, there is simply no time for debate. The 800,000 lives currently protected by DACA are just as valuable as any other. They are not “criminals.” They are not “freeloaders.” They are your neighbors, your classmates, and your coworkers. For most, this is the only home they’ve ever known. With
Test your knowledge on global issues
many world issues youth are unaware of. Recently, President Trump announced increased sanctions on North Korea, 13 Russians have been indicted as of Feb. 16 for interfering in the 2016 presidential election, and women in Iran are starting a revolution against a law requiring them to wear hijabs. The Women’s March Association has called for a national school walkout to protest gun violence on March 14, and there is a major water crisis in Africa; most of these stories appear in the mainstream media with a quick search, but the reality is youth aren’t aware of these issues. Choose to be aware when on social media, and take social issues into consideration when thinking of school projects or community service. Instead of overwhelming yourself with news about Hollywood, think about what you can do to make the world a safer and better place for us all. Make the conscious decision to read
About how many people are enslaved around the world? In 2017, how many mass shootings occurred in the U.S.? By 2050, how many of the world’s coral reefs will have died?
1 2 3
According to the Global Slavery Index
a. 29.8 million b. 40.3 million c. 400,000 According to the Gun Violence Archive
a. 217 b. 129 c. 346 According to thinkglobalgreen.org
a. About 60% b. More than 90% c. Less than 40%
OPINION all politics aside, they are only Americans in earnest pursuit of the same American Dream, and it is our constitutional responsibility to guarantee them a chance at that Dream. WHO ARE THEY? There are approximately 800,000 current DACA benificiaries WHERE: All 50 states and several US territories HOW OLD: Average of 25 years old STATUS: Currently enrolled in school, employed, serving in the military, or have graduated high school with a diploma or GED AGE UPON ARRIVAL: Average of 6.5 years old when they immigrated MILITARY SERVICE: In 2016, almost 400 DACA recipients had enlisted in the Army, the only military branch that accepts them. ECONOMIC IMPACT: The Center
for American Progress estimates that losing DACA workers would slash the U.S. GDP by $433 billion over the next 10 years.
the news or talk to your family and friends about politics. Look up world issues and how they are impacting people across the world. When you reach for your phone because you are bored, think of something else you could do with your time—something that will positively impact your community. There are so many problems youth could change, but we are often told we are too young to make a difference. This is blatantly incorrect. Students affected by the Parkland, FL shooting are taking a stand against gun violence. They are making public statements in their communities and using social media as a platform for their ideas; their actions have drawn the attention of the whole world. Choose to be aware. Use your voice. Without aware youth, the state of the world is at stake. The future is in our hands; don’t be a victim of pop culture distractions. OPINION / THE WHIRLWIND 13
Answers: 1. b, 2. c, 3. b.
American students are suffering from an overwhelming epidemic: stress. With diminishing mental health, students need time off. New law ending open periods for juniors makes matters worse. BY Jordyn Lockwood
MAGGIE BEDRIN
THE CLOCK COUNTS D O W N , papers shuffle, then are shoved into backpacks, until finally the bell rings; every student in the building rises from their seat and goes to their next class. They’re expected to pull out the materials needed for the period and be ready to• listen to lecture. While in school, students are expected to follow a timely schedule, a specific set of rules, and do exactly what they’re told: creating a swarm of deindividualized students walking through the halls. • It’s important for students to have the option to have opens in order to help improve their overall mental health. According to Mayo Clinic, the pressures of school can easily be the cause of chronic stress disorder—which can lead to depression. Spending seven hours in a building with thousands of other people, five days a week, can be quite suffocating. An estimated 3.1 million adolescents in the Unit-• ed states had at least one major depressive episode in the year 2016, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. A way to help unravel this vicious cycle is to give students a break; it is an important skill to have control over your life and decisions, especially as you get older, even if it’s only for a short period of time. When students transition from high school to college, there will be a lot of extra time that those students will need to know how to manage and use effectively. Unstructured time gives students the ability to create their own time management, instead of being required to sit in a building with a set agenda.
14 THE WHIRLWIND / MARCH 2018
FAST FACTS BY 2020, 92% OF STUDENTS GRADE LEVELS 9 THROUGH 11 ARE REQUIRED TO BE AT SCHOOL 990 HOURS ANNUALLY.
A RECENT NATIONAL SURVEY BY THE FEDERAL SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES ADMINISTRATION FOUND THAT 8.2% OF YOUNG PEOPLE AGES 12-17 WERE DEPRESSED IN 2011. BY 2014, THE RATE HAD JUMPED TO 11.4% – ALMOST A 40% INCREASE IN THREE YEARS.
TEENS REPORTING A MAJOR DEPRESSIVE EPISODE IN A 12-MONTH PERIOD INCREASED FROM 8.7% IN 2005 TO 11.3% IN 2014. THE RATE WAS HIGHER FOR TEEN GIRLS – INCREASING FROM 13.1% IN 2004 TO17.3% IN 2014. According to: .nimh.nih.gov
Recent changes in Oregon law now require that “each school district shall ensure that at least 92 percent of all students in the district and at least 80 percent of all students at each school operated by the district are scheduled to receive annually the following minimum hours of instructional time: Grade 12 — 966 hours; Grades 9–11 — 990 hours; and Grades K–8 — 900”.
We are currently falling short on these hours, and that is why the law is being put into place. Principal Susie Orsborn believes that “[students] should take advantage and get a full education,” but students have been getting a full education just fine with the opens in their schedules. New electives are being added, which is greatly appreciated, but sometimes students just simply need a break from school, even if that break is only 90 minutes every other day—that’s better than nothing. Many people take their open time as a time to do homework at their own pace and on their own time; whereas, with a new elective class comes new requirements to be fulfilled. The law isn’t giving students the needed break that they deserve. To meet the goal of having juniors reach their 900 hours, three and a half minutes is the minimum that could be added to the end of each day to fulfill this requirement. You could shorten each break and the lunch period by enough just time to add up to the three and a half extra minutes required. Another option is taking away some of the random days we get off, and getting those opens that are wanted by the students. At the end of every school day, students head home exhausted, but open backpacks to even more homework and begin slaving away, stuck in the same routine: wake up, go to school, come home, do more school work, go to bed and repeat. The best part of every day is hearing the papers shuffle once again and hearing the bell ring for the final time that day.
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Trump deserves respect, not cries for impeachment In response to the February 2018 commentary by sophomore Mattea Hellman titled “Impeachment”: I would have to strongly disagree with this article. One main thing that I noticed is, never once did she refer to the Constitution of the United States. It states, “The President, Vice President and all civil Officers of the United States shall be removed from Office on Impeachment for, and Conviction of, Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors.” President Trump has done no crime to be impeached. You not liking his politics, opinions, actions or inactions, doesn’t justify impeachment. Additionally, considering President Trump’s “anti-immigration, anti-LGBTQ, and him supporting racism” remarks, one thing people need to know is the difference between ILLEGAL immigration and LEGAL immigration. ILLEGAL immigration is someone who crosses the border illegally into the United States or someone who overstays their visa. A LEGAL immigrant is someone who goes through a series of background checks to come in legally for permanent residency. This process takes years to accomplish, and they are not breaking any laws. The President is for protecting our borders and country; he is not anti-immigration. Trump is also not against LGBTQ people. There are so many silent gay Trump supporters who really agree with his policies and cannot express that because of the media shutting them down and making them feel like they can’t support their president. Back in the 1990’s Trump opened Mar-a-Lago, which was seg-
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regated, to Jews and Blacks. In a time when there was always discrimination, he stood up for people who were hated on because of religious views or skin color. Nowadays everyone screams racism over everything. Trump was never really hated or considered a racist until he ran for the presidency. At the end, you say “we need to do better than Donald Trump.” Well, speak for yourself because I would be lucky to get even close to how good the president is. Donald Trump sent $10,000 to a man who saved a woman from jumping off a bridge, dispatched his plane to fly a sick Jewish boy for special care when he heard no airline would accommodate his medical equipment, gave the job of constructing Trump Tower to the first woman to build a skyscraper, and had the first female president campaign manager. President Trump has a lot of pride in Americans and our country. Nothing is wrong with that. Not everything Trump is going to do is good, and not everything he does is bad. We need to bring unity and not constantly bash Trump over every petty thing. We are more the same than we are different. If you are a person who can’t get along with someone who has a different opinion than you, then I think you need to step back for a while and think about life. We are all human and we are always going to have different opinions. Life is too short to hate someone over politics. SENIOR IZZY HERNANDEZ JUNIOR CHEYENNE MCCUTCHEON
DEE BRAUSCH PHOTOGRAPHY
DEEBRAUSCHPHOTO.NET 541-971-1298 EMAIL: DBRAUSCHPHOTO@COMCAST.NET FACEBOOK: DEE BRAUSCH PHOTOGRAPHY FOR SENIOR PHOTOS, WEDDINGS, FAMILIES/COUPLES, AND EVENTS OPINION / THE WHIRLWIND 15
Child labor laws should accommodate more for children supporting their families BY Jonathan Perkins
W H Y D O W E W O R K ? The simple answer is to make money and buy things. Grab yourself a cup of coffee at Starbucks. Get that new pair of Nike shoes. Go to the movies with your friends on the weekend. Many of the things we do and get requires money, and the only way to obtain that money is by working. Balancing school and work is extremely difficult for modern teens. If they focus too much on work, then the time spent for school is taken away, which could damage a teenager’s grades. If grades fall behind, the opportunities for colleges or universities disappear. Teens need to be able to work longer. Searching for a job, waiting for an interview. Not knowing if they’ll be hired or not. But after months of searching, applying for a position, and getting the news of being hired, you learn that the job you’ve been working so hard to get you can only work a few hours at. It takes weeks or months to save up for something that is expensive because work hours are so little and you can’t put in the extra hours to speed up the process. Because of this teens have to have more than one job to make the money they want or need. Going back and forth from job to job is a pain and a hassle. Not everyone can drive which cancels the ability to be getting multiple jobs far away from the first one or even getting another job. Someone who needs to work shouldn’t need to wait to be old enough to drive in order to work in multiple places because the system of work is flawed for teens. The earliest a person can start working is at 14 years old, but at that age there is little variety when it comes to job choice.
The United States Department of Labor has set limits on the amount of hours teens can spend working. You can only work three hours at most during the school week.. On days when school is out, students are limited to eight hours per day.
“Over the period from 1992 to 1997, 403 youths aged 17 years and under were killed on the job” (Bureau of Labor Statistics)
Any work has to be done between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. The same rules apply to those who are 15, but there are more options for jobs. At this age, many teens will start working doing things such as lifeguarding. There are multiple flaws with this system. The working hours need to start being more compatible for kids so they can work extra hours. We, as high school kids, want money. Being able to work for only a limited amount of hours defeats this purpose. If we are able to have more hours from beginning at 14, then those who
work harder and are able to work more hours will be able to make the money they want. While during the mid 1800’s there was a child labor issue regarding young children working upwards of 50 hours a week and being paid very little. We saw the cruelty and injustice of this and enforced the laws we have today, but in today’s society, some of these laws are hindering young people’s opportunities to make money. Although, 14 and 15 year olds shouldn’t be working long hours at dangerous jobs, they are able to handle a lifeguard position, and if they can be trusted with that, they are capable of handling much more. Give them more complicated jobs. Let them prove themselves. Those who have the ability to perform will pull through. If they aren’t up for the task, then they aren’t ready to join the workforce. There needs to be a balance of work and school. Let the teens struggle, and have them figure things out themselves. If the teen works too much you won’t be able to focus on school work enough. Not enough work hours means not enough money. This is the only reason anyone really works, and in a world where everything requires money, teens need work. It’s best to give them just that. ILLUSTRATIONS BY MAGGIE BEDRIN
YOUTH AT WORK
74%
of employed high school students from 1986 in their sample said money was the primary reason for having a job
(When Teenagers Work: The Psychological and Social Costs of Adolescent Employment) “FROM AGE 18 THROUGH AGE 30, INDIVIDUALS WHO DID NOT WORK WHILE AGED 16 AND 17 HELD A LOWER AVERAGE NUMBER OF JOBS THAN DID THOSE WHO WORKED AT THESE AGES.”
Down for the game
Why adequately treating yourself for concussions is more important than staying in the game BY Mattea Hellman
B E I N G O N a high school sports team is a fulfilling experience that brings pride and camaraderie to the players, something few other activities can provide. Many of us would do nearly anything to get our team a place in state championships or anything of the like: but are the supposed approval ratings of our teammates really a healthy first priority? Should we prioritize starting spots over physical safety?
Bureau of Labor Statistics
1 of every 19 kids in the Americas are part of the child labor force according to the International Labor Organization
“CHILD LABOR IS CONCENTRATED PRIMARILY IN AGRICULTURE (71%), WHICH INCLUDES FISHING, FORESTRY, LIVESTOCK HERDING AND AQUACULTURE, AND COMPRISES BOTH SUBSISTENCE AND COMMERCIAL FARMING; 17% IN SERVICES; AND 12% IN THE INDUSTRIAL SECTOR, INCLUDING MINING.” (International Labor Organization)
HEAD CASES According to the Journal for Athletic Training, concussions are serious inflictions that account for
8.9% of all high school sports injuries.
Concussions are a widespread injury extremely common in sports, high school and otherwise. While they are usually treated as a mild trauma, they can severely affect your brain indefinitely, creating a lot of cons to the debate of safety in sports. The U.S. National Library of Medicine states, “While concussions may not be life-threatening, they can still be serious.”
Concussions are nothing to take lightly, as they can cause many repercussions. According to the co-director of the Concussion Center at NYU Langone Medical Center, roughly 10-20 percent of people who get concussions experience long term, chronic problems (think depression, anxiety, headaches, balance problems, and issues with concentration). Treating yourself and potential impairments with caution, care, and patience is the way to go to maximize recreational activities, and the enjoyment they bring with them. The American Association of Neurological Surgeons says that roughly 21 percent of all traumatic brain injuries amongst American youth are caused by sports or recreation, and players who have already had a concussion are three to six times more likely to be the victim of a second. Regardless, sports are definitely worth the risk, but not worth the carelessness you might consider utilizing in the event that you have a potential concussion. Always report any sign of concussions to a coach! If you experience head trauma in a game, ask to be taken out of the game! It could be nothing, but it’s better to miss a few minutes of playing time than to face the consequences lifelong. The team will manage. Health should always be a utmost priority. One player doesn’t make the team, and they will understand that health comes first. Letting down the home team is a dishonor no one could ever purposefully commit; however, in some cases, not putting yourself first can lead to lasting repercussions that are more important than winning the big game. Plus, more than 50 percent of athletes that do end up with concussions returned to play in nine days or less. Nine days of being on the sidelines sounds like a lovely trade for the lifetime of irredeemable brain damage that a concussion can potentially leave you with. OPINION / THE WHIRLWIND 17
Do you feel less safe at school due to the recent school shooting in Florida? “No. We have a small city and it’s kind of secluded from... anywhere, really. There’s not a lot of reason to be afraid. Our community is pretty safe.” sophomore Eric Allam “No. I feel the same amount of safe. I prefer to think that our school is a safe place for all to learn. To focus on the fear, or the shooter, is to let them win.”
math teacher Ashleigh Johnson “I wouldn’t feel safe if it was local. As a nationwide problem, I feel like we should stand up and try [to] make a difference, no matter where a shooting happens. School is somewhere where you look towards the future, not the end.” junior Justin Sattem
Fresh meat
How school culture has taught us to treat freshmen and why we need to make a change BY Abigail Winter
A S A C L A S S , they are considered a school wide joke. At assemblies, they are laughed at and made fun of left and right. They are considered the most inexperienced, immature, and overall oblivious group of people at school they bring their middle school ideals and culture into high school, while the upperclassmen have already established more advanced, mature ideals of their own. These 14 and 15 year-olds come into our school completely clueless, and our upperclassmen have been taught it’s okay to pick on freshmen for simply not knowing the ways of the school. But why do we do this to freshmen, when every upperclassman has once been in their shoes? Yes, we find it easy to pass the time by making comments about the freshmen’s unenthusiastic class yells and poor performances in assembly competitions, but the rest of the student body should remember we were once standing on those same bleachers. At one point, leadership teacher Erik Ihde has laughed and responded with a playfully snide comment about the freshmen class not being loud enough. At another, we have all felt inferior to the scary sophomores, juniors, and seniors that seemed to automatically know all the right things to do. We have all endured what the freshmen have to go through, not just at assemblies, but every day. Freshmen are thrown into an entirely new environment; expecting them to learn the laws of the land right away is unrealistic. They have come from being experienced eighth graders that the lower grades looked up to in middle school, to being the inexperienced freshmen in high school who are fiercely looked down upon by the upperclassmen. No one seems to acknowledge this. Upperclassmen and the student body are too focused on the overall idea of freshmen being oblivious; they don’t take into consideration these kids are trying their hardest to maintain a good reputation. They’re all trying their best, and we should accept their effort, not make fun of it.
Complaint File
“Class jewelry is an outdated tradition that students don’t want to spend money on.” A few weeks ago, the entire sophomore class was forced out of their Dog Teams classes to attend a sales pitch on class rings, bracelets, and necklaces. Each piece was $60 or more, and the overall design of the jewelry was in itself not very appealing. Jewelry is supposed to be something M a g g i e B e d r i n extravagant and beautiful, but when businesses and corporations try to sell students overpriced class jewelry that will often be deemed as useless in the future, it simply becomes pointless. Organizations using
18 OPINION / MARCH 2018
high school students to sell class jewelry is a perfect example of using today’s youth as quick and easy profit. Most sophomores and students can’t even afford it at this point in time, anyway. The fact that they are taking away from students’ learning time to give them a cheesy, unneeded sales pitch is ridiculous. Class jewelry may be appealing for some, but when it is being sold in ways such as this, there is no point in trying to buy it. In the long run, it only benefits the business.
RANDOM 10 We asked 10 random Bulldogs if they liked memes, and here’s what they said:
8 OUT OF TEN SAID YES
2 OUT OF TEN SAID NO
SPORTS
HIS HERS
Gender-free P.E. BY Sydney Morgan
There are currently two gendered weights classes, but there is talk about adding a third, non-gendered weight training course
THEIRS T H E R E A R E M A N Y physical education courses to choose from here at West Albany: from dance, to bowling and golf, and advanced athletics. Every single class is open to whoever wants to take it: except our weight training classes. The only separated classes we have are women’s and men’s weight training. First, there is the intro to weights class, which anyone can enroll in, then there is either women’s or men’s weight training. This system is being reconsidered because of the nonbinary population, which identifies as neither male nor female, at West Albany. “If there were a non-gendered weights class,” senior Alex Meyer said, “I’d definitely be more likely to take it.” P.E. teacher Don Lien points out these classes were never set up to leave anyone out; they were made this way to try to make people feel more comfortable so that it would be more likely for students to take weights classes. There are many different movements and motions that, when practicing, could
make people feel uncomfortable in front of the opposite gender in weight training. That’s why the administration believed it was better to keep both of the classes separated. “There’s a lot of movement that go on in weight training,” Lien said. “Some people are self conscious about those pieces.” The hope is to add another weights class, which would be open to all students, while still offering the old, separated classes so everyone is comfortable. Nothing is set in stone yet, but next year the added weight class may be added to the list of P.E. classes any student at can take. Part of the reason the school would still have the two seperate classes, according to Lien, is to have a space for every student to feel comfortable working out. “We’ll still fight in a P.E. structure to have a designated men’s class and a designated women’s class, so we at least offer the general population of physical education students an opportunity to feel comfortable, and a forum for them to lift,”
Lien said. According to him, the goal isn’t to separate or discriminate against anyone; it is to “keep students active and find ways to meet their needs.” There’s already a class which offers weights to all students called Advanced Athletics. There is still consideration for a third general weights class, though, because Advanced Athletics is for athletes with more experience and involves more than just weight training. The general weights class would be less intimidating and just about weights. Yet, at this time returning to a single, all-gender weights class is not being considered because many students, particularly women, feel more comfortable in a same-gender environment. “I like weight training for women because it is more laid back and more comfortable,” junior Jaidyn Jensen said. Having three different weight classes would make the class an option for all students; that’s why changes may occur for next year’s class options. MARCH 2018 / SPORTS 19
BY Ruth Nash
Despite recent advancements in concussion protocols, players continue to take risks
A PLAYER LAYS ON THE GROUND, and the crowd at the West Albany Sept 8, football game goes silent. Senior Riley Ker was knocked unconscious, and woken up and carried off the field by paramedics. Ker went to the hospital and was diagnosed with a concussion. An estimated 50 percent of concussions go unreported, accordint to an organization for parents of student athletes called Moms Team. Choosing to play through a traumatic brain injury, such as a concussion, continues to have detrimental effects on student athletes around the world and in our school. Nationwide, new laws had been formed and passed all around. A variety of different states came up with ways to decrease the amount of concussions among student athletes. On average 2.6 years after each law was passed the number of concussions started to see a PAT RICHARDS C O O R D I N A T O R steady decline, as reported by the Washington Post. According to Head Case, an organization that helps student athletes prevent concussions, the statistics for the number of concussions found in young adults has doubled in the past 10 years. But, this doesn’t account for the number not recorded. “A concussion is permanent brain damage, which is
“If you let it go too far, you could lose your season or your career.” ATHLETIC
20 THE WHIRLWIND / MARCH 2018
scary,” Ker said. “My memory isn’t going to be as good.” Many athletes don’t instantaneously see the negative consequences after getting a concussion. “I sat out for the first half, [but] I probably should have sat out the entire game,” junior Ahni Washburn says of her first concussion, “My mom wasn’t there so she couldn’t tell me not to go back in.” Washburn is a soccer player on the Varsity girls soccer team at West Albany. She has struggled with concussion since middle school, causing her to sit out for many games during the 2017 season. Studies show concussed athletes who choose to continue playing are prone to doubling their recovery periods. In the long run, that time would be lessened if West Albany school protocol were followed. “A lot of kids are worried, if I say something about a concussion then I’m not going to be able to play,” West Albany Athletic Coordinator Pat Richards said, “but if you let it go too far, you could lose your season or your career.” Some states, such as California, are proposing new laws intended to decrease the amount of long-term brain damage in young adults. A proposed bill called “The Youth Football Act” will prevent students below high school age from performing tackles in football. Students instead would train in the sport without tackling, almost resembling flag football.
“I can see where there’s a concern [leading to creating the bill],” Richards said. “There’s been an awful lot of talk in coaching circles, where little kids don’t have as much value tackling because of their bodies.” Children are still growing and with affliction to their bodies it can create possibilities for future damage. Weill Cornell Medicine states getting a concussion at a young age can create a higher likelihood of getting another with even less impact. Many of West Albany’s students have been affected by concussions in some way. Washburn has suffered damage to her brain and various parts of her nervous system. “I would get whiplash in my neck from hitting the ground, and that messed up the nerves and stuff in my spine,” Washburn said. “My mitochondria stopped producing energy because my body thought I was going to get hurt if I exercised.” As Washburn plays she does still have a tendency to be cautious, and does advocate to her fellow teammates the risk that comes with getting a concussion. “I would say maybe you should sit out for a week, or a day,” said Washburn. Ker experienced negative effects after his injury as well. “I don’t remember anything from the first or second weeks of school,” he said. Although concussions can be seen as a
13
minor blow, with only a few weeks of recovery, the long-term damage has a more substantial impact. Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, more commonly known as CTE, is a disease within the brain which results from frequent head trauma. Over time, a protein builds and kills off brain cells. Recent research studies have shown how prominent CTEs have become in football. The first CTE was discovered in the National Football League 12 years ago. Before, the disease was most prevalent among boxers, but since has become more notable in football. This has motivated bills such as “The Youth Football Act.” A study done on former NFL players, who donated their brains for the cause, were found to have been diagnosed 110 out of 111, or 99 percent, with CTE. In high school it was present in 3 out of 14 brains. Injury to the brain has temporary, and more serious, long-term damage. The brain’s function is to receive information and use this to create a response. After a disturbance, like a concussion, these functions have been affected, eventually affecting the whole body. At West Albany 25.9 percent of student athletes surveyed reported having had a concussion. “The coach needs to know about it,” Richards said. “It’s a matter of being smart.”
OUT OF 28 STUDENTS ATHLETES AT WAHS SAID THEY HAD A CONCUSSION AND CONTINUED TO PLAY WITH IT
WAHS CONCUSSION PROTOCOL Step 1: Complete cognitive rest. This may include staying home from school or limiting school hours. Concentration and attention may worsen symptoms.
Step 2: Return to school full time. Step 3: Exertionary test on stationary
bike. First day 5: minute warm up and 15 minute exertion test. Second day: 5 minutes added to exertion test.
Step 4: Non-contact training in drills in practice. Weight training can begin.
Step 5: Full contact training or practice. Step 6: Play in game.
TOP THREE CONCUSSION RATES PER SPORT 1. Football 64 -76.8 percent 2. Boys ice hockey 54 percent 3. Girls soccer 33 percent
According to the Head Case organization. SPORTS / THE WHIRLWIND 21
SWINGING FOR THE FENCES Sophomore Callie Combs gets some practice swings in the batting cages on March 2.
Springing Forward
BRIANNA GRAUNITZ
As the weather changes, spring sports peek into bird’s eye view BY Kane Weekly
T H E tennis team has had some tough competition with the move to 6A, but with the end nearing, there’s a new competitor wanting to test his skills for the first time as a senior. “This year I would look out for the up and comer senior David Headrick; he’s a great athlete and I think he’s gonna wreak some havoc on the GVC.” Two more faces in tennis are returning: seniors Tia Bitz and Trillium Bristow. These students made their way to a state position last season.
“Tia and Trillium as a double,” says senior Kylie Wager “went to state last year, so hopefully they’ll go again.” With downfalls of rain last year and many cancellations, there’s hope for more time spent out on the court getting the most out of each day. Track and Field is a primarily solo sport, but there are many team elements combined into it. “[Junior] Alyssa Walls is by far the best thrower,” senior Emitt Burris said, “especially this year with nobody coming out.” For discus, shot put, and javelin, she was the best from last year and will. Junior Cassius McGinty talks about a returning senior from last year, “Michael Gao, he’s fast man, his legs move like a cheetah.” There’s a lot of new and returning talent
for this season. Lacrosse has had many tough years with a lack of wins and players, but that comes with not being a school organized sport. They’ve struggled, but achieved a win during last year’s season, and hope to continue that this year. “We’re going to aim for two wins this year,” senior Abby Scheele said, “and hopefully a winning record.” Being a bigger presence in today’s sports world, there’s high hopes from the lacrosse team and they are wanting to achieve great things. Baseball is one of the first things that comes to mind with spring sports, along with sunflower seeds and fresh cut grass. The general theme throughout the team is that there is no doubt it will be a successful year for all levels. “I feel really good,” senior Jayce Lien said. “We all get along really well. This team’s been together for a long time, there’s 10 seniors, so we have a lot of leadership on top with young guys that are learning from us.” “I feel really good about it,” sophomore Porter Phillips added, “We have a lot of returning players this year.” Softball had somewhat of a different approach toward their season. They have four freshmen who have moved up and are now on varsity who could be important players this year. “I think the freshmen are really good,” senior Lizzy Johnson said, “McKenzie Kosmicki, Riley Ramirez, Ellie Babbitt, and Presley Jantzi are all very talented.” They have a lot of players all moving toward the same goal with a variation or experience which should lead to a successful season.
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High stakes for HiSteppers Dancers face pressure due to practice hours and need to perform BY Hayley-Mae Harlan
D U R I N G A B R E A K in her dance class at Legacy Ballet on Feb. 19, sophomore Bethany Barnett practices a turn combination, which she last practiced with her team. As soon as she finishes the last turn, she lets out a laugh and drops her poised stance. Although smiling and happy, her eyes tell a different story. Her feet are bruised, and she is tired. A dancer for both Legacy Ballet and the Hi-Steppers dance team, Barnett has competed in two different competitions in the last two weeks. Of the 26 Hi-Steppers on the 2017-18 varsity team, four have left the spot they earned on the team. The picture-perfect smiles and pointed toes will not give away how much more there is to this story. After completing what dancers described as a “nerve-racking tryout process,” what has made some quit? Former Hi-Stepper senior Rachel Bliege shared her experience.
JORDAN DOUGLAS H I - S T E P P E R S O P H O M O R E Bethany Barnett practices a turn combination in the gym with her team on Feb 27. Her shirt, reading “I can’t, I have dance” is a nod to the intense time commitment dancers make.
under more scrutiny than other athletes? The Hi-Steppers have to fundraise for the team, come to practices at 6:15 a.m., and juggle homework, too. Current freshman Hi-Stepper Brianna Hickman doesn’t think twice when saying the hours are stressful. “You have to come to every practice and your whole team is relying on you. Girls who don’t show up usually end up falling behind or getting pulled out of dances.”
only ones affected. Hi-Stepper coach Lisa Bacus estimates she spends at least 150 days during the year with her dance team. “If a practice is two hours long, there has been usually equal or more time I’ve spent on my own to prepare for that practice,” Bacus explained. “Dance team is a part of my entire life.” Nonetheless, the Hi-Steppers and their coach are hesitant to label dance team as
THE RESULTS: The Hi-Steppers danced at Liberty High School’s competition on March 3.
Their routine, ‘Sound of Silence,’ took second out of the four 6A teams there. “After the first week of practice, I knew dance team wasn’t for me. I started dancing on Hi-Steppers my sophomore year, and I quit around November,” Bliege said. “I was so excited [to make varsity], but I don’t think I understood how stressful dance team was going to be.” Bliege continues to pursue her passion for dance at Legacy Ballet, an Albany studio separate from the high school. “It was not a great experience for me, but I know a lot of people who do enjoy it! It was just very stressful and sometimes degrading,” Bliege said. “I got very depressed during this time, and I knew I had to quit for my personal health.” Why is dance so stressful? Are dancers
NEXT UP: State competition
Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Portland March 16, Round 1 at 5 p.m. Tickets $13
In addition to dance team practices, she goes to Legacy Ballet and stays at the studio until 9:30 p.m. almost every day of the week. “It’s hard to get other things done when you have so much practice time,” Hickman said. “[I do homework] during study skills or else I’ll have to stay up late at night to finish it, rush to do it before practice in the morning, or in between practice at breaks.” Still, she and her teammates aren’t the
the most demanding. Bacus describes the time commitment as unique, but holds the belief that no high school sport is the hardest of them all. Dancers’ extensive time commitment can make it hard for them to access resources like counseling. For fellow dancers, Bliege suggests a mindset where you dance for yourself instead of others. “If you try to compete with someone else or try to impress someone, it will become stressful and that’s why I feel like people may not enjoy it as much,” Bliege said, “but if you stop and refocus on things that matter and just dance for yourself, every single stressful situation disappears.” SPORTS / THE WHIRLWIND 23
Right on target
Senior Cooper Hartsell’s skills in one sport may contribute to his success in another BY Will Randall
S E N I O R C O O P E R H A R T S E L L started his sport young. At the age of eight, he didn’t choose to pick up a ball, or a racket, or a pair of cleats — he picked up a 12-gauge shotgun. Hartsell is a hunter. It’s a quiet sport, with no cheering crowds or stadium lights. His first kill was a duck while hunting with his father when he was only eight years old. He hunts with his dog, and after he hits something, he sends his dog to retrieve it. “There’s no better feeling than making a good shot and watching a bird fall and feeling that personal victory,” Hartsell said. Hartsell looks up to Tony Vandermore, hunter and owner of Habitat Flats, a popular Waterfowl Lodge Network in North America, because “he’s the biggest to ever do it, and someone to watch and learn from.” Hartsell knows that, for some, hunting animals is controversial. Groups like the Western Envi-ronmental Law Center, an organization out of Eugene which recently limited the ability to trap
PHOTO USED WITH PERMISSION OF TROUTMAN PHOTOGRAPHY
certain animals that are central to hunting, cause a lot of headache for hunters when it comes to certain areas and animals they are allowed to hunt throughout Oregon. According to Hartsell, “People have such a negative reaction because of the inhumane aspect of it, because you are killing animals.” But to those who have never tried their hand at his sport, Hartsell advises, “I wouldn’t knock it until you try it.” Hartsell is a multi-sport athlete as well, playing for the varsity baseball team. According to him, hunting might contribute to part to his performance in baseball. “Hunting helps judge distance, which works out in baseball as well,” Hartsell said. Whether he’s on the diamond or on the hunting range, Hartsell hits his mark.
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425 1st Avenue W. Historic Downtown Albany
By Kaden
Strametz
Q& ATHLETE
Through MY EYES
INSPIRED BY
Dance Chain of Inspiration Freshman Brianna Hickman is inspired by
FRESHMAN HUNTER HAMPLE
What does WRESTLING look like through the eyes of an athlete? For freshman Hunter Hample, wrestling with the varsity team this year was “Just like any other sport.” This year, Hample had the opportunity to face junior and senior wrestlers, which he explains leads to nervousness because they have more experience than he does. “As a freshman, you want to win everything no matter what it is,” Hample said. “You want to win.” As for the crowd, Hample’s dedication to taking down his opponents prevents him from hearing their cheers. “I was too focused on how to take down my opponent and pin him,” Hample said. “The most intense parts were when it was a really close match between my opponent and me.”
Dribbling toward tradition
Senior Dylan Johnson
Q & A with Cheer Senior Dylan Johnson Kaden Strametz: How long have you been doing cheer? What is your favorite part about it? Dylan Johnson: I started cheer just this year. My favorite part about it was getting to know all the girls on the team.
KS: How does it feel to be the only guy on cheer? DJ: It feels weird at times, being the only guy, because they talk about gossip and talk about girl things, but they at least try to include me.
Who is inspired by
“[Senior] Frances Reyes inspires me, because she is always positive and smiling at practice — no matter what happens.” Who is inspired by
DJ: What drives me to continue cheer is all of the inspiration from my team and all of the drive in them.
“[Junior] Megan Carroll inspires me because she dances with so much emotion and energy that whenever I watch her dance I can feel it from the bleachers or wherever I am in the formation. She always leaves me in awe and makes me want to dance just like her.”
KS: Do you see this as a career option?
Who is inspired by
KS: What drives you continue cheer?
DJ: I would consider cheer a career option for sure. If OSU or someone thinks I’d be good enough [to be] on their team, yeah I’d do it.
USED WITH PERMISSON OF THE SHEW FAMILY
The freshman basketball team enjoys its time TEAM TRADITION togther as a whole. “We have team film days with our coach. We also have team lunches on Monday,” freshman boys basketball player Luke Killinger said. They have time for work, but at the end of the
“[Junior] Kylie Hammon. She’s always super upbeat at practices, performances, and competitions. She always has a smile on her face and has been so sweet to all the freshman this year. I can’t wait for the rest of the season with [her] positivity!”
day it’s just having game. “When something funny happened while watching film we would usually laugh about it, rewatch it, and then get back to business. Eating lunch together was cool because we were surrounded by other people who loved the same game we did,” freshman boys basketball player Tagen Shew explains.
“Coach Haven [inspires me] because she chooses to be an assistant coach for us and puts as us a top priority. She was a Hi-Stepper as well in high school and she still dances and inspires so many of us to follow our aspirations.”
March 2018 / SPORTS 25
ENTERTAINMENT
OUT OF TOUCH OUT OF MIND Increase in social media use results in distraction from political issues
BY Emily Haarstad and Hailey James
A way many teens receive news is through Snapchat, which has a discover page featuring top news stories and articles for entertainment. The Increase of the use of Social Media for News Over the Years
Twitter Youtube
Snapchat
74%
32%
29%
26 THE WHIRLWIND / MARCH 2018
I N 2 0 1 8 , P E O P L E A R E M O R E connected than ever due to the increase and spread in technology. Advanced technology and social media apps allow anyone to post what they please with the ability to be seen by anyone in the world at any time; but it’s hard to be well known if you aren’t connected. Teenagers’ problems go well beyond their own and extend to those they’ve never met. They throw themselves into the lives of others: especially those with a large following. Focusing more on the lives of celebrities than issues going on with their own lives, or educating themselves on government issues which will affect them later on. With Twitter and Snapchat being teens’ biggest news sources, according to buisinessinsider.com, it’s no surprise that some choose to just simply ignore the news. It’s easy to just glance over a story or tweet that feels just a little too real and continue scrolling on as if it’s not there. This generation is blessed with insanely easy access to news and stories, but many choose to focus on the Kardashians and various music artists instead of focusing on current events and news. There’s an issue with shying away from real life issues and living vicariously through celebrities. Is this shift in attention becoming an issue? Mrs. Marshall shares her opinion on this problem. “Kids are really disenfranchised from what’s going on politically,” said Marshall. “They have a feeling like it’s never going to be their problem, when it is.” Disassociating ourselves has become a trend. Teenagers tend to exclude themselves because they feel it doesn’t affect them; even though they will be the ones growing up and living in such a politically active time in American history. Perhaps social media could be a link to the disinterest of politics with teenagers. Marty Johnston, a social studies teacher, talks about the availability of distractions in this day and age. “I think now the ability to become immersed in distractions is just that much easier,” explained Johnston. The access of technology has significantly increased within the last ten years. It’s no surprise that teenagers are easily distracted with other information; but should social media be blamed for students disinterest in politics? “I don’t know if it is necessarily fair to say that it’s maybe because of social media,” said Johnston. “The trend has continued to grow because of available distractions.” A disassociation with politics has been a trend in this generation’s teens. We tend to let ourselves get distracted with other things which, in turn, takes us away from important political issues that we should be involving ourselves in. We as teens should
SAME DAY, UNEQUAL COVERAGE Pop culture events that were reported substantially, and political events that weren’t as reported April 2015
Celebrity Caitlyn Jenner, previously known as Bruce Jenner, announces her transition from male to female.
be more involved in politics than ever. Teens are the future, and only a small percentage are concerned about what goes on as they grow. However, bringing the shift of interest is easier said than done. “I don’t know what’s going to shift that paradigm for young people to realize that social responsibility isn’t just something for others, it’s a thing for them as well,” said Marshall. Lack of awareness of the reality of social responsibility could potentially be another reason for this attention shift. Twitter and other platforms such as Instagram and Snapchat are often used to slander others: instead of being used for their real intentions. This is not representative of the whole population. Data provided by a survey of West Albany students says that 68.5 percent of students said social media makes teenagers more aware of their political surroundings. With the connections this generation has, the amount of information we can access is substantial. Within the matter of seconds, we as a society can inform ourselves on any topic we choose. It’s the motivation and choice to learn that students are lacking. With the knowledge of the whole world at our fingertips, we should choose not to be uninformed.
April 2015
The U.S. government lowered the recommended levels of fluoride in water to a maximum of 0.7 milligrams per liter.
Oct. 2017
Kim Kardashian was robbed in Paris, France in her hotel room on Oct. 3
Oct. 2017
Author Margaret Atwood published her book titled “The Handmaid’s Tale”, which goes into detail about the serious issues with America’s democracy fails.
Feb. 2007
Kourtney and Scott begin their relationship on their show “Keeping up with The Kardashians.”
Feb. 2007
A Baghdad market bombing kills at least 135 people and injures 339 others.
103.4 million people watched the 2018 Super Bowl 27 million people watched the post Super Bowl episode of “This Is Us” 61 million people viewed Kylie Jenner’s pregnancy video 250 thousand people watched President Donald Trump’s inauguration
I’m just kidding
Teenagers turn serious issues into jokes
BY Geneva Mellison
IMAGINE SITTING BACK FOR A DAY, removing yourself from everyday conversations, just observing your peers. The person next to you says “kill yourself ” with a laugh, his friend responding with “I want to!” also laughing. At lunch, you scroll through twitter, you already counted seven memes about FBI agents watching you through your phones, and four classmates retweeting about how stupid women’s rights are. When did it come to this? When did extreme social issues turn into jokes? Why is society accepting of it? Psychology teacher Kyle Hall attributes the majority of the loss of respect for social issues to the rise of cell phones and social media. Hall talks about how every second we are getting fed information and constantly being plugged into conversations. We endure negativity constantly from when we wake up until our eyes close at night. Teenagers have access to news instantly—knowledge is circulating all the time. One of the reactions to news is making it into a joke. Suicide, sexual abuse, human rights, all subjects not commonly found in a kids everyday language-- are being discussed. These aren’t forbidden topics anymore, Hall explains, so they lose their sanctity. According to Hall, not many topics are taboo anymore, including depression and suicide. He said it is good that people are opening up about their feelings, yet the world becomes desensitized to the topic because of the openness people have toward the subject. “The people who truly are suffering,” Hall stated, “it’s made a joke to them.” With more people talking about an issue, joking about them becomes more acceptable, Hall states, but that’s not always a good thing. Freshmen Hailey Reagles and Emily Rey say they use jokes like, “I want to kill myself ” or “kill yourself,” when they’re about to take a test, or when they’re joking with a friend. “We don’t have a malicious intent,” Reagles explained. “When it’s my friends,” Rey added, “I know they’re joking.” Senior Lauren Feigenspan stated that she does not joke about suicide, homosexuality, or other serious topics. “It’s not something to mess around with,” she said. Feigenspan said when she tells people it isn’t funny, they get uncomfortable and make her seem like the weird one. According to Hall, not all jokes are detrimental, and teenagers don’t need to stop joking around or blame all of their problems on cell phones. That’s not the point. The point is that normalizing serious topics has had a side effect of joking about them in a way that can seem harmful to others. And it isn’t going to get better.
ENTERTAINMENT / THE WHIRLWIND 27
L (above)Milly, played by senior Mackenzie Duda, sings to five other brides during “Wonderful, Wonderful Day.” From left to right, the brides are played by senior Anna Soot, junior Mya Brewer, junior Bekah Kenney, senior Josie Davis, and sophomore Rachel Zielke.
Three of the brides quietly watch Milly’s marriage in the first act. From left to right, the brides are played by junior Bekah Kenney, sophomore Lexie Lundgreen, and senior Anna Soot. (top) From left to right, the brothers are played by senior Colton Byers, junior Paul Sprague, junior Logan Klein, senior Brandon Dodd, sophomore Caden Buck, and senior Curtis Allen. (bottom) Frank, played by senior Brandon Dodd, wrestles Luke, played by freshman Avrey Hiddleson, off of a table in the “Challenge Dance.”
28 THE WHIRLWIND / MARCH 2018
PHOTOS BY JORDAN DOUGLAS
S
Light Dark musicals in
times
West Albany’s spring musical ‘Seven Brides for Seven Brothers’ selected for its entertaining dance numbers, catchy music, and light-hearted humor BY Jackie LaPlante
W I T H T H E T U M U L T O F politics and recent events in the news and social media, communities have become full of negativity. As people become overwhelmed, they tend to forget about the things that make them happy. Community gatherings are a great way for the people to come together in these dark moments. The upcoming musical, “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers,” originating from the 1850’s movie set in Oregon, is a high-spirited musical, featuring fast-paced dance numbers and light-hearted music. “We wanted to do a show that was happy, that was upbeat; where people could bring their whole family,” said choir and theater director Cate Caffarella. This musical is a reminder that when aggression and frustration builds up, it is important to step back and take a break; it’s nice to have a moment to enjoy a time when things were simpler. “Especially in the political climate we are in right now, just having a very happy, joyous experience is really important,” Caffarella said.
The musical also touches on several social issues in the 1850s, such as sexism, which is counteracted by the power of the lead female, Milly. “Milly is a very strong-headed, independent woman who doesn’t like being bossed around by everyone else,” said senior Makenzie Duda, who has taken on the role of Milly.” It’s cool to see a character like Milly, who’s a woman, have so much control over these seven other men.” More than ever, it is important that, when in moments of resentment, people stop and turn to each other for support. Similarly, “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers” illustrates the outcome of a solved conflict, when the characters realize their mistakes and forgive one another. “I hope that the audience comes away with a sense of community,” Caffarella said. “It’s about the people in the town starting off very separated and coming together in the end.” “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers” is a show anyone can enjoy with family, friends, and fellow neighbors for a light-hearted experience.
MARCH 9, 10, 16, and 17 at 7 p.m. MARCH 8 for students, staff at 7 p.m. MARCH 10 matinee at 1 p.m. TICKETS $10-15 WAHS main office or online at https://eventswest.ludus.com/
Book by Lawrence Kasha and David Landay Lyrics by Johnny Mercer Music by Gene de Paul New songs by Al Kasha and Joel Hirschhorn
‘Seven Brides for Seven Brothers’ “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers” is a 1954 MGM musical based on a short story by Stephen Vincent Benet called “The Sobbin’ Women.” The story takes place in 19th Century Oregon , where a backwoodsman named Adam Pontipee decides that he needs a wife. He goes into town and quickly falls in love with a waitress named Milly. Though baffled, she agrees to his hasty marriage proposal. Though, when Milly moves in with Adam, she is unsuspectingly greeted by Adam’s six brothers. She quickly recognizes that all six brothers are ill-mannered, and proposes to help them find wives of their own by “Goin’ Courtin’.” Instead, however, Adam convinces his brothers to acquire their women in a more old-fashioned way — kidnapping them just like the Romans did with the “Sobbin’ Women”. . .
ENTERTAINMENT / THE WHIRLWIND 29
Almost Famous
Flow Resale, a student and alumni band of originality and grunge, makes its way toward a professional future
BY Jaden Rodriguez and Jordan Andreas
T H E C O N V E R S A T I O N W E N T S O F A S T , it was hard to follow as the band members finished each other’s sentences. “By the way, in no means have we made it at all,” the drummer said as the laughter of the group around him engulfed his speech. “But people know us,” said one of the guitarists.
“Oh, oh I forgot to tell you!” the lead singer said as she turned to her band. “One time we were walking down the street in downtown Albany, and this person comes by in their car and they go…” – she yells – “Flow Resale!” as the drummer adds “...with the devil horns out their sunroof.” Lead singer and Class of 2017 alumnus Mari Stenger started the band Flow Resale with Class of 2016 alumnus Dylan Ryals. After both graduates broke off from a band called Laser Wolf, they came together to create the band that is now known around the school, and even Albany, as Flow Resale. The two took the name of Laser Wolf and reversed it to create Flow Resale. The original members of Flow Resale consisted of Mari, her younger brother and current junior Cole Stenger, and senior Jacob Stephen, who all still remain in the band. Flow Resale became a known name as talent show performances exposed their diverse sound to the people of the school. But when Mari graduated in 2017, the band began to fall apart. According to Mari, her younger brother Cole begged for the band to start up again. “You were the reason it started back up again,” senior Ben Norman, the band’s drummer, said to Cole, “because a lot of people know that it stopped in the middle for a while after you graduated.” Working together to create a variety of genres from their own interests, Flow Resale can’t guarantee the consistency of their style and sound. “We are kind of always changing,” Mari said. “We’ve definitely evolved from the original group. I don’t think the original group was as serious as we are now.” Stephen, Norman, Mari and Cole, the band’s current members, plan to pursue their band professionally. Currently working on releasing several singles to Soundcloud, iTunes and eventually Spotify, Flow Resale also plans to perform at this year’s Old Skool dance in April. Flow Resale has been performing at the annual talent show for three years and performed at Spring Picnic in 2017 . “It’s so exciting and it’s so crazy,” Stephen said about performing, “because music is what I want to do with my life, and when I get to do it in front of a bunch of people and I’m, like, actually doing what I want to do, it’s so cool and it’s not even stressful once it’s already happening.” The group nods in agreement, but Mari disagrees.. “I’ve done it for years,” she said, “and I still get nervous every single time.” Although quick in conversation, the group’s connection was easily communicated through their casual mannerisms and passion for their shared interest.
MAKE YOUR OWN BAND TIPS FROM FLOW RESALE To be the best you can be...
“I’m super lame but I’m gonna say practice.”
SENIOR BEN NORMAN 30 THE WHIRLWIND / MARCH 2018
If you’re feelng hesitant...
“Go for it. Don’t hold back on that stuff just go for it.” SENIOR JACOB STEPHEN & JUNIOR COLE STENGER
If you lose band members...
“Keep it going, and keep adding people. Don’t give up.” JUNIOR COLE STENGER
When all else fails...
“Recognize that it’s not always going to be easy because sometimes people come in and out of it, and you’re not always going to get along.” ALUMNI MARI STENGER
Photo byGENEVA MELLISON
The boy behind the camera Junior Jakob Jones captures life at West Albany through photos and videos BY Kate Looney
“ W A N T T O S E E some electricity? Watch.” A seven-year-old boy stands in front of a camera in a messy room. He snaps his fingers and arcs of electricity appear, coming straight down into his outstretched palm. This continues as the boy yells in pretend agony. After a few seconds, the lightning stops and he sighs in relief. “That was hard.” Then the screen turns to black and the credits roll: “Filmed by Jakob. Actor Jakob. Lighting by Jakob. Directed by Jakob. A Jakob Jones production.” According to his father, Jeff Jones, junior Jakob Jones has been around the photography and media business his whole life. As early as three years old, Jakob’s dad had him working with a computer — typing. In fourth grade, he began writing creative fiction and then formatting the stories using Adobe InDesign, making them into books. “He’s been doing pretty professional [work] since he was in fourth grade,” Jeff said. “He was interested in it, so I encouraged it a lot.” This first YouTube video was only the beginning. Since then, he has posted nearly 50 more projects on his channel, with videos featuring everything from plays to pep rallies to slow motion photo booths. “We got him a little tiny cheap camera… and he started using it,” Jeff said “and because he had the tool, he became very interested in using it… He became so interested that we decided to get him a bigger pro camera, and then, after that, a bigger pro camera.” Jakob said he really got into this type of media during his eighth grade and freshman years. According to media teacher Matt Boase, who had Jakob for Video Productions 1 and 2, along with Media Lab, his experience before coming to West really put him ahead of the curve. “Jakob came in able to do incredibly high level work,” Boase said, “unexpectedly good.” Boase explained that his equipment and his ability to use it made Jakob stand out.
Despite having taken these classes, however, Jakob said he learned most of what he knows on his own. “A lot of it was self-taught,” Jakob said. “My dad helped me a lot. [He] used to be a wedding photographer, so he got me kind of into photography, but then I took off into videography... He teaches me photo stuff; I teach him video stuff.” However, the two don’t only help each other — they often work together. “I’m usually there with him,” Jeff said. “I went to all the Home-
coming stuff; I went to the dance.” That particular video, “Homecoming 2017,” was actually, according to Jakob, the longest and most complicated project he has ever worked on. He explained that he tried at least 20 different songs before finding the two that would perfectly match the highlights from the 30 hours of footage he collected throughout the Homecoming festivities. “The reason why I had 30 hours of footage,” Jakob said, “is [because] everyone was always doing something in front of the camera. That’s why the video is seven minutes long and not three minutes long.” Looking forward, with his time left at West Albany, Jakob hopes to continue, as he put it, “making some darn good videos,” and, after high school, he intends to pursue a career in the media industry. He’s not sure which vocation, but he’s considering several different options such as camera work, directing, and video editing. According to Jakob, he has improved by far since his first video, and hopes to keep on improving. “I started showing a lot of initiative and a want to get better [when] I was very young. So ever since then, I’ve been trying to improve as much as I can.” PHOTO BY GENEVA MELLISON
ENTERTAINMENT / THE WHIRLWIND 31
BY Maggie Bedrin
THE BIG QUESTION
What is your favorite video game? UBISOFT
BETHESDA SOFTWORKS
CAPMON
GABE DORGAN
JOHN HALEY
JOE REED
“There’s a game called Rocksmith...where you play the guitar.”
“My favorite video game is something like Fallout 3 because of the story it has...and how it recognizes how flawed human society is.”
“My favorite game, it’s fairly new. It’s [called] Monster Hunter World … they’ve developed a full ecosystem around the entire game.”
SOPHOMORE
SOPHOMORE
Game Type: Music Graphic Style: 1080p resolution Platforms: Microsoft Windows,
PlayStation 3, Xbox 360
Cost: $59.99
SOPHOMORE
Game Type: Action role-playing
Game Type: Action role-playing
Graphic Style: 1680x1050
Graphic Style: 1080p resolution
Platforms: Microsoft Windows,
Platforms: PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PlayStation Portable, PlayStation Vita, Windows, Wii, Wii U, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Nintendo 3DS, Nintendo Switch, iOS
PlayStation 3, Xbox 360
Cost: $14.99
Cost: $54.99 BY Brianna Graunitz and Maggie Bedrin
From silence to sound, this world became much brighter with one discovery. Ranging from the 1000 CE (common era), where Guido D’Arezzo came up with what is known as MY BEST do, re, mi, fa, so, WORK la, ti do music, has always been part of our world. Whether it be in our heads, on the street or in a concert, music comes in all sorts of different forms to our ears. 32 THE WHIRLWIND / MARCH 2018
CEANNE ELLIOTT
RYAN NELSON
JUSTIN ELLIOTT
“I play flute. I started violin when I was four. Then, I started the piano at six, so I kind of already played two instruments. And I was like, ‘Well, I might as well play another one because I already know how to read music.’”
“I play the bassoon and trombone. In middle school I tried the bassoon and trombone both, and I thought the bassoon was an interesting instrument and unique, so I decided to play that.”
“I play alto, te nor, and soprano saxophone. When I was in fourth grade, I went to a concert and they had this killer saxophone player. I was like, ‘Dang. I want to play that.’ Then, when fifth grade came around, I just chose that.”
JUNIOR
SENIOR
SOPHOMORE