Hawkeye Volume 34, Issue 3-2019

GET UP TO SPEED WITH CURRENT EVENTS MARCH 2019 | VOLUME 34 | ISSUE 4

HAWKEYE WWW.THEHAWKEYE.ORG

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SCHOOL SCHEDULE DUE FOR A MAKEOVER

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ON STAGE AND BEHIND THE SCENES

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MOUNTLAKE TERRACE HIGH SCHOOL | 21801 44TH AVE. W MOUNTLAKE TERRACE WA 98043

Will we ‘waive’ a snow day goodbye?

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Hawkeye

03/2019 Vol. 34, Issue 4

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TABLE OF CONTENTS Hawkeye Update

Stay current with news about meddling in college admissions or a Boeing plane crash.

OP/ED: See the possibilities

Staff reporter Ritika Khanal shares the lessons learned from being visually-impaired.

OP/ED: Accepting others

Immigrants are more than their stereotypes, says staff reporter Nina Otebele.

NEWS: Summer school?

Calendar extension keeps students--and graduated seniors--in school until near July.

NEWS: Time for a new schedule

School days may not have six periods, due to the need to acquire 24 credits.

NEWS: Online registration

An extra step for students, a little less hassle for counselors.

NEWS: Getting around town

Citizens await on Light Rail expansion to hit Washington cities.

LIFESTYLE: All the drama

Junior Peja Shymko has a love for packaging the hottest plays and musicals.

LIFESTYLE: The search begins

Cut-outs of Assistant Principal Dan Falk appear hidden around the building.

LIFESTYLE: A ray of hope

Community members step up to deliver meals during snow troubles.

19 Virtual or Reality?

Senior Michael Malysh experiences a terrifying drop during a March 1 demonstration of a virtual reality roller coaster by Seattle-based tech startup Chronos Global Academy.

MARCH 2019 | 3

Hawkeye

The HAWKEYE

Letters from the Editors

You can only go up from here

I

often carry my phone all around my house while I do everything. Recently, I was working on starting a load of laundry and during this particular time I was watching Christopher Nolan’s 2005 drama Batman Begins. It follows the upbringing of Bruce Wayne and is a pretty powerful movie. As I watched the movie, I picked up on something: Bruce fails a lot. But as he soon learns in the movie, it is okay to fail.

Benjamin Eyman When I tried to find an impresCO-EDITOR-IN-CHIEF sive quote or something motivational to add to this letter, I really couldn’t think of one, except for a line uttered by Bruce’s father from a scene in the movie. In the scene, a young Bruce falls into a well and is scared by a flock of bats that fly up.

Before long his father, Thomas Wayne, repels down the well to save him. Although Bruce is shaken and lightly injured, he is pulled up by his father, who then delivers an important line on the nature of failure.

“Why do we fall, Bruce?” Thomas asks while carrying his son back into the manor. “So we can learn to pick ourselves up.”

It’s a pretty powerful quote and it’s one that, when I first saw the movie almost seven years ago, really stuck with me.

Later on in the movie, after Bruce and his butler Alfred barely escape an explosion, Bruce talks about how he has failed Gotham. However, Alfred does not let Bruce succumb to his failure and uses the same line to pick Bruce back up again.

The reason that I have been thinking about the nature of failure is that, over the past few months, I felt like I have failed on several occasions, and not just in small areas like failing to move my washing load into the dryer. I also have failed on big things outside of school, like failing to get everything I needed prepared for my Order of the Arrow (Scouting’s National Honor Society) budget meeting. I completely made a fool out of myself in front of some of the best youth in the state that OA has to offer.

But what making a fool out of myself has taught me is that I can only move up from failure. I fell to learn that I can stand again.

So, if you’re stressed out because you failed that last math test, or because you didn’t take the trash out before you left for the soccer game, know that it will all be okay in the end.

You fell, but because of that failure you now know how to get back up again. Speaking of washing, I forgot to start the dryer again... H

Coming back stronger than ever H

i, Terrace. It’s been awhile.

The hiatus we’ve been on has been one of the longest in The Hawkeye’s 34-volume history. During that time, news has been made and forgotten, and much of it is news we failed to cover.

But rest assured we have not been doing nothing. Quite the contrary—we have been hard at work fulfilling the promise we made to you in November. That promise—to shift our focus back Matthew Hipolito to the MTHS community, where COPY EDITOR it belongs—is the driving force towards a number of sweeping changes we’ve made to the paper.

Perhaps the most striking change we’ve made is the one you’re looking at right now: we have overhauled our table of

contents and inside cover. Come next month, the space this column occupies will feature the work of our amazing students and clubs. More so than that, the closing pages of this issue feature a full-color visual chronicle of a fantastic VR event that came to the school in early March. In the next months, you can expect to see many great events covered in this photo section. On the next page, you will find not only headlines about pertinent world news, but a list of upcoming events for students at this school and a short list of our favorites.

We’ve also started thinking more about how we convey our stories to you. Starting this issue, we intend to update our appearance. That means more infographics, clearer pages and more eye-catching designs.

We’re so excited for what we have in store for you in this issue, and we hope you are too. This issue is the first step towards better serving you, the community. We hope you think it’s the right one. H

Contact Us Email editor@thehawkeye.org Phone 425.431.5058 Website www.thehawkeye.org Mail Hawkeye Room 130

@MTHSHawkeye @MTHSports @MTHSWeather

@MTHSHawkeye

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c/o Mountlake Terrace High School 21801 44th Avenue West Mountlake Terrace, WA 98043

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MTHSHawkeye

The Hawkeye’s mission is to provide the MTHS community with quality, thought-provoking student produced publications. Since 1960, we have faithfully served our audience and community as an open, public forum where student editors make all decisions. In policy and in practice, the Hawkeye is a designated open forum publication.

Co-Editors-in-Chief

Annika Prom and Ben Eyman

Editorial

Copy Editor Matthew Hipolito News Editor Nolan DeGarlais Sports Editors Kennedy Cooper and Sarah Davis Op-Ed Editor Samantha Svikel Lifestyle Editor Jackson Freund

Business

General Manager Lexie Dellinger Distribution Manager Trinity Alber Outreach Manager Ben Savell

Visual

Graphics Editor Sierra Clark Photo Editors Ciara Laney and Jake Paulsene Design Editor Jonathan Kwong

Online

Online Manager Tommy Tran Audio/Video Manager Gavin Norley

Contributing Staff for Issue 4

Bruno Porras, Caroline Erdey, Hank Belanger, Jonathan Savell, Lin Miyamoto, Nathaniel Reyes, Nhung Lam, Nina Otebele, Raymond Smith, Ritika Khanal, Sovanrom Sot, Teresa Bonilla, Theresa Van Name in bold indicates staff member of the month as selected by the Editorial Board.

Advisors

Vince DeMiero, Mike McLaughlin and Tyler Hartung Journalist-in-Residence Samantha Pak FANs Coordinators Sandra Merten & Cathy Fiorillo Printer Pacific Publishing Member of MTHS ASB, JEA/WJEA, NSPA, Student Press Law Center, Tao of Journalism Editorial Policy The editorial section of the Hawkeye, including editorial cartoons, serves as a forum for well-written, thoughtful, longer forms of expression. Signed editorials represent the opinions of the author. Unsigned editorials represent the opinion of the Hawkeye Editorial Board. Views printed herein are meant to be opinionated and do not necessarily represent the opinions of the Hawkeye staff, student body, faculty, administration or school board. The Hawkeye will print submitted guest editorials as space allows and requests that all contributors include their name, signature and position relative to the editorial. The Hawkeye will edit all submissions for accuracy, spelling and grammar. We reserve the right to refuse to print any submission.

Letters to the Editor Policy Readers are encouraged to voice their opinions in the Opinion section, a public forum for the expression of varying viewpoints on relevant topics. The Hawkeye will print as many letters as space allows. Letters must include the author’s name, signature and class or position relative to the letter. Typed or legible, hand written letters are acceptable, but should not exceed 200 words. The Hawkeye will edit all letters for accuracy, spelling and grammar. We reserve the right to refuse to print any letter.

Advertising Policy The Hawkeye will not accept any advertising that the Editorial Board deems to be: factually inaccurate; designed to mislead, deceive or defraud; containing malicious, vindictive or unsubstantiated attacks; offering goods and/ or services illegal for teens to possess, buy or use; libelous; obscene; creating imminent danger or disruption to school. The Hawkeye reserves the right to refuse any advertising, solicited or unsolicited. Advertisements do not necessarily reflect the views or endorsements of the Hawkeye staff, student body, faculty, administration or school board.

COVER PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY JONATHAN KWONG AND RAYMOND SMITH © 2019 HAWKEYE | ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited.

HEADLINES

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HEROISM UNDER FIRE

By Matthew Hipolito COPY EDITOR

Abdul Aziz, a 48-year old Afghanborn furniture store owner, drew praise for running towards gunfire and possibly warding off a shooter during the March 15 shooting at the Linwood mosque in Christchurch, New Zealand. His actions may have helped prevent more deaths.

SHOOTING IN UTRECHT

By Matthew Hipolito COPY EDITOR

A Turkish-born gunman opened fire on public transport March 18 in Utrecht in the Netherlands. Some suspect the shooting stemmed from a familial dispute turned violent.

TYPHOON DEATHS FEARED

By Matthew Hipolito COPY EDITOR

President Filipe Nyusi of Mozambique claimed that more than 1,000 people may have died following the devastating strike of Cyclone Idai in Central Mozambique that flooded rivers, creating what one UN official referred to as “an inland ocean.” The current confirmed death toll is 89 in Mozambique and 215 in total.

STUDENT CLIMATE STRIKE

By Nolan DeGarlais NEWS EDITOR

Student demonstrations were held in over 92 countries on March 15 to protest against the lack of government action against the threat of global climate change.

Hawkeye A lot happens in a month. From fashion to finance, we are constantly bombarded by headlines from around the world. Here are the Hawkeye’s picks for what you need to know.

UPCOMING EVENTS – MARCH & APRIL

Friday, MAR. 22 MAR. 25 – MAR. 29 Monday, MAR. 25 Monday, MAR. 25 Tuesday, MAR. 26 Wednesday, MAR. 27 Wednesday, MAR. 27 Wednesday, MAR. 27 Thursday, MAR. 28 Friday, MAR. 29 Friday, MAR. 29 Friday, MAR. 29 Friday, MAR. 29 Saturday, MAR. 30 APR. 01 – APR. 05 Monday, APR. 08 Tuesday, APR. 09 Wednesday, APR. 10 Thursday, APR. 11 Friday, APR. 12 Friday, APR. 12 Saturday, APR. 13 Thursday, APR. 18 Friday, APR. 19 Friday, APR. 19 Thursday, APR. 25 Friday, APR. 26 Monday, APR. 29 Wednesday, MAY 01 Friday, MAY 03 Friday, MAY 03

All-school Naviance activity School Spirit Week: Care Week Spirit Day: Pride Day Cheer Banquet Spirit Day: Love for Teachers Blood Drive School Play: Sleep Walk Spirit Day: Colors for Causes Spirit Day: Terrace Pride EARLY RELEASE Last day to purchase a yearbook Top Hawk Pre-ACT for 10th graders Washington State Science and Engineering Fair SPRING BREAK PTSA Meeting Cheer tryouts Student Job Fair Cheer tryouts EARLY RELEASE Cheer tryouts Northwest Regional Concert Band Festival Choir Concert All-school Naviance activity Comedy Improv Night Jazz Concert EARLY RELEASE STEM Expo Seniors: Cap & Gown Pickup Assembly District Interhigh Talent Show

PASS

HUB, 6 p.m.

Aux. gym, all day Theater, 7 p.m.

Theater, 6 p.m.

1st through 4th per.

Bremerton High School, all day Library, 7 p.m.

Aux. gym EWHS, 2-5 p.m.

Aux. gym Aux. gym Mountain View HS, all day Theater, 7-8:30 p.m.

PASS Theater, 7-9 p.m.

Theater, 7-9 p.m.

Gym Gym Theater, 7-9 p.m.

SPOTLIGHT!

25

SPIRIT WEEK

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TOP HAWK

18

CHOIR CONCERT

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COMEDY IMPROV NIGHT

25

JAZZ CONCERT

25

STEM Expo

Show your school spirit! Five days of

MAR colorful clothing. Thursday is class colors!

A beauty pageant for all to attend.

MAR Come see your fellow Hawks dressed up!

Listen to the mellifluous melodies of

APR Terrace’s two concordant choirs.

What’s his line? They don’t know

APR either! A night of laughs and fun.

The award-winning Terrace jazz pro-

APR gram puts on a swingin’ show.

A year’s worth of hard work for

APR Terrace’s STEM students on display.

GRAPHICS BY LIN MIYAMOTO AND SIERRA CLARK | HAWKEYE

Hawkeye

737 MAX CRASHES CAUSE HEADACHES FOR BOEING

By Nolan DeGarlais and Ben Eyman

nearly 11.9 percent in just one week following HAWKEYE STAFF the second 737 MAX crash in Ethiopia.

Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302, a Boeing 737 The investigation will continue to look into MAX, crashed on March 10 six minutes after both crashes. At the time of publication, its takeoff from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia en France is investigating the black box recovered route to Nairobi, Kenya. All 149 passengers from Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302. The FAA and eight crew members were killed in the acci- is assisting in this investigation, but is also dent on the four month old aircraft. taking some heat for allowing Boeing to vet its The cause of the aircraft’s crash is planes instead of performing the checks themunknown, though an investigation is ongoing. selves.

Investigators have learned that the aircraft’s Senior Alec Baines is an aerospace student at vertical speed after takeoff was reported to be MTHS and recently won an award for achieveunstable and that the ment in innovation “As Boeing gets more automated, plane may have been from the United you’re taking more and more control configured to dive States Air Force at away from the pilots. I think the FAA preceding the crash. the Central Sound is hoping that Boeing is pushing to The crash follows Regional Science and quickly fix any potential problems. another crash of a Engineering Fair.

Alec Baines Boeing 737 MAX in Baines believes that, SENIOR Indonesia. in the aftermath of On Oct. 29, 2018, Lion Air Flight 610 the crash, it is essential that Boeing reestablish crashed into the Java Sea approximately trust with airlines, pilots and passengers.

13 minutes after taking off from Jakarta, “As Boeing is pushing for more automation of Indonesia en route to Pangkal Pinang, its airplanes, the FAA has fewer checks on the Indonesia. All 181 passengers and eight crew process,” Baines said. “There’s a lot of distrust members onboard the aircraft died in the crash right now between [airlines and Boeing], and of the two month old aircraft.

I think Boeing needs to better communicate Following the crash in Indonesia, Boeing with both airlines and pilots about [the techissued an “Operations Manual Bulletin,” which nology] they’ve added and how to turn it off.” advised airline operators how to adjust erroneIn the aftermath of the crash, many critious cockpit readings in the relatively new 737 cized the reluctance of the FAA to ground the MAX aircraft model, which was released by 737 MAX, even as all of the world’s aviation Boeing in May 2017. Boeing would not confirm authorities made the decision to ground the China became the first nation to suspend model. These criticisms have continued, even operations of the 737 MAX when, on March after the FAA made the decision to ground the 11, it ordered all models grounded in response planes on March 13. Baines, however, believes to the crashes in both Indonesia and Ethiopia. that the FAA was negligent in its certification Individual airlines and aviation authorities of the 737 MAX and its reluctance to ground across the world then joined China in suspend- the aircraft. ing its operations over the next two days.

“As Boeing gets more automated, you’re takThe United States Federal Aviation ing more and more control away from the Administration becoming the last authority pilots,” Baines said. “I think the FAA is hoping in the world to ground the model after Boeing that Boeing is pushing to quickly fix any potenpersonally recommended the action tial problems, and I think their reluctance to to the FAA. Boeing suspendground [the 737 MAX] after the crash was to ed deliveries of the 737 avoid issues like delayed and canceled MAX to airlines on flights, which would March 14, although cause a lot of turmoil production of the in the transportation model has continued. industry.”

Some reports on Currently, the FBI the incidents have indicated that the is assisting federal Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation aviation investigators System was involved in both of the crashes. with a federal grand jury Insufficient training for pilots in the 737 probe looking into potential MAX’s new system may have been a key factor ciminalty on the part of Boeing and the FAA in in the accidents. the certification of the 737 MAX. On Tuesday, The crashes of such a new airplane from a the Department of Transportation requested manufacturer that is as well known as Boeing an audit of the process by which the 737 MAX has people frightened. Boeing stock fell by was certified before its introduction. H

MARCH 2019 | 5

MAY’S BREXIT DEBACLE

By Nolan DeGarlais NEWS EDITOR

John Bercow, speaker of the United Kingdom House of Commons, has told Prime Minister Theresa May that the latest version of her twicedefeated Brexit deal will not be voted upon until she makes substantial changes. Britain is scheduled to leave the European Union on March 29.

ALABAMA TORNADO RELIEF

By Nolan DeGarlais NEWS EDITOR

The Poarch Band of Creek Native Americans donated over $184,000 to the families of victims of the recent Alabama tornado outbreak. The March 3 tornado outbreak resulted in 40 confirmed tornadoes across the Southeast, killing 23 and injuring over 100.

IMMORAL ADMISSIONS

By Nolan DeGarlais NEWS EDITOR

Over 750 families benefited from a college cheating scheme that impacted several top universities, according to the FBI. The FBI has indicted 50 people allegedly involved in a $25 million plot to fake test scores and bribe officials at top universities including Yale, Stanford and the University of Southern California.

FREE TO FLIP OFF

By Nolan DeGarlais NEWS EDITOR

A federal appeals court ruled in a 3-0 decision on March 13 that Michigan woman Debra CruiseGulyas had her constitutional rights violated in 2017 when a Detroit police officer issued her a speeding ticket after flipping him off.

OP-ED

6 | MARCH 2019

Hawkeye

Miscommunicated lockdowns leave room for unnecessary fear in students around the country O

n Dec. 7, 2018, at Lake Brantley High School (LBHS) in Altamonte Spring, Fla., students were at lunch when the intercom announced a “Code Red” drill, simulating an active shooter lockdown.

The only issue: there was no indication of it being a drill, sending students into a panicked frenzy.

According to the Orlando Sentinel, teachers at LBHS were also unaware that the Sierra Clark Code Red was a drill when they GRAPHICS EDITOR received a text message reading “Active Shooter reported at Brantley / Building 1/ Building 2 and other buildings by B Shafer at 10:21:45. Initiate a Code Red Lockdown.”

The lockdown lasted about an hour before the school’s administration clarified on Facebook that it was just a drill – that the threat was not real. Since the lockdown, the Seminole County Public School District has changed its policy and no longer performs this type of drill.

According to local NBC affiliate WESH2 News, students were blamed for the panic, while the students, “believe that miscommunication about a message that went out of the loudspeaker at lunch is to blame.”

This want for blame and sense of terror sounded all too familiar to me. I thought that MTHS was an outlier in this, and maybe it was at that time. But not anymore.

I was already at school on June 7, 2018, when I got an influx of messages on Snapchat from fellow MTHS students. The messages all relayed the same macabre information: “There was a shooting threat against the school.”

Of course, I didn’t take it completely seriously with the numerous threats and fire alarms that had already happened that week. But this one felt a little different. People were already signing out and going home. Many more would do so later.

It felt different from the rumors of a threat from earlier that week or even earlier that year. It was more serious than the etching of a weapon above the date “6/5/18” into the boy’s bathroom stalls. It felt more real than the photo of bullets with an added caption of “watch out Terrace’ spread around the MTHS community on January 4, 2017. It felt more dangerous than the time when a student brought a pellet gun to MTHS on January 6, 2017.

There were multiple times being rumored by students for the alleged shooting. I remember people saying 11:11 a.m., people saying 11:14 a.m. and 11:20 a.m., placing the time during the passing period between first lunch and fourth period.

I sat in room 130 with several other Hawkeye staff members during lunch and no matter how familiar the faces were, I was still uncomfortable.

We sat there and talked about how likely the threat was to be real and we all determined there was no way it was real; there was no way someone would enter MTHS with a gun in a few minutes, especially after the rumors of the shooting had been spread. Yet, when that bell rang to go to fourth period, we all sat there in silence, looking at each other, waiting for someone to move. I can’t remember if anyone did, I just remember the eyes and a lot of confliction. We calmly decided there was no way this was real, yet the slight chance that it was real caused us to stay – at least caused me to stay.

At 11:14 a.m., Assistant Principal Peter Schurke’s voice rang over the speakers: “We are going into a full lockdown.”

I ran into the dark room, thinking it would be the least likely place to get caught. A couple of strangers were in there as well. I later learned that some other Hawkeye students had pulled some students out of the hallway and into room 130. Another Hawkeye student came in and pulled us out of the dark room and into the studio around the corner.

There were 14 of us in there, sitting on the floor, crowded together in the dark. We had to keep the door cracked open to hear the announcements, warning signs or shots.

I was trying to calm down, but in the process I was invalidating my fear, thinking it was unnecessary. I felt stupid for being scared, but I couldn’t help it.

School shootings are real and all too common.

Most of us had our phones out and were recording. The videos that are still on my phone show all of our names being recorded on a video and written on a paper. One video showed my friend shaking, texting her parents she loved them and she was sorry for going to school that day. The audio revealed whispering, shrill breaths and crying.

And then, after being stuck in that room for what felt like hours, the lockdown was lifted and an announcement on the intercom told us to go back to class. Unless your teachers said anything, that was it. It was over.

I remember thinking that it didn’t affect me, but when I saw someone running down the hall, I instinctively ducked

down. When a student in my fifth period joked about it, I broke down in anger and fear.

For days afterwards, I had anxiety about entering MTHS and would have to leave early due to breakdowns. It was the most vulnerable I had ever felt at school and I still am affected by the anxiety from that day.

There was only one other student who attended the community forum on June 8, 2018. While there, I questioned the administration and police about the lockdown.

Why didn’t we go into lockdown at the earliest sign of a threat? Why don’t teachers actively participate in drills and what will you do to change that? Why don’t I know how to barricade a door? Why aren’t students directly taught what to do in the case of an active shooter? We didn’t have an adult in that room that day and not a single one of us knew what to do if something bad was actually happening. Why not?

Students from Lynnwood High School have told me that they have full-on ALICE drills, with an administrator walking down the halls and teachers over the intercom. Why are we not as prepared as other schools in our district when we get just as many threats, if not more?

There were very few answers – only confusion and surprise.

That’s not enough.

People place the blame on different groups: the students, the parents’ Facebook group, the administration. Many parents at the community forum weren’t even looking for answers. They were wanting to know how they could help the school so this didn’t happen again.

Who knows if anyone followed through?

I’m finally seeing the effects of that day in and out of school. I’ve been told by administration that me speaking up about my experience affected them and they were working on solutions. I know they’ve attempted to start communicating to students when the lockdown is a drill. There’s still a lot to do, but it’s a start for sure.

No other student should have to go through what MTHS students did last June or what LBHS students experienced last December. But that means we need to talk about it. We need to talk about school shootings. We need to look at the statistics that show around the world what the solution to ending gun violence is.

There were 25 school shootings resulting in death last year alone. The Washington Post reported that since Columbine in 1999, more than 220,000 students have experienced gun

OP-ED

Hawkeye

MARCH 2019 | 7

violence at school. They also stated that 2018 has been an outlier with more shootings, more students affected and more deaths.

On Dec. 10, 2018, Vox compiled the numbers of school shootings and the number of deaths as a result, from 19702018. Last year set the record high in school gun violence incidents and deaths as a result of school shootings; these are not the type of goals we should be setting for ourselves.

With 94 school gun violence incidents and 55 people killed in those incidents, 2018 was the deadliest year to be in school in the United States.

We have seen the results of gun reform around the world.

Be involved, don’t ignore your feelings, but look at the statistics. Take a close look at our reality and make informed, educated decisions.

Gun Violence Archive, a website that was created to “document incidents of gun violence and gun crime nationally to provide independent, verified data” to the public, states that in 2018 there were 56,953 people injured or killed by gun violence in all of the United States.

According to NPR, the United States had an average of 3.85 gun deaths per 100,000 people in 2016, making us eight times more deadly than Canada and more than 96 times more deadly than Japan when it comes to guns.

There is a large push in the United States to have universal background checks on people who want to purchase a gun.

Everytown for Gun Safety states that 85 percent of voters are in support of background checks. They also said that when Connecticut passed a background check law, they saw significant decreases in homicide and suicide rates by gun violence.

March For Our Lives has 10 specific policy agendas to fight for, and there are many people creating bills for these issues around the country. There is a way to fix this, and these 10 policy changes could be what we need to do it.

The ball is in our court—let’s use it. I’ve marched for our lives. I’ve protested. I’ve walked out. I’ve spoken my truths on the issue and now that I’m 18, I’m going to vote for it, too. H

The 10 policies listed are from the March For Our Lives Policy Agenda listed on their website, stating that “here are ten policies proven to save lives -- policies we need to accomplish as soon as possible to ensure the safety of our schools, homes and communities.” Clark hopes that these policies will remove fear just as well. SIERRA CLARK | HAWKEYE

8 | MARCH 2019

OP-ED

I can’t say that having a visual impairment doesn’t have its challenges. Little things that are normal to the rest of the world can be huge challenges for me. For example, most people don’t spend weeks learning how to navigate a new environment. Most people don’t find it difficult to hop on a website to research an assignment. Most people don’t have insecurities about moving from point A to point B for the fear that one little veer could lead to a completely unknown space.

Sometimes, overcoming the challenges can be exhausting, but I’ve found there is always a way to get around those challenges if I want something enough. However, it truly does take a village, and I’ve been extremely fortunate to have incredible support from all fronts throughout my years of school.

For as long as I can remember, I’ve always had at least one Braillist who converts material into Braille when I need it, and an orientation and mobility instructor who helps me learn to navigate the physical world independently. I’m also extremely fortunate to have PHOTO BY TERESA BONILLA | HAWKEYE peers who accept me for who I am, and incredible day-to-day LCA is a retinal disease in which little to no light teachers who do everything from modifying assignments to can be perceived. The disease is usually present at birth, but describing videos the class is watching. only about one in every 100,000 children are born with it.

Without their support and encouragement, I would never There are about 20 different forms of the disease and only be able to get past some of the obstacles I face, and I am one person with each form at any given time, making it difalways grateful to them for all they do. ficult for doctors to test for cures.

When I meet people for the first time, it can be hard for Though gene therapy (a surgery in which the necessary gene them to know how to act around me. Without even realizing is injected into the eye) has cured a few forms of LCA, a lot it, they often either talk to me as if I can’t hear, ignore me of research is still being conducted for the many forms not completely or direct their sentences towards whoever is closcured yet. est to me.

When I first came from Nepal, I couldn’t see how I was When you have had something all your life, it’s hard to going to fulfill my dreams of going to school. Two months imagine life without it. Therefore, I know people into my first year at Hazelwood are curious about how I do what I do. Most peoElementary, however, I had discovered “But why?” my threeple feel weird asking me about something related the miraculous world of braille. year-old brain asked to my blindness because they think the question I was now on the same playing field itself. The answer was might be offensive or a “stupid” one. as my peers. It no longer mattered that just as unsatisfactory As they get to know me though, they discover I couldn’t read and write with my eyes, each time: “Because I am very open to questions and will answer you can’t see.” because a six-dot code gave me the anything. chance to do it with one fingertip. My Just like it’s hard to imagine life without somedream of going to school and learning thing you’ve always had, it’s hard to imagine life with somewith my peers was coming true, and I was hungry for more. thing you’ve never had. I’ve never had sight, so while having By third grade, instead of using an eight pound braille it would make things easier for me, life without it is the only typewriter for assignments, I found myself typing up my life I know, and I see it as a chance to change the way the assignments using an Apple wireless keyboard and a built-in world sees people with disabilities. accessibility feature called Voiceover on an iPad. I see it as a chance to educate others and show that at the Soon, I was learning to use different screen readers on comend of the day, we’re all humans, and we’ll always have that in puters, printing my assignments from a braille tablet, and common. H mixing technology to do all of my school work.

LIFE AS A VISUALLY IMPAIRED STUDENT

I

magine one day, you wake up to find the world has been stripped of all color and shape. All you are left with is the light of day, the darkness of night and the outline of a person if they are standing right in front of you. If you can imagine this, then you are imagining how I see the world every day.

As I grew up in a predominately sighted world, I quickly realized I had something to prove. No one in my Ritika Khanal native country, Nepal, had ever been HAWKEYE STAFF around a visually impaired person. I was “different.” No one knew what to think, how to act, what to expect. There weren’t very many people who thought I could make anything out of myself due to my blindness.

Ever since I was little, the thing I wanted most was to go to school. I saw it as my one chance to prove to anyone who had doubted me that I could make something out of myself. Out of the 15 or so Nepali schools my family and I looked into, only one was willing to accept me.

All of the hope I had been holding onto shattered at that point. Maybe everyone had been right. Maybe there really was no place for me in the world.

“But why?” my three-year-old brain asked itself. The answer was just as unsatisfactory each time: “Because you can’t see.”

At the age of four, I was brought to the United States to see if anything could be done for my vision. That’s when I was diagnosed with Leber Congenital Amaurosis (LCA).

Hawkeye

Hawkeye

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MARCH 2019 | 9

IMMIGRATION: IS IT REALLY A BIG DEAL?

ur society tends to portray immigration in a negative light.

We hear all the time on the news and from our own president about how dangerous undocumented immigrants are and how we need to build a wall to keep them out.

The fact that all this is happening is ridiculous. There isn’t a reason to fear immigrants, undocumented or otherwise.

According to the Pew Research Nina Otebele HAWKEYE STAFF Center, 45 percent of Americans don’t believe that immigrants help the United States. Many Americans see immigrants as criminals, drug dealers, etc. One such American is President Donald Trump.

“When Mexico sends its people, they’re not sending their best. They’re not sending you. They’re sending people that have lots of problems, and they’re bringing those problems with us. They’re bringing drugs. They’re bringing crime.

They’re rapists. And some, I assume, are good people,” he said at his presidential campaign announcement at Trump Tower in Manhattan more than three years ago.

Not all immigrants are criminals. The “build a wall” propaganda is based solely on stereotypes. In fact, a 2018 study from the Cato Institute found that immigrants have a lower arrest and criminal conviction rate than native-born Americans. In 2015, criminal convictions overall were 50 percent lower for immigrants compared to previous years, according to the Cato Institute.

There is also a fear that immigrants take jobs from Americans. Studies done by the Obama administration have shown that immigration actually helps our economy. The administration wrote on its website that 18 percent of businesses are made up of immigrants.

This increases the employment rate in our country.

This means Americans are getting more jobs, not losing them.

Immigration also raises Americans’ annual salaries.

Between 1990 and 2004, increased immigration rates were correlated with increasing earnings of Americans by 0.7 percent according to a study by the University of California Davis.

At a naturalization ceremony (a ceremony that welcomes new U.S. citizens into the country) held at the White House in 2012, President Barack Obama said, “The lesson of these 236 years is clear – immigration makes America stronger. Immigration makes us more prosperous. You are all one of the reasons that America is exceptional. You’re one of the reasons why, even after two centuries, America is always young, always looking to the future, always confident that our greatest days are still to come.”

Immigrants as a whole shouldn’t be labeled as drug dealers or criminals. They are not trying to smuggle drugs into our country. They are just people, like you and me. We should be treating them as people. It breaks my heart to see how divided our country is, just because of stereotypes that are not true.

The fact that we have a president who isn’t open minded to the many reasons why people immigrate to the United States is unacceptable

The fact that we have a president who isn’t open minded to the many reasons why people immigrate to the United States is unacceptable and ignorant.

and ignorant. Being close minded to issues like this isn’t going to help this country grow and prosper.

Most people immigrate to other countries to find better work, escape violence or extreme poverty. Countries including Mexico, El Salvador and Guatemala are known for their high poverty rate and violence. In fact, El Salvador is the most violent country in the world, with 60 deaths per 100,000 of population.

We tend to forget that not all people are bad and want to cause trouble. Sure, those types of people exist, but most people just want to live peacefully without worries and be able to protect their families.

Undocumented immigration is a controversial issue in this debate. I hate how undocumented immigrants are currently being treated. Undocumented immigrants who are caught are detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

More than 2,300 children were separated from their families this year. This is unacceptable and inhumane. Imagine someone taking you away from your family just

because your parents wanted to give you a better life. We need to also consider the fact that these children will be mentally scarred by this traumatic event.

According to Psychology Today, studies have shown that if a child suddenly loses a parent through death, abandonment or a prolonged separation, the child will experience intense fear, panic, depression, helplessness and hopelessness.

“The child has lost his lifeline, and often his sense of self,” one study states.

The worst part about it is that children sometimes blame themselves for a parent’s disappearance. According to Psychology Today, the child naturally concludes: “I must have done something wrong, otherwise my parent wouldn’t have left. I must be bad.”

Many of these immigrants are falling ill and are not receiving care. One article written by The Nation shared a story about an immigrant with a chronic heart condition. ICE repeatedly ignored his requests for assistance with a problem with his pacemaker, he said.

“When I was detained I thought at some point I would be dead,” he is quoted in the article. “They think we are animals and we just have to accept whatever they say.”

More than 3.2 million immigrants sought asylum from their country in 2015. Raising a family in poor or violent conditions isn’t healthy or safe. It is understandable why these people might seek a better life in the United States.

I believe that instead of being close-minded about undocumented immigrants we should help them. They are people just like you and me. If we help these countries become more livable and safe, we could decrease the number of undocumented immigrants coming into our country. This will prevent them from getting caught and going to these cruel detention centers. Helping these places out might encourage people to come to the United States legally.

So maybe instead of us spending millions on border security, we should be putting that money toward these countries. Together as a country we should help reduce the poverty rate and the violence. If for some reason we can’t do this, we should at least improve the quality of the detention centers.

There are many organizations devoted to helping these countries. One example is the nonprofit Habitat for Humanity. This organization is dedicated to constructing, improving and repairing homes in a lot of places include Guatemala, El Salvador and Mexico.

In fact, we as teenagers can volunteer and help construct and repair houses. They also accept donations.

Another organization is Asylum Seeker Advocacy Project (ASAP), which helps families who are seeking asylum. As a community, we should spread awareness about the treatment undocumented immigrants are facing. With more people understanding the issue, we have a chance to change things for the better. At the end of the day, we should be more open-minded toward immigration.

Assuming that all immigrants are drug dealers and are evil is just making the problem worse. That stereotype is why so many people are pushing for a “wall” which, overall, isn’t going to fix the problem.

Instead, let’s treat people the way we would want to be treated. H GRAPHIC BY LIN MIYAMOTO | HAWKEYE

10 | MARCH 2019

NEWS

Hawkeye

UNDER THE WEATHER?

Snow make-up days pile on in June LIN MIYAMOTO | HAWKEYE

Hawkeye

By Annika Prom CO-EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Families found themselves stuck indoors during most of February due to the winter storm dubbed the “snowpocalypse.” As a result of the handful of snow days, the school year is now set to end on Thursday, June 27, the fifth snow make-up day.

It could have been worse.

The graduation dates throughout the Edmonds School District (ESD) are unaffected, but additional instructional time will be added for all classes. The third quarter will now end on April 12 rather than on March 29. Additionally, May 10, originally a non-student day, has been changed to become a full school day.

These proposed changes are contingent on the ESD receiving a waiver day from the state. Because the ESD canceled school during the state of emergency issued

by Gov. Jay Inslee caused by intense winter weather, public schools can apply for a waiver that would give them the opportunity to remove a make-up day.

Assistant superintendent and former MTHS principal Greg Schwab is making efforts to obtain that waiver so the school year does not intrude on students’ summer vacation.

“It’s trying to balance that—making sure we meet the state minimum requirement for instructional hours, but also recognizing that families plan their lives around the school calendar,” he said.

Washington state requires school districts to have 1,028 hours of instructional time across all their schools. The ESD has just over 1,048 hours scheduled this year, so Schwab believes they can waive at least one snow day.

Staff and students gave mixed responses in the midst of the snow.

An informal poll conducted on the HAWKEYE Instagram found that 42 people out of the 90 respondents thought having snow days was worth the make-up days. In other words, a little less than half of the MTHS community on Instagram would like school to be canceled in the snow, even if it means extending the school year.

Freshman Damaris Torres believes the ESD “did the best they could or knew how” in determining snow days.

“I think the number of snow days was a little excessive, but personally I didn’t mind them because it was a break,” Torres said.

Lynnwood High School social studies teacher Amy Frost, formerly a teacher at MTHS, found it appropriate for the snow

NEWS

MARCH 2019 | 11

days to be called. She believes “student and members of district facilities and the opera“Having some of the snow days built into staff safety is a top priority,” but now strugtions department. The Communications and the calendar would be nice,” she said. “I’ve gles to keep her curriculum on track. never really liked that we add all of our snow Public Relations Department at the district “It’s making me have to make the decisions then sends out snow day notices through days at the end because we get out late.” about content that I might teach differently emails, phone calls, texts, social media and She has a friend who teaches in Michigan, or speed through a little bit,” she said. local news outlets. Franson said there’s only a where snow is more prevalent. Frost is interAs an Advanced Placement teacher, Frost 10-minute turnaround from the PR departested in their work-from-home process that worries if her students ment learning about a snow day to notifying eliminates the need to “[Students] have to be more will be ready for the families in the ESD. add more school days. responsible for their own national AP exams in For Torres, she would have liked to This approach is posreading and learning.”

May, which can grant received the snow day alerts more in advance sible for the Michigan college credit. and thinks there is room for improvement. school district in which Amy Frost SOCIAL STUDIES TEACHER “[Students] have to “I think giving us a heads up earlier in her friend works because be more responsible for the day would be really good,” she said. all students have a distheir own reading and learning. We have all “Sometimes it was pointless to call a half day trict-issued laptop, similar to the ESD. of that time after the AP test which is really [when] we could have just had no school.”

“They aren’t making them up because their not useful in terms of helping them perform In the meantime, the ESD is working on district is a one-to-one district, so teachers on the AP exam,” Frost said. “For me, as are expected to put up a lesson plan or have incorporating additional school hours for much instructional time as I can get prior seniors to attend after graduation. However, a lecture, and students log in and do some to the AP exams in May, I would be happy it’s not the first time the ESD is offering work, so we actually are teaching and learnwith.” extra school days. ing,” Frost said.

Schwab agrees that education may take a “I think we had to do this in 2006-2007 Over time, the ESD has implemented more hit from the lack of school, but he thinks when we had a bunch of snow days. We had ways to relay the message about school canstudents can catch up. to offer days for seniors to come back after cellations or delays.

“Any time you miss this much school, there graduation,” Schwab said. “We had to at “The goal is to put out the notice as are gaps in instruction and teachers have least make it available for students.” many ways as possible,” Communications curriculum and content they have to cover.

As he was MTHS principal at the time, Specialist Kelly Franson said.

How do we get back up to speed again and Schwab doesn’t recall too many seniors The superintendent makes the snow day get running as quickly as possible?” he asked. decision based on recommendations from returning for that opportunity.

“I think we will and it’s gonna take some Now, the ESD is looking to receive a a team consisting of the transportation time.” response about a snow day waiver. H service director and bus drivers, as well as Just days before the “snowpocalypse” hit the area, Schwab sat back and thought the ESD would “escape the year without a snow day.”

“This is pretty amazing,” he said.

In fact, the National Weather Service noted that Seattle has never seen this much snow in February since 1945.

Because the Puget Sound area doesn’t typically receive large amounts of snow, the ESD has a limited supply of tractors and snowplows on hand. They contracted with private companies to clear snow from schools. In I would help out these inclement weather conditions, district workers helped de-ice and plow roads. Above and shovel the all, the ESD determines snow days based on accessibility and safety. freakin’ snow out “Ultimately, the decision that we make for snow days is always based on student and the driveway so staff safety,” Schwab said. “Those are always our overriding concerns, and we know that that people can people may not be happy with the decisions the school district makes, but the decisions go to school! that we make are always grounded in what’s safe for students and for staff.”

Some students and parents expressed both praise and concern for the snow day decisions on social media.

Torres, for example, suggested distributing snow make-up days more evenly throughout the year.

“Maybe spacing them out across the rest of the school year instead of packing [make-up All the buzz: Members of the MTHS community days] into the end,” she said. voiced their opinions about snow days on Instagram.

Frost recommended a similar idea.

How would YOU handle and determine snow days if it was your job?

A poll or survey Students’ safety as top priority

If you can’t walk on the roads and barely drive with a fourwheel-drive car

12 | MARCH 2019

NEWS

Hawkeye

SCHEDULES CHANGING FOR CORE 24

With new state graduation requirements, ESD must adjust its credit schedule

By Nolan DeGarlais

ment,” Schwab said. “One failed class puts a student at risk “You don’t want to have your top musicians take a trimester of not graduating. And students have to go outside of the off,” Schellenberg said while discussing the impact of the triHigh school students in Washington state, beginning school day to recover credit or take additional courses.” mester system on the music program. with this year’s sophomores, must acquire 24 credits over Requiring students to pay for credit recovery outside of A seven period day would provide 28 credits over four four years to graduate high school. This recent change, put standard school times could put excessive burdens on lower years, an eight period block schedule would provide 32 credin place by the Washington State Board of Education after income families. its over four years and a five period trimester system would a 2014 decision by the state legislature, was implemented “These are equity issues for us, as students should not have provide 30 credits over four years. in the 2017-2018 school year. Under the current six period to take extra classes that cost them money because we have Despite the more broad changes of the block schedule or schedule used by the Edmonds School District, students implemented a credit requirement that cannot be met in our trimester system, Schellenberg believes the seven period day cannot fail a single class and still graduate on time. In light of current schedule model,” Schwab said. to be the most difficult schedule to implement. this situation, the district is gathering its options considering While research on the impact that different schedule mod“The one that strikes me as the most challenging the seven moving away from a six period day to allow students more els have on graduation rates is contradictory, Schwab believes period day because our students are doing a lot right now credit earning opportunities. that this is not the angle from which the district should without adding another class,” Schellenberg said.

The ESD has assembled a 24 Credit Task Force to discuss approach high school scheduling.

Additionally, a seven period day concerns raised over the new graduation requirements. This “I am trying to approach this from would shorter class periods and poten“If you fail a single class, that 44-person task force, composed of students, teachers, admin- a ‘what are our values?’ standpoint,” tially eliminate PASS periods, so that will put you in jeopardy to not istrators and families, meets monthly to examine potential Schwab said. “I believe we need to the added period would not extend graduate on time, even one F changes to the district’s high school scheduling that will have a schedule model that allows for the school day by a full class period. can put you behind.” provide students with more opportunities to meet graduastudents to meet the grad requirements However, the implementation of this Greg Schwab tion requirements and take elective courses. The information within the school day, that allows oppormodel would still extend the school day.

ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT gathered will be used in the Spring by the ESD Board of tunities for enrichment, remediation and If changes to the ESD’s high school Directors for potential schedule changes. credit retrieval within the school day, schedules are made, they will likely be Principal Greg Schellenberg is currently a member of the that allows students to take electives without having to make implemented in the 2020-2021 school year, when the current 24 Credit Task Force, and expressed concerns over the choices between programs.” sophomores are entering as seniors potential negative impacts the increased graduation requireSchellenberg emphasizes that the schedule changes would …continued on the next page ments will have on student success. not be exclusively beneficial to students who fail classes, as “If you fail a single class, that will put you in jeopardy to they will provide more opportunities to high achieving stunot graduate on time,” Schellenberg said. “Even one F can dents as well. put you behind.”

“This is also about giving students the extra opportunity to He has also voiced concerns about the potential negative do things that will further their passions and allow them to effects graduation requirements in the current schedule will complete programs,” Schellenberg said. “That’s why, instead have on students not at risk of failing a class. of ‘credit retrieval,’ I prefer to say ‘credit earning opportuni“The other thing that I think people don’t really think ties.’” about with requiring 24 credits to graduate is that even stuSchedule models that the district has considered adopting dents who are doing fine or are highly involved in a number throughout this process include a seven period day, a seven of activities will need to make a choice,” he said. “You might period modified block schedule, a five period trimester sysneed to choose between your fourth year of orchestra or a tem, an eight period block schedule alternating each semesrequired class. Even somebody who’s taking AP, AP, AP ter and an eight period block schedule alternating daily. might still have to make some forced Currently, the list has been narrowed choices or take a class online to meet all down to three proposals: a seven period “If you fail a single class, that will put you in jeopardy to not their requirements.” day, an eight period block schedule altergraduate on time, even one F Assistant Superintendent Greg nating daily and a five period trimester can put you behind.”

Schwab, who leads the 24 Credit Task system.

Force, believes that a schedule change A seven period day merely extends the Greg Schwab ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT of some sort will likely be implemented school day by adding an extra period. by the district to give students greater However, the other two proposals would opportunities for success. lead to more drastic changes. An AB “I know that our board and superintendent are very comblock schedule would have students take four periods one mitted to making sure we are doing everything possible to day and four periods the next day while a five ensure that we have a schedule model that can help students period trimester would split up the school to meet the 24 credit requirements and also provide access year into 60 day chunks, during to increase elective opportunities for students,” Schwab said. each of which five periods could be “With that in mind, I don’t know how we can accomplish taken. those things without some kind of a change in our schedule.”

A full year class in the curSchwab further described the problems to maintaining a rent schedule would occupy schedule in which many students will not be able to fulfill; two trimesters in the five period the graduation requirements within the standard school trimester system. However, some schedule. electives, such as journalism or band, “In our current six period day schedule model, there is sim- would be allowed to stay as year-long BRUNO PORRAS | HAWKEYE ply not capacity for students to meet the 24 credit requirecourses.

NEWS EDITOR

NEWS

Hawkeye

HERE’S WHAT’S GOING ON:

2014

THE STATE LEGISLATURE PASSES A BILL ENTITLED

SB 6552 *

*short for

Senate Bill

The bill adjusts the number of credits required for students to graduate.

right now

- right now - right now

CURRENTLY,

right now

- right now - right now

in order to graduate, students need

22 CREDITS

UNDER THE NEW SYSTEM,

24

students will need a total of

This means that students

CANNOT FAIL A CLASS and still graduate on time .

“That gives teachers a year to adjust, if it’s a block schedule or trimester it will require different instruction standards and a lot of work to get prepared for,” Schellenberg said.

“I think the decision will be made by the end of this year and then there will be one year to prepare.”

Additionally, changes will not be implemented immediately due to several concerns the district has concerning the impacts generated by moving away from the six period day.

“I think the major concerns are going to be cost,” Schwab said. “There will be a cost associated with a schedule change. But again, our board is very committed to this process.”

Schwab also reemphasized the preparation period the district must allow teachers before entering into a new schedule format.

“We need to make sure there is time to provide training and professional development for staff as the prepare for a change,” Schwab said.

The district is aware of the potential issues that an alternating block or trimester system would generate for students preparing for Advanced Placement exams in May, and they are researching ways to minimize any barriers to student success. They are currently looking at ways in which surrounding school districts have attempted to minimize the effects of scheduling changes on AP students.

“For example, the Federal Way SD has all four of their high schools on an alternating block schedule and they have come up with ways to support AP students’ needs to be prepared for the tests in May,” Schwab said.

MARCH 2019 | 13

The district is considering

THREE ALTERNATIVE SCHEDULE SYSTEMS to give students more credit opportunities.

4 ALTERNATING SCHEDULE DAYS with

PERIODS PER DAY

TOTALING EIGHT PERIODS PER SEMESTER and

32

CREDITS EARNED

OVER FOUR YEARS

RIMESTER 5 TGRADING PERIODS with

PERIODS PER DAY

WITH SIXTY DAYS PER TRIMESTER totaling

30

CREDITS EARNED

OVER FOUR YEARS

TIMES 7 CLASS SHORTENED with

PERIODS PER DAY

AND THE POTENTIAL ELIMINATION OF PASS totaling

28

CREDITS EARNED

OVER FOUR YEARS INFOGRAPHIC BY MATTHEW HIPOLITO | HAWKEYE

Currently, Edmonds-Woodway High School and Meadowdale High School use a block schedule while MTHS and Lynnwood High School do not. However, the adoption of a new schedule system would lead to the implementation of a district wide high school schedule.

The district will provide several student surveys so ESD high school students can voice their opinions on their preferred schedule model. H EDITOR'S NOTE: What do you think? What’s your preference? Write a letter to the editor and share your perspective on this impending change in credits and schedule. Email us at editor@thehawkeye.org

14 | MARCH 2019

NEWS

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Online registration aimed at streamlining the process

By Nathaniel Reyes HAWKEYE STAFF

Registration for the school year of 20192020 had an extra step added to it, as students were required to input their requested classes into Skyward. The move was made by the MTHS counseling department in an attempt to ease their load during the registration process and make the process more efficient and accurate.

Allison Hong is the counselor in charge of registration. She said that the extra step is an important addition.

“We think that it’s time [to implement an online component to registration], all the other high schools have implemented online registration and I think it makes things much more efficient and easier for students as well as us counselors who had to, in the past, manually input all the course requests,” Hong said. “I think it also gives students a little bit more buy-in and responsibility in

terms of allowing them to enter their own courses online.”

Hong also explained how having the registration done faster reduced the workload on the counselors.

“Once all the course requests are entered, we determine how many different sections for each class are going to be available and we determine our staffing and FTEs (Full Time Equivalents) for next year,” she said.

“Having that done sooner makes our job a little bit easier. We do the schedule cleanups and everything else before the end of the school year and the master schedule then gets created.”

However, Hong did admit that she saw a few students that struggled with this step.

“For the most part I thought it was pretty successful, but I did see some difficulties with some students,” Hong said. “That’s fine because [it was] a not a big population of students, so teachers were able to help as well

are pretty straightforward,” Hong claimed. as counselors just manually putting [course She believes that, overall, the format of requests] in.”

Skyward made the process more streamlined Surprisingly, this is not the first time for both students registration has and the counseling been done, at least “I think it also gives students a little department. partially, online. bit more buy-in and responsibility in terms of allowing them to enter “Year-long classes Some 20 years ago, their own courses online.” only required one registration was done entry and the backonline with a proAllison Hong COUNSELOR ground work to gram previously used make sure that the by the district before courses were readily available for students to the adoption of Skyward. However, this was be able to enter was all done ahead of time, discontinued due to the old software not and I think that is what made things easier,” interfacing with Skyward.

Hong said she doesn’t know much about she said. the previous program. However, she did This is the first year that Hong has been in know that it had a multitude of downsides charge of registration and also the first time that led to the discontinuance of its usage. the registration process has had a significant “I don’t know exactly the way it was done in online component. Hong claims that the the ’90s. I have heard that they tried to do it department plans to continue the usage of online. I think it was a little bit different, but online registration through Skyward in the [Skyward] is much easier as the instructions upcoming years. H

Hawkeye

NEWS

MARCH 2019 | 15

Regional light rail: It’s coming – at a cost

By Ben Savell

OUTREACH MANAGER

“I mean, if it’s going to lead to a lack of congestion, expand it.

I’m just not sure it will lead to less traffic on the roads”, The Seattle light rail promised to be efficient and conveDremousis added. nient for the average citizen. Its planned expansions are anyThis is ever noticeable on 44th Avenue West with the disthing but for the citizens of Mountlake Terrace. appearance of McDonald’s Furniture in favor of an open lot When first proposed, the Sound Transit 3 ballot proposed for a train station, expected to open in 2024. “Sound Transit the addition of 37 stations and 62 miles of light rail track by is also working with the City of Mountlake Terrace to conthe year 2041. It was estimated to cost around $54 billion, struct a temporary parking lot and bus loop on 59th Place with the majority of the money coming from property, sales West, just east of the Transit Center”, MLT News stated. and car-tab tax increases. The Seattle Times estimated that However, The Seattle Times reported that elected officials the median household would pay $326 every year for the have made no final decisions on what extensions to the service. light rail routes will be constructed.

To get the perspective of local citi“Seattle isn’t like New York Besides a news briefing

by Sound zens, the Hawkeye interviewed George where you can walk to a subway wherever you want.

Transit Central Corridor Director Dremousis on his opinion of the Light The positioning of these [Light Cathal Ridge, no comments have been Rail. “I think it’s a good idea, but I don’t Rail] stations is going to be given on the routes or cost the city will think it was well thought out. I think it’s problematic.” pursue in expanding the light rail.

The one of those government programs that George Dremousis transit board has set aside $285 million they are sticking to the taxpayers who CIVICS AND GOVERNMENT TEACHER and five years to finish planning. won’t use it,” he said.

Now the city of Seattle is looking to “As of this week, eight route options extend the rail to other parts of the Seattle area. Most of remain in Ballard, four downtown, seven in Sodo and the the proposals put forward by the city look to add $300 - 700 Chinatown International District, and five in West Seattle. million to the original bill. The most extreme of these proThe list needs to be winnowed down in October, or planning posals, a tunnel to connect West Seattle to the main light will fall behind schedule,” The Seattle Times reported. rail track, would cost $1.2 billion more than the original proMany residents are concerned at the lack of decisions, conposal, according to a report by KUOW news. sidering the measure was approved over two years ago. As of

now, the original eight regional rail extensions and two bus rapid-transit lines have yet to be fully delivered to Seattle, concerning many citizens.

Dremousis is one of these concerned civilians. “I’ll be around 65 when this is complete, so I just feel like it’s something I’m being taxed on that I’ll never use.”

He continued, “Seattle isn’t like New York where you can walk to a subway wherever you want. The positioning of these [Light Rail] stations is going to be problematic. Maybe in a hundred years you could extend them to every neighborhood, I guess you got to start somewhere.”

Not only does it look to be expensive, but job losses are expected as well. “Major work is expected to start this summer with the demolition of two commercial buildings next to the Lynnwood Transit Center: the old Black Angus restaurant and McDonald’s Fine Furniture warehouse,” according to HeraldNet. “I don’t think you can solve Seattle’s problems. I understand the light rail will, in theory, alleviate that. I’m just not confident it will work,” Dremousis said.

The light rail is scheduled to arrive in West Seattle in 2030.

Ballard’s extension will be completed five years afterwards.

“It’s not New York or Chicago, areas that they’ve had mass transit for years and the communities are built around the mass transit. We’re trying to build mass transit around the communities [we have], I don’t think it works that way." H

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By Hank Belanger

Hawkeye

SHYMKO STEALS THE SPOTLIGHT

HAWKEYE STAFF

This process of exploration begins with researching a show club president this year, though Shymko previously worked and choosing it, then going through the long tasks of disas the club’s secretary. Her duties then involved taking notes about meetings, who went to them, and when they happened, cussing the budget, auditions for the roles, then increasingly intense and detailed rehearsals, a cornerstone of the last part as well as planning with the other officers to help organize being “blocking.” events like fundraisers and trips.

“First we have to block the show, which is pretty much our “I’ve never really done a lot of leadership,” Shymko said. “I director being like, ‘So during this line go here, do this,’’’ was in pretty much my middle school version of…Student Shymko explained.

Leadership and Volunteers…but this is pretty “Drama’s great, While blocking remains the essential baseline much my first ‘real’ leadership position I’ve and I’m so glad it’s rehearsal of productions, the next stages involve had, and I’ve been having a lot of fun with it.” in my life. I think the real investigation into the characters.

As president, her duties mostly include helpit’s a great time” “After we’re done blocking and we have all ing plan fundraisers and managing the other Peja Shymko of our lines memorized, we get to talk about student leaders within the Drama Club.

DRAMA CLUB PRESIDENT our characters and develop how our characters “The drama officers all have jobs…but we split up the work…we talk about [all the] stuff…we all fill out work and what they’re motivations are,” Shymko explained.

“When we do that, we’re developing the world and the charfundraiser forms… we all plan for the drama meetings and acters and really story building…Once we have the icing, we work on those…together…so we share the work, but I’m the go into tech week, which is the stressful week right before technical president…[I’m] just making sure everyone in the shows, [and] then we go and perform it.” drama department is informed about what’s going on.”

Not even performing the shows ends the process, as then In addition to acting, Shymko has played plenty of other the set must be torn down to keep the stage clean. roles in theater as well.

Despite all the work, it’s always the same reason Shymko “I’ve mostly done acting…[but] in ‘Leading Ladies,’ I was the head costume person…and also outside of our school I’ve continues with drama.

“Drama is a really welcoming experience, and everyone helped run the spotlight…I just want to be involved Although she’s helped with other jobs in the past, Shymko’s should try it out because everyone’s just super nice and it always pays off,” she said. true passion lies in acting on stage.

Like all activities, theater has its challenges and difficulties.

“There’s something so wonderful about taking a part of The demands of working as both an actor and club president yourself and putting it in this other person and becoming left Shymko with precious little time to do anything else. this other person,” she said. “I feel like when you embody “There’s some other stuff that I would love to do…[and] another person, it helps you figure out parts of yourself just check out other things but I don’t really have the time.” she by exploring how this person interacts with the world, [and] said. “I’m in choir, but that doesn’t really count as a club.” you get to explore how you interact from the world and how In addition to a lack of time for other activities, there it differs from the character you’re playing. I just think that’s comes the inherent stress of putting on a production. really interesting and beautiful and I love doing it.”

“Tech week is always really stressful, especially since we end up staying from right after school to 6 p.m. It’s kind of a lot when you add on schoolwork and it’s stressful to just be performing, just putting yourself out there with something that you’ve worked so hard on and not knowing if it’s good enough or if the audience will like it.”

While the audience’s enjoyment always boosts morale, Shymko keeps going with both acting and participating as president to ensure an environment of creativity and fun.

“Theater has always been pretty accepting,” she said. “It’s viewed as such an accepting place because it’s just such a diverse experience, getting to play different people and see different experiences…there’s a lot of different people who come together to create this one thing, and that builds a sense of community.”

Out of all the joys of theater, Shymko likes the community the most, and this is what she hopes everyone can experience and learn from. “[The] best parts are the people; almost everyone in every show is wonderful, super passionate, [and] fun,” Shymko said. “You get to be in a cool space to tell an interesting story in a unique way.”

Outside of drama club, Shymko’s interests include playing “Dungeons and Dragons,” hanging out with friends and singing in choir. Still, theater is a large part of her life.

“Drama’s great, and I’m so glad that it’s in my life. I think Peja Shymko (Center) performing during Terrace’s rendition of “Little Shop of Horrors.” Shymko starred as Audrey, the female lead it’s a great time,” Shymko said. H of the musical. CAROLINE ERDEY | HAWKEYE

Junior Peja Shymko started exploring theater almost as early as possible: fifth grade at Madrona K-8 school.

“I was really lucky to have a drama program,” she said. “My first time was great, I’ve been doing [drama] ever since.”

Madrona wasn’t all about theater, and the school’s structure presented some unique challenges.

“It was a lot to be at a school for nine years…I didn’t get to do that whole transition from middle school to high school, but…I think I turned out fine, and I’m glad I went there because of the theater program,” she said.

That doesn’t mean Madrona’s theater program was perfect.

“At Madrona, the musicals featured very small children,” Shymko said. “There were middle schoolers, but there were also…fourth [and] fifth graders, so…it was very hectic.”

Overall, though, starting drama early paved the way for her work at MTHS and Shymko sees her old school’s program as a positive experience.

“Madrona was a really important part of my life. I was there for nine years and it shaped a lot of how I think today.

I’m mostly just really grateful to have gone to a school with a theater program.”

Shymko continued her career in theater at MTHS, enrolling in drama classes and joining the Drama Club. She became its president at the end of her sophomore year. She found MTHS to have a much more cohesive theater program under drama teacher and director Jeannie Brzovic than the one she experienced at Madrona. The reasons mostly had to do with the students themselves. “[It’s] a lot more organized over here,” Shymko said. “I feel like here…everyone is more invested in making our shows great because we’re more matured…and…we just really want to do the most we can to make the shows wonderful.”

Her part in making the shows great involves becoming the

Hawkeye

LIFESTYLE

MARCH 2019 | 17

WHAT IS THE DEAL WITH THE FALK HEADS?

By Theresa Van

generally serve to make students more comfortable around what looks to be an intimiEver since the beginning of the school year, dating assistant principal who, as it turns there have been sightings of a certain assisout, is just a regular, friendly man. tant principal’s head around campus. That is “I think the Falk heads are a fun attribute none other than the one and only Dan Falk. to Terrace. We have a lot of school spirit and Falk’s head has been posted around school we like to have fun and I believe that doing grounds where people may find them, but it little stuff like that to highlight someone’s remains a mystery as to who is responsible day is really what we’re about,” junior Jayden for the heads.

Moodie said.

The black-and-white cut-outs have been In addition to enjoying the sight of Falk’s spotted in numerous places across campus, head, Moodie believes that Falk is an essenalthough the number has been decreasing tial part of the Terrace community. since they were first spotted in the fall. Some “Falk is a really good person to have at areas included the eye on the hawk mural in Terrace,” Moodie said. “He listens to stuthe HUB and the science bulletin board out- dents and really knows how to make people side of room 128 belonging to science teacher laugh.”

Mark Burbank. There’s also a Falk head Falk sees the heads as a way to interact inside of humanities teacher Christopher with students and share a joke.

Ellinger’s room, one on the ASB bulletin “I’m a high school assistant principal and right next to the fines office, people in my position are not “I think the Falk heads known for having multiple one on the Big 6 door, one are a fun attribute on one of the doors leading positive interactions with to Terrace. I believe outside near science teacher a wide range of students,” that doing little stuff Scheree Kosloski’s room, and he says. “Each time a stulike that to highlight there is even one in the venddent comes and says, ‘I saw someone’s day is really ing machine upstairs next to one of your heads on the what we’re about.” the band trophy case. ____________,’ that’s an Jayden Moodie One of these heads in parinteraction I would not likely JUNIOR ticular, unlike the rest, didn’t have otherwise.” show up until December. Inside of room Not everyone likes seeing the heads. In 126’s biology class, science teacher Adam fact, some have quite a negative opinion.

Welman claims he got the head from a stu“They make me feel that they’re always dent who brought it in to his class after the watching everything because you never see lip dub. He knows who brought the head to him smile,” freshman Austin Davis said. him, but that student isn’t the one who made However, for the most part everyone seems it. Thus, the identity of the maker remains a fine with them around. Some even say the secret. heads incite joy for them as they walk past When these heads were just posted, it is them. likely that there were present in more loca“I think that having random pictures of tions, but since they were posted in unproFalk around the school created some sort tected areas it is probable that school officials of excitement in our student’s lives,” senior have taken some down. In fact, the ones left Ishika Nayyar said. “Huge props to whoever might not survive for long. is doing this.”

Falk enjoys the pictures of his head posted Evidently, they cannot stay up forever as around campus and believes they are a posiFalk himself will get rid of the ones that are tive edition to the school. left before the beginning of the next school “It’s my favorite prank that has ever been year. In the meantime, those who have seen played on me and whoever did it, well, it’s them can enjoy their presence while it lasts. been a positive experience,” Falk said. “For And maybe next year’s underclassmen will example, a creatively placed head made me a start their own joke as well. member of the Homecoming Court for one “Mountlake Terrace High School is a speday. I laughed out loud. This is a prank that cial place and I’ve been glad to be a part of has taken time and energy and it seems to this school since 2002,” Falk said. me to be in good fun.”

Falk thanks whoever put them up for doing This has affected Falk by increasing his him the honor of pranking him and for the popularity with students and making them laughs the heads have caused. more comfortable around him. The heads He said he hopes that, in the meantime, whomever has done this for him is also putA collection of just some of the Falk heads ting just as much effort into their actual located all around the halls and in classrooms. schoolwork. H HAWKEYE STAFF

NATHANIEL REYES | HAWKEYE

18 MARCH 2019

LIFESTYLE

Hawkeye

Citizens aid Nourishing Network during “snowpocalypse” troubles Story and infographic by Annika Prom

happen, but there were some people who… got some meals to those students anyway.”

In the midst of cold weather, warm acts of kindness melted Proactive citizens aren’t unfamiliar to the NN. The week the snow. Community members supported the Nourishing before, all weekdays were impacted by inclement weather Network (NN) in its efforts to deliver weekend meals to and the packaging teams were unable to come in to help. families in the Edmonds School District (ESD).

Nonetheless, both staff and volunteers condensed the process The NN was unable to meet its weekly goal of distributto a few days and offered to deliver meals because the LPD ing food to students on Thursday, Feb. 14 for the first time could not drive in the snow. in its history, according to Program Manager Thame Fuller.

“It just shows how eager to serve and eager to help our variDue to poor driving conditions and school ous community partners are. I’m very closures during the “snowpocalypse,” the thankful for that,” Fuller said.

“I love seeing how team could not prepare their meal packIn the midst of these roadblocks, supportive our community is ages in time.

Fuller is reminded of his “love-hate and how eager [they are] to provide the food.”

“It affected us dramatically. It takes a big, relationship” with his job. collaborative effort [of] multiple volunteers “What I mean by that is I hate that Thame Fuller NOURISHING NETWORK PROGRAM MANAGER teams working in concert together each there is so much need and that there week for us to distribute our weekend are so many families throughout our meals throughout the district,” Fuller said. “This week for school district that are struggling to the degrees that they the first time ever, we were unable to make our delivery for need support with just weekly food and so on,” he said. “My weekend meals [on Thursday].” heart aches for them.”

As the NN serves 224 students, Fuller found it “pretty However, the big hearts of community members continue tough” to communicate the bad news. to uplift Fuller.

“It was the first time ever that we weren’t able to get the “The love part of it is I love seeing how supportive our meals out and that was obviously difficult. These are families community is and how eager [they are] to provide the food. that are in challenging circumstances and it’s already hard for I mean, all the food we get is donated food,” Fuller said. “[I them and they rely on us,” he said. “It’s very difficult to be the see] how eager people are to serve and to help, and so I love bearer of bad news like that.” getting to be a conduit of generosity in our community.”

Volunteers and Parent-Teacher Associations from around The program follows a week-long process that adheres to the area mobilized to fill the gaps in the quest to feed hungry the ESD’s school schedule and involves the help of about 45 families. community and church partners.

“Some of our community partners stepped up. They weren’t All food used by the NN is donated by community partlimited in the same ways we were in the district’s school ners and typically comes in on Mondays for volunteers to schedule. They took matters into their own hands,” Fuller process. The next day, volunteers pull items from the invensaid. tory to create the 15-item weekend meal bags. Another “For some schools, this was not something we could make group assembles these bags during the evening.

CO-EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

An abundance of food items that volunteers packaged into meals, which were sent out the week after the Nourishing Network was unable to send out meals due to snow. PHOTO COURTESY OF THAME FULLER.

On Wednesday, other helpers inventory and stock the new donations from that week. Come Thursday, delivery partners like CrossFit Industrious and the Lynnwood Police Department’s (LPD) Citizens Patrol work together to send meals to 30 different ESD schools.

Students in need will see the designated point person at their school to pick up their supplies for the weekend. At MTHS, that person is Student Support Advocate Latisha Williams.

“It takes the whole week to pull that together,” Fuller said.

The NN serves students in the McKinney-Vento program, which is a federal mandate that requires schools and school districts to help students who are technically homeless.

The approximately 600 qualified families in the ESD also receive assistance that allow students to stay in the same school, even if they leave its “zoning.”

Students looking to apply for the McKinney-Vento program are encouraged to speak with their counselor or student support advocate.

Additionally, the NN protects the anonymity of its students and was unable to recommend affected students or families for an interview with the Hawkeye.

The counseling office at MTHS also did not respond to a request for a private interview with any students who were impacted by the missed delivery from the NN. People looking to join the NN’s mission can visit their website to participate in events such as the weekend meal preparation or holiday meal program. H

LIFESTYLE

Hawkeye

MARCH 2019 | 19

SEE IT TO BELIEVE IT

2

1

3 1: Junior Andy Tu ducks behind cover in SuperHot VR, a first-person shooter where time only moves when the player is moving.

2: Freshman Imad Morsli takes aim at virtual enemies in SuperHot VR. In the background, blue light from a whale encounter VR experience can be seen.

3: STEM teacher James Wilson tries to psych out senior Cole Goodnight by playing cow noises in his ear while he uses Paint 3D, a virtual painting tool.

4. Freshman Anabelle Sumera-Decoret dives for an enemy in SuperHot VR. Her animated performance drew cheers from her peers watching behind her.

MATTHEW HIPOLITO | HAWKEYE

4

20 | MARCH 2019

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