Kiera Riley; Newspaper 2015

Kiera Riley Newspaper 2015

Self Analysis Throughout this semester I have learned an extensive amount of information about both journalism and myself. Each issue has presented new challenges and knowledge and it becomes increasingly interesting to learn more about these topics. Whether it is physical productions of the newspaper or the ethics taught along the way, each lesson increases my understanding of the world of journalism.

Beginning with actual production skills, I have seen what it takes to create a newspaper and along the way, this has also broadened my understanding of teamwork. Developing a solid end product requires effort from every aspect of the paper. Each element needs to come together in order to cultivate success. I have learned just how important it is to complete articles on time and to the best possible quality. Editing and reviewing different articles and providing insight to other writers assists both people involved and should be utilized at every given opportunity. It is also important to communicate with the editors in order to figure out what could be improved or changed. Teamwork plays a vital role in production as working together advances progress as a paper. Every single person needs to do their part and help out fellow members. Each staff member contributed an element that will overall complete the paper.

Team work and production also gives way to deadlines. I have learned the full extent of stress that comes along with deadlines but I have also realized the immense importance of them as well.

Every day that an article is not complete is another day that the paper is held back . As aggravating and difficult as they can be, it is vital to the overall achievement of the paper. It is a disservice to the editors and the staff as a whole to ignore or neglect set due dates. This goes along with dedication. Dedication to the paper entails hard work, planning, and discipline. This means scheduling interviews early and getting articles done on time. Giving 100% attention and effort to the quality is important as well. Paying attention to detail makes for a better paper in all.

The validity of the paper is often valued on the basis of the truth it holds. THis ties into the ethics of journalism. Priority should be seeking the facts. Making up data, scenarios, or quotes is completely unethical and should be avoided at all costs. Opinion also does not have a place in news stories, especially when coming directly from the writer. Personal bias should not interrupt the truth and both sides of the story should be reported effectively. It is an obligation of every journalist to follow these codes. It is also the journalist’s responsibility to get ads for the paper. In order to sustain the continuation of the paper, staff and editors need to make sales to pay for printing. We have not yet needed to sell ads but it is something to prepare for in the coming semester.

I will use the majority of these skills in the future, not only in journalism but in other aspects of my life as well. Deadlines have taught me discipline and time management and these are tools that can be carried into every aspect of my life. The difficulty of these lessons makes them hard to fully utilize; however, through this class I have completely comprehended their significance. Dedication is also another important lesson as it also finds meaning in relationships, school work, and basically all vital aspects in any given situation. It is important to be loyal and devoted. Also the ethics of journalism teach general honesty. Honesty will intertwine with all other lessons as being real with yourself and others carries into dedication and discipline. These morals and lessons will follow me through my entire life because of their importance.

My most significant contribution to the paper this semester was the article on the race driven protests and walkouts across the country. This was a news piece primarily focusing on the walkout that happened at Berkeley High School in California.

The purpose was to explore the nature of the situation at hand and the reaction of the community. This was fairly easy to complete it just required a fair amount of research. The preliminary exploration of the subject was definitely vital to the overall completion of the article because of the subject. Reading about specific events and the overall conflict was vital to fully understanding the full extent of the issue.

After the research, I put more effort into finding the best interviews to use for the piece. In this case, I had connections to a student involved in one of the walkouts so therefore I provided a first hand account of the event. This interview really made the composition overall as the perspective added depth. I also chose a student at Cactus Shadows who was educated on the subject and felt passionately about it. This way there was weight in her words as they were genuine feelings as opposed to talking to a student to purely fill the spot of an interview. Also the adult I interviewed, Geoff Johnson, offered valid and well thought out view points.

My first draft did have a fair amount of faults because of personal conjectures. This detracts from the article because this adds bias. I did have issues with opinion in the article but with the assistance of my advisers and my editors I was able to eliminate this and improve my composition for the better. I learned more about these issues and keeping opinion out of my articles and so I feel it was beneficial to myself as well as the paper.

My favorite part about the overall piece was the interviews. The people I talked to provided insight and perspective that added to the story as a whole. Their quotes had meaning and addressed the subject efficiently and effectively, especially the direct account from Gus Gebhart who was involved in the situation discussed. n other articles I have written I felt like the interviews I had were definitely relevant and well fit but they lacked the advantage of a new perspective.

I learned a lot from this piece and even though it did have its fair share of flaws, it was the first article I felt confident about. I also felt prepared as far as interviews and research went. Also I was able to visit the campus where the walkout happened with my friend who participated in it while I was writing my article so I felt more connected to the story. Overall, I enjoyed writing the article and the topic interested me so I feel it was my most significant to my own personal growth and the paper as well.

Reflection #1

First Draft Increasing racial tension causes schools to stage walkouts and protests “I think it needs to be discussed more by teachers and students who are educated on the topic.

Oftentimes, people say hateful and racist things simply out of ignorance” said Blake Bradshaw, a freshmen.

In cases such as the University of Missouri and Berkeley High School, hate fueled incidents that take place on campus spark a reaction in students. Protesting, staging walkouts and other forms of demonstration educate as well as encourage others about the problem at hand. An example of this takes place at Berkeley High School. A student left a message on one of the school library computers using racial slurs and threats of violence said to take place on December 9th.

In light of these events the Black Student Union (BSU), staged a walkout for the next morning. Members of the BSU as well as their allies gathered the next morning and walked from the school to city hall and through the UC Berkeley Campus.

“Racism like this, whether it was a joke or not, is a serious problem that needs to be addressed.

We also wanted to address institutionalized racism, and as allies (non black supporters) that we believe that black lives matter.” said Gus Gebhart, a student at Berkeley High School.

Using chants and signs, students showed their pride and support of the Black Student Union.

This sense of unity and power sent the message of equality. The students wanted to show that they would not be silenced.

“They kept it calm while proving a point and that’s exactly how it should be done” said Bradshaw.

The future for both the BSU at the high school and its allies seems bright as administration set up an investigation with the help of the police department to find the individual behind the message left on the library computer. They were able to figure out which student it was and took just disciplinary action.

The school has a strong support system for students of color that feel discriminated against and they use this to educate others on the impact of their words.

“The best thing I think we can do is to continue to get the word out about things like this that happen every day, and go unnoticed or unreported” said Gebhart.

Another example of peaceful protest is at the University of Missouri. Although these are not caused by one central event but a string of hateful incidents that made the campus an unsafe and unwelcoming environment for black students. Faced with threats of violence, students also stayed peaceful to send a more powerful message.

Racism is inevitably embedded in the past and the present. There is no true way to solve racism as it takes form in many entities. Informing the public about these injustices through peaceful protests is a good start.

Although this incident is resolved, the Berkeley High School students anticipate more race driven conflicts as this is something that does not simply go away. Their recognition of this however demonstrates a fair amount of understanding for the issues at hand.

news

AzMerit takes the place of the AIMS test

STUDENTS PROTEST RACIAL ISSUES

ELAINA ROVENSTINE discusses the results of changing tests last minute.

T

HE attempt BY the Arizona

Department for Education to prepare kids for the new wave of standardized testing missed the mark according to the new AzMerit test scores. The scores show that a large number of students scored not or “minimally” proficient.

“Part of the problem was we were preparing for the common core test but then we moved away from it,” said Steve Bebee, school principal. The AzMerit scores reflect the fact that students and teachers did not have enough time to prepare for the change.

“If the board of education keep making new tests with new material the teachers and students are not going to know what's on the test,” said Catie West, a senior. “There are a lot of people who just don't like taking test. The fact that the test did not affect the upper class men at the time means that people probably did not take the test seriously, so the test scores might have been worse then they should have been.”

According to the results, 74 percent of 11th graders scored minimally or partially proficient in English and even worse 71 percent of students scored below proficient in Geometry and Algebra Two. “There were some questions that

made no sense or we simply did not have time to learn the material in class,” said West.

The exam is built off the common core standards which focus on criticalthinking skills and less on memorization making it much more difficult than the old AIMS test. For example the exam has more complex reading passages and math problems including a short essay to explain how students got the answer to the problem.

AzMerit was made intentionally harder than AIMS. The test measures students’ mastery of the 2010 Arizona College and Career Ready Standards, which are more demanding than the standards measured by AIMS. Research has shown that AIMS gave a false picture of the number of students who are ready to start college after high school.

Arizona students got lower marks based on national standards.

“I like the new standards but I’m against standardized testing in general, I think it’s terrible. Standardized testing is a cookie cutter method to see how much a child has learned but kids are anything but cookie cutter,” said Molly Gum, 10th grade English teacher. “The only way to improve the overall test scores is it needs to start earlier on in the education process from the bottom up.”

By Kiera Riley

W SOURCE: SURVEY FROM ARIZIONACENTRAL.COM CONDUCTED ON AUGUST 8

SENATOR HEATHER CARTER TALKS TO GOVERNMENT CLASSES about education and

redistricting. At the end of the presentation the students registered to vote. Seniors Ella Asterino and Ashley Danahy visited Carter after her speech. 4 NICOLE NERI

4 ■ DECEMBER 11, 2015

§ staff writer

Increasing racial tension, including racial slurs and anonymous comments, has caused students across the country to stage walkouts and protests.

"I think it needs to be discussed more by teachers and students who are educated on the topic. Oftentimes, people say hateful and racist things simply out of ignorance," said Blake Bradshaw, a freshman.

Earlier this year, at Berkeley High School in California, a student used one of the computers in the library to display a message using racial slurs and threats of violence targeted at the students of color on campus.

In light of these actions, the BSU (Black Student Union), staged a walkout. Members of the BSU and their allies gathered the next morning and walked from the school to city hall and through the UC Berkeley Campus.

"Racism like this, whether it was a joke or not, is a serious problem that needs to be addressed. We also wanted to address institutionalized racism, and as allies (non black supporters) that we believe that black lives matter," said Gus Gebhart, a student at Berkeley High School.

Using chants and signs, students showed support for the Black Student Union. “They kept it calm while proving a point and that’s exactly how it should be done,” said Bradshaw.

While racism exists everywhere, hidden prejudices are also a concern.

"Those are the subtle thoughts and comments that often go overlooked but have a way to creep into an otherwise accepting campus culture,” said Geoff Johnson, a history teacher.

Most agree that keeping up a dialogue about race is important.

“The best thing I think we can do is to continue to get the word out about things like this that happen every day, and go unnoticed or unreported,” said Gebhart.

Overt cases of racism are often brought on because of a lack of knowledge.

“The best way for students to involve themselves is to arm themselves with knowledge. You must understand the facts, and then understand how both sides of any issue, interpret those facts,” said Johnson.

Although this incident is resolved, the Berkeley High School students anticipate more race driven conflicts.

THE CACTUS SHADOWS PRESS

Final Spread

Reflection #2 Of all my pieces, the one that could still use work was the Rachel’s challenge article.

There were many problems with this writing as I look back on it now and these are things that are not necessarily an easy fix. The article would have probably turned out better if I had known what I know now. I did not do enough research on this article. There should have been more effort put into this process as I did not fully structure or understand many of the claims I attempted to make in the article. It was mostly opinion based instead of fact based and this is what really hurt the story as a whole. Because of the lack of thought put into research, there is no solid basis or story. When it came to interviewing I did not choose the best student interviews either. The students I talked to did not feel strongly enough about the topic to put in any real significant input. I did talk to Ms. Dahne, the counselor who set up the assembly so that was a solid interview for the piece but I feel as if I didn’t use the best quotes for the article. Again circling back to the actual writing of the article, there was way too much opinion and bias and not enough fact. It sounded more like an ad for the organization as opposed for a news story. I did not realize this at the time but looking back on it now I see the flaws I made in this article. When it was published, a lot of this opinion was removed but it still did not exhibit my best ability as a writer. I learned a fair amount from this article, especially the importance of research.

If the topic at hand is not thoroughly researched, the end results and interviews will not be of the best quality. Reflecting back on this piece now I see all the places I went wrong and what I could’ve done differently to improve it. The research and interviews did not provide a solid foundation for a good story. It should barely be considered a news piece.

I could’ve done more research and gone more in depth on the history and formation of the organization itself as opposed to focusing on all the positive aspects of the assembly.

I also should’ve interviewed with a better and more extensive set of questions so this way I could’ve gotten more relevant quotes to use in my article. These issues are most likely attributed to poor planning on the interviews and the lack of prior planning. Fortunately, all these problems can be fixed now that I’ve learned the errors I’ve made.

The Rachel’s Challenge assembly on September 17th sent a ripple across campus, reminding students of the basic power of kindness.

“It’s important to sometimes remind ourselves of such a simple message,” said Beth Udisky, the school social worker.

This message of kindness has had an impact on students and staff alike since the Rachel’s Challenge assembly a few weeks ago. The organization exists to inspire students throughout the country to be kind by sharing the story of Rachel Joy Scott, a victim in the Columbine shootings.

This tragedy brought on grief and loss but instead of letting Rachel die in vain, her family has shared her legacy with others.

Rachel’s Challenge was started shortly after the tragedy at Columbine and continues to make an impact since then. Going to different schools around the country, the program pursues one main goal: to spread their message. This mass spread of compassion is advocated through small acts of kindness.

“I saw it four times… (and) I cried every time,” said Udisky.

The assembly had different effects on different students. One part of the assembly that stood out to sophomore Reilly Krawzyck was when the presenter asked the entirety of the student body to close their eyes and imagine someone they had lost. They then asked students to remember all of the people they love in their life.

“I feel like it was the most important part because I felt a connection with everyone around me and I realized that we all go through the same thing, it’s kind of a universal truth,” said Krawzyck.

“What’s exciting about Rachel’s challenge is it’s not over, we are going to continue spread the message throughout the school year,” said Udisky.

The upholding of the challenge will be presented in many different ways including advisory lessons, activities, and projects that incorporate the entire school. The assembly has already built a large amount of momentum and it is a priority to keep the chain reaction going.

“Anyone who has any suggestions… should please come to me because this is something I don’t want to be just the school year, I want this to be the start of something,” said Udisky.

Although the majority of the student body took something from the presentation in one way or another, some students did not buy into it.

“At certain parts I felt like they were trying too hard to make her story powerful,” said Drew Ballard, a sophomore.

Ballard described the part about the teardrop drawing and the businessman as far-fetched as it made him a little skeptical.

“That kind of ruined it for me but I still took the message behind it,” said Ballard.

The presentation had different reactions from different people.

“I think it’s hard for people, especially teenagers, to separate what’s going on for them and… that outside possibility (of hope),” said Udisky.

Udisky believes that it can sometimes be difficult to get through to people. Teenagers experience many different hardships of adolescence. Udisky believes that these internal problems can often fog the light of possibility.

First draft

final spread news THE RACHEL'S CHALLENGE PRESENTATION

brings the audience to tears.

Moved by Rachel's story, Rachel Piontek, a senior, is among the many affected. Students then took to Twitter to spread the message Rachel's Challenge advocates. 4JULIA

DIEDE

Censorship continues to trouble educators

By Elaina Rovenstine

RACHEL'S CHAIN REACTION OF KINDNESS

T

THE RACHEL’S CHALLENGE

assembly on September 17 sent a ripple across campus, preaching to students of the basic power of kindness.

“It’s important to sometimes remind ourselves of such a simple message,” said Beth Udisky, the school social worker.

This message of kindness has had an impact on students and staff alike since the Rachel’s Challenge assembly a few weeks ago. The organization exists to inspire students RACHEL’S CHALLENGE throughout the country to be kind STATISTICS by sharing the About 2.5 million people story of Rachel were involved in Rachel’s Challenge presentations in Joy Scott, a victim live settings in the Columbine More than 100 suicides shootings. This and other violent acts tragedy brought were averted in schools on grief and loss nationwide but instead of let3 known school shootings ting Rachel die were averted in vain, her fam17 million people have ily has shared her heard Rachel’s Story in live settings worldwide legacy with others.

Rachel’s Over 5 million more are exposed annually to the Challenge was story through internet news started shortly after the tragedy at Columbine

4 ■ OCTOBER 16, 2015

and continues to make an impact since then. Going to different schools around the country, the program pursues one main goal: to spread Rachel's message. This mass spread of compassion is advocated through small acts of kindness.

“I saw it four times… [and] I cried every time,” said Udisky.

REACTIONS VARY The assembly had different effects on different students. One part of the assembly that stood out to sophomore Reilly Krawzyck was when the presenter asked the entirety of the student body to close their eyes and imagine someone they had lost. They then asked students to remember all of the people they love in their life.

“I feel like it was the most important part because I felt a connection with everyone around me and I realized that we all go through the same thing, it’s kind of a universal truth,” said Krawzyck.

“What’s exciting about Rachel’s Challenge is it’s not over, we are going to continue spread the message throughout the school year,” said Udisky.

The upholding of the challenge will be presented in many different ways including advisory lessons, activities, and projects that incorporate the entire school. The assembly has already built a large amount

of momentum and it is a priority to keep the chain reaction going.

“Anyone who has any suggestions should please come to me because this is something I don’t want to be just the school year, I want this to be the start of something,” said Udisky.

Although the majority of the student body took something from the presentation in one way or another, some students did not buy into it.

“At certain parts I felt like they were trying too hard to make her story powerful,” said Drew Ballard, a sophomore.

Ballard described the part about the teardrop drawing and the businessman as far-fetched as it made him a little skeptical.

“That kind of ruined it for me but I still took the message behind it,” said Ballard.

The presentation had different reactions from different people.

“I think it’s hard for people, especially teenagers, to separate what’s going on for them and… that outside possibility (of hope),” said Udisky.

Udisky believes that it can sometimes be difficult to get through to people.

Teenagers experience many different hardships of adolescence. Udisky believes that these internal problems can often fog the light of possibility.

§ staff writer

The battle between what is deemed school appropriate and First Amendment rights for teenagers is a common problem for school administrators, parents, and teens.

This last school year at a Connecticut high school, a teacher read a controversial poem about a graphic homosexual encounter to an AP English class. When parents heard, outrage erupted. The teacher resigned over the controversy. His goal was to encourage students to explore difficult themes. Others did not see it his way, though.

“There are things that should be taught, and there are things that shouldn’t,” said Lauren Manuszak, a senior. “Things are put in the school curriculum to help students learn about culture and other people.”

In the Tucson Unified School District, the Mexican American program was removed from the school curriculum by the TUSD board in 2012. As a result, TUSD removed hundreds of pieces of literature that had been part of the curriculum including a book that told the history of the Mexican Civil Rights Movement.

Students and teachers of the MexicanAmerican program sued the state, challenging the state on the grounds that the removal of the class is violating their First Amendment rights. As a result the TUSD is attempting to resurrect the program but it is still being examined by the Arizona Department of Education.

“There is a fine line,” said Dr. Steve Bebee, the school's principal. “I’m a parent too. I can look at things from both perspectives. It’s hard. Someone has to decide if it is appropriate in a school setting.”

Only a few years ago, there was a case of censorship issue here at school over a play that was being read in the drama program. Even though the play

was not being performed, it had content that made some parents unhappy. As a result, the story made local headlines for days.

“The teacher that is presenting the material should be responsible to know what is school acceptable is or not,” said Chance McLaughlin, a sophomore.

“I take it upon myself to approve things as a preventative measure,” said Bebee. “The parents are always open to voice their opinion, but if it’s part of the curriculum adopted by the governing board, a student can opt out of the class or receive an alternate assignment.”

There have been many American classic books that have been banned. Some of these are read by students in English classes here, such as To Kill a Mockingbird and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. These books were banned by many schools across the U.S for the same basic principle that the Mexican-American studies are under fire in Tucson.

I am proud of this picture because of the emotion in the essence of it. It is not the highest quality although I do feel like the moment it captures is significant. Although she is looking at the camera, the smile was not faked in anyway. It looks natural as opposed to posed. The joy can be seen plainly in her eyes and it’s genuine and in this way it matches the warmer shades of the photo itself.

I personally enjoy the contrasts between the blue of her shirt and the more warmer shades of the background of the photo. Also, there is trace signs of movement but it is to the point where it adds to the photo more than takes away from it. I like this photo because it is an example of pure emotion.

UKIERA RILEY THE CACTUS SHADOWS PRESS

Reflection #3

Reflection #4 I contributed to the staff as every member did. I tried my best to get all my assigned articles in on time and fix problems when they arose. I genuinely care about the success of the paper and because of this I feel compelled to put my best effort into every element of my stories because of the realization that the work I publish and submit to my editors reflects the work of the paper as a whole. Although my stories were not always in on time, they always were turned in completed. There was not an article in which I did not reach word count or I was missing interviews. An example of this was when I was absent for two days because I was on vacation, the articles were completed on time but due to technical issues on Google docs I was not able to get them submitted there.

Nonetheless, I completed these compositions to the best of my abilities and had them done on time. My committment to the success of the paper is immense. The responsibility of being on newspaper is a heavy but rewarding one and it is an honor to be involved in an award winning paper.

Being on the staff has taught me many skills and because of this I have continued to learn and grow as both a writer and a person. I plan on continuing to pursue newspaper. Through this dedication, I hope to get better and better about deadlines and writing overall.

A) This semester I faced the ever-present issue of time management. I am a terrible procrastinator and because of this I had multiple issues with scheduling interviews and completing stories on time. In a few situations I did not try my hardest to get the interviews I needed with resulted in quotes that were not exactly relevant to the story. Because my interviews lacked in substance, my articles did as well. I always made the excuse that I would do it tomorrow. I continually put off doing the jobs I needed to be doing the entire time. My articles, my fellow staff members, and especially my editors suffered due to my lack of timeliness.

B) I learned the importance of planning ahead and prioritizing my duties as a staff member and this lesson will definitely carry into the next semester. I have realized that if I get my stuff done on time I will overall suffer from less stress and my stories will be better quality. This is important as it will not only benefit myself but my team members as well. I will plan ahead next semester and start contacting my interviewees in advance to make the writing and interviewing easier on myself.

C) I feel that overall I handled my situation, or should I say multiple situations, well as I did succeed in getting everything done. It may have been a little bit late but I did really strive to complete all my articles so I did not come up empty handed. And as soon as I realized the extent of my workload, I planned it out so I would get my work in as soon as possible. There was not a single time I came up empty handed so I feel that was a step in the right direction.

D) My greatest weakness is my unwavering ability to procrastinate. This is a common flaw in the world of journalism as deadlines can often be difficult to come to terms with. Personally, my biggest problem was not taking the initiative to choose and schedule interviews with people. This set back my entire process as without interviews I felt I could not get a solid start on my story. I procrastinated these interviews because I am not necessarily the best with talking to people and so I was often anxious about this aspect. Interviewing is obviously something I need to work on and I intend to improve both my interviewing and interview scheduling skills.

E) The best way to fix this is to get outside my comfort zone and talk to more people. I can do this by scheduling my interviews the day I get my stories and preparing helpful and relevant questions to ask. It is important I learn not to procrastinate and become proactive in my writing and producing of my articles. Next semester I intend on talking to people I normally would not talk to to gain more perspective.

Reflection #5

September 2015

SPORTS, PAGE 13; SEPTEMBER 12, 2015

NEWS, PAGE 5; SEPTEMBER 12, 2015

OCTOBER 2015

news THE RACHEL'S CHALLENGE PRESENTATION

brings the audience to tears.

Moved by Rachel's story, Rachel Piontek, a senior, is among the many affected. Students then took to Twitter to spread the message Rachel's Challenge advocates. 4JULIA DIEDE

Censorship continues to trouble educators

By Elaina Rovenstine

RACHEL'S CHAIN REACTION OF KINDNESS

T

THE RACHEL’S CHALLENGE

FEATURE, PAGE 12; OCTOBER 16, 2015

assembly on September 17 sent a ripple across campus, preaching to students of the basic power of kindness.

“It’s important to sometimes remind ourselves of such a simple message,” said Beth Udisky, the school social worker.

This message of kindness has had an impact on students and staff alike since the Rachel’s Challenge assembly a few weeks ago. The organization exists to inspire students RACHEL’S CHALLENGE throughout the country to be kind STATISTICS by sharing the About 2.5 million people story of Rachel were involved in Rachel’s Challenge presentations in Joy Scott, a victim live settings in the Columbine More than 100 suicides shootings. This and other violent acts tragedy brought were averted in schools on grief and loss nationwide but instead of let3 known school shootings ting Rachel die were averted in vain, her fam17 million people have ily has shared her heard Rachel’s Story in live settings worldwide legacy with others.

Rachel’s Over 5 million more are exposed annually to the Challenge was story through internet news started shortly after the tragedy at Columbine

4 ■ OCTOBER 16, 2015

and continues to make an impact since then. Going to different schools around the country, the program pursues one main goal: to spread Rachel's message. This mass spread of compassion is advocated through small acts of kindness.

“I saw it four times… [and] I cried every time,” said Udisky.

REACTIONS VARY The assembly had different effects on different students. One part of the assembly that stood out to sophomore Reilly Krawzyck was when the presenter asked the entirety of the student body to close their eyes and imagine someone they had lost. They then asked students to remember all of the people they love in their life.

“I feel like it was the most important part because I felt a connection with everyone around me and I realized that we all go through the same thing, it’s kind of a universal truth,” said Krawzyck.

“What’s exciting about Rachel’s Challenge is it’s not over, we are going to continue spread the message throughout the school year,” said Udisky.

The upholding of the challenge will be presented in many different ways including advisory lessons, activities, and projects that incorporate the entire school. The assembly has already built a large amount

of momentum and it is a priority to keep the chain reaction going.

“Anyone who has any suggestions should please come to me because this is something I don’t want to be just the school year, I want this to be the start of something,” said Udisky.

Although the majority of the student body took something from the presentation in one way or another, some students did not buy into it.

“At certain parts I felt like they were trying too hard to make her story powerful,” said Drew Ballard, a sophomore.

Ballard described the part about the teardrop drawing and the businessman as far-fetched as it made him a little skeptical.

“That kind of ruined it for me but I still took the message behind it,” said Ballard.

The presentation had different reactions from different people.

“I think it’s hard for people, especially teenagers, to separate what’s going on for them and… that outside possibility (of hope),” said Udisky.

Udisky believes that it can sometimes be difficult to get through to people.

Teenagers experience many different hardships of adolescence. Udisky believes that these internal problems can often fog the light of possibility.

§ staff writer

The battle between what is deemed s appropriate and First Amendment righ teenagers is a common problem for s administrators, parents, and teens.

This last school year at a Connecticut school, a teacher read a controversial p about a graphic homosexual encounter AP English class. When parents heard, rage erupted. The teacher resigned ove controversy. His goal was to encourage dents to explore difficult themes. Other not see it his way, though.

“There are things that should be ta and there are things that shouldn’t,” Lauren Manuszak, a senior. “Things ar in the school curriculum to help stu learn about culture and other people.”

In the Tucson Unified School Distric Mexican American program was rem from the school curriculum by the T board in 2012. As a result, TUSD rem hundreds of pieces of literature that been part of the curriculum including a that told the history of the Mexican Rights Movement.

Students and teachers of the Mex American program sued the state, lenging the state on the grounds tha removal of the class is violating their Amendment rights. As a result the TU attempting to resurrect the program it is still being examined by the Ar Department of Education.

“There is a fine line,” said Dr. Steve B the school's principal. “I’m a parent too. look at things from both perspective hard. Someone has to decide if it is ap priate in a school setting.”

Only a few years ago, there w case of censorship issue here at sc over a play that was being read in drama program. Even though the

was not being performed, it had conten made some parents unhappy. As a resul story made local headlines for days.

“The teacher that is presenting the m rial should be responsible to know wh school acceptable is or not,” said Ch McLaughlin, a sophomore.

“I take it upon myself to approve t as a preventative measure,” said Bebee. parents are always open to voice their ion, but if it’s part of the curriculum ado by the governing board, a student ca out of the class or receive an alte assignment.”

There have been many American sic books that have been banned. Som these are read by students in English cl here, such as To Kill a Mockingbird and Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. These b were banned by many schools acros U.S for the same basic principle tha Mexican-American studies are under fi Tucson.

UKIERA RILEY

THE CACTUS SHADOWS P

NEWS, PAGE 4 ;OCTOBER 16, 2015

November 2015

Glenn Sampson discusses his passion for teaching at Cactus Shadows as well as his hobbies and interests outside of school.

“I wanted something that had to do with math but also had something to do with people” said Sampson.

Teaching algebra 1-2 and honors geometry, Sampson is mathematically driven. Originally he was attending college for engineering because of his love for math. Sampson later realized that there was not a sense of conscience in this study.

The aspect of interaction with people is what led Sampson to a career in teaching. As an educator for about three years now, Sampson embraces being an instructor.

“I love teaching at Cactus Shadows, the students here are amazing” said Sampson.

The classroom is a more easygoing environment and because of this the student and teacher are comfortable with each other. Sampson shares that their is a definite sense of humor in each of his classes.

“One of my favorite things in the world is dumb jokes, just really corny jokes that make you roll your eyes and groan,” said Sampson.

Students usually get a kick out of these daily puns despite their silly nature.

“They were corny but I laughed,” said Kailee Mckeon, sophomore and former student.

Sampson is not the only one in the classroom participating in these jokes. He mentions that students never fail to bring him these types of jokes.

“I thought he was cool and laid back,” said Nicole Vian, a sophomore and former student.

Students enjoy the more comfortable atmosphere in the classroom yet there is a primary element of learning at the same time.

“It was nice, everyone would talk to each other for help and it wasn’t a class you couldn’t be open in,” said Mckeon.

With a more relaxed environment, Sampson could form better relationships with his students.

Shifting towards outside the classroom, Sampson’s life is not entirely teaching. One of his many interests include music. Sampson describes his taste as, “Anything ranging from heavy metal to ska punk, anything energetic and fun.”

One of his favorite bands is Kvelertak, which is categorized under the genre of Norwegian death metal. Diversity in music is important to Sampson as he accepts all genres.

Along with listening to music, going to concerts is also one of Sampson’s favorite activities.

“Heavy metal shows are one of my weaknesses,” said Sampson.

Likewise, Sampson’s friends enjoy the same genre of music, so going to concerts with friends is along the same lines of going to shows in general. Their joint interest is what connects them and so the shows are a fun experience for all. Sampson puts emphasis on spending time with the people in his life whether it is at shows or outside of school in general.

“I usually hang out with my friends” said Sampson, describing another one of his favorite pastimes.

Besides concerts, music, and friends, Sampson also enjoys online gaming.

“I play more video games than a grown man should,” said Sampson.

Whether it is first or third person, there is a drawn fascination in the world of online gaming. Video games interest Sampson and he describes them as one of his favorite hobbies. Gaming, music, friends and most importantly teaching are Sampson’s favorite interests and passions.

SPOTLIGHT (NOT PUBLISHED)

FOODIE

Food Moods

M

You are what you eat in more ways than one

ood changes frequently and it depends on a wide range of outside factors. One of these is food.

"It's not the food itself, it's the nutrients that come within it," said Tandehl Collentine.

The different components of food are what affect the chemicals in the brain. This shift in brain chemistry is ultimately what causes changes in attitude.

The nutrients in food can alter the endorphins in the brain having a variety of effects on the body. For example, chocolate increases serotonin in the brain. Serotonin is the endorphin that causes a positive reaction, resulting in a more happy and mood-boosting response.

"An occasional piece of dark chocolate has antioxidants," explains Collentine.

These antioxidants are what boost the feelings of happiness as opposed to irritation or fatigue.

Proteins are also instrumental in improving mental state. Foods like nuts and cheeses increase overall sustainable energy and as a result increases mood. Because proteins sustain blood sugar level and overall energy, they are helpful in improving the condition of the mind.

"Sticking with the proteins will fill you up but keep you from feeling sluggish," says Collentine.

Caffeine is also another natural mood booster. Increasing alertness and productivity, coffee and tea can improve mood greatly. This can also relieve headaches and the general tired feeling.

"Coffee can make my day ten times brighter, something about it brings my day to life," said Nicolette Dorame, a sophomore.

Coffee or tea can have a positive effect but it can also cause anxiety in certain individuals. The aftermath can also result in a fatigued feeling.

Dopamine is another endorphin that causes changes in brain activity. Bananas have an essential amount of dopamine and because of this they can also be used to increase mood.

“I think I associate bananas with being healthy, and I usually feel satisfied with my meal choice,” said Dorame.

18 ■ NOVEMBER 13, 2015

TOP TEN FOODS TO BOOST MOOD

By Kiera Riley

staff writer

Along with foods that can improve mental state, there are foods that can decrease the overall condition of a person.

Maintaining a balanced diet assists in energy. Food choices can determine the overall feeling for any given day.

Processed foods are one of the biggest mood depressants.

Chips, cookies and other similar foods can have a negative effect on the mind. This especially stems from the prescience of trans fats.

These can clog arteries and increase stress.

In the circumstance of fast food, the often unhealthy and processed nature of the meals are what cause the lethargic response.

“I tend to feel really tired and sick afterwards so I try to not eat it a ton,” said Sophia Hancock, a sophomore.

For example, if someone ate fast food all day they would be more likely to be tired and fatigued. On the other hand, if an individual ate healthy proteins, fruits and vegetables throughout the day they would have a significant amount of energy as compared to the unhealthy person.

Sugar can also aggressively alter moods. An excessive amount can cause mood swings. Sodas and candy can be harmful to the body both mentally and physically.

Whether dealing with mental or physical health, healthy eating is important regardless. Keeping in mind the different food groups and proportions can increase overall health. The different items that increase mood should be eaten once everyday. Food does play a significant role in the overall mental and physical state of any given person.

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Berries Chocolate Green tea Bananas Popcorn Avocados Poultry Dark Leafy Greens Eggs Walnuts

Foods like nuts and cheeses increase overall sustainable energy and as a result increases mood. Because proteins sustain blood sugar level and overall energy, they are helpful in improving the condition of the mind.

FOOD, PAGE 18; NOVEMBER 13, 2015 THE CACTUS SHADOWS PRESS

December 2015

STYLE, PAGE 15; DECEMBER 11, 2015 news

AzMerit takes the place of the AIMS test

STUDENTS PROTEST RACIAL ISSUES

ELAINA ROVENSTINE discusses the results of changing tests last minute.

T

HE attempt BY the Arizona

Department for Education to prepare kids for the new wave of standardized testing missed the mark according to the new AzMerit test scores. The scores show that a large number of students scored not or “minimally” proficient.

“Part of the problem was we were preparing for the common core test but then we moved away from it,” said Steve Bebee, school principal. The AzMerit scores reflect the fact that students and teachers did not have enough time to prepare for the change.

“If the board of education keep making new tests with new material the teachers and students are not going to know what's on the test,” said Catie West, a senior. “There are a lot of people who just don't like taking test. The fact that the test did not affect the upper class men at the time means that people probably did not take the test seriously, so the test scores might have been worse then they should have been.”

According to the results, 74 percent of 11th graders scored minimally or partially proficient in English and even worse 71 percent of students scored below proficient in Geometry and Algebra Two. “There were some questions that

By Kiera Riley

made no sense or we simply did not have time to learn the material in class,” said West.

The exam is built off the common core standards which focus on criticalthinking skills and less on memorization making it much more difficult than the old AIMS test. For example the exam has more complex reading passages and math problems including a short essay to explain how students got the answer to the problem.

AzMerit was made intentionally harder than AIMS. The test measures students’ mastery of the 2010 Arizona College and Career Ready Standards, which are more demanding than the standards measured by AIMS. Research has shown that AIMS gave a false picture of the number of students who are ready to start college after high school.

Arizona students got lower marks based on national standards.

“I like the new standards but I’m against standardized testing in general, I think it’s terrible. Standardized testing is a cookie cutter method to see how much a child has learned but kids are anything but cookie cutter,” said Molly Gum, 10th grade English teacher. “The only way to improve the overall test scores is it needs to start earlier on in the education process from the bottom up.”

W SOURCE: SURVEY FROM ARIZIONACENTRAL.COM CONDUCTED ON AUGUST 8

SENATOR HEATHER CARTER TALKS TO GOVERNMENT CLASSES about education and

redistricting. At the end of the presentation the students registered to vote. Seniors Ella Asterino and Ashley Danahy visited Carter after her speech. 4 NICOLE NERI

FOOD, PAGE 16; DECEMBER 11, 2015

4 ■ DECEMBER 11, 2015

§ staff writer

Increasing racial tension, including racial slurs and anonymous comments, has caused students across the country to stage walkouts and protests.

"I think it needs to be discussed more by teachers and students who are educated on the topic. Oftentimes, people say hateful and racist things simply out of ignorance," said Blake Bradshaw, a freshman.

Earlier this year, at Berkeley High School in California, a student used one of the computers in the library to display a message using racial slurs and threats of violence targeted at the students of color on campus.

In light of these actions, the BSU (Black Student Union), staged a walkout. Members of the BSU and their allies gathered the next morning and walked from the school to city hall and through the UC Berkeley Campus.

"Racism like this, whether it was a joke or not, is a serious problem that needs to be addressed. We also wanted to address institutionalized racism, and as allies (non black supporters) that we believe that black lives matter," said Gus Gebhart, a student at Berkeley High School.

Using chants and signs, students showed support for the Black Student Union. “They kept it calm while proving a point and that’s exactly how it should be done,” said Bradshaw.

While racism exists everywhere, hidden prejudices are also a concern.

"Those are the subtle thoughts and comments that often go overlooked but have a way to creep into an otherwise accepting campus culture,” said Geoff Johnson, a history teacher.

Most agree that keeping up a dialogue about race is important.

“The best thing I think we can do is to continue to get the word out about things like this that happen every day, and go unnoticed or unreported,” said Gebhart.

Overt cases of racism are often brought on because of a lack of knowledge.

“The best way for students to involve themselves is to arm themselves with knowledge. You must understand the facts, and then understand how both sides of any issue, interpret those facts,” said Johnson.

Although this incident is resolved, the Berkeley High School students anticipate more race driven conflicts.

NEWS, PAGE 4; DECEMBER 11, 2015 THE CACTUS SHADOWS PRESS

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