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February 27, 2014
FCHS Unified Basketball pg. 17
How to file taxes pg. 3 A look at the Oscars pg. 8 A Day Without... pg. 10-14 Politics in the Classroom pg. 21
PHOTO BY CALEB SCHWINDT
Volume 95 Issue 6 3400 Lambkin Way
Fort Collins, CO 80525
Phone: (970) 488-8199
Fax: (970) 488-8008
News
2 Feb. 27, 2014
Nun protests nuclear plant, sentenced to 3 years in prison
Number of US soldiers fired for misconduct double since 2007
Spilled Ink
Italian inmates meet with Pope Francis
Diaries of Anne Frank vandalized in Japan library McDonald’s employee fired for donating food to firefighters Former Navy SEALs found dead onboard ship from Captain Phillips incident
UN names Honduras murder capital of the world
Bikers brave winter cold, take safety precautions Page 4
Local art creates vibrant community Page 9
Paranoia results from 24 hours without mirror Page 12-13
Water jogging experience regrettable Page 15
Modern movies lack originality, unique concepts Page 21
News
A&E
In-Depth
Sports
Perspectives
Pages 2-5
Pages 6-9
Pages 10-14
Pages 15-18
Pages 19-23
Corrections Spilled Ink has no corrections to publish this issue.
News
Spilled Ink
Feb. 27, 2014
3
In Brief Senior accepted into Marine Corps Band Joey Freeman Managing Editor Senior Charles Burnside is the only student in the Fort Collins area in a decade to be accepted into the United States Marine Corps Music Enlistment Option Program (MEOP), according to Burnside’s recruiter, Sgt. Michael Morris. “I was in shock,” Burnside said. “I have always wanted to perform music and now I get to with the most prestigious band program in the world, in my opinion.” After completing boot camp, infantry training, and music school in Virginia, Burnside will begin to play with MEOP. “I will be a professional musician next year. I will get paid to play music and I will live off of that with no other jobs,” Burnside said. “After that, if I want, I can go to college or I can stay in the Marine Corps, but either way I will be supported by the Marines to continue to pursue my dream.”
2014-2015 Student Council elections April 21 Evan Bode Staff Writer During the week of April 21, Student Council will hold class officer elections for next year. The student body will vote on candidates running for Student Council or Student Body Officer. “We like to hear new ideas, so we like you to be involved and have a good perspective of the school and the student body,” senior and Student Body Secretary Kelsey Stout said. “If you’re wanting to be in a unified school, it’s a great opportunity to be in that position where you can do things for everyone.” Starting March 24, students can pick up a class officer election packet in the front office or during 8th period in Room L112. Election packets must be turned in by Thurs., April 17 to Emily Steele in M203 or M211, or to Melissa Schaefer in L112.
Information gathered by Jordan Leone Source: irs.gov
GRAPHIC BY HANNAH MECHTENBERG
What inspired you to be a math teacher?
Underclassmen TCAP testing begins Mar. 11
Teaching wasn’t something that I wanted to do. I started reading and found what I liked was to be in the classroom. I chose math because I like the challenge of the subject.
Zach Stetter
When did you know you wanted to be a teacher?
Staff Writer March 11- 13, TCAPs will be held at FCHS. During these testing days, those students not taking the test will attend a half day, arriving at 12:15 to attend 49 minute classes. This year, ninth and tenth grade students will be tested on reading and math, but not science as in years past. Standing for Transitional Colorado Assessment Program, the TCAPs are designed to test for improvement throughout the core courses. “Basically the TCAPS are tests that the ninth and tenth graders are required to take that started in the third grade so we can look at improvement every year from the third grade year to the tenth grade year,” assistant principal Rob Larson said. “They help us get a base understanding in the different subjects that they are tested in.”
In my third year of college. That would have been when I changed my major five times. That’s when I realized what it was I wanted to do. I wanted to remain in the classroom. That’s what I love. Why did you choose Fort Collins High School? Katherine Kruse Math Teacher
I chose Fort Collins mainly because I think the community is geared towards making a great learning environment for the students. What do you like about being a teacher? Sharing my passion with others. It gives me a plethora of opportunities to share my passion. Interview by Amanda Evans
News
4 Feb. 27, 2014
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5th
Colorado has the highest proportion of people traveling by bike. Nationwide, more than
777,000 people bike to
work on a regular basis.
27,563 The number of
people who regularly ride their bike as part 19,972 males of their commute. 7,591 females Information gathered by Jordan Leone Sources: governing.com, myassettag.com
Riding to school, senior Mitchell Khouri prefers to commute on his bike as opposed to driving. Khouri advocates cyclists using trails to avoid danger involving vehicles. PHOTO BY ANDREW SMALLEY
Caution, preparation crucial for bicycle safety Jason Stroh
many states, including Massachusetts and traffic fatalities in the U.S., but only Staff Writer Florida, require anyone under the age of consist of 1 percent of trips, according to 16 to wear a helmet when riding a bicycle. the Pedestrian and Bicycle Information In the year 2012, Fort Collins’ rate While Colorado does not legally Center. To avoid collisions with motor of bicycle accidents was 12.1 per require helmets to be worn by any vehicles, some experienced bicyclists 100,000 people, with four of those demographic, it is recommend the use of crashes being fatal, according to highly advised that Fort Collins’ many trails. “Bicyclists the Coloradoan. This rate has risen one wear a helmet at “Bike trails are a lot less considerably since 2000, when the rate all times while biking. dangerous,” senior Mitchell should use was 9.5 crashes per 100,000 people. “Wearing a helmet Khouri, an avid bicyclist, Bicycles, widely used for their while bicycling can lower trails whenever said. “Bicyclists should use relative cheapness compared to other your risk of serious injury trails whenever possible, possible.” modes of transportation as well as by about 86 percent,” because it’s just bikes and — Mitchell their environmental friendliness, are Fort Collins Safe Routes pedestrians out there.” a major mode of transportation in to School coordinator For those who are not Khouri the city of Fort Collins, and the city Nancy Nichols said. “The able to make use of a was awarded the Platinum Bicycle helmet is the most costcity bicycle trail for their Friendly Community Award in 2013. effective investment you can make to commutes, Nichols recommends Bicycle safety is a major concern in protect your health when riding a bicycle.” heavy caution for students who many communities, to the point that Bicycles account for 2 percent of ride alongside motor vehicles.
“Students also need to follow the rules of the road, starting with riding on the right side of the road, just like cars,” she said. “They need to stop at all stop signs and red lights, use hand signals to indicate stopping and turning, and all of the other rules of the road that motorists also have to follow.” Because over 50,000 bicyclists are injured per year in the United States due to collisions with motor vehicles, both drivers and bicyclists would benefit from increased caution. “It really all comes down to the mentality of the bicyclist in question,” Khouri said. “If someone is experienced and they know how to bike safely, they probably will safe, but if someone was to disregard common sense, they’re probably going to get hurt.”
New efforts aim to limit environmental footprint Thany Dykson Staff Writer Recycling and energy efficiency are judged by numbers. According to the PSD “School Energy & Solid Waste Reports,” which were updated this month, FCHS is falling behind in recycling and energy use compared to the other comprehensive high schools in the district. In response to the most recent reports, FCHS is reviewing energy use and recycling and working toward improving efficiency. Head-custodian Carole Tuck said that one of the largest energy-users in the school is the lighting. “At night, all the custodians go around the school and shut off all the lights that were left on,” Tuck said. Another energy-user found throughout the school is the computers. All the computers in the labs shut down every night, but classroom computers shut down only on Fridays. Everyday shutdown is up to the faculty and staff. Tuck receives personal training from the district on sustainable energy methods, which include putting heaters on setback mode during the weekends to conserve energy, and she said that she believes staff and students could be further educated on energy saving and recycling. In the area of recycling, FCHS was diverting 19-21 percent less solid waste than the other comprehensive high schools at press time. This is an improvement of approximately 51 percent since the 2012-2013 fiscal year, but Assistant Principal Skip Caddoo sees room for even more progress. “Currently we are looking at reformatting
and expanding the building-wide recycling program,” Caddoo wrote in an email. The ratio of recycling bins to trash cans in the school is approximately 1-to-2. Part of the effort to expand will include purchasing some new containers, according to Caddoo, and Tuck hopes that the building will have at least one recycling bin to every trash can to help encourage waste diversion. Even with the imbalance, junior Sofia Silfvercrantz said she recycles roughly 90 percent of the time, and sophomore Kevin Heckman said he recycles 75 percent of the time. Empty bins might not be the result of a lack of attention to recycling. Many students practice a reduce and reuse policy, filling the same plastic bottles over and over again, rather than buying a new one each day and dropping it in the receptacles. Sophomore Jacob Woodbury explained that he probably only recycles 5 percent of the time, but he does reuse plastic bottles often. Bottles and cans are widely-recognized recyclables, but Tuck worries that problems are created by a lack of education in what can and cannot go into the blue bins. She often sees items like milk cartons in the trash instead. Administration and staff intend to include clear information and signage in the campaign to improve energy efficiency and recycling so that more students will take the approach sophomore Samantha Rittner does. “If it can be recycled,” she said, “I recycle it.” The effort is part of a statewide goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the state 20 percent by the year 2020.
Energy Efficiency 41 schools in Colorado are considered eco-friendly PSD schools are making signs to remind people to turn off unnecessary lights Computer monitors and towers use the most energy Dressing in layers in cold weather helps reduce heater use Information gathered by Amanda Evans Source: www.psdschools.org
News
Spilled Ink
Feb. 27, 2014
5
Qdoba 2 entrees and a side for $5
Free student drink
Asian Grill
Distance: 0.7 miles Travel Time: 3 minutes
Distance: 2.1 miles Travel Time: 8 minutes
Spoons Lunch combo under $7
Distance: 1.2 miles Travel Time: 7 minutes
Correct answer to movie trivia gives 10% off
2 pieces of pizza and a drink for $5
Mama Roni’s
Distance: 1.4 miles Travel Time: 5 minutes
PHOTOS BY JAMIE TAFOYA Information gathered by Jordan Leone Source: Google Maps
Rocky Mountain BagelDistance: 1.0 mile Travel Time: 4 minutes
What’s your favorite place to go to lunch and why?
Zoe Longo Sophomore
“I like that place Wok and Roll because it’s healthy and good.”
Olivia Claxton Senior
“Qdoba because they have the awesome soda machines.”
Matt Struckhoff Junior
“Mama Roni’s. It’s $5 for 2 pieces of pizza. It’s a good deal.”
Ryan Capels Freshman
“Probably Sonic because it’s way better than school food.”
A&E
6 Feb. 27, 2014
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What do you love most about violin? I just love music. I love playing for people because it’s fun to share my music with them. How long have you been playing violin? Almost 13 years. How much do you practice? In the summers, like 5 to 8 hours a day because I go to this thing, this school in New York and they make you practice that much. But then, I try to get at least two hours a day here—2 to 4, I guess. What organization do you spend the most time practicing your violin through? Probably the Allstate Orchestra stuff, if that counts as an organization. What are the benefits of playing? How does it improve your life? You get to meet so many new people—that’s fun. And then, when I was younger I guess it kind of helped me with math because you have to figure out the rhythms. But it’s just really fun to play. What’s the greatest performance you ever had? Probably during one of my competitions, when I won it. That was probably the best one. What are your plans for the future? I want to go into music. Violin performance. Solos, or just in an orchestra? Well, I think you have to do both to get a degree. I would do solos if I could, but I feel like that’s really hard.
Q&A by Elizabeth Bridgwater
Posing with her violin, junior Sofya Norman hopes to become a professional violinist. Norman has been studying the violin for almost 13 years and was recently assistant principal first violin in the Colorado All State Symphony Orchestra. PHOTO BY SARAH BALES
Sci-fi TV movie accidental social media success
Gretchen Adams Columnist
Had this movie been called “Sharks in L.A.” or even “A Tornado of Sharks,” I might have expected a smart drama about the housing crisis of 2008 or something. But I knew what I was getting into when I sat down to watch “Sharknado.” If you haven’t heard of it yet, there’s this thing called the internet you should really know about. “Sharknado,” which is so bad it’s good and then gets bad again, would have fallen into obscurity, were it not for a few people on Twitter.
At the peak of the hype, there were about 5,000 #Sharknado tweets a minute, and the movie quickly made its way into everyday conversations. Already, it has achieved definite cult status. Midnight showings and t-shirts sporting lines like “We’re gonna need a bigger chopper!” are starting to crop up all over the country. I can kind of understand why people love it. Here’s what happens: there’s a freak hurricane in Los Angeles and a bunch of sharks are swept up into this giant water-tornado thing. They proceed to fall from the sky, swim through the streets, and eat people. The main character, Fin Shepard (Ian Ziering) and his loveable gang of surfer buds run around the city saving people with their various and convenient skills. In the end they not only blow up the shark tornado, but
Fin chainsaws his way out of a shark’s stomach, while carrying his son’s love interest (who happened to be eaten by the same shark), completely unharmed. I’m not really here to discuss the movie’s merit. It’s the second worst thing I’ve ever seen (the top spot will always and forevermore belong to “The Star Wars Holiday Special”). But I did happen upon an interesting thought while I was watching it. What if the movie’s creators were actually geniuses? Now, this is not an uncommon sentiment in the cult flick world: the screenwriter of “Plan 9 from Outer Space” or “Showgirls” knew it was going to be a success, and everything was intentional! Usually, I’m inclined not to agree. But this may just be the case with “Sharknado.” Nobody in their right mind could have sat down, written this, and thought, yes,
this is an excellent script. No director, not even at the notoriously awful Syfy channel, would have picked this up because they thought it was good. The campy jokes, the stock footage from Shark Week, hell, even the character’s names (Fin and Nova are the two principles) suggest satirical intent. They’re even making a sequel, this time set in good old NYC, called “Sharknado 2: The Second One,” which will add Judah Friedlander, Kelly Osbourne, and probably a lot of hilariously angry cab drivers into the mix. Although it’s definitely not good, I just can’t believe this movie was an accidental success. That level of awesomely horrible filmmaking is an art, and as far as I’m concerned, the screenwriter, Thunder Levin (yes that is his name) should be lauded with shiny awards.
Spilled Ink
A&E
Feb. 27, 2014 LEFT: Staring at the monitor, graphic artist Hannah Mechtenberg prepares to mark her bingo card. RIGHT: Showing her disappointment, news editor Jordan Leone is eliminated from the Last Man Standing special. PHOTOS BY JOEY FREEMAN
7
Band Wed. Mar. 5 CBA Northern Regional Concert Band Festival, Fossil Ridge High School, Time TBA
Bingo offers unique atmosphere, pleasant experience
Joey Freeman
Managing Editor Despite the fact that no one was smoking, and that no one had probably smoked there in ten years, there was still a lingering smell of cigarette smoke in the air, as if someone had just hurriedly put one out and blown the smoke out of the nearest window. The room, which seemed large, was made smaller with the abundance of people and the air was stirring with tension and anticipation for the night’s events. This was bingo, and we were ready to win. But first we had to buy a pack, which is just the pack of bingo cards, and the bingo daubers (the things you dot the bingo cards with). Once we got all of our cards and daubers we were prepared to possibly win some cash money. The highest amount that we heard as a prize was $300.
As we (and by we, I mean the Spilled Ink staff) walked through the packed room, it was clear that aside from children that were accompanying their parents or even grandparents, we were the youngest people in attendance. The age factor was probably due to the fact that you have to be 18 or older to actually purchase the bingo packs. All around us were people who were clear veterans of the bingo game. They had multiple packs, and by multiple I mean some had more than five packs each, accompanied by an electronic bingo machine, which is basically just a computer version of a bingo card. The women in front of us had a cup that said, in dauber ink, “Shut Up Please.” This was serious. The first game played, instead of typical bingo where only one row needs to be filled, was the layer cake, according to nationwidebingo. com. This is where every other row of the bingo sheet is filled. Unfortunately none of us won, but we still had multiple games to play. During these games, fellow Spilled Ink Editor Jordan Leone and I (who have actually done bingo prior to this) discussed that there is such a thing as bingo ESP, a prediction of when someone will get a bingo. We both get a strange feeling—for me my back gets tingly—and then suddenly someone yells the most hated word in the room “Bingo!”.
Although Leone and I were both entirely comfortable with playing and the atmosphere, staff members Jamie Tafoya and Hannah Mechtenberg felt completely out of their realm. Instead of feeling at ease, they both had a very strong sense of anxiety about the whole thing. As Mechtenberg put it, “I just feel like I’m intruding.” As the night progressed, Leone and I ended up playing a special named Last Man Standing which is when you are given a single bingo card and when a number on your card is called, you sit. The last man standing gets the prize money, a total of $100. Yet again, we were not so lucky. What we didn’t win didn’t win in cash we won in memories. Sorry, that joke was just as cheesy as the unexpectedly delicious mozzarella sticks that we purchased for $4 during the intermission. The most surprising part of bingo is the food offered: deep-fried food, packaged candies and junk food, and even fat, juicy pickles. The best feature of the food is that all of it is under $7. Our night, which I had expected to be filled with dollar bills being rained upon me, was actually filled with hilarious observations, food which caused much stomach-growling, and just a good time despite participating in a stereotypical activity for senior citizens.
Theater Thurs.-Sat. Mar. 6-8 Tower Theater Presents, “Seussical!” 7p.m. in McNeal Auditorium, tickets: $10
Band Tues. Mar. 11 Chamber Music Festival at FCHS, Time TBA
Orchestra Thurs. Mar. 13 Orchestra Middle School Festival with Symphony Orchestra, 7p.m. in McNeal Auditorium.
Expensive modern art simplistic Jason Stroh Columnist
$28 million—that is the sum of money that the painting “Untitled” by Mark Rothko sold for at auction. “Untitled” is not an amazing artistic feat, nor is it particularly nice to look at. The painting is an orange rectangle on a tan background, with a line cutting through the middle. Yet, this work of modern art managed to sell for the same price as 896 average American cars. Throughout all of history, the most consistent inconsistency in the world has been that of art, having so many different interpretations and forms that it is almost impossible to draw a line between what is and isn’t art. However, if art is so abstract and subjective, why would someone ever spend so much money on a painting of an orange rectangle with a tan line through it? The Modern Era, was the official name for the artistry movement between the 1860s and the 1970s, and is also the label bestowed upon almost any confusing or abstract piece of art by the general public. The Modern
Era played host to many well-known artists, such as Pablo her article on the topic of what makes art good. “So “I think your face would look better elsewhere” Picasso, long as the evaluation is developed and defensible, Vincent “earless” Van Gogh, and Andy “repetitive” it is legitimate.” Under this definition, art can be Warhol. Artists of this era’s paintings are generally deemed to be worth any amount by the beholder. well known and criticized for being incredibly abstract. Still, one very rich and, arguably, very bored person The aforementioned multi-million dollar justified spending $28 million on one of these masterfully painting happens to belong to this era of artistry. marked monotone paintings. It could be a statement Many critics like to attack Modern Art due that human imagination and creativity trump to its strange simplicity, while logic and reason when the two others piously meet, and that our minds defend its know no limit when merits, through it comes to the abstract what we can nature idealize, or of art enjoy. Or and the people idea of c o u l d beauty just have in the strangely eye of the expensive b e h o l d e r. tastes in wall “People decoration. So, should feel I figure that one GRAPHIC BY HANNAH MECHTENBERG empowered to can do that one wants evaluate art and call it with one’s own money. You like they see it without fearing can have your modern art; I will the claim of being unenlightened,” artist and spend the same amount of money and drive a different, cultural analyst Kinsey Sullivan of PolicyMic said in brand new Acura RDX every day for the next two years.
8
A&E
Feb. 27, 2014
Spilled Ink
By the numbers
A look at the Oscars 24 categories original song 4 Best nominations
86th Sun. March
make-up and 3 Best hairstyling nominations
Mountain Time 5 p.m. on ABC TV Network
Academy Awards
2
for all other 5 nominations categories
9 nominations for Best Picture
Matthew McConaughey (“Dallas Buyers Club”)
Best Actress in Leading role:
(by variety.com)
Best Actor in Leading role:
Predictions
Best Picture: “12 years a Slave”
Cate Blanchett (“Blue Jasmine”) Information gathered by Evan Bode Sources: oscars.go.com, variety.com
GRAPHICS BY HANNAH MECHTENBERG
Ding Dong Unique form of messaging that uses pictures Jamie Tafoya & Jordan Leone
Connects with email, messages, and Facebook
Columnists
prove to be equally engaging and influential. Interacting with friends and family Because of the sway social media have through a cellphone is never-ending for developed on people’s opinions, a tweet, most. The four apps we chose offer a Instagram post, or Facebook like can refreshing alternative to the over-used apps manipulate the way we view the world. that monopolize our daily lives. Happier, While most teens are obsessed with popular Quietly, Jelly, and Ding Dong allow users social media sites, the less popular variations to intermingle through innovative means.
Editors Note:
Not many privacy settings Pictures often come out blurry Graphic by Andrew Smalley
Jelly
Quietly Allows users to create lists of venues they’ve visited and rate them Users can share lists, or keep them for personal use Difficult to navigate Limited interaction with others users
Happier Allows users to post events that have made a positive impact on their day Categorizes posts based on proximity to users Users are able to like other posts and say “me too!” Users are unable to add much personal information
Combines information from users’ Twitter and Facebook accounts Allows users to ask questions and post photos Questions can be answered only by Facebook friends and Twitter followers Does not link to a wider variety of social networking sites
Spilled Ink
A&E
Feb. 27, 2014
9
GRAPHIC BY HANNAH MECHTENBERG
Art
Information Pianos
Transformer Cabinets Alleycat Coffee House
• Organized by the Bohemian Foundation in collaboration with the Art in Public Places Program • The pianos are donated, then painted by local artists
• Part of the Transformer Cabinet Mural project • Collaborative between City of Fort Collins Utilities Light and Power and the Art in Public Places Program • So far, there are around 166 painted cabinets • Every ceiling tile in the Alleycat Coffee House has been painted by a local artist • To obtain a tile to paint, an artist needs to leave a deposit of $5 • The Alleycat staff collectively decides when certain panels should be switched
Location(s)* Old Town Square
Lyric Cinema Cafe
Museum of Discovery Riverside Avenue Parklake Drive, and Prospect Road next to the Powerline Trail Several Locations along Mulberry Street
120 West Laurel Street
• Some are sponsored by the Bohemian Foundation, others are privately contracted • Fort Collins is home to many mural artists
Murals Pedestrian Pavers PHOTOS BY SPILLED INK STAFF
Canyon Avenue, by Mulberry Pool
• Over 80 projects done by Fort Collins youth • Theme for artwork is transportation or life in Fort Collins • Located along pedestrian trails and parks
Powerline Trail south of Harmony Road
Information gathered by Spilled Ink Staff Sources: fcgov.com, collegian.com, bohemianfoundation.org, Patrick Messall
*Note: Only some locations for pianos, electrical boxes, pedestrian pavers, and murals listed.
Mulberry Avenue and Whedbee Street
10 Feb. 27, 2014
In-Depth
Spilled Ink
Editor’s Note: A Day Without... Jamie Tafoya In-Depth Editor Most people go through the typical day completing hundreds of minute tasks that go unnoticed until pointed out. The staff of Spilled Ink chose to take a personal look into what a day without each of these would encompass. Staff members embraced the challenge, giving up an aspect of their daily routines. On page 10, a day without a clock is examined as Perspectives Editor Elizabeth Bridgewater compares her schedule without the knowledge of time to her normal routines. A self-proclaimed
“time-freak,” Bridgewater found the concept of time to be something she relies on too heavily. Staff writer Zach Stetter describes his experience, a full 24 hours without the use of words, on page 11. Through the silence, Stetter found himself closer to people than before through watching them and truly listening rather than including his own input on a situation. At the bottom of the page, students answer “What word could you not live without?”. Two experiments featuring self-views are highlighted on the centerfold: a day without a mirror and a day without self–criticism. Managing Editor Joey Freeman spent a day’s time focusing on her views of herself. In an effort
to balance the negativity of her thoughts, Freeman wrote down encouraging statements and attempted to pinpoint the trigger for her destructive thoughts. Negative feelings about her appearance haunted writer Gretchen Adams in her day without looking in mirrors. The experience, however, proved to be rewarding, allowing her to view herself in a new light. The gain in respect after spending “A Day Without” continues on page 14 as staff writer Amanda Evans discovers the role thumbs play in her daily tasks as she spent a full day without using them. While these experiments were each personal and unique, the messages both positive and negative can be applied to the simple things most often taken for granted.
Confusion, chaos result from reliance on clocks Elizabeth Bridgwater
Perspectives Editor
I’m a bit of a time-freak. For the basics of my schedule, I know how much time I need to complete each activity, when I need to start something, and when I need to leave. Now, I don’t always follow these linear markings of the clock with stringency, but part of my way of staying sane is by this orderly system. So of course, when I signed up to write this article, I hadn’t realized what a feat it would be to not look at a clock for an entire day. My experience proved more challenging than I expected. The previous day I counted a grand total of twenty-seven clocks, and most devices I was unable to guarantee avoiding. The day of the experiment, I caught myself multiple times glancing up at the clock by force of habit, to see how long it was until Event A end-
ed and Event B began. Even worse, on occasion I found myself aimlessly gazing at the clock without realizing what I was doing. My inclination to check the time made me feel like an addict: I had no control, strongly desired to know the time, and didn’t realize how dependent I was until I was cut off. Whenever I managed to avoid clocks, I felt completely lost. Without any perception of time, I found myself less efficient in my work and more prone to daydreaming. Not only that, but it was disconcerting not to know the amount of time which had passed. I felt as if I was semi-conscious or locked in a white-walled room with no windows. This experience provided me with a strange revelation: I rely far more heavily on time than I ever believed I did, and there is almost no way to truly escape from clocks in our modern world. In this society packed with convenience reliant on specific durations, I’m a time-junky slave to clocks.
In-Depth
Spilled Ink
Feb. 27, 2014
11
GRAPHIC BY HANNAH MECHTENBERG
Silence reveals trust, brings friends together Zach Stetter Staff Writer The
average
woman
speaks
around
20,000
words
a day, and the average man speaks around 7,000 due to a gene called FOXP2 found in the brain, according to news.sciencemag.org. On Feb. 7, I spoke 0 words. It was my own personal
mouth
day of silence, and while I closed my I found that the silence opened my eyes and ears.
speak
The hardest part of not being able to was also the most obvious, communicating with my friends and teachers. Because I also restrained myself from
words
discussion
crazy. During a class on something so much closer if they listened to one another more. I knew a great deal about, I could not say anything, only Instead, people have the tendency to enjoy their own simmer in silence. I felt like a pot of boiling water with the top sealed on. More and more ideas were rising up in my over others, opting to talk rather than listen. head, desperately wanting to break free but unable to. Through all the suffering of the pent up words I Even through the stifling silence, I found the experience strangely enlightening. When I refrained had, I found I enjoyed my day without . It let me view the world in a whole new way. And that’s from , I found that I caught myself exactly what I was doing, viewing and not participating, listening and observing. It isn’t the fact that I don’t listen like a shade in the background, watching the world to people usually, but when I had literally nothing to say, pass by, standing in his own shadow of silence. there was something different about my observations. I noticed that with other people, when they realized I couldn’t speak to them, treated me differently as well. Some teased and tried to make me talk, of course,
voices
words
speaking
writing any unless completely necessary, I but others used my silence as an opportunity to found that most of my day consisted of playing a game of charades. The most useful approach for me was not more about themselves. They opened up to only to act out what I was trying to say, but to point to me and told me how they were doing, as if they knew objects that helped me to get my thoughts across. When it would be pointless to bother with small talk because my friend asked what class I had next and I could not I couldn’t . I felt like a personal journal or through words, all I had to diary, someone that they could trust and confide in do was gesture towards his calculator and he understood. to say how they really were. It was definitely a good Another hard thing for me was not being able to feeling, and I found I enjoyed listening to them talk. participate in discussions, which I love to do. For me, While listening to others, I wondered what it speaking my mind is something I never could live without, would be like if more people did this by choice rather and not being able to say what I thought almost drove me than because they couldn’t speak. People could be
talk
reply
communicate
What word could you not live without?
Zach Diem Junior
“The“ Because it’s the thing you use the most!
Sydney Dickens Junior
“Wait” Because I say it every single day.
Zach Fronapfel Senior
“No” Because otherwise you have to say yes to everything.
In-Depth
12 Feb. 27, 2014
Spilled Ink
MEASURES OF ESTEEM
M
Self-criticism inevitable, balanced with positivity Joey Freeman Managing Editor It’s hard to know exactly how much you do of something—be it biting your nails, picking at your hair, or checking your phone— until someone asks you to go a day without it. So when I attempted to go whole day without any type of self-criticism (which didn’t really happen), it made me realize how, throughout my entire day, I make little comments about myself that are almost like a reflex. To keep track of all the potential things I said to myself throughout the day, I decided to keep a journal. When I had a negative comment to say about myself, I wrote it down and then wrote what triggered for the remark. As the day went on, one of the most prominent comments was: “Way to trip up the stairs and almost kill yourself, stupid” or even “I’m pretty sure I just failed that AP Stat quiz,” something insulting my own intelligence. If anything happened that caused me to feel slightly uncomfortable, mentally or physically, I immediately questioned my own intellect and started doubting my scholarly abilities. In my mind, when I got injured in a way that included learning, it meant that I was the dumb one, or simply wasn’t good enough. It seems that I may not be the only one who thinks of herself in this way. According to dosomething.org, “7 in 10 girls believe that they are not good enough or don’t measure up in some way, including their looks, performance in school and relationships with friends and family members.” Although these statistics probably include me, you’d think that someone who got accepted to all four of the colleges she applied to would actually feel smart and wouldn’t be affected so greatly by small tasks that couldn’t be accomplished. It seems that despite my other accomplishments in life, my
PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY JOEY FREEMAN feelings about my personal intelligence are very prone to injury. Most of my triggers throughout the day had something to do with an academic activity that I was doing, specifically anything regarding math. The line between self-criticism and depression is thin, and according to the University of Texas Counseling and Mental Health Center, low self-esteem can “create anxiety, stress, loneliness, and increased likelihood of depression.” Constant self-criticism is a problem when it isn’t balanced out with a positive outlook on life and how you are as a person. This day was supposed to be entirely focused on the negative, but I also wanted to create a balance between the harmful feelings of self-criticism with a way I could self-treat it. In addition to writing down all of my comments of self-criticism, I also wrote down things I would say to try to encourage myself. When I thought that I had failed my AP Statistics quiz that day, I wrote down “I’m sure you didn’t fail it, and if you did, it’s just a grade.” Even though I wasn’t supposed to give in to these thoughts, my day had been filled with little snippets of self-doubt and prickling comments towards who I am as a person, most of which I just couldn’t help but think. As much as the negative parts of my brain persisted, the positive parts also tried to convince me that, yes, I really was smart and nothing was wrong with me. I found that once I knew what damaging observations I made about myself, I knew how to balance them out and find what was good about myself.
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Low
In-Depth
is a thinking disorder in which an individual views himself/herself as inadequate, unworthy, and/or unlovable.
Gretchen Adams
40%
More than of males grades 6-12 regularly exercise with the goal of increasing muscle mass.
7/10 females age 15 to 17 avoid normal daily activities when they feel bad about their appearance.
44% of females and 5%
Staff Writer
The average woman looks in the mirror eight times a day. Assuming she gets up at 6 a.m. and goes to bed at 10 p.m., that’s once every two hours. Once every two hours, we check our hair, fix our makeup, fiddle with our clothes—and perhaps change our perception of ourselves just a little bit based on our appearance. By 13, 50 percent of girls are unhappy with what they see in the mirror, according to The Social Issues Research Centre. And by 17, the number has risen to 80 percent. When I set out to go a full day without looking in the mirror, I knew it was going to be hard. But I didn’t know how hard. Nor did I know the ways it might affect me emotionally. Getting ready in the morning was an obvious hurdle. The mirror in my bathroom is giant, taking up almost the entire wall. In order to avoid even a glimpse, I had to keep my eyes closed almost the entire time I was getting ready. I didn’t bother with makeup and managed a ponytail. One of the rules I imposed upon myself was that I couldn’t ask anyone how I looked, so I said, “Oh, nothing,” when my mom asked me what was up with my bangs. From there, no one made any comments on my appearance, which in a way worried me even more. Was I so hideous that no one dared ask? Did my hair change colors? Had I somehow acquired a facial deformity while I slept? Of course I was being irrational, but over the course of the day, such thoughts drifted in and out of my head so frequently that walking down the spine terrified me. These feelings weren’t the only unexpected challenge I faced. Many people don’t realize how many reflective surfaces are around us, from shiny phone screens to freshly-cleaned windows. I did see myself a few times, accidentally, in each of these, but I didn’t stare. Another unforeseen problem was the dressing room. This is where we noble members of the Suessical! costumes crew do most of our work, and it was impossible to look up without seeing myself in at least two mirrors. I didn’t think twice about it before, so it was odd for me to realize that my “happy place” is also one where I’m constantly confronted with my own image. My gaze stayed fixed on the floor that day, and I didn’t get much done. As the day wore on, it got harder and harder not to look. I was just nervous and tired of actively avoiding my reflection. For once, I actually wanted to look at myself— it wasn’t an obligatory let’s-see-how-bad-the-damageis kind of thing. But I managed a whole mirror-free day. And the next morning when I woke up, I took my time getting out of bed. When I finally went into the bathroom and took a look at myself, nothing had changed. Same hair, s a m e eyes, same face. But the way I saw myself had changed, for the better.
of males are attempting to lose weight.
Information gathered by Zach Stetter Source: Crisistextline.org
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Thoughts portray beauty that mirrors overlook
Self-esteem
mong high school udents,
Feb. 27, 2014
GRAPHIC BY HANNAH MECHTENBERG
14 Feb. 27, 2014
In-Depth
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Role of thumbs overlooked in daily routine Amanda Evans
Staff Writer It’s a common occurrence to hear someone say, “Oh I couldn’t live without…” followed by whatever he or she chooses. In response, some people roll their eyes and go on with their day and others laugh and accept whatever challenge is in question. When I was challenged to go a day without thumbs, I figured it wouldn’t be too hard and accepted the challenge excited. The rules were from the time I woke up to the time that I went to sleep that night I couldn’t use my thumbs. I set some rules for myself too. Both of my thumbs had to be entirely covered all day, I had to try things at least five times before asking for help, and I wouldn’t have a bad attitude when I discovered certain things were hard or impossible to complete. When my alarm went off at 5:45 a.m., I grabbed the pre-wrap and medical tape on my night stand
without using my thumbs, and went to wake my brother. Quickly, my thumbs were hidden behind a few layers of tape. Then the challenges began. This may seem strange, but the first challenge I faced was buttoning my pants. It took quite a bit of time to get them buttoned. After getting dressed, breakfast was a struggle because I had to open my drink packet. Many different tasks that I could normally complete half awake, took all of my concentration and I had to figure new ways to hold things. Honestly, I felt like a guinea pig all day. I used my teeth as a third hand. I couldn’t use a spoon properly. And when it came to typing on a keyboard, I was useless. The worst thing, I would say, was walking around school with the silly bandages wrapped around my hands. So many people asked me what was wrong, why my hands looked “Mummified,” and so many people were giving me horrifying looks that
I felt defeated and felt like a museum display. Friends offered to take notes for me after staring at my horrible attempts to write. I turned some of them down, convinced I would be fine, but when it came to math, I gave in. That night at dinner, I dropped food on my shirt several times, thanks to my unsteady hands and lack of coordination. Washing my plate wasn’t any easier. With a soapy sponge and a wet plate, more water ended up on the floor than down the drain. A day without thumbs was harder than I thought. I am certainly glad I was born with two working thumbs and now understand what challenges daily activities are without thumbs. This has changed my view on the little things and makes me ponder, what other things I can try to go a day without. And the next time I go to say, “I couldn’t live without…” I’ll fill the blank in with something more important.
Where do these phrases come from? “Rule of Thumb“ The use of this phrase can be traced back to 1992. In early history, people used the body to make measurements.
“Green Thumb“ Dating back to 1940, this phrase alludes to the stained fingers of an avid gardener.
“Two Thumbs Up“ In ancient Rome, the fate of a losing fighter in a gladiatorial contest was decided by the crowd. The gladiator’s life could be spared by a thumbs up gesture. Information gathered by Jamie Tafoya Source:dictionary.com, phrases.org, widewords.org
SpilledInk Fort Collins High School Student Newspaper
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Sports
Feb. 27, 2014
15
Underwater workout creates unique challenges, makes for interesting test of endurance
Joey Freeman Columnist I’d like to think that anything that is paired with the phrase “under water” will immediately be a little cooler, and after my excursion, I’m still convinced that I’m right. This is the mentality I had when I traveled, yet again, to EPIC to do (for the first time, ladies and gentleman) water jogging. But, I’ll be honest and say that I hadn’t quite realized that water jogging didn’t necessarily occur under the water, but merely in the water. Initially, I had pictured myself in full scuba gear literally running under water, and it definitely wasn’t like that. As per the norm, I was a little apprehensive of my Awkward Athlete duties (looking awkward, failing, etc.), but surprisingly I wasn’t very nervous this time. I hadn’t even felt the need to repeat my “You’re going to be so bad at this” mantra. So, when I arrived at the pool with my friend, senior Kira Miklos, I wasn’t too worried about this being difficult… or even the possibility of being sore the next day (big mistake, huge).
What Kira explained to me is that typically, water jogging is used for exercise when you are injured, or occasionally (for the cross country team) to still get the same workout as with running but without the temperature in the negatives. With this explanation, I yet again underestimated what exactly water jogging would mean for me in the days following. We started out by taking foam dumbbells—which, out of water, I was super good at lifting and was basically the Arnold Schwarzenegger of foam weightlifting—and lifting them while treading water. This was actually really difficult due to all of the resistance in the water, and halfway through one lap I felt my arms getting tired. After lifting the weights for a couple of laps, we started to literally water jog, holding the same formation required for jogging, but instead doing it while in the water. Doing this postweightlifting was a mistake on my part; after just one lap I felt like I might just stop pumping my feet and drown. Despite this, I found water jogging slightly relaxing, and when we added waist foam floatation thingies (the technical term is beyond me), it got even better because even less work had to be done! While this water jogging (not really under water, so kind of overrated in my opinion) is a great alternative to running and really isn’t that difficult compared to other activities, I am not okay with how sore I currently am. Typing this literally hurts, which just kind of gives you an idea of how sad this Awkward Athlete situation really is, so maybe instead of flailing…err, I mean jogging in the water, I will stick to above water activities from now on.
Swimming through the water with various aids and obstacles, Joey found water jogging difficult. As she grew more exhausted, the task of jogging through water became more challenging. PHOTOS BY CORINNA DUNN
Food intake results in noticeable difference during training activities Jordan Leone News Editor Typically, athletes are instructed to eat certain foods to cater to the shape their bodies need to be in. To recognize the importance of the way athletes eat, I repeated the same workout two days in a row with different diets. The first day I ate foods that are notorious junk foods. My meals consisted of PopTarts, a Wendy’s cheeseburger, and Panda Express, and I had soda at both restaurants. Then, without stretching or preparing at all, I ran 2 miles and did 15 sets of lunges, push-ups, and sit-ups. Even though I’m an athletic person, working out after having eaten a poor diet made the workout much more difficult. I had trouble maintaining my pace while running and finishing all 15 sets of my strength workouts. The clear difference in my performance was proper preparation.
For the experiment, the type of food consumed each day was changed to show the relationship between diet and athletic performance. The first day, fattier and more sugary foods were eaten, compared to nutrients high in protein the next. The workout repeated both days consisted of a 2 mile run, and 15 each of lunges, push-ups, and sit-ups.
PHOTO ILLUSTRATIONS BY JOEY FREEMAN
The next day I attempted to change my diet as much as possible. I ate only things that I know to be good for me. Instead of sugary and fatty foods, I ate fiber cereal, a turkey sandwich, and Caesar salad, and drank only water. The turkey sandwich gave me protein and carbs which gave me energy. Because I hydrated throughout the day, I felt more energized and didn’t get winded as quickly as I had before. When running, I had little trouble keeping the same pace and my time was noticeably faster. Despite being sore from the day before, completing all 15 sets of strength exercises wasn’t nearly as difficult as it had been. Because I gave my body proper nutrients before working out, it was more physically rewarding.
Sports
16 Feb. 27, 2014
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Where Are They Now? Graduate moves on from glory days, focuses on family Amanda Evans Staff Writer
ABOVE: Taking a moment to pose for a photo with his mother, Moline smiles after a game in his senior year. BELOW: Running down the field, Moline pursues an opposing team’s ballcarrier. PHOTOS COURTESY OF BRIAN MOLINE
BIO
BLAST Brian Moline
As Brian Moline recalled his high school years with a smile filled with memories and amusement, he explained his unique journey. The first in his family to graduate from FCHS, he spent his time as a Lambkin on the football field as a defensive tackle and the track field as a shot-put and discus thrower. “I chose shot-put and discus because it was something to do,” Moline explained. “It was always nice to play around with the boys in the summer. And football was because I grew up watching the Broncos and I was a pretty big guy in high school so it was a good fit.” The field was not the only place Moline fit in. He also participated in Mr. FCHS during his senior year of 1998 with the stage name “Mr. Field.” For his talent portion of the show, Moline showed off his unique talent which he now laughs at. “I would have to say my biggest talent was shoving eight quarters in my belly button,” Moline said. “It’s not too flattering now but at the time it was cool.” After graduating, Moline stayed in Fort
Collins and started working at Corporate Plumbing as a project supervisor. He began with the company right after high school and is coming up on his 14th year there. In the meantime, Moline married his high school sweetheart, Carrie Asmus and together they had three children: Caleb, 13, Emily, 12, and Matthew, 9. “I don’t have time to play sports anymore,” Moline said. “My kids keep me pretty busy and I enjoy watching them. My daughter takes after me in sports. She’s very competitive and good at all sports she tries. She’s a natural athlete.” Moline’s children are his main focus now. He enjoys seeing them as they grow up and can’t wait to see them graduate high school and go achieve their dreams. A l t h o u g h Moline’s own dreams shifted as his life went on, he is happy with how his life turned out. “I would say I’ve accomplished some of them [dreams], but others have changed along the way for the better,” Moline said. “As a high school boy you don’t dream of getting married and having children but now that it’s happened it’s pretty awesome.”
“I would say I’ve accomplished some of them [dreams], but others have changed along the way for the better.” — Brian Moline
Moline was the first person in his family to graduate from FCHS.
He was also a two-sport athlete in high school, playing defensive tackle on the football team and throwing shotput and discus. He is currently going on 14 years as a project supervisor at Corporate Plumbing.
Unmatchable advantage lies in stands, not on playing surface
Tyler Mathewson & Caleb Schwindt Columnists In sports, winning is everything. At the end of the day, a team can have all the glorious stats, but without a W in the record book they don’t matter. A team will do anything to help themselves win: weeks of game planning, scouting, and for the Patriots, illegally filming opponent practices. Rather than breaking the rules, teams should put more effort into creating the ultimate home field advantage t h r o u g h crowd support and field f a m i l i a r i t y. C r o w d support played a key role in the Seattle
Seahawks’ path to Super Bowl XLVIII. The crowd at CenturyLink Field had such an impact on games they earned the title of the “12th Man.” Since the 1980s, their fans have gained recognition producing irregularly loud noises which disrupt the opposing team. According to nbcsports.com, their noise level reached 137.6 decibels in a game against the Saints, 12.4 decibels away from the point in which ear drums will begin to rupture . . . yeah. Familiarity with the court or field also adds to the advantage of being the home team. For the New Orleans Saints, that familiarity was a big part of their success at The Louisiana Superdome, their home stadium during the 20132014 NFL season. Over the course of the season, the team outscored opponents at home by 147 points. But on the road the Saints were outscored by 37 points. That’s a difference of 184 points, just by switching stadiums. The Superdome has had a synthetic turf since 2010, which only three other NFL stadiums out of 32 use. The opponent’s unfamiliarity with the playing
surface attributed to some of the Saints success at home. In addition to the physical differences of playing on the road, crowd hostility towards referees can also influence game deciding calls, increasing the home team’s probability to win. According to Scorecasting: The Hidden Influences Behind How Sports Are Played and Games Are Won, over the course of a year in the MLB, 516 more strikeouts were called on the away team and 195 more walks were awarded to the home team. Also in the NHL, the home team averages 20 percent fewer penalty calls on them which results in a 0.25 goal advantage to the home team. Crowd support, familiarity with the court and field, and referee bias create a hostile environment for the visiting team, contributing to the success of home teams in every sport. So instead of teams putting effort into filming opponents’ practices, game planning, and scouting they should be more concerned about producing an environment which gives their team the best likelihood of victory.
Rather than breaking the rules, teams should put more effort into creating the ultimate home field advantage through crowd support and field familiarity.
Spilled Ink
Sports
UNIFIED
Feb. 27, 2014
17
LEFT: Posing for a photo after a game versus FRHS, the FCHS Unified team expresses their pride in being Lambkins. BELOW LEFT: Giving high fives, coach Troy Tolar encourages the players. BELOW RIGHT: Sprinting toward the basket, point guard Eric Brown attempts a layup during warmups. PhotoS BY CALEB SCHWINDT
What does the Unified team mean to you? Toby Van Ry
Will Duggan
Senior basketball player
Senior basketball player
Everyone deserves to play in front of a crowd and experience the thrill and joy of it. It’s special to watch our Unified team because everyone on both teams is out there to have fun and support each other. The great thing about it is, everyone has an equal chance for “their moment” in the game, and when it happens, everyone is happy and excited no matter what school they’re from. It’s a special experience for everyone.
The Unified team means a lot to me. Being that I play for our school team, I have the opportunity to play in front of a large crowd weekly. Not everyone knows that feeling, and the Unified team now has a chance to experience that. I think it’s a great program, and a great way for kids to get involved in high school athletics.
Andrew Groeger
Senior Unified team member
It’s a chance for everybody to play and have a shot. So many people have to watch people with athletic ability play their whole lives without getting a chance. It’s great to be able to give everybody that chance. What is Unified basketball?
NEXT: Today vs. PHS at 6 p.m. Collins Main Gym
Dedicated to promoting social inclusion through shared sports training and competition experiences, Unified basketball joins people with and without intellectual disabilities on the same team. It was inspired by a simple principle: training together and playing together is a quick path to friendship and understanding. source: specialolympics.org
Q&A with Stacey Sidebottom
How did Unified start?
What’s the best part of Unified?
It’s been going on in the state for a while. Our school was approached by the district, and they wanted to get Unified basketball going in all four of the city high schools.
It’s great seeing peers interact with students who have disabilities and build friendships with them. It’s great to see some of our kids get so excited about something, especially those who wouldn’t get to play sports outside of Unified.
How did you begin getting involved? When I went to high school, we had the team. So, I knew about it for a while. And when the district approached us, I knew I wanted to coach.
Stacey Sidebottom Unified coach
Interviews by Caleb Schwindt
What does it mean to you, personally? It’s great to see kids that I’ve worked with be a part of something outside of the classroom, and to see their growth socially and in basketball. I’m so proud of them.
18 Feb. 27, 2014
Sports
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Athletes of the Month What got you started with Rugby? Well, my stepdad and my uncle both played, and I wasn’t good at a lot of other sports, so I decided to just try it. I absolutely fell in love with the sport. What has been your biggest challenge with Rugby? Probably just the fact we don’t have a lot of support, and a lot of girls don’t play it. That would be the hardest thing. I wouldn’t say that the sport is super challenging, it comes naturally. But we don’t have a whole lot of girls, so it is hard to have a team. What keeps you motivated when you’re playing rugby? Honestly, it’s just a lot of adrenaline, and its hard not to stay motivated while you play. Do you have an idol? A lot of the professional players, like Kittery Wagner. Who has been your biggest support for Rugby? I would say my parents. For sure, and the coaches on the team are absolutely amazing.
Mariah Hancock
Junior
Rugby Photo COURTESY OF MARIAH HANCOCK
How did you get started in track? I started in middle school, and it was just something that I had a great passion for. I don’t remember the exact thought that went through my head when I wanted to start, I just knew I should do this. What keeps you motivated? Probably a lot of things. First of all, I love it. Before each race, your heart just starts to go crazy. When you are about to get on the blocks, you say a quick prayer and you’re off. And you just lay it on the track, which is kind of like a metaphor for life. Do you have an idol? Not really, no. I’ve had a lot of people come up to people and inspire me. I will always remember sophomore year. It was a varsity race and Ray Bozmans came up to me and said “Dude, I heard you are pretty fast, just run this race good,” and he fist bumped me and he was off. It was one of those inspiring moments I’ll never forget. What challenges does track bring outside of the sport? It’s hard to balance everything out because track meets are on Sundays, and sometimes we are gone. But the support and understanding of the Collins community is pretty awesome. Interviews by Zach Stetter
Josiah Cuckler
Senior
Track Photo BY ZACH STETTER
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Perspectives
Feb. 27, 2014
19
Staff Ed
Eco-friendly actions conserve funding, preserve environment
As a school community, taking care of the environment can be a challenging practice to sustain. Fortunately, a variety of solutions exist that can help accomplish this overwhelming objective, from printing less to recycling more. Before discussing the steps necessary to achieve a goal, it is critical to determine whether the pursuit is worth striving for in the first place. Our school’s ongoing endeavor to be eco-friendly is definitely worthwhile. Not only will it benefit the earth, but it will also improve the overall condition of our school. Less money spent toward energy usage will lead to benefits like newer, better technology, or funding for various programs that play an important role in our high school experience. For instance, according to science teacher Chris Lee, the science department spends approximately $5,000 a year using their new, cost-effective printer. By going about 50 percent paperless and moving toward being completely digital, the science department hopes to save around $3,000 next year. As seen through this example, taking measures to care for the planet has the potential to make a difference. However, FCHS must make this progress a priority before major change can occur. Being eco-friendly is a joint responsibility between staff and students. If opportunities for students to be environmentally friendly are not provided, the potential for change is limited. Likewise, opportunities are useless if students do not take advantage of them. This mutually dependent relationship can be observed through the school’s recycling initiatives. According to Assistant Principal Skip Caddoo, the school plans to expand the building’s recycling program by implementing better receptacles, new signs, and more publicity to raise awareness. After that, it is up to the students to prove that these efforts are worthwhile by choosing to recycle. This positive step is essential, but there is always more we can do. Other effective ways to show consideration for the environment include encouraging teachers to use windows as the primary light source in classrooms, and making sure to recycle or compost products like paper towels that might normally be thrown away. This could happen by ensuring that the appropriate receptacles are always available in restrooms and anywhere else they are needed. When thinking ahead, the resources available to us may seem virtually limitless, but the harsh reality is that our planet can only provide so much. If we strive to maintain an attitude of environmental consciousness within our school’s culture, we can make the most of our resources. However, change toward a more eco-friendly approach will only occur if administration, staff, and students work together to achieve this objective.
The resources available to us may seem virtually limitless, but the harsh reality is that our planet can only provide so much.
graphic by hannah mechtenberg
Music provides personal support in all aspects of life Elizabeth Bridgwater Perspectives Editor Of all creations in our world, one is particularly powerful to me: music. Not merely sound, chords, melodies, harmony, lyrics or motifs, music is a form of expression which explains and strengthens my emotions, at times the only medium which is a true parallel to what I feel. “Safe and Sound” by Capital Cities, “These Streets” by Bastille, “Wake me Up” by Avicii—these are the types of songs that accompany me in sound, spirit, or both as I spin and dance with bare feet, spend the night laughing in a pile with my friends, not sleeping, or disappear into the twisting, colorful and shining monster that is a concert crowd. These are the songs for the experiences I am having as a teenager, of feeling part of the movement of carpe diem and you-only-live-once, the songs for sharing with brightfaced cohorts alongside me as we traipse through our teen years. These are the songs of my generation and provide the backdrop, and an influence, to the lives we are living. When I retreat within myself, away from the glittering world of iPhones and dares and linking arms with fellow youngsters, a different soundtrack accompanies me. I sit in the huge antique chair I rescued from a consignment store, my feet in the open window, whether a chilly autumn day, a summer night, or clean spring evening, with the accompaniment of a cup of tea and one of my closest friends, literature. The only other creation which is allowed within this intimate personal world outdates me, a classic 60s’ group: Simon and Garfunkel. Since first listening to them a year ago, I have bonded with this broken music duo; despite their historical break-up, the two still function as a pair in my mind, strumming simple guitar chords, and singing not mere words, but poetry, their harmonies so perfectly aligned I initially registered one voice instead of two. Even the words of “I am a Rock” fit right in to my
revered sanctuary of books and tea. Curving into the space between my fingers and toes, wriggling into my ears, Simon and Garfunkel sing, “I have my books/And my poetry to protect me;/I am shielded in my armor,/Hiding in my room, safe within my womb./I touch no one and no one touches me.” These oh-so-familiar tracks in which I soak my mind have provided me with a sense of comfort and companionship and by listening to them so constantly, I have become a stronger person; regardless of my external environment, I always have my mental nook of music. This love is not one I can confine to a mere handful of artists, although to some I do feel closer than others. Jumbled and tumbling throughout my life are a multitude of recordings, artists, songs, a never-ending queue of music in my head or in my ears to the experiences I am daily adding to my resume of life. Death Cab for Cutie sits with me, my tired bones, and heavy heart as I slouch on my back porch. Mumford and Sons beats along the interior of my mother’s golden chariot of a car, a demanding presence to fuel me as the gasoline fuels the metal beast. Bob Marley’s laid-back songs casually drop by when I lounge around without shoes or worries. Lily Allen barges in with a pretty-pink voice singing dirty words when I’m feeling indignant. Passenger brusquely gifts me with the opportunity to ponder what I’m doing within my life as I wander along puzzle-piece connections of metropolitan streets and dirt paths, no gift receipt included. Enya for yoga, The Bach Cello Suites of Yoyo Ma for writing, Frank Sinatra for baking... the list goes on, and the power I receive from this love of music never ceases. Blessed with a portable music device and a willing heart, I have become infatuated and influenced by these snippets of reality and fragments of imaginative minds, happily tangled in a scrapbook of human experience. Like so many before me, I have discovered an entity which shall always permeate the distant boarders and innermost safe-holds of my personal self, and one which will always accompany and support me: music.
Bob Marley’s laidback songs casually drop by when I lounge around without shoes or worries.
ic “Mus nd of fe ki a s a ” is high.Hendrix i — Jim
graphic by hannah mechtenberg
Perspectives
20 Feb. 27, 2014
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Modern movies big-buck clichés U.S. Govt. provides
Nick Warley Staff Writer Picture this. You and your family decide to go see a movie. But you don’t know which movie to watch. So you go online only to be bombarded by a bunch of sequels, prequels, remakes, and spin-offs. Your family scrolls through the listings, but can’t find a single original movie. That’s the problem with our movie culture these days. The big-buck corporations never seem to try to make anything original. They only focus on the movies that made them money in the past. This results in basically the same movies over and over again. Take the Lord of the Rings trilogy, produced by New Line Cinemas. The movies did very well in the box office, and Warner Brothers realized this. So in order to restart the cash flow from Lord of The Rings, Warner brothers bought the rights to the Hobbit and made a series of prequels, namely The Hobbit: an Unexpected Journey and The Hobbit: the Desolation of Smaug, and the final installment, The Hobbit: There and Back Again, coming this year. They made a whole new trilogy out of prequels in order to gain more money from the series.
Also, think of the last time you heard an original movie idea. It seems like three plotlines are recycled: the main character falls in love, someone is trying to kill the main character, or the main character goes on a journey to find something. A check of the movie listings at Cinemark at press time showed that out of the 17 movies being shown, 16 were based on one of these 3 plotlines. The only movie that was not was August: Osage County. This makes it fairly obvious that companies recognize virtually no other options. Granted, not all movies are bad or spin offs, but such movies are hard to find. And when you do find an original movie or a decent movie, it’s been ridiculed and ignored by the public, so no theater will show it. Gravity was a rare case in which they decided to show the movie anyways, and it paid off (So you can expect some kind of spin off or sequel to Gravity sometime in the future). The public is part of the problem. We are the ones who continue to watch these terrible remakes and sequels. This is because the public is uncomfortable with a new idea, and we try to shoot it down, because we want to stay in our comfort zones of explosions and romance. One movie that suffered due to this is Himmatwala, by Sajid Khan. Never heard of it? Exactly. It’s about a man who witnesses a murder and reports it, and goes on with his daily life. It’s something completely out of the ordinary. And it didn’t even reach theaters. So the next time you want to see a movie, try to find something original, or new. If you do happen to find an original movie, go see it, and maybe we can beat this era of repeats and spinoffs.
The big-buck corporations never seem to try to make anything original.
What do you think of modern movies?
Nayeli Villalba Senior Modern movies are worse than old movies because they have too much violence and R-rated stuff.
Adrian Mendoza Sophomore
They’re pretty great. They’re action-packed and I like the actors nowadays. graphic by hannah mechtenberg
Recently at FCHS there was the “America Day” controversy.
While it is important to celebrate our country, I believe that we have to acknowledge that America is a combination of many different cultures.
disservice to young recruits with misleading options
Caleb Schwindt
Sports Editor The man on the corner has a graying beard; his muddy red shirt is tattered with age. His cargo pants are slightly ripped at the bottom, just barely reaching his shoes, the rubber of which is worn down with too much use. The dark blue hat covering his thinning hair has a faded U.S. flag on it with a ragged “U.S. Army Veteran” sewn into the old fabric. This is not the life promised when a young, bright-eyed student is sitting across from a military recruiter in his high school. At some point, this veteran now homeless on the street was a high school senior, ready to graduate when a military recruiter offered an option that didn’t include traditional college. For many seniors preparing to graduate, college is on the horizon. However, this isn’t the case for all. A lack of financial aid from universities and family or a desire to serve one’s country may lead to the exploration of other options. These options include joining the military, which offers a solid path for those unable to attend college at the time. While it is honorable to serve one’s country, the escape offered by military recruiters who visit high schools is misleading. Many soldiers who return home find a lack of support from the government. In 2010, the Department of Veterans Affairs (a government program focused on taking care of homeless veterans) estimated that on any given night there were 76,000 homeless veterans sleeping on American streets. And according to greendoors.org, only 8 percent of Americans can claim veteran status, but among homeless Americans, that percentage jumps to 17 percent. With percentages this high, the Department of Veterans Affairs is not large enough to assist all those in need. In 2009, the VA served more than 92,000 homeless veterans. That is an excellent number, but with an estimated 500,000 homeless veterans at any given time during the year, the VA served roughly 20 percent of those in need. With such a small number of homeless veterans receiving help from the government, it is reasonable to ask questions about the ethics of the military and the government. Somehow, the military can essentially recruit young adults, place them in the military, and then bring them back to society with limited to no assistance. The government convinces these men and women of an escape by sacrificing for our country, and essentially deserts them after. A country making promise to young people that their lives will be set after serving, and then leaving them shivering on street corners, demonstrates the disservice given to those who deserve the most respect of anybody in the nation. We draw our customs from around the world and they all combine to create the American way of life.
Be proud of where you came from and feel free to celebrate it!
Spilled Ink
Perspectives
Feb. 27, 2014
21
Politics in the Classroom What is the role of politics in education?
Editor’s Note:
On Feb. 4, demonstrators , including Sheriff Justin Smith, organized along Lambkin Way because of an administrative decision to change the dress up day idea “’Merica Monday,” to “My Country Monday.” The conflict received national attention, and the first day of Spread the Love Week, Feb. 10, was declared to be “America Day.” This situation, although originally sparked by a spirit day, also prompted discussion regarding politics in American schooling.
Mark Eversole Principal
There is a role because we are expected to educate our students about being good citizens. Everything about learning about how our country was formed—of course the U.S. history class— and the importance of working within the political systems we have—and that’s the American Government class that we currently have. I think there is a lot about democracy even within our school that we appreciate. We have Student Council and the administration working together and having conversations about what we would like to see in our school that’s positive. So there is a role in politics and a lot of people say, “We shouldn’t have religion, we shouldn’t have politics in school. It should just be neutral.” But you can’t, and if you are going to raise a citizen in the United States, they need to know how our country works and what’s appropriate and what’s not and why we do what we do.
Visit our website spilledinkfchs. blogspot.com for Spilled Ink writers’ story “FCHS students turn controversy into positive event.” Interview conducted by Amanda Evans
What is the role of politics at FCHS?
What is the role of politics in education?
Justin Smith
Larimer County Sheriff Well, politics in its purest form exists everywhere. People have different opinions. My concern is when one political view is being pushed over another, and certainly that’s a reality we bought into. I taught at CSU as an adjunct professor for several semesters in the mid to late 2000s. I always, even at the college level, really focused at providing information and encouraging my students to make their own decision on issues of the day. And so, I get greatly concerned when college level or down through K 12 there’s a push to put a specific agenda or outcome to it.
Emely Aceves Senior
I definitely think people will speak their opinion, but it isn’t something too crazed at FCHS. It is a really respectful thing and isn’t seen as such a big deal.
Sam Caylor Junior
In all history classes, especially government classes because it has to do with the U.S. It has a role, and it is important.
Visit our website spilledinkfchs. blogspot.com for a link to Fox New’s story “You can’t celebrate America, school says.” Interview conducted by Evan Bode
Teachers must abstain from influencing political opinions
Tyler Mathewson Staff Writer When I think of political places, the first thing that comes to mind is a big white building, filled with busy people in suits bickering back and forth about their personal opinions surrounding issues , not a school building with students and teachers in the same room. A teacher can share political opinion with friends, and even coworkers, but when they’re supposed to be shaping the minds of kids for success in the future, the classroom should be strictly for unbiased learning. Teachers are to inform students how to think in order to create personal success for the future, not what to think because of political views.
According to NEA’s (National Education Association) own Status of the American School Teacher, 45 percent of teachers identify themselves democratic and 28 percent republican. That’s not the problem. The problem is teachers sharing political opinions in a learning environment which impacts what students will think. No matter what side of the political spectrum he or she is on a teacher shouldn’t influence students’ political views. Even in a government class, the teacher should show students how the government works instead of directly influencing how they vote. What a student believes should not only come from their own thoughts and experiences, but education about political issues. In the Fair Campaign Practices Act issued to Poudre School District employees under the impermissible activities section it states, “Employees cannot work to promote or defeat a candidate or ballot issue during work.” Also stated in the section, “Employees shall not take any stand on a candidate or Ballot issue with students while on duty.” In simpler terms this means teachers can’t share personal political opinions with students. Not at all teachers do it, but even though the rules and common sense say not to, it still happens.
In my government class first semester we regularly watched The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. Described as a fake news program, the show pokes fun at political issues and people in a very biased manner. Other students on staff have also been subject to teachers revealing personal views. One said he was prompted by a teacher to write an essay about a video they watched in class about a controversial topic on a Fox News source. Fox is commonly seen leaning to the republican side of issues, and the student said the class never watched anything about the other position in the argument. Another said a regular substitute in the student’s AP United States History class would reveal his political stance on issues while teaching, taking away from the facts that were supposed to be taught, clearly blurring the line between objective teaching and forcing political opinions upon students. The classroom is a place for learning, period. Teachers should not express political opinions with students in a learning environment. Instead of telling kids what to think, inform them how to think to create ultimate success in the future.
22 Feb. 27, 2014
Perspectives
Edward Snowden’s actions cowardly, counterproductive Andrew Smalley Editor-in-Chief Edward Snowden has been called a hero, whistleblower and patriot, but his actions prove the only accurate characterization of him is coward. After stealing over 1.7 million classified documents from his job at the National Security Agency, Snowden fled to Hong Kong, and later Russia, with his treasure trove of information detailing programs designed to prevent terrorist attacks in the U.S. While Snowden’s actions have started an important conversation on the role of government surveillance, his irresponsible decision to flee the U.S. with classified intelligence was reckless, dangerous and counterproductive to solve the issues at hand. While the media and privacy groups may have fallen in love with Snowden, the actual scope of the programs he revealed has been grossly exaggerated. Contrary to what many believe, the NSA is not listening to your phone calls; in fact they don’t even know your name, all they have access to is your number, the numbers you call and the call length. If you call a suspected terrorist, the NSA can request a court order to tap your phone. The other program drawing ire is Prism, which tracks Internet communications of suspected terrorists, but is overseen by FISA Courts. These safeguards are put in place to limit abuse by agencies but still give them the ability to prevent terrorist attacks. NSA policies were approved by members of Congress who are accountable to the people. In the past three years, lawmakers were briefed nearly 22 times regarding NSA surveillance programs. This past November even after Snowden’s leaks, Congress voted down a bill to limit NSA surveillance. Ultimately, American voters favored these programs because in the post 9/11 years we valued security over liberty and the Congress responded to those demands with the Patriot Act. This debate took place among educated elected officials without the help of a 30-year-old vigilante.
Even if Snowden’s leaks played a minor role in bringing light to programs, his personal conduct is rash and borders on treason. The federal government has strong whistleblower laws that would have allowed Snowden to voice his concerns without fleeing to Vladimir
Spilled Ink
Whistle-blower a patriotic example of upholding morals Jason Stroh
Staff Writer
When someone blows the whistle, half of the crowd cheers, while the other half is enraged that their side got caught doing something wrong. Such is the
PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY ELIZABETH BRIDGWATER Putin. Instead of following a system designed to reform government, he followed his own ego and made himself the center of attention while threatening the U.S. government. Under U.S. law Snowden has rightly been charged with espionage and while he may never face trial, his cowardly actions deserve accountability.
Talking points:
case with our latest national scandal, that of the National Security Agency’s surveillance on American citizens. We all knew the federal government was watching, with the Patriot Act still in effect, but we were not aware of the degree of surveillance until one man with a very loud whistle came out of the shadows and showed us
exactly what was happening behind closed doors, releasing roughly 200,000 top secret documents. This brave man is Edward Snowden, who is praised as a hero equally as much as he is unfairly berated as a traitor and coward, accused of running to the foot of Vladimir Putin or Dilma Rousseff when his own government put a wanted title on his head for his actions. Through his revelation, Snowden did violate federal law by releasing classified government documents to the public; however, his actions were and are justified by the United States Constitution, the very law of the land. The First Amendment states that “Congress shall make no law… abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press,” and Snowden’s leak can be considered both speech and press. Furthermore, the Fourth Amendment states that it is “The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures,” and the scanning of E-mails and such is, by definition, an unreasonable search, as many of those who have been monitored have committed no crime, and no warrant was present at the time of the search. Due to this lack of constitutionality in the government, Snowden’s actions, while illegal in themselves, simply informed of thousands more morally gray actions of the federal government, and have a strong justification. However, Snowden’s actions are not only constitutionally justified, but morally as well, through the philosophy of civil disobedience, such as the tactics of Mahatma Ghandi, which instructs people to disobey laws that they don’t agree with in order to encourage change. Snowden did the right thing when he broke the law to uphold his ideals, as well as those of the land and its people. America is land of the free and home of the brave, not land of security and cowardice. Edward Snowden is no traitor, and no coward, as he upheld the morals and values of the United States, and is, because he did so, a patriot.
Talking points:
Congress voted down a bill to limit NSA surveillance because Americans favor security post-9/11
Snowden blew the whistle and revealed the true situation with the NSA to America
Snowden’s actions were self-centered and threatened the U.S. government
By releasing those 200,000 top secret documents, Snowden upheld the United States Constitution
Perspectives Feb. 27, 2014 23 Complaining an outlet for AP students Spilled Ink
Lauren Sluss Staff Writer
After extensive complaining, lack of a social life, sleepless nights, and cursing my past self for signing up for AP modern European History, I still signed up for three AP classes this year. AP students complain about the workload AP classes contain, but continue to take the classes. Bewailing AP students pursue the AP courses due to the fulfillment of completing a college class and the recompense of possible college credit, while grumbling the entire way. I have definitely partaken in my fair share of complaining, but I have discovered that AP classes supply students with rewards that regular classes cannot. There is something about knowing you can successfully take a college level course that is very satisfying. Junior Merrell Horton has experienced this throughout her AP classes. Although her homework load has about doubled this year due to AP Chemistry, she finds it gratifying. “It’s definitely worth it. It’s really hard but there’s a feeling of satisfaction when you do well. It’s supposedly the hardest class in the school so you feel really smart and accomplished,” Horton explained.
One reason students complain about the work load for an AP class is that the course itself might not be interesting to them; they solely took it because it was an AP class. AP endorsement has a huge impact on this. In order to become AP Endorsed, a student must have completed 5 AP classes, each from a different subject by the end of their senior year. Being AP endorsed not only looks great on transcripts, but it also opens up scholarship opportunities. This is incentive for students to take AP classes even if they are not necessarily interested in the subject matter. This is true for Junior Blake Reffner, who is currently taking AP US History. “I took the class because I want to be AP endorsed and AP classes raise your GPA. I’m not really interested in AP US History, but it will be beneficial to my college career,” Reffner said. APUSH requires 1-2 hours of homework per night, as compared to the 10 minutes that I have to endure for regular US History. The same can be said for AP Psychology and regular psychology. Regular psychology requires around 15 minutes of homework a night, whereas AP Psychology calls for at least a full 1-2 hours if you stay on task. Although it is a lot of work, AP Psychology goes into concepts more in-depth and provides the opportunity of college credit. The immense amount of complaining is to be expected, however. AP classes allow students to push themselves to the next level and get a head-start on their college experience, a feat that is not easy to accomplish. Complaining can often be an outlet for the stress caused by extensive work the AP student has to endure. If you have that one friend that is grumbling about their workload, just put up with it. They are jumpstarting their future.
Clas s Com paris o
AP U 1 ho .S. Histo u r U.S. r/night y: H 15 m istory: inute s/nig ht
There is something about knowing you can successfully take a college level course that is very satisfying.
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AP Chemistry: 1 hour /night Chemistry: 15 minutes/night
ogy: l o h syc AP P r/night u 1 ho ology: ht h Psyc utes/nig in 15 m
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2013-2014 3400 Lambkin Way, Ft. Collins, CO 80525
Editors Andrew Smalley...Editor-in-Chief Joey Freeman...Managing Editor Jordan Leone...News Editor Sarah Bales...A&E Editor Jamie Tafoya...In-Depth Editor Caleb Schwindt...Sports Editor Elizabeth Bridgwater...Perspectives Editor
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Staff Writers Gretchen Adams Evan Bode Thany Dykson Amanda Evans Leah Johnson Tyler Mathewson Nicholas Hawley Lauren Sluss Zach Stetter Jason Stroh
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Spilled Ink is published nine times yearly by the newspaper staff of Fort Collins High School, 3400 Lambkin Way, Fort Collins, Colo. 80525, (970) 4888199. Member of the Colorado High School Press Association, American Scholastic Press Association and the National Scholastic Press Association. Recipient of the Quill and Scroll, George H. Gallup Award in 1996 and 1997, and awarded First Place with Special Merit in 2001 by the National Schola -stic Press Association. Columns are the opinions of writers only. Unsigned editorials reflect the majority opinion of the Spilled Ink staff. Nothing in Spilled Ink should be considered the opinion of Fort Collins High School or Poudre School District (PSD). School-sponsored publications written by students are encouraged to freely and creatively express their views subject to the limitations of PSD Board Policies and state law (PR--la0431, Colorado Revised Statutes 22-1-120) Spilled Ink reserves the right to edit letters to the editor and to deny publication to any letter. Letters may be published on Spilled Ink’s website. Letters must be signed, and are limited to 300 words.
24 Feb. 27, 2014 The Backside
Spilled Ink
If you were a rock star, what would your rock star name be?
MaKaela Humphery
Karim Sakkal
Sophomore
Freshman
K-Swizzle, because I drop phat beats.
Aki Chen
Little Mac, because I am too small to be a Big Mac.
Destiny Rhyne
Junior Bond
Junior
Senior
Sophomore
Akman Yoshdog, because it sounds good.
Roxstar, because it is different and unique.
Kamryn Hartman
Matt Collins
Freshman
Senior
The Rock, because it is cool.
Destiny Star, because my name is Destiny and it is the closest I could find to a stripper name.
Amber Austin Junior
Bleeding Heart, because my last name is Hartman and it sounds cool.
Rainbow Oreos because they’re magically delicious.
PHOTO BY ANDREW SMALLEY INFORMATION GATHERED BY EVAN BODE
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