Issue 4 (December 2013)

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December 19, 2013

The Failure of...

pg. 23

GRAPHIC BY HANNAH MECHTENBERG

Volume 95 Issue 4 3400 Lambkin Way

Fort Collins, CO 80525

Phone: (970) 488-8199

Fax: (970) 488-8008

News

2 Dec. 19, 2013

Seattle suburb raises minimum wage to $15/hr

Spilled Ink

Vladimir Putin: Russia not trying to become superpower

Northern lights seen from Maine farmhouse

Australian court rejects gay marriage law after 5 days

Chicago airport opens yoga room

French cafe charges rude customers extra

Father suffers loss, encourages connectedness Page 5

Knitting walkthrough for beginners offers advice Page 8

Japanese man steals $185k to feed 120 cats

Residents of Mission experience acts of kindness Page 11

Find the perfect present with the Sports Holiday Gift Guide Page 17

Holiday celebrations personalized, unique forms of expression Page 21

News

A&E

In-Depth

Sports

Perspectives

Pages 2-5

Pages 6-9

Pages 10-14

Pages 15-18

Pages 19-23

Corrections Page 3- Emmet Pritchard’s name was misspelled.

Spilled Ink regrets this error.

News

Spilled Ink

Dec. 19, 2013

3

Winter Holidays Christmas

Hanukkah Date: Nov. 27-Dec. 5 in 2013 Celebrated by: Jews Gifts: money, wine, and candles Symbols: menorah and dreidel

In Brief Schedule change window now open Andrew Smalley Editor-in-Chief Second semester schedule changes must be made this week or during the first week after winter break with all changes completed by Jan 7.

Students must schedule appointments with their assigned counselors on the boards outside of counselors’ offices to discuss changes, and not all changes will be allowed.

“It will still be the same critical change guidelines that we have on our website,” counselor Cindy Benger said.

Critical change guidelines include changing classes to meet graduation requirements, take classes that are off campus, replace a course no longer available, or account for failing a class.

Students should also note that they cannot schedule a meeting during a class.

“Appointments also have to be during an off hour,” Benger said. “We, hopefully, will have a pretty small number of people to be making changes.”

Celebrated by: Christians Gifts: toys, money, clothes, and other goods Symbols: pine trees, stockings, angel, Santa Claus

New Year’s Eve

Date: Dec. 21 Celebrated by: Persians Food: feast of foods and fruits from last harvest Symbols: pomegranates and watermelons

Tyler Mathewson

Date: Dec. 31 Celebrated by: revelers worldwide

Staff Writer

Food: regional delicacies Symbols: fireworks, resolutions Information gathered by Amanda Evans Graphics by Hannah Mechtenberg

New Teacher Q&As What classes do you teach?

I teach German 1,2,3 and Transition Academy, an online credit recovery course.

Silent auction raises over $10,000 for clubs, activities

What previous experience do you have?

12 years of all levels of German, English, journalism, yearbook and social studies, all in California.

Jason Stroh Staff Writer The first annual Purple & Gold fundraiser raised just over its goal of $10,000 for school clubs and activities. The auction and dinner, held Nov. 16, sold 200 tickets and 100 auction items.

“This [the fundraiser] will allow Fort Collins High School to better support clubs and activities, in hopes of allowing more students to participate, as well as allow clubs to do more within the club that will support the school as a whole,” activities coordinator Emily Steele said.

The event was made possible by the efforts of Key Club, FCCLA, Student Council, Boosters, and FCHS music, as well as many FCHS staff members.

Date: Dec. 26 to Jan. 1 Celebrated by: African Americans Food: Feast on Dec. 31 Symbols: Nguzo Saba (candle holder and Muhindi (corn)

Yalda/ Winter Solstice

Remington Street taking submissions through February Submissions for Remington Street Review, the school’s creative works magazine, are open until the end of February.

“Any original, creative written work and visual art that can be scanned or photographed will be accepted,” sponsor Erin O’Connor said.

Authors can submit pieces via email to eoconnor@psdschools.org or directly to O’Connor in room P208 to be reviewed.

After the magazine staff works through a selection process, students will be notified in March or April through announcements as well as postings in the front office and on media center windows if their pieces are to be published.

The Review will also host a celebration in May at which student work will be shown.

Kwanzaa

Date: Dec. 25

Do you like Fort Collins High School so far?

Yes. I have a generally respectful, hardworking bunch of students and a nice department.

Jeff Kirkpatrick

German Teacher

What is your favorite part about teaching?

I had students travel with me from lower levels of German all the way through to higher levels and I get to know them well and make connection. I also get to take kids on trips to Germany.

Interview by Andrew Smalley

News

4 Dec. 19, 2013

Spilled Ink

Student marketing campaign creates unified brand Evan Bode Staff Writer This year, the Advanced Marketing students launched the “We Are Collins” branding campaign. It is a studentrun initiative designed to cultivate school pride and raise awareness about FCHS within the community.

The idea for the project began when Advanced Marketing students were conducting a trademark project.

“We realized that Fort Collins High School had almost 27 different logos that were being used by the school and the community,” adviser Kelly Kappel said.

“That led to assumptions about our identity and cohesiveness as a community, so we decided to conduct some research and engage in some activities that will make Fort Collins High School known once again as the flagship of high schools here in Poudre School District.”

So far, the process of rebranding has involved a variety of different activities, including creating new logo artwork, designing T-shirts and other apparel, writing a logo policy, and conducting research on a variety of topics.

“We’ve communicated with alumni and asked them questions about Fort Collins High School and what it means to them,” senior Shawn Trewartha

The “We Are Collins” campaign was launched this past semester by Advanced Marketing students Students have planned the Innovation Challenge and other events designed to highlight FCHS’s unique strengths and the family atmosphere of the school Efforts also include branding on several social media platforms including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Vine said. “We want people to be proud that they attended this school.”

The marketing students also organized events such as the

As the holiday shopping season continues, consumers have the power to vote with their wallets to support companies with noble ethics and standards. Below are some ratings of popular establishments.

Innovation Challenge and an upcoming alumni open house in conjunction with a cross-town rival basketball game, which will be held Jan. 17.

In their efforts to identify and emphasize the school’s strengths, the students collected data to compare and contrast FCHS to the other high schools in PSD. Unique strengths included events like the Diversity Conference, clubs such as Amnesty International, arts and music programs, the BCA, and an award-winning DECA organization.

The students composed and directed ten different commercials for PSD’s Channel 10, which highlight the findings.

“We’re basically just trying to get kids excited to be here and make them feel like a big family,” senior Kinsey Mathews said. “It’s not even just for students, too.

It’s for alumni and faculty, and anybody in the community involved at Collins.”

To reach out in the community, the students have set up several social networking platforms for the branding campaign: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Vine. Members of the school are encouraged to use #WeAreCollins to help spread the word of FCHS pride.

“Our primary goal is to raise awareness about tradition and the strengths here that Fort Collins has and re-educate the community on those areas that we have to offer,” Kappel said. “We are proud, we offer excellent academic opportunities, we are diverse, and we are home of the champions.”

Corporate Report Card Which stores receive passing grades for human rights, environmental protection and social justice?

Graphic by Hannah Mechtenberg Information gathered by Hannah Mechtenberg Source: The Better World Shopping Guide

News

Spilled Ink

Dec. 19, 2013

5

Suicide Prevention Q&A ABOVE: Dr. Jonathon Franco speaks at his son’s memorial service. SPILLED INK FILE PHOTO LEFT: One of Dr. Franco’s favorite photos of his son who committed suicide on Dec. 11 2012.

PHOTO COURTESY OF JONATHON FRANCO

Franco spreads message of love, urges unity at FCHS Gretchen Adams Staff Writer I didn’t know what to say going into an interview with Dr. Jonathon Franco. What do you ask someone who’s lost his only son? What do you say to the father of the boy who caused an entire school to weep and ask why?

“It’s an inescapable, ragged, jagged emptiness in a father’s soul,” Dr. Franco’s voice was sad, but unwavering as he spoke. “I just miss him.”

What do you say to a man with a void that can’t be filled?

Last year, on Dec. 11, junior Antonio Franco committed suicide. He was only 16 years old.

“He exercised an option of suicide that was permanent for such a temporary problem,” Franco said. However, he blames no one. “What took away my Antonio was a mistake. I don’t blame the teachers, I don’t blame the counselors, I don’t even blame Antonio. There’s no blame to be had. It’s just sad.”

Franco says it wasn’t hard for him to come to this conclusion. Slowly, but with an unshakable resolution and a message of love, Franco is moving on. He has spoken at a number of events with the Alliance for Suicide Prevention in Larimer County, and he is very active in his church.

Franco also takes solace in his job as an OB/GYN at Banner McKee Medical Center in Loveland. “I want to help people bring life into the world,” the smile in his voice was evident as he talked about his work.

Another goal of his is bringing people together, especially at Antonio and his sister Monica’s former school, FCHS. Franco sighed as he said, “I just wish people at Fort Collins would be less clique-y. I wish the jocks would hang out with the stoners, I wish the stoners would hang out with the drama people; I wish the drama people would hang out with the ping pong people. I just want everybody to be connected.”

That theme of connectedness, to others, to family, and to God is what keeps Franco going.

“You have to be loved,” he said with a surprising intensity. “You have to be connected to people.

You need to have someone tell you good things.”

I know he told me many good things during our interview. He must have said the words “you are valuable” a hundred times, directed right at me. It’s an experience I’m not going to forget. I had no idea what to say going into this interview, but in the end, I didn’t need to know. Dr. Franco knew exactly what to say.

“If there’s anything I would want after Antonio’s passing,” he said as our interview was drawing to a close, “it’s that his passing touches other people.

“I hope other people are impacted by his loss,” Franco added. “To the point of being kind, to the point of having hope, to the point of, if someone is ever sad to the point of thinking about suicide, that they go, ‘Wait a minute. There’s always tomorrow.’”

How to approach talking about suicide

DO

DON’T

Tell an adult you trust

Argue

Let the person know they aren’t alone

Act shocked

Just listen

Promise confidentiality

Be sympathetic

Offer a quick fix

Notice warning signs

Give advice

Lecture or judge

Information gathered by Jordan Leone Source: helpguide.org

Brett Fedor Counselor

What do you think are the most common warning signs of suicide?

Number one is definitely isolation, and change in mood. Another is signs of depression. Kind of like if you see your friends in love with some hobby and then suddenly they don’t have any interest anymore. I could tell you that girls are a lot more open. With boys there’s a lot more hiding emotions.

That’s the thing that really separates the two.

What are the best ways to handle them?

Being open about it. The biggest thing that helps is creating a support system.

So for a lot of students the number one person they turn to is a counselor or a teacher, because even with your friends, you’re so fragile and unstable that you think ‘If I tell a friend they might go tell everybody.’ In reality your closest friends usually already know that about you.

So being open about it and having that support system is the number one thing.

What would you recommend students do when they notice them?

The best thing they could do is tell somebody. Most students, when they’re depressed, they want to let people know. One thing I would say is that coming up here and telling a counselor is the best thing you can do and stuff like that is the most confidential thing.

What do you think is the biggest misconception about suicide?

I would say that a lot of people think that suicide is this big time mental illness, that you have to be really mentally unstable to commit suicide when in reality for students, they’re just in that point with their feelings and emotions and it’s just another option. Suicide is just another option for them and that’s why it happens.

Interview by Zach Stetter

A&E

6 Dec. 19, 2013

Spilled Ink

Sci-fi holiday special rite of passage Gretchen Adams Columnist

Let me start out by saying the only reason I got myself into this is because I am the nerdiest of nerds. The quest for this film is long and fraught with pop-ups.

Don’t embark upon this journey lightly.

To most, the movie is a whispered legend, referred to only as “Oh, yeah, that thing.” Those who have seen it will inevitably burst

into giggles at its mere mention.

The Star Wars Holiday Special.

Yes, it exists, yes, it is arguably the worst movie ever made, yes, Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher) sings. Everything you’ve heard, no matter how bizarre, is true.

But, if you really must see the faux hologram of Jefferson Starship circa 1978 for yourself, your search starts on the internet. For $199, you can get a deluxe edition on Amazon, or you can watch it on Dailymotion, the perfectlylegal and relatively un-sketchy French video sharing website, for free. I’d recommend the latter if you’re willing to sacrifice quality picture and sound.

In all honesty, the movie is so terrible it probably doesn’t make too much of a difference. It was broadcast

only once on November 17, 1978.

Basically, Chewbacca (Peter Mayhew) and Han Solo (the ever-so dashing Harrison Ford) are trying to make it back to the Wookie planet, Kashyyyk, for “Life Day,” an extremely obvious Christmasstand in. There’s some business with the empire and some stock-footage of space shootouts, but most of the story centers around Chewie’s family; the bad TV they watch is what makes it a holiday special rather than just two hours of unsubtitled growling.

The special variety show segments include a soap-opera-like sequence in a Tatooine bar, an original Star Wars cartoon that’s actually not horrible, and the aforementioned Jefferson Starship affair.

And, of course, there’s Carrie Fisher’s

lovely song. Why they made her sing, I have no idea. The high note at the end is downright painful, and the lyrics are hardly better. I have a sickening feeling I will never be able to hear the iconic Star Wars theme again without Fisher’s rumbling alto messing it up.

But, for as long as I’ve ranted on about how horrible everything is, I still think you should watch it. It’s an interesting cultural artifact and a rite of passage if you’re a Star Wars fan. Of the special, George Lucas, who didn’t really have much to do with the project, said, “That’s one of those things that happened, and I just have to live with it.” As do the rest of us die-hard fans. So why not sit down with a few friends and some eggnog, cue up your plastic light sabers, and enjoy?

Five festive movie favorites Editor’s note: If you are looking for a great holiday movie this season, look no further. After conducting a survey in third-period classes, Spilled Ink compiled a list of students’ favorite seasonal movies. So if you find yourself with a lot of free time on your hands during winter break, settle down with a delicious holiday drink, and enjoy a festive movie!

#4 “The Polar Express” Based on the classic children’s book by Chris Van Allsburg, this movie tells the story of a young boy (Tom Hanks) who is picked up on Christmas Eve by a mysterious train. Watch as he tries to believe in the magic of Christmas again with crazy, magical antics involving a mysterious hobo (Tom Hanks), a wise conductor (Tom Hanks), and Santa Claus (Tom Hanks).

Y HANNAH GRAPHIC B

BERG MECHTEN

#5

#2 “The Nightmare before Christmas” Tim Burton’s twist gives Jack Skellington, the king of Halloweentown, an opportunity to explore the holiday he has never known before—Christmas.

Discover the world of Christmas through Skellington’s eyes in a visually appealing, and somewhat troubling movie that can either be a Halloween or a Christmas feature.

#1

“Elf” When Buddy (Will Ferrell) discovers he is not actually an elf, he journeys to New York City to discover his true identity and save the spirit of Christmas. This comedy provides a good laugh and an inspiring message about the true meaning of Christmas.

#3 “Home Alone” When Kevin McCallister (Macaulay Culkin) is left home alone over Christmas while his family is on their way to France, he must defend the household when two burglars decide to rob it. This Christmas movie will make you laugh, cringe, and appreciate having a family to celebrate with over the holidays.

“A Christmas Story” An adult Ralphie (Jean Shepherd) narrates an eventful Christmas from his childhood.

Young Ralphie (Peter Bilingsley) faces ridicule from his parents, teacher, and even Santa, when he expresses his wish for a Red Ryder B.B. Gun. Insane does not even begin to describe the events in this holiday classic.

Information gathered by: Joey Freeman Source: imdb.com

A&E

Spilled Ink

Dec. 19, 2013

7

Tradition-filled Christmas a marketing campaign

Jason Stroh

Elizabeth Bridgwater Perspectives Editor Upon tasting Meadow Gold’s eggnog, I stopped, paused, made what I can only imagine was a strange expression, and then hesitantly swallowed. Although not undrinkable, I didn’t enjoy this festive drink. To be fair, this could be because I’ve spent my life drinking stuck-up organic eggnog from Whole Foods Market, so I’m a bit more critical. This brand wasn’t as rich or thick, and it tasted vaguely of heavy whipping cream. However, when striving for holiday convention rather than quality, this drink fulfills it’s purpose.

Amanda Evans Staff Writer

Peppermint is my favorite cold-weather flavor. The Starbucks peppermint hot chocolate allowed for a magnificent twist. The blend of peppermint and chocolate combined to make a smooth drink that filled me with warmth. I would highly recommend it for anyone looking for an enjoyable seasonal drink.

Jason Stroh

Staff Writer Let me preface this by saying that I really enjoy both Sprite and Cranberry Juice, so when I found out you could mix the two and call it festive, I was quite excited. Fizzing with excitement, I tried the bubbling drink, and was not disappointed. It tasted like what I expected a merry-cheery holiday to taste like, punch mixed with the essence of Santa’s soul.

Columnist

It’s considered by many to be the most wonderful time of the year, and the most over-commercialized by others, but it’s here, it’s Christmas time. It’s the time when decorations go up, spirits go up, and prices go up, then down, then up, then down again. It’s a market thing, really.

Regardless of where one’s faith lies, it is guaranteed that you feel the effects of the holiday season. According to a recent Gallup poll, 81 percent of Americans identify as Christian, but 93 percent say that they celebrate Christmas.

Christmas has much more well-known origins than, say, Halloween. The commemoration of the birth of Jesus is central to the holiday, which is now celebrated by giving gifts, putting up decorations, feasting, and waiting for the overweight man in a flying sleigh to deliver toys and the newest expensive electronic device.

Speaking of old Kris Kringle, king of knickknacks, cookies, and milk, he helps us to realize just how strange our Christmas traditions are. We have trained our youth to look forward to the day the fat man in strange red garb breaks into the house and leaves prettily-wrapped parcels for them, whilst devouring their cookies and milk.

Father Christmas’ generosity is meant to represent that of Saint Nicholas, a saint who had a reputation for gift giving, as well as leaving gold coins in people’s shoes. Despite this, Santa has been portrayed in endless advertisements by companies that really don’t want to give you anything for free, and instead want you to give them your money.

Speaking of not free, there is the Christmas tree, the holy grail of all Christmas decorations. Every year, millions of these trees, fir, pine, spruce, or plastic, are bought from tree farms at exceedingly high prices for a soon-to-be-dead tree, are put up in American homes.

Yes, these (usually) nice-smelling, ornamentcoated fire hazards in the midst of your living room have truly become a symbol of the season. The tradition originated in early modern Germany, where devout Christians would bring decorated trees into their homes. Now, they’re where Santa Claus likes to leave his perfectly-packed parcels for children to find way before their parents want to get out of bed.

The best decoration for the tree is a pickle. Yes, a pickle. Despite the mistaken idea that it is a German tradition, it actually originated in the U.S. in the late 19th century through the efforts of marketing companies (I see a trend here). The pickle, sometimes glass and sometimes real, is placed upon the tree, and the first child to find it is given an extra gift.

Why a pickle? Probably because the infused vinegar has a very distinct odor. This should eventually lead to the creation of a breed of Christmas time supersmellers, so we can finally sniff out Santa Claus (who smells suspiciously of vinegar). The glassmade pickles are obviously there to help share the festivities of the season, allowing children who are not involved in the experiment to still get in on the fun.

With this knowledge, the true meaning of Christmas becomes apparent. Unlike dozens of holiday flicks implying otherwise, the true meaning of Christmas is for marketing companies to create a new species of human to help in the hunt for Santa, so they may finally harness the power of his flying sleigh to display Hallmark advertisements and sell even more cheesy cards.

We have trained our youth to look forward to the day the fat man in strange red garb breaks into the house and leaves prettily-wrapped parcels for them

8

A&E

Dec. 19, 2013

Spilled Ink

Knitting Tips and Tricks 1.

Fri.-Sun. Dec. 20-22 La-de-da presents “A Musical Christmas Carol 2013” Fri, 7:30 p.m., Sat, 2:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Sun, 2:00 p.m. at the Lincoln Center Performance Hall. $15 regular, $10 student

Sat. Jan. 18 Northern Colorado Honor Band Festival Concert, 4 p.m. McNeal Auditorium Picture Key:

Band

Essential Steps

2.

Thurs.-Sat. Jan. 16-18 Northern Colorado Honor Band Festival at FCHS.

Choir

Perspectives Editor

Buy needles according to the thickness of the yarn you want. As an example, 8 mm needles are often best for yarn with a thickness of 10 mm. The thickness of the yarn and needles will be marked on the labels in the store.

Wed. Jan. 8 FCHS Performing arts’ “Seussical!” auditions

Theater

Elizabeth Bridgwater

Orchestra

To create even stitches, it’s best not to pull on the yarn so firmly that it’s hard to push your needle through the stitches; however, you don’t want stitches that are too loose. Although it may take a bit of experimentation, with time you will find the ideal amount of force required to make nice and even stitches.

As a beginning knitter, you will probably accidentally “drop” some stitches. This means that you didn’t pull a stitch on to the next needle properly, and it will result in a little hole in the place of that stitch and will reduce your width by one stitch. To fix this, you must take your knitting off the needle, pull out the work done after the dropped stitch, slide the stitches back onto the needle, and redo the knitting properly. Although it won’t look as clean, it’s also an option to simply leave the dropped stitch, as it won’t hinder your ability to continue stitching.

3.

4.

Visit Our Website

spilledinkfchs.blogspot.com

5.

for more instructions on how to knit a basic scarf.

Outside activity with Lambkin involvement

PHOTOS BY ZACH STETTER

Our pick: Jamie Tafoya & Jordan Leone Columnists

Editors Note:

Listening to music on your phone is basically half its use. Our decision to review different music streaming apps stemmed from the fact that even though having music readily available in your library is fantastically convenient, we crave variety.

The five we chose to break down are among the most popular and widely-used. Spotify, Songza, Pandora, iTunes Radio, and iHeart Radio are all slight variations on the same concept.

Songza We found Songza to be the best of these options because it provides users with suggestions based on their mood and what they are currently doing.

Graphic by Andrew Smalley

iHeart Radio Allows listeners to set their alarm clock to a station Streams live local radio Cluttered, difficult to navigate When updated, all stations are deleted

Pandora Exposes listeners to artists with less popularity Interacts with listener via rating system Very repetitive commercials between songs Limits the number of skips you get

Spotify Organized format, easy to navigate Displays an entire playlist, allowing listeners to pick their songs Listeners are unable to delete stations Listening is only free for the first 48 hours of music

iTunes Radio Easy accessibility to purchase songs off of iTunes Spaces out commercials Slow in comparison to other music sources Repeats same songs often

A&E

Spilled Ink

Dec. 19, 2013

9

When did you start taking photographs?

I have no clue. I’ve been taking pictures all my life.

Do you have any inspiration when you take photos?

Not really. I just see something and go, “That’d be a cool picture” and I take a picture of it.

Do you prefer digital or film?

I’ve always done digital, but I like film because I like developing. It’s more work and it’s fun.

Are you planning to do anything in the future with photography?

I would like to, but I don’t think so because I want to be a doctor.

What do you normally take photos of?

Nature, and just kind of abstract objects that aren’t just something somebody would take pictures of.

Q&A by Joey Freeman

Using nature as her subject, freshman Kaylie Shaw works with both digital and traditional film to capture photographs.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF KAYLIE SHAW

Spilled Ink Online

Visit: spilledinkfchs.blogspot.com

Looking at a scene to be captured with her SF10 35 mm camera, Shaw enjoys taking photos. She plans to enter the medical field in her future.

PHOTO

BY JOEY FREEMAN

In-Depth

10 Dec. 19, 2013

Spilled Ink

Editor’s Note: Random Acts of Kindness Jamie Tafoya In-Depth Editor A simple act of kindness can impact someone’s life. This issue, the staff of Spilled Ink took an exclusive look into the lives of those who have witnessed, been affected, or contributed to random acts of kindness during the holiday season.

Two helping hands can be seen throughout the In-Depth section signifying a story related to the theme of “Random Acts of Kindness.”

Page 10 includes a glimpse of the Friends of Rachel Club (FOR) and what they have done to make a difference in our school and our community.

As seen on page 11, the Fort Collins mission

supports homeless people, who are some of the first to witness people in our community making a difference. They discuss ways that the generosity of others has helped them move forward.

In an attempt to reach out to others by starting a chain reaction of compassion, the staff organized two different social experiments as displayed on the centerfold. Two staff members walked around the school during common lunch with a “Free Hugs” poster to see how many students were willing to participate. The results of this experiment are included on pages 12 and 13.

Featured on the same pages, staff members went to a drive through Starbucks and paid for their coffee,

as well as the coffee for the car behind them. This random act began a chain of “paying it forward.”

Finding this idea to be a major part of his job, Jeff Smith, a bell-ringer of 15 years offered his expertise on why people choose to be generous.

Yet another example of anonymous bigheartedness is included on Page 14. The FCHS compliments page has begun a new trend of complimenting and praising those within the school community without needing something in return.

Working selflessly, students in NHS teamed up with the rest of the school to return a dose of kindness through their participation in the annual Adopt-a-Family event described on page 14.

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY JOEY FREEMAN

FOR Club creates welcoming atmosphere with simple acts Amanda Evans

Staff Writer

Walking through the doors on your first day of high school can be overwhelming. The roar of upperclassmen’s laughter echoes off the walls and rings in your ears. So many new faces, sites, and smells appeal to the senses. This new environment can be scary to many and a friendly, welcoming smile can change your perspective.

FCHS has outreach groups to welcome all students and show them kindness.

Freshman Zayne Hoyland’s group, the friends of Rachel (FOR) club, looks for fellow students and shows them kindness. Giving these students a friendly face can help them warm up to their new atmosphere.

“We do this to make them [new students] feel at home,” Hoyland said. “We want them to feel at home here at Collins.”

Pairing with the FOR club, the school has a Random Outburst of Community Kindness ( R .O.C . K . e d ) group, that works to show kindness throughout the school.

B o t h organizations share the goal of improving culture.

“We want Collins to be a good place,” Hoyland said.

In attempts to create a better atmosphere, FOR and R.O.C.K.ed give little red envelopes with generous money donations randomly to help students pay for lunch. They also look for students who are alone and show them kindness by striking up a conversation or sitting with them. “ Y o u never know what kind of person you’re going up to,” Hoyland said. “The first time I was nervous but after that I was really confident and found it fun.”

“I love that the students at FCHS are looking for opportunities to make a difference.”

— Krista Churchill

In addition to their lunch-time acts, the clubs put on events like November’s talent show to feature students’ talents, enhance the school’s environment, and raise funds for the community.

“I love that the students at FCHS are looking for opportunities to make a difference,” co-founder of the FOR club Krista Churchill said.

The clubs work outside the school as well. Already this school year, students went around handing out waters and snacks to strangers, putting coins in laundry machines, and giving money out to people around town.

“The purpose of this was to have the kids spread joy throughout the city in small acts,” Churchill said, “and to cause a chain reaction of kindness.”

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Dec. 19, 2013 11 In-Depth Generosity in the Community

Spilled Ink

250

Number of homeless people in Fort Collins alone, according to a survey conducted in Jan. 2013 by Homeward 2020

Even though I knew the Fort Collins Rescue Mission was a place for people to come for safety and comfort, I was still a little apprehensive about interviewing some of the residents. But my task there wasn’t to figure out what had brought these people to the Mission; it was to find out what the kindness of others had brought them in their lives. Some people of the Mission, have experienced the selfless kindness of others. These are their stories.

Being on the streets was hard; at least it was for J Lee Bruce.

Having others gang up on him and having to fight them off made the harsh street life even worse.

But for the past seven months, Bruce has been given the chance to take a break from getting into fights on the streets, and to begin to make a new, positive life for himself.

Bruce has been working with Randy Dionne, a ranch owner who has provided Bruce with a reliable job and a place to stay for the night.

“He’s taught me a lot and I’ve learned a lot from this guy. He’s 60 years old and I’m 47. He knows an awful lot more than me,” Bruce said. “It’s a learning experience.”

The generosity that Dionne has shown not only gives Bruce hope for the future, but has also given him someone to work with.

“We work together as a team, nobody’s really the boss,” Bruce said. “It’s just him and I.”

J Lee Bruce

Todd

All it took was a bus, a coat, and a card to show a simple act of kindness.

The bus came first.

Filled with people that only wanted to give, a charter bus stopped in front of the Fort Collins Mission, and it just so happened that one woman—with a well-worn leather coat on her arm and decency in her heart—also got off of that bus.

And that woman met Todd, a resident of the Mission.

It was to Todd that she gave the well-worn leather jacket, and inside was a card that spread the word of 45 Random Acts of Kindness.

“This coat is secondary, it’s secondary,” Todd said. “This is a material object that gets lost, stolen, thrown away, whatever. The whole idea is that that lady had enough heart and spirit to show compassion and caring, and ultimately love.”

Todd takes this event as both a sign and a lesson that people should act kindly and compassionately towards others.

“I don’t care if it’s rich people or poor people—we can all at least get along and show compassion, care, and love for one another,” he explained. “I can learn something from them, they can learn something from me, you know, we can all learn something from somebody.”

Naked and alone, that was how 29-year-old Nathan Waddell was found.

It was Oct. 16, and Waddell had just been kidnapped and left to die alone in the Nebraskan cold.

But, given his situation, Nathan Waddell was actually lucky.

Lucky that his four male kidnappers had a way of running their mouths, bragging about what they had done to Waddell at a random party.

Whether it was a random act of kindness or a simple act of morality, a 17-year-old girl at the party overheard and decided to inform the police of Waddell’s situation.

He was also lucky that the surgical staff at the Bryan Health hospital in Lincoln, NE, was able to save him by removing his kidney and spleen and putting him in an induced coma.

But for Nathan Waddell’s father, Danny Waddell, this situation—though it ended well—is something that still bothers him.

“It happened seven years ago and it’s taken me a long time to talk about it,” Waddell said.

Nathan Waddell Karma is something that Ally Ohrmund believes in.

So when she and her husband were stranded at a gas station in Twin Falls, Idaho, asking strangers for change to get to Cheyenne, WY, she was hoping that her past good deeds would return to her.

It was when her husband convinced her to ask the couple they had been conversing with earlier for gas money and she begrudgingly gave in and the couple gave them seventy dollars, she knew that it was karma that helped her.

“It’s just, you do good things and good things will always happen in return and this honestly just proves that the same thing happens in reverse,” Ohrmund said. “It was great to experience it.”

Ally Ohrmund

PHOTOS AND STORIES BY JOEY FREEMAN

12 Dec. 19, 2013

In-Depth

Spilled Ink

Random Acts o In 1916, Lily Hardy Hammond wrote the phrase, “You don’t pay love back; you pay it forward.” While Hammond coined the expression 97 years ago, it still plays a role in daily life.

Hoping to make someone’s day and prove this phrase true, staff members Jordan Leone, Lauren Sluss, and I drove through the Starbucks on College Ave. On our first time through, we paid for the coffee behind us and the chain continued only for the two cars following us.

In the second and most successful trial, five cars after us continued the trend of “paying it forward.”

Our third and final trial included four cars following

ours that were willing to pay for o All three chains ended when cars in the drive thru to cont While not very extensive, o proved that when someone d it can begin a sequence of

“

A lot of people got really excited when they saw people in our community going out of their way to do something nice around the holidays. It just proves that people still know how to be kind.

Grace Walker, 23 Starbucks Barista

Starbucks “Pay it Forward“ Results: First Trial

Second Trial

”

Number of cars that paid for the coffee in the vehicle behind

Third Trial

In-Depth

Spilled Ink

Dec. 19, 2013

of Kindness

13

What can you do to pay it forward?

one another’s coffee. n there were no more tribute to the event. our little experiment does something nice, the same kindness.

76

The number of times staff writer Zach Stetter was hugged as he walked around the school with a “Free Hugs” poster.

The Science Behind Hugging Hugging boosts self-esteem.

Holding a hug for an extended time lifts serotonin levels, elevating one’s mood.

Hugs apply pressure to the sternum, stimulating the thymus gland, which balances the body’s white blood cells.

57

Hugging therapy is a powerful way of healing.

A hug can build a trust of sense and safety.

Hugs release tension in the body.

The number of times A&E Editor Sarah Bales was hugged as she walked around the school with a “Free Hugs” poster.

Information gathered by Jamie Tafoya Source: mindbodygreen.com

go out “ Ioffindtheira lotwayof topeople donate. I’ve even become familiar with the people that always come by. They’re doing something nice that will help others in need.

Jeff Smith, 34 Salvation Army Bell Ringer

” Graphics by Hannah Mechtenberg

In-Depth

14 Dec. 19, 2013

Spilled Ink

Anonymous webpage spreads compliments Evan Bode Staff Writer In any school community, random acts of kindness have the potential to make a difference. The FCHS Compliments Page, a prominent form of random kindness at Collins, continually proves this through the use of anonymous compliments.

The idea came about last year as part of the newly founded Friends of Rachel club. It started when Rebecca Garrett, language arts teacher and a sponsor of the club, saw a news story about another school’s compliment page.

“I thought, hey, that’s a good idea,” Garrett said. “It seemed like something that would actually help our student body at that time. I think sometimes in a high school environment, maybe not intentionally, but we aren’t as considerate or respectful or as kind to each other as we should be.”

Garrett and Activities Director Emily Steele worked together to make the Facebook page a reality, where any student or staff member can post an anony-

mous compliment about another member of FCHS. The page rapidly gained popularity, garnering what is now up to 739 followers who have ‘liked’ the page.

“It’s just a way to recognize a lot of the great, nice things that people do for each other, or just the great, nice people that they are,” Garrett said. “I think

ago when it was posted, and said that it meant a lot to her.

“It was very awesome, and it was special because it showed me that people liked me,” Welsh said about the compliment.

Meaningful posts like these are a regular occurrence on the page, affecting not just students, but staff members as well. Administrative

“To be singled out and given a virtual pat on the back was awesome.”

— Megan Manweiler it’s nice to focus on that, not on the negative things that go on.”

One person recognized was senior Amy Welsh. An anonymous post on the page complimented her on “genuinely [caring] about nearly every person she comes into contact with,” and asserted that “there aren’t a whole lot of people out there like that, but… she’s one of them.” Welsh saw the compliment a few weeks

Assistant Megan Manweiler, who works in the front office, was recently complimented on the page.

“Sometimes it’s hard for myself, even as a staff member, not to feel lost in the sea of both staff and students here,” Manweiler wrote in an email. “To be singled out and given a virtual pat on the back was awesome, and I still can’t help but smile when I think about it. The com-

pliment literally made my week.”

This kind of positive experience is not limited to Facebook members. Students without a Facebook account are welcome to participate as well by contacting Garrett through email or in person, and she can post a compliment on their behalf. There is also a Twitter account associated with the compliments page, although posts often have to be simplified to fit the word limit.

Another way the compliments page reaches out to all members of FCHS is through the new whiteboards installed above the cafeteria entrance. These whiteboards display some of the comments posted to Facebook.

“We all think nice things about other people, we just don’t go to the trouble of saying them,” Garrett said. “So this is a nice way for us to actually take that next step and say what it is we think.”

Students can find the FCHS Compliments page on Facebook by going to www.facebook.com/ FortCollinsHighSchoolCompliments, or on Twitter by following @ComplimentsFCHS.

NHS fundraiser supports local families seeking holiday help Results from Mrs. McGregor’s Adopt-a-Family Around $140 was raised Giftcards for food and clothing were provided

Presents were collected for a:

Group raises money to buy gifts for needy Zach Stetter

Staff Writer

December is the season to be shopping. In the year 2012, the average family budget for Christmas in the U.S. was $749.51. For gifts alone, the average was about $548.56. The remaining $200.95 was spent on food, candy, decorations, and greeting cards. Spending in the month of December topped $400 billion dollars.

For those less fortunate who cannot afford to wake up to presents under the tree, the National Honor Society is stepping in to help with the Adopt-A-Family program.

“The Adopt-A-Family program is a two-week-long fundraiser. We are given families through the Salvation Army. So we requested fifteen families this year.

They are families that have registered with the Salvation Army because they need gifts, food, and just supplies to enjoy the holidays,” Jessica McGregor, Social Studies teacher at FCHS, said.

NHS spends the first few weeks every December fundraising for approximately

15 families every year. They gather donations of clothing and toys, as well as money to pay for other items that are on submitted Christmas lists.

“They give us the information from the families, for the children. It will give us the kids’ names, their ages, and then what is on their wish list for Christmas,” McGregor said. “So a lot of times it will include toys like soccer balls and footballs, sometimes video games, dolls, makeup. It all depends on the age of the kid. A lot of times it includes things like socks and coats that they need.”

Unlike many other holiday gift wishes, these children’s thoughts aren’t centered on toys. Instead, many want things often taken for granted.

“Clothes are one of the most common things asked for,” McGregor said. “All of the kids in my family that my class has adopted have asked only for clothes. Coats, jeans, sweaters, and things like that.”

So as this holiday season goes by, NHS works diligently to complete the children’s lists, hoping to fill up the space under their Christmas trees.

14

What is Adopt-a-Family?

The program matches impoverished families with sponsors to provide their tangible needs.

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Without being “adopted,” these families might be facing a grim holiday.

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The Salvation Army ensures that the family receives gifts the week before Christmas.

d

13

Information gathered by Jamie Tafoya Source: salvationarmy.org

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Sports

Dec. 19, 2013

15

LEFT: Arching her back, Joey does the “upward-facing dog” pose. RIGHT: Clutching her feet behind her back, Joey attempts the “bow” pose.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF ANGEL OEPPING

‘Hot yoga’ experience filled with awkward poses, difficult movements

Joey Freeman Columnist I tried really, really hard to breathe in and out in a calm and relaxed manner, but it really didn’t work. The heat in the room started to create a pillow of uncomfortable stuffiness and I could feel all of my pores crying out salty tears. I moved my leg up into the tree position, and let me tell you, this tree did not have very stable roots.

Don’t worry, dearest readers; I haven’t converted myself to an “Avatar”like worship of nature where I pose like different aspects of nature, I’m just making a sad attempt at hot yoga.

It’s “let’s see how far you can put your leg up behind your head” yoga, with a special twist: it’s fricking hot too.

Instead of the room being a cool, relaxing temperature, it’s heated up to 105 degrees. While this type of warmth (which usually can only radiate from the great Ryan Gosling himself) sounded pleasant, almost inviting given the extremely cold weather, but

Pushing her body to the limit and bending over while on one foot, Joey works toward accomplishing the “warrior 3” pose. it wasn’t. Rather than being like sitting on a nice Tahitian beach, it was like someone wrapped me in a blanket made of fire and wouldn’t let me escape.

The heat aside, the ambiance of the room made it easy to relax. There’s beautiful sunlight, some relaxing music playing, and even some scents to spray on your yoga mat to help

you relax even more. I was ready to get my yoga on—or so I thought.

In this yoga session, the main concentration was Vinyasa yoga which focuses on the flow of breath. Well, yes, I would love a flow of breath, but the ridiculous movements I was calmly being told to do weren’t really allowing that.

The thing about yoga is that the moves

are kind of complicated. I’ve heard many people use the term “human pretzel” while describing yoga, and I think they are right. I really could have been the Wetzel’s mascot after this session.

One of the most simple poses that I did (with success, I’ll have you know) was what is called the Cat Cow stretch, in which you go into table position and curl your spine up towards the ceiling and then down towards the ground. Yes, I did manage to do this, but it was one of the easiest poses ever.

What I thought was going to be an easier pose was the three-legged dog, a familiar, awkward uncle that you see only on rare holidays type of relative to the downward facing dog. Starting on all fours with what your momma gave you (i.e., your butt) in the air, you gently lift your right leg in the air and then bend your knee so that your right foot is above your left shoulder. Talk about complicated.

There were some poses that I couldn’t explain to you, simply because even seeing them in person was too confusing. So just take a second and try to imagine me—the most coordinated person you know—twisting and turning body parts that really don’t twist and doing it all in a steaming hot room. Not a pretty sight. It really is sad because I thought I would be better at hot yoga, but this girl is staying true to her name.

Athletes take next step in career, commit to play in college Zach Stetter Staff Writer The preschool athlete strikes the ball from the tee after several attempts before beginning to stumble around the bases quickly with encouragement from his parents and coaches. Years later, he is tossed a soft, underhand pitch from his coach who yells reinforcement as he rounds the bases with a much quicker slide. As soon as middle school hits, the ball collides with the bat with a loud crack, sending it soaring into the outfield. His coaches yell and wave their arms in large windmills as he darts from base to base, sliding into home with experienced ease.

Young athletes advance in their sport lives. As they make their way through to competitive and sometimes even select leagues, some discover that they want to push their competitive play even further. Those work hard in their high school careers to get noticed by colleges, hoping for their own chance to play on a

college field one day. gone to college, but Every year, high none of them have school students are played sports at the signed to colleges college level. I guess I to play sports. Of all wanted to be the first the athletes in high generation from my school, only about family to be involved 7.6 percent transition in that kind of thing.” to the college level.

To perform at the Senior Will level for colleges to Duggan signed notice him, Duggan his letter with has had to train hard Black Hills State every day. Scheduled University earlier practices usually this month and will aren’t enough, and play there next year. he has had to work “I think I decided Jogging down the court, outside of them as to commit to college senior Will Duggan dribbles well, making sure basketball around the ball and prepares to call that he is prepared the middle of my a play. PHOTO BY CALEB to perfect his athletic freshman year. That’s SCHWINDT performance. when I started to “I have practice get recruited as a student athlete and pretty much every day, except Sunday. that is when it all started,” Duggan Including practice, I will train about said. “Pretty much my whole family has three times a day for about two and

a half hours each,” Duggan said.

“Outside of practice, I do a lot on my own, but I also have a personal trainer.”

Besides practice, in order to actually get signed for a college, one has to work hard enough for the colleges to notice, according to senior Paige Massey, who recently signed with Western State Colorado University to play soccer.

“I went to a camp last summer, and the coach invited me to see me play.

He usually comes out to our soccer tournaments and he seemed interested in me, so he said ‘Hey, why don’t you come out to my soccer camp this summer?’” she said. “So I went there and stayed for three days in the dorms, and he watched me play with his players. And then we kept in contact with each other, and now I’m committed to a college.”

While students graduate and go off to their colleges to play their different sports, they make way for new athletes to fit in and try for their own for chance to catch the eye of a college sports team.

Sports

16 Dec. 19, 2013

Spilled Ink

Where Are They Now?

BIO

BLAST Victor Brown Attended FCHS from 1954 through 1956, running on the track team all three years Earned a Major in Engineering from Colorado State University

Smiling for the camera, Victor Brown poses for a photo during his sophomore year at FCHS.

After graduation, he was drafted to serve in the Vietnam War. When he returned home, he had a 40-year career with the Department of Highways.

PHOTO COURTESY OF YEARBOOK

Graduate’s track career creates long-lasting memories Lauren Sluss Staff Writer Well outside the town of Loveland on Highway 287 in the year 1954, after two hours of endless peddling, athlete Victor Brown’s bike chose possibly the worst moment to break. Left with only the highest gear, the one that is the most difficult to pedal, Brown and his teammate knew that turning back was not an option: they had to get in shape for the upcoming track season.

Seven or eight hours of intense physical labor later, Brown and his teammate finally arrived in Estes Park.

Alumnus Victor Brown ran track for FCHS from 19541956. He ran the 100 meter, the 800 meter, and was on the relay team, while also participating in cross country events.

“Running rack was one way to engage in a sport that the school offered and I thought I would enjoy,” Brown said.

Although no records were set by Brown during his events, he joined track to help the overall cause. “I just ran to help the team effort,” he said.

One of Brown’s favorite aspects of track was not the running itself, but his teammates. “The camaraderie that I

“The track experience made me aware of sports in general, so I started to lean towards playing soccer. To this day I am involved in coaching soccer.”

— Victor Brown

had while participating in the sport is what I liked,” he said.

Brown’s teammates were not the only people to make his track experience enjoyable; one coach in particular motivated him. “Coach Olander had a great influence on me during track season,” Brown said.

“He helped me become a better athlete and person.”

After graduation, Brown moved on to study at Colorado State University, majoring in Engineering.

He then got a job with the Colorado Department of Highways, and after a few years of employment there he was drafted into the Army at the beginning of the Vietnam War. He then returned to the Department of Highways after 3 years. Brown retired after 40 years.

Although Brown never ran track after high school, it influenced him for the rest of his life. “The track experience made me aware of sports in general, so I started to lean towards playing soccer,” Brown said. “To this day I am involved in coaching soccer.”

Brown’s FCHS track experience made a lasting impact on him. He still remembers his coaches, his races, and his friends, 57 years later.

Kidd (Nets) and Roy (Avalanche) now have the opportunity to get another ring as head coaches, and Elway (Broncos) as Executive Vice President of Football Operations.

For Kidd, the transition from player to coach has been nothing he expected. With the addition of Paul Pierce, the Nets were expected to contend in the Eastern

the other side of sports since 2011. Like Roy, Elway has had success since the beginning, leading the Broncos to a 13-3 record and the AFC’s number 1 seed last year with Super Bowl hopes this year.

It isn’t easy to win a championship as a player or a coach, and it’s rare for one person to win as both a player and a coach. Only a handful have ever accomplished this feat.

If Elway, Roy, or Kidd manage to win a championship with their current teams, they will be a part of an elite group.

In the NFL, only a dozen people have played on a Super Bowl-winning team and coached one as well. Mike Ditka, Tony Dungy, and Tom Flores are just three to have done so. And while Elway isn’t the coach of the Broncos, a Super Bowl victory this year would cement his place in history as one of the most talented football-minded people of all-time.

The phenomenon of former players returning to their sport as a coach is not limited to the NFL. Eight people have achieved this feat in the NBA, and even fewer in the NHL, making it a truly special occurrence. With the NFL playoffs approaching, the Broncos team Elway has built is only a few wins away from getting Elway a third Super Bowl ring, and his first as a non-player.

Every team has a goal of winning a championship at the beginning of the year, but for Elway, Roy, Kidd, and their teams, achieving this goal would be even more special, and add another crowning achievement to each of their careers in sports.

Former players receive extra championship opportunities

Tyler Mathewson & Caleb Schwindt Columnists When a player enters the realm of professional sports, he has one goal: to win a championship. And when it comes to the end of his career, it’s often tough to let go of the sport he has played his whole life. But for players like Jason Kidd, John Elway, and Patrick Roy their involvement in sports was continued, just not on the playing surface.

As these players have finished their playing careers and transitioned into coaching teams, they have gained the opportunity to extend their legacies by accomplishing another goal that far fewer people have achieved.

Kidd, Roy, and Elway have each won titles as players, completing the first step of the dualchampionship process. In 2011, Kidd won a championship with the Dallas Mavericks, Roy in 1996 and 2001 with the Colorado Avalanche, and John Elway in 1998 and 1999 with the Denver Broncos.

Conference. With a history of winning, Kidd finds himself on the opposite side of where he left off as a player, losing.

On the other hand, Roy’s transition has been full of early success. The Avalanche are currently one of the best teams in Hockey after going 16-25-7 just one year ago.

It has been the first year for Roy and Kidd to make the adjustment, but Elway has been experiencing

Sports

Spilled Ink

Dec. 19, 2013

17

Holiday Gift Guide Start Here

Having trouble finding that one gift for that one person? Let this guide your way.

Does the person you are shopping for play a sport?

No

While making efforts to stay active, music may help.

These items are recommended:

Yes

Which sport?

Basketball

Baseball

Football

Soccer

Running

Nike Elite Competition Official Basketball

SKLZ Hit-a-way

Sonic Boom flag football kit

PRIMED soccer trainer

Inexpensive and durable. Does the job for an affordable price.

Wraps around a pole for convenience.

Only needs one person to operate and practice swing.

Nike Free Trainer 5.0 NRG

Best available flag set for under $100. Very durable and easy to use.

Allows players to work on precision shots without need of goalkeeper.

$30.00

$25.00

dickssportinggoods.com

$84.99

dickssportinggoods.com

shop.sklz.com

$99.99

dickssportinggoods.com

Very well-built and will last.

Lightweight and cushioned to provide plenty of support. $95.00

store.nike.com

Information gathered by Tyler Mathewson and Caleb Schwindt

Over-ear Headphones

In-ear Headphones

Durability and noise cancelling keep you focused on your workout.

Wrap around ears to prevent falling out when lifting or running.

Device to check out iPod Classic 160gb offers plenty of space for music and videos. $249.00

store.apple.com

Bose Quiet Comfort 15 headphones

V-Moda Crossfade LP headphones

Powerbeats by Dr. Dre In-Ear Headphones

Yurbuds Focus Pro behind ear earbuds

Exceptional sound-cancelling ability, with impeccable sound quality.

Above-average noise-cancelling ability, with incredible sound quality for the price.

Solid sound quality, stay in ears well. Great for working out.

Great sound quality, and don’t fall out. Also recommended for working out.

$249.99

amazon.com

$106.00

amazon.com

$149.95

store.apple.com

$59.99

yurbuds.com

For additional gift ideas Visit:

spilledinkfchs.blogspot.com

18 Dec. 19, 2013

Sports

Spilled Ink

Athletes of the Month How long have you been playing basketball?

Since I was four.

How did you get started?

I watched my dad play when I was younger and he taught me how to play.

What keeps you going?

The will to win and the will to get better.

Who has influenced you the most?

My parents, because they helped me get where I am today.

Have you ever wanted to give up/quit?

A lot of times. But if you quit, you’re not really trying.

What are your goals looking forward?

To be the best player that I possibly can be, and to play college basketball.

Iseri Palacio Freshman

Other than the obvious, what is the most challenging aspect of basketball?

Basketball

Dealing with and getting over a loss.

How long have you been playing basketball?

I have been playing basketball since 2nd grade.

How did you get started?

My brother and dad helped me get started with the game.

What keeps you going?

My family and close friends are what keep me going.

Who has influenced you the most?

My brother has influenced me the most.

Have you ever wanted to give up/quit?

When I tore my ACL, I wanted to give up but I had to fight deeper.

What are your goals looking forward?

I want to be proud of my last season with my girls.

McKaylee Thurgood

Other than the obvious, what is the most challenging aspect of basketball?

Confidence. You can make all the shots in the world but nobody will care unless they count.

Interviews by Jamie Tafoya

Senior

Basketball Photos by Caleb Schwindt

Spilled Ink

Perspectives

Dec. 19, 2013

19

Staff Ed

.

Charity in community should continue beyond holiday season The chiming of bells greets shoppers at a variety of stores during the holiday season.

People walk by and drop money into red plastic buckets to contribute to the holiday spirit. Groups within the community spend time collecting toys for children in families who cannot afford the luxuries other families indulge in during the holidays.

It has become a social norm to donate time and money. Society’s expectations have stated generosity is a part of the holiday season.

According to charitynavigator.org, 30 percent of annual giving through Network for Good’s donation process occurs in December.

Throughout winter, families benefitted by donations are in need of necessities such as warm clothing, food and shelter. Programs during the holidays such as Adopt-A-Family help provide families in need with these necessities.

Despite traditions of holiday giving, however, limiting generosity to one small period of time does not provide enough goods and services to benefit everyone in need. In order to extend the contributions to society, generosity must extend throughout the entire year.

Very few charitable drives occur throughout the rest of the year. The community needs to band together during the entire year to help out, not just when bells are chiming near a red plastic bucket.

Giving creates a warm feeling associated with the knowledge that someone was helped because of a small contribution. We should give to charity because it displays how much our community is cared about.

When we give to charity, we share more than just our money, or time. We share our kindness, our spirit of giving, even when it’s not the holiday season.

The community needs to band together during the entire year to help out, not just when bells are chiming near a red plastic bucket.

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY ELIZABETH BRIDGWATER

Rachel’s Challenge stands as worthy resolution Elizabeth Bridgwater Perspectives Editor It’s not uncommon for New Year’s resolutions to start off strong and then slowly degrade into sad and neglected junk-piles of dreams of the past. But with a resolution that holds more meaning, I find it’s easier to uphold. Such a resolution, and one that I will work to follow throughout the year of 2014 and beyond, is to continue Rachel’s Challenge.

After the Rachel’s Challenge presentation last year, which promotes kindness and was started because of Rachel Scott’s death in the Columbine shooting, many of my classmates regarded Rachel’s story as untrue. They didn’t see how it was possible for a person to have so eerily predicted her death. But I didn’t see why it couldn’t be true.

I’ve never regarded the Western ideas of truth to be the ultimate answer, and I believe there are many things about this world that we are unaware of; so to me, the concept of Rachel’s foreshadowing her own death with her drawing of a rose, life,

growing out of blood and a columbine flower isn’t mere coincidence.

This being said, Rachel’s message lingered like a shout echoing through a chasm. I’ve always been a sucker for emotional speeches, and am prone to jumping wholeheartedly into a movement before really considering how I feel; once after a lecture on Rastafarianism, I was ready to dread my hair and become vegan. But Rachel’s Challenge was different: even after I recovered from my Rachel’s-Challenge-induced trance, even after the single lunch where so many were unusually kind, Rachel stayed on my mind.

This is a movement that I honestly support, and for the morals and personality that I possess, this challenge is perfect.

Why not simply reach out and help others? I smile in the hallway, even at those with whom I’m not very familiar, and I attempt to make everything I say genuine. In the past I held a shy attitude towards those I hadn’t spoken to before. But why constrain myself? It’s impossible to always know what’s happening in every person’s

life, so stranger or not, it’s mutually beneficial to just take that leap of faith and extend a gesture of kindness.

I wasn’t always at extending these gestures, but I’ve certainly improved. Last year, one of my goals in order to become kinder was to not gossip. This year, I don’t only abstain from gossiping, but ask those around me not to gossip as well.

As cheesy as this all may sound, I’m a happier person for it. Even when I struggle to act my normal happy self, reaching out to others is a quick fix. Not only that, but I’ve found these gestures of kindness bounce back to me—after weeks of smiling at people in the hall, now other people smile and I’m the one smiling back.

In terms of a New Year’s resolution, Rachel’s Challenge is a worthy investment and provides an all-around positive impact. The act of simply being nice is similar to that of throwing a stone into water: the ripple effects can be much larger than expected, the thrower ends up with a lighter load to carry, and every stone thrown helps make a stronger layer in the depths.

“Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.”

– Leo Buscaglia PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY HANNAH MECHTENBERG

20 Dec. 19, 2013

Perspectives

Spilled Ink

The power of a smile

Smiling at others improves mood of recipient, self

Jordan Leone News Editor

My typical demeanor doesn’t exactly encompass smiling at people in the hallway or saying hi to strangers; it’s more concerned with being kind and supportive to those I already know.

I’ve never particularly considered myself incredibly outgoing. Of course I have friends, but I’ve either known them since elementary school or I spent most of my freshman year sitting next to them in class.

Strangers aren’t my priority. As selfish as it sounds, smiling at people to improve their day even when my day is bad hadn’t really crossed my mind before recently. Not that I don’t care about people; it’s more that I just don’t think

about how my mood affects the people around me.

Of course I’ve heard it before, the long speech about how smiling makes you feel better. But I didn’t realize how real those charming powers actually are.

Psychologist Robert Zajonc was the first to discover the power of a smile. He published a study concerning the mind-body connection between smiling and happiness.

To confirm his research, Zajonc set up an experiment. Before the actual experiment, his subjects were asked to rate their emotional state.

Then Zajonc had subjects hold pens in their mouths using the same muscles we use to smile. This was done in order to trick the brain into thinking the body was actually smiling. After they held the position, they were asked to re-rate their emotional status. Almost every subject stated that their happiness level was greater.

I never really considered that smiling at people I don’t know would change how I felt before I paid a stranger in Boston 25 cents for some life advice.

Standing on a street corner holding a sign offering advice for a quarter, he told me that the best advice he could give me about life was to be nice to the people around me, and that that would make me happy.

What struck me about his thoughts was that I’d heard that speech a thousand times but I’d never really thought about

When people smile at me, it means they notice I’m there, and that I’m worth thinking about, even if for only a few seconds.

“I’ve got nothing to do today but smile.”

-- Paul Simon

“The best way to cheer yourself is to try to cheer someone else up.”

-- Mark Twain

what it means. When people smile at me, it means they notice I’m there, and that I’m worth thinking about, even if for only a few seconds. Sometimes being worth those few seconds is enough to completely change how you feel about your day.

Since my encounter with the wise-man requesting 25 cents in return for his advice, this idea of smiling to improve both my own mood and that of others is definitely something I’ve considered and tried to apply in my life. Even though it’s intensely different from how I usually treat strangers, I’ve realized that the best way to make myself a better person is to change the way I treat the people I haven’t met yet.

Advi ce 25 ¢ GRAPH

IC BY E

“Let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier.”

-- Mother Teresa

“Whoever is happy will make others happy.”

-- Anne Frank

LIZABE

TH BR

IDGWA TER

“... the surest way to be happy is to seek happiness for others.”

-- Martin Luther King Jr.

PHOTO ILLUSTRATIONS BY HANNAH MECHTENBERG

My favorite holiday, Christmas!

It is relaxing to sit by the fire and listen to the best holiday tunes.

I prefer to stay inside rather than go out and engage in holiday shopping.

I have everything that I would ever want right here!

Perspectives

Spilled Ink

Dec. 19, 2013

21

picture from zack-open mouth

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY ELIZABETH BRIDGWATER

Students have power to project voice in school community

Zach Stetter Staff Writer

One of the biggest complaints of our current generation is our lack of voice in society. As a whole, I find this very ironic.

With the ability to post a Facebook status that anyone in the world can see immediately, upload a YouTube video, or Skype face to face with someone in another country, how could we ever not be heard? But with so many ways for our voice to be heard, how can we make sure that our words aren’t buried under the words of thousands of others?

Fortunately, at FCHS, there are many ways for students to voice their opinions in order to make a difference.

One of the ways is through a program called the Think Tank. This program takes students from across Poudre School District in grades nine through twelve. Students can have a huge impact shaping decisions that affect school policy and schedules with their ideas and speaking up for the student population.

“Anyone who wants to join us can show up,” Elaine Holmes, sponsor of the Think Tank, said. “We are always looking for active members in Fort Collins High School. They just have to approach me.”

It isn’t only the way that students shape school decisions, but other experiences and opportunities in the Think Tank that make it unique.

“One of the really cool things about the student think tank is we work in cooperation with another group at Colorado State University called the Center for Public Deliberation,” Holmes said. “The cool thing is they get to train our students in being able to facilitate public deliberation, and that is a really unique skill. We have the only high school students to be trained in this.”

Another program better known for listening to the opinions and ideas of students and helping to spread those ideas is KLYD TV. Those involved with KLYD get to share their ideas with others who provide a supportive environment.

“KLYD TV gives students a unique opportunity to learn about filming, editing, and being on camera with a hands-on approach while utilizing excellent equipment,” KLYD staff member senior Corey Hatch said. “Students must first take TV production 1 before being able to be on the KLYD TV staff. KLYD is an excellent way for the students involved to get their voices heard.”

They also help to spread the voice of the students by opening up KLYD to students outside the staff for announcing upcoming events and clubs. Those with ideas that they want to share can send their information to Jason Tyler at jtyler@psdschools.org.

“Students involved in KLYD TV try their hardest to inform everyone about upcoming events and important information,” KLYD staff member

junior Madison Rodgers said. “I think KLYD is a great way to communicate ideas throughout the school.”

One more way for students’ voices to be heard is through this newspaper, in which students are not only free to but encouraged to share their opinions and join the staff. If students do not wish to join the staff of the Spilled Ink, they can send comments and ideas through the Letters to the Editors box, found in the Media Center, or an email to fchsspilledink@gmail.com.

Whether it is sending an email to Tyler for an announcement on KLYD TV, joining the Think Tank, or writing for Spilled Ink, we students should make ourselves heard. Many times we have very good ideas, and are just afraid to share them because we do not think they’re good enough. On the contrary, sometimes our ideas are so good that they could even change a policy or rule. With this being true, why wouldn’t speak up for ourselves? We can have a say in our lives, so we need to grab every opportunity to make a difference where we can.

Creating unique holiday celebrations up to individuals

Gretchen Adams Staff Writer So, a Buddhist, an Agnostic and a Unitarian are sitting around a Christmas tree eating tomato soup… It sounds like the beginning of a bad joke, but I’ve just summed up an Adams family Christmas Eve. After being dragged to a candlelight service at the local Lutheran church by my grandmother, we sit down by the tree, eschewing traditional uber fancy rituals for a simple night of reminiscing and Campbell’s.

There’s no single way to celebrate Christmas, or any holiday, for that matter.

Don’t get me wrong; I’m not a Scrooge—I love putting up the tree and singing carols. But I don’t understand why some things are required holiday activities. The idea of my Christmas being bogged down in yule logs and chestnuts roasting on an open fire doesn’t sit well with me.

Luckily, most of my family feels the same way, and I’ve been raised in a house where Christmas is more fun than fuss. For example, every year, my mom and

I host Gingerbread Day, on which we invite a bunch of my friends to bake, decorate, and eat gingerbread cookies with abandon. There is a “special plate” where the “good” cookies go, but my mother generally fills this up herself and leaves us to our own devices.

So, the cookies we serve to any passing guests are usually 20 percent gorgeous and 80 percent badlydecorated hooker cookies, but people don’t seem to mind. And by doing things like this, we get away from the buzz of gift-buying and commercialism.

But some people take a commitment to an original holiday even further than cookies, by celebrating Festivus. Created by “Seinfeld” writer Dan O’Keefe, the holiday began as the most brilliant joke ever and turned into a cultural phenomenon.

It has its own traditions too, like the unadorned Festivus pole and the “Airing of Grievances” (where you tell everyone else the things they’ve done to piss you off during the last year), but these are observed with varying degrees of seriousness.

Another option for a nontraditional holiday, especially if your family includes any adorable small children, is Baxter Day, featured on the kid’s TV show “Arthur.”

It’s much simpler than Festivus.

In the episode, Baxter, Arthur’s bunny best friend, and his mom, spend the day together, “reading comic books and not worrying about anything.”

The moral of the story here is you should celebrate your preferred winter holiday however you want, and you shouldn’t feel obligated to do it the same way as everyone else. So, have yourself a merry little Christmas, but make sure it’s yours.

I’ve been raised in a house where Christmas is more fun than fuss.

Hosting Gingerbread Day since 1999, the Adams family has been decorating creative treats such as these hooker and pimp cookies. PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY ELIZABETH BRIDGWATER

Perspectives

22 Dec. 19, 2013

Cell phones in class distracting, inefficient Joey Freeman Managing Editor As you watch the film, the actor takes out his gun and—RING RING RING—someone’s phone rings during the climactic part of the movie. In a theater, this may be the most annoying sound when it isn’t coming from the movie itself. You paid to hear the actors talking, not patrons of the movie theater talking and ruining your experience.

Why should this situation be different in school? Your parents (and you if applicable) pay taxes which go towards your education, and someone using a phone takes away from the experience.

Inappropriate school use of cellphones only detracts from the opportunity to learn. As the person next to you makes a weird face intended for a Snapchat in a class like AP European History, he or she also takes away your focus on what you are supposed to be learning.

Sitting in class doesn’t mean distracting others; it means being in class, not using your phone for Snapchatting, tweeting, Instagramming, Facebooking, or any type of ‘ing’ other than listening.

When you arrive at school, one of the expectations is preparation for learning.

This means putting down the phone and opening your mind. If you want to use your phones, you can wait until lunch, your off period, or after school.

Unless it is being used for classwork, your cellphone is unnecessary and might be better left at home. For seniors, the only excuse for taking out a cellphone is that they are unequipped with a school-provided laptop. Even then, most teachers would allow a trip to the labs to use a computer instead.

Socializing on cell phones just shouldn’t happen in school. Why do you need to keep in constant communication with people you likely see every 45 minutes? The answer is that you really don’t. Besides that, unnecessary

Spilled Ink

Option to use phones should be students’ choice

multitasking can actually hinder learning. In an article in the DailyMail online, a study reported that students who tried to multitask ended up performing the task “40 percent slower.”

Because the use of cell phones is really pointless and deters students

Amanda Evans Staff Writer Put yourself in the classroom. Your teacher is giving a lecture and says a word you don’t understand. Instead of pulling out a laptop, powering it up,

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY ELIZABETH BRIDGWATER

from staying on task, it should be avoided. Although some use—strictly for research when a computer is unavailable— can be tolerated, it would really just be better to turn the phone off and actually be present while at school.

Talking points: Taxes go towards funding your education, so you should make the most of the experience Playing on phones is distracting and inappropriate in a school setting Focusing solely on work and not your phone allows you to perform more efficiently

logging in, and then getting onto the internet to look up something simple, pulling out your phone is a quiet, fast, and easy way to receive information.

Because they can be useful, cell phone use shouldn’t be limited in

classrooms. If students want to use their cell phones, the option should be theirs.

“It should be the student’s choice to take it out at proper times,” sophomore Cade Morton said.

Technology now has enabled us with the luxury of walking around with computers in our pockets. This can have its ups and downs and certainly can be a distraction, but it can also be a useful gift.

“We know how to use our phones,” junior Katie McCollum said. “If you can do your work and use your phone, you should get the reward of using it.”

During student work time, students should be allowed to decide whether or not they want to use cell phones in class. If a student texts during class and misses a part of the lecture, the student’s job is to catch back up.

Phone use can also allow students to take pictures of power points which can either be uploaded to a computer or accessed again without a computer. Having all notes in one place can help students stay organized and stops the teacher from printing out another sheet of paper.

Also, students can record teachers who move fast and go back and replay what they said. Small things like allowing cell phone use can help a student stay on top of school work and not fall too far behind.

One way students stay on top of their work is staying focused. Listening to music has helped some students stay focused, according to Johnson & Wales University. As some students’ phones double as their mp3’s, they would be able to play music to help them at stay focused on classwork.

Cell phones are not always bad.

Taking them away from all students just because a handful of students abuse them doesn’t mean the rule should be the same for all students. Cell phones can be helpful resources for students and taking them away only limits students.

Talking points: Cell phones are a quiet, fast and easy way to collect and reference to information Listening to music has been shown to help students focus The handful of students who abuse cell phones shouldn’t limit the resource for other students

Spilled Ink

Perspectives

Dec. 19, 2013

23

GRAPHIC BY HANNAH MECHTENBERG

No Child Left Behind program a failure, burden

Andrew Smalley Editor-in-Chief Nearly 13 years ago, the Bush administration passed the No Child Left Behind Act, which attempted to reduce inequality and raise standards in schools across the country. In the years since, as global economic competition has increased, the law has instead become a burden in classrooms and limited the growth of students across the United States.

As education becomes increasingly important to future success and legislators debate new education reforms, NCLB is failing American students with an embarrassing lack of funding, rigid and limited range of subjects and a harmful emphasis on tests as a measurement of overall education and must be replaced with a comprehensive national education bill.

No funds, no results When NCLB was first passed and signed into law in 2001, it laid out an array of new standards that schools would have to meet in order to receive federal funding.

Even the law’s most fervent supporters admit that

meeting these goals has been an abject failure across the country. Schools in both poor and rich districts have failed to meet the new targets because they were not given the resources to do so. The law calls for 100 percent proficiency in reading and math by this year; however, schools have fallen far short of this target. In fact in 2012, just 44 percent of PSD 10th graders achieved proficient or advanced in math while only 77 percent scored in that category for reading. Even more staggering, PSD’s test averages tend to rate 10 percent higher than the state average in most areas. In addition, most schools have seen their budgets cut over the past 12 years as states tighten their fiscal belts in the face of the Great Recession, and amid partisan warfare in Washington the federal government has been unable to cover the tab and support schools. In fact these standards have become so unattainable that 32 states have applied to opt out of NCLB and set up alternative programs.

Who needs art, history or PE? In schools where funding is already limited, the narrow targets of NCLB have forced school administrators to divert limited resources towards reading and math, the two major areas of focus under NCLB. This approach limits funds for arts programs, history and science classes, as well as PE experiences.

This is a major flaw since these areas are essential to a well-rounded education. In the case of physical education, many elementary schools have also been forced to cut back on recess or outdoor time, just as the U.S. faces a public health crisis with rising obesity rates. Studies have also shown that arts education in

Letters to the Editor

school routinely increases student achievement in all academic areas. Failure to fund a diverse educational curriculum will have vast impacts for decades to come.

One test fits all While evaluating student growth and achievement is important for any education system, NCLB creates an unsustainable and negative reliance on standardized tests. Students across the country are currently overloaded with standardized tests, most of which don’t affect their grades or future. When students don’t care about the results of tests, it is foolish to use these test results to decide teachers’ job statuses; unfortunately, this is the reality with NCLB. Preparation for these useless tests also wastes valuable class time which could be spent learning. They also only compound the severe test anxiety that students feel. The hidden effects of standardized tests include actually making kids who might have enjoyed school before hate it.

The path forward Fortunately many states and the Obama administration have been attempting to work around or ignore this flawed legislation. Such efforts have become necessary to even attempt to achieve the noble standards left by NCLB; however, more reforms are needed. Proven strategies including reducing class sizes, providing additional teacher training and education, and improving efforts to incorporate technology into the classroom should be considered. With these and many other common-sense reforms, America’s education system can prepare a versatile generation ready to tackle the challenges of a global economy.

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Editors Andrew Smalley...Editor-in-Chief Joey Freeman...Managing Editor Jordan Leone...News Editor Sarah Bales...A&E Editor Jamie Tafoya...In-Depth Editor Caleb Schwindt...Sports Editor Elizabeth Bridgwater...Perspectives Editor

1. Realize that you have an opinion about something and want to address it in Spilled Ink. 2. Write about your topic in 300 words or fewer.

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Photographers Graphic Artists Hannah Mechtenberg

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Staff Writers Gretchen Adams Evan Bode Thany Dykson Amanda Evans Tyler Mathewson Lauren Sluss Zach Stetter Jason Stroh

Columnists

Gretchen Adams Jason Stroh Tyler Mathewson

Adviser Anne Colwell

Editorial Policy

Spilled Ink is published nine times yearly by the newspaper staff of Fort Collins High School, 3400 Lambkin Way, Fort Collins, Colo. 80525, (970) 4888199. Member of the Colorado High School Press Association, American Scholastic Press Association and the National Scholastic Press Association.

Recipient of the Quill and Scroll, George H. Gallup Award in 1996 and 1997, and awarded First Place with Special Merit in 2001 by the National Schola -stic Press Association. Columns are the opinions of writers only. Unsigned editorials reflect the majority opinion of the Spilled Ink staff. Nothing in Spilled Ink should be considered the opinion of Fort Collins High School or Poudre School District (PSD). School-sponsored publications written by students are encouraged to freely and creatively express their views subject to the limitations of PSD Board Policies and state law (PR--la0431, Colorado Revised Statutes 22-1-120) Spilled Ink reserves the right to edit letters to the editor and to deny publication to any letter. Letters may be published on Spilled Ink’s website. Letters must be signed, and are limited to 300 words.

24 Dec. 19, 2013 The Backside

Spilled Ink

If you were an elf in Santa’s Workshop, what toy would you make and why?

Montana Heimann

Devin Hunt

Senior

Sophomore

A little toy soldier made of wood to follow tradition.

A Barbie because I would play with her hair.

Kate Rayner Fried

Julia Richmond

Bobby Eckles

Junior

Senior

Sophomore

A pair of skis because they are useful and fun.

Morgan Huffman

A singing book to make kids happy.

Avery Troop

Dylan Diaz

Freshman

Freshman

Junior

Teddy bears because they are so lovable and fluffy.

I would choose a huge RC plane because I really like things that fly.

I would make action figures for the boys and dolls for the girls.

A laser because kids could enjoy and learn from them.

PHOTO BY JOEY FREEMAN INFORMATION GATHERED BY EVAN BODE

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

2011-2012

2012-2013