Hawkeye Volume 34, Issue 5

WHO DECIDES SCHOOL SPIRIT? MAY 2019 | VOLUME 34 | ISSUE 5

HAWKEYE WWW.THEHAWKEYE.ORG

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NEW BOOK EMBODIES CHINESE CULTURE

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THE LAST SENIOR STANDING

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

Teachers bear brunt of budget shortfall 8

05/2019 Vol. 34, Issue 5

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TABLE OF CONTENTS Calendar

Fill in your schedules with year-end concerts, awards ceremonies and more.

Hawkeye Update

Learn about mysterious numbers on the roof and discover the best state in America.

OP-ED: Spirited away

The key to boosting school pride? Listening to the students, says reporter Nina Otebele.

OP-ED: Next generation solution Despite issues about climate and economy, there is hope, says reporter Theresa Van.

NEWS: Our failing financing

After 2012’s McCleary decision, ESD hoped for funding relief. They were wrong.

OP-ED: Money misconceptions

Reporter Marianne Nacanaynay clarifies the impact of the district's budget obstacles.

NEWS: Asian representation

MTHS introduces a book about Chinese heritage to the English curriculum.

LIFESTYLE: Pollen is in the air

The colors of spring mean allergies might act up—and you might miss school.

LIFESTYLE: Terrace's killer game Every year, seniors engage in orange-tipped gun fights for the title of Senior Assassin.

15 Cooking up a storm

Senior Cassidy Sadler mixes her zucchini noodles with spicy peanut sauce to serve alongside the fresh spring rolls her partner, senior Nikolai Johnson, made. The judges named this team the overall winners of the returning Iron Hawk competition.

Hawkeye

MAY 2019 | 3

CLUB CORNER: CREATIVE WRITING

Her Eyes Were Like Water Junior Daniel Gonzalez of Creative Writing Club writes about a metaphorical beast in this piece about serenity, turmoil and love.

H

er eyes were like water. Her eyes were like the creek that he would play in as a child, full of happy memories and heartfilled stories to tell by a fireplace. Her eyes were like the ocean that he would have to cross, overcoming his insecurities and cowardice. Her eyes were cool, calm, but held something beneath the surface that should never see the light of day.

A leviathan of pain that would pull down any sailor foolish enough to hunt it. A great beast that could not be tamed. But he knew. He knew this beast. He knew the depths that this beast dwells in the way that a mother knows to care for her children. See, he had a beast of his own: something ferocious, something dark, something evil. He had a beast that he had tamed. The beast was immortal, an ever present god, but he had spoken to it. In rare moments, yes, but he had spoken to the beast that tore him apart for so long. He knew that this beast was in pain too. This beast was no evil being, it was scared. It had only wanted to sleep, to live it’s life, to raise its young, but something else had prevented it. Something had slaughtered her beast’s young, polluted its waters, had cornered it. Something had caused it to lash out. Something had destroyed her from within and only now did she adjust to the rocky sea.

Her eyes were like the cool water in a child’s plastic cup, fetched by a parent at 3:00 am when they had been awoken by a nightmare. Her eyes held a simple, powerful caring for every person she knew. She would tend to them without a second thought, giving them everything and never expecting anything in return.

Once, on a night of pure magic, on a night that he would forever remember, her eyes were a lake, calm as glass, in the setting sun’s light. Still warm from a summer’s day and perfectly clear, it was a lake that the two of them shared. Alone, on the beach, swimming in the water, rowing in a simple boat, sitting on the dock and kicking the water with their feet as they spoke about life. Her eyes glowed like the reflection of the sun off the surface of that lake, warm and inviting. He got lost in them for an eternity, basking in their warmth, feeling it run through his limbs, feeling it lift the weight off his shoulders. He took it all in. He saw everything about her, and all he looked at were her eyes. For a moment, the beast in the depths of the water had returned to its slumber. The sea had stopped churning. The clouds had cleared. The salty spray had been replaced by a soft, clean, dry warmth. For a moment her eyes held no pain. For a moment her eyes were no longer just eyes. For a moment her eyes spewed forth her soul to him, windows, as the saying goes, and he carefully picked it all up like silk, folding it gently into his hand and held it close to his heart. For that moment, when she smiled there was no hint of pain, no grimace, nothing false; she smiled and it filled his heart. And from himself he did the same, handing over everything he had kept within for so long. She saw it all, and she did something that he would remember for his entire life: she loved it. She loved it all. She loved his flaws, his insecurities, his pains, his past, his dreams, his hopes, his failures, his successes, everything he hated about himself she loved, and she loved it completely.

From the writer: I had some ideas and thoughts and I decided to write them out. That's really all there is to it. As for the 'meaning,' I'm in no place to tell you how to interpret what you read. I just hope you enjoyed it.

Creative Writing Club is a club of creativity at its core.

Daniel Gonzalez Creative Writing Club Member M & F 2-3 p.m. in room 110 Contact Us Email editor@thehawkeye.org Phone 425.431.5058 Website www.thehawkeye.org Mail Hawkeye Room 130

@MTHSHawkeye @MTHSports @MTHSWeather

@MTHSHawkeye

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

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The HAWKEYE

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

Co-Editors-in-Chief

Annika Prom and Ben Eyman

Editorial

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

Business

General Manager Ben Savell Distribution Manager Trinity Alber

Visual

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

Online

Online Manager Tommy Tran Audio/Video Manager Gavin Norley

Contributing Staff for Issue 5

Caroline Erdey, Jonah Paulsene, Lin Miyamoto, Michael Malysh, Nathaniel Reyes, Nhung Lam, Nina Otebele, Ritika Khanal, Sovranrom Sot, Teresa Bonilla, Theresa Van, Tyler Mudaliar Name in bold indicates staff member of the month as selected by the Editorial Board.

Advisers

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

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

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

COVER PHOTO BY NATHANIEL REYES © 2019 HAWKEYE | ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited.

4 | MAY 2019

Hawkeye

COMING UP: MAY & JUNE May 20 – May 23 SBA TESTING – GRADE 10

LATE START – ALL OTHERS

Thursday, May 23 Women's golf banquet

HUB, 6 p.m.

Friday, May 24 EARLY RELEASE

Monday, May 27 NO SCHOOL - MEMORIAL DAY

Wednesday, May 29 WCAS TESTING – GRADE 11 LATE START - ALL OTHERS

Students vs. staff softball game

Baseball field, 2:45 p.m.

Track & Field banquet

HUB, 6 p.m.

May 30 – June 01 Spring Play – "She Kills Monsters" Theater, 7 p.m.

Thursday, May 30 SBA RETAKE – MATH

SPOTLIGHT

Multicultural Assembly

Friday, May 31 SBA RETAKE – MATH

Saturday, June 01 Goodwill donation drive Sunday, June 02 Jazz Concert (EOY)

Monday, June 03 Naviance orientation for juniors

Parking lot, 10 a.m.

Nectar Lounge Theater, PASS

Junior class family meeting

Theater, 6 p.m.

Interhigh 3v3 basketball

7 p.m.

PTSA Meeting

Theater, 7 p.m.

Tuesday, June 04 SBA RETAKE – ELA, SCIENCE Orchestra Concert (EOY)

Wednesday, June 05 SBA RETAKE - ELA, SCIENCE Choir Concert (EOY)

Thursday, June 06 Field trip to WWU

Theater, 7:20 a.m.

Theater, 7 p.m.

Theater, 7:20 a.m.

Theater, 7 p.m.

All day

Blood drive

Aux. gym

Band Concert (EOY)

Theater, 7 p.m.

Friday, June 07 All-school Naviance activity

PASS

Drama awards night

Theater, 7 p.m.

Monday, June 10 Senior awards night

Theater, 7 p.m.

Tuesday, June 11 Senior finals

Athletic collegiate signing

Wednesday, June 12 Senior finals

LIN MIYAMOTO | HAWKEYE

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SHE KILLS MONSTERS

MAY

A sister in grief. Dungeons and Dragons.

Friendship, loss, and acceptance.

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MULTICULTURAL ASSEMBLY

MAY A celebration of the diversity of the Terrace community.

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JAZZ CONCERT (EOY)

JUN Fremont’s Nectar Lounge hosts

Terrace jazz for one final swing.

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ORCHESTRA CONCERT (EOY)

JUN Fresh from a performance in Idaho, the orchestra caps off the year.

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CHOIR CONCERT (EOY)

JUN Terrace’s choirs sing their heart out for the year’s last concert.

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FIELD TRIP TO WWU

JUN A Terrace group visits WWU to tour its classes and STEM facilities.

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BAND CONCERT (EOY)

JUN From the posaune to the piccolo, the

tonal width of the concert band plays.

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ATHLETE SIGNING DAY

JUN MTHS athletes, on to bigger and

better things, solidify their futures.

All day HUB, 2 p.m.

All day

EDITORS’ NOTE: End of Year events are specially marked with an (EOY).

The information in this calendar is taken 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 come into Room 130.

Hawkeye

MAY 2019 | 5

Cooking competition crowns champion chef

By Nathaniel Reyes HAWKEYE STAFF

The Iron Hawk competition, in which Terrace students compete to make the tastiest dish in a limited time span, was held on Wednesday, May 15. After a short delay to find a replacement judge (who turned out to be Kimberly Nelson), the competition began. Twelve students, representing all grades, were divided into six kitchens, making dishes ranging from a Sunday dinner of ham and mashed potatoes with a Middle Eastern tabouleh with rice and vegetables.

After an hour and a half of furious chopping, grilling, baking and seasoning, the completed meals were presented to judges and the audience. Serving as judge alongside Nelson were Melvin Banuelos, a two-time Iron Hawk champion from 2010 and 2011 and chef at the Mediterranean-themed Currant Bistro; and Kyle Cole, owner of Spark, a Redmond pizza restaurant.

It took thirty nervous minutes for the numbers to be tabulated as the audience got to sample the food. Every participant received an award, but only seniors Cassidy Sadler and Nikola Johnson won the overall competition with their dish of spring rolls with zucchini noodles—something described by Nelson as “far from [their] comfort zone.” H

• 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 nolan degarlais and matthew hipolito graphics by sierra clark and lin miyamoto

Swiss gun laws

Switzerland voted on Sunday to tighten the country’s gun laws, mirroring, under pressure from the European Union, a international wave of similar legislative initiatives following numerous terror attacks throughout Europe.

Marksmanship and shooting have long been part of Swiss culture, and military service is compulsory for its 8.4 million citizens. Although Switzerland has one of the highest rates of gun ownership in the world – 27.6 firearms per 100 citizens in 2017 – it also has one of the lowest homicide rates, with just 0.54 intentional homicides per 100,000 citizens.

Austrian government collapses

Kitchen 4: Salman Ghous, 12; Zaryab Bushra, 11 Biryani (rice dish), fruit salad Kitchen 5: Cassidy Sadler, 12; Nikola Johnson, 12 Spring rolls, spicy zucchini noodles Kitchen 6: Makaela Black, 9; Sara Jamil, 9 Broccoli carbonara; Caprese salad

SAT adds “adversity score”

HAWKEYE STAFF

If you’ve viewed our school on Google Maps or Google Earth, you might have noticed the numbers “31-713” on the MTHS roof. Why are they there? What are they for? Well, according to Sheriff Robert Trenary of the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Department, they’re actually obsolete. Sheriff Trenary says the numbers were installed after the September 11, 2001 attacks to allow police and medical helicopters and other aircraft to spot and identify the school easily. This might have come in handy if a medical airlift needs to pick someone up, or if the police department needs to give aerial support in the event of a catastrophe, including a school shooter situation.

Randy Fay of Airlift Northwest also added that the installation of the numbers was paid for by a federal grant and was maintained by the district.

However, with the introduction of GPS technology, the numbers became obsolete—but they remain to this day. H

National

The College Board announced Thursday that college admissions officers will be able to view a student’s “adversity score” alongside test scores in score reports. The new metric is designed to assess a student’s disadvantage based off of census data, such as the quality of their school and the poverty and crime levels of their neighborhood. The rating doesn’t affect test scores. The introduction of the “adversity score” was met with some controversy, including some who believe that using a quantitative measurement to assess a student’s background is misguided.

TERRACE’S WRITING ON THE... ROOF?

By Nathaniel Reyes

International

Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen called on Sunday for a general election to be held in September following the collapse of the country’s coalition government. Austrian Vice-Chancellor Heinz-Christian Strache, leader of the far-right Freedom Party of Austria, resigned after a video promising favors to a woman claiming to be a Russian investor was released by German publication Der Spiegel. After the video’s release, the Austrian People’s Party formally broke ties with its coalition partner party, the Freedom Party. The split means that no coalition formally has a majority in Austria’s Federal Council.

TERRACE’S IRON HAWKS Kitchen 1: Eduardo Arriola, 10; Alex Larson, 11 Turkey steak, mashed potatoes, gravy Kitchen 2: Theresa Van, 9; Austin Davis, 9 Chicken fettuccine alfredo, bruschetta Kitchen 3: Nawal Mansour, 12; Patricia Cueto; 12 Tabouleh (salad), rice, vegetables

International

Trump prepares pardons Clemency on war crimes

National

President Trump is reportedly considering pardons for several American service members accused of war crimes. The recipients would include Navy SEAL Special Operations Chief Edward Gallagher, who is accused of shooting at unarmed civilians and killing a prisoner with a knife, and Green Beret Major Mathew L. Golsteyn, who is accused of killing an unarmed Afghan. The New York Times reported that the Justice Department asked for the paperwork to be completed by Memorial Day, indicating the President planned to formally issue the pardons on that date.

We’re number one

State

The U.S. News and World Report, which publishes annual rankings ranging from colleges to cars, ranked Washington the best state in the union in 2019. The ranking included healthcare, education, economy, infrastructure, opportunity, fiscal stability, environment and crime and corrections. Governor Jay Inslee, according to a Medium report by the Washington Governor’s Office, called the ranking “incredible yet unsurprising,” saying that the state is “an example of how climate action and a strong economy go hand in hand.”

Washington is also ranked the best state for business by CNBC, the state with the best economy by WalletHub and the best state for workers by OxFam.

OP-ED

6 | MAY 2019

Hawkeye

Letter from the Editor

Learn to love failure

I

n 2012, Scientific American published an article claiming that the second-place winner of a race was the unhappiest person on the podium behind both the gold and bronze medalists.

Essentially, they wrote, it is because the silver medalist was so close to taking Matthew Hipolito the whole thing; COPY EDITOR to being the best of the best, but they fell just short of that elusive gold. The second place winner, as

they say, is the first place loser.

The feeling of falling so hard just short of the top is among the worst. The sting of defeat wraps itself around your mind and ego and squeezes and squeezes until nothing is left in your thoughts but creeping self-doubt.

You begin to think, “Did I even deserve to compete in the first place? I could have done better. I should have done better. Why didn’t I do better?”

Then you stop. “Why,” you think, “didn’t I do better?”

And in that moment, a transformation occurs.

That simple question turns all of that disappointment and self-doubt into passion.

Why didn’t you do better? Or, more accurately, what could you have done better?

That feeling of determination driven by anger and upset is one of my favorite feelings in the world. The fire that rises within you to relentlessly improve; the desire not to be snubbed on the podium a second time drives progress and innovation at an awe-inspiring rate.

It is that feeling of disappointment, spurred by an awardless national journalism convention in Chicago and manifested as a midnight-hotel-room critique of newspapers at 3 a.m. that brought a new design to the inside pages of this paper. It is that feeling of sadness and self-deprecation that spurred

countless sectionals at 6 in the morning, ultimately culminating in an Outstanding Section Award at Essentially Ellington.

These times of failure and their immediate aftermath are the times that I achieved the greatest personal growth. If you direct your passions properly, they are times in which you can see that same growth in yourself.

This is why failure is one of my favorite feelings in the world - because I know that what is to come is going to be so much better.

Four years at Terrace have taught me to fail early, often, and learn to love it, and that if you do, you will go far. H

STUDENTS SHOULD SPEAK UP ABOUT SPIRIT L

ike many schools, every few months MTHS has a week dedicated to showing school spirit. Spirit weeks are a great way to have students show school spirit, whether it’s to hype kids up for homecoming or get everyone ready for the next spirit assembly. For a while now, I have wondered who plans spirit weeks and if students have any impact on the decisions.

Overall, spirit weeks take about three weeks to a month to plan.

The theme for each day is decided Nina Otebele by the Big Six, with help from HAWKEYE STAFF class ASB. But when it comes to planning spirit weeks, there seems to be a lack of student input. With more student feedback and opinions, school spirit would increase.

Sophomore Sofiya Pisarets believes that with more student feedback, “students would be more excited [to participate] in spirit weeks, because they [would get] to choose what they like.”

If the students got to share our ideas for spirit weeks, it would be a great way to bring our little community together, help people be more active in our school, and even increase participation.

However, according to former Big Six president Andy Shaw, ASB has tried to get more student input when planning spirit weeks.

“In past years,” Shaw said, “we tried to get more student feedback, may that be asking students at lunch, having them fill out forms, doing Google forms online, sending them through emails. All that feedback, we tried to compile them up last year and it didn’t seem like spirit weeks were increasing in participation.”

So, despite numerous opportunities for students to suggest ideas for spirit weeks, school spirit hasn’t increased.

Even though this may be the case, student opinions are very valued by ASB, according to Big Six historian Skylar Knight.

“Student feedback is really important because [ASB] needs to know what to improve in order to make the school more accessible to people,” Knight said.

Knight believes that being inclusive is one of the main goals of ASB. “I think that the biggest goal is to be like, ‘OK, we have all these kids at school and we have to plan events for them, what do we need to do to make these events for them?’

Opinions from students are a tool we can use to help us with that,” Knight said.

But not all feedback is necessarily good. In fact, it can be hard to find the right feedback needed for a particular event.

“The problem with student feedback is sometimes the process can get a little convoluted and a little messy”, Knight said, “Some feedback is helpful and some feedback is uninformed [because] some people don’t know how the process actually works, so it’s hard to condense the student feedback into something that is actually helpful

CAROLINE ERDEY | HAWKEYE

and to gather that information, so the best thing we can do is try and look for as much as we can and then use that information to help us.”

So even though finding the right student feedback can be a bit complicated for ASB, they try their best to get the most out of feedback, and use those opinions they can help out in a big way.

Student opinions serve a huge role in our school, whether it’s to plan spirit weeks or any other event. The feedback may not increase school spirit, but in some ways, it would get people more involved in our school.

We are a community, and everyone should be able to get the chance to contribute to something to help our school become a better place.

School spirit doesn’t really need to be expressed by the amount of people that dress up for spirit weeks or who shows the most excitement during assemblies. It’s expressed by participation in clubs, wanting to improve our school, even if it’s just doing something as small as filling out forms to help brainstorm spirit weeks. H

Hawkeye

P

OP-ED

MAY 2019 | 7

The struggle of younger generations

eople online, especially of other generations, tend to the yearly cost of attending an in-state public college was complain about our generations—millennials and Gen just $243. Without considering room, board, food and other Z—and how we’re “ruining everything,” and how we don’t expenses, the yearly cost would be just $972. have to face struggles in our lives.

To pay off a four-year college education while working At the beginning of World War 20 hours per week at the federal minimum wage of $7.25 II when many people of these older per hour, one would need to work for 275 hours–over five generations were born, the economy years. This does not include money taken from wages for was thriving, with 17 million new taxes, or expenses on food, housing and other expenses. civilian jobs created. This increased In 1964, however, it would take just 10 months to pay productivity by 96 percent compared off a four-year education working 20 hours per week at to the prewar state of the nation dur- the $1.15 per hour federal minimum wage. ing the Great Depression, according This does not even consider how exorbitant housing Theresa Van to The American Prospect. prices have become. CNBC estimates that in 1960, HAWKEYE STAFF But looking at our current econom- the national median home value was $58,600 when ic state, the U.S. Debt Clock shows the United States is curadjusted for inflation. In 2000, the median home rently over $22 trillion in debt compared to the $2.87 trillion value was $119,600. Millennials wanting to buy of debt it was in back when World War II ended in 1945. a house will find themselves shelling out almost The war brought rations of food and linens since it burdened twice as much as they would have in 1960. This is the government with massive amount of debt, starting a further compounded by the fact that home prices trend of debt that continues to saddle Americans today. skyrocket the closer you get to cities, where higherSomething as simple as buying a gallon of gas to fuel a car paying jobs tend to be. In Seattle, the median home price can be a good example of the differences in is now $726,500; in Mountlake Terrace, it’s financial struggles for the youth of today. $452,000, according to Zillow.

“Younger folk are In 1960, a gallon of gas cost $0.45 comWhen asked how he felt about others blamtrying to clean up the pared to the nationwide average amount of ing many of society’s problems on young peomess that the country currently faces.” $2.88, according to CNBC. ple, freshman Jack Burbank admits “a lot of This clearly shows an example of a difthe toxicity can be blamed, especially recently, ference in financial struggles that prove on us.” young people today have a harder struggle than those back Young people make a bigger positive impact than many in the 1960s. These numbers do take in mind of increase in complainers might think. From powerful protests to walkinflation, and yet, it is still more expensive nowadays to buy a outs, days of silence, online trends–even huge movements house, especially in the state of Washington. that celebrities get involved in, like the #MeToo movement.

Another great example is one of the major financial issues Younger folk are trying to clean up the mess that the counyoung people have always dealt with: college tuition. The try currently faces. But because the mess was created such a in-state public college average tuition per year in the nation long time ago and has been continually added on to over the is around $9,970, according to the National Center for years, it makes it harder and harder to achieve our goal of Education Statistics (NCES). A modern four-year education making our time here on Earth last longer while others just would therefore cost, on average, $39,880. But in 1964-1965, sit back and watch the fireworks go off.

Everyone has had their fair share of struggles, and there is no point in arguing if it will lead to no resolution. The best thing that we as a society can do about these struggles is to fix them for future generations so they will no longer have to struggle. H

A goodbye from the senior class T

his is the last Hawkeye issue for many editors, as seniors will soon be graduating. Next year, the Hawkeye will consist largely of sophomores who are engaged and committed to becoming successful journalists.

I am saddened to leave an organization that has been with Samantha Svikel me for my entire OP-ED EDITOR high school career.

Starting freshman year, I was excited to be with upperclassmen who were so engrossed in their work. For example, Paxtyn Merten

(Editor-In-Chief 2015-2016) and Stephi Smith (Co-Editor-In-Chief 2016-2017) guided all of the now-seniors to our success as journalists today.

My freshman year on staff, I made the cover story for an issue about sexual assault.

I vividly remember my feelings of success and happiness as I read that article in print.

Paxtyn guided me through the story process and, at that moment, I fell in love with journalism.

That article revealed my capability to talk about a subject so crucial to my life without revealing the deep personal meaning it holds for me in the reporting itself.

After that news article, I began to write feature articles about teachers like chemistry

teacher John Traxler. Then, I learned how much I enjoyed learning about other people’s successes and life stories. Traxler is one of my favorite teachers, and learning more about his life filled me with excitement.

After learning how to write, I began competing in state and national write-off competitions. I thoroughly enjoyed the way that the Journalism Education Association organized their competitions and worked to ensure the success of its members.

The JEA’s write-off events are not structured as typical competitions. Judging is based simply on how well a person writes instead of comparing each competitor to the other contestants. While there are awards, those awards come with detailed feedback

from judges who are involved in the professional journalism industry.

This spring was my last convention and on some level it hurts, having to leave the family I have made in the journalism program.

However, I’m thrilled to make a new family at Western Washington University’s newspaper this fall.

With that said, during this last month of school, seniors will be training upcoming editors how to lead, edit and make Hawkeye the best it can be.

I wish the best of luck to the Hawkeye in the future and hope the new editors will lead the newspaper to even brighter days. H

8 | MAY 2019

The Big Bad Budget THE EDMONDS SCHOOL DISTRICT (ESD) IS STARING DOWN THE BARREL OF A BUDGET DEFICIT OF NEARLY $18 MILLION – THE LARGEST DEFICIT OF ALL NEIGHBORING DISTRICTS AND ONE OF THE BIGGEST IN THE STATE. Science teacher Jonathan Tong (left) joined dozens of students, parents and community members to listen and voice their concerns at the May 14 school board meeting.

SO, WHAT HAPPENS NOW?

By Nolan DeGarlais and Ritika Khanal HAWKEYE STAFF

Facing a $17.7 million budget deficit for the upcoming school year, the Edmonds School District Board of Directors voted 3-2 to approve a cost-cutting budget that led to 25 certificated teachers, an equivalent of 8.5 elementary assistant principals and two instructional technology coaches receiving layoff notices, as well as a reduction in classified staff including custodians, groundskeepers and paraeducators throughout the district.

The decision was made at a School Board meeting on May 14, which was necessary if layoff notices were to be delivered in time to meet the state-mandated deadline of May 15. Teachers, parents and other members of the ESD community filled every space available at the meeting to express their disapproval at the layoffs and spent hours delivering public comments on the issue, with the final decision ultimately being made shortly before midnight.

Among surrounding school districts, including the Everett, Lake Stevens and Marysville school districts, the ESD is the only district facing similarly high layoff levels for the 2019-2020 school year. On the western side of the state, Tacoma Public Schools is facing similar issues as the ESD, laying off 31 staff members for the 2019-2020 school year due to a large budget gap.

Teacher layoffs are made based on seniority, with staff members having less than three years of employment within the district being the first to go. Under the approved plan, MTHS will lose one teacher.

According to Andi Nofziger-Meadows, the president of the Edmonds Education Association, until the district adds more staffing to secondary schools, classes at the high school level could be between three and five students larger in the next school year. She also claims that 38 full- and part-time teachers will be affected by the cuts throughout the district, all except six of which work at middle or high schools. Most of the cuts affected teachers working in English and social studies departments.

In a 2012 McCleary decision, the Washington state Supreme Court ruled that the state was not providing enough money to school districts for basic education. In 2018, the state legislature and Governor Jay Inslee reached an agreement to give more money to fully fund what the Supreme Court deemed “basic education,” which involved an increase in statewide property taxes.

At the same time, however, lawmakers reduced how much money individual school districts could collect from voter approved local property tax levies, which many districts had relied on to fill in budget gaps.

As a result of these decisions, the ESD found itself losing nearly 20 million dollars spent on programs, staff and other expenses not classified as “basic education” by the state. Before the levy cap was imposed by the legislature, the ESD would receive $67.2 million a year from local levies. This year, with the levy cap in place, it will pull in approximately $48 million. …continued on page 10.

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Above: The Edmonds School District is the only one among its neighbors to be impacted so severely by the changed laws.

MATTHEW HIPOLITO & NATHANIEL REYES | HAWKEYE

8 | MAY 2019

The Big Bad Budget THE EDMONDS SCHOOL DISTRICT (ESD) IS STARING DOWN THE BARREL OF A BUDGET DEFICIT OF NEARLY $18 MILLION – THE LARGEST DEFICIT OF ALL NEIGHBORING DISTRICTS AND ONE OF THE BIGGEST IN THE STATE. Science teacher Jonathan Tong (left) joined dozens of students, parents and community members to listen and voice their concerns at the May 14 school board meeting.

SO, WHAT HAPPENS NOW? Story by Nolan DeGarlais and Ritika Khanal Photos by Nathaniel Reyes HAWKEYE STAFF

Facing a $17.7 million budget deficit for the upcoming school year, the Edmonds School District Board of Directors voted 3-2 to approve a cost-cutting budget that led to 25 certificated teachers, an equivalent of 8.5 elementary assistant principals and two instructional technology coaches receiving layoff notices, as well as a reduction in classified staff including custodians, groundskeepers and paraeducators throughout the district.

The decision was made at a School Board meeting on May 14, which was necessary if layoff notices were to be delivered in time to meet the state-mandated deadline of May 15. Teachers, parents and other members of the ESD community filled every space available at the meeting to express their disapproval at the layoffs and spent hours delivering public comments on the issue, with the final decision ultimately being made shortly before midnight.

Among surrounding school districts, including the Everett, Lake Stevens and Marysville school districts, the ESD is the only district facing similarly high layoff levels for the 2019-2020 school year. On the western side of the state, Tacoma Public Schools is facing similar issues as the ESD, laying off 31 staff members for the 2019-2020 school year due to a large budget gap.

Teacher layoffs are made based on seniority, with staff members having less than three years of employment within the district being the first to go. Under the approved plan, MTHS will lose one teacher.

According to Andi Nofziger-Meadows, the president of the Edmonds Education Association, until the district adds more staffing to secondary schools, classes at the high school level could be between three and five students larger in the next school year. She also claims that 38 full- and part-time teachers will be affected by the cuts throughout the district, all except six of which work at middle or high schools. Most of the cuts affected teachers working in English and social studies departments.

In a 2012 McCleary decision, the Washington state Supreme Court ruled that the state was not providing enough money to school districts for basic education. In 2018, the state legislature and Governor Jay Inslee reached an agreement to give more money to fully fund what the Supreme Court deemed “basic education,” which involved an increase in statewide property taxes.

At the same time, however, lawmakers reduced how much money individual school districts could collect from voter approved local property tax levies, which many districts had relied on to fill in budget gaps.

As a result of these decisions, the ESD found itself losing nearly 20 million dollars spent on programs, staff and other expenses not classified as “basic education” by the state. Before the levy cap was imposed by the legislature, the ESD would receive $67.2 million a year from local levies. This year, with the levy cap in place, it will pull in approximately $48 million. …continued on page 10.

.

Above: The Edmonds School District is the only one among its neighbors to be impacted so severely by the changed laws.

NEWS

10 | MAY 2019

Hawkeye

very lean budget,” ESD Superintendent Kris McDuffy said.

Prior to the School Board meeting held on May 14, the proposed budget was set to cause a reduction of up to 43 full-time ESD staff members and a decrease of 300 daily hours for paraeducators who assist students with disabilities in classrooms.

For four hours, 59 concerned community members, students, parents and staff, many dressed in red to symbolize union support, voiced their concerns to the School Board before they made their final decision on the layoffs.

“I’d like my students to have the experience of more time and attention with their teachers on a daily basis, and with 169 students and going to two meetings a week for IEP’s and 504’s, it’s going to make it very difficult The school board hears public comment regarding the proposed changes at the May 14 meeting. for me to do that,” MTHS history teacher The public comment stretched four hours, and the meeting did not end until past midnight.

Michole Mattix said.

Others voiced their concerns on larger class …continued from page 9 sizes creating school safety issues. could collect from locally-imposed property “Our science classes do not have the ability Along with the increased salaries for teach- tax levies. While the state legislature has to seat more than 28 students safely because agreed to take action towards raising the levy ers negotiated last year, a new statewide they have fixed lab tables that can not be lid, it will not be enough to close the ESD’s health insurance program for educators will moved.

To go beyond 32 students per class is funding gap. also add to ESD’s expenses in the 2019-2020 putting students and staff in an unsafe situ“We would have actually collected $10 milschool year. ation and endangering everyone in the classlion more in local levies, but that last night, The ESD anticipated some relief from room,” College Place Middle School science the provision was changed to affect only disthe legislature through levy collections or teacher Jenifer Higgens said. tricts with 40,000 students or more,” Noble equalization (dollars per student collected) Ciara James, a sophomore at Lynnwood said. last year, according to School Board member High School, shared how dyslexia and The ESD has 2 0,457 students throughout Gary Noble.

ADHD made school difficult until her perits elementary school, middle school and “At the end of last year, there was quite a sonal connections with teachers helped her high schools, according to the ESD May bit of momentum that the legislature was to overcome the challenges that these condi2019 enrollment report. going to give us some relief in either the levy tions pose.

While the district has acknowledged the collections or the equalization,” he said at “All of last year, I was telling myself I severity of layoffs, officials claim that their the May 14 School Board meeting. “If they wouldn’t be able to get grades above a C and options are limited by the fact that 88 perwould have changed that one item, we would I would always wake up and fight with my cent of the ESD budget goes to employee have had an extra $5 million.” mom to stay home or called her at lunch to salaries and benefits.

In addition, the legislature considered try to leave, but with the help of my teach“We’ve been working hard at ‘How do we changing the maximum amount of dollars ers, this year, I don’t put up a fight to come find 17.7 [million dollars]?’ with already a per student that the ESD and other districts

to school and have all As and Bs.,” James said. “With bigger classes, it’s hard for those teachers to have those connections, and hard for the kid to do well in the class.”

Heather Damron, a mother to a fifth grader with autism, shared how her son thrived in his fourth grade class due to a small class size.

“We made big strides in his IEP goals, and he was starting to make friends,” she said.

“I hoped for continued success, but this year has been a struggle, with a year full of regression, calls from the school and behavior I thought we had worked through.”

At the end of the meeting, though board members voted to approve a budget that would issue layoff notices to 25 teachers, it was made clear that study sessions would take place as soon as possible to find alternate solutions and keep as many staff employed within the district as possible.

“We want staff, students and parents to know that Dr. McDuffy, our superintendent, and our school board will continue to work hard this spring and across the summer to address the budget issues we are currently facing,” Schwab said.

In general, around 145 ESD staff retire or resign each year, but these numbers were projected by the district to be lower going into the 2019-2020 school year. If this number increases by August, the district would consider recalling some of the terminated employees.

In addition to the layoffs, several vacant district positions will not be filled. These positions include groundskeepers, a special education data-processing specialist, a technology support specialist and three custodians. The district’s budget had also originally considered slashing $2.5 million to fund supplies and operations, but the vote on cuts to other areas in the budget was postponed. H

CHANGING RULES CHANGE THE GAME

GRAPHIC BY SOV SOT AND LIN MIYAMOTO

The Edmonds School District was one of the hardest-hit districts in Washington by the new change.

How have our academic neighbors fared under the new legislation, compared to ESD?

244

35.7

31

8.6

0

0

0

Spokane

Edmonds

Tacoma

North Kitsap

Cascade

Everett

Yakima

will lay off 244 staff members, almost 7 times as many as the ESD. 325 staffers were to face layoff originally.

will lay off 35 staff members, including 25.2 teachers. The 0.2 means a teacher will lose a period.

will lay off 31 staff members. The majority are classified staff, with just one teacher laid off.

will lay off 8.6 staff members. Of those, 5.2 teachers are CTE (career and technical education) staff.

will not lay off any staff members. In fact, Cascade will have $1.8 million more in funding next year.

will not lay off any staff members. Despite this, the district cut $6.5 million from various sources.

will not lay off any staff members. The district is instead moving four elementary teachers to middle school.

Hawkeye

By the Editorial Board

OP-ED

MAY 2019 | 11

From deficit to detriment

T

he greatest misconception about the Edmonds School District’s budget issue is not that the ESD isn’t doing enough to save its teachers—it’s the belief that the district is even able to fix its budget issue in the first place.

Fixing the district budget and fixing district budgets experiencing massive amounts of shortfall across Washington state is not feasibly done by the districts themselves. It’s the state’s responsibility to fix, and the first step they can take is through dropping the local levy cap that started in January.

To understand how the local levy cap plays into the district budget, there are three major points to recognize: how we got here; how the problem worsened and why action needs to come from the state level.

How we got here

On January 5, 2012, the state Supreme Court ruled in McCleary v. State of Washington that the state had failed in its constitutional duty to provide ample funding for education.

Over the past few years, the state has worked to increase the funding it has provided to districts as called for by McCleary. Money from the state goes toward funding basic educational needs—which regard the number of hours taught and subjects, as well as support systems such as in special education—and toward teacher salaries.

In order to give more money to districts, however, the state rose property taxes from about $1.89 per $1,000 of a house’s estimated fair market value to $2.40 per $1,000 for 2019.

This was raised to $2.70 per $1,000 for 2018, 2020 and 2021.

To not make this property tax so abrupt, the state issued a cap on the amount local levies could tax. For every $1,000 of a house’s estimated fair market value, $2.50 can be collected; if districts can make $2,500 per student with lower taxes, then that’s their cap.

While this levy cap is not the main source of the issue, it does put districts in trouble when it comes to making ends meet.

For example, if voters in the ESD area approved a local levy for education that taxed them higher than what the current cap allows, the levy would not be implemented past the cap instituted by the state. Were this levy not in place, and if voters approved having higher property taxes to help fund education, then the district would be getting more money from local levies.

How the problem worsened

One of the biggest fights with regards to McCleary called for raises in teacher pay and was addressed at both the local and state levels.

In August 2018, the Edmonds Education Association, which is the ESD’s teachers union, and the ESD came to terms on a three-year collective bargaining agreement. Under the deal, a first-year teacher with a bachelor’s degree would receive an annual salary of $62,688 instead of the $52,688 from prior years. The $10,000 raise is approximately a 20 percent increase in salary, which strained district funds.

The state, in efforts to meet McCleary standards, instituted a base pay for beginning certified instructional staff. This

base pay does not account for staff seniority, a significant severe oversight on the district’s part. Staff who are laid off makeup of ESD staff. within the first three years of work cannot be expected to Teacher salaries are based on seniority and education. The come running back to the job that cut them. People are not higher the level of education a teacher has, and the longer expendable. they’ve been working, the more money they have to be paid While getting rid of the cap on local levies is not a longterm solution either, or very likely, it’s better than staffing per what’s called a salary schedule.

District-wide raises combined with low base pay cuts. The cap was originally intended to create more equal compensation from the state further tightened the budget. funding levels across the state, but so far, it seems to have From a financial standpoint, it is less costly to pay a teacher done more harm than good, with several districts statewide with compensation than to pay for an additional teacher’s facing similar, if not worse, shortfalls than the ESD. salary. Paying teachers for additional hours is cheaper than That being said, the legislative session is over. Change at hiring more, but increases class sizes. Albeit, during the the state level won’t come until the next legislative session School Board meeting, many educators attested to the extra starts, nor is it necessarily a realistic hope. pay per student not being just compensation, but a burden as Districts across Washington state and individuals in the ESD community are now left to deal with the unintended well.

Furthermore, the state uses a process called regionalization consequences. And students are the ones taking the fall. H to determine how much extra funding to give districts for staff pay.

To get the base amount of money the state will Regionalization calculations are provide to the district per teacher (starting at based on median residential values.

The higher median residential value $64,000 minimum allocation for certified in a region, the higher their percent instructional staff): as assigned to them by the state.

School districts are either classified as a 0%, 6%, 12%, 18% or 24% district.

That being said, the higher the median residential value in a region—the higher a district’s percent—the more money the state awards the district for teacher pay.

The ESD had planned on being marked as a 24% district, but was instead marked as an 18% district, which means 6 percent fewer funds than expected.

0%

$64,000 x 1.00

6%

$64,000 x 1.06

12%

$64,000 x 1.12

18%

$64,000 x 1.18

24%

$64,000 x 1.24

State action

While the state is meeting the base pay for teachers in our district, it’s been difficult for our district to make up the rest of the funds to pay more experienced staff.

Many of the public comments at the May 14 School Board meeting called on the district to look harder at other areas they could cut instead of cutting staff. But when nearly 90 percent of the district’s budget goes toward staff salaries, and funding for staff is limited by local levy caps as well as less than adequate funding by the state (due to staff seniority not being taken into account), staff cuts are arguably inevitable.

The ESD’s budget issue extends far beyond anything they can feasibly take on themselves. Cutting staff is a short-term solution, and expecting to easily rehire staff come August/September is a

MARIANNE NACANAYNAY | HAWKEYE

12 | MAY 2019

NEWS

Hawkeye

New book teaches AMERICAN BORN CHINESE students solidarity

by Gene Luen Yang

By Nathaniel Reyes

Freshman Khe Bach noted that “[the stereotypes] are shown in a more humor“American Born Chinese” is a new graphic ous style instead of seriously.” novel by Gene Luen Yang being introduced With this in mind, DeMiero wants to to the MTHS English 9 Honors curricumake sure parents understand that the lum. Following approval at the building book is being considered for the curricuand district level, the book is now available lum for a variety of reasons. for use in any of the district’s high school “I think that parents should know that classrooms. The book we don’t always “[My] classroom provides a safe was piloted at MTHS teach things that opportunity to deal with difficult, earlier this school year are easy. We don’t sometimes awkward or challenging

by English teacher issues and questions that [students] always teach things Vince DeMiero and that are withneed to be able to deal with.” his student teacher, out controversy, Vince DeMiero Tyler Hartung. because part of a ENGLISH TEACHER The book, DeMiero good, broad public says, is a positive, if controversial, catalyst education is being provided opportunities for the discussion of difficult topics, such in safe places where you can have these as racism, stereotyping and cultural differconversations [about difficult topics] and ences. He also wants parents to know that find out who you are and what you think the students have received the book well and by having some of your thinking... and in a mature way. assumptions challenged a little bit,” he DeMiero stumbled across the book one said. night a few years ago while looking at a DeMiero explained his reasoning in website that contained English teaching more detail, saying “like a lot of good resources. He was initially doubtful about literature, [the book gives] a context that using it class due to the fact that it was a provides… at least, in [my] classroom a graphic novel, but continued to research the safe opportunity to deal with difficult, book. He eventually procured a copy, read it sometimes awkward or challenging issues and loved it. After a strong recommendation and questions that [students] need to be from Hartung, the two began to develop les- able to deal with and get experience dealsons for it to be piloted. ing with them vicariously.”

The pilot took place during the early weeks This is not the first time this book of December 2018, with participation from has been used in classrooms, however. all three periods of DeMiero’s English 9 “[‘American Born Chinese’] is a highly Honors classes. regarded novel amongst book critics, edu“I thought [the students] handled it really, cational curriculum experts. It has credreally well,” he said. According to DeMiero, ibility,” DeMiero said. students used the material properly and He also points out that two other maturely and did not weaponize some of the books already in the curriculum, “The controversial elements, such as intense steAbsolutely True Diary of a Part-Time reotyping and racist language.

Indian” and “To Kill A Mockingbird” “American Born Chinese” is a graphic have similar and controversial themes. novel comprising three fictional story lines “I would put both ‘Mockingbird’ and that begin separately, but eventually join ‘Diary’ in the same sphere [as ‘American together. The first is about a ChineseBorn Chinese’]; all three of those books American boy who moves to a new neighhave problematic language, problematic borhood and has to deal with various forms stereotypes, problematic…vulgarity,” of stereotyping and bullying. The second DeMiero said. is a Chinese legend about a Monkey King Freshman Kai Magbuhat believes that who wishes to be equal to the other gods. the book fulfilled its purpose in detailing The third is about a Caucasian boy named an Asian-American experience.

Danny who has to put up with a horrify“I definitely noticed [the stereotypes] as ing Chinese cousin named Chin-kee who is an Asian because a lot of these stereotypes an embodiment of all Chinese stereotypes.

I experience [myself] as an Asian... and I These stories combine in the end to form a talked to some friends of mine and they message of self-acceptance and solidarity. also agree,” Magbuhat said. H

INCLUDES TOPICS LIKE

HAWKEYE STAFF

STEREOTYPING AND RACIST LANGUAGE

TOLD THROUGH THE EXAMPLES OF

Monkey King True to his name, the Monkey King wants to be equal to the gods who disrespect him.

Jin A Chinese-American boy who was born in San Francisco moves to a new town where he deals with bullying and Asian sterotypes.

TO TEACH

Danny A Caucasian boy who has a cousin named Chin-kee that represents the embodiment of all Chinese sterotypes.

OF SELF-ACCEP E G A TAN ESS M CE A

LIN MIYAMOTO | HAWKEYE

LIFESTYLE

Hawkeye

MAY 2019 | 13

SPRING ALLERGIES IN FULL BLOOM

By Annika Prom CO-EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

As trees, flowers and grass come to life in the spring, outdoor allergies also begin blooming. In what nurse Julie Hill calls a “story that is underrepresented,” some staff and students may find their performance being interrupted by these bodily responses to the environment.

Pollen counts often rise from February to June, which can trigger springtime allergies. However, a higher pollen count does not always mean that someone will have more severe symptoms.

Many organizations, such as the Northwest Asthma & Allergy Center, seek to assist those who endure pollen allergies during spring months.

“By providing this public service, we hope to assist Seattle school, as her allergies became more severe. pollen allergy sufferers in becoming aware of times their “My body [became] irritated by the pollen, my psoriasis symptoms may be triggered, so they can take the appropriate flared, and it resulted in bleeding from scratching so roughly,” she said. precautions to minimize pollen interaction,” the Northwest Asthma & Allergy Center writes on their website.

Hill notes that some people may become irritated to the Both Hill and the MTHS attendance office did not have point where their concentration is disrupted and may either hard data to suggest a relationship stay home or leave school early.

“It is crucial for staff and between allergies and school attendance.

To bring more attention to the impact teachers to understand However, senior Taelor Ellis attests to her of allergies, Hill sends a monthly email the difficulties of allergies allergies interfering with her academics to staff about recent pollen counts. She because they can cause and keeping her at home on school days. often receives responses about how this issues with focusing in school reminder makes teachers aware that the “My allergies typically do affect my and cause difficulties in symptoms they are experiencing are due performance at school. My symptoms completing daily tasks.” to allergies, and not illness. are much more prominent in our school Taelor Ellis Additionally, she asked teachers to building and it distracts me from completSENIOR watch for signs of allergies among their ing tasks and staying focused,” she said. students to see if they need medical attention or support.

“My watery eyes become a hassle.”

“It’s such a simple treatment for something that is so comSome people might initially believe they are suffering from a cold, according to Hill. Their sympplex,” Hill said. toms could include sneezing, difficulty breathing, Ellis also hopes that others can recognize the barriers she swelling, rashes, headaches and itchy eyes, faces in pursuing her education that are caused by allergies. among others. For Ellis, these signs can inten“It is crucial for staff and teachers to understand the diffisify over time. culties of allergies because they can cause issues with focus“My allergies start out with [symptoms] of a ing in school and cause difficulties in completing daily tasks,” she said. cold, and slowly progress into symptoms such Ellis recommends that people with allergies take medicaas sneezing, itching, runny and stuffy nose, tion and minimize their interactions with triggers. For examwatery eyes and severe hive breakouts all ple, Hill suggests driving with the windows closed to prevent over my body,” Ellis said. “This results in me taking multiple showers a day pollen from entering the car, as well as ensuring allergy to calm my skin down. I also develop medicine is non-drowsy if taken before school. seasonal psoriasis and have to apply “Be persistent in taking [medicine]. Regular showers topical ointments.” will help in keeping the pollen off of your body,” Ellis said.

Ellis once found herself tending to her “Sleeping with a fan on your body at night will also help keep health instead of her learning during the stray pollen off of you as well.” H

8.6% of children were diagnosed with outdoor allergies in 2015

ALLERGIES REPORTED IN PAST 12 MONTHS 91.4% of children not diagnosed with outdoor allergies in 2015

HAY FEVER RESPIRATORY ALLERGIES FOOD ALLERGIES SKIN ALLERGIES

Sources: Center for Disease Control and the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America ANNIKA PROM & TERESA BONILLA | HAWKEYE

0

2

4

6

8

MILLIONS OF PEOPLE UNDER 18 YEARS OLD

10

LIFESTYLE

14 | MAY 2019

Hawkeye

Secrets of the Senior Assassins Story by Michael Malysh Graphics by Lin Miyamoto HAWKEYE STAFF

Behind the cheery front of Mountlake Terrace High School lies a shadowy truth. There exists a covert organization directing operatives through missions of exciting espionage; a terrible trio sending our fellow students on murderous endeavours. An undercover operation known as Senior Assassin.

Senior Assassin is a massive Nerf tournament, exclusive to seniors, held near the end of every school year. Two months before the end of school, the sign-ups begin. The would-be assassins must create an Instagram account, or submit an existing handle to the organizers. After a week of nervous excitement, the fun finally begins: The game masters (called Master Agents) assign the first target.

Each week the assassins receive a new target over Instagram, identified by name and Instagram handle. It is now their duty to seek them out, no matter what it takes, and blast them before they get blasted. If they fail in this duty before the week is out,

they get a second chance. If they fail in their duties two and lying in wait for hours, or discovering their workplace weeks in a row, however, they are removed from the game and skulking outside the back entrance at the end of their (assuming, that they themselves make it two weeks without shift. their personal assassin coming over to visit).

A couple of the more memorable kills come to mind, such At the end of the competition, there are two winners: the as that time Trevor Doan, a senior in the STEM program, last agent standing, and the agent who got the most eliminaambushed his own assassin. From a bush. While wearing tions. If there is a prize pool, it is split a ghillie suit. An experience like that evenly between them. If there isn’t one, is bound to leave anyone jumping at “I thought free-for-all was a then bragging rights will have to suffice. cool idea, but our senior class shadows, or in this case, bushes. In an This year at MTHS, the competition example of more social espionage, Emma doesn’t usually like change.” was quite fierce indeed, with subterfuge Agricola, another senior, hid her blaster Ishika Nayaar and conflicts galore. The battles were behind a promposal poster to Andrew SENIOR quick and agents dropped like flies.

Steck. She got the elimination, "killing" Unfortunately, there were battles happening even before the Andrew in all senses, but physical (the two did end up going start of the competition. This year’s Master Agents (Cole to prom together, which hopefully cooled the emotional Goodnight, Theo Armentrout and Ishika Nayyar) had bruise). Ask around, many of the seniors have their own stories to tell, and their own advice to give. brewed up something different.

If you want to take home the prize, you must be ever-wary Due to unforeseen circumstances, Senior Assassin started of stalkers and liars, while keeping all of your own secrets a couple weeks late. The MA’s saw this as a call for a change in check. Always close your garage before leaving your car. of pace; inspired by the recently released Always keep your blaster by your side if you are walking battle royale game Apex Legends, they somewhere. Always watch your back. saw an opportunity for a massive But at the end of the day, it is just a game, so don’t be rude, team-based free for all. and have fun.

The idea seemed wild, and indeed Good luck, many seniors were enthralled and happy at the idea of living out a hunting, video game-esque event. assassins.

Unfortunately, many of H the seniors, as well as a good amount of underclassmen saw this as an unnecessary and confusing change.

Cole Goodnight suspected much of the outrage was from “a vocal minority,” but be that as it may, the minority was particularly vocal.

Many people made outraged comments on the event page, and one student even took it upon themselves to start another Senior Assassin event with the traditional rules in effect. It was eventually decided by the group that the path of least conflict and confusion was to go back to the original idea. Ishika Nayyar said that she saw something like this coming.

“I thought free-for-all was a cool idea, but our senior class doesn’t usually like change,” she said.

From stalking to deception, there are many ways to go about eliminating your target.

Some agents prefer the way of deception, luring people out of safety to “hang out,” or feeding them bad information about their target’s location, luring them into a trap.

Some agents, however, prefer the more old-fashioned approach of stalking and tracking, following somebody’s car home

Hawkeye

LIFESTYLE

MAY 2019 | 15

THE RETURN OF IRON HAWK

THE EYE EATS, TOO 1

2

3 1: The whiteboard displays the six teams lined up for the Iron Hawk cooking competition, which was revived after a five-year absence from MTHS. 2: Freshman team Theresa Van and Austin Davis top off their bruschetta before putting the tray into the oven for the bread to reach a perfect brown.

3: The three judges taste a meal of tabouleh, rice and vegetables prepared by senior duo Nawal Mansour and Patricia Cueto.

4: Seniors Cassidy Sadler and Nikola Johnson from kitchen 5 accept their award, claiming the top spot as the overall winning team in the Iron Hawk competition.

5: Sadler plates and garnishes her spicy zucchini noodles before the judges can dig in and give their feedback.

NATHANIEL REYES | HAWKEYE

4

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16 | MAY 2019

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