My name is Sean Gerbrandt, and this is the first issue we’ve made with all of our new Bruin staff! I am absolutely thrilled to be able to work with such amazing writers and editors. I truly couldn’t have hoped for a better team. But running our magazine is a lot of work so I couldn’t be more happy to have Brooke Anderson working by my side as co-editor.
In this issue we highlight all of the cool opportunities the Natural Resources pathway has to offer. We also cover the state of local politics, technological advancements like the new Tesla Cyborg Robots, why Shari’s is getting shut down and all of the underrepresented clubs our school has to offer.
Thank you so much to our wonderful staff of writers, photographers, and editors for another amazing issue, and to our advisor, Doc Savage. We truly do have an amazing team of passionate, young journalists whom I see massive potential for. Thank you so much for all of your support.
On behalf of everyone in the Bruin, I hope you all have an amazing winter break, but always remember... winter is coming.
-Sean
AT A GLANCE... QUOTE
SPOTLIGHT ON THE MHS BOYS SOCCER TEAM
LEE, PAGE 13
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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Letters should be limited to 200 words and may be subject to editing for libelous and/ or obscene content as well as length. All letters must be signed and names will be published. Submission of material is not a guarantee of publication. Letters may be dropped off in Room B123 or mailed to The Bruin, McMinnville High School, 615 E. 15th St., McMinnville, OR 97128.
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The Bruin Magazine is part of the Moondance Media Group created in 2020 and housed at McMinnville High School in the Media Lab. Moondance also produces Bear Claw Broadcast, The Mac, & The Roar Podcast.
“Winter
EDITORIAL BOARD
Editor SEAN GERBRANDT
Co-Editor BROOKE ANDERSON
News SEAN GERBRANDT
Features BROOKE ANDERSON
Opinions FLETCHER JOHNSON
Sports RIO GYENES
Entertainment CARTER ABERNATHY
What’s Bruin MOLLY GRIBSKOV
REPORTERS AND PHOTOGRAPHERS
BROOKE ANDERSON
CARTER ABERNATHY
CHARLES BALUN
DAUNTE MANDUJANO
NARVESON
EVANGELINE CHAVEZ
FLETCHER JOHNSON
HENRY SEEHAWER
KADEN FAST
KAIDEN LEE
MARIAH BARKLEY
MOLLY GRIBSKOV
RIO GYENES
RUBY RIDDLE
SCOUT JONES
SEAN GERBRANDT
JULIN STEPHENS
Advisor
KERRIE SAVAGE
SEAN GERBRANDT
THE SHARI’S SHUTDOWN
WRITTEN BY FLETCHER JOHNSON WITH PHOTOS FROM FLICKR
WRITTEN BY CARTER ABERNATHY AND PHOTOS FROM WIKIMEDIA AND FLIKR
Oregon was home to 42 Shari’s Cafe restaurants at the beginning of 2024 but unfortunately, it is now down to 17 restaurants as of November 2024. This is the first time Shari’s has widely shut down many of their restaurants in such a short amount of time. Shari’s gets its name from a woman named Sharon Bergquist. She and her husband Ron Bergquist first started a restaurant together in 1978. Since then it has become an extremely well known company for being a nice place to get breakfast with a friend or just to go have lunch at. Shari’s is best known for their unique hexagonal building design, famous pies, breakfast and pie milkshakes. Ron had a vision of making the menu out of traditional comfort foods and pies which many would say he succeeded in. Shari’s had won many awards at the National Pie Championships in Orlando, Florida for its signature pies in 2010, three gold medals in 2012, and four gold medals in 2013 for the various competitions they participated in. The restaurant started closing down in the middle of October due to financial problems such as lawsuits of which they owe nearly $900,000 to the Oregon lottery which resulted in the numerous eviction notices. After speaking to a few students and staff at our high school it has become extremely clear just how much Shari’s will be missed. I interviewed two students and two teachers here at McMinnville High school to see what their favorite food and/ or desert was from Shari’s Cafe & Pies, as well as a memory they had there. Scout Jones, a senior at McMinnville High School said, “As a kid we spent every Christmas morning eating breakfast at Shari’s. Shari’s isn’t only about the food, it was a place you could always go to after school sports games to spend time with the team, but I did really like their stuffed hash browns.” Mr. Gray, a teacher here at McMinnville High School said, “Shari’s was a very nostalgic place for me. It was a great breakfast place but also a right of passage for any young person for them to go to gather there with their friends at night after sports games.”
He also remarked that his favorite food from the Shari’s menu was their “Thanksgiving Sandwich”. When asked about her experience at our local Shari’s, Rio Gyenes, a junior here at McMinnville High School responded with, “I would get strawberry milkshakes there. I’ve even gone there for my birthday.” Ms. Savage, another teacher here at McMinnville High School said, “My favorite memory was when on the last day of senior college writing, I would take my students to Shari’s. They always had the big middle table reserved for us and we would all eat dessert for our last day. My personal favorite dessert would have to be their apple pie with ice cream.” Despite all of the unfortunate events Shari’s has faced, they will always be remembered for their accomplishments, warmth and overall as a great restaurant that has been a significant part of so many people’s lives and memories.
BANNING BOOKS AT MHS
WRITTEN BY MOLLY GRIBSKOV WITH PHOTOS FROM FLICKR
“There are several books in the high school library that do not meet the standard of educational suitability. They are pervasively vulgar, sexually graphic and obscene.” This is the complaint that was received by the McMinnville School District on June 11, 2024 regarding seven titles within the high school library. The titles under investigation were “Beyond Magenta,” “Me, Earl and the Dying Girl’” “Looking for Alaska,” “Perfect,” “Glass,” “Smoke” and “Tricks.” The majority of what these novels discuss is mental health, sexuality and death, yet they do contain the content that was mentioned in the complaint to some extent. On top of those titles, the main complainant, Cindy Allen, also desired “Gender Queer” a memoir and “Let’s Talk About It” to be removed from MHS’s library, due to how explicit the two graphic novels are. McMinnville High School officials saw validity in Allen’s reasoning and as a result, they removed the two graphic novels from the library. In September, the News Register released an article on Allen’s Banning Books at MHS continues on the next page
BANNING BOOKS AT MHS (CONTINUED)
WRITTEN BY MOLLY GRIBSKOV
efforts in book banning, where the author of the article stated Allen’s successful removal of the two titles was done in unity with the organization entitled Parents Rights in Education, which is involved in an ongoing conservative movement to restrict books with topics of race and sexuality, along with other sensitive subjects, from schools. Regardless of the complainant’s success with the removal of “Gender Queer” and “Let’s Talk About It,” the other seven novels were sent to the district level to be reviewed over the summer. Just days after the complaint was received, on June 13th, a committee composed of 7 district patrons and staff met in order to set up an investigation into Allen’s complaints. A second meeting was then held on June 20th, which is when Allen discussed her complaints in person with the seven members of the board. In the Challenged Materials Committee Report, it is mentioned that Allen referenced an Oregon law, as well as a board policy that she believed pertained to her complaint. The law in question that she referred to was ORS 167.080, and it states that displaying obscene content to minors is illegal. Board policy IIABA was also brought up by Allen on June 20th. Policy IIABA talks about allowed movie ratings, those being: G, PG or PG-13 for the high-school level. After doing thorough research on the law and policy above, the committee determined that no action should be taken in regards to this portion of
Allen’s complaint. After months of deliberating, discussions and meetings, the committee reached a decision on the seven titles that Allen wanted removed. Ultimately, each title was determined to be supplementary material, met library selection criteria, were not inherently vulgar or unsuitable and on top of that, each of the seven novels were to be retained without restriction. As a result each of these seven titles can still be found in the MHS library today for any student who wishes to read them.
LOCAL POLITICS
In 2022, the former Mayor of McMinnville Oregon was Scott Hill who resigned due to personal problems after serving as Mayor for 6 years. After Hill resigned, the Council of McMinnville unanimously voted Remy Drabkin to be the next mayor. Around 2022, challenger Kim Morris also started her political involvement. In the months leading up to the 2024 election, Kim Morris started campaigning for the position of mayor and intends to work on programs that will help make our streets safer. Kim Morris is a native to McMinnville and worked for many years in finance. Having experience, she and her husband
started their own business which has been running for about 35 years now. Morris states, “I have a skill for multi-tasking. I like to be busy.” After she got involved in politics, one of her first actions was setting up a local task force, mainly focused on homelessness and preventing crime. Through a strong support base and a formal structure, Morris credits the group for enacting measures to reinforce school zones and reform homeless encampments. Morris also hopes to generate new job opportunities and create more affordable housing. Remy Drabkin has done a lot for McMinnville in the short time that she’s been here. She’s worked and collaborated with local groups to better McMinnville’s infrastructure and housing, while also opening new opportunities to the town. Drabkin has also been bringing back previously shelved projects that have been put aside for a long time, including the Parks and Recreation project. This project aims to add an Aquatic center, a Community center and a Senior center. This project is another one of Remy’s plans to bring people together and have a more communicative and encouraging community. One of the biggest issues that have faced McMinnville is homelessness and Remy intends to greatly reduce it given enough time. She stated that “the city receives no money to address housing, drugs, mental health, so we need a collaborative response.” Although the race was close, we now welcome Kim Morris to the seat of mayor. Although a lot of people at our high school cannot vote, we would love to hear your thoughts in a letter to the editor. Needless to say we will be reporting on Mayor Morris’s plans as they develop.
WRITTEN BY FLETCHER JOHNSON WITH PHOTOS FROM KIM MORRIS’S CAMPAINE PAGE
TESLA ROBOTS
WRITTEN BY CHARLES BALUN WITH
PHOTOS FROM WIKIMEDIA
In the last decade the development of technology has been pushed further than thought possible and AI has been at the forefront of it all. AI alone is a controversial subject with many being in favor of this new technology while others remain skeptical and worry about its potential for misuse. Pair this with the company Tesla which is notorious for incorporating the latest technology into their products and what do you get? Perhaps one of the most controversial inventions known to date. Introducing Optimus or the Tesla Bot. Optimus is a humanoid robot designed with the intention of accomplishing repetitive, boring and even dangerous tasks that normally a human would be tasked to do. Tesla’s CEO Elon Musk stated that the robot will be able to “be a teacher, babysit your kids, walk your dog, mow your lawn and get the groceries. Whatever you can think of, it will do.” It will be able to do these things using the same AI that has been incorporated into other Tesla products such as their vehicles. This humanoid robot was first announced by Elon Musk as a concept back in 2021. It wouldn’t be until September the following year that the first prototypes of the Tesla Bot were revealed at the company’s second “AI Day”. During this event, the robot was shown to be able to do basic
LITTERING IN MAC
WRITTEN BY DAUNTE MANDUJANO NARVESON
things such as walking and waving. While intriguing, it was still a prototype and it would still need to be developed further. In December of 2023, Musk revealed generation 2 of this project on his X page in a video titled “Optimus”. In this video, the robot was capable of accomplishing tasks such as handling delicate objects and even dancing. This was a big step for the project and it captured the attention of many including critics and competing companies. Critics pointed out how the robot was not capable of doing tasks autonomously and that it needed to be piloted by a human. Competitors followed up by showcasing how their technology could achieve similar tasks without the assistance of a human. As of June of this year, Musk stated that he hopes to have Optimus in limited production in 2025 and that it will be available for consumers to purchase for a price ranging between $20,000 to $30,000. Although the company’s CEO claims it will be able to do whatever you can think of, there are still some restraints. For example, a single robot can only lift a maximum of 45 lbs and can only achieve a top speed of 5mph. Despite this however, many don’t like the direction the future is heading and how quickly this technology is advancing. Only time will tell what it’s capable of.
Students from the McMinnville High School have been leaving trash around the school, nearby neighborhoods and even at stores in close proximity to the school. Although we are aware that most students do not litter it is the ones that do who seem to do it excessively. While it is true that occasionally the outside trash can get too full to carry more garbage, that generally isn’t the case. The real problem seems to be students who are just too lazy to find proper places to dispose of their trash. This has gotten so bad in fact that on November 12th, Principal Furman sent out a message on student square addressing this exact issue. “I want to ask our students to commit to being good neighbors. To exhibit empathy by considering how our actions make our neighbors feel, to practice ownership by taking responsibility if we make a mistake and to be respectful of our shared spaces and the shared environment by being mindful of our actions when we are out in the neighborhood.” In an interview with Principal Furman, he was asked if he had any ideas that might help reduce the amount of trash around the school. “I’ve heard of schools having a requirement of service hours for their students. Service hours could be used to support our janitor staff and I’m not opposed to this idea.” No changes are set to be put in motion at present to address this issue but systems like this have a potential to be put in place if the situation gets even worse. It’s important to treat the surrounding environment with the same respect as you’d want around your house. Being caught littering could have you charged with “offensive littering” which is against state law. It’s classified as a Class C misdemeanor, which could result in a fine up to $500 and potential jail time of up to 30 days, though specific penalties may vary depending on the circumstances and any repeated offenses, under section 164.805 for state law. This really shouldn’t even need to be as big of an issue as it is; just use a trash can, it’s really not that hard. 5
Some Snowtastic Mac Activities
Story By: Molly Gribskov
This winter break, many of the McMinnville public spaces are hosting a multitude of activities for community members to participate in. During the week of December 16th to the 21st, citizens of McMinnville are invited to craft ornaments at the Aquatic Center. On the following day, December 17th, the library is hosting kiddo play time from 10-11, which recurs until the 20th. That evening, the community center is presenting an elf factory, which is open to the public from 3:30 to 6:30. The elf factory serves as a time for people to create crafts to give as gifts for the impending holiday season. On the 18th, people are invited to pick up a sheet from the community center, pool, or library in order to participate in an activity entitled find the gnomes. Participants are to go to each of the three aforementioned places in order to find a gnome in each building. By completing the sheet, the participant will be entered in a prize drawing. Two days later, on the 20th, the community center is putting on a teen makerspace, in order to provide teenagers with a place to create crafts. The next day, children are able to drop off their stuffed animals at the library for a stuffie sleepover.
On top of that, the community center is hosting basketball, which is from 10:30 to 2. The succeeding week, on the 23rd, the Aquatic Center is distributing coffee and cocoa from 6 to 1. Family swim is also happening on the same day at the Aquatic Center, during 12 through 1:30. Later on, lego building can be found at the community center on the same day, which can be attended from 3:30 to 5:30. On the following day, the 24th, the community center is hosting a candy cane scavenger hunt from 9-12. On Christmas Day all public facilities will be closed. The community center is also closed on the 26th, but the remaining two facilities will be open to the public. Stuffie pickup occurs at the library on the 26th, so anyone who dropped off their stuffed animal should collect it by 6. December 27th is filled with activities, such as pickleball from 9-1, and following that, basketball from 1:30-7. The Aquatic Center is also hosting family swim from 12-1, and after that, teen gaming can be found at the library during the hours of 6:308:30. The community center is opening Tiny Tots to all families for free on the 28th from 9-1:30.
Additionally, during 11:3012:00, family stuffie storytime can be attended at the library. Starting on the 30th of December, all are invited to craft thank you cards at the library any time of day. Family swim is on the 30th as well, during the same hours as mentioned above. On New Year’s Eve, which is the 31st, the library is throwing a party from 11:30 to 12:30 in order to ring in the new year. Free Tiny Tots is again happening at the community center, but from 9-5 this time. On January 1st, all facilities will again be closed due to the holiday. The one event occurring on the 2nd is indoor track, at the community center during the hours of 9-7:30. January 3rd marks the final day of winter break entertainment, with events such as family swim and teen gaming occurring at the aforementioned times and locations. However, the community center is hosting a new event on the same day from 4-6, which is entitled snowy games. If you are interested in learning more about these events, the McMinnville website has significantly more information.
Photos By: Carter Abernathy
Sources of Strength at MHS
and The Mikalynn Jayde Morris Memorial Fund
Beginning second semester, MHS guidance department in conjunction with leadership is excited to introduce the Sources of Strength program, a student-led initiative designed to promote mental health, resilience, and positive social connections among students. With a growing emphasis on emotional well-being in schools nationwide, this program aims to create a supportive and inclusive environment where all students can thrive. MHS will offer two classes of 30 students each to receive training. The Sources of Strength program is based on the idea that students have many internal and external sources of strength that can help them navigate the challenges of life. These sources include positive relationships, personal values, spirituality, mentors, family, and other supports that build resilience and foster mental wellness. The program’s mission is to help students recognize and strengthen these sources, while also building a culture of support and understanding within the school community. At the core of the program is peer leadership. The select group of students, known as Peer Leaders, will be trained by ASB Advisor Lucy Bertolo and guidance counselor Georgine Benner to facilitate discussions, activities, and outreach related to mental health, stress management, and the importance of seeking help when needed. These students will serve as role models, working closely with both their peers and faculty to break the stigma surrounding mental health issues and to promote healthy coping strategies. Throughout the semester, students will participate in a variety of activities that focus on building connections and exploring the sources of strength available to them. These may include group discussions, workshops, and awareness campaigns. By engaging in these activities, students will not only deepen their understanding of resilience but also learn how to identify and reach out to trusted adults and peers for support during challenging times. Additionally, the program promotes an open dialogue about mental health by encouraging students to share their own experiences and learn from each other. This creates an atmosphere of empathy, where students feel more comfortable discussing their struggles and seeking help when needed. The program also emphasizes the importance of self-care, teaching students strategies to manage stress, stay balanced, and maintain emotional well-being.The Sources of Strength program is a valuable addition to our school’s efforts to support student mental health. By equipping students with the tools they need to build resilience and foster supportive relationships, we are taking an important step toward creating a safer, more connected school environment. We look forward to seeing how this program will positively impact our school community in the months to come.
Mikalynn Morris was an inspiring girl to everyone who knew her. She aided in Life Skills classes and helped out her peers. The Mikallynn Jayde Morris Memorial Fund was started by her parents Mike and Katie McGanty, with the help of her grandparents, Mike and Kim Morris. This scholarship will be awarded to a qualified McMinnville High School student who wants to have further education and pursue a career in teaching in Special Education. Other areas of this fund hope to support mental health, suicide awareness and prevention. This community has been so generous to the fund and the family. People can go to local businesses in Mac who hold fundraisers such as, Two Dog Tap House, Coveted Beauty, La Bella Casa, Freddie Lamb and Bottens Rental, who put on special offers going towards the scholarship. You can also make donations through sending checks to McMinnville Community Fund. Any donation, support, or advocacy for this scholarship is greatly appreciated. To anyone who is struggling with grief or feelings of uncertainty, know you are not alone. It’s okay to feel the way you feel. If you know someone is struggling with such topics or you are, reach out and ask for help. Be brave, be kind, and speak up, because you never know what someone else could be going through. Places to reach out to are: Oregon
Warmline (a nonjudgmental support line with trained peers to help 24/7) 1-800-696-2393
Suicide Hotline: 988
Community Fund ref. Mikalynn Jayde Morris Fund and mail to 1271 Ne Hwy 99W 3446 McMinnville, Oregon 97128
Story By: Brooke Anderson With Photos Provided By: Ms Bertolo and Wiki Media
Explore the Natural Resource Pathway
A spotlight on the Natural Resource Pathway
Story By: Daunte Mandujano Narveson
The Natural Resource Pathway offers many opportunities for students to engage with the nature filled world around us through a more hands on approach. Horticulture, being one of the class in the Natural Resources Pathway, is taught by Mr. Altree in the greenhouse. In this class you learn about plant identification, propagation, and general garden maintenance. Every year there’s a plant sale near Mother’s Day, and during the months leading to this you fill out orders, check inventory, then grow them. This event not only puts all their skills learned to the test but provides a small glimpse into the business and logistical aspects of horticulture as an industry. In an interview with Mr. Altree, when asked about potential plans to further improve the pathway he states that he wanted “more on site gardening opportunities” for his students to utilize in his classes. Mr. DeYoung teaches introduction to outdoor research, field research, forest ecology, and fisheries biology. In introduction to outdoor research you learn the more rudimentary skills of doing research in the woods like how to read maps and determining the height of a tree. Fisheries biology covers the biology, ecology, identification, and management of the various fish species of Oregon.
In forestry you dive into learning about forest types, policies, management practices, cultural uses, and even the industry as a whole behind it all. Every class taught in the Natural Resource Pathway is designed to be very active and practical in the areas they explore. Whether they’re conducting field research or cultivating plants, they gain valuable experience that will prepare them for life long careers in environmental science, forestry or agriculture. This pathway is perfect for students who prefer to learn in a more hands on way and want to try to make a positive impact on the environment. So if after reading all of this it sounds like something you might be interested in, definitely give it a try and if you end up finishing the pathway you’ll be equipped with skills you can carry with you long after graduation.
Photos By: Charles Balun
Forensics Club:
STORY AND PHOTO BY:
FLETCHER JOHNSON
If you’re interested in the criminal justice pathway or just looking for something a little bit more spooky, Forensics Club might be for you! In this club you will learn how to analyze blood splatters, operate in a crime scene, and process evidence. You also write reports based on what you learn and then apply all of these skills to the SkillsUSA Conference this April. The Forensics Club meets at Adam’s Campus every Tuesday after school at 3:30 in room 117. Make sure to check it out if it sounds like something you might want to participate in.
Philosophy Club:
Discover the some of the Overlookedclubs at MHS
Story By: Sean Gerbrant with Photos Provided by: WikiMedia
Do you have free will? If so, you might want to find your way to E106 every Wednesday during lunch to tackle some of life’s biggest questions. In this club you will watch videos about philosophers and their takes on the world, after this, the class will discuss what they think about its validity and application to the modern world. Philosophy Club members can also recommend philosophy subjects for the class to talk about in their Google Classroom. Just to be clear, this is not a debate club, and the members hope to explore the concepts rather than argue them. If you’re ready to solve all of life’s issues, reach out to Beetle Jones. Who knows, maybe someday the club will be studying you.
Ukulele Club:
If you want to learn an instrument but can’t afford lessons, look no further than our very own Ukulele Club! Absolutely no experience is required for you to attend, and it’s completely noncommittal. If you decide you don’t enjoy it, you don’t have to stay, and you can even swing by the club just to listen and hang out. If you spend enough time learning though you can eventually check out one of the instruments to take home and practice with. Song and instructional books are also available for those who want them. All of this will be available at Adam’s Campus in room 210 during Thursdays at lunch with Mike Fair.
Jewelry Club:
If you’re into doing arts and crafts, Jewelry Club might be right up your alley. You can make almost any type of jewelry as well, like necklaces, hairpins, earrings or bracelets. This is also a club in which those who participate can make money by selling the jewelry you make, with 90% of the earnings going to you and 10% going back to funding the club. The Jewelry Club also sends its products to the Magick Attic on Third Street to be sold to the masses. You can also choose from the various metals they have using funding they earn, like aluminum, copper and bronze. The club meets every Tuesday from 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM in the welding room at the CTC building and will be at the Metal Arts Show in the Yamhill County Heritage Center this weekend on December 14th for those who are interested.
THE 2024 MUSIC RECAP
STORY BY MOLLY GRIBSKOV
2024 was a significant year for music, as many major artists such as Taylor Swift, Ariana Grande, Sabrina Carpenter, Beyoncé, Billie Eilish, Post Malone, Charli XCX, and Gracie Abrams, on top of several other musicians, all released albums. With these albums came several inescapable hit songs that plagued radios and music streaming sites for weeks on end, particularly “I Had Some Help”, “Not Like Us”, and the infamous “A Bar Song (Tipsy)”. Despite the aforementioned massive hits, Taylor Swift’s “The Tortured Poets Department” was the album that sold the most units during 2024, seeing as it amassed millions of streams and spent 17 weeks atop the Billboard charts. Though Charli XCX’s album “Brat” was not the biggest commercial success, it was indeed a massive cultural phenomena. During the summer, “Brat” was everywhere, and was utilized by hordes of people, as teenagers to massive brands all participated in trends generated by “Brat”. “Brat” even had relevance in the United States presidential election, which occurred due to Charli XCX tweeting in July that, “kamala IS brat.”. Charli XCX’s tweet sparked even more trends regarding “Brat”, as social media users began making edits of Kamala
Harris, one of the candidates running for president, to music from the “Brat” album. 2024 was also the year of one of the biggest musical conflicts to date, which included Kendrick Lamar and Drake. After the two rap megastars continually threw insults at each other for years, the tension between Kendrick and Drake came to a head in April of this year. Drake dropped his first two diss-tracks regarding Kendrick, which were entitled “Pushups”, and “TaylorMade Freestyle”, which had to be removed from streaming services due to misuse of AI. 6 days later, Kendrick responded with his own 6 minute diss-track called “Euphoria”, where he directly stated many of the things that he utterly despised about Drake. Days later, Kendrick followed up with “6:16 in LA”, and in this song, Kendrick claimed that Drake’s record label, OVO, was working for him. 14 hours later, Drake released his third rebuttal, “Family Matters”, a song that made claims of infidelity within Kendrick’s relationship with his fiancée. Minutes later, “Meet the Grahams” was released by Kendrick, where he made claims about Drake hiding a secret daughter, and being a bad parent, on top of many other things. “Not Like Us”, an incredulously accusatory diss-track by Kendrick was released hours and was his final, and most popular diss-track, seeing as it went #1 on the Billboard charts. Drake did respond later with “The Heart Pt. 6”, which did not garner nearly as much attention as “Not Like Us”. This served as the end of Kendrick and Drake’s conflict, which led to many people online stating that Kendrick was the clear winner over Drake. As the reader, what do you personally think about some of the conflicts and musical events that occurred in 2024?
HIDDEN TALENTS AT MHS
Talent #1 Noah
When we asked Noah if he had any hidden talents, he first said no and that he could do nothing special. but after asking him some follow up questions we quickly got a great talent out of him. Noah can spin a basketball on his finger for several minutes at a time without dropping it. he said “it’s not much of a talent but I don’t know anyone that can do it as long as me”. I asked “who can we go to in order to confirm this?” to which he answered “my dad, he’s seen me do it”. sadly we could not get in contact with his dad so we’re going to have to take his word on this.
When we interviewed christian he started off by saying that he could read minds and could sometimes even foresee the future. we weren’t really sure how to confirm this, as he said he couldn’t read my mind due to body language? He did say though that he could tell I didn’t believe him and that is correct however that’s not really a mind read and more of an obvious answer. He said I just needed to trust him, so let’s ask the audience, do we think he’s telling the truth?
Riley was the last person we interviewed and he said “I am insane at Fortnite… I don’t think anyone in this school could beat me one on one” I was kind of taken back by this answer, as it was not what I was expecting coming from the first team all league running back. he said that he’d rather just sit at home and play the game then go do anything and because of that he has become insanely good at not just Fortnite but other games too. I asked him who he’s putting in his squad and he said Noah Neuschwanger, Brayden mix, and Jude Becher, so shout out to you guys!
STORY AND PHOTOS BY HENRY SEEHAWER
Neuschwanger
Talent #2 Christian Pastrano
Talent #3 Riley Donahue
NOSTALGIC MEDIA
STORY BY CARTER ABERNATHY AND PHOTOS BY CREATIVE COMMONS
Nostalgia. A feeling that makes us look fondly back on memories we made from things we’ve done. In particular, we seem to look fondly back on movies and shows. The things that we remember watching so long ago, but have forgotten recently. These shows and movies we may remember from our childhood, or just from long ago. But still, let’s take a look at some of the media that we may have remembered. Each of these shows bring a bright place in memories to the people who watched them. Firstly, looking back on some past shows, and some of the first ones that come to mind are shows released on programs. For example, PBS kids released multiple popular kids shows at the time, some main examples being Martha Speaks and Odd Squad. Both these shows were popular with the kids who watched them. Martha Speaks was about a dog who learned to speak after eating an entire bowl of Alphabet Soup. The show was nostalgic to many people, as it was released in 2008, around the year that many high school seniors and sophomores were born. Odd Squad was another PBS kids show, although it was released more recently, in around 2014. The show was about an agency of kids, who would often find themselves in situations where they would need to use math to solve them. Many people, like myself, enjoyed both of these shows as a kid. Another amazing and nostalgic piece of media people may have forgotten is Spirited Away. A movie about a girl who moves to a new place, inadvertently stumbling upon a village filled with different supernatural creatures, forcing her to work until she can find a way to save her parents. This movie became pretty popular, and is still talked about today. Another movie some of you may recognize is The Muppet Movie. A movie where the main muppet, Kermit, is trying to start a movie career. So, he takes a trip around the country, picking up more
muppets along the way. This was released further back, in around 1979, but many people still remember it to this day. One last piece of media that some of you may have remembered is the classic DuckTales! While it has gotten a recent reboot, the classic ducktales is still popular by those who watched it when they were younger. Similar to the remake, it followed the McDuck family. They often went on different adventures, usually treasure hunts, and met many enemies along the way. Not only did DuckTales succeed as a show, but they ended up making a movie and like what was mentioned previously, a reboot! While these movies and shows may not be as popular today as they were back then, they still have a place in people’s hearts and minds. With the new year coming up, maybe consider giving some of them a watch. Who knows what memories could be made?
THE WINTER FORMAL
One of the most exciting school dances besides Prom is McMinnville High School’s annual Winter Formal dance which will be hosted this year on December 14th. This is a dance that students of all grades can participate in and enjoy with friends. Dances offer a moment for students to let go of all their school stress, to get ready on a Saturday afternoon and simply dance their heart away so make sure to be there if your schedule allows for it! The Winter Formal started around 8:00 PM and ended at 11:00 PM. And, just in case attending a formal dance seems out of your budget, our high school hosted an after-school winter-formal shopping event, where students could get all sorts of free accessories like dresses, shirts, pants and shoes. This was hosted on December 5th in the activities lobby, going from 3:30 PM to 5:00 PM. If you choose to attend the after-school winter-formal shopping event, all attendees got put into a raffle to for a free ticket for winter formal as well. The dance also offered snacks and drinks to students. Lastly, we would like to give a special thanks to all staff and chaperones that helped bring together this wonderful event, helping with the music, decorations and planning of activities. Winter Formal would not have been as successful as it was without you. We hope everyone who chose to attend the event had a blast.
STORY BY RIO GYENES AND PHOTO BY DAUNTE MANDUJANO NARVESON
BEHIND THE SCENES:
CHEERLEADING
Sports games are one of the most anticipated and spirited events of the school year, events that all students merge together to not only watch sports, but the MHS cheer team as well. Many people misunderstand the amount of discipline, hard work, dedication, and athleticism that it takes to be a cheerleader. With the full commitment and wholeheartedness of many MHS students, and the help of several coaches to improve their athletic skills. Tracy Brandt, the head coach of the MHS varsity team, says, “My favorite thing about coaching is when I have athletes that start as a freshmen and go all away to their senior year, just to see how they grow, how they mature, how they handle life situations from their freshman year to their senior year.” To get to the finished result of the final routine to when the MHS cheerleaders make everything they do look so effortless with their perfect technique, and the causal flow of every difficult move. Achieving this point, takes the team to start prepping as early as August, first starting the season with a 4-day camp run by the National Cheerleading Association.Tracy states, “We go to one of the universities and we have NCA staff that run those camps, and that’s where we get our foundation for the year for the level of stunting we’re capable of doing, and some of the material that we learn.” As they have already finished the football season, Tracy describes this year’s Varsity team as, “...,hardworking, coachable, and kind and caring team members.” Meanwhile, now the team is facing immense pressure for the upcoming competition cheerleading season, we are left to wonder if MHS grizzlies will keep up the winning streak, and win a 4th state championship in total. The team receives help from numerous people to ensure they give their best performance regarding state championships. Other than Tracy Brant, our dedicated well-experience coach of 28 years, she additionally confides with different choreographers, and multitudes of assistant coaches. One choreographer from Texas, Brain Cao, and Tara Mahoney originating from Oregon both collaborate working hard on the final routine. Rogelio Rosales, an assistant coach who Tracy Brandt confides in with often, is also hired by the National Cheerleading Association and teaches at summer camps all over the West Coast. His help involves stunting, and precision in analyzing the final routines, keeping it up-to-date for technique. Along with a recent addition to the varsity team is assistant coach Paulette Bohan, this is her second year of coaching, Brandt remarks, “I am so pleased to have her on the coaching staff. She leads with confidence and a calmness that is needed.” At long last, JV coaches Nancy Macias Tapia and Malayna McCormick, prepare the future members for varsity.
STORY BY RIO GYENES
PHOTOS BY KEALA YATES
STORY BY RUBY RIDDLE, MOLLY GRIBSKOV AND SCOUT JONES
PHOTOS BY KAIDEN LEE
Last year the lady grizzlies made it into the second round of playoffs two years in a row as well as secured the Pacific Conference league title (sharing with the Sherwood Bowmen). For the last portion of the season the grizzlies were ranked third in state for Girls 6A basketball. In Macie Arzner’s (12) and the point guard on the team, words, “This season I am looking forward to making it farther than we did last year into the playoffs. Though we did lose a lot of seniors I feel our team chemistry is as strong if not stronger than last year and we have great potential moving forward”.
For this current swimming season, both the girls and boys divisions of the MHS swim team will be attempting to defend their previously earned district title. Sophomore swimmer Abby Magers stated that, “Although some of our varsity seniors left last year, we have a great attitude and a fast team that wants to win.”
Hannah Weisz is the guard captain for marching band, Lydia Barton who’s in charge of disseminating information from band leadership down, and Margo Gyenes who’s in charge of uniforms and equipment. Along with Barton, the guard instructor Lexy Pattison uses her expertise to help coach the performers. Winterguard hosts experience days that encourage those that have any sort of interest to come try Winterguard. Barton emphasizes the fact that Winterguard is creating a show for an appreciative audience is second to none, and extremely gratifying. The ever-growing wrestling team hit over 70 team members last year and is expected to exceed that number during this upcoming season. Coach Jordan Barich states that within the first few weeks, the team captains will be voted on by the rest of the team. The wrestling program’s first competition will be early December, with their first home tournament January 4th.
PLAYOFFS: BOYS SOCCER A HEARTBREAKING GAME WINTER SPORTS
STORY BY KAIDEN LEE
PHOTOS BY KAIDEN LEE
After the McMinnville boys soccer team qualified for the playoffs by winning the league title with a record of 5 wins, 0 losses, and 1 draw. They faced Sandy High School at home in the first round of the playoffs, where they secured a 1-0 victory. In the second round, they played against Roosevelt High School at home and achieved a comfortable 3-1 win. The quarterfinals saw them go up against Franklin High School at home, where they triumphed with a score of 2-1. The boys then advanced to the semifinals, facing Grant High School in a hard-fought match that ended in a 2-1 victory, qualifying them for the state championship final for the first time since 2017. The championship match was intense; the boys scored 2 goals in the first half, but Jesuit managed to equalize with 2 goals in the final minutes, forcing the game into overtime. After a tense overtime period, the match went to penalty kicks, where the boys unfortunately lost 4-2. Despite the loss in the final, we are incredibly proud of the team for their remarkable journey through the playoffs and their outstanding performance throughout the season.
Top 3 Worst Christmas Tradi tions
By Rio Gyenes with photos from Flickr
1. Caroling
Caroling is one Christmas tradition that you don’t often see anymore, as over the years it seems to be growing out of popularity. Yet, maybe an unpopular opinion, but caroling should definitely be more normalized as a daily Christmas tradition, and be brought back into the spotlight. Being the receiving hand, and actually getting carolers on my doorstep, that would be a fascinating experience. Hearing a group of strangers singing their lovely harmonizing version of Jingle Bell Rock or Holly Jolly Christmas, you just have to admit it is entertaining. Caroling is certainly an interesting tradition of the holidays, and a great way to torment your neighbors with your holiday jolliness.
2. Building gingerbread houses
At the end of every time I buy a gingerbread house kit, where I was once excited, I find myself ending up somewhat disappointed with my collapsed or slanted gingerbread house, and a stomach filled with gumdrops and frosting. The frosting never actually acts like a “glue” to keep the gingerbread houses standing up straight and that’s the frustrating part about this tradition. I feel like you have to be a genuinely artisticallyskilled person to make your gingerbread house to some degree presentable. So, building gingerbread houses is mega overrated. Despite this, I still buy gingerbread houses every year to make with a friend, but there’s better traditions.
3. Hiding an Elf On The Shelf
Elf on the shelf was a cruel tradition meant to scare little children, by the idea that an elf in contact with Santa is moving inch by inch everyday as December 25th starts to peep up. Elf on the Shelf began this horrible tradition in its debut in 2005 with a children’s book, “The Elf on the Shelf: A Christmas Tradition” and it blew up in popularity and is now a part of many households during Christmas season. This was petrifying for when you’re a little kid in elementary school thinking that an object is changing positions every winter morning. In my elementary school days, I would personally obsess over Elf on the Shelf YouTube videos that would contain “evidence” that elf’s were caught on camera moving, I would receive nightmares. So, I feel like this was more of a strange Christmas tradition, than just solely fun.
Alarming 2024 Pokemon Leak
By
Earlier this year, one of the most famous companies in the world, Pokemon, faced one of the biggest leaks they have ever seen. A massive leak that not only gave us an insight to beta design, ideas, and jarring stories that have never been seen by the public before, but also something that caused many of gamefreaks employees to have their information stolen. On October 12th of this year, pieces of information began to spread like wildfire all over the internet, revealing beta designs and lore that a hacker was able to get from GameFreak. This sudden and massive leak of information was shocking to most, including me, and even made Gamefreak come out and make a statement about it. According to Polygon.com, “Game Freak published a statement days earlier confirming that it had been hacked in August. Game Freak said more than 2,600 employees’ information was stolen, but did not state whether game data had been taken.” This means that not only was the Hacker able to get all this information about beta things, but they were also able to find Employee’s private information. This was pretty shocking, and in my opinion is pretty terrifying, considering people’s personal lives were at stake. People are unsure of what the hacker used to get this information, but the same website, Polygon.com says, “On Oct. 22, an anonymous X account called Centro Leaks shared a screenshot of a GitLab admin account, suggesting the hacked data from the August breach
Rio is a Junior who enjoys writing opinion and news stories.
Carter Abernathy with photos from Creazilla
Scout is a Senior who enjoys writing sports and opinions stories.
OPINIONS
Best Christmas Movies
By Scount Jones
Christmas movies are an integral part of the holiday season. Those who celebrate can recognize that movies portray holiday spirit, and are sometimes a little unrealistic, but provide hope and joy around Christmas. There are many light-hearted Christmas movies that I watch annually that many neglect when it comes to choosing a movie. While you have the classics like Elf, Polar Express, Christmas story, etc. that are significant to the holiday season, there are also so many that go unseen. If you’re interested in romantic comedies then I’d suggest, “While You Were Sleeping.” It focuses on both Christmas, but also a budding romance, with Sandra Bullock as the lead actress. It’s really cute, and I think a lot more thought out than most hallmarklike romantic comedies. There are also many family-based movies that are perfect for the holidays. The movie “Jingle All the Way” is a charming movie that is following the life of Arnold Schwarzenegger trying to balance work and family, while also trying to get his kid his dream superhero present. I watch it every year while making cookies, and it’s perfect, especially if you like the Christmas Parade. One of the big scenes focuses on a parade similar to the Macy’s day parade and is super nostalgic. The “Santa Clause” 1 through 4 are similar, Tim Allen suddenly takes on the role of Santa Claus, and is trying to raise his son just like other kids while managing the north pole. Tim Allen istrying to hide being Santa Clause, even though his kid is dead set that he is, causing tension. It’s a super funny movie, really cute, and family oriented. Tim Allen also stars in an iconic family Christmas movie, “Christmas with the Kranks” where a family decides they no longer want to indulge in all the expensive Christmas traditions they do, and instead go on a cruise. Near the end their daughter decides to come home for Christmas, so they ditch the cruise. Eventually, they realize why they always celebrate Christmas, and how important it is to their family. It’s a really good early season movie to get in the Christmas mood, and is super entertaining as Tim Allen has to dodge all passive aggressive comments around their family not celebrating Christmas. It’s also pretty heartwarming at the end, when everyone comes together to support the family with their Christmas party. It’s a very action-packed movie, so there’s no boring scenes, and in a way the struggles they’re facing are very relatable. The Christmas special “Good Luck Charlie: It’s Christmas!” is a great underrated spinoff of the popular TV show, “Good Luck Charlie.” The movie focuses on the iconic Duncan family going to Palm Springs, but obstacles get in the way causing the family issues getting there, along with some video game side quests. It’s funny to watch the feuds between Bob Duncan and his mother-in-law, while trying to follow along with Teddy and Amy Duncan’s weird adventure. Overall, instead of always watching the same movies every Christmas season, these are a few of my favorite holiday movies that help mix up your movie order.
came from there. GitLab is a code repository used by individuals and companies to store large amounts of data.” This implies that the hacker had used GitLab to share the information about the beta stories and pokemon from that site. But what exactly were in these beta designs and stories? On the side of beta pokemon, one of the more popular ones that have been floating around the internet is of an unused starter. The image of us a white bunny in a small floatie. Many people, including me, were surprised to see that this idea never came to fruition. As for the beta stories that were leaked online, some of them were somewhat explicit and touched on adult themes. Overall, it was a surprise coming from such a family friendly company. In general, the pokemon leaks had shocked all of those who had seen them, and are still somewhat talked about now. Not only did it make waves online, but it showed jarring stories and a look into what was behind the scenes of the development of past games. In my opinion, while the beta designs were interesting, the stories and the fact that the employees of gamefreak lost their information, was shocking. With this recent leak, who knows what The Pokemon Company will face next?
HOLIDAY FUN FACTS
STORY BY MOLLY GRIBSKOV WITH PHOTOS FROM WIKIMEDIA
1. Jingle Bells was initially a Thanksgiving song.
2. Hanukkah falls on different days each year.
3. Around 85% of Americans celebrate Christmas.
4. Kwanzaa is a cultural holiday rather than a religious one.
