Fall/Winter 2022 USJ

Journal The Union St.

To Work Or Not to Work?

Many students face the pros and cons of picking up a job Cherry Creek High School 9300 E. Union Ave. Greenwood Village, CO 80111

Vol. 8 Issue 2 January 2023

On The Cover

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unior Gabby Clark serves a customer at the register at Einstein Bros. Bagels in Belleview Square on Dec. 4. Like many Creek students, Clark picked up a job to have extra money. “I honestly just really like having some extra cash and having a job allows me to have that,” she said.

Having a job is important for many teenagers, but it also comes with its share of drawbacks. Clark and other students share their experiences with working as a student in “To Work Or Not to Work?” on pg. 10.

COVER PHOTO BY CARLY PHILPOTT PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY ANGELA XU

Staff: Editor-in-Chief Carly Philpott

Chief Photographer Wryn Duepre

Junior Editor-in-Chief Alex Gribb

Chief Sports Photographer Marie Webster

Managing Editor Quinn Rudnick

Copy Editor Aurora Miller

Boys’ tennis varsity 2 player freshman Adam Eikelberner serves the winning ball, beating Denver South 4-3 in the first game of the season. Later on in the season, the varsity boys’ team won their 45th State Championship on Oct. 18 at City Park. The team played Valor Christian High School, placing first of 53 teams competing in the 2022 Class 5A State Tennis Individual Tournament.

“We are fortunate to have a very deep and disciplined program that provides us with an ample opportunity to substitute well-trained and dedicated players,” Head Coach Art Quinn said.

Web Editor Izzy Krauss

Teambuilding Committee Gabby Schrock (Chair) Jude Gorden Gillian Neale

Letter from the Editor

Sports Editor Annabelle Crouch

PHOTO BY QUINN RUDNICK

Table of Contents News

4

4 - African American History Course Debuts In CCSD 6 - News Bites

Features

7

7 - Iranian Student Describes Experience With Morality Police 8 - Therapy Dog Leaves Paws-itive Impact 9 - Anne Zurcher Amplifies Accessibility at Creek

In-Depth 10 - To Work or Not to Work? Many Students Face the Pros and Cons of Picking a Job

10

Sports

14

14 - Hang Them Up or Keep Trying?

16 - Varsity Football Four-Peats 17 - Athletic Trainer Shares His Passion

A&E

18 - USJ Spotlight 19 - God of War: Ragnarok 19 - Holidays At Creek

Opinions

18 20

20 - High School Love Lacks Maturity 22 - Stop Ignoring The Lasting Effects of COVID-19 23 - Staff Editorial: Ivies or Community College?

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he majority of Creek students have a job outside of school, according to a poll we did in October.

The reasons these students gave for working were varying: some needed the money, some craved independence, others just wanted to pick up a little extra cash.

Whatever the reason, all the people we talked to agreed: there are both major benefits and drawbacks to having a job while still being in school. You can read some students’ stories in our January in-depth story, “To Work Or

Not to Work,” on page 10.

Among the other important stories in this issue are the new African American studies courses being offered now at Creek (taught by Marc Ramsey) and elsewhere in CCSD. And we talked to school athletes about the competitiveness of Creek programs and how Creek competes on another level from almost any other school in nearly every sport.

We chose to write this issue’s staff editorial on the stigma of where people choose to go to school: both that Ivy Leagues are overrated and community colleges are underrated.

As always, we are very proud of what we have created in this issue, and we hope you enjoy reading!

– Editor-in-Chief Carly Philpott

News Editor Amanda Castillo-Lopez Features Editors Lily Deitch Emily Gleason

Opinions & A&E Editor Katya Roudakov Asst. News Editor Peter Philpott Asst. Sports Editor Cael Clancy Video Editor Nour Kreishan Design Managers Annabelle Crouch Nick Rui

Staff Writers Blayne Aina Isabel Alley Meron Banjaw Ephraim Bantshi Aram Bazarian Nick BeDan Maddie Hart Avery Hutchins Jonathan Lee Binderiya Lkhagvatseren Natalia Perusquia Ayushi Sah Jackson Sloan Sydney Smith Vee Williamson Angela Xu Georgia Yatrakis Owen Youngblood Advisor Seth Fine

Purpose:

The Union St. Journal is the official online and print news source by and for the students of 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, Cherry Creek High School, or CCSD. Letters to the editor are accepted and can be submitted via email to creekusj@cherrycreekschools.org

news

New AP Course Unit Overview Overland teacher Nathan Umetsu is teaching the pilot version of the AP African American Studies course this school year. These are the topics Umetsu is covering.

Unit 1:

African Empires WIKIMEDIA COMMONS THE BISMARCK TRIBUNE BRITANNICA PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY NICK RUI

African American History Courses Debut In CCSD

BY MARIE WEBSTER & VEE WILLIAMSON Chief Sports Photographer & Staff Writer

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his year, for the first time, Creek is offering a semester-long CP African American Studies course. The College Board is currently developing an AP African American Studies class that will likely be available to all high schools by 2025.

The idea of a CP African American Studies program arrived at Creek when US and World History teacher Marc Ramsey did, in 2020. Ramsey is now the first and only CP African American Studies teacher at Creek. “[During] my interview with Principal Silva, he asked me ‘What can you do? What makes you unique? Why should I hire you?’” Ramsey said. “And one

PHOTO BY WRYN DUEPRE PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY NICK RUI

thing I mentioned was: ‘I’m going to bring an African American class to this school because you don’t have one.’”

Two years in the making, the CP course was finally approved in February 2022.

Other history courses touch on the subject of African American history, but don’t go into much detail, according to Ramsey. As a result, many students go into CP African American History with very little background knowledge.

“A lot of what we talk about can be very disturbing and shocking, and it catches them off guard sometimes, but that’s a good thing,” Ramsey said.

“Not that I’m here to shock or surprise them, but they’re learning and they’re internalizing it.”

The AP course would go into even more depth. Accompanied by the rigor of taking a weighted course, students will have the opportunity to

AMPLIFYING AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY: Marc Ramsey teaches his CP African American History class. Ramsey himself pushed for the course to be a part of Creek’s curriculum. “As soon as I learned [Creek] didn’t have this class I was like: ‘They should have one.’”

rolled in the demo course, feels that the course learn explores sides of African American history about a that he hadn’t been previously exposed to. range of top“I had a lot of [background knowledge] due ics. to me being African American and just the “It’s really not a history class. knowledge that my pops and ma would give They’re gonna be talking about hisme,” Evans said. “I learned some things that I tory, they’re talking about culture, they’re hadn’t learned before.” talking about religion, music - there’s a lot of In addition to teaching the course material, other things that are going into this.” Social Umetsu intends to integrate discussions in his Studies Coordinator Michael Kraft said. class that students can relate to on a personal Some students around the country don’t level. have to wait for the “With [AP] Africourse to be offican American Studies, “With [AP] African American cially implemented you’re able to take that Studies, you’re able to take that to take the class. history course and dive According to the history course and dive a little a little bit deeper into it, Washington Post, have more connection bit deeper into it, have more 60 high schools nawith it,” Umetsu said. connection with it” tionwide, including “You can connect it Overland, are prowith what we’re studyviding a demo verNathan Umetsu ing right now, you can sion this year where connect it with what AP African American Studies students enrolled happened in recent hiscan take the course.

Teacher at Overland tory, you can connect it Nathan Umetsu, with family events or a who teaches the AP family tradition.” course at Overland, Before the course becomes official, the Colsays the class shines light on African Amerlege Board has to undergo another round of ican identity rather than solely focusing on demos next year involving approximately 150 history. schools.

“My very first week with them, we read an “They’re doing this year’s pilot demo, getarticle by Henry Louis Gates, Jr. and the arting feedback back from the teachers and ticle was titled ‘42 Million Ways to be Black.’ classes they did this year, and then they will [Gates] made a very thoughtful argument write the test based on that feedback,” Kraft about not defining African American or said. black society by just one word,” Umetsu said.

Once more information about the course “There’s 42 million African Americans living is disclosed, the administration can vote on in America right now so there are 42 million whether or not to offer the course at Creek in different ways to be black.” the fall of 2024.

Quincy Evans, an Overland student en-

Unit 2:

Transatlantic Slave Trade

LIBRARY OF CONGRESS

Unit 3:

The Enslavement Process

Unit 4:

Immigration & Emigration

AMERICAN ANTISLAVERY SOCIETY

Unit 5:

The Civil War

Unit 6:

JSTOR

Civil Rights Era

January 2023

BY IZZY KRAUSS Asst. Opinions Editor

Since late October, AP Physics students have been working on a vehicle for a graded class competition. The objective of the project is to create a vehicle that can propel a tennis ball forward and brake before it reaches the end of an eight-foot table.

Iranian Student Describes Her Experience With Morality Police

“We wanted as many rubber bands as possible for our launch mechanism and for our catapult. We also used weights to power our car and move it across, and then we have a catapult that is triggered by the falling weight.”

Senior Anna Haemer

BY BINDERIYA LKHAGVATSEREN & AYUSHI SAH

PHOTO BY AMANDA CASTILLO-LOPEZ

Staff Writers

“I hope they see how physics can be used to solve problems, and [that] it’s not just a theoretical thing that’s happening in the classroom.”

Dr. Keith Harrison, AP Physics Teacher PHOTO BY AMANDA CASTILLO-LOPEZ

Caring for Robot Babies

BY GABBY SCHROCK

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T.B.C. Chair

fter four sleepless nights of crying robots, the Child and Adolescent Development class has completed its baby project.

Students in Amy Irwin’s class had to bring robot babies everywhere with them during those four days. For Sophomore Hailey Swen, that was bringing it to a cheer competition.

“It was hard because you couldn’t hear anything. And so you couldn’t hear when he was crying and you had to constantly be with it or have someone

6 | News

watch, it was stressful because you’re trusting someone with your baby,” Swen said.

Irwin hopes that this project and class will reflect the real-life difficulties of raising a child as a teen parent.

“We work on understanding how we as a society have evolved from seeing children as seen, but not heard, to really valuing education and understanding that what we put into children and the effort that goes into raising a young child is going to impact the rest of their life,” Irwin said.

COMPETITION DAY: Juniors Charlie Schneider, Ash Bhattacharya, Brandon Zhu, and Joelle Yoon get their cars set up on the starting line before the second trial.

“Our car did well; I was pretty surprised. After our first trial, I started to worry because it barely went far,” Yoon said. “We could have done a lot better, but at the same time, I felt pretty satisfied with the results.”

Engaging in Science Research

BY PETER PHILPOTT

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Asst. News Editor

ather than spending hours in front of notes and computers studying, students in the Science Research class run their own curriculum, gathering samples and doing lab work independently.

Senior Rachel Novak is trying to find if sweat cells can provide enough DNA to build a full genetic profile. “I’ve always been interested in forensics,” Novak said. “The whole prospect of finding something so minuscule and using that to potentially solve a crime is really fascinating.”

ART BY EMILY GLEASON

AP Physics Car Design Project

Senior Mollie Busch analyzes how carbon isotopes digested by organisms reveal how certain food webs work. She traveled all the way to North Carolina salt marshes to take samples. “[It helps us] determine where on the food web each organism likewise without having to visually observe them eating,” Busch said.

“My favorite part is that every year I get students who are interested in something that’s totally different than the year before, so it never becomes routine,” Science Research teacher Ethan Dusto said. “It’s always a lot of problem solving.”

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t 7:00 a.m., Tara jogged across the bridge, next to her grandma’s apartment in Esfahan, Iran. The wind blew off her head scarf, revealing her dark brown hair. As she approached the other side of the bridge, the Iranian regime, known as the morality police, confronted her.

In Iran, the morality police watch for women who do not have their hijab worn according to Islamic dress code. As the morality officer stepped towards Tara, a current Creek student, she recalled her parents’ advice to speak in English to be seen as a tourist.

There’s a reason her parents warned her about this.

On Sept. 16, 2022, the news of Masha Amini’s death spread through the internet. The Iranian regime arrested her because she violated the Islamic dress code, and she died while in police custody.

Amini’s death sparked protests for women’s rights and the violence against them. Protesters, mostly women, are cutting their hair and burning their hijabs in public. In response, the government is attacking them with rubber guns and tear gas, and hospitals will not treat protesters.

Tara, who prefers not to use her last name for fear of retaliation against her family in Iran, was in the Math and Science Resource Center during her off period, when she first heard about Amini’s death, and she started to worry for her family and friends in Iran.

“I started bawling my eyes out like a lunatic,” Tara said. “It got so bad that even a teacher came up to me and asked

me [if I was okay].” follow the Islamic dress code.

For Tara, being in the United States “A 50-year old man [told] me that I’m when the protests started led to mixed gonna go to Hell if I don’t have a hijab on emotions. Tara views living in the Unit- [and that I am] gonna get raped — and ed States as an opportunity, but struggles unfortunately that is the case,” Tara said. with knowing the people of her country The protests have garnered outrage are fighting for their women’s rights. from non-Muslim women, which comShe wanted to be a part of the protests plicates the protests. in support of Iranian women, but she is Junior President of Creek’s Muslim grateful — and guilty — for not being in Student Association, Doaa Zarooq, does their shoes. not see why the protests are turning into If Tara still lived in Iran, she would a larger movement of women’s rights “wholeheartedly protest” against the in general and not specifically Muslim Iranian government in support of her women’s rights. family and friends, yet she thinks pro“I talked about it with my family and testers should shift their focus to social tried to understand the side of the promedia because testers,’’ Zarooq the government said. “[Since] most “If somebody [sees me is responding to protesters aren’t advocating] and they go to in-person proMuslim, we don’t tests with death see [what they] fight, they are gonna end and violence. Acshould be worried up dying [and] nothing will cording to NPR, about.” happen to me.” over 300 protestLiving in the ers have died naUnited States has tion-wide. been tough for Creek Student Tara While Tara Tara, though she would like to didn’t feel acceptsee these proed in Iran either. tests create change in the government’s “I felt like an intruder,” Tara said. treatment of women, she will not show “People treated me as this luxury Amersupport for the protests on social media ican girl that I didn’t want to be. The because of her distance from Iran and friends I [had saw me] as “money” much the very real threat of retaliation against rather than a friend.” people protesting in person.

Tara believes that Iranian women “If somebody [sees me advocating] deeply influenced her growing up. and they go to fight, they are gonna end “[Iranian women have] made me the up dying [and] nothing will happen to grounded person I am today,” Tara said. me,” Tara said. “I feel like I don’t have “[However,] I’m not proud of this situany right to [tell] anyone to go protest ation and of not being able to do anybecause I am not there.” thing.”

Tara believes that religion is being misused by religious scholars as a source of oppression to make sure that women

features

news bites

January 2023

Therapy Dog Leaves Paws-itive Impact On CCSD ing his passion to serve others. He has been a Deputy Sheriff Officer for twenty years and Staff Writer became a SRO four years ago.

“I care about kids, I care about schools and utside of the Activities Office in school safety, so I just thought it would be a IC, Deputy Sheriff Officer and School neat thing to do,” Nardi said.

Resource Officer (SRO) Adam Nardi After a month and a half together, Nardi gathered with a crowd of students, but it was and Riley are still training by visiting schools not to discipline them. throughout the district.

Nardi was accompanied by Riley, CCSD’s “As a therapy dog, Riley is going to be first therapy dog. Nardi handles Riley as they trained by being around people that are sufroam around different schools in the district, fering mental health crisis[es], anxiety [and] brightening up students’ and staff ’s days. depression, and he’ll actually go in and be Nardi became a handler after he saw the around them, ” Nardi said. impact of Riley’s interactions with students.

Riley is trained to identify the change in “I saw the connection that this dog is able people’s stress hormone, cortisol, and he gives to make with students that normally as a pothem direct support. Since Riley is a therapy lice officer I can’t make,” Nardi said. “I’ve seen dog, he is constantly learning, so his training it with my own eyes.” will never truly “stop. ” So far Nardi and the district have gotten Unlike an emotional positive feedback support dog or a comafter Riley’s visits. fort dog that is trained Nardi is primarily an “I saw the connection that to help an individual, RiSRO for elementary this dog is able to make ley is trained to support schools; however, he many different people, with students that normally and Riley went to Eawhether they are stuglecrest High School as a police officer I can’t dents or staff. where they had remake.”

Senior Maria Pedrocently lost four stusa believes that having dents, and Riley was Riley and other dogs Deputy Sheriff Officer and able to support stuaround Creek will help dents and staff during SRO Adam Nardi students throughout his time there. their day and support Activities director them as needed.

Krista Keogh sup“I have an emotional support dog,” Pedroports and encourages the idea of therapy dogs sa said.

“She’s registered and everything, and in the district, and specifically at Creek. KeI truly wish I could just bring her to school ogh saw the mental health of students decline sometimes to actually help me with going during COVID-19 and felt it would’ve been a easy [throughout] my day. Sometimes school great time for a dog like Riley to be at Creek. can be really stressful to me and [can] make “Our hope down the line would be that we me really anxious. ” would be able to have [a dog] that is [Creek’s] In addition to Riley, Greenwood Village dog that the student body would know and Police Department is currently looking into be familiar with,” Keogh said. “That would be getting a service dog specifically for Creek. our ultimate goal and purpose. I think that While Nardi is optimistic that the district we often have kids [that] are in crisis or are will get more dogs like Riley in the future, he just a little bit stressed out or just need a little stresses the importance of looking out for one break.” another’s mental health.

Nardi communicates with school admin“Mental health is such an important thing istrators and mental health staff throughout for everybody,” Nardi said. “If you see people the district, and if there is a need for a visit that are having issues, go up and say somefrom Riley, he tells them to reach out. thing to someone, tell someone, [or] talk to Nardi knew he wanted to become a police someone because life is very precious.” officer after serving as a U.S. Marine and find-

Anne Zurcher Amplifies Accessibility American Sign Language Teacher Pushes Creek to Hire Deaf ASL Teacher

BY ISABEL ALLEY & SYDNEY SMITH

BY NATALIA PERUSQUIA

ON DUTY: Deputy Sheriff Officer and SRO Adam Nardi poses with Riley after Riley is sworn in by the Arapahoe County Sheriff as the district’s first therapy dog. “We go through [schools] and Riley is very popular,” Nardi said. “We talk to administrators and school mental health staff, and if there is a need [for a therapy dog,] we tell them to reach out to us.”

RILEY OFF DUTY

Riley loves to play in the leaves.

Riley was a mailman for Halloween.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF ADAM NARDI

8 | Features

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video plays with bright lights, too many colors, and a pace too fast to follow, but at the bottom of the screen there’s something different: closed captions.

American Sign Language (ASL) teacher Anne Zurcher always makes sure to add closed captions to support any students with hearing difficulty, making her one of the most in demand teachers at Creek by students with any hearing difficulties.

ASL is one of the most sought after classes at Creek, and one of the reasons demand is so high is because Zurcher is the only teacher. She hopes to improve inclusivity at Creek which would start with hiring another ASL teacher – preferably someone who is deaf.

“I would love [if Creek hired a deaf teacher],” Zurcher said. “I’ve talked multiple times about it. I think it would be amazing, especially for the upper levels [of the class] and to expand the program.”

Given that Zurcher can only teach five class periods, two sections of ASL 1, two sections of level two, and one section of level three, hiring another teacher would open opportunities such as the ability to offer ASL to more students.

“ASL is not my native language, English is my native language,” Zurcher said. “So, I believe that deaf people who have ASL as their native language would prefer for that to be who’s teaching the language.” The deaf community includes people with all types of hearing loss. Some members are “capital D

“But, [the deaf community] gets excited

“I love teaching sign language here because I’m giving awareness to all of these students who might not know about Deaf culture.”

American Sign Language teacher Anne Zurcher when somebody is passionate about [ASL] and wants to teach it and have kids get excited about it, so I think that they’re understanding, but I think their first preference would be a deaf teacher.”

Zurcher believes that educating a wider range of students is important to build a stronger sense of inclusivity at Creek.

“I love teaching sign language here because I’m giving awareness to all of these students who might not know about deaf cul-

TIPS ON HOW TO BE MORE INCLUSIVE SOURCE: GUPTACONSULTING.COM

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Staff Writers

Deaf,” according to Zurcher. These individuals use ASL as their primary means of communication and are part of the deaf community, whereas deaf is the medical definition of hearing loss.

“The reason the deaf community wouldn’t love or is maybe a little against a hearing person [teaching sign language] is just because of their culture and their strong ties to the [deaf] community,” Zurcher said.

INFOGRAPHIC BY EMILY GLEASON | PHOTO BY WRYN DUEPRE

ture or how important it is to include those people,” Zurcher said.

Junior Sydney Soderholm-Hudson is hard of hearing, and she appreciates how Zurcher creates an environment in her classroom where students feel supported. She believes that Creek could be more inclusive by educating teachers about how to help hard of hearing students. “[Creek could] have teachers speak to the students instead of towards the chalkboard, so the students have a better chance at seeing the teacher’s lips,” Soderholm-Hudson said via email.

To spread more awareness about ASL, Zurcher plans to put up QR codes around the school so that students can learn a phrase or word in ASL. So far, Creek and Grandview High School (GHS) are the only schools in the district that offer ASL, and if a student needs an interpreter the student has to go to GHS. Administration is currently looking into installing a screen on intercoms throughout Creek so that announcements are readable for anyone who cannot hear the announcements.

Although Zurcher is happy in her current position as a teacher, she would love to become an interpreter one day, and she emphasizes the importance of students treating everyone the same.

“If a deaf person ever asks, ‘What did they say?’ never say nothing,” Zurcher said. “Make sure you stop and tell them what happened because it’s the worst thing to be left out.”

SIGNING: ASL teacher Anne Zurcher teaches one of her level one ASL classes.

She makes sure to be aware of any students with any hearing difficulties. “Those little things that you might not think of come naturally and are more obvious to me now that I’ve been involved in the Deaf community for a long time,” Zurcher said.

January 2023

in-dep th

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TO WORK OR NOT TO WORK? Many students face the pros and cons of picking up a job

BY CARLY PHILPOTT & ALEX GRIBB Editor-in-Chief & Jr. Editor-in-Chief

10 | In-Depth

s teens across America go band for probably more than 20 hours to work every day, the youth that week, you know, so it’s just a lot,” population is taking the job Lee said. “Marching band is the equivmarket by storm. It can be challeng- alent of a part time job.” ing to balance academic, social, and Lee makes up the difference beprofessional lives, but about 61.7% of tween what money she spends and students at Creek manage it every day, what money she’s unable to make according to an October poll. during the school year by taking Nationally, that number is similar. high-paying jobs during the summer.

According to the Employment and At the Renaissance Fair, where she Unemployment Among Youth Sum- works weekends, she makes around mary, as of July 2022, around 60.4% of $500 a week, she said. The income is youth participated in the labor work- from minimum wage plus pooled tips. force.

She says visitors to the fair tip well.

For many students, work is a ne- “It’s not a teenager’s job. This is not the cessity, and has been viewed as a bur- amount of money a teenager typically den to students that feel like they’re makes,” she said. not getting the necessary payoff from On Renaissance Fair weekends such a demanding part of their lives. during the summer, Lee works 12 “I feel like I’m working all the time hours every day. Working long hours, and barely get time to do schoolwork especially back-to-back or immedior hang out with people,” senior Alex- ately after a school day, can be ungratey Aspen said. ifying and exhausting. It’s not easy for In 2021, Asteens to dedicate pen worked as a so much time “Teenagers are often host at Longhorn to being socially Steakhouse and and physically forced to work harder said approxiactive behind a and longer hours to mately 90% of his counter or in a ‘prove themselves’ to fellow hosts were kitchen. their older co-workers.” teenagers like “It takes a lot him – all findoff of me physing that the line ically, because Senior Mia Andre between earnyou can’t even sit ing some extra down the whole pocket cash and time,” Morris healthy time management is growing said. thinner.

This toll only worsens with the misSenior Ellie Morris agreed that treatment of teenage workers by both most of her coworkers were teen- fellow employees and customers. It agers. She spent most of her time in can be easy for teens to be taken ad2021 working at Crumbl Cookies and vantage of in the workplace, simply earned an hourly wage of $9.30, de- because they aren’t used to speaking spite the minimum wage at the time up for themselves. being $12.32.

“Teenagers are seen to be dumb and A typical work week for Aspen was inexperienced,” senior Mia Andre, around three days a week, with around a server and cashier at Tocabe, said. four to five hours a day, depending on “Teenagers are often forced to work what the weekend looks like. harder and longer hours to ‘prove Schedules like this can be difficult themselves’ to their older co-workers.” to balance for students with extensive Healy, who now works as a kids’ sports, extracurricular, or academic gymnastics coach, sometimes feels commitments. disrespected by older coworkers.

For senior Maggie Lee, this is why “They are all in their 30s, and I feel work only happens in the summer. like they think they know better than She’s a member of the marching band, I do and that I don’t have the responsiwhich takes up much of her time bility to run a gymnastics class or deal during the first semester of the school with parents on my own,” she said. year and makes managing her time alAdams said that similar problems most impossible, even without a job. can come from teenagers not know“In a competition week, I’m doing ing how to stick up for themselves. “I

The USJ surveyed 175 Creek students in October about their job status and experiences. Here is what some of the results were.

INFOGRAPHIC BY ALEX GRIBB

January 2023

think that they [teenagers] could [be disrespected] if they aren’t ready to say no to something that they can’t do, or be able to stand up for themselves towards rude customers,” Adams said.

Lee agrees on the need for teenage advocacy. “In my first year at the Renaissance Fair, I didn’t get all of my breaks or anything like that,” she said. “But then this last year, I learned how to advocate for myself more, and be like, ‘I just need to sit down,’ and then I would.”

When teenagers don’t speak up for themselves, they are put in undesired shifts and misused by their bosses. “There have been several instances where schedules have been changed last minute for me, or employers assume I can come in during non-schools hours when they’re short staffed, just because I’m not in school,” junior Gabby Clark said over text interview. Clark works as a cashier at Einstein’s, making $16 an hour plus tips.

Once Clark gets to her shift, problems can

12 | In-Depth

arise between herself and customers. of 35.5% of 110 respondents said they “There have been many times where cus- sometimes feel respected by customer. tomers have blatantly been disrespectful but Said issues of wait times and wrong orfor the most part, the average customer is ders can become worse if the person workvery respectful and ing is a teenage girl considerate,” she or presents as one. said.

Senior Catherine “As a host, I got hit on and For junior Owen Healy’s past hostess talked to by old men more Adams, a shift job at Earl’s made her often than not, and to them manager at Snarf ’s feel uneasy. “As a host, Sandwiches, conI got hit on and talked it was an okay thing, but as flict occasionally to by old men more a 16 year old girl it’s uncomoccur between cusoften than not, and to fortable.” tomer and worker. them it was an okay “Whenever there’s thing, but as a 16 year a small mistake in old girl it’s uncomfortSenior Catherine Healy the sandwich, I able,” Healy said. “They have to talk to the didn’t speak like that customer reasto my male coworkers suring them that we’ll fix it if they can and they turned to them when they needed wait an extra two minutes,” he said. something instead of the host who was the These problems of disrespect are felt by one with the information.”

Creek students. In an October USJ poll Although not as blatantly obvious, Lee also felt some of that prejudice when getting hired for her Renaissance job. “I think a reason I got hired was because I was a girl and they wanted a good storefront,” she said. “It’s like they wanted that image.”

Clark reflects the same feelings of misogyny. “There have been times when managers/ older coworkers would treat male coworkers, with almost the exact same age and experience as me, way different. They will treat them as if they are way more mature whereas they tend to be more bossy toward women workers,” she said.

Andre agrees that prejudices against girls in the workplace are not uncommon.

“I think that girls especially aren’t taken as seriously in terms of career,” Andre said.

“At my old job, girls would constantly get in trouble for ‘chatting too often’ or ‘being distracted,’ when boys would do the same with no punishment.”

Regardless of the cons of working, many still say that their jobs are a positive piece of their lives. In the same October USJ poll, 87.3% of the 110 respondents said that they enjoyed their job often or always. 81.6% said that they feel respected by employers.

“I feel absolutely respected by my employ-

Junior Gabby Clark grabs a bagel for a customer during her shift on Dec. 4. Clark, like many other students, works for a little extra cash. But she also says teens can be discriminated against in the workplace. “There have been several instances where schedules have been changed last minute for me, or employers assume I can come in during non-school hours when they’re short staffed, just because I’m not in school,” she said.

How do you spend the money you make?

“Mostly on food, some on clothing.”

– Senior Thomas Park

“I save about 75% of it for college, the rest of it I use for thrifting, concerts, and school lunch.”

– Senior Sydney Prairie

“I use it mostly on gas and food, sometimes I splurge and go shopping.”

– Junior Owen Adams

“A lot of gas, I save half of it, lunch, concerts.”

– Senior Skylar Sarsfield

ers,” Andre said. “I feel like my voice and Teens can gain experience working a low opportunity to meet people they might nevcontributions to the restaurant are more rec- wage job, building up skills that are appreci- er cross paths with otherwise. Lee recalls ognized and appreciated because it’s a small ated by employers and giving them a valu- bonding with coworkers, some much older business. My employees have also always able head start. By employing teens, man- than her, during breaks. been accommodating to me when I’ve need- agers have lower wage “Me and my co ed it the most.” workers and can staff workers did the tortilla “I think it’s nice to be Teens in the workforce often need a job to higher levels as stuchallenge in the back able to sort of get a head to make necessary money. Some are saving dents build up their area, and somebody for college or life out of the parents’ houses. seniority in the workbought tortillas and start with responsibilities Others are funding outings with friends or place. then we slapped each before you are fully out in other activities.

Healy expressed the other with tortillas and the world.”

“I bought my car after I worked at the fair,” importance of teens that was a lot of fun,” Lee said. While Lee’s parents paid for part of learning to be “self-sufLee said. the car, Lee still had to make up the differ- ficient” before leaving Andre described Senior Mia Andre ence on her own – a couple thousand dol- home. similar bonding exlars out of her own pocket. She also said that “At a certain age, you periences with cohaving money from summer jobs means she will be on your own,” workers, even can spend during the school year without she said. “So I think it’s nice to be able to sort when she was brand new to the job. picking up another job. of get a head start with the responsibilities “All of our salsas are made in house, so the Many student workers don’t face financial before you are fully out in the world with no chefs make pepper paste to make the salsas difficulties in their families, but still want comfort of your home.” spicy,” she said. “When I first started workto gain independence from their parents.

But the actual experiences of the job can ing there, they told me I should try a scoop Some, like Andre, say that being able to sup- be a plus for some students, too. on a chip as part of my ‘initiation,’” she said. port themselves in part leads to more confi“There was one day when a kid in my “It was probably the spiciest thing I’ve eatdence in their freedom.\ class…handed me a letter at the beginning en in my entire life, but it was a really good “If I really needed them of class that said that I was bonding experience, because my co-workers to, my parents would help her favorite coach,” Healy did it with me.”

“I bought my car me pay for things, but it said. “Knowing I was actuThe commonality and community formed after I worked at the feels nice to be able to do ally making an impact on with coworkers is often what keeps teenagers things for myself. I’m also these kids’ lives is just so going in such a stressful and time demand[Renaissance] Fair.” planning on investing exciting and motivating to ing industry. And without it, the job itself some of the money I earn,” hear because it makes me can become unbearable. “I used to work at Senior Maggie Lee she said. want to continue teaching.” a good kiosk in the mall. I was constantly Clark also enjoys her For Clark, the enjoyable being talked about behind my back, and it financial freedom, and parts of her job are in the seemed like my managers hated me. I nevspends her paychecks on going out, buying lulls in between rushes. “Whenever it’s not er felt like a valued member of the team, no clothes, and coffee. “I honestly just really like too busy and not too slow is when I’m my matter how much work I put in,” Andre said. having some extra cash and having a job al- happiest there,” she said. lows me to have that,” she said.

Working also gives some teenagers the

January 2023

sports

ISABEL ALLEY & AVERY HUTCHINS

W

ith thirteen years of pitching under his belt, junior Reid Johansen walked onto the varsity baseball field after tryouts last spring, confident that he made the team. To his surprise, the coaches told him he didn’t make the cut. Devastated, Johansen made his way to the junior varsity field.

Now a senior, Johansen has managed to receive an offer from a Division I university while on the JV baseball team.

Creek’s dominant athletic program sounds like a great opportunity for a high school athlete, but it doesn’t come without other consequences.

Seeing some underclassmen, even his little brother, make the team ahead of him was one of the main motivations behind Johansen’s desire to improve.

“It sucked. It’s hard,” Johansen said.

“But it drove me to grind even harder, way harder, than I ever did before.”

Faced with the disappointment of seeing his name on the JV roster, Johansen took a step back to analyze his game.

“I guess they just thought that I wasn’t as special as some of the other kids,” he said.

He started pitching submarine, which is a niche style rarely found in high school, and caught the attention of St. Bonaventure University.

The pressure of tryouts can sometimes cause athletes to struggle to meet expectations. Performing at a satisfactory level requires complete focus year-round, making tryouts a time where tensions grow between athletes who are going for the same spot. The football team’s recent success makes the demand to become part of the program even more present.

“For someone to be on varsity they have to out work everyone else not only on the field, but off the field as well,” said sophomore middle linebacker Matthew Luhring, who made varsity this year.

Football is not the only sport that Creek consistently dominates. The boys’ tennis team is almost always a force to be reckoned with.

“We’ve only lost in 6 out of the 51 boys’

Hang Them Up or Keep Trying?

The Consequences of Creek’s Athletic Dominance

14 | Sports

Staff Writers

REBOUNDS: 166

ART BY ANGELA XU

tennis state championships, so that dominance speaks for itself,” varsity 2 coach Ben Schlichting said.

The tennis program has always had a talented roster, with varsity teams 1 and 2 rolling past most of the competition they face annually.

“The toughest competition most of our players face is during our tryouts and at practices against other Cherry Creek players,” Schlichting said.

This legacy of success in the prestigious programs at Creek are appealing to athletes looking to be part of a more competitive team.

Ponderosa High School sophomore Alexander Dalton plans to move to Creek during senior year to be part of the football program. “[I want to come to Creek] because they have better connections to bigger schools and they go out of state, so get

“The toughest competition most of our players face is during our tryouts and at practices against other Cherry Creek players.”

Assistant Varsity Coach Ben Schlichting more exposure,” Dalton said.

The competition at Creek prepares its athletes with daily opportunities to play at a higher level. Creeks’ varsity football team traveled to Ohio in September of this year to face St. Edward High School.

Not all programs get oppurtunites like this. The girls’ soccer teams at Thomas Jefferson High School compete at a lower 3A high school level.

“It is one of the easier sports to play [at TJ] because it lacks the most competition,” sophomore varsity girls’ soccer player Riley Rimkus said.

TJ only has a student body of 1,310, resulting in fewer contenders for the varsity team, making it even easier than club

level to get into.

“I have played club soccer all my life, and in regards to school soccer, there is less competition overall,” Rimkus said.

Playing club soccer against the competition that most 5A schools face in the spring season helped prepare Rimkus for success at the Thomas Jefferson tryouts, due to the difference of skill level in the two different seasons.

“It was not that difficult for me to make varsity,” Rimkus said.

But here at Creek, senior Erin Mahoney found school soccer to be almost as competitive as the club team she was a part of for eight years.

“Club soccer was less competitive than Creek, however it depended on the team you made,” Mahoney said. “I made the freshman team my first year and it was about the same competitiveness.”

Competition is present in all lower levels, not just soccer. Any Creek basketball team is difficult to make with only ten available spots.

Creek sophomore Aaliyah Maze made the JV girls’ basketball team her freshman year and though it is no small feat, Maze wasn’t satisfied without varsity. She pushed herself to work harder, putting in tens of hours each week to refine her basketball skills, and get in better shape through strength and conditioning.

“I’ve done lifting and speed training at least three times a week, [along with] practicing ball handling and shooting at least five times a week,” Maze said.

Maze figured that one of the only ways to improve your game is to continue to seek out better competition and learn how to deal with adverse situations.

Her hard work and dedication paid off when her coach was approached by a George Mason University scout with an offer for Maze to continue her basketball career in college.

“I’ve learned that playing people that are better than you ultimately helps you understand the game better and strengthens your skills,” Maze said.

January 2023

Creek Athletic Trainer Shares His Passion

Varsity Football Four-Peats

BY CARLY PHILPOTT & ALEX GRIBB

C PHOTO BY CARLY PHILPOTT

Editor-in-Chief & Jr. Editor-in-Chief

reek’s football team won their fourth state championship in a row, beating Valor Christian High School 24-17. It’s Creek’s 13th all-time, and Coach Dave Logan’s fifth at Creek. This is the only four-peat in 5A Colorado football history.

Emotions ran high during the game, according to senior running back Carlson “Bubba” Tann. “To be able to go out there and be down by four in the first half and keep the momentum up: we were all just really happy and excited that we were able to complete the journey,” he said over text interview.

See more photos online at unionstreetjournal.com.

Senior wide receiver Cooper Pollard (#7) is tackled by a Valor player. In the first half, the two teams were evenly matched, but Creek pulled ahead after the half.

PHOTO BY ALEX GRIBB

Players jump into the stands following the Creek win, lifting four fingers to symbolize Creek’s four state championships in a row.

PHOTO BY CARLY PHILPOTT

Team captains (from left) senior wide receiver Ismael Cisse (#14), senior outside linebacker Logan Brantley (#5), senior defensive lineman Blake Purchase (#12), and senior offensive lineman Hank Zilinskas (#58) line up opposite Valor’s captains for the coin toss. Creek won the toss and elected to kick off in the first half.

Players listen to the national anthem, sung by Creek’s Meistersingers, before the game.

16 | Sports

Senior running back Carlson “Bubba” Tann (#17) reacts to a touchdown scored by senior wide receiver Ismael Cisse, which put the team up 17-7.

Tann received MVP for the championship game. “It just made me realize that I was a key part in the win we took,” Tann said. “It felt really good to be able to contribute and overall get the W.”

PHOTO BY CARLY PHILPOTT

BY ALEX GRIBB

O

n the sidelines of every Creek game. Between every practice.

During broken ankles and concussion protocol, there is always one constant: athletic trainer Josh Yamaguchi.

Yamaguchi snagged the job at Creek four years ago, and despite the glamorous appeal of working with professional teams, Yamaguchi was drawn towards the flexibility working in a school could provide. “I’ve heard other stories from other athletic trainers that it is very time consuming. Their hours are very rigorous, especially in season,” he said.

But Yamaguchi wanted a life outside of work. “Knowing that I wanted to have a family, I didn’t want to be in a position where I had to sacrifice my family for my job. This is a good balance between having family time and being at work,” he said.

This balance wasn’t always the case.

“When you’re a young athletic trainer, the jobs are relatively low paying and can have long hours. They can be a lot of hard work. Whether it be the high school, college, or professional level the toughest part is just getting started,” Yamaguchi said. .

Ya m a g u c h i ’ s training style focuses primarily on the rehabilitation of injury. Junior Kaden Bennett is a frequent of the training office, and has felt the strategy Yamaguchi employs. “He’s good at prioritizing people and takes his time making sure people are good to go for games,” Bennett said over text interview.

More nuanced is his emphasis on the value of com-

Jr. Editor-in-Chief

fortability. “We’re also, to a lesser extent, a place for kids to relax a little more.

They’re not in a classroom where they have to be tense and stressed. We’re a place where they can hopefully recover well,” he said.

Comfort is seen everywhere in the athletic training room. Windows are scattered throughout, bringing in light, and making what would be an brick room open. Inside the office itself is a wall splattered with the signatures of some of Creek’s most distinguished athletes. Even the stool inside the office is cushioned.

Despite Creek’s athletic prowess, it is still a public school. That lack of privatization, more notably the funds that go with it, limits what Yamaguchi can provide for rehabilitation. “If money weren’t an issue, the use of highly skilled strength and conditioning coaches would be something that would benefit [athletes.]” Yamaguchi said. “ I think when we talk about injury prevention, that [strength and conditioning] is a re-

ally big part of it.”

Yamaguchi appreciates the trust he has with coaching staffs, especially their understanding of his process.

“There’s very little black and white in athletic training; it’s not a test you can score 100% on. It’s not graded,” he said.

“Yes, we try to do the best we can with each person, but we never talk about being perfect.”

The “we” Yamaguchi mentions is his co-trainer Cristina Navarro.

The pair work on roughly 1,000 athletes every fall. “We don’t get the opportunity to be really, really involved and follow up constantly. But that’s just a byproduct of the environment.” Yamaguchi said.

Yamaguchi’s involvement is enough to be emotionally invested during games.

“Because we know these athletes so well, we have a personal connection to a lot of them. We want to see them win and we want to see them succeed,” he said. “But at the same time, I try to keep the mentality that I don’t have any impact on the game. If they lose it’s nothing I can control.”

Ya m a g u c h i wants his athletes to thrive. But, for him, it starts with his own passion.

“If you’re passionate about [athletic training], if you care about it, then you’ll put the time and energy and effort in.

When you care about something, it blossoms and

PHOTO BY IZZY KRAUSS

Athletic Trainer Josh Yamaguchi works on junior Kaden Bennett’s knee. “He’s very respectful and helpful,“ Bennett said.

January 2023

God of War: Ragnarök

BY BLAYNE AINA II Staff Writer

a&e

T

he long awaited game God of War Ragnarök, another great title by Santa Monica Studios, was finally released on Nov. 9 which is available on PS5 and PS4 consoles. The developers of this game went above and beyond with its amazing graphics and storyline, and the $59.99 (PS4) or $69.99 (PS5) price point is well worth it for such a well thought out game.

Ragnarök exceeded my expectations, starting with the amount of realism added to its adventurous and unique atmosphere.

Players explore a dramatic, wintry world and enjoy a vast catalog of quests, participating in amazing action scenes with main character Kratos. Breathtaking cinematics and a quality soundtrack just add to the all-encompassing experience, and it really feels like you’re a war god traveling Norse realms.

Players won’t miss the old God of War gameplay. There are many similarities between the 2018 edition and the new release, including characters, the familiar fluid gameplay, and overall difficulty level. The

2022’s BEST ALBUM BEST MOVIE BEST TV SHOW

story is compelling and urges you to complete side quests which allow you to learn more about the characters and unlock new parts of the story.

Combat is top-notch thanks to the near-flawless programming. The movement mechanics are god-tier, and you can find your way out of any sticky situation, whether in a boss fight or being swarmed by a horde of one of the various types of mobs.

Plenty of games lack this satisfying, smooth gaming experience, so Ragnarök is really a joy to play. The last thing that you want is something that you can’t play because of lag or inconsistent game performance.

The gameplay is also challenging to the max, forcing you to implement skills you learned in earlier phases. Hardcore boss fights push your skills and techniques to their limit and might require multiple attempts. The bosses have greatly increased in difficulty from the 2018 edition, making every single one a worthwhile sidetrack from the main plot. Each boss guards valuable loot that makes your experience more fulfilling as you continue the story.

Ragnarök is a masterpiece with gorgeous

SONY

graphics, challenging and engaging gameplay, and a gripping story. I would highly recommend this game to anyone who is looking for a hardcore Nordic mythology game.

Alex Gribb’s Worst of 2022

BY ALEX GRIBB

18 | A&E

American Heartbreak

Top Gun: Maverick

Reservation Dogs

In a year packed with over-produced, profit-maximizing pop hits, Zach Bryan took music back to its roots. A 34-song album absolutely overflowing with tear-jerking melodies over guitar and harmonica, American Heartbreak is true art. Bryan’s voice is raw and addictive and conveys every droplet of emotion that flows from his pen.

Country is the genre of storytelling, though it might be hard to tell with today’s electronic, four-chord trap beat copy-and-pastes. No one can tell a more compelling story than Zach Bryan. He’s clearly bursting with creativity, and he isn’t cutting any of it away. A two-hour masterpiece.

- A&E editor Katya Roudakov

Undoubtedly the best action movie of the year. But the attention to detail and phenomenal character development are what make it more than that: top-notch aviator action, humor, and suspense combine with a surprisingly touching plot to make an unforgettable film. Every aspect of this movie is compelling, from the soundtrack to the screenwriting.

After more than 30 years of service as one of the Navy’s top aviators, Pete “Maverick” Mitchell (Tom Cruise) is where he still belongs: pushing the envelope. Nail-biting action, deep characters, and stunning visuals tie this film into a perfect blockbuster.

- Staff Writer Owen Youngblood

The long-awaited second season of Hulu’s Reservation Dogs exceeded expectations across the board. The show follows Native American teenagers Bear (D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai), Elora (Devery Jacobs), Willie Jack (Paulina Alexis), and Cheese (Lane Factor) living on a reservation. They learn to cope with neglectful dads, dead friends, and bread rolls drenched in ranch, and use witty humor to deal with it all. Sure, you’ll be sobbing so loud you’ll wake up your sister, but you’ll also be breathless from laughing too hard. Reservation Dogs perfectly depicts humanity and reminds everyone that it’s okay to not be okay.

- Staff Writer Maddie Hart

G

Jr. Editor-in-Chief

ribb’s weekly column explores eight things she hates. These are some highlights of the year.

Jell-O: The texture is just so awful. I also don’t understand how it’s clear. Or why it wiggles. It feels nuclear, which is cool I guess, but it’s nuclear in a bad way.

Golf: I do not believe anyone actually enjoys this “sport.” How could you? Thwacking an itty bitty ball far distances hardly seems taxing on the body. More importantly, can we talk about how ugly the greens are? Where is the flavor? Where is the biodiversity?

Where is the common sense to put down a club and pick up a Vogue magazine? Can we get a grip on golf fashion? I’m asking so many questions because I do not have answers for this horrible activity.

People who don’t use autocapitalization: Pack it up preschoolers. Start capitalizing your sentences and using correct punctuation. The funniest thing about this is that someone will send you the most gut-wrenching text, and it isn’t even grammatically correct. How are you going to break my heart and only use lowercase letters?

Lack of Hygiene at School: As we all have heard, the school has been evacuated for “Mysterious odors.” I’m telling you right now: that stench is teenage boys and their lack of deodorant. A good community service idea would be handing out packs of gum. I’m sure any college would see that work, and immediately accept you on full scholarship.

Burnt popcorn: A typical afternoon munch for me is microwave popcorn. Buttery, salty, perfect. This gorgeous experience is ruined when I feel a crunch that then expels one of the worst tastes known to man. Is it my fault that the popcorn got burnt? Yes. Am I making it everyone else’s problem? Also yes.

For more hate, scan the QR code

January 2023

opinions

TEXT ME

SOUL E T A M

SWEE T PEA

LOVE BUG

YOU ROCK

O O T E R WE A O T E R U T IMMA E V O L L E FE

Walking around in the hallways of work, adding the pressure of trying to Creek, no one expects to hear about make a relationship work is too much. teenagers’ relationships and their odd Unwanted emotions come out and problems. they can be im“We’ve been dating possible to comfor a week and I’m alprehend. ready sick of her.”

Because these Most teenagers “We said ‘I love strong feelings shouldn’t be in you,’ last night. It’s are normal, esrelationships this crazy. It’s only been a pecially in relaearly on because month.” tionships, com“His friends influmunication is love isn’t something ence all of his decivery important. that is simple. sions and I can’t take Talking instead it anymore.” of assuming and High Schoolers making the probthink they have all the lem worse is why answers. They think it’s smart to rush relationships become demanding, into relationships. But they’re wrong. untrustworthy, and toxic. As young As young people, we forget about people, we forget that being immature things like timing, bonds, and trust. could be the root of the problem of The truth is, most teenagers shouldn’t being impatient and jumping to conbe in relationships this early on be- clusions. cause love isn’t something that is simAccording to an article by McLean ple. Connections and bonds aren’t easy Harvard Medical School “trusting anfor everyone. Not even for me. other person can take time… having Thinking you’re ready for a rela- a sense of safety is crucial to the longtionship is very different than actually term success of your relationship.” being ready. And I speak from experience. When all I thought about was wanting to be in a relationship, it didn’t last.

But there’s a difference between wanting and really thinking through the difficult part.

“Love comes from something that lasts a long time and you feel it a lot deeper,” sophomore Lira Cannon who’s been in a happy relationship for three months said.

Cannon and her partner have gotten to know each other and have talked through what each party wants. For love to thrive, it has to flourish in a healthy environment. Without it, passion deteriorates over time, soon becoming an overload of work and stress.

With homework piling up and students laboring over tests and home-

This circles back to the idea that rushing into relationships without the skills or patience necessary to maintain them isn’t smart. You should always take time to get to know the person you want something more with. Teens forget to do this because they’re so distracted by wanting to be with that person and the stress of school that they are unable to truly understand their desires.

We have to realize that before we jump into a relationship, we need to think about ourselves too. What we want. What we think. What we feel.

If we’re not ready for something this significant, we shouldn’t go into something that might not work in the end.

Making something work takes maturity. And not just for yourself, but for the other person as well. Teens can feel love but we aren’t mature enough to know how to be ready for a relationship yet.

<2%

Of m arria ges a to hi re gh sc hool swee thea rts

COUPLES THERAPY INC.

BY GABBY SCHROCK T.B.C... Chair

20 | Opinions

January 2023

STAFF EDITORIAL

Ivy Leagues Need to Go

Under the Surface Students Still Suffer the Impacts of COVID-19

C

OVID’s lasting effect on the came next, I didn’t care about the now, mental health of students is dras- either. My grades dropped, I didn’t try to tic. It has dismantled work ethic make new friends and I just stuck to with and stability, draining students of compe- who I knew. tence. Ignoring this is a massive setback to Masks were on and off, teachers gave improvement. more online assignments after getting Before COVID, I had my life planned used to that system. Except everyone preout for years to come, tended it was all normal.

I was constantly No one talked about thinking about who I COVID or its impact. was going to become. When COVID hit, I lost all No one seemed to care When COVID hit, I sight of the future. I didn’t to find the way out of the lost all sight of the fuloop. care about tomorrow, ture. I didn’t care about It took months to reyesterday, three minutes, gain any ambition, and tomorrow, yesterday, three minutes, three it’s still not all back . three years, or three years, or three decades Studying and homework decades. from now, it didn’t are forgotten: the only matter. I only worried difference between then about getting through and now is that it’s more that moment, one breath at a time. frustrating. I fail to work as efficiently as As we all learned from our desks, beds, I’d like to and I fear the effect it will have and kitchen tables, we forgot how to func- on my future. tion as members of society. We lost sight “[T]he pandemic has forced us to take of the future and focused only on what a look at our mental health and find ways was directly in front of us. to take action to care for ourselves through High school started and everything self-care,” said Kristin Fuller, physician was more or less back to normal - but I and writer for Psychology Today. was dreamless. Without concern for what Self-care includes making time for

BY ARAM BAZARIAN Staff Writer

yourself, finding an expressive outlet, and accepting the help you need. Mental health is malleable to circumstance and the pandemic-induced isolation is what left so many people inept in their day-today lives.

The lasting impact of COVID on mental health needs to be acknowledged so that it can be fixed. Forgetting that people are still struggling from the effects of the pandemic makes it impossible to move on from them. Learn the ways it still affects you, and ways to manage those offsets so you can truly progress.

That being said, it is not impossible to recover from the emotional strain that COVID has left on us all - give yourself time to process and adjust back to whatever “normal” is to you, talk to people you trust and who care about you, and focus on your mental health.

Isolation and illness is harmful for everyone, even people who are struggling to conform to the harsh circumstances. It is damaging all around, but it is possible to heal if you dedicate time to acknowledge the harm done, and restore healthy behaviors.

B

ehind pillared architecture with ivied walls, and masterful brick paired with lush green trees is a rarely acknowledged fact: the Ivy Leagues are overrated.

Laced with elitism, these schools convince willing applicants that the prestige of their institution will translate to their students’ stature. It won’t, but that doesn’t stop thousands of students from submitting their applications to the Ivies.

It makes sense that a school of Creek’s academic and financial caliber would have a pipeline to the same overzealous community in college. It doesn’t make sense, however, that students intelligent enough to get into these schools actually apply there, as the Ivies are riddled with problems money can not fix.

Because of academic prowess and tenacious students, Creek has appeared to be a funnel to the Ivy Leagues. But don’t be tricked by the success of your peers into thinking the Ivies are the pinnacle of education. Here are three reasons why they aren’t.

3.

Experience

1.

I

Price

vies are the most expensive institutions in the United States.

The average cost of the big eight each semester is $62,203.43.

This compared to the national average of $27,560 for out of state students, makes Ivy League prices seem blown out proportionally.

This would mean little if the quality of education was superior at Ivy Leagues, but it’s not.

I

vy leagues are riddled with problems, from Yale’s involvement in the 2019 Varsity Blues Scandal to the continuous acceptance of under qualified students under the reasoning of family legacy.

But with these old institutions come old problems, namely racism and prejudice.

In one instance, 300 Dartmouth College students and faculty members wrote

2.

Education

F

our of the eight Ivies were in the top ten best universities, according to US News rankings.

Above most Ivies are M.I.T.. (#2) and Stanford (#3). And many Ivies ranked disappointingly low: Brown is 13th, Cornell is 17th, and Columbia is 18th. Washington University in St. Louis and Northwestern University both rank above Brown, Cornell, and Columbia.

The idea that the path to success needs to be defined by an ivy education is incorrect and the notion should be removed from everyone’s mind.

an open-ended letter to the Dartmouth College Board of Trustees, asking them to address and unravel the institution’s systematic racism.

If these ancient schools are unable to adapt to human decency, then students should not apply to them.

Community Colleges Are In

J

| Opinionsand Staff Editorial 2222| Opinions

ART BY NOLA THOMPSON

ust as the Ivy League schools are overrated, community colleges are their underrated counterpart. When a student announces they are going to attend a community college, frowns and whispers of laziness follow. But these schools are so grossly criticized for providing bad education, while there are so many benefits to attending one.

While major college students are paying over $50,000 per semester for their education, community colleges offer an average semester tuition of only $1,865. Cost of edPHOTO BY GABBY SCHROCK

ucation is a major factor when thinking of post-grad plans, and community colleges should be praised, not belittled, for their ability to provide a low price.

The Ivy’s are commended for amazing classes and teachers, but it’s not like you’re learning nothing at a community college.

You can get a more-than-decent education at a local school that can get you a well paying job. The problem is, when a resume is decorated with a community college diploma, it’s who went to more notable schools.

Community colleges serve a second purpose, though, providing a step-stool to another university. 31% percent of students will transfer to a four year university after they’ve graduated, and more than 71% will go on to be employed, according to Think Impact.

These two year schools are useful for giving students that extra nudge to get the success we should all have a shot at.

January 2023 November 2022

PHOTOS OF THE YEAR

PHOTO BY CARLY PHILPOTT

Junior offensive lineman Jordan Herron celebrates Creek’s homecoming win. The Bruins dominated the Arvada West Wildcats at the homecoming game on Friday, Sept. 16, winning 62-21. Tying the first quarter 7-7, the Bruins pulled away 48-7 in the second quarter and never let Arvada West make a comeback. Though the Bruins brought home a win, the night was about more than just football. “The game is usually entertaining,” Principal Ryan Silva said about homecoming. “But it really is the event that allows for seeing friends from the past, showing pride for the school, and feeling connected to Creek again.”

– Sports Editor Annabelle Crouch, Sept. 19

PHOTO BY QUINN RUDNICK

A protester shouts call-and-response chants into a megaphone near the Colorado Capitol in Denver on June 27.

Protests against the overturning of Roe v. Wade continued in front of the Capitol for over a week after the decision was handed down by the Supreme Court on June 24. Thousands heard speeches and marched in protest. “I have a daughter, and she’s two, and I am here for her today,” Jeannie, 36, said on July 2. Jeannie is a nurse practitioner at Marathon Health in Denver and marched on June 27 as well. “I don’t want her rights to go away…Because I personally have [gone] through this and the fact is that if I didn’t have this option, I wouldn’t be here today.”

– Editor-in-Chief Carly Philpott, July 2

PHOTO BY IZZY KRAUSS

Seniors Sloane Blake (left) and Ava Sposito perform in Creek’s fall play, Frankenstein. Creek’s fall play opened on Nov. 3, marking the regional premiere of Danielle Mohlman’s Frankenstein based on the novel by Mary Shelley. Blake and senior Eliana Yokomichi traded off playing the main role of both Mary Shelley and the Monster. “Frankenstein was an incredible experience for all the cast and crew,” Sposito, who played Elizabeth Frankenstein, said. “It was really different from last year’s show, but I think that’s what made it so much more fun and exciting. It was a pretty dark show and a little confusing at times but it was a really good way to branch out of everyone’s comfort zones.”

– Managing Editor Quinn Rudnick, Nov. 8