2020-2021 Issue 2
Table of Contents Pages 1-2: Immanuel's Reopening Page 3: Health Section Page 4: Sadie Hawkins Pages 5-6: Election News Pages 7-8: Fall and Student Life Pages 9-11: Entertainment
180 Hard Won School Days by Alex Hughes and Riley Chastain
Immanuel has been engaged in a legal battle for the right to educate students in person since the school opened. Amid the novel coronavirus and statewide orders that forced schools to remain closed, Immanuel believed that they had a moral obligation to take a stand. They fought for the freedom to attend school even when faced with imposing consequences, unwilling to back down from what they believed was a fundamental human right. The school retained the services of Tyler and Bursch, a southern California law firm who specializes in religious liberty issues and has represented many schools and churches. Lawyer Jennifer Bursch took on Immanuel as a client, and quickly became invested in the fight to remain open.
"As an attorney, it's been interesting to watch the governor literally create what he calls laws by just modifying a website," Bursch stated in a radio interview on KMJ. "That kind of power without a democratic process and without the legislature speaking into it, without our normal protections and our checks and balances that our system is made up of...as a lawyer, that's very difficult." After an exhausting fight, Immanuel walked away with the right to educate their students in person. Beginning August 13 with the illegal commencement of school, it stretched to October 20, when the third and final court date wrapped up. Here is a list of the steps that led up to that tremendous victory.
March 16: Due to the declaration of a global pandemic, Immanuel ceases in-person schooling for what was believed to be a temporary few weeks. Instead, it is the last day of on-campus schooling for the 2019-2020 school year. July 20: Tyler and Bursch, a southern California law firm, issues an opinion letter saying private schools may open under state guidelines July 21: Dr. Paul Atmajian, a pathologist and Immanuel parent, approaches Mr. Wood with his theory that the novel coronavirus has already swept through the campus, leading to widespread herd immunity. Immanuel attendance records from January and February support this theory. 198 members of the Immanuel community volunteer to be tested for antibodies, and Dr. Atmajian's results show a high level of previous infection, which contributes to herd immunity. August 10: This original first day of the fall semester instead is the first of three acclimation days, where families are invited to tour the school to become familiar with the strict reopening plan. August 13: This marked the beginning of a twomonth long legal battle. School opened as usual, which drew attention from the media and Fresno County. Masks remained optional contrary to a statewide order issued by Governor Newsom, though temperature checks were stationed at every entrance of the school. Fresno County viewed the precautionary measures as not enough to ensure that the school was safe to attend, causing Fresno’s Health Director Dr. Rais Vohra to demand Immanuel's closure with a health mandate. Fresno County then filed for a preliminary injunction and restraining order. August 25: Immanuel marched to court to fight off the restraining order. The importance of the upcoming court hearing overwhelmed the campus; if the judge ruled in Fresno County's favor, the school would have been forced to remain closed throughout the court cases. Supporters dressed in blue and white crowded the street in front of the courthouse, showing
their support. Judge Tyler Tharpe ruled against Fresno County’s restraining order, which allowed Immanuel to remain open until the next court session. September 17: Immanuel suffered their first setback. The preliminary injunction was brought to court, and Judge Tharpe believed that Fresno County had enough evidence to prove that the school was a hazard to the community around them. He ordered the school to shut down. Immanuel, however, continued to believe that they were doing the right thing, so they chose to remain open, leading the school to be placed in contempt of court. October 8-12: School was temporarily suspended due to negotiations between Immanuel and Fresno County. Immanuel chose to begin wearing masks before the negotiations were complete in a show of good faith, and to have different social distancing procedures to cope with Fresno County’s guidelines. Fresno County had an initial plan to shut down the school for an entire week, but Immanuel pushed back, moved some teacher inservice days around, and suspended classes for 3 days, without giving up any of the 180 days of planned instruction for the year. October 13: For one school day, Immanuel agreed to open the 7-12 campus using “cohorts”, a term used to describe small groups of students who stay together all day and do not switch classes. Students completed classwork online in classrooms. October 14: Immanuel signs a final settlement, allowing all students in grades K-12 a full year of on-campus instruction. October 20: Final contempt of court hearing sees Judge Tyler Tharpe hand down a $50,000 fine for disobeying his orders. Much of that is dismissed, with the understanding that Immanuel will continue to strictly follow its reopening plan. Final contempt of court fine totals $15,000. Immanuel is allowed to have all K-12 students on campus for a full 180-day school year.
Masks At Immanuel by Mia Barbosa
Immanuel students and staff were able to begin inperson school without a mask but now, about four weeks after the first day of school, it is now mandatory for students and staff to wear masks. From the very beginning, Immanuel made sure students and families understood that students are welcome to wear masks if they felt comfortable doing so, but the students who didn't feel the need to won't be forced to. Superintendent Mr. Wood felt it wasn’t necessary to require everyone to wear masks.“We began school without mask requirements because of two reasons: one our parents overwhelmingly were against their children wearing masks, and two we believe we have achieved herd immunity based on our antibody testing,” commented Mr. Wood. Most families and kids were comfortable with the idea of not wearing masks. “It finally feels like we are getting back to our normal lives,” Immanuel senior Jorja Caviness. Immanuel understood that there were going to be issues and when it came down to it they were ready to negotiate whatever it took in order to stay open, which involved kids wearing masks. “The switch was made to help find a resolution with the county and state to help keep students oncampus learning,” asserted Superintendent Wood. “Our parents also overwhelmingly told us through a survey that they would be willing to have their child wear a mask if it helped keep our students oncampus learning.” The staff and students of Immanuel went into this change rather quickly and somewhat smoothly, but all are willing to do whatever it takes to stay open.
Immanuel Hires On-Campus Nurse by Sarah Nath
For the first time in history, Immanuel Schools has employed a school nurse. The Talon thought it would be important to introduce our new nurse, Robyn Torres, to the Immanuel community. 1.What brought you to Immanuel? I am an Immanuel alumni, I graduated in 2001. Immanuel has always had a special place in my heart, so when I heard about the new school nurse position I was really excited. I love the heart and mission of Immanuel. 2. Where did you work before here? Last year I worked at Kingsburg Elementary School District, before that I worked at Summit Surgical (a surgery center), and before that I worked at Clovis Community Hospital (on the medical/surgical floor, labor and delivery and postpartum). I have been a nurse for 14 years. 3. What is your favorite part about being a nurse? I love helping people and reassuring them that whatever is going on, it’s going to be okay. Being here at Immanuel, I enjoy being able to use my years of experience in the hospital to help students and staff, even if it’s just a medical question. 4. Where did you go to college? I attended Reedley College for 1 year, and then transferred to Fresno State where I got my nursing degree. 5. What did you want to be when you grew up? I wanted to be a mom and a nurse. I’m very fortunate to be able to do both. 6. Do you have a family connection to Immanuel? Yes - my brother and I both graduated from Immanuel. I met my husband at Immanuel, and now all of my nieces and nephews and my own kids attend Immanuel. I have a son in 7th grade, a son in 5th grade, and a daughter in 2nd grade. My sister-inlaw, Julie Torres, is the communication director and my dad is the new Chief Administrative Officer. My husband, Bryan Torres, helped coach football in recent years as well. 7. What do you and your family like to do for fun? We enjoy getting away to the beach or mountains for hikes. We also enjoy snowboarding in the winter. My kids enjoy playing sports, and I love watching them play.
The Ladies of Sadies by Shawn B. Rodgers
Sadie Hawkins, or commonly referred to now as Sadies, is an event that has been going on at Immanuel for decades, in which the female has to ask the male to go along with her to this memorable event. This event usually requires both the ladies and the gentlemen to wear matching or a very similar style of clothing. Before we had the luxury at Immanuel of going out for the night to a destination besides school, Sadies took place as an extended lunch period where you and your date would eat together and chat with the rest of your friends. Now, only a decade later we have had the luxury of going to many different places in the past few years; like the Sports Complex to watch Back to the Future, going out to bowl at Orbit Lanes, and just this past year going to Balakian Park to watch the classic movie The Sandlot. Although this is a very fun event for all students, it does put pressure on the ladies around campus to find the best date they possibly can to ensure they have a terrific night. This leaves me curious as to what the girls think about this long standing tradition of Sadies and how hard it is for them to find the perfect date for Sadies. Sadies may be a very scary topic for some girls, especially if it is their first year in High School. Freshmen girls may expect a lot from their first Sadies, but what is it that they expect? “I think Sadies is going to be really fun!” stated Freshman Haley Lack. “I expect it to be a good time for everyone to hang out and have fun!” Now for the ladies who have been through this exciting time before, what has it been like for them in the past? Were their wishes granted with the date they had or did it just feel like a night they wanted to forget? Senior girls have had this event lingering around the entire high school career and Senior Nicole Maldonado has gone to the past three Sadies and expects to go to her last one this November. “Sadies have been very fun in the
Sadie Hawkins 2019 was held at Balakian Park, along the Kings River
past; it is much more fun when you have a date that you are comfortable with and that you know will make the night fun.” It is very clear after interviewing both that they are excited for this year’s Sadies, as it is one’s first and the other’s last Sadies at Immanuel. Ladies, try to find that perfect date this year. Don’t let this be the Sadies to forget because only a few months ago, we didn’t know if we would even be having this event. And lastly, Gentlemen, treat these young ladies with the kindness and respect they deserve, because at the end of the day, they saw something in you that made them confident and sure that this could be a night to remember!
Who are the Presidential Candidates? by Kinslie Haltom
Joseph Robinette Biden, Jr. Political Party............ Age............................. Born........................... Hometown ................ Education.................. Wife ........................... Children..................... Jobs...........................
Democrat 77 November 20, 1942 Scranton, Pennsylvania Law Degree, University of Delaware Jill Biden Hunter, Beau, Ashley, Naomi Biden Former Vice President for Barack Obama, Senator Favorite Fast Food... Dairy Queen Extra.......................... His family nickname is Joey
Donald John Trump Political Party............ Age............................. Born........................... Hometown ................ Education.................. Wife ........................... Children..................... Jobs........................... Favorite Fast Food... Extra..........................
Republican 74 June 14, 1946 New York, New York Economics, University of Pennslyvania Melania Trump Ivanka, Donald Jr, Barron, Eric, Tiffany Entrepreneur, Current President KFC, McDonalds He doesn’t like to shake hands due to germs.
First Presidential Debate Recap by Luke Wilkins
On September 29th, 2020, The United States of America viewed the first presidential debate between President Donald J. Trump and Democratic Nominee Joe Biden. This was the first of three debates originally planned, however, the second debate has been cancelled. The next will be held later this October. Many topics were addressed and tempers between the two flared on national television, and interruption was common from both candidates. The debate was moderated by FOX News Anchor Chris Wallace, who brought up multiple issues, including the Covid-19 pandemic, President Trump’s Supreme Court Nominee, and race relations in America. Here is a rundown of the topics addressed, and each candidates’ response to that topic.
Amy Coney Barrett On September 26th, President Trump nominated Amy Coney Barrett as a Supreme Court Justice, following the death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. President Trump expressed his support for his nominee, and while Biden said he was “not opposed” to the nomination, he expressed that he felt the nomination came too early.
The Economy and Taxes Both candidates were asked to talk about the amount of taxes they paid to the government last year. President Trump’s tax returns were a major part of the discussion, having been accused of not paying his full amount of taxes. An investigation has been launched on Trump and his tax returns.
Covid-19 President Trump assured Americans that there was a vaccine, but Biden stated it would not be ready for a while. Biden criticized President Trump’s handling of the pandemic, mentioning the 200,000 Americans who lost their lives from the disease. Trump went on to say that there would have been more if Biden was in charge.
Racial Relations in America Throughout 2020, America has seen its fair share of protests against police brutality against black Americans. George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, both of whom were black and both killed by police this year, have sparked major protests, even riots, across America. When asked about these protests in the debate, Trump has said riots occur in large cities with Democratic leaders who don't control the violence and “don’t want to talk about it.” Biden also condemned violence from both sides, saying that it is “never appropriate.”
At the time that this segment was written, only one debate has taken place. The next and final debate was held on October 22nd.
Fall Festivities by Sienna Mehling & Kinslie Haltom
Fall is officially here. If you don’t want to go outdoors this season, there are things you can do while still staying home. Invite some friends over and you can watch one night of the 31 nights of Halloween on Freeform. Some of these include “Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory”, “Hotel Transylvania”, and “Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas” Make a spooky basket - If you don't know what a spooky basket is, it is when you get a Halloween basket and fill it with a bunch of fall goodies. In other words it is an Easter basket, but for Halloween. You like to bake? Make some fall treats with your friends or family! There are many fall treats you can bake and make during this time. You can make treats such as a pumpkin pie or even apple pie bites. Pumpkin carving doesn’t require you to go outside of your house. It is a perfect, messy activity that will bring joy to your parents when they see your messy masterpiece. Throw a small party with some of your close friends! You can all dress up and take some fun pictures and make it simple. Make some food or order take out. If you are bored and feel like you have nothing to do, decorate your house and make it real festive. Add some decorations that can be bought super cheap! Even go buy a couple of pumpkins.
Creating a festive playlist can be fun! Put some songs that remind you of fall. Some of these titles are the 60s classic called "Monster Mash" by Bobby Pickett, and "September" by Earth, Wind & Fire.
It’s been a couple of months of staying home and finding new ways to have fun. There are some fallthemed locations throughout the valley that are open and ready for customers. While some of the locations are operating, not all of them are like in past years. Here are just a few of the places open for your fall fun outings: Hillcrest Tree Farms - Entry fee - $5 per car This pumpkin patch in Reedley offers not only a variety of pumpkins to choose from but also hayrides and a train ride. They also have food vendors as well as an option to picnic. They are only open on the weekends.Located at 6943 S Reed Ave, Reedley, CA 93654
Hobbs Grove - Entry fee - Adult $ 21.50 Child $14.50. This all-encompassing fall outing offers hayrides and a forest walk-thru but with a twist of some pretty good scares. It also has a haunted house which is said to be the scariest activity they have. It’s kind of like a fair but with a scary twist. Located at 14265 E Goodfellow Ave, Sanger, CA 93657 Vossler Farms - This pumpkin patch in Visalia offers hayrides as well as a corn maze. It also offers a field of screams 8 nights throughout this month. Located at 26773 S Mooney Blvd, Visalia, CA 93277
Best Companions by Jorja Caviness
Popular movie "A Dogs Purpose" is about the connection between a human and a dog, a connection that can't be found with almost any other animal. There are a lot of dog breeds in the world and I want to find which ones are the most popular around our school. Thirty-two students were surveyed to find out which breed people prefer. 18% of people said that Golden Retrievers were their top dog choice and there was a tie for second with Australian Shepherds and German Shepherds at 12%.
Luke Wilkins' dog, a Havanese, named Mr. Chill
Lauren Krahn and her Mini Australian Shepherd named Skilo
Sienna Mehling and her Rat TerrierChihuahua mix named Zoey
John Micheal Moncada and his Springer Spaniel named Chance
According to the survey taken by lmmanuel students, the average household tends to have 2 dogs, and the most common dog breeds for these households are Labradors and Australian Shepherds. They were asked if they were more dog or cat people and 71.9% of people would consider themselves dog people while 6.3% were cat people and 21.9% would consider themselves to be both. America’s top dogs for 2019, according to akc.org, they were Labradors, German Shepherds, and Golden Retrievers. Kids from Immanuel seem to have the most interest in dogs that are also popular around the US.
Feel-Good Films by Alex Hughes
2020 seems like a year full of disappointments. Look at the news for too long and you might be reminded that we are in the middle of a world-wide pandemic. Sometimes, we all just need to shut off for a little bit, and a great way to disconnect is to sit down with a bucket of popcorn and binge watch some classic movies that have absolutely nothing in common with 2020. So here are four timeless movie recommendations from Immanuel students. 1. Both junior Claire Nelson and freshman Jackson Raymer agree that “Ferris Bueller's Day Off” was a comical and noteworthy success of the 80’s. It follows Ferris Bueller, a high school senior who has an exceptional talent for skipping class, as he expertly manages to finagle his way in and out of unfavorable situations. This movie has everything you could possibly want: it’s got the classic villainous principal who wants nothing more than to see Bueller’s schemes exposed, the best friend who tags along with the impulsive and slightly insane Bueller, and over-the-top humor that leaves you laughing the whole way through. 2. Logan Stallions, a current sophomore, recommends the identifiable classic “Karate Kid”. Now, if you somehow haven’t already seen it and you like the whole underdog-overcoming-the-bully storyline, you will love this movie. Set in 1984 north of Los Angeles, it follows newly moved Daniel LaRusso, a caring and overly kind kid with a knack for getting into fights he can't win. As soon as he moves, he falls hard for Ali Mills, earning him a great girlfriend but also a vicious enemy: Johnny Lawrence, her ex-boyfriend and karate extraordinaire. Lawrence doesn’t take kindly to the new kid dating his ex (who he obviously isn’t over) so he relentlessly torments LaRusso to scare him off. LaRusso, however, is saved by Mr. Miyagi, a karate master who takes him under his wing and trains him to compete against Lawrence in the All Valley Karate Tournament. Action packed, entertaining, and backed by an 80’s soundtrack, it’s got everything you could possibly want.
3.Senior Sarah Nath describes “Clueless” as “Hilarious, leaves you on the edge of your seat, and a romcom”. If you want to feel light on your feet with the bubbly charisma of a romantic comedy, then “Clueless” is just for you. It follows Cher Horowitz, a high schooler who believes herself a professional matchmaker. After setting up two teachers, she decides to refashion new student Tai Frasier into a popular queen bee like herself, but the plan backfires when Frasier becomes more popular than Horowitz. With a cute romance that paints the perfect picture of young love, “Clueless” is light hearted enough to take your mind off of the struggles of the year. 4.“Pillow Talk” is sophomore Sienna Mehling’s pick for a perfect throwback movie. Brad Allen and Jan Morrow are the kind of neighbors that don’t get along because of their clashing personalities and opposite lifestyles, but what's even worse than the fact that they hate each other is the fact that they share a telephone party line. When Morrow is so fed up that she complains, Allen sets himself to the impossible task of winning his malevolent neighbor’s heart, but love isn’t that simple. With an intriguing love triangle, dynamic characters, and immersive 50’s setting, it embodies a well structured and memorable movie worth sparing an hour and a half of your time to watch.
Rated E for Everyone Loves It By Riley Chastain
The year is 1999. No student currently at Immanuel was born yet but an event that would shock the television world forever took place. It was the year that the classic kids cartoon Spongebob Squarepants debuted on TV. This show completely changed the tide for television. It’s funny for all ages, has an actual good plot and knows where it stands among the competition of cable tv. The best part of all however is that it’s labeled as a kids show. Unfortunately, people get older and opinions change. People go from the familiar Nickelodeon to the mysterious HBO. They think that since they’re older and possibly a little wiser, that they can’t find the childish joy that comes from these shows. That couldn’t be further from the truth. However, before embarking on the crucible of satisfaction, it’s important to define what a “kids’ show” is. Typically, it means a show full of dull jokes and no story and really just nothing for the elder consumer. Admittedly, there are kids’ shows made to be strictly for one set of booger-pickers. I don’t think anyone over the age of 9 would even slightly enjoy an episode of "Dora the Explorer" or "Blues Clues", apart from the unique imagery presented. Imagery in kids’ shows is huge. Kids have extremely short attention spans and to capture their attention, they need the show to look stunning. As you level up, you get into some different kids’ shows like "The Backyardigans" and Little Einsteins" which have a direct story and objective and some educational content as well,
because why not? Level 3. You have kids' shows that are admired by all ages like the aforementioned "Spongebob Squarepants" and "Phineas and Ferb". These include pretty much everything a critic would want and the enjoyment consumers crave. Shows similar to these offer more mature humor as well as the fascination effect that only certain shows have on kids. Now, these are all fantastic shows indeed, but there can only be one winner. Only one show can have the crown and the throne. That show is the one and only British phenomenon, Peppa Pig. In my opinion, this is a no brainer. Peppa Pig is hilarious. With the constant fat shaming of Daddy Pig from his own daughter to Mummy Pig falling into a blackberry bush that is unrealistic in it’s stature, it’s truly enjoyable. Also, Peppa Pig manages to presen many different genres in its episodes. Every episode is an adventure and in that adventure, there are many things that can occur. The diversity in the episodes is a huge standout of the series and it makes it special. many things that can occur. The diversity in the episodes is a huge standout of the series and it makes it special. Also, the character design is perfect. People will look at George and say, umm, that’s just a big blob with legs skinnier than twigs. But that’s exactly the point. The characters don’t look like something from a new PS5 title. They look like kids’ show characters and they are designed in a way that you’ll always remember it. Of course everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but the best kids’ show has to be Peppa Pig.
Gamer’s Flight Issue #2: The Super Mario 3D All-Stars Collection Platforms: Switch In this collection are HD remasters of Super Mario 64, Sunshine, and the first Galaxy game. Each has been reworked for optimal play on the switch while retaining the feeling of nostalgia for playing them. Each game’s worlds and levels have been given a overhale to work out kinks with the original. A good example of this is the Super Mario 64 camera. In the past, the camera was notorious for being glitchy and not showing you parts of the screen you needed for game play. It has been reworked to perform better to keep up with the gamer’s commands.This collection imported all the levels and worlds without sacrificing a single aspect of their charm. You can run through the fields of Bom-Bom Battlefield, jump through the rides of Pinata Park, or soar through the sky of Gust Garden Galaxy, all of which have been set in their original layouts.
The name Mario is synonymous with Gaming. It’s hard to find a person on the planet who hasn’t at least heard the name, Mario. With everyone trapped in their house during quarantine, it might be a good idea to jump back into those old games and relive some nostalgia. In light of this, Nintendo has released the 3D collection until March 31, 2021, for consumers’ pleasures, (and because their competitors, Microsoft and Sony, are releasing their 8th gen consoles this holiday season).
This pack of Mario’s first three 3D adventures is a delight for those who have struggled with the quarantine. And while I do wish 64 got more of an HD overhaul, all three are great to go back to and play for hours on end.
Review Score: 10/10
★★★★★★★★★★