HERALD
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VOL 53 Issue I Arapahoe High School NOVEMBER 2016
What Will Happen to U.S.?
EDITORS & STAFF
CONTENTS
PRINT EDITOR-IN-CHIEF PAIGE PAULSEN WEB EDITOR-IN-CHIEF/PRINT MANAGING EDITOR MACKENZIE CALLAHAN
PEOPLE 4-5 Keaton Hardy: Student Entrepreneur
COPY EDITORS BECCA SCHWISOW
CULTURE 6 Denver Art Museum Exhibits
HAYDEN PEIRCE XAVIER MAIER
7 Technology Has Ruined Dating 8 Music Review: Green Day 9 Overhype Leads to High Expectations
PHOTO EDITOR ABIGAIL GUADNOLA
10-11 Political Fashion DISTRIBUTION & ADS MANAGER
INDEPTH
MADDIE EGERTON
14 Candidate Profiles 15 Road to Victory/The Election Process
SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER SYBRAND BRAAKMAN
16-17 Election Survey 18 Voters Disregard Congress
REPORTERS
19 Political Memes 20 Vote for Your Values
GRACE ADAMSON
21 Lower the Voting Age
COURTNEY BROWN
22 The Trump Mentality 23 Editorial: A Nation United
ABBY CASTER LAUREN DAVID DJ DEBONIS VIVI DENITTIS
OPINIONS
DELIA GUILBERT
24 Changes to Come
AVI HATHORNE
25 Through My Lens
MURIELLE HECOMOVICH ALLIE HIGHSMITH
HEALTH 26 Artificial Turf Poses Potential Health Risk 27 Energy Drinks and Stress Management
TERRIOUS JACKSON-MOORE JR. HENRY KLINE EMILY KOKE CHIARA KOVAR
INFO 28-29 College Information for Students
COLLETTE LEMANSKE ANNA MCCOLLISTER MEGAN NGUYEN
TECH 30 Top 5 Apps of 2016 31 Changes to the LPS Lightspeed Filter
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RORY O’DONNELL ASHTON PHELPS KENDRA SULLIVAN WALTER WACASER LEA WOLFF
From the Editor Decisions, Decisions... When I woke up this morning, I had a decision to make. Get up, or tap snooze one, two, three more times before finally crawling out of bed. I was running late again. With no time for breakfast or even a cup of coffee, I was barely lucid enough to realize that I had done this to myself. The problem wasn’t that I stayed up too late, even though I had. It wasn’t my habit of procrastination (which is the reason I am writing this letter mere hours before sending this issue to print, despite having worked on the magazine for over two months). The problem was that I have made decisions which put me in the position of having to choose the elements of my life that matter the most. Unfortunately, I am not often one to seek compromise. I prefer all or nothing, so setting priorities and having to say “no” to anything is by no means an easy choice to make, especially when the balance between fun and responsibility is concerned. As much as I appreciate opportunities to be challenged and assert my indpendence, I am also terrified of having to make my own decisions. I worry that I will not be able to recover from the wrong choice. This applies to all areas of my life, including but not limited to the looming pressure of college applications and my role as the Editor-in-Chief of the Herald, as well as my responsibilities as a sergeant with the Arapahoe Rescue Patrol. I want to do it all, but I am wearing myself thin. More and more I have come to understand the anxiety that comes with the transition into adulthood. My decisions are my own and knowing that I have more control than I may want is intimidating. Whether I am voting for the next president or charting a course for my future, I, like many people, want to be able to look back and be proud of the decisions I have made.
All my best,
Paige Paulsen
NOVEMBER 2016
PEOPLE
The ‘Key’ to Success:
by Maddie Egerton and Emily Koke
Student Entrepreneur Creates Own Business
K
eaton Hardy, a junior at Arapahoe, illuminates the room with his pride as words of philosophies escape his lips. The young entrepreneur made his own business that does not seem to sell just clothing but an artform as well. “The Key” is what Hardy called his company which also happens to be his nickname. Hardy said that his passion was built from many inspirations and also simple doodles he made with a friend, Keith Hollenback. That humble start evolved into a passion and then a question. “If I’m already making art, then why not make clothing?” From that, he created his new life. Hardy began fiddling with small, digital designs which then grew to printing his own shirts. His efforts were tedious but it took off to the point where he began supplying different artists with his creations. Rapper Chris Felner, more popularly known as “Felly,” has collaborated with Hardy and supported him by sporting Hardy’s designs. Other artists Hardy has worked with include Trè Samuels and OC Mac, all giving him the extra advertisement online. However, throughout Denver, Hardy sells on a personal level. He negotiates shirt purchases in person as opposed to having an online store. Due to Hardy signing three artists, operating out of Southern California, Dallas, Texas and Orange County, respectively, he has people emailing and calling him, asking for designs and shirts. “It’s not mainstream yet, and I like it ‘cause it’s more independent I feel like. And I don’t have the whole internet trying to get my stuff,” Hardy said about advertising and purchasing his merchandise. After Hardy’s main line was created, he subsequently made two different branches that allow him to supply styles for every taste. “The Bay” and “Timeless” were built to appeal to a broader palate and to act as a creative outlet. Inspired by a cement wall littered with graffiti, Keaton found his inspiration for “The Bay” in the summery, good vibes that filled his memories and oriented the style towards warm weather. The Bay alludes to a paradise, free of worries. “If I’m wearing, like, turquoise short shorts and a tank top, that’s going to be ‘The Bay,’” Hardy explained. “Timeless,” another branch to Hardy’s style, was created to appeal to the winter market, joggers and a monochrome scale being the main focus. The Key, The Bay and Timeless facets of Hardy’s brand push his passion further and illustrate his character. The three different branches of his brand, Hardy said,
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represent the different sides of his personality. “It comes out with different emotions, and not how my day is going, but how my month is going. My art comes out in the weirdest of times. It comes out in the middle of fifth period or 7:30 on my way to school.” Different things and people have inspired Hardy since he was 12 years old, Chris Felner being one of them. Hardy grew up having to overcome his own personal battles. Being a social outcast, Hardy was fighting between being the best person he could be while also trying to please others. Once he entered Arapahoe, Hardy truly discovered himself, tapping into his creativity and finding his passions through the accepting atmosphere at school. Now, embracing his originality and inventiveness through drawing and writing, Hardy is preparing his newest clothing line. “If you just stay humble and stay true to yourself, you’re gonna have a good life.” Hardy said, talking about what his company means to him. Not only has it produced an outlet for income and passion, but Hardy’s company is a symbol for the new generation and how it is beginning to step outside the stereotypical life previous eras set into place. Hardy has created his own boundary and lifestyle that is not just meant for adults. Age is but a number, and in no means is meant to hold us back.
All designs and graphics created by Keaton Hardy
CULTURE
Denver Art Museum The exhibits you need you see
The Denver Art Museum is always circling through new exhibitions, each varying in time period, medium, focus and style. Currently, they have about 16 exhibitions in addition to what they typically have. Each exhibit is beautifully diverse in how it appears. Some of them are staying for 3 months, while others almost a year. Only three are presented here with an in depth analysis, but all current exhibitions can be found on the museum’s website.
Pottery can be the most practical form of art or the most impractical. A lot of old pottery could have been recycled for a purpose, like carrying water. Modern pottery is more focused on the beauty rather than the functionality. ‘From The Fire’ features 65 pieces of pottery from 35 different Japanese artists.
“Glory of Venice” is the museum’s prime focus. There are about 50 works featured, most focused on the Madonna and her child, which is really just a fancy way of saying Virgin Mary and baby Jesus. In 1500’s Italy, art and religion were closely intertwined, thus art often imitated religion. A lot of the paintings are full of color and life, they show the true spirit of Venice. This art exhibition lasts only until February 12, 2017. A particularly noteworthy modern collection is ‘Unseated’. This exhibit features “contemporary chairs reimagined,” according to the Denver Art Muesem (DAM) website. These eight chairs each have a different style and some may even be functional but comfort cannot be guaranteed. One chair was made of a melted down plumbing pipe, which created a fascinating, smooth seat while the outside is quite rough. Another copper-painted and ornate chair is inspired by microscopic plant structures and is said to be highly functional as it is made by 3D printing. These refined, redone chairs are only on view until May 7, 2017.
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by Kendra Sullivan
These traveling pots will only be around until May 7, 2017. Some are more original while others are simple and traditional. Although most were created in the early to mid 1900s, these pieces show history in its most universal form. People all over the world used handmade jugs and as time went by, these jugs because more ornate and beautiful and turned into pottery.
The Denver Art Museum is constantly changing and all Colorado residents under the age of 18 get free admission. It is also full of diverse and impressive pieces of art that can connect with almost anyone. As the weather gets colder, this is a great place to grow minds while also having a great time.
Photos by Kendra Sullivan
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Technology Kills Dating by Megan Nguyen
W
hat happened to the classic movie-and-dinner combination? How about an afternoon picnic? Whatever happened to these two lovely outings is the same thing that happened the idea of adolescent dating. Romanticism has not been wiped out, but it has definitely changed, and not in a good way. Couples who claim that they are “dating” have relationships that consist of a chain of texts, where the “connection” is through a screen. A romantic relationship should be genuine, but it can not be denied that intimacy has dramatically decreased. Teenagers of this generation are extremely involved in their phones- whether it be Instagram, Twitter or Snapchat. These apps are undoubtedly fun, but to what point? Instead of relationships where connections are genuine, all that lives up to the term “relationship” is a string of selfies and a few typed messages. Now, it may seem that teenagers are just fine where they are, but that is because they have never experienced what they are missing out on. What happens when teens are so invested in their screens- and what is going on in relationships- is today’s generation is replacing physical interactions with online interactions. This leads to missing
Photo by Megan Nguyen
out on the sentimental value of being in one another’s presence. For example, one would be surprised at the difference of hearing the words, “I love you,” rather than reading them. However, technology makes it easier to get a hold of others in a short amount of time. This is convenient for couples who are far apart or maintain busy schedules. It can not be denied that communicating through technology is timely, especially for couples with conflicting schedules. Although, if the relationship was genuine, then both partners would put effort into making it work, no matter the circumstances. Afterall, a relationship would be more meaningful if it were to withstand the difficulties of schedules and location. It makes sense that texting, taking selfies and exploring social media works for quick messages, but do they substitute entire relationships? Absolutely not. Where reading “I love you” may feel nice, hearing “I love you” will feel euphoric. So, girls? Exit snapchat and look at their face. Guys? Stop texting and start the conversation. Put down the phones and feel the difference of listening, hearing and connecting.
NOVEMBER 2016
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CULTURE
Revolutionizing the Radio
After 30 Years, Green Day is Still Making History by Allie Highsmith
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hen I was five, my dad bought the original brick-like version of the iPod. He downloaded some music he liked, from bands such as Bowling for Soup, Coldplay, Barenaked Ladies and much more. Out of every album he had, Green Day’s “American Idiot” was by far my favorite. At the time, I did not understand much of what they preached about, but the sound alone was enough to draw me in. Since they formed the band in 1986, Green Day has evolved from being a small garage cover band that occasionally played basement gigs to being one of the biggest punk rock bands ever. Over 30 years and 12 studio albums, the band has encountered a myriad of changes. On Oct. 7, 2016, their new album, “Revolution Radio,” came out. “Revolution Radio” is symbolic of how much change a band can undergo. When Green Day’s first album, “1039/Smoothed Out Slappy Hours” came out in 1991, they had a very basic garage band sound, partially because they had a different drummer, who left quickly so that he could go to college and he did not think Green Day would ever play anything other than small gigs. With “Dookie,” the band’s third studio album which was released in 1994 and the
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first one to become truly popular, Green Day reached a new level of success that was uncharacteristic of them. Each member of the band, including the new drummer, was only 22 at the time. With their newfound fame, they released another album in 1995 called “Insomniac” which was, and still is, the epitome of punk rock. They then released two more albums, “Nimrod” and “Warning,” before the 2004 release of “American Idiot.” They did not know how difficult it would be to produce another album with such commercial success and these albums illustrated that feeling. Before “American Idiot,” which is Green Day’s most widely known album, every album they had released was best described as “angry.” While there’s nothing wrong with producing music about being pissed off, “American Idiot” is the album that solidified Green Day as a legacy. Although “American Idiot” is still about frustrations with societal values, trends and expectations, it offered a new, poetic insight as to how people can change that. “American Idiot” tells a story which involves numerous characters and themes. “American Idiot” is the album that makes Green Day Green Day. Then, “21st Century Breakdown” came
out in 2009 and it was like a continuation of the story that started with “American Idiot,” this time with different characters. In 2012, Green Day released three albums in three months, which are referred to as “The Trilogy.” The three albums were entitled “¡Uno!” “¡Dos!” and “¡Tré!” which were ultimately a pun of the drummer’s name, Tré Cool. The Trilogy was Green Day’s most poppunk era, and many fans consider it the worst period of Green Day’s career. Finally, Green Day, on Oct. 7, 2016, released “Revolution Radio.” “RevRad,” as the members and fans call it, deals with many different issues in society, such as the depletion of good music, the upcoming presidential election, societal changes, and much more. Although it does speak to politics, Green Day’s frontman, Billie Joe Armstrong, has said many times, “We’re not a political band. We don’t want to tell people what to do or what to think. We just want to tell them to think.” Part of what makes “Revolution Radio” unique is the array of music included in it. From acoustic alternative to hard punk rock, each member is on the top of their game. After a four-year hiatus, Billie Joe Armstrong, Mike Dirnt, Tré Cool and Jason White are back again, back to save the world.
CULTURE
Overhype is Overused by Xavier Maier
Graphic illustration by Xavier Maier
T
he process of advertising anything requires a certain level of excitement. If people are not excited about a product, then they will not buy it, no matter how good the ads themselves actually are. The excitement generated about a product is known as hype. Many companies, specifically in the entertainment industry, devote a lot of time, energy and money towards shrouding merchandise in mystery and appeal in order to get people more excited about it. There are many cases of this where companies go overboard with this process and set expectations too high, a phenomenon known as overhyping. When the final product is released, people are often disappointed due to their unrealistic ideas about what was promised, and the merchandise is poorly received. It is fairly common for video games in this day and age to succumb to overhyping their game to generate revenue at the initial release. The problem with this strategy lies in the long-term marketing benefit. If the game fails to live up to the expectations it set for itself, the appeal will gradually decline, and it will not generate any lasting profit. People hate the game because it fails to meet expectations, word gets out that the game is “bad,” and people stop buying it. Another side effect of overhype: games that are actually bad get purchased as soon as they come out, and people are immediately unsatisfied. Money is wasted on a game that is nothing like what is was advertised to be, which does not make a lot of people happy. This was the case for Hello Games’ “No Man’s Sky,” released earlier this year in August. “No Man’s Sky” is a space exploration game in which the player can fly the ship they repaired at the beginning of the game to different
planets in a randomly-generated galaxy. The game was said to host over 18 quintillion planets, which is enough to keep anyone busy for, well, ever. The planets were advertised to be story-rich and full of surprises and buildings to explore; no planet was supposed to be the same. One of the founders of Hello Games, Sean Murray, brought up certain features of the game in interviews that were never included in the final release, such as massively awesome space-battles, boss fights and multiplayer capabilities. “No Man’s Sky” is a classic example of an overhyped product. The game is vast in size and variability, but the actual content of what you can find on planets is repetitive and formulaic. It gets really boring, really fast. The staggering amounts of false advertising and hype-mongering made a huge amount of revenue on release, but ended up destroying Hello Games’ credibility as a developer and turning some players away from “No Man’s Sky” for good. Although this is an extreme example of overhype, it alludes to a serious pandemic among marketing in the modern world. Companies put way more time into advertising a product and getting people interested than working on the actual product. Even worse, people buy into the hype and never seem to learn from their past disappointing purchases. “No Man’s Sky” may not bring a lot to the table, but it does provide an important reminder: be skeptical of hype. Avoid jumping on board a product before it has actually come out, because if you set your expectations where companies want you to set them, the only commodity you get will be dissatisfaction.
NOVEMBER 2016
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Political Fashion 2016 by Collette LeManske and Vivianna DeNittis
Ph
oto
sb yV ivi
an
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De
nit
1. A simple but colorful tie makes the outfit classy. Often times a presidential candidate will wear the color of their party, or in the case of the First Presidential Debate of 2016, wearing the other party’s color as a sign of respect. 10 HERALD THE
2. A navy blue or black suit jacket and slacks contributes to the simple but professional outfit. A slimming fit adds a modern effect to this look. 3. Short, simple and clean cut hair is a timeless style that always completes the polished look.
tis
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1. The preferred hairstyle is the power bob or “pob.” This seperates from more everyday bob hairstyles. It is a modern, modest, sleek look that exhibits a professional status.
2. A colorful monochromatic pant suit or “power suit” is a professional and classy outfit choice. An important aspect of the suit is the color; when dressing completely in one tone, the color must not clash with skin tone or hair color. Often times a woman’s outfit brand makes a statement about their public image.
3. There is no need for flashy shoes with a bright outfit. A simple black low kitten heel finishes this look.
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AN ELECTION WHICH WILL LIVE IN INFAMY Women’s Rights • Criminal • Crooked • Benghazi • Tolerant • Traitor • Not Trump • Historic • Pro- Choice • Liar • Experienced • Candid • Fraudulent • Gun Control • Educated •
Hillary Rodham Clinton
Racist • Anti-Establishment • Intolerant • Change • Bigoted • Not Clinton • Patriot • Arrogant • Pro- Life • Political Outsider • Ambitious • Misogynist • Anti- Gun Control• Revolutionary • Egotistical •
Donald John Trump What’s inside The Trump and Clinton Agenda The Road to Victory Clinton v Trump by the Numbers Political Memes Voters Disregard Congress Vote Your Values Giving the Youth a Voice The Trump Mentality
Photos by Gage Skidmore/ flicker.com
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The (Clinton|Trump) Agenda An Election for the Ages Economy • A100-days jobs plan: Break through Washington gridlock to make the boldest investment in good-paying jobs since World War II. • Provide tax relief to businesses so they can hire and thrive. • Provide Debt free college. • Pursue smarter, tougher, and fairer trade policies that put U.S job creation first. Education • Provide every student a chance to learn about computer science. • Rebuild America’s schools. • Demolish the “school-to-prison pipeline”. • Launch a national campaign to modernize and elevate teaching. Immigration • Introduce comprehensive immigration reform which includes a full pathway to citizenship. • Defend Obama’s executive actions. • Defend the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and the Deferred Action for Parental Accountability (DAPA). • Enforce immigration laws in a humane way. • Promote naturalization. • Will support immigrant integration. Health Care • Defend and expand the the Affordable Care Act. • Lower the cost of prescription drugs. • Have states expand Medicaid. • Double funding for community health centers. • Expand access to affordable health care to families regardless of immigration status. • Bring down out-of-pocket costs like copays and deductibles. Second Amendment • Enlarge background checks. • Keep guns out of the hands of domestic abusers, violent criminals, and the mentally ill. Abortion • Pro-Choice. • Supports partial birth abortion. Combatting Terrorism • Take out ISIS strongholds. • Work with allies to dismantle terror networks. • Harden defenses at home.
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Economy • Create an aggressive prosperous economy that will create 25 million new jobs. • For every 1 percent of gross domestic product of growth, the economy adds 1.2 million jobs. • Boost the growth rate to 3.5 percent per year and will try to reach 4 percent. Education • Add a federal investment of 20 billion dollars towards school choice and provide school choice to 11 million impoverished children. • Give the states the option to grant funds to follow the student to the public or private school they attend. • Ensure the opportunity to go to a two through four year college. • Work with Congress on reforms to ensure universities are making a good effort to reduce the cost of college and student debt in exchange for the federal tax breaks and tax dollars. Immigration • End catch-and-release. • Move criminal aliens out day one. • End sanctuary cities. • Trump will Immediately destroy President Obama’s two executive amnesties. • Ensure that a biometric entry-exit visa tracking system is fully implemented at all land, air, and sea ports. • Ensure new immigration controls regulations to boost wages so jobs can be offered American Workers First. The Wall • Begin working on the wall on the southern border, on day one. • Make Mexico pay for the wall by calling forth section 326 of the Patriot Act, which will require anyone who wants to send money outside the US to first provide proof of legal residence in the US to their financial institution. • Basically, he will block anyone from transferring money to Mexico unless they prove to have documentation proving their legal status, which will cost Mexico billions of dollars. Health Care • Trump will repeal and replace Obamacare with Health Savings Accounts. • He will also allow citizens of the United States to purchase insurance across state lines in all 50 states. Second Amendment • Trump says he will defend the second amendment. • Reform the laws on guns to make it harder for the mentally ill to buy guns. • Says that if you are on the ¨No Fly List¨ than you should not be able to buy a gun. • Trump is against the enlargement of background checks. Abortion • Pro-Life Combatting Terrorism • Trump will not release his plan about how to defeat ISIS because he believes that will be telling the enemy to much. • He also wants to work with Arabs and allied forces in the middle east to attack ISIS. • Trump wants to cut off their oil supply so it blocks off the money that is currently funding their group. • He would also like to share intelligence about the enemy with our allies because he thinks it will help defeat ISIS.
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Road to Victory
The State of the Race - and How Each Candidate Could Win by Hayden Pierce
The map above represents the most likely scenario for the election. Florida and New Hampshire are the differences between victory for each candidate. If Trump wins both states, he will win assuming the rest of the map shapes up as shown. If Clinton wins just one though, she will win, again asssuming the rest of the map shapes up as shown. One note regarding Maine and Nebraska: each splits its electoral votes. Nebraska awards three to one candidate and the other two are awarded separately. Maine awards three to one candidate and its one remaining vote is awarded separately.
Election in Review: How the US Chooses its Candidates by Grace Adamson
The candidate has to announce that they are running for president. They will have a rally and get people excited about them running.
Conventions are held for each party These are the last step for deciding the final candidates.
The final step of the election process is the election!
During the summer each political party will hold primaries or caucuses.
Debates will happen throughout September and October.
These are used to begin singling down to one candidate for each party.
Debates are used to persuade the citizens toward a candidate option. NOVEMBER 2016
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Clinton vs Trump Survey conducted by Hayden Peirce and Abigail Guadanola
400 students and 75 staff members rsponded to the survey on Oct. 24 and 25, 2016.
Arapahoe Has Spoken, and the Winner is... Student Vote
Clinton Trump
Staff Vote Clinton 58%
39%
Undecided 14%
22%
Undecided
Trump
14%
12%
Other 9% 10% Johnson 8% Wouldn’t vote 9% note regarding the “other” category: in the student survey, “other” includes those who Johnson 8% Awould vote for Green Party candidate Jill Stein, those who said that they would vote for a write-in candidate
Other
and those who chose not to answer the question. In the staff survey, “other” represents those who said they would vote for a write-in candidate, those who chose not to answer the question and those who said they would not vote. There were no staff votes cast for Jill Stein. The “other” demographic in the table represents Independents, Libertarians and Greens. The other category in the table represents votes for Johnson, Stein, write-ins, those who did not answet the question and those who said they would not vote this year.
Breaking It All Down: Who Won Each Demographic
Male 39% 28% 23% 10%
Clinton Trump Other
Undecided
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Female Republican Democrat Other 38% 56% 45% 80% Trump
Clinton
24% 16% 15%
Other
Undecided Trump
20% 16% 6%
Other
Undecided Clinton
Clinton
Clinton
11% 7% 2%
Other
Undecided Trump
34%
Other
20% Undecided
8%
Trump
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By the Numbers Your Predicted Winner
86% Clinton 14% Trump Average Favorability Ratings
4.0 Clinton 2.9 Trump
Favorability ratings are out of 10, with 10 being the highest.
Summing it All Up Clinton holds an advantage over Trump in this
election, at least here at Arapahoe. Among students and staff combined, she recieves 42% compared to Trump’s 20%. Both men and women favor Clinton, although her lead is stronger with women. Party unity is strongest among Democrats, with 80% saying they will vote for Clinton compared to 56% of Republicans who would vote for Trump. Additionally, 14% of total respondents said they were undecided. Among students, 75% say they would vote for the same candidate as at least one of their parents. Staff members take more of an interest in the election than students, with the average interest level among staff at 7.1 out of ten compared to 6.8 for students.
Students and Staff Comment on the Election
Students
“
Donald Trump will make America great again. Hillary
I believe that Hillary has the experience to
will just be like Obama and we don’t need that for
successfully run this country. Her time spent as
another four years.”
First Lady, senator and Secratary of State gave her
“
It’s not that I would want to vote for Hillary, but that
I would not want to vote for Trump. He has good ideas,
but I just can’t see him implementing them if he were to
“
“
Staff
become president.”
He has a business mind. Although he has done some
invaluble experience to draw from to continue to
“
make the US successful.”
I will vote only to make sure that the Republican
Party maintains the majority in the Senate and the
“
House of Representatives.”
I believe Clinton represents the majority of
choice things in the past, just as Hillary has, I believe he
Americans and does not pose a constitutional threat
is the more trustworthy chioce for President.”
to minority groups in the US.” NOVEMBER 2016
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Political Memes
What We Should Really Take Away From This Election O by Sybrand Braakman
ver the past couple of months some of the most prominent and topical memes that have arisen have come directly from the the 2016 presidential campaign. Specifically, the second presidential debate has sparked memes that relate to the various gaffes and mistakes that the candidates have made. Things such as the fly landing on Hillary, Trump sniffling and the glorious Ken Bone. Ken Bone was spotted and questioned during the second presidential debate and since has been the focus of many memes. He was iconic for his appearance on television in a large red sweater. Ken Bone was presented as nothing but a large, huggable and truly loveable guy. From his appearance on, he was nothing but beloved by the internet. All the hype which begged the question: who really was this person that everyone loved? On Reddit, a discussion social media website, Ken Bone did an AMA (ask me anything) where he collected more fame while people asked questions of him like: “How were you selected to ask your questions in the debate?” This all fell to error as he had used his personal account meaning that people could go through his history on Reddit. People dove into his past posts with an eye for error. Ken had at some point posted about faking his car insurance to keep his job as a pizza delivery guy. One thing led to another and suddenly America’s hero was looked down on viciously.
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Headlines called Ken a sex offender, a pig and slob. The media targeted Ken as their next spoiler story portraying him as a someone to be scared of. The worst part is that with the little information that we have on him, the media cast a shadow over Ken’s spirit and fame. Ken needs to be looked at as what he is: just a normal man that is American like us, not a celebrity or legend. Someone that deserves respect and does not deserve to be torn down and discredited as a liar and a cheater. Something that has to be said about Ken is that he truly was not entitled to the fame that he received. Ken did not avoid the fame and attention that was procured for him, he simply played along, and for this he was wrongly punished. In this case, media had made a mountain out of a molehill and seeked to prove Ken to be some kind of monster. In the end the disrespect that matched Ken after Specific memes that have derived from the candidates in the debates are the various expressions that Hillary give off when speaking during the debate. She tries intensively to seem normal all while giving facial expressions that can throw you a red herring. Alternatively, Donald Trump is known for his ability to morph questions that he answered towards his agenda. He is known specifically for an incident during the second debate where he was asked about his sexual comments, but then promptly switched the topic of debate to the destruction of ISIS.
Graphic by Sybrand Braakman
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Voters Upset With Status Quo Are Ignoring Congress by Sanat Mehta
I
f one thing is clear from this election cycle, it’s that many Americans are completely fed up with the “establishment.” The rise of Bernie Sanders (a self-proclaimed socialist in what has traditionally been a solidly capitalist country) and Donald Trump (a candidate with no governmental experience) has thoroughly proven this sentiment. But voters who are expecting sweeping change must back up their presidential choices with the right congressional candidates, and this year, that doesn’t appear to be happening. Even if Donald Trump gets elected, he will not be able to build his famous wall, set up “extreme vetting” of refugees, or even cut taxes without convincing both houses of Congress to pass such bills. If Bernie Sanders was still in contention and managed to win, he would similarly be unable to set up a single-payer health care system, make public colleges tuition-free, or raise taxes on millionaires and billionaires without congressional approval. Barack Obama’s presidency has made it obvious that Congress is key to getting anything meaningful done. 2009 and 2010 were some of the most productive years in Congress’s history: they passed the antirecession stimulus package, Obamacare, the Dodd-Frank investment reform law, an Iran sanctions law, and a law making it
easier for women to sue for equal pay. After Republicans took control of the House in January 2011, things changed drastically. Congress has refused to pass any of President Obama’s major proposals: immigration reform, a minimum wage increase, narrowly tailored gun restrictions, or even a resolution legitimizing American airstrikes against ISIS! This year, Senate Republicans have refused to even hold hearings for Judge Merrick Garland, Obama’s nominee to the Supreme Court— an issue on which the Senate has usually deferred to the President. Somehow, Congress has managed to get away with this obstructionism despite the fact that Obama has approval ratings in the 40-55% range and Congress has approval ratings in the 5-20% range. In 2014, according to Politifact, 96% of Congress got re-elected. When Congress is so unpopular, why is there only 4% turnover? This is supposed to be a democracy, after all. If people are unhappy with their leaders, it’s easy to kick them out. Obama has faced this unwavering opposition in Congress despite being a moderate, rational president. (Even if you disagree with him, you have to admit that he’s thoughtful and measured.) Can you imagine how badly the current Congress would cooperate
with a President Trump or President Sanders? Congress and the President are elected by exactly the same voters. So why are they so out of tune with each other? Why aren’t there mini-Bernies and miniDonalds running for Congress all over the country, riding on the same sentiments that have powered Sanders and Trump themselves? Here’s what I think is the reason: There are some voters who pay a lot of attention to politics, and some who pay less attention. The first group researches and votes for congressional candidates at primaries and caucuses; the second group only votes for President. Because the first group is more likely to agree with the “establishment,” it nominates congressional candidates who aren’t pushing for much change, whereas the second group nominates presidential candidates who are. The result will be a frustrating stalemate between our branches of government. (Just a sidenote: Although I am 39 days too young to vote in this election, I’m firmly supporting Hillary Clinton. I agree with most of her policy proposals and I think she has the optimal level of experience to be President. I’m opposed to Trump for the same reasons as most of his opponents.)
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INDEPTH
Vote Your Values
by David DeBonis
There are more than two candidates, America
T
he 2016 presidential election is one that will go down in history. The two candidates of the established parties (Republican and Democratic) are disliked and distrusted by many, with the highest disapproval ratings in modern history. The election has torn the country in half; supporters of Hillary Clinton, and supporters of Donald Trump. In a country that is presumably established on a multiparty democratic voting system, how can it be assumed that we are receiving a complete and fair election? Who are the other candidates that have been overlooked by a majority of the population? Historically, our political system makes the election difficult for third party candidates because of the winner-take-all electoral college. It is a great challenge for them to win the majority of popular votes within a state. “Third party candidates often have difficulty in our political system because it is deeply structured on a two party system. That’s where the money and power is,” said Rob Escue, Arapahoe High School government teacher. The Republican and Democratic parties have established rules that give them an upper hand in campaigning for the election. For example, in order to be qualified for participation in the debate, a candidate must win at least 15% of the popular opinion in the country. This poses a large challenge for third party candidates because a majority of the funding and attention is given to the primary parties, so smaller party candidates tend to be overlooked by a large percentage of the country. If the third party candidates were entered into the debate, there would be more competition for votes because many voters might see that their beliefs are better represented from a less recognized candidate. In an interview with PBS, Gary Johnson, the Libertarian candidate for the 2016 election and former governor of New Mexico, said, “I’m representing a majority of the voters in this country, but a majority of the voters don’t know that.” Many voters have been so caught up in the consistent media coverage on the butting of heads between Trump and Clinton, that they have neglected to inform themselves about their other options.
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“Third party candidates offer more diversity in choice for voters. People are too focused on the Democrat vs. Republican controversy that they are blinded to the third party candidates that might be better options for their beliefs,” said Arapahoe student Jack Barnes, who will be voting for the first time in this November election. Many voters have turned their backs to third party candidates, because the chances of them winning the election are slim. “If you can’t put your values into your vote, democracy is lost at sea,” Green party candidate Jill Stein said. The 2016 presidential election has given third party candidates more opportunity than they have had in years. With such high disapproval ratings towards the major party candidates, people have gone out searching for different voting possibilities. The time for voting is now, and it’s important that voters inform themselves beyond what they hear from mass media coverage. Many Americans may find that the media has shadowed their ideal candidate. All candidates need to be heard in order to honor our multi-party political system.
“
Many voters have been so caught up in the consistent media coverage on the butting of heads between Trump and Clinton, that they have neglected to inform themselves about their other options.”
Voices of Youth Deserve to be Heard
INDEPTH
Lowering the Voting Age: A Step in the Right Direction by Delia Guilbert
O
n Nov. 8, the day of this year’s presidential election, adults all over the country will flock to voting booths dotting the US from coast to coast to cast their vote. This process will ultimately decide the next president of the United States. The key word there being adults. Since 1971, voting in US elections has been a right granted solely to those 18 and older who are registered as an United States citizen. This discrimination exists because governments believe that younger individuals are not informed enough to vote. Additionally, there is a distinct possibility that if minors were to vote, their choice would more accurately reflect their parents views than their own. If their political views were entirely shaped by the ideals of their parents, then their vote would be less theirs than another vote to their parent. The United States’ judicial system is grounded in equality and democracy, and as such providing an extra vote to parents would skew the “everyone has equal say” ideal. Yet allowing minors to vote is not necessarily the same thing as allowing children to vote. Lowering the minimum age for voting would be different than eliminating it entirely. Many of the problems delivered above pertain mostly, if not solely, to children in elementary school or younger. If the voting age were to be lowered to 15 or 16, however, then it would be easier to avoid these problems, as older minors are undoubtedly more educated than their younger peers. These days teens are subject to more traditionally ‘adult’ responsibilities and punishments. These include paying federal taxes and working jobs that benefit the community and being subject to adult prison, teenagers in the 21st century already share many of the burdens of adulthood. The potential benefits of such a switch are many and varied. Although perchance less prominent, an important factor for a switch would be voter turnout. The most recent voter turnout data was collected in 2014, for general elections. Colorado ranked third highest in the nation for voter turnout, at 53.7 percent. At the time of the survey,
there were roughly 4,146,996 citizens over the age of 18 in Colorado. This means that approximately 2,226,936 Coloradans voted- a number that may seem large, but is paltry compared to the size of the state’s population. By lowering the voting age, voter turnout would certainly increase, in numbers if not percentage. Each person over the age of 16 who did vote would increase the number of Colorado voters, although each who didn’t would lower the ratio of voters to non voters. However, the ideal goal here would not be to increase the ratio of voters to non-
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Youth pay billions in taxes to state, local and federal governments yet they have absolutly no say over how much is taken.”
voters, but rather the number of interested citizens allowed to vote. Most likely, under-18year-olds would have the lowest percentage voter turnout per number of eligible voters, as only those who are passionate or opinionated about political matters will vote. In that vein, the voter turnout percentage works in favor of legalizing minor votes by virtue of the percentage of adults who abstain from voting. By and large, the adults who are passionate about politics and the future of the United States are the ones who cast their votes. Ergo, it stands to reason that minors would follow a similar phenomenon. The casual, childish minors who people are afraid will ruin the United State’s political future are the ones who are much more likely to stay home on election day. If a minor is not
informed or simply does not care, they have no motivation to take the time to inform themselves about the candidates, let alone vote. Now, as previously stated, modern teenagers and minors are often subject to many typical ‘adult’ responsibilities and burdens. One such caveat is the payment of federal taxes. Thestc.com states that the average sales tax in the US is 5.26 percent. A study on statisticbrain.com found that American teenagers spent roughly 101.1 billion dollars (USD)- the amount that was spent by and for teens minus the amount spent on teens, in 2014. 5.26 percent of 101.1 billion is 5.31786, or roughly 5.32 billion dollars spent by teenagers on taxes in 2014. These figures set the stage for the argument presented by youthrights.org on the issue of lowering the national voting age; “Youth pay billions in taxes to state, local, and federal governments yet they have absolutely no say over how much is taken. This is what the American Revolution was fought over; this is taxation without representation.” As it stands, the national minimum voting age is unlikely to change anytime soon. Antiquated views on the responsibility of minors as well as societal norms and longstanding tradition are all obstacles that would have to be faced for anything to change, and the time and effort involved would most likely be momentous. Yet there are valid reasons for such a switch, as with this year’s presidential election looming there are many underage citizens who are likely anxious about the result, albeit lacking the ability to affect it. As today’s youth are becoming more and more informed about current events by the media, and are subject to an increasing amount of the responsibilities traditionally shouldered by adults, it may make sense to give them a chance to have a say in a country that’s as much theirs as their parents’.
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IN DEPTH
The Trump Mentality
Understanding How Donald Trump Became the Republican Nominee
T
he 2016 election has sparked controversy and forced most, if not all Americans to reevaluate their beliefs. The reality of the Donald Trump - Hillary Clinton election is that the two party system is beginning to crumble. In regards to Trump’s nomination, most of America has been left scratching their heads or outraged that such an outlandish person could ever be nominated to be President of the United States. While Trump may be ‘over the top’, his nomination is not actually all that surprising with a bit of understanding as to how candidates are nominated. Simply stated, Trump attained the nomination because right wing conservatives (also known as the Tea Party) are furious with the way our system is working currently. Most conservatives are through with politicians that have no backbone and an inability to resist corruption. While conservatives represent a smaller portion of the Republican Party, they are a large part of how Trump became the republican candidate for president. A crucial time for any presidential nominee is the primary elections. This is the time where there are numerous people running for president from each party, one of which will eventually represent the party in the national election. During the primaries, each candidate must appeal to the more extreme members of their party, as such members of the party typically dominate the primaries. In the matter of Trump and the
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Republican Party, Trump’s intense rhetoric stirred up many conservatives along with their frustrations regarding the state of the party as it is today. Trump only earned the nomination because he spoke his mind regardless of what anyone else said about it; he refused to play the political games that conservatives are so sick of. Conservatives held onto every word from Trump and though he often lacks a filter, his words conveyed the anger that many felt. By no means does everyone agree with everything he says, however the Republican Party has spoken and they spoke for Trump. If more Americans realized the importance of the primary elections, we would not be in the predicament that we find ourselves in. If the more committed members of each party no longer dominated the primaries, the election would no longer seem so dismal to moderate voters. As a country we can no longer afford to be apathetic in regards to politics. Despite how dull politics and government may seem, it affects all of us and this election should be a wakeup call to voters everywhere. Adults who ignored the primaries or elected not to participate in the primaries don’t have room to be upset that Trump, or Clinton for that matter, is the candidate. The beauty of our system is that everyone has a say in who is put into our houses of government. We have the option to use our voices or to stay silent. This election gives two lessthan-favorable candidates because the public does not understand how crucial the
by Abigail Guadnola
primaries truly are. Trump did not get the Republican nomination because conservatives fully support every word from his mouth, he got the nomination because numerous Americans are ignorant of how important the primaries are. Anyone who is eligible to vote in the 2020 election should take the next four years and strongly consider the importance of the primaries and make sure to vote when the opportunity comes.
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As a country we can no longer afford to be apathetic in regards to politics. Despite how dull politics and government may seem, it affects all of us and this election should be a wakeup call to voters everywhere”
EDITORIAL
We the People... Make the Nation this editorial represents the views of the majority of the Herald staff
A
s the election year comes to a close and voting is just around the corner, people are still struggling to decide on who they want to be the next president. Many of our parents have already decided who they are voting for while others are torn and have mini debates every hour or so. No doubt this is a very stressful and difficult decision, with presidential candidates Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton neck in neck to claim the position of president. However, no matter what opinions are out there, only one candidate will come out victorious. Most would agree that there are ups and downs with the two nominees involving their past, current stances and their plans for our country’s future. No matter what happens during the final hours of the election, none of us can forget that we are still one nation. We all have our opinions on Trump and Clinton, to a point where stating opinions can turn some people against one another.
We are no doubt a country of pride. But this pride can easily change when represented by someone half the country loves and the other half hates. This also affects people’s views of one another when someone votes for Trump instead of Clinton and vice versa. There are also those who would rather have entirely different candidates run for office, but at this point that is not an option. Let’s not forget the chance that the Green Party’s candidate, Jill Stein and the Libertarian Party’s candidate, Gary Johnson have of winning, but based on polls the chance of having a third party being elected are low. We can not let this election cloud our judgment of our world when it comes down to the final ballot and our next president is chosen. Remember that we are still one nation, and it should not collapse over the results of a presidential election. Whoever wins, it will be a chaotic point in time. There will be people who are overjoyed and people
who would take the news as a slap to the face. We have to get off the ground, stand up and accept the fact that whoever wins the election is our next president; be it Trump or Clinton. There will be winners and there will be losers in this election, but it is not a reason to turn on your parents, neighbors or friends just because they voted for the candidate you despised and that candidate became president. We are living in a very judgmental world filled with issues bigger than this election. Countries are often engulfed by conflicts regarding race, gender, religion along with other issues that frequently lead to conflict with other nations and even turn into wars. We are not going to let the decision of the next president destroy our country and each other. It is time to do what we should have done months ago; accept each other’s opinions about who should be elected America’s next president and finally be the unified nation we once were again.
I’M WITH
Graphic by Mason Steiner
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OPINIONS
Hopefully, Election Winner is Willing to Make Positive Change that have yet to be answered. Why are we so accepting of hate? Why is there a reality television star who has been accused of sexual abuse successfully running for President? How is there someone who shared 33,000 n the year of 2016, there is an exhausting confidential emails even capable of running amount of hatred spread across America. for President? There are people dying in the streets, girls I believe that this country was built are asked by judges why they were not and has succeeded on diversity. We are a keeping their knees closed and that giving country of immigrants but we are shaming a college athlete a long jail sentence would those who wish to come here to flourish. have a huge impact on his future after Are we not supposed to be the country that he raped an unconscious girl behind a dumpster. Movements like Black Lives Matter values every single person, no matter what ethnicity, sexual orientation or religion? I are constantly showing up in the news, do not see this happening. I do not see whether that be through riots and protests, acceptance or tolerance. I see hate. football players losing endorsments and Children who are born and growing being chastized for choosing to kneel during up around this time will see everything the national anthem or people standing on happening and will be learning in an street corners holding handwritten signs America that is not portrayed in the national voicing their opinions. Police officers are anthem or anything that we are supposed being gunned down for doing what they to stand for. And I do not think that is right are supposed to do: keep people safe. The whatsoever. few bad apples that reside in that work are This election is so important. And plastered across the news outlets, creating the awful stereotype that every single cop is though we have a television star and a crooked. Clowns are running rampant across criminal as the two presidential candidates, we need to evaluate who is going to run the U.S. and two people, who are both this country with its best interest in mind. not fit to run this country, are our major I can stand here and preach to you about presidential candidates. my opinions on either candidates, but not Welcome to the overview of 2016 in the everyone is going to feel the same way as I United States. do. There is always going to be controversy As a society, we are not following our when it comes down to it. I believe, despite morals. Rather, they are being downgraded everything that has been said, there is going and dumbed down as time goes on. There to be good coming out of this election. is hypocrisy in the pride that we have for Granted, I wish we had two other options, this country. We are all so proud of our but these two people are what we have to perceived character yet we are too quick to choose from. criticize people who are willing to call out Keep in mind that whoever wins this our failure to meet our own expectations. election will most likely be in office for the These subjects are constantly crossing next four years. That is 1,460 days to create my brain and I have so many questions
I
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some kind of positive change. Hopefully that change will consist of fixing the judicial system and ridding it of the people who are giving probation to a young man after he sexually abused a one year old child. Maybe that is making sure that there are not cops out there who are only looking to point their weapon at an innocent person and believe it is okay to pull the trigger because of the badge they wear on their uniform. Maybe that change is altering the way the country is going and pushing it forward to who we used to be. One person cannot stand on a stage and make people believe that they are the only person that can make this country great again. The other person cannot preach about moving forward together when we are such a separated country. We need a change, and hopefully the person who is elected this year is the one who will be willing to make positive alterations with the American people in mind.
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We are all so proud of our perceived character yet we are too quick to criticize people who are willing to call out our failure to meet our own expectations.�
OPINIONS
Why We Stand
Abigail Guadnola
Protests of the National Anthem Disregard Our Soldiers
I
love the first amendment. I think the idea that in 1776 our founding fathers gave us such freedoms as found in the first amendment of the constitution is astounding. To give citizens the right to believe what they want, to speak out about anything they chose to, that concept was so unique and unlike anything any other nation had at that time. Now as we are advancing through the ages the revolutionary rights of 1776 are much more common around the world, however few nations would tolerate any public figure disrespecting their country as the USA has tolerated protests of our flag and national anthem. One of the most recent cases of protest is San Francisco 49er’s player Colin Kaepernick‘s initiation of kneeling at the national anthem during football games. Kaepernick decided that he would not stand for the anthem because of the racial tensions between police officers and African Americans across America. While Kaepernick is exercising his first amendment right to petition as well as free speech, I found myself questioning his methods as well as being quite disgusted with his protest. I am a strong believer in taking a stand for what you believe in even if you are standing alone. That being said, I am also a patriot. I believe in this nation, I believe in our flag, our pledge, our anthem and I believe in our soldiers who fought and died for our country. Here is my issue with Kaepernick and others who kneel at our nation’s anthem; it is incredibly disrespectful to our veterans and to those soldiers who never came home.
Kaepernick is executing the freedoms that our veterans fought for and any veteran will tell you that regardless of if they agree with Kaepernick, they still defend his rights and many would probably do it again. That being said, it is still absurd that we as a
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I am a strong believer in taking a stand for what you believe in even if you are standing alone. That being said, I am also a patriot. I believe in this nation, I believe in our flag, our pledge, our anthem and I believe in our soldiers who fought and died for our country.”
nation cannot even put aside our differences for less than three minutes and acknowledge and respect the lives that were lost keeping our nation free. When I see players kneeling during the national anthem or students remaining seated during the pledge of allegiance it seems as if they are actively disregarding the families that were destroyed in the fight to protect our country. I think of the little boys and girls who will grow up without a mom or dad to hold them or tuck them into
bed at night. I think of the husbands and wives who will never get to see their spouse again, the parents who bury their children. I think of the incredible sacrifice that our soldiers have made and how our nation today has very little appreciation for such sacrifices. Our nation is not perfect; our history has blood spilt in places. We haven’t always represented and held true to our nation’s founding beliefs. However in comparison to almost every country on the earth we have a relatively clean history. There is a lot this nation and its people have to be proud of. Of course we must acknowledge our faults and work towards keeping America the land of the free and the home of the brave, but we must also remember to refrain from seeing our nation as purely evil. It is times like these, where my mind goes back to the song “God Bless the USA” by Lee Greenwood. The chorus of this song is especially notable in regards to respecting our soldiers with lyrics stating “I’m proud to be an American where at least I know I’m free and I won’t forget the men who died and gave that right to me so I gladly stand up, next to you and defend her still today, ‘cause there ain’t no doubt I love this land. God bless the USA.” We may not be perfect, but that is no excuse to disregard the incredible sacrifices from our nation’s heroes and their families. It is your right not to stand for the anthem or the pledge, but there are so many who died or cannot stand just to give you that right. Those sacrifices alone are worth standing for.
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HEALTH
Turf Wars
by Henry Kline
Why “Crumb Rubber” is Raising Concerns About Possible Health Risks
F
all sports are drawing to a close across the nation; football, soccer, Piper Rundell, participates on Arapahoe’s inaugural field hockey team. “I was not aware that the rubber in turf could cause cancer. It field hockey, and cross-country athletes have all come out to makes me nervous that I could get cancer from playing field hockey,” compete and share their passion for their respective game. What they Rundell said. While the fear Rundell expressed is genuine she also do not know, however, is that the fields they are tramping on may be noted, “The thing about field hockey is that you can’t play it on grass. deadly. If you have ever stepped on an artificial turf sports field it is likely It is painfully slow and really hard to play on and so turf is necessary.” Rundell brings up a valid point and points out one reason why you you have stepped onto the artificial “crumb rubber” that covers artificial turf has been on the rise. the fake grass. It is likely you have even got it in your shoes. “Crumb Despite the health risks artificial turf has rubber,” which is essentially black rubber pellets been associated with, it is becoming more and made of recycled tires has recently come more of a standard playing surface for young under fire for being a possible carcinogen. athletes and professionals alike. Artificial turf is Recent studies suggest that trace amounts of Whether or not the not only required for certain sports as Rundell hazardous chemicals, such as lead, found in crumb rubber is a suggests, but also has significantly lower recycled tires may be linked to cancer in those maintenance costs, saves water, and is more who spend significant time on crumb rubber carcinogen is almost durable. These positives are driving more school fields. districts to install artificial turf fields that are However, there are also several compounds beside the point, possibly cancer linked. not linked to cancer used in crumb rubber also. schools across the Before jumping to conclusions, Arapahoe’s The issue is that there is too much uncertainty nation are putting in very own Athletic Trainer, Katie Wallace, is not to know for sure whether or not the rubber is very concerned about the issue. “There are cancer causing. There are too many variables artificial turf fields studies being done on everything to see and too many unknowns. without knowing what research what is and is not linked to cancer,” Wallace said. The University of Connecticut recently they contain.” “Athletes are probably more at risk from sun than interviewed David R. Brown, the director of the turf.” public health toxicology for the Environment To ease the fears of people worried about and Human Health Inc.. Brown states in crumb rubber being a carcinoge, government agencies including the interview, “While a grass field would be decked with fertilizer, the Center for Disease Control and the Environmental Protection pesticides and other chemicals, agricultural chemicals are tested, Agency have begun to investigate the matter. Until their findings are licensed and regulated.” This points out a scary reality: we really have published, the debate over artificial turf will certainly continue. no clue what we are playing with. If the turf really is cancer causing, Whether artificial turf is the greatest innovation in sports history there are currently no regulations in place to deal with the issue. or a silent killer, there is one thing we know for sure: we all better Whether or not the crumb rubber is a carcinogen is almost get used to the black pellets in our shoes, because they aren’t beside the point, schools across the nation are putting in artificial turf going anywhere. fields without knowing what they contain. One Arapahoe sophomore,
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Monsters ARE REAL
(BAD FOR YOU)
TEA / 11 mg
(Per 100 grams)
COCA COLA / 8 mg
onsters are real. All unique and terrifying, monsters lurk in closets, under beds, keeping their victims on edge, awake and shaking... Monster energy, that is. Monday mornings can be tough, so an energy drink or a cup of coffee may seem like the only way to get through the day. The caffeine will work, initially, stimulating the central nervous system and creating the illusion of energy, but producing the nasty side effect of turning you into a monster too. According to an article published by the FDA, “Ninety percent of people in the world use caffeine.” Caffeine crosses the blood brain barrier and sugar activates dopamine in the brain, factors that classify a caffeinated beverage as a drug. Coffee and other drinks are socially acceptable drugs, but they still produce negative consequences. Energy drinks can and often do cause headaches, agitated behavior, sleep deprivation, dehydration, indigestion, stress on the heart, increasing collagen production that makes skin saggy, weight gain, increased anxiety, and tremors. Sometimes these new energy drinks can seem unknown and there is some fear of the effects of the “Monster.” But should we really fear the Monster more than a venti, nonfat, extra hot, split quad shots no foam latte, with whip? Comparing the two proves that Coffee actually has more caffeine in 100 grams than a Monster has, and depending
on the type of coffee it often has more sugar as well. These factors are part of the problem, but the thing that really makes a monster scary is its artificial sweeteners and chemicals. Created with compounds that have unpronounceable names, Splenda is 600 times sweeter than sugar, exponentially speeding up the process of sweet taste-bud dependency and causing a reaction of insulin pouring into the blood system, which then causes increased cravings. The worst part of caffeine is that it takes control of the brain. Caffeine consumption leads only to more caffeine consumption, because over time the body needs more and more to produce the same effect. The most important thing to remember when stuck in the cycle of dependence, the body already has a system in place of eating foods and changing their nutrients into sugars to use for energy. As much as it may not feel like it in the morning, the human body can function without added caffeine and instant sugars. Know the risks, and don’t let the monsters keep you up at night.
Stress, Sleep, Repeat... 5 Tips To Help Reduce Stress by Murielle Hecomovich As school starts to become more demanding, it is easy to become stressed. Stress is a thing most teenagers experience, but there is a way to prevent and even reduce the stress. Throughout Arapahoe, there are a lot of awesome resources students can use to help manage stress and get organized. I talked to Mrs. Brock and Mrs. Gillespie and they both have great advice on stress and ways to prevent it. Together we came up with a list of the five most important things to help students manage stress.
Sleep Mrs. Brock highly suggests that on average a teenager needs eight to ten hours of sleep. She also suggests turning your phone off for a couple hours so you can finish homework quicker and without distraction.
Study Regularly Go into a test with the confidence that you know the topic and you studied everything could. Your stress and anxiety levels will go down as you start taking the test and answering questions with confidence. While each night going over the notes you took that day might seem like a waste of time, in the long run it will cut down stress the night before a test.
Be Prepared Go into a test with the confidence that you know the topic and you studied everything could. Your stress and anxiety levels will go down as you start taking the test and answering questions with confidence.
Enjoy Your Free Time In high school it is easy to become stressed out about school work, sports, and social commitments. Mrs. Gillespie suggests making a goal for yourself to do something everyday that makes you smile, as this helps you take your mind off the things that are stressing you out and helps you calm down.
Balance
COFFEE / 40 mg
M
MONSTER / 36 mg
by Courtney Brown
HEALTH
It is always great to get involved in your community and school. But only participate in an amount of extracurriculars that is manageable for you. If you do find yourself in a crazy amount of extracurriculars, do not be afraid to eliminate something when you are too stressed stressed.
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INFO INFO
How to Prepare for College by Abby Caster
Freshmen: Begin with the end in mind
Build your schedule around your end goal Challenge yourself in all of your classes
Community College IS an
Join clubs and after school activities Get to know your counselor so you feel comfortable to check in often in the upcoming years to make sure you are meeting graduation requirements. Attend career fairs and begin to explore career fields of interest Pay attention to your grades. Keep in mind that you will be turning in six semesters of grades with your college applications.
Sophomores:
Attend college and career information events Research and begin looking into funding for college Look into scholarships, grants, and loans Reach out to teachers and mentors in your fields of interest Consider taking practice tests for the PSAT test
Juniors: Take the PSAT. Students are required to take the test in 11th grade to qualify for National Merit scholarships and other like programs. Continue attending college fairs and college-prep presentations. Keep in mind that a lot of this information can be found online! In the spring, be sure to register for college admission exams such as the SAT and the ACT. It is recommended to take practice tests before the big day! Continue to research ways to pay for college Write down all of the scholarships you are planning on pursuing Mark all scholarships deadlines on your calendar Begin to contact colleges to request information and applications
by Becca Schwisow
OPTION
Community college is an alternative option for students entering college, as opposed to the traditional four year degrees. There are several perks to choosing community colleges, many of which revolve around two major benefits: affordability and location. Community college applications can be a more realistic option because they do not include an application fee. In addition, there is one common application throughout all Colorado community colleges. The costs at community colleges can vary, but tuition can be expected to be much lower than a four year college. Community colleges benefit a wide variety of students. Those who graduate high school with a low grade point average have the opportunity to “wipe out� the lower average with 30 hours of college. From there, admissions at larger universities will only look at the new grade point average when considering the student. For some, the location is also a positive. Since community colleges are local, students can still live at home, and therefore will not need to worry about boarding costs. The flexible hours for schooling allows students to work part-time or invest in learning a trade. When considering a college, it is important to keep the benefits of a community college in mind. For more information on applications, costs, and specific community colleges, search for the Colorado Community College system.
Graphic illustration by Becca Schwisow
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INFO
College Decision Types Explained by Avi Hathorne
mong the many intricacies of the college A application process is the variety of decision types for applicants to consider. The three most common of these options are regular decision, early decision, and early action. For regular decision, students must apply before a deadline which typically falls between November and January. Often preferred to regular decision are the two main early application options, which allow students to receive a response much sooner. Early decision is a binding choice, meaning that a student can only apply early decision to
one school and, if accepted, must enroll in that school. Early action, unlike early decision, is nonbinding, and students can apply early action to as many schools as desired, provided the schools offer the option. Schools will respond to early applications and offer financial aid packages much sooner than they will to regular decision applications, sometimes as early as October and usually before the end of December. Applying early can pose an advantage to seniors with crowded schedules, allowing them to ease some of the stress of the fall semester.
NOVEMBER 2016 arapahoextra.com
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TECH
The
Best
Apps
for
this School Year by Anna McCollister
Todoist For all those out there without a planner, whether it is because it got lost or is an inconvenience to carry around, this is the app for you. The free app allows the user to write down different activities or projects one wants to accomplish. The app also allows the user to prioritize activities in order to see which ones are most important at the time and which tasks should be completed first. Finally, the user is able to categorize their activities and projects under tags such as “personal,” “shopping,” and “work”. The only drawback of the app is that you cannot set reminders unless you get the premium version, which costs $30 a year.
Ted
Dragon Dictation Dragon Dictation allows the user to talk into the microphone in their phone or other device and speak words that translate onto a document, similar to Siri. This app would be helpful to someone trying to transfer an essay or other large piece of work into a document. Although the app will only allow the user to speak about 160 words at a time, it can keep up with fast readers and is fairly accurate. The drawback to this app is it does not register quotation marks or parentheses, and instead it writes out the word. The app does however allow the user to easily transfer their work to Google Drive or notes, as well as other media sources, whichever the user chooses.
If you enjoy watching Ted Talks, then this is 100 percent the app for you. This free app allows the user to watch the featured talks of the day as well as talks considered “courageous, funny, or persuasive.” The headphone logo on the top right corner also allows the user to listen to the TED Radio Hour on National Public Radio, a feature that those who dig this station will enjoy. At the bottom of the app there are tabs that allow the user to select how much time they have and what type of Ted Talk they are interested in watching. The Ted app will then surprise the user with a talk that fills their requirements. Ted as an app is a useful and fun way to learn about interesting real-world topics that aren’t usually discussed in school, and can even help with understanding difficult and controversial topics that are discussed during school.
Study Blue Similar to Quizlet, Study Blue allows the user to make and study their own words and definitions. However the cool thing about this app is that the user is able to find their school and their specific classes and find other students who also use the app in their same classes. Students can then collaborate and use one another’s definitions to see which words or concepts are important. The “most popular classes” which have users from Arapahoe are Greek Mythology, English 9 honors, U.S. History, A.P. Government and Politics, English 10, World Geography and Civilization and Science.
Lumosity
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Lumosity is a brain game app. Although it is debated whether or not brain games are effective, this app still has challenging and addicting games, like tapping leaves that are moving different directions, and remembering different patterns that come onto the phone or computer screen. The variety of games makes the user feel good about themselves when they improve, and the games can be a good break from studying every once and awhile. And who knows? Maybe they help the brain become smarter too.
Lightspeed Mobile Filter by Emily Koke
TECH
The Good Wi-Fi, The Bad Filter, and The Ugly Truth
O
n Aug. 21st, I had a near death experience. My life flashed before my eyes in the most cliched way imaginable and my demure disposition turned uncharacteristically irate. I was rapidly falling into a great despair as I desperately searched for answers to the betrayal I was experiencing. The internet had forsaken me. The LPS filter flooded across every corner of my screen in attempts to protect my innocent eyes from an evening of aimlessly browsing the web. My wifi decided to adopt anarchy as it is a form of government and the Lightspeed Mobile Filter had the freedom to block websites. And everything fun in life. This is the first year the Lightspeed Filter will be implemented on a high school level. The school subsequently supplied two quick fixes to this new change. One being logging out of the browser by disconnecting your Google Account in the settings, and another being to use a completely different browser. An easy way around it that many students have found is to simply create a new google account with which to log into their Chrome-based devices instead of using their LPS accounts. What they did not explain was why the filter is affecting students off campus. The Director of Technology in Littleton Public Schools, Mike Porter, said, “The idea is essentially that district resources should have the same filtering on and off LPS networks. The only way we can accomplish this reasonably is by the LightSpeed extension pushed through the students’ accounts.” Porter goes on to explain that, through LPS accounts, the extension binds itself with the Chrome browser and behaves as if the student is still on campus. In the description of the extension, it states it is “allowing school administrators to ensure safe, monitored access on school-distributed ChromeOS devices”. Almost ensuring that each student will be following school guidelines whether they are on or off LPS networks. The source of the complaints were stemming from the filter having content rules that were built for middle schoolers. Arapahoe had so much trouble because the rules had not changed yet. With it resolved, the only problem students might run into is the speed of the internet. The extension tends to get hung up on the filter and slows down the loading process but that shouldn’t cause many issues. So happy browsing and remember that Big Brother is watching.
Big Brother photo by: Laura Loveday / flickr.com All other images from Pixabay.com / Creative Commons NOVEMBER 2016
arapahoextra.com
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Ridiculous, out-of-context comments overheard throughout the school.
“Multiple choice tests are like dating. There are bad options.” -E1288 “The secret to immortality? Lamination.” -South Hall “Chairs are easier to start fights with than barstools.” -Cafeteria
“I think I may have applied to college yesterday, but I’m not sure.” -E1288 “I spent an hour drawing a double chin.” -E1283 “Treat my cornhole set well.” -East Hall
“If you don’t drink whole milk then you’re not a real man.” -C1455 “I’ve never been tickled by a blueberry before.” -Clarity Commons “Polar bears are insoluble.” -W2874