Auburn Riverside Student Voice Nov 15, 2016 • VOLUME 22 • ISSUE #2
TRUMPED First Amendment Rights see page 6
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Election
InFlight November 15, 2016
Trump stuns nation
RIVERSIDE STUDENTS VOTING FOR PRESIDENT
President-elect defies overwhelming odds
Sara Koenig Staff Reporter 2016 HAS BEEN A STRESSFUL POLITICAL ATMOSPHERE lightened only by political memes spread across social media. Political predictions could never have anticipated this. They were far more conservative in their forecasts about how many Trump supporters were in existence than was realistic, as the country now knows. This upset victory is being described as a win by “undercover” or “closet” supporters— people who never mentioned their support for Donald J. Trump except in the ballot box. Freshman Kylie (Max) Niles said, “I believe Trump supporters kept their opinions to themselves. Clinton supporters were the opposite.” It was especially devastating for Hillary Clinton in this election when Trump beat her among white voters without a college degree, in which case 72 percent voted for Trump compared to 23 percent for Clinton. What surprised many, however, was when Trump won the vote of white women by a majority of 53 to 43 percent, the other 10 percent going to a variety of third party candidates. Clinton won a mass majority of African American votes 88 percent to 8 percent for Trump, which was an expected result. It has been called into question whether Florida has a constitutional right to refute nearly 6 million African American citizens right to vote due to prior felony convictions. If the Supreme Court determines this to be voter fraud there may be call for reelection. The nation doesn’t truly have a president as of yet due to the electoral college system. The electoral delegates who the popular vote has just elected will be casting their ballots on Dec. 19. In our system the electoral delegates do not have to vote for who the popular vote casts as president. Upon being asked why he thinks Trump beat Clinton in swing states, Officer Steve Sills, a supporter of Evan McMullin, said “an underlying anger and disappointment in current administration. A desire for change.” Throughout the election people have found things that Trump has said to be outrageous, and even racist. Senior Raymond Rogers, a Trump supporter himself, said “Yeah, I found it shocking when he was brave enough to say things others wouldn’t.”
Greetings from Newspaper
Senior Timothy Thorne, a Clinton supporter, described it as, “I think [Trump supporters] think he’s better because Congress warps their words to make people happy. [Congress] tells them what they want to hear.” In regards to racism it has been heard across the nation about Trump’s plan to “build a wall and make Mexico pay for it.” Thorne said, “I was surprised when he said he wanted to build a wall. I don’t think GRAPH BY MAYA MARTIN he means to build a real wall, I hope it’s a metaphor.” Thorne A recent student poll shows Riverside students voted similarly to Washington State: overwhelmingly in favor of Clinton. National polls across the nation were brought into question after Trump’s win. went on to talk about how important immigration is to our country, though he understands the fear of illegal immigra- When lifted, however, it can’t be known whether the detion and threats it might impose. cline will continue. Economics teacher Bruce Diehl believes Trump had two upcoming court cases: one for fraud that no matter who was elected the US economy would have through Trump University with a court date set the Monday dipped. “Uncertainty has caused this economic crisis and I after Thanksgiving, and another for child rape which was don’t believe it will last long. After every election there is an scheduled for this upcoming December. The charges have economic reaction, either positive or negative.” been dropped for the child rape case with much speculaDiehl believes it is a knee-jerk reaction. “[Trump] can’t tion surrounding why. Trump has been accused of being a make America great again if he doesn’t heal world trade recriminal by numerous Americans. Clinton has been accused lations.” of being an elitist and a criminal. In the end, Americans are shocked. Everywhere there Freshman Atong Miyar said, “Neither [is a criminal] are mixed feelings of fear, dread, and excitement. This could because Donald Trump has only said things but hasn’t done be a new kind of politics. Reflections in upcoming months things. And Hillary’s e-mails don’t have strong evidence.” and years cannot be told just as a great many did not anticiRogers feels Donald Trump is the one to have shaken pate the election of Trump for president. the faculties of the ‘elitists’ in Congress. “Donald Trump “I myself did not expect it because he seemed childish didn’t have the experience compared to Hillary’s 35 years. in the way he presented himself,” Thorne said. He’s living proof anyone can do anything.” Rogers said he had hope for Trump winning. “But HillOn Nov. 8, the stock market plunged overnight around ary Clinton being who she was, having more experience, the world. S&P 500 futures slumped 5 percent following seemed to have more power.” news of Trump pulling ahead of Clinton. The dollar rose Not even Trump appears to have expected this result, 11 percent against the Mexican peso, making what was 18 his closing comments on the eve of elections being that pesos to the dollar on Nov. 7 nearly 20 pesos to the dollar elections are rigged and “America is the laughing stock of on Nov. 8. The stock market has strict no trade policies to the world.” safeguard against a panic that could cause global recession.
editor-in-chief Jessica Perez business manager Sara Koenig photographer PJ Sills social media editor Sasha Terry cover photo Jessica Perez
Bailee bear already has a head start on no shave November. “Nope, don’t need to shave yet! My leg hair is barely noticeable.”
(percentage)
adviser Patrick Swenson
InFlight
staff reporters ZaReah Barren Bella Coronado Alexus Jacobs Chloe Knox Sara Koenig Maya Martin Jessica Perez Kaylee Thompson PJ Sills Sasha Terry Bailee Youngren
InFlight Policies InFlight is compiled by the student newspaper staff at Auburn Riverside High School, 501 Oravetz Road, Auburn, WA 98092. The InFlight staff strives to maintain accurate and objective reporting for our stories. However, opinion stories are included. Any commentary which is signed by the author accounts for his or her opinion only, and not necessarily that of anyone else on staff. An unsigned editorial reflects the majority opinion of the InFlight staff. InFlight accepts student, faculty, and community members’ letters to the editor, artwork, opinions and comments.
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News
Auburn Riverside High School
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Multicultural fair highlights diversity Bella Coronado Staff Reporter This year is the third annual multicultural fair, celebrating our diverse community. The fair will be held at first and second lunch on Nov. 22. It will showcase the many different cultures in our school by including booths set up outside of the Commons, featuring cultural items, foods, and performances. The main goal of the fair this year is to spread positivity and respect towards one another in times of conflict and to unify the community as a whole. Students are encouraged to get involved in the fair, whether they identify with a specific culture or not. The fair gives students the opportunity to see and taste the cultures expressed in the community. Many groups and individuals have been working hard to exhibit their culture. Although similar to previous years, changes are planned for this year’s upcoming fair. “[This year] we are going to have an art show of cultural display,” counselor Karen Brown said. Brown and a number of other students and administrators are working to plan a successful fair. The art show will express creative sides of each culture represented. Brown said the fair will let students and faculty reflect on similarities and differences, as well as feelings of pride for other’s heritage. “[It’s] an opportunity to reinforce the idea of unity,” Brown said. “It’s important this year [because of ] all of the negativity in political campaigns...and some of the racial tension that’s been in our country the last few months.” The multicultural assembly will be on Nov. 23 and will display all dance performances from the different cultures.
PHOTO COURTESY CREATIVE COMMONS,COMMONS.WIKIMEDIA.
Riverside is a very diverse community. Riverside strives to make students of every culture feel welcomed and accepted every day when at school. The annual multicultural fair is a reflection of that.
Student clubs encourage school involvement Chloe Knox Staff Reporter
PHOTO BY CHLOE KNOX
Clubs such as Viscom Club are advertised on the announcements in the morning, on posters around the school and recognized at assemblies.
Numerous clubs meet for an hour or two before or after school. These are a few of the clubs available that students can get involved in. A way to work for community service hours, and still be connected to a school club, is to join Key Club, advised by Kelly Jensen. They meet every Wednesday at 2:40 in room 521. “[In Key Club] we do lots of volunteering and leadership training,” senior Colin Wingate said. In October they volunteered at the Auburn Food Bank Harvest Breakfast. Students can receive volunteer hours for attending these events, which are needed to graduate. “We do not make Keys, we unlock doors of opportunity.” Students who aren’t interested in athletics, or volunteering, or computer science, can join art club. It meets after school on Thursdays from 2:45 to 4:30, in room 507. In Art Club lots of students express their inner artist through drawing. “Art Club is open to all people and is widely renowned
as the greatest student-led organization of all time,” Art Club adviser Christian Miller said. Art Club is a way to get involved, and spend time with friends after school, all while being opened up to different types of art and utensils. Another interesting club at the school is Viscom Club. They have open lab meetings on Tuesday and Thursday before and after school, with advisers Gina and Tyler Sandland. “Essentially [students] are working with everything in the visual communications industry,” Sandland said. They create buttons, learn about photography, video, and computer programs, which are just a few of the topics they work with. They can also compete outside of school in any topic. If students are interested in the Japanese culture, including anime, then Japanese Club is the club for them. They meet on Tuesdays, normally once or twice a month, from 2:45-4:30. “We study the Japanese Culture, food, and anime,” junior Nichole Pabillon said. They also go to Japanese events and have fundraisers to pay for these events.
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News
InFlight November 15, 2016
2017 Scholarships
GE- Reagan Foundation Scholarship This scholarship awards up to $40,000 total per recipiant over three years and is due January 5, 2017. To be eligible one must be a collegebound student who demonstrates leadership, integrity,and a necessity of financial assistance. Applicants must have a 3.0 GPA or higher.
RMHC/HACER Scholarship Awards up to $25,000 and is due January 17, 2017. To be eligible one must be a graduating high school senior and have at least one parent of Hispanic origin. Applicants must have a 2.7 GPA or higher.
Profile in Courage Essay Contest Awards up to $20,000 and is due January 4, 2017. This essay contest is open to all high school students. To be eligible one must submit a 700 1,000 word essay that describes an act of political courage by a U.S elected official who served during or after 1917.
Prisoner murdered despite Yakima gang policy Maya Martin Staff Reporter
PHOTO COURTESY KIMATV.COM
Timothy Denton, a murder victim at the Yakima County Department of Corrections, was killed by rival gang members.
The Yakima County Department of Corrections has been using segregation to keep rival gang members apart in the jail cells, but that method seemed to prove unsuccessful when prisoner Timothy Denton was found stabbed to death by members of an enemy gang on May 11. A corrections officer was supposed to complete a report about Denton before assigning him to a housing unit, but an internal investigation proved he failed to do so. Nevertheless, he was put in a cell with Norteno inmates, a gang he was once opposed to. Although gates kept Denton’s cell from his rivals, security footage on the morning of the assault showed Denton asking guards to let his cell be opened up. They obliged, and let him mingle with the other inmates. According to The Yakima Herald, it was then after the corrections officers had left the unit from a brief walkthrough, 26-year-old Erick Romero and 19-year-old Hilario Sosa stabbed Denton 133 times in the neck, chest, and abdomen with a homemade weapon. The assault was secretive, and apparently unnoticed by all security guards. The next time the victim was spotted, he was already dead.
The staff at YCDC claim that the death couldn’t have been prevented even if the corrections officer had checked that Denton was an enemy of the Norteno gang. They said he would’ve been killed no matter what by being let out of his cell to walk around with his inmates. Some people, though, such as principal Dave Halford, aren’t sure whether or not it could have been prevented. “Well, I’d have to have more information,” he said. “There are 4 sides to every story. Somewhere in there is the truth.” Students all over feel strongly towards or against the methods being used to segregate prisoners, so that another murder doesn’t occur. “[I wouldn’t use segregation methods because] once they get out into the real world, it’s going to affect them,” junior Iman Waquo said. “They can’t communicate with each other in jail.” Still, though, there is a mystery; nobody is 100 percent clear why Romero and Sosa murdered Denton, although some people are pretty sure they have figured it out. “Detectives have said that Denton’s killing appears gang-related, but no clear motive has been established,” The Yakima Herald states.
News
Auburn Riverside High School
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Humans cause harbor seal deaths Jessica Perez Editor-in-Chief
PHOTO COURTESY CREATIVE COMMONS LICENSE, WIKIMEDIA.ORG
Since June 30, several harbor seals have been found dead for unknown reasons along Washington’s coasts. In September a harbor seal was found dead along one of the migrating Orca trails on San Juan Island. What surprised marine biologists was that it was not killed by an Orca; the seal had dried up for no apparent reason. The marine biologists sent the seal to be tested in the laboratory only to find that the cause of death was being touched with human bacteria. Since then, four other cases have opened because seals been found dead or dried up due to them having human contact. According to an article posted by Western Washington University, over 2,000 harbor seals have died due to humans touching them or picking them up. Just recently, a woman carried a pup off a beach with her because she thought it had been abandoned. Later that day, she called the aquarium, but by the time they contacted wildlife officials, the seal had died. “People don’t abide by the law,” marine
biology teacher Phil Myka said. “You’re supposed to stay 100 meters away by law. On the flip side, the seal population is pretty dense right now, so I don’t think it has a big impact. It goes both ways.” In Washington State it is illegal to touch a harbor seal because they are a protected species under the Federal Marine Mammal Act. According to the Department of Ecology, “from 1947 to 1960 a bounty was placed on seals because it was believed they ate significant amounts of commercially valuable fish. During that time it is estimated 17,000 seals were killed.” Because of this, harbor seals have several areas such as beaches, rocks, and shores that are protected especially for them and they can no longer be hunted. Those who find themselves around a seal they believe is in distress or stranded should contact West Coast Marine Mammal Stranding Network Hotline at 1.866.767.6114 or the NOAA Seal Hotline on 1.866.767.6114. “The best thing people can do to help marine mammals on the beach is to leave them alone, staying 100 yards away, if possible,” the NOAA said in the news release.
New staff members impress Ravens Bailee Youngren Staff Reporter Last issue, three of the newest teachers were introduced. This issue features four more new staff members: intervention counselor Charlena Moultine, college prep adviser Sam Washington, language arts instructor Colton Schneider and athletic trainer Mac Murphy. Charlena Moultine shares her time here and at West Auburn and she loves it here. One of the biggest differences she says she has is that West Auburn is a very tiny school compared to Riverside. She says that before she came to the school she was really nervous but was very pleased with the outcome. “My favorite part is getting paid to hang out with kids,” Moultine said, “I love giving kids the oportunity to just be seen and be heard”. Moultine is here Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and every other Friday ready to talk to any students. Sam Washington is here to help prepare students on the road to college. When applying for his position he was supposed to work at Auburn Mountainview, but he is really liking it here. “Getting to work with different students with all kinds of different backgrounds is my favorite part,” Washington said.
Colton Schneider applied to the school and is really happy that he was chosen to work here. Schneider would say that his favorite part of the new school experience is the communication between the students and teachers. “It’s a great profession, especially if you like kids,” Schneider said. He enjoys seeing his students every day and says that sometimes he just, “goes with the flow. It’s something new every day.” According to freshman Jordan Robinson, Mac Murphy, the new athletic trainer, is a very patient and hardworking motherly figure for all teams. Freshman Justice Knox said Murphy works hard at her job because she herself has broken almost every bone in her body and stays busy working so those involved in a sport do not end up in that same position. When not on the field, Murphy is busy taping up players for their after school games or practices. Murphy comes in ready for her players around one thirty every afternoon.
Carlenea Moultine
Sam Washington
(Athletic trainer Mac Murphy was unavailable for photo)
Colton Schneider
Opinion LOCKDOWN 6
ZaReah Barren Staff Reporter Recently in our country and in our area, several schools have been going into lockdown because of threats in and around their areas. In some school shootings, the intruder(s) have been able to get into the school even when the school was in a lockdown. Or when the school doors were locked, such as what happened with the Sandy Hook Elementary shooting. There are different kinds of lockdowns for different situations. One lockdown situation is when there is a weapon present, a person out of control, threats made by a person, or anything else along those lines. “In this case we will tell over the intercom what the suspicious persons are wearing,” Principal Dave Halford said. “The teachers close the doors, close and cover windows and keep people away from them. We hold the lockdown until the police come and say it’s safe.” Schools across the country try their best to maintain student safety and be prepared in case of an attack. Of course, nothing is perfect, but other measures exist that have yet to be taken. Actual school lockdown systems are available now, and I think schools should be trying to take advantage of them. These systems can be a life or death scenario to the people inside the building. These include products such as ControlByWeb, which will lock down a facility in less than one second—with the use of a panic button. According to Total Security Solutions, “The most cost-effective and sensible solution for most schools is to secure the main entryway by installing a bullet resistant barrier [not bullet proof windows] that complements the other security measures being taken at the school.” Although an exaggeration, there are better methods of protecting schools during a lockdown than this option. Schools can install bullet resistant barriers, or automated systems that go into effect with the push of a button.
PHOTO BY PJ SILLS
The difference between bullet proof and bullet resistant is that bullet resistant can resist a certain level of pressure, such as shotguns and rifles, and bullet proof can resist much more without penetration. Bullet proof windows are costly, so in order to help schools stay safe from intruders or threats, this is a very viable option. According to the Education Commission of the States, Washington allows individual institutions to make the final determination concerning the presence of concealed weapons on campus. This is really insane to me. I don’t understand why we aren’t doing everything we can to help ensure students’ safety. Even the Federal government can get involved, because some students are under the age of eighteen, and our protection should be on a priority list. Lawmakers and government officials say they are saddened by the recent shootings in our country, but it doesn’t seem like they plan on putting stricter laws down to help reduce the number of shootings. We are required by the law to go to school; they could at least help us feel safe on campuses. Hopefully in the future, we as a community can take charge and band together to demand a change in our school lockdown systems. They are okay now, but there is always room to improve and schools need to take steps to gaining more control of their campuses. They can make use of the variety of systems and tools at bay to make it a safe environment for students and staff. Of course every system has its flaws, but I think if we started with small measures then grew bigger, like with the bullet resistant barriers, we could help make everyone feel a little bit more safe on school campuses.
InFlight November 15, 2016
Jessica Perez Editor-in-Chief
F
irst amendment rights are taken really seriously in the United States, especially by teenagers who feel like they know everything. Auburn schools try to protect the first amendment rights of their students, but they tend to limit the freedom of speech part when it comes to students speaking freely about the news or saying things that make the school “look bad.” Limiting anyone’s First Amendment right is wrong even if they are seen as “just students.” Students are still United States citizens, and people, so we deserve to have our rights respected, just like everyone else. Of course there is an appropriate way to speak at school, but schools should do no more than emphasize that, not punish students for speaking their own way and saying what’s on their mind. A common way all schools limit their students’ freedom of speech is the dress code. The dress code is in our handbook and a majority of schools have it. This code, as necessary as it may be, restricts freedom of speech by not letting students express themselves through their clothing. According to the Auburn City Schools handbook, “clothing must be in good taste for the age and maturity of the student.” So basically what this is saying is that a student in Auburn can’t wear something they like because it may be “bad taste.” That should not be in the dress code because what’s seen as bad taste to someone could be good taste to someone else. Limiting a student in that way is the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard. The dress code, however, is not the worst limitation. Recently, Mt. Baker Middle School announced to their students that they could not talk about the
clown situation or how they felt about it. If anyone did, they would be suspended. Let me just say it is in no way acceptable to tell a middle-school-aged child that they are not allowed to speak about how they feel. The clown situation was reported on in the news and it is not illegal to talk about the news. Yes, I fully understand that middle schoolers blow things out of proportion, but that is not a reasonable argument for why they are not allowed to speak about something—they are not committing a crime, or threatening to dress up as clowns. They simply want to express how they feel about it. “You can talk about whatever you want, it’s just an event,” freshman Damin Chalmers said. “It’s not like it will bring a clown to the school.” Although several schools in Auburn choose to limit their students’ free speech, some schools try to protect student’s first amendment rights as much as they can. Such as: when football players at Riverside started taking a knee during the national anthem and Principal Dave Halford sent out a letter to parents explaining that students have a right to peacefully protest. The letter stated, “I regret the pain and discomfort these actions may cause to any members of our community, but hard won freedoms cannot be discarded because of discomfort or disagreement.” This is an example of a school handling an incident in a well-fashioned manner and not choosing to revoke this right such as other schools have. Although this is a stepping stone, there is still work to be done. Many schools continuously and knowingly deprive students of their rights and that is something that needs to change.
Opinion
Auburn Riverside High School
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Animal rights not respected Sasha Terry Staff Reporter Animal cruelty and abuse is a serious problem in our society. Many owners have been treating animals unfairly by physically hurting them and making them feel miserable. Animals should also be cared for and be able to live healthy lifestyles without being abused or mistreated. According to Progressive Animal Welfare Society, “Animal cruelty is when someone hurts an animal or does not care for an animal responsibly. It is against the law to be cruel to or harm animals, even your own pets.” In addition, many pets have faced adversity by being abused by their owners. Puppy mills contain animals being forcibly bred for profit. Animal hoarding in one home has caused them to feel miserable and malnourished. Also, dog fighting has been a serious issue for dog abuse. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) has rescued many animals from neglect by promoting the safety of them on television advertisements. According to the
ASPCA, “dog fighting is a type of blood sport in which dogs are forced to fight for the entertainment of and/ or profit of spectators.” Factory farm animals including pigs, chickens, and cows live in tight spaces, in big sheds with tons of other animals. These animals never get to see the sun and they grow weak over time. The crowding of factory farm animals in one place causes them to fight each other. Because of this, they face fatal health conditions from being overfed and abused. Many animals can’t walk and they choose to give up. Some people decide to go vegan, eliminating all meat and dairy products because they don't want to be a part of the animal abuse in factory farms. Going vegan reduces one’s intake of saturated fat, cholesterol and proteins, but people can get their proteins from beans, nuts, and other protein products. Animal abuse is recognized in all 50 states, and it is illegal on account of the Prevent Animal Cruelty and Torture Act passed by Congress in May 2015. The act states that if a person commits animal abuse, they can be charged for a felony. There are exceptions for this law, including scientific research,
PHOTO COURTESY OF CREATIVE COMMONS LICENSE, WIKIPEDIA.ORG
Dog in shelters have often been abused by their owners. Animal abuse is a serious issue in our nation and violators should be accountable.
pest control and self-defense from an animal causing harm. To help save animals from being abused, one should take the time to make a donation to an organization that helps the animals
and their well-being. One could also adopt a pet, from a shelter so they can still have a good life after being abused or abandoned.
Pumpkin spice craze dominates store shelves Maya Martin Staff Reporter Bailee Youngren Staff Reporter The season of everything orange is finally here, and fall is in the air. But are people getting too carried away with the phrase “pumpkin spice and everything nice?” The little additions like coffee and seasonal almonds were the start, but companies have taken it too far. I mean, do we really need tampons and toilet paper smelling like pumpkin pie? The usual soup styled ramen is now a seasonal option for Thanksgiving dinner too. According to BBC news, sales of pumpkin spice products have grown by 79 percent since 2011, totalling $361 million in 2015 ending July 25, compared to $201 million six years ago. But the craze doesn’t stop there. People want so many foods drizzled, sprinkled, or powdered in pumpkin spice that, after spring hits and stores rid their shelves of it, an underground black market secretly sells the popular flavor on eBay. “I would make pumpkin spice bleach so my clothes smell like pumpkin spice,” sophomore Mckenna Price said. Junior Ethan Clever had the same idea, but with shoes that possess the seasonal
scent to save those maintaining an unbearable feet smell. On the other hand, CNBC has an interesting find: “About 37 percent of consumers purchased a pumpkin-flavored item. So even if pumpkin items are everywhere (even dog food!), not everyone is biting.” This is what America has come to, feeding animals flavored food that humans enjoy. And, honestly, there doesn’t seem to be that many customers purchasing the fallfestive products. I’ve seen them dotting every wall of the grocery store, proving that there are more products rotting away on shelves than shoved into a customer’s shopping cart. Yet, brands keep producing more and more, completely filling the stores. Every corner of the local Safeway or Walgreens has these seasonal outbreaks all through the aisles. I mean, I can handle pumpkin spice cookies and such, but do we really need spiced Doritos? It’s not like your Great Aunt Elga is going to lean over the table at Thanksgiving dinner and splutter, “Dear, would you be so kind as to hand me a pumpkin Dorito chip?” Come on, food products, you’re stretching it way too far. Overall, it is a wonderful scent and small edition to the fall essentials, but it is only so long until stores start selling it year
round. They need to try and branch out with different scents and flavors because, if this continues, it will become pumpkin spice overload. You were good in the beginning,
pumpkin spice, but now it’s time I get over you and move on to newer and more diverse flavors.
PHOTO COURTESY OF CREATIVE COMMONS LICENSE, WIKIPEDIA.ORG
Pumpkin spice products are dominating the shelves at stores. Items range from gum, to chips, and many products in between.
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Feature
InFlight November 15, 2016
Addictive pharmaceuticals cause harm Bailee Youngren Staff Reporter The American population has become overwhelmingly controlled by an addiction to pain medication, both over-the-counter and prescription. According to the Center for Disease Control and World Health Organization, more deaths per year have been caused by overdose than car accidents. In fact, every day approximately 50 Americans die from prescription painkiller overdose. Prescription drug abuse is a global problem and America is the world’s biggest addict. According to drugwatch .com and The New York Times, America accounts for 99 percent of the world’s hydrocodone (Vicodin) consumption, 80 percent of the world’s oxycodone (Percocet and Oxycontin) consumption, and 65 percent of the world’s hydro-
morphone (Dilaudid) consumption. All of these drugs are for moderate to severe pain and can be severely addictive. Instead of doing the natural thing and relieving the pain by drinking water and resting, Americans are more likely to turn straight to a pain killer, which may lead to side effects such as stomach pain, causing the perosn to consume another medication, and so on. This is the starting of the problem: people are getting themselves in a spiral effect and cannot stop. When drugs or medication come to mind, most people think of the artificial “high,” although it’s not always like that. Anyone and everyone can get addicted; we’re all human. Whether it’s to get that headache to go away or settle that upset stomach due to eating something not yet used to, most of us turn to the pills. Visits to the emergency room for people over 65 have increased 50 percent in 2011. The ratio of five in six Americans over the
age 65 are taking one medication daily, and 50 percent of that is taking three or more medications. Seniors have the highest death rate from the overdose of drugs. There are 23,000 deaths a year, and more than 70 percent is a result of painkiller overdose. Drug misuse is also affecting adolescents. The percentages of the misuse of drugs from ages 12 to 17 have gone up to 2.2 percent in 2013. Most of those teenagers have acquired the nonprescription drugs from family members . . . for free. Everyone has their reason to be on the artificial “high.” Teens might be having the same issue as celebrities. They feel they have expectations to uphold, not getting enough sleep and abusing the amount of drugs they take. Those who abuse drugs the most are those who take drugs prescribed to someone else, not knowing the dangers that they could possibly encounter.
According to DrugWatch, the number of deaths due to a drug overdose have quadrupled since 1999, and are continually going up, along with the amount of money being spent on pharmaceuticals. In 2014, Americans spent over $1 trillion on drugs alone. All in all, pain management through pharamceuticals is a serious issue that affects many, and mostly occurs in the United States. Addiction is a 50/50 problem based on coping skills and poor genetic predisposition.
PHOTO COURTESY OF CREATIVE COMMONS, GOOGLEBOOKS.COM
PJ Sills Staff Reporter Which have you given more of today, a text or a smile? Over the past decade, social media has consumed people’s worlds and minds. It’s about convenience, ease of communications. We have the ability to instantly get in touch with thousands of people by simply reaching into our pockets and typing in a passcode. “You get to share stories and memories with those around you,” junior Kevin Warnick said. “I feel like I’m missing out or I’m not updated without it.” Along with convenience there are even more benefits. “There’s so much info and knowledge you can gather,” art teacher Christian Miller said. “However, while I do think people should be be allowed to use it, some need to be more responsible about it.” These disputes online then typically tend to transfer to the real world and cause discomfort depression and humility for those targeted. “In about the past month, I’ve had a handful of kids come to me about problems regarding something online, and that’s just
me,” Miller added. Cyberbullying is a whole new animal on the verge of escaping its cage. People automatically become a hundred times tougher when they have the privilege of hiding behind a screen. “Without social media people would appreciate the ability to communicate with others face to face,” sophomore Lexi Praudins said. “People are always arguing online and causing trouble.” Over 80 percent of teens use a cell phone with access to the internet, according to DoSomething.org, exposing the majority of kids to internet oppression. Although, there are also benefits to social media that can’t be achieved without it. “We have the ability to share news and ideas,” Warnick said. “Society would feel disconnected without it.” Yet, even with the connectivity we are granted from social media, our generation of people is so distracted and absent-minded, inconsiderate. “You don’t get someone’s emotion, their tone of voice through a text,” Praudins said. “Friends can use it to stay in touch, but it’s not the same as talking to someone in person.” The memories you share with people, the love you share ultimately outshines anything
on the screen. You don’t create your story by addicted. “People need the gratification of a like,” pressing a few buttons and adding pictures or Miller said. “They get stuck in their social videos for your friends to swipe past. lives and forget about what really matters.” “Things online are short, instant, they Th is day and age society is engulfed by erase and mean nothing,” Miller said. snaps, tweets, and dm’s. As a whole, while Without social media, we wouldn’t be social media has its pros, it’s on us not to able to stay in touch with what’s going on abuse the power we are granted from it, and around the world, be updated by the minute, use it with maturity. all thanks to social media. Yet, you can look back and see that civilization was perfectly fine for thousands of years before social media even existed. “I can’t think what life would really be like if we didn’t have social media,” Warnick said. “It’s become such a big part of everyone’s lives that it would be odd if we didn’t have it.” Should the primary focus of our lives be checking Snapchat every ten minutes or should it be really getting to know people around us and establishing connections? “Social media is never going away, it’s already too huge and too many people enjoy it,” Praudins PHOTO BY PJ SILLS said. Social media has become such Senior Jerena Layacen puts on a funny face as she uses an integral part of our lives, we’re all Snapchat to snap a selfie to a friend.
Feature
Auburn Riverside High School
Who’s behind locker #...
Jafet Lopez
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Bonnie Bates
Boone Tate
Garrett Mehl
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InFlight: How many pets do you have? JL: None. InFlight: What’s your favorite TV show? JL: Flash. InFlight: How many hours of sleep do you get? JL: Seven or eight. InFlight: What’s your favorite social media app? JL: Facebook. InFlight: What’s your favorite class? JL: Digital Photo. InFlight: Who’s your best friend? JL: Joel Fargias. InFlight: Are you in any sports? JL: I might go for soccer. InFlight: Who’s your favorite artist? JL: Bruno Mars. InFlight: Are you in a relationship? JL: No.
InFlight: What’s your favorite snack? BB: Goat cheese. InFlight: Do you prefer dogs or cats? BB: Dogs. InFlight: What’s your hardest class? BB: Algebra. InFlight: What’s your favorite movie? BB: Van Helsing with Hugh Jackman. InFlight: Are you part of a squad? BB: I’ve latched onto one, but it’s not mine. InFlight: What was your favorite summer movie? BB: Iron Giant. InFlight: What do you do right after school? BB: I lock myself in my room. Do stress relief. InFlight: What’s your favorite piece of clothing? BB: Over-sized hoodies.
InFlight: Nutella or Peanut Butter? BT: Nutella. InFlight: Are you a Seahawks fan? BT: Sure. InFlight: What’s your favorite show? BT: Breaking Bad. InFlight: Do you like beanies? BT: Not really. InFlight: Are you planing on going to college? BT: Yep. InFlight: Do you have an iPhone? BT: Yes. InFlight: Are you a fan of Ramen Noodles? BT: Yeah. InFlight: Do you run hot or cold? BT: Hot. InFlight: Do you put your socks on first or sock, shoe, sock, shoe? BT: Socks on first.
InFlight: What’s your favorite fruit? GM: Apples. InFlight: Are you involved in any sports? GM: Nope. InFlight: Do you think JV is as important as varsity? GM: No. InFlight: What’s your favorite article of clothing? GM: Jacket. InFlight: What kind of music do you listen to? GM: Metal. InFlight: What’s your favorite restuarant? SH: IHOP. Inflight: Have you ever been somehwere outside the United States? GM: Canada. InFlight: Who’s your favorite teacher? GM: Ms. Bardsley.
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InFlight November 15, 2016
Stopping pollution saves sea animals Alexus Jacobs Staff Reporter Our oceans have been polluted not once, nor twice, or even a hundred times. The pollution of the Earth’s biggest body of water has been a reoccurring problem for years. Now that things have worsened to its possible peak, experts and concerned citizens alike have thought of ways to clean our oceans. “[I think we let it get this bad] because we don’t give a crap about the environment,” freshman Lani Marshall said. Pollution of the ocean has taken several different forms. Two damaging and hard to clean materials of ocean pollution are oil and plastic. According to National Geographic, “Plastics that end up as ocean debris contribute to habitat destruction and entangle and kill tens of thousands of marine animals each year.” Essentially, plastic is a solid form of oil so it makes sense that they both have similar effects on the ecosystem. Plastic is damaging the ocean because it absorbs toxins from the water then poisons any animal that finds it as a tasty treat. Also, because plastic isn’t biodegradable, it never breaks down, so it’s always floating there slowly killing the ocean ecosystems. A foundation named The Ocean
Cleanup, owned and founded by Boyan Slat, has created a system of cleaning plastic that is prepared to launch in late 2017. The system is made of floating booms and processing platforms of which separate the plastic particles from plankton. The system was meant to keep from having to move through the ocean and just make an array that acts as a giant funnel, removing 7,250,000 tons of plastic waste from the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. But instead of people standing by and watching the magic happen, American civilians can also lend a hand to cleaning up all the plastic and oil from the marine ecosystems. Consumers can make better, sustainable seafood choices when shopping. Instead of choosing exploited seafood , buy fish that is sustainable to keep from taking endangered species from their population. We can also be ocean-friendly pet-owners. Cat litter contains pathogens that are not to be flushed down the toilet, as it winds up going to the ocean and harms marine life. Buying and using less plastic products is another way to help. Just remember the 3 R’s: reduce, reuse, and recycle. Some examples of this is bringing a reusable grocery bag to the store or using a reusable water bottle. Recycle plastic waste or just simply buy less plastic materials. Always clean up
PHOTO COURTESY CREATIVE COMMONS LICENSE, WIKIMEDIA.ORG
Marine life, like this albatross, are dying as they eat plastic.
after yourself when at the beach or even encourage others to watch out for the marine environment to take care of local beaches. Climate change can be reduced by walking to school instead of getting a ride or even carpooling. You can also take the stairs, bundle up during the winter and turning off water/lights when not in use. “[There are] simple ways of cleaning your own garbage,” sophomore Kennedy
Inkster said. Some people think that the government could also lend a hand in keeping the environment clean. The Dutch government is funding part of Slat’s 1.5 million euro prototype to test in the North Sea. According to The Huffington Post, the government up until now was not able to clean our oceans but now are starting to get serious about this issue.
Thanksgiving events take place in Seattle ZaReah Barren Staff Reporter Thanksgiving break starts with a half day on Nov. 23. With no school until the next Monday, there are many places to go over this five-day holiday weekend. The Macy’s Holiday Parade starts at 9 a.m. on Nov. 27. The parade starts on the corner of 7th Avenue and Pine St. in Seattle. The parade will have movie characters, local community groups and floats to get everyone into the Thanksgiving and holiday spirit. Also on Thanksgiving is the Westlake Holiday Lighting Celebration from 4 to 5 p.m. This is when they light the Westlake Mall tree, which is an annual event. There will be entertainment until the actual lighting of the tree at the end of the hour. Both of these events will be followed by a firework show on the side of Macy’s if the weather permits it. The events are all free to attend. Of course, there are the events that will run from Thanksgiving to Christmas or even New Year’s. The first of these activities is the Nutcracker Ballet, taking place from Nov. 25 - Dec. 28. The ballet is featured at the
McCraw Hall in Seattle Center. Opening weekend—the 25, 26 and 27—are all free to attend. According to pnb.org, “George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker is approximately 2 hours including one intermission. The lobby opens two hours before each performance.” Another way to get into the holiday spirit is to attend the Gingerbread Village running from Nov. 22 to Jan. 1. The event will be located in the Seattle Sheraton Hotel’s lobby. According to sheratonseattle. com, “each year the Sheraton Hotel culinary team and top local architecture firms and builders’ association design, bake and delight you with larger than life gingerbread exhibit.” This is the 24th annual Gingerbread village, and is free to the public. There is also a Christmas tree festival, called Festival of Trees. The display will be out Nov. 20 to Nov. 30. The display is held at the Fairmont Olympic Hotel in Seattle. These trees will also be on sale for $3,000 before Nov. 19. After this date the trees will go up to $4,000. SIFF Film Center is showing Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory in Smell-O Vision. This will be the 1971 version starring Gene Wilder. The movie runs from Nov. 25
to Jan. 2, and is 100 minutes long. The movie will cost $15 general admission and $14 for youth and seniors. This Thanksgiving weekend has many events going on, but there are also many
more events that will continue throughout the 2016 holiday season. Most events are free to attend, so Thanksgiving this year could involve attending one or two or all.
PHOTO COURTESY CREATIVE COMMONS LICENSE, FLICKR.COM
Thanksgiving Day parades are a must on some peoples’ agendas.
Feature 11 Thanksgiving traditions keep families close Auburn Riverside High School
Chloe Knox Staff Reporter With Thanksgiving just around the corner, many families are cleaning their houses, starting their shopping and planning out their meals. With the holiday itself coming up, many traditions start to recover, and many are stressing about how to entertain their guests during dinner. According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, a tradition is “a way of thinking, behaving, or doing something that has been used by the people in a particular group, family, society, etc., for a long time.” Many families have the same common traditions such as eating turkey and having family and friends over for dinner. What makes Thanksgiving meaningful to individual families are the special traditions they create or share. “My family [always] goes for a run the day after [Thanksgiving],” sophomore Cameron Kaku said. Traditions are passed down the family tree, as well as created with new generations. Most families have the traditional dinner including turkey and some form of potatoes, whether they be mashed, sweet, or baked. Pies and cakes such as cheesecake are typical for dessert.
“I [always] help my mom bake [dinner],” freshmen Rachel Deyneka said. Thanksgiving dinner preparation is a huge part of many lives. The shopping, cleaning, activity prepping, and cooking can take multiple days to be completed. Kaku, Deyneka, and sophomore Angelina Pogosian said that spending time with their family is something they do every Thanksgiving. More and more traditions come about when the family grows, or just when different family members attend or don’t attend the dinner, as Deyneka mentioned. Sharing what one is thankful for, watching or tossing around a football, playing games as a family and other traditions such as these bring families together. “Family is really important,” Pogosian said. “Keeping the [Thanksgiving] values [or traditions] is important.” Some think that it is important for different families to have different traditions, so that they can have something to look forward to each holiday season, an activity that not every other family is doing as well. Others, however, such as Pogosian, say that it’s “not important to society,” but, if it means something to the family, then they should do it. Holiday traditions are what one remem-
PHOTO COURTESY CREATIVE COMMONS LICENSE, WIKIPEDIA.ORG
A family tradition can be something as small as eating the same thing for dinner every year. Many families have a tradition of having turkey for Thanksgiving dinner.
bers for all their life, watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in the morning, or going Black Friday shopping late Thursday
night. No matter what it may be, traditions keep families entertained, cherishing every last minute.
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InFlight November 15, 2016
PUMPKIN RICOTTA STUFFED SHELLS: Ingredients: 24 jumbo pasta shells 1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil 22 oz. fat-free ricotta 1 can pumpkin puree 2 1/2 oz. Pecorino Romano 1 large egg white 2 cloves garlic 1 c. fresh basil 1 tbsp. finely chopped fresh sage 1 tsp. salt 1 tsp. freshly ground pepper 1 jar store-bought tomato sauce
Steps: 1. Cook pasta shells according to package instructions; drain. Transfer to a baking sheet and drizzle with oil. Set aside and let cool. 2. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, stir together ricotta, pumpkin, 3/4 cup Pecorino Romano, and remaining ingredients, except tomato sauce. 3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spread sauce in bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Fill each pasta shell with about 3 tablespoons ricotta-pumpkin mixture and arrange in pan. Cover pan with foil and bake for 30 minutes. 4. Remove foil, sprinkle shells with remaining Pecorino, and bake for 15 minutes more. (If desired, stuff shells the night before and refrigerate overnight in an airtight container, in between layers of plastic wrap; arrange shells on sauce right before baking.)
This recipe thanks to countryliving.com
Artist of the Issue: Sabrina Carpenter Alexus Jacobs Staff Reporter
Here are five top songs from her newest album: 1.
On Purpose
2.
Thumbs
3.
Run and Hide
4.
Shadows
5.
All We Have Is Love
Sabrina Carpenter’s second album, EVOLution, came out on sale Oct. 14, 2016. Sabrina was born on May 11, 1999. Along with the title of a singer, Sabrina also stars on the Disney Channel show Girl Meets World as Maya Hart. After her split with her boyfriend, Bradley Steven Perry, she wrote the single “Smoke & Fire.” Fans began to wonder if the song was based on the singer’s heartbreak and it seems as if it was. Bradley threw some shade on social media, suggesting he was jealous of her guy friends. My favorite song from EVOLution is “All We Have Is Love.” In this song, Sabrina experiments with a new sound that suits her well. This song is one of many great tracks off of Carpenter’s new album. Sabrina is beginning to sound more mature and this album really shows her growth. Sabrina’s tour brought her to Neumos in Seattle on Nov. 3.
Feature
Auburn Riverside High School
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Gratefulness surrounds Thanksgiving Kaylee T hompson Staff Reporter It’s that time of the year again. The holidays are back. Individuals all over the world give thanks for people, things, or forces in their lives. What are high school students most thankful for? Being thankful ranges from big things, luxuries like cars, phones, TV, jewelry, to ‘small’ items or necessities such as water, food, housing, etcetera. According to Odyssey Online, kids in America don’t think about small necessities in everyday life that humans take for granted: health, abilities, opportunities, family, rights, clothes, hygiene products, home, food and water, electricity, choices, freedom. Americans take advantage of things that we should be thankful for every day. The little things people in other places around the world couldn’t even fathom. Everybody comes from different backgrounds: experiences and environment have a lot to do with what we are grateful for. In an article by College Magazine, social media is making people become selfish and always wanting more; never having enough. The image people put out, people only show
what they want you to see. “I think social media enforces bragging tendencies, especially on Facebook and Instagram,” Miranda Curry, a communication arts major at UW-Madison said. “If you get a job or buy something nice for yourself, the first thing you do is share it online. I think this supports more of a ‘one-upping each other’ mentality.” Everybody has something that they wish they could change about their lives. A recent student poll determined that 70 percent of teenagers here are thankful for their families. This includes principal Dave Halford, who is most thankful for his “health and my family’s health.” Next closest to family was house and friendships. Lower percentages came down to education, pets and animals, the life that students live and romantic relationships. Sophomore Melissa Shaffer said her family was most important to her. “They take care of me, they support me, they love me.” Sophomores Isaiah Shin and Cody Bounma answered the question of what they’re thankful for at the same time. “BFFs,” they said, wrapping their arms around each
IMAGE COURTESY CREATIVE COMMONS LICENSE, ATLARGEINC.COM
others’ shoulders. Studies have shown that being grateful can increase one’s well-being and happiness and lead to increased levels of energy, optimism, and empathy. Students seem to be caught up with
having the next best thing, and social media is a big part of their every day lives. Teenagers showing off on social media might make them feel small and forget what they have: the small things we need to give thanks for every day.
Bella Coronado Staff Reporter
detect what they still need to learn. Smarter Balance test scores are also considered now when colleges are picking applicants. Something new that has been introduced this year as a school pilot are 21st Century Skills, which create new requirements for students participation in the classroom. The skills include basic ideas of critical thinking, problem solving and analysis. Classrooms this year have been heavily emphasizing these skills and teachers have been encouraged to incorporate them into their everyday curriculum. The initial idea of 21st Century Skills are to center students around a career path. The skills are believed to prepare students for the workforce, helping them succeed in their desired job. The system has worked in achieving the fundamental communication development in students’ participation in the school setting. This includes student-initiated discussions and collaboration. Despite the requirements, teachers are constantly changing the way they plan to teach. “[Now] teachers can add to what they do,” said Halford. Education systems are always changing, showing exponential results in graduation rates and test scores. The school as a whole will gradually experience more changes, affecting students and teachers in a number of ways.
Educational improvements increase graduation rates PHOTO COURTESY CREATIVE COMMONS LICENSE, COMMONS.WIKIMEDIA.ORG
The Common Core educational system creates certain standards necessary for students’ acheivements in their education.
The U.S educational system has changed exceedingly in the past years. Changes in the requirements for tests and the way curriculum is taught have brought new challenges to students. A controversial topic, the Common Core system has been in the school system for a while now, guiding teachers and students toward a “career-ready path.” Increasing education rates have been reflected in the success of the Common Core educational system. It’s goal is to let teachers base their curriculum off of the suggested standards. These standards put every student on the same level regarding academics. “It sets a bar or standard,” Principal Dave Halford said. “All kids receive the same education.” One goal of the Washington Superintendent of Public Instruction is to accustom the standardized tests to each individual student. However, students have complained that the strict and heavy approach the Smarter Balanced test evokes is not fit for students with learning disadvantages. “Teaching is always a practice,” Halford said. “Teachers are always refining it...seeing what works best.” According to the OSPI website, “tests present an individually tailored set of questions to each student,” which can help teachers and the state of Washington identify the skills a student has completed, and
InFlight November 15, 2016 Arts & Entertainment Hollywood proves creative among autumn audiences
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Timeless
Timeless is a wondrous, fantastical new television show about a historian, a time traveler, and a soldier traveling through time in an attempt to keep an invasive criminal from unraveling the very strings holding the future together. Each trip changes things in miniscule ways unexpectedly, and leads to grief, desperation and temptations. When one character loses a loved one, another may find their wife has returned from the dead. In exchange for their mother, they learn that their father was not really their father. The person who you loved no longer knows who you are, and another loves you more than anything in the world. What would you do if you could change the fate of time? What would you do if it was your job to make sure nothing changed? It’s an impossible job, but one which leads to impossible adventure, mystery, and deception. —Sara Koenig
The Good Place
The Good Place, starring Kristen Bell, is a show about a place where only the nicest and best of the best go after they die. Eleanor Shellstrop (Kristen Bell) goes to the “Good Place” after she dies, but she knows that there was a mess up and she is not actually supposed to be there. Soon enough, bad things like storms start happening because she is upsetting the balance of the whole community. Everyone has a soul mate in The Good Place and Eleanor’s soul mate is Chidi Anagonye, a genuinely good person. He attempts to teach Eleanor all the basics of being a good person, and this has extremely funny effects as it takes her a while to figure out she actually has to try in order to be an imitation of a good person. Since it’s “The Good Place,” there is no swearing allowed. I find it extremely funny when Eleanor is trying to swear, but she involuntary says “Fork” or “Bench.” The show has a great plot, and I feel like it’s so original in a sense that it’s not something anyone else has already copied. There are a lot of cop shows out there, but The Good Place is one of the first of its kind. I also like the comedy mixed with the emotions of her figuring out how to be a good person. Overall, this show is so funny and it’s a great addition to a Thursday night lineup. —ZaReah Barren
This is Us
This is Us is an emotional, heartfelt T.V. show. It follows three unique stories of three very different people. The show starts out with the mention that all three of these people share the same birthday, and they all are turning 36. Out of the three people they all are going through a period where they want to find themselves. Rebecca and Jack are a married couple expecting triplets. Rebecca goes into labor within the first five minutes of the show, and their journey from there is a story that will make you cry, laugh and smile. Kevin and Kate are twins. Kate is trying to lose weight, and she meets a guy that goes on this journey with her. Kevin is a successful actor that is questioning all his life choices, but they motivate each other to get through the toughest of times. Randall is a successful businessman, with a wife and two kids. He also is adopted and he finds his birth father. He goes to confront his dad, just to tell him that he made it without his help, but they end up building a relationship together. This show is very tense at times, but it’s in a way that makes you think about your life and the people that surround it. This show is so amazing and thoughtful; everytime it goes off I wish there was more. —ZaReah Barren
Westworld
Westworld isn’t a typical amusement park. Shoot-outs, robots, and the wild west totally akin to the one from American history. This is an HBO show and very R-rated with violence and sex contained within. The series is inspired by Michael Crichton’s screenplay that created the 1973 film of the same name. It has already won a Critic’s Choice award. Westworld is designed for the rich and filled with robots called hosts. Thousands of intertwining storylines include the main characters Dolores Abernathy, Maeve Millay, and Teddy Flood. Behind the scenes of the amusement park there is a world of mystery and critics. Bernard Lowe, the head of programming at Westworld and right hand to the CEO, shaped my early theory that they are manipulating the hosts to make them more human. This might turn out badly for the two of them. —Sara Koenig
Sports
Auburn Riverside High School
GIRLS SOCCER The girls soccer team has played hard this season. They have 10 wins and 4 losses, which gave them second place in the overall standings. They had high hopes of going to State, and were looking forward to State and the playoffs. “I think it’ll be tough, but a good game,” junior Aubrie Bayley said. “We are evenly matched with competition.” They came close to going to State, but they lost their last game against Union in the playoffs. They lost 1-0 at Tahoma on Nov 3. They felt prepared for their games and they did play a tough game. “Everyone has to work together to accomplish our end goal (going to State all four years),” Bayley said.
Even though they were expecting to go to State, they have bonded throughout this season. “Since we spend pretty much every day together, and are around each other often, we’ve gotten closer to each other,” sophomore Talia Samuelson said. “It’s been really fun going through a successful season with some of my best friends.” Both Samuelson and Bayley are planning to be on the team next season. The girls played a tough season, but they bonded together and will always have memories of each other. They have been postive throughout the entire season. “We’re going to kick butt!!!!” Bayley said.
VOLLEYBALL Girls volleyball played in districts on November 4 and won 3-2 against 4th ranked Bellarmine Prep. The girls made it to State after winning their playoff games and claiming the district championship. The girls won first place at the West Central District 4A tournament in October before districts. During the tournament, the girls beat Auburn Mountainview Kentwood and Tahoma. Senior Clarice Buchanan contributes to the team by passing balls to her teammates and getting points for her team. Buchanan had high hopes for competing for State. “We are like a family, close together,” Buchanan said, “I hope we win and qualify for state.” Junior Calley Heilborn likes how the team has the same goal; to make it to State and play against tough teams. Heilborn
is one of the captains and she believes the team did well in sub-districts. “I encourage other girls with positivity and leadership,” she said, “to play our best, through tough matches and do well.” The girls finished their regular season strong by going 7-0 in conference and 15-1 overall. Varsity Coach Chris Leverenz, who taught at Riverside for many years, and recently has been an administrator at Mt Baker Middle School, has been coaching the team since 1995. She believes that the girls are excited to compete in the playoffs and improving skills. “I like how that they are competitive, talented and funny,” Leverenz said. “They’ve had a good successful season and they get better every day.”
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FOOTBALL A 6-3 regular season record was the football team’s best in recent years. As a matter of fact, it was enough to push them into the playoff race in a hunt for State. Riverside faced off versus the Monroe High School Bearcats on Friday, Nov 4, but lost the game 48-28. The Ravens had a good first quarter, but the Bearcats scored 28 points in the second quarter alone, and cruised to the win. “We’ve had great growth this season,” junior Jacob Oaks said. “We secured a good playoff seed after beating Auburn. That helped us going forward.” One of the toughest teams left in the playoffs is Sumner, according to Oaks. Sumner finished the season 9-0 overall and are
ranked 2nd in State. “They were one of the teams on our radar.” Riverside had a decent shot of making a deep playoff run this year, winning games going into the post-season, and rode momentum nicely. “We’re all on the same page, we want the same thing,” junior Tiano Malietufa said before the Monroe game. He had hoped they could play like they had been earlier in the season. The guys experienced everything from one point losses to 28-0 shutouts this season, channeling good football on a consistent basis. While they had an early exit from the playoffs, the experience could very well take them to the next level in 2017.
GIRLS SWIM Girls swim finished their regular season off with a splash, making leagues and districts. Leagues was the weekend of October 21-22 and the girls were league champs. “I’m really excited. All the hard work from August is paying off and I’m proud of all the girls who swam their butts off to get there,” senior Grace Dorn said. The team also made districts for 200 free relay, 400 free relay, and 200 medley. Districts were held the weekend of October 28-29. The girls did not make it to State, but placed towards the middle in districts. The girls mostly agree that the highlight of their season was beating Mountainview and Auburn, and those who will be returning are looking forward to next season. “I thought the season was challenging but it was also extremely satisfying to see
how much each of us improved,” sophomore Catalina Lemus said. “I also love that the whole swim team became like a family and we could help, encourage, and trust each other.” Patrick Mckeehan is the head coach of girls swim and dive and he believes his team did well this season. “We went undefeated and won the league title and NPSL championship,” Mckeehan said. “We also beat Enumclaw, and they hadn’t beat them until I became coach. Together we are a stronger team.” Although the girls didn’t make it to State, they did come through undefeated in their regular season. “We got league champs and that makes Mckeehan happy,” Dorn said.
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InFlight November 15, 2016
CROSS COUNTRY Undefeated. The cross country boys this year went 7-0, exceeding expectations substantially. “We surprised the league, coaches, everyone,” senior Elliott Crawford said. “We worked together and encouraged each other to be better because we’re all so competitive and intense.” The team ran at the state meet Saturday, Nov. 5 at the Sun Willows Golf Course in Pasco. They placed 13th out of 16 schools in the 4A division. Junior Dustin Williams was the highest placing Raven. Senior Boone Tate, sophomore Marcus Sutrick, senior Evan Polkow, junior Andres Madrigal, sophomore Kyle
Bates and senior Elliott Crawford also placed in the meet. This is the first time since 2010 the entire varsity boys team has qualified for State. Despite a season put together only by wins, they still weren’t projected to do well in their first State meet. “We beat a lot of teams we weren’t supposed to beat this year,” Crawford added. “We just have to run like we did this regular season in the fture to gain respect.” Tate, team captain, offered some words of encouragement going forth. “We just have to run as a pack,” the senior said. “We’ve trained well this season,” and they put it all together for the playoffs.
WATER POLO The boys water polo team may have begun the season with a rough start, but that definitely didn’t stop them from diving into regionals on Nov. 4-5. At regionals, held at Rogers High School, they ran into a highly talented Mercer Island team, who beat the Ravens 21-2 on the first day. On Nov. 5, Kentridge managed to get the win, 22-13. There was a chance, boys water polo coach Mike Van Eaton said, but the north division consists of the top three teams in the state. With two loses at the regional tournament, they were unable to secure a berth at State.
Van Eaton said it was tough because the Ravens were paired up with the top teams in the north division. The Ravens finished in 3rd place in their division, so it was no surprise that the team was positive about the tournament. Even though they aren’t a WIAA team, if they had qualified at regionals, they automatically would have gone to the state tournament. “We had an awesome last game and improved tremendously over the season,” Van Eaton said. There were no seniors on this year’s team. “Next year is going to be incredible with everyone returning,” Van Eaton said.