Issue 4 by The Lance

THE

LANCE Meet substitute instructor Robert Blankenship and his goat Pickles on pages 20-21 February 8, 2019

Westside High School

Volume 63 Issue 4

[ info ] The Lance is a schoolsponsored publication of Westside High School, Westside Community Schools, 8701 Pacific St., Omaha, NE 68144. The Lance office is located in room 251. Phone: (402) 343-2650. The Lance is an in-house publication. The paper is distributed every month to all students, except in vacation periods. Subscription rates to others are $30 prepaid. The Lance is printed by White Wolf Web, in Sheldon, IA. Advertising rates are available upon request. The Lance editorial staff reserves the right to edit all ads for clarity and grammatical errors. The editorial staff reserves the right not to publish any ads that are libelous or that contain non-factual information. The Lance editorial staff also reserves the right to nullify contracts at any time without prior notification. The Lance also refuses ads that promote activities illegal to a majority of the student readership. Reader response is welcomed in the form of letters to the editor. Letters should be less than 300 words, signed by the author and sent to room 251. Names may be withheld upon special request. Lance editors will decide whether to honor such requests. The Lance editorial staff reserves the right to edit letters for clarity and grammatical errors. The editorial staff also reserves the right to not publish any letters that are libelous or that contain non-factual information. The Lance is a member of the Nebraska High School Press Association, the Columbia Scholastic Press Association, the National Scholastic Press Association and the Quill & Scroll Society. The Lance staff recognizes that the administration of Westside Community Schools controls the curriculum and, thus, sets the parameters of the production process of school publications. The Lance staff also recognizes its own responsibilities to inform, enlighten and entertain its readers in a way that reflects high standards of journalism, morals and ethics. Editors-in-Chief Malia Battafarano, Sam Cohen, Julia Steiner, Isabella Tyler; Managing Editors Maryam Akramova, Theo Jansen; Design Editor Elliot Evans; Photo Editors Emma Miller, Emma Rieser; Graphics Editor Abby Schreiber; Copy Editor-inChief Reese Pike; Copy Editors Daisy Friedman, Mina Testolin; News Editor Angelina Pattavina; Opinion Editor Natalie Gill; In-depth Editor Meredith Matz; Feature Editor Virginia Jansen; Arts and Entertainment Editor Jane Knudsen; Business Manager Alex Vandenberg; Staff Writers Joe Brunkhorst, Will Christiansen, Eleanor Dodge, WLuke Steiner, Brooklyn James, Faith Rice, Nolan Spisak, Phil Sokolof, Nicholas Vincentini; Graphic Artists Parker LeFebvre, Angela Li, Brad Griffin, Meghan Maynard, Tommy Sullivan, Graphic designers Vinny Nelson, Luke Steiner; Photographers: Max Frost, Kenzie Harden, Lydia Kasem; Advisers Timothy Kaldahl, Jerred Zegelis.

Contributors Editors-in-Chief

Managing Editors Design Editor Graphic Editor Photo Editor Infographic Editor News Editor Opinion Editor In-Depth Editor Feature Editor A&E Editor Copy Editor-in-Chief Copy Editors

Malia Battafarano Saunders Cohen Julia Steiner Isabella Tyler Maryam Akramova Theodore Jansen Elliot Evans Abby Schreiber Emma Miller Eleanor Dodge Angelina Pattavina Natalie Gill Meredith Matz Virginia Jansen Jane Knudsen Reese Pike Mina Testolin Daisy Friedman

Wired Managing Editor Business Manager Staff Writers

Graphic Artists

Designers Photographe Sports Journalism Editor-in-Chief

Claire Benson Alex Vandenberg Will Christiansen Brooklyn James Faith Rice Luke Steiner Angela Li Parker LeFebvre Meghan Maynard Tommy Sullivan Joe Brunkhorst Max Frost Lydia Kasem Vinny Nelson Kenzie Harden Lakyn Richard Josh Siegel

f you have any questions, concerns or story ideas regarding this issue, we would love to hear from you! You can send us a Letter to the Editors at any of our emails: battaf121@westside66.net, cohen479@ westside66.net, steine558@westside66.net or tyler752@westside66.net. Also, feel free to stop by room 251 or 253 or talk to any of our staff members with your feedback. Please keep in mind that all information in this issue is up-to-date as of Feb. 5. In order to publish our paper, we need your help!

The Lance is totally student-run, so we raise all the money needed to print. If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re interested in buying an advertisement or donating to us, please contact us at westsidelancenews@gmail.com. Sincerely,

Malia Battafarano, Saunders Cohen, Julia Steiner and Isabella Tyler.

Follow Westside Journalism @westsidewired on twitter, instagram, facebook and snapchat Subscribe to Warrior Television on YouTube @westsidewtv on twitter and snapchat design by elliot evans

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news Leading to a New Era Westside School Board selects Mike Lucas as next superintendent

n Jan. 21, 2019, the Westside School Board voted unanimously to select Mike Lucas, who is currently serving as superintendent of York Public Schools in York, Nebraska, as the new Westside Community Schools superintendent. The history of the district and unique scheduling were two things Lucas cited as major draws of Westside. “It’s amazing here, and I love the fact that Westside Community Schools was founded back in the ‘40s under community, innovation and under excellence, and that’s what you guys are known for,” Lucas said. “Some of the neat things you have [at Westside are] different scheduling at the high school and those types of things.” Lucas said he had a great experience going through the selection because of his previous connections to Omaha. “It’s been really a lot of fun to learn more about Westside Community Schools,” Lucas said. “My wife is from Omaha ... so we’ve been around Omaha a lot, but I, since about July, have been learning more about Westside. The process has been amazing. The more and more I learned about Westside the more excited I got.” Lucas said he has immersed himself in the community. He is planning to come back to the district later this year to meet with more community members. “This semester, I plan on coming back to town on Feb. 14 and 15 and trying to have some meet-andgreets and make some connections with the Westside Foundation and different people like that,” Lucas said. “Hopefully we are going to plan some type of events where I can go meet with more staff members [and] really just start making more personal connections now. I am very much a people person and love to put myself out there and get to develop relationships and [I’m] looking forward to doing that at Westside.” Lucas has been the superintendent in York for a decade, and before that served as the superintendent of Franklin Public Schools. During his time in York, Lucas said he became very attached to the school district and the community. “I love York,” Lucas said. “I’ve been there for ten years, so I know a lot of the students. My children have gone to York, and I have a lot of really strong community, student and staff relationships, and so the biggest challenge has just been telling people you

love, and you have a lot of great memories, with that you’re going to another place. But the excitement and opportunities at Westside have made us excited.” Lucas also said that while it is a bittersweet transition, the community of York has supported him and his decision. “There’ve been so many great people in York, Nebraska, and there’s been a lot of tears this week,” Lucas said. “The people of York have been very great and re-

“I’m excited to wear the red and to be a visible and approachable presence, and, as your superintendent, I want you to feel like you know me ... Go Warriors!” Mike Lucas

“I think the thing that’s really telling, and members of our community have seen the same thing.” Paul said. “When we shared the news on Twitter and Facebook, the engagement from the folks in York, saying how heartbroken they are but they’re excited for him and ‘Boy, you’re getting a good one. Those are the people that he served for the last ten years and for them to have such wonderful things to say about him, I think speaks volumes about the leader we’re getting here for Westside.” One of the differences Lucas said he is encountering is the size of the student population of Westside as opposed to York. Another change from his previous district is the amount of resources Westside and Omaha have to offer. “Westside’s about four times bigger than York, which is not intimidating to me at all because when I went to York from Franklin, York was four times bigger than Franklin,” Lucas said. “The other thing would just be [that] the resources available in the Omaha area compared to what we have in York are very exciting to think about, as far as expanding and providing opportunities for our students, for all the possible business partnerships and [corporate] sponsorships we could have here in the metro area.” Lucas said his main goal is to learn more about the culture of the district before implementing any new changes. “I’m hoping to learn a lot my first year,” Lucas said. “I’m not really looking at a lot of changes other than to bring a lot of energy and enthusiasm and find out from our teachers and staff and our students what changes they feel like need to be made.” Lucas said being superintendent is about more than just himself. It’s about the community and working together. He said he plans to embrace this mentality in his new role. “I believe that being a superintendent and being a leader in general is more of a ‘we’ thing than a ‘me’ thing,” Lucas said. “Leadership is about ‘we,’ not ‘me.’” Lucas said he wants to continue the legacy of excellence that Westside has. He would do this by addressing obstacles that the district currently faces. “[My main goal is] to help Westside overcome the challenges that we have here just like a lot of places do, some budgetary issues, some school funding issues things like that, [to] just really use my passion, my enthusiasm to get people excited about what Westside has been, what Westside is and what Westside can be,” Lucas said.

ally just inundated my family and me with well wishes. But, they are supportive and excited for us to come to Westside, which is really nice. They are not bitter that we are leaving to go to big ol’ Westside. They understand that … we want to be able to take advantage of the great traditions and opportunities at Westside.” Paul said she noticed this as well when looking at the social media feedback to Lucas’s announcement. story by theo jansen and maryam akramova and design by theo jansen

Lucas will take over as superintendent in the summer and said he will be in contact with McCann about the position. Lucas’s official start date is July 1, but he said he is planning on starting around June 20. “I will [be in contact with McCann].” Lucas said. “Dr. McCann has been great. I’ve already talked to him a bunch. I’ve known him for several years. We’re in a bunch of associations and organizations together, and so, I’ve talked to him yesterday on the phone and he’s been very welcoming and helpful so far. I’m sure I’ll stay in touch with him a lot throughout the semester.” Lucas said he wanted to directly address the students at the high school during his interview about his excitement regarding his position as superintendent. Superintendent Mike Lucas

“To the students at Westside High School, I’m excited to get to know you.” Lucas said. “I’m excited to work for you. That’s one of the other things I really believe as a superintendent. Nobody works for me. I work for them. I look very forward to working alongside the Westside Warriors for a long time. I’m excited to wear the red and to be a visible and approachable presence, and, as your superintendent, I want you to feel like you know me. I want you to feel like I’m somebody that’s in your corner and somebody that’s excited to help you become amazing representatives of yourselves, your families, your community and your school system. I’m very excited. Go Warriors!”

[ news ]

Superb Search

Director of Communications reflects on search process

he search process began back in July 2018 after current superintendent Blane McCann announced his resignation, and board members Dana Blakely, Adam Yale and Doug Krenzer were appointed to a committee to lead the search process. In August, search firm Ray and Associates was selected to help with the process and was hired for the estimated price of $20,300. The search firm reached out to almost 1,000 candidates from across the nation. According to Brandi Paul, director of communications and engagement for Westside Community Schools, the firm did background checks, vetted the candidates and helped to direct the process. “They’ve been through it before, so they really helped us make it seamless, bring in the good candidates, reminded us to be transparent as possible and really helped us be as fluid as we could possibly make it and and ensure we were getting the best leader for our district,” Paul said. On Dec. 22, four candidates were chosen. Then, after the board interviewed each candidate, two finalists were chosen. The two who were chosen from the original four finalists were Lucas and Melissa Poloncic, superintendent of Douglas County West Community Schools. Paul said the process was extensive for the finalists. Two weeks after the four candidates were announced, they had their interviews with the Board of Education. “Those interviews were two hours long,” Paul said. “And then once we named the two final finalists, from Thursday about 7:30 in the morning to about 10:00 at night they were going nonstop, meeting with our community, touring our schools. Their spouses were out looking at our community and talking with people: talking with our students, our teachers, our coaches, our administrators, really getting a feel for if this is where they want to be, as much as we want them to be here and apply.” Paul said community involvement was one of the key goals for the project from the beginning, and it was her job to foster communication between the community and the district. It was important for candidates to get a sense of Westside. “The board or our advising firm, Ray and Asso-

ciates, would give me a directive,” Paul said. “‘We need you to publicize this, we need you to put out this meeting date, we need you to get in touch with these folks or the focus groups or whomever.’ I would put together communication to really just be the connecting thread, the liaison, between what our firms and our what board needed and what we needed from these groups or our board or our community.” Students and teachers from the community were also involved in the process through providing feedback on the candidates. There were multiple focus groups, including community members and parents, staff members, teachers and administrative assistants and others. “Six of your classmates were part of a focus group that interviewed these two superintendents,” Paul said. “They got to ask them the tough questions about what’s important to [the student body] and, again, the board took sheets from every single one of those focus group members and sat after those Thursday interviews and read through all of them to get that input and that all played a role in their thought process and how they came to their decision.” Paul said that diversity was a main factor in creating the focus groups. The students in the focus group were Hannah-Kate and Jack Kinney, Brandon McMiller, Dori Watanabe, Lindsey Tierra and Dayzee Mayfield. The different groups, including students, were put together by the board members. “All of our board members worked together to make sure that they were throwing out ideas about making sure they had people from across the spectrum,” Paul said. “I’ll use our student group example again. We had kids who said physics was their favorite class. They’re obviously very smart and love learning. We had kids who are on show choir, kids who are athletes, who are on the student council. [We] really represented as many pockets of the student body that we could, and I think that’s true for all focus groups, as well.” At the end of the process, the school board used the data from the focus groups, their interviews and community feedback to unanimously select Mike Lucas as the next superintendent.

[ news ]

Juuling: The Consequence

claim vaping is safer than cigarettes as an advertising scheme to appeal to the younger generation.” According to Truth Initiative, which is a campaign to end teen and young adult tobacco use, there are three main reasons teens start vaping. The most common is the belief that vape devices are safer than traditional cigarettes. They also are appealed to the flavors, like chocolate or cotton candy. Some also have started vaping regularly because a friend pressured them to. Thompson has worked with teens who’ve regularly vaped. She has seen the dangers of vaping short term and long term. “Short term, you see dry mouth, get a cough and sometimes dehydration,” Thompson said. “Long term, you typically see respiratory stress and that can later lead to asthma.” According to The Washington Post, The American Heart Association, American Cancer Society and American Lung Association, sued the FDA, challenging the FDA’s decision to let certain flavors that appeal to children, such as gummy bear and cotton candy to remain on the market. “[Vaping] actually kills your brain cells,” Thompson said. “It’s poison for your brain. Later in life vaping can cause dementia, memory loss, and stroke. Vaping causes your brain cells to contract. It’s no good”. Thompson said she is very passionate when trying to

New age restriction aims to reduce teen harm

hree million students around the U.S. are reported to regularly be using e-cigarette and vape products. According to a 2018 National Youth Tobacco Use Survey, about 12 percent of high school students and three percent of middle school students are regular users of vaping devices. Food and Drug Administrator Scott Gottlieb has declared teen vaping an epidemic. More and more teens are starting to use vapes. Latasha Thompson, a nurse at Catholic Health Initiatives in Omaha who specializes in teen health, says vaping is not much safer than smoking. “There hasn’t been any exact clinical research to show vaping is necessarily as dangerous as cigarettes,” Thompson said. “I believe that vape companies infographic according to a nonscientific survey conducted by The Lance with 74 responses.

88% of westside students believe that vaping isa problem

For Every

stop teens from using vapes. “They’re definitely not doing enough,” Thompson said. “Personally, I think to solve it, they need to take it off the market”. Zulma Yunt, a pulmonologist at National Jewish Health in Denver, said that teen and adults have very different motivations for using vapes. “Adults typically use vapes to try to reduce or quit smoking,” Yunt said. “Teens have not been former smokers, and they use vape devices recreationally.” Yunt said she has seen and dealt with many people with bad lungs due to vaping. “The lung tissues absorb the vape juice molecules and puts [it] in the bloodstream,” Yunt said. “The ingredients in vape juice makes you addicted, are bad for your heart and can give you asthma for the rest of your life.” Thompson and Yunt stated that vaping is terrible for teens and for their health. However, a senior at Westside High School, who requested to remain anonymous, said vaping hasn’t affected him at all. “I don’t see the big deal about vaping,” he said. “It’s not as bad as cigarettes.” He is 18, meaning that in the state of Nebraska, he is legally allowed to purchase tobacco from commercial stores. According to Tobacco Free Kids, only six states have raised the legal age to 21 for purchasing tobacco products. “I used other people’s [vape] devices to do it,” he said. “Now that I’m 18, I was able to buy my own”. He said he thinks that people are overreacting about the vape issue. “I’m not dead yet, so it can’t be that bad,” he said. “I’m not a huge vape addict, but if I’m ever stressed, it helps make me relaxed.” According to OnVaping, they state that most vapes are filled with harmful chemicals such as Diacetyl, acetyl propionyl, and acetoin. These chemicals are extremely toxic to the body, and can cause popcorn lung, which is a lung disease, and can cause shortness of breath and damage to the bronchitis “There is no regulation to what companies put in e-cigarettes,” Yunt said. “They can put whatever they want in the e-cigarettes without consequence.”

Juul Pod For every

Juul pod, there are There is

20 Cigarretes worth of nicotine

story by nolan spisak, graphic by parker lefebvre, infographics by max frost design by elliot evans

12% of high schoolers and 3% of Middle schoolers are REGULAR users of Vapes

AN T

BECOME EMPATHIZER Westside should #BeKind to everyone, including immigrants

he implementation of #BeKind has reminded the student body of Westside to open their minds and their hearts to people who are different from themselves. This has caused a light to be shined on the necessity for teenagers to be nicer to each other. With this new motto in mind, it is important that the students of Westside act as allies to students who are immigrants. It is essential that everyone at Westside speak out when they hear or see hate directed towards the immigrant population in the community. It’s the responsibility of everyone to be kind and become more welcoming towards immigrant students. According to the selected demographic and statistical data of Westside Community Schools, Westside’s

graphic by abby schreiber and design by sam cohen

[ editorial ] student population is 2.7 percent immigrants. English Language Learners (ELL) make up 1.13 percent of the student population at the high school. The entire district is made up of only 2.26 percent ELL students. When it comes to minorities, the majority must offer their support. Without a larger group of people to interact with that have shared similar experiences as you, it is plausible that these students could feel isolated. With 97.3 percent of Westside unable to fully understand the process of immigration, the least that could be done is to become understanding. First generation American and sophomore Zamzam Farah said she agrees that the students of Westside need to offer their support and help advocate for equal treatment of everyone at Westside. “I think everyone could do more,” Farah said. “At the end of the day, sometimes you think you’re doing the most, but always being nicer, like with #BeKind, that can really help change someone’s day.” By using #BeKind for its true purpose - showing empathy and respect towards peers - the students of Westside can allow everyone to feel comfortable and accepted, no matter their differences. “Sometimes people do think I wasn’t born here even though I was,” Farah said. “It’s just that I carry a lot of culture from back home because my parents are immigrants [from Somalia]. Sometimes I feel like people aren’t educated as much, but most of the time I do feel welcomed.” Farah brings up an excellent reminder, presuming you know someone’s background shows a disregard for the individual’s unique situation. By not forming these assumptions in the first place, you can prevent any toxic preconceived notions. The false inferences made upon first glance do nothing to help with the implementation of #BeKind. Immigrants are individual people with unique stories and should be treated as such. Freshman Adam Kamaleddine, a first generation American from Lebanon, said he sees the #BeKind movement in action at the high school. “I feel like the kids here [at Westside] don’t judge you by your race or religion,” Kamaleddine said. “It’s like a community.” #BeKind enables teenagers to show empathy towards their peers’ differing situations. English teacher Molly Spisak prompts the students of Westside to think about how their actions impact others. “I think that if you can remember, regardless of the exterior and how things look that there’s something going on with everyone. It’s important to always treat people with that understanding, that you don’t really know what’s going on in their lives and you should always be a kind individual,” Spisak said. It can be difficult for some people to listen with open minds and open hearts, but remembering the message behind the #BeKind movement can inspire many to become extraordinary empathizers.

[ opinion ]

Web Wisdom Using technology in the classroom helps students succeed

rograms like Blackboard, EdPuzzle, Google Classroom and, recently thrown into the mix, ALEKS, are just some of the programs teachers have started to add into their curriculum. Westside has been using technology in its schools for some time now, giving teachers an opportunity to expand their horizons and go beyond paper and textbooks. Having computers and different online programs has led to an increase in productivity of students and the classroom as a whole. The purpose of Westside bringing technology into the schools was to improve the way classrooms ran and get the students to interact more. It’s up to

work. “The first semester for the honors course, we didn’t have homework that was worth part of the grade, so homework completion was not what [the department] wanted it to be,” Eitzen said. “This semester we switched over, so now it’s ten percent of the grade. So, all the sudden, everyone is doing their homework and trying to get the best grade they can.” Having homework online is more encouraging for myself and other students to get done because the information is given to them in a way that’s new and interesting. More ways of solving a problem are shown, or a topic can be taught through video lessons with questions to follow along. Having the different platforms allows for a student’s brain to take a break from staring at paper all day and have some more fun with their homework, which isn’t something that homework typically is. Technology use also expands beyond homework. In more classes that I am enrolled in, such as AP physics, online simulators are used ito replace a lab, and it also makes it more convenient for myself and students who may miss school to get caught up. Having technology accessible when we weren’t in class to gather the information ourselves makes it easier to figure out the work because the programs guide us along. In any department, teachers can take the results of these programs and see how students are reacting to them and how well or badly they’re doing. “We can go in and click on each student and see their homework assignment and what problem they got wrong, what they entered in and what the correct answer is,” Eitzen said. “We can look and see how the students are doing and if there’s a certain concept that we need to go back and reteach because lots of students are getting it incorrect.” This is nearly true for any class that uses some type of online program where students must complete it for a score. While certain classes use technology for homework purposes more than others, most classes are using technology as well, but in different ways. I think they are using the technology in a fun way that stays within the school guidelines. In order to give students a break from worksheets and typical reviews, some teachers choose to

“I think that some teachers realize that some students learn differently” Sophomore Lily Goc the teachers how they decide to use it. The math department chose to use the technology in a useful way when choosing a new textbook by instead choosing the online homework program, ALEKS. ALEKS is given to students in regular advanced algebra and honors. As an advanced algebra student myself, I have had the opportunity to complete my homework online using ALEKS. With it, there have been many advantages compared to completing homework given from a textbook. I am able to get more help with my homework when the teacher is not present by getting an automatic score back and worked-out examples to solve the problem correctly. The teachers can have a better interaction with their students using online homework programs, unlike when work was being done in the book. Math instructor Sara Eitzen said she has already seen improvements in her students’

use things like Kahoot or other online review games to prepare students in lessons. “I think that some teachers realize that some students learn differently,” sophomore Lily Goc said. “I learn well with interactive games. Things like Kahoot I learn well with and Quizlet Live. I learn quickly under those circumstances, but some kids don’t. Some kids do better with Google Forms and quizzes, but I don’t learn that way. It just depends on the teacher and the student.” Teachers using technology in their classrooms in a fun way, while also using it in an educational way, encourages more students to interact and get excited about schoolwork in a way that they haven’t really experienced before. With the use of technology in classrooms, students are showing an increase in completion and understanding. There are students who don’t like having homework online because it actually means they have to complete the homework due to the teacher being able to see it. Still, improvement is showing in all students with understanding and completion. “For ALEKS, I know a lot of people say they don’t like it, but they say it’s helping them,” Goc said. “They’re meaning they don’t want to do their homework, but ALEKS is making them, which is making them do better in the class.”

story by angelina pattavina, graphic by meghan meynard, design by kenzie harden

[ opinion ]

Traditional Vs. Online Homework Online homework isn’t the only option

ack in 2014, Westside Community Schools decided to give students computers once they reached in seventh grade. This was also the year I came to the middle school, and it was exciting to have a computer right at my fingertips. Technology integration in classrooms became vital to Westside’s image. We are a community of innovation, and that’s usually connected to technology. At Westside High School, technology is utilized for homework, games and flipped classrooms. Technology usage at Westside is appreciated and well implemented. However there are some drawbacks. The push

“If it’s just busy work or if it’s just something that’s not leading to more success then there’s no point in that being assigned.” Physics Instructor Benjamin Powers to constantly use technology is forcing us to overlook the potential negatives. It’s important not to put our technology and its integration on a pedestal because it can cause us to lose sight of what should be accomplished: learning. One way our devices are used in the classrooms is through homework programs such as ALEKS (Assessment and

LEarning in Knowledge Spaces) and Pearson’s MyMathLab. They offer teachers the chance to create personalized homework assignments and give feedback to students if they get the answer wrong. For students like sophomore Runa Ford, ALEKS works well. It does exactly what it’s meant to do: assign homework to practice skills learned for that lesson. “[ALEKS] is a lot better than doing homework in the book,” Ford said. “It’s a lot more convenient. For some reason the book intimidates me. [Written homework] is a lot harder because it doesn’t explain anything, and you don’t know what’s going on.” On the other hand, for some students, online homework isn’t compatible with their learning style. If the homework isn’t accomplishing its task, then another path must be created to help that particular student. It’s not like there aren’t other options available. “I prefer pencil[and]paper,” said junior Anne DeVries. “I think online can get frustrating because a computer is grading your work and [if there’s] the slightest problem with what you wrote, [the computer] will say it’s wrong.” It’s not really about the online usage. It’s about the success of the homework for accomplishing its goal, whether it is traditional or not. AP Physics teacher Benjamin Powers said his philosophy is similar. He uses flipped classrooms as a part of his teaching and said he believes that the homework he gives has to be beneficial to the student. The method by which its covered doesn’t matter. “Students need to see that there’s a benefit in the homework to buy into why you would do it or not,” Powers said. “If it’s just busy work or if it’s just something that’s not leading to any more success, then there’s no point in that being assigned. I think, if it’s designed in a way that is meaningful, that it can add to the success of the class. Then it can be implemented.” In research collected by Western Michigan University, researchers discovered that using online homework vs. traditional doesn’t result in that much of a difference. There was no visible change in students’ learning, whether they used online homework or not. The study also said that results really depended on the student and their learning style. story by maryam akramova

O n l i n e homework like ALEKS counts towards a student’s semester grade. If students find it isn’t working out for them, not only does it deprive them of practicing necessary skills, but it also can negatively affect their grade. While it’s understandable that students should learn how to practice different skills with technology, it’s unfair to punish them for not being compatible with a certain program. In the end, it’s not just about the online homework or the traditional. Either way, if the learning is somehow hindered, then it’s important things might need to change. It’s not about the way in which homework is given, it’s about the learning.

[ in-depth ]

IMMIGRATION

IN-DEPTH IN- DEP TH

is i

m nts ra ig

% .7

estside’s student po pula of W tion

While Omaha may not be situated right at the border, immigration still affects the people of Westside and the community. The Westside 66 District is home to 157 students who are immigrants, according to the 2018-2019 Selected Demographic and Statistical Data collected on Oct. 1, 2018. That’s 2.7 percent of our district’s student population. In this in-depth we feature student stories, local immigration resources and more.

graphic and design by julia steiner

[ in-depth ]

infographics by eleanor dodge and joe brunkhorst and design by eleanor dodge

[ in-depth ]

The American Dream T

he American Dream is a globally recognized concept which idealizes the United States’ virtues of freedom and prosperity. First coined by historian James Truslow Adams, the American Dream is “the dream of a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement.” throughout America’s history. Starting in 1776, when Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence, he stated that everyone is “endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” Americans naturally associate these three elements as the basis of the American Dream, and as America has developed, many have created the notion that this is equivalent to “the good life.” Over time, many of the United States’ leaders have continued the idea of the American Dream by broadening its parameters. President Abraham Lincoln expanded the Woodrow Wilson extended voting rights to women through the passage of the 19th Amendment in 1920. President Lyndon B. Johnson created Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 which halted the segregation of educational facilities and protected workers from discrimination. In 2015, President Barack Obama legalized same sex rights to all people, no matter their gender, race, religion, or sexual orientation. Many other countries do not have this luxury and millions aspire to attain a lifestyle with similar values as America. As a country, we’ve been able to maintain a high, notable level of diversity and America is recognized as a melting or religion, allowing a multitude of opinions and beliefs to be practiced. In 2016, the Census Bureau Reports stated that around 350 languages are spoken and 310 religions are practiced throughout the United States. This allows for the discovery of new ideas and helps us attempt to understand one another. For some people, differing cultures and beliefs can feel threatening, and they shouldn’t be. It’s hard to pinpoint exactly why people are deterred by immigrants, but AP Psychology instructor Otis Seals said he has a few ideas. “Human nature creates a fear of the unknown, [and] we tend to fear something we can’t personalize,” Seals said. “For many Americans, [fear] is the biggest reason that they

would be against immigration.” Whether instilled by pop culture or family beliefs, we live in a world full of stereotypes and assumptions and unfortunately, there are many derogatory assumptions directed toward immigrants. “One of the biggests things that I think is happening right now in the United States is Group Polarization and In-Group/Out-Group bias,” Seals said. “There [are] people who want to create an out-group of immigrants who are criminal or lazy, when in all reality, that is not the case.” One major stereotype against immigrants is that they facilitate crime. “When we have a terrible situation like a murder or a drunk driver and [the perpetrator] happens to be illegal, said. “Someone uses only those examples, but ignores the crimes committed by legal citizens or the wider issue of drunk driving [or homicide] itself.” When it comes to ideas that immigration can be destructive to the economy, government and academia, sociologists Thomas Espenshade and Charles Calhoun and explained how they apply to anti-immigration: 1) Labor-Market Analysis- People with the lowest socioeconomic standing feel most threatened by illegal aliens and thus have the most unfavorable opinion of them. 2) cultural background is most different from the newcomers are most likely to dislike them. 3) Education Hypothesis- Strong negative attitudes toward migrants are associated with lower levels of education. 4) undocumented immigrants with beliefs about how these migrants might negatively affect one’s material well-being 5) Symbolic Politics Theory- The antagonism toward newcomers is the result of the perception that immigrants and their way of life are potential threats to symbols of national identity People shouldn’t be deterred by immigrants because they contribute so much to our country. First of all, immigrants introduce new cultural ideas and customs. Given that the United States has no single dominant culture, the convergence of ideas allows the American “culture” to be a collective smorgasbord of unique ideas and concepts. Seeing different cultures in schools and businesses facilitates collaboration and the end product can appeal to multiple groups of people. Being integrated with those who are different from you leads to new connections and

experiences, which in turn produces versatile individuals. Secondly, immigrants do improve the economy. As stated earlier, a common misconception is that immigrants steal jobs from U.S. citizens. However, according to the Hamilton Project, immigrants tend to take more laborious jobs and are more likely to start their own businesses, while American citizens will avoid applying for those positions. Because of many immigrants’ will to work, both immigrants and U.S. citizens’ jobs supplement each other and, in turn, wages are raised. In addition, immigrants The Hamilton Project also reported that immigrants are also less likely to use welfare. Because of this, the government is able to improve streets and transportation systems, better is, overall, more able to maintain the country. Taking all of these reasons into consideration, Without immigrants, our country would not be as diverse general stereotype and that’s why we are referred to as a melting pot. If we lose the diversity and halt immigration, we lose that title and also violate the values of the American Dream. Immigration built our country and by opposing it, we would be turning our backs on our roots and invalidating our foundation.

story by alex vandenberg, graphic by angela li and design by abby schreiber

[ in-depth ]

Why Do We Want A Wall Anyway? Understanding the purpose of a border wall

“T

his is a humanitarian crisis: a crisis of the heart and a crisis of the soul,” President Donald Trump said during his primetime Oval Office address on Jan. 8. He was referring to the large quantities of illegal drugs flooding in from the southern border. He was talking about the crime caused by illegal aliens. He was talking about the thousands of children put at risk for sex trafficking, illness and abuse. He was talking about the American families who have lost loved ones who were brutally murdered by illegal aliens. “This is the tragic reality of illegal immigration,” Trump said. “This is the cycle of human suffering that I am determined to end.” Every day, vast quantities of illegal drugs such as meth, heroin, cocaine and fentanyl are smuggled across the southern border. For instance, U.S. Customs and Border Protection recently caught a Mexican national on January 26 who tried to enter the U.S. with nearly 650 pounds of fentanyl and methamphetamine. This was the largest seizure of fentanyl in the CBP’s history. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 130 American citizens lose their life due to heroin overdoses alone. Ninety percent of the United States’ heroin has crossed the southern border illegally, stated Trump. And, according to BBC, a majority of it is smuggled through legal ports of entry. This is why we desperately need better screening technology to stop the flow of drugs coming across the border. Sex trafficking is another major problem our country faces. Over the last two years, illegal aliens have committed 30,000 sex crimes. This number will continue to grow if there is no action taken to stop it. According to the Department of Homeland Security, 60 to 80 percent of women and girls who cross Mexico to get to the U.S. border are raped along the way. This is unacceptable, and a wall would discourage making the trek in the first place. One of the saddest parts of illegal immigration is the brutal murders of American citizens caused by MS-13 gang members. These undocumented gang members have

a major influence over the communities they move into. Their territory stretches from Boston to Northern Virginia to Houston, according to a Washington Post article written by Michael E. Miller. It’s important to note that not all immigrants that cross the border are looking to harm our country. Most are seeking sanctuary from violence in their home country. However, crossing the U.S. border without documents is still illegal, so action still needs to be taken to prevent this. According to the Washington Post, in 2016 there were 170,000 successful illegal border crossings. This is about one seventh the amount of the roughly 1.2 million

“This is the tragic reality of illegal immigration ... the cycle of human suffering that I am determined to end.” President Donald Trump immigrants who crossed the border legally, obtaining permanent resident status via green card. This poses the question of whether or not a wall the most effective and realistic option for border security. My answer would be yes. If it functioned the way Border Patrol agents say it would, it would do a very effective job of controlling the flow of immigration and guiding migrants seeking sanctuary to ports of entry where they could be processed and given a path to citizenship. That is the whole point of the wall: to guide people to places where they can be helped by U.S. border security and to keep the people wishing to harm our country and citizens out. In the long run, this would be more beneficial to them than crossing the border illegally and living in fear of getting deported. Instead, they could follow the rules that are set in place so they can start a new life in America.

However, Democrats have expressed extreme opposition to Trump’s plan. According to the Washington Post, the federal government will spend about $4.407 trillion in its annual budget. But Democrats won’t pass the $5.7 billion Trump is requesting to fund the wall. That’s 0.0998 percent of the federal budget. The irony of this is that the majority of Democrats supported the idea of a border wall similar to the one Trump is pushing for in the past. For example, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) recently said that “a wall is an immorality,” to crowds of reporters. However, back in 2013, she supported a bill that required the construction of 700 miles of border fencing. In 2006, major faces of the Democratic party such as Chuck Schumer, Hilary Clinton, and then-Senator Barack Obama all voted for the Secure Fence Act. But it seems Democrats decided to make a U-turn on their position as soon as Trump was elected into office. The media plays a major role in what a public’s view is on a controversial topic, so when a media outlet inaccurately covers a topic the public will become misinformed. For example, CNN recently asked a private news outlet in San Diego, KUSI, for a local perspective on the border wall debate. When KUSI reported on the good that the wall was doing for the San Diego community, CNN decided that they were no longer going to pursue that story. In an article by Fox News, KUSI Anchor Anna Laurel said, “They didn’t like what they heard from us.” The San Diego station, which is not affiliated with any major broadcasting network, accused CNN of an agenda driven maneuver both on air and on its verified Twitter account. I think the wall would be very smart investment for our country because it would decrease crime, drug flow, human trafficking and gang violence. It would help direct the flow of immigration to ports of entry where Border Patrol can process the migrants easier and more effectively. In his Oval Office Address, President Trump said, “They don’t build walls because they hate the people on the outside, but because they love the people on the inside.”

story by will christiansen, graphic by meghan maynard and design by abby schreiber

[ in-depth ]

Seniors participate in an activity at the Intercultural Senior Center.

As the population of immigrants and refugees in Omaha has grown over the years, so has the amount of resources available to them. Many of these organizations are designed to help with the transition to a new culture, while others focus on helping people stay in the U.S. From English classes to career connections, the following organizations offer many services for both immigrants and refugees.

Immigrant Legal Center

mmigrant Legal Center (ILC) is a nonprofit law firm that specializes in immigration law. It used to be called Justice for Our Neighbors - Nebraska and was founded in 1999. While the name has changed, ILC remains an affiliate of the Justice for Our Neighbors Network, a national organization that offers immigration legal clinics in 15 states. Attorneys at ILC work on multiple types of cases, including asylum, Deferred Action for Child Arrivals (DACA), human trafficking, victims of crime, Temporary Protected Status (TPS) and domestic violence. “We find that, very often, people are escaping some sort of violence or extreme poverty,” Communications and Development Director Dawn Bashara said. “Our caseload is primarily victims of violent crime, abused or abandoned children and people fleeing persecution in their own country.” ILC also provides free presentations about “the realities of immigration laws and the effect they have on our families and our communities,” according to their website. While this is part of their educational work, ILC focuses on advocacy through promoting Nebraska legislation priorities. Their legislative priority in 2018 was LB 670, which was about the steps to qualifying for Special Immigrant Juvenile relief. They also provide attorneys for children facing immigration court through their Attorney of the Day program. Legal representation can make a real difference in case outcomes, according to Bashara. “Immigrants who do not have representation in immigration court are three times as likely to lose their case,” Bashara said. ILC administers the Nebraska Immigration Legal Assistance Hotline to determine eligibility and referrals for a consultation. There is a waiting list, but the hotline is available Monday through Friday at 1 (855) 307-6730. ILC’s offices are located at 4223 Center Street.

Refugee Empowerment Center

he Refugee Empowerment Center (REC) is specifically for refugees and was founded in 1997. According to their website, their goal is “to empower refugees to integrate into their new homes and obtain the skills necessary for economic self-sufficiency.” They help resettle refugees through cooperation with the Department of State and provide housing, clothing, food, medical referrals, school enrollment and applications for other social services during the first 90 days of refugees’ relocation to the U.S. They also have a program that supports refugees with special needs. Another aspect of their organization is their Employment Readiness Training and Cultural Orientation program. This program is two weeks long and gives refugees information on American culture and job skills. They have on-site English and driver’s education classes as well. Their building is located at 3610 Dodge Street. For more information, visit their website at http://refugeeempowerment.org.

Immigrant Information Resources in Omaha for immigrants and refugees

Yates Educational Community Partnership

ponsored by Omaha Public Schools (OPS), Yates Educational Community Partnership, also known as Yates Community Center, started in 2010. It serves both adult and child immigrants and refugees. Yates is funded almost entirely through a grant, except for their preschool program, which is funded by OPS. There are three preschools: one serves Native American and indigenous children, another serves migrant children and the other serves children learning English as a second language. Their other services offered include four levels of English classes. In some of these, mothers and children come to class together. The children can play while the parents learn. “It’s very family friendly,” Veronica Hill, ESL/Migrant Teacher Trainer, said. Yates hosts other kinds of classes as well. Every week, they have classes in culture, citizenship, technology, sewing and parenting. Most of their classes are taught by volunteers, who usually do some interpreting as well. In just one class, there are immigrants and refugees from Togo, Rwanda, Ethiopia, Sudan, Afghanistan, Syria, Myanmar and Malaysia, among other countries. “[Yates is] a good place for the immigrant and refugee community to have a voice in the community and participate in decision-making in OPS and even city issues,” Hill said. For more information, visit them at 3260 Davenport Street.

Intercultural Senior Center

ounded in 2009, the Intercultural Senior Center (ISC) started largely as a support group. “It started when a small group of Latina elderly women [started meeting] once a week and giving some type of emotional support and having conversations,” Executive Director Carolina Padilla said. “It was a gathering because there was no place to go.” After a series of moves in the past nine years, the organization will move again in early February to a permanent location at 5545 Center Street. Currently, they offer classes on health and wellness, English, citizenship, music, technology, literacy, sewing and other subjects. They also serve lunch daily and sponsor a monthly food pantry for their seniors. The organization’s function as a support group hasn’t changed over the years, and there are groups available that discuss grief, mental health, caregiving and grandparenting. According to Padilla, the organization’s most important function is to keep seniors active. “I think if we don't help our seniors to keep active, we are not helping our aging population,” Padilla said. “So, we're trying to do that by offering activities, education, support and with that, social services to help them out and offer assistance.” Seniors can become part of the center simply by showing up. For more information, visit ISC’s website at interculturalseniorcenter.org.

story by reese pike, photo courtesy of lulu ferdous, operations support specialist at the intercultural senior center and design by isabella tyler

Going Home

[ in-depth ]

Freshman Duha Alabbas plans to return to Saudi Arabia

y June of this year, freshman Duha Alabbas will pack up her life and move back to her hometown of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Alabbas came to America when she was nine years old on a dependent visa from her parents and has been living here since with her parents and three siblings. On their visas, Alabbas’ parents have been attending the University of Nebraska at Omaha since they came to the U.S. “Here, the education is a lot better than it is out there, so it’d give us a lot more opportunities when we went back,” Alabbas said. “The scholarship that my parents took to come here is a scholarship where you can go to America and see how the lifestyle is here and go back and give Saudi Arabia the ideas that you saw to better improve the community.” Alabbas said her father has already returned to Saudi Arabia to get settled in before the rest of her family goes back. Due to their visa terms, Alabbas and her family had been preparing themselves to move back the whole time they’ve lived in the U.S., because they weren’t sure when they would officially have to return. “Ever since I came [to the U.S.], I knew we’d have to move back,” Alabbas said. “First, we thought I was going back when I was done with sixth grade. Then, we thought it again when I was done with middle school, but things just kept happening and I never did. I never really thought I would leave, but part of me always kind of knew.” On a dependent visa, the terms for Alabbas are the same as those for her parents. Alabbas’ parents’ visas were set up so they could complete college, then move back to Saudi Arabia. In order for them to stay in the U.S., they would need to become citizens, but the process of becoming a legal U.S. citizen could take too long. “The [U.S. citizenship test] is pretty complicated, and it could take a long time,” Alabbas said. “Since we can’t get jobs here because we’re on a student visa and not work visas, we wouldn’t be able to stay long enough.” During her time in the U.S., Alabbas said that she hasn’t been able to see her family living in Saudi Arabia without running into problems with their visas. The Saudi Arabian

government does provide tickets for them to go back and visit over the summer, but they have to make sure they renew the visas every year in the U.S. This process takes a long time. Alabbas said that this prevented them from going back last summer, because they wouldn’t have had enough time to renew them. Moving back is Alabbas’ chance to reconnect with the family she hasn’t seen in a few years due to these issues. “I’m definitely very excited to see my family again,” Alabbas said. “It’s been two years now that I haven’t seen my grandparents. I haven’t seen my aunts or uncles. A few of my cousins live here, but it’s only, like, two.” On the other hand, Alabbas said there are things about Saudi Arabia that aren’t as efficient as they are in America. Westside offers Alabbas an educational experience that she wouldn’t be able to get back in Saudi Arabia. “I think the systems are a lot better here than they are anywhere else,” Alabbas said. “There’s a lot more equality and freedom here. There’s more understanding than there is [in Saudi Arabia].” One of Alabbas’ best friends at Westside, freshman Avery Nicklous, has known Alabbas since fifth grade. She said she understands how Alabbas might be affected moving back to Saudi Arabia. “I think she has mixed feelings because, on one hand, she’s grown up here,” Nicklous said. “Most of her life has happened here. On the other hand, her family is there and her culture is from there. She can’t really decide which place is home.” In Saudi Arabia, Alabbas said she has to go to an international private school that can be costly for her

story by angelina pattavina, photo by emma miller and design by isabella tyler

family, but there aren’t many other choices for her. “The people [in Saudi Arabia] aren’t terrible, but the people aren’t as open-minded,” Alabbas said. “They don’t have as much understanding. There’s not much equality, but it’s not horrible. The freedom is nothing compared to the way it is here.” Nicklous said she has heard about some of the equality issues from Alabbas, and she has seen how it’s affected her in the move back. “It’s a very controlled society,” Nicklous said. “In Saudi Arabia they don’t have a lot of freedoms like they do here, and I think we take that for granted. Obviously gender equality is much more prominent here, and things are getting better there. Women have so many more opportunities here, and I think that bothers Duha.” Alabbas said she views her move back in the same light as she did moving here. She said she is going to miss things from here, but moving back still has its perks. “It kind of sucks, but I’ll get used to it, the same way I got used to moving here,” Alabbas said. “Most of my family is back there anyway. I’m going to miss a lot of my friends that are here also, but if we kept in contact, I think we’d be okay.”

Freshman Duha Alabbas

[ in-depth ]

New Country, New Changes Westside sophomore immigrated from Vietnam A

merica has a large population of immigrants and with that, it can be expected that some attend Westside. Sophomore An Nguyen immigrated from Vietnam when she was nine years old. Nguyen traveled with her mother and currently lives with her grandparents ,who are also Vietnamese. “Technically speaking, my mom and myself aren’t citizens yet,” Nguyen said. “We’re here on a green card. Since it’s almost six years, my mom’s going to have to take the citizen exam, which gives me citizenship too.” After living in Vietnam, Nguyen said that it was a bit difficult to adjust to American culture. She said that the people in her life helped her adjust the most. “There was a kid who was at my elementary school that is the same as me,” Nguyen said. “[The kid] was Vietnamese too, even though they were born here. So, it’s, like, pretty nice of them to help me out. That made it a tiny bit easier. Other than that, teachers and family [helped me adjust].” The contrasts between American and Vietnamese schools are something that Nguyen said she also had to get used to after immigrating. Nguyen formerly went to a private school, and she said that school had a lot to do with family status. “[School] was a family thing since the school was private and [cost] a lot of money,” Nguyen said. “Back then it was like kids liked me because I know American people, or kids liked me because I had money or something like that.” Although there are several differences between American and Vietnamese cultures, Nguyen said her family has found a way to keep their culture intact. Prayer is significant in Vietnamese culture, and Nguyen said that it is used as a wish to bring happiness. “Usually you would go to a shrine to pray for your ancestors,” Nguyen said. “We still do that, it’s just we do it at home.” Tran Nguyen, An Nguyen’s cousin and a junior at Westside High School, also immigrated here. She came over when she was twelve, along with her mother and younger brother. “We moved here because our dad is here, so it’s just that we were able to be a whole entire family instead of one here and the other somewhere else,” Tran Nguyen said. Tran Nguyen said she also experienced some big differences after coming here. “The culture’s pretty different,” Tran Nguyen said. “School basically is a whole new thing. The people are

Sophomores An Nguyen (right) and Shayla Criddle (left) work together on a homework assignment in the Courtyard. a lot kinder than the school I used to be in. They really Buddhism. Clothing-wise, we have Ao Dai, which is like don’t care about family status. In my old school, they really your school uniform. We also wear that for weddings, as cared about those. The teachers are nicer. They push you to well. Here you guys don’t have exactly a traditional style, work harder, but not push you [too] much.” you wear whatever you want.” The school days in Vietnam were generally shorter than An Nguyen said that she has noticed several differences the ones in America and the system was different. between the two countries in general. “Normally, you have school for two hours a day and “Over [in Vietnam] it was more like it would always be then you have to get extra school afterward from one until really just confined, and everyone was like ‘girls have to eight at night,” Tran Nguyen said. “Afterward, you have to do this, guys have to do this,” An Nguyen said. “They were do homework, so it’s like your whole day is schoolwork.” more, ‘girls and guys are all different.’ Over here it’s more Tran Nguyen said that there were a lot of cultural open. Food and religion [are different] too.” differences. *Ao Dai are a traditional Vietnamese clothing “Here you guys only have specific holidays,” Tran item, which look like dresses with slots in them. Nguyen said. “Over there, we have constant holidays like Ao Dai also come with pants, and when used as New Years and Chinese New Years. Religion-wise, here a uniform are described as white dresses with a is Christianity and Catholic a lot. Over in Vietnam we do high collar and long sleeves. story by faith rice, picture by emma miller and design by sam cohen 16

[ in-depth ]

Could You Pass the Test? 6. Who makes federal laws? A. Congress B. President C. Cabinet members

2. What is one promise you make when you become a U.S. Citizen? A. Enlist in the Military B. Give up loyalty to other countries C. Vote

7. How many years is a U.S. Senator elected for? A. 4 B. 6 C. 2

3. What is one state that borders Canada? A. North Carolina B. Maine C. Virginia

8. What does the presidentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Cabinet do? A. Make laws B. Advise the president C. Control designated provinces

4. Who is one of your state senators now? A. Deb Fischer B. Don Bacon C. Jean Stothert

9. What is the capital of your state? A. Lincoln B. Omaha C. Wayne

5. How many amendments does the Constitution have? A. 23 B. 18 C. 27

10. Who wrote the Declaration of Independence? A. George Washington B. Thomas Jefferson C. Benjamin Franklin

There are two sections of the citizenship test. One section tests over the English language, and the other tests over civics. The civics section contains ten questions out of a total of 100 possible questions. In order to pass, you must get six out of ten correct. The test is delivered in a free response format.

of Americans would pass the American Citizenship test based on a survey done by the Woodrow Wilson Foundation.

story by max frost, graphics and design by vinny nelson

1.a 2.b 3.b 4.a 5.c 6.a 7.b 8.b 9.a 10.b

1. What is the supreme law of the land? A. The Constitution B. The Declaration of Independence C. The Ten Commandments

[ info ]

RECIEVE A SMALL SMOOTHIE ONLY $2.99 Not valid on Fridays Expires ExpiresOctober March 113

feature

SHUTDOWN T

Student shares effect of government shutdown on uncle, an FBI agent

hroughout the 35 days the United States government was shut down, countless federal employees went unpaid. Many individuals and families were impacted by the lack of a paycheck, and a similar situation is on the horizon with President Donald Trump threatening to shut down the government once again on Feb. 15. My uncle, Ben Langel, is a special agent in the FBI and has served for more The government than 13 years. He lives in shutdown lasted Brooklyn, New York, with his from wife and daughter and said DECEMBER he has encountered several nd 22 government shutdowns during until his career. Langel said he feels no single party is responsible JANUARY 25 th for the most recent shutdown. “I blame both sides,” Langel said. “I don’t blame either party. There’s an unwillingness to compromise on both sides.” As a federal employee, Langel did not receive pay during the period. “It affected [my family] in the fact that we didn’t get paid for two pay periods,” Langel said. “So, normally, we get paid every two weeks. That first paycheck didn’t hit, then around the time when the second one was due, that’s when the deal happened, so it came late.”

Unlike several coworkers, Langel is older and more experienced and had savings in place for when complicated situations such as the shutdowns occur. “I can tell you that I’m in my mid-40s and that [my wife] was still getting paid, and we have money in savings, and we were able to cover our rent and other stuff,” Langel said. “But, I can tell you that I know people that are younger that are essentially living paycheck-topaycheck that are very stressed out and had a lot of concern about their basic expenses. Some people I work with were impacted more severely.” Despite working without pay, Langel said the atmosphere in the workplace remained appropriate. “We had to work, we just weren’t getting paid,” Langel said. “People just did their jobs as normal, but were understandably frustrated, but people still behaved as professionals.” Although shutdowns reflect the uncertainty of our current government, Langel said he remains positive amidst the chaos. “[Government shutdowns] just happen and you have to make do with the situation,” Langel said. “We’ll deal with it as it comes and hope for the best and stay positive.”

story by claire benson, graphics by malia battafarano and isabella tyler and design by malia battafarano

statistics according to The New York Times, CNBC, and USA Today

[ feature ]

A Man and His Goat Substitute instructor shares his stories

Substitute instructor Robert Blankenship in his backyard with his goat, Pickles. story by daisy friedman, photos by emma miller and design by vinny nelson

[ feature ]

obert Blankenship, a substitute teacher in District 66, engages with students on a personal level despite his temporary job. This retiree with a multitude of life stories takes on Westside classrooms and, according to many students, makes their days better. When Blankenship’s name is mentioned, students say they enjoy listening to his stories. “Blankenship has been a sub for my homeroom for a while,” senior Chase Piper said. “He has a really fun personality. He’s gruff, but in a good way. He’d come in and always have a kid say, ‘Hey you, go grab me that chair.’ He’d set it down and tell a bunch of stories from the good old days.” Blankenship said he is not new to a career of discipline and responsibility. Before becoming a substitute teacher, he worked for the state. “I’ve been a substitute for 14 years,” Blankenship said. “I was a Douglas County Sheriff Civil Process Server. We served papers on people that ‘had it coming to them.’ I had my teaching degree my whole life and I never let it lapse, so when I retired from the Sheriff’s office, I immediately contacted the Omaha Public Schools and started subbing there.” Blankenship said he makes an effort to not only teach the students the material, but to emotionally connect with them, even if he’s only their teacher for a 35 minute mod. Piper said his goofy presence makes students want to listen and engage in learning. “It’s always really fun when he’s there in his tracksuit,” Piper said. “He has a really fun presence and energy. He’s very relatable. Not a lot of substitutes talk like him or are really direct with students.”

In addition to his 1970s athletic appearance and funny anecdotes, Piper said he has exceptional advice for his students to make them work toward their goals. “I just like to challenge them [and] make them work,” Blankenship said. “The challenge for students today is to keep ahead of everyone else. That’s your whole job, that’s your whole purpose, so that’s what I try to stress to them.” Blankenship said he was drawn to being a teacher in high school when one of his athletic coaches inspired him. “My basketball coach in high school was the person who really wanted to make me become a teacher,”

others don’t, but indeed the story is true. “I lost my pancreas in 1983, and the first doctor I talked to said the most easily digestible food is goat’s milk,” Blankenship said. “So, I went down to Bakers and bought a pint of goat’s milk, which was $3.75 a pint. I’m a big milk drinker so I knew that wasn’t going to work because it was too expensive. Next option was to buy a goat, so that’s what I did. I’ve had eight or nine in the past 25 years. My current goat’s name is Pickles.” When Blankenship is not teaching or spending time with Pickles, he said he finds peace in exercise. He began his strict exercise regime training to climb Longs Peak in Colorado and said he hasn’t missed a day since. Blankenship said that when he was a teenager, he climbed Longs Peak in Colorado at the end of the summer of 1964 as a reward for being a camp counselor. He said he decided to climb the peak again 50 years after his previous climb, so he had to start training. “I went back again after training for 14 years and climbed it again in 2014,” Blankenship said. “When I got done, I came back and thought, ‘If I quit now I’ll die.’ So I kept working out.” Blankership said he still runs two miles and walks two miles at the Henry Doorly Zoo after school. Blankenship has shared many stories with Westside students over the years and entertained them in their classes. Students said they hope to see him for many years to come. Blankenship said he approaches difficult situations in the classroom and in life with one mantra. “When I accomplish what I want to accomplish, am I done?” Blankenship said. “Of course not, I keep going.”

“He has a really fun presence and energy. He’s very relatable. Not a lot of substitutes talk like him or are really direct with students.” Senior Chase Piper Blankenship said. “He had a great influence on me, and I was actually one of those students that may have been going in the wrong direction, but I got into athletics and everything changed quickly.” Some of Blankenship’s students’ favorite stories are the ones that involve his goats. Many Westside students have heard the tale of how Blankenship acquired a multitude of goats over the years. Some believe this,

Blankenship’s goat, Pickles, strikes a pose for the camera.

Blankenship talks to his goat.

[ feature ]

Sounds Like Improvement Band and orchestra students take private lessons

his year, band, choir and orchestra students had an opportunity that has never been offered through the school before: private lessons. “We’ve contracted through the Omaha Conservatory of Music, which runs a business with private lessons,” band instructor Thomas Krueger said. “We have a donor that has graciously donated a bunch of money to us so we can run this program for three years.” these lessons. Orchestra instructor Lanny Stutheit said it was an important addition to the instrumental music program. “The private lesson program was designed to offer lessons to those students in our music program that weren’t necessarily taking private lessons outside of school,” Stutheit said. “We offered the opportunity for students to apply, fill out an application and be selected as part of a program to receive a weekly

lesson.” Between band and orchestra, there are 36 students involved in these lessons. Choir is

Ella Humphrey practices playing her trumpet

of the program. We are really excited to have the teachers. They are high quality teachers and they’re doing a great job,” Stutheit said. These teachers are making a difference in the students skill. According to Krueger, he has already seen some results in his students’ playing. “I’ve already seen [students] get benefits from it,” Krueger said.“The individualized instruction they can get from it, it’s just more personalized for them, and the teachers can go pretty deep into some things for their instruments.” According to Stutheit, it has been a good experience for all of the students involved so far. “All the students in band and orchestra that are taking lessons are really excited about the progress they are seeing themselves make at this point,” Stutheit said.

“The students ... that are taking lessons are really excited about the progress they are seeing themselves make at this point,” Orchestra Instructor Lanny Stutheit also doing this program, but through another organization, and they have 10 students. “They are coming to our building and using our practice rooms. They had to agree to be a part

Junior Oliver Gurney practices playing his trombone

Michael Palacio practices playing his trumpet

story by brooklyn james, photos by emma miller, design by elliot evans

SPORTS

FEBRUARY Sports Calendar SUN

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S4c o re s t n e c e R e S om ls S w im 3

e t b a ll G ir ls Ba s k

B o ys

4 u t h : 64 - 4 S o 10 (W) v Pa p io e s t: 74 -70 h a No rt h w a m O v ) (W a s t: 91-61 o ln S o u t h e (W) v L in c

THU

f 11 v ite : 1s t o We s t ide In 147-87 11 to n /G ro s s: 12 ls a R v ) (W

Metro Swim and Dive @Millard West All Day

Wrestling Districts @ Columbus

Metro Swim and Dive @Millard West All Day

Wrestling State Wrestling State @ CHI Health Wrestling State Center @ CHI Health @ CHI Health Center Center Boys/Girls BBall @ Lincoln High 5:30/7:15

Boys/Girls BBall @ Omaha North 5:30/7:15

SAT

Boys/Girls BBall vs. Papio 5:30/7:15

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Boys Basketball Districts TBA

design by sam cohen

f 11 v ite : 2n d o We s t ide In 160-73 to n /G ro s s: ls a R v ) (W

Girls Basketball Districts TBA

State Swim and Dive @UNL State Swim and All Day Dive @UNL State Swim and All Day Dive @UNL Boys All Day Basketball Districts TBA

Girls Basketball Districts TBA

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- 49 S o u t h : 66 (W) v Pa p io e s t: 64 -37 h a No rt h w a m O v ) (W a s t: 64 -37 o ln S o u t h e (W) v L in c

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28 Girls State Basketball @Pinnacle

march events

[sports]

Wrestling Gender Roles

Girls begin wrestling, breaking barriers at Westside

ack in December, freshman Alicia Gubalke made for me.” Westside history. She became the first girl to ever Westside is far from the only school in Nebraska to win a wrestling tournament representing Westside. have female wrestlers. Jernigan said that the sport is At a Nebraska City tournament against eight other much more popular in the more rural parts of the state. girls, Gubalke came out on top and received the gold “It is becoming more common with schools across medal. Wrestling Coach Michael Jernigan said that this the state,” Jernigan said. “It’s going to take some time. accomplishment shouldn’t be thrown to the side. In smaller communities, it’s growing faster because if “She had the tournament of her life,” Jernigan said. some of the girls aren’t 6-foot and playing basketball, “Who knows the next time that a girl makes Westside then what are they going to do?” history?” Although the sport is gaining popularity among While the victory was an impressive feat by itself, it girls, there is still one major issue. Neither Gubalke had a bigger effect. It brought to light girls wrestling at nor her two female teammates will be able to compete Westside, something many students and faculty didn’t in state against other girls. Girls wrestling is not yet even know existed. Gubalke is one of three female sanctioned by the state of Nebraska. wrestlers at Westside. She said that the boys on the While this may seem like a clear violation of Title team have really accepted the female wrestlers. IX, which states that no person should be excluded “The guys are really cool,” Gubalke said. “It almost from an activity on the basis of sex, that is not the case. feels like a family. We are like brothers and sisters in a The law states that people can’t be excluded “from way. The two other girls, I never even met them before participation,” and girls are fully allowed to participate wrestling, but now that I know them, the bond is really in wrestling. They just don’t have their own state tight.” tournament. Jernigan said he had some concerns before the Currently, 12 states in the U.S. have a girls wrestling season about the team dynamic, but was sure to shut them Freshmen Alicia Gubalke (left) and Nora Dugdale (right) drill collar ties state championship, and Nebraska is looking to join that and head position. Both girls and freshman Angel Stewart competed the list. down. entire season in all female wrestling events. “Our team handles it very well,” Jernigan said. “We “Right now, in the state of Nebraska, a majority of the had that conversation of the respect and how these are your “Wrestling is one of the hardest sports around. The mindset, the districts have voted that yes, it is going to happen,” Jernigan sisters now. We always talk about brotherhood, and now it’s physical piece, the cardiovascular piece, the diet, the discipline. said. “So, I am thinking that at the start of our season next year, brother and sisterhood. They take care of them. They look out I think the biggest achievement that they have is that they have it is going to be a sanctioned sport. They’re going to have their for them. We have had zero problems.” own state tournament. They’re going to be considered a varsity stuck it out.” Another problem that girls wrestling is fighting against is While there may only be two other girls for Gubalke to sport.” sexism within the sport. Jernigan said he believes that Gubalke said she is excited at the prospect of just because the wrestlers are girls doesn’t mean that competing for a state championship. She also said she they don’t deserve the same respect as anybody else. thinks that it will be a huge win for the popularity of “Let’s say I am a young man and I have to wrestle the sport within the school. a girl,” Jernigan said. “You win, ok, I beat a girl. But “I know a couple of girl wrestlers in the school that if you lose, it’s rough. Your teammates, your buddies, haven’t showed that they are wrestlers because they maybe your dad, they are going to give you a hard don’t want to go up against boys,” Gubalke said. “I’m time, and that’s not right. These girls are out there, hoping that it’ll get sanctioned for next year so we can busting their butts. They’re doing the same thing.” have a girl team for the school.” Gubalke said she receives lots of support from her One change that will most likely be made by the close friends, but it’s the opposite from other people state is the weight classes for the girls. Currently, girls in school. However, she said she is used to brushing wrestling wrestles at the 14 weight classes that the off the skeptics, just like she does with her opponents. boys compete on, from 105 pounds to 285 pounds. “All of my girl friends think that it is so cool [that I wrestle] wrestle against in practice, she says that it can be thought of as Other than that minor change, the rules that apply to the boys and the guys from the wrestling team support it a lot,” Gubalke more of an advantage than a disadvantage. will be the same for girls. said. “Some upperclassmen will confront me and say it’s weird, Jernigan said he believes that this change is a big move on “I would prefer to wrestle a girl [during practice], but it’s but it’s only because they haven’t seen what I can do.” also better for me to wrestle a guy because when I go up against Nebraska’s part. More specifically, he said he is happy that Wrestling is often thought to be one of the most difficult a guy, they are going to be stronger to me,” Gubalke said. “I Gubalke will have the chance to win something bigger than a sports to compete in, and Jernigan said he agrees wholeheartedly. may be faster and the technique is the same, but they are a lot tournament out in Nebraska City. However, he said that the girls have taken the challenge in stride. stronger because of their upper body, and I don’t have much arm “I hope by her senior year she is still here competing, but for “They show up every day, ready to work hard,” Jernigan said. strength. So then when I go up against a girl, it is a lot easier a state championship,” Jernigan said.

“All of my girl friends think that it is so cool [that I wrestle] and the guys from the wrestling team support it a lot.” Freshman Alicia Gubalke

story by josh siegel, photo by lakyn richard and design by malia battafarano

a&e

comic and design by abby schreiber

[ A&E ] and Leela are about as far opposites as one can imagine. As a show with an ensemble cast, “Futurama” places a heavy focus on characters, their backstories and how they interact with one another. Fry and Leela are similar in the sense that both of their backstories revolve around isolation and unfamiliarity. Fry was transported from a depressing life in the 20th century to a new life in the 31st century after being placed in a cryogenic freezer (accidentally). Leela was orphaned as an infant, believing for most of her formative years that she had been abandoned by aliens. Many of the other orphans disliked Leela because she was the only cyclops among them, and many people in the past disliked Fry because he was a stupid loser. Despite their differences, they understand what it’s like to be lonely. Our current world isn’t as futuristic as what’s depicted in “Futurama,” but there’s still an array of characters that are relatable to personalities we may see in contemporary life.

Top Pop Culture Couples

Best couples in the digital world

alentine’s Day is approaching, and, around this romantic time of year, it’s always fun to live vicariously through the romances seen in pop culture. Be it in romance novels, love songs or rom-coms, romance is all around us. However, there’s something special to be said about couples in animation. Animation is such a gorgeous medium that can depict feelings in specific and unique ways that can’t quite be captured in live action. There’s this sentiment in animation that’s so deeply rooted in fantasy and unreality, making it easy to get lost in the relationships depicted. So, in no particular order, here are some of the best couples in animation. 1) Fry and Leela - “Futurama” Fry and Leela are both strong characters. Fry is an impulsive idiot who’s as lost as he is clueless, and Leela is a strong, stubborn cyclops pilot who has trouble admitting her feelings. Even from the pilot episode, it’s clear to the audience that they’re connected in some way. Opposites attract, and Fry

2) Howl and Sophie - “Howl’s Moving Castle” It’s difficult to describe the plot of “Howl’s Moving Castle.” Like all films made by the prolific Hayao Miyazaki, it’s an aesthetically pleasing and fantastical journey that draws in the viewer. The plot of this film is that a young woman (named Sophie) is cursed into being elderly, and she joins a wizard named Howl and his brigade in an effort to break the curse. In fits of excitement and confidence, Sophie can be seen to literally become young again, all due to viewing the gorgeous world Howl has opened up for her. Putting aside the plot, what’s so impressive about this film is seeing how much Howl and Sophie develop due to being around one another. In the beginning of the movie, Sophie keeps to herself and rarely speaks up. Once she moves into the moving castle, she asserts herself, speaks openly and abandons her life of passivity. In the beginning of the movie, Howl is statuesque and vain, willing to fight in a war but moping excessively when he accidentally dyes his hair the wrong color. He needed someone to put him in his place and make him think about other people, and Sophie needed someone to

push her out of her comfort zone and take in the beauty of the world around her and herself. It’s hard to pin down one particular scene that captures their relationship without spoiling the progression of the entire movie. The most that can be said is that this film is an intense and stunning dive into a romance that’s worth all of the curses and spells. 3) Orel and Christina - “Moral Orel” The Adult Swim show “Moral Orel” has been revered as a cult classic for some. It follows a young boy named Orel Puppington growing up in a staunchly religious town, doing everything he can to be seen as worthy in the eyes of God, but being misguided along the way. The show isn’t for everyone, as it can be quite crude and critical of religion, and there are a few episodes that haven’t aged very well. However, one charming aspect of the show is the romance between Orel and Christina. In the episode “The Lord’s Prayer,” a new family moves in next to Orel, almost identical to his family. The Puppingtons take a liking to this new family until they realize this family uses the version of the Lord’s Prayer with the word “debts” as opposed to the version of the word “trespassers.” The Puppingtons cast this family away, although Orel doesn’t see any problem with the difference his parents are so against. He’s convinced by his father and his reverend that he can’t associate with

[ A&E ] Christina’s family and her family moves. In the significantly darker third season, Orel decides to abandon this idea because he realizes he likes Christina, and he won’t let any minor differences sway him. He invites her to his school dance, and they have a friendly and touching relationship unlike any of the ones had by the authority figures in their town. What’s so charming about Orel and Christina is the stark difference between how Orel’s parents act and how he and Christina act. His parents are cold and indifferent , having only married due to societal pressures . But Orel and Christina actually like each other, and it’s refreshing compared to the bleakness of the rest of the show. There’s one great shot in particular of the two at Orel’s school dance, surrounded by kids standing at arm’s length, awkward and scared. Orel and Christina, however, are embraced in the middle of everything, unafraid to enjoy one another’s company.It’s the only example of a healthy romantic relationship in the entire show. 4) Ruby and Sapphire - “Steven Universe” Ideally, there would be more LGBTQ+ couples included in this list. The only issue is that there aren’t many explicitly stated LGBTQ+ couples in mainstream animation that are healthy and un-fetishized, especially among main characters. For years, animation from other countries with LGBTQ+ characters were censored when brought to America. In the American dub of “Sailor Moon,” two women who were originally intended to be a couple were changed to be cousins. Of course, “Steven Universe” was by no means the first piece of mainstream animated media to have a samesex couple, but it was notable in the sense that it’s meant for younger audiences and it’s absolutely clear about this positive relationship that they’re portraying. Ruby and Sapphire love each other, and they’re in a relationship and it’s healthy. The show is centered around a group of space organisms called “the Crystal Gems” who defend Earth against their homeworld. Ruby and Sapphire originally came from Homeworld, Sapphire being “a rare, aristocratic gem” with Ruby acting as her

guard. Ruby was brash and didn’t think of herself as an individual, but Sapphire was straightforward and saw the future as one straight path with zero alternate possibilities. However, after Ruby unexpectedly put herself in harm’s way to save Sapphire from a threat, her perception of how the future presented itself was completely warped. Sapphire loved Ruby’s unpredictable behavior, and Ruby loved how Sapphire valued her as her as an individual, not just some mindless

There’s something special to be said about couples in animation. [It] can depict feelings in specific and unique ways that can’t quite be captured in live action. chaperone. In the eyes of other characters, Ruby and Sapphire’s relationship is seen as nothing short of perfect. They complement each other perfectly and they anticipate one another’s needs. What’s also great about them is that they aren’t entirely perfect. They do have disagreements, but they’re able to figure them out with communication. Their relationship adds to the show, and it’s probably comforting

story and graphics by jane knudsen, design by elliot evans

for kids to see this relationship normalized. It is normal, and it ought to be treated as such. Their relationship is refreshing in every sense of the word. 5) The Scotsman and The Scotsman’s Wife - “Samurai Jack” One of my favorite tropes when it comes to romance is having one member of a couple be generally gruff and unpleasant, but their significant other sees them as if they’re a beacon of sunlight. There isn’t a better use of this trope than with the Scotsman and his wife in “Samurai Jack.” In the show, the Scotsman is a strong, stubborn man who always puts up a fight but remains honorable to those he trusts. In one episode, he asks Jack to help him rescue his wife from a dangerous situation, as he can’t recruit anyone in his clan to help him due to some honor code. He’s distraught over the situation, talking endlessly to Jack about how dainty and fragile his wife is, and how scared she must be. When they arrived to help her, though, she turned out to be abrasive, unpleasant and generally short-tempered. Jack wonders if they have the right woman, but when he looks up at the Scotsman, he sees that he’s looking at her like she’s the absolute world. It’s clear why the Scotsman loves his wife — she’s tough, and she doesn’t let anything get in her way. She’s perfect for him. It’s so wonderful to see such unconstrained love, especially when there are plenty of couples on television (sitcoms, especially) who bicker more than acknowledge why they love each other in the first place. The bar for a relationship is pretty low if “loving your partner” earns a lot of approval, but there’s something different about the Scotsman and his wife. He loves her unconditionally. There’s an episode where he, Jack and some other men venture out to the sea and get captured by Sirens. The Scotsman is the only one who isn’t captured by the Siren’s song or their appearance. He just loves his wife too much to be swayed by any other women. That sentiment sums up their relationship.

HANDS OFF!

[a&e]

A humorous opinion on PDA

Spreading like a horrible virus, with symptoms including nausea, vomiting and burning of the eyes, Public Displays of Affection (PDA) are infecting our school from the halls to the classrooms. The question has been asked: is there any way we can get these kids off of each other? Most people are in favor of love, but what crosses the line in terms of showing how much you love someone? People kissing in the hall seems like a normal thing at Westside, but is it truly acceptable? No, it’s gross and disturbing when some of us are just trying to learn. Many students would probably appreciate a break from the constant sight of people’s tongues in each other’s mouths. People don’t enjoy watching their lab partner or teammate “kissing, touching or fondling” their significant other, as specified in Westside High School’s student handbook. Bumping into two people displaying affection makes for an awkward situation as you apologize, and they don’t even stop what they are doing to acknowledge you. Coming to Westside, I was shocked to see the constant PDA from my peers. The best part of it all is how often it

happens. According to a non-scientific survey conducted by the Lance with 162 responses, 75.3 percent of students see PDA every day. No one wants to have to work their way through crowds of couples hugging and kissing. You may be thinking it’s not that big of a deal. Why do you care? Keep your eyes down and look away. Still, the sight of it is not the worst of it. Students should be able to walk through the halls without hearing the sounds of slurping. The worst part of it all is that there is not much anyone can do about it. Westside administration said they do their best to keep it contained, but there is not much hope that it can be stopped. It isn’t like the students are doing anything technically wrong, but they are seriously affecting the positivity of the school. Is it that hard to hold off on the licking from 8 a.m. to 3:10 p.m.? If it helps, just think about what other students are thinking about you, and you’ll be so embarrassed you will want to pull your lips apart faster than you put them

together. I am writing what needs to be said to dampen the flame burning through our school, our safe place and most importantly, our place to learn. You may be reading this asking yourself, “Am I an offender of PDA?” The answer is simple. You may be disturbing the rest of the school if you answer yes to any of the following. Do you share a hoodie, shirt or coat with your significant other at the same time? Do you ever touch eyeballs with your significant other? Have you ever been carried to your class or carried someone to their class? And, finally, have you ever hugged someone for more than a whole 40 seconds? Are those students that are displaying affection really doing anything wrong? Ethically? No. In the sense that they are making everyone extremely uncomfortable? Yes. There is no set protocol taken when PDA is seen as far as administrative action. So please, save your peers the stomachache and stop the epidemic of PDA, one couple at a time.

story and infographics by luke steiner

Valentine’s Day Seen through the eyes of Westside

24.3%

What are your plans for V-Day?

17.5% 32.1% of WHS 67.9% of WHS

Students are in a relationship.

1.8%

Students are not in a relationship.

54.4%

3.9%

Favorite Gift to get on Valentine’s Day? 28

9.1%

20% 36.4%

32.7% were “other” responses data gathered through 2 nonscientific surveys with 103 response and 162 responses infographics and design by virginia jansen