Alysa's Even Better Portfolio

Alysa Velez

30404 N 53 St Cave Creek, AZ 85331 480-686-2629 alysavelez@hotmail.com May 10, 2016

Lawrence “Larry” Page CEO Google 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway Mountain View, CA

Dear Mr. Page: In regards to the open Product Marketer position at Google, I am interested in applying for it. My educational background in business and marketing along with my experience makes me a proficient applicant for this position.

As you will see from the enclosed resume, I would be an excellent candidate for the job. I am very interested in your company and am confident that I would be able to contribute from my years of expertise. I’m a fan of Google and I would love to be a part of your staff and help to create and market with your company.

If you have questions, or if you want to schedule an interview, pl ease contact me at 480-686-2629. I look forward to meeting you to further discuss employment opportunities with Google.

Sincerely, Alysa Velez

Alysa Velez

alysavelez@hotmail.com

480-686-2629 30404 N 53rd St Cave Creek, AZ 85331

Objective

Product Marketer for Google

Skills

• • • •

Quality Leadership Decisive Innovative Creative

Awards

• • • • • • • •

Inductee of Quill and Scroll Design editor of 2015-2016 yearbook Firts place in the community spelling bee DECA testing medal Member of National Art Honor Society Member of National Technical Honor Society Sexiest Barro’s employee WUE scholarship recipient

Education

High School Diploma Cactus Shadows High School Cave Creek, AZ [2016]

References

Ms. Lori Hart Teacher/ Yearbook Advisor Cactus Shadows High School 52802 E Dove Valley Rd Cave Creek, AZ 85331 lhart@ccusd93.org

O

ver the course of my fifth semester in yearbook I have learned countless things that I would not have been able to learn elsewhere. Being a design editor has put me in a position of leadership and I am in charge of making sure the book looks good. I like being a leader, it’s empowering and it is a great feeling when I am able to help someone.

The cons of leadership are that I am sort of like the safety net for the staff and team leaders and so for me, there is really no room error. I’m like the last line of defense which is an intimidating thing. I think my relationship with my peers is okay, nothing special but just fine. Maddie, Emma, and I work well together. My style of leadership is 10/10. I don’t really have a style of leadership; I’m just me and it has worked out fine for me.There’s nothing I feel I need to change about my leadership, I’m assertive enough when I need to be so it’s fine. These skills will benefit me in the future, especially if I decide to go into business.

REFLECTION 1 T

he spread I am most proud of would be the one I designed for the last deadline on pages 80 and 81. I like this spread the best because it’s the cutest. The photo package that goes across the top of the pages really makes the whole design.

It’s unique and something I have not seen done in another yearbook. Without Nicole Neri and Kaitlyn Finnegan’s amazing photos, the spread would not look as nice as it currently does. The spread was in bad shape before I changed it and after placing all of the dance photos on it, the spread fell into place without much difficulty. It’s much more simpler than all of my other spreads and that is why I like it so much. I wish I knew what I know when I designed that spread so all my other ones wouldn’t look so bad. After coming back from New York, my perspective on design in yearbook did a complete 180 [degree sign]. I began to appreciate whitespace; something I heavily ignored in a majority of my other spreads. I have many regrets but I feel that this spread is the cleanest and most elegant.

T

he biggest challenge I have faced this year so far has been my inexperience with design and the InDesign program. There is a lot I just don’t know about design that I can only gain through practice and exposure so my time as design editor has been a learning process and an on-going experiment. Overall, there is still so much more for me to learn but somethings I have learned are, how to cut out photos and isolate colors from black and white photos, like we did with the dividers, among countless other things that have to do with InDesign, Photoshop, and general design. If I could start over again I would have paid much more attention to the designing that was going on last year and had Katie teach me about design so I could have been better prepared for this year. I also wish I went on the previous New York trip so I would be better prepared for this year. To the person who has this job next year, I recommend they shadow me and ask questions and learn before I graduate so they can be ready for the next year and most of all I wish them good luck. The process of being design editor has been challenging and there is so much pressure to be the best in the room because of that title. I wish that I could have a second chance to redeem my work. I know a lot more than I did in the beginning and I’m sad I won’t be able to use what I worked so hard to learn. I really have come to love design and will miss yearbook class very much.

REFLECTION 3 O

ut of the few photos I have taken this year, I like this one the best because it was taken from an unusual perspective. The center of visual interest is clear and there is good depth and dimension set up by the netting in the foreground and the ball in background. The action is intriguing and the contrast of yellow shirt adds to the interest. The colors are naturally saturated and pop in the picture.

I

believe that I’m a crucial asset to the yearbook team this year. As design editor it is my job to plan, coordinate, and edit the spreads and help people when they need it.

Anytime a staff member, team leader, or fellow editor needs help with anything I will always try my best to help them as much as I can. For example, today I showed Korie how to form a text wrap and I helped Mia create transparent fading boxes. One of my favorite parts about being an editor and having some authority, is that people come to me when they need help and I really love helping. It makes me feel like I’m doing a good job. I am very committed to this yearbook.

T

his semester I have faced many new hardships and challenges, many of them dealing with InDesign and stress. While I was designing my first spread, many of the mods I received from Sadie’s team member were in poor condition, so basically what I had to do was recreate two of the mods and find new pictures. I struggled when it came time to writing the captions, headlines and second decks. I learned that sometimes if you want things done right, you should just do it yourself in some instances.

M

y greatest weakness would be my inexperience. There is a lot that goes into being an editor and due to my lack of knowledge and exposure, I’ve found myself stressed and often disheartened by my inability to design efficiently and make original and unique things or things that just look cool. What I will do to help me overcome this weakness is expose myself to design by looking on pinterest, other school’s yearbooks and, magazines, etc. and keeping my eyes open for design in my daily life. I’m also very indecisive which slows down the design process immensely.

12

Nala the Boxer was born in 2009 around Christmas time. Birthed into a litter of four other cute puppies, Nala stood out to Alysa’s mother and father as the optimum dog to take home. When Nala first arrived to the Velez’s house, she was nameless but Alysa quickly took it upon herself to the her a proper name. After a lot of thinking, Alysa came up with the name Nala; the name of Simba’s childhood friend from Disney’s The Lion King. Everyone in her family agreed it was a great name and from then on the dog was called Nala.

Puppy Love ALL ABOUT ME

THE CACTUS SHADOWS PRESS

MAY 16, 2014

way; she joined Desert Elite Soccer Club.

Alysa grew to love the sport and continues to play with the same club to this day.

For middle school, Alysa went to Sonoran Trails Middle School, a terrible place. Alysa hated her middle school but was tragically stuck there for three miserable years.

During this time, Alysa was moved to a different soccer team and didn’t like it. She wanted to play with her old team, but it never happened. For four years she played with the new team and was unhappy.

Finally, as a sophomore she was moved to a different team where she met a bunch of nice people and things got better. Alysa’s father, Carlos Velez said, “Kicking with her left foot was never her strong suit but I finally convinced her to try and with much practice she improved to the point where she now scores goals with both feet.”

Alysa scored four goals in the 2014 season and finally made her father proud.

Alysa currently attends Cactus Shadows High School and is in her junior year.

“Cactus Shadows is just okay. My classes are difficult but I try my best to stay on top of my work,” said Alysa. She is a driven scholar and maintains, on average, a weighted GPA of 4.0. Some of her favorite classes are Yearbook, Math, English, and History. While she finds those classes

Alysa Velez challenging, she always tries her best.

Alysa’s favorite thing to do when she is not in school or playing soccer, is hanging out with her friends. Kyra Ocshner, Riley Roads, Emma Kritzstein, and Lizzy James are just a few names among Alysa’s list of friends. She said that being among these people is her favorite thing to do.

Alysa and Kyra’s friendship is particularly notable as they have been best friends for seven years. Their friendship began when Kyra joined Alysa’s old soccer team, “I met Alysa when I was 12 and she looked like Dora the Explorer,” Kyra recalled.

Lizzy James and Emma James, Alysa’s favorite aunt and niece duo, became friends after going to the same Beach Boys Concert. They had an instant connection and continued to bond over the band’s music. After being friends for two years, Emma said, “Alysa’s really cool.

She kind of reminds me of a puppy. She’s always so nice and sweet. She’s like a husband to me. One time I saw Alysa eat a whole plain tomato.” Lizzy added, “Alysa’s like my brother from another mother.”

With Alysa’s dog, Nala by her side, she leads a loving and happy life. She can’t wait for what her future has in store.

American All-Star Alysa Velez was born on September 23,1998 in the great American state of California. She lived with her brother, Alejandro and mother, Lyda on Travis Air Force Base while her father, Carlos, served in the military. After 20 years of service, Carlos had the option to either stay with the Air Force and move to Oklahoma or retire from the military. Carlos decided to retire and shortly after, he moved the family to Arizona where a lot of Alysa’s family lived.

At the age of six, Alysa was enrolled in Desert Sun Elementary School to complete her second semester of first grade. She didn’t like Desert Sun but it wasn’t a big deal because a new elementary school, that was much closer to her house, had just opened. After first grade, Alysa went to Horseshoe Trails Elementary School for second through fifth grade. Alysa was happy there and made lots of friends and somewhere along the

2015

Been There Done That

Right Picture: Mowing a field in Iowa, junior, Alysa Velez, learns about the importance of hard work and agriculture from her good friend Fritz James. “I live and breathe tractors. It’s my life,” said Velez

Left Picture: Throwing them hunnads, junior, Alysa Velez shows off her cash flow to her friends. “I love capitalism,” said Velez.

American-Lana Del Rey Born in the U.S.A.- Bruce Springsteen American Pie- Don McLean Party in the U.S.A.- Miley Cyrus Surfin’ U.S.A.- Beach Boys American Boy- Estelle ft. Kanye West American Woman- Lenny Kravitz Kids in America- Kim Wilde Americano- Lady Gaga America- Neil Diamond National Anthem- Lana Del Rey America- Imagine Dragons

Alysa’s BBQ Fourth of July Playlist

13

Money Trees- Kendrick Lamar

Go Outside- Cults

Higher- Kwamie Liv

Technicolor Beat- Oh Wonder

Mr. Rager- Kid Cudi

Rhiannon- Fleetwood Mac

Fix You- Coldplay

You & I- John Legend

Teenage Dream- Katy Perry

Beautiful Girls- Sean Kingston

GRAVE YARD

Lip Gloss- Lil Mama

No role Modelz- J. Cole

Safe and Sound- Taylor Swift

MELLOW YELLOW

Jesus Christ- Dustin Kensure

In Good Times- Lola Marsh

Crazy Rap- Afroman

Wolves- Kanye West

I’ll Get You- Classixx

Move On- Garden City Movement

She Moves- Alle Farben

Wet Dreams- Saya

Renee- Sales

Who I Want You to Love- Bleachers

WHORES 2 THE CORE

West End Girls- Pet Shop Boys

Otherside- Red Hot Chili Peppers

Gimme Shelter- The Rolling Stones

Sweet Child O’ Mine- Guns N’ Roses

Lola- the Kinks

DAD’S GARAGE

and Lizzy James are just a few names among Alysa’s list of friends. Alysa and Kyra’s friendship is particularly notable as they have been best friends for seven years. Their friendship began when Kyra joined Alysa’s old soccer team, “I met Alysa when I was 12 and she looked like Dora the Explorer,” Ochsner recalled. Lizzy James and Emma James, Alysa’s favorite aunt and niece duo, became friends after going to the same Beach Boys Concert.

They had an instant connection and continued to bond over the band’s music. After being friends for two years, Emma said, “Alysa’s really cool.

She kind of reminds me of a puppy.

She’s always so nice and sweet. She’s like a husband to me. One time I saw Alysa eat a whole plain tomato.” Lizzy added, “Alysa’s like my brother from another mother.” Alysa lives an average life and will attend Portland State University this coming Fall.

Whit Iverson- Post Malone

OG

She wanted to play with her old team, but it never happened. For four years she played with the new team and was unhappy. Finally, as a sophomore she was moved to a different team where she met a bunch of nice people and things got better. Alysa’s father, Carlos Velez said, “Kicking with her left foot was never her strong suit but I finally convinced her to try and with much practice she improved to the point where she now scores goals with both feet.” Alysa scored four goals in the 2014 season and finally made her father proud. Alysa currently attends Cactus Shadows High School and is in her senior year. “Cactus Shadows is just okay. My classes are difficult but I try my best to stay on top of my work,” said Velez. Her favorite thing to do when she is not in school or playing soccer, is hanging out with her friends.

Kyra Ocshner, Riley Roads, Maddie Jones, Emma Kritzstein, Gabby Grififn,

Pretty Girls- Ex Vivian

BONE DADDY

ALYSA VELEZ was born on September 23, 1998 in the great American state of California. She lived with her brother, Alejandro and mother, Lyda on Travis Air Force Base while her father, Carlos, served in the airforce. After 20 years of service, Carlos decided to retire and shortly after, he moved the family to Arizona where a lot of Alysa’s family lived. Alysa went to Horseshoe Trails Elementary School for second through fifth grade.

Alysa was happy there and made lots of friends and somewhere along the way; she joined Desert Elite Soccer Club. Alysa grew to love the sport and continues to play with the same club to this day. For middle school, Alysa went to Sonoran Trails Middle School, a terrible place. Alysa hated her middle school but was tragically stuck there for three miserable years.

During this time, Alysa was moved to a different soccer team and didn’t like it.

INSIDE A NUTSHELL ALYSA VELEZ

2016

RHINESTONE EYES

8

7

on the rooftop parking garage in Des Moines.

8 WORK work fashion baby, Velez lounges

another candid outside of the Carefree Library.

7 TECHNICOLOR beat, Velez poses for

tree, Alysa hangs out with her friends during a day trip to Pinetop.

6 SWAGGING in front of a cherry blossom

5 PACING through the diner aforementioned, James snaps an insightful candid of Alysa.

4 DARK rooms and white walls, Alysa lights sparklers among the rubbleand broken beams.

a parking garage seven stories high in the city of Des Moines.

3 ROOFTOP lounging, Alysa stands on top of

an abandoned diner in Des Moines, Iowa.’

2 SIPPING some bubbly, Alysa hangs out in

Carefree during the sunset. This was the day before Alysa went to Orlando with Maddie Jones.

1 SILHOUETE taken outside of a library in

PHOTOS of Alysa Velez taken by Lizzy James

ME, MYSELF, AND I

SOME of Alysa’s favorite patches she’s collected since last summer

RAINBOW CONNECTION

6

4

3

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2

1

STRAIGHT OUTTA MIDDLE SCHOOL

songs played during the assembly

balloons on each streamer

weeks of preparation

FRESHMEN arrive two days before the new year starts to fre for a change

Freshmen hear all the rumors regarding “Freshman Friday” or how hard high school will be. Depending on the situation, some new students may be afraid to enter a new school, while others may be ready for the change.

“When I was in middle school, my older brother would tell me all about Freshman Friday and that I would get thrown in the trash my first day of school,” said Ana Steinhilber, a freshman.

9 32 Even Page

chloe heslop

2 ANNOUCNING THEIR TEAM, Emma Nichols, Rebecca Swedler, and Madison Garrigus, seniors, represent the varsity cheer team as captains. photo by chloe heslop 3 ON TOP OF THE WORLD Balancing on top of a pyramid, McKenna Mitchell, a freshman, holds her pose as she looks at the sophomore and junior section of the audience. photo by chloe heslop 4 SPREADING THE SPIRIT, Alyssa Witzig, a junior, paints the letters CSHS on the face of Julia Diede, a junior. The first pep rally was held on August 29th to raise spirit for the first home football game. “The first pep rally always gets me

MORNING MADNESS

excited for the school year,” Diede said. photo by chloe heslop 5 DURING THE NATIONAL ANTHEM, Ryan Mackiewich, a senior, takes a moment of silence to listen to the members of the choir singing. photo by meghan schindler

6 STAYING LATE, Alyssa Witzig, a junior, and Payton Atkins, a junior, add the finishing touches to the grey and white signs. StuCo hung the signs in the gymnasium and around campus. photo by meghan schindler 7 BLOWING BALLOONS, Christina Fankhanel and Kelsey Kinsey, juniors, have a competition to see who can blow up the most balloons. “I love seeing people’s reactions when they see how much hard work has been put into this assembly. photo by meghan schindler

1. What time do the security guards come to school in the morning?

A. 5:50 B. 6:30 C. 6:00 2. Whose favorite Starbucks drink is Passion fruit tea light sweetener?

A. Jackie Kelleher B. Jill Colombo C. Rojon Mitchell

“I was scared of going into high school because there are so many people and I didn’t know what to expect. Freshman Camp was a lot of fun and it definitely prepared me because now I love high school,” said Hannah Bryant, a freshman.

3. Which security guard loves when you smile or wave in the morning?

A. Jill Colombo B. Jackie Kelleher C. Rojon Mitchell 4. Who loves seeing her kids Kyle and Dylan morning at school?

A. Jill Colombo B. Rojon Mitchell C. Jackie Kelleher story by alexa hunter-wilson

However, some students did not come into their freshman year feeling nervous or anxious and decided not to go to Freshmen Camp. Anthony Pagnotta, a freshman, thought it would be a breeze until his first day.

CHATTING WITH A STUDENT, security guard Rojon Mitchell catches up with Aaron Cohen, a junior, after winter break. Mitchell was a security guard at Sonoran Trails Middle School before working at Cactus Shadows. photo by alysa

“I was trying to find E2020 but I was on the other side of the campus.

I found two other kids to help me out. Now I’ve been all around campus and know my way around,” said Pagnotta. Whether they attnded freshman camp or not, there will always be another student willing to help. story by alexa

velez

hunter-wilson

SHOWING THEIR PEP, Jill Colombo and Jackie Kelleher, security guards watch as students enter the gym for the first pep rally of the year. photo by sam spina

SECURITY guards know all of the students on campus, but do students know the security guards?

alexa dragone

32

1 ENDING WITH A POSE, Taylor Pederson, a senior, dances the pom routine.

Pederson also performed with the dance class during both assemblies. photo by

Freshman Camp occurs before school starts where incoming freshmen get together, learn about the school, and take a tour of the campus to find their way around.

WAITING FOR THE FRESHMAN CAMP speakers to begin, Ryan Pogemiller socializes with fellow freshman. While waiting, he cracks jokes about how the first day might turn out. photo by alexa dragone READY TO HELP, Elizabeth Tapper, a senior, signs in Pablo Pont, a junior, to Freshman Camp. Though Pont is not a freshman, he recently moved from Spain to Arizona, and this is his first year at Cactus Shadows. “English wasn’t hard to learn because my mom was an English teacher,” said Pont. photo by alexa dragone DANCING, Joseph Wintermeyer, a senior, Shannon Smith, Kelsey Kinsey, and Christina Fankhanel, juniors, attempt to calm the nerves of the freshmen. photo by

packets of balloons

student council members at the set-up

WELCOMING

OUTGOING

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Pep Rally, Freshman Camp, Security Guards

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STUCO decked the gymnasium with decorations for the first pep rally

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Designed

OTHER SPREADSHELPING ‘EM OUT

JACK WILSON

“It’s a class I can get all my homework done in, and I feel accomplished when I help the kids in the class when they’re struggling.”

NICOLE CURNUTT

“I like spending time “I have time during the with one of my favorite day to get ahead on my teachers, and what I homework, and I get to enjoy most is talking spend extra time with with him.” my biology teacher.”

TAs for Steve Mitten

TAs for Renee Diether

TAs for Doni Nasr

1 WAITING for students to

step off the busses, Annalee Barnett and Lauren Haggar, sophomores, distribute newspapers to the student body on a Friday morning.

Barnett and Haggar were first-year staff writers who were promoted to editors for the CS Press. photo by emily

LOTS of stress, dedication and teamwork help make the newspaper a national award-winner AS STUDENTS pick up the newspaper every month, they probably do not know what the staff goes through to create the award winning paper that they hold in their hands.

The paper is published eight times a year. For each issue, students must decide what articles go in, interview and research the stories, take all of the photographs, and design each page. To make it all work, the staff comes to school one Saturday each month for a production day to get the newspaper ready.

“The editors choose stories for their pages, read and edit all of the stories, plus design the pages on InDesign,” said Sierra Galindo, Editor-in-Chief. “It can be overwhelming, but also rewarding.”

The atmosphere during production days is serious.

Ashley Wong, a staff reporter, shares that production days are usually “very quiet and everyone works hard. They seem to be way more stressful

for editors,” she said.

Some of the things that staffers do on production days include editing stories for grammatical errors, finishing or adding to articles, and writing headlines or photo captions.

The hard work and dedication is all worth it, though, as the CS Press has won the top two national awards several years in a row including the National Scholastic Press Pacemaker Award and the Columbia Scholatic Press Association Gold Crown. “Even my mom loves the CS Press, she always makes me bring home an extra copy just so she can read it,” said Madeline Jones, a senior. story by

watkins

2 LEANING on his bus,

sadie thompson

2

story by alysa velez

1.

BREAK A LEG

Norm Rogers, bus driver, reads the paper after dropping students off at school. photo by samuel kulliver

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THIS LINE DEFINES OUTER EDGE OF 1 PICA

KYLE KELLEHER

FRESH OFF THE PRESS

1.

THIS LINE DEFINES OUTER EDGE OF 1 PICA

TEACHER’S aides share the perks of being a teacher’s assistant

ADVENTURE IS OUT THERE

FACTS about the trainer’s aide, junior Natalie Nabaty

SCANNING THE NEWSPAPER, Julia Smutny, a sophomore, smiles while reading a story in the October edition of the CS Press. The school paper comes out once a month on Friday. photo by samuel kulliver

SENIOR Sidney Niskanen explains the necessities for going on an adventure

• She started to help the trainer because she wanted volunteer hours, first aid, and patient experience • Her dream is to go to Berkeley and then medical school to become a surgeon

Sidney Niskanen, a senior and avid adventurer, shares his advice on what to bring while going on an outdoor adventure. “I recommend bringing a Go Pro to capture the perfect moments and be sure to take your sunscreen so you don’t get burnt,” said Niskanen. Featured to the right are a few of Niskanen’s Instagram photos from his trips to Bartlett Lake and Fossil Creek. “The best part of my trip to Bartlett was jumping off the cliff,” said Niskanen. story by alysa velez

• She is obsessed with Disney. “It’s a lifestlye,” Nabaty said

• She is Chaldean

• She speaks Arabic, a language that is over 2,000 years old

• Her last name translates to vegetables in Arabic story by ramina malek

1 TAPING up her peer, Natalie Nabaty, a junior, receives hands-on experience with firstaid. photo by erika richwagen

2 COACHING a fellow trainer’s assistant, Lindsay Bayans, a junior, helps teach Nabaty how to tape an ankle. photo by erika richwagen

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WONDERING

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ACT FAST

JUNIORS and seniors discuss the difficulties of studying for the ACT’s and the SAT’s

This LINE DEFINES OUTER EDGE OF 1 PICA

Kali Draper and Cailan Cordwell, 11, photo by alyssa grove

for studying for the tests. It is difficult to prepare for these tests, but either going to Starbucks with some friends or locking the door and studying for hours does not matter, students need to find a way to study.

The amount of stress these tests give students keeps them on their toes by continuing to keep them busy. The tests come right in the middle of school, while all the homework assignments, quizzes, and tests continue so everyone remains even more stressed out.

“I need a quiet place to study so I probably study in my room, alone,” said Gregory Burgess, a senior. story

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2 1 TAKING A STUDY BREAK, Emma Kritzstein, a senior, rests

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Alysa Velez, 12, photo by emma kritzstein

WORKING AS A TEAM, the sophomore class races around the gym competing against the other grades.

50 students from each grade stood in a cardboard cutout and ran around the gym. “It was harder than it looked but it was actually really fun,” said Zoe Milne, a sophomore. photo by alexis hunter-

(adjective)

HOMECOMING Mad Lib told by Kailey McAnn, a sophomore Homecoming is an absolutely and

(adjective)

(adjective)

and

(adjective)

. Although when you are a part of

(noun)

experience. It is also

work the

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bands and their fellow classmates, and

, but overall it is an

(adjective)

experience.

57 GIRLS TRIED OUT 2 GIRLS TEAMS 17 PAIRS OF NEON COLORED SHOES 1 GALLON OF WATER 27 HEADBANDS 11 PLAYERS ON THE FIELD 24 MAKE VARSITY

wilson

(noun)

story by samuel kulliver

THE SOCCER team shares what items are involved in tryouts WARMING UP FOR SOCCER tryouts Grace Dutcher, a freshman, is practicing with the hope of gaining a spot on the varsity team. “Being a freshman in high school soccer opened up a whole new door to physical experience along with an abundance of new friends,” said Dutcher. story

and photos by emily watkins

STRESSED OUT

ACT and SAT, Varsity Girls Soccer, Homecoming

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SOCCER BY THE NUMBERS

FINISHING HER PERFORMANCE, Julia Horner, a junior, sings Shining Bright

by Echosmith. Unplugged was held at Dairy Queen on Wednesday October 28th. photo by BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE! Huddling for warmth, students lounge in the quad for Movie Night watching Beetlejuice. Movie night was transferred to the quad from the football field. photo by alexis hunter-wilson

(adjective)

, it is one of the

best things you will ever experience. Unplugged was a unique experience because students got to

after two hours of SAT practice. Kritzstein was preparing to retake the test in an effort to get a higher score. “The SAT is really hard but when I get into Harvard, it will all be worth it,” said Kritzstein.

2 ANXIOUSLY PREPPING for the mock ACT test Laila Elias, a junior, reviews some information last minute. “I was looking through the scantron and mentally preparing myself for the ACT,” said Elias. photo by alyssa grove 3 PREPARING FOR THE MOCK ACT, Ashley Johnson, a Junior, writes her name and heading on the test paper. She is simply following the directions and has readied herself to take the test. “I’m studying to get ready for the ACT,” said Johnson. photo by alyssa grove

by emily watkins

HOMECOMING IS

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STUDYING FOR THE SATS AND ACTS is a huge, time consuming commitment that most juniors and seniors make. These challenging tests come around once a year and evaluate everything students have learned throughout their academic career.

Students taking the tests begin preparing as soon as possible.

“I began studying a month before the test and I studied probably an hour every two or three days of the week,” said senior Liza Murray.

Before beginning to study, falcon students go out and buy either an SAT or ACT study book.

Just the sight of this thick book scares most students away, but it is a must have

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OLD MCDONALD HAS A HEART COOKING and cleaning, student council rallies together to help parents in need

the most food, giving students extra motivation to donate.

“The main reason we do the food drive is to give students a clear way to help their community. There are tons of people who want to help out, especially around the holiday season. So the food drive is a good way to help the students help others. It is usually a really big hit,” said Madeline Jones, historian.

NHS students place boxes in classrooms, so that students can easily drop off canned goods and other nonperishable food items.

“We donated 723 pounds of food this year,” said Maya Glicksman, president. story by Christina Fankanhel

SORTING and selling bracelets, Key Club helps the Philippines From the hands of hard-working artists in the Philippines to your wrist, bracelets from Threads of Hope come with a story. Members of Key Club partner with the organization twice a year to raise money for men, women, and children living in impoverished communities in the Philippines.

Threads of Hope gives these families the chance to provide for and protect themselves through the distribution of bracelets that spread their cause and are a constant reminder of their message.

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The Ronald McDonald House Visit is an annual event for Student Council. Every year a small group of kids take time out of their day to go and feed the parents of those who are dealing with the struggles of having kids with cancer. story by alexa dragone

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WEAVING THREADS FOR HOPE

NHS feeds the community

Being a member of National Honor Society means more than just being smart. Students must also complete community service hours to qualify for membership. One of the events NHS suports each year is a food drive. This is a way for students and their families to donate non-perishable food to people less fortunate than themselves.

“It’s important that students understand the importance of giving back to the community,” said Scott LaVigne, adviser.

The food they donate goes to the Foothills Food Bank to help feed local families. Some schools even put on a contest to see what class can donate

“My favorite part of working with the organization is the sense of connecting with the people that made the bracelets through selling what they created,” said Toni Ann Cantarella, a junior and Key Club member.

This year, Key Club raised $211 from bracelet sales to send back to the Philippines and allocate income for the families that produced them.

“It’s cool to know that the money from the bracelets goes right back to the people that made them,” said Cantarella. story by christina fankhanel

REILLY KRAWCZYK A SOPHOMORE, and fellow member of the Desert Foothills Key club, hears about the Threads of Hope foundation and quickly asks the board members what she can do to help.

“I raised fifty dollars and can not wait to help the Philippines next year when we get more bracelets.” said Reillly Krawczyk a sophomore. photo by

1

GIVING BACK, Kimberly Paoli, a junior donates cans of food to the National Honors Society food drive. “It feels so great to give back,” said Paoli. The food drive benefits many local families in the community during this holiday season. photo by alexa dragone

OVER 700 POUNDS of food was collected during this year’s drive. Since its formation in 1921, the National Honor Society has made service a key focus for members. photo by alexa dragone

GIVE WHAT YOU GET

2 1 MARCHING IN THE HOMECOMING PARADE Harrison Newton a freshman, walks with the Ronald McDonald house banner. “The homecoming charity for this year was the Ronald McDonald house, and it was such a great opportunity to be able to represent the organization for student council in the parade,” said Newton.

WHAT YOU BUY WHAT YOU GIVE

TOMS are a passion of Stephanie Floe’s

2 PREPARING DINNER FOR THE FAMILIES Mali Creek and Helen Lee, sophomores have fun. “It felt amazing knowing all our work helped someone,” said Creek. Ronald McDonald is the charity of student council for this year. photo by cameron bender

Toms company has started a chain reaction of “buy one, give one.” With each type of item you buy, you give something different to someone in need.

“It gives you incentive to buy the shoes because it gives back to less fortunate families and make you feel like you’re doing your part,” said Stephanie Floe, a junior.

christina fankhanel

BAG

A SAFE BIRTH FOR A MOTHER AND CHILD IN NEED

SHOES

A PAIR OF SHOES FOR A CHILD IN NEED

EYEWEAR

RESTORED SIGHT FOR A BLIND PERSON

COFFEE

SAFE WATER FOR FAMILIES AND CHILDREN

SELLING OUT QUICKLY, key club members can’t keep up. A few of the members sold all of their bracelets in one wee.. “As being the treasurer, I deal with all of the Threads of Hope profits and the total of the bracelets was a little over two hundred dollars, which is pretty amazing.” said Sadie Thompson a junior.

photo by mia gilling

photo by ashley kritzstein story and photos by christina fankhanel

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STUCO has a goal to deliver one card to each student in the school Student council makes it a traditon to spread positivity throughout the campus by handmaking personalized cards for students.

“It is such a good feeling to know that a little card you make can have such an impact on someone’s day!” said Tara Prager, a sophomore. Prager enjoys the opportunity to make someone feel appreciated. “It is also awesome seeing your classmate’s faces when you hand them out because they’re usually super excited to get one.”

She makes an effort to make each one unique, so that no one gets a card that looks exactly like someone else’s.

They also try to personalize the cards, if possible.

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GOODY TWO SHOES

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Jordyn Russek, 10, photo by christina fankhanel

photo by ramina malek

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Josie Flanery, 9, photo by claire musson

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1 CARD AT WORK Tara Prager, a sophomore, takes her time to customize a message for one of her peers. Prager has been an avid member of Stuco for her entire high school career. photo by samuel kulliver 2 CREEPY CREATIONS In preparation for homecoming, Rose Hall and Isabelle Bezotte, both sophomores and members of Stuco, paint Freddy Kreuger from a Nightmare on Elm Street. “My favorite part about helping with homecoming was definitely knowing what was going to be around campus before everyone else,” said Hall. photo

JARED Ochoa is an 11 time Talon Token recipient.

Talon Tokens are cards given by teachers and staff to outstanding and exceptional students for the display of character traits such as positivity, respect, integrity, determination and excellence. Jared Ochoa, a junior, is one of those exceptional students. Ochoa has been entered 11 times and has won a Nook and two gift cards. story by logan kloss

by samuel kulliver

NOBODY KNOWS

FIVE things the student body does not know about Lucas Mark and Alexander Blackwell

Natalie Grass, and Madison Macnamara, 11, photo by claire musson

JOSIE Flanery explains the love she has for art and her time in art class ART IS THE EXPRESSION OF emotion through drawing, sculpting, and painting. In high school, most of the emotion portrayed through art is boredom because you, “just needed the art credit,” said James Rockwell, a junior. Some students though, like Josie Flanery a freshman, take art class because

Lucas Mark

Alex Blackwell

2. I make beats

2. I’m interested in archery

1. I secretly want to be a voice actor

1. I rap

3. I like to skate

3. I care a lot about what I wear

5. I love to film

5. I get jealous easily

4. I’m good at cooking

they love it.

“Being able to hang out with my friends and talk about the things we do and painting is a lot of fun for me and I like being able to express myself because she [art teacher, Deborah Wales] gives us an idea of what we are supposed to draw but we get to be creative about

it and just do whatever we want,” said Flanery.

To be outgoing can be frowned upon, but in art class, being outgoing gets you noticed by other students and teachers.

“Josie is an exceptional artist. She is incredibly outgoing and she says a lot through her artwork,” said Wales. story by alexa dragone

Lucas Mark, 10

4. I want to try painting story by trenton smothermon

Alexander Blackwell, 10

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“We usually ask around to try and get more information about the particular student, like what they like, or what they are involved in, and try to incorporate that in the card.

I always try to make the cards as colorful and personal as possible,” said Prager. story by logan kloss

Nina Sogaard, 11, photo by claire musson

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