October 2015 - West Seattle High School
Transcription
October 2015 - West Seattle High School
October 2015 West Seattle High School Need a last minute costume idea? See Pg. 13 Strike shows solidarity, delays school See Pg. 10 & 11 Vol. 89 No. 1 An Olympic hopeful among us. See Pg. 18 Graduation date pushed back District moves graduation to June 21st By Lindsey Jensen Due to the Seattle Public Schools strike with the six school day delay, seniors now have a new graduation date. This year, the graduation date for seniors is June 21st, 2016. The graduation will take place at South West Athletic Complex, starting at 8 p.m. “The district decided on the official date for West Seattle High School as well as all the other schools in the district,” said Principal Ruth Medsker, “The district requires seniors to have a certain amount of school days as well as an extra snow day. The official last day for seniors is June 17th.” Not only is the date pushed back, but this year WSHS is also graduating in the later time-slot. There are many questions around starting at 8 p.m., but officials say graduation is only expected to last one hour. “I personally think it is so dumb how our graduation is pushed back six days even though we are already scheduled Senior deadlines to know -Nov. 16 & 17 - National Achiever at lunch to collect graduation cap & gown, etc. orders -November 13 - Print copies of senior pictures due (only if not available digitally) -December 1 - Preorder deadline and end of $50 pricing -December 4 - Digital copies of senior pictures due -December 4 - Senior Quotes due to Room 133 -January 11 - Baby pictures due via email -January 31 - Deadline to purchase ads - May 10 - PE waivers, service hours, and credit recovery due to make those up,” said senior Jaimie Bell. “Seniors shouldn’t be held back to graduate just because we had a late start. Now, I don’t know if I want to go to Grad Night because it probably won’t start until 1 a.m., with the ceremony times, and that just sounds like a waste of time.” Even seniors who are enrolled in doing full-time running start have to graduate late, even though they didn’t have to push back their classes. “As a running start student, my spring quarter ends on June 17th, making an awkward gap between not having school and graduation a week later which throws off my summer traveling plans,” said a running start student, senior Shea Donovan. Not only is the date almost in July and the time in the dark, the actual day can cause conflict. The fact that the actual graduation ceremony is on a weekday instead of a weekend, has many parents furious that some family members will not able to attend. “My dad and my aunt are planning to fly in from Texas for my graduation, but since it’s on a Tuesday, it’s questionable whether or not they are able to get time off work and watch, which makes me sad,” said senior LaVera Shields. One thing seniors don’t have to worry about with graduation at SWAC is tickets. There are no tickets required to attend WSHS’ graduation ceremony. Another benefit of holding graduation at SWAC is free parking and no downtown traffic. With the 8 p.m. start time however, one thing many seniors are questioning is if grad night will even be worth it. Grad night is the traditional party after graduation that starts after graduation and goes until the next morning. Grad night activities are always a surprise for the graduates; they just get on a Graduates can buy a $25 yard sign to celebrate their accomplishment and support the cheerleaders. bus and then find out where they are going. It’s known as the final night to spend with your fellow graduates all together. Knowing that graduation will be starting two hours later than past years, some seniors are concerned about less time to have fun throughout the night. However, grad night coordinator Amy Doll said there is nothing to worry about as the night will start at the same time as years past, the only difference will be that students will go directly from the graduation ceremony this year. “Like previous years, the time for grad night remains at 10 p.m., but the buses load students at SWAC at 9 p.m. ,” said Doll. “There will be no time for students to go home after graduation. Seniors, make sure you bring an extra change of clothes for grad night.” Grad night tickets are on sale now. Seniors should have received tickets in a packet sent home on the first day of school. Tickets start at $50 but the cost will increase closer to the event. There are plenty of fundraising opportunities as well. Students can take part in garage sales, car washes and community service for scholarships. Don’t wait if you need aid though, contact Doll right away. Grad night and graduation time and date aren’t the only thing seniors need to worry about though. First seniors need to make sure they have met the requirements to be able to attend the graduation ceremony. “The biggest dates to remember to be able to attend graduation are deadlines. P.E waivers, service hours, and credit recovery, all need to be turned in by May 10th,” said WSHS head councilor, Tia Fillipelli. Even though the graduation date is pushed back, the ceremony will still be a night to remember. Grad Night will still be a chance to enjoy one last fun time with your fellow classmates. And most importantly the Class of 2016 will have made it. HOROSCOPES THE CHINOOK STAFF Editor-in-Chief--------------------------Julia Schexnayder News Editor---------------------------------Lindsey Jensen Opinion Editor------------------------------------Ivan Cruz A&E Editor---------------------------------------Jesse Price Sports Editor----------------------------Gabrielle Rackner Photo Editor----------------------------------Mona Debesai Staff Reporters-------------------------------Emma Brown Lavenia Fink Maximilian Freiherr von Maltzahn Julia Vreeman Ileyah Kanter THE CHINOOK MISSION The mission of The Chinook is to facilitate a top-notch student newspaper, to provide an in-depth view of our school, to enlighten our readers and to remain unbiased. The Chinook is a studentrun publication and the staff has taken the pledge to adhere to the Tao of Journalism. S UB SCR I P CRIPT ION POLIC Y Subscriptions forms are available at www.seattleschools.org/ schools/wshs. For $35 you will recieve a monthly newspaper mailed to your home in order to keep updated on Westside happenings. For $50 you can become a Friend of The Chinook, $100 a Patron and $250 a Benefactor. Friends, Patrons and Benefactors will be listed in each issue of the paper. A D V ER TI SEM ENT POLICY The Chinook accepts advertisements from 1/12 page to full page with costs ranging from $25 - $175. If you are interested in advertising in The Chinook please contact the advisor at 206-2528833. The Chinook reserves the right to approve all advertisements. This is a great place to get your name known to a large market with 800 copies printed each month. C OP YR I GH T POLICY No part of The Chinook may be reproduced in any form by any means, electronic or mechanical (including photocopying, recording or information storage and retrieval) without permission in writing from the publisher. Copying for purposes other than personal use or internal reference, or reproduction of articles or columns not owned by The Chinook (including comic strips, Associated Press and other wire service reports) without written permission of The Chinook or the copyright owner is expressly forbidden. C ON TAC T T HE CHINOOK Please write to: The Chinook, West Seattle High School, Rebecka McKinney, 3000 California Ave. SW, Seattle, WA 98116 Please email: [email protected] with questions or letters to the editor or other submissions. It is The Chinook’s policy not to accept anonymous letters to the editor. Please sign your name and include your contact information so we can verify your identity if you want letters printed in the newspaper. Please call: 206-252-8833. T HAN K YOU S UPPORT ERS The Chinook would like to thank Denise Lathrop and Andy Norton, Patron’s of the newspaper, and Laura Norton, friend of the newspaper, for their continued support. WSHS - October 2015 Your Futures Revealed Discover what the stars hold in store for you... Scorpio (October 21-November 20)- Your social life is opening up a little right now. In fact, this is a pretty important time for you to be networking and connecting to people. This is also a good time to present your ideas and get opinions from others. Just don’t doubt yourself too much. Focus on what you need to do to achieve your goals. If you don’t know what you need to do or what you want to do, just wait it out. Talking to others about your plans is also beneficial at this time. Sagittarius (November 21-December 20)Your physical health has been straining you recently, Sagittarius. You’ll get through and soon be able to do everything you’ve missed out on (or at least felt like you’ve missed out on). At the end of the day, focus yourself on what you can do rather than what you can’t. Better yourself in certain areas that you may feel you’re lacking in. Open yourself up and connect more with your acquaintances. Capricorn (December 21- January 20)- Your creativity is at its peak right now, Capricorn. Channel your energy into projects you need to get done. If you put off what you need to do, you’ll soon regret it. Right now is a great time to think about others as you shop. Maybe pick up some gifts for loved ones with upcoming birthdays. Also, be cautious of a man in a green hat or blue overalls. Aquarius (January 21- February 20)- Lately you may have been feeling self-conscious about your personality and the way that you interact with others. You may think you’ve been too forgetful, or abrasive, or something is out of line. However, you are a very progressive person, and you won’t be in the funk for long. Think about channeling your energy into something that’s beneficial. Sometimes you can feel temperamental and stubborn. But at the end of the day, you are actually pretty concerned with the well-being of others. Don’t forget that. Pisces (Febuary 21-March 20)- Stop doubting the decisions you’ve made in the past because of what you think you need today. You usually need reassurance, but this month you should realize that you should care more about what you think is right rather than what others think is right for you. Make decisions for yourself and think about why you are in the position you’re in today. At the end of the day, you’re where you are for a reason. You have a purpose to fulfill. Aries (March 21-April 20)- Certain people are trying to enter your life right now, Aries. While your guard may be up, don’t be afraid of new people. They most likely have something to bring to the table. Most of the time you tend to be guarded, and you have your walls up. While you don’t have to trust everyone, and certainly not immediately, letting your guard down just a bit is important to forming new relationships. Also, watch out for orange fruits, you’ll end up disappointed after eating them. Taurus (April 21-May 20)- Recently, you haven’t found yourself in too much trouble, Taurus. This month has been pretty calm, and you find yourself able to relax more than usual. However, don’t let yourself fall behind in your classes just because school has recently started back up again. Even though procrastinating tends to be your thing, don’t let it get the best of you. This month, avoid drinking from public water fountains. I can’t tell you why, but maybe someone with mono totally lipped it. Gemini (May 21- June 20)- You will probably have to make a big decision soon, Gemini. But it’s for the best. No matter what, despite your doubts, you will make the right choice. Weigh your options and decide what’s best for you. You tend to feel comfortable in a lot of situations because your personality can adjust itself based on where you are and who you’re with. However, this isn’t a bad thing. Decide where in your personality you need to work on. Do you need to open up more? Do you need to start speaking up? Only you know, Gemini. Also, be weary of a grey haired man with a black beard. Cancer (June 21-July 20)- Focus today on what you want tomorrow. You might have to work hard, but at the end of the day it’ll be worth it. If you don’t know what you want out of your life in the future, think about it now and you might surprise yourself. You may feel sluggish and possibly sick this month, but powering through can sometimes be more important than falling behind. Leo (July 21-August 20)- You are the type of person to start multiple projects and have a hard time deciding which one is most important. Just focus on the one that will benefit you in the long run, and don’t forget about your long term goals. Write down what’s important to you, and get back to it at a later time. That being said, give yourself some time to have fun and relax. Virgo (August 21-September 20)- You’re very focused on what people may think of you and your abilities. You just need to let go of these ideas of perfection. No one thinks you are lazy or not trying hard enough. In fact, people think of you as being super hard working. So give yourself some slack this month. Libra (September 21-October 20th)- There’s really no need to seek other people’s guidance in your upcoming endeavors, Libra. Just formulate a good plan for what you’ll be doing this month. Make a schedule for when you can do your homework and when you can hang out with your friends. Focus on balancing your wants and needs. Page 2 Issue 1 NEWS - West Seattle High School - October 2015 Presidential election candidate overview By Gabrielle Rackner The 2016 election is well underway. Here are the top three candidates on each side – Democratic Party: Hillary Clinton Wife of Bill Clinton, the 42nd president of the United States. Hillary Clinton served as the U.S. Secretary of the State from 2009 to 2013 under Barack Obama. She is a headstrong and ambitious candidate, and also serves on the board for the Clinton Foundation. Other political experience is that she was a U.S. Senator for New York from 2001 to 2009, and attempted to run for president in the 2008 election. cludes serving as Burlington, Vermont’s mayor for four terms (from 1981-1989). Sanders has also served on the House of Representatives. Thanks to his long time in politics; he has a lot of experience and knowledge. Joe Biden Joe Biden has served as vice president to Barack Obama during the 2008 term and 2012 presidential term. He was a senator for Delaware, in which he was the fifth youngest person to serve as a U.S. senator. Before politics he worked briefly as an attorney. Biden however has announced he is not going to run despite being a top choice for many of his supporters. He made this announcement just last week. On Sunday The New York Times wrote, “Mr. Biden said he now had no intention of running for office again.” Republican Party: withdraw his candidacy because he was unpopular with voters. Ben Carson He started out working as a neurosurgeon, and has become famous for his work in separating conjoined twins. During his beginning life he battled adversity but graduated school with Donald Trump Although he has no political experience, billionaire Trump has made his money by being an extremely successful Real Estate mogul and has starred on the reality TV show, “Celebrity Apprentice.” But due to his amount of derogatory comments and statements while running for president, NBC has discontinued working with him. He tried to run for President in 2000 but had to honors and went onto medical school. He has written several books and was awarded the Spingarn medal in 2006. He has little experience in politics. Marco Rubio He began working in politics in 1998 on the West Miami city commission. In 1999, Marco Rubio was elected to the House of Representatives. He was then Bernie Sanders He is longest serving independent politician in congress in the United States. Bernie Sander’s political experience in- elected to the U.S. Senate in 2009. In 11 years he had achieved three political positions (from 1998-2009). In 2012, he almost was the running mate for Mitt Romney but did not show any interest in serving as Vice President. Issue 1 Page 3 NEWS The Chinook - West Seattle High School - October 2015 Schedule changes plan for make-up days By Jesse Price With school already scheduled to start later than usual, adding a six-day strike caused Seattle Public Schools to start classes on September 17, 2015. This has caused some schedule changes throughout the year due to the required 180 school days students must attend. SPS and West Seattle High School have already made up the first of those six days, and that was on October 9th. This would have been a teacher professional development days, but teachers in Seattle instead worked on September 16th and October 10th became a school day. The next day students will make up is January 29, 2016. This was initially a day off for the day between semesters, but will now be a school day. Students will then make up three more of the days by shortening mid-winter break. The break will now be a four-day weekend and students will come back to school Wednesday through Friday, February 17, 18 and 19. That leaves just one day to make up at the end of the school year, pushing the last day of school back to June 24th. “It’s a little upsetting to have to make up days we should’ve been on break, but I understand and respect the teachers who went on strike to stand up for what they believed in,” said senior Meron Mulu. Seniors now have a new last day of school and graduation date as well. This could all change again if there are any snow make-up days, but for now those six days are all that SPS students have to make up. A few things that will be different in future years to try to avoid such a late start is that school will now always begin on the first Wednesday of September instead of the first Wednesday after Labor Day. Another change that was bargained in is that mid-winter break will be a full week in future years instead of the rotating schedule that alternated a four-day weekend with a full week of mid-winter break. Some students already have travel plans for mid-winter break or summer vacation. Those students should just check in with their teachers in advance. The Seattle Public Schools website has a list of all the board approved changes. Bumbershoot 2015 a success By Lindsey Jensen If you didn’t attend Bumbershoot 2015, you definitely missed out. The music festival extended over an entire weekend, with hundreds of artists performing from around the world. Starting out the festival on Saturday, September 5th, thousands of eager fans lined up outside the gate waiting to get in at 1:30pm. Soon after the gates opened, many people rushed in to see their favorite artist perform. Throughout the day, people could watch performances at different locations and times. Saturday’s main line up included; The Weeknd, Chance the Rapper, Fitz and the Tantrum, Jhené Aiko, Atmosphere, Lil Dicky, and Elle King. Most of these performances had a packed audience full of screaming fans despite the weather. Some artists had to be delayed due to the lightning strikes and the pouring rain. Continuing through the weekend, the festival still consisted of thousands of fans each day. WSHS Grad Night Seniors Only! It’s never too early to start thinking about Grad Night Keep updated at: http://wshsptsa.org/events/grad-night The top line up of Sunday included; Faith No More, Zedd, Social Distortion, Brand New, Flosstradamus, and Neko Case. The top line up of Monday included; Ellie Goulding, Hozier, Bassnector Ben Harper & The Innocent Criminals, and Brandon Flowers Borgore. The weather improved throughout these days, making the last few days even more enjoyable. Many West Seattle High School students went to Bumbershoot this year, either for just one day or the entire weekend. “I initially only went to Bumbershoot to see The Weeknd, but I ended up enjoying the other performers as well,” said senior LaVera Shields “I would totally recommend anyone to go just for the overall experience.” Not only do they have music, they also have stand-up comedy, art exhibits, film, silent disco, theater, and dance, just in case you’re not the music type. You do not want to miss Bumbershoot 2016. Prices increase as the festival gets closer so make sure you buy your tickets early. Page 4 Issue 1 The Chinook - West Seattle High School - October 2015 NEWS The Link Crew Conference was a success By Ivan Cruz On Thursday October 15th, West Seattle High School held an event for all Link Leaders in western Washington and parts of southern Canada. Many students from different schools gathered in the gymnasium to discuss why we chose to be Link Leaders and what it means to be one. Some Link Leaders had to sit in a bus Link Leaders demonstrate a game for the group. for more than three hours just to get to WSHS. Schools from Yakima and Canada had to be at the bus by 4:00 a.m. just to attend this enormous event. The hundreds of link leaders that came showed a lot of support, and developed a new perspective by talking to each other and participating in activities that involved trust and communication. The Leaders who were there said great things about WSHS and wished that they could stay longer. WSHS did a great job of representing our school, and Link Crew Coordinator and Spanish teacher Laura McCarthy was very glad to see how each of the Link Leaders treated each other. Link Leaders participated in a number of activities that simulated what problems freshman might be having and what link leaders can do to help them. Link leaders also got to know one another by having casual conversations and dancing to some sweet music. Link Crew trainer Geoff McLaughlin facilitated the event, by making sure everyone had a great time, and that no one was left out. McLaughlin used his charismatic energy to tell the leaders stories of other leaders he met and how they became great friends. “Geoff was a very inspiring individual, all of his stories made us think about how much influence we have on our freshman,” Said senior Link Leader Sam Quimbao. “How we as link leaders must set the example to give our freshman support so they can leap through high school and into their future careers.” McLaughlin discussed some of his life stories and described how they shaped him today. McLaughlin is a father of two, and loves being with his kids. He says that every time he would come back Link Leaders give each other a quick massage during a game of Simon Says. home, the kids would hug and kiss him, and McLaughlin would live those moments to the fullest because he knows that as they get older, his kids won’t be accustomed to that kind of relationship. And as Link Leaders should, they must find an opportunity to be with their freshman, and live their own life to the fullest. So one day you can look back and appreciate those great times. In the end of this event, Link Leaders gave compliments to one another and tied a colorful string around their wrist. And on a cheerful but sad tone, each link leader took their busses back home and gave their best wishes to rest of the leaders, so they can do great things for their freshman. Link Leaders were setting up circles within circles to facilitate talking groups. Issue 1 Page 5 The Chinook - West Seattle High School - October 2015 NEWS Advice for incoming freshmen By Julia Schexnayder The step from middle school to high school is a big one, but with the right planning, responsibility, and skills you can avoid tripping yourself up and still have a great experience. Whether your heart’s set on getting a 4.0, an acceptance letter from an Ivy League college, or you’re still figuring out what elective to take next semester; there’s a few things you need to know. High school is a melting pot of students from all corners of the world, so you’re bound to make a few new friends. While befriending new people, try and think about how this person will affect the next year of your life. Is this the kind of person who will help you get to where you want to be in the future? Or will they hold you back? Stay away from activities that can lead you astray from your goals and your health. Figure out your priorities; your essay due tomorrow is more important than your new video game. Your health (both mental and physical) matters more than your GPA. In high school, studying is a necessity. Start studying for tests and quizzes as soon as you find out about them. Study for 30 minutes then take a 15 minute break, repeat until you feel confident in your knowledge of the subject. Start studying at least a week before finals. Introduce yourself to your teachers; they can be a great ally when you have a problem. Teachers see you almost every day for 9 months, and they get to really care about you. They’re here to help you understand the material, so don’t be afraid to ask questions. Respect them and appreciate all the hard work they’re doing. They work more than you think. Utilize your locker. Your back will thank you for not having to lug a 15 pound backpack around. Participate in school activities; go to school events, join clubs and be apart of school teams. Try new things, you might even find a new lifelong interest. Be brave. Don’t be intimidated by upperclassmen, they were all in the same position you are in now. They’ll most likely be helpful and friendly by teaching you important school procedures and conduct you might not know about. Follow school rules. Your disciplinary record will follow you for the rest of your education; don’t be prevented from getting into academic programs because of your past mistakes. With that said, you are not defined by your mistakes, you grow and learn from them. As you dive feet first into the deep sea of responsibility that is high school, remember to trust yourself and don’t hide away who you are. Talk to others if necessary and enjoy the ride. Freshman lunch is a great time to make new friends. Genetic modification: no longer science fiction By Julia Schexnayder When science fiction becomes a reality, the topic of ethics is always brought up. Deciding whether something is ethical is a tricky decision, as everyone has their own morals. Typically ethics are questions of morality, such as, “Does this feel right?”, “Is this hurting anyone?”, and “What are the consequences of these actions?” Lately a big topic in scientific circles is the ethics of genetic modification, or altering the genes of a living thing. For example, in China scientists are conducting extreme genetic modification experiments. One experiment being conducted by BGI, a biotech firm in China, could be a dream come true for pig enthusiasts. BGI has recently announced that they will be selling $1,600 teacup pigs that will never grow bigger than 35 pounds. The pigs started as lab animals to model and study human diseases. Pigs are often used in labs for their similar anatomy and genes to humans, but their large size makes their accommodation and studying them a hassle. Having pet pigs has been a struggle due to their size. What starts out as pint-sized can weight a whopping 700 pounds as an adult. Shrinking pigs will greatly reduce the number of pigs being abandoned as adults to shelters. Another lab is doing experiments on… labs. Dogs are the newest genetic modification trend. Scientists are edit- ing their genetic makeup to create customizable “designer dogs.” By deleting part of a gene called myostatin, the muscle mass in dogs can be doubled, producing super-dogs. These extra athletic dogs could be helpful for hunting, police work, and military endeavors. The deletion of myostatin could be helpful in disease prevention not just in dogs but humans as well. Diseases such as muscular dystrophy could have a slowed progression thanks to this research. While this all seems somewhat reasonable and exciting, the idea of spreading genetic manipulation to humans is more complicated. Less than a month after a group of US scientists publicly requested to not genetically modify human embryos, a group of Chinese researches did just that. The US scientists believe technology isn’t ready for human genetic modification and it can be highly unethical due to the uncertainty. The scientists from China justified their experiments by saying the embryos were not normal and were going to be discarded anyway. They were trying to edit the genes in embryos that can cause the blood disorder thalassaemia. However, other scientists are worried that they won’t stop with abnormal embryos and proceed to modify viable embryos. Human genetic modification could be used to prevent diseases, and as genetic modification is passed down through reproduction, create a large population of future super humans. Worst case scenario, these super humans could lead to a total societal upheave and a wild dystopian future. Though these “what-ifs” are a bit exaggerated, the longterm consequences of genetic modification are a mystery. Scientists can only predict what will happen. This doubtfulness leads people to believe the altering of genes is unethical and morally wrong. Where do we draw the line between what is ethical and what is not? No one knows. We each have an opinion, taking in factors of consequences, cruelty, nature, and morals, but we may never reach an agreement. You and I have our own morals and standards that we follow. Not knowing whether the undiscovered cons of genetic manipulation outweigh their pros, at this point in time genetic modification will stay one of the biggest ethical conundrums. A normal dog compared to a modified dog. Page 6 Issue 1 The Chinook - West Seattle High School - October 2015 OPINION Faceoff: Android vs. iPhone Team iPhone By Lindsey jensen More than 42% of all U.S smartphone users have an iPhone. In Washington alone, 43.6% of all smartphone users have an iPhone. The difference is clear when only 28% of all smartphone users have androids. With more than seven different versions of iPhones overall and more to come, why else would Apple keep making them if people didn’t keep buying them? “I prefer iPhones over any other phone because they are really simple to use with a great design and handy builtin features not all phones have.” said iPhone 6 user, senior LaVera Shields. The brand-new iPhone now is the iPhone 6s, released for purchase on September 25th. Along with the basic colors; gold, silver, and space grey, they also added a new rose gold. The iPhone 6s developed a new 3D Touch feature, allowing users to pop open things more easily. Siri has also advanced, giving you more information at a touch of a button. It also has a new camera base; with the actual screen being the flash on a selfie in a 12MP picture, 4K videos to shoot better videos, and 3D photos when you press on a picture. “What I really like about Apple is that the iPhone have great camera quality with bright colors. I like how Apple tries to out-do themselves each time with new apple products and how they really listen to the customers for more updates like improving battery life.” said iPhone 6 user, senior Jaimie Bell. Do Androids have Touch ID? No, but Apple does. iPhone 5s to the most recent iPhones all have Touch ID technology, allowing you to open you phone with just your fingerprint. iPhones are known for how simple and easy they are. Easy to get into your phone, easy to find apps, easy to use apps, and easy to connect with people. Don’t get me started with the Android wanna-be emojis. We all had that struggle of not being able to send emojis to tha ndroid user when their snapchat story isn’t clear, don’t be that person, Issue 1 Team Android clearly team iPhone is where it’s at.t one friend. Or having Android users use weird look-a-like emojis that just look stupid. You’re not fooling anyone Android, go original, go iPhone. We all know what it means when you send a text to someone and your message is green. iMessage is just one of many things iPhones are known for. iMessage makes communicating easy. You actually know if your message has been delivered or not. You can even know when the person read it or let the other person know when you have read their message. It’s easy to spot an android user when their snapchat story isn’t clear, don’t be that person, clearly team iPhone is where it’s a-0t. By Emma Brown Android and Apple’s smart phones are extremely popular, but is Apple actually better than android? Cameras are important to every smart phone user, so you would put the phone that took better pictures into consideration. Apple’s iPhone only has a 12 mega-pixel camera vs Android’s Galaxy s6 and g4’s 16 mega-pixel rear facing camera. Currently the galaxy s6, g4, xperia z5 and moto x all have 5 or more mega-pixels in the front facing camera than apple. So after taking many great pictures on your android phone, what do you do when you run out of storage? With the iPhone, when you’re out of storage - you’re done, but with Android phones you can buy a cheap micro SD card cheaply to have more storage, or store them in google photos, giving you unlimited free storage, unlike iCloud which is an utter disaster. Plus the galaxy s6 lets you double tap the home button to launch the camera application to take a selfie. Android has google as its default search engine. Google Maps is the one of the best mobile apps ever designed, and it’s only used natively on android, which means Siri can’t use it. “I have been able to shout ‘OK google’ from across the room whether it’s charging or not” says Florence Ion, staff writer for greenbot.com. Plus, google apps lets you download apps right from the websites and has .1 million more app options. It also lets you download music from anywhere unlike apple only letting you use iTunes. There are much more benefits of having an Android phone rather than an iPhone. Androids keeps time better and has a super dim “daydream” clock that stays on while charging. Android’s stock keyboard is still better than Apple’s, including swipe gestures and punctuation on the same screen as letters. If your battery starts working poorly you can take it out and replace it, but with apple you can’t even take the back off, and there are a lot android smart phone options than apple. In addition, Android phones can be used as remote controls and iPhones can’t. People assume Apple is more organized but it turns out it’s the other way around. Android is far superior at organizing apps, letting you put important stuff on the home screen and hide less important apps in the app drawer, and androids widgets are more useful. Androids let you set which notifications are a “priority,” automatically sending it to the top of the list. It’s also easier to clear notifications with a single swipe. If you have Gmail, it has a material design that lets you browse folders or switch accounts from any screen. All in all I’m very happy with my Samsung galaxy phone, and any time I have to use someone’s iPhone it bugs me because it doesn’t have all the great qualities that an Android has. Page 7 OPINION The Chinook - West Seattle High School - October 2015 Dear Doktor Mo Q: Dear Dr. Mo, I already feel like I’m falling behind in my classes. What should I do to stay motivated and get back on track? A: Starting back at high school after a long summer can be draining, especially if you’re taking classes that are more difficult than the ones you’ve taken in the past. If you want to get good grades this year, I recommend looking at what you can do now to benefit your academic future. First, look at your grades. Are there classes that you’re specifically not doing well in? What about classes you’re falling behind in? Prioritize and look at what you need to do to learn more about. If you have an A in one class and a C in another class, get work done for the class you’re doing bad in first. Creating study guides, looking over notes, and even using online study methods such as flashcards can help you understand the material. If you truly don’t have an understanding of the material being taught in class, be sure to let your teacher know. You can’t get any help if people don’t know to help you. That being said, make sure you can explain what you don’t understand. Going to a teacher and saying you don’t understand anything really doesn’t give them an idea on what you need help on. Maybe show them a specific problem you have in mind. Overall, just don’t be afraid to ask for help. Q: Hey Dr.Mo, I want to save more money. What can I do to stop spending so much? A: Saving money is a very important skill to have. First start out by writing down your necessities, which is probably something like food money and activity money. Many high schoolers spend most of their cash on food, if we’re being honest with ourselves. So, if you’re really dedicated to saving money, stop spending as much on food. Start packing lunches and bringing them to school. Stop drinking your daily Starbucks and instead bring some drip coffee or tea from home. For the money that you spend on activities, be sure to budget. Honestly, it’s usually pretty important to spend time with your friends so don’t cut your social ties just to save cash (unless you secretly hate them. In this case, use this excuse to cut ties with them). But instead when your friends want to go out for dinner, eat before and get something small and cheap at the restaurant (or just don’t eat at the restaurant at all). If they want to go out for a movie, suggest to stay in and watch movies at someone’s house. Small changes can lead to more cash in your pocket. The best places for lunch By Lavenia Fink West Seattle High School is in a great location because there are so many places that are walking and driving distance to eat lunch. If you can drive, a recommended place to go to is Nikkos Teriyaki in Jefferson Square. Most people that can drive go there for lunch. The drive there is about five minutes. “Nikkos is a great place to go, not only because of the slappin teriyaki, but also because it’s healthy, and inexpensive too,” said Grant Vander Hijde. Closer than Nikkos is PCC which is a five minute walk from the school. It has a lot of healthy food choices and hot and ready pizza. They also have sandwich options in the deli or pre made salads. “They have many nutritious options and alternatives,” said junior Taylor Hutsell. PCC has a large variety for gluten free food and vegetarian/vegan options. “PCC is one of my favorite places for lunch, the food is healthy and affordable plus it’s a great place to sit down with friends because of the seating area outside,” said Jesse Bulman. Another place within walking distance is McDonalds. McDonalds serves fast food so it’s fast and easy to enjoy your lunch without having to rush. “I like to eat at Mc D’s during lunch because it’s very easy to access, it’s affordable and serves food quickly so I have enough time to eat,” said sophmore Abdi Jama. If you’re looking for a variety of different foods, right across the street from Hiawatha is Safeway. Inside Safeway they have a sushi bar, deli, and a Starbucks. They also have a large sitting area so you can eat there instead of having to walk all the way back. Another place thats Driving distance from the school is Taco Time. It’s about a 10 minute drive. “Taco Time is a good place to go eat lunch especially if you have a car to get there. They have good burritos,” said sophmore Saoirse Cumming. Also a Chipotle was just built in the Alaska junction. Which is a good place to go if you can drive since it’s too far to walk. It’s a counter service but makes the food super fast so you don’t have to stress about time. “Chipotle is really good and makes Chipotle is a new lunch option for students who drive. your food super fast,” said sophomore Allie Boddell. “I go there a lot with friends if you get there and have enough time, it’s nice to sit down in their big seating area.” Whatever you hope to find for lunch, there are plenty of options near WSHS. Page 8 Issue 1 West Seattle High School- October 2015 School starts too early By Ileyah Katner I believe that high school students should not have to start school early in the morning. Seattle public schools are considering changing school starting times. Many people think that school start times shouldn’t change because elementary and middle school students would be getting out of school way too late and it would be unsafe for the younger students. I think parents being uncomfortable with younger students getting out too late should not change the fact that it would be better if high school students started school later in the morning. Students have to wake up very early in the morning to arrive to school on time. When you have to get dressed appropriately for school and have to find your transportation it can make it very difficult to get to school on time if you do not get up early. When you get up early you are losing hours of sleep that could have helped you stay awake and feel refreshed. Students would be healthier if they were able to get the right amount of sleep. “I would feel better and more focused throughout the day if I could get This is not a welcome sight for many students at 7:50 in the morning. the right amount of sleep I need and have enough time to get ready without missing class,” said one student. I believe that many students drop out or don’t come to their first classes due to the fact that school starts so early. Many teenagers don’t want to be doing school work early in the day, and after doing it for a long period of time it can cause them to give up on attending classes or even school in general. If school started later in the day more OPINION students would attend school and show up to their first classes. “I would definitely have much better attendance if school didn’t start so early,” expressed another student. Teenagers would be more focused and better working in school if they could sleep in before they go to school. Sleep is proven to help you focus and be good for you brain. They could focus more on their school work and give their best effort in their classes. When you receive homework from almost all six classes almost every night, it provides a strain on students to do their best work and turn in assignments on time. If school started a few hours later it would be beneficial in many ways. Students would be healthier, be able to work better, and more students would attend school and their first classes in the day. I strongly believe that classes should start later due to these important reasons for students. If school started later for high school students it would be beneficial in many ways to those students. If middle and elementary school students kept their original starting times while high schools changed; everyone could be happy. Exchange students get used to Westside By Max von Maltzahn & Jesse Price In West Seattle High School, there are lots of exchange students. As students get to know the many exchange students, some are wondering how the students are feeling and what people think about during their exchange year. A majority of the students are staying for the whole year and a few are only staying for half a year. Lots of people think it’s hard to stay away from friends and family for one year but they also think it’s a good experience and a good way to learn English. Most students are looking forward to spending the year abroad, some of them are scared and are feeling homesick. For exchange students the first few weeks and probably the first month are hard because they do not know anyone at school and have to make new friends. But those people who have done exchange years say that that is normal and as soon as you find friends it will be the best year of their life. When it is Christmas many exchange students miss their family very much but according to veteran exchange stu- dents all in all exchange students will have so much fun in learning English and making new friends. Most of the exchange students were saying, that after the first month, it was exciting to go to a school where you just do not know anyone, but also hard. Furthermore they said, that it will be hard to fit into the new school system. Another interesting thing is how the host families of the students are. Some of the families are more lovely some of them not so lovely. But those people who have already done an exchange year said that they will come back and visit their host families. Being an exchange student myself it is definitely not easy to leave your family for a full year but you know that it is a once in a lifetime experience and venture you will never forget. So far like every other exchange student I have talked to it has been a great experience and they now are finally starting to settle into school and have made many friends in that time. All of the exchange students I have talked to say that they love coming to school and have a great time with their friends and at the same time learning new things. I have had a great time in Seattle Many students travelled across the world to come study at West Seattle High School. and I am sure it will continue. Just like myself all the other exchange students love America and can’t wait to go back home and tell their families how much fun they had and all the ventures that occurred while they were in America. Without a doubt I would definitely recommend this to anyone as you will learn many new things as well as have a lot of fun. Issue 1 Page 9 FEATURE The Chinook - West Seattle High School - October 2015 SEATTLE EDUCAT ION ASSOCIATION E K I R ON ST By Julia Schexnayder This past September, more than 5,000 teachers went on a seven day strike against the Seattle Public School District. The strike ended on September 15th after a tentative agreement was reached between the SPS and the Seattle Education Association. Teachers returned to work on September 16th and students started school on Thursday, September 17th. Teachers fought for better conditions for students and themselves. SPS was going to force teachers to work longer hours without any additional pay. Students can’t get the extra help they need with the extreme workloads the teachers have. Other conflicts included elementary school recess, which was increased to a minimum of 30 minutes a day across the district. An addition of 20 minutes of school time was added to help meet increased credit requirements for high school in 2017. Due to the opportunity gap and racial inequity within schools, “race and equity teams” will be created in 30 schools around the district. Parents were supportive of the strike even with the start of school date postponed. SEA claims that even with the strong local economy, teachers have not had a cost-of-living adjustment in six years. A cost of living adjustment, or COLA, is made to ensure Supplemental Security Income and Social Security benefits are not diminished due to inflation. In addition, teachers have not had a state increase to employee health care in five years. In agreement, Seattle teachers will gain a salary increase of 14% on their base salary over the next three years and an increase of 4.8 in COLA. Along with this, teachers will be reimbursed for working longer hours and will not have their evaluations connected to student test scores. “Our goal is a contract that puts students first, honors teachers, but is also fiscally sound. It is our duty to protect the district financially as we support teachers,” SPS spokeswoman Stacy Howard told CNN . Page 10 “Strking is not my career.” Volume 89 - English teacher, Andrew Finley Issue 1 Page 11 A&E - West Seattle High School - October 2015 Westside Drama Club’s “The Dead Guy” is anything but lifeless By Julia Schexnayder Westside Drama Club recently revealed and casted their latest play The Dead Guy. The play follows Eldon Phelps, Leadville’s “biggest loser” and his once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to spend one million dollars however he wants for one week on Gina Yaweth’s newest reality television show, “The Dead Guy.” At the end of the best week of Eldon’s life, he must commit suicide on camera in whichever way the millions of viewers choose, becoming “The Dead Guy.” During Eldon’s last week he has to deal with his assertive producer, Gina, his abusive mother, Roberta, and his clumsy brother, Virgil, all while trying to win back his ex-girlfriend, Christy, in a rush to “end with a bang.” Roughly thirty students auditioned for the show on Tuesday by preforming short monologues. Everyone’s auditions went wonderfully. The next day twenty people, who Director and English teach- er Andrew Finley wished to see more of, attended call backs. Finley looks at each show the program works with through a business, a teacher, and an artist’s perspectives. He is excited for students to do things they have never done before. “Student’s will work on projects, build things, and learn things,” he explained, “They’ll develop characters.” The show will be challenging for the crew, as The Dead Guy is a very technical show. They will be using a lot of new electronics and gear that haven’t been used before; a sign that the drama program is growing. This, for Finley, is a great thing. “I was born into theatre; both my parents were actors,” he elaborated, “My grandparents were designers, directors, and costumers. I have literally been working in the theatre my whole life.” The show was chosen for its extreme technical elements, with a live camera recording the actors and showing them on television screens on stage. The audience can see both the live action and televised show at the same time. For the fall season, The Dead Guy works wonderfully with its dark themes and humor. The Dead Guy is commentary on the unreality that is reality television, an unreal and manufactured system. People give up their own lives to watch others live theirs. This show will give the audience a peak into how perverse reality television really is. I predict the show will be incredibly successful thanks to a talented, meticulously chosen cast and a shocking plot leaving you in tears and laughter. Performances will be November 12th-14th and 18th-20th in West Seattle High School’s theatre at a time that will be later determined. If you wish to help the program you can sign up to work backstage, sell tickets, or sell concessions at performances. For more information check the main office or in Room 161. for around six dollars or a Melty Muenster Sandwich for the same price. They have even more options there. And, if you’re feeling sluggish, they also offer coffee. Admiral Bird, Cafe Mawadda is a classic Mediterranean restaurant with a homey setting. Sandwiches (including Gyros) range from seven to eight dollars. Sambosas are two dollars each. In addition, the delicious desserts here are only two dollars each. However, you might want to call in early so you can pick up your food and not have to rush back to school. Cheap lunches around school By Julia vreeman Being granted the freedom to get lunch off campus is fun and refreshing, however, some of us don’t even know what to get or where to get it when we do have this freedom. If you do want to get some good food without breaking the bank, there are plenty of things you can buy in different areas. Before you read this, realize these are all estimated prices before tax. The Admiral Bird: The Admiral Bird has a bunch of good food which isn’t super expensive and tastes amazing. For five dollars you could get the daily soup or the Vegetarian Chili con Queso. My personal favorite sandwich is the Breakfast Hamwich which is $8. All of these are amazing when its cold out and you want something that seems home cooked. If you have a little more to spend, you could always get a Chicken Salad Sandwich Freshy’s: This cafe serves delicious coffee and awesome sandwiches. What’s really good is that on top of what they regularly serve, you can customize your sandwich orders. Freshy’s also specializes in daily soups. The cast for The Dead Guy was posted on September 24th after auditions. zarella pasta from the cold foods area with a fresh baked cookie for just over $5. Safeway: Safeway is usually very crowded during the lunch rush, but the reason why is because you can get cheap food there fast. A small platter of hummus, carrots, celery, and pretzel chips is just four dollars and its pretty filling. From the deli, you can choose from an array of delicious sandwiches for just over 6$. Donuts there are just under $1 and the Open Nature salads range from Four and a half dollars in price to around six dollars. There are many other options in the deli as well. Cafe Mawadda: Located across the street from The PCC: This grocery store has delicious pizza which is only three dollars a slice. At the deli, they have many sandwich options ranging from prices upward of $4 and many different salads for sale in the deli. Half a pound of any hot food in the serve yourself area (which includes mac and cheese) is around five dollars as well. You could also get Grilled Chicken with Smoked Moz- Page 12 Issue 1 A&E The Chinook - West Seattle High School - October 2015 Last minute costume ideas By Julia Schexnayder It’s October 30th. You have to be at a party in 24 hours. One problem: you don’t have a costume. With just a few things lying around the house, this problem is a simple fix. Have a friend or two in your same predicament? Go as dominos. Wear all black and paint or pin felt white dots and a stipe across your waist on your shirt. The colors can be reversed to black on white if necessary. A simple burglar costume just involves wearing all black. Then add a sock or stocking with eye holes cut out and carry a stuffed pillow case. Or, paint your face white; add some black eye makeup and red or black lipstick. You’re a mime. Are you an animal lover? Try being a crazy cat person: wear your pajamas and a robe and carry around or pin on cat plushies. Perhaps you’re going for a more aquatic approach; wear all blue and pin pictures of fish on your clothes and be an aquarium. Optional: wear a “don’t tap the glass” sign around your neck. You can be a 1950’s greaser with cuffed jeans, a white or black shirt, and a leather jacket. Add a comb and sunglasses and you’re set. Try a groovy classic by going as a 1960’s hippy. Bring on the tie dye, fringe, bellbottoms, and headbands. Round sunglasses can be used as well. If you have a red and white striped shirt, glasses, and a red hat lying around you can easily be Waldo. Be prepared to have people shouting “I found him!” at you. Grab a fanny pack, some socks and sandals, and a Hawaiian shirt and you can be a tourist. Carry around a map and try not to get lost. Maybe you still have last year’s costume gathering dust in your closet; use some green make up and tear it up a bit. Zombie Minnie Mouse will surely impress. Run to the nearest Halloween store and you can find any mask or animal ears to spice up regular clothing in a snap. If all else fails, find a cereal box and stab a few plastic knives in it and be a The Halloween store in Southcenter is a great last minute option. “cereal killer.” Not a fan of violence? Paint a yellow circle on a white shirt and be an egg. Add horns and a pitch fork and you’re a “deviled egg.” If you really don’t have time, go as yourself and dress normally. You don’t need to have a fancy costume to have fun. go again. It was very memorable, even though I had my eyes shut in terror for the majority of the time.” Another well-known haunted house is located at Wild Waves Theme park during October, they call it FrightFest. Wild Waves has two haunted houses, one normal and one rated PG-13 for the more daring. “I don’t do very well with scary things but I am so glad I made myself do the Wild Waves haunted house. All the actors makeup was so realistic, especially the zombies. The first time I opened my eyes, I got screamed at by one of them, I freaked out so much. One of the scariest parts was the hospital area because that’s where they started chasing you. I remember one of the dead people started to harass my friend Gracie, it was so funny, but I kind of felt bad. Overall it was really fun and I would definitely go back.” said freshmen Nina Betancourt. Everyone loves a good fright especially during the scary month of October. If you missed out on the haunted houses this year, hopefully you had frightful Halloween night. The best hauntings By Lindsey Jensen It’s that time of year again. Hopefully you didn’t miss out on one of the activities October is most known for, haunted houses. The most known haunted house is the Kube 93 Haunted House, the nearest located in the Industrial Dis- trict. This haunted house is known for its terrifying costumes and decor that has people running out in tears. “I was really scared going into it because I have never done one before. And it was just as, if not more, terrifying than I expected.” said senior Bonnie Weglin, “I would definitely Buy your yearbook now :6+6\HDUERRNVVROGRXWWKH¿UVWGD\ODVW\HDUSUHRUGHUQRZVR\RXJHW RQH'RQ¶WPLVV\RXUFKDQFHWREHDSDUWRI:6+6KLVWRU\3UHRUGHUVHQG 'HFHPEHUVWDIWHUWKDW\RXDUHQRORQJHUJXDUDQWHHGDERRNDQGWKHSULFH JRHVXS%X\\RXU\HDUERRNRQOLQHWRGD\WKLVLVWKHRQO\ZD\WRSUHRUGHU ,W¶VHDV\WREX\RQOLQH *RWRZZZ\HDUERRNRUGHUFHQWHUFRP 6HDUFKE\VFKRRO:HVW6HDWWOH+LJK6FKRRO (QWHU\RXUQDPHDQGJUDGH 6XEPLW\RXURQOLQHVHFXUHSD\PHQW 3LFNXS\RXUERRNDWWKHHQGRIWKH\HDU 0 5 $ 4XHVWLRQV Contact advisor, Ms. McKinney - Room 133 - [email protected] - (206) 252-8833 WSHS Students at the Kube 93 Haunted House. Buy yearbook ads Issue 1 Page 13 Looking for a special way to congratulate your senior for making it through their senior year? Buy a “grad ad” – a space in the back of the yearbook where you can personalize a message to your senior and include pictures. You can also advertise your business here. - West Seattle High School - October 2015 A&E Top 10 upcoming Seattle concerts By Emma Brown James Malphurs and he is from NY, is a rapper. #6 Andy Grammar, November 14 WaMu theater. From LA makes pop rock music. #1 Florence and The Machine, October 27 Key Arena. The band originates from the UK. Members include Florence Welch, Isabella Summers, Robert Ackroyd and more. #4 ASAP Rocky, November 11 The WaMu theater. A$AP Rocky is from Harlem NY and is a rapper, his real name is Rakim Mayers and is a member of the ASAP mob. #7 The grouch & Eligh, November 20 the Crocodile. Full name is Eligh Nachowitz from LA. He plays alternative hip hop or rap. #10 Clara, December 16 The Showbox. Her full name is Ciara Princess Harris from Austin Texas and makes R&B music. #2 Don Diablo, October 31 the Foundation nightclub. He is from LA and Don’ music genre is considered electro house #5 Waka Flocka Flame, November 12 The Showbox. His real name is Jaquin #9 Bun B, December 13 Nectar lounge. Real name is Benard Freeman from Pert Arthur, Texas and makes pop music. #8 Bluetech, December 12 Nectar lounge. Real name is Evan Marc and plays down tempo music. #3 Tory Lanez, November 10 The Crocodile. Tory’s birth name is Daystar Peterson and he is from Brampton Onatio BC. His genre of music is R&B and hip hop. Upcoming movies you shouldn’t miss By Lavenia Fink There’s many new movies coming out in November and December that might spark your interest. Since the weather is getting cold you can’t really do anything outside so grab a friend, date or just go solo to go see a new movie. The Internet Movie Database describes several upcoming movies. A few you should check out are listed below with e IMDB descriptions. A Movie to see this november is Hunger Games MockingJay pt.2 Which comes out november 20th. On Rotten Tomatoes they listed it as 99% want to see it. It’s the second part of MockingJay where Katniss Everdeen and district 13 participate in an all-out revolution against the dictatorial capitol. Also coming out is Spectre starring Daniel Craig. It about a mysterious message from Bond’s past sends him on a road to uncover a forbidden organization. “While M battles political forces to keep the secret service alive, Bond peels back the layers of deceit to reveal the terrible truth behind SPECTRE” Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens comes out December 18. Its set back 30 years after all the other movies. Coming out friday December 11, is the movie The Big Short starring Brad pitt, Ryan gosling and Steve Carell. “It’s about four outsiders that see the big banks, media and government refused to, the global collapse of the economy, they had an idea: The Big Short. Their bold investment leads them into the dark underbelly of modern banking where they must question everyone and everything.” On december 4, Krampus is coming out for all the Horror movie fans It’s about “a boy who has a bad Christmas ends up accidentally summoning a Christmas demon to his family home.” Daddy’s home which is a comedy that stars Will Ferrell and Mark wahlberg comes out December 18. The movies about” a step dad’s life that gets turned upside down, when his step kids father comes back into their life.” Coming out November 6 is The Outskirts Which is a comedy. The movie is about “A falling victim to a humiliating prank by the high school Queen Bee, best friends and world-class geeks, Mindy and Jodi, decide to get their revenge by uniting the outcasts of the school against her and her circle of friends.” Page 14 Issue 1 A&E This and That Homecoming dance a hit The Chinook - West Seattle High School - October 2015 By Lindsey Jensen If you didn’t go to Homecoming, you truly missed out. The Homecoming dance this year was on Saturday, October 17th starting at 8pm and went until 11:30pm. The theme was ‘This and That’, where everyone dressed up in famous or funny groups with their friends or in a dynamic duo with a friend or date. “The theme really made everyone get prepared for Halloween, being two weeks away.” said sophomore Allie Boodell, “It was cool how you could get Myles Gionet and Milena Brodahl went as M&Ms. super fancy or keep it super casual.” Many people dressed up as fun duos with their dates, and a lot of people had fun dressing up in funny groups. “I had a date at the dance and it was super fun but I think it all depends on the person.” said senior Lily O’Doherty, “some people prefer going with dates but I think it’s just as fun as going with friends.” The live DJ also played a huge role in the overall dance. People were screaming the words to songs and had a blast dancing to the music. “I thought the DJ was great, he played a lot of well-known songs that were really fun to dance to.” said sophomore Claudia Coulibaly. The actual dance took place in the commons at West Seattle high school. Except for the bathrooms and drinking fountain near the entrance, the entire school was completely blocked off. “They had the dance set up very weirdly and the space to dance was small.” said junior Bria Bednarik, “The only problem was it was really hot with a lot of pushing on the dance floor.” The decorations for the dance were all set up by our ASB officers. There were balloon arches and white walls sur- The dance had great turnout and most of the night people were dancing. rounding the dance floor. People made a fun splatter paint background for the picture booth. “ASB officers were setting up from 10am to 4pm, the decorations looked really good to start out with.” said ASB president, senior Gabby Carufel, “but the helium in some balloon arches started to come out once the dance started, so the arches were low, but overall I think the balloons were a fun decoration.” From how much fun the first dance of the year was, everyone is looking forward to Winter Ball. You can’t miss Winter Ball, especially if you missed out at Homecoming. First spirit week of the year a success By Mona Debesai This year WSHS showed a bunch of spirit this spirit week. We started off the week with Seahawks day which WSHS showed a bunch of spirit with their jerseys and other seahawks merch. WSHS really showed what they could pull off on the first day of spirit week from the crazy seahawks hats and the seahawks inspired makeup. Tuesday was class color wars which Blue and Gold Day is a standard spirit day at WSHS. Minnie Mouse was a popular staff pick on Disney Day. means each class got assigned a certain color freshman were white , sophomores were black, juniors were gold and seniors were blue. WSHS stepped it up again and showed how spirited the school has. Wednesday was Western day which means dress up as your old favorite western actor or you could pull out your flannel, cowboy hats and boots. Its was really crazy how much the students participated and how much western spirit the students of WSHS have. Spirit Week ended with seniors Carter Golgart and Lydia Giomi being crowned King and Queen. Thursday was disney day which means you can dressed up as your favorite disney character or show up in your favorite disney shirts. Many students came dressed as Minnie Mouse or in their disneyland merch. Lastly Friday was Blue and Gold which everyone pulled out their school gear and face paint and showed there wildcat pride. This day WSHS also showed how much support we have for our football team as well as we dressed up in our blue and gold and supported our team when we won the hueling bowl against sealth. Overall this spirit week was a success and goes to show how much the students and staff come together and show how much spirit we have for this school. Spirit days are way more fun when people come together and dress up. As always , Go wildcats and thanks for dressing up this spirit week Issue 1 Page 15 SPORTS The Chinook - West Seattle High School - October 2015 Connor Elder swings big By Lavenia Fink Connor Elder plays on the boys golf team. He joined freshmen year because he always had an interest in it and wanted to do it with his older brother. When Elder first started he wasn’t really the best, but after a lot of practice he was able to see a lot of improvement on his golfing skills. “I’m kinda naturally good at things most of the time, like I’m not ever awful at something,” said Elder. “But golf I was terrible at first... I had an okay swing. It took me a lot of time and effort to get better at golf... I had to play all the time. Even playing all this past summer, I’m way better than I used to be but still not super good. I’m pretty solid now, but it really took a lot of practice to be even decent at golf.” Over this season of golf Elder did good, but said it was not to his full potential and he plans to do better next year. “I didn’t play as well as I could have played, I was super inconsistent this season,” said Elder. Though Elder didn’t make it to post-season play, overall the golf team played very good at metros because of how strong the team is. They also had a good number of players make it to districts. “The team played really well in metros, having four people making the cut to go to districts out of six in all,” said Elder. “We had a really strong team this year and have a chance to send four people to state if they play well in districts which would be amazing.” The golf team hopes that more people will join next year because there will be new open spots from seniors graduating. “We have a lot of seniors graduating, so we need people to tryout because we won’t have as strong of a team as this year’s,” said Elder. Golf isn’t the only thing Elder does though. He’s actually more of a soccer player. “Soccer is my true love,” said Elder. Elder likes to spend a lot of his time playing sports. It’s a huge part of his life. “I love playing all types of sports like basketball, football, volleyball, and any other sports just for fun with my Elder is one of several golfers who compete for West Seattle High School. friends,” said Elder. When he’s not playing sports he enjoys playing the piano. “I’ve been playing the piano since I was eight,” said Elder. He also loves to be outside, like camp- ing, hiking and swimming with his friends and family. Connor always likes spending time with his friends. “Hanging out is always super fun with my friends,” said Elder. Jordyn Matthews at home on the field By Lavenia Fink Varsity soccer player Jordyn Matthews has put most of her life into soccer. When she was three she got into playing multiple sports including soccer. “I fell in love with the game at such a young age,” said Matthews. “I had small interest in every other sport I was playing because all I wanted to do was play soccer.” Matthews started playing for a premier team called HPFC when she was Matthews and teammate Saoirse Cumming. six, five years later Matthews broke her leg in three places after falling off a skateboard. After a year with lots of physical therapy and strength training she started back as soon as she could. “It really was a life changing event,” said Matthews. “I went from playing soccer every day to not being able to walk for almost a year. I started to consider quitting soccer completely at one point because it was so hard for me to watch my team play and not be able to at all.” Shortly before Matthews broke her leg she was in the running for the U11 State team and was on the boards as the fourth best center forward in the state. She was playing in the Elite Development Program throughout the year, which was a training/ tryout for the best 11 year old soccer players in the state. Freshman year at Kennedy Catholic High School, Matthews was one of three freshmen to make the varsity soccer team. She was two goals away from beating the 1978 record of most goals scored in the duration of a season. Matthews was the only freshman to be placed first team in all Seamount League. “I didn’t really even know what that meant when I was first awarded it, but now that I think back to it that was a great achievement,” said Matthews. West Seattle girls varsity soccer has worked extremely hard this season and was close to making playoffs with a tough tie against the second place team, Roosevelt, and just one point below Ingraham they did not make it. “It was really tough because we wanted to move on so bad,” said Matthews. “Our team has some amazing talent and we deserved it as much as anyone else. We played our hearts out in that last game, but more importantly we did not end the season without the fight. I am extremely proud to have been a part of this team.” Although soccer is a big part of Matthews’ life, she also enjoys spending time with friends. “Outside of soccer I spend the majority of my time hanging out with friends,” said Matthews . “A lot of the time we go to Lake Washington and swim, play volleyball and listen to music. During the fall season I will go to football games with my friends, but sometimes it is difficult to see my friends when I am at my mom’s house because it is in Kent and none of my friends live out there.” Matthews prepares to receive the throw-in. Page 16 Issue 1 The Chinook - West Seattle High School - October 2015 SPORTS Wildcats win Huling Bowl By Gabrielle Rackner The Huling Bowl. The football game that is anticipated every year, bringing together the two school communities to watch as neighborhood rivals battle for the Huling Bowl trophy. This year marks the 13th Huling Bowl, and 98th Homecoming for West Seattle High School. The first Huling Bowl started in 2002, when the Huling Brothers Dealership, owned by Chief Sealth alumni, was asked to put their name on the annual game between West Seattle and Chief Sealth High School, in order to draw people to the game. They agreed and provided a trophy, and the Huling Bowl was born. This yearly game continued until 2007, when the dealership closed. But the community asked them if they could pick it up again, and in 2008, they did. Even though it is the game between two neighborhood rivals, its founding brought the community together and has for 13 years. However, there is something is special about this year’s game, it is both the Homecoming game and the Huling Bowl. Coming into this game, West Seattle was very confident for a win. Quarterback and defensive back, Carter Golgart, said, “We have been practicing very hard, and I think that there is an extra amount of focus because it is Chief Sealth. I think we will do very well.” Both players and coaches were very optimistic and determined to beat Sealth. Head coach Tom Burggraff, who has coached for 18 years said, “I think that this will be a very great match- up, and I think it is wrong that they [Chief Sealth] know what the trophy looks like.” West Seattle has won nine of the Huling Bowls, although Chief Sealth has won the past three years. But West Seattle was ready to add another win to their Huling Bowl record. “We have a winning streak to reestablish,” said Coach Jeff Ursino. All of the hard work and determination definitely paid off as West Seattle High School beat Chief Sealth 29-6. There were two field goals completed by Mathias Fink and another one by Joe Merlino. Also, two touchdowns were scored by Nate Pryor and another touchdown by Carter Golgart. The whole game was a shutout until a last Seattle Pro-am By Jesse Price The Seattle Pro-am is a basketball event hosted by Jamal Crawford at Seattle Pacific University (SPU). This event occurs every off season of the NBA and is a tournament of many teams with a lot of NBA players in. This year for the first time ever the Seattle Pro-am vs the Drew League from Los Angeles. This event included many NBA players such as Jamal Crawford, Isaiah Thomas, Trevor Ariza, Spencer Hawes, Martell Webster and former NBA player Nate Robinson. This was the first time ever that the Seattle proam hosted the Drew league in a basketball game. I was very fortunate to be able to get into the game as it was packed and over 3,000 people missed out on tickets. The game was very entertaining right from tipoff, the crowd was very loud and it was an extraordinary environment to be in. The Drew league started the game very well behind former NBA player Bobby Brown who was on fire from downtown. One of the best things about this game was that ticket prices were $10 and the profit went towards the Jamal Crawford association. Ten dollars is a very low price if you’re comparing it to a NBA game which this essentially was. This game was hyped all over social media and definitely reached expectations if not exceeding them. There were people lining up to get into the game 12 hours before the gates even opened, this event was first in best served. This event was clearly huge for Seattle as they do not have an NBA team so any taste they can get of NBA basketball you should expect a huge line. Although clearly this game had a lot of positives there were also a few negatives. The negatives consisted of the team list including NBA all-stars Klay Thompson and James Harden who were unfortunately unable to make it. Well I was waiting in line I heard multiple people say that the event should have been holed at Key arena but unfortunately the Seattle Storm had a game on that same night. There were many people who missed out on getting in which just shows furthermore how much Seattle cares about Basketball and we are definitely deserving of having an NBA team in this great city. Well back to the game, although the Drew League got off to an extraordinary start the Seattle pro-am seized control of this game and ended up winning behind 30 points and 10 assist from the creator of the tournament Jamal Crawford. Overall this event was a lot of fun and awesome to watch. The Wildcats won the Huling Bowl trophy back after it spent three years at Chief Sealth High School. second touchdown by Sealth in the last fifteen seconds. West Seattle dominated the game by far. The Wildcats definitely rose up to the challenge, as Chief Sealth was taken down, ending the Sealth Huling Bowl streak. The game meant a lot, and as Coach Ursino put it: “I would rather win the Huling Bowl and lose nine games, than win nine games and lose the Huling Bowl.” And win it they did. Sarver spikes the competition By Julia Vreeman Gabby Sarver, a senior from West Seattle High School, represents the Varsity volleyball team this year with spirit and pride. “Beating Ballard was definitely one of my favorite team moments” says Sarver. It was at 7:00 PM on September 18th at Ballard High School when West Seattle triumphed over the undefeated team. The score was 3-0. As an off-side hitter, Sarver plays front row and back row, attack, block, serve, and play defense. This crucial role has its stresses and pressures. In fact, she’s almost always involved in the action of the game. “Having a fun team with my friends on it always motivates me” she says. Her involvement with the team not only stems from her enjoyment of volleyball but for the love of her team. Being accompanied by friends during each game, practice, win, and loss really helps the team bond. Over a number of years, the team has grown and developed in an amazing way according to Sarver. “When I’m not playing sports or in school, I try and spend as much time as possible with my friends and family”, explained Sarver. Despite being a star athlete of the Varsity volleyball team, she always tries to make time for the important things in life. Issue 1 Page 17 SPORTS The Chinook - West Seattle High School - October 2015 The “run”-down on Cross Country By Gabrielle Rackner What is cross-country? This is the question that a lot of you might be asking. Well, here is a little rundown about the sport and the cross-country team at West Seattle High School. Cross country is a sport where individuals on a team run a 3.1 mile race on trails, grass, cement and all sorts of terrain, hence the name “cross country.” There are typically five schools that we race against at a meet, and around 150 to 200 people racing. In short, cross country is hardcore running on trails against other schools and requires daily training and mental toughness. WSHS has about 50 talented runners on the WSHS cross country team. “Everyone is super supportive. There is a great team vibe and we cheer for each other during races. The team is very close and you get to know people in ways that you wouldn’t during school,” states WSHS runner, Sonya Chin. “On the way to meets everyone is really pumped up and excited for the race,” runner, Caitlin Bell said, “We love to listen to Eye of the Tiger before races on the bus.” The team comradery develops from the summer when the team starts practicing together. Summer training helps to prepare the runners for the vigorous season. As a result, cross-country is a good way to make new friends and get to know people before school starts. On Wednesday nights, the day before the meets, the team has a tradition of having spaghetti dinners at a teammate’s house. “The team dinners are really fun and gives us a good way to carb up before our race the next day. Plus, they are a great way to get the team together and connected on a deeper level,” Emily Cossette, WSHS runner explains. “Team dinners have a fun atmosphere and it is a good way to relax and bond with everyone,” Anna Drew adds. This year, the team is the largest in years. Due to lots of fundraising, the team now has new sleek uniforms to represent the school at meets, which are definitely nicer than the mustard uniforms in years past, which were seven years old. . The meets are usually on Thursdays at Lower Woodlands in Green Lake, or Lincoln Park in West Seattle. The races occur rain or shine, and it is a very exciting sport to watch. Both the boys and girls teams have done very well this year. Also, our pre-race cheer is very intimidating to the other schools because we have such a big team. Cross-country is a very fun and competitive sport, is a great way to stay conditioned for other sports, and our West Seattle Team is really good and supportive. So don’t be afraid to join next year! Fantasy Football talk Born with fins By Gabrielle Rackner In today’s world, Fantasy Football is available at our fingertips with apps and websites. These tools make it much easier to play and very convenient. But before computers and smart phones, mailing in line-ups and trades was how Fantasy Football was played. Back in the day, a commissioner was in charge of keeping track of points. If you needed a last minute line-up change, or to add/ drop players, you had to call the commissioner. The commissioner played a big role in the game. But how did this widely popular played game start? According to The San Diego Tribune, Fantasy Football started in 1962 at Milfred Plaza hotel in New York. This is where Oakland business man, Bill Winkenbach, Oakland reporter Scotty Stirling, and Raiders PR consultant Bill Tunnell first sat down to discuss a game where they could “pick” professional players and add them to “their fantasy team” to score points. Although Fantasy Football started out with just standard head-to-head scoring leagues, today it has evolved to numerous leagues such as PPR, dynasty, auction, salary cap, keeper, and the list goes on. In addition to the variety of leagues, there is also different types of scoring. Standard scoring, which was used in past leagues because of how basic it was, is still popular in older leagues. In today’s leagues, PPR scoring, which accounts for points-per-reception/run is more popular today. Fantasy Football has evolved into something really big, it is played by people of all ages, men and women, a competitive game between family, friends, and coworkers, and has turned into a big social phenomenon. When it comes to Fantasy Footfall, you are rooting for two teams, your hometown football team and your fantasy team. It is sort of like a Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde situation. If you are rooting for the Seahawks, but you are playing against a fantasy team who has Russell Wilson, it is almost as if you do not want them to score when it endangers a win for your Fantasy team. But, sometimes that is the beauty and the downfall of the game. Furthermore, now that you have drafted your team, and are in Week 8, this is where your knowledge and experience has come into play. No matter where you stand, this is not the time to give up or think you are in the playoffs. Anything can happen, and that’s part of the thrill of the game. For a bit of advice, if your win/loss record is 3-5 or 4-4 it is time to start searching the waiver wires and getting rid of injured players and get competitive. If you have a winning record, this is still a good time to start looking at other back up players on the waiver wires (Don’t get too confident just yet). Whether you’ll show signs of being playoff bound or the laughing stock of the league. It is now approaching the half way point of your year, and it is not time to give up yet no matter what your record is. Also, if you are in last place, it is not the time to throw in the towel. Try to make trades if possible and don’t hang onto players that are injured too long. Be sure to not fall in love with players who are injured! It is better to drop them and focus on the players you can pick up and use to help you win games. Fantasy Football is fun and competitive for everyone and a great social aspect for friends and family. But, all in all, at the end of the day it is always about having fun, talking smack and oh yeah, getting your name on that trophy. For those of you new to playing, or just want to know a little more, or sound like you know what’s going on, here is a little glossary of a few terms. Fantasy Football Glossary of Terms: Cheat Sheet: A sheet that ranks players according to fantasy value, separated by position. Handcuff: When you also pick up the back up to one of your stud players. Sleeper: A player usually drafted in later rounds that performs exceptionally well By Lindsey Jensen Swim captain senior, Gabby Carufel, started swimming for West Seattle High School as a freshman. There were only four girls on the coed swim team including herself, captain senior ,Birdie Harvey, senior, Vanessa Kim, and a graduated student, Anne Williamson. Gabby first started on swim team at Arbor Heights swim and tennis club at the age of ten after swim lessons when she was three to the age of five. She started to swim competitively at the age of 12 for King Aquatic, which was a pretty late age in the swimming world. “My favorite memory in my entire life was when I was 12 years old and I won my first big medal. It was my first big meet at a Pacific Northwest swimming championship, swimming the 50 backstroke. When I finished the race I looked up and saw my coach cheering for me. I got to stand on the podium and received my 4th place medal, and in that moment I realized I wanted to swim for the rest of my life.” said Gabby Carufel. Swimming an hour before school, 3 hours after school, seven days a week, and having swim meets on weekends, meant she had learn to manage her time, and quick. When Gabby was just 13 years old, she got an injury ‘Shoulder Impingement’, where her ligaments in her shoulders didn’t keep the bone in place so they roll around in the socket of the pinch nerve. Having to cut back on swimming her sophomore and junior year, Gabby still struggles with having this injury today, but now she knows to not push herself too hard or it will only get worse. Making state her sophomore, junior, and now senior year, she hopes to make junior national cut and the Olympic trials, being only 4 seconds away from the cut for both. “Swimming is one of the best decisions I made in my life. I have met friends for life. There is something about spending three hours in a pool with someone working hard, crying together, and working out together that brings people closer together. And the fact that swimmers have no other life than the pool, school, and homework. It is the commitment that you make when you decide you want to succeed in something that counts,” expressed Gabby Carufel. Page 18 Issue 1 The Chinook - West Seattle High School - October 2015 FUN PAGE Halloween Riddles 1) What do goblins and ghosts drink when They’re hot and thirsty on Halloween? 2) What is a Mummie’s favorite type of music? 3) Why do demons and ghouls hang out together? 4) What do you call a witch who lives at the beach? 5) Why do ghosts go to the disco? 6) Where do young gremlins go to learn? 7) Why didn’t the skeleton tango? 8) Why are turkeys spooky? 9) What tops off a ghost’s ice cream sundae? 10) What is a vampires favorite holiday? (It’s not Halloween.) Issue 1 Page 19 CALENDAR Sunday Monday - West Seattle High School - October 2015 Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday 30 Saturday 31 Halloween 1 2 3 4 Election Day 8 9 10 16 17 11 No School Native American Heritage Month 23 18 12 13 14 19 Fall Play 24 7 Fall Play End of 1st Quarter 22 6 Latino Family Night, Library 6-8 p.m. Veteran’s Day Assembly 15 5 25 20 Fall Play 26Thanksgiving One-hour Early Release Fall Play No School Fall Play 21 Fall Play School Auction 27 28 Black Friday No School Upcoming Sports Schedule: Date: Sport vs. or @ Opponent, time 10/30 Girls Swimming @ metro legue championships,3:30pm 10/30 Football Football Varsity @ SWAC vs. Garfied, 6 p.m. 10/31 Girls Swimming @ metro legue championships,4:00pm 10/31 Cross Country @ 3A SeaKing district championships 12/1 Girls Basketball vs. Evergreen, 7:00 PM 12/2 Boys Basketball vs. Kennedy Catholic, 7:00 PM 12/3 Wrestling @ Roosevelt, 6:00 PM 12/3 Wrestling vs. Rainier Beach @ Roosevelt, 7:30 PM 12/4 Boys Basketball vs. Roosevelt, 8:00 PM 12/4 Boys Swim West Seattle/Ballard/Chief Sealth, 3:30 PM 12/4 Girls Basketball vs. Roosevelt, 6:30 PM 12/4 Gymnastics @ Roosevelt, vs Ingraham/Nathan Hale, 7:00 PM 12/5 Girls Basketball @ North Thurston, 3:30 PM 12/8 Boys Basketball @ Nathan Hale, 7:30 PM 12/8 Wrestling vs. Nathan Hale, 6:00 PM 12/9 Girls Basketball @ Nathan Hale, 7:30 PM 12/11 Gymnastics vs. Ingraham, 7:00 PM 12/11 Boys Basketball @ Chief Sealth, 8:00 PM Winter Sports Begin Monday, November 2, 2015 The Chinook October 2015 West Seattle High School Volume 89 3000 California Ave. SW Issue 1 Seattle, WA 98116