last print issue of the year go to redesigned website for coverage, mhsbruin.com
AFTER 20 YEAR HIATUS
CROSSWORD IS BACK CAN YOU GET THEM ALL RIGHT?
SAMANTHA FLORES ON
PLANT-BASED DIETS STUDENTS SHARE RECIPES
PLUS
LIFE IN
COVID After a year in lockdown, MHS slowly opens up to hybrid
BY AVA FRISON/PHOTOGRAPH BY SAM BEYER APRIL 2021
YEAR IN REVIEW AVA FRISON ON
THE WILD RIDE OF 2020
INSIDE LOOK TAKE A SEAT . . . AVA FRISON TAKES YOU ONA TRIP TO MEMORRY LANE WITH HIGLIGHTS FROM THIS PAST YEAR
CHECK OUT DORM IDEAS FOR NEXT YEAR PAGE 11
THE MHS CROSSWORD PUZZLEIS BACK SAM BEYER
AT A GLANCE
PAGE 6
PAGE 12
Kaylee Keikkala sits on the steps while she was at school for LIPI. Hybrid started April 19.
LETTER FROM THE EDITORS
reporters and photographers Since 1918 The Bruin is a registered member of the National Scholastic Press Association.
Hello readers, and welcome back to the Bruin. This paper is the last issue of the year. What a year it’s been, not just in the world but for the Bruin as well. In the spirit of being online, we’ve redesigned our website, hoping that it will become a gathering place for all our school news. Check it out at mhsbruin.com. Speaking of redesigning, we’ve been hard at work shifting our paper to a magazine format. In today’s world, people are more likely to pick up a magazine than a newspaper. As well, Bruin’s parent company, Moondance Media, is also changing. They’ve branched out into producing podcasts as well, continuing with their news show Live at the Blackbird, yearbook production and film making. The Bruin has changed a lot, and we hope you like what you see. In this final issue, our cover story reviews our year of quarantine along with distance learning on page seven. We also interview Lily Spencer and Ana Montiel on their vegetarian lifestyles on page 10. We also say goodbye to our Bruin seniors on page 12. Editors Ava Frison, Sam Beyer and Caitlin Brown 2
April 2021
National Awards of The Bruin National Pace Maker award-winner for 2001, 2002, 2004 National Pace Maker Finalist for years 20002005 National Design of the Year 2001, 2002 All National awards are distributed by the National Scholastic Press Association
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR POLICY 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., McMin-
The Bruin is a member of The Journalism Education Association,the Natinal Scholastic Pres Association and Northwest Scholastic Press.
SAMUEL BEYER CAITLIN BROWN VANESA CHAVEZ ANNA DOWNS PENELOPE EDWARDS AVERI ERICKSON SAMANTHA FLORES-RAMIREZ AVA FRISON JACKELYN MIRANDA-RODRIGUEZ MAE NEUSCHWANGER ABIGAIL PEARSON ISABELLA PERALTA OPAL PRIMOZICH ALLISON ROCKWELL BIANCA WEISER
SAMUEL BEYER Editor CAITLIN BROWN Editor AVA FRISON Editor ANNA DOWNS Entertainment Editor What’s Bruin Editor ABIGAIL PEARSON News Editor OPAL PRIMOZICH Opinions Editor BIANCA WEISER Features Editor
KATHY BEYER Adviser
DAYS UNTIL SUMMER. . .
The Bruin is a forum for public debate. Contact The Bruin (503) 565-4159
editorial board
Seniors: Rest of Us:
38 42
DO YOU HAVE A STORY TO SHARE? CONTACT NEWS EDITOR ABBY PEARSON
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
Myanmar Coup
Genocide in China The Chinese Government is committing acts of Genocide against Uighur Muslims PENELOPE EDWARDS writer
Former Commander In Chief of Myanmar’s defenses leads Coup against the nations democracy CAITLIN BROWN editor
Over the course of four years, the Chinese government has sent Uighur Muslims to “re-education camps” in which they have been brutalized, tortured, stripped of their freedoms, forced abortions, IUDs, and sterilization. Sayregul Sauytbay was a prisoner in one of these camps. She escaped after five months. During her time there, Sauytbay witnessed a woman get gang raped by the guards. “While they were raping her they checked to see how we were reacting. People who turned their head or closed their eyes, and those who looked angry or shocked, were taken away and we never saw them again,” said Sauytbay. The UN declared the Chinese camps as an act genocide. . . for the first time, very specifically meets one of the five criteria set forth by the United Nations Convention for the Punishment and Prevention of the Crime of Genocide from 1948, which specifically says the suppression of birth,” Adrien Zenz said. Conflicts within the camps have been going on for years and have been ignored. Media coverage is low. One of the most prominent: sterilization. Zenz said, “as they’re being brought to the internment camp, the first thing is that they’re told, you’re going to go on the surgery table, and we’re going to put an intrauterine contraceptive device into your body because that’s standard policy for women who are put into a camp.” Why? China implemented a “People’s War on Terror” act in 2014. They aimed at fighting “terrorists,” but rather, used the program to enforce national surveillance and discrimination. This act became the center of justifying the acts of discrimination and mistreatment. There has been little intervention into the proceedings of these camps. However, there is a chance since these camps have met one of four criteria for being labeled a genocide.
WIKIPEDIA
WIKIPEDIA
Protestors stand up against the genocidal acts against the muslim population.
Aung San Suu Kyi, Myanmars democracy icon, speaks up about the atrocities done to her people by those in power. Kyi was recently arrested as the coup took place. On Feb. 1 a change of regime took place in the small country of Myanmar (also known as Burma). The coup d’etat against the democratic nation was led by Min Aung Hlaing, the former commander-inchief of defense services, now making the country a stratocracy. The coup took place a couple of months after Hlaing claimed fraud after the Nov. 8 election and claimed that he will “take action” against it. Hlaing is responsible for genocide and has been condemned internationally for his acts. The ethnic cleansing of Rohingya Muslims has been taking place for years in the Rakhine State of Myanmar. Along with the ethnic cleansing, BBC reported that children are being assaulted and women are being gang-raped. This has caused a dramatic increase in refugees fleeing from the area. The United Nations Human Rights division pushed for an investigation and prosecution of the former chief of defense for crimes against humanity and war crimes back in 2018. Any action or resolution made is unknown. Currently, Win Myint, Myanmar’s former president, and Aung San Suu Kyi, de facto leader, and former State Counsellor are being detained under the new regime. Kyi is known for being the biggest supporter of a democratic government in Myanmar, winning her a Nobel Peace Prize in 1991. Along with Myint and Kyi, Australian academic Sean Turnell has also been detained. There have been protests for weeks opposing the coup. Protesters include students and doctors. During the endeavors, protestors have been getting attacked by military supporters. It is also being
reported by The Sun that they have been getting shot , and killed, during their endeavors. Not much is known about the protests going on there due to the government shutting down the internet periodically. Both the United States and New Zealand have refused to recognize the military regime as a legitimate government. According to PBS, in response to the coup, President Joe Biden issued an executive order to freeze Myanmar’s bank funds of $1 billion in assets. New Zealand has also suspended all military, political contact and pledged to block aid to the country. Facebook has also barred Myanmar’s military from promoting and advertising the regime. According to MSN, Myanmar’s United Nations ambassador, Kyaw Moe Tun, has been pushing for Global Action from the U.N. and its allies to help take back the government from Myanmar’s junta. Tun said, “We need further stronger possible action from the international community to immediately end the military coup, to stop oppressing the innocent people, to return the state power to the people and to restore the democracy.” With support, Myanmar can regain its democracy and its duly elected leaders, and the U.N. chief pledges to take such an action. Not much else is known about the situation. The United Nations is working to resolve the crisis and, there is talk of a new temporary parliament that will look into the allegations of voter fraud in the country.
April 2021
3
NEWS
SECOND IMPEACHMENT
IN THE BOOKS
On Jan. 13, Donald J. Trump became the first president to be impeached twice. The response to the Jan. 6 attack on our Nation’s capital immediately prompted United States Congress to hold a second impeachment trial and investigation for former President Trump. Back in late 2019, Trump was impeached for abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. That charge stemmed from phone calls enlisting foreign powers, such as Ukraine, for potential election interference. However, he was acquitted by the Senate and was not removed from office. This time around, Trump was charged with inciting an insurrection. About Trump’s Twitter posts and speech before and during the time of the Capitol attack, Diego Garibay, 10, said, “He used language that can certainly be seen an inciting.” The possibility of a second impeachment became a controversial topic and hot headline. Adeline Rich, 10, said, “Nothing is unfair about a second impeachment. The Trump administration incited a violent riot at the Capitol, and there were consequences.” On the other side of the spectrum, Lucus Covey, 10, said, “I understand why some might have wanted him gone the first time. However, the second was a needless act of aggression towards a public figure with different opinions.” Trump was impeached by the House before the single article of impeachment was transferred over to the Senate. Out of 100 Senate members, at least 67 would have needed to convict Trump of the charge. Ultimately, 57 Senators voted “guilty,” with 43 Senators voting “not guilty,” falling short of the required twothirds majority. And with that, on Feb.13, Trump’s impeachment was dismissed yet again. “I’m just disappointed he wasn’t held accountable in any way for the actions of his followers, who took over the Capitol in his name,” said Garibay. Even though the Senate was not in the 67 percent majority, Rich points out an interesting perspective. “I think that the fact the majority of the Senators voted to convict really was a great example of consensus and proves that even in such a divided America, unity is possible.” As expected, every democratic Senator (including two independents) voted to convict Trump. On the flip side, seven republican Senators turned on the former president and joined the Democrats to vote “guilty.” Rich said, “I expected that some central conservatives would vote to convict.” She also added, “however, I 4
April 2021
WIKIPEDIA
OPAL PRIMOZICH editor
The House impeached Donald Trump on Feb. 9. He was charged with incitement of insurrection. (Left) Photograph shows the chaos that ensued at the Capitol. The Capitol was lit up at night as legislators continued to work well into the early morning. (top) Speaker Nancy Pelosi signs the impeachment document (right). was surprised when republican Senators Richard Burr, Ben Sasse, and Pat Toomey also voted to acquit Trump.” Before the vote, Democrats had hoped they would win enough votes from across the aisle to convict, but this hope disappeared when it was revealed that Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell would stay with his party and vote to acquit Trump. Overall, the vote went as predicted - Democrats were unable to swing the two-thirds majority from their Republican colleagues. Rich said, “I was not surprised that he was not convicted. With only a few weeks left in Trump’s term, it was not realistic for the impeachment trial to reach its final stages.” The public had mixed feelings about Trump being put up for impeachment once again. Some feared the damage that could be done in even the
remaining fourteen days of his presidency, and sought to stop Trump in his tracks. Rich said, “It would have been irresponsible for the Senate to allow Trump to continue presidency after the riot at the Capitol.” Also, another goal of a potential impeachment and conviction was to prevent the former president from ever holding office again. For those who supported Trump’s removal from office, it was one hope that Republicans who hoped to claim the presidency in the future would vote against him to ensure he could not contend with them. But others felt it was unnecessary considering how close the Capitol insurrection was to the end of his term. “He wasn’t the president anymore, and the fact that people thought it was necessary to strip his right to run again is disappointing,” said Covey.
NEW UK VARIANT OF VIRUS, B.1.1.7, CONCERNING GOVERNER KATE BROWN APPROVES VACCINATIONS FOR 16 AND OLDER APRIL 19, CASES SURGING BY JACKIE MIRANDA writer
COVID-19 cases in the U.S. decreased in March, but recently are on an incline due to the new UK variant, B.1.1.7. According to epidemiologist Michael Osterholm, “please understand, this b.1.1.7 variant is a brand-new ball game.” This variant is making kids more susceptible, “it infects kids very readily. Unlike previous strains of the virus, we didn’t see children under eight grade get infected often or they were not frequently very ill, they didn’t transmit to the rest of the community.” Now Osterholm says that has changed, citing Minnesota and Michigan, where “more and more young people are being hospitalized as cases rise.” Many individuals have been stating
““IT’S ENCOURAGING SEEING THESE TRENDS COMING DOWN, BUT THEY ARE COMING DOWN FROM AND EXTRAORDINARY HIGH PLACE.”
McMinnville High School teachers and staff receive their vaccines at the school on March 8. Tualatin Fire and Rescue administered the Moderna vaccine to all staff who wanted it. Students began vaccination April 22. that the reason for Covid-19 cases decreasing in early spring is because of the vaccine that many people are receiving, however, according to the experts, it’s not because of the new vaccine. In an article written by Keydra Manns, she said, “They are attributing shrinking virus cases to Americans adhering to COVID-19 restrictions. ”It’s encouraging to see these trends coming down, but they’re coming down from an extraordinarily high place,” said CDC director Rochelle Walensky on Sunday to NBC.” They are announcing that the reason for Covid-19 cases decreasing is due to people following restrictions such as: staying six feet apart and wearing a mask when running errands. In another article written by Christina Maxouris and Dakin Andone, they said, “Transmission has been contained over the winter through mask-wearing, decreased mobility, and avoidance of high-risk settings such as indoor dining.” They also said, “As daily case counts decline and vaccination increases, behaviors are likely to change towards increased risk of transmission.” Now, many people are being careful of what they
ASK THE DOC:
DR. ANTHONY FAUCI
WHY HAVE COVID CASES BEEN RISING IN THE US IF PEOPLE ARE BEING VACCINATED?
are doing and where they go and making sure they are wearing masks. Nevertheless, because of COVID-19 cases decreasing, experts are afraid that the U.S. will let down their guard with the restriction that they have intact. The same article also said, “CNN Medical Analyst Dr. Leana Wen said that declining numbers were good news. ’But I’m also very worried about these variants because we have seen in other countries what happens when there is an explosive spread of these more contagious variants,’ Wen said on CNN’s “Inside Politics. People forget that letting their guard down doesn’t just affect them but also others. In another article written by Cecelia Smith-Schoenwalder, she said, “The recent actions from governors might reflect how the general public feel about the pandemic. An AxiosIpsos poll found that Americans are perceiving less risk from the pandemic than any time since last October.’ ‘People don’t know how to get back to normal – or what the milestones are to get back to normal,’ said pollster Chris Jackson, the senior vice president for Ipsos Public Affairs.”
“THE BEST WAY TO UNDERSTAND IT, IS THAT IT’S SOMEWHAT OF A RACE BETWEEN THE VACCINE AND THE NOW ESSENTIALLY, EVOLVING VARIANTS THAT WE’RE SEEING HAVE A GREATER CAPABILITY OF TRANSMITTING FROM PERSON TO
BY THE NUMBERS ALL MHS TEACHERS THAT WANTED A VACCINE RECEIVED ONE BY MARCH 8 OREGON CASES SURGING ONCE AGAIN, YAMHILL COUNTY MOVES TO HIGH STATUS APRIL 23 GOVENOR BROWN ANNOUNCES THAT NEW RESTRICTIONS MAY BE COMING IN COUNTIES ENTERING EXTREMELY HIGH STATUS
PERSON AND LIKELY, MAKING IT A MORE SERIOUS DISEASE. ALSO, AFFECTING YOUNG PEOPLE SEEMINGLY MORE THAN THE ELDERLY WHO ARE LIKELY MORE PROTECTED BECAUSE THEY’VE ALREADY BEEN VACCINATED, TO A LARGE EXTENT.” April 2021
5
DO YOU HAVE A STORY TO SHARE? CONTACT OPINIONS EDITOR OPAL PRIMOZICH
OPINIONS
THE
BRUIN REPORT
A YEAR IN REVIEW Oh, 2020. . .
THE BRUIN IS A FORUM FOR PUBLIC DEBATE. EACH ISSUE THE BRUIN EDITORIAL BOARD MEETS TO DISCUSS THE TOPICS OF THE SCHOOL AND GIVE THEIR OPINION. THE BOARD IS CHAIRED BY HEAD EDITOR’S CAITLIN BROWN, AVA FRISON, AND SAM BEYER.
AVA FRISON editor
A B C D F
BACK TO SCHOOL [for some] NEED NEW
Vaccine roll-out has now reached our teachers & students. For those that wanted to return to school hybrid started on April 19. For those that wanted to stay at come with CDL that was also an option. Wherever you ended up, it’s only 7 more weeks until this year is over.
SPORTS IN SESSION-Volleyball undefeated
WIKIPEDIA
When COVID first came into the public eye, there were many questions about the new virus. It was believed to be similar to the cold and flu; little did we know how deadly it would be. Here in America, some said things like… “Only those who have traveled to China can catch it,” or “it’s just the flu,” or “if we all for two weeks, this AVA FRISON quarantine thing will be gone in no time.” People were touched by the hard times of 2020, and I believe we can all agree that socially, politically, economically, and health-wise, 2020 has been no one’s year. So let’s take a look back: It started with the pandemic arising in China. No one thought that lockdowns would last a year, but here we are. The pandemic has caused hundreds of thousands of deaths and infected millions. It caused our economy to crash so terribly it was worse than the Great Depression. 33 million Americans were collecting unemployment at COVID’s worst. Then there was the cloud of Murder hornets around the world. (They’re called Asian Giant Hornets and, they aren’t that murderous, but they did cause widespread panic.) Next was the Black Lives Matter movement. While it may be a just cause, the social upheaval and the National Guard being called into Portland only made the situation worse. In August, Oregon and California 6
April 2021
dealt with the worst wildfires in history. Millions of acres were burned, countless homes were destroyed, and lives were lost. We felt the effects of the fires due to the hazardous air quality. The valley was colored yellow. Regardless of politics, we can agree the months leading up to and from the election were wild. The riot at the Capitol on Jan. 6 was a national disaster. I’m glad that Trump is out of office and, I hope that this country can start to heal from the damage done. Despite the negatives, times are changing. We have a new president, there’s a rover on Mars, hedge funds got demolished by Reddit users, and we have vaccines. I’m an introvert and this year has given me a solid out for not talking to anyone. I enjoy being at home for school. I can wear sweatpants and hoodies every day, and I have 24/7 access to coffee. In times of struggle, I like to think of things that make me happy. Erik Knoedler’s thoughts on the cyclical loop that is European society, cracking jokes and talking about the world with Model United Nations club, and of course, being part of Bruin and producing this paper. These are things that make times not so bleak.
“PEOPLE WERE MOVED BY THE HARD TIMES OF 2020.”
Fall sports have ended, and spring sports are now in season. Spectators are now allowed-- family units quarantined together can attend events. The seasons are shortened dramatically, with winter sports starting in May. For many, this is the highlight of the year-- finally getting together with teammates. Kudos to undefeated volleyball team!
OPTIONAL SAT’s
Many colleges and universities recognize that it is harder to take the SATs due to COVID-19, and some have changed entrance requirements accordingly to optional. SATs will be given [MHS will offer SAT June 5] but physical distance will limit the number of people who can take the exam. Check with colleges for final word on testing requirements-some colleges still require them. If you no longer have to take the SATs, that will mean less stress!
AP FINALS
AP Finals are now looming. The tests are scheduled in both May and June, with options for in-person exams and digital exams. Because all of our AP classes are stacked this year, it will be an extra big study load come the end of the year. Students are already stressing over many aspects of this, and it will certainly present some difficulty.
CDL BURNOUT
Happy 1-year anniversary, CDL! It has now been one year since our surprise last day of school last March. We have been without our high school experience for over 365 days, and that is enough said. Even those who cope with CDL or prefer it to regular are experiencing burnout. Things are adding up, and mental health struggles are definitely a product of daily lives spent on computers. Shoutout to our students and staffulty for being on Zoom all day - it takes a lot.
Biden’s First Weeks in Office Display Pros and Cons Is change coming? ABBY PE ARSON editor Whether you are a fan of he 46th president of the United States or not, you can’t deny that he has been busy. He has dealt with many issues such as civil rights, foreign policies, and government taxes. On the first day of being in office, President Biden dismantled a plethora of regulations that began under the Trump administration. He took quite the opposite stance of how the nation should respond to the notorious Covid-19 and ended the ban on Muslim countries entering the United States. He rejoined the Paris Agreement on Climate change and banned discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation and pulled all funds from building the wall our previous president worked towards all of his ABBY PEARSON four years in office. On day two, President Biden issued proclamations in efforts to combat
Covid-19. This included extending treatments, promoting safety in domestic and international travel, and supporting states’ use of the National Guard in response to the virus. By now it is clear to anyone that President Biden has taken every opportunity to further the agenda. While I would not label myself a Biden supporter, there are a few things I was not displeased with. Biden posted an executive order assisting veterans in debt. Having a brother in the army, I can appreciate this idea to help protectors of our country. I am not the most politically driven high school student you will meet in your life. However, I have come to conclusion that there are some things Biden-
stands for that I cannot. And there are some things that I have found disappointing to see the president do in his first weeks in office. To hear the president blatantly dismiss the atrocities being done to Muslims and some Christians in Chinese “rehabilitation camps” as, to quote Biden, “different norms that each country and their leaders are expected to follow.” This act of pacifism was not only discouraging but also appalling. Since taking office, President Biden has announced a slew of policies. On his third day in office, he took actions that could potentially hurt many people’s jobs. Not only are we talking about canceling the Keystone XL Pipeline, but also backing the rise of the minimum wage to $15 an hour. I would love to make $15 an hour for 20 hours a week. But when we look at the big picture, a minimum wage at a lower price provides more people jobs and opportunities to make more money long term. Don’t get me wrong: I am sure being the president is probably one of the hardest jobs out there. I can only pray that President Biden makes decisions that he truly believes will help and provide our country with wealth and happiness.
Governor’s Return-to-School Orders Are Conflicting OPAL PRIMOZICH editor On March 6, Governor Kate Brown announced that 6-12th grade students will return to school by April 19. Districts no longer have the option to make the call – it is now mandated that a hybrid model be running by the start of fourth quarter. So, what will this mean for us? Likely, much disruption to the “new normal” we have finally gotten used OPAL PRIMOZICH to. I think the Governor’s decision has good intentions, but no one’s immediate best interest in mind. Kids returning to school is finally being made a priority, but this seems rushed. I
ASK THE DOC:
DR. AMY FAST
WHAT ARE THE BIGGEST OBSTACLES FOR THE HYBRID SCHEDULE?
was expecting to stay in CDL for the rest of the year. I trust our administration to implement a model of school that keeps us safe, but I think we are in for a whirlwind of chaos. Learning may be compromised, and there will be scheduling and transportation conflicts. The hassle is not worth the reward. I wish I were excited to return to school, and I wish more of my classmates were too. The general consensus is that we are being double-crossed. But in the scheme of things, this is so exciting. We are lucky to have teachers and admin who care so deeply for us and are doing their best to minimize the impact of this change. Even though in-person school seems like a reach, we will make this work.
“THE BIGGEST OBSTACLE BY FAR IS TRYING TO RECONCILE WHAT’S BEST FOR STUDENTS’ LEARNING AND GROWTH WITH WHAT’S BEST FOR THEIR (AND STAFF’S) SAFETY. SADLY IN THIS ENVIRONMENT, IT HAS FELT LIKE SOMETHING HAS ALWAYS GOT
IT’S HARD TO SLEEP AT NIGHT WHEN YOU DON’T FEEL LIKE YOU’VE CREATED AN OPTIMAL ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH ALL STUDENTS THRIVE. AND YET, SAFETY IS ALWAYS OUR FIRST PRIORITY IN LEADING A SCHOOL.” April 2021
7
DO YOU HAVE A STORY TO SHARE? CONTACT EDITOR BIANCA WEISER
FEATURES
Student Vegetarians
How the vegetarian lifest yle has impacted t wo mac high students SAMANTHA FLORES writer
WIKIPEDIA
Vegan Fajitas
Lillie Spencer
•
1 can black beans
•
flour tortillas in desired size
•
1 red bell pepper
•
1 yelow bell pepper
•
1tbsp oil
•
1 red onion
•
1 minced garlic clove
•
1/2tsp chilli powder
•
1/2tsp smoked paprika
•
1/2tsp ground cumin Procedure:
1.
Slice bell peppers and onions into thin stips
2.
Heat oil and saute peppers, onions and garlic until soft, then lower the head and add spices cooking for one additional minute
3.
Add your black beans and cook unil beans are warmhroughout, Warm tortiallas prior to serivng
4.
You can enjoy topped with lime juice, sour cream, salsa, cilantro or avocado
8
April 2021
How long have you been vegetarian? “Technically my whole life, but I made the decision when I was three, as much as a three-year-old can make a decision.” What made you want to become vegetarian? “I think my parents had an influence on that because as a baby they didn’t feed me meat and then when I got a little older I think they noticed I was like really sensitive about animals, kind of disturbed by the whole idea.” Is there anyone else in your family that is also vegetarian? “My brother is vegetarian. I think he’s been since I decided I was going to be, it’s just something I guess we ended up doing together.” What vegetarian dishes do you usually order at restaurants? “I go to like the Thai food restaurant in town. There are a lot of vegetarian options, they have a lot of stir fries, and soups that just kind of have a lot of mushrooms and flavor and vegetables like carrots and so much good stuff.” What tips do you have for someone who plans on becoming vegetarian? “I would definitely say to like get acquainted with nutrition and know what foods give you what and what foods can provide iron, protein, or anything else you might be missing when you drop meat.”
Ana Montiel How long have you been vegetarian? “Probably like 5 months.” What made you want to become vegetarian? “Well, I don’t really like meat and the taste of it but I also think about how the animals are treated. You know, if I don’t really like the food that much then what’s the point of eating it? So I cut it off.” What kind of food do you usually eat? “I still eat a lot of pasta and I also eat bowls like burrito bowls and salad bowls.” What health benefits do you get from being vegetarian? “I know red meat is not good for you so probably the fact that I don’t eat that anymore is good” Is there anyone else in your family that is also vegetarian? “My mom is but the rest of my family isn’t.” What is your favorite vegetarian meal? “Tofu pad thai is so so good” What tips do you have for someone who plans on becoming vegetarian? “I would say drop meat slowly so like I didn’t eat red meat for a long time and then I stopped eating chicken and pork. Start off slow.”
Red-dit vs. Wall Street An over view of the January 2021 shor tsqueeze that took the internet by storm BIANCA WEISER editor WIKIPEDIA
On Jan. 28, 2021, GameStop’s stock skyrocketed from $39.12 on Jan. 20, peaking to $347.51 on Jan. 27, resulting in large losses for Hedge Funds such as Melvin Capital, who had to close out their shortselling program due to their losses. Many of us have heard this much before, but what actually happened? What are Hedge Funds, and how do they make money off of lost money? How and why did these investors come together to protect the reputation of GameStop, who’ve been struggling this last year among COVID-19. It’s important to know that previous to the attack, GameStop was subject to heavy short selling. Short selling is a process carried out by companies such as hedge funds that claim a stock is overvalued and make arrangements to financially gain from a stock’s price going down. They do this by borrowing shares from a lender (such as a pension fund), they then sell the stocks and buy them back once the stock price drops to return them to the lender. However, short selling can be quite risky. For example, if a short seller borrows stocks from a lender and sells them for a price of $18.84, and the price, instead of drops, rises to $301.16, they lost $282.32 per
share, meaning they’ve lost money instead of making it. And, it’s not uncommon for these companies to borrow millions of shares. This process is more similar to gambling on the downfall of a company rather than traditional investing. It’s also important to note that this process gives short sellers incentive to campaign for the stocks overvalued in hopes of driving the price down further. When hedge funds were campaigning for GameStop’s overvalue, communities on social media, including the Reddit community “WallStreetBets” wanted to send a message to Wall Street claiming to retake the open market and rescue these companies from the grasp of market manipulation. They successfully orchestrated a tactic known
During buyout GameStop stocks spiked
1,600% On January 22nd even BlackBerry’s stocks spiked
104%
as a short squeeze, with the help of Elon Musk on Twitter, who linked his followers to the community. A short squeeze is where people band together in raising a stock’s price to put pressure on short-sellers. People from all corners of the stock market banded together. From individuals wanting to send a message to big-ticket investors spotting the opportunity to profit. The short squeeze succeeded in costing the short-sellers billions of dollars. Although the short squeeze was successful due to its presence on social media, it’s important to say that social media is not the best place for financial advice. Many of those involved in the frenzy were inexperienced and unknowing in the motivations for these processes. In the stock market, a dollar earned by an investor is one lost by a short seller and vice versa. Moreover, the stock is only worth what somebody’s willing to pay. Is this the awakening of a new open market or is it simply a speed bump for the powerhouse that is Wall Street? Only time will tell for sure. We can say, however, this experience has been an important learning opportunity for our generation’s budding investors.
On Jan 26 gamestop traded
178 million
shares
One San Antonio fifth grader, Jaydyn Carr made over $3,000 after investing just $60 in gamestop back in 2019.
TIMELINE Jan 25 Jan 26 Jan 27 Jan 28 Jan 29 Feb 1 Feb 2 Feb 3 Feb 4 -
76.97 147.98 347.51 193.60 325.00 225.00 90.00 92.41 54.50
April 2021
9
LOCAL NEWS
RIOT AT THE OREGON CAPITOL
OPAL PRIMOZICH editor On Dec. 21, 2020, a pro-Trump rally outside of the Oregon State Capitol turned violent. Before the attack on our Washington D.C. Capitol in January, riots challenging the November Presidential election results had been erupting all over the Oregon State Captial building in Salem after protests sparked by the election. The riot scared the participants country. Like many others from around the of a special session that was in session at the time. United States, these protestors sought to make Power saw protestors attempt to lower the Oregon flag and raise a Trump flag their disagreements known. in its place. When this action failed, Power realized they would find other ways In addition, this group opposed COVID-19 restrictions to manifest their protest. In an insightful account, she said, “I was watching a and aimed to interrupt a special session of the state group of people outside my window. A few of them grabbed a large, long metal legislature that was discussing Governor Kate Brown’s pole, and headed towards one of our side entrances. Once they began to ram proposal to distribute $800 million in coronavirus relief. the door with the pole, I saw that they’d be able to break it. I kept my personal The locked doors of the Capitol kept the protestors items close, in case we needed to evacuate from the building.” In regards to at bay, but only temporarily. It was revealed through recognizing privilege, Representative Power said, “I thought about my own surveillance video that Representative Mike Nearman safety versus some of my colleagues’ who could not so easily move through the opened doors to allow a radical right-wing mob to storm crowd outside unnoticed if we had to get out quickly.” the building. Despite police efforts, dozens of people Palacios, Low, and Power all admitted to not being shocked by the made it inside the Capitol and began to damage property, actions of the rally members. Low said, “Had you asked me 4 or 5 years ago, attack officers, and disrupt the legislators working inside I would have never thought that such an event like the one that transpired the building. in both Salem and Washington D.C. would ever happen...However, with the Following the release of the security footage, increasingly militant rhetoric that was being enabled in white supremacy and colleagues proceeded to strip Representative Nearman of all committee domestic terrorism groups in 2018-2020, I wasn’t surprised when it happened.” assignments and limit his access to the Capitol while investigations were Palacios agreed and said, “Unfortunately, the dialogue and rhetoric of the undertaken. Nearman was also held responsible for the property damage radical right in the last four years has made this a reality that I’m unsurprised inflicted by the group whom he allowed to enter. This event was major and by, even if I am deeply concerned.” caused many issues for those working within the realm of the Capitol. When Palacios was first informed of the proceedings of the riot, he said When asked about the riot’s effect on Capitol staff, Miles Palacios, he felt “…saddened and fearful of the precedent this would set for a new legislative director for Representative Winsvey Campos said, “That breach was generation of radical protest from the right here in Oregon.” not just of the Capitol, but a breach of trust. Non-partisan staff, legislators, So, how do we move forward from this insurrection in Salem? What needs executive electeds and partisan staff were all put in danger when the Capitol to change to prevent this from happening again - whether it be at the state Police clashed with this violent group of insurrectionists.” or national level? Palacios’ said, “The firm classification of domestic terrorist Justin Low, a legislative staffer in the Capitol, said, “For BIPOC legislators organizations and having the state’s leaders take a no-nonsense stance on our and staffers that I’ve had conversations with, most have felt worried and anxious about safety, even in a remote environment.” Palacios also said, “While electeds inciting violence and radical groups.” On a final note, Representative Power said, “The white-hot anger mixed we do not work in the physical Capitol space at this time, how are we supposed with entitlement from the people I saw outside was palpable. Political to feel secure once we are able to come back on the grounds of the Capitol leadership and community leadership needs to set the tone that behavior like when sympathizers to the violent radical right are allowed to do whatever they that is not acceptable.” want? This concern was felt throughout the Capitol.”
“THAT BREACH WAS NOT JUST OF THE CAPITOL, BUT A BREACH OF TRUST. “
State Representative Karin Power was inside the building at the time of the event and witnessed the violent rally in an extremely direct way. Representative
ASK MHS ALUM MILES PALACIOS
DO YOU FEEL SAFE AT THE CAPITOL AFTER THE RIOT? 10
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“WHILE WE DO NOT WORK IN THE PHYSICAL CAPITOL SPACE AT THIS TIME, HOW ARE WE SUPPOSED TO FEEL SECURE ONCE WE ARE ABLE TO COME BACK ON THE GROUNDS
OF THE CAPITOL WHEN SYMPATHIZERS TO THE VIOLENT RADICAL RIGHT ARE ALLOWED TO DO WHATEVER THEY WANT? THIS CONCERN WAS FELT THROUGHOUT THE CAPITOL.”
DO YOU HAVE A STORY TO SHARE? CONTACT EDITOR ANNA DOWNS
ENTERTAINMENT
How to spice up your
What’s New To Netflix ANNA DOWNS entertainment editor
WIKIPEDIA
For those of us who are about to head off to college, we know the real truth. The most important thing about preparing for college is how we’re going to decorate our dorm room or at least half of it. Here are four things to bring that will be a great addition to the next chapter of your life.
MOXIE (movie)
A 16-year-old girl named Vivian is tired of the sexism and toxic masculinity at her school, where the boys rate girls on their looks and almost everything else. She decides to do something about it. Vivian creates a newspaper at the school and becomes somewhat of a legend amongst girls. The only thing is no one knows who created Moxie except Vivian.Coming to Netflix March 3,
WIKIPEDIA
Love Alarm season 2
A Korean drama, the first season released in 2019, has a new season that will be released in March. Based on an app that, if downloaded on your phone will notify you if someone near you is in love with you; this causes lots of drama in the show. Now Jojo has to pick between her childhood best friend and a super handsome model.
WIKIPEDIA
Shadow And Bone (episode show)
CATLIN BROWN editor
This show is based on a book series by Leigh Bardugo; are fantasy novels set in a war era in a nation called Ravoka. A soldier named Alina Starko has a secret power that might be the very thing that could help her set her country free. She struggles with her morals as she begins to train for the biggest battle of her life. Coming to Netflix
An Indoor Plant
Dorm rooms can honestly be kind of depressing. There are blank walls and a bed that is as ugly as it is uncomfortable. One way to bring life back into the space is with an indoor plant. I recommend a snake plant, they require low to medium light, they grow upwards not outwards which is perfect for a dorm room, and you only have to water it once a month so if you forget about it you probably won’t kill it. You can find some at Lowe’s for $20-30.
Posters and Pictures
To spice up what is probably a boring white wall, bring a few posters and pictures. Some vintage botany posters or posters of your favorite band can go a long way. Pictures are also a great addition especially if you are going out-of-state for college. To print out pictures off your phone you can either go to Walmart and print them out or download the Walmart app and place your order there. They will be ready in a couple of days and it only costs nine cents per picture.
DORM ROOM
Extra Light
Whether you have a window or not, I recommend you bring some extra light. Whether it be some string lights to hang on your wall, a bedside table lamp that also charges your phone, or some motion sensor LED strip lights to put under your bed for when you wake up at strange hours of the night. Just make sure you buy some removable adhesive stickers and hooks to hang up your lights because colleges don’t like holes, even tiny ones, in their walls.
Bed Decor
Like I mentioned before, your bed is both ugly and uncomfortable, and most of your dorm room will be taken up by two said ugly beds. Get some throw pillows and throw blankets as well as a bed skirt to hide the storage mess under your bed. To fix the discomfort problem, buy a Twin XL mattress topper, which should also be the size of sheets you bring to college. I admit they are a little pricy so it would be an investment, but if you ask me, it’s worth the extra cash.
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DO YOU HAVE A STORY TO SHARE? CONTACT EDITOR ANNA DOWNS
WHAT’S BRUIN
BRUIN SENIORS SAY FAREWELL VANESSA CHAVEZ “You can.“ Plans: Chemeketa College to study Nursing
ABBY PEARSON “I’m being serious when I say I couldn’t have gotten through senior year without Jesus and caffeine.” Plans: Chemeketa to study Music and Communications
SAMANTHA FLORES-RAMIREZ “Even with the pandemic I’m grateful for a great high school experience.”
ANNA DOWNS
“Iced Americanos and reading books to escape reality since freshman year.”
Plans: University of Portland to study Sociology
CAITLIN BROWN “Remember when the 2020 seniors thought that they were cheated out of their entire senior year? Yeah, me too.”
Plans: Chemeketa to study towards a AAOT degree
JACKLYN MIRANDA RODRIGUEZ
Plans: Willamette University; major undecided
You always have the choice to be happy learn to understand the bumps in the road, grow from them and STAY POSITIVE.” Plans: Chemeketa to study Business
MHS CROSSWORD PUZZLE Can you get them all right?
You can find the answers at our website mhsbruin.com
Down: 1. What sport is Wes Gabrielson a national champion in? 4. Which famous bank-robbing siblings attended MHS? 6. What sport did MHS use to offer? 8. How many times has our school been remodeled? 11. How many streakers have we had at graduation?
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CAITLIN BROWN
Across: 2. What is the song that plays at graduation? 3. What is one of Erik Knoedler’s hobbies? 5. What American politician attended Mac High? 7. What does Bruin mean? 9. According to Greg McAnally, what can you find under the building? 10. What teacher has been teaching at MHS for 41 years? 11. True or False: Our building has trap doors?
10 Things To Do
During a boring Zoom Call
1
Doodle/ Learn to draw
2 3
Go to the gym
4 5
Reading books
6 7 8 9
Take a nap
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Pretend the floor is lava
Walk/ Drive to store for snacks
Knit a sweater
Watch Netflix Bake cookies
Work on homework you have been procrastinating about