The Talon - Issue #4 (2023-2024)

2023-2024

Issue 4

Table of Contents A Day In The Life at Immanuel: Page 1 New Year, New Hobbies: Page 2 Get to Know Your Teachers: Page 3 Upcoming Sports: Page 4 2023 Top 5 Movies: Page 5 Beating the Winter Blues: Page 6 The Dead of Night (Murder Mystery): Page 7 Comedic Coffee: Page 9

t n h i e y L a i d f e A at Immanuel

NEW YEAR NEW HOBBIES

Page 2

by Sydney Friesen

It’s 2024! The old is gone, and now we bring in new hobbies and habits to make a change you might be looking for. We all get a little bored now and then whether it’s having the same schedule every day or aimlessly searching for something new; change helps us get out of the rut. So, without further ado, here are some new hobbies to help ring in the new year!

Photography: Taking pictures is one way to level up your new year.

Capturing the perfect sunset or a group of friends is a fun way to express creativity. Research shows that photography is a good stress reliever because it helps you disconnect from everything and focus on being in the moment.

Plus, learning about shutter speed, ISO, and light technology, helps to understand how to edit photos and make them presentable. If a camera is not something that is easy to afford, learning how to use your phone's camera settings and understanding angles is still photography!

Scrapbooking: Before you shrug this one aside, Scrapbooking is a really fun way to organize memories and journal about your life! Whether online or digitally, you can do it any way you want. While digital may be the preferred choice, having a physical book with photographs or Polaroids adds to the effect and can be more rewarding. In a way, scrapbooking serves as a time capsule of your life.

Learning a new instrument: If you’re looking for a new party trick, playing an instrument is one of the highest on the recommended list. It is a great skill that increases coordination, memory, and concentration for the brain. If you want to learn an easy instrument to play but don’t know where to start, Save the Music Foundation suggests learning the harmonica, guitar, or ukulele.

Prices for these instruments vary but can be found fairly cheap online depending on the quality you want.

Page 3

Get to Know Your Teachers

by Ava Fedor

We asked some of our teachers the following questions: 1. How long have you been teaching?

2. What is your favorite color?

3. What are your top 3 favorite drinks at our coffee shop?

4. What is your favorite food?

5. What brings you the most joy in your daily life?

6. What is your most Memorable experience from your high school years?

These were their responses :

Mr. Balthazar

1. “This is my first year teaching in high school, but I was a youth pastor before this, so I guess you can say I have been teachin' & preachin' for a while (lol).”

2. “Forest Green is my FAVORITE.” 3. “Can I have just a top one? It's my usual: an iced hallelujah with almond milk.

Simply the best!”

4. “My mom's homemade Enchiladas... once you try them, you'll never be the same.”

5. “I am most joyous when I can serve those around me with love and gratitude in whatever capacity that may be: teaching, socializing, etc.”

6. “Most memorable experience when I was in high school was when we had a staff vs students dodgeball match in one of our school rallies. I was a referee and let me just say: it was one of the most competitive sporting events I have ever witnessed in my life! Teachers prevailed of course.”

Mr. Sorensen

1.“I’m In my 6th year.”

2. “Blue” 3. “Iced golden joy, iced kuppa heaven, iced kuppa joy.”

4. “Teriyaki chicken with sticky rice.”

5. “Spending time with my family and friends, taking walks and drives around town, and reading a good book.”

6. “Playing soccer, playing Huck Finn in the play Tom Sawyer after having two days to memorize the lines, and a trip to Six Flags with friends for a good attendance rewards trip.”

MR. MERRITT

1.”I have been teaching for 9 years. “ 2.”Black and Blue” 3.”Dirty Spiced Chai / Hallelujah / Blood Orange Green Tea.” 4.”A perfectly cooked medium rare steak.”

5. “Being able to hear the amazing musicians we have at Immanuel.”

6. “Some of the most memorable experiences would be the Chamber Trips to New York, the long playoff runs during basketball season, or the many musicals I was able to be a part of.”

Mrs. Brautigam

1. “I’ve beenTeaching at Immanuel 3 years, but I’ve worked in Education off and on for 19 years.”

2. “My favorite color is Kelly/Emerald Green but I also love Teal.”

3. “My favorite drinks are Dirty Chai, Iced Hallelujah & Blood Orange Slush.”

4. “ I love SUSHI! 5. “Serving in Christ's name... at home, in my class, on campus, at church, on mission trips, etc.”

6. “My most memorable experience in HS was probably serving as the FCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes) President!”

Mrs. Ranning

1. “I have been teaching 14 years total, but 2 years at Immanuel.”

2. “My favorite color is purple.”

3. “My top 3 coffee drinks are coffee with cream, coffee with cream and sometimes a Kuppa Joy.” 4. “My favorite food is Chipotle or Pieology.”

5.” Every morning my children wake up and come and give me a hug and it makes me so happy!”

6. “One of my favorite memories was seeing our principal, Mr. George, wearing a bright blue wig standing at the corner of Mt. View and road 52 along with other staff and students cheering our volleyball team on as we left in vans to the state playoffs.”

MRS. AYERS 1. “This is my 15th year teaching, 10th at Immanuel.”

2. “Green! All the greens!”

3. “Honey Joy and Iced Chai; I haven't really tried anything else.”

4. “Ravioli, or maybe a hot pastrami sandwich from Port o Subs.”

5. “Being at home with my whole family playing a game or watching a movie.”

6. “I once sang in a talent show with friends. We sang "I Feel Pretty” and we wore bathrobes and mud masks.”

Mr. Thomas

1. “I have been teaching for 16 years at Immanuel High School.”

2. His favorite color is “Valiant Blue” 3. “Only the Kuppa Joy (gift cards accepted) I also hate Starbucks” 4. His favorite food is “Whatever Kendra made from her sourdough starter over the weekend” 5. “See question 4. Dad jokes. Bible studies at lunch. Students learning when they seem like they will fail. Chapel. Increasing utility. C.S. Lewis. Family. Brock Purdy.”

6. “When I remember high school I mostly remember how gracious the staff was too me when I was acting like an idiot. Like the time I took Mr. Knaak's sophomore daughter off campus during lunch or that time I was chased by Mr. March because I doorbell ditched his house. I am so thankful the staff has been gracious to me despite my actual idiocy. Just imagine you have to work with all your former teachers someday before you do something foolish. “

“The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.”-Mr. Thomas

Page 4

Upcoming Spring Sports at Immanuel By: Charles Going Immanuel High School is abuzz with excitement as it gears up for yet another sports season. Athletes from various disciplines are putting in the hard work and dedication required to make this season a memorable one for the school community. The collective spirit of sportsmanship and camaraderie as students and coaches work together to ensure a successful season of sports.

The track and field team is setting the pace with rigorous training sessions, fine-tuning their techniques, and aiming for podium finishes. As they sprint towards victory, expectations are high for record-breaking performances that will leave a lasting impression.

On the volleyball court, the boys' volleyball team is growing. Emphasizing strategic plays and coordinated teamwork, these athletes are gearing up for thrilling matches that promise to keep spectators on the edge of their seats.

Softball and baseball are in the air as well.

Both teams have already started to gear up for the approaching season by practicing early.

The softball team received a new hitting machine that boys baseball would love to get their hands on. With rigorous training and dedication, the teams are striving to give their best performance on the field.

Immanuel High School invites the community to come together and support their athletes during this sports season. The collective effort and commitment of students and coaches reflect the school's dedication to fostering athletic prowess and values of teamwork, discipline, and perseverance.

As the sports season unfolds, stay tuned for updates and highlights as Immanuel High School's athletes aim for an unforgettable season of athletic achievements. The anticipation is building, promising an actionpacked journey for the entire school community.

Page 5

By Leah Thomas 1. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse: With the return of Miles Morales in this sequel Spider-man movie, we sat on the edge of our theater seats on June 2 when it was released.

Feeding into Marvel nerds’ spider obsessions, Miles faced new superhero action with witty humor, beautiful animation, and ended up receiving an 8.6/10 on IMDb. In my personal opinion, this movie was the best of its other 2023 competitors.

2. Barbie: Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling’s internet3. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3: The breaking, childhood-fulfilling, Grammy-winning movie, third of Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy deserved all the hype it was given. With great musical movies did not disappoint. If you are a numbers, iconic outfits, and incredibly accurate depictions of lover of animals, action movies, and everyone’s favorite doll, Barbie tackled very real topics with a processing grief, this new Avengers movie perfect mixture of tear jerking and humor, receiving a 6.9/10 is for you. Starring Chris Pratt and on IMDb, which is not accurate to the movie. The Barbie Bradley Cooper, Guardians of the Galaxy movie was not only a great movie but a phenomenal Vol. 3 was released on May 5 and was experience, and if you didn’t wear pink when seeing this in the given a 7.9/10 on IMDb. theater, did you really even see Barbie?

4. The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes: Released on November 17, we were welcomed back into the world Katniss Everdeen and introduced to Lucy Gray Baird for the first time on the screen, but just saying “hello again” from any book readers that already knew and loved her. Viewers were very happy to be reunited with their old dystopian-obsessed selves once this movie was released. It ended up with a 6.9/10 on IMDb but that doesn’t do justice for the movie, in my opinion.

5. The Little Mermaid: Starring Halle Bailey as the new live action Ariel, this movie brings back Disney fans' love for mermaids. It was released on May 26, and with newly added musical numbers, advanced CGI, and Halle's new take on our favorite mermaid, this movie recieved a 7.2/10 on IMDb. Though viewers did mostly love it, we're all still a little Honorable Mention: Oppenheimer: This explosively popular shocked to have seen a talking crab in live action. movie, though not family-friendly, deserves an honorable mention for its brilliance and very investing history lesson. As well as Barbie, Oppenheimer was internet breaking and a really cool experience, in addition to a well done film. And all intheater-watchers now know what it’s like to be surrounded by a lot of elderly people in a movie theatre.

beating the winter blues.

Page 6

By Isabelle Johnson

After Christmas, and the anticipation of break, it can be hard to get back into the routine of school, hard to focus in class, and extremely hard to get out of bed in the mornings.

I know many other students are faced with these issues as well. When the ‘winter blues’ begin, they can be hard to shake. Cloudy skies and cold days can bring the best of us down sometimes, but we, here at the Talon, have gathered a few tips and hacks to make the most of the winter months and shake off the dreary feelings that can accompany the months before spring.

First, there’s nothing a comfort movie and cup of tea or hot cocoa can’t cure. Sometimes work can be overwhelming, and while you shouldn’t disregard it or procrastinate, a break can be healthy. Do something you enjoy, like reading a book, or journaling. If you just want to zone out watching your favorite movie for the millionth time, do it. Not everyday, but sometimes indulging just a little bit can be okay. Another thing that can boost your spirits is trying something new. (See Sydney Friesen’s New Year New Hobbies article on pg. 2!) Students have suggested writing, learning a new board game, and playing pickleball as a few hobbies to pass the time.

Another thing that can help you keep positive is getting together with friends. Being alone for too long can bring your spirits down even more. Go to the movies with a group of friends, or plan a get together with family. Getting out in the chilly weather doesn't always sound inviting, but going for a walk, jog, or bike ride can help to boost your mood as well. If you have a free afternoon or weekend, you could take a day trip up to the mountains to have a snow day and enjoy some of the beautiful aspects of winter. Even though winter can feel monotonous, finding everyday joy and appreciating the little things can help boost your spirits and banish those pesky winter blues for good.

The Dead of Night

Page 7

by Simone Light Anita tripped over herself as Robert tugged her down the staircase, the photograph clutched in his hand. He jerked to a stop before they turned the corner, Anita colliding into his back. He turned quickly and pushed her back up the stairs into a spare room, locking the door behind them.

“Glenn and Lottie are in the hall,” he whispered, placing his hand on Anita’s shoulder, steadying them both.

“They’re both armed.”

Anita went cold, grasping Robert’s hand on her shoulder.

“What are we going to do?”

Robert shrugged. “There’s not much we can do but get out of here through a back door. We can sneak out to the hall and back down the stairs. Then we take the left turn into the boot room. Understand?”

Anita nodded. Robert released her shoulder and glanced around before picking up the candle holder on the bedside table. He unlocked the door slowly, recoiling at the squeak of the hinge. A gunshot pierced the eerie silence, and Robert pulled himself back inside quickly.

He swung the door closed and locked it once again before turning back to Anita. “Get away!” He yelled at her. “Back corner, now!”

Anita scrambled into the back corner, pressing herself against an old oak wardrobe. “What’s going on?” The words strained out of Anita’s throat.

Robert shoved a chair underneath the handle and stepped back to Anita. “They were waiting for us. Started climbing the stairs the moment the door was opened.” Robert began fidgeting with the lock on the window, shoving it open.

Flurries of snow drifted in, and the sudden cold air bit at Anita’s cheeks. “We’ll need to jump out the window, Anita. It’s our only hope of escape. It’ll be alright. There’s enough snow packed that it should-” Robert was cut off as the wood around the handle splintered. A bullet zinged through the room skimming Anita’s hand, tiny beads of blood springing out of her skin.

She screamed, fear finally taking hold of her body. Tears pooled in her eyes and streamed down her cheeks as the door was forced open, the chair sliding out from under the handle. Lottie was standing with a pistol stolen from Robert’s room hanging loosely at her side. The detective was behind her, a knife taken from the kitchen clutched in his fist. Both were disheveled, a gleam in their eyes that had not been present before.

Lottie smiled, her eyes crinkling menacingly. “I wouldn’t recommend trying to escape. You’ll just be an easier target as you fall.”

Anita had ceased her screaming but was still shaking, pressing herself against the wall, her hand over her chest, pretending that that would protect her fragile heart.

“We’ve done nothing to you. Let us leave. We won’t say a word about tonight.”

The detective let out an empty laugh. “We can’t trust you on that. You know too much. You’d go right to the police the moment the front doors were opened.”

“What do we know?” Robert protested. “We know nothing of why you are here tonight, and why Marilyn and James had to die.”

“James had to die because he wronged us,” Lottie spat.

“Marilyn was just a casualty along the way.”

Robert stepped forward, pushing Anita behind him.

“James was nothing but kind. I may not have approved of their relationship, but James always cared for Marilyn.

What could he have possibly done to you? I found the picture in the room where James died. Of you three together. You were friendly. Happy. What happened?”

“James was never kind!” The detective’s face was turning red with anger. “He wanted nothing but to take. He took Lottie’s heart and cut it in two, leaving us behind for him to find someone younger. Someone more vulnerable. He would have left her as well if given the time.” The detective was wringing his hands around the knife, his knuckles turning white.

“But what about you?” Anita squeaked. “You’re supposed to be valiant for justice and the law. Why are you trying to kill us?” The detective scoffed, as though it were funny to remember his past. “James cheated me out of money. We started a business together many years ago. In our early twenties. A publishing company. Endearing, isn’t it? We always bonded over our love of books. He funded threequarters of it because he could afford to. I funded the last quarter. We had a contract. We agreed that it would be split fifty percent each. He claimed that it was fine he was funding more than me. The loss of money wouldn’t do much to him.” The detective stalked closer pushing Anita farther into the wall. “But when the time came around for the payday, he decided that he would break the contract.

He wanted his three-quarters, and I would be left barely

Page 8 able to feed myself let alone pay for an apartment. I tried to get him to agree that I would pay back what I owed in time, but he wouldn’t listen. He wanted his money then, even though he didn’t need it. He was fine by himself. But it didn’t matter what his friend needed. He just wanted to see us suffer.”

“So we had to kill him,” Lottie cut in, the gleam in her eyes growing. “And you’ll have to die as well.” She waved the gun casually in between them. “Which one of you would like to go first?”

Robert pressed his back against the wall, his hands raised above his head. “Please, you don’t have to. If you let us go alive, no one will know.”

“We can’t trust that!” Lottie screamed. She held the gun up, her hands shaking, her pointer finger balanced on the trigger.

Anita turned her head to the side, training her eyes on Lottie’s pistol. “Just get it over with,” she murmured. Her heart pounded, blood rushing to her ears, drowning out any sound. At least she would leave the world with her favorite brother in tow.

Robert tensed next to her, his hand pressed into hers. The feeling of the metal candle holder pressed against the back of Anita's hand. Lottie let out a breath of satisfaction and raised the gun, aiming at Anita first. “See you on the other side,” she smirked. Anita braced herself against Robert, squeezing her eyes shut, as Lottie’s finger pressed against the trigger slowly moving it back until…

Click Anita cracked her eyes open to find Lottie confusedly opening the chamber of the pistol. Before Anita could think, Robert had lunged forward, knocking Lottie upside the head with the candle holder. She tumbled to the floor, out cold.

Anita screamed as the detective ran for her, the knife held high above his head, ready to strike. A loud crack ripped through the air, and the detective's eyes rolled into the back of his head before he crumpled as well. Robert stood over him, breathing hard. He looked up at Anita, “They’re still alive. We have to get out of this house. Now.” Anita nodded and stepped over the two incapacitated bodies lying on the ground. The doorbell rang through the house as they reached the front foyer. Robert stopped in his tracks, staring at the large oak door that had earlier welcomed the detective into his house.

A rough fist started knocking at the door, rattling Anita’s brain. Robert stalked forward apprehensively, the candle holder still clutched in his hand. He tightened his grip on the candle holder and swung the door open.

Two men stood outside, police badges fixed to their hats.

One man smiled and extended his hand to Robert, “London police department. We got a call about two hours earlier about a body being found. So sorry it took us so long to get over here, the snow is turning into a mighty blizzard.

Anita stood, stunned behind Robert. “But the police already came. Although he did turn out to be part of the murder.”

The man turned his gaze to her, confused, “We were the only ones who were sent out? What was this chap’s name?”

“Martin Glenn,” Robert rasped. “He claimed to be a detective.”

The officer shook his head. “We don’t have anyone at our department with that name. I’m guessing he’s not a real detective, was just trying to get you off his tail. Where is he now?”

Robert blanched, dropping the candle holder at his feet.

“Upstairs, in the spare bedroom. First door to the right.

He’s out cold, along with his accomplice. They tried to kill us as well.”

Both men nodded solemnly, and pushed past Robert, closing the door behind them. “We’ll go upstairs and check it out. In the meantime, go sit in our car. You two look like you could use some time to be away from this house.

Robert and Anita made their way outside, the chilled air biting at their cheeks. Anita couldn’t even feel the pain of the icy wind. She really couldn’t feel anything anymore. It was a night that she wished she could forget.

The end

Comedic Coffee

Page 9

by: Bethany Minor

Coffee, the start of a long morning tradition starting in 800 AD. Just like everything made by God, coffee was wonderfully and beautifully made. An Ethiopian legend Kaldi first noticed coffee when he saw that after his goats had eaten a certain berry from a tree they were reluctant to go to sleep. There is not much known about Kaldi but his goats seemed cool I guess.

Now, let's talk about another coffee…Kopi Luwak.. This coffee is produced by the Palm Civet, an animal Southeast Asia used to make this delicacy. This process includes the animal digesting the coffee and then defecating. More protein I guess. I don't know what type of psycho thought of this, but whoever did definitely deserves to be in a mental hospital. I also don't know much about animal abuse but I'm pretty sure this is it. But you know what they say, don't deny it till you try it.

Speaking of animal abuse…I mean, coffee, the “Monkey Spit Coffee” is a coffee that involves monkeys picking berries and chewing them for a few minutes and then spitting them out on the ground. Workers then pick up and harvest these berries and wash them “thoroughly” among other things. You can call it whatever you want but personally, I think it should be named, “another way to cause kidney failure.” Anyways, others like to call it “a complex taste.” The monkey's saliva allegedly breaks down the enzymes which change the coffee's flavor profile, somehow making it sweeter than other coffees which seems weird to me and doesn't make any sense. Coffee connoisseurs would describe it as “the perfect acidity of caffeine.”

It is expensive so it must be good. If I try it and it's not good I'm suing.