Issue 4 (Dec. 2016)

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The FCHS Student Newspaper

Dec. 22, 2016

Seatbelts for Sommervold Scholarship pg. 4

Winter Fun pg. 9 Prioritize pgs. 10-14 Boxer profile pg. 16 Solidarity pg. 20

Volume 99 Issue 4 3400 Lambkin Way Fort Collins, CO 80525 Phone: (970) 488-8199 Fax: (970) 488-8008

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News

Dec. 22, 2016

Spilled Ink

FCHS Chatter Box DECA showcase

DECA contended against 410 students from the Fort Collins area in district competition to qualify 18 students for the state competition at the Broadmoor Hotel in Colorado Springs in February. In addition to placing in the top four in 11 competitive categories, the team will be sending four students to represent FCHS as Colorado State Officer candidates. Ethan Fang, Milan Khosla, Maddie Walker, and Emily Myers are the first students in eight years to achieve that honor.

Local Scholarships The PSD Local Scholarship Packet must be filled out and returned to secretary Michele Lae in Student Services by Jan. 25 at 3:30 p.m. It is available to download on the FCHS website under Students, Student Services, and Scholarships. Students should fill it out electronically, typing directly on the document. On page four is a link to a Scholarship Survey that must be completed in order for an application to be processed. When finished, the packet should be printed one-sided, signed, and placed in sheet protectors in a binder with resumes or photos, and should not be hole-punched or stapled. Questions can be directed to Lae.

New LTC Furniture

Inside The Ink

Exploring student homelessness

News 2-5

Comedic Musings

A&E 6-9

Cheap, last-minute presents

In-Depth 10-14

Corrections Spilled Ink has no errors to report.

Basketball profile

Sports 15-18

Social trend encourages solidarity

Perspectives 19-23

Spilled Ink

News

Dec. 22, 2016

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How To: Hand-Made Ornaments Virtual Reality Center now offered in LTC Mackenna Rowe Staff Writer A new Virtual Reality Center is available for use by students and staff in the LTC during school hours.

The center may be accessed on a drop-in basis, but those interested must be supervised by one of the LTC staff members.

“I encourage everyone to experience our Virtual Reality Center,” LTC Technician Mary Shull-Sarti said. “It would be nice to see it get lots of use.”

Installed on Nov. 30, the VR equipment was won in a raffle by Orchestra Director John Hermanson through his participation in the Digital Innovation Pathways program. It is loaded with various educational and entertainment-based apps.

Things you need: Hot glue gun Nail Hammer Scissors Corks

1. Take your nail and hammer two holes in the top of your cork.

Brown pipe cleaners Twine Googly eyes Small pom-poms

2. Cut two two-inch sections of pipe cleaner and place them in the holes. Bend accordingly.

3. Hot glue the googly eyes and the red pompoms as the eyes and nose.

4. Cut another inch of pipe cleaner and curve until the ends meet, then hot glue them in front of the antlers on top of the cork.

5. Cut a fiveinch section of twine and tie at the ends. Hot glue this to the top of the cork behind the antlers.

Schedule changes available for second semester

6. Hang on your tree or share with friends!

Michael Hovey Guest Writer Students in need of schedule changes for second semester will have two opportunities to make appointments in Student Services to have requests considered.

“It’s important if you sign up to meet with your counselor, you need to have a legitimate reason to change your schedule,” Counselor Cindy Benger said.

A student may have a new schedule approved if a class is no longer offered second semester, the student failed a required class, the student is missing a graduation requirement, or the class creates a time-conflict with an off-campus course.

Appointments may be made on lists available in Student Services for Dec. 19-23 and Jan. 10-13.

Informational event for new classes Kylie Jackson Guest Writer The school will host Class Rush on Wednesday, Jan. 11, from 11 a.m. to 2:50p.m. and Thursday, Jan. 12, from 8-11:50 a.m. in the spine.

“Class Rush is an opportunity for the departments at Fort Collins High School to provide information to students about new classes that they might be offering next year for students registering in February,” Assistant Principal Emily Dunn said.

All students are welcome to attend the event to learn about represented classes from teachers who teach the classes and students who have taken the classes.

Information gathered by Dalena Groen Graphic by Kaitlyn Schmidt

New stadium triggers many changes Molly Lubbers Sports Editor More than 260 games have been played at Hughes Stadium, the last one being on Nov. 19. With the Rams winning, it was a happy ending to a well-loved place. With 137 wins at home and 109 losses since 1968, some look back on Hughes Stadium with nostalgia even while looking forward to Colorado State Stadium— others protest the new stadium entirely. But no one can deny that Hughes Stadium has a rich history.

Hughes Stadium was named after Harry W. Hughes, who coached CSU football from 1911 to 1942. Built in 1967, it had a capacity of 30,000— much larger than what Colorado Field, the previous place, could hold. The cycle continues with the new stadium, which will seat 41,000.

What will come of Hughes is unknown; according to the CSU website, they will begin a process of figuring out how to decommission the old structure.

Looking ahead, students considering applying to CSU can factor in the new stadium that will be finished in time for the next football season.

Some see it as a perk, others as a downfall. Not only seniors will be affected, but the entirety of Fort Collins.

Protestors of the project have long opposed the new stadium due not only to nostalgia but to traffic concerns. Recently, however, a plan has been approved for a Shields Street underpass, which may lessen the traffic impact.

According to the Coloradoan, the Shields-Elizabeth intersection carries 50,000 vehicles and 20,000 bicyclists daily. Some of this is to be eased with the $10.8 million underpass, which will close Shields for three to four weeks in the spring.

Traffic plans aside, some diehard fans still aren’t pleased. To them, Hughes is more than just a stadium.

It’s driving past the Aggie “A,” t h e remnants o f CSU’s past of

being an agricultural school. Painting the “A” dates back to 1923, and today it spans 450 feet tall and 210 feet wide.

It’s that they will never again hear the rings of the cannon firing before the football games echo around that stadium, or that they won’t ever again jingle their keys before the game’s kickoff at the same field again.

But new traditions can be developed; for one, supporters can purchase a brick in the Buy-a-Brick campaign. The North Plaza will feature the collection of personalized bricks around the Rocky Mountain Rumble statue. The deadline to place brick orders by phone is Dec. 30, while the web order deadline is Dec. 31.

The next generation of students will certainly create more traditions, as their predecessors did. And the traditions that have endured for so long won’t be dropped immediately; they will likely continue in the new stadium.

4

News

Dec. 22, 2016

Spilled Ink

StuCo and Peers raise seatbelt awareness with campaign Brooke Pippin Staff Writer

According to the CDC, More than half of the 21,022 passenger vehicle occupants who died in car crashes in 2014 were unbuckled.

The National Safety Council claims that a teenager’s biggest safety threat is a car accident.

In light of these statistics, FCHS and Longmont high school will be creating a scholarship in the names of Genevieve and Jared Sommervold, teachers who were killed in a car crash in September, and a campaign to help raise awareness and prevent similar accidents from occurring in the future. The schools are working together to draft an application for the scholarship, with emphasis on finding recipients who display the same values as the Sommervold family. It will likely be released in January and have a deadline in February. The exact amount of the scholarship has not officially been decided, as fundraising for the award is ongoing.

In addition to the scholarship effort, Student Council and the Peer Counselors worked with Alexa’s Hugs, a Loveland-based program dedicated to enforcing safe driving, to design a campaign to encourage responsible driving. The campaign lasted from Nov. 28 to Dec. 2 and included posters, social media, and morning announcements. To remind student drivers to take proper precautions, they created signs and an Instagram challenge, which required a student to take a picture in a car, buckled up, and tag it #FCHSseatbeltsafety. The prize for the challenge was a $10 gift card to Qdoba.

Student Council tracked how many drivers and

Seniors Nickie Finnegan, Maggie Rittner, and Kaylie Shaw work on the Seatbelts for Sommervold campaign, crafting “hugs” to raise awareness for seatbelt safety. The campaign is a part of the response after the deaths of FCHS science teacher Genevieve Sommervold and her husband Jared. Photo by Kaitlyn Schmidt.

passengers wore their seatbelts when arriving to school and announced the information gathered over the intercom. They also handed out stickers and “hugs,” pieces of material meant to be wrapped around seatbelts. They rest against the heart of the passenger as a reminder of a hug

from a loved one. The bumper stickers are in FCHS colors with the names of the FCHS campaign, Seat Belts for Sommervold, and Alexa’s Hugs.

“The campaign lasted a week,” sophomore Carly Rockwell said. “But we will also be continuing to encourage safe driving throughout the school year.”

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News

Spilled Ink

Dec. 22, 2016

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Homelessness complicates the lives of youth Miles Rodriguez

Staff Writer Homelessness is an issue we often neglect to acknowledge is prevalent among our youth in America. Currently more than an estimated 1.6 million children in America experience homelessness each year–and an estimated 1,000 of those are in the Poudre School District, according to nonprofit organization Homeless Gear.

Families, children, and youth can be considered homeless for a variety of reasons: lacking a regular and adequate residence, living in a park or vehicle, staying in shelters or other public spaces, living in abandoned locations, awaiting foster care placement, and even doubling up with friends and other families due to loss of housing, economic hardship, or any other similar reason.

“Homelessness for families looks different,” Homeless Gear volunteer and events coordinator Pam Brewer said. “Sometimes, it won’t be a family living in a tent; it could be a family living in a van and every night they park somewhere different,

or they might be sleeping in somebody’s garage. Usually, you don’t see families on the streets like single men and women, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen.”

All children and youth within the Poudre School District living in any of the situations above have the right to attend school and receive the same services as children not currently experiencing homelessness.

“The McKinney-Vento law is a federal law that says if you’re a homeless student, you have certain educational rights,” Brewer said. “Along with that law comes some funding. Every school in Poudre School District has someone who is designated as the McKinney-Vento person.

Whether you’re in a tiny, little elementary school in the mountains, or if you’re at Poudre High School, there’s someone in your school that you can always go to if you become homeless.”

Having the same rights and receiving the same benefits as housed schoolmates does not always bring about a fair or equal learning opportunity between the two groups of students. Homeless children are still likely to fall behind in school, struggle to meet basic needs, and suffer from numerous health problems according to Homeless Gear.

For children and youth who are homeless,

especiallythosewhoarereceivingapubliceducation, the struggle is real, constant, and harsh. Balancing transportation and completing assignments for school with staying safe, finding shelter, and meeting basic needs is not always a simple task.

“For the vast majority of students, we almost assume, as educators, certain things,” Counselor and McKinney-Vento advocate Alyssa Statz said. “You assume they have a safe, warm place to sleep every night. You almost assume every student has access to internet, or a phone, or at the bare minimum, food.

And that’s not an assumption that’s accurate.”

Despite the many challenges of homelessness, teachers and counselors are always willing to make accommodations and refuse to give up on their students who might need extra help, no matter how difficult the situation may be.

“Our students who have been identified as McKinney are awesome and I love working with them,” Statz said. “You wish their situation could be different, but you can also observe how resilient, strong, and smart they are, while going through all these big things. If anything, I just look at those students and I’m like, ‘Wow, I respect you so much. You decide to come to school despite things being so hard.’”

Resources Help on the go Call 2-1-1, this is a national number designated to refer you to information anywhere across the country.

Healthcare Salud Family Health Centers • 970-494-4040. Healthcare on a sliding fee is provided.

Food and Shelter

Q&A with Randy Cain How did you become homeless?

“This summer I got into trouble with the law, so my dad just said, ‘You have to be out by the end of the week.”

How does homelessness affect your school life?

“Sometimes I can’t do homework because I can’t get to a place that has Wi-Fi. Because most of my classes I have to use websites that I don’t have access to.”

What does a normal day look like for you?

“After school I try to find a place with shelter especially during this time of year so I don’t have to sleep in the snow. I usually look for a cave.”

Larimer County Food Bank• 970-744-4600 Fort Collins Rescue Mission• 970-224-4302 Homeless Gear• 970-658-9878 Fort Collins Salvation Army• 970-207-4472 St. John’s Lutheran Church• 970-482-5316

Financial and Legal Services Colorado Legal Services• 970-493-2891 Includes self-help legal information about civil matters, where to find legal help, court, and other referral information.

What do you think your future holds?

Larimer County Department of Human Services• 970-498-7730. Runs various social services and public assistance programs.

“I think that I will have my own housing by May because Foothills Gateway says I will most likely qualify for housing. I have hope that things will change for the better. If you stick with the program and do everything you’re told, you can usually turn your life around.”

Neighbor to Neighbor• 970-484-7498.

The primary housing resource for Larimer County residents provides affordable housing programs and more.

Do you try to hide the fact that you are homeless?

“I don’t deny it. I don’t think it really changes how people view me.”

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A&E

Dec. 22, 2016

Spilled Ink

Tricking arcade game proves satisfying

In Brief School to host Honor Band Concert Jan. 21 Will Brown Columnist The Northern Colorado Honor Band will perform from 4-5:15 p.m. in McNeal Auditorium on Saturday, Jan. 21. Among the performers will be 17 FCHS students who went through rigorous auditions to earn the honor.

“These are the players who really are the most dedicated,” Band Director David Miles said. “Auditions are like a job interview and that’s actually a process that I advocate for them. The entire audition process is like preparing for a major interview. They do little bits of preparation over a couple months and then you go in and it all counts, it’s all on the line at that very moment and hopefully the judges like what they hear.”

Tickets for students will go on sale for $5 and $8 for adults.

Denver Zoo kicks off annual lights display Adelaide Tomsic Perspectives Editor The Denver Zoo, located at 2300 Steele Street in Denver, is displaying its annual Zoo Lights every night from 5:30 to 9 p.m. until Jan. 1. The exhibition features nightly entertainment including Santa meet-and-greets along with 70 acres of a lighted area that visitors can walk through.

“The Zoo Lights is a perfect event for anybody,” Denver Zoo Public Relations Manager Sean Anderson said. “It’s a great family friendly way to spend the night and it’s even a great place to take a date.”

Tickets are $13 for adults (ages 1265) and $22 for zoo members. A $2 discount is available when tickets are ordered online at www.denverzoo.org.

Frida Kahlo comes to Fort Collins Art Museum Miles Rodriguez Staff Writer The Fort Collins Museum of Art is hosting Frida Kahlo: Through the Lens of Nickolas Muray until Jan. 8, 2017.

“She [Frida Kahlo] is a Mexican artist and she had a real troubled life,” receptionist Inez Hughes said.

The exhibition is comprised of approximately 50 of photographer Nickolas Muray’s unique portraits of Kahlo. The photographs highlight Kahlo’s Mexican heritage, her life, and the people who were significant to her during her lifetime.

The museum is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. from Wednesday to Friday, and noon to 5 p.m on the weekends.

Will Brown

Columnist

Eight hours straight doing only one thing is draining. Especially if that one thing is talking to an old lady about making car turns while being surrounded by unknown people who make you feel more uncomfortable than your Grandma giving you the talk.

So yeah, I needed to do something.

Luckily, my friend Sam invited me to go bowling with him at the end of driver’s ed. I thanked the gods for sending an angel to help me conquer my oncoming insanity.

I arrived at Chippers at 5 p.m.

He and his family were super nice, offering me pizza and buying a game of bowling for me and Sam. “Will, I have a feeling that you are really good at bowling,” Sam said. Considering the fact that I spent most of my childhood in suburban Illinois going from one bowling alley to the next, I thought I was too. Key word there is thought.

The game consisted of my only ever knocking down one pin.

That means I lifted that 15-pound bowling ball with only 3 fingers 20 times and the only satisfaction I received was hitting one pin.

After a defeat worse than the Battle of the Bulge, Sam and I decided

to head into the arcade. Here was the problem, though: Sam did not understand the dangers of an arcade.

Five hours feel like one, joysticks are coated in concentrated saliva and unknown substances, and then there is the money. An arcade is like a child’s gateway drug to gambling.

You spend $50 on games to receive only $1 to $5 worth of useless stuff in return. Some of my life’s greatest financial losses were in an arcade.

But, his dad had already bought us $25 worth of playing points before I could object to our decision.

So, we headed into the jungle. One of the games we played the most was simply a big wheel with a lever.

When you pull the lever, the wheel spins and you have a chance of landing on tickets. In total, that game gave us 200 tickets which is enough to trade in for a 10 cent bouncy ball.

So we decided the odds weren’t in our favor. 10 bucks in the hole.

About 10 more dollars later, we finally came across the game where you have to hit a button with a hammer to try to win a grand prize if you hit it hard enough. The problem was, the hammer was on a rope so you couldn’t get enough speed before you hit the button.Sam,Sam’sdad, and I all tried three times. Every time we hit it, we were only one inch away from getting the jackpot. It was like the designers of the game were constantly shoving their middle fingers in our faces as they burned our three bucks in front of us.

I had enough defeat for one day.

Sam wanted to try one more time

and put in our second-to-last dollar.

Right before he was about to strike the button, I told him to stop. In a rageful state, I got on top of the machine and stomped on the button.

My little fit had won us 2,900 tickets.

For the first time in my life, the arcade gave back instead of took away. All it needed was cheating the system. But sometimes you have to fight moneysucking madness with your foot.

So, we spent the next 10 minutes trying to figure out what to do with that many tickets. We finally came to an epic decision and got two soda drinking hats,fourplasticswords,twocardboard airplanes, a bouncy ball, and one toy soldier. We looked as if we were college students about to embark on a crusade.

I returned home that night and hopped into bed after a long day.

But my dreams were filled with achievement and honor. When the system spits in your face, you must spit right back. If you don’t, then it will mean only your downfall. But if you do, you will become a legend forever remembered in the cosmos.

And when I first sipped from my soda hat, I let out just one word. “ V i c t o r y … ”

COMIC BY GRACE HACH

Subtle racism persists in American politics

Samantha Ye

In-Depth Editor It’s not a race thing.

That’s the essence of what Donald Trump said about his role in Obama’s birther movement. That’s also what he asserted in his attacks on the Latino judge presiding over the Trump University case. That’s even what his supporters emphasized amidst chants to “build a wall.”

It’s not a race thing.

“Lies We Tell Ourselves” by Robin Talley features the same lie. Set in 1959 Virginia, the narration bounces between Sarah Dunbar, the first black student to attend the previously allwhite high school, and Linda Hairston, daughter of a revered segregationist.

When the two are forced to work on a school project together, Linda confronts the truth behind the lie.

It’s fascinating when we look back on it,toimagineanti-integrationsentiments as anything but an issue of racism. Yet Linda and her segregationist father believe it concerns many other values.

It’s about “maintaining our Southern way of life,” Linda says.

It’saboutnotletting“outsiderstellus howtorunourstate!”Linda’sfathersays.

And most of all, “It’s about right and wrong,” Linda says to Sarah. “And what you’re doing—agitating—is wrong.”

This misdirection of the issue is hardly fiction.

The Southern Manifesto, presented to Congress in 1956 in opposition to racialintegration, calls the ruling in Brown v. Board of Education “a clear abuse of judicial power,” decries “the Supreme Court’s encroachment on the rights reserved to the States,” and accuses the justices of substituting “their personal political and social ideas for the established law of the land.”

Eveninaneraofblatantracism,people neededothersemi-relevantarguments to justify themselves, for racism alone is not a stable enough motivator, at least not for those with the brain capacity to think a little harder about it.

“Colored people aren’t the same as

whites…Everyone knows it…It’s just not good etiquette to say so. It feels shamefultoeventhinkthewords,”Linda says. “But I’m thinking about it now.

And it feels more shameful than ever.”

Today, racial discrimination is not socially acceptable. The laws no longer haveracialoppressionexplicitlywritten in and the media looks down on anyone throwing around racial slurs.

Yet racism is still here.

Maybe it’s subtler and more easily masked by other issues, and maybe the people speaking about those issues are more careful with theirdog-whistles, but race and racism are still here.

Questioning a reputable judge’s ability because of his Mexican ancestry is a race issue. Choosing to “vet” the first black president’s citizenship (and only his) for no discernably legitimate reason is a race issue. And even if people cover it up in more appealing casesofConstitutionalfoundationsand tieittogetherwith“rightandwrong,”all anyone has to do is unwrap it to see the thing inside is indeed still about race.

7 Dec. 22, 2016

A&E

Spilled Ink

Holiday stress becomes manageable after acceptance CC Apodaca Guest Writer The holidays are equally joyous and treacherous. Finals are over and at last there is time to sleep— yet the crazy relatives arrive in a day, final grades have not been entered, and shopping is still not done. Stress fills your home as a potential “Christmas Vacation” scenario looms.

Nevertheless, surviving winter break is possible regardless of the impending financial, mental, and family matters.

To prevent more anxiety during the holidays, planning ahead for presents and parties can ensure a smoother transition from finals week to break.

“I personally try to shop for gifts well before the holidays,” senior Matthew Bailey said. “I do this in order to bypass the chaos of shopping for gifts during the holidays.”

Preparation is only one of several ways to relax and maintain a positive mental attitude when entering break. Planning can be difficult though, especially when grades have not been finalized.

“Mentally, my advice is not to stress about classes too much because there is literally nothing you can change,” junior Emily Macqueene said. “Eventually they will get entered, but constantly clicking on gradebook every five minutes certainly won’t make them come faster.”

Taking your mind off grades by hanging out with friends or participating in leisurely activities can provide a better time in the beginning.

“I make sure that I do fun things like reading or going to the movies,” senior Ashley Sheaman said. “I make up for the time I didn’t have for myself during the school year and just procrastinate going on gradebook.”

Enduring the holidays can be hard even after grades are confirmed, especially when holiday cheer is more obnoxious than you would like.

“Christmas carols are annoying,”

Graphic by Cat O’Hare Sheaman said. “I typically don’t look forward to holiday season because of them.”

Christmas carol rejection is common in winter.

Possible side effects include: headaches, the desire to raid the kitchen, and/or vomiting.

Ways to deal with extreme symptoms can be taking several walks to clear your head, stealing the remote, or simply going to bed.

Sleeping is a popular solution in dealing with any hard holiday situation. After already being sleep deprived from school, telling your relatives that you sleep off meals or need a solid 13 hours every night can produce a happier break.

“I might just stay in bed the whole day and sleep because holidays are exhausting,” freshman Edward Lim said.

While sleeping off stress works for some, others embrace the awkwardness and anxiety. This survival tactic has been specifically applied to dealing with relatives.

“When we have relatives come over, I don’t really avoid weird conversations,” Macqueene said. “We just have them and laugh about it afterwards which makes the holidays much more lighthearted and enjoyable.”

While your relatives may be oblivious to social interactions or pinch your cheeks a little too hard, embracing weird family members can make for quality stories in the future. Plus, sometimes they give you cash. Not taking everything so seriously can decrease the overall tension during winter break, so embrace the carols on repeat, awkward conversations, and holiday cheer.

Artist works to create future in field she loves Roland Tomsic Staff Writer Everywhere in the world, people show their skills in many different ways.

Music, dance, and art can spark interest.

Senior Mia Miller chooses to share her point of view through her artistic ability.

Miller started her artistic pursuits at Preston Middle School, choosing to take art classes over choir or band.

“I’ve always loved it, ever since we were allowed to choose what classes we wanted in middle school,” Miller said.

Miller describes her art style as blending realism with surreal elements.

Figure study and portraiture are the subjects she chooses to focus on. She creates these combinations by using many materials such as chalk, ink, watercolors, and pastels.

“It blends kind of nicely when it is on the page,” Miller said. “I use Prismacolor markers and it’s kinda like painting but it’s less hard.”

Miller tends to focus in a controlled environment. She finds that her bedroom is a perfect place to create art because it is quiet and free of distractions. If she likes how a piece is working out it can take her two hours to finish a project but if not, it can take her up to a week to complete her composition.

“I’m most productive at, like, one in the morning,” Miller said. “So my favorite time to do art is when I should be sleeping probably.”

Miller doesn’t just work on class projects. Outside of school she does online commissions, works with The City of Fort Collins, the Alley Cat Café, Preston Middle school, and National Art Honor Society (NAHS) To get inspired, Miller will read and talk to people to gather different perspectives, or go out and do something to find new ideas to finish a project or start another.

Miller is currently working on a portfolio to submit to colleges in an AP studio art class with teacher Tara Lanterman. Pursuing art in her future is possible but she said it is an unsteady career to rely on so she plans to minor in education so she has an option to teach art classes.

“My favorite thing, really, is just going to school even if I don’t show that all the time, so, honestly, what I’m really interested in is being in an educational environment forever,” Miller said.

Miller has always loved art since she was little, and art has always captured her attention.

By drawing figures and scenery, she brings real elements of life into her art, expressing beauty and emotional power visually.

Photo by Roland Tomsic

8

A&E

Dec. 22, 2016

Spilled Ink

PHOTO BY GRACE HACH

Yak butter tea has practical uses but lacks popular appeal Joseph Vasseur Staff Writer Yak Butter Tea is a traditional beverage from Tibet that nomads drink to fuel their harsh lifestyle, according to eater.com. This drink is a necessity, and for the nomads that means the taste isn’t a priority.

To make Yak Butter Tea, heat up two mason jars of Chinese Black Tea, pour it into a mixer, and, also put two tablespoons of Yak Butter into the mixer. Then simply mix until the tea is a creamy brown color and everything is diffused evenly.

Making this beverage is a highly delicate matter

Staff Review because it can taste atrocious if you mess up just a little bit. Adding salt can help if the tea is bitter or too buttery. Putting salt in when you originally brew the tea can also assist in eliminating the bitterness.

But Yak Butter Tea is no different than any other food or drink in that not everyone will enjoy its taste.

Overall, the Yak Butter Tea was disliked by the Spilled Ink staff, and most made the decision to not even try the tea because of the unappealing odor. It tasted mostly of weird Water Buffalo butter (we couldn’t find Yak butter)

which tastes like a mixture of old cheese and hard dark chocolate when it goes down, even after salt was added to dull the buttery-ness. It is also packed full of caffeine and saturated fat, which can be an issue for people who are trying to watch what they put in their bodies.

Although most of the staff disliked the tea, a few said they liked the “creamy and earthy” flavor.

They liked the texture and the distinct grassy taste.

The taste of this tea was different and unexpected, which some prefer over other beverages.

If we were living a harsh, nomadic lifestyle, instead of sitting in a heated building all day, the Yak Butter Tea would probably have appealed to us more.

Christmas lights have negative effects Seraphina Discoe Staff Writer Tons of string lights, yardwork pieces, and Christmas trees come to life with colors during the holidays. Holiday lights brighten neighborhoods but they come with unexpected costs; more money is spent and some lights can affect the environment.

Christmas lights make quite a dent in peoples’ wallets and the more elaborate the decorations, the more money spent.

On average the electric bill during the holidays rises by $57.34, according to insideenergy.org. The Christmas tree alone, if left on for 12 hours a day, ends up being about $14 over the month of December.

Science teacher Tamara Osborn and her family set up an elaborate design in their yard and decorate their house with hundreds of lights each year. This season, a lit flamingo with LED lights stands in their yard along with a snowman. Twinkling lights hang on her house walls and candy canes meet in crisscross patterns in the ground. A miniature gingerbread house stands tall and glows brightly.

The holiday decorations bring cheer, but they also impact the Osborns’ utility bill.

“The rest of the year we are in the bottom quarter of people in our neighborhood using electricity,” science teacherOsbornsaid.“ButduringChristmastimeitshoots up and we have to be more aware of our electricity use.”

Most Christmas lights are incandescent bulbs which can harm the environment. They are known to quicken global warming and often cost more to power than LED light bulbs. They also let off a certain light that can wear down the atmosphere, according to globalwarming.com.

If incandescent Christmas lights are monochromatically blue they are twice as detrimental because visible violet light is difficult to focus for the human eye. They eventually wear down the eyes and

make it harder to concentrate on other blue backlight electronics such as computers and phones.

Blue lights can lead to more damage to eyes versus a violet light, if kept around.

Companies in the last two years converted lights over to LED which are better overall. These lights are better for the environment and let off more of a green and red backlight, which most eyes are naturally used to. The light not being as bright also doesn’t cause as much damage to eyes.

Those interested in purchasing lights more likely to be better for the environment and human eyes are encouraged to choose LEDs over the other types of lights.

GRAPHIC BY KAITLYN SCHMIDT

Spilled Ink

A&E

Dec. 22, 2016

9

Photo by Chris Lewis

Photo by Walker Discoe

Photo By Rachel Weeks

Colorado offers myriad of ways to enjoy the snow without skis Grace Hach Graphic Artist

Sledding Sledding is a seasonal favorite, and rightfully so. All sledding requires is snow, an incline, and something vaguely flat and smooth on the underside. In addition to being endlessly entertaining, dragging a sled up a hill repeatedly is excellent cardiovascular exercise guaranteed to get the blood pumping.

If you don’t already have something intended to be a sled, don’t fret. Part of the fun of sledding is the versatility of what can be used. Instead of a traditional toboggan, many sledders opt for snow tubing, or sliding down a frozen hill on a large inflatable tube. This is not unlike river tubing, but appropriate for cooler temperatures.

If snow is sparse, consider ice blocking. As the name would suggest, all you need is a block of ice large enough to perch on like a gargoyle, and a slope. Because the ice is slippery enough on its own, little to no snow is needed to slide, so this can be done in warm weather too.

If you’re looking to go pro, but the classic wooden toboggan is a little out of price range, a two-person plastic sled can be as cheap as $15 at Walmart, and may last for years (or 20 minutes depending on how rough you are with it).

Fat Biking A fat bike is similar to a regular mountain bike, but with comically wide tires that allow it to move over less steady terrain, like mud, rocky ground, or—more relevant this season—snow.

While winter walks are a beautiful way to become acquainted with nature, plodding through snow any deeper than a couple of inches can be tedious, freezing, and overall unpleasant. After all, no one likes the feeling of snow slowly melting into their boots.

Riding on a fat bike, on t h e

other hand, allows the rider to glide over rough terrain and completely bypass the less glamorous elements of walking through snow, while still getting an intimate, close-tonature experience, and a unique story to tell.

However, if you’re not up for purchasing a fat bike, or you’d like to try before you buy, The Gearage in Old Town rents several different styles of bike, including off-road bikes and fat bikes.

If you’re a newbie, consider looking into community events. As the pastime of winter fat biking grows in popularity, several races have emerged, with Sunlight Mountain Resort in Glenwood Springs and Copper Mountain both hosting a multitude of guided tours on fat bikes.

Snowshoeing Another way to avoid the dreaded wet socks is to perfect the art of snowshoeing. Snowshoes are an odd-looking footwear that people strap their shoes into in order to distribute the weight of each foot across a broader surface, making them able to walk on top of snow.

Snowshoeing is an ancient method of transportation, stretching back more than 4,000 years from North America to East Asia, and across Europe, according to the Snowshoe Association of America.

Traditionally, snowshoes were made of a wooden frame with laces holding the central binding in place.

The lacing doesn’t accumulate snow over time, so maneuverability isn’t lost after walking for a while.

While traipsing around on large awkwardlooking paddles may seem difficult to master, it’s unexpectedly easy for most people and can be learned in a matter of a few minutes, according to Snowshoe Magazine.

In addition, snowshoes can be

remarkably cheap. They’re usually made of lightweight plastic, fiberglass, or aluminum, and can run anywhere from $20 for a starter pair to $200 for a more professional option, according to Jax Sporting Goods website.

Snow sculptures If the athletics seem overwhelming, snow provides a versatile and fun medium to exercise one’s artistic side. Release your inner Michelangelo by packing and shaving away possibly the fluffiest, most forgiving sculptural medium. At the first sight of falling flakes, the classic snowman immediately comes to mind, possibly with a morbid Calvin and Hobbes twist.

If you’re looking to bring your snow game to the next level, take some tips from the professional snow sculpting team, The Starvin’ Carvists. Begin by sketching out the design on paper, making sure it has a solid supportive base. If necessary, mist the sculpture with water and allow it to freeze for an icy finish that will last into the spring.

If you’re more structurally-minded, building an igloo may be for you. While making something large enough to crawl inside of may seem daunting, the process is surprisingly simple.

Depending on the volume of snow present, there are a of couple of different possible methods.

The first begins with a snow drift and through packing and digging, hollows out the inside to make a natural-looking and astonishingly strong igloo.

For a more sturdy option, take a large brick-shaped mold of some kind (maybe a carboard box or plastic tub) to form bricks, which can then be arranged into the rounded dome shape characteristic of igloos.

10

In-Depth

Dec. 22, 2016

Spilled Ink

Editor’sNote Samantha Ye In-Depth Editor

Graphic by Grace Hach

Students take note of teacher favoritism Joseph Vasseur Staff Writer AlecFanaroff,afreshmanatMaryland University, was looking back on his fifthgrade school year when he realized one thing really stood out to him: his teacher would usually hand out candy at the end of class to students who participated and got questions right, butFanaroffneverreceivedcandyfrom his teacher. Although this is a small annoyance, Fanaroff said it stuck, according to a CNN article titled “WhenaTeacherPlaysFavorites”.

Teachers playing favorites can be “demoralizing to other students not on the receiving side of said favoritism,”accordingtoFanaroff.

Teachers prioritize or put some students’ needs above others for many different reasons, according to math teacher Eric Kohlbrand. But overall teachers do usually try not to favor some students above others.

“I would say, first off, that teachers do their best to treat all kids fairly,” Dryw Freed, who has taught in public schools in North Carolina and Virginia for 16 years, told CNN. But some kids are more likely to be favored because of their behavior in the classroom.

“Some students make it very easy to favor them, because they are going out of their way to try and get you to favor them,” Kohlbrand said.

Freshman Jaden Mary believes he is “not at all favored by teachers.” Mary thinks this happens to him because he might ask “stupid questions,” but he is simply trying to gain knowledge.

Mary does not seem to mind this much, as it has not affected his grades.

“I don’t feel safe going to some teachers and asking them questions, if they don’t want to hear what I have to say.”

—Haley Maestas “I’m c o o l withit,”Marysaid.“Itmakesmelaugh.”

Ontheoppositeendofthespectrum, freshman Audrey Tweeton believes she is favored by teachers because she is a “good student” and goes out of her way to excel in academics.

“I guess I’m a good student at times,” Tweeton said.

Tweeton has turned in assignments late and the teacher has still entered full credit, as if they were not late, which she believes is favoritism. Tweeton

admits to liking the preferential treatment sometimes because she likes the better grades, but she thinks other students get annoyed with it. She does not think favoritism should influence a student’s grade.

“Teachers are like the rest of us and they’re gonna play favorites but I don’t think that’s right for that to affect grades,” Tweeton said.

Junior Haley Maestas is favored by some teachers and not favored by others, but admits to wanting to think she is a teacher’s favorite.

“I like to think that I am favored by teachers,”JuniorHaleyMaestassaid.

This affects her learning, because when she wants to inquire the teacher about something, she won’tbecauseshefeelsintimidated.

“I don’t feel safe going to some teachers and asking them questions, if they don’t want to hear what I have to say,” Maestas said.

When Maestas does approach her teachers, she feels like they are more concentratedontheirfavoritestudents.

“It [teacher favoritism] is really frustrating because whenever you go and try to talk to that teacher they’re— always just so focused on what that one person is doing and not worrying aboutwhatyou’redoing,”Maestassaid.

From Kohlbrand’s perspective, there is “an OK kind of favorite, and a not OK kind of favorite. As soon as favoritism leans into a grade,” Kohlbrand said, “that’s not OK.”

For many of us, today is the last day of finals. This is wonderful because finals have all but consumed the last few weeks of our lives. Those tests were of major importance, todo item number one, and now it’s to be replaced with other priorities such as enjoying the holidays, sleeping, or catching up on TV shows.

Although we might not always do it consciously, prioritizing is an integral part of life, especially during December when studying for school and preparing for the holidays simultaneously dominate schedules. And so, for the last issue of 2016, the In-Depth topic is priorities.

Maintaining a balance of work, school, and social life is critical for many students, but what that balance is varies from student to student. On the centerfold, several students share how they divide their time and give advice on how to keep from becoming overwhelmed.

If you want to evaluate your own balancing skills, the centerfold also has a time management quiz.

For everyone who put holiday shopping way at the bottom of their list and might still be in need of a cheap and simple present, page 11 provides a list of potential gifts and even a free stocking stuffer!

Students aren’t the only ones who must learn to prioritize.

Teachers can put the needs of some students above others, and page 10 elaborates on the effects of teacher favoritism on students.

On a national scale, Presidentelect Donald Trump must prepare for his first 100 days in office to push the issues important to him. Page 14 covers some of Trump’s plans and what they might mean for America.

In a life filled with endless tasks, the ability to pick which ones get done based on individual values is critical, as priorities can determine everything from how much time a person spends with family to how the future of a country will be run.

How does teacher favoritism impact your learning, if at all?

Dylan Kelly Freshman

“Favorite students get extra credit; others don’t get the same opportunity.”

Jaden Goldfain Sophomore

“It creates a more biased classroom but does not affect learning.”

Emma Byrne Junior

“Makes me unmotivated to work hard because it isn’t recognized.”

Marshal Goff Senior

“My teachers don’t have favorites.”

Spilled Ink

In-Depth

Dec. 22, 2016

11

Penny-Pincher’s Presents

Information gathered by Samantha Ye; Costs estimated with data from Walmart, The Dollar Tree, Macy’s, Target, Michael’s, Barnes & Noble; Sources: moneyunder30. com, hoosierhomemade.com Graphics by Cat O’Hare

Santa Claus is deep in the red. Years of overspending paired with no reliable source of income have nearly run his toy company, Has-Snow Inc., into the ground.

To boost company morale, Santa decides to personally provide a Christmas gift to each of his 2,016 elves. Alas, time is short and his wallet is empty.

Spilled Ink offers our Penny-Pincher’s Presents Guide to help Santa and any other (extremely) last-minute shoppers find inexpensive yet thoughtful presents.

Humor Book

Digital Gifts

After a grueling semester of work or school, it can be tough to ease back into the habit of reading for pleasure.

Humorous books—either text-based like Richard Benson’s “F for Effort” series which feature hilariously wrong test answers or picture-based like Gary Larson’s “The Far Side” comics—provide an amusing avenue back into the world of print. Find them at Barnes & Noble in the Humor section. [$5-$12]

Money Box For elves who just want Santa to “pay them” or whatever, try presenting the cash in an unconventional way. For example, you can tape together one dollar bills (as many as you wish to give) end-to-end so it makes one long strip of money and stuff it into an empty tissue box. When the recipient starts pulling out the cash, say, “Don’t blow it all at once.” [Cost varies]

Card Game When large groups of friends or family get together, a simple card game can get everyone playing, laughing, conversing, and maybe screaming at each other if the game gets heated enough, all of which makes for great entertainment. Find classic/novelty decks or other card games at Barnes & Noble, Walmart, and Target. [$6-$18]

On iPhone: Find and tap the “gift” icon under the share button of any app you wish to give.

From there, you can send the app via email. It’s sent instantly by default, so if you want to delay it, tap “Today” to set the delivery date. The same steps apply for gifting songs or books.

On Android: Although it’s not possible to transfer apps on Android devices, you can purchase gift cards, Google Play Music subscriptions, and books from the Google Play store where you can email them to the recipient to redeem on their phone. Just make sure he or she doesn’t mistake the email for spam and delete it. [$1-$12]

Mug with Hot Chocolate Mugs come in a variety of shapes and sizes even in stores like the Dollar Tree. These convenient gifts are staple kitchenware so you know you won’t be giving something useless.

Try adding a hot cocoa kit—a packet of cocoa mix, a small bag of mini marshmallows, and candy canes for stirring— inside for a seasonal touch. [$3-$6]

Journal It’s an ideal gift for those who enjoy writing down their thoughts or for those who feel smart having full bookshelves. To personalize the present, try writing a note inside the front cover (which also takes care of the card costs) or intersperse motivational sticky note comments between the pages. [$1-$10]

Snack Jar

Michael’s, Hobby Lobby, and Walmart offer cheap clock kits complete with motor, hands, and numbers. All you need to do is find a flat sheet such as a slab of wood, an old CD, or a paper plate to assemble them on. As long as the chosen background can have a hole put in the center (for the motor), it can be personalized however you want. [$7-$20]

This simple present entitles the recipient to a favor from the giver. You can make your own or use the template below; simply fill in the blanks and sign where needed. You can check the circle of one service or allow the recipient to choose. Cut out the coupon and give to a person of your choice. [FREE]

A jar of candy is a delicious temptation, a lovely table decoration, and a creative packaging of a simple treat: talk about your triple threat! Fill a mason jar ($1 at Michael’s) with the appropriate candies or trail mix for the health-conscious. [$4-$8]

0 0 0

Ego Boost: minimum of ten-minutes Inconvenient Errand: must take under _____ hours Meal: cannot cost over _____ dollars

0 0 0

Hug: the hug must be with the recipient Day of Fun: as defined by recipient Movie Night: recipient chooses the movie

f Approv lo

Good for One Free:

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Favor Coupon

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Personalized Clock

I hereby promise to obey this coupon whenever ___________________________________________ (recipient) so chooses to redeem it. _____________________________________________________ (giver of coupon) Date: _________________ Valid 1/1/17 - 1/1/18. Coupon must be presented at time of purchase. Redeemable for single use only. No reproductions. Void if transferred, tampered, purchased, or sold. No cash value.

12

Dec. 22, 2016

In-Depth

Spilled Ink DIVISION OF TIME

freshman Kane Menezes

ADVICE TO OTHERS?

Have a schedule so you know what you’re going to do when.

And then don’t get distracted is the biggest thing. Finish what you need to do and then if you have leftover time, you can hang out with friends or whatever, but don’t get distracted.

WITH ONE EXTRA HOUR A DAY...

I’d probably spend it just chilling out because I don’t really do that that often.

freshman Holly Burnham

Classes: 46% Sports (tennis, wrestling, lacrosse): 21% Homework: 14% Socializing: 10% Music (concert band): 7% Relaxing alone: 2%

Students pers

ac

Molly Lubbers Sports Editor According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, unemployed high school students from 15 to 19 years old spent 6.5 hours on education, 8.8 on sleeping, 3.5 on socializing, .8 on sports and .2 on volunteering and religious activities in averages collected from 2010 to 2014. The obligations that stack up in students’ lives every day are difficult to juggle, and many find themselves needing to prioritize.

Planning activities is a crucial skill to learn for students, no matter what they prioritize. Students of all types may value one activity over another, but every student finds him or herself in this dilemma.

Junior Grace Baker ranks Student photos by Molly Lubbers Photo illustration by Samantha Ye

ev ra im ha al

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th be co m sa

Classes: 40% Homework: 14% Relaxing alone: 14% Sport (swim team): 11% Volunteering: 10% Socializing: 7% Art: 4%

HOW DO YOU PRIORITIZE?

I always put my happiness first but I also think school. Usually I put school, sports, friends, then art, even though art is my favorite thing.

ADVICE TO OTHERS? Keep your priorities on what would make you most happy. It is important to care about what you’re doing for yourself first.

DIVISION OF TIME

junior Ryan Toomey

DIVISION OF TIME

In-Depth Classes: 35% Socializing: 23% Job: 14% Music (jazz band, pep band, orchestra): 13% Homework: 8% Relaxing alone: 4% Sports (baseball): 3%

ADVICE TO OTHERS?

Find time for you. I mean when you get into junior and senior, sometimes if you’re lucky, as a sophomore, getting a job is awesome for money, but keep in mind that you come first, and school comes a close second. If you pour all your time into work and school you’re never going to have time for yourself, and then it’s like, what’s the point?

So definitely find time for yourself before you focus on a career or anything like that.

senior Peyton Walker

Spilled Ink

Dec. 22, 2016

13

DIVISION OF TIME Classes: 38% Homework: 15% Job: 15% Socializing: 15% Clubs (DECA, NHS): 12% Volunteering: 4% Relaxing alone: 1%

HOW DO YOU PRIORITIZE?

I definitely consider when the due dates of certain things are, so that’s one of my major concerns, as well as how many people it’s affecting.

So, for instance, if it’s just an assignment for myself that’s due in class tomorrow versus a big NHS event that’s going to affect a few hundred people, then I put the NHS event over my personal assignment.

sonally determine balance of time based on priorities

academics above everything else.

“I think that’s my top priority with everything because I’ve just been raised in the way that grades are most important and my older sister always had straight As,” Baker said. “So I’ve always kind of had to fulfill that standard.”

But her obligations to StuCo keep her busy too. According to Baker, she spends 30 hours a year on community service.

Cheerleading also takes up a large amount of time. Baker says that if there is a game, she will be cheerleading until 7:30 or 8:00 p.m. However, she prioritizes grades over Cheer.

“I think that at the end of the day the most important thing is academics, because that’s what’s really going to count. I mean, I love Cheer but that’s more an enjoyment thing,” Baker said. “Cheer is almost like a reward.”

While some, like Baker, focus primarily on academics, others prioritize sports.

Senior Kyle Schulman’s focus is athletics.

“That’s always been my priority. My goal is to play college sports,” Schulman said. “So, in order to get to that point I spend a lot of time getting myself better and working out and stuff.”

As a senior, Schulman dedicates more time to getting ready for college than to his coursework. According to Schulman, his classes are easy and don’t require much outside schoolwork, so he mainly spends time trying to get recruited by a college football team.

Neglecting sleep is typical for Schulman. Over summer, he woke up at 6 a.m. to go to practice, and he spent his nights watching videos on techniques for working out or videos of himself to see how he played in different games.

Though students often prioritize one activity over the other, sophomore Ethan Fang’s philosophy is to prioritize everything.

Fang said he doesn’t want to limit himself in high school and wants to spend time excelling in all areas. To maximize his time academically, he decided not to have a lunch period for one semester, and to work on his homework as soon as it is assigned.

According to Fang, to crack out his homework, he makes a list of what he needs to do and orders it in a way he will feel productive.

“I sort of make a game of it, and try to race against time and do it even faster so you have more time at the end of the night to do things you want to do,” Fang said.

His methods may seem precise, but he lives by them. For those

who feel like they are drowning in their own responsibilities and don’t want to adopt Fang’s routine, counselor Cindy Benger advises some simple guidelines to becoming successful in balancing life’s activities.

She recommends that students work for 60-minute increments then take a break to do something for themselves for 30 minutes in order to relieve stress and help them focus.

Extra help to manage time can be found within the school as well.

“Counselors can be a great resource to help students kind of break down what they have to do and not feel so overwhelmed,” Benger said.

“And, I think it’s a matter of a plan in place, kind of like a roadmap, so you know where you’re going when times are really busy and stressful.”

14

Dec. 22, 2016

In-Depth

Spilled Ink

THE FIRST 100 DAYS Trump’s first plans as president involve mainly executive actions Joseph Mason Managing Editor While the Donald Trump camp grilled their Trump Steaks and did rhythmic dances to the audiobook of Trump: The Art of the Deal, protests erupted in more than 25 cities. This was the day after Trump won the presidency.

These protests took place for numerous reasons—Trump being a divisive figure and all—and among these reasons are his contentious, vague policy plans.

“First and foremost, I would love to see more specifics,” social studies teacher Bradley Bass said.

“I think he has a lot of broad ideas which I think is a start but I would love to see him nail down some of the specifics of those things and what exactly they are going to look like.”

In his outline for his first 100 days in office, Trump mentions his plan to withdraw from the Trans-Pacific Partnership, put a term limit on members of congress, and cancel restrictions on energy.

Social studies teacher Francisco

Graphic by Grace Hach Information gathered by CC Apodaca

On the Issues Trump and Co.

Civil Rights

OCT. 28, 2015

Immigration

Cordova also thinks the president-elect should explain how he plans to achieve his goals, like his plan to make “the next generation of production and innovation” happen in America.

“When I hear somebody say ‘innovation,’ I think about how you can’t have innovation without education,” Cordova said. “So, if he’s going to cut all those taxes on the wealthy and everybody else, that’s going to have an impact on schools. So he’s going to have to figure out a way that we’re going to be innovative while still accomplishing his other goals. He didn’t mention education once but he mentioned innovation: you can’t have one without the other.”

Trump also left out his biggest campaign promises, including promises to repeal Obamacare, build a wall along the Mexican border, and establish a “deportation force.”

“It’s just another example of a bold claim he said that’s going to be tough to implement,” Cordova said. “He brought it up a lot during the election because he’s definitely appealing to a certain base but I wouldn’t be to shocked if he didn’t try to address that as much as president.”

The items he detailed in his plan are all easy lifts inside Washington because they can be done with a simple signature by Trump and do not require congressional approval. Trump said in his policy plan he and his transition team were working on “a list of executive actions we take on day one.”

“This is going to be an interesting exercise in how much power a president actually does have,”Cordovasaid.“Powercorrupts,andabsolute power corrupts absolutely. So we’ve got to make sure that doesn’t happen. You can’t have that much power; no president, whether you like him or not, should so we’ll see if that holds.”

If Trump wants to achieve the goals he presented on his 15-month campaign, he will have to work with congress to get his policy plans implemented.

This will make it harder for him to follow through on some of his more esoteric promises, meaning he’ll have to make some compromises.

“My big thing is I would love to see him work within the constitution and I would love to see him find compromise because that’s how we accomplish things in this country,” Bass said.

“We truly accomplished things together in the 1980s and early 1990s before the Contract with America. So from maybe 1982 to 1994 was the last time we truly had any kind of compromise.

They compromised and they found middle ground, so I think that’s probably the last time we’ve seen that. It’s been a long time.”

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2016 e to make tim ’s “It service or w 2016 ent elect, “I want to ha Vice Presid , e c education great again in n e ve a much P e h c e e — Mik sp s tr o State n e g th e g f r ttin o m pu s il an te it ary. I want it to Sta this country. This me be s o s tr o n g ing nd th pa at nobody is kids first.This means ex g oing to mess with give every to n ns tio u tio ec s op d . ot an I Pr es l w ta oic ch a en n nm t ro to Envi take y for a quality care of our vets, who are tr nit rtu po op the ild ch nt. eated “We’ll be fine with the environme s of their ZIP terribly, like third-class citiz les ard reg on ati uc ed ens.” can’t — Donald Tru We can leave a little bit, but you s.” ce tan ms cu cir ily m fam p or , code CBS “Face th destroy businesses.” e Nation” e for R OCTOBE 18, 2015

— Donald Trump, FOX News Sunday interview

— Betsy Devos, Trump nomine education secretary, Trump rally in Michigan

interview

OCT.11, 2015

Spilled Ink

Sports

Dec. 22, 2016

15

How to work out in cold weather Snowshoe Jumping Jacks During the winter months, it can be hard to get out and exercise because it’s cold. Going for a run or bike ride on icy roads and sidewalks can be dangerous.

However, workouts are waiting to be done if you just put on a jacket and a pair of snow pants. Here is your fellow Lambkin, freshman Alex Ellmer, working out in cold weather.

Shoveling

Snowball Curls

Sled Burpees

First, bundle up more because you’ll be handling snow. Kneel on the ground, holding snowballs or weights, and curl each arm toward your chest, alternating arms.

Strap on your snowshoes, and start with your feet together. Jump and spread your legs and raise your arms simultaneously.

Ski Lifts

Start with your arms straight out in front of your chest, holding a sled. Jump up in the air and raise your sled to the sky. Then fall into a pushup; complete a full push up, then spring back up to your feet lifting your sled with you, like you just finished an epic sled run.

Shoveling is a great way to help around the house; it’s also a great workout. Start by squatting and scooping a full shovel load of snow, then stand, lifting the load of snow. Dump it away from walkways and repeat.

Start with your arms straight out to the side of your body and raise them up until the skis cross.

Content and photos gathered by Roland Tomsic; Graphics by Nicole Krauss

Soup proves comfort food can be healthful Ingredients 1 can undrained diced tomatoes 3 cups broth ½ onion 2 medium garlic cloves 1 potato 1 tablespoon olive oil 5 cups chopped or frozen vegetables of your choice 2 C. Pasta (optional) 1 Can beans (optional) ¼ teaspoon thyme ¼ teaspoon oregano ½ teaspoon rosemary 1 teaspoon basil ½ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon pepper

Photo by Molly Lubbers Graphic by Kaitlyn

Adelaide Tomsic Perspectives Editor The holidays are known for fatty and sugary foods in excess, and it can be difficult to eat well during this time of year.

Because of the cold weather, we crave warm meals, and a healthful salad hardly seems appetizing, but vegetables are very good for us. According to choosemyplate.gov, they contain essential vitamins which help to keep skin, eyes, and hair healthy. Vegetables are also low in calories and fat, unlike most holiday season foods. Additionally, they are high in fiber which helps to regulate the digestive tract, preventing constipation.

This savory crock-pot soup is loaded with vegetables to help .you get essential nutrients and remain healthy this winter.

Steps Cut all fresh vegetables into bite-sized pieces and dice the onion.

Add all ingredients to the crock-pot and cook it on low for seven hours on high for four hours, stirring occasionally.

If you would like to add pasta, cook then add it to the soup before serving. If you would like beans, drain the liquid

16

Sports

Dec. 22, 2016

Just for Kicks

Spilled Ink

Boxer finds stress relief, energy release in fighting Ginger Jacobs

Guest Writer After school, most teenagers might have a game to go to, or a club in which to participate. Maybe they go home to sleep, crochet, or make s’mores in the oven. Who knows? Arts and crafts? Possibly.

Baking scones? Sure. But beating people up for fun?

Senior Nicole Krauss is a badass kickboxer.

“I totally love it,” Krauss said. “It is a great energy release. It makes just a small girl like me- 5’2, 95 pounds- it makes you feel powerful. It’s just something different that makes you feel good about yourself.”

For her, it’s unusual. It’s something that people wouldn’t expect, and if someone tried to steal her backpack, maybe a kick to the face would be something they wouldn’t expect either. But kickboxing also allows her to develop skills in selfdefense, and it releases her anxiety in a positive way.

For Krauss, “being able to hit something without hurting someone” is a great way to let go of stress.

So, she doesn’t exactly beat people up for fun, but she does fight in practice and tournaments.

Krauss practices for about an hour every day. She conditions and builds up stamina, works on training and technique, or she spars. She also practices at home to improve her technique, and, sometimes, she’ll go to a 30-minute kickboxing fitness class.

Krauss specializes in Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) and

JiuJitsufights,andfortrainingshegoestotheSeraphim MMA gym. Depending on her age and skill level, a fighter may have to wear head gear, shin guards, or regular boxing gloves. But in MMA fights, participants must wear approved gloves, which are fingerless and contain a half ounce of stuffing. As Krauss explained, MMA fighters basically hit with their bare hands.

The fights are rough, according to Krauss. She once got stuck underneath a bigger kid in light sparring, and couldn’t figure out a way to get out of it.

Krauss has fought in two tournaments, each lasting two rounds, in addition to watching other tournaments. A single match consists of three minutes per round and three rounds.

She says it is scary going against someone you don’t know. Though she has never been knocked out, Krauss hassufferednosebleedsandexperiencedachokehold.

Photo by Molly Lubbers “Three minutes feels like an eternity,” she said.

Her coach was a big motivation for her while she trained. She was one of the smallest in her class, but she was also one of the fastest. She was able to win matches without having to use strength. It gave her a new sense of confidence, knowing that she could beat stronger kids.

For now, kickboxing is only a hobby for Krauss.

Maybe in the future she will take her skills and interests in the sport farther, beyond something she does in her free time and after school. But until then, kickboxing remains a stress relieving and energy releasing sport for her to appreciate.

Reasonable goals help people stay healthy beyond New Year’s Brooke Pippin Staff Writer The new year is a time thought to be full of new beginnings and new chances. The second the clock strikes midnight on New Year’s Day, 2016 will be left behind. Often, people look at the holiday as an opportunity to abandon their unhealthy habits.

People set goals to lose weight, become toned, or increase their endurance. Whatever the goal may be, it can fade away as time goes on and people become caught up in their lives. Unrealistic goals can cause peopletobecomeexhaustedandgiveupontheirideas.

“I’ve never really made resolutions because I knew I wouldn’t end up keeping them anyways,” sophomore Catherine Smith said.

New Year’s resolutions have become a bit of a joke to some due to their reputation of

being forgotten. If done the right way, however, some find resolutions to be positive and constructive ways to beat damaging routines.

“I said I was going to play a sport and it did work out because I practiced harder and had determination,” freshman Pedro Lopez said.

The American Psychology Association offers five steps that will increase chances of efficiently enforcing a resolution: start small, change one behavior at a time, share experiences, allow for mistakes, and set up a support system.

Setting a reasonable goal is essential to succeeding; overwhelming demands will make someone’s energy and motivation burn out faster. By talking to a health professional, whether it be a P.E teacher or someone at the local gym, deciding what pace would be best for specific needs becomes easier.

“I think the most important thing about any

Work out by the Numbers

1 in

8

people

health goal is setting out time. If you schedule it into your day, you are more likely to achieve it,” health teacher Lindsey Blahauvietz said.

Sharing goals and plans with others, such as family or friends, can lead to other people helping keep you in check throughout the year.

People sometimes make one mistake in their new regime and throw away all their plans. One bump doesn’t change anything and challenges should be expected. After all, you are changing your way of life.

By writing down progress or having a physical form of keeping track of daily habits, you can better manage your resolution. Seeing it laid out on paper could help you see flaws in the original idea and make it easier to adjust. Some health experts recommend keeping a health journal.

With the right execution and careful planning, 2017 can be a year of healthy habits and productive routines.

January

will

buy a

gym

membership

B U T

Feb

1 in 2 will drop

by February

Teens need 60 minutes of exercise, but only 1 in 4 gets it.

Graphic by Cat O’Hare. Information gathered

by Molly Lubbers. Source: Thesheridanpress. com, Consumer.healthday.com

Spilled Ink

Sports

Dec. 22, 2016

NBA player impacts sons in playing style, goals

17

Joseph Mason Staff Writer The 38-year-old ex-pro looked like an unwary driver pulled over on the highway for going four miles over the speed limit. The officer’s name was Iseri Palacio. The judge’s name was Iseri Palacio. And the executioner’s name was—you guessed it—Iseri Palacio.

This past summer, Palacio finally defeated his dad, Milt Palacio, in one-on-one. The high school senior put on a clinic against his NBA kin. He hit on his fadeaways, teardrop runners, and reverse layups. He launched his dad in the air with his pump fakes, he reached the rim through deadly spin moves, and he sent the man dubbed “Miracle Milt” by Boston sports fans to the hardwood with a lethal anklebreaking crossover. That was all on offense; on defense the 18-year-old played on his father like a rain-soaked overcoat.

Iseri has been playing basketball since he was five, as has his younger brother freshman Emeri Palacio. The sport has been a part of their lives ever since. This summer they both played on AAU teams to stay fresh for the school season.

“AAU in the summer is to just work on stuff and try new things,” Emeri Palacio said. “And then you use what you learned in the summer for school.”

The brothers also train with their dad to hone their skills.

“Recently, he’s influenced us a lot because he’s always on us about working hard,” Iseri Palacio said. “And over the summer we did drills every single day to get better and he just told us how hard it is to reach your goal but it’s very doable.”

Having played in the NBA for six years and played another seven years overseas, Milt Palacio knows what he’s talking about. Both brothers have goals to reach this same level, but first Iseri is focusing on winning a state championship this year, after back-to-back disappointing playoff losses the past two seasons.

“It’s hard on yourself because sometimes you feel like you lost a game by yourself,” he said. “Like everything is your fault, and losses are hard to get over too. That’s why we’re not losing this year.”

After the season, Iseri will decide where to take his talents for college. He is currently leading varsity with 21.5 points per game, five assists per game, and 3.5 steals per game, while Emeri Palacio is the starting point guard on the C-Team this year. Emeri is hoping to build off this year and join the varsity squad next winter.

“I’m just trying to get the fundamentals down because then every other part of my game will be better,” he said. “That’s what my dad’s always preached.”

All the Palacios have similar playing styles as point guards. They’re featherweights who carry themselves like heavyweights, and intimidating competitors who are typically the smallest guys on the court.

“We’re both not selfish—like we like to share the ball—but at the same time we can be aggressive when we need to and when we want to,” Iseri Palacio said.

ThebrothersmayhaveNBAbloodlinesandtheconvenience of having a professional train them but having an NBA player as your dad doesn’t guarantee them a spot in the league.

“We do have advantages,” Iseri said. “But what it all comes down to at the end of the day is your competitive edge. You have to earn your success.”

The Palacio brothers pose for a family picture with their dad in July of 2016 in Colorado.

Photo courtesy of Iseri Palacio.

Photos by Molly Lubbers

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18

Dec. 22, 2016

Sports

Spilled Ink

Space Jam remains monumental achievement

Joseph Mason

Managing Editor

Maybe Michael Jordan can’t hit a curveball but he sure hit Space Jam out of the park. By the end of watching it I had a revelation: oh my god, Citizen K a n e is trash.

Space Jam is a thought-provoking, intelligent, historically accurate magnum opus of absolute blissful postmodern cinematic nirvana. No film, not even The Godfather or the aforementioned Citizen Kane, has been able to match it in its grandeur and cinematic exuberance. It’s a factually-based, imaginative, highbrow, masterwork of cinema that is film in its most pure and utterly perfect state.

Directed by commercial and music video director Joe Pytka, Jordan isn’t asked to do too much with his role as himself. He has the visual charisma of a film star, and the script doesn’t dumb him down. Instead, it builds on his genial personality from his ‘90s TV ads.

The movie is nowhere near as mundane as a commercial, though; rather, it’s as fun as a Bulls’ game. The story goes as follows: an amusement park in outer space called Moron Mountain is desperate for new attractions, so they kidnap an array of Looney Tunes stars. The Tunes can only retain their freedom if they defeat the Nerdluck Monstars in a basketball game, but if they lose, they’ll remain slaves. The Monstars drain the talent out of some of the NBA’s biggest stars, while the Tunes suck Jordan down a hole on a golf course. The greatest basketball game ever ensues: Bill Murray unveils behind-the-back passes, Jordan dunks from half court, and evil is conquered.

The game perfectly captures the true events

and shows us—with mesmerizing wit, stunning cinematography, and captivating performances from Bugs and Jordan—the real power of teamwork. It also shows us the fact that the Looney Tunes are most definitely real, and that they can indeed interact with humans.

Pytka’s cinematic work of high art left me in a speechless daze, in total awe of exactly what cinema was capable of. Film has always resonated well with my taste pallet, but never has it captivated, moved, and bound me in its spell the way it has done so here.

So I was looking forward to watching the illegitimate child of Space Jam, Like Mike. But the spiritual successor didn’t have enough of Michael’s secret stuff to reach the cinematic levels of its 1996

predecessor, making it be quite the disappointment.

Lil Bow Wow stars as Calvin Cambridge, a 13-year-old orphan who finds a pair of lightningstruck shoes with the initials “M.J.” written in the tongues. He proudly wears these shoes to a Los Angeles Knights basketball game. During the game’s halftime show, he defeats Knights’ superstar Tracy Reynolds (played by the greatest movie athlete ever Morris Chestnut) in a game of one-on-one. Soon after, Cambridge finds himself the starting point guard of the team, the NBA Slam Dunk Champion, and in the Knights’ (basically the Clippers) first ever playoff appearance.

The only thing Like Mike has going for it is its mystery. Throughout the film, it is unknown whether Calvin wants to be like Michael Jordan or Michael J a c k s o n .

Another mystery is whether the shoes truly were magical. It’s a possibility Calvin was diagnosed with a disease that caused him to jump higher than everybody else and also be insanely good at basketball. These questions are left unanswered and it has led to some speculation on whether Stanley Kubrick actually ghostwrote it before he d i e d .

But one thing is sure; if Kubrick saw the picture he would say, “Dang, that’s some horrorshow ambiguity.”

But it’s still a trite storyline. Bow Wow shines through the script, though. He has the aura (and cornrows) of a star, and is a great successor to Jordan in a role like this. Bow Wow even makes the movie endurable during scenes with the insufferable Jonathan Lipnicki (come at me Stuart Little diehards), which is one of the most telling compliments I can give an actor. But he’s still not quite Jordan.

20 years after its release, Space Jam remains the ideal of ridiculous sports films, while Jordan is still the pinnacle of an athlete in a movie.

E C A P S M A J H T 0 Y

2

R

SA R E IV

ANN

FILM

SESSION

.

I like to think of performances on a spectrum ranging from generic-bad to generic-good and advanced-bad to advanced-good. A generically good or bad performance is when an actor works within the lines of conventional acting. An advanced performance is when he or she pushes past convention into the transcendentally good or bad.

Michael Jordan Space Jam

Good

.

.

.

Vince Carter Like Mike

.

Shaquille O’Neal Grown Ups 2

Shaquille O’Neal Blue Chips

.

Dirk Nowitzki Like Mike

NBA Player Movie Performance Matrix

Bad

.

.

Kareem Abdul-Jabaar Airplane!

.

Dennis Rodman Double Team

.

Kevin Durant Thunderstuck

Advanced

Generic

LeBron James Trainwreck

Ray Allen He Got Game

.

Shaquille O’Neal Kazaam

Spilled Ink

Perspectives

Dec. 22, 2016

19

Butting Heads Diversity quotas help minorities, foster equality Tate Thurgood Staff Writer Our society has evolved immensely with diversity, but there is still much to do to achieve a world in which everyone has a fair chance.

Diversity quotas are designed to work toward that goal more quickly and effectively. They do this by requiring a certain percentage of minorities, such as women or people of color, to be hired in a variety of jobs, from politics to higher education to management.

Currently, diversity in leadership is severely lacking. In February 2014, less than five percent of current Fortune 500 CEOs were women, and about four percent weren’t white.

Why the low diversity? Part of it is that within many companies (large and small) elite circles control the hiring process. Generally, middle-aged white men rise to power and hire more—you guessed it—middle-aged white men.

Diversity quotas, however, force those elite circles to be broken up and allow minorities chances in a system designed against them. Plus, the reverse effect can happen as the quotas are met; more minorities are hired as more go up the ranks of leadership.

Some argue diversity quotas are discrimination; however, the entire purpose of diversity quotas is to correct existing discrimination.

Just like giving women the right to vote wasn’t discrimination against men, giving minorities a fairer chance at work isn’t

discrimination against white men.

“A number of studies demonstrate that quotas (usually set between 20% and 50%) and other affirmative action policies have been effective in increasing the number of women holding political offices in a variety of countries,” stated CIPD, a nonprofit organization centered around professional training and bettering the lives of working people.

Most other strategies to increase diversity work only in theory, since they often wait on profit-based companies to suddenly have a change of heart and start promoting diversity over their bottom line, whereas diversity quotas force the issue to be addressed and changed.

The CIPD even noted the effect of diversity quotas can last over 10 years after they are abandoned.

This furthers diversity and prevents effects from being undone, fostering a workplace where it doesn’t matter what you look like or who you were born as, but what you can do.

•Diversity quotas force elite circles to be broken up so the hiring process is based on talent instead of agendas.

•They correct existing discrimination in the workplace effectively and quickly.

•They force the issue of workplace discrimination to be both addressed and changed instead of simply talked about.

Graphics by Kaitlyn Schmidt and Roland Tomsic

Quotas possibly unfair to most qualified by

Grace Hach Graphic Artist In “To All The Girls I’ve Rejected,” an editorial for The New York Times, Dean of Admissions at Kenyon College Jennifer Delahunty Britz describes watching her daughter read a letter from a college she applied to, telling her she’s been waitlisted.

The author asks a rhetorical “why?” and then goes on to answer her own question with personal experience.

Britz confesses to using affirmative action standards in order to preserve the gender balance in colleges. The drop in the ratio of male to female college applications has posed admissions staff with a dilemma: to maintain a gender-balanced campus, they must admit men over women with higher GPAs, higher test scores, and better extracurriculars. This is preferential treatment at its most clear.

Despite the lack of minorities and women in positions of notoriety, diversity quotas are not the answer.

They have the potential to reduce those in power to “token” f i g u r e s , demeaning t h e genuine hard work done

all the qualified others.

An in-depth study done by a professor at UCLA asserts that a higher proportion of female students leads to better grades earned by both genders. Yet admissions officers seem to focus on an arbitrarily equal number of men and women students.

The fact remains, hiring bias is not just real, but shockingly pervasive throughout industries and demographics. In a study by the National Academy of Sciences, regardless of the race and gender of the employer, these biases were present.

However,quotasofanykindaren’t the resolution to this longstanding problem. Other solutions, such as a blind hiring process—where employers are provided with a nameless, genderless, raceless, and overall unidentifiable resume and list of qualifications—have the potential to eliminate the disparity.

Employers may also think of quotas as a maximum, instead of a minimum, and fill the spaces but fail to hire diverse applicants of their own accord. This is another clear danger of having a required number of a certain demographic, according to Caroline Turner, principal of Difference WORKS LLC, a diversity consulting firm.

While mandatory diversity quotas may prevent a quick and easy solution to the lack of diversity in powerful positions, they’re an overly blunt and temporary solution to the problem at hand.

•Other solutions, such as a blind hiring process are more fair.

•Quotas have the potential to reduce those in power to “token” figures, demeaning genuine hard work done by all the qualified others.

•Quotas are an overly blunt and temporary solution to the problem.

20

Dec. 22, 2016

Perspectives

Spilled Ink

Safety pins show support for victims of discrimination

Maya Bode

Managing editor Buildings are being vandalized with swastikas and racist graffiti, women and members of the LGBT community are encountering hate speech and violence, and kids as young as kindergartners are yelling at minorities to get out of the country as a result of what many are calling the “Trump Effect,” according to BBC.com.

Many Americans are in fear or disbelief, and regardless of political leanings, those who recognize this may be looking for ways to help. Inspired by a movement that began in the U.K. after Brexit, some have started wearing a safety pin on their clothes to indicate that they are safe people. Although

this act of solidarity is controversial, it is ultimately making a positive impact and those who wish to show their support and are ready to stand up for marginalizedgroupsshouldparticipate.

Hundreds of politically-driven crimes and cases of abuse against minorities have occurred in the weeks since the election, according to a report by the Southern Poverty Law Center. In a survey of 10,000 educators, 90 percent had seen their school’s climate negatively impacted, and more than a quarter had observed incidents of harassment that can be “directly traced to election rhetoric.”

“After the election, a lot of people were nervous about their own safety, including me as a woman of color,” junior Anuja Gore said.

During president-elect Donald Trump’s campaign, the countless disrespectful comments and proposed policies threatening the rights of groups – including blacks, Latinos, Muslims, those with disabilities, the LGBT community, and women – seemed to be met with widespread acceptance

by those who were ignorant or indifferent to the damage being done.

While this is an important part of what has inspired the safety pin movement, wearing a safety pin should be thought of as less of a political protest and more of a sign of peace, a simple indication that you value respect toward all people and acknowledge the pain going on in the world. Before proudly fastening a pin to your clothes, consider whether you really are committed to the meaning behind the action, as opposed to just wearing the pin in protest of the election results.

“Just know that it’s a responsibility,” Gore said. “When you are wearing it, it’s important you keep in mind that you have to be respectful of other groups of people, because it symbolizes that you understand, that you’re actively taking that responsibility.”

If you wear a pin, it may invite questions or requests for help. If you aren’t comfortable with this idea, it may be better to find other ways to help, such as donating to Planned Parenthood, Black Lives Matter,

300

The Trevor Project, or other causes and charities that support groups whose rights are being threatened.

In fact, those who look down on the safety pin movement as an easy way to feel like you’re making a difference without actually taking action would argue that volunteering or donating to groups that support those who are feeling vulnerable is a far more valuable course to take. Although the safety pins are making a positive impact, they shouldn’t be used as an excuse not to take other measures as well.

However, at the very least, wearing a safety pin is the first step. Amidst grieving the loss of the world we thought we lived in, even the simplest ways of reachingoutshouldnotbedownplayed.

Every time I see someone wearing a safety pin, I am reminded that kindness and empathy can and will endure the fear and divisiveness in the world. If you’ve been looking for a way to take a stand and you’re ready to take on the responsibility that comes with declaring yourself a safe person, find a safety pin and spread the word.

Information gathered by Maya Bode Graphic by Kaitlyn Schmidt Source: Splcenter.org

Number of Hate Crime Victims in the Ten Days After the Election

200

100

50

Black

Immigrant

LGBT

Muslim

Semitic

Women

White Nationalists

Trump supporters

Other

Victory for Standing Rock people provides inspiration

Walker Discoe

A&E Editor

The systemic oppression of Native American peoples by the American government has created a culture of distrust, and hatred.

And the Dakota Access Pipeline’s proposed route was another low blow at an already struggling Native American Nation.

Recently, one group of Native Americans has been harshly impacted by the Dakota Access Pipeline, an oil pipeline from Canada.

Crossing just north of the Standing Rock Sioux reservation, over the Missouri River, the Dakota Access Pipeline posed serious threats to the river, the only water source of the Standing Rock reservation. This injustice towards the Standing

Rock people was tantamount to terrorism, and the actions taken by the government were already incredibly unfair and made without regard for the people who fought to keep their land.

“Since the whites came to our world, since the days of Columbus, they’ve seen a resource, and the first thing is to make money… they think that you can go take whatever you want, and that these inhabitants that are on their land, these brown people, they’re not really human, or they’re not Christian, so you can go ahead and kill them,” protester Ed Iron Cloud said. “I think that this just stems back from that. Our leaders from the past fought so hard because the future of the tribe or our nation was at stake.”

When our Government is confident enough to disregard the opinions of their citizens, and destructively blaze ahead with their plans, our democracy begins to crack and fail. But, the protestors won. The protests of the Standing Rock tribe, environmental activists, and politicians convinced President Obama that the Dakota Access Pipeline should be rethought. The Army Corps of Engineers announced its decision in a statement: “Although we have had continuing discussions and exchanges of new information with the Standing Rock Sioux and Dakota Access, it’s

clear that there’s more work to do,” Jo-Ellen Darcy, the Army’s assistant secretary for civil works said. “The best way to complete that work responsibly and expeditiously is to explore alternate routes for the pipeline crossing.”

The pipeline has not been cancelled, but this is a major setback for the 17 banks that back the project, and a momentous achievement for the Standing Rock Tribe, environmental activists, and politicians.

“I think it’s an incredible victory,” senior Anthony Hilton, who followed the events, said. “The struggle that these people have is beginning to be won, and that’s important.”

The way the events of the Dakota Access Pipeline protests occurred is a fantastic example of how our democracy is supposed to work. When people saw an unjustifiable issue, they protested, and the government reciprocated. Such victories are important, not only for the Sioux people, the environment, and the future of our country, but for the health of our democracy. At a time of rampant injustice, victories for the underdog are precious.

We should look to the victory of the Standing Rock Reservation as a model for the future, and prepare ourselves for the road ahead. The fight is certainly not over, but it is one that can be won.

Spilled Ink

Perspectives

Dec. 22, 2016

Immigrants offer valuable perspective

Adelaide Tomsic Perspectives Editor I, like many other American high school students, am guilty of complaining about the middle-class suburban life I am blessed to have been born into. I complain about Spanish class being too difficult and this city too dreary and mundane. But the things I complain about are gifts to most other teenagers in the world. Many who have come to America seeking “a better life” immigrated because of what I take for granted.

SophomoreAlfredPinedaimmigratedfrom Colombiain2009becausehismotherwanted her son to live in a boring and quiet town.

“In Colombia—where I’m from—there was a lot of violence and my mom saw over here there is not too much violence,” Pineda said. “She decided she would like to get her son over here where it is nice and quiet.”

Beyond escaping violence, the standard of living is also a motivating factor for immigrants.

Educational fields are much more developed in America than they are in the rest of the world.

“Educationisdifferent,”sophomoreHungMai, whoimmigratedfromVietnamlastyear,said.“The teachers in the USA are better than in Vietnam.”

But immigration comes with struggle. Those coming to America must learn the language and nuances of culture in a new country. They have to leave their lives behind and are taken away from the communities they had built. This was the case for world language arts teacher Carolina Regge, who immigrated when she was 10 years old so her sister could receive treatment for polio.

“It was really hard for my parents—my mom especially,” Regge said. “She had a big network of friends and family, and she came here and was all of a sudden removed from all her connections and that’s really hard for people who move here.”

Rebuilding connections is especially difficult considering the language barrier makes it harder for immigrants to communicate.

“Coming to America and learning English was really hard at first,” Regge said. “It didn’t take long to learn English because

it was sink or swim. There was no bilingual education back then so I just had to learn as fast as I could.”

Learning a new language isn’t the only challenge immigrants face, as some also have to go through the incredibly risky and harsh process of crossing the border. Sophomore Estrella Vidran’s parents crossed when she was two.

“They said they didn’t have much food, and they only had two milk jugs filled with water,” Vidran said. “They carried a lot of bread. Sometimes they had to hide from the police and it was really stressful and a lot of walking for them. “ Despitethehardshipsthatcomesalongwithimmigrating, America becomes home because no matter where you are, human connection will always be familiar.

“The people are all the same,” Regge said.

“The way people treat each other, help each other, deal with each other is all the same.”

Many of those who have immigrated to America consider their new home a gift, and are aware the American standard of living is something not everybody has.

“I still have family over there that I would like to have come over here to USA because it is a change from every day what they have to look at,” Pineda said.

“They have to go out a n d work a s farmers.

Here is m u c h m o r e organized than over there and it’s better. I want them to have a chance to see what I saw when I came over here.”

For anyone, like me, who has deemed suburban life and seven-hour school days a curse, talk to an immigrant to understand how much of a blessing it is to live in America. So many have given up the people in their lives and jumped into an overwhelming sea of people speaking an unfamiliar language to have what you had from birth.

21

Immigration by the Numbers

$400 and $600 Million: Between

The price tag to deport all undocumented immigrants living in the U.S.

69,920

persons were admitted to the United States as refugees in 2015.

1016,518 Lawful permanent residents live in the U.S.

#1 The leading country of birth for naturalized U.S. citizens is Mexico.

Information gathered by Adelaide Tomsic from The Department of Homeland Security and The American Action Forum.

Graphics by Kaitlyn Schmidt and Grace Hach.

Latina expresses concern on behalf of community Editor’s note: Spilled Ink asked a FCHS student to share her perspective on the condition of Latinos in the USA following the election of Donald Trump. The following is a piece she wrote on behalf of her fellow Latinos to express the frustrations and fears of the community.

As a Latino community, these past few days haven’t been easy. The current emotions running within us are strong.

I feel betrayed in a way that we aren’t welcomed. I feel like everything we have worked so hard for went down the drain. I feel like the respect that we had is now lost.

Everything that our parents worked so hard for, not just

for family, but the community and for our own benefits for the country felt like we were being used for the dirty work that others won’t commit to.

Having Latinos work out in the fields, working all day in the burning sun, having to go out in the snow with their hands frozen, barely being able to breathe due do the cold winds, and having Latinos working in construction is something that others don’t take much thought in.

The feeling of being used is so gruesome.

Even though Trump has been elected and we fear what might happen next and how it might impact our surroundings and the people we care about—just

because we fear what might happen next—doesn’t mean that as Latinos, we should just stop accomplishing our future goals.

As a community, we can make a greater impact by raising our voice instead of hiding in the shadows because of fear.

When you grow up in a place you think is safe, you lose the faith and trust within the country when you see your fellow community people, when you think about when your little cousin says, “I’m scared to think that people won’t treat me as if I was a human being.

They will degrade me because of the color of my skin, my culture, and where my family is from,” you feel disappointment in those people that are narrow-minded

and aren’t willing to open their minds and their hearts to people who are different from them.

It’s scary to see that your parents are scared because they have done everything possible for a change. How can a person steal jobs when they are undocumented, they don’t speak the language, they are all alone without any help and trying to stay alive and to provide their families that aren’t able to?

Latinos are strong and outgoing. We’ve been through many obstacles and we are still here and strong. Como dice el dicho “Los corazones no tienen color.” And as the proverb says, “They tried to bury us. They didn’t know that we were seeds.”

22

Dec. 22, 2016

Perspectives

Spilled Ink

Students should work to progress beyond racism

Seraphina Discoe Staff Writer Although Colorado’s rocky past with race relations is behind us, echoes of the same sentiment are still being heard today. Comments and actions that may be seen as harmless to some can be outrageously offensive to others, and we should take the feelings of others into account when we act and speak.

Since the days in which the Ku Klux Klan agitated against immigrants and told Coloradans to buy from only “real” Americans, going so far as to suggest they avoid restaurants with foreign names,

and Klan-affiliated legislators started to propose the firing rules of all Catholics and Jews on the University of Colorado faculty, this state has become a place where Boulder is trying to become a sanctuary city. Colorado has come so far from the ‘20s when black people who tried to integrate into Denver neighborhoods were met with bombs, to now when Obama, our first black president, won the state in both 2008 and in 2012.

Even FCHS has made improvements regarding race relations. In the 1930s, yearbook pictures showed students wearing culturally insensitive costumes such as Hitler or black face.

Still, racial slurs can be heard throughout the hallways showing we haven’t quiet moved beyond the problems of racism.

“I was in middle school and a student came up to me and called me a spic. And it kind of irritated me, got me mad,” senior Omar Mirelez said.

And this type of racism is often

brushed away as teasing and left for the victim to deal with on his or her own.

“Teachers just say just try to be friends with them or do this, but it really doesn’t work,” Mirelez said.

Part of the issue in schools, according to Dean of Students Josh Richey, is just the nature of coming together with different groups.

“People like to feel secure so education kind of forces you to come out of your comfort zone so some people tend to graduate towards becoming more comfortable and being around others that look different can cause a few people to act out,” Richey said.

Some students also report that the election has made them uneasy.

Those whose parents are not originally from the United States may be afraid of being deported.

The current climate has caused people to stick together instead of reaching out to others, further growing

the racial divide. Students of different skin color are sometimes shunned by other specific cliques, in a form of subtle racism.

“It’s kind of hard to explain. You see a lot of different groups at Fort Collins,” Mirelez said. “I’m not trying to be racist, but African Americans with other African Americans, Mexican Americans, different people with different beliefs and stuff like that. And people that try to join different groups are mostly rejected just based on their religion or their judgement on things.

And its just kind of hidden, but it happens.”

It’s part of human nature to want to be comfortable, and being with those similar to us can help us feel safer, but often that leads to social gaps and cliques based on race.

We should continue working to move beyond racism at FCHS. We have already progressed so far since the times of black face and we can continue to improve our race relations, extending our reach to different social groups to foster positive relationships with one another.

Colorado race relations at a glance 1800-1950s 1924

Workers strike and form unions for better working conditions. Italians, Germans and Russians took over the jobs of striking workers, causing racial tension toward these groups.

Information gathered by Adelaide Tomsic from Historycolorado.org.

Today Hispanics makeup 20% of Colorado’s population yet hostility toward immigrants persists. Muslims also face discrimination with 46% of Americans agreeing Islam is more likely than other religion to encourage violence.

1848-1855

Klansman, Clarence Morely is elected governor and Colorado institutes some anti-immigration policies.

Gold rush Brings in many Irish and Scandinavian immigrants to Denver and Leadville where they work as miners.

Senior gift should be chosen democratically, represent all Senior gifts, such as the mural in the auditorium, the sound system in the gym, and the enhanced water fountains, are the heart of a school. A senior gift is a special tradition that graduating students will remember forever. Seniors should always be able to choose what that gift is, as long as it is appropriate and relevant to the school. This year not everyone’s vote was represented in the decision; only the seniors in Student Council got to vote.

The senior gift this year was suggested by Student Council, and not all votes were counted in deciding what it was. The school intends to use senior gift donations to fund a marquee sign. Some seniors have decided to not donate because it is upsetting to not have a voice in the decision. Other potential donators are merely just upset about this, and likely will still donate.

Either way, the school should consider broadening the voting in the future.

Students look at previous senior gifts as legacies left behind by that specific class, and if the gift is chosen for

Beyond the concept of representative government, some students don’t really care about the senior gift predicament; they would argue that the school is buying the gift, and is only asking for donations to help pay. Their argument is that seniors should not complain so much, as a simple solution to show disagreement is to not donate at all.

Look at this situation as your parents choosing what you want for the holidays, they ultimately are the ones paying, but it is your gift, so you want a say on what it should be. If a senior gift is not partially chosen by the class, then it isn’t reflective of the class it represents, which defeats the purpose of the gift.

This tradition should be carried on the right way every year–chosen by the majority of all seniors–and it should be something for underclassmen to look forward to.

STAFF ED. the class, students can’t leave their mark on the school they’ve attended for four years. When only StuCo seniors get to choose the gift, the rest of the seniors don’t get a chance to leave something meaningful for the school.

But there is an argument that backs up the decision to use Student Council’s votes instead of the senior class’s.

Spilled Ink

Perspectives

Dec. 22, 2016

23

Election results may negatively affect LGBT community

Kaitlyn Schmidt Graphic Artist Since his nomination, president-elect Donald Trump has been telling the public how he plans to “Make America Great Again.” However, some of the promises he made have already changed.

Regarding LGBT, he stated early on how he was against rights given to the community in 2014 and even threatened to revoke the 50-state law on marriage equality, according to CNN. Though in a recent interview with CBS, he said nothing is wrong with same-sex marriage and the matter is already settled, people are feeling confusion. His policies on LGBT issuesappealedtosomebutmanyareworriedfortheirsafety.

No matter what Trump decides, his vice president, Mike Pence, openly fights against LGBT rights. He advocates conversion therapy and electroshock therapy, which entails unconventional manipulation of the brain in an attempt to remove homosexuality, and causes brain damage, according to nclrights.org.

“While I’m not sure they’re going to do anything about it, I believe it could become an issue for children who are not accepted by their parents,” freshman Gail Bunn, Gay Straight Alliance (GSA) member, said.

Fear of relatives and fear in the school setting has also risen as a result of Trump’s flip-flopping views on the matter.

After the election, many students didn’t go to school because they were afraid of being bullied because of factors such as sexuality or religion, and many were, according to CNN. In fact, the harassment in schools skyrocketed; over 2,500 reports were made within a 24hour period and left many students looking for help.

To combat this and spread love in the hallways, we need to talk about the fact that discrimination affects many people. We need to pay attention to what is happening in the now; otherwise our diverse culture will begin to change

more drastically. Offering support to other students shows them people are on their side, and even though it’s a small thing to do, it will make a big difference. We cannot shut out the problems as if they don’t exist because the issue of discrimination is very real and something that can be fixed.

GSA has been offering help to students with family members who agree with Pence’s stance on conversion therapy. Members of GSA are also bringing more awareness by putting up posters to express their support in this time of distress, inviting students to join them in P-107 during common lunch on Thursdays. According to Bunn, they also meet with teachers to make the school a safer environment for everyone. The club is not only for the LGBT community, but also for straight allies to learn or help others, and whatever’s said at meetings is completely confidential.

“I think it’s really important for people to feel safe no matter what,” Bunn said.

In the year we’ve had, we should be spreading love, not hate, and supporting those in need instead of putting them down. When it comes to the LGBT community, that’s what GSA is trying to do, and as a nation we should be welcoming cultural diversity because that is what we stand for.

Q&A with a GSA member Q: How does GSA help others?

Gail Bunn Freshman

A: It helps others by giving them a safe place to go when they don’t feel safe coming out to their family or friends, and they can get help, whether it’s figuring out how to transition or just having someone to talk to who they can trust. If they are in certain situations because they’re LGBT, they can get help from us or other people, but we’re a safe place to go to.

Q: Did you personally feel threatened by our president?

Q: How do you feel you’re making a difference with GSA?

A: Yeah, most definitely. There are multiple different reasons I feel threatened by him, but as an LGBT member I am specifically afraid. More for others because I know I’m in a safe environment, but I am afraid that because I’m LGBT there’s going to be more people who feel that their negative feelings towards LGBT are going to be validated.

A: I feel that I’m making a difference by being there for others and making sure people know that they can come and talk to me. We’re talking to adults about the issues and seeing if they can do anything about it. I think that’s helpful.

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Staff Writers

Dalena Groen...Editor in Chief Maya Bode... Managing editor Joseph Mason... Managing editor Spencer Thompson... News editor Walker Discoe... A&E Editor Samantha Ye... In-Depth Editor Molly Lubbers...Sports Editor Adelaide Tomsic... Perspectives Editor

Seraphina Discoe Thany Dykson Brook Pippin Mackenna Rowe Miles Rodriguez Roland Tomsic Joseph Vasseur Tate Thurgood

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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) 488-8199. 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 Scholastic 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

Dec. 22, 2016

The Backside

Spilled Ink

What weird holiday traditions does your family celebrate?

Justin Perry

Cody Larsen

Senior

Freshman

“We all wear red socks on Christmas Eve.”

Nathan Richmond

“My family has a crouton eating contest.”

Nancy Wynstra-Cope

Danielle Winter

Sophomore

Freshman

Sophomore

“We make origami ornament to put on our Christmas tree.”

“Draw names for who gets which present for our animal.”

Michael Field

Mikayla Rodriguez

Michaela Tarka Senior

Junior

Junior

“We always make ornaments together.”

“We make jello with cherries, pineapple and cream cheese frosting.”

“We make braid bread every year.”

“Every year we take snow globes and write memories from the year on them.”

Spilled Ink is a five-year All-Colorado Newspaper 2010-2011

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