www.sites.google.com/fort-outpost
advisor.
Jennifer Fay
“History has shown us that courage can be contagious, and hope can take on a life of its own.”
~Michelle Obama
Even though we celebrated MLK Day in January, February’s observance of Black History Month is an essential opportunity for us to learn more about the rich history, culture, and contributions of individuals shaping society. It’s a time to recognize the struggles, triumphs, and resilience of Black people, ensuring that their stories are not overlooked or forgotten.
Black History Month fosters inclusivity and encourages critical thinking. By dedicating time to Black history, schools help students gain a more comprehensive and accurate understanding of history, broadening their perspectives.
Celebrating Black History Month promotes cultural awareness and respect among students. High school is a formative period where young people develop their social and moral values. Exposure to diverse histories and experiences encourages empathy and understanding, helping to combat stereotypes and racial prejudices. It also provides Black students with
representation and affirmation, showing them that their history and heritage are valued and celebrated.
Black History Month serves as an inspiration for students of all backgrounds. Learning about figures such as Harriet Tubman, Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks, and contemporary leaders like Kamala Harris or Amanda Gorman can empower students to become changemakers in their communities. It highlights the importance of activism, perseverance, and civic engagement.
Ultimately, Black History
Month in high schools is about more than just the past—it is about shaping the future. By acknowledging Black history and contributions, schools nurture a generation that values diversity, justice, and equality, ensuring that the lessons of the past inspire progress for years to come.
contributors.
Isaac Dennett - Editor in Chief
I’ve been writing with this newspaper for all 4 years now, and I love it. I love to write about problems in the community and the solutions to them.
Christian Golden - Associate Editor
I’m half black and half Japanese. I enjoy doing sports, especially track and I like being able to do new things.
Amy Nguyen - Assignment Editor
Hi! I’m Amy. My favorite color is purple and my favorite artist is Beabadobee.
Leila Folsom - Writer
Having been in the Medical Magnet program all four years and AVID for three, I’d also consider myself a long-term resident of the science wing.
Isabel Laib - Writer
My favorite class is pottery and I’ve made several tv show themed pieces. My personal hobbies consist of building lego sets and writing.
Cristina Martin - Writer
I’m a current senior at fort and a medical magnet student with much love for the science wing. I also participate in the upcoming Writer’s Club.
Jacob Owen - Writer
I am passionate about chemistry and plan to major in chemical engineering and have a career in pharmaceutical chemistry.
Sariah Dennett - Writer
This is my first year writing for the newspaper (obviously) and I’m excited to do it this year.
Alexis Johnson - Writer
I am new to the journalism club here. I am super into psychology and my goal is to become a mental health therapist.
Natalie Martin - Writer
JenniferFay Advisor - Journalism Club
I am a Freshman here at FVHS and I am new to the Journalism club. In my free time I like to make paper crafts.
Our New Athletic Director
By Christian Golden
This year we have had a lot of changes in our sports but one of the most impactful ones was getting a new athletic director. Due to the budget cuts from the previous year, we became unable to have a person solely as an athletic director. Luckily, Mr. Winzer was able to help out the school and take on the athletic director job while still doing admin duties.
Mr. Winzer joined Fort last year as a full-time administrator, and I’m sure many of you have seen him working throughout the school. He, amongst other administrators, chose to step up and take on the challenge of doing both administrative and athletic duties; though, this hasn’t been without issue. Many of his hours are spent either talking with the coaches or doing the usual admin business to ensure the school is running smoothly. Trying to find a free point in his schedule was like trying to find a needle in a haystack with
how much work he had to do each day. Not only has his workload increased significantly due to taking on a new role, but quite a few things have changed like coaches, opponents, and systems in many of our sports. The combination of the inexperience of being an athletic director and the many adaptations that have been made makes the already challenging job even more difficult.
His job as an athletic director is scheduling matches for each sport, keeping track of how each sport is doing, and supporting each coach based on what they need. He, in a way, is the person that allows every athlete to play their matches without worry. He also makes sure the coaches can do their best to support each player. Some coaches like those who have been at Fort for a long time don’t require much help, since they know and have done most of the things they would need to get from the athletic director. On the other hand, there
are quite a few new coaches who need that support to do their best. He might help with logistical duties, or setting up connections with other schools. His work in the background isn’t seen by many but that doesn’t make it any less important. So I think we should appreciate
the hard work he puts into ensuring our school and our sports perform their best.
Winzer (left) Jonas (right)
Back in December, we had a door decorating competition. Classes decorated their doors according to a theme during our SEL classes in a competition, as part of our social-emotional learning.
sel contest door decorating
The SEL lessons are part of a curriculum for the state of Washington. These include: team-building activities, in-depth conversations about community and how to act with others, and activities to help students identify and control emotions.
There were 4 winners in total! (and some honorable mentions)
Honorable Mentions: Business Office, Career Center, Library, Nurse’s Office
Room 117 Swanson
1st
“Instead of picking one idea we combined all of our ideas, that way everyone was able to contribute what they wanted. Every week someone would add something they made to the door. Everyone participated too, whether it was cutting out trees or figuring out how to paint the starry night every student added their part. It was really fun to watch our creativity come together and I’m really proud of my class’s collaboration!”
Room 410 Darke
2nd
“We chose to celebrate our Branch Campus students in our design and each student who earned at least 0.5 credit (at the time of the decoration competition) has a star on the door. Regarding the rest of the design, since the theme was Winter Wonderland we chose to show a landscape in the far north during wintertime with the Northern Lights in the sky.”
Room 509 Dunegan
3rd
“So we went with more of a winter theme because we wanted to be mindful that not everyone celebrates the traditional winter holidays of Christmas, Chaunaka, and Kwanza. I proposed the ski theme because I enjoy skiing every winter and the class really liked the idea and took it to the next level by creating the interactive ski-lift, the 3D trees, and hanging snowflakes. It was a great team effort with everyone contributing their unique skills and artistry.”
Room 209 Wicklas
4th
“The theme was “Winter Wonderland,” and according to Dante’s Inferno the deepest pit of Hell is a frozen lake. It was on theme and the most metal.”
AVID and crochet club have teamed up to form Plushie Pals! Plushie pals consist of small plush critters with positive messaging to bring joy to students. They’re sold on Fridays, two times a month outside the student store for $5. Plashy pals has ran since october, with around 100 plushy pals being sold, and $400 raised for mental health services, plushy pals hopes to continue to expand. The crochet club hopes to create a survey to rotate stock along with a calendar for the plushy releases.
By Isaac dennett
At the beginning of 2024, our district implemented the Hate & Bias protocol, a method of protecting marginalized groups of students by giving them a clear and direct method of reporting students and faculty who are being hateful. Racist, sexist, homophobic, transphobic, or other discriminatory statements and actions can all be reported to our school’s admin.
The new definition placed by the protocol is:
“Hate” refers to strong feelings of dislike or hostility towards a person or group based on characteristics such as race, ethnicity, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, or other protected attributes. It often involves discriminatory actions or speech that can harm individuals or communities.
“Bias” refers to prejudice in favor of or against one thing, person, or group compared with another, usually in a way that is considered unfair. Bias can be implicit (unconscious) or explicit (conscious) and may manifest in attitudes, behaviors, or decisions that disadvantage certain groups or individuals.
There are papers that are supposed to be hung up in every classroom with a QR code on them where students can report any behavior. But there are a few problems with that. After a brief inspection, many of them are missing. Additionally, some were not in the best condition
Hate and Bias PROTOCOL
and had graffiti on them. After interviews with some students, many said that the red papers were also unreadable and that it was difficult to distinguish what the poster was for. In that same section, many felt that the font size made the sign difficult to read. Finally, many of the posters have not been updated, and as such, do not even have the correct QR code that works.
This is definitely the biggest problem. If you’re going to have a system like this in place, at least make it easily accessible or at least easy to read. The multiple languages listed on the sign are great, but we need to make these posters a more permanent fixture in our rooms.
Now, let’s address the system itself. Before winter break, I sent out a survey to staff and students, and here are the results. (See results for yourself at https://docs. google.com/presentation/d/1p7_ xxSwUZgCDeDSJqy-hxlLHIh-wTT-4fFqV7-odIk/edit?usp=sharing)
For staff, the responses are pretty spread out. Most have experience
with the protocol but have different experiences with the staff reporting process in comparison with the student process. Many feel there is a significant lack of repercussions, which shows students they have nothing to fear and allows them to continue their behavior. Some feel the opposite, stating it made a great difference in student behavior.
Very few teachers believe that it made a good learning experience, though. They found that student fear does not mean they understand why the things they did were hurtful. Repeated behavior may happen in these situations because the student never learned that they were genuinely causing harm with their actions.
Many teachers recommend that the district put a system in place for students who repeatedly do the same behavior. They can write up a student multiple times, but nothing ever changes and the student continues to be hurtful.
SCHOOL BOARD EVENTS
On the student side, opinions are much much worse. 33% of students feel they receive a lot of hate and bias at our school, answering a 5 on a 1-5 scale. Nearly 80% of students answered anywhere between 3-5, which is definitely improvable.
But, here’s the biggest problem. There is a massive lack of knowledge of this system at our school. 58.2% of the students who answered said they did not know about the hate and bias protocol AT ALL, and another 16.4% said they maybe knew what it was, but didn’t know specifics and weren’t confident in their answer.
Why are these scores so abysmal? It can most likely be traced to Trapper Training/SEL. Many teachers don’t even do it, and those who do say it does not engage students. This can be traced to how repetitive it is, and how many feel it does not teach anything. SEL has been a point of contention within our school and
more largely the district. Since SEL is well known to be ignored and often skipped during class, placing information on the Hate and Bias protocol here sends a message that the protocol isn’t important enough for a properly enforced announcement or meeting
Students I interviewed in person do not remember any trapper training lesson talking about the hate and bias protocol, and it was their first time hearing about it. (I myself learned about it during a school board meeting)
This hate and bias protocol needs to work. Why? Because 46.3% of our students don’t feel protected at our school.
This school needs to be a safe place for our students.
There is much to be improved here, but I believe it is very possible.
Next school year, we’re going to get a new cellphone policy. It seems to be pointing to a near total ban. No matter what, students will no longer be allowed to use any phones at all during class. What is on the table right now though is whether or not students are going to be able to use phones during passing periods and breaks. But, as always, everything is subject to change. Do you have any concerns about this policy? Feel free to show up to a school board meeting about the policy, or email our superintendent Jeff Snell.
Here is where I’m going to give a small update on cellphone policies, as there is not a school board article this edition.
Cell Phone Policies
MINE CRAFT STORYMODE THE (SUBJECTIVELY) RIGHT WAY TO PLAY
Minecraft Story Mode is a game full of choices, so therefore other people’s choices shouldn’t matter. But this is a guide to keep the most people alive, best outcomes, and how to make your Jesse, the character you play as, as cool as possible. Come along with me as I teach you all how to play the subjectively best playthrough of Minecraft Story Mode possible. Major plotline spoilers ahead.
First of all, Jesse’s gender. This is one of the few choices that doesn’t matter unless you want to play as Remy from Ratatouille, or almost every version of animated Princess Padme from Star Wars. The only way this choice matters is if you were to play the Netflix version, in which case you should pick female Jesse. In the opening, while they’re being introduced to the player, female Jesse sticks her introduction properly, while male Jesse falls flat on his face. Considering the foes Jesse will face eventually, it’d be better to have someone who can stay on their feet.
Episode One: The Order of the Stone
STORY BY ISABEL LAIB
First Question, would you rather fight 10 zombie sized chickens, or 100 chicken sized zombies? This doesn’t do much for the plot besides a gag at the end of the extra episodes, so by looking at it as a fresh eyed
Jesse, kill the ten chickens. More food and an easy challenge. Second choice, what to build. You have to think creatively, especially because that jerk Aiden, the leader of the rival group the Ocelots, insulted the soon to be heroes of the world, along with the fact the winners will get to meet Gabriel the Warrior, part of a legendary group of heroes: The Order of the Stone. Since fireworks are involved in this episode’s questline, a creeper is the best bet. Now after a quick scam by a man named Ivor and chase, your pig Rueben is in danger and you don’t have a sword. He runs to safety regardless of your decisions so you must find him. In a slaughterhouse. You can either threaten the butcher keeping him, or give him your sword. Obviously, threaten him, or else you lose your stone sword. The replacement for your sword will come later in your adventure, but it’s not an ideal choice. It’s better to keep the stone one. You’ll need it soon.
Upon spreading the info that Petra was scammed to your other friends, including an oddly kind member of the Ocelot group, Lukas. They agree to help catch Ivor and after breaking into the building Ivor ran into, you find his villainous lair. As your group sneaks around, you find out Ivor has an affinity for potions, shown by the potion books, and the shiny bottle on display. Axel will try to steal it, and you can either tell him to stop or
take it yourself. Regardless of your choice the potion is stolen. Your group hears someone walk into the lab and you all have to hide. You get discovered no matter what and Ivor unleashes an Iron Golem on your group, and you all have to leave. However, Lukas gets left behind, hidden in a chest with the Iron Golem still walking around.
Of course, go back for Lukas when he gets left behind. Your friends can handle getting Gabriel’s help. Considering what will happen in a few minutes, you need as many people alive and trusting you as possible in the coming chaos. Once you exit, the threat is truly revealed. Ivor uses the wither skull he stole from Petra to make a wither, the only difference it has from a regular wither is the odd block in its chest: the command block. Ivor soon loses control of the beast due to Axel’s earlier sticky fingers, which causes it to grow and begin devouring everyone and everything in sight. Gabriel the warrior joins your party as you flee from the beast, also known as the Witherstorm. Gabriel and your close friend, Petra, are put in danger thanks to the Witherstormand you can only choose one. For narrative sense, save Petra, as this will lead to Gabrial losing his memories, which makes the story flow better, as if not Gabriel ends up sick and Petra loses her memories. Which means way less because she’s not a legendary warrior everyone can rely on (yet), and Gabriel isn’t your friend, so why would you really care deeply if he was sick? Petra also already is his reflection in the new order of the stone, so you get a fighter either way. Each member of your group reflects a member of the old Order of the Stone. Petra is the warrior, Olivia is the redstone engineer, Axel is the griefer, and Lukas is the builder. Gabriel still escapes the Witherstorm, but was in it much longer. He escorts you to his fortress, however the obsidian does no good and he forces you to flee, shoving an amulet into your hands and saying it will help you find the other Order members. He pushes you into the Nether and your group tries to understand what happens. Upon a quick ride on the Order’s old minecart system, they find the Order’s old temple, and the amulet lights up a map with a red and green light.
Episode Two: Assembly Required
In this episode, You have to track down the
other members of the Order of the Stone. On one hand, you have Ellegaard, a brilliant redstone inventor, or Magnus, a griefer, which is a minecraft term for someone who blows stuff up. This is a choice that determines the whole episode, and maybe even the rest of the playthrough. Ellegaard is an engineer, meaning she can make weapons or defenses that may not cause harm to our own people. Once inside Ellegaard’s lab, you discover she is attempting to make another command block and has been trying for a long time. This means that you should help Ellegaard try and build a new command block. No harm in trying, right? After all, maybe that means you can find a weakness to the current command block.
The Witherstorm attacks Ellegaard’s lab and land, forcing the group to evacuate. Once back at the Order’s temple, you find Axel went and got Magnus himself. You also find out Magnus and Ellegaard do not like each other. They begin discussing Soren, who they haven’t seen in years. Suddenly, a white light pops up on the map. The amulet has finally shown us where Soren is. But his light is flickering, and completely disappears at one point. This means he is in the End. Luckily, we are able to find Soren’s base. Chasing after him will lead to the last member you need to get in order to save the world, besides Gabriel himself. After heading to where Soren’s flickering light led you, you come upon several hallways in his base. Ellegaard and Magnus argue about what they should do to find Soren and go their separate ways, with Olivia and Axel following. Petra will pull you aside and confide about a secret she’s been hiding from the group. She’s been developing an illness called wither sickness. Once this is revealed, a secret library will appear from a random creeper encounter. Inside you learn a world-changing truth: there was an additional member in the Order of the Stone. A man named Ivor was one of them. After this revelation, the same Ivor will appear and you and Petra will try to stop him. Because this man holds valuable secrets you need, do not tell Petra to let go of him. The rest of your friends will return and help you corner him. However, Ivor will use a potion to slow your group and allow him to escape. This leaves the episode with a cliffhanger.
Story continued on page 10...
Episode three: The Last Place You Look
As the potion wears off, you will use your amulet to find Soren deep underground. After some mining, your party reaches a tunnel and you all drop down. While Magnus and Ellegaard separate, the group eventually find their way into a mob grinder, a device which uses water to push mobs to their death and easily gain their loot. As the group tries to fight their way out, you drop the amulet. You can either go after it or make sure your friends are safe. Save your friends. The amulet itself is safe enough and with the amount of people still running and jumping around it will be easy to catch. Eventually, with the amulet back in hand the group is forced through the end portal. They arrive at the end and see Soren heading up some stairs. Allow Lukas to lead the group through the enderman hoard. Not many story affecting choices appear for a while, however, it would be best to tell Soren you are his friend when he asks. No harm really done, and he has the Witherstorm killing recipe you need to craft the needed weapon.
After many challenges and puzzles, the group, now with Soren, must flee from his enderman friends. They escape from the end, and from his base. Outside, they find that the Witherstorm has begun attacking the surrounding area. You must craft the bomb, and you must do it now. Both Magnus and Ellegaard offer their armor to you, and truthfully, there is no right choice to this question. The person who keeps their armor won’t affect the future stories much, so this time I’d say pick whoever you like. Aside from seeing them the rest of the first part of season one this game and a brief mention in the second game, this doesn’t affect much. Besides how much you cry.
While the bomb you make does blow up the beast and free everyone devoured by it, there is a problem. Several actually. Its command block didn’t explode, it has now reformed into three separate storms, whoever’s armor you took is dead, and Gabriel’s memory is completely gone.
Episode four: A Block and a Hard Place
While the gang escapes, you learn endermen can attack the Witherstorms. Maybe they can be used later. Upon Gabriel seeing Lukas’s jacket, he says he saw Lukas’s old friends and Lukas departs to find them. Petra’s sickness has also gotten way worse. She needs to stay behind as we solve this. Upon following Soren outside, you find him and Ivor arguing. The amulet you were given by Gabriel has been bringing the monster to you the entire time. Upon learning this Ivor offers up his fail safe. But you must go to his lab at the very edge of the world. You must go to the Farlands while Axel and the surviving Magnus or Ellegaard take the amulet and try to buy you all time.
You travel through many biomes on horseback. Once the team gets to a swamp, you need to find some food. You and Ivor find a witch’s hut where you steal a cake and a potion of leaping. You are then attacked by a witch with Ivor nowhere to be seen. Upon reaching the main group, everyone must flee from various dangerous mobs. Still without Ivor,
they reach his lab. It’s not as simple as it may seem however, as there is a maze blocking their way.
Upon using the potion of leaping to get to the top of the maze and solving it, you come to a ledge. Ivor’s lab is surrounded by a gaping pit of nothingness. After Olivia fixes a flying machine nearby, and Soren being terrified of flying, the group reaches the building and heads inside. The group goes through a secret door and finds a treasure room. Follow Soren’s stories to solve the puzzle that will lead you into a room themed after the Order’s heroic defeat of the Ender Dragon. Again, listen to Soren’s stories and solve the puzzle, which unlocks another room.
Even though Soren described the famous Ender crystals as destroyed, they’re right before your eyes, completely whole. And Soren rode on a flying dragon to slay it. The story is fake. The Order used the command block to zap the dragon away. They didn’t even try to fight it. This is why Ivor is against the order, and even created his wither monster in the first place. You may now choose new armor, and here you can choose what you like. For a weapon, choose a pickaxe, since the command block looks like it’s made of stone.
The group returns to Soren’s fortress, where Gabriel immediately runs off to avenge his fallen comrade, with Ivor following after him. Soren flees back into his base, hiding away like a coward. The endermen still wandering around begin to attack the Witherstorms, making an entryway. Your friends help you get into the storm, with Lukas returning with his friends to make a distraction, Rueban deciding to join you at the last minute. Inside the beast, surrounded by frozen bodies, you begin your attack. Through many trials and tribulations, you do break the command block, but it’s at a cost. Reuben falls from the monster and misses the water you land into. Your closest friend dies in your arms, after you comfort the pig during his passing.
A week later, survivors surround your pig’s memorial. Petra is healed and even standing with the group. You tell Gabriel to tell the crowd the truth, and he does. With that, and with thanking everyone involved, you are given the amulet and are all donned the new Order of the Stone.
You all jump in celebration, but your journey has just begun.
Remember, there is no wrong way to play these games, these are only opinions. This guide was only to show how to best wrap up the story. Make the best moral decisions, help the storyline lineup with the later games, and keep everyone as happy as possible. For example, you can drive Lukas away, but he will be your best friend in the second arc, so by being kind to him now, it makes more sense later on. Of course, sometimes there are no correct options, but maybe with this guide you’ll be able to find out what the best option is to keep everyone alive. That might become harder in the future…
This game series adapts to the choices you make. The story is tailored by how you play.
Still Dreaming...
MLK Day is important because it honors Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., a key figure in the American civil rights movement. His leadership and advocacy for nonviolent protest helped to end racial segregation and discrimination in the United States. Celebrating this day acknowledges his contributions and the ongoing struggle for equality and justice.
Black History Month is important because it recognizes and celebrates the contributions and achievements of Black individuals throughout history. It highlights the rich cultural heritage and the impact that Black people have had on society, often in the face of adversity and systemic racism. This month serves as a reminder of the importance of diversity and inclusion.
Key events in Black history include the arrival of the first African slaves in America in 1619 and the issuance of the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, which declared all slaves in Confederate states to be free. The 13th Amendment, ratified in 1865, abolished slavery altogether. In 1954, the Supreme Court decision in Brown v. Board of Education ended segregation in public schools. The 1963 March on Washington featured Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s iconic “I Have a Dream” speech, and the Civil Rights Act of 1964 banned discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. Finally, in 2008, Barack Obama was elected as the first Black president of the United States. These events are significant milestones in the ongoing journey toward equality and justice for Black individuals in America.
These events had a profound impact on the fight for equality. The arrival of the first African slaves in 1619 marked the beginning of centuries of struggle and resistance. The Emancipation Proclamation in 1863 and the 13th Amendment in 1865 were crucial in legally ending slavery, though they did not immediately result in equal rights. The Brown v. Board of Education decision in 1954 was a major step towards desegregating public schools, challenging the “separate but equal” doctrine and setting a precedent for further civil rights activism.
The 1963 March on Washington and Dr. King’s “I Have a Dream” speech galvanized public support and highlighted the urgent need for civil rights reforms. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965 were landmark legislations that prohibited discrimination and protected voting rights, respectively, making significant strides towards legal equality. Finally, the election of Barack Obama in 2008 as the first Black president symbolized a significant milestone in the journey towards racial equality, demonstrating the progress that had been made and inspiring hope for future generations. These events collectively advanced the cause of equality by challenging systemic racism, changing laws, and inspiring ongoing activism.
Discussing the importance of MLK Day and Black History Month in schools is crucial because it educates students about the history and contributions of Black individuals. It promotes understanding and respect for different cultures and backgrounds, helps combat prejudice and racism, and inspires students to advocate for equality and justice in their own lives. Written by Cristina Martin
CLASSROOM Smokey
CLASSROOM PETS Smokey the Snake
A beloved pet serpent resides in Mr Galvas’ class. Smokey, a staggering 2.5-3-foot-tall ball python. His scales are sleek, with a base color of brown and light tan, with stripes and blotches of brown, black, tan and gold throughout his body. These blotches and stripes form his own unique pattern. While some ball pythons may have unique coloration due to selective breeding, Smokey has a more classic pattern and coloring.
In previous years, another snake named Lucy used to be settled in Galvas’ class. A 4 foot ball python, known to clear the stigma of snakes and their supposed evil nature to students, became a pet that people wanted to hold and were curious about. She became a staple for the classroom, but more importantly Galvas’s childhood pet for 23 years. Lucy was such a big part of his life, but as well his students. Sparking curiosity and interest, leading students to open up to the idea of snakes being pets, rather than evil merciless predators. Smokey has been a staple in both Mcloughlin Middle School and Fort Vancouver High School. After Lucy’s unfortunate passing, a few months later an email was sent throughout the vancouver public school district, Cyndy Hagin, a previous teacher at Mcloughin was the previous owner. She was looking to rehome Smokey, luckily Galvas stopped by and decided to keep him.
Rehoming Smokey shows how much love and care goes into these classroom pets. Now, Smokey gets to be a part of the school community, just like Lucy was! It’s awesome how these snakes can create such a bond with students and teachers alike.
Feature by Cristina Martin
Ornament Contest Winners
Did you enter an ornament in the 2024 ornament contest?
With over 200 participants, this year’s annual ornament contest was a blast! Hosted by the counseling center, after receiving a grant of 500$, there were tons of prizes this year! There was no theme this year, resulting in a huge variety of prizes! The top winners got to pick gifts the earliest, having more variety and choices compared to people who got lower places. It was a blast, with almost double the amount of participants from last year, the counseling center is looking forward to even more submissions next year!
Valentines Recipes: Red Velvet Cheesecake Brownies
Everywhere red velvet goes, cream cheese frosting is sure to follow. We’ve swapped the traditional frosting for a tangy cheesecake filling that’s luscious, creamy and not too sweet. It also provides the perfect contrasting color to deep-red velvet brownie batter.
Ingredients for Red Velvet Brownie Mix
• 8 Tablespoons melted unsalted butter, or a common cooking spray such as PAM, extra butter for greasing the pan
• 1 Cup of sugar
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 Tablespoon red food coloring
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon white vinegar
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
Ingredients for Cheesecake Filling
• 1 (8-oz.) package of cream cheese, softened
• 3 Tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 large egg yolk
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350ºF (Oven temperature may vary)
2. Line an 8×8-inch baking pan with parchment paper, grease with butter
3. In a large bowl, put in the 8 teaspoons of melted butter with sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla, food coloring, and salt
4. Stir to combine
5. After mixing add in the white vinegar
6. Whisk together the two eggs in a small separate bowl
7. Stir eggs into the brownie batter and mix well
8. Fold in the 3/4 cup of all-purpose flour, just to combine, pour batter into the prepared pan
9. Saving ¼ cup of the batter for the topping
10. In a stand mixer bowl (or using a handheld electric mixer), blend together the cream cheese, sugar, vanilla and egg yolk until well combined
11. Spread a even layer of the cream cheese mixture on top of the brownie batter
12. Top the batter with dollops of the remaining brownie batter (optional)
13. Using either a sharp knife or any sharp utensil, swirl the cream cheese around along with the dollops of brownie batter in the pan
14. Bake for 30 minutes (time may vary depending on the ove) or until it is no longer gooey in the center of the brownies
15. Let cool completely before slicing and serving the brownies
