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MOUNTLAKE TERRACE CITY HALL LEVY APPROVED JANUARY 2018 | VOLUME 33 | ISSUE 3

THE ASB CONSTITUTION GETS AN UPDATE

THE MEN’S BASKETBALL TEAM IS ON A ROLL

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

HAWKEYE WWW.THEHAWKEYE.ORG

SPEAKING OUT

PEOPLE’S VOICES ARE BEING HEARD IS YOURS ONE OF THEM?

2 | JANUARY 2018

Hawkeye

We’re writing a book about you.* *Okay, and about 1300 of your closest friends.

The TEMPO. Your student yearbook. Reserve a copy today.

$75 • $65 w/ASB for sale in the ASB office. And, no. That’s not the cover for this year’s book. We’re a bit more creative than that, but we want to keep it a surprise.

Hawkeye SARAH DAVIS | HAWKEYE

JANUARY 2018 | 3

HAWKEYE LEADERSHIP ‘17-’18 Co-Editors-in-Chief Sierra Clark and Vivian Nowka-Keane Editorial Board Ben Eyman, Harper Thomas, Nolan DeGarlais, Sam Johnson, Sierra Clark and Vivian Nowka-Keane Editorial News Editor Nolan DeGarlais Sports Editor Kennedy Cooper and Sarah Davis Op-Ed Editor Marianne Nacanaynay Lifestyle Editor Annika Prom Business General Manager Ben Eyman Distribution Manager Open

EMMA HOLBROOK | HAWKEYE

Visual Graphics Editor Tessa King Photo Editor Harper Thomas and Jacob Allard Design Editor Open

Feminine products out of reach Contents 10 13 North Korea missile

January

2018

15 Providing a bright basketball future

SARAH DAVIS | HAWKEYE

Letter from the Editor

Naviance is not necessary for all students C

oming back from winter break, we had a “Naviance day,” where instead of working on classwork or getting teacher assistance from other classes, we were required to work on the “college and career readiness” website, Naviance. Juniors in particular received a “Complete Naviance CurriculumFinancing Your Education” assignment. This assignment required students to complete three Naviance Curriculum lessons about financSierra Clark ing their personal college education. CO-EDITOR-IN-CHIEF The lessons cover paying for college, financial aid options and “getting ready for the FAFSA.” With these assignments, and students in all grades constantly being required to update their college searches, going on to pursue a college education feels heavily pushed, if not forced. While students should be supported in their pursuit of college

education and be informed on how to do so, it doesn’t apply to every student. According to HuffPost, on average, 12 percent of high school graduates in the U.S. don’t apply to college by the age of 26. When it comes to Washington state, that number is higher. Looking at 2014 statistics, the Kids Count Data Center showed only 61 percent of high school graduates enrolled in college, leaving 39 percent of students who didn’t. If that 39 percent average is anything close to MTHS statistics of 1300 students, that is nearly 507 students who, at some point in their high school career, will be required to research unnecessary information, instead of getting needed support or working on their current education and preparing for their future career. Many students are being left in the dust to fend for themselves when it comes to post-high school planning. Instead, the school should be providing more resources on career planning, rather than college planning. H

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Phone 425.431.5058 Website www.thehawkeye.org Mail Hawkeye Room 130 c/o Mountlake

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Name in bold indicates the staff member of the month as selected by the Editorial Board. ....................................................... Advisers Vince DeMiero and Mike McLaughlin FANs Coordinators Sandra Merten & Cathy Fiorillo Printing Pacific Publishing Member MTHS ASB, JEA/WJEA, NSPA, Student Press Law Center, Tao of Journalism

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Mission Statement The Hawkeye’s mission is to provide the MTHS community with quality, thought-provoking student produced publications. In policy and in practice since 1960, the Hawkeye is a designated open forum publication.

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The Hawkeye has established several open public forums for the exchange of information, opinions and artistic expression dedicated to those in the MTHS community. Since 1960, we have faithfully served our audience and community as an open, public forum where student editors make all decisions. Editorials The editorial section of the Hawkeye serves as a forum for wellwritten, 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 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. Editorial Cartoons Submissions represent the view of the artist. Editorial cartoons accompanying editorials and editorial columns represent the view of the author. Cartoons are selected based on appropriateness and clarity of message. Advertising 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. Revised 9/2013

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COVER ILLUSTRATION BY TESSA KING

Terrace High School 21801 44th Avenue West Mountlake

Online Data/Online Manager Sam Johnson Audio/Video Manager Open .................................................... 2017-2018 Hawkeye Staff Alice Sampson, Amy Harris, Andy Nguyen, Annabeth Woodard, Ben Hawkins, Ben Rigney, Bruno Porras, Cameron Suraci, Charlotte King, Christen Spadavecchia, Ciara Laney, Corey Takeya, Emma Holbrook, Erin Martino, Ethan Dunne, Flynn Thomas, Gavin Norley, Hank Belanger, Ian Dortsch, Jackson Freund, Jacob Finerty, Jake Paulsene, Jenny Tran, Jonathan Kwong, Josh Setala, Lenise Tay, Leo Diaz, Lexi Dellinger, Lindee Cutler, Maria Hernandez, Matthew Hipolito, Meghan Park, Memphis Ramerman, Nhan Tran, Nhung Lam, Praditha Halstad, Praise Jingjit, Rackeb Kelemu, Robert Krieger, Samantha Svikel, Semira Beraki, Teresa Bonilla, Tommy Tran, Trinity Alber, Victoria Henry, Vito Sparapano and Yannie Tran

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CONSTITUTIONAL CHANGES “N

ew year, new me.” You have probably heard this a lot since New Year’s, especially from your friend that just got their heart broken by their significant other on Christmas. Don’t mind them though, they’ll get better. I mention this to inform you all Andy Shaw that this year, ASB is ASB PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER going to update their Constitution! You have probably seen the mass amounts of emails being sent to you and maybe overheard your classmates talking about it. The biggest update is that Running Start students can participate in ASB, as long as

OP-ED

they are in four classes during the school day, and that softball is now a sport that can get varsity awards (upon approval)! The reason we chose to update the Constitution is because it was sixteen years old and out of date, and this year we had an Executive ASB position that was vacant and were unable to interpret what we needed to do. I hope you all check your emails and read over it sometime soon. If you have any questions or concerns you can email me or attend our next ASB meeting when we will be approving the newly amended Constitution, Jan. 31 in the theater during PASS. Have a great day Hawks! H NOTE: The Hawkeye provides the ASB space each issue in the Op/Ed section as part of our mission as a designated open public forum. More information on this story can be found online at www.theHawkeye.org Andy Shaw can be reached at shawand000@edmonds15.org

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Now it’s your turn

So, what’s on your mind?

How change defines our year L

Hawkeye

ast year was tumultuous. It was met with In essence, new leadership means new rules conflict, disaster and tragedy, with hope and guidelines for the yearbook we produce. fleeting at times. It didn’t matter what side Through collaboration with the Hawkeye, of the political, social we’re working to make sure the book packs in or economic spectrum as many memories as we can from the year. anyone was on; While it took a few months to get a leadwhatever someone did, ership team in place, we’ve been able to there was a passionate establish one with an executive editor accomconversation alongside panying two design editors, three photograit. phy editors and a copy editor who edits all Perhaps Oxford yearbook text. Our staff pulls mostly from Dictionaries phrased Hawkeye, but we’re always open for new staff Marianne Nacanaynay OP-ED EDITOR/TEMPO EDITOR it best when they (if anyone’s interested). placed “youthquake” With regards to design, this yearbook has as their 2017 word of the year. a more modern take; one of the fonts we But with the start of the school year and use is custom (courtesy of junior Madison the new year, the one thing the yearbook Balser) and several layouts are influenced staff knew to anticipate was change. by geometric graphics. The cover TEMPO In years prior, yearbook has been a class, Design Editor Teresa Bonilla created will not a club. But last summer, MTHS’s yearbe revealed in a few weeks across TEMPO book, TEMPO, social media. unexpectedly joined Another point Through collaboration with the Hawkeye as part of brought to TEMPO Hawkeye, we’re working to make the Hawk Student attention was consure the book packs in as many memories as we can from the year. Media program due cern regarding the to a lack of students senior superlatives signing up for the chosen. The superlaclass. tives this year are no different from superlaThus, the 2017-2018 school year began as tives chosen the year before, with the excepa year of change. Not only did we begin the tion of one superlative we did not include. year with new leadership of the school, but We picked the superlatives this year intendwe also had new leadership taking charge of ing to reflect student character and MTHS the yearbook. ideals, but if there’s a group of students who The book the TEMPO team is putting feel they are not represented, TEMPO will together reflects this in a change of design, address those accordingly. structure and composition. For upperclassThe TEMPO team thanks you for your men, these changes might come as a surpatience while we work hard on making the prise, especially for those who didn’t know best yearbook we can amidst the change surTEMPO was under new leadership. rounding us. H

LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARD: Got an idea? How about a strong opinion? See something you like? Can’t stand something else? Then write a letter to the editor of the Hawkeye! Drop off your handwritten or printed out letter to us in room 130, email us at editor@thehawkeye.org or tweet it to @MTHSHawkeye MARIANNE NACANAYNAY | HAWKEYE

Hawkeye

OP-ED

JANUARY 2018 | 5

SO, YOU CAN’T TAKE THE HEAT?

HA K

R PA YE KE

been particularly evident with the election for the president of the United States, leading to the infamous phrase, “Not my president.” The most extreme variation of this phrase for this comes from the election of Abraham Lincoln and the subsequent secession of the South and the beginning of the Civil War. But the phrase, “Not my president” has made a come back in the 21st century. This was particularly evident when many people protested the election of Donald Trump, using the phrase to show they didn’t accept the election results. It shouldn’t take much effort to recall the talks of moving to Canada and even in some cases, secession. This isn’t just a phrase used by liberals after Donald Trump was elected. Some people may recall the same exact words being used by liberals to describe Trump as the words that were used to describe his predecessor, Barack Obama. After his election, many conservatives threatened to do many of the same things people prepared to do almost a year ago. It is clear no side has managed to obtain the moral high ground when it comes to being sensitive to the other side of the political spectrum; but the question remains: What are we what to do now? Will we continue to enclose ourselves in bubbles containing only the “correct” opinions, or will we change and learn to hear out the devil we see on the other side? H

DEREK NGUYEN | HAWKEYE

ent views than themselves. One of the best examples of these findings comes from a research article written by Brandt and fellow researchers Geoffrey Wetherell Ph.D and Christine Reyna Ph.D that was published in the journal Social Psychological and Personality Science. The study says the collected data, “suggests liberals and conservatives are equally likely to discriminate against value violators,” meaning research showed both liberals and conservatives were equally as likely to support discrimination against groups that violated their personal values. This can be attributed to a few key factors, one of the largest being the growth of social media in politics. According to the Pew Research Center, in 2017 approximately 45 percent of adults in the United States get news from Facebook. One of the biggest things about Facebook in particular is that it will tailor what you see based on your past searches and views. This means people who frequently view liberal news pages will be shown more liberal news pages on their feeds. Its algorithms are set up to direct you toward things you appear to enjoy and continuously view, whether that be the latest cute cat video or an ultra left-wing communist podcast. It shouldn’t come as a surprise to us that this has isolated the two sides of the political spectrum. These self-created echo chambers don’t allow for people to be exposed to new opinions and make people more sensitive to voices not saying what they already believe. The big picture is that the country has started to become so divided that people have begun to not accept the other side when they win. This isn’t a particularly new concept. Since the beginning of this country, there have always been individuals who didn’t accept the results when officials were elected into office. This has

word currently thrown around on both sides of the aisle is the term “snowflakes,” which is mostly used by people who wish to describe the opposite side as not being able to hear any opinion other than their own. It is no secret this term has been used by conservatives to describe university students, typically used when defaming “safe spaces.” Typically found Sam Johnson DATA/ONLINE MANAGER on college campuses, safe spaces are intended to be locations where people will not be exposed to harassment, discrimination, criticism, or any form of physical or emotional harm. Safe spaces are often criticized by conservatives, as they believe these safe spaces limit free speech and don’t allow for productive dialogue. However, liberals have also used the term snowflakes to describe conservatives who are not open to liberal free speech, citing many conservatives’ opposition to protests on racial inequality, whether it be an NFL player taking a knee during the national anthem or a full scale Black Lives Matter rally. But in reality, the truth is that we are all snowflakes. The fact of the matter is that many Americans have started to become desensitized to opinions other than their own. Psychologist Mark Brandt Ph.D has been a leader in research regarding how tolerant liberals and conservatives are to one another. While Brandt has done studies focusing on ideological differences to religious fundamentalism, his research has consistently found that people are much less tolerant to people who share differ-

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NEWS

Hawkeye

PERMANENT CITY HALL FOR MOUNTLAKE TERRACE APPROVED By Nolan DeGarlais NEWS EDITOR

On Nov. 7, 2017, voters in Mountlake Terrace approved Proposition 1 to fund a new and permanent City Hall with a 69.55 percent yes vote. Since 2008, the city has been renting space for about $40,000 a month from Redstone Corporate Center to fulfill City Hall functions. The city had to vacate the old City Hall building after a ceiling collapse that made it unsafe. The nearly $11 million project will be funded by a property tax levy on MLT residents, which will amount to about 27 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value for 2018. This amounts to about $81 a year for the owner of a $300,000 home. The levy is set to continue for up to 30 years in order to fully pay for the costs of the new City Hall. In addition to funding a roughly 18,000 square-foot City Hall, the $12.5 million measure also funds a 3,000 square-foot expansion to the existing MLT police station. The police station expansion is meant to address current safety issues within the police department. The pro-statement accompanying Prop. 1 on the ballot — written by Don Enochs, Sally Buckingham and Margaret Hyneman — clarified the importance of expanding the existing police station. “Without this expansion we put our police at risk of spending time and resources correcting compliance issues rather than patrolling our streets,” the statement reads. “Expansion of the current Police facility will create a safe and positive workspace so our police can focus on serving and protecting our community and responding to emergency situations.” It was ultimately decided to fund the police station expansion with this measure rather than previously approved general city bonds. MLT city council member Bryan Wahl felt

The rented Mountlake Terrace city hall building CIARA LANEY | HAWKEYE

using those previously approved bonds was essentials for the city’s service. The proposiirresponsible. tion, approved by the committee in July, was “I like the idea of being able to have those supported by council, who were confident it [bonds] available down the line for other would reach more than 60 percent approval purposes, whether it’s the Rec Pavilion or in November. Council members also decided Ballinger Park or Main Street, or any of the to include the funding for the police station other things we have coming down the line,” expansion in the proposition, against the he said. recommendation of the committee, who felt The lease for the current temporary City the voters may not approve of the extra $1.5 Hall is set to expire in 2020 and costs the million. city an excess of $400,000 each year. In 2016, voters in MLT approved a levy lid MLT resident Dustin DeKoekkoek lift, which allowed the city to raise the propexpressed his support for the proposition in erty tax levy by up to 44 cents per $1,000 the lead up to the vote, arguing that approvof assessed property value per year while ing the levy to construct the permanent City the city crafted plans to build a permanent Hall would be more practical and sustainCity Hall. The income from the increased able for the city. levy would go toward paying the rent for “At $12.5 milthe interim City “At $12.5 million, we’re able to build a lion, we’re able Hall while the city facility to house our essential city services actively engaged to build a faciland provide a modest and needed ity to house our in crafting plans expansion to our police station,” essential city for the new buildDustin DeKoekkoek services and ing, which culmiMLT RESIDENT provide a modest nated in the recently and needed expansion to our police station,” approved proposition. he said. “We’re currently paying nearly half Opponents of the proposition felt the coma million in rent every year for interim City mittee still had not reduced the costs of the Hall. Prop. 1 will allow us to stop wasting City Hall by enough to justify an increase in money and start investing in our own facility the levy rate. MLT resident Leonard French, on our own land.” who wrote the con-statement accompanyThe measure approved by voters in ing the proposition on the November ballot, November was not the first proposition put expressed this concern. on the ballot by council to fund a permanent “Market data on building sizes and conCity Hall. The first measure, put on the balstruction costs, which were never fully conlot in 2010, would have cost $37.5 million; sidered by the committee, suggest that a City the second proposition, put on the ballot in Hall could be built for less,” said French, 2012 and 2013, would have cost the taxpaywho had previously ran for a city council ers $25 million. Both propositions failed to position. “Our current rent costs 16 cents per achieve the 60 percent support necessary for $1,000 of assessed value according to the city capital bond measures to be passed. manager. This proposal would mean paying After the previous three propositions 27 cents per $1,000 for up to 30 years.” failed, the city formed a committee of both Those who supported the proposition supporters and opponents of the previous found those criticisms to be unfounded as measures to create a new compromising mea- they argued more money would be wasted sure that would cost less and still contain the on continuing to rent the City Hall space

than constructing a modest City Hall that is $25.5 million cheaper than the first proposition in 2010. The more modest City Hall proposal was crafted by the committee through more than 30 public meetings and hundreds of comments from the community, which the pro-committee argued showed the new proposal was one the community, rather than just the city government, had crafted. “The committee worked through most of 2017 and organized dozens of committee meetings and informal meetings throughout the community to gather feedback from Mountlake Terrace residents,” DeKoekkoek said. Before the ceiling collapse in 2008, the previous MLT City Hall lasted for nearly 50 years. Those in favor of the proposition argued that a new City Hall, built with modern construction standards, would last even longer, thus justifying the comparatively modest costs. Voters ultimately felt the new City Hall and police station expansion was worth the property tax levy increase of 11 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value. The proposition passed with nearly 70 percent voter support, nearly 10 percent higher than what was necessary to proceed with the construction of the City Hall. The threshold needed to pass the proposition was 4,030 votes, with the proposition ultimately receiving 4,155 votes in favor and 1,261 votes opposed. The approval of the proposition ends a nearly decade-long hunt by the city government for a permanent City Hall the community would agree to fund. After construction of the permanent City Hall is completed, the city will no longer need to lease office space. Voters responded positively to the cost consciousness of the committee that crafted the City Hall proposition and the extensive level of community involvement the committee used to craft the proposition, ultimately leading to its approval. H

Hawkeye

NEWS

JANUARY 2018 | 7

FUNDING, CLASS SIZES REQUIREMENTS CAUSE SCHEDULING PROBLEMS By Ian Dortsch HAWKEYE STAFF

Schools tend to have problems with class sizes, and MTHS is no exception. Even this year, the school had problems with organizing the classes students will be taking, some of which you might’ve heard about or experienced yourself. While it may not seem like it, class sizes affect everyone. Because of the amount of funding the school gets every year, they can’t always afford to hire more teachers, open up more classes for students or keep classes with low amounts of students, and as such classes can become overcrowded and in other cases have to be removed entirely. This was the case with the Broadcast Production class, better known as Hawk TV, this year, as there were not enough students who signed up for that class, so it did not receive funding, which led to the removal of features like televised JONATHAN KWONG | HAWKEYE announcements. The school defines how big or small a class is by the number of students enrolled. According to Assistant Principal Peter Schurke, the general rule for class sizes is to keep the number of students in a class below 34 students. However, sometimes both staff and students are stuck with large classes, which can end up being frustrating for students and teachers. “I personally don’t think we should have a class size of 34 or more because that is just ridiculous to both the students and the teachers,” Schurke said. It’s more than just a problem with funding, though. The way the schedule for the entire school is laid out, also known as the “master schedule,” plays a part in deciding what classes kids may or may not have. Depending on the way the master schedule is set out by the administration, classes may or may not be available for certain students, which is what leads to many students who have complications in their schedule not being able to take certain combinations of classes or entire classes at all. First off, let’s start by looking at the sizes of English and social studies classes for this year, which have caused some problems for the administration. According to Schurke, one of the most difficult types of classes to schedule this year were the English classes, particularly English 11 and English 12. “It’s 11th grade English that is the one place that things just

got nuts this year. No matter what we tried to do to fix it, we just couldn’t come up with a way that it would fix,” Schurke said. “The class sizes in English 11 range from a small of 33 to a large of 36.” The other type of English class that was hard to organize was English 12. According to Schurke, English 12 classes range from 33 to 35 students. Creating more English classes for juniors and seniors can be challenging as funding often has to be diverted to create more English 9 classes. “We really try and make sure we invest just a little extra resources into our ninth grade classes to try and help the transition for ninth graders,” Schurke said. Terrace’s administration has also experienced significant trouble with the 2 period block humanities classes, particularly with those of 10th grade. Overall, the mathematics classes, such as Algebra I and Geometry tend to be appropriately sized but there tend to be bigger problems with sizes in the honors versions of the classes. Pre-Calculus is also appropriately sized, but AP Calculus is a different story, where there are multiple periods for one teacher, all of which make for over-sized classes. The math class that has caused the most trouble in terms of

34 STUDENT MAXIMUM PER CLASS SAM JOHNSON | HAWKEYE

scheduling has been calculus. This is somewhat attributed to the fact that every calculus class is technically two classes taking place simultaneously: AP Calculus AB and AP Calculus BC. “When you look at just the AB’s those look like small classes, and when you look at the BC’s those look like really small classes,” Schurke said. “But if you take a period and add the AB and the BC, some of those got pretty big. There is one point at the beginning of the year where there was a period where [math teacher] Mr. Lencioni had 38 kids.” Science honors classes, however, always tend to be overcrowded. Because of the popularity of the classes, there is a large enough amount of students who request to take them. This causes more periods to be opened up for these classes, but because there are so many kids, they always tend to be overcrowded to some extent. PE classes tend to be large, as was the case this year. They can be made larger if necessary, but that is almost never the case: it would be too big of a strain on the teachers. “We do have some fairly large PE classes,” said Schurke. “There is a loophole in the rules that allows us to go a little bit larger in PE classes, [but] we don’t like to. We like to hold to the same kind of standards for PE classes as to anyone else because PE teachers are entitled to be treated the same as we treat any other teacher.” Electives vary from class to class, but the amount of classes is dependent on how many students ask for them. This means that electives available for one school year may be widely different from another school year. Simply put, if there’s not enough demand for a class, it won’t be available that year. H

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NEWS

THE REVISED CONSTITUTION WHAT DID THE EXECUTIVE The final meeting on the constitutional changes will be held on Jan. 31, during PASS in the theater. Big 6 will then put the revised document up for a vote. Three-fourths of the student council must vote ‘yes’ in order for the changes to be approved.

ASB CHANGE AND WHAT QUESTIONS WERE RAISED?

Pictured from left to right: Treasurer Eugene Seubert, Vice President Rosie Lee, President Brianna Houtman, Secretary Samantha Garcia Perez, Historian Kennedy Cooper and Public Relations Coordinator Andy Shaw. BRIANNA HOUTMAN | EXECUTIVE ASB

Hawkeye

By Nolan DeGarlais NEWS EDITOR

The Associated Student Body (ASB) proposed amendments to the ASB constitution in an email sent out schoolwide on Jan. 3. The amendment process began over the summer of 2017 when the six officers of the schoolwide Executive ASB — known as “Big 6”— decided the constitution needed updates to more clearly define the roles of ASB officers, re-adjust the stated purpose of ASB and to fix grammatical and formatting mistakes. With the amendments finalized by Executive ASB, the final step before their approval has been the current period of public feedback where students could look over changes and express their opinions to the ASB. Over the summer, members of the Executive ASB decided they needed to update its constitution to make a meaningful and lasting change for the organization. Current Big 6 President Brianna Houtman led this process along with Secretary Samantha Garcia Perez, Vice President Rosie Lee and Treasurer Eugene Seubert. “Being elected for a second year in Big 6, Samantha Garcia, Rosie Lee and former tech manager, and current Big 6 treasurer Eugene Seubert and I noticed that Big 6 was getting into a rut,” Houtman said. “This year, the motto we set is a phrase we got from leadership camp the summer of 2017, being ‘Nothing changes if nothing changes.’ This quote is our way of reminding ourselves that we can’t make meaningful change if we keep doing what we’ve always done.” The schoolwide email ASB sent out contained both the current and proposed constitutions, as well as a document listing general differences between the two documents. The explanation document goes section by section to give an overview of what the new constitution would change. Before the implementation of the constitutional changes, ASB held an open forum meeting about the changes on Wednesday, Jan. 17 for all students to express their opinions to ASB on the constitutional amendments. When the Big 6 makes their final vote on the constitutional changes, they will keep the opinions of the student body established at the meeting in mind. After all changes have been finalized and the student body shows its support, the constitutional changes will be officially approved if threefourths of the Student Council votes “yes.” To start making meaningful changes and beginning the process of making ASB into a stronger program, Big 6 realized they had to start by changing the constitution. They found many members of ASB didn’t even know the ASB constitution existed, which

Hawkeye

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was one of the major reasons Big 6 decided non-voting members to Student Council to change the constitution and make it more meetings. The purpose of the Student relevant to the current students. Council remains the same, acting as an After the members of Big 6 returned expression of student opinion in the formafrom their summer leadership camp in tion of policies. July, they participated in a series of meetAlong with changes to the Student ings which involved reading, taking notes Council, the functions and composition on and amending the entirety of the ASB of the Executive Council have also been Constitution. altered. The current constitution estabOne of the first lishes the Executive and most noticeCouncil as a special “‘Nothing changes if nothing able changes to the committee made of changes.’ This quote is our way of reminding ourselves constitution is a the six Big 6 officers that we can’t make meaningful modification to the as well as two officers change if we keep doing what preamble defining from each class, cheer we’ve always done.” ASB’s purpose. The and Interhigh. ASB Brianna Houtman previous constitution originally formed this BIG 6 PRESIDENT established ASB’s committee to hear purpose as, “to promonetary requests not mote a friendly and purposeful relationship submitted in the previous year. between school and community, to foster The Big 6 officers desired to keep the democracy and good citizenship, and to ini- Executive Council, despite its use not being tiate action to the general advantage of the required in recent years. student body.” With the proposed amendments, the Compare this to the new version, which Executive Council would be composed of says, “to promote a safe and enjoyable learn- the six members of Big 6, each of the class ing atmosphere, to foster a strong relationpresidents, the president of Interhigh ASB ship between school and the community, and a cheer captain. In addition to its preand to initiate action to the general advanvious function of hearing late monetary tage of the student body.” requests, the Executive Council will also Among the many changes are modificabe called in times of emergency for the tions to the composition of the Student ASB. If the Big 6 officers come to a deadCouncil. The current constitution establish- lock over a decision, the Executive Council es the membership of the Student Council will be called in an attempt to resolve the as five officers elected from the ASB and up situation. This change was made to make to seven representatives elected from each the Executive Council more organized by class, along with the vice president of each including only the leaders of each ASB class. It also allows each ASB-recognized group. club or organization to send a non-voting The new changes also allow a wider variety representative to Student Council funcof students to participate in their student tions. The current purpose of the Student government. The current constitution Council is to act as the governing body of states all ASB officers must be full-time the ASB, with decisions acting as an expres- students of MTHS and not be involved in sion of student opinion in the formation of programs such as Running Start. With the policies, standards and rules relating to the new amendments, a student would need to school and the budget. be enrolled in a minimum of four classes “[Big 6] thought it quite random to have at MTHS during the school day to qualify excluded the presidents, secretaries and for elections to ASB officer positions, opentreasurers [from the Student Council] when ing up ASB involvement to students in the we hear from the entire ASB at each meetRunning Start program and Running Start ing,” Houtman said. “We used this term to students already in ASB. [Student Council] to describe what we “Though we don’t open up the qualifica[currently] call the ‘general ASB’ consisttions so that people with a large amount ing of the classes in ASB, cheer, Big 6 and of Running Start classes may join ASB Interhigh who are all part of ASB as a club.” because of the time restraint and absence The proposed amendments to the constifrom being physically at the school, we tution establish the Student Council as a loosened the restrictions a bit so that ASB body made up of each class’ ASB Council members may take advantage of such a good (including a president, vice president, treaprogram,” Houtman said. surer, secretary and up to seven representaThe proposed amendments further alter tives), the Interhigh ASB council and cheer. the prerequisites for who can become a Big 6 A provision has not been made for ASBofficer by changing the official requirements recognized clubs and organizations to send for enrollment in the Leadership class.

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The current constitution states all officers students, not just ASB,” Shaw said. “I would of Big 6 must be able to reserve their first say that students should support the changperiod to deal with ASB functions and es in the Constitution because it is now problems for their first trimester of service, more current with what we do in ASB and while in their second and third trimesters allows students in Running Start to particithey must be enrolled in the Leadership pate in ASB. It now gives more opportunity class first period. to students.” The amendments to the constitution alter Houtman believes that while the changes this requirement, simply stating all ASB are necessary to update the current constiofficers must be able to take the Leadership tution containing many conventional errors class as a zero period the year they serve on and outdated factors, students should hold ASB if they have not taken the class previthe ultimate say over the changes. ously. “[Big 6] sent out our constitution and There was also a minor change to the ath[had] a forum because even though the letic awards section of the constitution. This changes mostly affect ASB as a club, it ultichange allows softball athletes to accept mately affects the students as a whole, as athletic awards along with the baseball athASB governs them,” Houtman said. “Also, letes, with the same award conditions and a group of six and even the group of 50 requirements for both sports. The athletic ASB kids shouldn’t be the only deciders of awards for all sports are specified to be colchanges of a constitution that encompasses ored as silver on scarlet. all ASB-sanctioned clubs and sports. On Changes were made throughout the contop of that, underclassmen, who will be stitution to fix grammar mistakes, with most affected by these amendments, should these mistakes being one of the main conbe able to voice their opinion on the matter.” tributors to what led the Big 6 officers to Another change specified how vacancies in seek to amend it. Big 6 Public Relations ASB officer positions would be filled if no Coordinator Andy Shaw described the proone ran for the position in the previous year, cess the amendments went through before a change made as a response to the vacancy being proposed to the MTHS community. in the Treasurer position last year. “[Big 6] decided [the constitution] needed This vacancy occurred as a result of no one to change and had many meetings with each running for the position of Big 6 Treasurer other to fix grammar, change how we are last year, leaving the position of Treasurer addressed [and] readjust what we do,” Shaw vacant until ASB worked out a solution earsaid. “After weeks of work and tuning, [Big lier this year by appointing Eugene Seubert, 6] proposed this at an all of ASB meeting. the previous tech manager of ASB, as Big We went over what we changed and we got 6 Treasurer. According to Shaw, this was their approval to move forward with it.” the first time there was a vacancy in the In addition to the corrections to grammar, Executive ASB due to no one running for a the usage of semester will replace the usage position. of trimester, as semesters are the measure The procedure will be made the same of academic grading periods at MTHS. as the filling of a vacancy which occurred Spelling errors were suddenly during the also corrected throughyear, which involves the “The changes were done out the constitution as Executive ASB asking for for all of MTHS’s students, it was reviewed by Big 6. applicants and then recnot just ASB.” The changes were ommending two of those Andy Shaw made and proposed by applicants to the Student BIG 6 PUBLIC RELATIONS COORDINATOR all of the Big 6 officers, Council, who would vote with each member and choose which appliproposing changes to better the constitucant to fill the vacant position. This was tion and thus the organization of ASB as a done to ensure there was a clear process for whole. filling a vacant position which no one ran “Everybody in Big 6 contributed either by for in the future, as the ASB did not have adding things or defending why something a constitutional procedure to follow when should have stayed,” Shaw said. “The whole appointing Seubert as Treasurer. process [was] done by Big 6.” The duties of the Big 6 officers also face Overall, Executive ASB believes the changes. The role of President was redechanges will ultimately benefit the school fined, while the roles of Treasurer, Public community, with Executive ASB hoping to Relations Coordinator and Historian provide a higher quality and more up-toreceived further duties. The roles of each date constitution which reflects the operaposition of the class councils were also tions of the school. clearly defined, as the current constitution “The changes were done for all of MTHS’s does not do so. H

NEWS

10 | JANUARY 2018

Hawkeye

A PERIOD PIECE MEGHAN PARK | HAWKEYE

After more than a decade, feminine hygiene product dispensers return to women’s bathrooms By Annika Prom LIFESTYLE EDITOR

Making the Decision Feminine hygiene product (FHP) dispensers are being reinstalled in girls’ bathrooms to increase their accessibility, following a decision by the staff and administration. MTHS formerly had these dispensers, which provided pads and tampons, but removed them due to vandalism on the machines. According to former principal and current Assistant Superintendent Greg Schwab, MTHS “had several instances of the products being removed and used to plug toilets as well as having the dispensers torn off the walls.” It became too difficult to consistently replace the FHP and dispensers, leading the school to elect to remove them around 2007 or 2008. From then on, the distribution of feminine products became concentrated to the Health Room in the main office. Currently, if a student needs to obtain hygiene products, they can follow a short procedure in the Health Room. Students only need to ask to use the health room bathroom, which carries various feminine products; they do not have to specify what they need or request them by name. Reimplementing tampon and pad dispensers in bathrooms was a building decision made by the Interim Principal Greg Schellenberg and office personnel. The decision was based on the cost to support the dispensers and consideration of how

JONATHAN KWONG | HAWKEYE

they are treated and used. An order for two FHP dispensers In order to increase accessibility to feminine products, was placed in December before the holidays. Dawson said it would “make most sense to reinstall the According to former student support advocate and social tampon and pad dispensers in the bathrooms.” With worker Ashley Dawson, none of the current MTHS adminthat, Dawson was dismayed upon learning why the school istrators knew why the dispensers were removed from the removed the dispensers. bathrooms. However, Schwab shed some light on their back“I think it’s disappointing that they were removed, but I story, explaining that administration elected to remove femi- understand the reason why and I think that’s what disapnine product dispensers due to significant vandalism. points me more is that so much vandalism was happening District maintenance offers the option to reinstall dispensbecause FHP dispensers are a resource and the very people ers if a school has a need or desire for who are using them are also the people them during any time of the year. who are vandalizing them,” she said. Aside from the Health Room, Family & Consumer Health teacher Dawson occasionally helped provide Kimberly Nelson said she hopes providFHP to students in need. ing more ways of feminine product dis“My role is primarily for students tribution will reduce the stigma around who do not have access to [feminine] discussing the topic. products due to a financial barrier. That “That has a possibility of being psytends to be the biggest reason why I chologically challenging for a girl and would be involved so I’m able to help it’s not socially acceptable to ask for it in students get a product that they need if class, ‘Hey does anyone have a tampon they’re not able to afford them,” Dawson I can borrow?’” Nelson said. “I don’t said. “Every so often there might be understand why there’s shame involved; an emergency where I might step in if it’s not like you’re doing something any person forgets something or needs wrong. Your body’s doing what it’s natusomething then I have quite a few availrally supposed to be doing. We don’t able.” always have the ability to control that. Most of the school’s feminine If we did, the world would be a different MEGHAN PARK | HAWKEYE products come from donations from place.” organizations such as Washington Kids in Transition and Nelson personally stocks up on these items in her classthe Nourishing Network under the Foundation for the room to give to students in need; some of these products Edmonds School District, as well as supplies received from come from Key Club, as she is the club’s adviser. She said she the annual Key Club toiletry drive. believes students should be able to obtain feminine products Dawson stressed the importance of providing easy and from bathrooms and not just the Health Room bathroom, open access to students who need feminine products. “I which would be achieved by reinstalling the dispensers. think it’s something that half of the population in our school Nelson predicts the possibility of vandalism can be preneeds at least once a month for a long period of time in the vented if girls learn the reason behind the removal of the month. Having accessibility means removing the barrier of dispensers and recognize the significance of having dispenshaving to ask for it or having to search for it,” she said. “I ers available in the bathrooms and shape up their behavior in think as any woman knows, it’s an emergency when you need bathrooms. one so at least that they’re readily available is important.” “I think this is a great idea. If girls knew the reason they

Hawkeye

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JANUARY 2018 | 11

don’t have [dispensers] now is because of vandalism in the Fiorillo envisions the machines as themselves in a situation in where “I hoped this would be past, knowing how it’s been a challenge now for girls, maybe dispensing one product at a time. She they don’t have what they need and something the students would girls will be more responsible about their behavior in the is an advocate for making the prodso to have it on campus readily availsay, ‘This is for us so let’s take bathroom,” Nelson said. ucts free, but is also seeking a way for able can only benefit us and I think care of it.’” “I think if girls understand that’s why we didn’t have it, students to optionally pay for them that outweighs any cost that we Cathy Fiorillo that perhaps things would change because you know, it’s if they so choose, with the products would accrue from taking it on at the MTHS OFFICE MANAGER been a while and maybe girls have matured a bit and maybe being at cost. school.” it’s just not that big a deal anymore,” she said. Though MTHS will pay for the feminine products out of Installing dispensers furthers the school’s goal by providAs reinstalling dispensers is a building decision, the the building budget, Fiorillo has no intention of making a ing more points of access to FHP so students can more choice falls in the hands of the Steering Committee led by considerable profit off of them. She compared FHP to being quickly and subtly receive them. Fiorillo views a lack of Schellenberg. This group is comprised of department heads as essential as toilet paper. accessibility to not only be a health obstacle, but potentially and other staff in leadership roles at MTHS, including “I felt like if we had a toilet paper dispenser, would they an academic one, too. Nelson. just remove the toilet paper if there was vandalism?” Fiorillo “It’s something that can get in the way of education. [The The Steering Committee made the decision after consider- said. “To me, [FHP are] a need and it’s a little different goal is] to remove any barriers that students would have to ing input from Dawson, school nurse Julie Hill, the assistant because women purchase their own. You wouldn’t bring your access education and that is a potential barrier and a stress,” principals and custodial staff. In addition, they had to regard own toilet paper and paper towels to school.” Fiorillo said. the financial impact of installWhile administration wanted “If a student starts her period in the middle of the bathing and refilling the dispensers. a dispenser in every girls’ room, to have that convenience be right there [takes] away “Every cost has a benefit bathroom, the cost would have the stress,” she said. to it, too. It’s that analysis amounted to more than $1,000 Similarly, Williams also finds that limiting methods of that makes it whether it’s a which they deemed unsuitable obtaining FHP troubles students because they should be worthwhile endeavor to take for their budget. Fiorillo consid- able to satisfy unavoidable needs instead of encountering on. Some costs are worth it,” ers this decision to be a pilot roadblocks in doing so. Schellenberg said. test and administration may “It’s human nature, I think is the most transparent way I Schellenberg sees value in incrementally add more disthink I can say it. It’s a need that everybody has and I think ensuring students are comfortpensers if the first two are well everybody should have access to it. I think not having [FHP] able and confident at school received by the student body. creates barriers and those aren’t barriers that we need,” and believes reinstalling disFiorillo said she cannot preWilliams said. “I think that need has to be met in order for pensers can reaffirm this sense dict how the general commustudents to feel supported in school.” by providing “a variety of locanity will treat the dispensers, In the meantime, Fiorillo will continue researching how tions” within the building that however she generally has no other school districts manage their FHP dispensers. H supply feminine products with concerns regarding the usage of “greater privacy and quicker them. JONATHAN KWONG | HAWKEYE access.” “It’s your school, it’s your “Equity is such a keyword bathrooms, they’re just right now, an important word. Any practice or lack of pracdoing damage for themselves. I would hope this would be tice that we have that makes people feel marginalized needs something students would say, ‘This is for us so let’s take to be looked at,” Schellenberg said. care of it,’” she said. According to office manager Cathy Fiorillo, the school Fiorillo intends for the dispensers to be used for emermade the decision to reinstall dispensers for students “to gencies or when a student is truly in need of a FHP. save the trip of having to go to the main office and ask [for If a student needs a stock or supply, they are encourFHP].” aged to talk to new social worker Latisha Williams about “I am a strong believer in equity. We’re a public service. an alternative method of acquiring them. Williams began We’re here to suit student needs,” Fiorillo said. her first official day of work at MTHS on Jan. 8, but She is looking into how these products can be provided for already has a solid view of how she will help students free as they are typically available for 25 cents in dispensers. access menstrual supplies. The school plans to move forward with the feminine prod“I think my role is to find [FHP], help students find uct dispensers by installing two units, priced at about $240 them, make them readily available, I think is the best each. Head Custodian Darren Sheehan determined the way for me to put it. If that’s a need that’s in the school and a need for students, then that’s my job to help support that need and help figure out how to meet that need on a long-term, more sustainable basis,” she said. Williams broadened the audience, seeing menstruation as a situation everyone faces in some way, thus reinforcing why she supports the FHP dispensers. most frequently used girls’ bathrooms to be the two closest “Everybody, I think no matter how much money you to the HUB. have or how much money you don’t have, not that people While the date of implementation has not yet been deterare forgetful, but you always have a time where you’re like mined, the downstairs women’s bathroom by the display ‘Hey, do you have…’ I think the benefit of that is that case in the HUB will hold one dispenser. The other women’s it’s supportive to the whole school, not just to the people bathroom that will have the second dispenser has been narwho don’t have the resources to access tampons or pads JONATHAN KWONG | HAWKEYE rowed to down to either the one inside the locker rooms or on an ongoing basis,” Williams said. right outside the locker room. “Everyone at one point or another in their life, finds

Next Steps

12 | JANUARY 2018

NEWS

Hawkeye

gender [specific], get assaulted or harassed and it’s a big deal. We need this. Even if [the movement] doesn’t fix everything, it is still is giving awareness to a problem that faces our society every day.” With such a big movement, Time’s Up has a solidarity letter for for that were sexually attacked, assaulted, and those that want to support the movement to sign Time’s Up has their own gofundme page that has raised over sixteen million dollars Time’s fundraiser is a legal defense fund which is to pay for legal expenses. In entertainment, over 300 women have teamed up with Time’s Up in solidarity battling sexual harassment and assault including Kendall Jenner, Emma Watson, Camila Cabello, Viola Davis and many others. Although the movement was started by a woman, the #MeToo movement does not necessarily apply to just LINDEE CUTLER | HAWKEYE women. named many of the women and men that came forward with “Men should definitely still By Nhung Lam HAWKEYE STAFF stories of sexual harassment and or assault. be represented. I think that women are represented more #MeToo Movement According to Google Trends, searches relating to #MeToo because they are likely to be,” Barry said. Alyssa Milano, an actor, singer and activist, turned one were unheard of before Alyssa Milano. Searches for #MeToo According to the Rape, Abuse and Incest National tweet, #MeToo, reviving the movement against sexual harass- had the relative value of search interNetwork, nine out of ten victims of rape ment and assault on women, originally campaigned by activest of zero. The search interest began are female and one out of ten are male. “We need this. Even if ist Tarana Burke in 2006. to rise in popularity the day Milano’s Though men are still sexually assaulted [the movement] doesn’t fix everything, it is still is giving On October 15, Milano turned to Twitter, tweeting, “If tweet went live. #MeToo searches, and and harassed, women are more vulnerawareness to a problem that you’ve been sexually harassed or assaulted write ‘me too’ as other similar searches such as, “what is able to these assaults. faces our society every day.” a reply to this tweet,” with a screenshot saying, “Me too. #metoo” and “metoo meaning” reached “Sure, they should be represented but Suggested by a friend: ‘If all the women who have been sexu- their peaks at values of 100 during the men are socialized differently; they have Katie Barry FRESHMAN ally harassed or assaulted wrote: “Me too”. As a status, we week of October 15-21. a different type of shame, and don’t might give people a sense of the magnitude of the problem.’” The numbers represent the relative have support from each other the same,” One tweet turned a hashtag into a viral movement of interest for the search term for the Nelson said. women expressing their experigiven time and region; 100 is the peak Every 98 seconds, someone is sexually assaulted in the ences with sexual assault, violence and of its popularity, 50 is half as popular U.S., which means more than 880 people are sexually “I have mixed feelings. It’s good to see the support and harassment. and zero was less than one percent assaulted each day. unity, but it’s weird to share Her tweet has elicited over 68,000 popular. Many of the searches made Sexual assault is so common that even an MTHS student, things that are very private replies, 25,000 retweets and 53,000 were also “Twitter - social networking remaining anonymous, has experienced sexual violence. so publicly,” likes. #MeToo became a viral moveservice”, “Harvey Weinstein”, “hashtag “I was 10 years old, I was being watched by my parents’ soKimberly Nelson ment, causing many other women to human sexuality” and “harassment” in called friend and to make things short, he inappropriately PSYCHOLOGY TEACHER come out alongside Milanoelebrities search of answers for this movement. touched me and showed me sexually explicit material. But like Pamela Anderson, Lady Gaga Perpetrators such as Weinstein have since I was so young, I was confused. I knew something was and Angelina Jolie were among the 50 women who had also caused the eruption of the sexual harassment awareness wrong, but I didn’t realize the [gravity] of the problem until expressed their stories with allegations against film producer movement. The allegations against Weinstein started surfacyears later and couldn’t do anything,” they said. Harvey Weinstein, ranging from rape to sexual harassment. ing in early October, sparking much activism. These allegaThough the #MeToo movement has helped many women “I have mixed feelings. It’s good to see the support and tions not only upset many, but also added the fuel to start and men express their struggles with sexual harassment and unity, but it’s weird to share things that are very private so this viral movement of people standing up against perpetraassault, there is backlash to the movement. Many activists publicly,” MTHS Psychology teacher, Kimberly Nelson said. tors of sexual harassment and assault. are worried about the movement going “off the rail” due to The movement encouraged many others to use #MeToo to Sexual harassment and assault is defined as unwanted sexu- false accusations. raise awareness of the problem sexual assault and harassment al contact involving non-consensual force upon a person. “With big events, there’s bound to be copycats but I believe society faces daily. Freshman Katie Barry defined sexual assault as “anything the majority of them are valid but are very hard to prove,” In Time’s Person of the Year, ‘The Silence Breakers’, TIME a man or woman does to another that is unwanted and inapNelson said. H EDITOR’S NOTE: To read more, visit www.thehawkeye.org. named the #MeToo movement as it’s 2017 person of the propriate.” Barry expressed “the movement is important to year. In the issue, TIME’s editor in chief, Edward Felsenthal, show that people everywhere, no matter the gender or non

THE #

MOVEMENT

NEWS

YE KE

UN O

PO RR A

NORTH KOREA’S NUKES

By Matthew Hipolito HAWKEYE STAFF

A puff of smoke. A flash of light. A long, deep, menacing hiss and the long, slender missile lifts from its launch pad in Pyongsong, North Korea, just 18 miles from the capital of Pyongyang. A dark tube interrupted by a white checkerboard pattern, the Hwasong-15 intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) flew for 53 minutes, reaching a maximum altitude of 2,780 miles and landing 590 miles from its launch site in the Sea of Japan, according to figures released by North Korea’s state-run media agency. The test of the Hwasong-15 ICBM is, as of writing, the latest in a series of missile tests drawing increased public attention in recent years as North Korea ramped up its nuclear program. The North Korean nuclear program detonated its first atomic weapon in October 2006, to much consternation from western nations. Jeffrey Lewis, director of the East Asia Nonproliferation Program at the Center for Nonproliferation Studies, has said the North decided to skip the development of the simpler implosion-type weapon that the United States dropped on Imperial Japan in 1945. “So, while the world was laughing at North Korea’s first few nuclear tests,” Lewis said in Foreign Policy magazine, “They were learning — a lot.”

Why should students care? As it turns out, there is a big reason. The flight characteristics of the Hwasong-15 missile have led experts like David Wright, co-director of the Union of Concerned Scientists, to believe that, with a light payload, the missile could possibly reach Washington — both the capital and the state. According to 38 North, a Korea-focused blog run by the School for Advanced International Studies at John Hopkins University, a 600 kilogram payload would be able to reach Seattle. Being able to to launch a missile does not equal the ability to use that missile to launch a nuclear weapon. A nuclear-tipped ICBM carries one or more nuclear weapons that have been compacted enough to be carried atop a nuclear warhead. Miniaturization is an important milestone on the road to becoming a full-fledged nuclear power. “[North Korea has] done five nuclear tests now,” NPR science editor Geoff Brumfiel said on “All Things Considered” before the September test. “And other countries have been able to miniaturize in fewer tests. So it seems reasonable to assume that they might have been able to miniaturize by this point.”

Is war really coming? It’s difficult to tell, but the relations between the U.S. and North Korea are definitely tense. Admiral Michael Mullen, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff under Presidents Bush and Obama, told ABC’s “This Week” on New Years’ Eve that the US and North Korea are “closer to a nuclear war” than ever before. The United States continues to conduct routine war games, shows of force and readiness exercises around

JANUARY 2018 | 13

the Korean peninsula in conjunction with in which he reminded the US of his newSouth Korea, which the North frequently found nuclear capability, Kim offered to denounces as rehearsals for war. send a delegation from North Korea to the A cell phone alert Winter Olympics in sent out erronePyeongchang, South ously on Jan. 13 by the Korea in February. Hawaii Emergency At negotiations Management Agency held January 8, at warning in all-caps the border town of of a “ballistic missile Panmunjom, North threat inbound to Korean negotiators Hawaii” plunged the agreed to send a delstate into a panic and egation of athletes and illustrated the fear that other staff 550 strong This message was inadvertently sent to hangs over much of the residents of Hawaii on Jan. 13. the Olympics. Pacific. Just three days DOMINIC DEMIERO | HAWKEYE ALUMNUS During the openafter that, the Japanese ing ceremonies, the public broadcaster, NHK, sent a similar Olympic teams of the two Koreas will alert, warning of a North Korean missile, to march together under the flag of a unified Japanese citizens. Both alerts were the result Korean peninsula. The North will also send of human error and were later retracted. a 140-member orchestra called the Samjiyon Communication between the U.S. and Band, called “one of the North’s top arts North Korea continue to be acidic, with troupes” by the New York Times, to play in North Korea’s government calling America South Korea. a “gangster” country in the throes of The South Korean delegation also pro“nuclear war mania” whose leader, President posed the re-opening of a program that Trump, is a “lunatic old man” and a “menallowed elderly Koreans on either side to tally deranged U.S. dotard”. In response, temporarily reunite with family across President Trump, in a speech to the UN, the border. President Moon suggested in referred to Kim Jong-Un as “Rocket Man” December that the United States postpone and said he was on “a suicide mission for the scheduled yearly training exercise known himself and his regime” and threatened to as Foal Eagle. “totally destroy North Korea” if provoked, Although the exact state of their nuclear and on Twitter, called him “short and fat.” capabilities remains uncertain, North Korea North Korea has denounced UN sanctions is a dangerous country that should not be as an “act of war”, and in his New Years’ Day underestimated. A conventional war would speech, Kim said that “The entire mainland cost hundreds of thousands of lives, accordof the US is within the range of our ing to the Congressional Research Office, nuclear weapons and the nuclear butand a war that escalates beyond that might ton is always on the desk of my office.” cost millions — or more. Regardless of President Trump retorted on Twitter whether or not tensions continue to increase, the next day that the American the North Korean issue is one that should be button was “much bigger & watched carefully as it is, as Obama adminmore powerful” and calling istration officials warned incoming Trump the North “depleted and food administration officials before his inaugurastarved”. tion, one of the most important issues curDespite this, however, there rently facing America. H EDITOR’S NOTE: The full version of this story can be found are still some peaceful tones in online at www.thehawkeye.org. the messages between North Korea, South Korea and the United States. In the same New Years’ Day speech SIERRA CLARK | HAWKEYE

Hawkeye

14 | JANUARY 2018

NEWS

TEENAGE PREGNANCY, EDUCATION STIGMAS

By Bani Bedi HAWKEYE STAFF

High school is full of ups and downs ranging from stress in devising an impeccable college application to pressures of conformity to traversing social groups. While attempting to overcome these challenges and uphold standards, other aspects of life may shift, which may or may not be in one’s control. Becoming pregnant may be a decision that was made intentionally or unintentionally. There are many options to consider when faced with this solution. A mother may choose to undergo an abortion procedure, keep the child or put the child up for adoption. Many factors such as financial, religious or cultural influences can affect a pregnant teen’s decisions. Controversy surrounds the issue of raising a child during one’s teenage years. There are added parental responsibilities, along with maintaining one’s education. Teen mothers then have to simultaneously juggle childcare and education. Teen pregnancy in the United States was common in the 1970s and 1990s, reaching its peak in the 1990s until it started to gradually decline. Due to cultural pressures, many people eloped to avoid being stigmatized by their community and relatives. Women often felt compelled to halt their education and instead fulfill a long existing gender role of tending to duties at home. According to the Progressive Policy Institute, “Among dropouts, 30 percent of MEGHAN WKEYE PARK | HA

girls cite pregnancy or parenthood as a key reason they left school.” The other top reasons for dropping out included having poor grades, having financial issues or lacking interest in the school’s curriculum. The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy found that “only 51 percent of teen moms earn a high school diploma compared to 89 percent of female students who did not give birth as a teen.” Although society’s views on teenage pregnancy have become more adaptive, it doesn’t mean the prejudice has completely diminished. Teenage mothers often face many judgmental comments, which takes a mental toll and negatively affects their education. In other words, less judgment from the environment, including from loved ones, could cause less of a mental strain and increase the chances of teenage mothers maintaining their education. Education plays a crucial role in determining one’s future, including one’s financial security. An unstable environment can not only take an emotional toll on the mother, but possibly the child as well. According to Harvard Health, a teen mother who has a defective relationship with her loved ones could put her and her child at a higher risk of depression and various other mental disorders. According to King County statistics, although there has been a decline in teenage pregnancies, there has also been a decreased use of condoms in Washington State from 2012 to 2014. Around 41 percentage of eighth graders who engage in sexual intercourse did not use condoms the last time they had sex. Due to being most likely unable to work and drive, accessibility to condoms is much harder for middle school students. One solution is to target the problem at its source—conception. Condoms and other forms of birth control are ways to drastically decrease the likelihood of pregnancies. The destigmatization and increased awareness of such products have reduced teen pregnancies. Longer discussions in health classes have created a safe atmosphere and more input to students about the importance of using protection when taking part in sexual intercourse. Kimberly Nelson, a family relationships and psychology teacher at MTHS, stated, “There’s pressure. Because after they’ve given birth, raising that child is difficult. There [aren’t] enough hours in the day.”

Hawkeye

The effects of pregnancy and parenthood on high school students

JONATHAN KWONG | HAWKEYE

As a teacher, she admitted to seeing students struggle to finish their high school education after their pregnancy and delay their graduation versus their non-pregnant counterparts. Students who choose to raise the child themselves usually are unable to take a full schedule of classes because of the added responsibility. Nelson states that, “[it is important to] think carefully about your

choices and [their] implication.” Becoming pregnant as a teenager may occur by accident or by choice. Reducing the stigmatization around teenage pregnancies would help create a safe environment so both the mother and child can have a healthy pregnancy. H

Hawkeye

SPORTS

JANUARY 2018 | 15

Story and Photo by Sarah Davis SPORTS C0-EDITOR

C-team triumphs

Terrace men’s basketball is seeing one success after another with the varsity and JV teams dominating both this season and last. That also includes the Terrace C-team as they are winning against many opposing C-teams. Last year’s C-team was strong, with an ending record of 15-3. This year’s team is off to a solid start with an 8-1 record. On Jan. 9, Hawks dominated Oak Harbor with a score of 69-17 for the win. They are scoring huge numbers, beating rivals Lynnwood Royals 59-25, Nathan Hale Raiders 55-30 and Bothell Cougars with a score of 75-25. This all translates to how well all of the other men’s basketball teams here at Terrace could do in the future, since this team is compiled of all freshmen. Coach Greg Wirtz, who has been a coach at Terrace for more than 30 years, believes there is a bright future with this group of players. “My goal as a C-team coach is to get my players to play at the JV [and] varsity level as quick as possible,” he said. The team is getting there pretty quickly since they are facing off against both C-teams and JV teams, which strengthens them as a team. “We want to play tough and we want to get better. We want people to know that up at Terrace, we play good defence and that you’re not going to get easy buckets on us,” Wirtz said. Part of the reason they are doing so well this season may be the dynamic among all the players. Most of them have been playing together since they were in fifth grade, which has led to a good dynamic on the court. Along with its solid dynamic, the team really knows how to play well and is growing every day, according to Wirtz. “This group of kids has better fundamentals coming into the season, they are a hard working bunch of kids,” he said. He also mentioned how the players are working hard and actually put weights on the bars when conditioning, whereas players in the past could usually only lift the bars. Wirtz touched on how their hard work shows up in the classroom, and how he holds them accountable for making sure they are taking care of business for school. As for the rest of the season, both the players and the coach are looking forward to winning and getting better, as well as playing the best defense they can because of the pride that Terrace basketball takes in their defense. The basketball teams here at Terrace are all doing very well this year, and are looking good for next year. Be sure and stop by and check out one of their games and show the basketball teams some support. H

In a game against Meadowdale on Friday, Jan. 12, freshman Angel Motta (No. 21) attempts to take a shot while freshman Kosta Charouhas (No. 15) prepares to rebound the ball. The final score was 81-35 in favor of the Hawks. SARAH DAVIS | HAWKEYE

Time Time

Remaining games

Opponent Opponent

Location

Friday, Jan. 19, 2018

Everette

MTHS

4:00 p.m.

Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2018

Edmonds-Woodway

MTHS

5:30 p.m.

Saturday, Jan. 27, 2018

Kings

MTHS

10:00 a.m.

Tuesday, Jan. Jan. 30, 30, 2018 2018 Tuesday,

Stanwood

MTHS

5:30 p.m.

Friday, Friday,Feb. Feb.2,2,2018 2018

Snohomish

MTHS

4:00 p.m.

Monday, Monday,Feb. Feb.5,5,2018 2018

Marysville-Pilchuck

MPHS

4:00 p.m.

16 | JANUARY 2018

Hawkeye

Feed your brain.

Father-Daughter

Ball

@MTHSHawkeye

Moms & Sons are welcome, too!

6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday · February 10 in the Mountlake Terrace High School HUB 21801 44th Ave. W in Mountlake Terrace

Don’t miss out on this special evening for parents/guardians and their kids!

@MTHSports

DJ • Special Guests • Prizes

Brought to you by The hawkeye

Mountlake Terrace High School’s award-winning student news source and

MThS PTSa

@MTHSWeather

This all-ages, family-friendly event is for all parents/guardians/grandparents and children. Semi-formal attire is suggested. Light refreshments will be provided. Photographers will be on hand to capture all the magic.

FOR MORE INFO: 425.431.5014 or ads@theHawkeye.org

PRESALE TICKETS $5/Parent & Child

TICKETS AT THE DOOR $10/Parent & Child

THANK YOU

www.thehawkeye.org

$2/Each additional child

FOR HELPING MAKE JAM SESSION XXIV SUCH A SUCCESS

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