21-22 The Whirlwind - Issue 3

Whirlwind WEST ALBANY HIGH SCHOOL • FEB 2022 • ISSUE 3

Women’s Wrestling What is it like to be on the women’s wrestling team? page 13

In the Limelight An inside look at the Media Lab class page 16

Here We Go Again...

A Covid-19 update page 6

Meet the three women feeding an entire student body page 26

The Food Issue Family Recipes page 23 Baking and Pastry Class ‘Chopped’ Simulation page 24 Diverse Diets page 25

TABLE OF

CONTENTS

04

16

23 25

13 NEWS

11 OPINION

Blocked and Unblocked 04

Minor Health, Major Issue 08

Here We Go Again 06

Privacy or Productivity 10

What’s Up: News 07

Whats Up: Opinion 11

ENTERTAINMENT

SPORTS The Swim Team Rundown 12

In the Limelight 16

Wrestling for a Chance 13

Thirsting for the Stars 17

Behind the Game 14

A Year of Releases 18

What’s Up: Sports 15

What’s Up: Entertainment 19

FEATURES History Passed on: The meaning behind long-lasting family recipes 21 On the Chopping Block: Baking and Pastry turns competitive 22 Two Sides of a Plant Based Diet: Students share their dietary lifestyles 23 Six Hands 600 Meals: How three people feed an entire high school 24 Hill’s Skills: Who is Kimberly Hill? 25 The Power of Paper: Could the way sports promote themselves change? 26 Insta-Panic: How anonymous Instagram accounts can affect the school 30

CONTACT US

Corrections and Letters to the Editors Please send corrections or comments on this issue to: wahswhirlwind@gmail.com Scan for online content T H E W H I R LW I N D

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STAFF Editors-In-Chief Ethan Biersdorff Tori Thorp

Managing Editors Eleanor Peterson Melia Rasmussen

Copy Editors Brogan O’Hare Cali Stenger

A Universal Experience

Business Manager Colvin Parvin

One of us is a five-year vegetarian who is allergic to the most random fruits you can think of like pineapple and mangoes, and the other is a lactose intolerant cheese enthusiast who doesn’t like chocolate or SpaghettiOs. Food is a necessity for life, and consequently, each and every one of us have built a relationship with food that began to form during the developmental stages of our lives.

Because of this, there is an experience with food that is unique to every student and staff member in this school, and we want to showcase some of the emotionally driven, inspiring, and beautiful stories that stem from a love of food.

On page 21, reporter Mollie Brown tells a heartwarming story about senior Emma Bennet and the family recipe that has been passed down through generations. The story is paired with the recipe for the dish, so that readers can experience the Bennet family’s tradition for themselves.

Flip to page 22 and you’ll find a story written

by me and reporter Gabi Emery about the exciting final in Baking and Pastry class, in which students participated in a “Chopped” style competition where they had to integrate three odd ingredients into an original dessert recipe.

Learn about the three women that work tirelessly to serve lunch to the entire student body on page 24, and meet the Kitchen Manager Kimberly Hill on page 25 in a profile by Emery.

With how amplified political divide has become in recent years, focusing on a topic that everyone can relate to can help sew community and facilitate conversations between people with a wide range of beliefs. While our reporting focuses on the experiences that have already happened, there are so many stories to be created that have roots in food.

This issue--The Food Issue--is curated to encourage a new outlook on something we do every day.

Even the most mundane of human experiences have stories ingrained within them worth writing about, and we hope The Food Issue will spark curiosity and inspire our readers to find the memorable moments within their seemingly simplistic routines.

In the words of iconic American chef James Beard, “Food is our common ground, a universal experience.”

A LETTER FROM THE EDITORS

Art Directors

Harvest Buchanan Legend Engberg

Photography Director Austin Rudel

Audience Engagement Helen Whiteside Violet Zinck

Multimedia

Cecilia Greene

News

Tyler Stacy Ming Wong

Opinion

Gracie Balkema Brynna Gritter Kenneke

Special

Gabrielle Emery Samantha Zimmerman

Sports

Gigi Roldan Joe Wagner

Arts & Entertainment Coral CwmCwlamare Marshall Hamel

Staff

Kylie Brown Mollie Brown Helayna Larsen Jose Lopez Ortega Hailey Miles Aubrey Murphy

Tori Thorp & Ethan Biersdorff, Editors-In-Chief

WE WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE FOLLOWING SPONSORS: Blue Level: Sekaye Gaudet Albany Farmer’s Market

Gold Level: Sarah Whiteside Aaron + Mickey Parvin Ron and Stephani Rasmussen The Shirley Family Frank and Joan Rasmussen Brigitte’s Place Fine Fabrics Citadel Oasis Mesmer Eyes Lash + Beauty Studio

Bulldog Level: Homeland Excavating, LLC Ruth Mello TnT Builders Patty and Jerry Mello Elizabeth Randleman

03

Adviser

Michelle Balmeo THE WHIRLWIND is a dedicated student forum. Content and editorial decisions are made by student staff members excercising their rights as protected by the First Amendment and the Oregon Student Free Expression Law (Ore. Rev. Stat. sec. 336.477 (2007)). Opinions are those of The Whirlwind staff and not West Albany High School or the Greater Albany Public School District.

FEBRUARY 2022

BLOCKED & UN-BLOCKED

By Colvin Parvin and Ming Wong

olvin

By C

ing nd M

g Won

na

i Parv

65.7%

DO YOU FIND BLOCKED SITES In a survey of 99 students who were asked how often they find blocked sites, this was what they said

of the 99 students surveyed said they would tell a teacher if a site is blocked.

17.9% said they find them monthly

DOES GO GUARDIAN HELP YOU STAY ON TASK?

14.3% said they never see them 29.8% said they see them daily 38.1% said they see them weekly

60

WE ASKED STUDENTS IF THEY FELT THAT GO GUARDIAN HELPS THEM STAY ON TASK FROM A SCALE OF 1, NOT HELPFUL TO 5 VERY HELPFUL, AND THIS IS WHAT THEY FELT.

50 40 30 20 10 0

1

T H E W H I R LW I N D

2

3

4

5 04

56.6%

of serveyed students feel Go Guardian is an invasion of their privacy

WHAT CAN TEACHERS DO WITH GO GUARDIAN

INTERNET RESTRICTIONS INTENDED FOR SAFETY GENERATE FRUSTRATIONS AMONG STUDENTS Go Guardian and IBOSS are both browser based monBoth Backer and social studies teacher Jodi Howell said itoring systems, used by both teachers and the school that’s exactly what they do. On the bright side, a benefit district to monitor students in and out of the classroom. to monitoring 24/7 is that they can protect students at all When it comes to students’ internet usage on their times of the day. This does not mean that there is a facschool account, they have a certain level of freedom, ulty member constantly watching students, as the IBOSS alongside a good amount of restrictions. Despite these system is built on artificial intelligence. It waits for a restrictions, there are websites that students can still enkeyword, then turns on the monitor, and if deemed necjoy. essary, faculty and teachers will step in and get involved.

Snake and Cool Math Games are all sites you can “[English teacher Blain] Willard was telling us about still use daily. Students have access a … kid that was writing a story to these sites, despite the fact that about suicide and mental health and they do not support students in any they were researching it,” Mack said. way with their work.

“The school filtered it and went and “We are here to keep students on ANYTHING THAT PROTECTS talked to the kid.” task and to protect students,” Rob Although this technology has a THE INTEGRITY OF THE Singleton said, Technology Director good filter in play to keep students

Before class starts, teachers are able to set up websites that they want students to be able to access, or not access, during the session.

During a class session, teachers are able to see students’ screens, message them, and even close tabs as they see fit.

After the class ends the teachers are able to see what students were doing, what websites you went to and how long you were there during the session.

“

on the discussion of website filtering WORK THAT STUDENTS ARE safe, it also has a monitoring funcand the use of IBOSS and Go Guard- DOING IS WORTH AT LEAST tion which helps students stay on ian. task with the assignments they are CONSIDERING. Under the Children’s Internet working on.

Protection Act, schools and libraries “After last year with everything must have protection measures that “block or filter inbeing fully digital, I think it became really easy to get ternet access to pictures that are: (a) obscene; (b) child side tracked when you’re on a computer,” Howell said. pornography; or (c) harmful to minors (for computers “It’s nice just to make sure kids are doing what they’re that are accessed by minors),” according to the FCC. supposed to be doing.”

This act was passed in 2000 by the United States ConWhen it comes to IBOSS, some websites are blocked gress, which not only forces the school board to protect for students mistakenly. For example, Hansen said the students, but helps schools get funding for the Chromelink that English teacher Krissy Rasmussen provided for books, internet usage, etc. her to re-check out a book through the school’s library Some students and faculty may ask, why are these website wasn’t able to be accessed; though this has been sites blocked? Well, first and foremost, it’s for safety. fixed, it is not the only case.

Whether this is at home on their school account or in “Usually, at least once a month, a teacher will send the classroom working on an assignus a link to a website, and it won’t be ment, according to Singleton. available to student access,” senior Students like sophomore Julia Izzy Harwood said.

Hansen feel that there’s a time and When it comes to privacy, Howplace for fun and games, but that ell says that she wants students to AFTER LAST YEAR WITH school’s intended purpose is to eduunderstand that all she’s trying to EVERYTHING BEING FULLY cate students. Therefore, she underaccomplish is for them to be successstands the importance of monitoring DIGITAL, I THINK IT BECAME ful, even though it may feel like “Big her and her fellow classmates.

REALLY EASY TO GET SIDE Brother.”

“We’re in school. We need to focus Though stated in the student TRACKED WHEN YOU’RE ON on things that are important,” Hansen handbook, some students nevertheA COMPUTER. said. “It’s understandable to me, but less fear a violation of privacy. “[Go I can see other students having frustraGuardian] kind of weirds me out a little tions with it.” bit, but it makes sense to monitor kids,” When it comes to the classroom, science teacher Kelli Hansen said.

Backer said she’ll use Go Guardian to monitor and close However, according to Singleton, they’re able to monstudents’ tabs to get them on the right track. Hansen says itor a student’s activity because the school’s network is she’s only encountered a tab being closed once in a class, for the “instructional purposes” of a student. which came as a surprise since she hadn’t ever seen a Due to the possibilities of students finding things they tab get closed in the middle of an assignment, game, etc. shouldn’t, Go Guardian will continue to filter through On the other hand, while understanding the imporsearches done at any time on a school account for subtance of Go Guardian, freshman Charlie Mack feels jects that may need to be brought to the urgent attention that students shouldn’t be monitored 24/7, but more of faculty. of a sporadic check to make sure students are on task.

“

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FEBRUARY 2022

Here We Go Again...

Photo by Tori Thorp

RISE IN COVID CASES POSES A RISK TO IN-PERSON LEARNING

W

By Ming Wong

hile the Omicron variant spreads through ee vaccination rate of approximately 95 percent; and the community and has already caused the the state’s Test to Stay program.” temporary shutdown of Waverly and SunRasmussen says that students in quarantine should rise elementary schools, it poses a question: are more advocate for assistance when needed in completing students at risk of returning to virtual learning? The work outside the classroom, whether that’s a video number of students and staff quarantined has risen sigchat, phone call, a recorded video, or an email to their nificantly after winter break, according to nurse Katie teacher.

Roskelley, and it’s being noticed in the classroom as As a student who has been quarantined, senior Anwell. nah Shollenbarger felt a lack of motivation at home, “I have one to three students quarantined at any and she believes Zoom classes during distance learngiven time,” English teacher Krissy Rasmussen said. “I ing last year provided more structure. Though she didn’t have any quarantines in September and October is able to easily communicate with teachers through that I can think of, so if I did, they were small.” email, she suggests that teachers record their lectures On Jan. 11, COVID quarantine guidelines changed when quarantines occur for people like her who defor GAPS students after a recommendation from the pend on them.

CDC and decisions from the Oregon Department of “Recording your classes would be so helpful,” Education, Oregon Health Authority, and local health Shollenbarger said. She says that the inability to hear authorities. These new guidelines include five days of lectures and class conversations made it especially isolation after the onset of symptoms or difficult with being so close to finals. the day of testing positive and then five Assistant superintendent Lisa Hardays of being fully masked, meaning lan says that a big factor that goes into increase in the district distancing yourself at lunch and not pardeciding whether or not a school goes from Dec. 14 to the ticipating in maskless extracurriculars, week of Jan. 10 back to distance learning is the number according to Roskelley. of staff available. According to her, the In a message from Interim Superintendent Rob Saxton district has been doing everything from reworking bus on Jan. 3 to the GAPS community, he said he felt that routes to assigning substitute teachers permanently to the best environment for students is in the classroom. a school.

“I strongly believe that students need to be in school When it comes to mental health, Harlan says the as much as possible,” wrote Saxton. “Our schools have district has partnered with places such as “Benton tools to help mitigate the risk from COVID-19, such as and Linn county mental health,” “North Albany Wellindoor mask wearing; a licensed and classified employness Center,” and “Trillium Family Services” to pro-

252 case

THE WHIRLWIND

06

vide help other than a school counselor for struggling students. She says that the district has “partnered with schools to deliver a service at school so that transportation and making appointments aren’t a barrier” when it comes to mental health services.

For Shollenbarger, she worries not only about her fellow students’ mental health, but issues with technology and having to take care of younger siblings. “I entered sophomore year and I was a fine, happy little go lucky little teenager, and then junior year, mental health just declined.”

Rasmussen is prepared to teach online if a return to distance learning is necessary, but has also thought about how she’ll change from last time. “I would eliminate the day to day work,” said Rasmussen. “I want to see your engagement, but maybe my points would come from those people who were able to respond in the chat and speak verbally.”

For now, Roskelley wants students to think about the effect their decisions will have on the ability for themselves and their classmates to stay in school. “Whether you’re scared of COVID or not, or you don’t care, no one wants to miss school. No one wants extracurricular activities to get shut down … Think about those kinds of things,” Roskelley said. “I will contact trace all day, every day if that means that some kids get to be at schools and learn and participate in their extracurricular activities.”

CASE NUMBERS BY THE MONTH Sep. 21 2021: 43 Students and Staff Oct. 19 2021: 19 Students and Staff Nov. 23 2021: 22 Students and Staff Dec. 14 2021: 17 Students and Staff Jan. 10-14 2022: 269 Students and Staff

RECENT CHANGES TO COVID GUIDANCE FOR SCHOOLS Nov. 24 2021 Oregon Department of Education adopts Test to Stay, allowing unvaccinated and asymptomatic students to remain in school

Nov. 24 2021 Oregon Health Authority drops outdoor mask mandate, but local decissions could still remain in place

Jan. 11 2022 Quarantine period shifts to five days

Jan. 18 2022 GAPS stops considering masked contact in buses and classrooms as exposure to COVID According to the weekly district communication letter and school nurse Katie Roskelley

WHAT’S UP // NEWS

The Penthouse of First Street

D

By Tyler Stacy

A BETTER LOOK AT THE HOUSE SITTING ON TOP OF SID STEVENS JEWELERS

By Tyler Stacy

riving over the Ellsworth Street Bridge into downtown Albany, a house can be seen sitting on top of Sid Stevens Jewelers, a local jewelry store. This house is nicknamed The Penthouse as it sits above two stories overlooking downtown Albany.

The origins of The Penthouse begin with a man named Joseph H. Bikman. After escaping the anti-Jewish pogroms in Ukraine around 1910, Bikman and his family moved to America. Eventually, he settled in Albany,

they were still extremely generous. In 1918, Joseph Bikman bought $3,800 worth of war stamps, an unheard of amount at the time. War stamps were a way the U.S. government funded the efforts of WWI. The reason Bikman did this was to show his love and appreciation for his country.

The Bikmans at some point moved out of the penthouse and to a house on the ground. The Penthouse was rented for a small period of time. An arsonist even set fire to the house during this time period not

once, but twice. The Oregon to open a womreasons for this are en’s clothing store with still unknown but the his wife Anna Bikman. In damage was limit1923 the Bikmans bought ed to The Penthouse a lot for $18,000, where thanks to fast work in 1924 they built the by firefighters. Since Bikman Building for their then, the Penthouse shop. The building was hasn’t seen an occudesigned by Charles Bugpant, and in 2000 it graff, a famous Albany was labeled as unlivarchitect at the time. able by a tax assessor.

Sometime around Currently, Stevens Tyler Stacy 1928, a house was built has no plans to restore on top of the Bikman Sid Stevens Jewelers, located in the Bikman building, (The The Penthouse, but he building, and it became Penthouse can be seen on top of the building) is doing work to fix the roof and sidings, as that could cause The Penthouse.

“Joseph Bikman promised Anna a house to live in when they water damage to the rest of the building. Restoring the rest of came to America, and this is what he could do,” said Sid Stevens, The Penthouse would take large amounts of time and investment and as Stevens said “that’s not really in the cards for me.” current owner of the store and the Penthouse.

Even though the Penthouse won’t be restored, it remains Having their house on top of their building allowed the Bikmans to not pay property taxes on the house. All they had to pay for was on top of the Bikman building where anyone driving over the the store below. Although the Bikmans did find a loophole in taxes, Ellsworth Bridge can see.

The Wait for Gender Neutral Bathrooms CONSTRUCTION MISHAP LEADS TO NEED FOR RENOVATION

F

HOW TO: TAXES

or senior Sachi Wrigley, going to the bathroom involves walking all the way across the school to the new building, waiting in the office for the staff bathroom, and then walking back only to find you’ve missed 20 minutes of lecture. For many nonbinary, trans, and other gender nonconforming students, using the bathroom can be a complicated process.

“When I go to the bathroom, I have to make a decision,” Wrigley said. “‘Do I want to go to the women’s restroom and

By Eleanor Peterson

feel uncomfortable with who I am as a person, or do I go to the men’s restroom and get looked at weird and harassed?”

When the new building was finished last spring, the plans involved gender neutral bathrooms located across from the auxiliary gym. What differentiates gender neutral bathrooms from regular bathrooms is that they provide more privacy for students and they are not labeled for a specific gender. Unfortunately, when students were welcomed back to the school,

those bathrooms were closed.

“The ones across from the gym were always intended to be gender neutral bathrooms,” principal Susie Orsborn said. “[But] when it got built, they weren’t gender neutral bathrooms.”

There were two bathrooms built, both with two stalls. The issue was that the stalls weren’t built floor to ceiling, which allows students to look over or under the stalls. But, it’s more complicated than just rebuilding the stalls, Orsborn said. When

07

An interview with Joey Running, finance teacher

• Employers are responsible for taking out each employees taxes based on what they completed on their W4, which is their withholding allowance form.

• A W2 is provided to you by your employer.

It’s a summary of how much you’ve earned and how much taxes have been taken out.

• Each year there is a tax filing deadline, which is traditionally, April 15.

“It’s to your benefit that you file your taxes earlier because if there’s any errors, you can fix them, and you won’t be charged a penalty.”

11%

Out of 100 students that surveyed use the gender neutral bathrooms remodeling the bathrooms, they have to worry about airflow, which is what’s causing the holdup.

For students looking for gender neutral bathrooms, they can currently be found in the office. And while there is no definitive date, the school hopes to be able to open the remodeled gender neutral bathrooms as soon as possible.

FEBRUARY 2022

Minor Health, Major Issue

Coral CwmCwlamare

Vaccines

WHY CONFIDENTIAL TEEN HEALTHCARE IS ESSENTIAL

W

ith adulthood and college looming on the horizon, high school is a time for us to learn to take responsibility and control of our own lives. As we explore ourselves and the world, it makes sense that we need to be able to take charge of our own medical services without the help — or interference — of our parents.

Laws in Oregon give us the ability to receive private medical services without parents’ permission from the age of 14. While this may seem unnecessary, confidential medical access can be a huge help for many teens.

Although we are just starting to learn how to take care of ourselves and function on our own, for most, parents still play a huge role in our lives. This can be helpful for many people, but we as teens often have a deep fear of disappointing our parents or being reprimanded for our choices. If teens make decisions that require them to have medical access, such as having sex or abusing substances, concerns about parent reactions could stop them from getting the help

they need.

In situations where teens are stuck in abusive households, this parent-free medical access can be a literal lifesaver and a way to report and/or get direct help. Medical providers like family doctors can provide important support for teens dealing with abuse or dangerous situations, and the confidentiality allows teens to have a chance at safety.

Even if only a small number of teens benefit from the ability to get medical care without parental consent, the system is needed and is successful in improving lives. A survey from the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Massachusetts reported that 25% of the 1,295 high school students surveyed wouldn’t seek the medical care they needed in some situations if their parents knew they were getting it, showing that the number of teens who could be helped by these systems isn’t insignificant and these laws have the potential to save thousands of lives.

OPINION OF THE WHIRLWIND EDITORIAL BOARD

With the continuation of the pandemic, the push to get vaccinated has become more and more prevalent. Omicron and other variants are making it harder for unvaccinated students to stay safe. Linn County has tried to take action by hosting a series of vaccine clinics, some even on site at West. Vaccine regulations state that teens over the age of 15 are allowed to get vaccinated without parental consent, which has been the source of much controversy, even sparking protests from concerned parents.

Vaccinations fall under the same laws that allow teens to get private medical care, but parents still argue that this will lead students to make decisions that go against their parents’ personal beliefs and morals. However, the truth is that high school is the time for us to form our own opinions and worldviews, and sometimes the decisions we make in the interest of our own health and safety might not line up with our parents’ ideals. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention explains that negative effects of the vaccine are very rare, and even allergic reactions are highly unlikely. Taking medical advice and getting services recommended by scientists shouldn’t be an issue, no matter what parents think. Teens should try to have productive

For You

Despite required health classes and online information, it is still not well known exactly how you can get this confidential medical care. Here’ s a couple different places teens can seek help if they aren’t comfortable talking to their parents:

1. Your family practicioner.

If you already have a regular family doctor, they are legally allowed to treat you for mental health issues, STI’s, and general medical care without parental consent. They do have to involve parents or guardians before ending mental health treatment unless there are idications of abuse, and they are mandatory reporters.

T H E W H I R LW I N D

2. Organizations such as Planned Parenthood. You can schedule appointments and find information on their website about sexual and reproductive health.

4. The CDC website has more information on how doctor’s visits can include private medical care, and what exactly your rights as a minor are.

3. The Trevor Project. They have mental health resources to help LGBTQ+ teens who are struggling, and can connect you to cousnelors and other LGBTQ+ teens.

5. The National Sexual Assault Hotline can be found at RAINN.org. The National Domestic Abuse Hotline can be found at TheHotline.org. Staff here at West can also help you, as teachers and admin are mandatory reporters who can support you and help you find help.

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conversations with their parents about healthcare as much as possible, but these laws and clinics create a way for teens to stay safe if their home situations aren’t ideal.

Reproductive Health and Abuse

How Does Oregon Compare?

State California

Age 12

Laws Consent to medical treatment Certain treatments without

Sex and romance are already awkward topics 13 parental knoweledge or Washington for most teens to talk about with their parents or consent guardians. Add in religious ideals or strict family expectations, and it can be next to impossible for Disease treatment without teens to be honest and open about their sexual Idaho 14 health. Access to confidential birth control and parental consent reproductive health can also be essential for victims of sexual assault. According to the National Sexual Violence Resource Center, one in for teens to seek help. In some cases, par- control, no matter the beliefs of their parfour girls and one in eight boys experience sex- ent knowledge of teens’ medical history ents. However, even freshmen are only a ual abuse before they reach 18, and nearly 28% can put them at severe risk. couple years away from 18, when people of those girls are assaulted by a family member. Another argument against confidential are legally considered adults and allowed This means the confidential part of health access healthcare is that it would allow teens complete control over their medical care is even more important, as it can be the only way to get abortions and have access to birth anyway. There’s no magical age where we gain enough experience to make the best decision in every situation, but by the time teens reach high school, we should be able to have autonomy over our own bodies, including the right to reproductive care.

It’s The Law

Our Health

Some of the Oregon laws that allow teens to get medical access without parental involvement:

Overall, teens’ right to confidential healthcare is essential in order to keep many people safe and healthy.

Not only should these laws be upheld, but there should be new measures put into place to make sure that all teens can make use of them. More services should be made free without insurance like the COVID-19 vaccine is, and teens should feel free to get the medical help they need no matter their home or parental situation. Teens taking the initiative of putting their healthcare into their own hands itself shows maturity, and these services are essential to our wellbeing. Confidential healthcare services have been proven to improve the lives of teens and make their chances of getting quality healthcare much higher. Private medical services aren’t just a way to go behind parents’ backs; they’re a necessary safety measure to protect teens from abuse, reproductive health related issues, and misguided parents. Our bodies are our own, and we have the right to take care of them.

ORS 109.610 Minors have the right to seek care for STI’s without parental consent or knowledge.

ORS 109.640 Minors over 15 can access dental and medical treatment without parental consent, including birth control services.

ORS 109.675 Minors over 14 can access mental health and substance abuse services without parental consent.

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“

WE’RE SENDING YOU OUT INTO THE WORLD TO BE AN INDEPENDENT ADULT AFTER YOU GRADUATE FROM HIGH SCHOOL, AND THERE HAS TO BE A TIME IN YOUR LIFE WHEN YOU CROSS OVER INTO THAT AREA OF TAKING CARE OF YOUR OWN HEALTH NEEDS

Jennifer Bornheimer

“

Health Teacher

IF, FOR ANY REASON, [A] MINOR IS NOT FEELING COMFORTABLE HAVING A PARENT INVOLVED, GOING AND GETTING [MEDICAL SERVICES] WILL ONLY HELP THE KID

Katie Roskelley School Nurse

FEBRUARY 2022

Privacy or Productivity

HOW THE CYBER SECURITY MEASURES MIGHT NOT BE THE BEST OPTION FOR THE STUDENT BODY

B

By Gracie Balkema

y enrolling in an Oregon public school, you are signing up for certain responsi-

bilities and holding yourself to certain standards as laid out in the student handbook. You see a lot about dress codes and academic responsibilities, and especially cyber security.

The district is very serious about the internet safety of its students. Not only do the teachers have access to your Chromebook, but so does the entire administration.

Rob Singleton said that the administrators and technicians in the district are able to monitor your screen when certain keywords pop up. They can monitor you, put you on a watch list, and ban you from certain privileges such as email and google chat.

28.3%

Percent of students at West have read the student handbook.

51%

Percent of West students use a personal computer at school

This constant monitoring is an invasion of privacy because we as people should be able to have cyber freedom; especially for the majority of students who use their personal laptop for school.

It is not enough that the district is watching our every online interaction, but they have to prohibit certain web-

T H E W H I R LW I N D

sites in order to maintain their funding, and to keep the students using the internet safely.

“There are certain categories that we must block, and they are sort of ob-

Legend Endberg

cancer' because 'breast' is a keyword.

It also makes researching certain

other subjects hard because all image based sites are blocked, and you canvious ones like pornography, violence, not access sites such as Google Images hate, gambling. There are just a handor Unsplash.

These websites become blocked ful of broad categories of websites that because they can contain inappropriwe must block in ate images. But order to be comhonestly, if you pliant with CIPA want to bypass [Children’s Internet Protection Act] THERE ARE CERTAIN CATEGORIES the blocking, and ,” Rob Singleton, THAT WE MUST BLOCK, AND THEY find those images, there is a GAPS technology ARE SORT OF OBVIOUS ONES way. Why limit director, said.

LIKE PORNOGRAPHY, VIOLENCE, internet access The internet for all, when it’s HATE, GAMBLING. access is managed a handful of stuby the district and dents who are the the admin at the school. They control problem? the websites that are on the blocked list Now, not all of the fault falls on based on age group and building. the district. The school principal and But by protecting the cyber security administration can also request for of the students in the district, the adwebsites to get blocked and unblocked ministration is also blocking our abilbased on what they feel is appropriate. ity to learn. These seemingly helpful This can be a good thing, because it tools also block educational websites can block problem sites that students that contain certain keywords. are spending too much time on, such For example, it is relatively hard to as social media. research serious subjects such as Monitoring our screen isn’t the 'breast

“

main issue. In some cases, it can help struggling students or catch startling behavior. Those keywords don’t just pick up on people doing inappropriate things, they can alert counselors, admin, and even the police if an issue demands it. The real problem is blocking the sites and videos that we need to access in our day to day lives.

As high school students, we shouldn’t have to skirt around blocked websites to find information.

If you do go searching for those inappropriate things, be prepared to deal with the repercussions.

For the rest of the student body… you deserve to get the most out of the resources we have available.

That means accessing the websites and videos you need, and not having to wait for the district to unblock them.

We as students should have access to the materials we need, without all of those obstacles. We should have a voice in the websites and videos that get blocked, because ultimately we are the ones working around those obstacles to get work done. Something needs to change.

“Being a registered student in the district, we can and are able to monitor the activity over the network. The reason is that because the network is here for instructional purposes. It is only here to help you with your studies and your grades, and getting your schoolwork done. It is not here to hold Halo parties.”

“A website or a type of website might get blocked, like social media, [because] there are requests from your principals and your schools. They can also say a category blocked this legitimate site, can you please put it on the yes access is okay list. They can make exceptions.”

Interview with Rob Singleton

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WHAT’S UP // OPINION

We asked 84 students if they thought the commons is crowded during lunch:

Food for Thought

THE DANGERS OF AN OVERCROWDED COMMON SPACE

T

By Harvest Buchanan

he commons in the blue building is part of the school’s new addition to the campus, along with the new classrooms, gymnasium, and performing arts center.

Designated as the space for eating lunch and acting as a study space for people in their open periods, its double floors offer room to spread out. However, a while into using these new spaces, it’s come to the attention of students that it is too crowded, even for a lunch room. Huge crowds of kids are piling up with people standing in line for food, while others are pushing to find a seat or even get into the commons in the first place, and bumping into one another all the while.

When walking into and out of the commons, it’s very easy to run into someone or trip and fall, which can be very dangerous for students. With the sheer amount of people, it can be difficult for kids to get lunches in the commons when there are so many students in line. The bagged lunches are gone so quickly, barely anyone gets a chance to grab one if they don’t like or can’t have any of the other food options.

The lines set up for getting lunches can also be a contributing factor to the enormous crowd of people. Currently, the lines are out to the side, which open out into the small area under the second floor near the gym doors. When lunch starts, students are trying to get into the commons from the gym, while many other students are standing in the overflowed line to get nachos or chicken sandwiches.

A solution to this problem could be moving around the food options so the less popular options are on the right, where it’s less crowded, and the more popular options to the far left, so that students don’t get pushed around. It would also be a good idea to push back the tables that are on the side next to the lunch lines, so students that sit near the lunch lines don’t get pushed, hit, or crowded.

It’s important for students to stay safe during these times, especially since the crowds are very unsanitary with how they act. Some students don’t wear their masks correctly, and that puts many kids at risk of getting sick. Being in such close proximity is not ideal during the time of the day where most students are already taking off their masks to eat lunch.

All in all, the commons should be given a little more attention when it comes to safety and sanitation. For the future of the student body, it should be a priority to put a little more effort into the lunch line layout and efficiency.

X Equals Y am I Failing?

R

By Jose Lopez

etaking a test you horrendously flunked has been an asset students in high schools make use of constantly. It’s a simple part of school that forgives students for mistakes everyone makes, yet it is to some students’ surprise that tests in college level classes are typically not retake-able, with no leeway or grace given to students who perform poorly on their tests. College level classes should have retake-able tests Performance on tests isn’t completely dependent on the knowledge a student has on the subject. According to the American Test Anxieties Association, 16-20% of American students have high test anxiety, with this test anxiety being an officially diagnosed disorder in which students are unable to perform on tests. Physical symptoms of test anxiety include excessive sweating,

Ahh Valentine’s Day. An opportunity to take your partner on a date, buy them chocolate and flowers, or acknowledge how single you are.

We asked two West students what they thought about Valentine’s Day. Here are their Hot Takes!

Megan Hedgpeth Senior “Everyone’s like, ‘you’re supposed to buy this stuff for your significant other’...but why does that need to happen? I don’t think it should be different than any other day. You shouldn’t have to have an excuse to hang out with someone you love.”

Rae Schreiter Freshman “I feel like it’s just a plot for straight couples to buy chocolate

Harvest Buchanan

ARE TEST RETAKES A NECESSITY FOR STUDENT LEARNING?

Hot Takes: Valentine’s Edition

for each other. Capitalism at its finest.”

Glossary of Education Reform, assessments “are more appropriately used to determine learning progress and achievement, evaluate the effectiveness of educational headaches and fatigue, which can seriously affect perprograms, and measure progress towards improvement formance on a test. Although the importance of mental goals.” If you’re not given a chance to learn and correct health is constantly shouted into students’ faces, actual the mistakes in a test, you didn’t learn anything. You consequences of said mental health are pushed aside just failed, oftentimes with yet another new source of and rarely acknowledged. You butcher one test and are material being force fed to you the day after a test — not given a chance to correct your mistakes. before having a proper grasp on the material you were A test without a retake in some ways contradicts previously taught. the purpose of a test in general. According to the Test retakes have been shown to help student In a survey of 84 students, 81 percent say that learning, even in high level exams such as the ACT. test anxiety has an effect on their performance According to the ACT, 57% of students who retake the ACT as seniors improve their score. Whether test retakes improve test performance is irrelevant. As of now, college level classes at WAHS give tests with no retakes available. Students in precalculus, AP Stats and others are granted no second chances, but are constantly told their education is a high priority. This is a problem not only at WAHS but at a federal level across the education system in this nation.

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FEBRUARY 2022

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he swim team is a sports team full of strong athletes and even stronger bonds, and their atmosphere has had decades to take the shape it has today. The swim team originally swam at the old YMCA’s four-lane pool. In 1979, after the community pool was built next to South Albany High School, the team switched over to the new pool.

Alongside the long life of the swim team, their coaches, Babette Romancier, Bailey Dickerson, and Athena Lawson, may have lasted longer than any other coach at West. Romancier, almost strictly referred to as “Babs” by her athletes, has been coaching the team for the past 16 years. This will be the 16th and final year Romancier coaches the swim team, as she intends to retire at the end of the season.

But from Romancier’s retirement, Bailey Dickerson will take over as head coach starting next year. Dickerson has been helping coach the swim team for three years and is a graduate from West Albany who swam all four years.

From the position of a spectator, swimming is fairly

uncomplicated, but the simplicity of racing does not un- have to watch them and pick apart little details.”

“Their [practices] sometimes really terrible and really dermine how exciting it can be to watch. Sometimes first place at a state meet can be determined by a thousandth bad, but we just get through it together. Like, there’s one set that we do that is four or five thousand yards of just of a second.

“At state my sophomore year, I got second place by straight butterfly stroke,” junior Alice Whiteside said.

“Kids will come back [after they 0.02 seconds… It’s very frustrating. I had graduate] and say, ‘Thank you. I feel like been ahead, but he barely finished before you really cared,’” Romancier said. The me,” senior Luke Milburn said. swim team has a powerful atmosphere There are eight individual events, then full of support. “I hope that swimmers three relays that each swimmer can par“IT’S A LOT OF FINE leave the program better than when they ticipate in. At every meet, each swimmer TUNING... YOU HAVE TO started… not as swimmers, but as a betWATCH THEM AND PICK is allowed a maximum of two events: two APART LITTLE DETAILS.” ter person, a better teammate, a better individual events, or one individual and perspective of themselves, or even conone relay. fidence.”

Each event requires hours of practice Swimming is a hard sport that can and dedication to reach a competitive level, with barriers in the way of consistent progress. “We be very grueling at times. However, the teammates and swim for two hours straight, and if they can’t continue coaches of the swim team strive to create a strong space swimming that entire time, they can’t get the technique that works for each other to better themselves as a whole.

“

work,” Dickerson said. “It’s a lot of fine tuning… You

The Swim Team Rundown

LONG-TIME COACH DESCRIBES HOW SUPPORTIVE ATMOSPHERE WAS DEVELOPED

By Joe Wagner

Sophomore Conner Dickerson swims at the South Albany vs West Albany Duel on Jan. 4.

Sophomore Ella Winter swims at the South Albany vs.

West Albany Duel on Jan. 4.

THE WHIRLWIND

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Photos By Lucy Rouse

J

anuary 28, 2019: a seemingly normal day when histling being something that will not only help people tory was made. who are physically active, but benefit those who aren’t.

On that day, West Albany High School created the “It makes me more confident, and it makes me feel first high school women’s wrestling team in its league. stronger,” said junior Ariana Martinez, who has been Since then, places like Sweet Home and Silverton have wrestling since she was a freshman. “It taught me a lot started teams as well. Women’s wrestling has become a more about perseverance. I got tossed down a lot menrecognized sport within our communitally and had to learn to get stronger.” ty and given young women a chance to Wrestling has not only provided its learn a sport that, for most of history, has athletes the ability to grow stronger, but been predominantly male. This action also a family that they are able to look to “IT MAKES ME MORE reinforced the idea that women can not for guidance and friendship. “We hope CONFIDENT, AND only play these tough sports, but also that everyone that joins our wrestling IT MAKES ME FEEL won’t be stuck with the men’s category, family wants to become part of that STRONGER.” being able to have their own spotlight. family,” assistant wrestling coach Bryan Women’s wrestling is a sport that has Barker said. “We don’t judge. Whether recently gained more and more popularyou’re a girl, a boy, you don’t identify ity, becoming an Olympic sport in 2004. as either, you’re gay or lesbian, we don’t This act helped women’s wrestling care. If you step in there, you are autobecome more popular and normalized amongst other matically part of our family.” sports, and, according to wrestling coach Casey Horn, it “We spend a lot of time with each other, going to is the fastest growing sport in America. meets and being in the locker room,” sophomore Maci One thing that is very commonly advertised is wresPearson said. The wrestling team is, as the coaches say,

“

a family that stands with each other, helping each other get stronger and better at what they do.

As opponents shoot and duck, trying to pin one another to the mat via physical strength and tricky tactics, many don’t doubt it’s a tough and rigorous sport. Those who join wrestling have had to develop the ability to keep their head in the game, staying strong even in the hardest situations. “We have [junior] Taylor Lumpkin, and she’s doing phenomenal. She is out kicking some butt, and it’s awesome to be a piece of it,” Barker said.

“We’re going to put kids in situations which make them successful.”

The team is actively looking for girls to join them for wrestling, regardless of their physical abilities and experience with the sport. “We have a lot of girls come into the room not knowing how to wrestle, but they have the spirit to learn it, Martinez said. With some people, they just walk into the room and you can tell they have potential. You can just come into the room and surprise yourself.”

Wrestling For A Chance WHAT IS IT TRULY LIKE BEING ON THE WOMEN’S WRESTLING TEAM?

By Gigi Roldan

Sophomore Kylie Brown avoids her competitor in a match against Silverton on Jan. 19.

Photos by Austin Rudel

Junior Ariana Martinez wins her match in the Silverton duel on Jan. 19.

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Sophomore Aubrey Murphy begins her match against Silverton on Jan. 19.

FEBRUARY 2022

Photos by Violet Zinck

Behind the Game

WHO MAKES WAHS ATHLETIC EVENTS HAPPEN?

By Sports section

Athletic Trainer Amy Evilsizer

Volunteer Joe Meekins

Volunteers Diana O’Brien, Cindy Orth, Glenda Costain

Almost every student has been to a sporting event in their high school career. The screaming of the crowd, the loud music, the smell of popcorn, the screech of the ref’s whistle. These all build the atmosphere of the school’s basketball games.

Yet, amidst the cheering and noise, many don’t pause to wonder who the ref following the entire game is; who’re the people sitting behind the table, controlling the flashing numbers on the scoreboard. In the rush to avoid missing any game action, people don’t talk to the person handing out the popcorn.

Volunteers Glenda Costain, Diana O’Brien, and Cindy Orth have been working the concessions stand at competitions for the last 18 to 20 years.

“We always said we would write a book called ‘True Concessions,’ ” they said. “It helps the community, it’s a great way to give back, and it’s enjoyable and fun to do.”

“For basketball games and wrestling, I charge for admission, and I’ve been working the admission for just this winter season,” Megan Lien said, who works the cash register.

Science teacher Kelli Backer and substitute teacher Max White work on the scoreboard, keeping track of the time and the scores.

“I work the scoreboard for all home games, JV and Varsity. I’ve been working on the score table for 12 years,” White said.

Moving on from the scoreboard table, those who work out of public’s eye are also essential to make sure games run smoothly, or get started in the first place. Middle

“

WE ALWAYS SAID WE WOULD ALWAYS WRITE A BOOK CALLED ‘TRUE CONCESSIONS’.”

Megan Lien THE WHIRLWIND

school teacher Joe Meekins and Athletic TrainerAmy Evilsizer do their own parts in the game.

“Generally I help [Athletic Director] Don [Lien] set up most everything at the basketball games. I put stands out, set up chairs, set up the scoreboard, and when we need it, I help set up the auxiliary gym for extra games. I used to be the Site Coordinator whenever we used the Memorial gym for games,” Meekins said.

Evilsizer makes sure that everybody is safe during the 14

Volunteer Kelli Backer

Substitute teacher Max White

Athletic Director Don Lien games, readily available to provide first aid.

“My main job is to prevent injuries and make sure kids can stay hydrated. I set up the water station, set out cups, and I work to try and prevent injuries,” Evilsizer said.

Last of all, Athletic Director Don Lien acts as the principal of the sporting world.

“I coordinate sporting events, games, I make sure we are acting according to OSAA guidelines, and I work to keep everybody safe during games,” Lien said.

“The AD sent out a thing if anyone was willing to help out at the game,” Backer said, “I’ve always been into athletics, so I enjoy getting to be around it.”

Most competitions are run by volunteers, family members of the athlete, school staff, or the community who steps in and helps the other officials. Even though their work isn’t always acknowledged, it’s a way for people to stay connected and see how their work paid off.

WHAT’S UP // SPORTS

What’s In My Bag

A LOOK INSIDE THE BAG OF SENIOR SWIMMER TRENTON WORDEN Kick Board - I use the kick board when I’m trying to build muscle and it helps isolate my legs when I’m swimming.

By Kylie Brown

Hello Halvorson

By Hailey Miles

Cap - I use my swimming cap because it takes away the drag your hair makes when swimming.

Drew Halvorson: Health 2 and Sports Psychology teacher, basketball coach, avid sports lover. For him, it’s his career and what he plans on doing his whole life. Growing up locally, he worked at Oregon State and the Albany Boys and Girls Club. But recently, he came back to the very school he used to go to, back where it all started.

When and where were you born and raised?

I was raised in Albany. I went to West Albany High School, Memorial Middle school, and Lafayette Elementary school. I graduated in 2001, so I would go to the school in the late 90’s, early 2000’s.

Did you involve yourself in sports when you were younger?

Absolutely. So growing up, I played baseball, basketball, and football. When I went to high school, I specialized more in basketball and football.

Fins - The fins help me train to swim faster.

Goggles - I have owned these goggles since I was 10. I chewed on the strap of my goggles to calm my stage fright before swimming, that's why it’s frayed.

Snorkel - They help me to train my breathing. The less you breath the faster you go.

How did you get into basketball as a career?

After I graduated, I did some things that weren’t teaching or coaching. I just always really loved sports and wanted to get back into it. Something that helped me become a better coach was being a teacher and being able to teach students life skills.

How is the season going?

For the JV team, the seasons been going really well. We’ve only lost one game to the Tigers, every other game we’ve won. So we got some really good talent.

LOCKER ROOM TUNES What songs get you hyped?

By Hailey Miles

What’s it been like during the pandemic?

With the pandemic, it’s been pretty rough.

There are a lot of rules and regulations we have to follow that make it a bit tougher. If I have to wear a mask to play basketball, I’m happy to. We will do whatever we need to make sure we have a safe and healthy basketball season.

“I listen to “I Wish” by Skee-Lo because it says I wish I was a baller I wish I was a little bit taller.”

-Sophomore basketball player Emma Boland “I really like This one song, “GDFR” by Flor Rida, and Sage the Gemini. It’s always a good vibe before I get on a match.”

Junior wrestler Taylor Lumpkin -Junior

Do you plan on doing this for the rest of your life?

Absolutely. I’ll be a coach the rest of my life, until I become an athletic director. I will teach and coach until they kick me out.

“I usually listen to Tyler The Creator or Kendrick Lamar because its helps get me in the mood for tennis.”

-Senior tennis player Kody Brown

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FEBRUARY 2022

In the Limelight

🔴 recording

WHAT GOES ON IN MEDIA LAB

O

By Coral CwmCwlamare

n the second floor of the Blue building during fourth period, there’s a classroom where much is being done. A palatable excitement is in the air as some work with sound equipment and others experiment with different cameras. Media Lab is a unique class in many regards, instead of using traditional lectures to teach, leaves students to their own devices as they explore different projects.

“I’ve worked on making my own clothing designs. We worked on making a short film in a day where we had an AI write a script for us.

That was really fun,” senior Kody Brown said.

“Each day is a different project [and] a lot of it is not necessarily us producing a video, but it’s us learning new equipment and seeing how we can apply it to future projects.”

The wide variety of equipment that students in Media Lab can use is extensive. One

group of students could use a 3D camera, similar to the that set software.” ones used to make Google Maps, and with trial and error Different students come to the class with learn how it works. Others could be using what is more unique goals and levels of experience. Some familiar, a camera similar to those used to record news days they work on different projects, but othshows. Each piece of equipment is used er days they all work for different projects. together and bring their “For me, one of my favorite things own skill sets that they THERE’S PEOPLE HERE was the AI generated script because it have learned to create was just hilarious,” sophomore Brock IN ALL DIFFERENT SKILL something.

Neill said. “It was when we got to spend “However much LEVELS, ALL WORKING a whole period just going around filmyou put into this class, TOGETHER TO GET ing the video. It was really funny.” you will get that much,” The ability to do different projects Brown said. “There’s BETTER provides students with different experipeople here at all difences as well as learning how to use different types of ferent skill levels, all working together to get media and equipment. While some focus on entirely new better, and there isn’t really a class [where] things, some focus on honing their skills.

I’ve learned more than this class.”

“My favorite part of this class is being able to do the The class is a team, one with a light atmostuff I’m good at already,” senior Ryan Feigenspan said. sphere that feels welcoming and allows for “Just learning how to [and] honing your skill using the ideas to be bounced around until a working software I already understand, but learning more tools in one reveals itself.

“

Senior Kody Brown in the Production room where Media Lab often uses for recordings.

(Left to right) Senior Kellen Kohlleppel, senior Grason Crabtree, and senior Gabriel Corr using the 3D camera.

THE WHIRLWIND

(Left to right) Sophomore Brock Neill, senior Kody Brown, and junior Tanner Cartwright discuss what to do for their project.

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Senior Kellen Kohlleppel getting ready to record his classmates new project.

s

ICONS OF 2021 Which celebrity should go away?

Mr Beast’s net is worth $25 million. His elaborate stunts have generated more than 10 billion views.

Le g

end

En gb

Junior Lauren Williams said “I think that Charli D’Amelio because she is basic and her time is over.”

erg

Thirsty For The Stars

In 2021 Tom Holland starred in Spider-Man No Way Home.

Spider-Man no way home sold 1.1 million tickets for the premiere week.

Which celebrity Who is your celebrity crush?

THE CULTURE OF CELEBRITY FANDOM

Freshman Ben Bliesner said “Zendaya because I watched her since I was little and she’s always been my celebrity crush.”

By Austin Rudel

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n 8 November 2021 in Portland at the Moda Center sophomore Julia Hansen went to both a Jonas Brothers and a Harry Styles concert. The Jonas Brothers album “Sucker” sold over 17 million units worldwide. Harry Styles sold 458,000 Units of the “Fine Line” album.

“It was amazing and a one-of-a-kind experience,” Hansen said. “I will never forget the concerts and the memories I made.”

According to Hansen, the Harry Styles concert was sold out. There were 17,890 tickets sold.

People were very close to each other but it was still possible to have a good time.

“At the Jonas Brothers concert someone air-dropped me a video from the first row.” Hansen said. The Jonas Brothers concert lasted an hour and a half, while the Harry Styles’ concert lasted two hours. Harry Styles sang 18 songs at his concert. The opening song was “Golden”.

“Harry had so much energy and was having the time of his life.” Sophomore Shelby Tarrant said.“Everyone was so excited to see Harry.”

Vaccine cards had to be checked at the entry of the concert.

“They were very heavy on security and making sure people wear their masks,” Hansen said.

“Nothing was really different about the concert.”

Most everyone was fully vaccinated. Attendees also had to get a stamp at the door saying that they were checked and fully vaccinated. If attendees were not fully vaccinated they were not allowed to attend the concert.

“People were kind and respectful about masks,” said Tarrant.

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Doja cat released Planet Her on June 25th 2021. The album sold over 1.6 million units U.S.

Simone Biles has 9 golds, 3 silvers, and 3 bronzes. She is the first woman to win four straight U.S. all-around titles in 42 years.

The most iconic celebrity?

Junior Madelyn Hoyt said “Tom Hiddleston cause he is hot and iconic to the gays.”

“Tom Holland” by Gage Skidmore is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0 “Ginástica Artística - Final individual feminino - Simone Biles/EUA - Medalha de Ouro” by Secretaria Especial do Esporte is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 “File:Zendaya - 2019 by Glenn Francis.jpg” by Toglenn is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 “Tom Hiddleston” by Gage Skidmore is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0 Mr Beast photo credit to Mr Beast Charli D’Amelio photo credit to Charli D’Amelio

FEBRUARY 2022

WHAT’S UP // ENTERTAINMENT

A Game Of Patience

HOW TO: TAXES RECOMMENDATIONS

A BEHIND THE SCENES LOOK AT VIDEO GAME DEVELOPMENT

By Marshall Hamel

V

ideo games are among the most popular forms of media, especially among teens, allowing players to enjoy rich storylines, addictive gameplay, and clever core mechanics that keep them engaged, but what the average person might not take into consideration is everything that goes on behind the scenes, and the process of video game development. A few students at West Albany have taken the controller into their own hands, and are developing their very own game.

“Me and a couple other people have been planning out and working on a game,” freshman Takoda Cunningham said. “I have no clue what direction it will go since the plan was only made a couple months ago.” The team, which has no name, consists almost entirely of freshmen, including Callista CwmCwlamare, Piper Drushella, Zhaine Raymundo, Charley Harrington, Freshman Callista CwmCwlamare designing charMina Clower and Rhylie Thepphilus. acters for their video game.

A fundamental part of completing any project is setting aside the appropriate time for planning everything out, which requires the proper allocation of time and resources. This is especially true in the case of video game development, since there are multiple areas that need to be tackled. This includes the storyline, characters, gameplay mechanics, music, etc. “Everyone is still drawing characters right now, so I’m kind of just waiting until later on.” Cunningham said. “I’m not really designing any characters, but I’m planning on doing the coding or 3D modeling.”

If all of this sounds like a lot to manage, it definitely can be, but working with a team makes everything a lot easier.

It’s easy to imagine video game development as exciting and fun, but in reality it takes a lot of hard work and dedication from everyone involved in the process, and it can go by really slowly, Photos by Coral CwmCwlamare but this is no problem for Cunningham.

“It’s gonna seem really slow at the start,” Cunningham said.

“You have to take the time to create the characters and plan it all out, so don’t get discouraged.”

“The Stranger In The Woods” tells the fantastic true story of Christopher Knight, the last true hermit, who spent 27 years hidden away in the woods of Maine in complete solitude, without any human contact.

“Don’t Look Up” is an excellent take on the state of the nation, and sees two astronomers discovering a comet headed directly towards Earth that will wipe out humanity.

The scariest part of all? Nobody seems to be taking them seriously.

“Wong’s Cafe” is the newest project from renowned Vulfpeck guitarist Cory Wong, and although Vulfpeck is still the backing band, this time around Wong takes the lead in songwriting, bringing his unique and upbeat style of rhythm and funk to the table for a joyfully groovy listening experience.

A GOLDEN LEGACY: REMEMBERING BETTY WHITE

By Marshall Hamel

There are few household names in the world of comedy held in such high regards as Betty White. It’s not often that you see an entertainer bring joy and laughter to multiple generations for nearly ten decades, which is why she is and always will be an icon.

“She was a beautiful actress in her younger days and was iconic in her role in Golden Girls,” math teacher Marcie McArthur said.

Another reason White is so beloved in the eyes of many is because of her involvement in so many different activist movements. “She was also a huge animal lover and put much time, energy, and money into helping rescued animals,” McArthur said. Animal rights aren’t the only thing White was passionate about, as she was an outspoken supporter of people of color, especially having lived through the Civil Rights Movement. She received backlash for allowing Arthur Duncan, a black tap dancer, to appear on her

T H E W H I R LW I N D

variety show, ‘The Betty White Show,’ even being asked multiple times to remove him from the show, but refusing every time.

Although younger people today didn’t see her in her prime, White is remembered by kids today for a handful of other reasons, including various cameos and television appearances, especially her fondly remembered Super Bowl commercials.

“The first time I heard of Betty White was when I saw her commercial during the Super Bowl,” said freshman Finn Alan.

“I didn’t really realize how awesome of a person she was until after she died.”

White’s passing is an absolute tragedy, but it’s an understatement to say she will always live on in the memories of many as The First Lady of Television.

Photo by Alan Light, licensed under CC BY 2.0

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FEBRUARY 2022

ART. PHOTOGRAPHY. REPORTING. WRITING. GRAPHIC DESIGN. SOCIAL MEDIA. MULTIMEDIA. LEADERSHIP. MAKING HISTORY. JOIN THE WHIRLWIND.

LEARN ABOUT JOINING THE WHIRLWIND NEXT YEAR BY COMING TO A BRIEF INFORMATIONAL MEETING AT THE BEGINNING OF LUNCH IN C9 ON FEBRUARY 16

THE WHIRLWIND

18

The Food Issue The heartwarming story of a recipe that has been passed down through generations, 21 Baking and Pastry class participates in a “Chopped” themed competition for their class final, 22 Hear from two students with varying experiences around food and eating plant-based, 23 Learn about the day-to-day of the three women working to feed an entire student body, 24 Meet the kitchen manager Kimberly Hill and read about her story, 25 Learn about the evolution of school lunches through the years, 25

History Passed On HOW FOOD CAN CREATE A MEANINGFUL CONNECTION BETWEEN GENERATIONS

By Mollie Brown

KASE KNEPFLA INGREDIENTS:

Dough: -6 c. flour -2 eggs -1 tsp. salt -approx. 1 1/2 c. water Cheese Filling: -3 c. drained cottage cheese -2 eggs -1/2 tsp. salt -diced onion -pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

1. Combine all ingredients for dough and knead until soft dough is formed 2. Roll out dough 1/8-inch thick, cut into circles 5x5-inch, or to desired size.

3. Combine ingredients for cheese filling 4. Put cheese filling in dough rounds and close securely by folding in half.

Pinch ends closed securely.

Recipe Credit: Emma Bennet

5. Drop in boiling water for 3 to 5 minutes. Remove and fry in butter until lightly browned.

T

he sizzling oil pops, and the aromatic smell of pan-fried dough drifts across the kitchen. A traditionally German dish, Kase Knepfla is a type of cheese dumpling with its primary ingredients being dry cottage cheese and dough similar to that made for pasta—and it’s a symbol of togetherness for the Bennet family.

Senior Emma Bennet doesn’t see their grandma who lives in South Dakota very often, but on occasional visits, they make Kase Knepfla as a family. She mentioned this being an activity they could all enjoy together.

“It’s in a big book of family recipes that’s been passed on from her side,” Bennet said. This book comes from her mom’s side of the family, but both her parents have deep ties with cooking.

In fact, their parents run the local restaurant Sybaris— although those aren’t family recipes. Instead, the menu shifts monthly—to showcase a variety of new recipes Bennet’s dad feels inspired to try. They couldn’t recall having any recipes that had been passed down from his side of the family.

“My dad’s mom was a horrible cook,” Bennet said. “We don’t really have much from that side of the family.”

Because of this, all the family recipes come from Bennet’s mom’s side, leaving her dad to start a new generation of recipes.

“My dad just likes to cook, so some of that will be taught to myself and my sister and passed down.”

Photos of Kase Knepfla taken by Mollie Brown

Photo Credit and/or Caption Goes Here Photo used with permission of Emma Bennet

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FEBRUARY 2022

On The Chopping Block BAKING AND PASTRY CLASS MAKES ORIGINAL DESSERTS FOR THEIR CHOPPED-THEMED FINAL

By Tori Thorp and Gabi Emery

S

ix groups of Baking and Pastry students were tasked on Thursday, Jan. 20 to create an original dessert using strawberries, bacon, and tapioca pudding. In a “Chopped” style competition, the final dishes were laid out on a long table adorned with a black tablecloth. Each group was given a chance to briefly explain what they had made before it was taste-tested by three judges.

One group of three, made up of junior Clair Lloyd and seniors Mariah McCoulough and Cadence Crumal, created its own unique version of a strawberry shortcake.

“We kind of spitballed it as we went,” McCoulough said. “We started with a

(Top) Junior Padget Washko’s group’s dish.

(Right) senior Hailey Wadlington’s group’s Swiss roll.

(Far right) junior Clair Lloyd and seniors Mariah McCoulough and Cadence Crumal’s dish.

Photos by Tori Thorp

Famous by Word of Mouth!

recipe for the dough, and then for the whipped cream we just took heavy whip- mom.

“My mom used to do some fancy plating ping cream, threw in some cocoa powder, stuff for holidays, so I kind of just do what and just whipped it up.” she does,” Washko said.

The three have been in culinary Other groups made creations such as classes prior to Baking and Pastry, which a strawberry swiss roll, with bacon-laced was added to West’s course catalog at the tapioca filling and a bright pink presentation beginning of the school year, so the trio decorated with a white chocolate heart on decided to enroll. top.

“I really enjoy cooking “For the most part, we just in general. I think it’s have to have a recipe,” really fun, it’s a good outlet explained senior Hailey to be creative,” Lloyd said.

IT’S A GOOD Wadlington, a member of the OUTLET TO BE “It’s a really good life skill group creating the swiss roll.

CREATIVE to have, too.”

“But with the frosting that Groups continued to work we did here, it was all thrown tirelessly in the time constraint they had together from previous learning experiences to get their dishes on the table. In one of with making frostings.” the groups, junior Padget Washko piped Because Baking and Pastry is a semesfrosting made up of tapioca pudding onto ter-long class, this was the last culinary class a plate, garnishing it with dried strawberthat many of the students will be taking this ries and bits of chopped bacon. An imyear. portant part of every cooking competition “We don’t exactly know what we’re is the presentation, and Washko learned doing,” said Washko, “but we’re having a their skills from watching cooking shows good time.” and observing the dishes created by their

“

THE WHIRLWIND

22

Tuesday-Saturday 11 a.m.-8 p.m (541) 704-1128 thefirstburger.com 210 1st Ave NW, Albany, OR 97321

www.emmadowntown.net 422 1st Ave W, Albany, OR 97321 (541) 926 1717

Two Sides of a Plant Based Diet TWO STUDENTS, TWO VARYING EXPERIENCES LIVING CRUELTY-FREE

By Violet Zinck

S

NEW VEGETARIAN

P

ome families try things like meatless Mondays, putting in some effort to eat a diet kinder to animals, but how many people take the next step and become a full time vegetarian? Is it really as difficult as we think to live “cruelty-free”?

“I didn’t go fully vegetarian at first,” sophomore Cheyanne Hughes said. “I originally started looking into it because of the cruelty in the industry. If you’re going to eat an animal, it doesn’t make sense for the animal to be abused first.”

OLD VEGETARIAN

eople who are reluctant to try a plant-based diet may feel that it isn’t sustainable. It sounds nice, but it doesn’t seem achievable in the long run.

Sometimes the cost of alternative proteins or the list of things you can no longer eat can be daunting. But like so many others, sophomore Lucy Rouse has managed to follow this lifestyle.

“It’s actually better. I’ve been more mindful of what I do,” Rouse said. “And I also never really liked myself.

[Being vegetarian] was a big change.”

Another concern for minors, or for people not in charge of all their own meals, is that it would be an inconvenience to the people around them. So, Rouse communicated with family and those around her to make the food accessible to her.

“Well, my mom just stopped adding meat to things,” Rouse said, “and she put [the meat] on the side of whatever it was we were eating.”

With accommodating family, and the will to make the change, Rouse has been able to eat plant-based for almost three years.

For the first month, and still occasionally, Hughes said that sometimes she almost forgot she wasn’t eating meat, but taking time for your body and mind to transition is very important.

“I started cutting down on meat around August, and then stopped eating it around October, so I’m relatively new.” Hughes also commented on how her family dealt with the change.

“I found that I don’t really miss it very much, but family and others find it hard to understand,” Hughes said.

“My dad has gotten better, but I live with him. But other family members will put meat on my plate.”

Beginning the journey to a sustainable diet is a tough one with many challenges, but if it means eating cruelty free, Hughes is ready to take the leap.

Illustration by Tori Thorp

1.2% OF WAHS

8.5% OF WAHS

12% OF WAHS

STUDENTS CATEGORIZE

STUDENTS CATEGORIZE

STUDENTS CATEGORIZE

THEMSELVES AS

THEMSELVES AS FOLLOWING

THEMSELVES AS

GLUTEN-FREE.

A NON-”NORMAL” DIET.

DAIRY-FREE.

Statistics from a Whirlwind student survey with 82 students

23

FEBRUARY 2022

B

ehind the walls of West Albany’s kitchen, three women efficiently layer chicken and hamburger patties onto hundreds of buns one by one, anticipating the cascade of hungry high school students to come in less than an hour.

Not long after the pandemic started, West received financial aid for the purpose of providing free lunches for stu-

dents. With the burden of financial troubles eliminated, the number of students flooding into the cafeteria to grab a bite to eat during lunch rapidly increased to almost three times the amount before COVID-19. More kids being provided with food is ultimately a positive situation, but it also necessitates busier work days for the kitchen staff.

At 9:30 a.m. sharp, kitchen manager Kimberly Hill and her coworkers Mary Gaspard and Donna Affinito get to work on putting together anywhere from 300 to 670 lunches for the day, depending on the insight Hill gains from the number of leftover lunches from previous days. The volume of students that get lunches from the kitchen can fluctuate wildly from week to week, so the amount of food that needs to be ordered at the beginning of the week is usually a

By Tori Thorp

A LOOK INTO THE DAY-TO-DAY OF THE THREE WOMEN FEEDING WEST ALBANY’S STUDENT BODY

Six Hands, 600 Meals.

T H E W H I R LW I N D

Kitchen Manager Kimberly Hill and coworkers Mary Gaspard and Donna Affinito prepare hamburger buns for the day’s lunches in the WAHS kitchen.

IF THE KITCHEN STAFF MAKES AN AVERAGE OF 400 LUNCHES A DAY, THEY WILL HAVE MADE A MINIMUM OF

106,000

MEALS BY THE END OF THIS YEAR. Kitchen Staffer Mary Gaspard prepares tater tots as a side for the burgers. guessing game.

The trio has made a variety of main courses this year, in both sack lunch and hot lunch form. Providing a steady stream of high schoolers with food is no small feat, but the kitchen staff has a quick and structured system to keep everything running smoothly.

Nacho chips are scooped into their paper dishes and buns are laid out on the massive steel island in the kitchen, creating a blanket of bread. Finished sandwiches are stacked into bins and placed in the buffet with a covering before lunch or wrapped and packed in a brown paper bag for sack lunches. The rhythm of productivity becomes a back-and-forth between the island in the kitchen and the buffet area, and before long, the three women are fully prepared for lunch. In addition to the responsibility of making the main course, the buffet is fully stocked with sauces, utensils, milk, and fruit for kids to take.

The buffet is aided by a group of 12 students in addition to the kitchen staff during lunch to help serve the freshly prepared food.

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While the rush of the free lunch crowd is overwhelming at times, Hill has not yet asked for additional staff to help with kitchen prep work. The unpredictable patterns of how many kids will take a lunch from week to week makes her hesitant to request more workers, especially because her and her coworkers are managing well with their current system. For the time being, the trio of hard-working kitchen staff resolves to take on the daily responsibilities that come with preparing food for hundreds of high school students.

Behind the walls of West Albany’s kitchen, these three women continue to overcome the stressors of a mid-pandemic year to provide hundreds of hungry kids with meals, day after day.

Hill’s Skills

By Gabi Emery

K

imberly Hill arrives at school at 6 a.m.

She gets right to work, following a strict schedule that she can’t fall behind on. It’s a Monday, so on top of being tasked with planning every meal down to the number of cheese slices, she has to order fresh food for next week. She sends emails, records stock, prints out and delivers menus, plans some more. Finally, she steps out onto the floor to start making lunch, all before 9:30 in the morning.

Hill has worked as West’s kitchen manager for the past five years. Through thick and thin, she runs the kitchen in a lighthearted atmosphere.

“She’s so cheerful and always upbeat, which I love,” Donna Affinito said, her coworker of six years. “She makes me laugh.”

But she hasn’t always worked exclusively at West; she’s actually been in the industry for over a decade. Though she’s successful today, Hill had never actually intended to be a kitchen manager. Her career started out as a surprising opportunity.

“When my kids were little they were both going to Periwinkle [Elementary School], and I would volunteer there all the time,” Hill said.

“The lady that worked there asked if I would ever be interested in working in a kitchen. I

Kitchen manager Kimberly Hill prepares bagged lunches for off campus students.

CHEERFUL AND UPBEAT

working in the kitchens, she’s been able to form connections with students as they move up through schools together. But Hill welcomes all students, regardless of whether or not she recognizes them.

“They’re just the highlight of the day, to be honest…I feed them, so they’re always happy. If they get cranky, we just send them back to their teacher,” Hill joked.

And students themselves share the same attitude towards the kitchen manager. Junior Madison Wheeler helps to serve lunch along with around eleven other students, working with Hill almost every day of the school week.

“She’s very nice, very relaxed and more than happy to help with anything,” Wheeler said about Hill. “Be it school drama, kitchen drama, life drama. She’s always willing to lend an ear.”

On the flipside, her love for the students can also be the hardest part of the job. Hill has found that denying students any food does not come easily to her. Prior to the introduction of free school lunches, Hill had an especially hard time seeing kids foregoing the meal.

“The hardest part [about my job] is definitely having to tell kids no. If they want, you know, like five chocolate milks, there’s nothing I can do. But I’m hoping they’re eating,” Hill said. “Back before when it was paid lunch…I would do everything I could to feed the kid[s], even if I had to take [money] out of my own pocket.”

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To address food insecurity during the pandemic, school lunches are free through the end of the 2022 school year by order of The United States Department of Agriculture in hope that students might get nutritious food for breakfast and lunch.

2010s In the new decade, the then-first Lady Michelle Obama attempted to make school lunches more healthy for students. The Healthy, Hunger-free Kids Act made fruits and vegetables mandatory and increased the amount of whole grains and low fat milk supplied.

2000s With the new century beginning, the presence of fast food began to make a big appearance in the day-to-day school food. The food wasn’t very nutritious, according to news outlet Stacker.

1990s Schools decided to teach kids how to make healthy decisions instead of just giving them food according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, specifically the National Lunch Program.

1980s A website called Food Timeline says that school legislatures around the US had lots of funds cut in the 1980s. To make up for the sudden loss of money, the government decided to try to make ketchup pass as a vegetable, and tofu, nuts, and yogurt pass as protein. This was quickly taken away by President Ronald Reagan’s administration.

THE EVOLUTION OF SCHOOL LUNCHES THROUGH THE AGES

never thought about it, you know, because I was a stay at home mom…so I was like, ‘Yeah, I would love to try it out.’”

Since her time at Periwinkle, Hill has worked her way up the food chain, beginning at elemen-

“

SHE’S SO

2020s

School Lunches Through The Decades

HISTORY OF WEST’S KITCHEN MANAGER

tary schools, then transitioning to middle, and finally landing her current job in a high school. With the new addition of the blue building, she enjoys managing an extensive kitchen complete with updated appliances.

However, her time working in school kitchens started off in a much more humble space.

“I worked at Oak Grove [Elementary School], and I literally worked in a gym with carpeted walls. It was horrible,” Hill recounts. “I had a table, a stove, and a small refrigerator…I remember once I was trying to get a pizza out of the oven, and a ball came flying over.”

But even with dangerous projectiles flying around her space, Hill’s favorite part of the job has always been getting to interact with the students. Because of her experience

FEBRUARY 2022

The Power of Paper THE EFFECT OF THE ANNUAL POSTER STORM

By Ethan Biersdorff

E

very school year November rolls around, and with it comes heaps of excitement. Christmas decorations begin to sprout up, but more importantly to some is the paper taped to nearly every wall in the school: Wrestling posters. Every year these mark the beginning of a new season and this year, more than any other, these posters were everywhere, only slowing down when the season fully got into stride. In the halls of both buildings, in the commons, and even in the bathrooms, it’s nearly impossible not to think about wrestling during recruitment season.

Which is the plan.

“I bet we’ve gotten over 100 [posters] posted up around the school, maybe 200,” Wrestling Casey Horn said. “I think in a lot of ways it gets that conversation started and gets everybody thinking about it, and then once they’ve reached out to us then we can kind of help seal the deal and get them into our room.”

These posters are recruitment posters at heart, but there is still character added to them. There is wide inspiration from other school’s wrestling programs to UFC, which is a big pull for wrestling team members, and even some wrestling memes from the internet. The mass amount of effort that goes into making that many posters, many of which are homemade by the wrestling coaches themselves, and this level of effort seems to have worked out for them.

“This year we have had one of our highest rates, we had over 75 kids come out,” Horn said. “It did pay off, and so next year hopefully we will have close to 100 kids on the team.”

Of those 75, 66 of them are freshmen, according to the WAHS wrestling page on the Oregon School Activities Association website. It is likely that the huge number of rookies can at least to some extent be attributed to the poster storm that blew through our school, and knowing there will be another next year, we’ll have to see how it works out.

However, with that many posters, there were a select few that some students found less enticing than the others. One of these students is freshman Reagan Williams, who found a poster she thought was not on par with the rest in the girl’s locker room.

“I’m pretty sure it said something about ‘do you want guys to like you, you should join wrestling club, guys like strong girls’, something like that,” Williams said. “I think the poster had its heart in the right place, I just think it came out wrong” While this is one example, it has brought some stu-

T H E W H I R LW I N D

dents, including Wiliams, to think of adjustments to the wording or strategy that the posters use in their recruitment efforts.

“I think it would be really good to kind of advertise just how fun it is and more of the community that comes with wrestling and sports, rather than doing it for someone else,” Williams said.

Not every student holds the same opinion on this however. While to some these posters may seem to be offensive, others find them to just be harmless humor.

“I feel like it was just a joke and was to get you to come do wrestling,” junior and varsity wrestler David Cumpiano. “But I guess in a way it makes sense [some-

26

one could be offended]... You know, in the end things aren’t [always] going to go your way and if you’re going to get offended by it… do your own thing.”

Regardless of how individuals feel about the content, the wrestling poster campaign worked for recruitment, and they will return in the future. Horn believes other fringe sports could benefit from the strategy.

“There’s a lot of sports like football, basketball, that kids just naturally gravitate to, then there’s other sports that you’ve got to work a little bit, recruit a little bit, get some kids out there,” Horn said. “All sports could benefit from their own creative way of recruiting, and posters are one good way that could work for everybody.”

Illustration by Harvest Buchanan

WHAT DO STUDENTS THINK ABOUT THE WRESTLING POSTERS? Do you like the wrestling posters that were hung up around the school?

NO

YES

55%

45%

Did the wrestling posters interest you in joining wrestling?

YES

NO

11%

89%

MORE

Do you think there should be more or less of the wrestling posters hung up throughout the school?

7%

LESS

THE CURRENT NUMBER IS GOOD

42%

51%

The opinions of 100 students surveyed

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FEBRUARY 2022

HOW ANONYMOUS INSTAGRAM ACCOUNTS AFFECT THE SCHOOL

By Eleanor Peterson and Cali Stenger

T H E W H I R LW I N D

28

Illustrations by Harvest Buchanan

S

chool gossip pages are nothing new, but re- who had their photo posted without consent on an and to the school environment. ”It’s destructive to the culture,” Orsborn said. According to Orsborn, cently schools across the nation have been account mocking people’s outfits. experiencing an epidemic of anonymousWhile scrolling through Instagram, they got the school prioritizes making students feel valued ly-run, school-related Instagram accounts. The a follow request from the account. Opening it up, and supported at school, and they want to know if first WAHS accounts started popping up in No- they were met with a photo of themself they hadn’t anything is happening that could be hurting stuvember, with one of the earliest ones being an ac- known had been taken. When they asked for it to dents.

“I think it’s super awesome that students took count that posted be taken down, they were met with the time to send them to me,” Orsborn said. ”I images of poorly silence. parked cars in the “I couldn’t tell if I was be- would have never known. I think it says a lot about student parking ing made fun of or not, which was the students who sent them to me saying this is I COULDN’T TELL IF I WAS lot.

Currently my biggest thing,” Ashburne said. happening and it’s hurting people, and I’m thankBEING MADE FUN OF OR NOT. with 464 follow“I can’t tell if they actually liked ful that students in our school don’t want to see ers, that account my outfit or if they think that it’s that happen to others either.”

The line between having fun and cyberbullying gained popularity weird.” and influenced These accounts quickly turned can often get blurred, but both Orsborn and Ashother students to create their own, with everything into a form of cyberbullying. An “infection,” as burne agree that when it’s at the expense of others, from accounts that post pictures of students’ fore- Ashburne called it, one that found itself inside our it’s not fun.

“Having fun is not at the expense of other peoheads to an account dedicated to shouting out their school and community. favorite teachers.

“It creates an atmosphere where we don’t value ple,” Orsborn said, “so for me that’s the bottom “I think it can bring people together,” senior Lil- each other and we’re not supporting each other,” line.”

Since Novemiana Ashburne said. “It’s kind of funny to be like, principal Susie Orsborn said. ber, many of these ‘I know that person. That’s my friend.’” “[Students] won’t feel valued accounts have been These accounts started out innocently enough, and a part of our school if peotaken down, as bulwith pages that allowed students to send in their ple that go to school here are HAVING FUN IS NOT AT THE lying is something own photos, but they quickly became more harm- taking pictures of them and EXPENSE OF OTHER PEOPLE, that goes against ful. Students started seeing pages that took photos making fun of them on social the Instagram comof students without their consent to post online and media.”

SO FOR ME THAT’S THE munity guidelines. make fun of them.

In late December, after beBOTTOM LINE. Instagram says that “People should know they’re being photo- ing sent screenshots of some of they will “remove graphed and know that they’re being posted,” Ash- these accounts by students, Orscontent that targets burne said, “otherwise it’s just uncomfortable, and born got on the announcements to you didn’t ask to be put on there, so it’s kind of a express her disappointment. She emphasized how private individuals to degrade or shame them.” privacy breach.” Ashburne was one of the students harmful and damaging this could be to students

“

“

29

FEBRUARY 2022

Insta-Insights

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE ANONYMOUS INSTAGRAM ACCOUNTS?

“Some of them are okay, like the forehead one [because] they get people’s consent to do that. But I hate the [ones that are] taking pictures without consent. People don’t always want that kind of stuff posted about them, and it can be damaging.”

Senior Marie Guthrie

“I think some of them are funny, but some of them have gone a little too far just because it’s an issue with consent and posting. They’re funny sometimes, but if it was me being posted I know I wouldn’t like it. The biggest concern for me is that [the accounts] make people self-concious. It can be hurtful.”

Q+A WITH KYLE HALL: LOOKING AT SOCIAL MEDIA THROUGH A PSYCHOLOGY PERSPECTIVE Q: Why do people behave differently online?

A: Theres the magic and beauty of anonymity.

You see it on social media all the time. Everybody feels empowered when they’re anonymous, even though you’re not anonymous.

People think that social media is anonymous, [when] it’s not. People know who you are and yet for some reason, you feel that you can get away with anything that you say on the internet.

Q: What is the appeal of creating these kind of accounts?

A: Likes. [Social media] got twisted into, I need this approval. It becomes, “I’m going to post this and then I’m going to sit there and I’m going to wait and see how many people comment,” and you’re refreshing the screen and you’re checking every 10 minutes to be like, “Ooh now I’m up to 200 likes.”

Q: How does social media affect public shaming?

A: Social media gives you a platform. If they see [someone] in the hallway and they make a comment about that person, it’s really just the people that are around them [that hear].

On social media, [if ] you get a still frame, that’s not going away, you get thousands of people that can see it.

Q: What effects does social media have on mental health?

A: It shows you what you think is reality when it’s not, and so if you’re not able to realize that all you’re seeing is everybody’s best. People have this false sense of what the real world is when in fact everybody is struggling.

Q: How can public shaming affect students?

A: You’re seeing higher rates of suicide, and that absolutely correlates to not disconnecting from [social media].

Freshman Nicki Ito

Q: How has the pandemic impacted it?

A: You were immersed in it 24/7. At least in school you got seven, eight hours where you’re limited to what you can check. When you [were at] home you were completely engrossed in it.

Q: What do you think has contributed to this?

A: I think a year and a half of lack of accountability.

“Overall from an outside perspective [I think] they are okay. The idea of not knowing whether the people who get posted are okay is an aspect I would say concerns me. Some of them target people, whether it’s being special needs or members of the LGBTQ community.

Yet, with the car one I can see that being more positive because the people posting are doing it on purpose and to be funny.”

Q: What’s a possible solution?

A: Getting rid of social media, and that’s not going to happen, but going back to the roots of what social media was supposed to be about. It was about maintaining groups and networks and developing a camaraderie.

Senior Noah Crawford

T H E W H I R LW I N D

30

Q: Any advice?

A: Really think [about], “Is it worth it?” I don’t think enough people realize that the stuff you post, I know you can delete stuff, but all it takes is one screenshot to ruin your life.

WE ASKED 100 STUDENTS WHAT THEY THOUGHT OF ANONYMOUS INSTAGRAM ACCOUNTS. When asked if they aware of the anonymous Instagram accounts related to the school, 75% said yes and 25% said no.

WHEN ASKED IF THEY THOUGHT THE ACCOUNTS WERE MORE NEGATIVE OR POSITIVE

69%

SAID NEGATIVE

When asked if they liked the Instagram accounts, 65% said no and 35% said yes.

What are the Instagram community guidlines?

Share only photos and videos that you’ve taken or have the right to share.

Instagram encourages its users to post their own photos and content and to not post things that they have copied or that they don’t have the right to post.

Foster meaningful and genuine interactions.

Instagram encourages its users to not artificially collect likes, followers, or comments.

60 50

We asked students how many of the anonymous school-related Instagram accounts they followed.

40 30 20 10 0

INSTAGRAM COMMUNITY GUIDELINES

None

1-3

4-6

Respect other members of the Instagram community.

Instagram wants to promote a positive community and therefore prohibits threats and hate speech, content that degrades or shames individuals, information meant to blackmail or harrass, and repeated unwanted messages.

7+

31

FEBRUARY 2022

THE RECS

1

Valentine’s Day Gifts Under $10

We bought the best gifts that Target had to offer so you could get that special someone in your life something cheap in price but high in quality. See how they were rated by the West Albany Whirlwind staff.

4

KITU SUPER COFFEE (3/10) Though coffee might be a fantastic gift for your high school sweetheart, you won’t want to buy them this. With the texture of an oily coffee creamer and an after-taste of buttered popcorn jelly beans, this product could be described as nothing other than an undelightful sensation on your taste buds. A waste of $3.

2 NERF VALENTINE’S HEART BOX WITH FOOTBALL AND GOAL POST (9/10) Coming with gummy candies that were tough in an expected but good way, and a good quality foam football and goal post, this untraditional Valentine’s Day candy box was very well rated among our staff for the low low price of $5.99.

3

2

5

CACTUS VALENTINE’S LOOKING SHARP DATE NIGHT PLUSH WITH GUMMY CANDY HEARTS (7/10) The candy that came with this loveable cactus plush was the same that came with the Nerf Valentine’s Heart Box with Football and Goal Post. It didn’t score as well as its Nerf counterpart, however a toy cactus can’t perform on the level of fun like a plastic goal post and foam football can. For a dollar more and two points less, this stuffed cacti was a waste of money.

1

5

4

10CT BLANK NOTE CARDS HOUSE PLANT (8.5/10) With a likable aesthetic and a simplistic design reminiscent of house plants, for $3.99 this vaguely heartshaped houseplant stationary set would be perfect to write love letters to your significant other this Valentine’s Day.

THE QUESTIONS

THE BACK STORY The True Meanings of Valentine’s Day

The many faces of just one holiday Valentine’s Day occurs every Feb. 14 all across the world. Candy, flowers and gifts are exchanged between loved ones, all in the name of Saint Valentine. Yet, the history of Valentine’s Day—and the person it’s named after—are shrouded in mystery. It’s known that February has long been celebrated as a month of romance, and that Valentine’s Day as we know it contains vestiges of both Christian and ancient Roman tradition, but when it comes to how St. Valentine fits into the holiday itself, there are many theories and tales about it. Catholics believe St. Valentine was a priest put to death for wedding young lovers, Christians believe he had helped ancient Romans escape religious persecution, and Pagans believe the holiday is a Christianized ripoff of their holiday, Lupercalia, which the History channel describes as a “bloody, violent and sexually-charged celebration awash with animal sacrifice, random matchmaking and coupling in the hopes of warding off evil spirits and infertility.” Pick your favorite.

THE LIST SOPHOMORE Conner Dickerson

SPANISH TEACHER Ken Beiser

SOPHOMORE A’Shyia Swensen

What are you doing this Valentine’s Day?

“I am hopefully planning on spending time with my girlfriend at some point.”

“I think that we’re “I’ll probably watch probably going to eat in, a romantic movie or so I will find out what it something and eat is that my wife would chocolate.” like for dinner and I will make it for her.”

Do you think Valentine’s Day is more about love or consumerism?

“I do think that there are people taking advantage of people wanting to celebrate their love for one another by trying to sell products.”

“I think it is a consumerist holiday based off of love, so both I guess?”

What is your favorite Valentine’s Day candy?

“It’s like a Sweetheart’s “Is jelly beans a Valen- “I’m a sucker for seathing, but it’s a gummy tine’s Day candy? Just sonal things, so those go with jelly beans.” heart that I can’t find crappy little candy anywhere anymore.” heart things with the messages on them.

They just hit different around that time.”

By Brogan O’Hare

“I believe that consumerism and love can be intertwined. I think that gift giving is pretty important to some people, like it’s a love language.”

Most Popular Flowers Bought for Valentine’s Day We found the most popular flowers statistically bought for Valentine’s Day, according to Statista.

Embrace your inner florist and guess which flowers were most to least sought after.

Sunflowers Tulips Roses Lilies Orchids Daisies Carnations

1. Roses - 48% 2. Tulips - 16% 3. Daisies - 9% 4. Orchids - 8% 5. Lilies - 8% 6. Sunflowers - 7% 7. Carnations - 4%

3

LIDDED JAR CANDLE SWEET ORANGE & SUCCULENT THRESHOLD (8/10) Producing a very clean, calming smell, for only $5 this candle is a must have gift this Feb. 14 for your valentine. The Whirlwind’s very own Editor-In-Chief, senior Tori Thorp, says that she “would love [her] room to smell like this.”