Claire's Final 2021

portfolio

2020 - 2021

reflection one This semester, I learned a very important skill for writing. I finally learned how to use a different voice to write my monthly satire. I had noticed earlier in January that my satire had gotten a little… repetitive. I had always written in my own voice, simply adding sarcastic commentary to the topic of the month. I liked this at first, but as time went on all of them started to sound the same. This semester, I tried writing a few satires from the perspective of someone else, and in my prom story I even wrote the story in a monologue format. I’m happy that I learned to adjust the voice, even a little bit. Because this proves to me that I can go further with this idea and really improve my writing all around.

I experienced a lot of health issues this semester, so if I learned anything it’s to trust my fellow staff. Of course, there will always be people who are notoriously unreliable, but I learned that there are truly people in this paper who care, and will go the extra mile when I couldn’t. It was comforting to know that when I couldn’t be there the whole paper wouldn’t burst into flames. I place a lot of stress on myself to do the best job I can and exceed my expectations for myself always, but to slow down and let people step in was one of the best experiences at this paper.

I was actually amazed at the amount of teamwork displayed in this second semester. Having Ms. Hart back in the classroom and the looming threat of half our staff graduating, the underclassmen really stepped up. We all pitched in when we could, and our collective communication improved ten-fold.

This semester, being out of the classroom a lot, I mostly wrote opinion pieces. While this doesn’t really directly relate to ethics in journalism, I think maintaining that standard for the paper is something I always strive for. Whether that means forcing a staff writer to go out and get a “real quote” or taking the time to check the citations of sources in an article, I know that I keep in mind the ethics of journalism at all times.

As far as dedication, I went as far as I could this semester to do the most for this publication. I was sick a lot of the time honestly, but a lot of that was me taking on too much. Between the paper and everything else I completely burnt out and became useless. I think I learned a lesson about the line between dedication and overworking myself, which I hope to practice more in the coming year.

Overall, I think this semester was trial and error. I led, and I worked hard, but I also screwed up a number of times. For the first time ever, I even missed an issue. I didn’t even write an article for it. I’ve had this idea in my head for so long about what success looks like - getting editor in chief, maintaining good grades, and always going the extra mile. But I’m starting to realize that life doesn’t always allow you to give 110% of yourself all the time. Sometimes I need to slow down, work with the people around me, and even rely on others. While I’m not sure that I produced my best work due to extenuating circumstances, I learned some really valuable lessons about what my limits are. I’m so excited to go into next year as editor in chief of this paper, because I’m confident that through what I’ve learned this semester and every semester before I will be the best version of myself yet.

reflection two The most significant work I completed this semester was my January editorial on the district’s policy regarding the sick day usage of teachers and staff amidst rising COVID-19 cases. Last January, the district announced teachers and staff must use their personal sick days in order to quarantine after exposure to COVID-19, even in situations with close contact exposure. The entire staff thought that this decision was ridiculous, and needed to be written about, but the challenge remained: how could we write about something so ridiculously wrong in a delicate way?

Normally, when people write articles complaining or exposing something unjust, they’re not throwing accusations at their boss. The CS Press is approved by the principal before being published, so if the article handled the situation even slightly indignantly, we’d be instantly rejected.

This proved to be a very difficult situation. Due to the delicacy of the situation, I put off writing the editorial for a long time. Then, when I finally did, it was terrible. My “research” was essentially a manhunt on the district superintendent, and I remember angrily clicking my keyboard to get everything down. I distinctly remember a conversation with Ms. Hart on production day about this, and verbatim this is what happened: “Claire, you can’t put this in the paper.”

“I know, Ms. Hart.”

So, I scrapped the entire thing. I took 500 too angry, discombobulated, entirely inappropriate words and hit delete. That night, I tried to remember what Ms. Hart had told me. I adjusted the tone, took out any direct name dropping or accusations, and tried to refine the argument through a cloud of anger.

Once again, it didn’t work. I felt so frustrated and embarrassed, since this was not like me. I was used to receiving edited articles with nothing changed, or positive comments on the google doc, not completely unpublishable work. From that point, Ms. Hart stepped in further to refine. And after that, I did the same. Our collective editing and refinement made the article something that today, I can say I am proud of.

This experience taught me a valuable lesson about my own pride. I’ve been so used to writing articles that needed little to no editing, that I first felt embarrassed to even ask for help. But in the end, the collaboration between me and Ms. Hart led to a strong article that did get approved for publication in the end.

reflection three One of my favorite pieces this semester was my most recent satire, “Prom is for posers.”

Like I mentioned in the self reflection portion of my final, I finally began to use a different voice to convey my ideas. Additionally, I love that it’s based off of me, Jo, and David’s experience going to prom.

Another work I’m proud of is my May opinion page designs. I think this issue turned out really solid. There’s no obvious errors, there’s an image for every story, and I think it’s generally pleasing to look at. I’ve had some struggles this year with design, and you can even see some mistakes in earlier issues. That’s why I like this one so much. It might not be perfect, but it makes me confident that I can and will improve.

Finally, I really like the story behind my flinstones park piece in the March issue. Me and David went up all the way to basically the Grand Canyon for that stupid place. It was rumn down, sopping wet, and cost us 15 dollars to get in. But, I think it’s a real hidden gem in Arizona, and added some much needed spice to the travel page.

The seniors are leaving so I have been listening to entirely too much Weezer.

This is not a joke anymore.

tear sheets

february Comment

THE CSPRESS

FEBRUARY 12, 2021 ● 5

New policy places teachers in a tough spot THE EDITORIAL: As We See It

THE CSPRESS

AS RECENTLY AS January, Arizona was named the worst state in the country in terms of rates of infection for COVID19. And yet, the District has put the safety of teachers, students and staff at risk with new policies approved by the board in January.

Now, teachers and staff must now use their personal sick days in order to quarantine after exposure to COVID19, even in situations with close contact exposure.

Although previously this was against the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, a part of the CARES act that provided paid sick leave for those exposed to the virus—this expired December 31st of last year.

Amidst the high rate of students quarantined and rising COVID-19 cases in the state, this decision puts teachers in an impossible situation. The people risking their lives every day to provide an education for students during a pandemic are now forced to either lose their already meager salary or put others at risk. This also doesn’t account for when a teacher has used all of their sick time.

In this impossible situation, some teachers have taken their only out: resignation. When the news of this policy broke last month, Tina Steensen-Bech, a teacher who spent ten years in the district was one of the many left unsupported by this policy, according to an arti-

FEBRUARY 12, 2021 ● 7

Facts over fiction: the vaccine is harmless Vaccine skepticism is just as deadly as not beleiving in the virus itself

David Lane staff writer

The importance of safety is no hoax.

There have been multiple COVID19 vaccines developed by pharmaceutical companies such as PfizerBioNTech, Moderna, AstraZeneca, etc. To ensure the safety of the public and bring an end to the pandemic, it is crucial that everyone take a vaccine

the second they can.

From the start of the pandemic, a vaccine seemed like the only way to truly end the mania, however, it seems some people are not willing to accept the miracle of modern medicine bestowed upon them.

While scientists across the world raced to cure this modern plague, many people who are ill informed about the process of making the vaccine were quick to call it a sham. It is no surprise with how divided our country is that simple things such as facts of scientific research are something people call into question. These people rally around one another spreading unfounded claims about the antivirus.

They believe it is a government probe, or that it is somehow harmful to take.

The truth is, the antivirus is completely safe. Each vaccine has been tested and tried several times to ensure its safety.

The New York Times published an article detailing the steps Pfizer has gone through to ensure a safe vaccine. The article said, “So far Pfizer and BioNTech have reported no seri-

ous safety concerns from their vaccine. Before running the current large-scale study, the companies ran smaller clinical trials starting in May that were specifically designed to detect warning signs about the vaccine’s safety. They tried out four versions of their vaccine and selected the one that produced the fewest cases of mild and moderate side effects, such as fever and fatigue.”

Over the course of 2020, scientists all over the world have been working to develop a vaccine to cure the world of coronavirus. Due to a massive amount of money from both private and public donations, the development process has gone much quicker than usual.

This, however, has made many suspicious of how well the vaccine will work. Many ill-advised and under informed people think that it is impossible for an anti-virus to be effective when most vaccines take years to develop.

This claim is ill informed, however, disregarding the fact that both governments and incredibly wealthy donors have given trillions of dollars to research and development.

According to Data Lab, a website created by both the united states treasury department and the Bureau of the Fiscal Service, “As of September 1, 2020, roughly $2.59 trillion in new budgetary resources have been made available for federal agencies to

“

Many ill-advised and under informed people think that it is impossible for an anti-virus to be effective when most vaccines take years to develop. respond to the pandemic.”

Time is money, and the amount of money given to research a vaccine was exponentially more than normal for a vaccine. This caused much quicker results to attempt to put an end to the pandemic.

In an attempt to gain Americans’ trust in the vaccine, politicians are volunteering to receive their vaccinations publicly. President Joe Biden, Former Presidents Barack Obama and George W. Bush, Kentucky Senator Mitch McConnell are among them.

According to USA Today, “Between Dec. 14, when vaccinations started, and Jan. 20, about 16.5 million shots were administered.”

And yet so far nothing serious has happened to most of the 27 million people who have received a first dose of the vaccine. The fact of the matter is that it is normal to have side effects after vaccines. It would be impossible to develop a vaccine that has absolutely no side effects or risks. Another fact of the matter is that it is also normal for part of the population to have skepticism about something new, like the vaccine. Fear of the unknown is the real root of skepticism.

Cactus Shadows High School, Scottsdale, Arizona

Editors in Chief Online Editor in Chief Opinion Editor News Editor Sports Editor Food Editor Creeker Editor Spotlight Editor Photo Editor Travel Editor Style Editor Global News Editor Technology Editor Health Editor

Grace Carey Julia Knies Max Sotelo Claire Geare Michael Kaegi Ryan Bartholomew Emma Weaver Jo Breese Ryan Bartholomew Miah Thirion Paul Wernes Mikki Warriner Max Hancock Philip Tate Julia Knies

Staff David Lane, Jaden Lea, Livia Lowe, Peyton Marinelli, Kolton O’Connor, Katelyn Pinkham, Erika Potter, Ava Rhodes, Judith Silva, Delaynee Smith, Owen Taylor, Justin Wong Advisers Lori Hart, Robert Adamson

cle published by ABC 15. Her only recourse was to resign.

Obviously, receiving in-person education is ideal. Even in states taking extreme precaution, like California, roughly half of students remain in-person/hybrid instruction, according to a survey done by Vox. But CCUSD is one of only a handful of districts that doesn’t seem to realize that during such grim times, idealism is not an option.

Out of 500 schools in Arizona with available data, only 100 are completely open for in-person learning according to data collected by the Arizona Department of Education. Re-opening isn’t impossible, clearly, but very specific steps need to be taken. We cannot pretend the effects of COVID-19 do not reach our schools. In-person school during this pandemic is simply not the same as before. Students are constantly in and out of mandatory quarantines, missing the very class time that allegedly keeps our schools open. Their friend groups have been torn apart, since many students have chosen to leave the district entirely - creating stress on their social lives.

Teachers are being forced to change their already tight schedules to accommodate, and that’s when they aren’t forced to use their own salary to stay home. This clearly isn’t working.

So here we are, with half of the

students quarantined at any given time, making teaching and learning nearly impossible. A simple phone call has turned classrooms into The Hunger Games, as everyone looks around wondering “Am I next to go?” If the district was really concerned about the education and wellbeing of students, they would send us home; where at least we would all be getting access to the same learning at the same time. Instead, we get behind when we are quarantined, and return to stressed out teachers trying to both teach who is there on any given day, provide lessons to those at home, and get the students who just returned caught up. Is this really better?

There doesn’t seem to be anything we can do to get the district to send us home but please, do the right thing by our teachers and don’t make them choose between safety and paying their bills.

The EDITORIAL represents the consensus view of the members of the Editorial Board.

The Editorial Board members are Julia Knies, Grace Carey, Max Sotelo, Miah Thirion, Jo Breese, Ryan Bartholomew, Claire Geare, Michael Kaegi, Emma Weaver, Mikki Warriner, Paul Wernes, Max Hancock, and Philip Tate.

Editorial Policy: The CSPress is published by the Journalism class of Cactus Shadows High School.

The newspaper serves the students and staff of Cactus Shadows High School and as a connection to the surrounding community.

The objective of the CSPress is to publish a factual, informative and entertaining NEWSpaper, and to provide a forum for the expression of diverse viewpoints.

The Comments and views expressed do not necessarily represent the views of the administration, the adviser, or all CSPress staff members.

The CSPress is also published online, at cactusshadowscspress.com.

The editors reserve the right to reject any material that is libelous, obscene, or poses an immediate and material disruption to the educational environment.

WE VALUE YOUR Comment. EMAIL YOUR LETTER TO CSPRESS. Comment@gmail.COM The CSPress values Comments from its readers.

If you have something to say about anything you have read, please write a letter to the editor and send it to cspress.Comment@gmail.com. Letters must be typed, less than 100 words in length and signed. The editorial staff reserves the right to edit for length. The CSPress will not print letters that are obscene, libelous or that target an individual.

Advertisements that are obscene, misleading, or illegal to minors will not be printed. The CSPress reserves the right to reject any advertisement. To place an ad, contact the adviser or the Advertising Manager at (480) 575-2493.

The CSPress is a member of the Columbia Scholastic Press Association, the National Scholastic Press Association, the Journalism Education Association, and the Arizona Interscholastic Press Association.

The CSPress Cactus Shadows High School 5802 East Dove Valley Road , Scottsdale, Arizona 85266 tel. 480-575-2400 December 11, 2020, Volume 12: Issue 1 School enrollment: 1822 Number of copies printed: 1100

Remember in March of last year when there were people calling the virus a “hoax” or “planned?” Well here we are, 450,000 deaths later.

An apology, just in time for Valentine’s day Ahh, Valentine’s Day at Cactus Shadows. The season of love is upon us once again, fellow falcons, and this time: I’m changing my tune.

I know, a mere twelve months ago I sort of branded myself as a love hating hermit, but it’s a new year, and you can’t blame me for wanting a change.

Besides, the whole “I hate Claire Geare Valentine’s Day” schtick is opinion editor overdone anyway.

This year, I’ve realized that all along I was just a Valentine’s day cynic. Love really isn’t so is okay now, I bad, it turns out. Especially as a 16 year old girl. Last guess. year, I teased about the rampant waste of money on high school relationships but I gotta say, the receiving end isn’t all bad. I mean, who else is going to buy me a gift after tolerating them for three months?

My Dad? Plus, I’ve really been eyeing this sweatshirt from Urban Outfitters, and spending sixty dollars on yourself is a little gauche.

Despite what I may have previously said, Valentine’s day is not a

corporate brainwashing holiday. The greeting cards, teddy bears, and overpriced hotel suites are all in the name of true love. And thanks to the pandemic, the student store is no longer in operation. So, with all the free time, those white-collared children have finally found the room in their hearts for something besides profit.

Really, I just love love. Having to constantly shave my legs and worry about another person’s opinion makes me simply giddy with excitement. I’m head over heels for commitment, and nothing makes me happier than public displays of affection. Oh, and.. um… chocolates! Have I mentioned chocolates? Those are pretty cool. At least, like, the caramel ones.

Okay, fine. You’ve caught me.

I hate Valentine’s Day. I can’t help myself! You know what they say, once a cynic, always a cynic. But before my judgement day, please know I have a good reason. I, Claire, am in a committed relationship. Gross, but unfortunately, true. And really, you can’t blame my boyfriend for not exactly loving my article with the tagline “there’s still time to break up with him.”

So, this one’s for you, Zander. Sorry my commitment to loving this capitalist excuse for a holiday only lasted about 300 words.

6 ● FEBRUARY 12, 2021

YES

\ Zander Bezotte

THE CSPRESS

Should the vaccine be given first to public figures?

There is a huge demand for the COVID-19 vaccine and people are upset with celebrities getting it before regular citizens.

First Pfizer and later Moderna, came out with vaccines that allow a 95 percent immunity to the virus.

Although the vaccines are not available to everyone just yet, highpriority groups like health care workers and older adults have been prioritized to take One reason that their shots.

Among them are some of celebrities and Hollywood’s biggest sports stars stars.

Celebrities such as Arnold should be getting Schwarzenegger and vaccinated is Tony Bennett have because we are received the vaccine and are encouraging desperate for people to get vacci- entertainment nated. while we are shut One reason that celebrities and sports stars should be in our homes getting vaccinated is because because of the we are desperate for entertainpandemic. ment while we are shut in our homes because of the pandemic. Watching sports and movies is good for the mental health of our country.

There has been a lot of publicity about why celebrities and sports stars should be getting vaccines before essential workers and the elderly, who have a higher risk of contracting and dying from the virus.

However, people who have a big say in today’s society should be getting the vaccine so others follow in their footsteps. We need people with big roles in the world to step up and take action so that people are more willing to get the vaccine.

Once they see their favorite sports star or celebrity taking the vaccine, they will feel more comfortable getting it.or else it may take forever for everyone to become vaccinated.

Paul Wernes Many people do not trust the vaccine. Allowing big names to speak out about their experience with the vaccine, will convince those people to trust the vaccine.

Facing a pandemic for the first time is a challenge for all of us. Figuring out who should be getting the virus when is not an easy task. While entertainers and athletes are not essential workers, they are important for the work they do. Helping Americans get their mind off of the threat of the virus is valuable.

“

NO

As 2020 came to a close, the only good news on the horizon was Pfizer finishing work on its vaccine. Soon after, Moderna received emergency authorization to use the vaccine COVID-19 pandemic. It seemed like all was not lost.

Although we now have access to a cure to the vaccine only a few privileged people who contribute nothing to the public are getting the vaccine.

Celebrities and influencers are not important enough to warrant getting the vaccine first.

According to National Public Radio, “Since vaccine distribution began in the U.S. on Dec. 14, more than 36 million doses have been administered, reaching 8.7% of the total U.S. population, according to federal data collected by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The U.S. is currently administering around 1.3 million shots a day.”

While it’s still a lot of vaccines, at the current rate, the US will not be fully vaccinated until early 2022 at the earliest.

Now, it’s not unreasonable to give the vaccine to important people first.

Giving the vaccine to politicians and people who provide necessary daily functions is beneficial. These people can While it’s still a be more productive with a vaccine than without one. lot of vaccines, If the vaccine is going to be distributed unequally, those who get at the current it first should absolutely need rate, the US it for medical reasons, or will will not be fully directly benefit the country vaccinated until as a whole by getting it.

The Center of Disease early 2022 at the control compared the earliest. risk covid has on Americans above the age of sixtyfive versus a young adult between the eighteen and twenty-nine years old. The chart showed those between sixty-five and seventy-four were ninety times more likely to be Livia Lowe hospitalized. This is miniscule compared to the risk that people above the age of eighty-five have, being 630 times more likely to be hospitalized.

When deciding who gets the vaccine first, the risk these people are put at should not be ignored and moreover, should be the first thing considered when divvying up the very limited vaccine.

“

New bill fails to relieve struggling citizens Emma Weaver food editor

On Dec. 21, Congress unveiled the second major stimulus bill of the pandemic, approving a $900 billion package aimed at addressing the needs of millions of Americans who have been forced to weather the adverse financial effects of COVID19 for months, even as many existing federal aid programs ran thin or expired.

This new stimulus check will do nothing to improve our economy, assist Americans out of debt, and will only put us in more national debt.

Even though the new agreement extends some parts of the CARES Act, the $2.2 trillion stimulus law passed in March, and borrows others with modifications and reduces, Americans are still drowning in debt, pushing off paying rent and hustling to put food on the table. $600 going to each individual eligible adult won’t fix anything.

The U.S. relief strategy hasn’t been as aggressive as that of some other countries.

In the U.S., for example, the national poverty rate has risen faster than ever with nearly 8 million Americans falling below the poverty

level according to the Washington Post. Due in part to lapses in economic relief after certain CARES Act provisions expired. Many European countries, meanwhile, had existing safety nets set up well before the pandemic that helped to cushion the blow for many affected residents.

Other European countries have listened to their people and found out what they need. For instance, France has expanded health insurance for the sick or their caregivers, extended unemployment benefits, postponed rent and utility payments for affected small businesses.

While in the U.S we have supplied our people with cash payments to qualifying individuals, forgivable loans for small businesses, enhanced unemployment benefits, and two weeks of paid sick leave due to COVID-19.

But what if you get hospitalized for more than two weeks, or are in desperate need for money but aren’t considered in the “qualifying” group of people for cash payments.

Beyond that it took many people’s mouths to get their unemployment benefits while small businesses are struggling to stay afloat.

But hopefully there will be a

brighter future for our relief programs with President Joe Biden taking office.

Already, Biden plans to send out a third round of stimulus checks, give $400 per week to people with unemployment benefits, an increase from the weekly $300 benefits under the Trump administration. Along with setting aside a $400 billion to insulate a nationwide vaccine program to increase the COVID-19 vaccine distribution.

march Comment

THE CSPRESS

MARCH 19, 2021 ● 5

The Editorial: As We See It

Cactus Shadows High School, Scottsdale, Arizona

Teens need more resources for mental health stress

Editors in Chief Online Editor in Chief Opinion Editor News Editor Sports Editor Food Editor Creeker Editor Spotlight Editor Photo Editor Travel Editor Style Editor Global News Editor Technology Editor Health Editor

D

UE TO THE COVID-19 pandemic, teens are experiencing increased mental health issues, and the school should focus on providing more resources for struggling students.

The pandemic-related strain on mental health is caused by many things. One, being away from friends and family members that don’t live in the same household can cause feelings of loneliness. Although people are still able to connect via software such as Zoom, phone calls, texts, and social media, it does not feel the same as connecting in-person.

When schools, workplaces, and other businesses closed with little warning, most everyone turned to technology to connect. However, due to the differences in socioeconomic status of families, many people do not have access to technology that supports software used to connect people, meaning they were left completely isolated.

The American Psychological Association says that technology can erode our ability to deal with parts of personal interactions that are hard. This is because we can be “‘elsewhere’ at any point in time.”

According to the American Psychological Association, loneliness can cause depression or anxiety. The constant updates about the pandemic, regarding things such as case numbers, death numbers, and outbreaks, add to daily stress. Another key stressor is the threat of contracting the disease. This anxiety is disproportionately concentrated in individuals who are at higher risk of having severe complications of COVID-19.

Loneliness can cause other problems, too. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, “loneliness is associated with higher rates of depression [and] anxiety.” Loneliness and anxiety often lead to mental illnesses such as depression, anxiety disorders, eating disorders, and many more. Major events, such as the pandemic, also have the potential to cause mental illness.

Additionally, many people have lost loved ones to COVID-19. Death can increase the risk of depression in many individuals.

Increased mental health issues are a problem because this can cause teenagers to become alienated from their peers. Feelings of alienation can place stresses on mental illnesses to become worse, not better.

Furthermore, the stigma surrounding mental illnesses can discourage sufferers from seeking help.

When mental illnesses are left untreated, they have The EDITORIAL represents the the potential to become worse, causing more severe consensus view of the members of symptoms. Mental illnesses don’t just cause mental the Editorial Board. symptoms, they cause physical ones as well.

The Editorial Board members are The school has provided resources to deal with Julia Knies, Grace Carey, Max Sotelo, Miah Thirion, Jo Breese, mental health stress. The state of Arizona passed a Ryan Bartholomew, Claire Geare, law in 2019 that all school personnel needs to receive Michael Kaegi, Cait Bunkers, Emma training in suicide prevention. In addition to services Weaver, Mikki Warriner, Paul provided by five counselors, one social worker, and a Wernes, Max Hancock, and Philip school psychiatrist, there are support groups offered Tate. on (and off) campus. For in-person students, there is an anxiety/depression support group, an MPOWRD support group, and an LGBTQ support group. For online students, mindfulness/meditation is offered.

Additionally, presentations called Coffee with the Counselors include topics related to stress management and mental health awareness. They also discuss the impact of COVID-19 and what resources and supports are available.

Unfortunately, these resources can be difficult to find, and many students are unaware of them. However, there are ways to make these resources easier to find.

First, the pandemic has forced students to check their emails more frequently because of quarantine notices, class information, and other announcements.. Because students check email more frequently, the school could send a weekly message that details what resources are available and how they can be accessed. Another solution is to have a monthly presentation for students about a specific mental health topic. This presentation could include basic coping skills, and also advertise available resources. Finally, the school could put up eye-catching, colorful posters around the campus with some coping skills on them.

During this stressful time, it is critical that we do everything possible to ensure the mental health of students.

Staff David Lane, Jaden Lea, Livia Lowe, Peyton Marinelli, Kolton O’Connor, Katelyn Pinkham, Erika Potter, Judith Silva, Owen Taylor, Justin Wong

Mental illnesses don’t just cause mental symptoms, they cause physical ones as well.

For a list of resources available during COVID-19, go to the district website under Community Education and select the “Prevention Resources” tab. http://www.ecsforall.org/preventionresources.html

Grace Carey Julia Knies Max Sotelo Claire Geare Michael Kaegi Ryan Bartholomew Emma Weaver Jo Breese Cait Bunkers Miah Thirion Paul Wernes Mikki Warriner Max Hancock Philip Tate Julia Knies

Advisers Lori Hart, Robert Adamson

Editorial Policy: The CSPress is published by the Journalism class of Cactus Shadows High School.

The newspaper serves the students and staff of Cactus Shadows High School and as a connection to the surrounding community.

The objective of the CSPress is to publish a factual, informative and entertaining NEWSpaper, and to provide a forum for the expression of diverse viewpoints.

The Comments and views expressed do not necessarily represent the views of the administration, the adviser, or all CSPress staff members.

The CSPress is also published online, at cactusshadowscspress.com.

The editors reserve the right to reject any material that is libelous, obscene, or poses an immediate and material disruption to the educational environment.

WE VALUE YOUR Comment. EMAIL YOUR LETTER TO CSPRESS. Comment@gmail.COM The CSPress values Comments from its readers.

If you have something to say about anything you have read, please write a letter to the editor and send it to cspress.Comment@gmail.com. Letters must be typed, less than 100 words in length and signed. The editorial staff reserves the right to edit for length. The CSPress will not print letters that are obscene, libelous or that target an individual.

THE CSPRESS

COMMENT

MARCH 19, 2021 ● 7

Staying safe or spring break?

Advertisements that are obscene, misleading, or illegal to minors will not be printed. The CSPress reserves the right to reject any advertisement. To place an ad, contact the adviser or the Advertising Manager at (480) 575-2493.

The CSPress is a member of the Columbia Scholastic Press Association, the National Scholastic Press Association, the Journalism Education Association, and the Arizona Interscholastic Press Association.

The CSPress Cactus Shadows High School 5802 East Dove Valley Road , Scottsdale, Arizona 85266 tel. 480-575-2400 March 19, 2020, Volume 12: Issue 3 School enrollment: 1822 Number of copies printed: 1100

Claire Geare Opinion Editor

Well, well, well… What do we have here?

Sand in the pockets? A lingering smell of pineapple? And what’s this? Cornrows? In this political climate, no less? This is just what I expected… you’ve been to Rocky Point.

Listen, I’m sympathetic to the cause, really. With the upcoming anniversary of our nationwide lockdown, I too need an escape to the sunny beaches of Puerto Penasco. There’s no cure for burn out like illegally drinking in a Mexican dive bar, frolicking the beaches packed with fellow spring breakers, and getting stuck out of

the country for two weeks in a mandatory quarantine. I just hope the pina coladas were worth it.

I don’t normally have a problem with spring break, besides the usual begrudgement and my crippling fear of having fun.

My problem however, comes from the sheer irony of the situation.

Too many graphics warning the public to stay inside. Maybe you thought it said “stay inside except for spring break” or maybe you just can’t read the title with all that glare from the beach.

\ David Lane

Minimum wage must be increased Jo Breese

creeker editor

6 ● MARCH 19, 2021

Fifteen dollar minimum wage is the least we could do to help Americans live their lives.

Many companies have committed to a 15 dollar minimum wage. Amazon, Target, and Costco are just a few of hundreds that have created their own rules for minimum wage.

Since the government won’t do it, many companies feel the outrage directed at them.

An increase to the measly federal minimum wage of

THE CSPRESS

COMMENT

Is Canvas a better software than Google Classroom for high schools?

WITH THE MANY changes our school systems faced during the pandemic, one

unexpected benefit was the addition of the Canvas LMS to our campus.

Canvas was implemented at the beginning of the school year because the school was in online protocol. And the school continued to use Canvas due to people constantly being quarantined and to limit contact and use of papers.

Canvas is an online learning site built to make teaching and learning easier for everyone at the school. This year, due to the pandemic, it was implemented as a website that the teachers used along with the Zoom calls to make it easier for teachers to keep track of assignments. Canvas, at the beginning of the year, was not effective because the teachers only had three days to train with it. However, once the teachers and students become accustomed to it more, it will become increasingly effective.

The leading opposition to Canvas is Google Classroom, which we have been using for many years as a place for students to turn in assignments online. Canvas, however, is much easier to navigate and is better for keeping track of assignments from all of the students’ classes. When students can see what they have to do for each class, it makes everything much more organized and helps with their work.

From the Canvas website, students can find out what assignments they have upcoming and outgoing. Canvas should be used as a tool for the teachers, rather than as a mandate by the district. In the future when the world begins to go back to normal, Canvas could be no longer relied upon but rather used for its strengths.

Google Classroom has been used by the district for a number of years, and it has been effective. On Google Classroom a student can connect their google doc and or google slide straight into Google Classroom, but Canvas does the same with one extra step. Canvas has much more potential then Google Classroom, unless google classroom adds some big new features and redesigns their interface Canvas will be the better option. Canvas has the potential to be exponentially better for students and teachers once we use the website more.

It won’t be easy, but the transition should not be too hard once the school goes back to a normal system.

Overall it could be better for students and teachers in the long run.

Kolton O’Conner

WHEN OUR SCHOOL district announced its plan for online schooling for 2020-21, a lot of people, students and parents alike, were confused by the new technology. What was Canvas? How was it better than what they were already using? And when the time came to start using it, Canvas fell short. Now, more than ¾ of the way through the year, Canvas is still disliked by many, and for good reason.

Both programs have things tailored towards a certain user audience. Canvas better serves the more administratively-focused needs of higher education (i.e. colleges and universities). It is meant to excel at document management, including assignment creation and management. The flexibility in assignment creation makes Canvas more appealing to higher ed institutions that encompass a very wide range of course content. In stark contrast, Google Classroom is much more of an accessible option in terms of price and usability. Its ease of use makes it accessible for younger students in remote or in-person situations, such as independent work in the classroom. When the school shut down in 2020, almost exactly a year ago, Google Classroom was our immediate first candidate for online learning. The framework for many teachers was already in place, as most had a pre-existing class setup for anything submitted digitally. This transition was fairly smooth, and easy to follow.

There was no need to reinvent the wheel and throw an entirely foreign LMS into the district with no time for faculty to learn it. It would appear that some still have not learned to use it properly.

The program offered a simple grading system, time stamps on assignments when they were turned in, a section dedicated to course materials and another for assignments. This sounds pretty similar to another program that we have all come to know and love, Canvas. Except it did not go so smoothly with Canvas.

The launch of Canvas in the district was a nightmare. There are still bugs and problems with the program to this day. Problems with assignment visibility, submissions not going through if you happen to leave the page a second too quickly, not to mention how most teachers are not even making use of the things Canvas is advertised to do well, which is to organize a large amount of content and a cohesive grade book.

I think if there was more time to implement something like Canvas, it might have worked out. But with how sloppily it was handled from day one, maybe sticking to Google Classroom would be better for everyone.

Ryan Bartholomew

\ David Lane

7.25 would add over 107 billion dollars in wages for workers, which can pull many people out of poverty. Many of those affected by low wages are tipped workers, who only have to get paid two dollars and thirteen cents by their bosses, as the rest is expected to come from tips.

The biggest issue with raising the minimum wage is how a lot of people will lose their jobs, over 1.4 million estimates CBO. This number is inaccurate though, as studies following state increases to minimum wage have found that the estimated job loss never happened and unemployment mostly stayed level. A 2018 study from UC Berkeley found no negative employment effects. The idea that massive job loss will happen as minimum wage is slowly increased is an outdated myth that holds no basis in reality.

During the aftermath of the pandemic, a 15 dollar minimum wage is desperately needed. Wages in many states have been the same since 2009, when it increased by a measly 30 cents. The cost of living

since then has blown up and many people cannot afford their rent and are being forced to work extra hours or take on more jobs.

Adjusted for inflation, the minimum wage is the lowest it’s been in decades.

The average worker today is paid 29 percent less than 50 years ago. American workers have not been feeling the economic growth that the United States has gone through in that time. A single parent working for the federal minimum wage couldn’t bring themselves to the poverty line without taking on other jobs. Over 900,000 people will be lifted out of poverty soon after the minimum wage increase and it will allow others the opportunity too.

People being paid the federal minimum wage are suffering while places Arizona and California are flourishing due to state minimum wage. The minimum wage should be the same for everyone in the US, so no one should be poor just for being born in a different state.

april

Comment

6 ● APRIL 16, 2021

THE CSPRESS

Cutting budgets, cutting programs

Cactus Shadows High School, Scottsdale, Arizona

Editors in Chief Online Editor in Chief Opinion Editor News Editor Sports Editor Food Editor Creeker Editor Spotlight Editor Photo Editor Travel Editor Style Editor Global News Editor Technology Editor Health Editor

THE EDITORIAL: As We See It

D

The school

UE TO A projected $4.1 million shortfall for next year, the District is looking at cutting programs to save money.

While no specific programs are targeted for cuts at the high school next year, the reality is that nothing is safe when faxing the budget ax.

The CS Press conducted a poll of the student body to determine which programs students care the most about. The results showed that 76 percent of students choose the AP and foreign language programs, while IB is, across the board, the least favored program, with almost 80 percent of students placing it the lowest rank in terms of importance.

Enrollment in the IB program is low, and it always has been. It is designed to be the pinnacle of achievement at our school, the hardest program you can take, and more often than not, the valedictorian as well as many of the top ten come from IB. Now compare those outcomes to the rest of Several the school. How expensive is it per student?

What is enrollment in the program compared programs to others? Also consider this like a balancing being talked act, where removing one thing allows you to about by add to another. How worth is it to keep a program with that low of enrollment compared to students on bolstering other, more accessible, more popular programs? campus as Another example would be the Pre-AP curriculum the school adopted candidates last year. Essentially a way to raise the baseline of education on campus by introducing students who do not take higher level classes to honors and AP for review style learning. While the immediate backlash from students was fairly harsh, are Pre-AP, it is worth asking if the higher baseline has actually helped students acaAP, Foreign demically or if it was a waste?

The Foreign Language programs are also a point of contention, given that Language, and they were mentioned by name in Superintendent Cort Monroe’s letter to IB. the community. There are also other costs that many do not consider with language The EDITORIAL represents the programs, like a visa for each of the teachers. consensus view of the members of This is where balancing the budget can become so the Editorial Board. complicated, which is why most high level decisions also have The Editorial Board members are to go through the district office and a host of other important Julia Knies, Grace Carey, Max persons with stake in the programs being discussed.

Sotelo, Miah Thirion, Jo Breese, Making the decision about what to cut from the budget is Ryan Bartholomew, Cait Bunkers, Claire Geare, Max Hancock, Michael challenging. Our hope is that the school will take the students’ Kaegi, Philip Tate, Emma Weaver, desires into consideration when making those choices about Mikki Warriner, and Paul Wernes. which programs to keep, and which to cut.

district must

consider care-

Staff Solei Geist, David Lane, Jaden Lea, Livia Lowe, Peyton Marinelli, Kolton O’Connor, Katelyn Pinkham, Erika Potter, Ava Rhodes, Judith Silva, Delaynee Smith, Owen Taylor, Justin Wong

fully the impact of dropping

“

Advisers Lori Hart, Robert Adamson

courses on the reputation of

Editorial Policy: The CSPress is published by the Journalism class of Cactus Shadows High School.

The newspaper serves the students and staff of Cactus Shadows High School and as a connection to the surrounding community.

the school

8 ● APRIL 16, 2021

“

Jaden Lea staff writer

Students should be allowed to leave school at lunch

The objective of the CSPress is to publish a factual, informative and entertaining NEWSpaper, and to provide a forum for the expression of diverse viewpoints.

The Comments and views expressed do not necessarily represent the views of the administration, the adviser, or all CSPress staff members.

The CSPress is also published online, at cactusshadowscspress.com.

The editors reserve the right to reject any material that is libelous, obscene, or poses an immediate and material disruption to the educational environment.

WE VALUE YOUR Comment. EMAIL YOUR LETTER TO CSPRESS. CSPRESS@gmail.COM The CSPress values Comments from its readers.

If you have something to say about anything you have read, please write a letter to the editor and send it to cspress.Comment@gmail.com. Letters must be typed, less than 100 words in length and signed. The editorial staff reserves the right to edit for length. The CSPress will not print letters that are obscene, libelous or that target an individual.

THE CSPRESS

Open campus should be an option A big topic that has been pretty controver- responsibility and freedom, which can refuel sial for years is whether or not to allow stu- them for the rest of the day at school.

Another reason for dents to leave during lunch to open campus is that get food, rather than eating the it will support the school lunch or the lunch they nearby businesses in bring themselves.

There are a load of our community who Open campus has never been would receive extra allowed at Cactus Shadows, places within five to income from hungry mainly because it was not ten minutes of school students. There are a deemed safe and proper for stuthat would receive a load of places within dents to be leaving campus midfive to ten minday. However, there are a lot of lot of business, such utes of school that new precautions and ways that as Burger King, Jersey would receive a lot the school can ensure a safe and Mikes, Sprouts, and of business, such as quick way of leaving and returnWendy’s, which all Burger King, Jersey ing to school.

Mikes, Sprouts, and One argument for letting stu- provide a quick and Wendy’s. dents leave campus at lunch easy way for students An argument is that much of the lunch food against open cammade each day is already taken to eat. pus is that students by the earlier lunch group, causmight decide not ing some students not to eat at to return after all. Also, school lunches can be very repetitive and often barely feel like a lunch, and miss their classes. However, break for the students. This leaves them con- with the Infinite Campus app on every stantly drained of energy throughout the day, student’s phone, when they are absent from which can cause them to lose focus in class class, it is posted online immediately, meanand not be as productive. Allowing students ing there is no way to avoid the consequences to leave during lunch, gives them a sense of of skipping class.

Another issue is traffic and safety. Leaving campus during lunch would be available to juniors and a few sophomores who are able to drive, as seniors already have half days and leave school during lunch. This would limit the traffic and worry of all of the students being out at once.

With off-campus lunches, the school has a chance to take a step to making the school a more enjoyable and professional place for students to go. Many schools in Arizona do this and there are very minimal issues that are easily fixed with consequences for students who attempt to take advantage of it.

Grace Carey Julia Knies Max Sotelo Claire Geare Michael Kaegi Ryan Bartholomew Emma Weaver Cait Bunkers Jo Breese Miah Thirion Paul Wernes Mikki Warriner Max Hancock Philip Tate Julia Knies

POLL: Which of these programs should the school keep?

40%

Advertisements that are obscene, misleading, or illegal to minors will not be printed. The CSPress reserves the right to reject any advertisement. To place an ad, contact the adviser or the Advertising Manager at (480) 575-2493.

38%

The CSPress is a member of the Columbia Scholastic Press Association, the National Scholastic Press Association, the Journalism Education Association, and the Arizona Interscholastic Press Association.

30% 26% 20%

24%

10%

12%

Based on a poll of 100 Cactus Shadows students on April 12.

FOREIGN LANGUAGES

AP

IB

PRE-AP

The CSPress Cactus Shadows High School 5802 East Dove Valley Road , Scottsdale, Arizona 85266 tel. 480-575-2400 April 16. 2021 Volume 12: Issue 4 School enrollment: 1822 Number of copies printed: 1100

Time to put the broom away The “sweep” is a tactic used by the adminis- late. This creates an inconsistency between tration to counter the abundance of tardies what teachers will send you to the office and this past year. While it is useful in punishing students, does it really need to? Do students late to class really need more time out of class? There are tons of good reasons The sweep is noth- kids might be late too, going to the ing new, it was used in bathroom, finishing up classwork, the 2000s too, but was dropped after a while. and just getting there might take a Students might be while. Especially with all the closed punished with a detenbathrooms around school, trying to pee tion during classtime.

It seems very counter- can take time finding out which ones intuitive to punish kids are open and which are not. not going to class with more time out of class.

And what is defined as being late? According to Tony Vining, the which will not. Why even principal, being outside of the classroom in enact this if many teachany way after the bell rings is a tardy. That ers will not follow it?

But a detention is never means you could just be standing in the doorway talking to friends and get detention promised as a punishment, late students could get anyfor being late to class.

There are tons of good reasons kids might thing, it just depends on what be late too, going to the bathroom, finishing they want to give out that up classwork, and just getting there might day. The problem of inconsistake a while. Especially with all the closed tent punishments is common bathrooms around school, trying to pee can here, as one kid can get three take time finding out which ones are open days in school suspension for and which are not. Many teachers do not cursing, while another might just care about this new sweep policy, and as peo- get a warning. ple do when they don’t agree with a policy, they disobey and still let in kids if they are

“

Jo Breese spotlight editor

Administration recently decided to re-implement the sweep, a tactic to get students to get to class on time.

THE CSPRESS

APRIL 16, 2021 ● 7

Should 18-year-olds be allowed to buy guns in America?

FORGET THEM sweep

away the sweeps.

4Robert Adamson

AS THE AMOUNT of mass shootings continue to rise, the topic of gun control is being dis-

GUN OWNERSHIP IS a responsibility that needs to remain in

cussed in the

the hands of those above the age of 18 in order to ensure that only those mature enough to handle the power of possessing a lethal weapon.

In the United States, the issue of gun control is a very controversial and polarizing one. While both sides agree that gun violence is a problem in America, they fail to cooperate on how to deal with it. Some Americans think that by lowering the age of citizens eligible to own a gun, they are somehow helping to decrease gun violence in America, however, this couldn't be further from the truth.

A recent poll from the New York Times found that although 18-20 year olds make up 5 percent of the population, they are responsible for 20 percent of homicides in the U.S. Many people in this age range have not been independent from their families long enough to have any real life responsibilities.

How are these same people supposed to be trusted with a weapon that can potentially kill someone at the pull of a trigger?

This does not mean that people under 21 shouldn’t be allowed to buy any gun. People over the age of 18 can buy almost any gun on the market. Handguns, however, are prohibited due to their ability to be hidden in public much more easily than a larger weapon.

While larger and more capable weapons, they also are much less likely to result in the owner killing someone.

The FBI’s crime statistics page shows that every state has significantly more homicides as a result of handguns than by any other means. The poll took police data from every city in every state.

David Lane The Supreme Court case D.C. v. Heller ruled that the Second Amendment protects individual rights to bear arms, however, not without limits. The government should abide by the Constitution, and the Second Amendment is no exception, but when gun violence in America is as out of control as it is, limitations like more extensive background checks should be put in place to ensure that only people who are emotionally stable and responsible possess guns.

According to The University of Rochester Medical Center, “The rational part of a teen’s brain isn’t fully developed and won’t be until age 25 or so. In fact, recent research has found that adult and teen brains work differently. Adults think with the prefrontal cortex, the brain’s rational part. This is the part of the brain that responds to situations with good judgment and an awareness of long-term consequences. Teens process information with the amygdala. This is the emotional part.”

If a teen becomes erratic due to their brain still being developed, there should be no way for him or her to access a gun that could hurt or kill someone.

news and social justice debates.

In America, an 18 year old should be able to purchase a handgun from a licensed dealer.

Under current Federal laws, American citizens, after passing a background check, can legally purchase a shotgun or long rifle such as an AR-15 at age 18 from a licensed dealer. However, one has to be the age of 21 in order to legally purchase a handgun from a licensed dealer or obtain a concealed carry permit. There are special exceptions for active military personnel who, with special permission from the state and after passing a firearms training course, can carry a handgun at age 19.

Possessing a handgun falls under the Second Amendment of the Constitution, making it a legal right for an 18 year old to own one. Handguns not only serve as a great exercise of personal responsibility, but they are an essential tool in self defense. As the increasing murder rate from 2020 continues to carry into 2021, it is essential for responsible 18 year olds who wish to defend themselves and their fellow American citizens from harm arm themselves.

When police aren’t able to make it on the site fast enough, terrorists and mass shooters can be stopped in mere seconds if a legal and trained gun owner is on site to diffuse the situation. If 18 year olds are allowed to arm themselves against these threats with concealable weapons, the amount of Americans who can stop these acts of violence will increase.

While many may argue that 18 year olds are not responsible enough to own a handgun, these accusations simply stand perfidious. 18 year olds are victims to multiple responsibilities that prove an adequate behavior. The draft is a perfect example of one of these responsibilities. If an 18 year old American man can be drafted into a war, fight for his prosperity, die for his country, and use various weapons at his expense in order to defend himself, then every responsible and adequate 18 year old should be able to bear arms in their own homeland. Also, in states like Texas, 18 Max Hancock year olds can get married and sign legal contracts, both major decisions that legitimize an 18 year olds worth.

In a 2019 study conducted by Statistica Research Department, an organization focused on providing market and consumer data, 2,345 murders were committed by 20-24 -year-olds and only 1,441 murders were committed by 17-19-year-olds.

This data concludes that 17-19- year-olds commit significantly less murder compared to legal handgun owners being 20-24.

In addition, according to JustFacts.org, a non-profit institute dedicated to publishing comprehensive documented facts about public policy issues,.Fewer than 1 percent of firearms are used in the commission of a crime.

The same study later found that guns prevent an estimated 2.5 million crimes a year, or 6,849 every day. Most often, the gun is never fired, and no blood (including the criminal’s) is shed.

Allowing 18 year olds to purchase a handgun to protect themselves is a constitutional right that should not be robbed of any law abiding citizen.

YES

1900 LUGAR 4George Lugar, Public Domanin, via Wikimedia Commonhs

NO

may Comment

THE CSPRESS

MAY 14, 2021 ● 5

The Editorial: As We See It

The enemy in the mirror

Cactus Shadows High School, Scottsdale, Arizona

Editors in Chief Online Editor in Chief Opinion Editor News Editor Sports Editor Food Editor Creeker Editor Spotlight Editor Photo Editor Travel Editor Style Editor Global News Editor Technology Editor Health Editor

F

OR NEARLY THIRTY years, the political divide in America has drastically grown, to the point where it has now reached an intolerable level. Instead of using debates to come up with the best solution, people have turned on each other and become unwilling to “meet in the middle” and work together. With serious problems facing our nation, including dealing with the pandemic, human rights, and climate change, now is an especially important time to come together and agree on creative solutions to many issues. Disagreement is a key part of creating change; however, America’s political polarization has gotten to such an extreme level, it is not productive and it needs to stop.

Once upon a time, people had friends from both parties. There may have been heated arguments, but these discussions weren’t nearly so personal. It was about ideas and not the person voicing the ideas. This is where we must return to if we are going to tackle the biggest problems we The EDITORIAL represents the face today. consensus view of the members of Sadly, we seem to be moving further apart rather than closer. In the Editorial Board. a Pew Research study, about polarization, “Nearly two-thirds (63 The Editorial Board members are percent) of consistent conservatives and about half (49 percent) of Julia Knies, Grace Carey, Max consistent liberals say most of their close friends share their politiSotelo, Miah Thirion, Jo Breese, cal views. Among those with mixed Ryan Bartholomew, Claire Geare, Michael Kaegi, Cait Bunkers, Emma ideological values, just 25 percent Weaver, Mikki Warriner, Paul say the same. People on the right and Wernes, Max Hancock, and Philip left also are more likely to say it is Tate. important to them to live in a place where most people share their political views, though again, that desire is more widespread on the right (50%) than on the left (35 percent).” The situation has gotten so bad that we don’t even want to live near people who think differently than us.

The problem with living in a vacuum, where everyone agrees with everything we say, is that we lose touch with reality. Research conducted by Northwestern University revealed just how wrong we are about the “other side.” “Republicans estimate that 32 percent of Democrats are LGBT when in reality it is 6 percent; Democrats estimate that 38 percent of Republicans earn over $250,000 per year when in reality it is 2 percent.” If we actually spent time with the “other side,” we’d learn something very important, which is that which unites us is much stronger than that which divides us.

Interestingly enough, a new report by the Center for the Future of Arizona and Gallup reveals that most of us feel the same about issues that concern us: 92 percent of Arizonans agree that the protection of wildlife is important, 74 percent support the use of clean energy, and 77 percent favor automatic voter registration when applying for a state ID or driver’s license. The truth is, we are much more similar than we are different from each other.

So let’s take a cue from two important Arizona figures from opposite sides of the political spectrum.

Gabby Giffords, who was a Democratic Senator when she was shot in the head during a political event in Tucson and almost lost her life, recently wrote an opinion piece in the Arizona Republic with Jeff Flake, who served as a Republican senator for many years. These two voted opposite of each other almost every time, but managed to become close friends, and worked together on several bi-partisan initiatives over the years. Together with the University of Arizona, they have created a new National Institute for Civil Discourse. “We did our best work when we avoided demeaning language about one another’s point of view and instead listened, explained, listened more, and found common purpose or compromise.”

Let’s follow their lead and spend more time listening than shouting.

Grace Carey Julia Knies Max Sotelo Claire Geare Michael Kaegi Ryan Bartholomew Emma Weaver Cait Bunkers Jo Breese Miah Thirion Paul Wernes Mikki Warriner Max Hancock Philip Tate Julia Knies

Staff David Lane, Jaden Lea, Livia Lowe, Peyton Marinelli, Kolton O’Connor, Katelyn Pinkham, Erika Potter, Judith Silva, Owen Taylor, Zachary Valentine, Justin Wong Advisers Lori Hart, Robert Adamson

It’s time to find common ground again.

Editorial Policy: The CSPress is published by the Journalism class of Cactus Shadows High School.

The newspaper serves the students and staff of Cactus Shadows High School and as a connection to the surrounding community.

The objective of the CSPress is to publish a factual, informative and entertaining NEWSpaper, and to provide a forum for the expression of diverse viewpoints.

The Comments and views expressed do not necessarily represent the views of the administration, the adviser, or all CSPress staff members.

The CSPress is also published online, at cactusshadowscspress.com.

The editors reserve the right to reject any material that is libelous, obscene, or poses an immediate and material disruption to the educational environment.

WE VALUE YOUR Comment. EMAIL YOUR LETTER TO CSPRESS. Comment@gmail.COM The CSPress values Comments from its readers.

If you have something to say about anything you have read, please write a letter to the editor and send it to cspress.Comment@gmail.com. Letters must be typed, less than 100 words in length and signed. The editorial staff reserves the right to edit for length. The CSPress will not print letters that are obscene, libelous or that target an individual.

Advertisements that are obscene, misleading, or illegal to minors will not be printed. The CSPress reserves the right to reject any advertisement. To place an ad, contact the adviser or the Advertising Manager at (480) 575-2493.

The CSPress is a member of the Columbia Scholastic Press Association, the National Scholastic Press Association, the Journalism Education Association, and the Arizona Interscholastic Press Association.

The CSPress Cactus Shadows High School 5802 East Dove Valley Road , Scottsdale, Arizona 85266 tel. 480-575-2400 May 14, 2021, Volume 12: Issue 5 wSchool enrollment: 1822 Number of copies printed: 1100

\David Lane

COMMENT

6 ● MAY 14, 2021

CAPITALISM IS THE best option for America and will only make the country stronger.

Capitalism has been a huge success in America, and has helped the country become what it is today.

It is an economic system in which private businesses and individuals dictate the trade in a country. The production of goods and services are based on the supply and demand they have in the market.

Capitalism is the reason the market in America is so competitive. The competitive nature of the general market requires people to be coming up with new and innovative things in order to win over consumers or clients. This has been a large factor in how America became so successful in this day and age.

When there is no competition, people tend to become complacent, and lack the drive to come up with new products. This is because the one at the top would stand alone, with nobody to contest their authority. People are forced to use their products, so there is no need for that company to find ways to attract more consumers.

Capitalism is great for people who have been born into a less advantageous situation. The fact that there is nothing that people are forced to do or forced into, means that if a person really sets their mind to something, then they can achieve it.

A person or family isn’t forced into any group or occupation, and can get out of where they stand if they take the proper steps. Not everything is going to be a walk in the park, because it still takes tremendous amounts of hard work to achieve that goal. Even though things may seem hard, there are still ways to get out of the situation you’re in, no matter how bad it may be.

This is one of the drawbacks of capitalism compared to socialism, because many people would rather be content living paycheck to paycheck. Socialism normally provides healthcare and other government benefits. The thought of getting all of this “free” stuff is very appealing to many people.

Capitalism comes with less restrictions, and the ability to Justin Wong choose whatever product one would want. With less restriction comes more innovation which leads to a stronger economy. This is because companies find ways to make things the most efficient way possible, and sell it for the most consumers are willing to pay. However, prices are kept low due to the competition among the companies.

In capitalist countries, poverty and unemployment tends to be low compared to countries with other economic systems. This is due to the fact a person has to work if they want to have a living. If a person is unemployed, they have to be actively looking for a job to get unemployment benefits.

Many people have doubts about capitalism and how effective it truly is, but no system can ever be perfect. Everything in a hypothetical setting seems perfect, but humans are incapable of being perfect. No matter how imperfect capitalism may seem, it is still the best option for America.

Capitalism

THE CSPRESS

MAY 14, 2021 ● 7

COMMENT

Prom is for posers

Claire Geare opinion editor

Guys I swear I’m goiong to prom, like, ironically.

Alright guys, hear me out: how freaking hilarious would it be if I like, went to prom? I’ll go to make fun of everyone, and take a date to make fun of everyone with, and it’ll be totally hilarious guys, I swear. No, no, I know prom is for like, normies and stuff, but I’m gonna wear a tuxedo shirt and that’ll let people know that I think this is all a sham. We’ll show up, and everyone will be like “Oh my god, look at those cool, totally indie, kids at the prom!” It’s like, so poser

that it’s definitely punk.

Okay, so, bad news: sweats and ironic tees are a no go. To be fair, I didn’t anticipate this totally subjective “dress code” thing. But, maybe in the end that adds to the bit. Like, showing up dressed in a suit and tie is even more shocking than the shirts anyway. Yeah, fine, I’ll pay you the eleven dollars back for the stupid shirt, David. But mark my words, I’m totally right on this one. It’s gonna be so funny in the end.

You can’t be serious. You’re actually mad at me right now?

It’s making fun of real promposals, obviously. The extremely public flash-mob that I arranged is literally so ironic that it reaches a level of post-meta humor you don’t even understand. It’s like, I poured thousands of dollars into this and poured my heart out to you in the middle of passing period as a joke, obviously. Nevermind the diamond necklace I offered you!

It was literally for the bit. Hello, commitment? Ever heard of it?

Alright everybody, the limo’s out front, so we can get one last

picture. Oh! Okay, I have a super funny idea. We do that one pose that everyone does, like where we’re all posed with a date. And then we’ll post it on all of our social media with some caption like, “I already miss high school” or “Wish this could last forever!” or “This night meant the world to me and I wouldn’t want to be here with anyone else and you guys are all my best friends and I love you”... something totally stupid and lame like that. What do you mean people would think we’re serious? It’s clearly a joke. People will get it!

Ugh, I hate it here already. Of course they’re playing Drake, again. This is so dumb. It’s a good thing we’re here. I mean, look at all these sheeple, dancing and laughing and making the most of the fragile and innocent time that is adolescence.

Losers. I bet they don’t SIMILAR POSERS, “Prom Night, 1983” by sea turtle is licensed with even care about what other CC BY-NC-ND 2.0. people are thinking. I bet they’re happy, those dumb idiots.

Face masks remain a must-wear Even when the COVID-19 pandemic ends, mask-wearing will still be beneficial to all.

First, wearing a mask can reduce the amount of allergens a person breathes in.

Despite not being a perfect solution to seasonal allergies, it can help with symptoms, so the wearer is less miserable.

According to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of

America, over 50 million Americans suffer from seasonal allergies.

Seasonal allergies can lead to symptoms such as sneezing, congestion, an itchy throat, watery eyes, and more. Although minor, these symptoms can impede on a person’s ability to get things done at work or school. Additionally, allergic reactions can cause a person to feel more fatigue, which could be dangerous if the person

has to drive during the day.

Although this won’t completely eliminate symptoms of seasonal allergies, it can help reduce them, and make symptoms that would usually be severe more mild.

Second, if people are used to mask-wearing, it will decrease deaths during the next flu season or pandemic.

In countries like Japan, maskwearing has been a part of the culture since the 1918 flu pandemic. People in Japan began wearing them regularly during flu season every year. When the SARS epidemic hit Japan, maskwearing was already the custom.

Nobody died from the disease in the country.

Despite the benefits, those opposed to wearing masks believe that they are unsafe. First, some believe that masks cause a buildup of CO2. However, according to the University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS), masks that fit properly offer adequate airflow, while still covering one’s nose and mouth. This makes the accumulation of CO2 impossible.

Second, another anti-mask claim is that wearing a mask decreases oxygen saturation levels. Oxygen saturation is a measure of how much oxygen is in your blood, and too low of lev-

els of it can cause a person to feel as though they are about to faint. However, according to the American Lung Association, wearing a mask does not decrease one’s oxygen saturation levels.

All in all, mask-wearing is a

Cait Bunkers creeker editor

Masks still play an important role in protecting communitis. safe practice, and despite currently being used to protect others from illness, has additional benefits. Because of benefits such as reduction of allergy symptoms and decreased deaths from seasonal illnesses such as flu, it is best to keep wearing masks postpandemic.

THE CSPRESS

Is capitalism or socialism the best economic system for America?

MOVING FORWARD FOR America, democratic socialism is the best political ideology to ensure that the government does it best to ensure that everyone will truly be created equal in the United States.

The definition of what constitutes as Socialism varies greatly depending on who you ask. According to Dictionary.com, socialism is “a political and economic theory of social organization which advocates that the means of production, distribution, and exchange should be owned or regulated by the community as a whole.”

Socialism comes in many forms, it can be as simple as government funded corporations, it can be the building ground for a truly communist state, as well as everything in between. In the U.S., we already have several social programs some could consider socialist, such as Medicare and retirement pensions.

Socialism promotes high taxes on the rich, and more aid to those who are not in positions of wealth, in order to strengthen the economy of the nation from the bottom up. A strong focus is put on the workers of America, and less emphasis is put on the wealthy, letting their oversized wallets trickle down to the bottom of the social pyramid.

The socialism that would be most beneficial in our country right now, however, would be one that promotes the economic aspects of socialism, but does not abolish the democracy which America is built upon.

In the United States, income inequality has significantly increased over the last 40 years.

The middle class is shrinking and the rich are growing richer and the poor growing poorer.

Pew Research Center gathered data from the U.S. census bureau, as well as the World Bank, and found that the top 20 percent of Americans earn 52 percent of the yearly household income in the country.

That means that the bottom 80 percent of Americans make up only 48 percent of the money in the country.

By providing lower income workers with higher wages and benefits, the wealth will distribute more evenly, creating more room for economic growth. By providing the lower class with more money, they can spend more of their own income on non-essentials, thus increasing the wealth for everyone.

While economic inequality is a major problem, so is racial inequality. The Center for American Progress published a statistic using data from the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, showing that the median income for White households in 2016 was 171,000 dollars annually, while Black and Hispanic homes were only 17,600 and 20,700 dollars, respectively.

In a country that prides itself on equal opportunity for all, it seems odd that the combined incomes of the second and third largest racial groups do not even make up a quarter of the income that Whites do.

If America were to allow for some socialist programs to help lower income members of the country, it would be especially beneficial to these racial minorDavid Lane ities who are in dire need of support.

While some people may argue that Capitalism provides a large open market with the ability to lift the hardest working members of society from rags to riches, this is rarely the case. Open markets do allow for prosperity among everyone, however, when the market becomes under checked and under regulated, only those with a headstart can truly reap the rewards of the system in place.

The news organization Salon Media recently posted a story about economic inequality. “If you compare a chart showing the historical top income tax rate over the course of the twentieth century with a chart of income inequality in the United States over roughly the same time period, you’ll see that the period with the highest taxes on the rich – the period between the Roosevelt and Reagan administrations – was also the period with the lowest levels of economic inequality.”

A market with few regulations only benefits those who can take advantage of it, keeping the lower class poor and the rich wealthier. And, in fact, a healthy amount of regulation actually benefits the economy, creating a strong middle class, and decreasing inequality economically and racially.

Socialism

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