THE ESD IS STRIVING TO CREATE MORE INCLUSIVE CLASSROOMS FOR ALL
6
HOW THE ALICE DRILL HELPS PROTECT AND PREPARE STUDENTS & STAFF
9
MOUNTLAKE TERRACE HIGH SCHOOL | 21801 44TH AVE. W MOUNTLAKE TERRACE WA 98043
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DECEMBER 2021 | VOLUME 37 | ISSUE 4
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THE MUSIC GROUPS RETURN TO LIVE CONCERTS TO BOOST SCHOOL SPIRIT
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Kicking the season to a close10
2 | DECEMBER 2021
Hawkeye
12/2021 Vol. 37, Issue 4
IN THIS ISSUE…
04
Terrace Events Calendar
05
News Update
06
Creating inclusive classes
08
Preparing for the worst
09
Back and better than ever
10
Fall sports comes to an end
11
Stay updated with school and community events in December and January. Our staff picks for what you need to be aware of in the world, nation and state. Edmonds School District is working towards creating gender inclusive classrooms. Along with that comes the work to include a representative curriculum.
With the increase in fatal shootings and threats across the U.S., the ALICE drill becomes more important than ever. The bands, orchestra and choir return to live performances for the community despite COVID challenges. As fall sports comes to a close, it’s time to look forward to men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s wrestling, and men’s swimming..
Daily dose of thought
Staff member Jakob Nacanaynay has created a puzzle to stretch your brain.
C 02
ON THE COVER
Junior Julia Mejino gets ready to kick the ball at a girls junior varsity soccer game.
Kicking off Friday nights
The Hawks varsity football team wraps up its first full season under its new head coach, Archie Malloy, the WesCo 3A Coach of the Year. PHOTOS BY CAROLINE SHYNSHYN | HAWKEYE
Hawkeye
Letter from the Editor
OP/ED
DECEMBER 2021 | 3
The HAWKEYE
THE MAGIC OF GIFT GIVING H
ello there, MTHS. Welcome back to my little corner, where I ramble about one thing or another every month. Before I go any further, I want to wish each and every single one of our readers the happiest of holidays. Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, a random national holiday (apparently there are a lot of random ones like National Lemon Ritika Khanal CO-EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Cupcake Day in the month of December) or something else entirely, I hope everyone has the chance to recharge and enjoy time with friends and family. Although it’s a season full of cheer, I also know that holidays can be a tricky time to navigate for some. So, let’s all remember to take some time to show kindness to those around us and continue the spirit of giving back. After all, the little acts of kindness can have the biggest impacts, and we each have the power to brighten someone else’s day. As a little kid, I always thought of December as the month in which everyone magically received gifts. In every book I read that mentioned a December holiday, the main character would wake up, spend time with their family, play dreidel and above all, they would receive gifts. Having grown up around Nepali culture, I had never experienced what I was reading about, but as I began going to school, my peers had the same excitement that the characters in my books did. At first, I couldn’t quite understand why the month was so heavy on gifts. It wasn’t until I began being able to give things myself that I finally understood. Being able to give back to the people in my life, whether it’s showing those who mean the most to me how much I appreciate them or reaching out to someone who is in need of a little bit of cheer is an indescribable feeling. Over the years, I’ve come to realize that these holidays are not so much about receiving the gifts, but giving back to people in one way or another. “You could give me a rock and I’d treasure it forever,” a friend once told me. That comment has stuck with me, because I’ve always believed that the time and thought we put into the relationships with those around us means a lot more than receiving material objects. Maybe it’s because I can be an overly-sentimental person, but this comment also reminded me of my own experiences. As a little kid, I despised stuffed animals, barbies or anything that was deemed “age appropriate.” I wanted to read books well beyond my league and watch Jeopardy over and over again until I could recite random facts to anyone I met or talked to. Yet, despite my obstinate refusal to play with stuffed ani-
mals, I somehow acquired dozens of them. They lined up my little room, and each night, I would knock them off my bed and make what I can only assume was a disgusted face. I don’t exactly know why I despised them so much, but all I know is that I did. If my life were in the world of the Toy Story movies, I’d probably be crushed into a pulp by all of them for neglecting them so thoroughly. Each time a new one would come into my life, the game would be the same. “Guess what this is?” someone would ask. Forcing myself to smile, I’d go through the motions of feeling the animal and making a halfhearted guess at what I thought it was to appease whoever was asking. The problem? Each one of them had two beady eyes, lots of soft fuzz and if I was lucky, one might be slightly different from the others by having a beanbag interior. Eventually, I learned to feel for long necks for a giraffe or two legs for a bear, but without the visual cues, they all felt the same to me. Now, fast forward to high school. It was December of 2019, and one of my friends walked up to me with a bag and said, “For you.” I was instantly suspicious, surprised and flattered all at the same time. For me? What? When I opened up the bag, a soft, somewhat round, fat and squishy object fell into my hand. Perplexed, I began giving it my invasive tactile once-over, poking it in the eyes and squeezing it between my hands. It was a stuffed animal. Fully expecting the uncomfortable forced smile to appear, I began going through the list of possibilities of what it could be in my head. To my surprise, the forced smile never appeared. At that moment, I wasn’t thinking about what I was holding at all. I was thinking about how much it meant to me that my friend thought of me and decided to get me something they thought I might like. To this day, that cat goes with me wherever I go and is one of the most meaningful possessions I have. As if on cue, I came home a few weeks later to find another stuffed animal on my bed. “Some soft thing was sent to you in the mail,” my dad told me. It was a hippo, and my friend had taken the time to send it all the way from Indiana with a little note. Suddenly, I had a cat and a hippo, and I love both equally. More than the animals themselves, I appreciated the thought my friends had put into them, and both animals are representatives of the friendships I have with those around me. So, this holiday season, remember the value of friendships, enjoy the moments and have a fantastic winter break. The Hawkeye will not release an issue during the month of January, but please be sure to visit www.thehawkeye.org to keep up with what is going on at MTHS. Be sure to submit story ideas to us through the website too. We always want to hear from you. H
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The Hawkeye’s mission is to provide the MTHS community with quality, thought-provoking student produced publications. Since September 1960, we have faithfully served our audience and community as a designated open public forum where student editors make all decisions. In policy and in practice, the Hawkeye will always be a designated open forum publication.
Co-Editors-in-Chief
Nico Francois & Ritika Khanal
Editorial
News Editors: Nathaniel Reyes & Karen Ghobrial Sports Editor: Cecilia Negash Op/Ed Editor: Rachel Davis Lifestyle Editors: Maggie O’Hara & Isabelle Froyalde Data Manager: Lin Miyamoto
Business
General Manager: Phuong Lam Travel & Event Coordinator: Denise Muñoz Distribution Manager: To be named Outreach Manager: To be named
Visual
Graphics Editor: Nico Francois Photo Editors: Caroline Shynshyn & Hunter Michaelson Design Editor: Sovanrom Sot
Online/Digital
Online Manager: Justin Barsness
Contributing Staff
Khe Bach, Rod Budden, Katrina Bushman, Casey Carpenter, Terina Papatu, Tsu Sasai, Kim Bahn, Annabelle Westby, Robert Mize, Kaylee Miyamoto, Jakob Nacanaynay, Camryn Thornton, Theresa Van, Savanah Coco-Barrett, Arabella Devera Jaimee Wacker, Cleo Williams, Anabelle Sumera-Decoret, Penelope Goodwin, Kimberly Nguyen, Virginia AlseptBeaty, Kit Blake, Sean Brouwer, Seras Bryner, Ezra Fenwick, Jonah Paulsene, Maria Gaviola, Sarvinoz Rakhmatova, Aiden Gilchrist, Elio Isley, Nicholas Iwuoha Name in bold indicates staff member of the month as selected by the Editorial Board.
Support
Adviser: Vincent F. DeMiero, CTE, CJE Journalist-in-Residence: Samantha Pak Teacher Candidate: Carrie Lee FANs Coordinators: To be named Printer: Pacific Publishing Member of: MTHS ASB, JEA/WJEA, NSPA, SPLC, ESD CTE, FAPFA
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Editorial Policy The editorial section of the Hawkeye, including editorial cartoons, serves as a forum for well-written, thoughtful, longer forms of expression. Signed editorials represent the opinions of the author. Unsigned editorials represent the opinion of the Hawkeye Editorial Board. Views printed herein are meant to be opinionated and do not necessarily represent the opinions of the Hawkeye staff, student body, faculty, administration or school board. The Hawkeye will print submitted guest editorials as space allows and requests that all contributors include their name, signature and position relative to the editorial. The Hawkeye will edit all submissions for accuracy, spelling and grammar. We reserve the right to refuse to print any submission. Letters to the Editor Policy Readers are encouraged to voice their opinions in the Opinion section, a public forum for the expression of varying viewpoints on relevant topics. The Hawkeye will print as many letters as space allows. Letters must include the author’s name, signature and class or position relative to the letter. E-mailed, typed or legible, hand written letters are acceptable, but should not exceed 200 words. The Hawkeye will edit all letters for accuracy, spelling and grammar. We reserve the right to refuse to print any letter. Advertising Policy The Hawkeye will not accept any advertising that the Editorial Board deems to be: factually inaccurate; designed to mislead, deceive or defraud; containing malicious, vindictive or unsubstantiated attacks; offering goods and/or services illegal for teens to possess, buy or use; libelous; obscene; or 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. Complete policies are available at www.thehawkeye.org/about-2/mission-policies/
Cover photo by Caroline Shynshyn © 2021 HAWKEYE | ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
2021
REPRODUCTION IN WHOLE OR IN PART WITHOUT PERMISSION IS PROHIBITED.
IN THE KNOW
4 | DECEMBER 2021
Hawkeye
COMING UP: DECEMBER & JANUARY By Nico Francois
CO-EDITOR-IN-CHIEF & GRAPHIICS EDITOR
DATE
EVENT
TIME/PLACE
Monday, Dec. 13 Spirit Week: Cozy Day
MTHS, All day
Tuesday, Dec. 14 Spirit Week: Tacky Holiday
MTHS, All day
Wednesday, Dec. 15 Spirit Week: Dress to Impress
MTHS, All day
Thursday, Dec. 16 Spirit Week: Throw-Back Thursday
MTHS, All day
Thursday, Dec. 16 Band Winter Concert
Theater/Terraceum 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Friday, Dec. 17 Spirit Week: Candy Cane
MTHS, All day
Friday, Dec. 17 EARLY RELEASE
Off campus
Dec. 18 - Jan. 02 NO SCHOOL - Winter Break Dec. 28 - 29 Men’s Basketball Holiday Tournament Monday, Jan. 10 Booster Meeting Saturday, Jan. 15 Goodwill Donation Drive
Monday, Jan. 17 NO SCHOOL: MLK Jr. Day
Off campus
EZRA FENWICK | HAWKEYE
Terraceum, All day
SPOTLIGHT
Zoom, 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m
Dec. Holiday Band Concert MTHS kicks off live concerts once 16 again with a performance from the
Upper Parking Lot 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m
Dec. Winter Break Begins Terrace students celebrate the holiday 17 season with a long, well-deserved
Off campus
jazz band and the concert band/
break from their classes.
Dec. Holiday Tournament Student athletes participate in 28-29 the traditional men’s basketball tournament over the break.
Tuesday, Jan. 18
Music Booster Meeting
Friday, Jan. 21 EARLY RELEASE Monday, Jan. 24 NO SCHOOL
Zoom, 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Off campus Off campus
Jan. 15
Goodwill Donation Drive
Jan. 17
Martin Luther King Day
Terrace hosts a donation drive where the community brings items they no longer need in order to help the community. Students have the day off in order to honor the life and contributions of Martin Luther King Jr.
EDITORS’ NOTE: The information in this calendar is taken in part from the calendar published on the MTHS webpage. Information may change. For further information on an event, contact the organizing party. For corrections, contact editor@thehawkeye.org or visit us in Room 130.
Hawkeye
IN THE KNOW
Tragedy strikes Oxford, Michigan By Nico Francois
CO-EDITOR-IN-CHIEF & GRAPHICS EDITOR
A 15-year-old gunman, known as Ethan Crumbley, has been charged with terrorism and four counts of first degree murder after open firing at Oxford High School, Michigan, on Nov. 30. During the shooting, 11 people in total were shot, with four students killed and the other seven left seriously injured. Before the shooting, Crumbley’s parents were called in to the school for a meeting with school officials after one of Crumbley’s teachers had found a concerning drawing that he had made, with violent imagery including guns. Crumbley had also been caught in class searching the internet for ammunition to go with the semiautomatic handgun used in the shooting, leading to more concern among staff members. Days later, on Dec. 3, Crumbley’s parents, James and Jennifer NICO FRANCOIS | HAWKEYE Crumbley, were charged with involuntary manslaughter, after purchasing the gun for their son as a Christmas gift. Oxford High School has also come under fire after the incident, as many are appalled by the decision made by school faculty to allow Crumbley to return to class after the disturbing shooting-related imagery was found on him. The family of an injured student has since filed a lawsuit against the school and the district, upset at the dismissive behavior of the school officials, stating that their attitude before the shooting allowed for students to be more vulnerable. The Oxford High School shooting has been recorded as the deadliest school shooting since May of 2018. H
New COVID variant spreading
COMPILED BY NICO FRANCOIS
Almost two years since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the virus has continued to mutate and adapt. On Nov. 24, a new COVID-19 variant was reported to the World Health Organization, known as the omicron variant. The omicron variant was first discovered in Botswana on Nov. 11, and was found once again in South Africa days later. On Dec. 1, the first case of the omicron variant was discovered in the United States and was classified as a variant of concern. The omicron variant has been reported to be more transmissible than the original strain of the virus, but it is unknown whether the omicron form of the virus is as transmissible or more transmissible than the delta variant, discovered earlier on in 2021. More studies still need to be conducted to discover whether or not the omicron variant causes more severe illness in comparison to the original strain of the virus, NICO FRANCOIS | HAWKEYE but the COVID-19 vaccine is still predicted to prevent severe illness and hospitalizations. Now, more than ever, the CDC emphasizes that masks and vaccines are crucial to keep the virus from spreading from community to community, and that people should take advantage of the opportunity to get their booster shot, as protection against the virus begins to weaken around six months after a person gets their second dose. H
DECEMBER 2021 | 5
• the update •
A lot happens in a month. From fashion to finance, we are constantly bombarded by headlines from around the world. Here are the Hawkeye’s picks for what you need to know. stories by nico francois graphics by nico francois
Gay marriage in Chile legalized
International
The president of Chile has signed a law that legalizes gay marriage within the country. On Dec. 9, President Sebastian Piñera signed the law, which will take effect in March of 2022. The law grants gay couples equal rights and allows them their rights to marriage and equal adoption. Penalization of same-sex couples in Chile was outlawed in 1999, and arbitrary discrimination was later outlawed in 2012. When surveyed by the Chilean Movement of Homosexual Integration and Liberation, over 80% of gay couples said that they were planning to get married after the law takes effect. H
COVID-19 booster shots approved
National
With the decrease in effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccine as time goes on, and rise of new COVID-19 variants such as the Delta and Omicron variants, a booster shot to fight the virus is necessary for many. Around six months after a person has gotten their second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, their immunity to the virus begins to weaken. As of Dec. 9, the COVID-19 booster shot has been approved for all people ages 16 and up by the FDA. The approval of the booster vaccine has sparked discussion on wether or not the definition of "fully vaccinated" should be altered in order to accommodate for the third shot of the vaccine. H
Washington sees historic levels of rain
State
Western Washington has received historic amounts of rain and wind during the months of November and December, causing an increase in flooding, power outages and mud slides all throughout the Pacific Northwest. Seattle has experienced their third-wettest November ever and is close to breaking the record for the rainiest fall season to date. The flooding and outages have caused multiple detours and dangers for residents throughout the region, with some civilians even dealing with flooding in their houses and their vehicles. H
1 dead, 5 rescued from avalanche
Local
An avalanche at the Crystal Mountain Ski Resort in Pierce County has left five skiers injured and one dead. The avalanche occurred at around 11 a.m. on Dec. 11, when six civilians were trapped under the snow. Luckily, all of the skiers were wearing avalanche beacons, and most were able to escape the snow with the help of two individuals who were witnesses to the avalanche. H
Homeless encampment cleared in Ballard
Local
Within recent months, locals in Ballard have voiced their concerns regarding the homeless encampment in the Ballard Commons Park, stating the area has become dangerous for all in the community. In response to the complaints of the area turning into a breeding ground for crime, the city of Seattle began to remove those living in the homeless encampment, posting signs around the park as a warning. The encampment in the Ballard Commons Park has been cleared in the past for similar reasons, as well as public health concerns, such as outbreaks of diseases like Hepatitis A. H
6 | DECEMBER 2021
LIFESTYLE
Hawkeye
CREATING GENDER-INC By Ritika Khanal
having. Up until this point, she said she didn’t know much about the LGBTQ community, but listening to the students in GSA, or several years, the Edmonds School District has made an effort to her thinking changed. work towards creating a more inclusive culture across the district, “I didn’t know anything about the trans community, or even in buildings and in classrooms. This effort has included those with what non-binary was or anything until students in GSA taught disabilities, people of color, people within the LGBTQ community and me. Then, I began to research terms and things,” other groups that are otherwise overlooked. she said. “After a couple of years, we had a huge Namely, before COVID-19 shut down schools for a year and a half, group of trans and non-binary students, and efforts were made to implement training for staff on how to create a I realized they wanted to be treated like gender-inclusive classroom. According to MTHS English teacher and everybody else. They didn’t want their Gender Sexuality Alliance (GSA) adviser Jennifer Widrig-Hodges, gender assumed and they didn’t want these trainings focused on correct pronoun usage as well as creating a to be misgendered all the time. That more representative curriculum. However, despite the district’s efforts, completely changed my thinking.” the training kept getting pushed back due to one reason after another. Around the same time, her “We were supposed to have those trainings this year, but they [the youngest child came out to their district] thought the experience would be too impersonal over Zoom family as gender fluid and bisexual. for such a sensitive topic, so it was delayed again,” Widrig-Hodges said. Widrig-Hodges, having always identified “There is definitely a push to do it [the training], but there is a lack of as a feminist herself, never cared what kinds follow through on actually giving teachers the tools they need to make of toys her kids played with or how they dressed. their classrooms gender inclusive, especially curriculum.” As she began to advise GSA and spend more time researching to According to Widrig-Hodges, creating a gender-inclusive classroom find out more about the LGBTQ community, she realized that involves a lot more than just using the correct pronouns for students, some of the practices she was following unintentionally set her kids though that is certainly very important. She said that it needs to go a lot up for having those conversations with her and knowing that they’d further than that, and students need to be be accepted no matter what. “It is really hard for teachers to do all reflected in the curriculum that each teacher “Well, my youngest came out to us in the research necessary to make sure the is teaching in the classroom. In order for that the fourth grade. They came out to us curriculum is representative, and we need to happen, teachers need support. and said they were gender fluid and bi,” support while doing that.” While Widrig-Hodges knows that many Widrig-Hodges said. Jennifer Widrig-Hodges teachers take their own personal time to do As a parent, Widrig-Hodges made it a GENDER SEXUALITY ALLIANCE ADVISOR the research necessary to help create a more focus to make sure her kids knew what it inclusive classroom, she doesn’t believe this is meant to be an ally. Both of Widrig-Hodges’ sustainable. kids started going to pride marches with their mom as toddlers, and “The district needs to hire people to come in and do training and she did her best to set an example of what it meant to be an ally offer info to us in a way that is during staff time when we’re getting while not placing stereotypical expectations on them as they grew paid. We shouldn’t have to do this on our own in addition to a fullup. time job of teaching kids,” Widrig-Hodges said. “I know a lot of people “I feel like I didn’t ever really care what toys they played with do that [research on their own time], but if the expectation is that the or what they wore. It didn’t matter to me, and that had a lot classrooms are gender inclusive, gender training needs to officially be a to do with the feminism ideas at the time, but I found out part of what we do during our staff time so that we all get the training that that way of thinking was good for letting kids know it we need.” was okay to express their sexuality and gender, too,” WidrigWidrig-Hodges has taught at MTHS since 2013. Throughout her Hodges said. “I sort of accidentally made it so that my kids time at the school, she has become one of the faces of the staff equity could defy the norms and figure themselves out.” team, serves as the GSA adviser and is known to be a strong ally for As she has helped her child go through the transitioning many groups. Among students, she is known as one of the most inclusive process and had conversations with them about their identity, teachers at the school. it has opened her eyes to the challenges that come with that. Widrig-Hodges’ inclusive classroom is something she has worked hard Having a child going through those challenges has given her a to build. She said a large part of why she is able to be as inclusive as she direct view of the various struggles, one of which being navigating is is through observation and being willing to listen. the healthcare system. When Widrig-Hodges first began working at MTHS, she quickly “It’s definitely been a journey of hormones and navigating involved herself with the GSA, helping to co-advise the club. Two years the healthcare system, especially for someone who isn’t cis,” later, she would take over as the only adviser for the club. Widrig-Hodges said. “The students in GSA had mentioned Widrig-Hodges paid special attention to the way the organization was some of those struggles, and now, I’m seeing that from a run, and she took the time to listen to the discussions students were different perspective, navigating it as a parent myself.”
HAWKEYE CO-EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
F
Hawkeye
LIFESTYLE
DECEMBER 2021 | 7
CLUSIVE CLASSROOMS The term cisgender refers to an individual whose personal identity and gender correspond to their sex at birth. Those who are not cis do not identify with what they were assigned at birth, and for some, the transition can involve physical surgeries. While Widrig-Hodges said her experiences with her own family have helped her become a better ally and understand her students better, it has also been tricky in some ways. As a parent who accepts her kids for who they are no matter what, it is difficult for her to remember that not all parents are as accepting, and while her first instinct is to tell her students to come out to their parents, they often remind her that this is not an option for them. “Having my own experiences has made me better at supporting my students on their journeys. It’s harder because I forget that there are parents that are just so close-minded,” Widrig-Hodges said. “I really encourage students to come out to their parents if it is safe. Kids have to remind me that no, they can’t do that and they’re not ready. Part of me thinks it will be fine but I have never understood what that experience is like and I don’t have that perspective. She said that sometimes, it can be a little confusing to be an adviser of GSA and a parent simultaneously with her own experiences, because she finds herself having to stop herself from imposing her experiences on parents who don’t have the same experiences. However, as she advises GSA and teaches her classes, Widrig-Hodges’ focus is to create the most inclusive culture she can while helping to advocate for more gender-inclusive classroom training for her colleagues. Creating a gender-inclusive classroom takes work, and over time, Widrig-Hodges has figured out some of the biggest things to keep in mind. “Using gender-neutral terms when addressing students. Not saying ‘boys and girls,’ ‘ladies and gentlemen.’ That’s first,” she said. Asking for pronouns frequently and using them correctly, having representation in the curriculum in some way, putting posters up on the wall of LGBTQ members vital to each of the subject areas, highlighting important work they’ve done and
ROD BUDDEN | HAWKEYE
talking about it in class. All of these things, Widrig-Hodges said, can make a huge difference. “With English, for example, finding specific trans and non-binary authors so that we can get kids seeing that these are important people in our subject area is so important,” Widrig-Hodges said. “Call those out specifically and talk about them in class. If we don’t look at those identities and look at how people were treated, we’re missing out.” She also said that it is important for teachers to realize that it’s okay to make mistakes. For example, the usage of correct pronouns is one of the most powerful ways to make students feel accepted in classrooms, but many teachers, Widrig-Hodges said, are afraid of getting it wrong, and because of this, they choose to not try. “Just don’t worry. Just go for it and if you make mistakes, you can always apologize and correct,” Widrig-Hodges said. “You’re always going to be in the middle where you’re making mistakes, but rather than letting fear take over, just know that you will make mistakes and it will be okay.” Over the years, Edmonds School District staff have attended trainings run by the Gay Lesbian Straight Education Network (GLSEN) in which they learn about how to create gender-inclusive classrooms, and how to best support trans students and GSA. They also learn about genderinclusive curriculum. GLSEN is a nationwide organization, with chapters across the country. Each chapter includes a variety of people, with some school teachers in the mix. Tribecca Brazil, who today serves as the career specialist at MTHS, remembers one such GLSEN training from several years ago. She, like Widrig-Hodges, wasn’t super educated on the LGBTQ community up until this point, and she said this training opened her mind to a different way of thinking. “The biggest thing that training gave me was just to be completely open to new info,” she said. “To assess myself and the terms I use or assumptions I had that are incorrect and making sure to ask questions.” As a woman of color, Brazil said she can relate to dealing with microaggressions and having to prove one’s existence, which has helped her be there for students. However, she also said it is disappointing to see so many teachers refuse to use correct pronouns just because it is uncomfortable for them. “It’s disheartening to see so many staff members refuse to use pronouns or refuse to break away from norms because it’s uncomfortable for them and not really noticing how it impacts students,” she said. However, the training helped her understand certain terminology better, as well as allowing her to hear from students experiencing challenges of their own. “It’s really helped me become a better advocate,” she said. Widrig-Hodges and Brazil both emphasized the importance of inclusion for students’ mental health. “It’s really important to make that shift to gender-inclusive classrooms because all of our research says that if kids feel supported, they do better at school and are less likely to harm themselves,” Widrig-Hodges said. “There are tons and tons of research that show that if one teacher is super supportive, that alone can make a difference about whether they harm themselves or not. It’s not just about the class environment. Kids’ lives are at stake here.” H
8 | DECEMBER 2021
NEWS
Hawkeye
PREPARING FOR THE WORST USING ‘ALICE’
By Kaylee Miyamoto HAWKEYE STAFF
As in-person schooling started back up this year, so did the worry and concern about the threats and dangers posed for students at school. For many years and now decades, violent threats and actions have become more prevalent in schools, so much so that drills and lockdowns have been normalized in the average American teen’s life. Every year of in-person school since the late 1990s, not only have these threats increased, but so have the actual school shootings, causing districts to take actions to make sure their students aren’t hurt. On Nov. 30, Tate Myre, Hana St. Juliana, Madisyn Baldwin, and Justin Shilling were fatally shot at Oxford High School, 30 miles north of Detroit, Michigan. Six students and a teacher were also injured in the incident. The shooter, Oxford sophomore 15-year-old Ethan Crumbley, is now facing charges, and as the case continues, it was found that this situation was likely preventable and something that the school was aware of beforehand. This shooting is one of many, as shootings and violence at schools has increased. People with violent intentions can steal weapons like guns from parents or other adults in their life, then use those weapons to attack their fellow students, whether it be one person or as many people as possible. Following major events like the Oxford
shooting, schools across talk with your students “I feel prepared. ALICE gives us the nation received many options to use, rather than and encourage them to many threats about share with us if they a sequential plan.” shootings, bombknow anything.” Bryan Smelcer STEM TEACHER ings and other violent To counter this risattacks as some make ing problem, schools an effort to garner the same attention or fear across the nation have been working to preas a school shooter. Within our country and vent these situations by encouraging mental even Washington state, multiple schools health and for students to come forward, and were shut down as “copy-cat” and concerning have also been working to prepare students threats came to light online less than a week and staff on what to do in case of a violent following the tragedy in Oxford. intruder, student or not. In the Edmonds School District (ESD), The ESD has been using the ALICE drill police showed up to Edmonds Woodway for years as a guideline for students to follow High School after concerning graffiti was to make sure no one gets hurt in case of a found in the bathroom on Nov. 19 threatenviolent intruder. ing to “shoot up” the school on Dec. 8. Police “I feel prepared,” Bryan Smelcer, STEM presence was put in place on campus, howtecher, said. ”ALICE gives us many options ever many students and families still stayed to use, rather than a sequential plan.” home out of safety. Similarly at Scriber ALICE stands for alert, lockdown, inform, Lake High School, a threat was found on a counter, and evacuate. Each word has a difbathroom stall that students reported to the ferent meaning and teachers guided students school, and later extra police presence was through the drill on Nov. 30, coincidentally put on campus to ensure students’ safety. the same day as the Oxford shooting. During Police were put on alert as well at Brier PASS, a presentation was given, and then Terrace Middle School following a threat classroom doors were barricaded and stumade on Instagram. dents practiced hiding across the classroom To address the increase in threats, the ESD to follow the protocol. sent an email to parents and families. “Our “We set up multiple tables against the door, community is strong, and we are grateful to and chairs to back it up,” Spanish teacher the student who came forward and alerted Marcie Setala said. the school to this message,” stated the email. However, there is still much that could be “We appreciate any additional information improved on how we practice using ALICE. that students may have about this. Please “Administrators should have given us more
of a heads up instead of just a PowerPoint,” Smelcer said. The disorganization and short notice caused some classes to not even make barricades. “I want our preparation to be more streamlined,” Setala said. ”All the classes should be doing the same thing in an organized and planned fashion.” The ALICE drill encourages muting phones instead of turning them off so students can communicate with each other about the situation through technology to help them be aware and potentially escape safely, but not to post publicly for non-students to see. The training also makes it clear that no students should try to be a hero and should only counter the intruder when necessary to regain control, not to fight. Evacuation is the final step of the drill, informing students to leave campus and not come back, contact family, and check-in via the news and school notifications. As in-person learning continues along with the rise in school violence, it is important for students to follow these guidelines and pay attention to these drills as it may be the difference between safety and harm. To prevent these situations, school officials say it is vital to report anything concerning or threatening to staff members or police and through the internet, as students often are the first to know about potential threats. H
NICO FRANCOIS | HAWKEYE
LIFESTYLE
Hawkeye
DECEMBER 2021 | 9
Club aims to empower women Feminism Club plans fundraiser to combat the impact of domestic violence against women By Jakob Nacanaynay HAWKEYE STAFF
Feminism club meets every Wednesday after school aiming to empower women and act as a safe space to discuss issues relating to feminism. Feminism club has a four-person leadership team headed by the president Angeli Angeles. The two advisors of the club are teachers Carla Rosebrook who overlooks the club on the first and third week of each month in room 132 and Abby Taylor who watches over the club on the second and fourth weeks of each month in room 102. New members can expect to be involved in discussions as well as a variety of activities. Two previous activities were signing petitions and a tea party. While the leadership team helps manage the club, members are involved in brainstorming and deciding on what the club does. “We started off just talking about what
feminism means because it’s a broad topic that’s subjective and it literally changes everyday,” club president Angeles said. “Now we’re talking about things like coming out as a man. Especially with things like misogyny; as a man there are different obstacles that we wouldn’t understand.” Though there are set topics, members are free to talk openly. “We make sure every member’s voice gets heard,” vice president Ali Serena-Takahashi said. “Let’s say someone wants a certain discussion topic, we have that available to them.” Feminism, for both the club president
NICO FRANCOIS | HAWKEYE
Angeles and vice president SerenaTakahashi, while expansive, boils down to empowering women and being supportive. However, misconceptions about feminism have been
challenging. “I used to have some friends who didn’t believe in feminism or they thought it was asking for too much, so starting the club was pretty hard because my close-knit friend group wasn’t really supportive of it,” Angeles said. Leaders hope that with the feminism club, they can combat the stereotypes and misconceptions around feminism. “I love the people [who come to feminism
club],” Angeles said. “They’re not just sweet but they’re open minded. At school, you see a lot of people who aren’t open minded to the idea of feminism, and not even just the idea of feminism but they’re not even open minded enough to hear the full message, so I think it’s beautiful some people come and actually see what the club’s about” The feminism club also plans to fundraise for New Beginnings, an organization based in Seattle that spreads awareness about domestic violence and provides services for survivors. Outreach programs include educational and prevention training, Services include one on one support, paying for housing, utilities, food, medical assistance and legal assistance. People interested in feminism club can ask the leadership any additional questions. Feminism club also has an Instagram account which can be messaged. “Every member here always has something to contribute whether it is a discussion or even a reaction to something that has been said,” vice president Serena-Takahashi said. “Every member here really gives it their all when it comes to this club and I’m really thankful for that.” H
MUSIC GROUPS ARE BACK TO SPREAD SOME HOLIDAY CHEER By Kaylee Miyamoto HAWKEYE STAFF
It’s been over a year since MTHS’s last live, fully open to an audience band concert, let alone jazz or any other music class. Because of COVID, it was unsafe for students or families to congregate for any reason last year, so performances couldn’t be held in-person. However, all of that changed on Nov. 10 when the first jazz concert of the year was held. Following suit this month, the choir and orchestra had a combined concert, and the concert band has one planned for Dec. 16. For the school’s first concert in a year and a half, instrumental music director Darin Faul worked with Jazz 1 and Jazz 2, rehearsing in class for weeks to eventually perform in the theater. With a program of nine songs and two combined performances from Jazz 1 and 2, the audience responded with constant enthusiastic applause. All of these students, spanning from new freshmen to more experienced seniors, have had to play on their own over remote learning, depriving them of the teamwork and feeling of being part of a whole that comes with being in band. While many students were able to have the comfort of playing without anyone watching, there was a serious lack of motivation from not being able to play with others and not being held accountable if they didn’t play. Jazz especially takes a significant amount of work from individuals to come together and make something beautiful with unity and teamwork. Being back in-person means that motivation and sense of togetherness is back, and that was evident in the way the jazz students performed. This concert also acts as a preview for what’s to come from the band program this year. Faul said he hopes everyone that attended had a good time, especially the students themselves as they become inspired playing for others and sharing their music.
NICO FRANCOIS | HAWKEYE
Many of the students performing haven’t played live since they were in middle school, and even if they did play in high school before schools were shut down in March of 2020, being back was still a big adjustment. Regardless, all of the students gave their all and performed wonderfully. The concert program, along with naming all of the students that played in each section and song, had “Jazz Night 1” written with the word “thankful” underneath it. Through just a few words, it showed that this is just the beginning of band concerts this year that families and students can look forward to. Along with that, it’s a concert we should be thankful for, not only because of the holiday season, but because it represents an opportunity that’s been stripped from us over the past year and a half. “It’s easy to think about the things we lost, but in spite of that, I’m thankful we got to do it at all,” Faul said. With all these concerts, whether band or choir and orchestra, it was a challenge for the school to ensure safety for those attending, resulting in students being limited to only inviting small groups of family members. Families also
had to sign up for seats beforehand, specifying who would come and where in the theater they’d be sitting. This was so that in the event that contract tracing was needed, there would be a clear seating chart. “In regards to the challenges in planning these events, the problem is, what we are used to doing is maxing out concerts. Right now we only have space for family and performers,” Faul said. “Each student is allowed to invite six people in a group to sit together, and have that group socially distanced from others. All guests were required to wear masks watching the concerts.” The MTHS orchestra and choir also held their annual winter concert on Dec. 9 in the theater, having the same peculiar circumstance as the jazz students with it being the students’ first concert in over a year. The next concert for the jazz band as well as the entire concert band takes place on Dec. 16, right before the start of winter break. The upcoming band concert is set to be split into two separate parts to account for COVID safety regulations, ensuring families and any other guests can watch the performance safely. The night will start with concert band, encompassing symphonic band, chamber winds, and percussion ensemble, playing in the theater. The music selection will include both holiday classics as well as other winter-themed songs. After each group plays both individually and collectively, the concert will move to the gym for a more social and informal event. There, the entire jazz band will play for families to watch and listen to, and the band’s secret santa, put together by Faul and including many student participants, will be announced. The night will be a celebration and seasonal send-off for band students, celebrating the work they put into their music before going off into the start of a new year. H
10 | DECEMBER 2021
SPORTS
Hawkeye
DECEMBER 2021 VARSITY SPORTS CALENDAR Info compiled and graphics by Lin Miyamoto
MEN’S BASKETBALL
DATA MANAGER
12/07/21 @ 7:15 p.m. Kamiak @ Kamiak H.S.
Hi Hawks! We are finally done with fall sports and going straight into the winter season where the competitions have just begun. It has been getting a little chilly for our high school but at least we have heaters to keep us warm. We also are going to have a Holiday Tournament for men’s basketball against other high schools’ basketball teams and so far, our winter sports teams have been doing well in this season with women’s basketball team’s overall record at 3-1. There aren’t going to be many games for December, but there are a ton in January so expect that after your longdeserved winter break. Also expect your finals to be running at you as well. Finals are important. Stay safe and healthy and actually take a break from school please and thank you. H
12/10/21 @ 7:30 p.m. Arlington @ Mountlake Terrace H.S. 12/11/21 @ 5:00 p.m. Mount Rainier @ Auburn Riverside H.S. 12/14/21 @ 7:15 p.m. Cedarcrest @ Cedarcrest H.S. 12/16/21 @ 7:15 p.m. Meadowdale @ Meadowdale H.S.
WOMEN’S WRESTLING
12/14/21 @ 6:00 p.m. Mariner @ Mariner H.S.
12/28/21 @ Time TBA Holiday Tournament @ Mountlake Terrace H.S. 12/29/21 @ Time TBA Holiday Tournament @ Mountlake Terrace H.S.
MEN’S WRESTLING
12/15/21 @ 7:00 p.m. Meadowdale @ Meadowdale H.S.
MEN’S SWIMMING
12/16/21 @ 3:15 p.m. Shorecrest @ Kamiak H.S.
12/17/21 @ 5:30 p.m. Shorecrest @ Everett H.S. 12/18/21 @ 9:30 a.m. Bishop Blanchet @ Lynnwood H.S.
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
12/01/21 @ 7:15 p.m. Mercer Island @ Mercer Island H.S.
12/03/21 @ 7:15 p.m. Redmond @ Mountlake Terrace H.S. 12/07/21 @ 7:15 p.m. Ferndale @ Mountlake Terrace H.S. 12/09/21 @ 7:15 p.m. Arlington @ Arlington H.S. 12/15/21 @ 7:15 p.m. Cedarcrest @ Meadowdale H.S. 12/17/21 @ 7:15 p.m. Meadowdale @ Mountlake Terrace H.S. 12/30/21 @ 7:15 p.m. Marysville-Pilchuck @ Mountlake Terrace H.S.
Hawkeye
PUZZLE PAGE
DECEMBER-JANUARY LOGIC PUZZLE
Created by Jakob Nacanaynay HAWKEYE STAFF
• There are 8 bus stations labeled from A to H • There are 3 buses labeled from 1 to 3 • The buses go at a constant speed between different • stations • The buses take up zero time for boarding or off-loading • The buses always take the most efficient routes going in a perfect line from the start to the destination • All buses begin at the starting stations at the same time • All buses repeat their routes infinitely • Each station connection is exactly 10 minutes apart via the aforementioned buses
Here is a table with the bus routes: Buses and Stations
Here are the parameters of this month’s puzzle:
DECEMBER 2021 | 11
The Questions to Answer: 1) What is the shortest route, taking into account the bus schedule, from station A to F? How long does it take? 2) What is the shortest route, starting at station A and taking into account the bus schedule, that visits every station and returns to the origin station A? How long does it take?
Your Deadline: • 1/14/22
Swag for the Winner: The Hawkeye staff will randomly select one entry with the correct answer and the winner will receive some great HSM swag! H
DECEMBER-JANUARY WORD SEARCH CHALLENGE
Winter Holidays Around the World
WORD LIST
BOXING DAY CHRISTMAS DIWALI EID-AL-ADHA EPIPHANY GANNA HANUKKAH KWANZAA LA BEFANA LAS POSADAS MARDI GRAS OMISOKA NEW YEAR ST. LUCIA DAY ST. NICHOLAS DAY THREE KINGS DAY WINTER SOLSTICE
12 | DECEMBER 2021
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We’re writing a book about you.* To Purchase a 2022 Tempo Yearbook GO TO:
wa-edmonds.intouchreceipting.com
Important Upcoming Dates • 1/28/22 – Books are $65 • 1/29/22 – Books are $75
*Okay, and about 1430 of your closest friends. And no, that isn’t the cover of this year’s yearbook. We’re a little more creative than that.
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