Issue 5.indd

Transcription

Issue 5.indd

the Valhalla
Lake Stevens High School
January 9, 2013
Vol #85 Issue #5
[email protected]
Page 2 Battle of the Bands rocks on
Page 6 It Gets Better Project comforts LGBTQ teens
Page 10 Calamity Jane gets ready to hit stage
2news
January 9, 2013
Check out more photos on Facebook at “Lshs Valhalla”
Put another dime in the jukebox
LSHS competes in Battle of the Bands and hopes to finish as winners
1200
The high school has
once again started an
amped-up Academic Lab
program, where students
can come in before and
after school, and during
lunch for extra help or
credit retrieval. The lab is
open Mondays, Tuesdays,
and Wednesdays during all three lunches and
Wednesdays after school
in the library. Many students have used this program to give their grades
an extra boost and to regain their credits to be on
track for graduation. Due
to the program’s success
and growing popularity, the advisors extended
times for students to attend.
“It’s nice to come for extra help to get your grades
up,” sophomore Allyson
Steele said.
Many teachers don’t
have a lot of time to help
their students outside
of class, so it is helpful
860 cans
Fenner
The concert
takes place on
January 15 in
the P.A.C. at
6:30 P.M.
It is
a free
concert,
so come
see
fellow
peers
as they
perform.
Teachers
Attending academic lab helps boost grades
for students to come and
complete their work and
get one-on-one help with
the assignments they are
struggling to understand.
“I got my grade in my
reading class from an F
to a D, and I’m still working on that,” junior Roxana
Soto Jasso said.
Students have improved in many classes
with help from this program. The benefits can go
further than just grades
and make students feel
It’s that time of year
again and Mr. Proff’s
guitar class is getting
ready for their
concert.
0
Getting on the road to success
by Alexandra Mulvaney
Staff Reporter
899 cans
300
Forslund
600
928 cans
Team Flanders/Knutson
collected 11,251 items—30% of
the school-wide total
LSHS
collected
640
presents
for the
Giving Tree
First Semester
Guitar Concert!
900
Tilley
Photo by Marissa Fredrickson
Cheerleaders cheered along as the band performed at the home basketball
game against Snohomish on December 14. The game ended with a Viking
win and yet another successful band performance.
Top 5
Individual
First Period
Totals
911 cans
4 clubs
participated and
collected
12,681 items
1500
Ingram
The items are being
donated to four
organizations
Scan this QR code with any
smart phone to see the band’s
Battle of the Bands YouTube
video of “I Love Rock N’ Roll.”
Number of items
LSHS
collected
37,000+
items
school],” junior Gabriele Kamm said.
They worked very hard to enter this
competition. The band sends in an audio recording of them playing the song,
and a music video set to their music.
On December 15, they submitted everything in and radio station, KZOK,
will announce who made the cut after
Christmas. Voting starts on the first of
January and ends on January 18. The
winner will be announced the first couple weeks of February. If the LSHS band
wins, there will be an assembly and the
radio station will be broadcasting from
our gym. Be sure to support LSHS and
vote everyday!
1,378 cans
The LSHS Band is participating in
the Battle of the Bands again. Three
years ago, they got seventh place in the
competition and hope to get first this
year. This year, they made their video to
the song “I Love Rock N’ Roll” by Joan
Jett and the Blackhearts. Band Director,
Neil Proff, is very excited about entering the band in the competition again.
“It’s great publicity; you get the
sound of the band out to the greatest
possible number of people. The kids
are super interested in doing it. They
were the ones that did all the work. I
rehearsed the band and made sure the
recording sounded good. Everything
else is all them. It’s fun, and first place is
20,000 dollars. That’s not too shabby,”
Proff said. “Since The Rock expanded
into two more states, they are going to
crown a national champion instead of
just a state champion this year.”
Junior Lindsay Gorder played the
role of Joan Jett in the video.
“I honestly felt like I was in the 80s.
We were all decked out and I was in my
leather jumpsuit. Everyone was really
excited to be a part of the video and that
made it fun. I had been practicing my
part, but I was still super nervous, and I
definitely had plenty of retakes. Overall,
it was a great experience,” Gorder said.
Members of the band are really enjoying the process of the Battle of the
Bands competition.
“It’s been a really great experience, and there
has been a lot of
teamwork with
the whole band,
and we have united a lot this year.
We feel really
supported [by the
Allinson
by Caitlyn Chandler and Kacie Masten
Opinion Editor and Sports Editor
more confident in their
school work.
“I come here for extra
help. It’s useful, but I’d like
the time to be longer,” Soto
Jasso added.
The popularity of the
lab has grown so much
that the school opened a
room at lunches, and students like Soton Jasso attend on a regular basis to
get their grades on track.
“I come for extra help
and actually do my work,”
Steele added.
Photo by Chloe Rowland
Sophomore Taylor Snyder gets help from Academic Intervention Counselor,
Jesse Bloomberg, during lunch as he makes up work to help his grade.
It’s that time of year again and finals are approaching
Wednesday January 23, 2013
Warning Bell
Period 1 Exam
Period 2 Exam
Lunch & Tutorial
Busses arrive
7:30
7:35 - 9:15
9:25 - 11:05 11:05 - 11:45 11:40
Thursday, January 24, 2013
Warning Bell
Period 3 Exam
Period 4 Exam
Lunch & Tutorial
Busses arrive
7:30
7:35 - 9:15
9:25 - 11:05 11:05 - 11:45 11:40
Friday, January 25, 2013
Warning Bell
Period 5 Exam
Period 6 Exam
Lunch & Tutorial
Busses arrive
7:30
7:35 - 9:15
9:25 - 11:05 11:05 - 11:45 11:40
Be prepared for the stress and long nights!
Seniors can do their CEs early
by Hannah Bartow
Design Editor
Seniors,
the
Career Center and
counselors added
a new twist to Senior Culminating Exhibitions, the annual graduation requirement
students take at the end of their senior
year. Students ready to take their CE’s can
now present theirs early, an option never
provided at the high school before. Students can visit Mrs. LaFortune in the Career Center to schedule a time for an “Early
Bird CE.” These early CE’s are like any
other; students will need to focus on the
three questions and include community
service in their presentations. To qualify
for an “Early Bird CE,” seniors need to have
completed 30 hours of community service,
and by the end of the year completed all 45
hours. Students who have already completed their CE’s recommend keeping it simple
and presenting it with a Prezi or a regular
PowerPoint. Good luck, seniors!
January 9, 2013
ads3
4sports
Januray 9, 2013
Wrestlers take dangerous sacrifices to help the team
Many wrestlers shed pounds rapidly to make weight before each match
Staff Reporter
Wrestling is one of the
most dangerous sports for
students to participate in
while attending high school. Not only can it break
bones or cause concussions, this sport can cause
serious long-term damage to the wrestler’s metabolism. Rapid weight gain and loss harms many parts
of the body. According to caloriesperhour.com, rapid
weight loss is dangerous to people’s blood pressure,
causes low blood sugar, mineral and electrolyte imbalances, and is especially dangerous to growing
teenagers. The LSHS wrestling team does what they
need in order to succeed, including losing and gaining a lot of weight at one time.
“It never hurts to not eat; it’s just more of a mental
thing because I always want to eat, but I know I have
to make weight,” junior Nicholas Parker said.
To the wrestlers, the self discipline they go
through, to them, is much harder than losing the
weight, regardless of the dangers.
“Wresting is a hard sport, but we know what we’re
doing and what a sacrifice it is, so cutting weight isn’t
that big of a deal,” Parker added.
Parker has been wrestling for five years, and is
used to the consequences of the sport, but for those
who just joined the team in the last few years, it’s a
whole new ball game.
“I wasn’t used to not eating after working out because when I played hockey, it was the opposite. I
weighed 142 at the start and cut to 126 in five days,”
senior and first-year wrestler Ryan Farrell said.
For those who cut the weight the team needs them
to, it can be very strenuous on their bodies. It takes
strong will power and dedication to the sport to succeed and make the weight needed at their weigh-in
with the coaches.
“The night before weigh in, I went to the gym and
sat and ran in the sauna, biked all period in weight
training, and didn’t eat until after school,” Farrell said.
“In the end, when you get your hand raised after
winning a match, all the hard work is worth it,” Farrell added.
Photo by Hannah Bartow
Seniors Shaquille Reed and Anthony Thees warm up during wrestling practice. As part of the sport, wrestlers have to make drastic weight changes.
These changes may be dangerous, but even one pound can disqualify a wrestler from their match, which would let the entire team down.
Ain’t no river wide enough From the diamond to the mat
Many students at LSHS stay dedicated to rowing
Sophomore Cody Vigoren manages multiple sports
Every fall, the
by Aleesa Browning
Features Editor football team
by Kacie Masten
Sports Editor
walks out onto
that field, and they give their all. In
the winter, the wrestlers step out onto
the mat and wrestle their hearts out.
When spring comes, the softball players get fired up and play their hardest. But there are some sports that go
somewhat unnoticed. Several students
at LSHS participate in rowing, and it
has become a very important aspect of
their lives.
“I joined October of 2008 because
my mom was helping create a new
rowing club,” senior Griffin Siadak said.
“It’s kind of a cold sport, but once you
get into it, it takes over your life, and
that’s a good thing.”
Just like any other sport, being a part
of rowing requires hard work and dedication. Members of this club take time
out of their schedule to practice and
improve.
“We’re in our offseason right now,
so we meet three times a week at the
Y for two hours, then once Saturday
mornings,” said senior Emily Moseley,
“Normally, we have five-day-a-week
practices plus Saturday mornings.”
While practice and improvement
are a big part of being a member of the
crew, the satisfaction of victory is an
important goal.
“[My favorite part is] the training of
it, winning races, how hard it is to win,”
senior Brenon Thompson said. “If you
do win, it’s probably the greatest feeling ever.”
Aside from the competitive aspect,
rowing causes members to build strong
friendships.
“It’s awesome,” senior Emily Moseley said. “I love all the girls there.”
Photo Courtesy of Griffin Siadak
Seniors Brenon Thompson (third from left) and Griffin Siadak (sixth from left) row with their teammates through
the Mountlake Cut near the University of Washington. The team took first out of 22 at this Rigatta on November 4.
Many students
participate in a
school sport, which
takes dedication, hard work and focus.
However, most students aren’t involved in wrestling, baseball and advanced classes, without struggling.
Sophomore Cody Vigoren manages to
do all of these with ease.
Participating in wrestling and
baseball takes up a lot of time during the week, and Vigoren always has a busy schedule. Most
of the time, he never has a day
off. He practices wrestling multiple times a day for six days a
week and attempts to practice
baseball twice a week during
the offseason. It may seem like
a lot of work, but it is beneficial.
A few years ago, Vigoren moved
from the Everett School District
to Lake Stevens. Vigoren felt the
athletics program in Lake Stevens
was much better than Everett’s,
and he really liked the coaches. The
move wasn’t easy at first, but it was
well worth it.
“The whole experience [was
cool] and, I mean, I knew a bunch of
people from wrestling already, and so
I kind of knew that I could hang out
with them, and I kind of met
their friends and was introduced to new people and got to
meet people,” Vigoren said.
Luckily for Vigoren, he already knew
most of the wrestlers here, including
his best friend, sophomore Mason Bea-
ver. Having met during middle school in
a wrestling club, they knew that working
hard paid off, and they always help each
other stay focused.
“There’s no giving up for him;
that’s so true. I mean, he still pushes
me all the time,” Beaver said.
Vigoren doesn’t give up, even
if it means staying up late to finish homework. Academics are a
huge part of Cody’s life. Since
middle school, he’s never
gotten a grade lower than a
B+. There’s no slacking for
him, and even if he doesn’t
want to do his homework
at times, he still makes sure
he completes it.
Academics and sports
do take up all of Vigoren’s
time, but it’s starting to pay
off. Vigoren is hoping to go to
college for either sport. He even
practices with the University
of Washington’s baseball team.
Whether he goes to college for
baseball or wrestling, he’ll be
happy.
“I guess I’ll just have to kind of
wait and decide, but I mean, I’m
definitely favoring baseball right
now. Anything can happen, I love
them both equally,” Vigoren said.
Even though this seems
like hard work for Vigoren, he
knows that his future is bright.
“I’m doing it all now so I can
drive the Porsche when I’m older,”
Vigoren said. Photo by Marissa Fredrickson
Viking Sports Highlights and Results
(overall scores were as of press time)
Wrestling
Overall 5-0
12/1 vs. Tahoma
31-24 win
12/1 vs. Rodgers
70-6 win
12/4 vs. Edmonds-Woodway
59-6 win
12/4 vs. Kamiak
70-6 win
12/7 @ Sedro Woolley
58-15 win
Boys Basketball
Overall 2-4
11/30 @ Mead
48-54 loss
12/1 @ Lewis and Clark
52-55 loss
12/4 @ Marysville
60-39 win
12/11 vs. Arlington
59-63 loss
12/14 vs. Snohomish
59-50 win
12/18 @ Mount Vernon
61-65 loss
Girls Basketball
Overall 4-2
11/28 @ Shorewood
71-42 win
12/8 vs. Marysville-Pilchuck
86-40 win
12/8 @ Kentwood
65-47 win
12/12 @ Arlington
51-77 loss
12/14 @ Snohomish
43-46 loss
12/18 vs. Mount Vernon
72-37 win
Boys Swim
12/4 vs. Kamiak
72-111 loss
12/6 vs. Jackson
126-54 win
12/13 vs. Stanwood
120-60 win
Calling All
Superfans!
Boys Swim
1/10 @ Mount Vernon 2:30 p.m.
1/12 Kentridge Invite @ King County
Aquatics Center 2:30 p.m.
1/15 vs. Cascade 3:15 p.m.
1/17 vs. Glacier Peak 3:15 p.m.
1/17 vs, Snohomish 3:15 p.m.
1/19 District Dive Meet @ MarysvillePilchuck 10 a.m.
1/22 vs. Marysville-Pilchuck 3:15 p.m.
1/22 vs. Marysville Getchell 3:15 p.m.
1/26 District Dive Meet @ Mariner
10 a.m.
1/31 JV Invite @ Marysville-Pilchuck
3:30 p.m.
2/6 3A/4A Dive Prelims @ Mariner
5 p.m.
2/7 4A District Swim Prelims @ Kamiak
5 p.m.
2/9 4A District Swim/Dive Finals
@ Kamiak 11 a.m.
2/15-2/16 3A/4A State Meet @ King
County Aquatics Center
Boys Basketball (All games start at
7:15 p.m.)
1/10 vs. Lynnwood
1/11 @ Mariner
1/15 vs. Edmonds-Woodway
1/22 @ Snohomish
1/25 @ Arlington
1/28 vs. Mount Vernon
1/30 vs. Monroe
2/5-2/19 4A Districts
2/23 4A Regionals
Girls Basketball (All games start at
7:15 p.m.)
1/11 vs. Mariner
1/16 @ Edmonds-Woodway
1/23 vs. Snohomish
1/25 vs. Arlington
1/29 @ Mount Vernon
1/31 @ Monroe
2/6-2/19 4A Districts
Wrestling
1/9 @ Monroe 7 p.m.
1/12 CK Matman Tournament
@ Central Kitsap 10 a.m.
1/17 @ Mount Vernon 7 p.m.
1/19 @ Graham Kapowsin 9 a.m.
1/22 vs. Snohomish
2/1-2/2 4A District Tournament
@ Snohomish
2/9 4A Regional Tournament @ 10 a.m.
2/15-2/16 4A State Tournament
@ Tacoma Dome
sports5
January 9, 2013
Boys and Girls Club basketball takes over the court
Students at LSHS enjoy the competition between friends and coaches
by Kaylee Nunley
The Boys relaxed and against my friends,”
Staff Reporter and Girls Club Moe said.
is always one
to encourage and inspire athletes, and seniors Keith Acfalle
and Andrew Moe are two of the
players who participate in their
basketball program. The boys
play on separate teams, and
coach a youth team together.
Their teams play a game every
Saturday, and practice twice a
week. The Boys and Girls Club
allows the team to focus more on
just enjoying the game.
“Boys & Girls Club is not as
competitive as school basketball,
but it is still competitive enough
to have fun,” Acfalle said.
This team allows the boys to
strive for excellence. The teams
they play against are from Lake
Stevens, so they know the people
that they play against.
“I like being able to play more
The priorities of the Boys
and Girls Club are a bit different when it comes to time available. Acfalle used to play for the
school team, but due to time
constraints, he thought that the
Boys and Girls Club was a better
fit for him. However, this does
not mean that the boys’ love for
the sport has waned whatsoever.
Not only do they play for themselves, but they also share some
of their skills with the kids they
coach.
“I love seeing the kids succeed, and seeing some of the
little things you try and teach
them pay off. I am so excited at
every game,” Moe said. “Keith
and I are jumping off the bench
all the time in excitement when
the boys make great plays; it’s so
much fun.”
Photo by Chloe Rowland
Seniors Andrew Moe and Keith Acfalle show their
friendship. Not only do Moe and Acfalle play basketball at the Boys and Girls Club, they also coach
a youth team.
‘Tis the season for Winter recreation
Seniors Micale Shipman and Adrian Miles love their sport
Winter is a time for snowfall and Miles said.
by Sarah Gluck
As Stevens Pass has officially opened and attractStaff Reporter bundling up. But when it comes to
seniors Micale Shipman and Adrian Miles, winter means time to hit the slopes. Ever
since the age of three, Shipman remembers spending a majority of his winter in the snowy mountains.
Shipman first started taking trips up with the family
to ski, but as time progressed, Shipman found that
his real love was for snowboarding. With only one
year of lessons, Shipman learned to snowboard all
by himself. Shipman is now a consistent snowboarder and makes the effort to go up to the mountains
whenever he possibly can, either with his dad or his
best friend, senior Zachary Posey. On average, Shipman goes up to the mountains at least 35 times a
year.
“Snowboarding is fun and very relaxing. It also
helps me get my mind off everything,” Shipman said.
As well as Shipman, many other people in the
Northwest enjoy spending their afternoons up
in the mountains, and Miles happens to be one of
them. Miles has been skiing for the last four years
and goes up five days a week, three times during the
school week and two days each weekend. His determination helps show that Miles is serious when it
comes to hopefully being sponsored some day. Miles
considers skiing one of his favorite hobbies because
of the feeling it gives him.
“It’s like being free. It feels good; it’s relaxing. You
have the feeling you can do whatever you want,”
ed skiers and snowboarders from all around, there
is hope for more snow fall and more adventures to
come.
Photo Courtesy of Micale Shipman
Senior Micale Shipman shows off his snowboard while taking a break from the
slopes. Shipman snowboards mutliple times a year, and usually snowboards at
Stevens Pass.
Ice skating her way to the big rinks
Sophomore Taryn Chitwood opens up about her life as an ice skater
Ice skating may only be
by Brittan Lamberty
signified
as a sport; howStaff Reporter
ever for several, it’s a part
of life. According to many skaters, the activity is a very family-oriented, lifelong sport.
“It’s a sport, but I feel skating and especially system-synchronized skating is a
lifetime sport,” sophomore Taryn Chitwood
said.
Synchronized skating is a type of ice skating that consists of 8-20 skaters on the ice
all at once as one flowing unit of speed. In
order for synchronized skating to be performed in a flow of teamwork, each ice skater must be competent in her body strength,
skating skills, foot presence and speed.
The flourish of the Olympics has popular-
ized the many skating sports: speed skating, figure skating and hockey.
“I have been skating for eight years. I actually started with speed skating because I
saw it on the Olympics,” Chitwood said.
Although Chitwood has been ice skating
for eight years, it takes up most of her time
because she skates four times a week at the
Comcast Arena. She also has to deal with
the balance of school and her AP class, but
it has been worth it for Chitwood.
“I would like to keep ice skating my whole
life, and I want to do synchronize skating in
college,” Chitwood said.
Sophomore Taryn Chitwood (right) performs a synchronized skating routine with some of her teammates. Skating as a unified team requires precision
and trust.
Photo Courtesy of Taryn Chitwood
6LGBTQ
L
Lesbian: a
woman who is
sexually attracted
to another woman
Gay: someone,
specifically a man,
who is attracted
to people of the
same sex
Two students share their experiences
is one of
the hardest experiences for
anyone, especially during
high school. According to
Time Magazine, a new
study has shown that
the average gay person
comes out just before
or just after graduating
high school. People tackle many struggles with
coming out, like wondering if their family and
friends will accept them,
and if people are going to
treat them differently. Junior
Alex Normand and sophomore
Gianna Sabini dealt with these
struggles when they decided to
come out.
Sabini came out during her
eigth grade year and struggled
with it at first.
“It was really difficult at
first because I was really
unsure of myself because I
wasn’t even really sure if I was gay. Telling other people was sort of difficult, but
then later it was a really good experience
and there were a lot of people that were
really supportive of me,” Sabini said. “The
main struggle was that I encountered homophobia sometimes at school or especially with certain girlfriends that I had.
Their parents weren’t okay with it like
mine were, so that made it really hard.”
Normand came out this past January
and was really nervous about it.
“Overall, it was really nerve-wracking
because it’s kind of a big deal. I was in my
room with Becca Edwins, she’s my best
friend. We were sitting there and I was
like, ‘Becca, I think I want to do it.’ She
helped me get the courage to actually do
it,” Normand said. “It’s like a giant weight
lifted off my shoulders because I’m not
hiding something anymore.”
Perfect timing is one of the most crucial
things to consider when coming out.
“Don’t come out until you are completely ready. Don’t feel pressured to come
out; go slow. No matter what anyone else
thinks, it’s okay to be the way you are,” Sabini said.
Gay marriage now legal in WA
Majority of voters approve Referendum 74
for same-sex marriage in recent election
During
the
2012
November
Staff Reporter
election, Washington state passed Referendum 74,
which legalized gay marriage. All the
existing marriage laws and genderspecific laws now apply to same-sex
couples. The new law also preserves
the right for churches and other religious organizations to refuse marriage
ceremonies to take place for same-sex
couples.
Of those who voted, 53.35% approved the Referendum, which took
affect on December 6.
“All I’ve heard is that two guys can
marry each other and two girls can
marry each other,” junior Josiah Campbell said.
For many students, the information
they receive stems from their parents,
and they may not be getting all the information. Students don’t know the tax
and social security benefits being married entails. Many people don’t believe
that couples of the same sex should be
treated the same as opposite sex couples, and that’s why people opposed
the Referendum. Another big part of
the debate is if churches should still be
able to refuse service to these couples.
“Being gay has nothing to do with
church. If you are a good person, God
will accept that and others should,
too,” junior Hannah Hemingson said.
Since this law has been passed,
hundreds of same sex couples all over
the state have been married. Pete-e
Petersen and Jane Abbott Lightly, a
Pho
creativto courtesy o
ecomm
ons.or f
g
Washington state lesbian couple has
been together since 1977 and finally
obtained their dream of a legal marriage certificate on December 6. Petersen told CNN, “It’s been a long journey; we’re so excited to know we’ll get
a license and get married on Sunday.”
This referendum has changed many
couples’ lives already. Some say Washington is on a new road to total equality, but acceptance of the law to some
may take some getting used to.
B
Struggles of coming out
Comby Caitlyn Chandler
ing
out
Opinion Editor
Photo by marissa fredrickson
G
January 9, 2013
Bise
one
tracte
men
Vikings supporting V
Within the past decade,
by Kacie Masten
Gay-Straight
Alliances have
Sports Editor
grown popular in high schools
across the United States. GSA clubs are created
to allow students who are gay, lesbian, bisexual,
transgender, questioning or straight to talk to
people who support them for who they are. According to Time magazine, there were only 100
high school GSA clubs in 1997. Today, there are
at least 3,000 GSA’s, and nearly one in every 10
high schools created a GSA club, including Lake
Stevens High School.
Lake Stevens High School first created a GSA
club in spring 2001. At some point, the club disbanded, but last year it was brought back by Jory
Weissert. This year, there are approximately 20
members in the club. One of the most important
aspects about the GSA club is that it is confidential. Many students find comfort in the fact that
they aren’t required to reveal their identity to
people outside of the club. Vice President senior
Richard Bruce finds it important that the club is
confidential.
“It’s confidential by choice. Members like me
or other officers, we aren’t confidential about
being in GSA, and we’re out there about it to pro-
The GSA C
bers encoura
It Gets Better Pro
by Kaylee Nunley The It Gets BetStaff Reporter ter Project, created
by Dan Savage and
his partner Terry Miller, gives hope to
young and struggling LGBT teens. The
It Gets Better website is filled with inspiring videos and stories from thousands of people who have dealt with the
struggle of feeling they had nobody to
lean on, and their stories have reached
millions of people.
The project began in response to
Billy Lucas, one of the many teenagers
who took his own life because of bullying due to his sexual orientation. Billy
told nobody that he was gay, but kids
who even assumed used it as an excuse
to harass him. This project rapidly became a support system for youth that
inspired hope and spread a positive
outlook for the future.
“I wish I could have talked to this kid
for five minutes. I wish I could have told
Billy that it gets better. I wish I could
have told him that, however bad things
were, however isolated and alone he
was, it gets better,” Savage wrote.
Now over 50,000 user-created videos are posted on their own popular
website, compared to the first 200 made
within the first week. As the project
spread worldwide, submissions poured
in from celebrities, organizations, activists, politicians and media personalities.
Support ranges from openly lesbian
talk show host Ellen DeGeneres all the
way to President Barack Obama.
“We’ve got to dispel this myth that
bullying is just a normal rite of passage;
that it’s just some inevitable part of
growing up. It’s not. We have an obligation to ensure that our schools are safe
Dan Savage and his husband, Te
not the first video Savage and M
depressing instead of being inspir
for all of our kids,” P
Obama said via his co
to the It Gets Better Pro
To some, these vid
ply uplifting and enlig
others they may be l
convey love and the m
ally does get better. No
share their stories, but
the It Gets Better pledg
well.
LSHS’ GSA club is f
age’s footsteps by crea
Gets Better video contr
“I think it could h
T
exual: some-
who is ated to both
and women
January 9, 2013
Transgender: a
person appearing
or attempting to
be a member of
the opposite sex
Vikings: GSA Club welcomes all
Photo by marissa fredrickson
Club was revived last year by 2012 graduate Jory Weissert. Memage students to join GSA and support fellow classmates.
mote [the club]. There are some members who
aren’t really out with their sexuality or the fact
that they even support it, even if they’re not [gay].
So we make it where we don’t talk about who’s in
[the club], but more of what we do in it and how
it will benefit people’s lives,” said Bruce.
Lately, the GSA club has been involved in a lot
of activities. They’ve designed T-shirts for club
members and have made signs to post all over
the school to join the club. The club also plans
to make an It Gets Better video, which will allow
students in the club to send out their message to
students struggling with their sexuality. GSA Club
President senior Courtney Keller enjoys helping
with these activities and loves seeing the support
students receive from the club.
“It’s helped others by knowing that they have
support from other students in the school because some students aren’t comfortable with
opening up to teachers or adults, but if they have
friends going to GSA, they’re more comfortable
and willing to talk,” Keller said.
The GSA club meets every other Wednesday
from 2:30 to 3:30 in room 303. Students are welcome to join, as the GSA club is open to anyone
who wants to be a part of the club.
roject gives hope to teens
following in Savating their own It
ribution.
help the school,
Questioning:
someone who
is unsure of their
sexual orientation
definitions courtesy of the Longman dictionary
of american english, 4th edition
The importance of
acceptance
Many students don’t consider the fact
by Aleesa Browning
that
they will be spending the next four
Features Editor
years with the same people, and in order
to make those four years an enjoyable experience, the best thing
to do is accept everyone, along with their choices. The campus
of Lake Stevens High School is filled with many diverse groups. A
child’s teenage years are spent discovering who they are, where
they fit in with their peers, and which “group” provides acceptance. Openly coming out as gay, bisexual, or any other preferred label by the individual may be tough, as high school can
be a judgmental atmosphere.
If a fellow student comes out, it probably took him or her every
ounce of courage, and no one else has the right to judge or bring
that person down. They should be accepted and loved just the
same as before they came out. Too often, I hear my peers refer
to people or things that they don’t like as ‘gay’. It’s important to
remember that words do hurt, and people don’t like to feel like
they aren’t welcome, especially at school, where most of their
time is spent. The ways that people live their lives and who they
love shouldn’t be a big deal to anyone else. While every person
is entitled to an opinion, thinking before speaking is something to
consider when voicing an opinion about a subject like this.
Advocating
equality for all
by Meredith Brown
Staff Reporter
Equal Rights WA:
Photo Courtesy of youtube.com
erry Miller, posted the original It Gets Better video in response to a teenage boy’s suicide due to bullying. The original video posted on Youtube was
Miller recorded. In a speech given at a WJEA conference in Seattle last spring, Savage made a tongue-in-cheek remark that the first video was too
rational, and in all honesty he would have wanted to kill himself after watching the original version.
President Barack
ontribution video
oject.
deos may be simghtening, and to
life savers. They
message that it reot only do people
t people can take
ge on the site, as
Q
LGBTQ7
especially kids who aren’t out yet, to
come out if they want to, or even to
know there’s a safe place to talk about
anything. You could be that one kind
person that keeps someone from losing
hope,” GSA club member junior Sydney
Hensyel said. “It’ll be a positive thing
for everyone to know there’s a support
system.”
High school can be a scary place
when when students feel alone. The It
Gets Better Project is there to show that
there is a light at the end of the tunnel,
that people do care about and love kids
for exactly who they are and that the
fighting through the tough times will be
worth it. The message of these videos
is that differences should be celebrated
not shamed and that people should
persevere in order to enjoy the benefits
of life after high school.
“Coming out isn’t easy for anyone
the first time, but it feels so good when
you do. So much weight gets lifted off
of your shoulders, and it only gets better from there,” openly gay 2012 LSHS
graduate Jake Olsen said. “Be patient.
You’ll come out when you’re ready, and
you’ll have a giant community waiting
with open arms.”
ERW is a statewide political advocacy
organization for the lesbian, gay, bisexual,
and transgender community. Their goal is
to ensure and promote dignity, safety and
equality. ERW has successfully advocated
for the Anderson Murray Anti-Discrimination law, the creation of the domestic partnership registry, the further expansion of
Photo Courtesy of equalrightdomestic partnership protections, and the
swashington.org
passage of the Healthy Youth Act. ERW participates in the gay pride parade, focused on legalizing gay marriage.
They also work to ensure that healthcare providers meet the needs of
an aging LGBT community. Equal Rights Washington is ecstatic that
gay marriage is finally legal.
PFLAG:
Parents,
Families, and
Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) is a non-profit
organization that has over 200,000 supporters and members. It started with a
mother publically supporting her gay
son with PFLAG in 1972. The purpose
was to have parents, families, friends,
and straight allies in order to support
Photo Courtesy of pflag.org
lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender
people. PFLAG is all about promoting equality. Last year marked their
40th anniversary, of supporting families and educating about sexual
orientation, gender identity and LGBT issues.
8opinion
January 9, 2013
Legalization of marijuana in Washington State
LSHS Students share their opinions on the controversial new law
The recreational use of marijuana became legal in Washington State on Thursday, December 6, 2012. With 56% for
legalization and 44% against legalization, there has been
some controversy.
“I think the polls were so close because there are some
people who don’t like the use of marijuana and are against
it because they think it’s dangerous, but there are others
that like the use or just simply want to cut out the middle
man or the suppliers in Mexico and Canada,” senior Zackary Grier said.
Marijuana use is now legal for adults who are21 and
over as long as they carry less than an ounce on them at
all times. It is not to be smoked in public, and isn’t allowed
anywhere near most college campuses. So why do people
think the new law is so horrid?
“I don’t think it should be legalized because it’s already
medical if you need it. I personally know people who use it
for medical use and the prices will go up and those people
will suffer,” senior Elaina Jennings said.
On the opposing side, the government itself is suffering.
The government’s debt grows everyday. In this case, the
legalization would help out our community because it has
been noted that the outcome of the money coming in from
the new law will be contributed to education.
“I think it’s a good thing now that it’s legal; it will leave
more space in jail. I think there will be more money in the
hands of the government, so they can spend it on more important things than trying to imprison people for smoking
Photo Courtesy of creativecommons.org
Initiative 502 was on the November ballot this year. It was one of the more
controversial topics up for a vote. It passed with a small margin with 56%
approving and 44% voting against it.
marijuana,” senior Riley Beck said.
People seem to over-exaggerate what marijuana does
and seem to forget that substances like alcohol and tobacco, which are legal, have killed millions.
“One cigarette can take 11 minutes off your life so they
say, but cigarettes and alcohol are more dangerous than
marijuana especially because of alcohol poisoning and the
dangers that come with it,” Grier said.
The new law comes with confusion and many different
viewpoints, but the stereotypical response to the new law
acts on what is “heard.” People have been quick to judge the
new law because they think it’s too hazardous to be legal.
“I think people hear the word “drug” and get scared, so
I think a lot of people think it’s a lot worse than it really is,”
Beck said.
Washington State and Colorado both already legalized
the usage this year, but there has been talk of at least five
more states considering legalization in their states. These
states include VT, MA, NH, RI, and ME. If the legalization
crosses the nation the expansion might do our country
some good.
“I do think the legalization will keep expanding to different states because it’s already expanded as it is,” Jennings
said.
Etiquette in the Cove: Lunchtime Crisis
During the week, I tend to go to the Cove for
lunch. However, the Cove is full of chaos and I
always leave in a bad mood. The Cove workers
are never the problem though; it’s the other students.
Not only do other students, like me, notice the
problem, but so do Cove workers. Senior Tanya
Richmond works at the Cove, and even though
most of the clutter and chaos of the Cove doesn’t
bother her, she still feels there are issues with it,
and that Cove customers could be a little more
courteous to others.
“I wouldn’t mind a ‘please’ and ‘thank you’, but
it gets stressful in there,” Richmond said.
I believe there are a few solutions to the Cove
problem. To start, when people are waiting in
line, don’t cut them. It’s very frustrating when
a customer is forced to wait in line an extra ten
minutes because someone decided to bring ten
of their friends with them in line. Since the Cove
line takes awhile without any problems, people
should also make sure they know what they want
ahead of time. Then it doesn’t take an extra five
minutes to place an order because that makes
everyone else in line impatient. Richmond feels
that people should also be more attentive in the
Cove, and I completely agree.
“When [customers are] waiting for prepared
No More Creativity in Movies
Hollywood continues to remake classics movies that should be left alone
Recently, it seems like Hollywood is
struggling to come up with original ideas.
They are remaking movies; some of which
should have been left alone. Classics are
classics, and Hollywood needs to come up
with some new ideas.
For example, Hollywood is coming out
with a remake of the “Sound of Music”
with Carrie Underwood as Maria. Carrie
Underwood is wonderful, but she is taking on a big role and no one can match
Julie Andrews. Remaking movies is risky
because there are such high expectations,
and it is all or nothing. If they fail to meet
Photos Courtesy of creativecommons.org
the standards people have made, not only
is Hollywood letting people down, but they
are also ruining the name of the movies.
“In my opinion, remaking classics usually turns out bad. If it’s that great of a
movie, don’t remake it. But there are some
remakes which have turned out really
great!” junior, Aubrey McNeil said.
Some remakes have been successful,
and “Footloose” is a good example. The
new “Footloose” is modernized but keeps
an accurate story line, which is what
makes it so great. Another remake is “Total
Recall”; it was a big hit in the 90’s with Arnold Schwarzenegger as the main character, but it wasn’t a big hit with the remake.
Hollywood changed a lot of the story line,
which was disappointing to people that
had seen the original.
They are taking movies that people
have grown up watching, some even as
a tradition, and modernizing them. The
Grinch is a traditional holiday movie, and
the remake was successful with Jim Carrey doing the Grinch perfectly adding his
humor as well. Although they have gotten
lucky with a couple good movies, Hollywood should come up with new and fresh
ideas to please movie goers.
food or drinks, please be attentive and listen for
your name! It’s the worst for employees to continuously yell a name while other orders have to
be put on hold,” Richmond said.
I understand the Cove is a great place to hang
out with friends, but students need to make a
better effort to make the Cove less stressful, for
those wanting to buy lunch without wasting their
entire lunch in line.
Apple’s iTakeover
“I think it’s ridiculous, honestApple is notorious for designing products such as the iPod and ly. It’s nice that they have a more
the iPod touch and releasing new- manageable sized tablet but why?
er generations every year. Now It just sort of seems like a ploy for
they continue their product line in money and silly to have,” senior
the same style with a naïve twist. Maya Kristjansson.
There isn’t a point to making the
When the iPad first came out consumers were perplexed by this same product over and over again,
seemingly newer larger version urging consumers to buy what the
of an iTouch. Apple’s design pro- manufacturer claims it to be betcedure was then run again on the ter. Lately all consumers seem
iPad just in time for the holiday to care about is having the latest
product at
season.
any cost
The reas long as
sult, a
the fulfillusual
ment of
re-repersonlease of
ally wastan item
ing money
praction such
c a l ly
i t e m s
identical
is
sucto the
Photo Art by Marissa fredrickson
cessfully
last, and
satisfied. Consumers these days
the iPad Mini was born.
The iPad Mini has great expec- should read the facts before maktations in the competitive consum- ing an investment that could later
er market, yet it has all the same be pointless.
features as an iPad, same shape,
look, feel and apps just 23% thinner and 53% lighter. Really, the
only difference between the two is
that the Mini is run on an A5 computer chip while the iPad runs on
a better chip, the A6X.
January 9, 2013
Lake Stevens springs more lakes
Rain storms draw attention to drainage issues
A student in Washington usually begins a
regular morning greeted by rain, and goes to
school without a thought about the weather. A
lonely rain drop can begin a cataclysmic flood in
any ditch around Lake Stevens High, causing a
chain of events that trashes the look of the campus. As soon as passing period comes around, the
covered walkways used on a regular basis are
soaked with water. The worst part is the fact that
the more it rains the faster the water creeps up to
any door on the other side of the concrete path.
Walking out the door, water stops students unexpectedly in their tracks, clogging up traffic and
ruining any ill fitting shoes that a bystander may
be wearing. The school currently uses large pipe
like hoses to funnel water into drains nearby,
however, this issue should have been resolved by
the district long ago.
“It’s irritating to have to walk through gross
rain especially when my feet get wet, they [Lake
Stevens High School] can’t really do anything
about it though. iIt’s just Mother Nature,” senior
Kalia Xiong said.
Not only do ditches become ponds at the
high school, the roofs also fill with water until
the level reaches its capacity and seeps over the
side. Some walls have even begun to accumulate
a small layer of a brownish-green tint of algae on
the surface.
“Recently The Cove has experienced a small
leak. The district is working on finding out exactly
where the leak is coming from, however, because
it is difficult to determine where water could be
draining from along the flat surfaced ceiling, it
will take some time to fix,” said Karen Morton.
The last deluge of rain prior to winter break
caused another batch of leaks in the 100 building
hallway and at least one science classroom.
Responsibility is one of the key morals school
is supposed to teach us, yet how can one become
Rain water gathers in a big puddle outside of the one hundred building on pathway, making it harder for students to walk to class. This
problem has occurred all over campus, making students angry.
a responsible adult if the mentors around them
don’t take responsibility for the environment in
which the students are taught.
opinion9
New fad found annoying
Only posers claim to have swag
confidence that people
exude. People either possess it, or they don’t. Most
who claim to possess
swag actually do not. People who are themselves
and don’t change to fit the
trending mold truly contain swag.
“When they dress and
act like themselves; that
is what cool is,” senior
Ross Barnett said.
Many claim to possess
swag. For someone to
Saying that someone go around claiming they
possesses swag has be- own swag makes them
come a bigger fad in the look foolish. This fad that
last year in school and in is going around is over
the media. Many stars used, and people should
and students tweet and realize that the more they
post pictures showing claim, the less they actutheir cool clothes and ally possess.
“I think it’s stupid
brag about their swag
when
anyone but Quinbeing better than everytin
thinks
they have it,”
one else’s, but swag isn’t
about staying up-to-date junior Quintin Miller said.
with the latest trends and
being the coolest person ever. Swag is the way
people present and hold
themselves. Swag can’t be
bought or worn; it is the
Words readers love ripped off page
and thrown onto the silver screen
An outstanding book series read by millions of people
usually ends up being made into a movie later. The question if the movie succeeds or turns out to be a flop is usually up to the readers to answer.
“The Lord of the Rings” is just one of the book series that have been turned into a
very successful movie franchise. “The Hobbit” was released into theaters on December 14.
“My favorite part is seeing who plays the characters, but
I don’t like it when they leave important parts of the book
out in the movie,” sophomore Ashlee Compton said.
Some fantasy books share an unreal world that many
readers absolutely love to read. Although “Harry Potter”
and “Lord of The Rings” were made into awesome movies,
there will always be more of a personal connection to the
book rather than the movie.
Also, the thought of changing the movie from the book
can be an annoyance for some; however, it can spark more
interest in the movie and make the viewers sit on the edge
of their seats with anticipation.
“I think you have to base some parts off of the book, but
there’s nothing wrong with changing it a little. For example, the twist at the end of ‘Breaking Dawn Part 2’; that was
perfect,” Compton said.
Turning a good book into a movie is a difficult thing to
do. The pressure to exceed the reader’s standards and to
completely transform a book into real life, with characters
and a setting, could be risky, but it has been done before
successfully.
RANTS AND RAVES From the Valhalla Staff
The express lane in
The Cove are actually
the slowest lane in the
place, most likely due
to the fact that they
are the lines furthest
from the food offered
there. They shouldn’t
take that much longer
though, considered that
the food doesn’t have
to be made. If the lines
were closer to all the
food, it would be faster.
I love Clay Matthews. Even though I’m
a HUGE Seahawks fan, I also root for
the Packers. Not only is he an amazing
football player, since he’s in the fight for
the sack record this season, he happens
to be pretty good looking. I don’t care
what people say; his long, beautiful hair
is amazing! Every week, I’ll be rooting for
the 12 man, and number 52.
-senior Kacie Masten
I hate after getting in a fight with someone,
getting unfollowed on Twitter. There has to
be a better comeback than that. #immature -junior Kaylee Nunley -junior Alexandra Mulvaney
Cuties Mandarin Oranges
are back in season, and
they are my favorite
snack. Not only are they
healthy but they also
taste very good. And
being easy peel and
seedless make them even
more enjoyable. My
family always gets the
five-pound bag, and they
are gone within the next
couple days. Cuties are
the bomb diggity!
-senior Marissa Fredrickson
Hola Vikings,
This is the Valhalla’s last
issue before second semester begins, and we will be
short on staff during second
semester. It would be nice if
more people would sign up
to take the class. It is very
fun, and our staff consists
of great people.
We need more writers
and photographers. I may
sound like I am begging,
but it would be amazing if
the Valhalla staff could get
bigger than 12 people. And
boys, right now the staff is
all girls so hint, hint, wink,
wink.
This class counts as an
occupational and tech lit
credit, so if anyone needs
those credits, this class is
the one to take. I joined last
year, and I am so glad I did.
I have met so many amazing people and made many
new friends. Not only does
the staff become friends,
but we also become a family. So if anyone is looking
for a class to take, this one
would be a great choice.
10a&e
January 9, 2013
Spring musical gallops on in
“Calamity Jane” rehearsals begin for LSHS Drama Club
The
casting
by Kaelyn King
has
been
anStaff Reporter
nounced, and the
rehearsals are beginning for this
spring’s musical production of
“Calamity Jane.”
This year, the LSHS Drama Club
is performing a western musical
unlike they’ve ever done before
with a cast of thirty-five actors.
Due to the cancellation of the fall
play, the club is planning on making this musical one of the best
this community will ever see.
Senior Lauren Senechal scored
the main lead, Calamity Jane,
a sharp-shooting girl who does
her best to dress and act like a
man but turns out to be a very
sweet and caring woman.
“I couldn’t be happier, and I feel
very lucky and excited to have this
opportunity. It is going to be a lot
of work, but I know that it will be
a lot of fun as well,” Senechal said.
“We all have a great time together,
Drama kids gather in front of the PAC, looking
at the casting sheet and hoping to see their names
next to the part they wanted.
and I am sure that this cast and
crew is the perfect bunch of people to work with and bring this fun
show to life.”
The characters in “Calamity
Jane” are mostly male. Many girls
were casted to play male roles, like
sophomore Kiana Murkerson who
plays Buck.
“I kind of wish I got a different
role, but I’m happy that I’m part of
the musical,” said Murkerson. “All
of the people in drama are awesome, and I can’t wait to work with
everyone!”
Sophomore Jakob Tucker was
shocked to find that he snatched
the lead role of Bill Hickock, a professional gambler who falls in love
with Calamity.
“I have to prove myself worthy.
I was so surprised that I got one of
the lead roles, but I will play it to
my full potential,” Tucker said.
“Calamity Jane” rehearsals will
run from January through April to
make sure that they will perform
at their best. So save the dates
for April 18 through 20 and 25
through 27 to see the best musical
in the wild, wild Northwest!
What’s your New Year’s resolution?
“My New
Year’s resolution is to
be a better
person.”
Photos by
Chloe Rowland
— senior Haylie Van Kopp
“My New
Year’s
resolution
is to get a
six-pack.”
— senior Khurram Chaudhary
“As my
resolution,
I will do my
homework
everyday
and not
slack-off in
school.”
— senior Travis Cheap
“My New
Year’s resolution is to be
more on top
of things and
not procrastinate.”
— sophomore Amber Dalgleish
— junior Aprille Perez
“My New
Year’s
resolution is
to go to a
concert and
get a job.”
Back at No. 1
Taylor Swift sucby Brittan Lamberty
Staff Reporter cessfully debuted her
16-track album “Red”
on October 22, 2012.
The country star’s new album includes
several popular hits—namely “We Are Never
Ever Getting Back Together” and “I Knew You
Were Trouble”—as well as a new confidence
that she brings.
There is controversy surrounding Swift’s
new album; critics have noticed its more
prominent pop genre sounds instead of the
usual country resonance in her past albums.
Moreover, her new album is yet again
based on the major theme of past boyfriends.
However, this seems to work for the country
star since most of her popular hits are based
on her failed relationships.
However, her fans don’t seem to get tired
of her songs about the same repetitive topic
as she continues to improve and produce albums that top her past albums in the music
charts.
Swift’s new album has already snatched
the No. 1 spot on the Billboard 200. She
has also sold 1.8 million U.S. copies of her
“Red” album, which is a huge success for the
22-year-old.
It’s not a for-sure fact what is next for the
country singer, although it’s sure to be another success.
Whippin’ out the fancy footwork
Just Dance 4 launches with new style
Zombies take over cable television
Originally
by Iris Favoreal
based
on a comA&E Editor
ic book series
written by Robert Kirkman, “The
Walking Dead” is an American
Movie Classics TV thriller that
revolves around a cop named
Rick Grimes and his band of survivors as they struggle their way
through a zombie-outbreak.
The series not only tackles
the obvious obstacles of a zombie apocalypse plot—usually
finding necessary supplies or
surviving-slash-fleeing
from
zombies—but it also tackles
the problems of the sometimesinevitable humanity of the living
humans and their tendency to
put themselves above others no
matter what the cost, especially
when put in situations like this.
“I would think that everyone should watch ‘The Walking
Dead’ because it goes in-depth
on human nature, and it gives
me a different perspective on
what would happen in an actual zombie apocalypse which
we should all be prepared for,”
sophomore Alexander Arevalo
said.
Currently as the mostwatched drama series among
adults ranging from 18-yearolds through 54-year-olds,
“The Walking Dead” outshined
heavyweight rivals in the same
demographic such as “The
Voice,” “The Big Bang Theory”
and “Modern Family.” The series
also garnered several awards;
some of the notable ones are
two Emmy awards for Outstanding Prosthetic Make-up and a
WGA Award for Outstanding
Achievement in Writing Derivative New Media.
“The Walking Dead” kickedoff its first season on October
of 2010 and has since been followed up by two more. The series just recently wrapped up its
third season’s mid-season finale
and will resume with the final
eight episodes on February 10,
2013. AMC is still yet to finalize
a season four. The show will air
on the AMC Channel every Sunday night at nine p.m.
America’s most popu- there just aren’t enough oldies classics for
by Kaelyn King
lar
dance video game, them to get excited about. It’s hard to get
Staff Reporter
Just Dance, is back with a
fourth edition containing completely new
songs such as, “Moves Like Jagger” by Maroon 5, “Oh No!” by Marina & the Diamonds,
“Maneater” by Nelly Furtado, and much
more. Features like Battle Mode and MashUp Mode are still included, and the bright,
lifelike graphics are still amazing. The only
problem is the music selection.
Just Dance has always provided a wide
variety of music that anyone can enjoy, but
in Just Dance 4, most songs are right off the
Top 20 charts. Just when “Call Me Maybe”
is out of people’s heads, here comes “Good
Feeling,” “Beauty and the Beat,” and “Love
You Like a Love Song” along with it.
Although embarrassing, it’s still pretty
hilarious to watch parents dance, but now,
enthusiastic about dancing to a song that’s
been played over a million times on the radio.
Though Just Dance 4 has gone “mainstream,” it’s still really fun to play with
friends and act like dorks.
Ubisoft’s Just Dance 4 launch party was held on October 2 at the
Lexington Social House in Hollywood, California.
Top 1O Reasons we love snow
10. Snow angels
9. Rebirth of Frosty
8. Body-sledding
7. Hot cocoa tastes better
6. People get to put their
car in 4-wheel drive
5. To throw snowballs at
sophomores
4. Sleep
3. People will finally wear
appropriate clothing
2. School will be cancelled
1. Seniors won’t
have to make up the
days
Congratulations to
Cassie Upshaw and
Morganne Novak
for turning in their
pumpkin drawings!
Come to Room 303
to claim a prize.
On top of the world
by Meredith Brown
Staff Reporter
Lake Stevens High School is
filled with many talented individuals, and junior Cydney LaPonsey is one of them. She is known for posting videos of
herself singing on Facebook and her YouTube channel.
La Ponsey is not the only student who does this; Senior
Camille Henrickson, junior Kaylah Martin, junior Abigail Heikkinen, and sophomore Austin Sutherland also
post videos of themselves singing. It is becoming common for students to post their talents on the internet
for recognition.
LaPonsey posts videos whenever possible. She
is often busy practicing; she sings every day,
both at home and at choir.
The Facebook and Youtube videos are
the first step to the big world. LaPonsey
hopes to pursue singing as a career.
She has such a passion for singing
that she can’t go a day without it.
“Singing means everything to
me. It’s what makes me happy,”
LaPonsey said.
Not only is this beneficial to
the singers, but their fellow
students are supportive.
Shayla Miller is one of the
many students who
encourages her
friends on this
journey to fame.
“I think it’s a
great idea for wanting to pursue your dreams,” Shayla Miller said.
LSHS winter wonderland
Mrs. Hanson shows her holiday spirit
Mrs. Hanson’s room transforms into a winter wonderland during the winter season. The bright, busy christmas
decorations catch people’s eyes as they walk in. Hanson’s room shows true holiday spirit.
Digby Kaelyn King
Staff Reporter i t a l
Design
teacher, Dawn Hanson is most famous for
her wildly whimsical
classroom, and when it
comes to the holidays,
she doesn’t let one inch
of her class go bare. It
almost looks as though
colorful lights, snowmen, Christmas trees,
Santa and reindeer
were put into a canon
and shot into her classroom. It truly is a winter wonderland.
“I spend a lot of time
here, so I like my room
to look festive. The kids
always appreciate it, so
now it’s kind of like a
tradition,” said Hanson.
Students from the
past and present like to
contribute to Hanson’s
jolly room by giving her
more funky decorations
and helping set up the
décor.
“Kids who I’ve had
for multiple years always look forward to
it,” she said, “But I always do it over the
Thanksgiving
break,
so when the new kids
come in, they’re surprised.”
Mrs. Hanson has
bought most of her
decorations, and likes
to add on every year.
Frequent dollar store
trips are always on her
features11
January 9, 2013
winter schedule.
“I love my lights, but
my favorite is my big
Tigger, which is new
this year. I also love that
most of my decorations
makes noise, so when
you touch them, they
sing to you,” she said.
Hanson has been
keeping the tradition
alive for five years
and never fails to put
students in the holiday
spirit.
“It was a little overwhelming at first,” said
senior Tiffany Johnson.
“I got used to it and really appreciate the atmosphere of her room
with all the Christmas
decorations.”
New Year brings change
by Kaylee Nunley
Staff Reporter
Any day of the
year, one could
make a change in
life. New Year’s, however, gives people the
motivation to not only stick to these goals,
but to leave regrets where they belong in
the past. From little to major changes, everyone can come up with something that
they can work on, whether it’s a need or
just a want.
“My resolution is to make amends with
my “‘enemies,’” sophomore Emma Asgharian said.
Creating a goal is the first part of the
resolution process. The next is taking the
steps to achieve it, which requires dedication, when it’s quite easy to just push it to
the bottom of a to-do list.
“I’ll do this by staying out of drama
and no gossip,” Asgharian said. “It’s important because life is so much easier at
school when people don’t have something
against you.”
Whether it’s changing the normal or
just making small differences, New Year’s
resolutions can really end up creating a
positive result.
“I want to spend less time on the computer,” sophomore Jennifer Day said. “If
I would have just put my laptop down, I
would have had a lot of extra time to do
community service, spend time with my
2012
regrets
family, hang out with friends, study and
raise my grades.”
Resolutions like these are of much importance and can create change for the
better, while others can simply be for fun.
Even if it’s not top priority, some goals
seem better when they’re set on New
Year’s.
“I want to have at least 300 followers
on Twitter by next year. That really shows
where my priorities are,” junior Halle Olsen said. “Because I’m all about that cash
money, and you got to have people out
there for you.”
While New Year’s resolutions can be
changed, regrets from the past year cannot. As the New Year is now upon us, it’s
quite common for people to look back on
everything they could have done differently.
“I regret trusting the wrong people and
falling into lies,” junior Alyssa Calvo said.
Some things can’t be changed and
must be left in the past, while others could
just as easily get a new chance next year.
“I regret not taking the chance to crowd
surf at Deck the Hall Ball,” Asgharian said.
So as the new year begins, muster up
all courage, set goals sky high and accomplish the unimaginable. The perfect opportunity for a new beginning is here yet
again.
2013
resolutions
Trusted the
wrong person
Make ammends
with enemies
Drama with
friends
Bad grades
Spend less time
on the computer
Not asking
that special
someone to
Homecoming
Got caught
by Janet
Crashed the
driver’s ed car
No more gossip
or drama
Get more twitter
followers
Get a job
Graduate!
12features
January 9, 2013
Where there is a will, there is a way
Junior Andrea Long suffers from the pain of arthritis but stays optimistic
to value life more and she tries to stay positive. After
Last summer was a turning for her.
by Iris Favoreal
all, what doesn’t kill her can only make her stronger.
“She
says
that
she’s
got
the
body
of
an
80-year-old
point
for
junior
Andrea
Long.
She
A&E Editor
was diagnosed with juvenile idiopathic arthritis, a disease that causes the immune
system to malfunction and attack the joints of the
body. From then on, she knew that life would no longer be the same.
At the age of 17, Long already has the joints of
an elderly person. The deterioration and swelling of
her joints causes her immeasurable pain. Moreover,
her condition limits her physical capabilities; she
can’t run, crouch down, grasp objects or ride bikes.
She must be careful at all times to not fall or trip, and
she’s also much more susceptible to illnesses due to
her failing immune system.
“I live with pain every day,” Long said. “I’m not
and never will be a regular teenager.”
Due to her condition, Long stopped attending the
high school. The vastness of the campus makes it a
struggle for her to get from class to class, and sitting on a chair for more than ten minutes hurts her
spine. Instead, Long is on the Home Hospital Program sponsored by the Lake Stevens School District.
The program provides her with a tutor who gives
her the school work and turns it in to the teachers
because sometimes her bones won’t move enough.
It’s hard because not a lot of medicines will help,”
junior Kara Blumm said.
There is no cure to the juvenile idiopathic arthritis, but Long’s doctors are working hard to reduce
the pain. Long constantly takes seven different kinds
of pills—two are shots—to help counteract the disease. However, the pills’ side effects are sometimes
too much to handle not only for her, but also for her
mother.
“My mother has to give me my shot every Thursday which is so painful, I cry, and that’s hard on her,”
Long said.
Depression is another thing Long deals with due
to the disease, but her family and her pets are on her
side to serve as her rock. Her mother, especially, is
the main reason she copes and gets through the day;
they are the best of friends.
“I think it’s sad that she has to go through it, but
I’m glad she can make the best of it,” junior Aliyah
Smith said.
Through the journey, Long grew closer to her
family and became a stronger person. She learned
“I wake up every morning and tell myself I will
get through the day. I’m a fighter. I refuse to let this
disease ruin my life,” Long said.
Tracy Long and junior Andrea Long’s mother daugther relationship grows
closer with Andrea’s challenges. Andrea’s mom has supported her on her
medical journey.
Keeping the name alive Face in the crowd
The Brown family shares their history at LSHS
L a k e for the Brown family,” sophoby Sarah Gluck
Stevens
is more Justin said.
Staff Reporter
a smaller,
one high school community.
More often than not, teachers have taught older siblings
of current students, and in
some cases even their parents. Senior Cody Brown and
sophomore Justin Brown are
examples of a Lake Stevens
legacy. Tyler Brown, Cody’s
older brother, graduated two
years ago in 2010. He was a
big deal on campus serving
as senior class president. But
it didn’t all start out as well
as it may seem; Tyler Brown
was once a troublemaker of
his own.
During sophomore year,
Tyler Brown and a few friends
noticed that a neighbor girl
overreacted about everything. As a prank, they decided to place a bag with an object inside on her front porch.
A lady assumed it was a bomb
and decided to press charges.
Tyler soon stepped his game
up and matured by becoming
a better person and showing it in everything he did at
school. He eventually became
more involved in school and
earned 3.95 overall GPA. He
was involved in Leadership
and was elected senior class
president. Cody described Tyler as showing perseverance.
“I’ve learned a lot; no matter what happens you have
to persevere through it and
make the best out of every
situation. I look up to him,
but I’ve always learned from
his mistakes. He has made me
make better decisions. I’ve
learned that you can grow
from your past to make your
future smarter,” Cody said.
Tyler’s other younger
brother, Justin, also looks up
to him, but feels pressure in
the situation.
“Since my brothers are so
successful, my parents expect
so much more out of me, and I
want to carry on a good name
In addition to being Justin’s
brother, Cody is often recognized as being the brother of
Tyler Brown.
“Every time Mrs. Ayotte
sees me, she can’t get my
name straight. She always
calls me Tyler, so now she just
calls me Brownie,” Cody said.
This might be a common
habit for veteran teachers, especially since Lake Stevens is
a small town.
“I teach so many families;
I’ve taught brothers and sis-
ters. It gets very confusing.
Well, Cody Brown and Tyler
look almost alike, so they’re
just ‘Brownie’s’, so I don’t forget,” Susan Ayotte said.
Besides nicknames, teachers often recognize Cody as
“Tyler’s” brother, but only in
a positive manner.
“I don’t think the teachers treat me any differently,
but I think they open up and
like me a lot more because
they know my brother. It’s a
good thing to have a sibling
that came to the school,” Cody
said.
The Brown brothers, senior Cody and sophomore Justin show their brotherly love while
goofing off in the 100 building hallway. Both brothers are known because of their relation
to older brother Tyler. The younger Brown brothers both strive to live up to the family
name.
Joshua Bloomfield seeks
the next patch of concrete
to claim as longboard turf
Students entertain themselves
by Brittan Lamberty
Staff Reporter through a variety of hobbies. Sopho-
more Joshua Bloomfield spends his free
time longboarding. Longboarding has become an extremely
popular sport in the past several years among people of all
ages. Some people may confuse longboarding with skate
boarding but there is a difference; longboarding involves going faster and doing slides (which are some of Bloomfield’s
favorite long boarding tricks) while skate boarding is doing
flip tricks. Bloomfield has been longboarding for about two
years. A friend of his introduced him to it and he was instantly hooked.
“My favorite thing about longboarding has to be the community and sport itself. Most longboarders just have a connection with one another,” Bloomfield said.
According to Bloomfield, he never gets tired of longboarding because of the continuous fun tricks to try.
Some of Bloomfield’s closest friends also have a great eye
for Bloomfield’s passion for longboarding and contribute
their own insight on it.
Like most sports, longboarding
takes up most of Bloomfield’s free
time. However, balancing it with
school comes easy for him because
he knows school is his first priority.
Also, Bloomfield does include
his own challenges that he wants to
accomplish one day.
“The most difficult thing
about longboarding is for
sure the fear of getting
hurt. The more scared
you are the more hesitant you will be when
learning new tricks,
new slides and especially going faster,”
Bloomfield said.
Bloomfield’s
hopes for the future are that he
will eventually get
his name out there
and to hopefully one
day get sponsored;
for now, Bloomfield
enjoys skating for fun
because he knows the
opportunities will come
later.

Issue 5.indd

Transcription

Similar documents

Rotary Club of Denver West | Golden, Colorado

21st Annual Cape Cod Synchronized Skating Classic: Sanction

Diving Club Constitution

olashore international school

Assumere Viagra Scaduto » Discount Prescription Drugs

Diamond Club - Seattle Mariners

bombastic punjabi

Serving With Pride - Kiwanis Club

About Us Published bi-annually on exceptionally high quality paper

Summer Camp at Babson College! - The Skating Club of Boston