Horse - Issue Two

Trojan Horse

The

TROJANS’ TURF Pg. 20

Pg. 8

NETFLIX QUIZ

December 2014 No. 2

Long Distance Pg. 5

Hitting her

funny bone Pg. 2 RANJANI KRISHNAN Pg. 12

DECEMBER

Horse-O-Scope Inside Cover

SHORTER LUNCH Pg. 22

Check us out on mobile!

THROWBACK Timeline Pg. 16

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December

HORSE-O-SCOPE Aries

Libra

Aries: Don’t let being tired make your grades plummet. Chug some eggnog latte, and do that homework you have been putting off since November.

Libra: Your friends will be very loyal this month; so do not stop yourself from accepting their help during stressful holiday preparations. You need to believe in your people with Imani (faith), which is one of the 7 principles of Kwanzaa.

Taurus

Scorpio

Gemini

Sagittarius

Gemini: You put your full effort into everything you do, but just like a computer, your CPU can overheat if you work too hard. Take a break from churning out those presents, little elf, and spend some time relaxing.

Sagittarius: You have had someone this past year who has been getting on your nerves. Don’t worry, because in the New Year both of you will express one of the principles of Kwanzaa, Umoji (unity). Who knows, maybe you’ll make a new friend.

Cancer

Capricorn

Cancer: Santa might just put you on the naughty list if you are especially reckless this month. But if you are smart about how you approach everyday problems, the big guy will have no choice but to put you on the nice list.

Capricorn: Stop worrying about keeping everything in your life in order. Let your guard down and relax for this holiday season. It worked for Scrooge, right?

Leo

Aquarius

Leo: You will fall in love this winter season. Not with a person but with life. Your walking on sunshine and spreading it wherever you go. You are going to be like the light in a child’s eye when they first open their Christmas present.

Aquarius: There is an endless supply of light in your soul that’s just dying to be shared. Bring your menorah candles and embrace the flame of love with someone special.

Virgo

Pisces

Virgo: Just like Rudolph, there has been a problem you’ve been facing that you haven’t been able to get rid of. Just remember you are a warrior, so lift your head, analyze the situation, and confidently guide Santa’s sleigh.

Pisces: This past month your mind has been a cloudy mess. Take a cue from Hanukah and embrace it’s meaning by celebrating light over darkness, purity over adulteration, and spirituality over materiality. You might suddenly find yourself looking ahead to clear skies.

Taurus: Your life may seem perfect right now, but watch out Taurus because while you may think everything is good, a present might blow up in your face when you least expect it.

2

Written by Tana Kelley

TROJAN HORSE

DECEMBER 2014

Scorpio: You have been in a stalemate the past couple of months. Buy a plane ticket or hop in the car and take a little Winter Break road trip. Do what Santa does every Christmas day and go to random people’s houses, give them presents, and spread joy all over the world.

CONTENTS COVER

Naomi Fredgant

HORSE-O-SCOPE Tana Kelley

02 HITTING HER FUNNY BONE Jamie Valentine

05 LONG DISTANCE Kaya Noteboom

08 NETFLIX QUIZ

Natalie Jenkins, Adrianne Nix & Moni Kovacs

12 RANJANI KRISHNAN Lauren McMurray

16 THROWBACK

Peter Swanson & Moni Kovacs

20 TROJANS’ TURF Brooklyn Loiselle

22 SHORTER LUNCH Adrianne Nix

Adrianne Nix Editor in Chief Senior

Natalie Jenkins Editor in Chief Senior

Keith Higbee Staff Advisor

Monika Kovacs Head of Design Senior

Tana Kelley Photo Editor Marketing Director Senior

Brian Chatard Principal

According to Oregon law, student journalists are responsible for determining the content of this publication, except under limited circumstances. The subject matter, content and views of the news, features and opinion sections in this paper do not reflect the views of Portland Public Schools or Woodrow Wilson High School.

1

HITTING HER FUNNY BONE

How Naomi Fredgant became the funniest person at Wilson 2

TROJAN HORSE

DECEMBER 2014

“Sometimes fat people are just pregnant, and sometimes they’re just fat. I was on this date once, and at one point I just blurted out, ‘How many months are you?’ It was awkward, but at least he still bought me dinner.” Laughing

alright to write down what someone just said.

One of those friends is senior, Sahara Wright, who’s known Fredgant for 12 years.

“Ever since I met her, she’s been the funniest person I

at her own joke, Naomi Fredgant paced backstage at the

know,” Wright said. “She always makes me smile, even

Wilson High School talent show. All the jokes, all the funny

when she’s not meaning to.” Fredgant is a peer counselor,

comments, all the funny faces, noises, and laughs. They

and is adamant about making people happy. She helps

had all led her to this moment. Her name was introduced,

people out with any problem at any cost, infusing humor

and with a smile, she calmly walked out on stage.

with her advice to make anyone smile even in the tough-

“Truth is, I was nervous as…well, you can guess what,”

est of times. “Sometimes we go on for nearly a half hour

Fredgant said. She took part in Wilson’s annual talent

laughing back and forth over one joke; she tells it, I laugh,

show, where she won first place with her five-minute

she laughs at my laugh and it just escalates from there.

stand-up act. “I’m always nervous before I go onstage.” Fredgant said.

“But as I’m walking out, I’m like ‘Alright this is stupid, why am I nervous?’”

This kind of relaxed atti-

It can be quite the

‘She’s so funny.

What if people thought I was that funny, just in the comfort of their own homes?’

tude towards crowds is

workout.”

Many people have their favorite type of jokes, whether they are offensive jokes, knockknock jokes, or anything else. With Fredgant, it’s

something that is natural to Fredgant, despite the fact that

no different. “My favorite kind of jokes to tell are the ones

besides the talent show, she’s only been on stage at her

where the punch-line takes a while to sink in,” Fredgant

Bah Mitzvah. “I first realized I was funny at my Bah Mitz-

said. “I’ll wait as long as I need to, just standing there

vah in eighth grade,” Fredgant said, “I was talking, and

awkwardly, until they get it. On the other hand, my favor-

people were laughing. I thought that was weird because I

ite kinds of jokes to listen to are stupid jokes. Like here,

wasn’t even saying anything funny. Sometimes I just get up

‘Knock-knock?’ ‘Who’s there?’ “I eat mop.’ ‘I eat mop who?’

and clear my throat and people start laughing.” This is the

get it? Like I eat my poo?” Fredgant’s favorite joke from

kind of humor that characterizes Fredgant, because when

her own collection is the aforementioned fat joke, but says

she’s being funny or saying something funny, she’s not

the crowd usually likes her “preemie joke” more; “My older

acting, it’s just who she is.

sister always uses being a preemie as an excuse. ‘Oh,

Before even knowing she was going to perform at the

my toenails are getting long, it’s probably because I’m a

talent show, Fredgant had already been keeping a note-

preemie.’ ‘I can‘t take out the trash, I’m really feeling that

book in her purse in which she writes down anything funny

preemie today.’ ‘I’m just not ready. It’s because I’m a pree-

she says or hears. “Whenever I hear something funny,

mie.’ Fredgant does not let this get her down though, as

even if it wasn’t meant to be a joke, I always stop what

she realizes that not everyone shares her sense of humor.

I’m doing to write it down in my joke book.” Those who

“I mean, it’s a valid joke,” Fredgant said. “I just like the fat

know Fredgant well are accustomed to her stopping in her

one more.”

tracks, pulling a pen and notebook out, and asking if it’s

Although many people let their humorous side out at

3

school, Fredgant is more comfortable joking around with

show, she is skeptical about pursuing a career in comedy.

her parents than with her friends. This is in part due to the

“I think it’s unrealistic to plan to be a comedian because

fact that she learned her humor from her parents. “I think

so many don’t make it.” But even without a career as a

humor is something you learn,” Fredgant said. “I don’t think

comedian, Fredgant has plans to try out at an open mike

it’s genetic. I think I learned mine from both my mom and

night when she turns 21. “If there was a guarantee that

dad, because I have two senses of humor. I learned the silly kind from my mom, and the smart kind from my dad.” Naomi also does not see herself as a class clown, and

I would find success, I

If there was a guarantee that I would find success, I would do it no doubt. It’s a great feeling to be up on stage

tries to keep the amount

would do it no doubt.

It’s a great feeling to be up on stage.” Even if she doesn’t make it as a comedian, she has back up plans. “I’d probably be homeless. Just kidding. I

of jokes and the context of the jokes school appropriate so

think it would be really interesting to be a psychologist, but

as not to disrupt her or her classmates’ education.

at the same time, I’m not sure at all,” Fredgant said. “I think

Some of her favorite comedians include Sarah Silverman, Iliza Shlesinger, Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Kate McKinnon, and Ellen Degeneres. “I watch movies and

it would be very interesting to know the way people work, and understand them.”

Whether she reaches her goal or not, one thing about

clips of Melissa McCarthy just being a funny person, and

her can still be said, she will continue putting smiles on the

I think, ‘She’s so funny. What if people thought I was that

faces of those around her, no matter what.

funny, just in the comfort of their own homes?’”

Although she does watch professional comedians, Fredgant usually doesn’t try to learn anything from them about how to be a good comedian. “I think studying

Jamie Valentine Senior

timing from other people is impossible,” Fredgant said. “I mean, if you have no comedic timing, it’s fine, but for me, I just have to feel it. I do try to pick up tips from comedians, but it’s like when someone edits your paper, you don’t have to use it, in the second I just choose what sounds best.”

Although she may have come third in the citywide talent

4

TROJAN HORSE

DECEMBER 2014

Photos by Jamie Valentine

Dating: a common indulgence and occasional strug-

that followed continued in this fashion for a couple of

gle in our society. According to The Wall Street Journal,

years, well, until now. My current relationship turned out to

on average, kids begin to dip their tiny little toes in the

be a far different experience than any other that sprung

shaky waters of the dating pool at around twelve years

from the shallow soils of Wilson High, and began years

old. This lovely statistic happens to be true for myself. I

before during my days at Robert Gray.

encountered my first boyfriend in seventh grade under the

I met my current boyfriend in 3rd grade, surrounded by

leaky roof of Robert Gray Middle School. My experience,

lush, rolling hills and seemingly ancient orange brick walls

like many others, was unromantic and had a short shelf

that murmured when you read quietly next to them. You

life. My hair was layered poorly, resembling a muddled

could hear them whisper in the silence that was so rarely

waterfall, frozen in place by a crippling winter breeze.

found in the halls of an elementary school.

However instead of cold wind holding my flimsy locks in

The day I met him was the day I started loving him.

place, it was hours of straightening in front of a dirty mirror.

How could I not? The boy could juggle, play guitar, and

I was awkward looking to say the least. I knew this guy for

play wall-ball like nobody’s business. Even then, he was

a week prior, and to my surprise we lasted a staggering

a spectacle. That day, my mom pulled up in her glorious,

two and half months! The end was mutual and we parted

golden, Volvo station wagon that glimmered in the fading

ways with maturity and grace. You know, like how most

autumnal sunlight, and the moment I plopped myself in

middle schoolers would. All sarcasm aside, the few flings

her cracked leather backseat, I confessed to her that I had

5

made a new friend. I found out he liked me when a mutual friend had told me, like a bad game of telephone.

However, after fifth grade, we flew in different directions.

He went off to a private performing arts school in the heart

When entering a “long distance” relationship, there are a few things you should consider: jealousy, time apart, and your ability to cope with conflict.

A question I get quite often is, “Don’t you get jealous?”

of the bustle in Downtown Portland, and I found a quiet

Well, no. In comparison to my relationships with Wilson

life behind trees and between the hills at Robert Gray

boys, I find myself being a far less jealous individual. At

Middle School. We corresponded through email (prehis-

first it sounds completely backwards and nonsensical, but

toric I know) from time to time, but it was never the same.

it actually is pretty logical! In all of my past relationships

As 6th grade began, girls were compiling lists of boys they

where we went to the same school, I saw them constant-

were crushing on, and I was

ly. However a lot of the

ashamed to say that I only

time I saw them in the

had one. Although we tried

halls, drowning in a sea of

to keep in touch, it grew

people, a large majority of

to be something we didn’t

them being beautiful, glow-

have much time for.

ing, females. Whether it was romantic or not, I was

Many years passed and the memory of him

repeatedly bombarded

lingered. Over this past

with the sight of a boy that

summer, I was teetering

I liked handing out longing

on the edge of curiosity. I

glances to other girls. This is

needed to know him again.

something I don’t face now.

I typed up a nice email and

Even when I think, “What

he responded within a day

if…” I don’t have the real

with great enthusiasm and

life experiences to reinforce

a mutual longing to recon-

it.

The hardest thing for

nect. In the next couple weeks, we hung around to-

me to swallow is the large

gether, visiting each other at

wake that lies stubbornly

least once a week. We ran

between each time we get

all around the city, making memories wherever we went.

to see each other. There is always this thought in the back

We attempted to learn everything we had missed in the

of my mind that haunts me when we are apart that tells

last four years because change is inevitable with time and

me his affection for me has lessened. Though this thought

responsibilities rolling over our backs. It didn’t take long to

is completely irrational and he gives me no reason to

find out that I still liked him and that I liked him a lot.

believe such things, it is only escapable when I’m with him

Right away, there were many things that stood out as

once again. I think many teen relationships take the gift

major differences in this situation compared to my ro-

they have for granted, and that gift is instant gratification.

mantic conquests with local boys in our SW community.

Holding clammy hands down the hall, and the assuring

The one causing the most concern was the conspicuous

fact that you’ll see that person’s face again in an hour are

problem that we attended different schools.

luxuries I knowingly gave up. Some days, when I’m really

6

TROJAN HORSE

DECEMBER 2014

tired and not quite at grips with reality, I will walk out of a

things I really should get mad about get pushed aside. I

class half hoping to see my boyfriend waiting by my locker

am a strong believer in constructive conflict, and as crazy

with a refreshing and assuring smile, because sometimes

as it sounds, the one thing my relationship is lacking, is

that is just what I need to keep going. He’s never really

just that. There are a few little quirks that he possesses that

there though. I love hearing about my friends’ healthy,

tend to ruffle my edges from time to time, and I never think

adoring relationships, but I would be lying if I said a tinge

to bring them up for discussion. Even though there is the

of envy wasn’t present when hearing about how they live

potential that those annoyances might get worked out, the

a ten-minute walk from one another. With all of this space,

fear that I might ruin what little time we have together is

there becomes this great divide between what life is like

slightly more prominent.

when I am with him, and what life is like when I am here.

I know I can’t be the only one determined enough to

It’s tough living on two planets when you’d much rather

make the distance. I feel lucky. From time to time I hear

live on one.

brave tales of young, devoted couples tackling a similar

Space isn’t all that bad though. A common side effect of

feat, and occasionally, I’ll hear a heart sickening story of a

a person being in love is the desire to assume their lover’s

couple “making it work” from over 100 miles apart. Here

identity, wrapping themselves up in the comfort of their

I am, dealing with a tiny distance in comparison of 6.5 miles (a 45 minute bus

partner and almost becoming them. He and I are not around each other enough

We ran around the city, making memories wherever we went.

ride).

Here’s the thing: dating a guy at a

to do such a thing

different school proves

and, lucky us, we get

difficult. Sometimes,

to continue being our plain old selves, not the love drunk

I find myself making shallow wishes for it to be different,

versions of the once single people you saw a while back.

but in the end, those wishes mean nothing. He means

I actually really love that I get to know myself without him.

everything to me. So, when considering a long distance

Should the day ever come where we part ways once

relationship, don’t be too scared. Sometimes it works and

again, this time permanently, I’ll never have to say that I

sometimes it doesn’t, and that’s something you can never

don’t know who I am without him.

be sure of. One thing that is always true is that when you

Fights become a real interesting topic when being in a long distance relationship. My observations have been

love something (or someone) don’t let them go too easily.

Dare yourself to take a chance.

that fights rarely happen, which can be super good, but also in the long run, a bit of a detriment. In the past, I have seen conflicts at school evolve from something as miniscule as disagreeing on where to sit for lunch, into these

Kaya Noteboom Junior

malicious monsters that swallow your life whole. Being in a long distance relationship teaches you to choose your battles wisely. The logic behind it is, “Why would I want

Photo contribution by Kaya Noteboom

to spend my time with him frivolously, bickering about something that doesn’t really matter at all?” However, this makes actually detecting the battles much harder. Some

7

Holiday binge watch edition

Please answer the following questions that most apply to you

8

What is your favorite color?

What are you like at a party?

a. Anything but orange b. Blue, I guess c. Red d. Whatever is in fashion e. Pink f. The color of my awesome mustache

a. I make punch in…unconventional places b. Bouncing up and down c. It was all a blur d. I make out with everyone e. I don’t go to parties f. Standing in the corner, looking at butts

What is your favorite kind of weather?

How old do you feel?

a. I don’t look out the window, I have other things to do b. Overcast c. Dry, arid d. Dramatic weather: thunder, lightning, and windstorms e. Sunny and warm f. Blue sky?

a. Twenty-something b. Middle aged c. A step away from death d. Like a teenager, duh e. Maybe twelve or so f. A really mature kid

What is your favorite class in school?

How is your love life?

a. Woodshop b. Government c. Chemistry d. Lunch e. Choir f. Art

a. Complicated b. Stable c. What relationship? d. Dramatic love triangles e. I have no time for a relationship, but I have a crush on someone f. Butts

TROJAN HORSE

DECEMBER 2014

Questions

Answers

Movies

Shows

How do you take your coffee?

What’s your favorite type of show?

a. From a vending machine b. Espresso c. With “sugar” d. Extra sugary e. I don’t drink coffee f. Black

a. Comedy & Drama b. Sitcom c. Crime d. Romance & Drama e. Kid f. Cartoons

How are you doing in school? a. I hardly go to school b. I work a lot, so I don’t have time for homework c. I’m really close with my teachers d. I go I guess e. Great y’all f. Uhhhhh

What do you like to eat? a. Peanut Butter b. Waffles c. Rock Candy d. Pizza e. Pudding f. Burgers

What do you do when you get home from school? a. I go to work b. My homework, obviously c. “Science projects” d. Mack on my boy/girlfriend e. Become my alter ego and do stuff f. Stalk my crush on social media

9

Holiday binge watch edition

watch this winter break

If you chose mostly A: You should watch Orange Is the New Black, a show about how one woman’s past caught up with her, and how she has to do time in the state penitentiary. Along the way, she meets a cast of hilarious and unconventional characters who show her what is really important in life. This popular female-driven comedy will have you laughing one minute and crying the next. If you have already seen Orange Is the New Black, we suggest watching shows with strong female leads and supporting characters like Girls, Broad City, or The Mindy Project

If you chose mostly B: You should watch Parks and Rec, a hilarious show about a small town government and the unusual employees that work for it.

A dedicated assistant director of the Parks Department works to change her community while everyone else just sort of sits around. .

Also mini-horses. If you’ve already seen it then watch other sitcoms like

If you chose mostly C: You should watch Breaking Bad. At this point, you’ve probably already heard about the story of a high school teacher with cancer turned drug dealer. His loose morals and sense of lawlessness make him into the perfect anti-hero. If you’ve already seen this, then try Dexter, Mad Men, or The Sopranos, all shows with anti-heroic males and moral female characters that the audience hates.

10 TROJAN HORSE

NOVEMBER 2014

Questions

Answers

Movies

Shows

If you chose mostly D: You should watch 90210, a show about two Kansas kids who get thrown into one of the most dramatic high schools in California: West Beverly Hills High. This show will leave you wondering why teenagers do the things they do. If you have already seen this, try Gossip Girl, One Tree Hill, or Friday Night Lights.

If you chose mostly E: You should watch Hannah Montana. This throwback show about a teen girl living a double life as teen pop sensation Hannah Montana, or small town girl Miley Stewart, will remind you of a time when Miley wasn’t a complete disappointment.

This show will leave you feeling nostalgic, and wanting to continue with other shows from our past, including Zoey 101, The Suite Life of Zack and Cody, or That’s So Raven.

If you chose mostly F: You should watch Bob’s Burgers. This animated show, about an unconventional family running a mediocre burger joint, follows the characters through their daily lives and the sticky situations they get pulled into. If you have already seen all three seasons on The Simpsons, Futurama, or King of the Hill.

11

Ranjani Krishnan Math teacher by day, singer by night

12 TROJAN HORSE

DECEMBER 2014

Trojan Horse: When did you begin to follow your passion for music?

Krishnan: When I was doing a really boring office job, that sucked my soul, I wanted to do something fun. So that evening I took an American Music History class, in which I heard everything from Native American music to jazz...like all of the music of the United States. I was shocked at how diverse the music was.

Usually people think that the U.S. is just pop music, but there is so much more then that, so much music, I was blown away. And I thought to myself, “I really want to study this stuff. I want to hear it, I want to understand it.” So that silly little course in a community college is what kind of inspired me.

TH: Did you get your music composition degree

K: Yes I am, I’m always working on a song. Either I’m learning a new song or I’m writing a new song, because there’s always something churning in my head.

Usually, it’s inspired by a song I’ve already heard, and I take some element of it and I want to imitate it.

TH: You’ve been exposed to many different cultures throughout your life, have you sung in any other languages?

K: Yes, I can sing in more languages than I can speak. I’ve sung in a couple of Indian languages, Arabic, Persian, Hebrew, Greek, French, German, Gaelic, so a big group of European languages and Middle-Eastern languages. I haven’t sung anything in African or Chinese, and you know, remote languages that no one knows about.

before you got your math degree?

K: No, it was after, I was much older than the other college students when I got it. So that helped because I could boss everyone around [laughs].

TH: When did you start composing music?

K: I started composing about seven or eight years ago. Until then I didn’t think I was good enough. I felt like I didn’t have enough experience, so slowly I built the confidence to write my own song. It wasn’t good, but at least I had gotten over it.

TH: How many songs have you written?

K: For my music composition degree I had to write 45 minutes of music, which was very challenging. So that’s seven songs at least, and I’m working on a few more. I think that if you try hard enough you’ll reach your goals. Practice makes perfect.

TH: Are you working on any songs at the moment?

TH: The song that you’re currently working on, is it in another language?

K: Yes, I’m working on a song in Gaelic at the moment. There are two kinds of Gaelic: Scottish Gaelic and Irish Gaelic, so I’m trying to write some in Gaelic some in English. But I really want to write a song in Portuguese, so I’m trying to recruit one of my Brazilian students to help me with the words. That’s kind of where I’m at right now.

TH: When you write songs like this one, do you use instruments, or do you use just your voice?

K: When I compose music, I sing everything, I sing all the layers, and I record it all on GarageBand. And then I go find people and I’ll say, “Hey this is the part I need you to play, can you play it?” and they’ll either think it’s really cool, or they’ll say this is beyond my range on my instrument level. So that’s one way I do it, or I’ll just write my music, but I’m kind of lazy about writing music, I’m more of an ear person. So I sing it, then I send the track to my instrumentalist friends, and 13

I get them to play it for me and record something.

TH: You told me that you have your own YouTube channel where you post your songs; how would you find this channel?

K: If you go to YouTube and just search Ranjani Krishnan, I think my videos will be the first few to pop up.

I will add a few more when I got gobs and gobs of time.

TH: Do you tell your students about your YouTube channel?

K: No, I never tell them. In fact, at my last school, I didn’t tell anybody, and then a kid discovered it and embarrassed me the whole year, but in a nice way.

You know, they were like, “How come you didn’t tell us?!” and they just always harassed me about it.

TH: Obviously, you are not afraid to have your voice heard, do you ever perform in public?

K: I’ve performed all around Portland, in Spain, and in many parts of the states.

TH: Why did you choose a career in math over a career in music. ?

K: To be honest, I was really lost about what I wanted to do in music. I mean I could sing, and I loved

14 TROJAN HORSE

DECEMBER 2014

listening to music., but other than that, I didn’t really have a vision, whether I wanted to write a song or perform. I had skills and an appreciation for music, I just didn’t know what to do with all of that stuff. It’s the weirdest thing, I did all of this math, I was good and bad at math. I was good at some things and bad at some things, but it was something that made sense to me, so I kept going with it. But I also got a liberal arts degree, which means I did a lot of reading and writing too, which I love to do. So, I can’t really focus on one thing, that’s my problem. I can’t commit my life to one passion.

Lauren McMurray Freshman

Photos by Lauren McMurray

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15

THROWBACK

With Christmas coming around the corner, we have a natural craving for the newest, trendiest things. Of course, these days we’ve moved past the toys of our youth, and look forward to clothes and money. What happened? How did the toys we used to play with religiously lose their flavor? Today, I’m going to tackle that question to see if maybe we should pull our childhood out of storage.

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I have Moni to thank for this one. I never played with these dress-up toys as a kid, but Moni brought in hers from when she was a kid. I sat down at a table with Tana and frustratingly tried to dress these little dolls. They have these rubber clothes, and you have to dress them from the feet up.

They also have super small feet that don’t fit into their shoes at all, and the shoes keep falling off.

Worst of all, the dolls make this stupid face at you like, “Dress me, this is supposed to be fun.”

Back in the day, scooters were the most efficient form of transportation—also the most fun—but that pastime seems to have faded to black. So for this review,I rode a scooter around a classroom to seeif they really should’ve fallen from grace. Classroom floors aren’t comparable to the rugged pavement that I used to scooter on, but I scooted nonetheless. The experience was amazing, the rush of air, the barely being able to fit my feet on the scooter, the speed of the thing…it was an experience long forgotten. I will be scooting again sometime soon.

I could gush for ten pages about Pokemon and why it’s still relevant as ever.

But for the sake of professionalism, I’ll keep it short. For me, as a kid, Pokemon was the first game I got on my Gameboy Advance, and I played it to death (No, literally, I killed the battery). Ten years later, that passion to catch ‘em all has seemingly died, and everyone else has forgotten their mission… Everyone but me, that is. I didn’t have to go in a garage and dig out a scooter, or search through dusty bin in the basement for an iPod, because I still keep my Gameboy Advance at hand. I mean, the reason Pokemon has endured for me to this point, and why I’ve beaten it more times than any other game is because I haven’t played the newer ones. I feel like they deviated from what made the game so much fun, which was (for me, at least) the ability to replay the game without getting bored, and the overall difficulty of it. Because of these things, it’s still just as fun as it was the first time I got it. And probably always will be.

16 TROJAN HORSE DECEMBER 2014

20

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Long gone are the days where we just used iPods for music. Yes, just music: no apps, no movies, no Pandora, no Spotify. Less convenient, but it goes to show how fast the technology has evolved in such a short time. Regardless, I took an old-school iPod Shuffle (you know, the one that has a clip) and used it to only listen to music. Personally, I listen to music a lot, and this iPod can only hold 100 songs. This limited selection of music really makes you decide ahead of time the songs or albums you want. In this way, it kind of makes each selection more valuable, or more personal, rather than just listening to whatever you want at any given moment. Throughout the day, I reached into my pocket and shuffled around. It was amusing, at most, but it made me realize that we take things like Spotify for granted.

My short time reminiscing with my iPod shuffle made me realize this. It’s weird, I want to go back to my phone that has all of the choices I could ever want, but I’m more appreciative of my music.

Does anyone remember the frustration of trying to get the board to flip without using your thumb? Just me? Anyways, there’s no way you can’t remember the noise of the deck hitting the desk constantly in your elementary school class. Fortunately, that noise has ceased altogether, but why? Is it not fun anymore? I tackled this question personally, in an attempt to face my past demons of not being skilled enough to use these toys. In my many attempts, I found that, a number of years later, I still lack the skill to Tech Deck. It’s impossibly hard to make these things work, I mean, I tried for a solid 15 minutes. Maybe it’s my awkwardly long fingers, or because I have zero ability, but all my efforts yielded the same result: me just getting frustrated. I realized that toys like these, something that you can just whip out to kill a couple of seconds, have been replaced by the likes of toys similar to Kendamas. Which I’m also horrible at.

17

High

18 TROJAN HORSE

DECEMBER 2014

Twili g

In middle school, my life revolved around Twilight. From dreaming about becoming a vampire to discussing the ever-important Edward Vs. Jacob issue with my friends (I was team Edward), most of my free time was consumed by the series. Recently, I watched the first movie with a friend of mine, and realized just how terrible Twilight was. The plot was boring and predictable, Bella had no personality of her own, and the relationship I’d once romanticized was unhealthy and controlling. I flipped through the novels as well, and saw how terrible of a writer Stephanie Meyer was. Her ideas might have had some potential, but her writing was bland and boring. Although I’ll still remember my Twilight days fondly, I wouldn’t reread the novels or watch a movie again.

Twilight is one series that definitely didn’t’ stand the test of time.

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I started playing Neopets when I was a lot younger, maybe six or seven, when my older brother Erik introduced me to it. It was one of those games you play for a few days and then not for a few months, kind of like Sims. I remade an account freshman year, and have been playing on and off since.

Seriously, I have 315,000 neopoints: it’s a problem.

But, one of the beautiful things is that they have pretty much all of the original games, along with some new ones. It honestly hasn’t changed much.

There are layout differences and different things you can do through the website, but other than that, it’s the same old Neopets. It’s like jumping back into 2004. The pets are not like Tamagotchi pets that die if you don’t take care of them. You could log back into Neopets ten years later and they’ll be alive. Sad, starving, and dying, but alive.

Playing Neopets is just as fun as it was when I was seven, and if you’re feeling nostalgic, I would suggest logging in to see what you’ve been missing. - Adrianne

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I first used Photo Booth in seventh grade, and I swear I played around with it for an entire hour. It’s so fun looking at yourself with a contorted, swirled face or a pinched-up sour looking face. Now, in my senior year of high school, I can proudly say that Photo Booth is just as entertaining as it was five years ago. The possibilities for making the ugliest face imaginable are endless. -Adrianne

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19

Trojans’ Turf

After a year of anticipation, the Wilson Trojans hosted

With the turf, which is made up of synthetic grass fibers

their first home football game on the new turf field. A flood

and scraps of rubber, this does not happen. For football

of Wilson students crowded into the students’ section,

and women’s soccer who never had to play in extreme

many of them wearing a forest green, Nike t-shirt that read

weather conditions this season, it seemed as if the field

“Trojans’ Turf”. From the stands, the field was an image of

was very durable in any weather condition that they had

perfection. The lines were definite. The colors were striking.

to play in.

The field was spotless. This was the night so many had

However, during some of the men’s rainy soccer games,

been looking forward to. However, no one was more ex-

the field began to flood. This occurred, because the turf

cited for the field than the fall athletes, whose sports would

was newly laid down. Until the turf fully has time to set-

be permanently altered with the new home field. No

tle into the ground, the occasional flood-like puddling is

longer would the soccer programs have to host games at

expected.

Hamilton Park and call it home; from this moment on, they

According to the FieldTurf website, “Settling of the infill…

had a true home field. And now, at the end of the fall

normally takes several months. During this period the infill

season, the players can finally reflect and form their own

will settle to its ideal level and the field will stabilize into a

opinion on the million-dollar project.

uniform playing surface.”

Perhaps the most beneficial aspect of the field is its

Due to the loose turf, the players were at a higher risk of

durability. Before the turf field, the old grass field would rip

injury. The men’s soccer team specifically was affected by

up upon wear. Since three different teams all practiced

injuries at every single game.

and competed on the field at different times, it did not

“We called it the ‘Curse of the Turf Field,’ because even

take long for the field to become a mess. This also made

though we really liked playing there, we had an injury

the field a danger zone with uneven ground and random

there every game,” Conklin said.

holes, putting athletes at risk of breaking or spraining an ankle or sustaining other injuries.

Professional teams and elite college programs can

It is hard to prove whether a turf field actually puts athletes at more or less of a risk of injury than a grass field, but various studies have concluded that athletes who play

afford to care for such a field in between games to make

on a turf field have an increased risk of serious injuries

sure that it is in top shape, but for a public high school,

such as ACL tears. For the women’s soccer program who

the care of the field was the last of its concerns. With the

are already more susceptible to ACL tears than their male

new turf field, the athletes are now able to perform at

counterparts due to their anatomy, this may have been

high levels every game, and unlike the old grass field, the

proven true. Of the two ACL tears on their team this sea-

turf also looks to be in pristine condition before and after

son, both were torn on turf fields. However, the players are

every single game.

optimistic that it just came with adjustment and that the

The weather also became less of a factor, because mud and puddles stopped accumulating on the field.

injuries will decrease in following years.

“I feel safer on the turf field... I think it [the injuries] had

Before, practices were cut short on particularly stormy days

to do with the fact that we were also playing on grass this

when the grass field was installed.

summer and then switched to turf. We used to practice on

“Mud can get to the point where you can’t play soccer.

the grass, then we moved to the turf, but would move back

You’re slipping around and unable to stand up,” senior

to the grass, because the football players would come for

Cole Conklin said.

practice,” senior Dana Nathanson said.

20 TROJAN HORSE

DECEMBER 2014

On the flip side, the football team experienced fewer

this year, games were not always held at Wilson, and due

injuries this season, and the turf field could have been the

to traveling, few students could attend. Soccer programs

reason why.

had home games at Hamilton, Rieke, and Gabriel Park.

“It was a great season for injuries. I don’t think anyone had a real serious injury. On the field you get turf burn, but it’s better than stepping in a hole in the grass,” junior lineman Michael Streinz said.

Even playoff games had to be held on Cleveland’s turf.

Fortunately, the wait for a real home game is over. “[On the first home game], it was so different than the grass. Everything seemed brighter. It was a whole new

From a coach’s perspective, the injuries were insignificant compared to the vitality of having a turf field, es-

energy, and everyone was really pumped-up to be on the new turf for the first time,” Nathanson said.

pecially when it came to playing other teams with their

Players all reflected on the beauty of the field. Its ap-

own turf fields. Before, the football team had to practice

pearance truly is incomparable to that of the old grass

on Rieke’s turf in order to prepare for games that would

field. There are no brown patches of dead grass or

be hosted on turf fields. Rieke’s condition was incompa-

spray-painted, uneven boundary lines. It’s a gorgeous

rable to the field that they would be playing on, leaving

shade of fresh green with multicolored lines that outline

the players unprepared for upcoming games. Now with

the playing fields of every field sport at Wilson. To top it

the addition of the new turf, the playing field has been

off, in the middle of the turf is the rebranded Wilson Tro-

evened throughout the PIL schools.

“The preparation that we were able to put into the season was a lot better because of the total use of the field during all hours of the day. Just the preparation that

“We called it the ‘Curse of the Turf Field,’ because even though we really liked playing there, we had an injury there every game.”

we can do on the field really

jans’ logo, the true stamp of having a home field.

The turf gave the programs what they had been missing over the years, the unification of the Wilson community. Students, teachers, and Hillsdale residents all came to Wilson to see the new turf. This

helps us against other schools who already have a turf,”

means that for the first time in many years, there were fans

Jayson Schmidt, teacher and assistant coach on the varsity

at every home game for every fall sport, rain or shine.

football team, said.

He believed that just in the preparation, the athletes’

“Overall, I hope that it brings out more community members to see our home athletic events. Soccer, football,

performances grew immensely. However, athletes also

lacrosse. I think it’s a good thing for the whole community,”

felt increased performance just by playing on the new

Mr. Schmidt said.

turf field. All reported being able to run faster and feeling

And given the choice over a turf or a grass field, the

lighter, which served to keep the game moving at a quick-

decision is unanimous. It’s a hit. There is no way that the

er pace than before.

athletes now can imagine playing games without the turf.

“You can complete your passes, and the game moves at a quicker pace, which is really fun. I think the whole

“The turf is just a part of my life now. It’s in my home and all over my soccer bag,” Nathanson said.

atmosphere of having turf and playing at night makes us play better. Being in front of a bigger crowd… I think that pumps us up more to be playing for something and at our school,” Nathanson said.

Brooklyn Loiselle Junior

Potentially the most important part of the field is that the athletes actually now have a place to call home. Before

Photos by Brooklyn Loiselle

21

E H T AS

W IT

COMPLAIN

OPINIONATED

22 TROJAN HORSE

DECEMBER 2014

NT H E

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RO UN D

...

ALLS EH TH 23

It was the complaint heard round the halls. It rang throughout the school, throughout the city, throughout the district. An outcry of injustice: we’re losing 15 minutes of lunch. I didn’t believe it at first. “You must have read it wrong. There’s no way we only have 30 minutes for lunch.” But when my eyes scoured the new schedule, I found it to be so. Less lunchtime. One less tutor time. 1500 angry students and faculty members. My first question was: why? Why are we giving up our precious downtime for three extra minutes in class? The answer wasn’t simple.

A group of powerful parents, called the Parents Coalition, has a few goals with students in mind.

They want to get more funding that has been taken from high schools and return it to increase faculty, put more resources into high schools, and make sure that students are getting what they believe to be “sufficient academic time”.

By law, Oregon students are required to have 130 academic hours for each class, a total of 990 hours during the academic school year. Last year, not one Oregon school district, including Portland Public Schools, was meeting this requirement.

“The school district was not correctly and adequately funding an eight-period schedule so that kids could have enough classes,” principal Brian Chatard said. “We were stuffing kids into study hall and late arrivals.”

The Parents Coalition wrote a formal complaint to the State of Oregon about how PPS was in violation of this law. PPS received a letter from the Deputy Superintendent of Public Instruction, Rob Saxton, saying that they needed to take immediate action. Unlike the other school districts in the state that got one year to plan, PPS, the largest, had to act immediately and correct these insufficiencies.

There are many repercussions if these expectations aren’t met. The state threatened to reduce the funding of the schools in the district. More importantly, they also threatened to deny students credit for completing courses. Unwilling to put seniors’ ability to graduate in jeopardy, the district decided that changes needed to be made quickly. These changes included adding more academic time to every class.

But, there were problems with this. The teachers’ contracts limit the time that they can actually teach classes. The schools can’t just add time to the end of the day and have school let out at 3:30. Therefore, the only way to get more time for “academics” was to add a couple days to the end of the school year, taking us from 190 to 192 days, and take time away from things throughout the school day that aren’t considered academic. This is why one of our tutor times has been eliminated. But even this wasn’t enough. They didn’t touch passing time, because five minutes really isn’t that much time to get from one side of the school to the other, so lunch was the last resort. These changes barely put us at the 130-hour mark.

So who created this schedule in the first place?

John Wilhelmi, a school district administrator, was the “brains” behind the operation. He did the math and made everything fit for all the high schools in PPS. Before these changes, the daily bell schedule varied from high school to high school, creating inequality within the district. The high school principals shared their input on whether or not they wanted skinny schedule after talking to their staffs and community, and ultimately reached a final decision.

Even after all of this, there are things that students are doing that hinder the success of meeting the 130-hour mark, such as pulling the fire alarm. Every

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24 TROJAN HORSE

DECEMBER 2014

scheduled, pulled, or accidental fire alarm takes time out of the instructional period and costs the school money. Every time we are standing outside, talking with friends, waiting to be let back into the building, school secretary Kathy Kersey has to time how long we are out of our rooms and mark it on a chart that anyone can see on the Wilson school website. If too much time accumulates, tutor times or twohour late openings can be eliminated for the week to make sure the school keeps the 130-hour goal.

Even though losing a third of our lunch is vital to receiving credit and graduating, seniors are not happy with how the situation was handled. “It sucks,” senior Jack Howard said. “If I want to eat and do some homework, I can’t. Even if I just wanted to print something off, it takes 15 minutes to get on the school computers.” Others, like senior Daniel Brown, were concerned about being able to use the privilege of leaving campus to get lunch. “I feel it’s a little ridiculous, given the fact that a lot of people here need to go out to get their lunch,” Brown said. “It’s expensive to get food from the school.”

Rodney Maack, the English and German teacher, feels that the new schedule makes the whole experience more stressful and time constricting. “(The extra three minutes) is a complete waste of time. There is no learning going on.”

Other teachers, like JoAnna Coleman, agree and believe that we should go back to every class Mondays, Tuesdays, and Fridays, and block on Wednesdays and Thursdays. “I just think that classes are too long. The amount of minutes don’t matter if you have too many at one time,” Coleman said. “There is so much wasted time in those 93 minutes.” She also be-

lieves that we need two 45-minute tutor times a week and longer lunches to have time for school work and personal time, like going to the bathroom.

There is also the question of the “legality” of this schedule change. In the State of Oregon, according to the state’s official website, working a six-hour shift allows for a minimum of 30 minutes for a meal period. But, along with this 30 minute lunch, Oregon workers are entitled to a break: 15 minutes for adolescents and 10 minutes for adults. Taking this into account, the 45 minute lunch period we had last year met all of these law-mandated requirements.

The solution to this whole mess? We haven’t found it yet, but this schedule we have is not the answer. This schedule causes unneeded stress among the students and faculty, and creates a rushed and unfulfilling environment. Downtime is vital to the well-being of everyone, and without it, students and teachers will feel resentful and not productive. PPS should reconsider the schedule at hand, and make it so that we have a decent break during the day while still providing enough opportunities to earn the 24 credits needed to grad-

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Adrianne Nix Senior

Photos by Tana Kelley

25

@WHSTrojanHorse Front cover: Naomi Fredgant Back cover: Throwback Contest!

Photos by Jamie Valentine & Brooklyn Loiselle

INSTAGRAM CONTEST #THROWBACKTROJANHORSE

FOLLOW @WHSTROJANHORSE + POST YOUR FAVORITE TOY AS A KID TAG #THROWBACKTROJANHORSE For a chance to win 3 items from our throwback article! *One winner will be chosen at random, on January 16th

LEGAL

(503) 916-3963

Local Civil Rights inquiries

District 504 inquiries

Brian Chatard, Title VI, IX Coordinator (503) 916-5280

Tammy Jackson, Director, Student Services (503) 916-5460

Maude Lamont, 504 Coordinator (503) 916-5280 District Title vi & ix inquiries

26 TROJAN HORSE

Greg Wolleck 2014 HSDECEMBER Regional Administrator

American Disabilities Act Contact Maureen Sloan, HR Legal Counsel Human Resources - BESC (503) 916-3025