Hawkeye 11 2014

Editorial: time to act on Gun violence

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class size initiative on the ballot

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Sports injuries: the road to recovery

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November 2014 | Volume 30 | Issue 2 Mountlake terrace high school | 21801 44th Ave. W Mountlake Terrace wA 98043

Hawkeye www.thehawkeye.org

Life after Terrace

The paths alumni take are widely varied and often go unrecognized at their alma mater. Meet five graduates who are living fascinating lives beyond the halls of Terrace. 10

2 | November 2014

Hawkeye

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Hawkeye

November 2014 | 3 hawkeye Leadership ‘14-’15

Hawkeye

Editor-in-Chief Nick Fiorillo

November 2014 | Volume 30 | Issue 2

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13

Gun violence

Wonder woman

The Hawkeye Editorial Board refutes common objections to gun control measures.

As a bilingual doctor, scholar, athlete and Instagram photographer, alumnae Erin Higgins is a master in many areas.

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16

Violent games

Sports Injuries

Acts of violence are often attributed to video games. The facts say otherwise.

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Size matters How do crowded classrooms impact your learning? Initiative 1351 attempts to lower class sizes.

Follow the stories of four Terrace community members as they faced major sports-related injuries.

WHERE ARE THEY NOW? MTHS graduates have found success down many different paths, from the food business to social work.

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History is made

“Just be the hardest worker and I guarantee if you’re the hardest worker, you’ll succeed.”

This season’s football team is set to be one for the record books.

Josh Henderson Alumnus

Letter from the Editor

We can’t wait any longer for gun violence solutions T

here’s nothing that frustrates me more than when I see on my phone a notification of a school shooting. It frustrates me because school shootings are senseless acts of violence that take the lives of innocent students for Nick Fiorillo Editor-in-chief absolutely no reason.

Our society’s reaction to these acts of gun violence also frustrates me beyond belief.

Whenever a shooting occurs, many say we need to wait to talk about the issue of gun violence or possible solutions to this crisis.

We’re told that it’s “too soon” to talk about

gun control. With any tragedy, we’re told to wait to talk about the real problem until all the dust has settled and the issue has slipped our minds.

The truth is we cannot wait any longer to talk about America’s gun violence epidemic.

On average, 86 people die every day in the United States from gunshots. Our nation cannot afford to wait any longer. While we wait, Americans continue to die from gun violence.

We have a tragic cycle that keeps repeating itself. It starts with a school shooting, like one of the 87 we’ve had since the horrific Sandy Hook Elementary shooting.

Then as people offer their “thoughts and prayers,” pundits condemn those who discuss gun violence and gun control, accusing them of “politicizing” a tragedy and

disrespecting the victims. Then, some time goes on and America loses interest. Maybe there’s some new dance craze sweeping the nation. Maybe something overseas peaks our interest again. Or maybe, we just don’t care enough to do anything about it.

Regardless, school shootings are sickeningly becoming the new normal. We are becoming more and more used to seeing those terrible images on our TVs, computers and newspapers.

So let’s stop making excuses. We can’t wait and we certainly can’t forget this tragedy.

Hawkeye leaders decided that we won’t wait to talk about gun violence and the definite need for more gun control measures.

See pages 4-5 for the Editorial Board’s take on gun control and gun violence. H

2014-2015 Hawkeye Staff Alex Croce, Anna Vu, Brennan Borton-Deer, Clohey Horton, Edwin Olivera, Emily Anderson, Hannah Schuster, Ian Moffet, Irvin Zhang, Jack Fiorillo, Jasie Cubos, Jainar Arcilla, Joshua Morrison, Katryna Garza, Kiah Helms, Lilly Stelmack, Luke Smith, Max Tracy, Navda Chadha, Reynalyn Canlapan, Rorie Ching, Roxana Valea, Sarah Schank, Stephi Smith, Stephanie Garcia, Tessa King and Vivian Nowka-Keane.

Name in bold indicates the staff member of the month as selected by the Editorial Board.

Editorial Board Nick Fiorillo, Paxtyn Merten, Isaac Otis, Erika Fisher, Anthony Markert, Stephi Smith Editorial News Editor Paxtyn Merten Sports Editors Austin McDermott & Luke Thurber Feature Editor Daniil Oliferovskiy Co-Op/Ed Editor Isaac Otis & Beza Ayele Lifestyle Editor Maxine Taylor Business General Manager Anthony Markert Advertising Manager Robin Choi Distribution Manager Brian Tran Visual Graphics Editor Erika Fisher Photo Editor Serafina Urrutia Design Editor Arsha Kiani Online Online Manager Jaira Arcilla Social Media Manager Maria Balcita ........................................................

Adviser Vince DeMiero 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

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.

Policies

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 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 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 Photo/illustration

by Erika Fisher

Contact Us Email editor@thehawkeye.org Phone 425.431.7770 Mail Hawkeye | Room 130 c/o Mountlake Terrace High School 21801 44th Avenue West Mountlake Terrace, WA 98043 © 2014 Hawkeye | All rights reserved.

reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited.

4 | november 2014

Hawkeye Hawkeye Staff Editorial

Why arguments against gun control are flawed Five arguments we should immediately stop using in this important discussion

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n the wake of the horrific shooting at Marysville Pilchuck High School, many took to social media to share opinions regarding gun control and school shootings. While it’s easy to regurgitate ubiquitous fallacies about gun control, doing so doesn’t solve anything. Here are five arguments against gun control that we should stop using immediately and instead focus on real solutions.

“Gun control violates my Second Amendment rights.”

Well, not quite. The Second Amendment states: “A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.” Yes, this protects our right to keep and bear arms, but it also calls for reasonable limitations – or regulation – of this right. Many gun rights activists regard any limitation as a constitutional violation. But just like any other right, we place limits on our rights to better society as a whole.

For example, the First Amendment protects our right to free speech, assembly, press, religion and to petition the government. However, the First Amendment does not grant citizens the right to make verbal threats or spread lies to intentionally damage someone’s reputation. Each of our rights come with reasonable limitations that the courts, Congress, state lawmakers and we citizens have deemed necessary to preserve and further our way of life. The right to own and possess a firearm should not take precedent over an individuals’ right to be safe from gun violence.

“The issue isn’t guns. It’s mental health.”

There is no doubt the our nation has a terribly flawed and underfunded mental health system. During the past few decades, particularly under the Reagan administration, federal funding for mental health was slashed. Our government is not meeting its duty to sufficiently protect and provide essential services for the mentally ill.

However, the solution to ending gun violence is not purely a mental health issue. The solution must be a combination of putting tougher restrictions on access to firearms and better treatment for the mentally ill. When those who are mentally ill gain access to firearms, catastrophic events can occur.

Additionally, gun violence is not always caused by those who suffer mental illness.

An average of 3 percent of all gun deaths are the result of accidents, for example.

While the conversation about improving our nation’s mental health system is an important one, it is not the only one we need to have. A solution to ending gun violence must include safety measures to assure that guns are handled and stored responsibly by those who are fit to do so.

“More people die in automobile accidents than die from guns, but we don’t ban cars, do we?”

“Criminals will always get guns, so there’s no point to gun control.”

This one never goes away despite the fact that it’s pathetically illogical. First of all, the premise of this argument is severely flawed. Nobody is suggesting an outright ban on firearms. Still, a 2011 report from the Violence Policy Center showed that gun deaths outnumbered motor vehicle deaths in the state of Washington. But even in states where gun deaths don’t outnumber motor vehicle deaths, this argument is still absurd. Yes, motor vehicle deaths are a serious problem. As a people, we have taken significant steps promote driver safety as well as improve safety features in our cars and in our roads. For example, we require car insurance.

We must pass tests to obtain a license, and must register personal and vehicle information with law enforcement agencies.

We have speed limits and other rules on our roads. We have strict penalties for violators of these laws, and licenses can be quickly revoked or suspended. But, we cannot seem to find the courage to take similar measures with guns.

Gun activists say that driving is a privilege and not a constitutional right. Are we really incapable of understanding that reasonable limitations to the Second Amendment would provide a safer society for all Americans? Voters in Washington will soon vote on Initiatives 591 and 594. Unfortunately, I-591 would bar the state legislature from taking any action on reasonable gun control measures. However, I-594 would close a loophole that currently allows gun sales between private parties, via the Internet and at gun shows to occur without any background check. Common sense background checks look at a person’s record for criminal activity and mental health alerts. Why would anyone want guns to get into the hands of convicted criminals or anyone mentally ill?

I-594 is a step in the right direction, while I-591 is an insult to victims of gun violence.

In the historical ranking of complete cop-outs, this may top the list. This argument is frequently used to suggest that any attempt to regulate guns will be futile. This simply is not true. A study from the Harvard Medical School and Harvard School of Public Health compared the states’ strength of gun control laws to the rates of gun-related homicides and suicides. What did they find? States with stricter gun control laws had lower gun-related homicide and suicide rates. The study strongly suggested that reasonable gun control measures work.

The idea of doing nothing to solve gun violence is absurd.

Yes, we’ll probably always have people who speed while driving, but that doesn’t mean we should get rid of speed limits.

If people do not follow gun laws, they should be punished to the full extent of the law. We cannot sit idly by while gun violence continues to plague our nation. But that’s exactly what lawmakers have done.

After the December 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary massacre where a gunman killed 28 students and school staff, a bill was brought to the floor of the Senate. The proposed Manchin-Toomey Amendment would have required background checks on most private gun sales. It was co-sponsored by a Republican and a Democrat. And yet, the Senate shamefully voted it down. The amendment needed just six more votes to pass, but because many of our elected officials do not have the political courage to do what is in the best interest of their constituents, the amendment failed. It was an absolute disgrace. Congress may be sitting idly by, but we cannot afford to.

“Guns don’t kill people, people kill people.”

Ah, yes. Our favorite. And by favorite, we mean the most ignorant defense out there. Yes, it’s true that a human being is usually needed to pull a gun’s trigger, but a person can do far more damage in a much shorter amount of time using a gun than a knife or some another potential weapon. Take the gun out of the incidents at Marysville Pilchuck or Seattle Pacific University or Sandy Hook Elementary, and there very well may have been serious injuries, but probably not immediate, violent deaths.

We need to stop excusing the role guns play in these serious acts of violence. Guns only increase the magnitude of havoc and terror.

While this clichéd phrase may be fun to say superficially, it does nothing to solve the issue at hand. We need to stop using it if we’re serious about preventing gun violence. H

Erika Fisher | Hawkeye

How’d we do? What do you think about gun control? Are you for it? Against it? Let us know. Write a letter to the editor and email it to editor@thehawkeye.org or bring in to Room 130.

Hawkeye

november 2014 | 5

Hawkeye Staff Editorial

Take the lead on ending gun violence now

An open letter to Washington’s elected officials and political leaders

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ear Sen. Murray, Sen. Cantwell, Rep. DelBene, Rep. Larsen, Rep. Herrera-Beutler, Rep. Hastings, Rep. McMorris-Rogers, Rep. Kilmer, Rep. McDermott, Rep. Reichert, Rep. Smith, Rep. Heck, Gov. Inslee, Sen. McAuliffe, Rep. Moscoso and Rep. Stanford: We are calling on you, our elected political leaders, to take the lead on passing common sense gun measures to make our state and country safer.

Now is the time to take action to end gun violence. The recent tragedy at Marysville Pilchuck High School is the third school shooting in Washington this year. In May, a man was shot on the basketball court at Horizon Elementary School in Everett. In June, one student was killed and two others were wounded when a gunman opened fire at Seattle Pacific University (SPU). And now, three are dead and three more are injured after the tragic shooting at Marysville Pilchuck H.S. So, we are pleading with you to take action on this issue. We are asking that you ignore special interest groups, such as the National Rifle Association, and listen to those impacted by these tragedies and the vast majority of your constituents.

As public school students, we are constantly reminded of the horrific impact of gun violence. We’ve seen the impact that these events have had here at schools. Our colleagues and friends have seen gun violence at schools first-hand. Graduates from MTHS were witnesses to the tragic shooting at SPU on June 5.

We’re the ones who are required to go to school everyday, vulnerable to those who wish to do us harm. We’re the ones who have to do the lockdown drills and wonder in the back of our minds if we’re the next victims. This problem is serious and personal to each of us.

However, we do not see our elected officials pushing hard enough for solutions to the problem of gun violence.

We need to you to act.

We cannot continue to wait.

Our lives depend on it.

It should have been apparent after the Columbine, Virginia Tech, Northern Illinois University, Oikos University, Sandy Hook Elementary, University of California Santa Barbara and many more shootings that we need you to act.

Yet, it’s almost 2015 and there has been virtually no action on the part of Congress or our state legislature with regard to solving this crisis. Do you realize that there have been 87 school shootings since that horrible day at Sandy Hook Elementary?

It’s not enough to tweet that your “thoughts and prayers go out” to those affected by these tragedies. We are tired of having to hear that vapid line followed by nothing but inaction.

Don’t let these innocent victims suffer or die in vain.

Do your jobs and come up with solutions to prevent more tragedies from occurring. Taking steps to solve this issue is what will truly honor the victims of these heinous crimes.

It sounds like you’ve all been doing a lot of thinking and a lot of praying. Now it’s time for acting.

Respectfully, The Hawkeye Editorial Board H

I

It’s time to recognize other religions in America

n the United States, Christianity is the most popular to believe anything besides what I was taught. If god religion by far. With 78.4 percent of Americans really did exist then I would go to hell, and I didn’t being Christian, it is the leading religion in our want that. country.

So, even though I didn’t like it, I kept practicing I find this astounding.

Catholicism and then Christianity in fear of believing There are hundreds of otherwise. other religions and yet Years later, after going through an extremely difficult Christianity is practiced time in my life I started researching Buddhism. It gave by over half of our counme a new perspective on how to think of things and it try. helped me get out of the black hole I felt was swallowWhy is that? ing me.

Advertising.

It gave me freedom; I didn’t have rules that I Commercials, websites didn’t agree with and had to follow like I did with Clohey Horton Hawkeye Staff and billboards are used Christianity. I loved the fact that Buddhism helped for advertising the Christian faith. Youth groups use me to better myself and still does to this day. I am not camps and fun activities to bring teenagers in. These Buddhist per say, but I do participate in Buddhist pracyouth groups are wonderful places that can offer the tices. teenager opportunities. Other times the teens just go “Believe nothing. No matter where you read it, or for the fun games or camps. who said it. No matter if I have said it. Unless it agrees In some cases they read the Bible and claim that they with your own reason and your own common sense.” – are Christian, but then don’t abide by the guidelines of Buddha Christianity.

I’m not here to try and convert you to Buddhism or to I understand that we are all human turn you against the Christian faith. and we all make mistakes, but once I’m here to let you know you have “Just because your you’ve broken the rules the god you options. family or friends are believe in has set for you, you can’t call Just because your family or friends Christian doesn’t mean you can’t find yourself a devout Christian. are Christian doesn’t mean you can’t something that truly fits I grew up in a small town. This town find something that truly fits you as a you as a guiding hand.” had public schools like any other, and I guiding hand. Maybe you could find attended one from first to third grade. something that truly fits you and is a After seeing some behavior my mom guiding hand rather than a book of didn’t approve of she, wanted to put me in a private guidelines. school. The only one in the town was Queen of Angels If you want to find your true worth and quality then private Catholic school. maybe Baha’i is the religion for you.

However, we didn’t have the money to attend it, so If you’re strongly against violence then maybe Jainism I was sponsored and supported by the church. All we is more for you. had to do was attend church every Sunday and take on You’ll never know until you branch out and try. H a portion of the payment and I could go to the school.

Eventually, the priest told us we needed to fill out a donation envelope every Sunday, because otherwise he wouldn’t know if we actually attended or not.

At the time I was attending the school I was getting old enough to start questioning the things they taught us. Why doesn’t god approve of gay people if he supposedly made all of us? Was the Bible written by god or by his disciples?

Yes, I know he went through telling them what to write in spirit, but I couldn’t believe it.

My young mind was greatly confused. I was scared

Isaac Otis | Hawkeye

6 | november 2014

Hawkeye

Stop blaming violent acts on video games

Research shows violent video games don’t make people act violently G

uns, blood, gore, fighting and profanity are what you will see in many of the video games of today.

Due to this, a debate has been sparked on whether these video games, with their violent nature and explicit debauchery, directly affect the user in a violent manner.

In the wake of many shootings and everyday acts of violence, this debate is very relevant.

Ian Moffett Games like Hawkeye Staff “Mortal Kombat” and “Grand Theft Auto” display acts of extreme violence and circumstances where people are shooting and evading the police or fighting in a rather gruesome manner.

All this means that people have a right and reason to be scared and look for the causes of these violent acts.

Since you see people doing seemingly exactly what characters in video games are doing and violence is ubiquitous, many would argue that these games are the reason for such behavior.

Doesn’t it make sense? It’s a very interesting argument and it deserves looking into.

97% of

Teens

play video games, according to the Harvard Graduate School of Medicine

Quick facts: video games & Violent crimes

In 2013, Action and Shooter games consisted of 51.9 percent of all games sold in the U.S.

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From 1993 to 2011, homicides and other violence involving guns has decreased by about 61 percent

said, “The biggest ‘take home’ of this study is that violent Now although things like shootings and violence are very video games were not related to increases in violent crime – prevalent today, we must ask, does that mean video games not even a little” are necessarily the reason for all of that? Wouldn’t we see Although it is clear that through recent studies that violent people every day trying to specifically copy what they see in video games don’t correlate to violent behavior, people still these video games? argue to the contrary.

Millions of people play these games, yet compared to the In turn, many want these games banned or put on high millions of video game players, only a handful commit acts restriction because of their promotion of violence. like mass shootings.

This is alarming because it There will always be outliers. shows how people base much of Many people try to mimic and “Many want these games banned or their claims off of ignorance and copy what they see on TV, whethput on high restriction because of their emotion rather than actual facts. er it’s a game or a celebrity. promotion of violence. This is alarming In turn, video games are unjustly Also, wouldn’t research back up because it shows how people base used as scapegoats for violent the claims that video games cormuch of their claims off of ignorance and emotion rather than actual facts. In behavior. relate to violence? turn, video games are unjustly used as What about other media? Why Yet, on psychcentral.com they scapegoats for violent behavior.” aren’t violent TV shows and reported a study saying, “The study published in the Journal of movies getting the same scrutiny Youth and Adolescence, researchas video games? ers found that the playing of video Markey said, “There is no evigames actually had a very slight calming effect on youths.” dence that, even in the laboratory, violent video games have a different effect on mundane acts of aggression than other In a study called “Violent Video Games and Real-World forms of violent media” Violence: Rhetoric Versus Data,” conducted by research To ban or restrict these games off of unfounded and unsubscientists at Rutgers and Villanova Universities, it was found stantiated claims is dangerous because it shows us as a socithat violent video games actually don’t lead to increases in ety basing emotion over fact. violent behavior.

When we look at something like a violent video game Professor Markey, who was a researcher on the study, later and automatically assume it must be the catalyst for violent behavior, without looking at other aspects of the individual or society itself, we are basing something off of what it looks like rather than looking at the facts; this is both sad and frightening.

Here at MTHS, a non-scientific survey was taken in early October during PASS period and not one out of the 45 people surveyed reported that they felt angry, mad, or violent after playing a violent video game, and no one believed that violent video games absolutely cause people to become more violent.

Now, a resolution to this debate would be for people to instead have the mentality of looking at the things around an individual that may influence them to do violent things.

This would be mental health, family problems, the neighborhood or area they live in instead of looking at something like The #1 best a video game and assume it is the reason for their violent selling video game in 2013 *The category behavior. Because looking at a violent video game and a was the violent of other genres violent individual and assuming that the game must be the “Grand Theft of video games reason for their behavior is ignorant.

Auto V” consists of As Professor Markey again said, “Finding that a young man sports, advenwho committed a violent crime also played a popular video ture, racing, game, such as ‘Call of Duty,’ ‘Halo’ or ‘Grand Theft Auto’ strategy, etc. is as pointless as pointing out that the criminal also wore socks.”

So, this suggests that to say violent video games cause and contribute to violent behavior is an uninformed and uncorroborated opinion.

People need to stop blaming fictional games and start looking at the other factors of a person’s behavior. H

Hawkeye

november 2014 | 7

What do you want to be? A happy homecoming for hawks W

hen I was in grade school, I student in our school is that you have the wanted be a fireman. When I was option to go to college when you graduin middle school, I took this personality ate. But notice that I said “option.” inventory I recognize that my path from high and my school may not be the one that is right for score everyone else. What’s important to me suggested is that you have the option to go. More that I important to me, however, is that you should be a have some kind of plan for your post-high park ranger. school years.

When I What are those plans? What is there Greg Schwab went to besides college? That is what we hope Principal college at to help you figure out in these next few the University of Oregon, I changed my years. There are many choices for you in major about four times, eventually getting the years after high school—work, trade my Bachelor’s Degree in English. school, military, volunteer experiences, After what could only be described as a and college programs. Your job in these VERY brief career in the NFL (my friend next few years is to make sure you know described it as having a cup of coffee with what those programs are and that you the San Diego Chargers), I found my way find yourself headed in the direction that into the classroom as an English teacher. you want to go.

From there I became an Can you go to work athletic director, assistant right out of high school?

“Finding that principal and principal.

I’m pretty sure you can. path after high And I thought I was going Can you find yourself in school that gets you prepared for a to be a fireman… a career right out of high career is critical.”

This edition of the school? Most likely not.

Hawkeye features stories Finding that path after about alums who have gone on to do great high school that gets you prepared for a things after high school. I share this with career is critical. What can you do now you to get you thinking now about what to help make this happen? Talk to your your plans are after high school. counselor. Talk to teachers. Talk to your One of the most important decisions parents. A lot of adults have done this you will make in these next few years is already and have some pretty good tips what to do after high school. I’m sure that on how to navigate the years after high the answer to this question for many of school. But whatever you do, start planyou is go to college. Going to a four year ning now. One day, we’ll be featuring you or two year college after high school is a in an edition of the Hawkeye! H Note: The Hawkeye provides the MTHS Administration good plan and one that I endorse for anyspace each issue in the Op/Ed section as part of our one who asks. In fact, my goal for every mission as a designated open public forum.

H

omecoming week came and went in a flash. Some may be sad that it’s over while others are relieved. Overall it was a positive and enjoyable experience for everyone.

From ASB’s standpoint we thought it went really well as far as the coronaAlisha Clingan ASB Public relations officer tion ceremony, assembly, and dance. After homecoming, ASB had an evaluation. Overall we thought there was a lot of really good things to be proud but there were also some things that we thought could’ve gone better and that we need to work on.

To gain a better perspective we went around and asked individual students about their thoughts, opinions, and overall experience.

To start off homecoming week we had the coordination ceremony. The ceremony was very nice; there were elegant decorations courtesy of Mrs. Castleton and the orchestra played beautiful music. Junior homecoming prince Bryson Bruno said, “It went pretty smoothly, the handshakes and questions were funny. Although, I wish there was a bigger turnout of people that came and supported.”

Later in the week, on Friday, was the homecoming assembly which was very exciting. We got a lot of very good feedback from students as well as administration, teachers and parents.

Senior Collin Rhodes said, “The assembly went really well, the band did a really good job of pumping everyone and the games were entertaining.” Later on Friday was the football game where the Hawks ruined the royals. It was

really cool to see all the students and alumni coming together to cheer on the Hawks.

To end the week with a boom we had the homecoming dance on Saturday. Freshmen Nina and Ryan Berry said, “The dance was really fun, the music could’ve been a little bit better. Although it was a lot better than expected.” Selling over 600 tickets, we had half of our school at the dance which was amazing. It was so great to see everyone all dressed up and having a good time.

Throughout the week we had spirit days; Monday was ‘Merica Monday where you dress up patriotically. Then, Tuesday was #TransformationTuesday where you either transformed yourself into the past or the future.

Next, Wednesday was Cartoon Day where you dressed up as your favorite cartoon character.

After that, Thursday was Class Theme Day where the freshmen dressed up as Alice in Wonderland, the sophomores were Neverland, the juniors were the Wizard of Oz, and the seniors were Willy Wonka.

Lastly, Friday was Class Colors Day with freshmen wearing gray, sophomores white, juniors black and seniors red. It was fun to see the student body get spirited and dress up. The amount of people who dressed up was a little disappointing, so for next year we will work on making the days easier to dress up for, yet still creative.

Overall Homecoming 2014 was a success.

It never gets old to see not only the student body come together, but the whole community.

Senior Danny Roth’s thoughts on homecoming were, “It was pretty cool, like cooler than the other side of the pillow.” Thank you for making this year’s homecoming incredible. H Note: The Hawkeye provides the MTHS Associated Student Body space each issue in the Op/Ed section as part of our mission as a designated open public forum.

Current Homecoming traditions make Terrace safer and more inclusive

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n the summer of 1995 I made one of the best decisions in my life (I know you all weren’t even born yet) – I accepted the job of the Activities/Athletic Director at MTHS. I went from teaching five full-time health classes, to a world you can’t describe in a short article.

As I sat at the Homecoming dance last month (the 10th time I’ve spent my anniversary at the dance), I started Kim “Stew” Stewart thinking back and writing Athletics Director/Activities Coordinator some stuff down for fun.

Homecoming was a five-week process. We used to take up three full classes for nominations, primary elections and final voting. We had a speeches assembly, the Coronation Assembly was during the day and the Homecoming Assembly lasted more than two hours.

And hazing, at the time, was a major part, tradition and

accepted practice. You can call it what you want, but that always seemed to be the dark cloud that hung over the last day of Homecoming. We walked around pretending we were all this one big happy family during Homecoming until that Friday.

By the time the assembly started I was always sick to my stomach from watching the acceptance of this practice by our school – even by those involved in this new program we started in the fall of ’97 called “Link Crew.”

Over the past few years we have seen hazing almost completely disappear. It wasn’t easy, believe me. Now I am not one to publicly bash the past, but you can ask any staff member who has been here as long as I have what it was like and what was done about it.

History has taught us that positive change takes someone to stand up and say enough is enough! Our change came in the form of a new principal about 10 years ago who took a lot heat because some thought he was taking away a “tradition.”

Well, my pre-Homecoming Assembly stomach aches are

gone and that was no tradition.

So, why is this now an important part of MTHS History?

I have a lot of friends at Marysville-Pilchuck High School.

Staff I have worked with at the state level of student leadership and students I have met at Leadership Camp. So, last Friday was one of the worst days I can ever remember.

Everyone knows it takes all of us working together and respecting each other to even try to prevent these tragedies from happening. We can only speculate what happened at MPHS and other schools in America that have been forced to deal with this type of tragedy.

I do know that if we continue to work at eliminating things like hazing from any part of school life we are eliminating one reason for the chance of it happening here.

Please take a minute to think a positive thought, pray, meditate, whatever works for you, for those at MarysvillePilchuck High School. Go Hawks! H Note: The Hawkeye provides the MTHS Athletics and Activities office space each issue in the Op/Ed section as part of our mission as a designated open public forum.

8 | November 2014

Hawkeye

Initiative Strives to shrink class sizes

English teacher Gaynelle Derr’s fourth period AP English Language and Composition class started the year with 40 students. A new section was created, but there are 34 still students in the overcrowded classroom. Teachers, students and several legislators say there’s a great and immediate need for smaller class sizes in public schools. Irvin Zhang | Hawkeye

Opponents of I-1351 say the initiative is just too costly, while proponents say the effect of overcrowded classes on public education is more costly

By Edwin Olivera Hawkeye staff

Initiative 1351 (I-1351) is a measure to decrease classroom sizes in Washington by 2018 and is currently on the ballot for people to vote on Nov. 4.

Washington has the fourth largest class sizes in the country. According to the Washington Secretary of State (SoS) website, a high school general education class has an average of 28.74 students, with general high school education defined as social studies, math, English and science classes without a laboratory.

According to the Washington SoS website, the reduction of classroom sizes due to the Initiative would be a maximum of 25 students per classroom in grades 4 through 12, and an average of 17 students per classroom in Kindergarten through third grade.

If passed, I-1351 would also require more non-certificated staff members.

The measure would put more counselors, custodians, office staff, nurses, social workers, graduation advisers, instructional and non-instructional aides, and other school professionals into public schools.

According to the SoS, I-1351 would bring in $1.6 billion in

“What I think this initiative will do is send a message to the legislature. It will strongly say that our public, our people, our families believe in small class sizes for our children and our students.”

Rosemary McAuliffe State Senator

revenue from the new 15,000 estimated jobs.

I-1351 doesn’t include any tax increases, but it does come with a significant projected price tag. The Washington state Office of Financial Management (OFM) estimates the cost for implementation of I-1351 to add an additional $4.7 billion by 2019 to the state’s budget.

Differing views on I-1351 Many opponents of the initiative say that without a way for paying for what it calls for, the initiative is a poor idea.

However, many proponents disagree, saying that the state needs to invest the additional funding to improve the quality of schools.

Among the proponents of the initiative is State Senator Rosemary McAuliffe (D-1st LD). McAuliffe is the Ranking Member on the Senate Higher Education Committee and a member of the Senate Early Learning and K-12 Education Committee. McAuliffe is a strong supporter who said that I-1351 is a step toward improving public education.

“What I think this initiative will do is send a message to the legislature. It will strongly say that our public, our people, our families believe in small class sizes for our children and our students,” McAuliffe said.

Many students and teachers said they agree with McAuliffe, calling for smaller class sizes in schools.

Math teacher Nancy Paine said she thinks I-1351 will benefit students.

“I generally feel that smaller classrooms allow more kids to get more individualized help for those who need it,” Paine said.

Junior Mark Nguyen said the Initiative would be beneficial if passed because teachers would have an easier time communicating with the students. What he worries about is where the money and extra staff will come from. “[Being in smaller classes is] a good thing for students, but if the estimated teachers needed is 15,000, where will they

Hawkeye get all the teachers and will they be well qualified?” Nguyen asked.

relationships.

This fall, additional periods of AP English Language, AP European History, U.S. history and English 11 had to be created during the first two weeks of the school year because of overcrowding.

Junior Gene An was in a crowded AP English Language classroom Problems regarding class size until he was switched out and put are evident in classrooms here at into a new classroom with a differMTHS. According to Principal ent teacher. He said he would have Greg Schwab, this year the average preferred to have stayed in the overclass size at MTHS is 31 students, crowded classroom rather than have an increase from previous class averhis existing schedule changed. ages of 28 to 29 students.

Many teachers also found irritaThis year, more new students tion in their classes being switched enrolled than those who left, reversaround. ing a trend that had continued since History and drama teacher Jeannie the mid-2000s. This resulted in more Brzovic had to get rid of her technitightly packed classrooms. cal theater class to make room for Having so many students in one her overcrowded third and fourth classroom can make it more difficult period AP European history classes. to get individualized attention from Students were being moved conthe teacher. stantly in the beginning of the year, Junior Kathleen Cram, whose many calling it hectic and frustratAdvanced Placement (AP) English ing.

Language and Composition class English and social studies teacher started out the year Steve Merlino with 40 students, had one of his “I generally feel that said that having so English classes smaller classrooms allow many students in moved to a more kids to get more her class interfered completely difindividualized help for with her learning. ferent teacher those who need it.”

“I thought the and had that Nancy Paine class was chaotic period replaced Math Teacher and noisy,” Cram with a new U.S. said. history class.

To accommodate From stuthe increase in classroom size, some dents being switched around to varinew classes had to be added. ous classrooms and teachers having Washington schools have a meato get rid of some classes to accomsure called the fourth day count modate others, many staff and stuwhich looks at the population of stu- dents were negatively impacted. dents on the fourth day of the school I-1351 raises questions about year. The data collected from the whether the decision in the case of fourth day count is reported to the McCleary v. Washington applies. state, the officials look at the results In the McCleary decision, the court to see how much funding each school found that the legislature was not needs. meeting its constitutional obligation If additional funding is warranted, to fully fund public education. the school can then make more classHowever, despite the ruling, the es to supplement the overcrowding in state has not even come close to the certain classrooms. projected funding.

The downfall to this method is that According to McAuliffe it would changing cost between $5 billion and $6 bilthe students’ lion to fully fund basic education as The Office schedules defined, while legislators have investof Financial after the ed less than $1 billion in education Management estimated school year since 2012. the cost of has already In September, the State Supreme implementation begun disCourt motioned to hold the state in of I-1351 at $4.7 rupts their contempt of court for not complying by 2019 learning and with the court’s decision in a timely impacts pos- manner. itive teacherMcAuliffe said that while the inistudent tiative, if passed, could be repealed

Overcrowded classes continue at Terrace

November 2014 | 9 after two years by the Republican controlled Senate, she believed that the Supreme Court could interpret funding I-1351 to be part of the state’s obligation to fully fund education.

Essentially, McAuliffe said she thinks that if voters were to say yes to I-1351, the legislature could be compelled politically and legally to finally amply fund public education.

H

Go online for the latest: Check thehawkeye.org and the Hawkeye’s Twitter feed @MTHSHawkeye for the results on election night, Nov. 4.

GRAPHIC: If it were to pass, I-1351 would reduce the average class size at varying rates depending upon grade.

Additionally, class sizes in areas of higher poverty would be shrunk even smaller. Erika Fisher | Hawkeye

10 | NOVEMBER 2014

From Red robin to the hollywood tavern

food industry is the relationships you establish with the other workers. oyster bar and “I love the fact that it’s not the same grocery store. thing, it’s constantly changing. I love Henderson says that for now all how the restaurant business feels like of his restaurants are in Seattle, but a family, you got a bunch of people

he hopes to soon expand to a broader that are passionate about what they do

range of locations. and you become very close with these

As a restaurateur, Henderson is in people that you work with and more so charge of everything, from menus to than any other industry,” Henderson

By Stephi Smith budgets, staffing, and the contests said. “The restaurant world brings in H Staff the restaurants host. There are gena lot of sort of different kinds of charSince he graduated with the class eral managers at each location that acters that maybe wouldn’t fit in other of 1990, MTHS alumnus Josh Henderson meets with on a regular worlds.”

Henderson has been living out his basis to discuss these things.

Along with that, Henderson thinks dream in Seattle as a restaurateur.

“My day involves a lot of meetings. working in a restaurant has a differHenderson founded multiple busiThat’s all I do - I get up and do meetent style due to its almost automatic nesses in the food industry, includings,” Henderson said. feedback. ing Skillet Group, Huxley Wallace Henderson has wanted to work in “We deal on a board where people Collective and Hollywood Tavern. restaurants since he was 16, when he critique you immediately so you know He created Skillet in 2007, a worked at Red Robin as a busboy. exactly how you’re doing right away so chain of street food spots comHenderson if someone doesn’t like posed of three restaurants, two said that since something they’re going “I was at a time in my food trucks, a catering company then he’s always to tell you right away,” life when I didn’t feel very inclusive, I feel and a line of food products. Out loved the enviHenderson said. like MTHS certainly of this came his first publicaronment, the With all the perks made me feel more tion, “The Skillet Cookbook people, and the comes many hardships as included.”

- A Street Food Manifesto.” food, so he chose well and Henderson said Josh Henderson Skillet Group’s food prodto stick with it. there is a broad range of alumnus ucts are sold nationwide, Henderson difficulties in starting up specifically its Bacon Jam recalls his days your own business. spread. at Red Robin as tiring, but fulfilling.

“If you don’t have any difficulties, you Henderson also reno“Ultimately, it’s something I’ll never probably don’t have a business worth vated the Hollywood stop doing,” Henderson said. starting up,” Henderson said, “Nothing Tavern in Woodinville.

When Henderson got the job at Red comes easy in this world.”

Most recently, Robin he said he didn’t think much of Since graduating, Henderson has Henderson founded it, but later realized how much he loved won the Star Chef Rising Star award in the Huxley Wallace the energy that a restaurant held.

2009, named the most influential perCollective, located “If you love working a lot and having son by Seattle Times in 2010, won Best on Lake Union, different things everyday, then the resNew Restaurant by Bon Appetit back which includes taurant business is for you,” Henderson in August and recognized in Puget Westward ressaid, “it changes everyday, just constant Sound’s Business Journal’s taurant and sort of different things happening every 2012 top 40 bar and Little single day.”

Gull Grocery, Henderson said his favorite a connected thing about working in the

1990 alumnus Josh Henderson now runs several successful restaurants in the greater Seattle area

awkeye

Hawkeye

Hawkeye

November 2014 | 11

Then & Now

under 40.

“I think I was chosen because I’m pretty unique,” Henderson said.

When Henderson attended MTHS, he was a rather involved student.

Having been in football, choir, and DECA, Henderson made a lot of cherished memories. Henderson said he really enjoyed how everyone at MTHS seemed to participate in everything the school had to offer.

While Henderson wouldn’t credit MTHS to any of his success, he did feel it was very diverse and had all types of people. He recalls how MTHS felt much more “low key” compared to other schools he’s been to and environments he’s been in. He said it felt much less “cliquey” than high schools are made out to be.

“I was at a time in my life when I didn’t feel very inclusive, I feel like MTHS certainly made me feel more included,” Henderson said, “I’ll always remember that.”

Henderson remembers teachers such as former choir director Jim Hashman and Roger Ottmar, former MTHS basketball coach and business teacher who he said made his high school experience more enjoyable. Henderson recalls how Ottmar used to call him “Hollywood” as a nickname and chuckles at the memory.

Henderson remembers the friends he had and memories he made at MTHS with sentimentality.

“You had all kinds of different people and I enjoyed that,” Henderson said, fondly.

Henderson said he owes all of his success to hard work and being smart.

“Just be the hardest worker and I guarantee if you’re the hardest worker, you’ll succeed,” Henderson said. H

Josh Henderson today (above) looks quite a bit different than when he was a senior at MTHS, in 1990. Today, Henderson is a chef and restaurateur. Photos Courtesy of Josh Henderson and MTHS TEMPo

Josh Henderson cooks poultry outside using wood fired oven. Henderson graduated in 1990 and has made a name for himself in the Seattle restaurant scene. Photo courtesy of Josh Henderson.

Graphics by Erika Fisher and Michaela Chase | Hawkeye

12 | November 2014

Hawkeye

9/11 Witness

Traveled to Kenya & Europe

Lives in NY 1988 Grad

Works in Services To Assist Youth (STAY)

Ground Zero WITNESS

Erika fisher | Hawkeye

Currently serving as a social worker to HIV patients in New York City, 1988 graduate Joanna Pudil recounts her experiences on 9/11/01

By Paxtyn Merten News editor

As people covered in ash ran past her yelling out for medical attention, her husband said, “Don’t you dare,” on the other end of the line.

An active social worker who found herself at the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001, Joanna Pudil saw no choice but to stay at the scene of the terrorist attack to help those who needed medical and psychological care.

“When I got a good look at what was happening, I saw inches of ash and people trying to dig through it and find people. Eventually, I came to the realization that if anyone was still in the Trade Center, they were dead and there was no one else to help,” Pudil recalled.

Since graduating from MTHS in 1988, Pudil has been pursuing her career in social work in New York.

Straight out of high school, Pudil was accepted to Marymount Manhattan College, a small liberal arts college in New York City.

Pudil said going to college in New York fulfilled two of her goals at once: getting away from her parents and studying psychology. Since moving to the city, Pudil has never thought of turning back.

“Mountlake Terrace [the town] was killing me. My family drove me crazy, it was boring. I’ve always been a city person,” Pudil said. “In middle school, I would have never imagined myself in New York City, but by sophomore year I realized I really liked the idea that I could study psychology and I could do it in NYC.” After getting her BA in psychology, Pudil took a backpacking trip through Europe. She traveled alone through six different countries with her unlimited rail pass.

When she returned to New York, she held a job as a substance abuse counselor for a while before going back to school at the City College of New York to get her master’s degree in psychology.

She took time off of school and work to backpack through Kenya with a friend who was a teacher in the Peace Corps and was taking the summer off.

Before returning to college once again, she worked in a psychiatric unit specializing in work with Mentally Ill Chemical Abusers [MICAs]. She then attended Hunter College and

received an additional master’s in social work in May, 2001.

Just months afterward came the Sept. 11 terrorist attack.

Pudil had jury duty that day. She was riding the subway on the way to the courts when the trains stopped working. It took two hours before passengers could climb above ground.

When she reached the streets, her husband called her. He told her they were under a terrorist attack.

She ran and went with other volunteer aides who gathered in the clinic in front of the court to gather supplies.

They set up a triage center in a nearby high school in order to help and treat injured people from the burning towers.

Pudil had been trained on how to console people in traumatic situations, so she consoled health workers, volunteers and survivors.

“To see that life was still going on and [still] normal was kind of crazy. It was hard to go back to normal when it first happened. I went to schools to help student and teachers try to understand what just happened.”

Joanna Pudil Alumnae

When the trains turned back on at midnight and there was no one left to help, she began to make her way home. She walked through Manhattan still covered in ash and recalls looking into a restaurant and seeing people out eating dinner.

“To see that life was still going on and [still] normal was kind of crazy,” Pudil said.

After the Sept. 11 attacks, Pudil did trauma work in schools in an effort to bring everyone back to normal life.

“It was hard to go back to normal when it first happened. I went to schools to help students and teachers try to understand what just happened,” Pudil said.

Driven by the same force that compelled her to help people during the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, Pudil jumped into another job in social work one year after the terrorist attacks.

She became the project director for Services To Assist Youth (STAY), which provides health services to young adults who have or are at a high risk of getting HIV.

A large portion of Pudil’s job is centered around preventing the spread of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs). To do this, she makes presentations on sex education at schools. She also made a documentary featuring some of her patients’ stories. “[The documentary] talks about the different ways they got HIV. There are lots of different reasons why people get the disease, so by making it we were trying to break the stereotypes,” Pudil said.

Another aspect of Pudil’s job is treating adolescents with HIV physically and mentally.

By taking a pill once a day, most HIV-positive individuals have a normal lifespan.

However, many of them do not believe they can lead normal lives. Pudil said many of them feel “dirty, used and not as good as everyone else.”

Pudil and the other members of Project STAY run support groups, therapy sessions and group outings for the patients in order to help them lead normal lives.

“Many [HIV-positive individuals] think their lives are over.

We try to show them they can still do so much more,” Pudil said.

Pudil said many of her patients go on to lead successful lives. However, sometimes patients will “fall out of care” either by disappearing, falling out of touch or refusing to help themselves.

“It’s hard to step back and watch them make those choices, but I have to let them,” Pudil said.

At times it can be difficult, but Pudil said she enjoys her career.

“I love my job. I really look forward to working with my patients every day,” Pudil said. “It’s not a profession you get rich at, but you get rich in different ways. You make the world a better place.”

At her 20-year high school reunion in 2008, Pudil said she ran into an old friend named Aaron Day. He told her, “I knew you’d grow up to do something like that, I knew you’d grow up to change lives.” H TOP: Joanna Pudil’s senior portrait that appeared in the TEMPO yearbook. Courtesy of mths Tempo

Hawkeye

Higgins IS a True renaissance woman

By Joshua Morrison Hawkeye staff

In “The Book of the Courtier,” Baldassare Castiglione describes the ideal courtier to be athletic, have knowledge of the fine arts and humanities, and have a warrior spirit. The guidelines he set eventually became what is known as the “Renaissance Man.” Unfortunately, it has been quite some time since we’ve seen the last true “Renaissance Man.” Or so you thought.

Graduating with the MTHS class of 2004, Erin Higgins went to the University of Washington where she double majored in Microbiology and Spanish. She moved across the country to get her M.D. from the New York Medical School.

Now, she is in her second year of Obstetrics and Gynecology (OB/GYN) residency at the Georgetown University medical center in Washington, D.C. She was raised in Mountlake Terrace where her mother, Karen Higgins, was a teacher at Brier Terrace Middle School and constantly encouraged her to succeed in school.

“My mother, being a teacher, definitely pushed me to do well in school. I think a lot of her skills in organization and attention to detail rubbed off on me,” Higgins said.

Throughout middle school, Higgins sought to pursue a career in the field of medicine.

“In middle school, I became really interested in math and science, which helped lead me towards the medical field,” Higgins said. “One of the biggest turning points I remember was when I was signing up for my freshman year classes. I wanted to do Marching Band, but because of the requirement conflictions with that and my athletics, I had to change my schedule shortly before the school year started,” Higgins said.

Faced with very few options, Erin enrolled in chemistry taught by John Traxler, himself a Terrace graduate.

“I had never taken chemistry before. It just clicked with me.

I became really interested in it, and everything went on from there,” Higgins said.

“She was very hardworking and incredibly ambitious. I think what set her apart from most students is that she didn’t treat assignments as something that just needed to be done. She treated them as though they were opportunities to learn,” said Traxler.

After maintaining a 4.0 GPA through all four years of high school, Higgins moved on to one of the highest ranked medi-

Erika Fisher | Hawkeye

cal programs in the country, the University of Washington.

“Going in, I knew I would eventually do some sort of graduate school. However, I wasn’t sure if I wanted to get my PhD, my masters, or attend medical school,” Higgins said.

During college, Higgins volunteered at a medical lab where she was able to get firsthand experience with the field.

“The lab had a basic research component and a clinical research component. Eventually, I saw myself gravitating towards the clinical side which in turn pushed me even more towards the field of medicine,” Higgins said.

With her career path clear now, Higgins moved 2,421 miles across the country to attend the New York Medical School.

Shortly afterwards, she applied for residency in the field of obstetrics and gynecology, commonly known as OB/GYN. “I chose OB/GYN because I’ve always had an interest in women’s health, from delivering babies to preventative care,” said Higgins.

Higgins used a multi-step process and an algorithm called “Match” that “spit out matches for residency programs. I was matched with the Georgetown Washington Hospital Center.”

After finishing her four years of medical school and receiving her M.D., Erin moved to Washington, D.C. where she is currently in her second year of residency at the Georgetown University medical center.

“My day to day job is working at the hospital and working on labor and delivery,” Higgins said.

Higgins performs about five to seven procedures a week on average. However, she can at times be responsible for performing up to five to six C-section surgeries or regular birth deliveries in a single shift.

She also speaks Spanish, using her major to give her an advantage at the hospital.

“It was something that I had always done in high school and I’ve always really enjoyed it,” said Higgins. “It was one of the smartest decisions I’ve ever made. Now I’m able to meet with patients and have our whole encounter in Spanish. It makes it easier for me and the patient,” Higgins said.

While in high school, she was a well-respected athlete. She lettered in soccer and golf, sports she continues to play leisurely. This balance of work and academics has kept her stay focused all these years.

Higgins said that her journey through the medical field hasn’t been all work. Higgins has moved to new places, met new people and seen new things.

November 2014 | 13 2004 Grad

“It’s not just study, D.C. study, Resident study all time,” the Higgins

said., “In

182,000 reality, it is Instagram

Followers a long time,

but each phase gets

Bilingual you one step closer,

speaker, and each phase

Obstetrician photographer, and athlete has something new

and gynecologist and exciting.”

Instagram has been another activity that allows Higgins to get away from the business of her life. She currently has nearly 182,000 followers.

“I got into it about two years ago, just for fun. I’ve always been interested in photography as a hobby, and Instagram was a fun and easy way to do photography in my daily life,” Higgins said.

Her follower count erupted when she was selected on to Instagram’s Suggested Users List.

“The most important thing to me is the connections and friends I’ve made and the opportunities I’ve had because of Instagram,” she said.

This tool has helped Higgins explore the local community and land her a behind-the-scenes visit at the White House.

Furthermore, Higgins has connected with many people that are also talented, ingenious, and are motivated.

“You’re in school with some of the smartest people on campus. They’re all very competitive and driven. It’s easy to get intimidated by their talent,” Higgins said.

Despite this, Higgins stresses that you can’t compare yourself to others and you must keep on going. “It’s doable.

If you’re that passionate about it, then you will make it happen,” Higgins said.

“She posses the academic prowess of a 4.0 student, and skills such as being bilingual, a photographer, and a varsity athlete,” Traxler said. If any modern-day person resembles Castiglione’s vision of the “Renaissance Man,” it’s Higgins. H TOP: Erin Higgin’s senior year photo. Higgins graduated from Terrace in 2004. Courtesy of MTHS Tempo

14 | november 2014

Hawkeye

Jim Meadows: leader in education 1987 alumnus and former MTHS teacher Jim Meadows now works for the Washington Education Association, training other teachers how to become better educators

Jim Meadows today compared to his senior photo at MTHS, in 1987. Today, Meadows works at the Washington Education Association (WEA). Photos Courtesy of Jim Meadows and MTHS TEMPo

By Stephi Smith

Graduated from Whitman College, University of Puget Sound and University of Washington

work in the Edmonds School Even though he graduated 27 years ago, Jim Meadows has District (ESD) to help other never lost his love for education. teachers in the district.

Years after he graduated from MTHS, he returned and Later, Meadows began to become curious about politaught 10th grade History and Spanish 1. cies made by schools and school districts and received his “I think I might even go back and teach actually. I miss it a Doctorate in Educational Leadership and Policies Studies at lot,” Meadows said. the University of Washington (UW). Meadows said almost The teachers at MTHS had a major impact on Meadows’ everyone is affected by the policies schools have and that it career choices that led him down the path of education. was interesting to see how and why these policies are made.

“There were just educators throughout my learnMeadows said it was then he decided to take job ing career that were just really influential about with the Washington Education Association who I became and how I grew and I just (WEA). The WEA helps Washington realized how powerful really good teachers public school system and increases are in students lives,” Meadows said. support for teachers at students in When Meadows taught at MTHS Washington.

“People really care about the school even after they he was helping implement the senior “The [WEA] really cares about leave it, [they] have a very project, which was then called the what they do because they’ve made a strong connection with it.”

Application Project. As of this year, the decision to do it and they’ve invested senior project is not a requirement for a lot of time and practice [into it],” Jim Meadows alumnus students to graduate.

Meadows said, “A big part of what we After graduating from Terrace, he do is help our teachenrolled at Whitman College in Walla ers grow and be the best Walla. There, Meadows received his they can.”

Bachelor’s degrees in History and Spanish.

Meadows is now tempoMeadows fondly recalled a trip to Spain for a foreign rarily on the National Education study program. Later, Meadows went to University of Puget Committee, where he helps teachers with Sound (UPS) and obtained his teaching how to work with their students and reach degree. the criteria of Washington state standards.

Meadows said it had been Meadows is also the [head] of the MTHS teachers who had National Board Certification (NBC), a encouraged him to go to a certificate given to teachers who go above school farther away from and beyond the required criteria for teachThe National Education home. Originally he had ing. Many teachers at MTHS have received committee provides planned on going to the certification and in 12 years, it has gone instruction for a college closer to the from .5 percent to 13 percent of teachers in teachers on working Seattle area but was Washington state receiving the NBC. with their students pushed to attending “It’s not one of those things that just and in order to somewhere out of his because you do it, it means you’ve passed. meet the criteria of comfort zone.

You have to do really good on it, so it’s cool Washington state A couple years later, that a lot of teachers here have done it,” standards Meadows was recruited to Meadows said.

Hawkeye Staff

Member of the Washington Education Association

Graduating class of 1987

Husband and Father

Last June, Meadows worked with teachers to help them meet all of the necessary requirements for the NBC. Former Meadows is also helping his wife, Andi MTHS Nofziger, who is also a former MTHS teacher teacher and now president of the Edmonds Education Association, with the Washington Class Size Reduction Measure, Initiative 1351, which is on the November ballot.

“Everyone knows individualized attention helps students learn,” Meadows said. He said this Initiative seems a bit different than others and that it looks very likely to pass.

During his time at MTHS, Meadows was Associated Student Body (ASB) Treasurer his junior year and ASB President his senior year. He had also been apart of Spanish Club and played tennis for the Hawks.

“People really care about the school and even after they leave it, [they] have a very strong connection with it,” Meadows said. “People are more accepting across different groups, it’s a pretty welcoming place.” H

Isaac Otis | Hawkeye

Hawkeye

From athlete to amazing artist

november 2014 | 15

19

dings, fine dining establishments in the greater Seattle area, not-so fine dining establishments in the greater Seattle area, in people’s homes, and even at Safeco Field.

Some of his pieces have been shipped to places such as New York, Chicago, Texas, California, Wyoming, Alaska, Las Vegas, Oregon and Japan.

“Get a wellrounded education and find a good marketer,” Hester advises young, aspiring artists.

“If art is your passion, do what you love, work hard at it and you will be successful,” he added.

Be sure to check out more of Hester’s artwork at his website – www. seattlechalkguy. com. H

po

and social media that you miss real connections with people and this world,” he said in It’s been 25 years since he stood in the regards to today’s high school students.

Hawk Dome on the three point line, with After high school he went to Shoreline sun in his eyes and took the shot. He is now Community College before attending known as the Seattle Chalk Guy, but in Washington State University where he 1989 he was Martin Hester, number 32. majored in Fine Art and Architecture At Terrace you could see Hester on the for three years and minored in basketball court, the football field and even Communications. at Alfy’s during 6th period getting half Hester received his diploma for art as he priced pizza. started doing his own business in the sum“Man, if we had cell phones mer of 1997 when he still had two back then I could have done it years left on his second major in from class. Isn’t technology architecture. He decided not great?” he joked, referring to return and to this day he “Art and design to skipping 6th period is self employed as a graphic appear to be my for pizza runs. designer, illustrator and God given talent so naturally I enjoy In Hester’s senior fine artist. doing what I am year at Terrace the bas“I like being my own best at.” ketball team took 5th in boss, even though he’s a state, which is commemjerk sometimes, “ he joked.

Martin Hester alumnus orated in the display case Hester’s work provides sigoutside the Terraceum. nage for weddings and events, “I remember for the first and also advertisements for restime as a sophomore suiting up taurants and marketing companies. for varsity [basketball] and [then assistant “Art and design appear to be my God given coach] Nalin Sood took me under his wing, talent so naturally I enjoy doing what I am easing all my nerves,” Hester recalled. best at,” Hester said.

Basketball wasn’t the only love Hester had You can see Hester’s work at local wedwhile attending Terrace.

“My favorite thing about Terrace High School was overall good memories and most of all where I met the love of my life. After a couple wrong turns in life fate or, as I believe, God has recently brought me back together with the cutest young lady from the class of 1990, and it all started right there in the halls and classrooms of MTHS,” Hester said.

His overall experience at MTHS was, as he put it, “better than good enough.”

Hester said he never had a favorite class, but he did enjoy classes in which the teacher was what he deemed fair. If the teacher wasn’t fair, he didn’t like the class.

He offered advice to current students, who live in a technological environment that was virtually nonexistent when he was a Hawk.

“The best is yet to come.

Don’t be too engrossed in your technological devices Hawkeye STAFF

em

By Emily Anderson

89

“Seattle Chalk Guy” was once a Terrace basketball star

P h ot o C

ou

s r te

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ft

TOP: Martin Hester as a senior at MTHS in 1989. Hester was on the basketball team, which placed fifth in state that year.

ABOVE AND LEFT: Drawn with chalk for many different companies and people, Hester’s artwork is featured in advertisements, weddings and other various events in the greater Seattle area and all across the globe.

16 | November 2014

THE ROAD TO RECOVERY

Hawkeye

HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS BRING THE RISK OF SERIOUS SPORTS INJURIES. SEVERAL HAWKS HAVE RECENTLY BOUNCED BACK FROM SEEMINGLY SEASON-ENDING INJURIES.

After suffering from a broken clavicle resulting from a collision during a summer practice, senior Carlitos Bravo has made a full recovery and is back on the field. Jack Fiorillo | Hawkeye

By Irvin Zhang Hawkeye staff

For injured athletes, the difficult road to recovery all goes back to a single moment: the endless rush of doubts, the uncertainty, and the negativity. And from that moment, they are forced to take the first step to a journey filled with hardships.

It was Feb. 10, 2012, current volleyball co-captain Alisha Clingan’s sophomore year. She described that moment.

“I couldn’t move my leg and I was breathing uncontrollably.

I just couldn’t control my body,” Clingan said.

Star women’s basketball player Samantha Romanowski’s senior season was put in jeopardy on July 7, 2014.

“From my knee to my foot, it went left, and from my knee up, it went right, and my leg popped.”

Carlitos Bravo had longed for his senior year of football, a dream that was just about derailed in the summer of 2014.

“Right when it happened, all I heard was a pop,” Bravo said.

“I thought I just dislocated my shoulder, but when I went down I held my arm close to my stomach and didn’t move it at all. All I wanted was to stop this pain.”

Kim Stewart, more commonly known by students as

“Stew,” was a basketball phenom when he was in high school.

He went on to play college basketball at UW and it looked as if he was poised to move on to the NBA and possibly have a long, illustrious career.

“Everything just went ‘pop’. It was like if you took a grapefruit and threw it against the wall,” Stew said.

The idea of getting an injury is daunting to athletes, especially to students, whose season or entire career can be ended by a debilitating injury. For Clingan, Romanowski, Bravo and Stewart, this fear became a reality. Each of them had to find a way to recover – both physically and mentally – from

Hawkeye the unimaginable roadblock in their athletic careers with their heads held high.

The injuries that changed everything ACL injuries are fairly common in sports.

On average, there are 150,000 ACL injuries in the U.S. each year.

Clingan, Romanowski and Stewart were three of those 150,000.

When she was injured, Clingan was playing in a volleyball tournament. She vividly remembers the exact moment of her injury.

“The setter gave me a tight set. I went up to tip it and landed on my left foot only,” Clingan said.

This was a normal occurrence for Clingan – except for the fact that the setter on the other side of the net also had her foot there.

She landed on her knee and it immediately hyperextended.

“I thought I just hyperextended it and so in my head, I was like “get up, you can play,” Clingan said. “The more that I couldn’t get up, I realized that it was worse.”

When Clingan got an MRI she was diagnosed with a torn ACL, strained MCL, two bone contusions and damaged cartilage.

Romanowski also suffered her ACL injury during a tournament.

Her performance on the Hawks’ basketball team the past three years earned her recognition from college scouts. She committed to the University of Denver after they offered her a full-ride scholarship.

Her team was competing in a championship game at the Oregon EOT tournament.

“We were already up by 25, and I was on a fastbreak. As I jumped in the air to do my layup, the girl [guarding me] pushed me.

When I landed, she landed on top of me so my leg slipped out from underneath me,” Romanowski said.

“Right then, I had a million thoughts flowing in my head,” Romanowski said, “Most of

November 2014 | 17 it was ‘am I going to be back for basketball season,’ and the other part of it was if I would have my scholarship still.”

After the initial injury, Romanowski’s trainer, who is a trainer at Washington State University, took her aside and did a few tests on her to confirm what the injury was.

After these tests, he told her it was probably a torn ACL. She went to the hospital and got an MRI. Romanowski was officially diagnosed with a torn ACL and a slightly torn meniscus. Despite her injury, University of Denver agreed to honor her scholarship.

Stewart had been playing college basketball for the University of Washington when he injured himself during a game.

“There were three minutes left to go in the first half, and my post started to shoot so I hooked my guy,” Stewart said, “but I didn’t realize he had faked the shot, and he went and drove, but then he tripped and his man tripped into my man, and all three of them landed right on [my leg].”

Stewart was diagnosed with a torn ACL and a torn MCL. Even with the injury as gruesome as it was, Stewart was not ready to accept the reality of it at the time.

“I remember being in the locker room, and just yelling at my trainer to just put a brace on [my leg] and let me get back out there,” Stewart said. “He was trying to be calm, but I kept screaming at him saying things like there’s no way I’m ending my career like this.”

Bravo’s injury, however, had nothing to do with his ACL. Bravo fractured his right

BEFORE AND AFTER: Bravo’s X-Rays from before and after surgery on his clavicle.

CRUNCH THE NUMBERS: sports injuries are no minor ordeal. They’re fairly common and can be quite expensive. Erika Fisher | Hawkeye clavicle, more commonly known as the collarbone.

According to the American Academy of Family Physicians, clavicle fractures make up five to 10 percent of all fractures. They occur when the arm is hit with considerable force, making sports a fairly common way to get them.

Bravo was practicing over the summer when he fractured his.

“My teammate and I only hit shoulders.”

Bravo said, “He was supposed to tackle me. I

Photo courtesy of carlitos bravo

went low, he went low. We hit shoulders, but he didn’t bring me down so we had to do it again. The second time, it just broke.”

However, Bravo’s wasn’t just a normal fracture. At the emergency room, the doctor told him he needed to see a specialist because it fractured more than normal.

No matter the differences in their injuries, each of them had to prepare for a long journey of healing.

The long and difficult road to recovery After the athletes understood the harsh reality of their conditions, it was time to work toward recovery.

Even before she had surgery, Clingan had to put herself through rehab.

“I had rehab before I could even get the surgery, due to all the muscle on my left leg being gone because I didn’t use my leg,” Clingan said. “For a month I was on crutches, and I had no mobility in my leg. I couldn’t move it, I couldn’t bend it, or straighten it.”

She had surgery two months after the initial injury, on April 26. After surgery came another grueling session of rehab. She first

…continued on page 18

18 | November 2014 “After surgery, it’s also getting my range of motion back, but also getting my quad built up because after surgery, it shrivels up and had to relearn how to walk before finally now there’s like nothing left,” Romanowski having to endure several sessions of physical therapy. said.

“Once I got to be able to be do things like She was told by her doctor that it would walking, I still had to do a lot of physical take anywhere from nine to 12 months for a therapy like do leg presses and strengthening full recovery. my leg, and getting it more flexible.” Clingan Stewart would go on to have surgery on said. his knee and wear a cast that would cover According to Clingan, she had to train her from his backside to over the top of his toes. legs with things like cutting and running.

Instead of repairing the knee, the doctor decided to instead Throughout all the reattach it. He was stages of recovery “The whole time while I was in told then by his docthat Clingan had to rehab, I was just thinking of how tor that if he just endure, she was able sweet that feeling is going to kept working out his to keep her head up be, playing that first game after hamstring, he should and persevere. coming back` be fine.

Romanowski’s Alisha Clingan “After about 12 experience isn’t just Senior weeks, I tried to go going to keep her off play but I kept fearing playing with my knee, the court temporarily. Her doctor explained until I started to force myself to play to get to her how there could be several long term repercussions. back into it,” Stewart said.

It was no easy task.

“My doctor was telling me about how since Unlike the other injuries, Bravo had to they took my Patella tendon to put in place undergo a different type of rehab. One that of the ACL, it might affect my jumping, and required much less movement.

I’ll probably have tendonitis for the rest of “[After surgery], I did nothing.” Bravo said, my life,” Romanowski said.

Romanowski also had to go to rehab before “Basically the doctor told me to just rest, and to not use my arm.” her surgery in order to get her range of For an injury like this, it typically takes motion back. …continued from page 17

Hawkeye about three months to recover, but Bravo was able to recover a bit faster than the average time it takes.

Looking back on the lifealtering injuries

During recovery, Clingan and Romanowski both said they focused on getting back in the game.

“The whole time while I was in rehab, I was just thinking of how sweet that feeling is going to be, playing that first game after coming back,” Clingan said. “After all this pain, and after all this hard work and dedication, I thought about how it was finally going to pay off.”

Romanowski is still constantly working hard to recover. She’s been working herself on the bicycle when she can’t jog, she’s had to keep a brace on when she isn’t working herself out, and movements like jogging and running have become the most complicated activities due to this setback.

“I just want to help my team out, and hopefully make it into the NCAA tournament,” Romanowski said. “The goal for myself is to just get 100 percent, and to not be scared to use this knee. I just want to be able to play.”

Stewart was concerned about the future of his basketball career.

“When I got hurt, I wanted to prove to

Left: Alisha Clingan serves the ball at the Oct. 2 game verses Everett high school. Irvin Zhang | hawkeye Right: Kim Stewart supports his teammates at the University of Washington while recovering from his torn ACL. Photo by steve kiehl Courtesy of Kim Stewart

the pros that I was still able to play. Stewart said, “I wanted to prove to people that I was still the same player. I needed to show everybody.”

Stewart would go on to be drafted by the Lakers in 1978 in the sixth round with the 126th pick. He was drafted in the same year as NBA Legend Larry Bird, Maurice Cheeks, and fellow Laker Michael Cooper.

“When I got drafted, there was just something missing,” Stewart said.

After being cut from the Lakers, Stewart would go overseas and play a year in Europe, before coming back and trying out for NBA teams again.

“My agent set up try outs with four or five teams such as Utah, but that little light bulb in my head just told me that it’s time to just move on with my life,” Stewart said.

From then on, Kim Stewart’s basketball career was over, but because of that, a new door opened up for him.

Getting back to the game: life after the injury During his senior season, Bravo aims at doing what he’s done since the very beginning – have fun playing the sport he loves.

“My goal for the team is to win our first playoff game,” Bravo said.

It seems like with every negative there’s a positive, as the Terrace Hawks seemed poised to do exactly what Bravo wanted, and that’s make the playoffs. Better yet, they seem poised to win their first playoff game.

Clingan made a full recovery about a year and a half after the surgery. Now that she’s back on the volleyball court, she says that she might be a bit more cautious about using her left leg but overall won’t let that hold her back from performing the best that she can or from being a leader on the team.

Being unable to play as a senior on the Terrace Hawk’s basketball team is another long term repercussion, but Romanowski is thinking about what comes after high school, when she plays Division-1 college basketball.

Stewart went on to coach players like Lorenzo Romar at the University of Washington before going on to teach at Ballard, Ingraham, Lynnwood and eventually Mountlake Terrace high schools. Stewart has been the athletic director and activities coordinator for the past 21 years.

Even with his dream of playing in the NBA derailed, Stewart was still able to pave a way to do something that he loved.

No, sports injuries don’t heal quickly.

Sometimes, people are never able to make a full recovery. But each of these athletes have proved that an athlete can achieve success following a seemingly devastating injury. H NOTE: Several other Hawkeye staff reporters contributed to this story.

Hawkeye

November 2014 | 19

Hawks keep making history

Above: Quarterback Justin Hopkins after a touchdown. Top: Gabe Brady hugs Coach Tony Umayum after the win against Glacier Peak. Middle: The Hawks get ready to take on the Warriors. Bottom: Malcolm Johnson running the ball past the Glacier Peak Grizzlies.

Story by Joshua Morrison Photos by Jack Fiorillo Hawkeye staff

Just last season, the Hawks football team finished with an even 5-5 record. Fast forward one season and the Hawks sit at a spectacular 7-1, behind only the 7-1 Meadowdale Mavericks in the Wesco 3A South standings. Terrace’s only loss came at the hands of Meadowdale early this season, 28-14.

Not only have the Hawks impressed everyone with such a great season, but they’ve made history in the process. The last time the Hawks football team finished with such a record was 1971, when they finished 7-2 on the season. In the past decade, the best record the Hawks have had was 6-4 in 2010.

During this great 2014 season, the Hawks have shined, especially offensively. Senior quarterback Justin Hopkins has thrown for 541 yards, placing sixth among his fellow WesCo 3A quarterbacks.

The backfield duo of seniors Ryan LaCasse and Malcolm Johnson have ravaged opposing defenses all season, leading the Hawks to their 7-1 record.

LaCasse has run for 820 yards on 80 attempts, averaging 10 yards per carry. He has also racked up 15 touchdowns along the way, placing him behind only Meadowdale’s starting running back Rory Spillum in total yards and touchdowns.

Before moving to Mountlake Terrace, Johnson played for the Berkner High School Rams in Richardson, Texas. In his sophomore year with the Rams, Johnson put up 158 yards and three touchdowns.

Now, in his second and final season with the Hawks, Johnson has dramatically improved to 669 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns, ranking third in rushing yards among the 3A South running backs.

Aside from the amazing offensive play, the Hawks have had some outstanding finishes throughout the season.

In their fourth game of the season against EdmondsWoodway, the Hawks came out with a huge 35-28 upset. In the last seconds of the game, Hopkins threw to LaCasse for a 67-yard touchdown, winning the game. “[The Edmonds-Woodway] game was huge. This was our ticket to the playoffs,” Hopkins said.

It sure did give the Hawks some momentum. They currently hold a six game win streak.

The only game that can top such an amazing finish was the Hawks’ 33-32 win against the Glacier Peak Grizzlies.

Trailing by 22 points at the half, the Hawks stormed back to pull off a single point win in which they clinched a playoff berth.

With a little under three minutes left in the game, the Hawks faced a six point deficit. After the defense stepped up and forced Glacier Peak to a quick three-and-out, it was time for the Hawks to return the punt.

Junior Riley Morrin stood alone near his own goal line.

“The referee was telling me to wave my hand and fair-catch the ball, and I told him that I actually wasn’t going to do that,” Morrin said. “I can’t do that. I have to return it, and that’s exactly what I did.”

The rest is in the Hawks’ history books. With the help of some amazing blocking by his special-teams teammates, Morrin was able to return the punt for a highlight reel finish.

He ran 94 yards for a touchdown, in what eventually became the winning play of the entire football game.

“That was an okay play that turned into a great play.

[Morrin] is one of the hardest working people at practice.

That’s how I knew he was going to return it,” Johnson said.

“Specifically halftime, I went in there and looked every one of them in the eyes and told them that this is what we worked for. This is what we put our pads on every Friday night to do. Don’t quit, don’t put your head down. We’re either going to do something or we’re going to lay down, and what did you see out there? We did something,” Johnson said after Glacier Peak game.

With one more game left before the playoffs, the Hawks could go an outstanding 8-1 and make Mountlake Terrace High School history. In the history of the entire program, the football team has never done better than 7-2.

In a Halloween night showdown, the Hawks will travel to Oak Harbor where they’ll take on the 5-2 Wildcats. Of the losses, one is due to a voluntary forfeit to the Tomahawks following the shooting tragedy at Marysville-Pilchuck.

Will the Hawks get their eighth win of the season, breaking a school record last set in 1971? Or will they fall to 7-2, tieing the 1969 and 1971 teams for the best school record? Find out Halloween night in Oak Harbor, where the Wildcats will host the Hawks for a 7 p.m. game. H

20 | November 2014

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