The Garfield Messenger: Volume 95, Issue 9

May 05, 2017

Volume 95, Issue 9

THE IDENTITY ISSUE

Supporters of The Garfield Messenger Benefactors Bridge Partners Susan Byrnes Patrons Anonymous (2) Beth Britt Ellen Chestnut Gabrielle Coulon Harry Cheadle Kim & Michelle Gould Tana Lin & Paul Holland Friends Anonymous (9) Ann Hollar Argeres Family Deborah & Keith Ferguson DeBody, LLC Elana Jassy Heath Foster Psychology Janet Gwilym and Bing Tso Jay & Alicia Edgar Joseph Hurley Julie Wohle & Rick Kolpa Karin Brooks & Simon Woods Kristen Rooks Laura Gardner & Hiroshi Matsubara Margaret Sullivan Nancy Sapiro & Lincoln Miller Phebe O’Neil Porter Family Shelton Family Theatre of Possibility Thury Gudmundsdottir Tracy Rowland & Larry Reid Trina Blake These contributions help make the production and publication of The Garfield Messenger possible. If you would like to support The Messenger, please contact us at garfieldmessenger@gmail.com

Editorial and Letter Policy The purpose of The Garfield Messenger is to present student perspectives on issues and events related to the Garfield High School community. The Messenger’s editorial responsibility lies not in presenting a particular viewpoint or agenda, but in representing a variety of opinions. Views expressed in publications by The Messenger do not necessarily represent those of our staff, supporters, or the Garfield High School student body and faculty.

The Garfield Messenger welcomes responses to our publications as well as opinions concerning issues relevant to Garfield. Please send editorials, opinion columns, or letters to the editor to garfieldmessenger@gmail.com Contact The Garfield Messenger The Garfield Messenger Garfield High School 400 23rd Ave Seattle, WA 98122 Phone/Fax: (206) 252-2270 E-mail: garfieldmessenger@gmail.com

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The Garfield Messenger 05/05/2017

Contents

Volume 95 Issue 9 May 05, 2017

NEWS

A&E

Bathrooms Without Borders. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Get to Know Me. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13

by Alex Ferry

by Esther Chien

Be the Change. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4

Making it Personal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

by Jamaica Aytch

by Ann Shan

Composing to Let Go. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

by Jasmine Fernandez

FEATURES

What Would You Save if Your House Was on Fire? . . . . 15

From Another Mother. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Theme Songs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15

by Ruby Seiwerath & Freya Wiedemann

by Delphi Drake-Mudede

by Susana Davidson

Paths to Success . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

by Claire Boudour

I Just Don’t Understand! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

by Cipher Goings

Did You Go to Church? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7

by Jessica Morales

SPORTS In a League of His Own . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

by Sydney Santos and Flora Taagen

Identity in Ink. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9

by Julia Lin, Jamaica Aytch, & Lily Laesch

I am an Athlete. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18

by Messenger Staff

I Can’t, I’m Injured . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

by Josh Chestnut

OPINION A Dangerous Portrayal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

by Lily Laesch

It’s Not Your Identity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

by Quinn Sullivan

Writing Executive Bella Rowland-Reid Graphics Executive Cora Andersen Bicknell Graphics Editor Elliott Hoppe Section Editors Hannah Tacke • Quinn Sullivan Elena Orlando • Emma Cooper Business Executive David Willner Advisor Corey Allan Martin

Writers Alex Ferry • Ann Shan • Cipher Goings Claire Boudour • Delphi Drake-Mudede Esther Chien Flora Taagen • Jamaica Aytch • Jasmine Fernandez • Jessica Morales Josh Chestnut • Julia Lin • Lily Laesch • Susana Davidson • Sydney Santos Photographers Freya Wiedemann • Peter Kubiniec Ruby Seiwerath • Toby Tran Illustrators Ana Matsubara • Ariel Cook • Brianna Kleckner Business Staff Paulette Argeres • Julia Reguera

It’s Not Your Identity, pg. 8 Art by Brianna Kleckner Cover photo by Ruby Seiwerath

The Garfield Messenger 05/05/2017

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News

Bathrooms Without Borders

The fight for gender neutral bathrooms continues.

By Alex Ferry or years now, student activists have struggled to implement gender neutral bathrooms at Garfield. However, now that it is officially Seattle Public School law, Garfield will finally construct their own.

“It seems like each year a different obstacle has gotten in the way,” said Teen Health Center counselor Rosie Moore. “It seems like since some other schools have been successful, there has been an extra push for them this year.”

Garfield has one of the first and largest Gay Straight Alliance clubs in Seattle, yet it has still taken all these years to finally get the bathrooms.

“Usually people working on the projects start towards the end of the year and then either graduate or move on,” said Moore.

“There’s all sorts of issues like where it would be located, whether it’s multiple or single stalls, funding for how to make them private, just a variety of different things.”

Each of these obstacles take time and effort to surpass, making this a very long process.

“The district has have a pending order, so if [another school] is in front of us, let’s say Ingraham, they push us back, and I just don’t know how they decide who goes first,” said Principal Ted Howard. “The requests are in

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for all ten schools so the district makes that determination.”

Switching a bathroom from individual male and female rooms to gender neutral may seem very straightforward, but there are many legal privacy concerns that must be addressed.

“Originally, we wanted to change the signs on all of the bathrooms so they say gender neutral, but with such a big shift both physically and mentally for the school, we decided we need to do it little by little,” said senior and GSA public relations officer Lena Fox. In order to eliminate as much controversy as possible, they made a mutual decision to only implement one gender neutral bathroom.

“We held a meeting where it was talked about a site of the bathroom that would be plausible, which was decided to be the women’s bathroom on the first floor by the cafeteria,” said Moore.

In order for that to be passed by the district, there are certain necessary renovations.

“The district wants us to put privacy flaps to cover the cracks of the stalls,” said Fox. Moore added: “There’s five stalls in that bathroom and the quote that our lawyer got from the district is 300$ per door.”

Although it is district policy to have gender neutral bathrooms, each school must come up with the funding themselves.

“The GSA was looking at different ways to come up with this money, and so I emailed the PTSA and they were willing to fund the 1,500 dollars,” said Moore. Now it’s just trying to get the funds into the Garfield account, and when that happens we can put in a work order.”

Now that Garfield has the construction plans and funding, the next hurdle is the implementation itself.

“I’m hoping the construction will take place over summer, it’s really not that labor intensive, but there’s always issues that could come up. Hopefully it’ll be by next school year,” said Moore.

“It might not happen this year, but I’m really dedicated to this issue so even after I graduate I’m going to follow up with it and make sure this happens,” said Fox. Gender neutral bathrooms may be district policy now, but that does not guarantee that there won’t be backlash from parents and students.

“I think everyone will have questions, so what I’ve said to our public is that if we’re going to do this, we need to have an educational component around it now, ahead of

time, instead of waiting until it actually happens,” said Howard. “So I put that in GSA’s lap.”

GSA has been holding freshman forums for years now, ensuring that every student at Garfield has a basic knowledge surrounding LGBTQ issues.

“If people have an issue using a bathroom with mixed genders, they can use the nurse’s room, which is what people who don’t feel comfortable now have been using for decades,” said Fox. “If you feel uncomfortable using a bathroom with someone that isn’t your gender, that’s how non-binary gender have been feeling for years, it’s not something new.”

This may not affect the majority of students at Garfield High school, but it makes a big difference to those whom it does.

“We want to make Garfield an inclusive place to everyone. We aren’t making people feel welcome if we continue the way we are.

It’s about being what Mr. Howard promoted so hard, ‘One Garfield,’ being accessible to everyone,” said Fox. “When people walk into our building, [gender neutral bathrooms] are a physical mark that says we accept you no matter what.”

Be The Change

How ASB has changed over the years.

By Jamaica Aytch In the past decade, Garfield has undergone massive renovations, changes in administration, and noticeable population changes in the community. Through this, Garfield has continued to progress and grow into the complex community that is Garfield. And in and functioning community there must be a leading force, a representative for those without a voice so everyone can live with some degree of harmony, something the Garfield Associate Student Body strives to be.

“The main point of ASB is to represent the student body in any way we can,” said Tianna Andresen, the junior class president.

Andresen has seen 3 years in office as one of the mediators between the schools administration and the student body, witnessing the continuous change of how leadership at this school presents itself.

“Over the years I’ve seen greater representation ethnically and gender wise, essentially making it more productive and meaningful through better representation of our students.”

In agreement with this statement is se-

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nior class vice president Barnaby Woods, who sites social segregation as one of the most apparent problems within GHS. “The more recent ASB classes have recog-

both of the aforementioned officers.

“She was a big impact in the new identity of ASB, since she actively advertised to the under represented communities at this school,” said Woods.

“I liked teaching Japanese but I always had an interest in developing leadership skills in teenagers,” said Antoncich. “This seemed like an exciting way to take that passion and actually apply it to the Garfield community.”

After taking up this responsibility four years ago, she has made it a point to incorporate a broader variety of students into ASB. “As the class has grown, we have the opportunity to hear more voices from different parts of the school,” said Antoncich.

Like the rest of the school, ASB will continue to change in both size and representation, but Ms. A has very little concern about the years to come. “We’ve built momentum Courtesy of Garfield ASB around people that care really deeply about The 2016-2017 ASB leaders and leadership class. what happens in these walls… people who nized this issue in full and made steps through diversity was a long process initiat- have a heart for working toward change in to bridge these gaps,” said Woods. ed by Ms. Antoncich (known by the students the Garfield community.”

“It’s really important as it allows to speak as Ms. A), who received high praise from

The Garfield Messenger 05/05/2017

for a broader variety of perspectives and holds us accountable as representatives,” said Andresen.

Optimizing the productivity of ASB

Features From Another Mother The Issue of Identity among adopted students.

By Delphi Drake-Mudede

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doption, an increasingly available option for people who are unable to conceive, prefer to adopt, or are single, can lead to identity dilemmas among adopted youth. This type of obstacle is especially common among people who are internationally or transracially adopted.

The United States is currently the largest receiving country in the world. South Korea was the first country from which Americans adopted significant numbers of children, beginning in the 1990s. It is still among the leaders in international adoptions, along with, Guatemala, Ukraine, Russia, China, India and Ethiopia. According to the Department of Health and Human services, more than 40% of adoptions are transracial, meaning the child is of a different race or ethnicity from their adopted parents.

Often, adopted people end up feeling a disconnect from their biological relatives and birthplaces.

Freshman Adanech Muno was adopted from Ethiopia at age four. She was raised by a white family in a predominantly white com-

munity. Muno has not been back to Ethiopia since her adoption, but she is attempting to stay connected with her culture by learning the language and staying connected with her biological relatives.

“My parents never denied me the opportunity to reach out to my family back in Ethiopia,” said Muno. “I know how to get by with interactions. Like I know how to say hi, hello, what’s up and stuff, but I’m learning [the language] slowly just because I haven’t been around it as much. I haven’t been able to keep up with it.”

For Muno, understanding her identity has been an obstacle. “[My identity] has been a huge issue for me because to Ethiopian people, I wasn’t Ethiopian enough, and to Black Americans, I was too white-washed, and with white people, I was the only black person,” said Muno.

Coming to Garfield has been a transition for Muno.

“I was so relieved when I came to Garfield... I was like ‘oh my god, black people’,” said Muno. “I think that at Garfield I’ve been able to interact with all types of people. I’ve

definitely been able to connect more with Ethiopians and my heritage.”

M u no’s p a rents try their hardest to keep her and her siblings connected to their heritage.

“I had a hard time with [my identity] for a while just because I grew up in a white family, but my parents do try really hard to keep us in the Ethiopian community,” said Muno.

While Muno still has a strong connection to her heritage, many adopted people are in an entirely different situation.

China has been the leading country in adoption for the past few decades. This is partially due to the One-Child policy which was introduced in 1979 and lifted in 2015.

This social experiment hoped to shrink China’s enormous population. However, Chinese families felt pressured to have a male heir, leading to the abandonment of thousands of female infants. Almost 90% of adopted Chinese people are female. Adopted Chinese people living in the US often don’t know their original name, because they were re-named by the orphanages, and have no connection to their birth parents.

Aside from issues concerning identity, adopted children wish

to know more about their background because of medical reasons. Many adopted people have no way of knowing if their relatives have a history of diseases or disorders, putting them at a higher risk.

Different countries and adoption companies have very strong apprehensions about adopting out to same-sex couples and single parents. Thousands of potential parents are unable to receive children, even though there are over 100,000 foster children eligible for and waiting to be adopted.

Domestic adoptions (adoptions in which the biological parents of the child are both US citizens) have surpassed international adoptions in recent years. Although there is not always the same cultural transition that internationally adopted people undergo, domestically adopted people can experience issues with understanding their identity. An anonymous student has also experienced some similar emotions concerning her identity.

“I often find myself wondering where I come from. I know both my birth parents, but I don’t really know any history about my family,” said the student. “I didn’t know my birth dad until sixth grade, so I was kind of always wondering why he had left me and why he didn’t want to have contact with me.” Although this student has had some challenges understanding their Identity and background, she could not imagine her life playing out any other way.

“It”s really strange to me to think about coming from the parents I live with, like not having two moms and two dads from different families sounds very strange to me,” said the student.

Art by Cora Andersen Bicknell

The Garfield Messenger 05/05/2017

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Features

Paths to Success Different options after high school.

By Claire Boudour

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s the year comes to an end, Garfield’s senior class is rapidly approaching their graduation day. The end of their high school careers marks the beginning of a totally new life, which, for may students, involves college.

“About seventy percent of our twelfth grade students move on after graduation and matriculate directly into a four year college. We have another twenty percent that move onto two year colleges, so between two and four year programs we have about ninety percent of our twelfth grade students that are pursuing college after high school,” said head counselor Daniel Lee. Although the majority of Garfield seniors enter a college program after graduation, that doesn’t mean that everyone chooses to.

In fact, many students choose alternative options.

“The remaining ten percent is a mixture of students who haven’t met graduation requirements yet, and so they’re either finishing up their credits over summer or into the fall. There’s a small percent of students that join the military or will do a gap year and apply for colleges after that, or students that go directly to work or internships.”

Even when students have clear hopes of what they want to do in the early years of their career, social expectations may force people to consider options they aren’t interested in, or to ignore the paths they actually want to follow.

“I think there is a lot of pressure [to attend a four year college], especially at Garfield because it is a very academically competitive school. I think the culture at Garfield is a very college-going culture, since we offer so many Honors and AP (Advanced Placement) courses that are supposed to prepare you for college. I think the stigma of not going to a four year college is huge here at Garfield, and that can sometimes be a barrier for students because they feel like an internship or a trade school, for example like if you want to be an electrician, or a carpenter, or a plumber, things like that where you don’t necessarily need a four year degree,” said Lee, “They feel like that’s not as desirable here at Garfield for many reasons, and one of those reasons is that we do have a reputation for being a college-going school.”

College is certainly a legitimate goal, but that doesn’t mean it has to be seen as the only choice. Students will only thrive and learn successfully in the right environment for them, and so they should consider their options before deciding on a four year program.

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“When students look around, they see success defined by entering a four year college, and I think that’s something the counselors could help with by really giving [other] options to students and explaining that you don’t need a four year college to get a good paying job,” said Lee. “If we push the message and fight the stigma against those other options, more students would be able to find the right place for them.”

The counseling department has high hopes for what they can do to help students recognize their options and learn more about different paths after high school.

“I’d really like to see the counseling department go into the direction of connecting students to internships or [...] partnering with community members [in order to introduce students to different career paths].That’s something we haven’t done yet, but I think that will make the process more meaningful and help students really visualize what their post-high school life is going to look like.”

At this point in the year, many seniors are looking forward to their exciting new plans, while staff members look back and reminisce on their own final year of high school.

A few of these stories have been shared with us here at the Messenger, and can be read to the right.

Hank Halfaker

Masaki O’Malley

I’m going to Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff next august. I decided to follow this path because I have always planned on going to college and this one checked all my boxes for a college. I don’t think Garfield necessarily helped lead me to my choice, I think I may have ended up at NAU regardless of where I went to high school. After next year I plan to continue going to NAU. After NAU I hope to come back to Seattle and get hired as a Seattle firefighter. Everyone has been pretty supportive of my plans. The only negative responses I’ve gotten has been on my choice of college. People seem to think NAU isn’t a prestigious enough college. I disagree with that and think you should pick a school based off what it offers you as an individual.

I’m going to be doing a gap year. I’m going to be practicing violin, and traveling to different places. I personally find it hard to deal with crazy amounts of stuff, so I decided that I should take another year and comfortably look at all the college audition pieces, and just focus on school and things that I have currently, instead of having to do all of that and looking at colleges, recording, and flying out to each college. It’s just way less confusing. My friends definitely lead me to this choice. A lot of my friends are musicians and have all started violin at at very young age. I started pretty late in the game, so I decided that I should really look at the colleges that I want to go to and focus on their requirements and really have time to practice. My experience at Garfield definitely has lead my choice in taking a gap year. Being in the orchestra has been great. After next year, hopefully I’ll be in college studying music.

Daniel Lee If I could talk to my high school self, I think the advice I would give is to do more research. I definitely didn’t do a lot of research, I didn’t meet with my school counselor, and I didn’t really do any learning on my own about colleges or careers. So a lot of that happened after the fact, I was already in college and then I had to really decide quickly what major I was going to choose, and then I switched my major. Everything felt like I was just reacting because I had to, and if I were to go back and give myself advice, I’d definitely say ‘hey, take some time, think about it, and plan it out. Talk to some people that are knowledgeable about the field that you want to go into and just really take more initiative,’ because I really never did take initiative, I didn’t plan. Plan it out and don’t be lazy, I was super lazy as a twelfth grade student and I think I paid the price a little bit after I graduated college because I was lost. I did different odd jobs, and I didn’t really find my way until I was like twenty eight, and that’s when I decided that I really wanted to make a change in my own life.

After graduation, I’m going to be in an internship program called SYEP*, where we get thrown into a field of our liking and we get paid fifteen dollars an hour, and then in August I start a pitch program for a trade school. By December I’ll be working with a union. I chose to follow this path to make money right away. Being at Garfield, it’s very diverse and I’ve always liked working with people and around people. I could’ve gone to college, but I decided that for me the best choice was to go straight to the money. *SYEP, The Seattle Youth Employment Program, “provides internship opportunities aimed at meeting the employment needs of underserved youth and young adults in our community. By promoting work readiness and strengthening career development, SYEP helps to prepare and support youth for real world jobs by providing them with the skills necessary to be competitive in the job market,” according to the program’s website.

Interested in learning more about different opportunities after high school? Check out these programs that offer alternatives to four year colleges and universities: -Seattle Youth Employment Program: https://www.seattle.gov/humanservices/services-and-programs/seattle-youth-employment-program

-Seattle Central College: http://seattlecentral.edu/

Art by Ana Matsubara

-Seattle Vocational Institute: http://svi.seattlecolleges.edu/

-The United States Military

https://www.military.com/join-armed-forces

The Garfield Messenger 05/05/2017

Asante Seraile

Features Did You Go To Church?

Religion in the Latino community.

By Jessica Morales

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efore Spanish colonization and the introduction to Roman Catholicism in Mexico, most indigenous peoples believed in gods and goddesses, forces of nature, and human sacrifice. One of the first religious traces of conversion was after the Spanish conquered Tenochtitlan, now modern day Mexico. This dates back to Juan Diego, a native saint who converted to Christianity and was said to have seen La Virgen de Guadalupe on December 12th - now a day of celebration for many Mexicans. Mexicans see this as something very significant to their cultural identity; La Virgen represents a clash of two worlds - colonizer and colonized.

For senior Rubiceli Gomez, Roman Catholicism is what she grew up identifying as.

“I went to church growing up because that’s what I thought I was supposed to do, and even here [in the United States], I just went because other people went, like my friends,” she said.

According to the Pew Research Center, about 16% of foreign-born Latinos switch their religious identity after arriving to the United States. This differs from 36% of na-

tive-born Latinos, who are less likely to affiliate with the religion of their youth. The Pew Research Center indicates that of the former Catholics, religious switching in the Latino community goes two ways - converting to Protestantism or becoming atheist or agnostic.

“I stopped identifying with a religion once I was exposed to other cultures and their beliefs and felt like I was not forced to just stick to one,” says Gomez. “I chose to grab a bunch of other people’s beliefs and made up my own. I believe that there’s a higher something somewhere in the universe, but I can’t tell you that it’s Jesus or Allah, or anything.

It’s more meaningful to me that way.”

On a survey done by the University of Notre Dame, researchers saw a common pattern in the church and bible being an extension of family, confirming the thoughts of author Ken R. Crane who presented these exact ideas in his book, Latino Churches: Faith, Family, and Ethnicity in the Second Generation.

“Latino congregations are places where the cultural notions of family are enacted and celebrated,” stated Crane. Because of

I Just Don’t Understand!

this, family participation directly correlates with religion - family being one of the more significant values in Latino culture.

“It was a time when my family would get together and talk about everything - family things, each other, aunts talking about other people’s kids - that’s what I liked the most,” said Gomez.

Junior Citlalli Arias agreed, citing how religion has impacted her life growing up, “Looking at the culture we have, it’s always based off religious things, like Dia de Los Muertos, quinceañeras, baptism, first communion, confirmation,” she says. “It kinda makes up your identity if that’s what you grew up on, especially with my family.”

Though religion does play a role in Latino identity, Arias believes that religion shouldn’t be viewed as an essential role to completing it.

“If you’re Latino and you decide not to be religious, it won’t make you less of a member of the community,” said Arias. “You can’t let small things define your entire Latino identity.”

Art by Cora Andresen Bicknell

Growing up isolated from one’s ethnic language.

By Cipher Goings When developing one’s identity within a man] because while she’s fluent, it’s not one family dynamic, communication can be the of her original languages. The doctor told basis of connection. Not being my grandmother that she shouldn’t conable to speak the lantinue speaking in German to my mother guage of the culture because that can disrupt her education and one’s family belongs to progress,” said Case. can consequently detach Given America’s history one from something they with non-white Amerifeel to be central to their cans and immigrants, many being. first generation families Often times, second chose not to teach their and third generation ethnic language as a way individuals are isoto force their children to lated from those who fully be “American.” Japdo speak their cultural anese-African American language, and can lead to Tamao George Yasutake, judgement within one’s Garfield Teen Life Center own community. staff member, mentions Art by Ariel Cook When many families that his grandparents, who arrived to America being were in japanese internbilingual was not support- e d . ment camps, chose to avoid teaching Sophomore Elisabeth Case, who is Austrian their children to be Japanese as a form and Cherokee, states that her grandmother of protection. was actually told not to speak German with “My grandparents were locked up durher daughter. ing World War Two in prison camps, so my “My mom only speaks a little bit [of Ger- parents and my generation were taught to

assimilate [with American culture], don’t be Japanese, be more American. I feel all immigrant families face that,” said Yasutake.

The lack of cultural upbringing by first generation parents has caused many second and third generation children to fully immerse themselves in American melting pot culture, in which there is cultural blending and focus less on their ethnic culture. Garfield freshman Angelina Torres mentions that she’s okay with not practicing all of her Mexican traditions and that it’s been that way her whole life.

“I’m used to not celebrating Mexican holidays because I’ve grown up that way. I think I’m pretty fine not celebrating my Quinceañera and I don’t really think my dad’s side of the family really even celebrates that,” said Torres.

However, when surrounded by family who do speak the cultural language, people sometimes feel out of place because they can’t participate in discussion or activities unless English is spoken.

“There’s a significant amount of my family that I can’t talk to because of times when

we get together for family gatherings there are a lot of people who are speaking Spanish, and I can’t really be included in those conversations,” said Torres.

Some parents that haven’t taught their children the native language experience backlash for depriving the second and third generations of their culture.

“I know a lot of my relatives weren’t happy with my mom for not making sure that my sister and I knew how to speak German,” said Case.

Second and third generation families aren’t letting the backlash or their language barriers stop them from wanting to connect with their culture, if anything it’s actually fueling the urge.

“I still identify as Austrian, I wanna take German in college so that I can connect more. I would love to move to Austria for a year to be able to really connect to my Austrian culture,” said Case.

Language doesn’t make anyone less connected with their culture than anyone else, rather it gives them a motive to learn more.

The Garfield Messenger 05/05/2017

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Opinion

A Dangerous Portrayal

Netflix’s new show misses the mark.

By Lily Laesch

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hen Selena Gomez’s passion project 13 Reasons Why hit Netflix at the end of March, it was an immediate and resounding success. Based on the best-selling novel by Jay Asher, the thirteen episode series is now regarded as the most popular Netflix show of all time.

The plot revolves around Hannah Baker, a high schooler who commits suicide and leaves thirteen mysterious cassette tapes, each one describing a how a different person in her life was responsible for her death.

The show gained popularity with teenagers enthralled by the addictively suspenseful plot, and overall it is a series that combines strong writing, acting, and production.

However, it’s also extremely problematic.

This is not a complex storyline of teenage mental health, but rather a dramatic and exaggerated revenge fantasy. The idea of one taking their own life is glorified as Hannah gains significant power, love, and respect following her death. It also simplifies suicide, as the show chooses not to discuss mental health or more specifically, depression. Although the National Alliance on Mental Illness states that ninety percent of people who commit suicide suffer from mental illness, this is a narrative that is completely absent.

The author, and then the writers and producers that followed suit half heartedly tempted to accurately represent suicide—

instead of including authentic motives, they focused on creating a dramatic and farfetched plot. These are the qualities that led the show to gain the kind of success it did.

Furthermore, the show revolves around assigning blame to the people in Hannah’s

responsibility. This creates the dangerously false idea that there is always someone to blame for suicide.

The underlying moral of the series is to be kind, because you never know what others are going through. This isn’t a wrong

Art by Ariel Cook

life. Each episode explains how a different person is at fault for her suicide. Although the people who bullied Hannah should be held accountable, explicitly calling them out in the tapes establishes eternal guilt and

or incorrect message, but it isn’t enough. People who are seriously considering suicide re quire professional help. The show instead suggests that kindness and compassion

alone can save lives.

Arguably the most controversial aspects of the show are the graphic rape and suicide scenes. Many who worked on the show defended this choice, saying that they didn’t want to shy away from heavy topics. There are warnings at the beginning of the episodes containing the graphic material, however, there are still consequences. Mental health experts believe that the vivid and explicit suicide scene can inspire copycats.

The National Institute of Mental Health states that the risk of suicide increases when specific details of the method are divulged publicly, saying “We do not recommend that vulnerable youth, especially those who have any degree of suicidal ideation, watch this series. Its powerful storytelling may lead impressionable viewers to romanticize the choices made by the characters.”

13 Reasons Why could have been be a crucial instrument in bringing attention to teen suicide and mental health. The intentions of the story are positive, however, the plot suggests that suicide is used as a tool for revenge, instead of the result of an ongoing battle with depression.

If you or someone you know is having suicidal thoughts, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.

You can also visit Rosie Moore in the Teen Health Center or contact her at rcmoore@ seattleschools.org

It’s Not Your Identity Why LGBTQ+ labels should be none of your concern.

By Quinn Sullivan Some things are easy to label. One can measure their weight, eye color, abilities, skin tone, religion, and shoe size. They can label their bodies with black ink and color code their planner, but not everything has such a straightforward identity.

When it comes to the queer community, this is often held true. While most people can define the first five letters of the LGBTQ+ acronym, almost no one can list off each identity stretching beyond the plus sign. There are over a hundred others, unknown to the majority, yet valid in their own right. Each year, there are more identities added to the list and more people that fit them.

According to a collection of studies done

by Gallup, there are currently over ten million Americans who belong to the LGBTQ+ community. That accounts for just above four percent of the U.S. population, a number drastically larger than that in years past.

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Art by Brianna Kleckner

As the world progresses and queer acceptance becomes more common, more people can be proud and open about who they are.

Identity is a valuable and powerful thing. It can connect circles of people, create individuality, and give life a little more purpose. However, it can be easy to get wrapped up in the labels, over analyzing to fit everyone into the puzzle. The only time it is really important is when the person

The Garfield Messenger 05/05/2017

involved says that it is.

The Human Rights Campaign cites that 92% of LGBTQ youth say they hear negative messages about being LGBTQ. Sometimes these remarks even come from within the queer community.

Although queer people, an umbrella term for anyone who does not identify as straight and cisgender, seem far less likely to project negativity on others within the same group, it is not impossible.

Gay culture is often subjected to a sea of ste-

reotypes and labels and when a person does not fit the mold, they may be criticized.

Seattle and Garfield have made major strides in eradicating demeaning behavior towards LGBTQ+ folk. Beyond the city’s promotion of queer pride, Garfield itself hosts educational forums and has pushed for greater gender inclusion. However, it is the assumption that people of all identities must feel comfortable in “liberal Seattle” and that everything is settled, that halts progress. Many of those, maybe even most, that identify with the queer community, don’t know everything.

Identity is a murky pond that can be hard to understand from the surface. Embracing the complexity, especially in context of sexual and gender expression, is essential in respecting one another. As the renowned musical Kinky Boots sings so clearly: “Just be who you want to be.” And to everyone else: stop asking questions and let each other.

IDENTITY IN INK

By Lily Laesch, Jamaica Aytch, and Julia Lin Photography by Toby Tran and Freya Wiedemann

Self expression comes in many forms.

What does identity look like at GHS? Featuring title art by Emma Riddick and center spread art by Olivia Flora

I hate that there is the idea that the only way to a successful future is pushing past healthy limits in terms of classes and workload.

“I don’t believe in regrets. The past is the past, move on”

“I hope I feel grounded in five years and self assured, with a direction for where I want to go.”

“Diversity in classrooms is incredibly valuable on so many levels.”

“Give yourself time to refresh and don’t stress the little things”

“It doesn’t matter what college I end up at but rather what I do to succeed once I arrive there”

“Garfield has made me recognize my privilege”

“A vision without a plan is a dream”

“Segregation within the school system is rooted deeper than high school”

“When you lose someone you love, you gain an angel that you know. It was my first tattoo and I got that because I lost my sister and gained my niece. My second one is of a world in the hands with my mom and dads name and that symbolizes that they are my whole world. I have 99 for the year I was born, then “the lord has heard my cry for mercy, he accepts my prayer”. I feel like I have been through a lot in my life and shed so many tears but I never questioned the process or what god had in store for me.”

“The scripture means “god within her she will never fail”. I’ve been through alot my whole life and the tat reminds me everyday that through my struggle and success god has my back and will never let me down.”

A&E

Get to Know Me A look into the lives of teachers outside of school.

By Esther Chien Ms. Cohan Q: What do you do outside of school?

A: I always sing in the car and I’m super talented.

Q: What is one thing about you most students don’t know?

A: I don’t like leaving tzxzdhe house. I hate crowds. I’m terrible at holding a conversation; it’s exhausting.

Q: What was the most memorable encounter with a student outside of school?

A: [At the Pagliacci in Madison Park], the moment I opened the door there was a multiple voice

tesy Photo cour aux ne o m Si r.

M of

qchorus of “Ms. Cohan!” I immediately shut the door asked [my friend] if we could go somewhere else.

Mr. Johnson Q: What activities do you do?

A: I play soccer on a men’s team once a week [with] 3 or 4 other teachers.

Q: What is one thing about you most people don’t know?

A: I took sewing and cooking lessons all the way through middle school.

Q: How does teaching play a part in who you are as a father?

A: Being a teacher helps me understand more what kids are going through, what challenges [they are

facing] and helps me be more empathetic, patient, [and] compassionate. The skills of being a teacher are aligned with being a parent.

Mr. Simoneaux Q: What are your hobbies?

A: I’m a huge movie buff. Part of my New Year’s resolution was to see a movie every week. It’s pushing me to see movies that I might be on the fence about. I watch a lot of foreign films, [giving me] a window into other cultures around the world.

Q: What is your family like?

A: My dog, Rosalind, is a giant black Schnauzer. My partner, Darren, is the nicest person I’ve ever met in my life.

He’s the exact opposite of me in so many ways [but] I think that’s really good.

Ms. Sloan Q: What’s your background in dance?

A: I grew up in New Jersey. Break dancing was totally in. I just love it because it’s where I’m from. I grew up with a lot of Dominicans, Puerto Ricans, [and] AfricanAmericans.

Q: What do you wish for Garfield students?

A: That kids here can appreciate Spanish culture and see the benefits of being bilingual.

[Traveling makes you] appreciate what we have here. Our public education is free and is pretty good, especially at Garfield. There are so many [opportunities] out there, but you have to get your education [first].

Mr. Waterman Q: What do you do outside of school?

A: I make EDM. I’ve been doing it for ten

years now.

I was really hoping [it] could become a full-time career, but being a fulltime musician requires a lot of sacrifices and a lot of risks, and some of them I wasn’t willing to take.

Q: How did making music shape your identity?

A: [Assisting others helped me as a teacher] because [it was] understanding that you’re in a position of influence. Teaching is like a performance. There’s timing [and] structure in everything you do.

Mr. Acox Q: Outside of Garfield Jazz, how else are you involved in music?

A: I have a group called the Seattle Repertory Jazz Orchestra, and another quartet called the Legacy Band.

Q: How did you get into jazz?

A: I played classical music growing up in New Orleans, Louisiana. Many musicians play classical music because that gives them the foundation for having facility on their instrument.

Ms. McCormick Q: What do your weekends look like?

Photo by Peter Kubiniec

A: If it’s sunny, I garden constantly from morning to night. I have three and a half acres.

I want it to look like Butchart Gardens.

It’s a fantastic garden. We have a cutting garden, a vegetable garden, and a forestry area.

Q: What is your favorite part of the garden?

A: I like the bonsai, [the] Japanese maples. Our maples are now [around] 20 years old.

Q: What about your summers?

A: We live right above the Snoqualmie River and float the river with friends.

Mr. Lee Q: What are your hobbies?

A: I collect records. I love going to different cities and countries and looking for records [to bring] back [and play on] my turntable.

Q: What does your record collection look like right now?

A: I have about 500 records right now. I love funk and soul music. I do collect hip hop as well like Kendrick Lamar.

Q: What’s on your bucket list?

A: I want to start my own business someday. I want to find a way to combine the my two [passions], a coffee shop [with] records.

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The Garfield Messenger 05/05/2017

A&E

Making it Personal

College applications from a student vantage.

By Ann Shan

T

he college application can reduce four years of the high school experience to a GPA and an activities list, but through their writing, students can showcase the individual behind the numbers. The first 2016-2017 Common App personal statement prompt asked students to share “a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it.” For many students, it’s an opportunity to convey their identity, and Garfield students are taking it.

In an online survey of the Garfield class of 2017, more than 85% of seniors thought that their college applications mostly or entirely reflected their own identities. Not only that, but seniors like Duncan King found that the whole process, from touring colleges to the essays, helped him reflect on what mattered most to him.

“I think that’s the beautiful part about these college essays,” King said. “You can really sit down and and learn a lot about yourself by thinking about it.”

However, the process was not so rewarding for everybody. Several students in the survey expressed a pressure to emphasize traits they thought colleges would most want to hear about, especially in their essays.

One anonymous response stated “I felt I had to make [my personality] much more pronounced to be significant enough for a college essay—it didn’t feel like the admissions totally saw the real me.”

Even for people who thought their applications were “mostly” accurate, similar trends showed up in the traits and experiences they chose to talk about, such as leadership, ambition, determination, involvement, and curiosity.

“There’s absolutely a place for curating what part of you you mention if it’s pertinent,” King said. “[But not when] you’re trying to fit a trend that isn’t true to you.”

“Mental illness is a thing that is kind of taboo to talk about on a college app. It’s seen as a weakness instead of part of my ability to over- come obstacles. My mental illness has made me stronger and has shown that I can do more than I give myself credit for.”

“My vulnerability is a critical part of my identity and it has made me stronger and more capable of dealing with challenges and adapting to tough situations.”

Composing to Let Go

“It’s time for more diverse leaders in engineering… women, like me, who don’t believe leadership is defined by who is the loudest, but by who works hard, listens, and knows how to collaborate with all types of people”

“‘What race are you?’ [...] I found myself conflicted on how to answer the simple question. When I say I’m white, am I only telling half the truth?”

Art by Ana Matsubara

A look into a student musician’s story.

By Jasmine Fernandez For many, pinpointing defining moments of childhood memories is a difficult task.

However, this process comes easy for Garfield freshman Tony McCahill. For him, one memory that clearly stands out is his mom signing him up for piano lessons at the early age of four. While the incident took place years ago, no one foresaw how this simple act would transform into “the biggest part” of McCahill’s life.

Being so young, McCahill recalled that when he first started lessons, his proficiency in the piano was the least of his priorities.

Rather, lessons were more of a fun activity.

“At the time, I really couldn’t have cared less whether I was a good pianist or not. It just

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seemed like something I did to please [my] parents,” McCahill said.

After being introduced to musical composition six years later, his initial perception of piano lessons blossomed into something more meaningful. Almost instantly, McCahill discovered the presence of a passion for music unfolding in his life.

“Music means everything to me,” he stated. “It’s the backbone and structure of my life. It’s what inspires me to unleash my creative side without the threat of being constantly judged for what I do... it just lets me just be me.”

This new mindset not only helped establish McCahill’s goals for his future, but it

The Garfield Messenger 05/05/2017

enabled him to utilize melodies, advanced chord progressions, and multiple-movement symphonic suites as means of selfexpression.

“I think of music, and composition especially, as a way to express myself because I put all of the emotions that I would otherwise be afraid of showing into it.”

McCahill found himself writing music for two primary reasons: to give himself an outlet and to spend time reflecting on who he is as an individual. As he aimed to inspire other composers through his work, McCahill recommended incorporating personal emotions, thoughts, and experiences when writing compositions.

“This will mean a different thing for everybody,” he noted. “But, that is what I believe is the most important aspect of being a musician.”

The fifteen year-old still has a long way to go until life after high school, but McCahill contemplates about his future often. As of now, he largely bases his work off of film music, the genre he hopes to pursue for a living. In fact, he is determined to become a film composer; the next John Williams, he claimed.

Despite McCahill being only in ninth grade, he has his heart set on living a life filled with music. As McCahill clearly put it, “Simply, music is my identity.”

A&E

What Would You Save if Your House Was On Fire? “[This] is a research paper that I did for the end of sophomore year on human trafficking...It was the first thing that I’ve ever done for school that I felt like had an impact on people.”

Milena Haile “My item is a teddy bear that I’ve had since I was 6 years old, and what it means to me is that it is a representation of my childhood. I’ve always felt like I’m growing up too fast; I have two older sister, I’m the youngest of my grade, I’m pretty young. It’s a reminder of my childhood, and to always stay young. every day I ask myself “am I growing up too fast?? What’s happening?”

Like, I should stay a child and it’s kind of a reminder to stay young and not give in.”

Photos by Ruby Seiwerath

Photo by Freya Wiedemann

Abby Cooper-Drake

Photos by Ruby Seiwerath

“This item is important to me mainly because it gives me a sense of confidence and self worth, as it demonstrates my capacity and effort, and how much it can pay off. I have a lot of trouble feeling confident in a hyper-competitive AP environment, and it’s often really discouraging. This project, however, shows me that I am capable of performing at maximum effort, and I can get recognition for that work. I value my intelligence over everything else, and this project reminds me how rewarding that is.”

Jason Nguyen “My grandma usually gives gold chains with buddha crests out to men who have just been married. It doesn’t matter if it’s her son or her daughter’s husband, every man after marriage gets one. She gave me the buddha crest and said that was an early marriage/graduation gift. I was very thankful that she gave it to me.”

Theme Songs Songs for how you’re feeling.

by Susana Davidson Happy Take a Hint - Victorious Cast Track Selection by Miya Woo The catchy pop song was released in 2012 as part of the widely popular Nickelodeon show, Victorious. Sung by Victoria Justice and Elizabeth Gillies, Take a Hint, was a first feminist anthem for many. “It’s really funny and the rhymes are fire,” said junior Miya Woo. The song introduces many viewers to the heavy topic of unwanted attention in a light and fun way. It’s poppy rhythms will have anyone who watched the show (or still watches it, no judgement) singing along in no time. “I love a lot of T.V. show songs,” says Woo. “I’ll listen it to Take a Hint when I’m really happy and it makes me really nostalgic.”

Sassiest Lyric: “You asked me what my sign is, and I told you it was ‘Stop’”

Sad When I Was A Young Girl - Feist Track Selection by Mila Kopp

Angry Control - Janet Jackson Track Selection by Kyara Parker

When I Was A Young Girl was released in 2004 on indie singer-songwriter Leslie Feist’s second album “Let it Die.” The song borrows heavily from Eastern European folk music, featuring a solitary drum beat and heartfelt vocals that slowly morph into a solemn jazzy tune as piano and guitar are added. Despite this, “It has a really heavy sound,” said junior Mila Kopp. “It has a lot of gravity and it absorbs me and helps me escape.” If you’re sad, sometimes what’s best is to try and pump yourself up.

Other times, the best thing is to just wallow. This song is definitely the latter. “The lyrics are about sinning and dying and going to hell so it’s a good one to mope to,” said Kopp.

The track Control, released on the 1986 album of the same name, is characteristic of Janet Jackson’s experimental style and the perfect song to listen to when you’re pissed. “It’s a little weird,” said senior Kyara Parker. “But that’s ok, because your thoughts are weird when you’re mad.” The song definitely isn’t easy listening, but with it’s driving percussion and classic eighties synth, it’s a perfect song to dance to. The album is something of Janet Jackson’s departure from classic pop and R&B and an entrance into her avant-garde style. This track is a rad, female empowerment jam that is reflective of an artist moving in her own direction.

Most Heart-Wrenching Lyric: “My poor head is aching my sad heart in breaking”

Most Empowering Lyric: “Rebel, that’s right. I’m on my own, I’ll call my own shots”

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The Garfield Messenger 05/05/2017

Sports In a League of His Own

How Ed Haskins’ departure will impact Garfield.

By Sydney Santos and Flora Taagen

G

arfield’s head basketball coach and athletic director Ed Haskins was offered and accepted a position as an assistant men’s basketball coach at Washington State University earlier this month. Haskins’ recent departure has left behind a nearly decade-long legacy that has dramatically affected Garfield’s identity. As a result, taking on the new job wasn’t easy for Haskins. “[Leaving Garfield] was probably the most bittersweet thing I have ever done. Literally. That’s why I had to do it over spring break because I don’t think that I could’ve done it because I had to leave with kids there, my kids. I just couldn’t have done it, it would’ve been too hard,” reminisced Haskins. However, after being offered jobs by college teams for years, Haskins felt

compelled to take a job at his alma mater, Washington State.

“In life you always want to strive to fulfill goals, and I’m a Christian and I feel like this is something Christ wanted me to do. I believe this is the next step in my life. I didn’t seek this job, this job sought me, and so I feel like when things like this happen and when doors open, you walk through them...and the door was wide open for me,” commented Haskins.

The legacy Coach Haskins has left on Garfield truly has made it’s mark on Garfield’s identity.

We’ve interviewed several staff and students who experienced Haskins’ work first-hand to capture the effects of his time at Garfield.

Photos by Toby Tran

Coach Haskins lectures during a timeout.

Shaping Garfield “Anytime someone walks out they will be missed and you really don’t realize all the things someone did until they’re gone,” said Principal Howard on Haskins’ legacy at Garfield. For many students, Haskins served as a key member off the basketball court and in the Garfield community as a whole. “I’ve been

I think, to many programs at Garfield. The athletic department has had a checkered past in terms of turnover and uncertainty.

Ed’s ten years here really brought that to a close.”

According to Moss, this stability stems from Haskins’ dedication to supporting fellow coaches: “Neither Ed nor any

than Hale. before playing rival Na Giving a pre-game talk other athletic director in Seattle around for twenty years, and I’ve is really a tennis person. But Ed really made lived through a lot of athletic directors and an effort to try and understand the circumactivity coordinators,” shared Garfield ten- stances that the tennis team operates nis coach, Ira Moss. “Ed brought stability, under.”

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The Garfield Messenger 05/05/2017

Haskins’ faithfulness to exceeding the standards of success has inspired many Garfield coaches to do the same, including new head softball coach Whitney Jones.

“That mentality and expectation of greatness that has been established through Haskins and the basketball program definitely had an impact on my eagerness to take the job at Gar field,” stated Jones.

During his time here Haskins also devoted himself to networking with other schools around the country, allowing Garfield High School sports to become a well-known program.

“He sat on a lot of national conferences for us, so Garfield’s name became more of a role model for other states,” shared Howard. “He would go to conferences and Garfield was always talked about, looked at, and analyzed.”

Perhaps Haskins’ best-known legacy is in his leadership as head coach of the basketball program; however, the positive changes he made in Garfield basketball went beyond winning games. “[Haskins] made me a better individual… [in] the character traits he taught us, like perser verance and facing adversity,” said junior J’Rann Brooks, a varsity basketball player since he transferred to Garfield in Brooks’ sophomore year. “He focused on making

sure we were a team and a family. We did extra-curricular activities outside [of practice], like we went bowling, which made us a stronger team.”

The guidance Haskins gave to his players was also seen outside of athletics. “His biggest impact in the building was mentoring students,” stated assistant principal Lenora Lee. “He mentored basketball players that he coached but he also built relationships with students on other teams and students in the building just with his interactions.”

Haskins was able to not only provide guidance for Garfield students, but advocate for their education.

“He sat on a lot of programs here that not only brought in resources but also had us analyzing our curriculum and things that we do,” said Howard. ‘Was it beneficial for all kids?’, ‘was it only portraying eurocentric points of views?’, ‘was it encompassing all students?’. Those were conversations that I watched him be a part of with the Language Arts, Math, and Science teams.”

According to Lee, “What’s evident about the impact that he had was that young people who have graduated and gone to college keep contacting him and coming back, wanting to work under him and learn what he’s learned.”

Sports Haskins By the Numbers home league games lost by the basketball team in Haskins’ nine years of coaching.

Infographics by Sydney Santos

Embracing se

nior Daejon

Davis mid-gam e on Senior

Night.

What are the Next Steps?

While Haskins directly impacted the school, it was Garfield, according to Hakskins, that was the one affecting him.

“In my nine years there, the one thing I’ve known about Garfield is that the constant is Garfield,” stated Haskins. “There’s been a lot of different coaches, a lot of different principals, a lot of different athletic directors.” According to Haskins, the school impacts the staff, not the other way around.

“One thing I’ve always known is that I’m just the caretaker of Garfield. Garfield is

Years since the Bulldog basketball team had won a state title before 2014.

the mecca, not Ed Haskins. Garfield’s the important thing-not me, Garfield.” Haskins shared, “I tried to take the best care of our school as I could while I was there.”

According to Principal Howard, Garfield is still advertising for the position of head coach, and expects to get a lot of applicants.

As for the athletic director position, Mrs. Lee is in the position temporarily. However, administration is also looking for a permanent Athletic Director.

Record of the men’s basketball team under Haskins, giving them an...

leckner rianna K Art by B

winning percentage, the highest in school history. osevelt.

Ro e against m a g a g urin aching d

Co

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The Garfield Messenger 05/05/2017

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The Garfield Messenger 05/05/2017

“ M y sport h a s made m e more humble, because for soccer there’s a lot of trash talki n g a n d emotions get the best of you sometimes, and it’s taught me how to control myself and not explode when something goes wrong.” -Luis Posadas, soccer player “Sometimes I think ‘Damn, if I didn’t have crew, I would have so much time to get homework done’. But then I find on the days that I don’t have crew, I just end up f*cking around for five hours.” -Cyrus Oswald, rower

“I’ve definitely built a lot of friendships on the teams that I’ve swam on, because you get to know your teammates really well, you get to experience similar challenges, and you go through these situations together, so it fosters really strong bonds.”

- Amy Li, swimmer

Playing soccer made me realize that sometimes, hard work is the only thing t h a t matters.

-Lisa Rehder, soccer player

“Being an athlete is a big part of my life and most of my close friends are rowers so it is a big part of my identity- I think because rowing is not a super common sport, it’s cool to meet other people in the rowing community because you often have a lot in common with them.”

-Sophie Dixon, rower

“My track coaches taught me how to keep going because a lot of the time in track you just want to give up. Being able to really dig deep and realize that you can keep going at keep times has been a life lesson for me. My soccer coaches taught me that if you want something you have to go get it. Nobody’s going to go get it for you.” - Leila Adams, runner

“It started off as just a hobby, but when I was about thirteen it started to take a more serious role in my life. I started practicing on my own and I think the biggest thing is that when you put work into something, you care about it a lot more and if you’re working hard every day you want to be successful and if you lose you’re not going to be happy.”

- R a i n i e r Schlekewey, soccer player

“Dance is amazing, but it still has far to go. It’s really hard for a lot of dancers who don’t fit the standard body type, who aren’t the right height, who aren’t the right ethnicity. Being a dancer of color either gets me cut out of certain oppurtunities or gets me exoticized because of my race. But there is still a lot of progress in the dance community and people are a lot more open [...] A lot of people don’t think dance is a sport, but they don’t know the amount of work that I put into it everyday. I go to class for two hours everyday, my feet are constantly taped up and I have bruises all over my legs. Dancers put in the same amount of work as other athletes, just in different ways. Dance is also super competitive, if you want to be the best, you need to work really hard. Even though ballet is the hardest thing I’ve ever done, I wouldn’t ever leave it.”-Alina Jackson, dancer

“I was on swim team for a while and my coach one day was retiring. There was a little fairwell session and I remember her saying that she had made every single person on our team cry except for me and one other girl. [I thought] either I’m just really tough or I’m not into swimming enough to be that emotionally involved. That realy impacted me going into the future because now when I get myself involved in something I make the emotional committment that goes along with it.” -Sylvia Shelton, soccer and lacrosse player, skier and swimmer

“Sometimes [running] has been a real crutch for me. I’ve been able to go to practice and just feel better, like just let it all out.

The balancing act is hard, but I think everyone who’s there makes it really worth it. -Isabel Schmidt, runner

“You definitely have a tighter bond with the boys that you play sports with but sometimes you only have that relationship when you are on the field and you rarely see them in a non-athletic situation.”

-Leland Adams, baseb a l l playe r

“My teammates and coach have inspired me to come to practice on time, work hard both on and off the field, and keep me focused so I can get things done.” -Denzel Baker, football player

Sports

Sports

I Can’t, I’m Injured The mental effects of being an injured athlete.

By Josh Chestnut

I

f there is one thing that athletes can agree on, it’s that injuries are the absolute worst. As an athlete myself, I’ve been forced to cope with a fractured spine, broken foot, concussion, and many other injuries throughout my soccer career. Over my time on the sidelines, I’ve recognized that injuries present more than just simple frustration and impatience from not being on the field, but they also have effects on my mental and psychological health. My productivity and attitude fell hand in hand and I was left helpless.

However, I am not the only athlete to experience these changes when not being active.

In fact, many athletes struggle when battling their prospective injuries, often experiencing depression, anxiety, disordered eating, and substance use or abuse.

Junior Costa Colachis-Glass, a member of the Bulldog’s boys soccer team has been battling the injury bug since 2016, most recently a hip and back injury that sidelined him for nearly half a year.

For Colachis-Glass, one of the biggest struggles was having doctors struggle to diagnose his injury properly, leading to a lack of identifiable steps towards recovery.

“I’ve probably seen over three doctors for my injury just because it was pretty complicated and it took awhile to figure out what it was, which was extremely frustrating,” said Colachis-Glass.

With the lack of activity and inability to express himself on the field, Colachis-Glass has has seen his lack of playing begin to affect his mental health, which has left him in a crisis often called “identity confusion.”

“The sitting and watching has been very frustrating for me because soccer has become a stress reliever and when I’m not doing it, I notice it affects my mental health,” said Colachis-Glass. “Socially, it is odd to be injured because soccer kind of defines me in some ways and if I’m not doing it then I lose a sense of identity that I’ve always had.”

Sophomore lacrosse and soccer player for Garfield, Fiona Drum identifies with Colachis-Glass’ frustration that often comes with injuries. In fact the list of injuries goes on and on for Drum.

“Over the last two years I’ve hyperextended my elbow, got a concussion, and did something to my knee that was undiagnosed, but before that I also had Sever’s Disease [a foot

injury] and Osgood-Schlatters [a knee injury].”

Surprisingly enough Drum inversely has seen her productivity fall, despite the increased amount of time she has to do homework when she is injured.

“Sports are just a major part of my life and I’ve found that even though I have more time when I’m not playing sports, I am still a lot less productive with homework and other things because

erly deal with athlete frustration when it comes to injuries and she notes the importance in knowing the type of athlete you are dealing with when treating them.

“Some people understand injuries and they say ‘what’s the next step’, while others need a little bit more explanation to understand,” said Jones-Isaac. “Sitting down and talking to them about realistic expectations, especially at the high school level, is very impor-

tant I am off and someof my normal thing I try to Art by Ariel Cook schedule that I’ve bedo.” come accustomed to,” said Drum.

On top of this, Jones-Isaac places a differWhile trying to remain involved in all of ent emphasis on concussions, as they can be her teams by going to most of the practices the most frustrating, inconvenient, and deand games, Drum still feels a disconnect be- structive injuries that an athlete can suffer. tween herself and her teams.

“Concussions are tough sometimes “My team is always really friendly to me because symptoms can only be felt by the but I don’t feel like a part of the team any- athlete, so a lot of the concussed athletes I more, which is frustrating,” said Drum. deal with become frustrated because other Carmay Jones-Isaac, Garfield’s athletic coaches or athletes can more easily claim trainer, specializes in knowing how to prop- that you’re not hurt and put pressure on you

to get back as soon as possible,” said JonesIsaac.

Garfield boys soccer head coach Carlos Enriquez also describes the visible signs of an injured athlete and provides context on the issue.

“An injured athlete is often visibly different just by being kind of down, and physiologically speaking, your body is used to releasing that energy and having exercise in your life, so there are definitely some changes there,” said Enriquez.

On top of the visible differences, Enriquez notes that there are emotional consequences that come from being unable to play sports.

“There’s also an emotional side to it where a player is truly invested in the program or the team and when they are unable to contribute it can be heartbreaking for them to temper expectations,” said Enriquez.

However, Enriquez claims that when an individual properly copes with an injury it can have wide-ranging benefits for the team as a whole.

“If the injury is dealt with properly, I’ve found that athletes coming out of the injury often have a refreshed attitude, [which] proves to be a huge boost for the players already playing,” said Enriquez.

For many athletes, prolonged injuries can translate into long-term mental health issues. Depression, sleep deprivation, a decline in productivity, and an identity crisis are just a few of the potential issues an athlete may encounter when sidelined from activity. The relationship between weakening mental health and the loss of participation in sports has surprised many injured athletes that may now recognize the value of sports more than ever. There are proper ways to cope with injuries and it’s important to stay in touch with those that can help, such as coaches, athletic trainers, and teammates.

Coming from a professional, Jones-Isaac has specific advice in order to keep injured athletes motivated, while getting the best treatment and remaining hopeful.

“My advice to injured athletes is to go to the doctor, listen to the doctor, listen to your physical therapy, educate yourself, and trust the process,” says Jones-Isaac. “Because the sooner you know what’s wrong, the sooner you can take the steps to get better.”

19

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sup bros! as you all know im the lead singer this dope punk rock band: Damn Right. and yes ladies, im single ;) anyways this friday (after choir practice) we are throwing a gig in my parent’s garage!! it’s gonna be hella active so you better come thru!

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yaaaAAAS queens!!! y’all are poppin!! go OFF !

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Jerry NK hey dude so r u coming to the gig?

Saturdays are for the boys. for sure bro! should i bring......beverages?

nah fam my mom is gonna be home and remember last time.... shooooot u right u right don’t worry bro i got a whole gallon of milk in the fridge so it’s gonna be lit

Mark Lovre

omg gurl your thriving!!

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aight cool that’s tight

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