Issuu

WHEN STUDENTS

DRINK

Students’ alcohol consumption flows into everything: education, mental health, and social life Cherry Creek High School 9300 E. Union Ave. Greenwood Village, CO 80111

Vol. 10 Issue 2 December 2024

Table of Contents News

Sports

Features

A&E

Opinions

4 - Creek’s New Classes: History & Sports, Body Works, AP Psychology, and More 5 - Creek Crackdown: New Disciplinary Policies 6 - News Bites

7 - COVID-19 Follows Seniors To Graduation 8 - Sovereign Walker Composes Song ‘Cry Not’

In-Depth

10 - When Students Drink: How Students’ Alcohol Consumption Shifts Mental Health and Social Structures

14 - I’m Furthering My Education At: How Seniors Decide Which School To Commit To 15 - Straight to the Top: Girls’ Field Hockey 16 - Winter Guard Prepares for Success

17 - Shoes Take All My Money, But I Have No Regrets 18 - Students Find Joy In DIY Cosmetology

19 - Your Obsession Is The True Crime 20 - The Pledge of Allegiance Does Not Belong In Classrooms 22 - Staff Editorial: Parent or Dealer?

On The Cover A member of the USJ staff poses for the cover, throwing a pingpong ball into a red-solo cup. This issue, we decided to focus on how students’ alcohol consumption and drinking habits impacts themselves and those around them. For the cover, we wanted to demonstrate how a lot of drinking happens at parties, and how the effects of alcohol can go even further beyond just a party. Often, students drink out of peer pressure, or as a coping mechanism, but the alcohol affects more than just themselves, it leads to a desire for a designated driver, or worse mental health, and sometimes administrative consequences. On the admin side of the issue, Creek has procedures in place to prevent drinking, like health classes that talk about the consequences of alcohol, and security measures at events to make sure students are safe. PHOTO BY QUINN RUDNICK

Staff

SWORD FIGHT: Junior Cassidy Bax (left) as Valentina teaches senior Kate Dann as Cesario how to use a sword during Creek theater’s production of “Twelfth Night.” The show ran from Nov. 15-19, and detailed Shakespeare’s story of confusing identity and love. PHOTO BY QUINN RUDNICK

Letter From The Editor

The idea for this In-Depth was hatched when myself and other members of the USJ were heading home after sending out last magazine to print, and got stuck behind a car that seemed to be swerving a little bit more than usual. Our first thought was that it was being driven by someone under the influence. This idea was then taken and redefined for Creek’s students - how do students interact with alcohol, and how does it affect them. Over the course of writing this, I found that a lot of students’ mental health is impacted by drinking, and I was able to interview a lot of people who were willing to talk about the rather touchy subject. Now,

we’ve discovered that alcohol actually impacts a lot about Creek; academics, social structures, friendships and more. In the same lens, our Staff-Ed covers the difference between parents helping their kids to safely learn how to drink, rather than over-encouraging their children to participate in parties where alcohol is around. We also discuss new classes being added to Creek’s curriculum, a student who has written his own music, the recent success of the girls’ field hockey coach, and how some students have picked up DIY cosmetology hobbies. To the ceaselessly amazing USJ staff, you all make me so excited to come to school every day, and I am so glad I get to work with you all. You are all wonderful people and journalists, and I’m so proud of you all. - Editor-in-Chief Quinn Rudnick

Editor-in-Chief Quinn Rudnick

Asst. Features Editor Serenity Hurtado

Managing Editor & Design Editor Izzy Krauss

Chief Artist Angela Xu

Sports Editor Kellen Ringland

Staff Writers Cristal Garcia Pheonix O’Brien Havana Amanlou Emily Lambert Angie Wang Clay Biskner Rayna Moon Berkeley Bowler IV Collier Avery Exley Evelyn Laughlin Kazie Siegel Oliver Scala Elise Dougherty Jackson Sloan Peyton Champion Vera Costa Keagan Hong Aleena Gopalani Mae Murphey

Features Editor Sophia Hady

Advisor Seth Fine

News Editor & Outreach Coordinator Peter Philpott A&E Editor & Asst. Design Editor Rue Minar A&E Editor Anaiah Shahrukh Opinions Editor Jude Gorden Sports Editor & Video Editor Andrei Machado

Chief Photographer & Asst. Sports Editor Briana Flores

Purpose:

The Union St. Journal is the official online and print news source for Cherry Creek High School. We are a student-run publication distributed to the students, faculty, and staff of Creek, and serve as an information source and two-way communication forum for both the school and community. We welcome guest opinion writers. Content does not necessarily represent the views of Cherry Creek High School or the Cherry Creek School District. Opinion articles do not necessarily represent the overall views of The Union St. Journal, CCHS, or CCSD. Letters to the editor are accepted and can be submitted via email to usj.editorinchief@gmail.com Letters may be edited for clarity.

Get AP PSYCHED BY DHANYA RAJENDIRAN Staff Writer

tarting Fall 2025, AP Psychology will be a part of the social studies curriculum, to be taught by psychology teachers Ganelle Smith and Jill Isenhart. Both

news

teachers attended an AP Summer Institute last Summer to learn about teaching the subject. AP Psychology is being added for students who plan on majoring in psychology and choosing that as their career, or are just interested in taking an advanced psychology class. It will be a year-long course that will be similar to a college course workload and difficulty. “I think that it gravitates to students who want to go into medicine or behavioral health,” social studies Department Coordinator Cari Erickson said. Before the introduction of the class, the only psych related classes available were CP Psychology and CP Sociology, where

students can learn more about group behaviors. Because of this, those interested in the pathway often felt a lack of opportunity to fully immerse themselves in the subject. “I felt that there weren’t enough opportunities for people in psychology to really pursue it,” senior president of the Psychology Club Annabella Van Acker said. AP Psychology has been in demand for a long time. Students who enjoyed CP Psychology were asking for this course, so that they could explore more about the subject for their future. “I was really wanting more from [CP],” Van Acker said. The course covers a deep exploration beyond the single semester course of CP Psychology. The lower level is for students willing to try something new, and is only the highlights of what you learn in AP Psychology. “Students who really want to learn about [psychology] are willing to put in their time for the year long class,” Erickson said. “I’m glad we’re finally able to offer [AP Psychology],” Smith said.

Body Works BY ELISE DOUGHERTY

The AP class will be year-long, and will cover more specific topics, like: - Intelligence - Psych History - Motivations - Brain Explorations

- Therapy - Problem Solving - The science of the brain

The semester class is more general, and covers topics like: - Mental Health - Emotions - Senses - Sleeping - Disorders - Relationships

- Personality Development

History and Sports GRAPHIC BY QUINN RUDNICK & DHANYA RAJENDIRAN

Staff Writer

ody Works is a new physical education class being introduced at Creek next year. Its goal is

to provide a middle ground for students who need a gym credit but don’t want to participate in traditional gymclass activities. “I just wanted our PE department to look more like a fitness studio would,” PE and Health teacher Sarah LaGrange said. “Oftentimes students don’t want to play team sports, or those types of things. So [it’s] just another option to allow variety for kids.” The class is described as low impact and designed to promote overall well-being and fitness through various exercise forms, such as pilates and barre.. Students agreed that the class seemed less intense than other classic PE courses. “I would do it because it sounds easier than the other gym classes. It seems more accessible,” sophomore Eve Berner said. With a possible full-time position coming for LaGrange next year, she wanted to put her interests into teaching. “I love Pilates and barre, so I’m hoping other students do as well,” she said.

4 | News

How Are the Psych Classes Different?

BY EVELYN LAUGHLIN Staff Writer

ocial Studies teacher Matthew Weiss created the History of Sports course to engage students and tell American history through a new perspective. The course lasts for a semester and the rough draft

of the syllabus includes six units. “I want them to see history as something active and exciting, not just words in a textbook,” Weiss said. Weiss’ passion for sports stretches to his involvement in lacrosse coaching and leading the Cherry Creek Sports Network. “Combining the two feels like the perfect way to share that excitement with my students,” he said. “Sports bring people together, it’s a universal language.” Student athletes or sport enjoyers alike are excited for this upcoming class. Students in Weiss’ class and across campus have expressed interest, stemming from their own participation in sports. “Some students have already asked about the topics we’ll cover and how they can sign up,” Weiss said. “It’s exciting to see their curiosity about how sports connect to larger historical narratives.”

Creek Crackdown:

New Disciplinary Policies BY PETER PHILPOTT & RAYNA MOON

News Editor & Staff Writer

reek’s administrative team implemented “Attend to Attend” (ATA) and InSchool Suspension (ISS), two new procedures on Nov. 15 to improve class attendance and better the restorative process.

ATA, a cycle repeating each school week, prevents students from going to after school events if they have more than seven tardies or two absences that week. These events can include concerts, sports games, and theater plays. “We’ve struggled with some kids wanting to come to the fun stuff after school, but they didn’t go to school that day, or they missed a bunch of their classes,” Assistant Principal Kevin Uhlig said. “Students need to be in school so they’re getting an education.” Some students think it’s beneficial to the student body. “I think some students who have consistently gotten tardies and absences might be held more accountable,” junior Brielle Bernier said. “People might be more motivated to go to class more if they know there are incentives.” Dean and Campus Administrator Natasha Utterback worked with the dean team to craft and enforce the procedure. Because it’s not a district-wide policy, Creek has freedom to fit it to the school’s needs. “My hope is that eventually, it’ll

change our culture a little bit,” Utterback said. “We have a lot of amazing kids here that have big aspirations after high school, and we really want them to understand that being in class and attending on a consistent basis is going to help them in the future.” Meanwhile, Uhlig’s focus on discipline and mental health made him a primary contributor to the ISS system. Instead of being sent home for a one day suspension, students serve it in school, without phones and supervised by deans. “Instead of them just going home and not doing anything, sleeping or playing video games,” Uhlig said. “They’re here and they’re doing work, they’re reflecting on the mistake that they did that led them to get this suspension.” The special ISS schedule, covering all eight periods, gives time for makeup work, testing, reflection, and trash cleanup. Dean Brock Felchle is one of the deans working to supervise ISS participants throughout the day, assuring that they are disciplined and productive. “The biggest outcome goal for in school suspension is we want kids to be held accountable for their actions,” he said. “We want them to learn from their behavior and hopefully not repeat that.” ATTEND-TO-ATTEND: As one of two new disciplinary policies implemented, along with in-school suspensions, students must have fewer than seven tardies and two absences to attend after-school events, like this Sept. 27 football game. PHOTO BY PETER PHILPOTT

Q&A

Q: A: Q:

What is the rationale behind the “Attend-to-Attend” policy?

“You have to have good attendance to be able to attend fun extracurricular events.” -Assistant Principal Kevin Uhlig

Who created the idea of “Attend-to Attend?”

“The dean team as a whole tried to come up with some strategies and creative ideas to improve our attendance and get kids in class where we know they need to be.” -Dean Natasha Utterback

What offenses result in out-ofschool suspensions versus one day or in-school suspensions?

“Possession of drugs, alcohol, weapons would be examples of out of school suspension... two kids yelling at each other, [or] things that aren’t super dangerous to the safety of the school are one day suspensions.” -Uhlig

December 2024

news bites World Language Department

PHOTO BY PETER PHILPOTT

RENEWS LANG LAB

DAS NEUE LABOR: Freshman Ethan Berndt takes a practice quiz in the updated language lab for his CP German class.

BY PETER PHILPOTT

News Editor & Outreach Coordinator

he Language Lab, tucked underneath IC’s Library, removed its older desktop computers and received new technology updates to better adapt to student devices.

Language classes host a mix of spoken, written, listening, and reading exams to enhance their students’ understanding of language and better prepare them for assessments. The new systems allow headphones with microphones to connect to a student’s laptop through a docking station. “We have more freedom of what software we can use,” French teacher Angela Moreen said. “[When students use their own devices] it doesn’t take as long to log in to a different machine.” World Language Department Coordinator Jamie Hofmeister played a part, alongside administrators and the tech center staff, to pick a new system. She was especially happy about their ability to charge laptops and connect to wifi. And paired with a lab that has built in sound dampening and individual workspaces, teachers believe it will supply a

better, more focused testing experience. “It’s really nice to be able to use the information or the resources that students have in the physical space that we have with the updated technology,” Hofmeister said. “We’re really lucky. Some schools, they’re recording…in a little cardboard box for some sound dampening.” With fully digital AP language exams on the horizon within three years, according to Moreen, the updates could usher in a smoother transition. Some students liked the ease of using personal devices, and being in the lab was a plus, compared to having oral exams taken in classrooms. “I thought it was much easier than having to take it in class,” senior AP French student Bjorn Petersen said. “I think it will be easy and fluid, and won’t be so hard to navigate.”

David Knoeckel, Virginia Decesare Awarded

EDUCATOR OF THE YEAR

BY PETER PHILPOTT

News Editor & Outreach Coordinator

ocial Studies Teachers Virginia Decesare and David Knoeckel received the Educator of the Year honors on Nov. 13. The award commends

nominated teachers for their service and contributions in their classes and in the community. “It’s one of those things that I’d always hoped that some point I would win,” Knoeckel said. “But now that it’s here, it’s just an unbelievable honor.” Principal Ryan Silva led the committee to choose the recipients. Outside Principal Ryan Silva’s his office hang the pictures of all winners in past years. “I have always looked at those pictures and the people on those I have a lot of respect for,” Decesare said. “It’s been sort of my, you know, aspiration to be on that wall someday.”

6 | News

HUGS AND ROSES: Principal Ryan Silva embraces social studies teacher David Knoeckel after presenting him with the Educator of the Year award. “Silva came in, and then I saw the flowers, and it registered,” Knoeckel said. “I was like, ‘No way is this happening?’”

PHOTO BY PETER PHILPOTT

The committee that chose the EOY awards was led by Silva, and included administrators, teachers, parents, and students. Senior Kate Ley was one of them, and she felt grateful to be there. “It was so obvious how appreciated they are in the Creek community,” Ley said. “I feel so lucky to have had the chance to give this award to such deserving educators.” Decesare uses that passion to drive her teaching style. “History, to me, is a story,” she said. “I do a lot of lecture in my classes, because I like to

tell the story…Lecture might be going out of fashion, but my kids really still like it. “ Despite the honor, Knoeckel doesn’t believe that teachers are here to chase down plaques and certificates. “I don’t think a lot of teachers are motivated by accolades,” he said. “I think what makes Creek cool is that we have a ton of good teachers who are motivated by a desire to help kids learn.”

Lasting affects of the lockdown continue to impact academics, college growth BY IV COLLIER

Staff Writer

eople’s faces were hidden. Words were masked and smiles were covered. Fear followed everyone to the bus and covered the walls of their homes.

Still, almost four years later life lingers with the effects of COVID-19, an infectious disease that shut down schools and businesses around the world. “We had to wear masks at the beginning going into freshman year, [it was] super disconnected,” senior Lilly Benobitz said. At the beginning of the class of 2025’s freshman year, it had only been six months after a national lockdown and students had just graduated from doing hybrid schedules in middle school. When freshmen came to Creek, masks were completely mandatory, shrouding students’ faces from their peers. Even after the main strand of COVID-19 passed, the mental health of some students didn’t improve. Some of the students dealt with extreme loneliness and lack of social connection because, at the time, most students did all of their communication with their peers online instead of in person. “I think a lot of kids struggled with isolation, and we saw a big spike in mental health needs,” Dean Brittany Fadeyi said. During COVID-19, many students’ grades dropped. Because of this, teachers had to rethink the grading process. The superintendent informed teachers they were not allowed to fail any students due to the unprecedented situation that COVID put them in, and many teachers believe that grading systems used in high school. “We tried as much as possible to have some forgiveness in some aspects of things, but still try to have academic expectations,” post-grad coordinator Craig

Wittgrove said. But students still worry about how their unsatisfactory freshman year grades will affect them as they apply for colleges, since they didn’t match the same levels of knowledge that their preCOVID peers demonstrated. “[I’m worried it will be] hard to go to the colleges I want to because my freshman grades weren’t the best I wanted them to be,” senior Sube Sukhtugs said. As freshmen, students’ grades were built around having grace. Now, a big reason that students’ grades have been low is the amount of late work they all have, which many teachers believe results from more relaxed COVID-19 era deadlines. “We were giving everyone grace, we were giving ourselves grace, but I don’t think we’ve rebounded from that,” English teacher Marissa Voss said. “We were incredibly lenient with due dates and students seem to still expect that leniency.” More leniency also hurts the motivation of students. Due to the relaxed grades as students entered high school, their understanding of the class expectations were reduced. More and more students began to procrastinate, and often believed that good grades were less difficult to achieve than before. “That’s why I stopped working for everything. Why will I work harder to get the same grade as everyone else?” Benobitz said. Voss found that the disappearance of more relaxed grading after COVID-19 had changed something in her students. Now students have more of a fear of being vulnerable, a

LASTING AFFECTS: After COVID-19, seniors now continue to struggle with the disease’s full effects. ART BY ANGELA XU

features

COVID-19 Follows Seniors To Graduation

“barrier wall” has been built between a teacher and their student; kids now come to class and the first thing they do is pull out their cellphones. “What made the class magical in the past was what students brought to it. Their willingness to share their voice, their ideas,” Voss said. “[Now] there’s an opportunity for sharing and talking that doesn’t happen because they’re on their phones.” Another drawback that teachers are worried about is the habits that seniors aren’t building, habits needed for college. Some teachers worry about how college professors won’t be able to individually take care of each student, and how that could be a big change for graduating students. “If we’re not building really solid foundational habits here in high school, I’m concerned that students will get to college and be overwhelmed,” Voss said.

December 2024

Sovereign Walker Composes Song ‘Cry Not’ BY OLLIE SCALA

Staff Writer

enior Sovereign Walker has composed an all-original choir piece entitled “Cry Not,” to be performed by the Meistersingers at their Dec. 11 concert.

His mother taught him and his siblings how to sing when Walker was around three years old, an ability that he was able to use regularly in church. Walker started in Statesmen as a Freshman, then Troubadours in his Sophomore year, then as a junior he entered Meistersingers. He also took piano lab in his Sophomore year and Music Theory in his Junior year. Walker accredits being in Meistersingers along with Music Theory with improving his ability to compose music. Today, along with being in Meistersingers and singing in church, he is also in the Union Street Jazz Choir. “I would watch my older brother go into his choir concerts and I wanted to do that one day, so I found my way here,” Walker said. “I think the voice is a really pretty instrument because certain consonants that sound weird on other instruments work in-

8 | Features

terestingly well for the voice. Then, you can pair that with words that lift and inspire.” Walker’s talent did not go unnoticed by choir teacher Sarah Branton. “I have only had a few students through my career who have shown enough promise to be able to have their work performed by one of our ensembles. This is a very special event,” Branton said. Since joining the choir, the community has embraced Walker, and he has embraced it. As a senior, Walker will remember the tight-knit community that Creek’s choirs form. “I have teachers who care about me here, and here you get to know people and make connections which also helps the music,” Walker said. “It’s like a school family, we get to laugh and make music with each other. We take time to connect with the pieces and connect with one another.” Those in the choir and around him also see his impact on the community. “He brings light to anyone who ever enBELOW: Walker (left) works with teacher Tim Libby on his piece after school. The two often work through structure and harmonies. PHOTO BY QUINN RUDNICK

counters him, and he shows that through his music. We would be a very different community without Walker as a part of it,” Branton said. Walker began to compose “Cry Not” in his sophomore year as a Troubadour. In choir that year, they sang a piece called “A Song of Light,” and in his poetry club he developed a running theme; many of his poems revolved around light. “I was sitting in advisory as a sophomore and the words and the melody came to me and so I wrote it down, and I made it into a song with some piano. After a while, I decided that It wasn’t enough, so I decided to turn it into a choir piece,” Walker said. In order to make the piece fit for a choir, it needed to be divided. Choir music is divided into 4 lines of music based on the type of voice that a given singer has. These voices are soprano, being the highest voice, followed by alto, tenor, and bass, being the lowest voice. “Cry Not” opens on an “overwhelmingly tender” soprano solo, featuring

MUSIC MAN: Senior Sovereign Walker often works on the sheet music for “Cry Not,” annotating them with various changes and updates. PHOTOS BY QUINN RUDNICK

comforting lyrics such as “cry not, let your heart be healed.” “That’s where my belief is, I am spreading his love to wounded hearts to mend a very broken world. Sometimes when I feel sad I remind myself not to cry, that it will be alright,” Walker Walker has worked closely with instructors such as Branton to put the final touches on the piece. Though Branton had little influence on the start of the piece, she did have a hand in organizing and finalizing it. “I’ve gotten to know [Walker] on a more personal level because he has been expressing himself through his music,” Branton said. “He’s a once-in-a-career kind of student for a teacher like me.” Walker is a firm believer that music can be used to unite people across the world. “I believe that music, despite the many languages and barriers that surround people, is the language that God gave us to help spread love,” Walker said. “You can go anywhere in the world and though I can’t speak German, for example, I’m sure that we all know music in some form.”

COMPOSITION STEPS: Walker worked through many steps throughout the course of composition, including fitting certain words to the tune and editing with the choir. GRAPHIC BY QUINN RUDNICK & OLLIE SCALA

The Steps to Composition

Melody

Walker’s first conception of the song was the melody. The first priority was to organize the music so that it flows without being rocky, and features an appropriate tone.

Lyrics

Choir composition features the unique need to redesign the pronunciation of the lyrics in order to fit seamlessly into the overall song.

Piano

After writing the overall melody of the song, Walker had to compose a corresponding piano part, as choir pieces are often accompanied by piano. Walker used his “limited” piano experience to compose the piano score. The goal was to select chords that will accentuate and harmonize with the melody being sung by the choir, while not overpowering it.

Editing

Walker introduced “Cry Not” to his choir teachers, who helped him organize the piece. They performed small edits in order to perfect the overall sound of the piece. Following edits, Walker and the choir fine tuned the song during in-class practice.

December 2024

WHEN STUDENTS DRINK How students’ alcohol consumption shifts mental health and social structures BY QUINN RUDNICK

Editor-in-Chief

very student at Creek has seen it, or at least heard it.

People tipsy at a football game, discussing where to pregame prom, or who’s going to have alcohol at their party for Halloween. But what happens when drinking gets dangerous? What happens when students drive under the influence? In 2023, 5.6 million youth ages 12 to 20 reported drinking alcohol beyond “just a few sips” in the past month, according to the National Institute for Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. Colorado is ranked high in its amount of teenage alcohol consumption, with about 8.4 percent of teens reporting alcohol consumption. Colorado has some of the highest drinking rates in the country, behind states like Montana, Iowa, and Wisconsin, which had about ten percent of teens reporting drinking. When students drink, the effects often spiral into every aspect of their life; academics, family and social life, their mental health, and even their general safety. Because of this, schools take the issue extremely seriously, and implement policies like education classes, informational handouts for parents, preventative policies, and

10 | In-Depth

substance abuse programs. Creek follows procedures set by the district that deal with how to handle a student who is in possession or under the influence of alcohol. But before any administrative punishment is involved, the school does tries to explain the effects of alcohol to students. Health classes detail how alcohol can change a developing mind, and substance use counselors are available to talk with students about any issues they have. Health teacher Allison McKean believes that students use alcohol to cope, and hopes to use her class as a way to educate students about its’ true effects. “Life is so beautiful with a clear mind. We all go through traumas in life, the important thing is to grow and heal so that we do not turn to drugs and alcohol as ways to cope,” she said. “All alcohol does is numb the pain.” While health classes are more preliminary, Creek’s substance use prevention specialist Sarah White often interacts with students who have drank, and are struggling with their interactions with substances like alcohol. “We talk a lot about what else is going on in their life,” Substance abuse counselor Sarah White said. “It’s not just drugs and alcohol, but everything’s connected, and everything impacts us.”

How many 12-20 year olds drink?

How many reported binge-drinking?

DATA: NIAA GRAPHIC BY QUINN RUDNICK

’ g s t n i n t e c h d e t f tu al f A S e H l a t n e M F

“The deeper aspects of anyone’s self worth, self assurance, self confidence, I wonder how much that’s at play,” White said. As reported by the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), students participate in drinking for many reasons beyond their mental health as well; sometimes they feel pressured to drink by their friends, or want to look ‘grown up.’ or “As children mature, it is natural for them years, to assert their independence, seek new chalstudlenges, and engage in risky behavior,” the NIAAA study reported. “They may want to ies have shown that try alcohol but often do not fully recognize being around intense its effects on their health and behavior.” alcohol consumption, or Students who have reported drinking drinking alcohol yourself, has widely agree with this – drinking might be seriously negafun, but going ‘overtive effects. board’ is a different And for students, “If we’re engaging in these subject. “I have a the effects are even risky behaviors, then your strong opinion on it,” worse: cognitive issues, one anonymous jumental health is likely not depression, and probnior said. “I think it’s as great as it could be.” lems with self image. bad. I think drinkAccording to ing and moderation Creek’s substance use is fine, but I actualSubstance Abuse prevention specialist ly can’t stand when Specialist Sara White Sarah White, the more someone’s like, ‘Let’s students surround get hammered on a themselves with alcoTuesday night.’” hol, the worse their White’s job at Creek is to help students mental health will be. And even though work through alcohol use, and to help them there are reasons that students do drink, it redefine how they view drinkstill isn’t healthy. ing. She never simply says ‘don’t “It changes our brains,” White said. “The drink,’ but looks more into how teenage brain is still developing, specifically students, after drinking, can help those like the prefrontal cortex; so decision themselves and move forwards. making, impulse control, organization, just However, she interacts with a very all of those things [are impacted].” small amount of the student body. White also wonders if some students “Not everyone knows I exist drink because they struggle with their men- here,” she said. “Any student is tal health; things like their self image, family able to come by at any time, and or friend issues, and more. This is something everything is confidential; I’m not that many organizations agree with: drink- going to call home and say ‘your ing is commonly used as a coping mecha- student drank last week’ or anynism. thing.”

Q&A BY IZZY KRAUSS Managing Editor & Design Manager

Who is Sarah White, Creek’s Substance Use Prevention Specialist? 1) In your role as Substance Abuse Prevention Specialist, how do you help students? “The relationship is the foundation. Every student is different, and our conversations will reflect that. I provide education on substances to help them make informed decisions. We discuss harm reduction, safety, goals and values, coping strategies and health habits, and more.”

2) Why is it important to talk to students about their experiences with alcohol and drugs? “It’s important to talk about it so students have accurate information and can explore their decision making, values and goals.”

3) How does talking about these issues help students? “Students have a safe, confidential (unless there is a safety concern) place to talk about their struggles, their substance use and their goals. My role is to support each student in whatever way I can to help them reach their goals. I want students to know I am in their corner and I support them no matter what.”

4) What’s some advice you’d give to any student? “Wait until you are of legal age - research PHOTO BY QUINN RUDNICK shows the earlier you start drinking, the more likely you are to become dependent or addicted. If you make the choice to drink: go slow and do not mix substances, have a safe ride home and be surrounded by people who are safe and looking out for you.”

December 2024

BY IZZY KRAUSS Managing & Asst. Design Editor

hen students do end up going to parties, or any event where alcohol is involved, many agree between their friends to rely on a designated driver - someone who can safely get everyone home at the end of the night.

Teenagers see the designated driver as someone they can rely on, someone they trust to not drink. And with a designated driver, drinking is a lot safer. “I don’t feel comfortable driving after drinking, even if it’s just a couple,” one anonymous student said. In 1988, the Center for Health Communication (CHC) launched the U.S. Designated Driver Campaign, which brought awareness to driving under the influence and encouraged people to have a designated driver when planning on drinking. Having a designated driver, someone who stays sober throughout the night and is able to drive people home after, can significantly reduce the amount of fatal car accidents. Designated drivers have saved nearly 50,000 lives, according to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration. Many teachers and administrators support the use of a designated driver, believing that it takes out the question of how everyone can stay safe. “If you are [drinking], how are you getting home? Do you have people you can call if you need to? Is there a designated driver?” Drug and Alcohol Specialist Sara White said. When left with no other options, some may see driving after having a few drinks as okay, but alcohol can cause impaired vision, reduced reaction time, and cause drowsiness. For both teenagers and adults, creating a plan and having someone to take you home can be difficult. Impaired driving remains a significant issue on the roads. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration , approximately 37 people die every day in the United States due to

S ’ O H W THE

12 | In-Depth

drunk driving crashes. When students take on the role of designated driver, they often prioritize their friends’ safety over the fun of the party. “I’d rather them get there safely than wake up and find out they crashed or aren’t okay,” one anonymous student said. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, about 32 percent of traffic crash fatalities in the United States involve drunk drivers. But with apps like Uber and having designated drivers when going out, chances of collision can decrease by 6.1 percent. Apps like Uber or Lyft provide a way to avoid the challenges of being a designated driver, giving individuals an alternative to driving themselves or relying on a friend. Many opt for a ride-sharing service rather than assigning one person the responsibility of being sober for the night due to comfortability, and this allows for everyone to participate. However, some students do agree that it’s strange to be around friends that have been drinking, even though they’re the designated driver. While it is important to protect your safe-

T A WH ES DO K EE K? R C IN TH

CK NI UD TS R NN EN UI UD Y Q 3 ST C B F 16 I H AP L O GR J POL S U

ty, some feel that being the designated driver does take away from the experience. “It’s kind of awkward to be the only sober person in a car full of people who are under the influence,” one anonymous student said. While teenage drinking has always been an intense discussion, the increase of it among young people who are getting their license makes having a designated driver or other options more important to students. The 2013 Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System found that nearly 21 percent of high school students binge drank. With binge drinking among teenagers becoming more prevalent, being comfortable trying out new things safely is incredibly important. And as more students begin to try out alcohol, having a designated driver to take everyone home safely has become more popular.

D E T A N

? G I R S E E V I R D

School Policy C urrently, Creek aims to prevent students from using alcohol through the health classes that all students are required to take, which cover the effects of alcohol, as well as alternate coping mechanisms.

According to Principal Ryan Silva, these classes serve as a way to dissuade students from drinking because they explain the effects of alcohol on a teenager’s body. These classes, Health and Health Hybrid, are required for all students in order to graduate. However, most students take these classes as a sophomore, even though there’s more pressure to drink as students become upperclassmen. Often, this means that students are being pressured to drink after they’ve taken these classes, and the knowledge has dissipated. Because of this, Silva agreed that the health classes weren’t the school’s strongest area of alcohol policy, but also noted that the school rarely sees any issues with alcohol possession or driving under the influence. “It’s probably not a big area of strength in terms of preventative [policy,]” he said. “We don’t have a huge number of drinking infractions. I don’t want to pretend like we don’t have them at all, but it’s not something that’s bigger for us.” Even though the knowledge might wear

off as students get older, health teacher Al- ing backpacks into games. Beyond this, more lison McKean believes that the health classes security members are used for special events, allow students to learn more. like the homecoming football game. “I believe that knowledge is power,” she “We have, obviously, police, security and said. “It is important to learn about the risks deans at [the student]entrance and students associated with alcohol are not allowed to take and empower kids to backpacks, drinks or want to make the right food in,” Wilkins said. “I don’t want to pretend choices and say no. “ “So that does a lot of like we don’t have The classes use spelimiting of people try[drinking issues] at all, but cific projects to guide ing to smuggle alcohol students into learning into games. And then, it’s not something that’s more about alcohol, of course, we have sebigger for us.” but also other methods curity and people all of coping. over the stands.” “They do a projIf a student is - Principal Ryan Silva ect that showcases caught with alcohol, their “natural highs”. or is intoxicated, at an Whether it be skateevent, their dean or an boarding or football and teaching them that available dean will pull the student out of the drugs and/or alcohol can lower the natural event, and then discuss the ‘next steps’ with dopamine produced from the things they the Greenwood Village Police. Often, a stulove,” McKean said. dent will receive a punishment like an unBeyond health classes, Creek also has pol- derage ticket for disorderly conduct citation icies that prevent students drinking at school from the police afterwards. activities, like sports games. As the athletics “Hopefully there’s not a lot of [drinking] director, Jason Wilkins oversees a lot of the going on, hopefully if students are choosing processes that help dissuade alcohol entering to partake in those kinds of things, that it’s at the school. home, or they’re not driving,” Wilkins said. At any given sports game, there are secu- “Hopefully they’re not doing it anyway, berity guards stationed at entrances to check cause they’re not 21 so it’s not even legal.” students’ bags, and make sure nobody is tak-

D ADMIN POLICY

The district’s administrative policy for alcohol and drug offenses differs for each student by their amount of offenses. Overall, the district guide states that a violation is “for any student to use, posses, distribute, sell, procure, give or exchange or to be under the influence of alcohol,” and when their behavior can harm the welfare of others.

POLICY BY THE OFFENSE:

1 ST - Five day suspension, can be extended to ten - Can be reduced to three if the student participates in the district prevention program - Parent conference before the student can return to school - School provided education resources

2 ND - Five to ten day suspension, and a possible expulsion - District substance evaluation - Must complete the district program treatment program to avoid a further suspension - Written agreement with a school official - Parent conference before the student can return to school - Possible in-district transfer

3 RD - Student will be suspended until a review about expulsion is held - All previous resources will be given to students and parents - The Board of Education will provide due process of law to students when determining the expulsion of students

GRAPHIC BY QUINN RUDNICK

ATHLETE CONDUCT Any athlete that’s found to be using, selling, or distributing alcohol is then subject to disciplinary actions. The player will be investigated, and then could be suspended from both school and athletic practices. “Our athletic policies are actually stronger. You’re representing the school, It’s not a right to be an athlete, it’s a privilege. So how you conduct yourself is year round.” - Athletics Director Jason Wilkins

December 2024

I’m Furthering My Education At:

How Seniors Decide Which School They Commit To BY BRIANA FLORES

Chief Photographer & Asst. Sports Editor

or seniors, as their high school days end they face the tough decision on which college they should commit to.

sports

For athletes that decision shifts from one of looking at schools for their academic strength to instead looking at the strength of the sport they plan to play. Colleges also range from Division One to Division Three, creating another deciding factor for seniors when choosing where

Braelynn Barnett: Georgetown University

enior basketball player Braelynn Barnett has recently committed to Georgetown University, a Division One liberal arts school that has given her a chance to succeed, she believes, in both the classroom and on the basketball court. After seeing Barnett’s tal-

Wyatt Isgrig: Gettysburg College

enior golf player Wyatt Isgrig has recently committed to Gettysburg College, a Division Three college located in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.

A school that is ranked #26 in the Division Three conference and one that caught Isgrig’s eye in an instant. Division Three schools do not offer any type of scholarship through the athletics program, only through the level of academics of the athlete in terms of merit aid. “I toured Gettysburg last and I was like ‘this is perfect,’” Isgrig said. For Isgrig, his dad inspired him to start golf when he was a kid. At first, it was just

14 | Sports

ent, the school also offered her a full-ride scholarship. “When I first got there I had the feeling ‘I’m going here, this is my school.’” Barnett said. Barnett didn’t come from a family that participated in basketball; she tried out ballet and soccer, but ended up finding love for the sport of basketball. “I just picked up an orange ball and I was like ‘Yeah I like this, this is fun,’” she said. Many people who enter high school aim to be on varsity when it comes to trying out for their sports - but only a few make it. Barnett’s talents were outstanding for her coaches, and she was able to become a freshman on varsity, staying on the team for the next 4 years. Since Barnett was in 6th grade, she knew she wanted to be able to continue playing basketball in college. She would reach out to college coaches so they were able to get her name out there, which is something that a lot of athletes dedicate their time to as upperclassmen. Most colleges aren’t able to reach out to an athlete until they are officially a junior in high school. So as soon as the time opens up for coaches to recruit, many athletes could

receive messages all at once. “Most athletic scholarships are negotiated between the families and the coaches at the schools. Majority of college scholarships aren’t full [rides], only a few sports offer them,” counselor and post grad coordinator Craig Whittgrove said. Now that Barnett’s recruitment chapter has come to an end, she is confident in her abilities of playing at the next level and grateful for this opportunity of a lifetime. “I went to [visit] Georgetown and they are in a better conference and there are a lot of better opportunities for me there,” Barnett said.

something he did for fun, but eventually he realized that it was something he wanted to take to the next level. Since he felt like he was too late to the recruiting process, he felt like changing his recruitment approach would be best for him. “I got into competitive golf late, so that makes recruiting harder, so Division One wasn’t an option,” Isgrig said. “Division three route was the easiest way to go and [I] still [can] compete at a high level,” He had been on varsity since his sophomore year, and was able to get four offers that were all the same level. However, Gettysburg’s feeling was what solidified his decision. Once he got through all the tours, Isgrig felt like he had found his home on the East Coast. “When I did my tour at Gettysburg, I felt very welcomed and they were excited that I was there and really wanted me on

the team,” Isgrig said. The Gettysburg golf team is also excited to have him as a new addition in the near future. “Hope to see him come in ready to compete and work hard,” Gettysburg golf head coach Jason Badecki said. “I have no doubt he’ll compete with our guys and fit in with our group.”

PHOTO BY BRIANA FLORES

STRAIGHT TO THE BY CLAY BISKNER

Staff Writer

TOP

“I’ve been [switching player’s positions] for the last seven years. Girls come on to my team, saying they’re XYZ position, and depending on the team’s weaknesses and strengths, I just move the girls to where they need to be,” Karsten said. Many players felt the position swaps’ impact Karsten filled a seemingly impossible position. on the team and themselves. “I started playing “Moving here just six months ago and taking on a midfield junior year, and then she threw me up team that for seniors, I’m their third coach in four to forward senior year, and it was just a blast.” years, is tough,” Karsten said. senior midfielder and forward Neilly Watts (#23) As a new head coach following three othsaid. “I was having fun. I felt like ers, Karsten prepared at the my skill was being used well,”. start of the season to bring “Taking on a team that, With Watts starting as a dethe team back to state after a fender her freshman year she’s for seniors, I’m their loss just last year. In the state having more fun and helping third coach in four game of the 2023 season, the the team. Feeling more confifield hockey team failed to seyears, is tough.” dent and connected to her team, cure the win against Colorado she’s thankful for Karsten movAcademy with a score of 1 to 0. ing her. Field Hockey Head The new head coach manKarsten also wanted to show aged to turn a heartbreaking Coach Tori Karsten how she felt about her new loss into a massive win withplayers and her expectations for in only a year. “She motivated them. According to the team, us. But also the team was super motivated to get her trust and confidence in them as a whole revenge and to obviously, get state,” sophomore helped push players to have the same confidence goalkeeper Leonah Mendelsberg (#15) said. going into the season. “I said in our kickoff meetPlayers agree ing that we’re winning state, and I think that they that being able to knew that,” Karsten said. connect to a team Mendelsberg appreciated that Karsten pushwith little time bees the whole team no matter how the games go. fore a season is a “When we won, she would push us to be better,” mark of how good she said. a coach Karsten Karsten attempted to have every play and evis. Her experience erything players did, be at their absolute best. as a player helped Her expectations for the team helped push the her connect to her team to always try to perform their best no matteam and build the ter how the game was going. best team she could “I think she brought a new perspective to how make, no matter to work together as a team, and how never to achow the lineup had cept anything less than amazing,” Mendelsberg been before. said. Karsten introEven with little time to get to know her playduced an important ers, Karsten showed care for their future and skill new strategy to help sets. “I’m a super passionate coach about field PHOTO BY KELLEN RINGLAND hockey and the development of the athletes, so I ABOVE: Field Hockey head coach Tori Karsten think they felt that,” Karsten said.

ori Karsten, a former D1 Field Hockey star at the University of Delaware turned coach, came to Creek and won the state championship in her first year.

poses with the championship trophy.

Q&A 1) How long have you been coaching? “I’ve been [coaching] for the last seven years.”

2) What’s your past with the sport? “Playing Division One at University of Delaware.”

3) Why did the players bond with you so fast? “Figuring out what they had done, what they like, what they don’t like. There was a lot of feedback back and forth.”

December 2024

Winter Guard Prepares For Success BY QUINN RUDNICK

ing band.

Editor-In-Chief

hen most people think of winter guard, they think of some deviation from march-

But in reality, winter guard, to its members, is a much more intense and performance-based sport. Winter guard focuses mainly on the technique of tossing flags and ‘weapons,’ which are rifle-shaped batons that members catch after throwing into the air. And while some describe it as a sport, others describe it as family. “You hear a lot of sports people say, [their team] is their family, but [guard] really is my family,” sophomore co-captain Jillian Mikleton said. “And it’s nice, it’s an activity you look forward to, because it’s performance, but you also get to learn skills.” Senior co-captain Edie Collier echoed Mikleton’s statement, and attributed the guard’s closeness to the amount of time they spend together. “Our guard is really close, especially because when you spend six to nine hours a week with each other, you get really close,” Collier said. Additionally, the guard is a place where people have found a sense of belonging at Creek. Junior Lili Foster moved to Colorado from Florida this year, and instantly found home in the winter guard at Creek. “My parents wanted to make sure that there was a guard here, because it was such an important part of my life back home,” she

said. “And it was important to just have a Over the last few seasons, however, the community here when I got here.” team has noticed a pattern in how they pracThis year, the winter guard is hoping to use tice, and how it’s impacting their competitheir bond to succeed in their competitions. tions. Mikleton stated that the team often In a regular guard season, where practice tends to underperform during their practices, starts in November, and then competition which translates to less cohesive competition season lasts from February through April, performances. members of the team work on honing their “We have a tendency to get really nervous,” catching and throwing skills, but also their Mikleton said. “We don’t ‘perform’ as much strength. during practice as we do in performances. In guard, members agree that it takes a You get to perform and you’re so excited and lot of strength in your you’re so ramped up that it’s arm muscles to throw like you’re throwing somea flag or weapon in an “You hear a lot of sports thing and all of a sudden it’s artistic fashion. “[Skills over rotated, because you people say, [their team] require] muscles that have so much energy.” is their family, but you don’t usually use,” Currently, the team com[guard] really is my Collier said. “It’s a lot of petes in the Double A brackshoulders and triceps, et, which is a shift upwards family.” which aren’t really used from their place last year. in everyday sports othBecause of this, some memSophomore er than basketball and bers of the team are conbaseball.” cerned that the competition Jillian Mikleton Performances are this year could be more difscored holistically, ficult, but they openly accept where skills are assessed by the judges and the challenge. “Our goal is to just to continscored zero to 100, and then split into four ue to advance and continue to get better as a categories; general, execution, equipment, group,” Collier said. and body. Even despite the new competition level, “So there’s like ‘general effect,’ and then the team has high hopes to place at least in execution, so how our coach [Kayla Kenyon] the top three at the state level, especially after writes it, and how the show’s designed is a seeing how much dedication their team has lot of it,” freshman Sofia Sandvall said. “And built up. fortunately, we have a very good coach and a “We have been getting a lot better,” Sandvery good designer.” vall said. “This marching season was really good, and the last winter guard did really PHOTO BY QUINN RUDNICK well, and we just keep getting better.”

PHOTO BY QUINN RUDNICK

ABOVE: Sophomore Jillian Mikleton performs a stretch where guard members rotate their arms and focus on pointing their toes.

16 | Sports

LEFT: Freshman Celia Grant practices flag catches during a team audition on Nov. 14.

a&e

Shoes Take All My Money, But I Have No Regrets BY BRIANA FLORES

Chief Photographer & Asst. Sports

hoes have always gotten my attention since the day I stepped foot in high school, and most of the time I would fantasize about getting a new pair.

Thanks to my parents funding my new obsession, I always had something different and fun. Once I got a job, my collection size definitely doubled. I was constantly buying a pair of shoes every time I got paid because I like to dress kind When it was the holidays, asking for of basic, but my shoes are the statement to shoes was always at the top of my list. my outfits. Each pair has their own unique style to Well, I might have just gotten my first them, and I want to buy them all the time. job a couple of months ago, but like monFor a while throughout my midey always comes back, the shoes might dle school years, I would only wear the not. You always have to look on the bright brand-name Chuck Taylor Converse and side of things. My recent new additions nothing else. They were my comfort shoes range from so many different brands. and I never really had any eyes towards My absolute favorany other brand. Also, ite pair that I would they were the most wear everyday if I I prioritize my shoes, common shoes that could would be my and add to my many other students Ugg Lowmels. They wore, so I blended in collection over anything don’t sound like a usuwith everyone else. al name for a shoe but else. I don’t think anyI only had the white they are definitely cute thing else matters to be and black colored high and bring out my wintop Converse for a honest. ter outfits. while. They were my Also, Adidas have go-to shoes. At the lowkey been on their time I didn’t know anything about shoes, A game - many of their shoes have recentso I would constantly buy the same pair ly become trendy. I have the Campus 00s every time I would wear them out. Which and the Sambas from them and they don’t was often, given that they were converse, disappoint. They also have a big range in the best original brand there is to exist. colors for their shoes, which is something When I entered high school, I saw many brands don’t offer. lots of people wearing different types of But let’s take a moment for the brand shoes, and people told me all about them. called On Clouds: they are really ugly and It opened my eyes to the world of shoe I don’t get the hype with them. I also bestyle. I eventually went out of my comfort lieve they are too expensive for shoes that zone and got rid of my pairs of Converse. I shouldn’t be worn. The price for them avknew I needed to get something different, erages around $150 for a pair. They might something that would bring a different be comfy, but I would rather have shoes look to me. that hurt my feet and are cute than shoes I went to the mall and tried out every that look like sponges. single pair that caught my eye. Eventually I prioritize my shoes, and add to my I started wearing Vans. They weren’t much collection over anything else. I don’t think of a change but they were something new anything else matters to be honest. Shoes to me and let me be honest, new is scary, make me very happy and take a lot of my even if it’s just something small. But bemoney - they make me completely broke, fore I knew it, before the end of my senior but it’s worth it. year I had over 20 pairs of shoes.

TOP THREE SHOES

UGG Lowmels

Adidas Campus 00s

#3 Adidas Sambas OG GRAPHIC BY QUINN RUDNICK

December 2024

Students Find Joy In DIY Cosmetology

Homemade Nail Art Sparks Creativity BY SOPHIA HADY

Features Editor

nstead of sitting in a salon for an hour with nail polish remover fumes clogging her nose and a nail tech aggressively filing her nails, junior Bella Fitzgerald opts to do her own acrylic nails.

When COVID-19 closed down the world, Fitzgerald began doing nail art, which is little designs on nails, to fill the time. After a while, Fitzgerald would start to do hers and other people’s acrylics. “It’s been really fun. I really like it.” Fitz-

applies acetone to bond the acrylic to her real nails. Finally, she’s ready to begin the exciting part: the design. The whole process can take anywhere from 3-6 hours Fitzgerald doesn’t just do her nails, she also does other family members’ and a couple of girls’ around school. While salons charge around $45 to $100 or more, Fitzgerald does other nails completely free. For her, it’s not about the money and more about bringing other people joy. “This sounds cheesy, but the payment is them getting to feel good about their nails,” she said.

Waxing Flows More Smoothly PHOTO BY QUINN RUDNICK

WAXING: Many people who wax use small, heatable jars to warm up their material before application.

gerald said. Like most teen girls Fitzgerald spends hours on Pinterest. But for her, it’s less about the aesthetic photos and more about finding the perfect nail inspiration. This is how she starts her acrylic nail process After finding what design she wants she has to take her previous acrylic set off. To do this, she soaks her nails in oil and lets them sit for an hour, letting the previous design melt away. After this, she uses a dehydrator so there is no moisture on the nails. She uses a PH bonder and UV light to attach the acrylic to her natural nails. After the UV light has attached the fake and real nails together, she buffers the extension and fully

BY AVERY EXLEY Staff Writer

having was becoming more and more of a hassle as time passed, so sophomore Amelia Glasspoole switched to waxing.

She started when she was around 13 and noticed a significant price change just by doing it herself. “Waxing became a lot cheaper and it was a noticeable difference,” she said. The supplies she uses can be found at any department store, and are all relatively cheap and easy to use. She uses wax beads, baby powder or baking powder, and a soft plastic microwave bowl. With simple steps and tools, she found waxing can become a better and more accessible way to shave. Glasspoole only spends $15 on all of her materials. The wax beads she uses are $8.49 for a large bag, and the bowl she uses is from her PHOTO BY SOPHIA HADY

18 | A&E

house and the popsicle sticks are $4.99. With only four simple steps, waxing is her better option. First, she pours the wax beads into the plastic cup and puts it in the microwave for 2-3 minutes. Then she lets it sit for a minute or two and pours it on her leg. After the wax hardens, all she has to do is rip it off and she’s done. For shaving, a razor is not the only thing you need. Cosmetologists recommend that you use an exfoliator, which costs around $4.99, and the shaving cream is usually $1.99 but can cost up to $30.00. And unlike waxing, razors only last a short time, and can vary in price, between $6.00 and $70.00, depending on how rust-safe and sharp you want them. Shaving can be dangerous, many people find themselves getting hurt by just putting the blade at the wrong angle. “Shaving my hair was getting tedious and annoying,” Glasspoole said. While people may not think that shaving cuts hurt that much it can still be annoying to have to deal with them. While yes, waxing can be painful at the start, once you get used to it the pain will slowly fade away. “At first it was painful but after a while, I got used to it,” Glasspoole said.

opinions

Your Obsession Is The True Crime BY EMILY LAMBERT Staff Writer

effery Dahmer, Ted Bundy, The Menendez brothers, Charles Manson, and John Wayne Gacy. The most known killers in America. Their crimes have left thousands of people knowing their name, but people treat these murders like the next big pop star.

More kills equals a more compelling story. Is the person attractive? Let me completely forget about their crimes and wish I was married to a criminal. Twist and dement the stories of these victims in your favor because you can’t see past the line of what’s enjoyment and what’s obsession. The appeal of crime, ranging from murder, theft, rape or missing persons cases are intertwined with human nature, but people should realize when it’s okay to indulge in cases versus when it’s not okay. More and more true crime shows, movies,

MENENDEZ: The recent documentary series, “Monsters,” about the Menendez brothers, gained popularity quickly on Netflix. It’s alarming how these stories are used for entertainment.

and podcasts trend yearly. A new documentary about a serial killer or a new season of “Dateline” seems to come out every month. On Netflix there is always a trending show that goes under the true crime category. Netflix, Hulu, and Prime Video all make millions of dollars off people’s suffering yearly. Shows twist the stories of victims to appeal to the public and make them more entertaining rather than telling the true story. The true crime genre has exploded over the past few years. Inside Radio explains how true crime podcasts have doubled in listeners in the past 5 years. There are an estimated 19.1 million listeners weekly compared to the 6.7 million in 2019. With the release of “Monsters” documenting the case of the Menendez brothers, I’ve seen hundreds of people explore the true crime genre and take an interest in cases that involve gruesome murders. People have enjoyed the show because the justice system failed them, but people have also completely twisted the story and only thirsted over the actors, forgetting about the whole message of the show. Although there is a curiosity factor, people can get too immersed in cases and their mental health sees the effects. People become obsessed with serial killers. They romanticize them. From making edits and Reddit pages that talk about how Ted Bundy is attractive and how they justify his murders, to even pretending they’re the victim. True crime TikTokers and YouTubers use crimes for clicks and views, and their content gets blurred between profiting off of their videos and the telling story behind the case. True crime makes people hyper vigilant and increases their anxiety. People that watch true crime often always look for the bad in people. Every white van becomes the van of a killer or kidnap-

per. Anxiety that comes from watching true crime often leads to people developing trust issues within life-long friendships and causes isolation. Watching crime shows and listening to podcasts everyday shouldn’t be normal. It causes immense stress and harm to people’s mental well being. Indulging in true crime is not always bad, but it gets concerning when people’s whole lives and personalities thrive off of discussing cases and romanticizing the murders. People thirst over these killers and write them love letters in prison, they contact the victims in violent cases and come after their families, all because they don’t acknowledge the severity of these crimes. A personal favorite podcast that covers true crime is “Rotten Mango”. The podcast is hosted by Stephanie Soo and her “partner in crime,” aka her husband. What Soo does so well is that she doesn’t do it for the money, and it shows. She has a huge team of translators, researchers and sources that go into each episode. The money she makes gets donated to different charities and foundations that support victims of all types of crimes. She truly shows sympathy and cares about every person affected in each story. The contrast between her and the people that do it for the money is evident. Lots of these creators don’t care, and don’t even think about spreading awareness on what topic they’re explaining. They don’t make an effort to even show an ounce of care or understanding for victims. They can’t think about how it affects the people who were close to the victims. It’s all money to them. Murders, rapists, serial killers, kidnappers, and predators are not to be romanticized. They dehumanize their victims, brutally make families grieve their loved ones for years and years, and deserve every ounce of karma and pain they get. Streaming services that make documentaries on cases exploit the families and make them relive the worst moments of their lives. Documentaries are a money grab for streaming companies that twist the story of victims. True crime doesn’t just give people an escape, it can be a deadly and harmful addiction that torments victims of crimes and gives horrible people the light they don’t deserve.

December 2024

The Pledge of Allegiance Does Not Belong in Classrooms BY JUDE GORDEN

Opinions Editor

Pledge Allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all?

The Pledge of Allegiance should have no place in America’s classrooms, and yet, at 8:20 each morning, it rings through the halls of Creek. Unless you’re bringing in silencing headphones to your first period class, which is usually frowned upon by teachers, you have no choice but to listen. Created in 1892 by minister Francis Bellamy to make immigrant students “more American,” the Pledge of allegiance is more of a forced indoctrination. If you’re going to live in America, get in line and Pledge your devotion every morning. Or, at least sit there and take it for fifteen seconds as it’s blasted over the intercom. If you don’t stand for the Pledge of Allegiance, you’re not going to get spit on or suspended. The key phrase, the one that schools like Creek rely on to protect them from legal trouble, is “if you would like to stand.” Not “please stand for the Pledge of Allegiance,” but stand if you would like to. If you couldn’t tell by now, I don’t like to. But what does it really mean to pledge your allegiance? Does that mean that if you put your hand over your heart and recite the words, you’re vowing to submit yourself to the leadership of your country indefinitely? I’m proud of my country, but, in light of current events (and the possibility of an authoritarian presidency), the idea of promising my unyielding loyalty scares me. There’s a lot of random things I’d pledge my undying love to, but I don’t think it’s safe, or smart, to promise yourself to the leadership of your country. If you’re pledging your allegiance, every day, does that mean you should be first in line at the drafting center come war? Does that mean you should en-

20 | Opinions

ter the Army come graduation or work as a public servant? It’s unclear. The meaning of pledging your allegiance to America is purposefully vague, which also scares me. You should know exactly what you are signing up for if you put your hand over your heart every morning. Students are not required to stand for the Pledge of Allegiance, but that doesn’t mean that its recitation from speakers in schools is not a glaring violation of the Constitution. Though I don’t support you owning an assault rifle for “legal hunting purposes,” I still believe the Constitution has its place securing the rights of Americans. The right of students to choose whether or not to recite the Pledge protects their first amendment right to free speech. But that same amendment protects their freedom of religion, the exact freedom that is endangered by the wording of the Constitution. The Establishment Clause of the Constitution strictly prohibits the American government from establishing any one religious view as orthodox. A.K.A., separation of Church and State. But what does this have to do with the Pledge of Allegiance? Under God. Under God. Under God. Those two words were what emboldened me to sit glued to my chair for those fifteen seconds for the first time, rather than standing at attention with the rest of my classmates. God has no place in public schools, but His name rings over the loudspeakers every morning anyway. A Louisiana court recently blocked a law requiring every classroom to display the Ten Commandments, claiming it was “unconstitutional on its face” and that the law had an “overtly religious” purpose. Just making sure I heard this right- it’s unconstitutional to display the ten commandments because

it’s too religious, but not unconstitutional to play over the loudspeakers an oath containing the words “under God?” Got it. Why are we, as a country that prides itself on separation of Church and State, chanting those two words in school every morning? We don’t have minister Bellamy to thank for that, but the Red Scare. Because the worst thing that could happen is

UNDER GOD: We don’t need to take American flags out of America’s classrooms, but by not playing the pledge every day, we can better support all students. ART BY QUINN RUDNICK

Do Students Stand For The Pledge? SOMETIMES STAND ALWAYS STAND NEVER STAND

DATA FROM A USJ POLL OF 140 STUDENTS GRAPHIC BY JUDE GORDEN

America being confused with a lesser, “Oh, but reciting the Pledge doesn’t godless nation. Oh GOD, what could be hurt anyone!” Wrong. What does it say to worse than that?!No offense, but you don’t the immigrant students, students with dual win a purple heart for standing fifteen sec- citizenship, and foreign exchange students? onds to recite the Pledge; this routine is It says that to be one of us, to learn in our completely ineffecclassrooms, you must tive, regardless of inpledge your fidelity to our tention. Whether you nation over all else. stand for Veterans, for But back to those two God has no place in the American Dream words, “under God.” and equal rights, or Whether or not it ofpublic schools, but His for “building a wall,” fends you personally, this name rings over the the action is equally language is blatantly reloudspeakers every useless in supporting ligious and not in an inmorning anyway. your ideals. You might clusive way. It’s not just have some deeply peratheists who don’t want sonal story on why you God shoved in their faces stand for the Pledge, first thing in the morning, and that’s your busibut people with compliness, but it’s time to rethink how effective cated relationships with God, people who’ve this choice really is, at least in the ways that experienced religious trauma, and people matter. whose religions don’t worship God too. The Instead of allocating daily time to recite harm that the specific wording of the Pledge the Pledge, schools could be using that time of Allegiance does greatly outweighs any to organize proper Veteran’s day celebra- presumed benefits. tions or writing thank you notes to Veterans I haven’t been feeling particularly patriaround school. There are much more mean- otic recently (for a certain reason you can ingful ways to honor war veterans than a probably guess), but that’s not why I haperformative chant that they don’t even ven’t been standing for the Pledge. It’s not hear you recite. That is, unless, every one of that I’m anti-America, or anti-veteran, or your teachers is a Veteran. anti-God. It’s simply that I am pro-Consti-

tution, pro-separation of church and state, and pro-immigrants. To not stand for the Pledge is the most patriotic thing I do all day. It’s your choice whether or not to recite the Pledge at Creek, due to Colorado law. Colorado schools are required to give a set space and time for those who wish to recite the Pledge, but not all states are like this. There are four states, Arizona, Hawaii, Vermont, and Wyoming, that do not currently require this set time for the Pledge. I don’t know about you, but I don’t consider Arizona particularly unpatriotic. Why can’t Colorado follow suit? If America’s public schools are going to support all their students, and prevent further unconstitutional promotion of Christianity as America’s sole religion, their morning routines need to change. I don’t know about you, but I’d prefer a joke or quote over 15 seconds of alleged patriotism to start my day. I’m not suggesting we rip down every American flag hanging in Creek’s classrooms, I don’t want that at all. I only hope we can rethink why we do the Pledge every day, and what it really means to sit or to stand for those 15 seconds.

December January 2024

Parent or Dealer?

STAFF-EDITORIAL

Are parents helping their kids learn about alcohol too much?

lassmates bragging about their parents buying them drugs and alcohol, how “chill” their household is, and the last party they hosted has filled the Creek hallways. Parents might want to help their children learn how to handle substances, but when does this interaction between parents and kids get dangerous?

According to the National Library of Medicine (NLM), in a survey of 13-18 year olds, one third said it was easy to get alcohol from their consenting parents, and one quarter had attended a party where parents consented to adolescent drinking. Some parents choose to give their kids drugs in safe environments in order to prepare their kids for college and help them get used to alcohol, especially at parties. But while parents might not see this as a huge problem, if overdone, it can lead to unexpected dependencies. Having unchecked access to substances can cause the kid to build up an addiction that will affect them way into the future, and do much more than just prepare them for adulthood. Not everyone has parents who provide them with substances, but it still affects them. When kids that have alcohol at home come to school and talk about how they get drugs and drinks from their parents, it could lead to feelings of jealousy and confusion for their peers. Other kids would think “Why don’t my parents do this?” or “Is that what I should b e

doing?” These kids aren’t getting alcohol from some restaurant or from a liquor store, so they must be getting it somewhere else. Most kids don’t have a “cool” adult friend in their life willing to buy them alcohol, but rely on either friends or their parents to provide it. Leaving out easily accessible substances can also be a way parents inadvertently support underage drug abuse, whether intentional or not. According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, around 28% of people ages 12 to 20 in 2023 reported drinking in the past year. You might hear people in the hallways or bathrooms saying that their parents bought them some edibles or alcohol for a party. But why are parents doing this? Sometimes it sounds like their parents wanted to party with them instead of teaching them the realities of what these drugs can do. Whether parents need a drinking buddy or want to get their kids used to drugs, this interaction often gets out of hand. Parents partying with their kids is unacceptable, and when teens tell their friends, it normalizes the situation. Whether their parents don’t care if they use drugs, provide them with alcohol for parties, or are trying to introduce them to drinking before college, this behavior is dangerous because it can lead to addiction. The NLM found that parents setting strict rules regarding underage drinking is overwhelmingly associated with a decline in drinking and dangerous behaviors. When any type of drug is given to a kid by their parents, it is harmful - regardless of intention. Although it can give a safe environment and provide a safe space to learn about

This is an opinions piece written by the Editorial Staff of the Union St. Journal. Staff-editorials serve as a way for members of the magazine to give commentary on a community wide issue. The views expressed represent the opinions of the editorial staff, not those of CCHS or CCSD. alcohol, that structure can also lead to dependence on those substances. Imagine hosting a party and your parents let you and your friends take a few hard seltzers from the fridge for the night. That may seem nice, but in reality, soon, you might want to do that everyday. This could be a result of kids rebelling, but when they come to school often with drugs, or brag daily about their drug use, it feels like the parents aren’t taking responsibility for limiting access to said drugs. While parents may not think their kids are bragging about them giving them drugs, and it might be a one-time thing for well intentioned reasons, the next thing they know, Human Services could be showing up at their door. Even well intentioned parents who are aiming to get their kids used to drinking for adulthood can face these consequences. Any adult would automatically be worried for the child’s safety hearing these conversations, especially a mandated reporter like a teacher. They would have to bring it to the school and get Human Services involved. There is always an alternative method to supporting addiction, like letting your kids be open with you about their alcohol consumption, but not necessarily doing it with them or being the provider. Parents should not be their kids’ dealers, nor should they support underage substance use in their household.

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22 | Opinions and Staff Editorial

CRUSHED UP: Teens are getting alcohol from friends and consenting parents to host parties. Parents providing their kids with alcohol is a growing issue, and leads to dependence.

MEET CHEER AND POMS POMS SENIOR SOPHIA BEATTY How long have you danced? Eight years. Do you dance outside of school? Yes, at Starstruck Academy of Dance. How long have you been on varsity at Creek? All four years. Favorite memory? Nationals with my team, it’s a lot of fun and we get to show how competitive we are as a program. Who is someone you’re close to on the team? Natalie Gunnell, she transferred from Arapahoe [high school] last year, so we’ve been very close [ever since].

CHEER SENIOR ALANA TEGGEMAN How long have you cheered? Since sophomore year. Have you participated in any sports prior? Gymnastics for seven years. How long have you been on varsity at Creek? One year, transferred from a small town in Texas. Favorite memory? UCA camp in July. We got to work on a lot of new skills, upgrades and got to know each other as a team. Who is someone you’re close to on the team? Lucy Wenzel, we’re both seniors that moved from Texas around the same time.

PHOTO BY QUINN RUDNICK PHOTO BY QUINN RUDNICK

PHOTO BY BRIANA FLORES

PHOTO BY QUINN RUDNICK

PHOTO BY BRIANA FLORES