Life - Bear River High School

Braumby
Abby Taylor
Life
Riding Braumby in the summer sun was like the world was frozen, and nothing mattered right now; it
was just me and him. Although he was not mine, I loved this horse just as much as if he was mine. I had hopes,
but I knew I could not keep him. After this night he would belong to another family, hopefully bringing joy to
them as he did me. The moment I had been wishing not to come had came, and it was time to give Braumby
back to my dad so he could compete in the Extreme Mustang Makeover competition.
I was standing there, on the outside of the arena leaning up against the rails. My nine year old eyes were
gazing upon the horse my dad had been training for the past 90 days. In the competition, he was a gentle, sweet
angel; he did everything the way he was supposed to do. Dragging a log behind him was part of the competition and that used to not be his favorite, but at the competition, he drug it like it was nothing. Braumby was the
brown, fluffy horse with a blaze down his nose specked with brown spots that looked like it could be freckles. I
knew exactly which one he was, he stood out to me like a sore thumb.
It had come time to sell the horses at the auction, and I was ready to keep a watchful eye on the person
who would outbid the others. When the auctioneer started, the lady grasping on to the microphone pointed at
me and asked me if I could come in and join her in the arena. As I did so, I glanced up at the grandstand where
the crowd was sitting, their faces where all full of different expressions. When I got to the middle of the arena to
join her, the lady put her kind arm around me and told the auctioneer to stop the bidding. She spoke softly into
the microphone and exclaimed, “I will buy this horse for $1000 dollars,” she paused, her voice was quivering;
Her gentle eyes were glassy. I imagined that things were about to change for me and for her.”I am going to give
this magnificent horse to this little girl. I saw her riding this special horse before the competition, and I saw how
much he means to her, Sometimes God speaks to me, and today he spoke to me, he said: That horse needs to
go home with that little girl,” she explained. I was astonished, was this true? My dad rode Braumby over to me
and dismounted off of Braumby and walked over to me with the horse. My dad gently picked me up and placed
me on Braumby’s back. Leaning forward, I went to wrap my arms around his neck to give him a hug. As my dad
walked Braumby with me on his back out of the arena, there was a feeling of the stinging of tears on going down
my face. I had never felt anything like that, such joy and happiness.
After the competition, I noticed that special lady cleaning up some things, and I ran over to her to give
her a hug, because she had just granted me the best gift anyone has given me.
“You may look at him and you may just see a horse. I look at him and I see and escape, an angel, love and
a best friend”
22
Christley Barton
The woods
The Spy by Cameron Lawson
Tim “They’re going to draw us out.”
Jorge “How?”
Tim “ They’re going to taunt us”
Jorge “Well that could work.”
Tim “ AND!!! There going to ambush us.”
Jorge “How many times”
Tim “At least ten.”
Jorge” What if we draw them out?”
Tim “Then there whole army well advice.”
Jorge “How much food do they have?”
Tim “Not enough” (Smiling)
Jorge “So we’ll outlast them.”
Tim “What’s going to stop them from charging.”
Jorge “We’ll keep the gates shut.”
Tim “They will destroy them.”
Jorge “We’ll use archers.”
Tim “They well use shields.”
Jorge “We’ll use fire arrows.”
Tim “They well use metal shields.”
Jorge “Magic arrows then.”
Tim “Anti Magic Shields.”
Jorge “Catapults then.”
Tim “They’ll use their own catapults.”
Jorge “What if we draw them in the first wall and then flood them.”
Tim “ What’s stopping them from advancing.”
Jorge “Are men well be in the Second wall.”
We Started Out Strangers by Noelle Berger
We started out strangers.
Just an others best friend’s boyfriend
Then we started talking
Started getting closer
We always played cards while drinking
Our Mountain Dew in the seminary building
You’d never lost till I came along
And I’s never fallen so hard till you came
After my horrible break up
You were there for me
You were the one person that kept me grounded
The one person that kept a smile on my face.
You were almost mine but you left
Now I’m just left with empty arms
Happy memories to look back on
Experiences to remember forever
And teary eyes every time I think of you
Please hurry back my dear friend, I need you
But you had a girlfriend one that you said you love
But when you fought I was there
I was there like you were for me
I helped you not hurt yourself when you wanted to so
badly
Slowly we got closer and closer
So close that we’d skip part of our class to be with each
other
We never wanted to go to class
23
A Story of Distress and Delight by Phil Gudmunson
As I was standing in my friend Mookey’s kitchen, I was reflecting on what had been happening recently in my
life. Which turned out to be nothing because I couldn’t care less about anything. Or I cared about the wrong
things. My mind shot back to 6th grade when my mom announced the divorce to my dad. He was furious and
started shouting. My younger sister and I walked in the room, scared and unsure what was happening. When
we entered, he yelled at us exclaiming, “Your mother wants a divorce, can you believe it?” He sounded like he
wanted to kill her.
I was deep in thought when Mookey said something to me that brought me out of thought. I didn’t
hear it but I didn’t really care either. It turned out that he asked if I wanted some food, I told him that I did so
he walked over to the fridge. He asked me what I was thinking about and I told him about my parents getting
divorced. When I was in the middle of explaining this, his mom came around the corner and joined the conversation. Then I started explaining how I have been feeling about it. I was very depressed and I mentioned that to
her. “Mookey has another sister,” she explained. “Why haven’t I met her?” I said shyly. She responded with “She
killed herself a long time ago, it hurt Mookey and he almost did the same.” Mookey looked at her with a sad expression. This made me notice something about myself, because I had been thinking about committing suicide
as well. I know how she felt, but did she think about the people that cared about her? Probably not. I know because I felt that no one cared about me. Maybe that is why she did it. Then I started thinking about how Mookey
felt and how he wanted to do it too, I could never do that to him. He is like my brother, I love him too much. I
hadn’t felt that for years- love. That is when I realized that he loved me too. This helped me realize that all of my
other friends love me, and that I love them too; they were always there for me but I never realized it. After that, I
couldn’t help but hug both Mookey and his mom; it was strange, I hadn’t had a meaningful hug for years. It was
amazing as well; I never wanted to let go. It was the best thing in the world. Now I can spread the love.
Better to be Unseen
Serena Spotten
We live in a world where no one really cares,
A place full of deception, confusion, and political snares.
People surround us on every side, from cities to parks to taxi
rides.
They look at you yet they cannot see,
The person that you are meant to be.
We all wear our masks, our makeup, our lies,
We all have a Facebook, full of social ties.
But when we look inward to the depths of our soul,
We can see how the world has taken its toll.
We mold to the rolls that society puts out,
Till there is no room to change from our rout.
We live in a world where nothing is as it seems.
We live in a world where it is better to be unseen.
Serena
Lost
Serena Spotten
Lost, alone, and completely confused,
Don’t dare ask, don’t want to be refused.
No one ever listens, no one ever will,
Is it a bad sign that I can’t seem to feel?
I laugh and I cry, buy I cannot understand
What it is like to stand on unmoving, solid land.
24
You Choose
Josie Call
I am good I am bad
You choose
I love or I hate
It’s up to you
I am life I am death
Whatever you want to do
I am friend I am foe
You can decide
I am warm I am cold
Make up your mind
I am a gate I am a jail
You’re on your own
I am light I am dark
The truth will not be shown
I lead you to Heaven I lead you to hell
Now you’re in trouble
If you can not tell
The good will always be right
And the dark will always hide in the night
Making Color Guard Team with Bailee
Addison Lott
The anticipation was absolutely killing me. My mom and I were sitting in the car waiting for the letters that
would determine if I made the 2013-2014 Bear River High School Color Guard team. I looked over and finally
saw my coach Kristy standing by my window. I grabbed the envelope, my hand shaking from excitement, and I
looked up at her with a hopeful smile. The paper was white with a bear paw sticker to hold it together. I opened
the envelope in the biggest hurry I could. The very first word on the paper was “Congratulations!!!” I was smiling
so big! I didn’t have to read the rest to know what that meant. After I had finished reading it all, I had a major fan
girl moment. I tensed up, my arms came up just above my neck, and started waving back and forth while I was
smiling, bouncing, and squealing in happiness as the car moved forward out of the bus lane.
My mom and I drove to Dominos before going back into the high school. I walked in and anxiously waited for my dad to come and greet us. The building smelled of cooking pizza and a hint of garlic, you could almost
taste it. All the employees were hurrying about to make sure everything got delivered on time. Once my dad
walked up I couldn’t hold it in much longer and shouted out, “I made it!” very enthusiastically. He was so proud,
he gave me a long loving hug. Then he handed me one of the Dominos cookies that he loved so much. They were
about the size of my entire hand and half of it was covered in creamy, delicious chocolate. After I opened it and
took a satisfying bite, we headed back to the high school to meet the rest of the team. I started getting nervous
again though. Neither Bailee nor I knew if either of us had made it.
Luckily, I noticed her car as we pulled back into the bus lane. I had so much stress washed away with
that one look, although Bailee didn’t know yet. I hopped out of the car and was practically sprinting into the
big doors to the school to go see her. As I jolted in through the gym doors I saw my new coaches standing there
waiting for a hug. I gladly gave them one, but in a bit of a hurry. In the middle of hugging my coach Kristy I
caught a glimpse of Bailee sitting on the bleachers across the gym. I pulled away from Kristy and started tearing
up immediately. Bailee saw me and we started running to each other in a way that seemed like a slow motion
moment from a dramatic movie. When we collided into a hug we almost fell cause of the force and momentum.
We were crying with joy into each other’s arms. We had both known that we would make it together. We didn’t
doubt each other for one moment, not even a single drop spin.
Teddy Bear
by Alyssa Harrah
25
Memoir Tyra Williams
My heart began to pound, my hands got sweaty, and my stomach dropped as the announcer muttered my
name over the intercom. It was my turn at District Finals. While I put my goat string in my mouth and looped
it into my back belt loop, I glanced down the arena at where the goat was at. My dad telling me to make sure my
reins were even and to get lined up with the goat. My heart felt like it was going to jump right out of my chest
while I walked my horse down the alleyway. Not listening to my dad as I stepped into the arena, I choked up on
my reins and turned in once circle towards the left and then took off towards the goat, not knowing my reins
were uneven.
A million things going through my mind as I ran down to the goat getting ready to get off my horse at
a run. It felt like I was going one hundred miles an hour. As I began to reach the goat I knew it was time to get
off. Rating my horse as I swung my right leg around to the left side of my horse, with my left arm stretched out
and my right hand grasping onto the saddle horn. My feet grabbed ahold of the ground and the goat ran right in
front of my horse, like a suicidal person running in front of a train. My legs still moving as the lead rope, for the
goat, wrapped around my horses back leg. Tripping over the lead rope I dropped to the ground. My horse kicked
and the goat went bolting into the air. As the goat flew up into the air the lead rope grabbed the goat and jerked
it back to the ground. Crack! Fills the arena, followed by screams. “Oh crap, I’m dead.” I contemplated to myself
as I opened my eyes. Yanking myself back onto my feet, I hurried and flanked and tied the goat as fast as I could.
Throwing my hands in the air, the timer stopped, and I backed away from the goat.
My heart pounding, my face going red, and everyone staring, I was hoping no one had watched my run.
I felt like I was a clumsy clown sitting there waiting for someone to throw a tomato at me. Finally, the announcer
muttered my time and I hurried as fast as I could to get out of there. That day I finally understood why my dad
always retold me every time I was headed into the arena to make sure my reins were even.
Stardust Night
Seth Stanley-Gray
As I breath in the stardust night
your eyes are twinkling in the light.
In my dreams you stood so fair.
So as to lay here beyond repair.
Oh, for so long I held you dear.
For the glistening shells on the shore.
And my heart with crimson tears.
To all the years we still adore.
As only a memory forever more.
Yes my love I still believe.
Like a fearless eagle in a storm.
To waver and fall—but stay head
strong.
Still I begged you not to leave.
Now I walk the shore alone.
The shells here glisten no more.
In my dreams your smile still adorns.
As only a memory forever more.
26
Rejected
by Alyssa Harrah
The stardust night still fills my lungs.
But your eyes have lost their light.
Now I lay these flowers at your feet.
To bring you back—I still beseech.
How to Build a Raft by Anna Towne
Walking along the Paris Springs in Idaho, beams of sunlight shine through the vast pines and into the crystal
clear water. It’s a gorgeous spring day in the mountains, but I’m hardly paying attention. How can I when the
most amazing thought just jumped into my head? I race to tell my three younger sisters, who are always the first
to hear my epiphanies. Their eyes light up and they nod enthusiastically. I knew they would agree, because the
idea is just too golden: we’re going to build a raft.
We had never built a raft before, but how hard could it be? We’re the type of girls that design forts in our spare
time and create giant obstacle courses in our basement, because why not? That’s just the way we are, so constructing a raft is our cup of tea. We launch off our adventure by hunting around the pine-covered forest bottoms for any size logs we can get our hands on. Task number two: lashing them together. Excitedly, I remember
a red stretch of twine I had glimpsed hiding in some bushes. I pace up and down the bank until I finally track it
down. Perfect! It’s cracked and frayed, but seems tough enough to fasten the logs together.
With twine in one dusty hand and a log in the other, I bulldoze through a crash course on lashing, weaving the
rugged twine in and out of logs. A give a silent prayer that it’ll hold. The final outcome is hardly recognizable
as a raft, but we’re too thrilled to notice. If it floats, then we’re happy! I grasp the raft with dirty and scratched
hands and set our precious creation into the transparent water. We carefully place our youngest sister on top,
though to our disappointment the raft drops and leaves the chilly spring grabbing and climbing up her scrawny
ankles. Frustrated, I drag her out and haul the pile of logs from the heavy water. Shoes soggy, pants soaked, and
hair matted with finger-like twigs and sticks, we stand exhausted around our water-logged raft. Trail one: fail. A
pitiful fail, but this fail sparks something in us. With fiery determination, we scrape for more rope and logs to beef up our tiny raft. If it’s the last thing we do,
we’re gonna make this raft float! Repeating our first test run, we lay our newly improved raft into the easygoing
river and help our sister back on. It floats! I clench a long stretch of rope tied to the raft, take a deep breath, and
shove the raft into center-stream. We’re filled with exhilaration as it begins moseying along the spring with our
sister on top! Before it can dump her, we reel it in and celebrate our victory. Now that we’ve had our adventure,
maybe I’ll slow down and enjoy the nature . . . nah! Rock climbing sounds so much funner!
You Choose by Josie Call
I am good I am bad
You choose
I love or I hate
It’s up to you
I am life I am death
Whatever you want to do
I am friend I am foe
You can decide
I am warm I am cold
Make up your mind
I am a gate I am a jail
You’re on your own
I am light I am dark
The truth will not be shown
I lead you to Heaven I lead you to hell
Now you’re in trouble
If you can not tell
The good will always be right
And the dark will always hide in the night
My Ode to Sleep
by Tara Christensen
Sleep is bliss
Sleep is bae
Sleep is an escape
Where I can just lay;
Lay down my troubles
Lay down my worries
Lay down my head,
And be in no hurry
27
The Essence of Silence by Alysa Bills
I stared upon her face for the last time. The pain was eating me alive. All I wanted to do was close my eyes but I
couldn’t tear my eyes away from the stillness of her face. Was this supposed to be some sort of self-induced torture? Maybe I deserved it.
I longed for numbness. Freedom from the aching that was ripping me apart and the fire that was burning me alive, but that was selfish. She would have endured it without a complaint of the situation was reversed,
if I had been the one in the casket. She had always been selfless. I don’t think anyone ever truly understood the
immensity of her selflessness, not even I. Not until this one singular moment, standing before her, staring upon
her pale face and the stiffness of her frail frame.
I felt the familiarity of the salty liquid stinging at my eyes, but I refused to let it spill. Not again, not yet. I
wasn’t ready to let her go, to be buried to the world forever. So many would forget; so many would move on, but I
never would. When her light was snuffed out, when her heart gave one, last fleeting beat... She took a piece of me
with her. I would never bee whole.
She never wanted pity. Not even sympathy or empathy. She always smiled. A smile so pure and full of
light, no one ever suspected the darkness and sorrow that was hidden beneath it. She was always a shoulder to
cry on. A sturdy hand whenever someone was in need. No one expected that she, more than anyone else, needed
a shoulder, a hand, anything. She never betrayed a sign of the pain that was slowly and silently, but ever so surely,
devouring her entire essence. Thinking back on it now, I can see those green eyes begging, pleading, praying for
someone to see. A silent plea, for the help she had always been too selfless to ask for. No one saw. No one came,
and now those green eyes would never shine light upon this world again.
Why hadn’t I noticed? Why Couldn’t I have seen that call-so subtle, but desperate all the same. If I had
only looked closer...
I wished I would have been there when she finally crumbled. When the pain finally ate way every remaining desire, every last smile. When every wall that she had ever built collapsed. When she was left alone, so bare
and vulnerable. When years of repressed tears and emotions consumed her all at once.
I wish I knew what had finally broken her... what struck the fatal blow. I wish that I could have stopped
it, or even just eased the pain. I wish I could have held her as she cried. I wish I could have drawn her from her
hysterics with promises that it would all be okay, that it would work out. I wish I could have made it okay. I wish
I would have known, so I could steady her hand and pull her away from the darkness before the doors closed
forever.
I wish I would have looked harder. The signs were all there. I wish I would have seen them.
I will never forgive myself for letting her suffer that agony all alone for so many years. I will never forgive
myself for losing her.
A delicate angel, her life force stilled by her own hand. Never to open green eyes or flutter long eyelashes.
Never to flip flaxen hair over her fragile shoulders or brush stray golden strands from her face. Never to lighten
the world with her twinkling laugh and enchanting smile. Never to skip down the sidewalk singing her favorite
songs. Never to make me laugh with her lame jokes that only she could possibly make funny. Never to still my
fears with a gentle touch of her hand. Never to comfort me with a hug, warm and soft, a whisper in my ear. Never
to find love. Never to accomplish her dreams. Never to live the life that she, more than anyone else, deserved.
It was all washed away one dark night in in single wave of agony that she couldn’t not possible overcome.
She was beaten down, too weak to swim, so she drowned in the pain. Her future was washed away because there
was not a life guard on duty on her beach.
I should have known. I should have heard her pleas, watched for them. I was so selfish, so greedy for her
comfort that even now when it was beyond reach, I longed for. I am still selfish, and now her comforting touch
was last to me forever.
A hand on my shoulder, and only then did I realize the tears that had fallen from my eyes and soaked my
face. How long had I been staring at her lifeless body. Seconds? Minutes? Hours? Even now I cannot bring myself
to look away. It felt too final. Too real.
I am being pulled away. I do not resist, but I do not look away either. Even after she had faded into the
distance, the image of her was permanently etched into the back of my eyelids. I felt the pain burning in every
cell of my body. It was unbearable. I wondered if that was the type of agony that she had to suffer through every
day. How had she been so strong as to smile through it? She was always stronger than I will ever be, and always
more selfless.
I prayed for numbness, for the darkness to take me away. I wanted the pain to go away. I wanted to be
relieved from the tightness in my chest and the nausea that swarmed my stomach. No such mercy came.
28
Region Winners by Bailey Brown
It’s finally here. The week we have all been waiting for. Mothers, fathers, sisters, yes even brothers. Not only our
families, but us the Bear River High School Drill Team. As I trudge to practice Monday after school I am confident, I feel success, I see the Region Title handed to not only me but my team also already. Our coaches walk in
and we stretch, and get to work on our dances, working our butts off. The thought of Region sends butterflies to
my stomach. “I may not be dancing at it,” I ponder to myself as another thought shouted, “No, but this is your
team you are all in it to win it. If you want that Region Title then you yourself also have to push and it will be
handed to you.” Wednesday night practice came by fast. The thought of Region being 3 days was even more exciting, yet nerve wracking at the same time. Our coach Tawnie tells us about a star she has noticed every morning since Monday. To all of us we believe it is a sign.
Thursday and Friday are a flash of lightning. All going by oh so fast. Saturday morning arrives. My alarm
goes off, and I step out of bed. All the nerves I thought I had been feeling all week were nothing. It was like I have
been stabbed in the stomach by a knife. Yet, I feel so much success. My mind reflecting back to Thursday morning practice as Marcie exclaimed, “No matter what happens Saturday always remember to us coaches your still
number one.” I get ready as fast as race car. Telling my mom to hurry as I race out the door.
Arriving to Bear River High School today Saturday January 25, 2014 with my head clasped high with
confidence in my mind, and yet so much potention at the same time I walk in representing Bear River Drill
Team. Walking to the locker room I get the chills and excitement all together. It was as if I had someone by my
side comforting me the whole time. Not being in any dances was hard but I got ready anyways. The sparkles
on my eyelids, the fake eye lashes, the blush to make my cheeks rosy, yes even the bright red lipstick it all still
showed who I am and who I represent.
It’s time for the dances to start. I wait there patiently on the side lines. With that know-it’s-going-to-beperfect smile, Bear River enters the floor. Yet, the dance initiated and ended so fast. All us alternates bawling our
eyes of thrill we run to the locker room. The next two dances, dance and character, go by even quicker. I sit by
my team waiting for the judges to announce the awards. Here they come. Military always is to come first. We
kneel to the ground grabbing each other’s hands, squeezing tighter, and showing and telling how much we love
the team. 3rd and 4th place already had been said. Bear River has still not been called. “2nd place for the Military
category” they declare “Stansburry High School.” Sitting with hope and faith I knew we had take first place. Two
teams not being called still. “And the Military Region 11, 2014 winner is... Bear River” The judges reveal. All of
my anxiety pauses as I jump off the ground with excitement hugging Nyna. Dance and Character are all yet to
come. Our name, Bear River, had taken first in both as well. The announcer instructed the final places everyone
acquired. “Your winner of Region 11 for 2014 is... Give us a drum roll please... Your one and only Bear River
Hi-Steppers” I rush up hugging my team, and cheering. “We did it. All that hard work payed off ” I contemplated
to myself. After that day I had learned one important lesson. Hard work plus dreams plus dedication will always
pay off no matter the circumstance
Cruising Sun
by Sage
Nielson
29
Stuck in a Mini-Van
by Blaze Nalder
As Makaio and I head to Deweyville, I pull off to the side of the road to a dirt road to cruse ‘til the end of
the bumpy path. As I drive the van down the dirt road I notice it was very muddy. I start to smile and peek over
to Makaio and shouted, “This is fun,” I look back at the wide path, the van is shaking to pieces from the bumps; I
spotted a mud spot. It didn’t look deep from where we were. I blast through the mud. Yet the front end of the van
sinks. The van stops...hard, I put it in reverse to back out; but it’s stuck. I try twisting the wheel, going forwards
and backwards. Now Makaio and I look at each other and muttered, “Shit!” We both get out to see the damage.
I peak over the passenger side to find only half of the front tire and wheel. When I see this I start yelling
and swearing, full of anger and fright. I throw both of my hands-on top of my head to think of a way out.
As I try to back it out again we can’t help but smell a burning smell as if I were doing a burnout. I thought
taking some weight out would help; I was wrong. We tried putting stuff under the tires to gain some traction; I
was wrong. We even tried pushing and pulling. I-was-wrong! I am freaking out at this point, scared of my mother taking my license away. Makaio is scared too; but only of no longer getting rides. We walk up to the main road.
We waited there, along the side of the road for about an hour to an hour and a half. During that time we noticed
about four or five co-workers of mine drive by. I’m thinking to myself, “Really! You can’t stop for “2” freaking
minutes?” We finally were able to get a signal on Makaio’s cell phone; we were able called someone to help us out,
we waited about another thirty minutes for him to appear across the horizon. In that time we thought we were
going to die on the side of the road. We had no food or water. It felt like a desert that day. Finally, Roman Draney
showed up. He dragged us out and we all headed back to town to quench our thirst and recover from the scorching heat.
Media Bias
by Jaderee Eakle
The media affects your life more than you think. You are constantly involved with the media. Someone can actually consume more than 24 hours in a 24 hour period. With this the media can influence your opinion or view
of someone or something. That is called media bias. We will be discussing three different types of media bias’s
omission, spin, and labeling.
We’ll begin by discussing bias by omission. In the article “Former CNBC reporter ‘silenced’ by management for criticizing Obama-care.” The article states, “and when I did that, I was silenced. I said on the air that you
couldn’t add millions of people to the system and force insurance companies to cover their preexisting conditions without raising the price on everyone else” (“Former CNBC”). As you can see the media is using bias by
omission by making her withhold information about Obama-care.
Now, let’s talk about bias by spin. “Reporting same facts and events, New York Times finds a way to report
negatively on Israel two thirds of the time” (Taranto). This quote shows that New York Times spins the story by
changing for spinning things to make Israel look bad.
Moving onto, bias by labeling “…neither report mentioned that he was in fact a Democrat. Yet, at the same time,
they were talking about a much smaller case.” It goes on to say “ABC went through great pains to mention that
Dewhurst was in fact, a Republican” (“Media ignores ‘Democrat”). In this what you could take out is that ABC is
getting labeled as a Democrat.
In conclusion, as you can obviously see, the media is very biased. We have covered three types of biases; omission, when you or someone is withholding important information. Spin, when the story is twisted and made to
be something completely different then what it really is. Labeling is when someone or an object is getting labeled
as something even if it’s not true. This makes the media has a huge influences on your thoughts and views of
someone or something.
30
The Epic Crossover Joseph Richardson
I couldn’t believe what just happened! I felt like I was on the biggest sugar high you’ve ever seen. If, you have witnessed a player juke off his defender in basketball you would probably understand what I mean. Crossovers are
energy giving and at times mind blowing, but coach always assured me that there is a right and wrong time for it.
I realized the right time very quickly.
With this intense scrimmage and coach being the referee the tension boiled up as if it were a bottle of
coke full of Mentos. Mostly because it was a game of first to thirty counting by one’s and two’s. We were down by
fifteen, and they only needed three more points to win. The most agonizing fact of all losers had to run ladders.
With a score just seconds earlier we immediately full court pressed. Marshall shouted, “Joseph, help with
week side defense!” I realized they had an instant opportunity to score if I did. “No!” I argued, “I’ve got Gavin
right here!” Our opponents scrambled the ball down the other side of the court with desperation and with our
stifling defense all over them I snuffed out the ball right at half-court. They quickly recovered to return to play
defense preventing a fast-break. Feeling a sense of urgency for a score I signaled for a motion offense but no one
managed to get open. After passing the ball a few times we got nowhere so I attempted an audible. “Isolation!” I
yelled. They reacted by backing to the three point line, giving me room.
I looked my defender’s knees to read the direction to go. His position guided me left. He had been biting
at my fakes the entire game so I gave a hard dribble to the right. As he hurled himself toward the ball I rapidly
avoided his long and lanky reach, placing the ball behind my back to my left hand. Panic went through me for a
slight second when I realized he had attempted to return but his momentum carried him to his left and he collapsed onto his rear. Excitement went through me as I darted through the lane to the basket and laid it up and in.
It’s very convenient that parents weren’t there because that would be the household story for the next few days.
I now understood what coach meant by there is a perfect instant to isolate. I had a sense of pride and a
wave of the need to celebrate took over and I turned around and flew my fists in the air. My team bursted with
laughter and a show of emotion was all over my face. “So this is what professional players feel like when they
have a wicked crossover.” I muttered to myself. It was enough to give us momentum to get to a comeback win.
Temple Flowers by Sage Nielson
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Heat of the Moment by Katie Stanley-Gray
The office is suppressed with a sweltering heat; just as every other room in the blazing month of July. My hands
bare a thin film, of sweat while folded tightly in my lap, although it is not the heat that makes them wet. Every
muscle in my body is strung tightly like a tennis racquet. Even the smile on my face seems tight and unnatural.
There is an air of an eternity passed since I recounted my plans to the counselor. He is not speaking but simply
looking from me to his computer, then back again. My mother voices her opinion from her place beside me,
though I do not hear the words she spoke.
With each passing second a new, and worsening, scenario plays through my mind. They include ideas
such as, “What if he rejects it? What would happen to all of my plans if I cannot graduate early?” The counselor turns back to us for a final time. He says the work would be expansive, he says I would need to forget about
sports, he says that it is more than most could do. My heart sinks as I realize what he is implying. I force a smile
and nod my head. My starts to assume that he is instructing me to give up on my plans. My future. My dream. I
assume that he is shutting me out and blocking me from my goal. A crushing force pushes in on my chest, clearing the air from my lungs. Tears begin to well up in my eyes; threatening to fracture the walls I had built to keep
them in. I stare down at my hands, which are still clasped tightly in my lap. We sit in the I-am-so-sorry silence
returning the impression of eternity. The counselor then takes his turn to look away. I tell him, through hallow
words, that I understand and I prepare to leave, but he continues on to break the shattering silence left behind by
my empty words. The first word to grab my attention is, “however.” I look up to face him once again. A glimmer
of hope starts to grow in my moist eyes. The counselor eyes the computer one last time. He declares his admiration for my past work from the previous school years. A true smile spreads its way across my face as I truly learn
what he was insinuating. If I want to graduate early it will be a lot of work, but I can do it, and he will allow me to
try!
We exit his office which spills into the high school commons. As we wander our way out of the building
I begin to look around. I continue to examine the school I’d now have one less year in, and it is fantastic! Finally,
the heat that once smothered my hands had fled.
You by Maren Barton
I’ve wished for you.
tormented me for years
I hope you know,
that
you
were
all,
I could ever want.
I’ve feared for you.
I’ve lived for you.
Your dreams and mine,
were
all
I
needed
to work for, achieve.
I’ve loved you always.
Wishes and desires that
I
couldn’t
give
you
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The fears that kept
me
wanting
you
safe
in my tired arms.
I’m dying for you.
For you, dear sister
I
would
give
all
Just keep on moving
I hope you forgive.
I left you alone
with
just
the
familiar
And a dashed hope
I won’t forget you
A girl, a friend
please
don’t
forget
me
As my last wish
The Night of the Worst Nightmare by Kelcey Butler
As I was sitting on my bed, in my chocolate brown room watching a movie, and my phone rings. I was a little
jittery about answering the phone, then I answered it. The call was from my best friend Megan. When I answered
the phone, I immediately heard bawling from the other side of the phone. l asked her what was wrong, it was
very hard to make out her words. But I knew what she was trying to tell me. She told me that her dad got caught
in an avalanche, and had died. My heart got so heavy that it felt like it immediately dropped to my feet.
In the car to her grandma’s house all I could worry about was that Megan’s dad wasn’t dead. That all this was
just a bad dream. My mind began to wonder, what if my dad died? How would my life be without him? Why did
this happen to such an amazing family? So many questions were zooming through my mind. As I walked in the
door, and I could feel all the depression and sadness from the very heartbroken family. It hit me so hard that I
was bawling with the family. Everyone had blood shot eyes, bags under their eyes, and red faces. There was about
twenty-five people in the house. The house was smaller, so it made it difficult to move around the crammed
house.
I walked over to Megan and hugged her so tight. Her mascara that she had on from school was mixed in with
her tears. I sat Megan down on the couch, and just hugged her for what felt like a lifetime. When I finally let her
go, all her makeup was gone off her face, it was all on my sweatshirt. I then wiped away her tears. As I slowly
dragged my feet into the kitchen, and found Megan’s older sister, Kelsey. She was sitting on the ground in shock,
and could barely breathe. Kelsey had a death grip on her two friends. I walked over to Kelsey and gave her a
hug, and told her everything was going to be good. Kelsey couldn’t say anything back to me. She was shaking so
much, because how hard she was crying. Then I got to Megan’s mom, Christina. When I got to her, she grabbed
me and just held on to me, she was squeezing me so tight that I couldn’t breathe. She kept telling me that it was
all a dream, and would wake up tomorrow and he would be home. She didn’t believe it. How could she?
After a couple hours, I went to their house and cleaned it for them. I knew they would want to come
home to a clean house, and wouldn’t want people coming in and out of a clean house. Around two o’clock in the
morning I finally got home. I couldn’t sleep; I just laid in bed worrying about my best friend’s family. Laying in
bed also made me realize how important family is, and you never know how long you have with them. Treasure
every moment with your family, because you never know when it will be your very last memory of them.
Stuck in Mini-Van by Makaiol Jobe
The day Blaze and I went mudding with the mini-van also known as the Mighty Mini! This day was a very exciting day. For a while now we have done a lot of crazy things in the Mighty Mini. Like for an example we went
drifting around the hockey rink in Logan, almost rolling the van a couple times, blaze even ran a red light so
my mom thought he was a bad drive but she doesn’t even know half of it. So we decided to take it up a notch or
two. When we dropped our friend Anthony off we got very bored so we came up with an awesome idea (mostly
blaze). We decided to go mudding by the Deweyville dip. It was so much fun we were yelling so loud it was louder than the Whos on Horton Hears a Who. At first, it was a little scary because we were very close to the bank of
the river, so I peeked out the window and looked down all I saw was like a few inches of mud and then the bank.
We were scared to fall in because I couldn’t tell you how scary that scenario would be. While we were looking at
how close we were to the bank we saw a gigantic mud spot that caught our eyes and we got so excited our eyes
started to sparkle. We yelled Yolo and went through it and then out of nowhere we got stuck like a fly got stuck
in a web. Blaze was scared out of his mind he thought if his mom found out she would take his license away, so
he tried to come up with ideas. First, we took out everything and I mean everything! Then second, we started to
rock it back and forth to wiggle it out but it didn’t work. We tried everything we could think of until I came up
with an idea to call for help. So Third, we called a friend that had a truck to pull us out. He didn’t even have to go
into four wheel drive he just pulled us out. So while we were waiting we took pictures and just chuckled about
it and said, “What a memory we just made.” We finally got out and the van was extremely muddy that people
looked at us and laughed. Mudding with the Mighty Mini is the best!!
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A Letter
Marentha Barton
I was four when I first saw you
So yellow and young
It was a day before I turned five
And Grandma gave me money for a birthday present
And so I bought you
We went shopping that day and when we came back,
You were still there
And so you became mine
I did my best to never let anyone touch you
Even to pat your head
They all had their pets and you were mine
Only mine
We were best of friends, as you walked me to school
And followed behind like an obedient dog
But you weren’t
And then mom started teasing me
By saying you were breakfast
The very idea made me run to you and hold you tight
“No, no!” I would scream
Because you were mine and they weren’t taking you from me
Used to
Noelle Berger
We used to talk so much
My phone was constantly going off
We used to have heart to heat conversations
We used to laugh and joke around
We used to have the best of times
But now you’re gone
You’re gone and I’m slowly dying
You were my rock now I’m fading
I always wore a smile with you by my side
Now I can barely keep one on
The times spent with you were golden
Forever in my memory
Just remembering brings a smile to my face
And tears to my eyes.
But they did
I left you alone for a night and they got you
The animals outside
And when you needed me most
I was stuck in school
But you will still forever be mine
Memoir
Tyra Williams
My heart began to pound, my hands got sweaty, and my stomach dropped as the announcer muttered my
name over the intercom. It was my turn at District Finals. While I put my goat string in my mouth and looped
it into my back belt loop, I glanced down the arena at where the goat was at. My dad telling me to make sure my
reins were even and to get lined up with the goat. My heart felt like it was going to jump right out of my chest
while I walked my horse down the alleyway. Not listening to my dad as I stepped into the arena, I choked up on
my reins and turned in once circle towards the left and then took off towards the goat, not knowing my reins
were uneven.
A million things going through my mind as I ran down to the goat getting ready to get off my horse at
a run. It felt like I was going one hundred miles an hour. As I began to reach the goat I knew it was time to get
off. Rating my horse as I swung my right leg around to the left side of my horse, with my left arm stretched out
and my right hand grasping onto the saddle horn. My feet grabbed ahold of the ground and the goat ran right in
front of my horse, like a suicidal person running in front of a train. My legs still moving as the lead rope, for the
goat, wrapped around my horses back leg. Tripping over the lead rope I dropped to the ground. My horse kicked
and the goat went bolting into the air. As the goat flew up into the air the lead rope grabbed the goat and jerked
it back to the ground. Crack! Fills the arena, followed by screams. “Oh crap, I’m dead.” I contemplated to myself
as I opened my eyes. Yanking myself back onto my feet, I hurried and flanked and tied the goat as fast as I could.
Throwing my hands in the air, the timer stopped, and I backed away from the goat.
My heart pounding, my face going red, and everyone staring, I was hoping no one had watched my run.
I felt like I was a clumsy clown sitting there waiting for someone to throw a tomato at me. Finally, the announcer
muttered my time and I hurried as fast as I could to get out of there. That day I finally understood why my dad
always retold me every time I was headed into the arena to make sure my reins were even.
Little Sparrow by Jaalah Brown
The little sparrow on the tree branch does not know. He sees the berries on the bush, ripe and round and red. He
feels the soft, warm breeze teeming with adventure and possibility of flight. It ruffles his feathers and teases him
to leap, but he doesn’t quite yet. The little sparrow can hear the croonings of the other sparrows far above; they
ride the air and glide around each other playfully. He yearns to join them, to pluck a lush, juicy berry for them all
to share. The evergreen glade that surrounds him, so alive with fresh sounds, sights, and smells, so immense and
so open, it excites the little sparrow. He opens up his glossy wings to soak up the noonday sun, and then he tilts,
and then he leaps, but the little sparrow does not know. He cannot fly- his wings are broken. The little sparrow
continues to fall from his branch towards the green forest floor, faster and faster. Perhaps now, the little sparrow
knows.
Memoir by Mayra Patino
Have you ever wondered how it is like to have near death experience? A death experience that has abandoned a tremendous mark on you, like a scar for the rest of your life? Well, when I was about seven years old, all
I would do in my spare time is just simply play in the great outdoors. I had this miniature, green ball that I would
kick and throw everywhere. I had managed to kick it so far, that it landed in the middle of the road. The ball was
so tiny, that any car that passed would not be able to notice it. My eyes were pinned to the ball, as I walk my way
toward it to fetch it. My eyes were so focused on the ball, I did not think twice to use caution to look both sides
on the road.
Then out of nowhere, a blue, old, rusty, beat up, Toyota car had appeared, and had almost bashed me. It
had nearly touched me, like it was at least six inches away. It almost like my life was flashing before by eyes, my
heart was pounding heavily that I literally thought it was going to jump out of my body. I have never felt anything like this before. It was the most frightened thing that I have ever experienced. I just stood there, realizing
what had just happened. Then I immediately benched down, grabbed the ball, stood up straight, and dashed
to the driver to apologize. The diver was a man, who was wearing a black buttoned up shirt. He appeared to be
about forty. He appeared to be alarmed and frightened. He was surprisingly completely understandable about the
whole situation. “Everything is fine,” as he gasped, but the expression on his face said otherwise.
As I scampered off the road, the man took off in his busted up, blue, Toyota car. I was pondering about
everything bad that could have happened, and all for just a stubby, cheap, green ball. As I walked inside, my
mother pointed out that I looked tense. I told her I was fine, and she gave me the, you-don’t-know-what-you’retalking-about, face. Then I told her everything that had happened, and I got the yelling of my life time. I don’t
know what was more frightening, the near death experience, or my mother. That’s when I learned to always use
caution, not just on the road, but my surroundings.
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