Insider issue 6

Issue 6

The Insider

February 2018

A Farewell to Father Her ic Anna Leist Insider Editor-In-Chief Visitors, parents, students, and faculty alike can agree that the one of most admired and influential aspects of the Eastside Catholic school is our school Chaplin, Father Heric.Through his selfless actions and kind persona, he has never failed to make a student or anyone else at this school feel welcome.

Many at Eastside Catholic are extremely sad to see him leave after his 19 years of service.

Father Heric is assigned to his position by the Archbishop, and collectively, they decided that it was time for his chapter at Eastside Catholic to come to a close. He came in 1999, which makes this year his 19th year.

He never thought his time here would last as long as it did.

The archbishop was in conversation with Father Heric, and they came to the conclusion that he should have one more assignment before he retired.This finalized their decision that it was time for Father Heric to finish his ministry at Eastside Catholic.

Father went on sabbatical February 9, until the end of the school year. He stated that priests tend to go on sabbatical every seven to ten years. His last sabbatical was 21 years ago, so he did agree that now would be the perfect time for him to finish his mission at EC. This sabbatical will be the last one he gets before he retires.

Father Heric said that his favorite part of Eastside Catholic was watching the students come to school. In his interview with The Insider, he stated, ?At our old campus, it was only one level in a courtyard and I would be out there greeting them. Now at our new campus I am at the top of the stairs.When I see the students coming to school, my heart just beats in excitement because I am so glad to see you guys.? Even when it was rainy, cold, and people were not in the best mood, Father Heric said that he always loved greeting the children before school.

One of his favorite moments at Eastside Catholic was seeing the students gather at the foot of the reader board for a candlelight vigil when a fellow student had passed away. He said he was touched to see the kindness and love in student?s hearts.

Debating GMOs Pg. 3

Another favorite moment was breaking ground on the current Eastside Catholic campusfor the first time. He described how the land was merely an open field and empty property, but how it was the start of the future of EC. Lastly, one of his favorite moments was beating O?Dea High School in a football game for the first time in many years.It was 2008 and Mr. Hostak was part of the team. The team had a history of always getting close to victory, but it wasn?t until fall of that year when Father Heric first watched his school?s team win.

PHOTO | EC MARKETINGS |

Father Heric says that he will always remember the baptisms and marriage ceremonies he has performed. Although he says he has sadly performed a few student funerals, it has been a blessing to experience all of these significant memories with students and their families.

Out of all the things he will be missing as he departs, Father Heric says with no hesitation, ?I will miss the kids the most.I will really miss all of the students!?

PHOTO | RILEY WILKINS |

Father Heric will be back at Eastside Catholic on May 30th, arriving just in time for Baccalaureate and graduation. He still doesn?t know where he is going after his sabbatical, but he has asked to be assigned in the greater Seattle area, to stay close to his mother.

When asked if he had any words of advice for the future of Eastside Catholic, Father Heric stated, ?I hope that EC remains solidly committed to its Catholic mission and Christian character.That is the whole reason this school is here.If we lose that as one of our priorities, we might as well not call ourselves Eastside Catholic.We would just be another private school.?

PHOTO | EC ATHELTICS |

Going forward, Father Heric had a few words of advice for current students of Eastside Catholic.?Remember to take care of each other! Grow in faith, hope, and love.

Cherish this time of your life and make the most of it because it is really quite brief. Be about giving back to all that has been given to you. Give back to your community through your love and care and be patient with the adults in your life. Go Crusaders!"

The Problems with Juuling Pg. 4

PHOTO | RILEY WILKINS |

Dealing with Anxiety Pg. 5

Winter Olympics Pg. 7

Student Life

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From the Wr iter 's Room:

A Day in the L ife of M r. L abelle Riley Wilkins Insider Co-Editor

Two years ago, Mr. Labelle, a 9th and 11th grade English teacher, followed one of his students around for an article in the school newspaper, on the daily life of a student at Eastside Catholic. He learned a lot about the struggles a student must go through each day.

From running from the athletic pavilion to the 3rd floor science rooms in just five minutes, to the excessively crowded No Junk, he got to live the life of a normal student. Labelle even said ?Going around was kind of in lighting for two reasons. I saw how difficult a typical school day can be for a teenager here. It can be tiring by the end of seventh period. Two I thought it was interesting how different all our teachers are. I saw some cool stuff from some other teachers that I never do, maybe I can learn from other teachers.?

I decided to do a follow up article, a day on the life of an average Eastside Catholic teacher, and follow Mr. Labelle around for a day, to see what a teacher goes through daily. I went to all seven periods and lunch with him, and go to see how he lives out his school days.

First period I walked into class before him and got to observe a freshman class without a teacher in it. I sat in the back of the class as he taught moving around the room occasionally to see how the different students were progressing.

Second and third period was a junior class, that was almost as tired as the first period. Mr. Labelle walked around helping students and checking emails, which seemed to be the norm for him.

Fourth was a free period, where Mr. Labelle sat in the library, sharing the hot gossip with fellow teacher, Mr. Dingler.

They sat next to each other all period working together and going over class activities.

PHOTO | RILEY WILKINS |

At the end of the day he said, ?It was interesting and kind of showed me how tedious and boring our jobs can be just teaching the same thing repeatedly. But I didn?t really think about that until I had a teacher going around with me.?

It became evident that teachers at EC do a lot more than just teach and they deserve our gratitude for their hard work.

Fifth was another Junior class, pretty much the same as second and third, where he helped students complete group projects and again, checking his email.

Sixth was his last class, a freshman class, where they read as a group. He lead fearlessly using different voices for each character. He made reading a not so fun book, fun.

PHOTO | RILEY WILKINS |

Issue 6

Student Life

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Seating Char t or Nah?...That is the Question Garrett Wallace Insider Staff Seating charts assigned by the teacher are a popular way to arrange students in schools around the country. Most of the time seating charts are random or alphabetical, but if the teachers let the kids sit where they want, how will that affect learning? Seating charts are reinforced by the argument that they help learning by keeping students from talking with other students so that they will pay attention more and the class will have less interruptions.

According to studies done on the issue, If the teachers let students sit where they want, studies show that it will bolster cliques and possibly keep students form learning.

Studies conducted by the Professional Learning Board show that where students sit in the class can also show what type of student they are. People who sit in the front of the class are more attentive, diligent and tend to be better students. Students who sit at the back pay less attention to what is going on the class and are more laid back and don?t want to be noticed by the teachers. Students who tend to sit by the door or window sit there because that provides distractions from the sometimes monotonous lessons of the classroom. Also, typical bad classroom behavior tends to come from the students who sit in the back.

Therefore, seating charts may hinder students

PHOTO | RILEY WILKINS |

learning attention span, concentration, comprehension and even retaining information can be influenced by where the student chooses to sit.

The way the seats themselves are arranged can help or hurt the learning environment. The most common setup, the rows makes it so the teacher can make use of the entire classroom and students can sit anywhere they want based on their learning preferences. The second most common arrangement of a classroom is the horseshoe arrangement, this arrangement is made so students sit around the teacher and it makes it easy for the students to pay attention and retain more information about the lessons from the teacher. Finally, the horseshoe arrangement makes it possible for every student to get a front row experience of the class.

Finally, the ways seating can be assigned can influence learning and sometimes help students learn and get more out of the class if the students just go in by themselves.

The pairing system helps encourage interaction between students and can help students learn more than if they were just sitting by themselves because two different students can use their points of view to help other students.

Many studies from different time periods and areas have consistently shown that there are a lot of factors that can affect the learning environment and seating arrangement is one of the biggest factors. Students can learn a lot more with a proper seating arrangement than with a random seating arrangement and performance levels are proven to increase in students with the right positioning in the class.

PHOTO | RILEY WILKINS |

Sophomores Debate the M er its of GM Os Chris Grazko Insider Staff Throughout recent days, the Sophomore Honors Biology classes have been debating the usage of genetically modified seeds and products. The projects involve in-depth research into the various pros and cons of the usage of GMO products, and formulating an argument based upon an assigned perspective.

The students choose at random, a certain role in which they fill within society. An example of these roles include could include, ?mother with children? or ?farmer within a developing country.? With these roles and perspectives in mind, the students research the areas in which genetically modified organisms fit into their needs or roles.

Following their research, the students from a simple argument based upon the scientific and moral grounds and present their arguments to the class in a presentation in front of a make believe United Nations General Assembly. The rest of the class takes notes on the opening arguments of their classmates and formulate questions to pinpoint potential weaknesses or clarifications within the arguments of their opponents. In addition to the students with assigned roles, there are two United Nations judges who take specific notes on the arguments of other students, and form specific questions that produce lively debate and interactions between classmates of opposing

viewpoints. Through the course of the debates, the students are able to learn the moral, scientific and economic pros and cons for the production and sale of genetically modified organisms.

naturally from the Monsanto farm to the non-Monsanto farm. Despite the independent farmer not desiring the seeds from Monsanto, and not having an ability to prevent the pollination of seeds.

Many of the students who present an argument based upon the prevention of the proliferation of GMOs contend that the full picture of the safety of GMOs cannot be realized this early in the history of genetically modified organisms as they are relatively new and most health studies have been largely inconclusive. They also contend that seed giants such as Monsanto can hold hostage the independent farmers near the farmers of Monsanto, as the seeds produced by Monsanto can be patented, and thus any non-Monsanto farmer found in possession of Monsanto patented seeds can be sued. Although this practice seems like Monsanto standing up for its own economic interests, the moral issue appears when seeds are cross-pollenated

The students arguing from the perspective of someone with a disposition to be pro-GMO, contend that the exchange of DNA between organisms is a natural process that has been occurring since the dawn of agriculture, and thus the deliberate modification of the genetic code of animals is the natural evolution of this natural process. They also explain potential economic benefits from farmers being able to use plants that are genetically immune to pesticides, meaning that they can spray the entirety of their fields with pesticides while only killing pests.

The ultimate goal of the debates is to reach a resolution about the morality of the production and sale of GMOs There are four potential resolution options that can be reached, and through the deliberation of the UN judges and the representatives, one will be agreed upon as the correct answer to the moral issue of genetically modified organisms

PHOTO | PENN STATE |

Student Life

Issue 6

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Juuling: The Silent K iller Lauren Michels and Katie Springborn

Not only is there a large cost to pay in money, but for all of this money, Juulers are looking at addiction to nicotine and encouraging the use of harder drugs, that are worse on the body.

Insider Staff Juuling has been a rising issue in communities across the country amongst high school students. Juuling is an alternative for adult smokers and it is an electronic cigarette (e-cigs). The JUUL website states that the products are for people 21 and older, and one pod for the Juul is equivalent to a pack of cigarettes. Nicotine and e-cigarettes are illegal to have and/or purchase for all people under the age of 18. Young adults, specifically lots of high schoolers recently have been partaking in the use of electronic cigarettes.

This issue has been prevalent in high school bathrooms and and has raised concerns with parents and school administrators alike.

Students in Washington have been getting expelled or suspended for getting caught using Juuls in school bathrooms and at school.

Substances that can be vaporized and used in an e-cig are flavored water-type mixtures, THC (marijuana), and the main one used by teens is nicotine. Nicotine is a highly addictive drug that has negative effects on the body. Nicotine exposure can lead to type 2

diabetes and even insulin resistance. Nicotine is seen as a gateway to the use of harder drugs, especially with young adults. Evidence linking smoking and other drugs is still being collected and analyzed throughout the scientific community.

Students like to say they Juul to either get a ?headrush?or simply because it is seen to be cool in different social circles. The 'headrush' lasts for around only ten seconds and while it may seem enjoyable, people do not realize the actual cost they are paying for the little reward they get.

A regular Juuler goes through about 1-2 pods a day, equivalent to 1-2 packs of cigarettes. A pack of 4 pods is $15.99 and in a month a juuler would have spent about $240.

Juuls look like USB sticks, and the chargers look like them as well. Students have admitted to Juuling in class and blowing it out in their hoods or continuing to inhale so all of the vapor evidence PHOTO | NCHS COURANT | goes away. They have also admitted to charging them in class because they look like USBs and teachers do not notice because they are unaware of what they are. Kids Juul in the hallways, outside of the school in cars, and in bathrooms. EC has recently complete a faculty training on the dangers of e-cigarette use.

As adults become educated on Juuling, light has been brought onto the issue. Schools are installing juul detectors in the bathrooms and at Eastside kids are not allowed to wear their hoods in class. Nicotine is an illegal drug for young adults and school administrations have been cracking down on the problem and will continue to do so. For more information on the dangers of vaping visit: cdc.gov

Parenting: Per missive vs. Str ict Dawson Flowers Insider Staff

parents and end up turning to their peers. Oftentimes, their peers are not the best source of good life direction.

This will eventually turn into kids who tend to be underachievers or lazy.

As Hillary Clinon famously said, "It takes a village to raise a child."

The two most prominent practices of raising a child would be a lenient or a strict approach. There is no right or wrong way, but there are several benefits of both sides.

Permissive parents are often looked down upon but there are many advantages and disadvantages of both sides of the spectrum.Permissive parents are lenient, avoid confrontation, and allow considerable self-regulation from their kids. These parents also believe that stressing academic success is not good for children and that they should let children feel that learning is fun. In addition to this, these types of parents feel the need to constantly reassure their kids and never call them ego-deflating nicknames. They always acknowledge and give value to their kids?individuality. They give them freedom to pursue their own passions and choices in life while providing positive reinforcement and nurturing environment.

There are many advantages to having permissive parents, as many of the children grow up with the ability to think creatively and be innovative. Being free to pursue what they want, they are able to think outside the box.

Strict parents on the other hand, have negative effects on the mental stability of the kids. The authoritarian way of discipline teaches kids that it is okay to bully, but they are also listening to their parents based off of fear. When the parents are very harsh on their kids it appears to them that part of them is unacceptable reverting to depression and anger. The benefits of strict parenting include academic achievement, confidence, self-control, and independence. When a kid grows up with strict parents, they learn self-discipline from a young age. This allows them to realize when they need to study harder or pay more attention in class. This form of self-discipline will also allow them to have a sense of self-control. The kids will know the consequences of their actions as well as know how their parents will react.

" Br illiant minds like Bill Gates, M ar k Zucker ber g and Steve Jobs are all examples of kids with per missive parents."

Brilliant minds like Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg and Steve Jobs are all examples of kids with permissive parents. Kids also kids tend to be more assertive and aggressive because they grow up not as blind followers but persons who make the decisions in their life. They are happier and tend to have less psychological issues. Some disadvantages are that they do not get strong guidance from their

Overall, there are many advantages and disadvantages of both strict and permissive parents and it is up to the parents decision on how they will be raised.

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Student Life

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Anxiety: You Are Not Alone Catherine Vaughn Insider Staff

RESOURCES EC Resources:

During the first week of the new semester, EC students were educated on anxiety and stress. The lesson began with a viewing of the movie ?Angst? in the religion classes. This movie showed many high school aged students discussing their personal anxiety disorders. In the movie, psychologists and therapists debunked myths about anxiety and educated the audience on the reasoning behind common symptoms of anxiety ranging from nervousness to panic attacks. The movie went into detail on how to cope with your anxiety and help a loved one who deals with anxiety. Some of these tips included taking deep breaths, talking to a friend or family member, holding ice cubes, and more.

On Thursday January 25th, public speaker Maddie came to discuss her own experiences with anxiety and OCD. Using relatable and simple metaphors, Maddie delivered a few impactful messages that the audience took with them outside of the athletic pavilion and into their everyday lives. With the stress of homework, activities, friends, and college preparation, it is often hard to focus on your mental health. If you or someone you know is experiencing anxiety or any other mental health disorders, there are many resources on-campus, off-campus, and at your finger tips to help you find ways to cope with your mental health in a productive manner.

Seth Hutchins: shutchins@eastsidecatholicschool.or g K ir si Var sa: kvar sa@eastsidecatholicschool.or g PHOTO | EVERYDAY HEALTH |

Amber Johnson: aj ohnson@eastsidecatholicschool.or g Off Campus Resources: |

Suicide Prevention L ifeline: 1-800-273-8255 National Alliance on M ental I llness Helpline: 1-800-NAM I (6264) Substance Abuse and M ental Health Ser vices Administr ation: 1-800-662-HEL P (4357) Apps: Headspace PHOTO | HOLYLAND PRAYER |

Wor r y Watch Relax M elodies

Stop Thinking Negatively, I t Could Save Your Gr ade Sophia Vandewark Insider Staff At lunch, in the halls, and in the classroom, students across the country can be heard saying that they ?are going to fail that test? or even ?I?m too stupid to take that class.?

Speaking negatively about yourself and your abilities has been so common that it seems it has become a habit for many teens. New studies are now showing how costly this thinking could be for the confidence and grades of students.

There are several factors that can impact an individual?s tendency to think negatively. Evolution plays a basic role; negative thinking can help us to predict what bad consequences might arise from a situation.

Just like a person?s genetic make can be the cause of depression, genes can also play a role in the amount of negative, or positive, thinking a person does. Children who experienced abuse, whether it be mental, emotional, or physical, tend to lean more towards negative thinking then their peers. These are not all the reasons for negative thinking, everyone thinks negatively at times, but rather possible explanations for why some people experience continuous negative thinking.

The issue with negative thinking is that it has real effects. Negative thinking increases

outcome of an event is not limited to sports.

PHOTO | MARLACUMMINS.COM |

the body?s level of stress. This stress leads to less sleep which worsens your overall health.

Besides increasing stress, negative thinking can lead to procrastination, paranoia, and loss of enthusiasm. All of this ends up ?creat[ing] the ?bad luck?that we will later bemoan? according to M .D.Walter E. Jacobson. The good news is, negative thinking can be fought and defeated.

A specialist in mental conditioning, and cofounder of Moawad Consulting Group, Trevor M oawad is helping athletics, including Seattle Seahawks Quarterback Russel Wilson, to train their brains to think positively.

Moawad said that he works, ?with the end goal of both enhancing and improving present performance. Nothing happens by accident.

Good or bad.? While mental conditioning focus on athletics, it potential to change the

Psychologist Rick Hanson from UC Berkeley says that one does not learn from their positive experiences the same way they learn from negative ones. Research suggests that one of the best ways to end negative thinking is to practice mindfulness by acknowledging and accepting that you are thinking negatively and that this is damaging and can be stopped. One of the worse things to do is to get mad at or focus on the negative thoughts. The more you think on them the more real the thoughts become. However, if you take the time to acknowledge the thought and move on, you are freeing yourself of the burden of the negativity. M er r iam-Webster dictionar y defines mindfulness simply as ?the practice of maintaining a nonjudgmental state of heightened or complete awareness of one's thoughts, emotions, or experiences on a moment-to-moment basis;such a state of awareness.? M indful.or g comprised a list of some of the most helpful was to practice mindfulness. The list included paying more attention to your breathing, and noticing when you zone out. Mindful can be practiced at any time, even in daily activities like eating or driving. Once mindfulness becomes a regular habit, you can start decreasing your negative thoughts, becoming more confident in almost anything you do.

News

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Califor nia M ud Slides Still Causing Problems Emma VanSickle

had been previously devastated by the recent wildfires, including the massive Thomas fire, which was the largest in California history.

Insider Staff

I n late December, in Montecito, Santa Barbra County, phones of residents went off early in the morning warning them about the mudslide.The flooding had caused mud and debris to slide down from wildfire-charred hillsides that were stripped of vegetation, eventually reaching the communities below.

The first slides tore through Montecito about 3:30 a.m. and continued after the county cellphone alerts went out, destroying or damaging 400 homes and killing at least 17 people. Most of those homes were in areas already designated by authorities as under mandatory or voluntary evacuation orders.

Warnings for residents to leave had been issued for days before the mudslides through social media and community information emails about the potential for mudflows from the huge wildfire scar in hills above neighborhoods.Another body was found Sunday, bringing the number of fatalities to 20.

The coroner's office would identify the latest victim, he said. Four people remain missing today.

More than 2,000 search and recovery workers have stayed in the community,

PHOTO | TWITTER @JACKJOHNSON |

carrying out hard work in the harsh weather.

Much of the community remained under mandatory evacuation orders as crews both removed debris and worked to restore water, sanitation, power and gas.The National Weather Service sent out four wireless emergency alerts in various areas of Santa Barbara County between 2:30 a.m. and noon on Tuesday.

Helicopters, rescue dogs and swift-water rescue teams have been aiding the search, which was slowed by closed roads and the downed trees and power lines. Much of the area

Through the devastation of the wildfires and now the mudslides, the residents of California have been brought together to help each other out in any way possible. This also goes out to the surrounding states helping California by bringing food and medical supplies to the damaged communities and being supportive to families in need. Volunteer workers have been helping alongside search and rescue teams to help find the missing people and also to help rebuild damaged homes and finding contemporary homes for those families.

PHOTO | AOL |

National Hij ab Day Liam Edwards Insider Staff

scholars, politicians, and celebrities worldwide. WHD was covered in mainstream news media including New York Times, BBC, CNN, Al-Jazeera, Huffington Post, etc to name a few. Recently, Time Magazine listed World Hijab Day in their world calendar,The Year Ahead 2017. It is estimated 190 countries will take part in WHD?17.

February 1st, 2013, marked the first annual Wor ldHij ab Day(WHD) in recognition of millions of Muslim women who choose to wear the hijab and live a life of modesty.

The brainchild of this movement is a New York resident, Nazma Khan, who came up with the idea as a means to foster religious tolerance and understanding by inviting women (non-Hijabi Muslims/non-Muslims) to experience the hijab for one day.

Hijab is referred to by various names, some of the most common of which are a veil or a headscarf. Most Muslims who wear the covering call it a hijab (????), an Arabic word meaning ?cover.? However, there are various forms of hijab that are referred to by different names. While hijab is commonly associated with women, Muslim men also sometimes wear a head covering as a means of showing modesty For many people, the hijab is a symbol of oppression and segregation. By opening up new pathways to understanding, Nazma hopes to counteract some of the controversies surrounding why Muslim women choose to wear the hijab.

Nazma knows exactly what she?s talking about. The social activist came to this country from Bangladesh at the tender age of

eleven where she found herself being the only Hijabi in middle school. She remembers her experience as a difficult one: ?Growing up in the Bronx, in NYC, I experienced a great deal of discrimination due to my hijab, ?she reflects. ?In middle school, I was ?Batman?or ?ninja?. When I entered University after 9/11, I was called Osama bin laden or terrorist. It was awful. I figured the only way to end discrimination is if we ask our fellow sisters to experience hijab themselves.?

New York State assemblyman David Weprin issued an endorsement of World Hijab Day stating: ?Witn WHD has thousands of volunteers worldwide and 70+ WHD Ambassadors from over 45 countries.

WHD Ambassadors come from all walks of life from a high school student to a Congresswoman in the Philippines. Last year alone, 150 countries partook in WHD. In addition to that, WHD has been endorsed by many world renowned individuals including

Hate crimes against

Muslim-Americans tripling in 2016, it is important we take this moment to stand together with our fellow Americans on World Hijab Day. Rooted in the American principles of religious freedom and liberty, the World Hijab Day movement seeks to end the discrimination and judgment that comes with wearing a hijab.?

Summer of 2017, World Hijab Day became a nonprofit organization known as theWor ld Hij ab Day Or ganization, I nc.The mission of the organization is to fight discrimination against Muslim women through awareness and education.

This month on Feburary 1st we celebrated the 5th annual Nation Hijab day and lived in solidarity with those who embrace their own culture, and feel discrimination because of it.

Issue 6

Sports

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Nor th and South K orea Together Again Brandon Bendix Insider Staff It was the first time that the South and North Korean pairs have skated on the same ice in South Korea, although they trained together in CAs the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, South Korea approaches, final preparation for South and North Korean athletes begin on the slopes of Masikyong, North Korea. The hope is for both countries to forge a bond not only for the winter games but for a long-lasting friendship through sport.

North Korea was admitted by the International Olympic Committee to participate in the 2018 Winter Olympics on January 17th following groundbreaking negotiations between the two countries. It was announced three days later that North Korea could nominate 22 athletes and 24 staff members to represent them in PyeongChang.

As part of the agreement, North Korea and South Korea would field a unified team with athletes from both sides, as well as represent themselves at the opening ceremonies under the Unification Flag. Twelve of the twenty-two North Korean athletes would be involved in a joint women?s hockey team while the remaining twelve will be participating in individual events like cross-country skiing and the downhill slalom.

The admittance of North Korea into the games in PyeongChang is their ninth in history at the Winter Olympics and their return since participating in Vancouver eight years ago.

This will also be the first time South Korea would have represented alongside with their Northern counterparts under one flag. This will be North Korea?s second time under one flag, having previously entered Olympic games under the flag of the Empire of Japan from 1928 to 1936.

"Even though we've only been training together for a short period of time, things haven't been too difficult because we're just playing the sport that we've been playing all along," captain Park Jong-ah said Sunday. The South Korean captain retained her captaincy after the North Koreans joined the squad of 23 South Koreans for the unified team. The joint team began training together since late January, and made its highly-anticipated debut

on Sunday against Sweden and lost 3-1 at Seonhak International Ice Rink in Incheon, just west of Seoul.

Extending to the other side of ice sports, the figure skating pair teams of the two Koreas -- Kim Kyu-eun and Kam Kang-chan from the South and Ryom Tae-ok and Kim Ju-sik from the North -- had their first joint practice session in a "good atmosphere" on February 5th. They trained at the practice rink of the Gangneng Ice Arena, the venue for figure skating competitions at the Feb. 9-25 Olympics, six skaters from the two Koreas and Japan showed up on the ice, with a crowd of local and foreign anada last summer.

"It was a good atmosphere," said Kim Kyu-sik, the male skater from the North Korean roster, who nailed some clean throw jumps during the 50-minute practice session.

They are expected to make the top ten at PyeongChang on the back of their bronze medal finish at last January at the Four Continents Figure Skating Championships in Taiwan. The duo also won bronze at the Asian Winter Games in Sapporo, Japan last year.

The 2018 PyeongChang Olympics began on February 9th and run through Februrary 25th

PHOTO | BBC |

Dr ug Use Bar s Russians from Olympic Games Evan Greve Insider staff The members of the International Olympic Committee?s executive board have decided to ban Russia from the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, South Korea. Government officials will not be allowed to attend the Olympics.

The flag will not be flown and the Anthem will not be played at the Opening Ceremony.

Only those athletes who can prove they have not been cheating by being cleared to be independent and are in compliance with the World Anti-Doping Agency, the world?s doping police, will be allowed in Pyeongchang. Those special exceptions will let a select few Russian athletes attend but will not wear their country?s colors and if they win a medal it does not count towards the country?s total. The country was also fined 15 million dollars.

Russia has been one of the most prolific countries in the winter Olympics, with 113 gold medals.They have dominated hockey, ice skating, and downhill skiing for many years.

The All-Russia State Broadcasting Company (VGTRK) will not broadcast the Winter Olympics in the absence of the Russia

proportional sanctions for this systemic manipulation while protecting the clean athletes. This should draw a line under this damaging episode and serve as a catalyst for a more effective anti-doping system led by the World Anti-Doping Agency Athletes Banned include Alexander Legkov ofthe Cross Country Ski team, the 4 man Men?s Bobsled, Men?s relay cross-country ski, and Olga Fatkulia who Speed Skates. Also, Maxim VylegZhanin of Cross Country, Elina Nikitina on the Skeleton team, the Men?s Bobsled 2 PHOTO | I NDEPENDENT.CO.UK | man,and Aleksandr Tretiakov who is part of the Skeleton. TheMen?s cross country, team from the event. This serves a boycott of Olga Vilukhina of Biathlon, and Women?s the Olympics and Russia is trying to send a relay: Biathlon were also banned from this message back to the I.O.C in retaliation. year?s Olympics.

Between those willing to sacrifice the Olympic The 17-month investigation carried out by the ideals by employing a state-directed doping former president of Switzerland, Samuel program to cheat and win. But on the other Schmid, was tasked with looking at if the side, athletes unwilling to stand silent while Russian government and authorities had their hopes and dreams were stolen and the played a part in covering up doping of the Olympic Games hijacked. This is a true country's athletes during the 2014 Sochi Tragedy of Judgement from the side of the Winter Olympics. The Evidence was Russians. conclusive, Russia used PED?s in the Sochi "This was an unprecedented attack on the 2014 games and are paying for it this year. integrity of the Olympic Games and sport," said IOC President Thomas Bach (January 2018), who is a friend of Russian President Vladimir Putin. The IOC has issued

Issue 6

Entertainment

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The M ost Diver se Oscar s Ever ?

Matt Wittress Insider Staff On March 4th of this year all the movie guru?s and the ?who?s who? of Hollywood will gather around the Dolby Theatre to award the most prestigious achievements to actors and films alike. The top anticipated categories are best film, best actor, best actress, and best supporting actor, and supporting actress. There are nine total films nominated with twenty actors and actresses up for awards. The 2018 Oscars celebration marks the 90th annual ceremony and is anticipated to be a huge landmark in the almost 100 year old tradition.Comedian Jimmy Kimmel will host for a second consecutive year, making him the first person to host back-to-back ceremonies since Billy Crystal in 1997and 1998.

The nominations for the best film are ?Call Me by Your Name?, ?Darkest Hour?, ?Dunkirk?, ?Get Out?, ?Lady Bird?, ?Phantom Thread?, ?The Post?, ?The Shape of Water?,and ?Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri?. When polled from a random sample, 45 percent of EC

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students said that ?The Shape of Water? would win best picture. Director Guillermo Del Toro is known for his visually stunning films and talented and fantastical story and writing. After personally seeing the film, I believe that the film will win the best picture for he reasons previously stated, and is, my own favorite film of the year. The acting done by all the actors, especially Sally Hawkins who had to portray a mute woman who had to act completely through her face and sign language. Her portrayal of a mute woman was spot-on.

For best actor, 33% of students believed that Daniel Day Lewis would win for his portrayal of an OCD man struggling with his wife. For Best Supporting actor,Woody Harrelson, for his character in ?Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri."60% of EC students believed that Allison Janney

would win for her role of Tonya Harding?s mother in the film ?I, Tonya?.

Most believe the Oscars are a bunch of hacks and the films do not win on merit, but are in fact pre-chosen by the elites of Hollywood to promote revenue sales to their movies. According to the American Motion Picture Arts and Sciences foundation, ?The winners are selected by members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Science in a closed-door vote." However, most think the Oscars are rigged in a racist way because for the second year running, exclusively white actors were nominated for the year's highest honors, prompting people from various pockets of the film industry to speak out about the Academy's persistent race problem. There is a certain divide in the movie going crowd that believes this, but we may never know the true way the awards are distributed.

PHOTO | OSCARS.GO.COM |