Vol. 20 - No. 3

VOL 20, NO. 3 / MAY 2018

Editor-in-Chief Levi Wood

purpose

The Howler strives to inform, educate, and entertain the student body of Monarch High School as a studentproduced newspaper and open forum for student expression and opinions.

Expression made by students in The Howler is not an expression of Boulder Valley School District Board policy and the School District and its employees are immune from any civil or criminal action based on any expression made or published by students in The Howler. cover illustrations by Levi Wood

02

Table of Contents

Editors Sali Castro India Turner Sneha Varanasi Treyton Williams

STAFF

This new magazine is a reflection of us, not as a staff but as a school, the physical expression of what it means to be a Monarch Coyote. Between us, here on the paper, our website (mhshowler.com), and the Mosaic Yearbook, we strive to tell the stories that live between these brick walls. We tell these stories because they matter to us as students, staff, family, friends, and even rivals.

We tell these stories in full color because we aren’t black and white. We tell these stories to prove that there are people who give a damn.

Illustrators Mandy Matteson Emma Gentry

Staff Writers Tori Armitage Emma Baziuk Claire Brache Chance Bradley Madison Devendorf Ruthie Fager Emma Gentry Ellie Guanella Zikra Hashmi Chasity Harris Leah Humphrey Rachel Klemaszewski Mandy Matteson Gwen McGarry Theo Morelock Phil Phronesius Zachary Salaman Sam Saliba Lexi Stone Anna Wexler Kevin Wu Adviser Bonnie Katzive Co-Adviser Ben Reed

The Howler reserves the right to refuse advertising which does not adhere to the publication’s standards, particularly in reference to good taste and to products and/or services that are illegal and/or immoral for the majority of high school readers.

Guest contributions sent to The Howler which do not adhere to the publication’s standards may be turned down for publication. contact info mhshowler@gmail.com

05

A Stress Reliever Retriever

06

Another Trend or Another Lifelong Additcton?

10

Upgrades Underway

12

Retiring Teachers

14

Senior Destinations

18

Senior Reflections

20

So That’s What They Do in There

21

Merging Old and New

24

Where Does the Money Go?

26

An Artist’s Fingerprint

30

Summer 2018 Entertainment Rundown

coyote photo edited with permission from photographer Janet Kessler

May 2018 03

Justin’s proudly supports Monarch High School! www.justins.com

A stress reliever retriever

by Lexi Stone and Leah Humphrey

A good bye to our hairiest student

photos by Lexi Stone

I

magine being able to bring your dog to school every day. For Jaden Rivera(12) it not only has made an impact on her life, but on the people around her, too. KB is Rivera’s service dog, a big-hearted, loving golden retriever to help manage her diabetes. He barks when Rivera’s blood sugar is low and whines when her blood sugar is high. He has helped her throughout all her years of high school and also has made a big impact on lots of people around the school. It’s sad his high school experience is coming to an end.

KB brings so much fun energy to the classroom; how could you not smile just looking at his furry face?

“He brings a lot of enjoyment into the classroom. I mean all my teachers love him, they play around with him and with students,” Rivera said.

For some people he’s changed their view of school completely.

“He’s made the environment go from a super strict school to a fun loving happy environment,” Joseph Waddle (12) said.

Not only is KB fun to play with, but he helps out with the students as well.

“I know that he knows when I’m stressing out about school or just life in general. He can sense it in other people too and he’ll go and hang out with them or be near and he’s a really good stress reliever,” Rivera.

It’s clear that KB has been more of a therapeutic aid than a distraction.

“I have loved having KB be a part of my school life this year. I hope that I can have more service animals in my class in the future-they really ease the stress and anxiety for all students,” spanish teacher Alice Davidoff said.

KB helps Rivera every day.

Whether you’ve seen him wag his tail through the hallways or if you have a larger connection with him, KB will be missed as his four years here are celebrated with graduation.

May 2018 05

Another trend or another V lifelong addiction?

*The students interviewed for this story chose to not be identified based on the sensitive nature of this topic, and will be referred to by pseudonyms, followed by their grade level to show the demographic of the school they represent.

Vaping increasing among teens nationwide despite health risks

by Sam Saliba, Chasity Harris, Treyton Williams, Anna Wexler, and Amanda Matteson

06

In-Depth

aping is a trend, according to the FDA, that more than two million US high schoolers and middle schoolers participated in during 2016 and the national news since January 2018 has been trumpeting alarming increases. Vaping mixes euphoria with the convenience of a small device, with a multitude of exotic flavors available. But these flavorings, as well as the active ingredients such as nicotine, may be causing some harm.

Anatomy and biology teacher Laszlo Vass teaches about vaping and smoking when he teaches the pulmonary system. “The studies that have been done so far show that the chemicals they use in the vape liquid all have side effects. And some of [those can] coat the inside of the trachea and all the way down into the lungs and can have damaging effects there.

The other thing about vaping is that you can consume way

more [nicotine] than you would in a traditional cigarette.They sell cartridges that are up to as many as 20 cigarettes in one hit. That’s a lot of nicotine. So you’re really, really rewiring your brain here because nicotine is super addictive,” Vass said.

Some chemicals in vapes are very harmful, as Vass mentioned. When vapes are turned on to a higher temperature, two main ingredients in the vapor itself, propylene glycol and vegetable glycerin, can be formulated into formaldehyde and acetaldehyde, two chemicals that are suspected to cause cancer when inhaled directly into the lungs.

JUULs and other devices on the market deliver the juice and often nicotine, just as a cigarette would, but with the absence of burning or carcinogen-laden smoke. But there is the same amount of nicotine in a JUUL pod as in a box of cigarettes, so the addictiveness level can often be similar between the two.

Though some people and companies talk about vaping as a healthy alternative for smokers, the addiction is still very likely due to the fact that the nicotine is still in the mods and JUULs. The addictive nature of vaping has been noticed by students as well. *John Doe (10), a student at Monarch, has experienced this for himself.

“I was addicted to nicotine and I was away for spring break [which] really helped. You have to be willing to say ‘Okay, this is a problem and it needs to stop.’ I’ve had people come up to me while I’m washing my hands in the bathroom and they’re like ‘Do you have a JUUL? Do you have any drugs?’ and I’m like ‘No, sorry,’ but they really look for that,” *John Doe said.

The problems and symptoms that may arise from addiction include withdrawal, slipping of

grades, and ditching class. These are all symptoms that *Jane Doe (11) sees her friends have begun to adopt.

“I see it [friends’ addiction to nicotine] affecting them with their school work and their grades. They ditch school a lot to go smoke or do something,” *Jane Doe (11) said.

A common claim made by vaping companies is that vaping is a safer and healthier alternative to smoking. School Nurse Consultant Leslie Boyhan disagrees.

“What they know is that if somebody gets addicted to nicotine--which is a highly addictive substance--when they’re adolescents, it changes the brain chemistry so that it’s very hard to ever kick that addiction, so tobacco companies are really targeting youth,” Boyhan said.

“Thirteen to 18 is really their target rate range [for] trying to get people addicted to nicotine.

And so even some of the e-juice that is used within the devices will say it is nicotine free, but a lot of them are testing low with old levels of nicotine, which is causing an addiction,” Boyhan said.

Vaping has attracted a broad spectrum of students. Administrators say they have seen vapers from a wide demographic, from competitive athletes to honor roll students.

“I think some students do it for stress and they are stressed out and that’s where they turn, and other students do it because they see their friends doing it, or they get hooked on it from somebody they met, or they just think it’s cool,” *Jill Doe (10) said.

Peer pressure, the cause of much teenage angst, is evident in vaping.

“People say ‘Okay, someone that I’m close with and someone that I trust is like, “Oh, just try it”’ and why shouldn’t I?” *John Doe (10) said.

Although peer pressure is one of the largest

“I think some students do it for stress and they are stressed out and that’s where they turn, and other students do it because they see their friends doing it, or they get hooked on it from somebody they met, or they just think it’s cool.”

-*Jane (11)

May 2018 07

causes students begin vaping and partaking in drugs, other reasons can’t be ignored.

A student who struggled with their weight was ready to seek other medical alternatives to maintain adequate weight, but with the use of drugs this was not needed.

“Ever since I got into drugs it got me to eat more, so that’s kind of why I do it,” *Jane Doe (11) said. *Jane Doe said she knows the long term health risks of vaping but chooses to do it anyway.

The long range health effects of vaping are still to some extent unknown. Vaping has only been around for fifteen years, and did not gain large scale popularity until about five years ago.

Due to the fact that the concept is fairly new, studies on physiological affects, addictiveness, and other health implications vaping can have have not been completed to the same extent that health studies have for other drugs.

Administrators see the addictiveness as a key element in the rise in popularity.

“The addictiveness of the vapes is far more than even the nicotine from cigarettes. They get an addiction quicker and I think [vaping pens] have been tabbed as the healthy way to smoke.

That’s [how they were advertised] when they first came out. All we’re doing is trading one set of chemicals for another set of chemicals and the scariest part is we don’t know in 20 years what these kids’ lungs are going to look like or their mouths,” Sibley said.

Many experts refer to this generation as the “guinea pig’ for vaping.

But students who vape know this.

“Yes, smoking and vaping is bad for your lungs, and I know I shouldn’t do it, but it makes you feel good, and then you kind of get roped into it, and you’re like well, I tried it once and now I want more. You get addicted to the feeling you get when you do stuff,” John Doe (10) said.

Vaping has become an epidemic all round the country. With vaping comes the prevalence of tobacco, nicotine, hazardous chemicals, metals, cancer and addiction. Understanding and being educated on these facts is vital. “[I don’t vape because] since we don’t know the consequences of it, I don’t really want to be putting that in my body and then in 20 years be suffering because of a stupid mistake I made when I was 18,” *Jennifer Doe (12) said.

08

In-Depth

What are the consequences of vaping at Monarch?

D

uring the 20172018 school year, administrators and counselors faced increasing issues with students leaving class to vape. “[Vaping] caught on quicker than anything I can ever recall in my history in administration. I will tell you, we changed what we were doing in late September, early October, because we were kind of just treating them like a pack of cigarettes; if [a student] gets caught with a pack of cigarettes, they get a warning, and we record it, and if they get caught again, then they face consequences,” assistant principal Mark Sibley said. Consequences can also include confiscation of paraphernalia.

But as the popularity of vaping grew, policies had to keep up. “[What] we’re doing now is we’re going to a one day in-school suspension with community service, and connecting them to the nurse, because there’s a program that they go through now where they’re just learning about more of what they’re actually doing, because the real problem

is that kids don’t see that [vaping is] bad at all,” Sibley said.

If a student is an athlete, consequences can be more severe. Each athlete signs a code of conduct at the beginning of the season agreeing to the terms stated by the district.

“I think for the most part, kids think they’re signing about drugs or alcohol, but it clearly says tobacco. So this carries the same weight as if they had possession of or were busted at a party drinking over the weekend. So, a first offense is 20% [of the season suspended from games], [the] second offense is 50% game suspensions, and a third time means you’re out for a year,” Sibley said.

If a student is caught with a vape device containing marijuana, they face suspension and referral to law enforcement. All of this could potentially have an affect on acceptance and scholarships to college.

Administrative responses to vaping will be reviewed over the summer and students will be notified in the fall of revised policies for 2018-2019.

Staff Editorial: TIME TO RETHINK VAPING Dear Peers, We’ll be honest; we’re worried. We see you leaving to “go to the bathroom” every day. It happens in first period, second, third, all the way to seventh. We smell strawberries and tropical fruits on you when you return. We notice the quick depositing of those thin, plastic apparatuses into your pockets, with you looking over your shoulder the whole time. Some of our friends and family are partaking in something that has dire long-term consequences. Vaping has rapidly grown in popularity in recent years, and with it, people have jumped into the trend without a mind for the future. The fact is, it’s a negative trend and we’d be remiss if we didn’t take the time to try and get you to rethink this harmful hobby.

We know what cigarettes will do to someone’s lungs and circulatory system in 30 years and it’s not a pretty picture. We have no idea what the body of someone who has vaped for a comparable amount of time will be like. That’s what users are risking: stepping into an unknown future. This “first wave” of users is unwittingly becoming a sort of guinea pig generation; by using, you will go on to be the subjects of those studies that warn of the consequences of vaping dozens of years down the line.

The worry around vaping isn’t just long-term. The nicotine present in vape juice and mods is highly addictive, a fact that’s been known for years. Furthermore, nicotine is far from the only chemical introduced to the body during vaping. Inhaled heavy metals from vaping can wreak havoc on the body, and our friends are turning themselves into living test tubes, breathing in science experiments for fun.

Vaping does not make anyone a bad person. People who vape shouldn’t be shunned or looked down on or anything of the sort.

However, it’s our duty as friends to inform those close to us about the potential danger they are putting themselves in. It is also the duty of those who make the choice to vape to understand exactly what they’re consenting to.

Vaping is bad for you. Whether you vape or not, you should know that’s the truth. Users need to ask themselves if the stress relief or social standing vaping brings is worth the possible damage to their body. Non-users need to keep themselves and their peers informed on the negative effects of vaping before considering to partake in it. Know the facts, show them to those who need convincing or encouragement to drop the habit, and don’t let yourself or your peers step blindly into a situation that can do harm.

Your friends, The Howler Editorial Board

May 2018 09

Upgrades Underway Renovations coming to a classroom near you

by Levi Wood and Kevin Wu

A

s students look around, they may notice a little bit of the construction presence indicative of the changes coming to the school during the summer break. Once students and staff make their exits from the building, construction crews will move in to renovate the school under the new bond. A majority of the improvements will directly impact the student body, with a few more improvements made behind the scenes.

Principal Neil Anderson said changes would be visible across campus, from new furniture to innovative redesigns of several classrooms.

“J-Lot is supposed to be paved. Our current computer science room is going to be transformed into more of a modern “Intellispace.” [Digital Art and Design teacher Claudia] LaStella is moving into where [Business teacher Rudy] Sumpter is and that space is turning into more of a business Pictured here is an artist’s rendering of a hybrid classroom and black box theater. Tables and chairs can all be compactly stacked and stored in order to clear the flexible space. Thanks to a wall being knocked out, students in the music and theater program will enjoy a more expansive space for small theater productions and/or small ensembles to perform. “[It] is basically a really small theater where you’re expecting an audience of 50 or 60 people and you maybe have six actors in the cast,” said band director Charles Stephen.

Image courtesy of BVSD.

10

News

collaboration... kind of format.

And then we’ll have new carpet in the academic wings-- not in the classrooms, just in the hallways,” said principal Neil Anderson.

A few of the less visible improvements include upgrading the HVAC controls in the building and repairing the HVAC system, as well as making improvements to the intercom/ clock system.

Library and Language Arts Media production classes and work spaces will see some big changes and upgrades. Students using the green screen room inside the journalism office (L204) will be trading places with the IT department’s office space.

Students will be able to sign up to utilize the new space, called “The

Studio,” as a place to work on various photo, audio, or video projects for any of their classes. Students will get to enjoy a more expansive studio for their needs (thanks to a wall being knocked out between the old IT office and an adjoining library office).

For the school’s yearbook, newspaper, and video production classes, a new interactive and collaborative space was needed, so the department came up with “The Hub” (located in the upstairs A-wing in former computer lab A208).

“We’re hoping that it will help keep students aware of what the media programs are doing and help us provide professional-qualityresources for them like InDesign and Photoshop and the various Adobe video editing software and have it all in one place that students can access,” said newspaper and yearbook teacher Bonnie Katzive.

In addition, there will be new

A schematic shows the projected layout and furniture for“The Hub” . There will be several short, long and tall conference tables, conducive to small group discussions and editor/staff meetings in media production classes. Several of the computers will be grouped to facilitate collaboration. To help staff members stay organized, there will also be a mobile whiteboard and several storage units. The design will foster communication and collaboration.

Image courtesy of BVSD.

furniture located inside “The Hub,” such as a big conference table for staff and editor meetings, as well as some comfy chairs for students to relax in while they brainstorm. In an effort to design the room towards the needs of the media production classes, computer workstations will also be configured to accommodate several different teams of students.

“We have we have a lot of ambitions and we’re hoping that the students will find it really exciting and it will inspire them to explore these kinds of careers,” Katzive said.

Music Students in the music programs will see several changes when they return to school in the fall. In the next five years, the music department expects over 250 students to join the program with only enough current storage space for about 160 students.

“Part of the thing that I have to deal with is storage. We just don’t have enough,” said Charles Stephen, head of the music department.

The current storage space for all the instruments will be moved to what is now the uniform room for the marching band. The uniforms will be then moved into the current drum room, which will expand halfway into classroom B105 (which currently serves as Vickie Askildson-Howard’s classroom).

The other half of B105 will be combined with B104 (currently

Gwendolyn Lukas-Doctor’s classroom) which will then be converted into a black box theatre, lending itself to a multitude of uses for both the music and theatre department.

“If you have a group of around 50 people with six actors, a black box theatre is a great venue. Or if you had a chamber group on strings or a saxophone quartet and you want to put on a recital, it’d be the perfect space for it,” Stephen said.

In the auditorium, new energy efficient LED light bulbs have already been added to the existing lighting system for theater productions and concerts.

Physical Education and Athletic Fields

Details of the2018 Monarch High School Bond Project Project Budget: $10,387,690 Innovation Budget: $800,000 included in budget Construction Timeline: April 2018 - August 2018 Project Manager: Charles Zachemsky Architect: Cuningham Group Contractor: GE Johnson

On the sports side, the football field will be seeing the construction of a press box and fixtures (such as football/soccer goals, as well as fencing) on all the playing fields will either be repaired or replaced. The main gymnasium will also get new bleachers and lighting. Downstairs, students can look forward to a more modern weight room.

To find out more about how the bond is affecting Monarch High School, see http://bond.bvsd.org/projects/ MonarchHS/Pages/default.aspx

May 2018 11

RETIRING

photo by Ruthie Fager

by Sneha Varanasi and Claire Brache

vickie askildsonhoward

A

fter many years of serving Monarch High School, one of our most beloved teachers has decided to retire. Vickie Askildson-Howard, master Debate coach and public speaking teacher, reminisced on her time at Monarch. If she were to sum up her career in one word, she would say she was “blessed.”

“I’ve worked with wonderful students and faculty and supportive administration the entire time I’ve been here,” Howard said. “People make a school. People define the school. And the people here at Monarch - it’s been a joy and a privilege to work with them all these years.”

By far, her favorite part of being a teacher has been working with the students and improving their education. “[Students] have such a wonderful way of looking at the world because, for the most part, the future is ahead of them. They’re full of so much love and compassion, ” Howard said. “What I’ve learned most from students is their ability to change, and as a result, [they’ve] changed the school and the climate here.”

As the Speech and Debate coach, members had great admiration for Howard. Debate captain Bailey Shogrin (11) felt Howard had taught her innumerable important lessons.

“Mrs. Howard is one of the most amazing people I have ever known. She knows how to be this motherly caring figure, but have this ‘no BS’ sort of realm about her,” Shogrin said. “She’s given me a place. She taught me that it’s okay to be upset about things, and it’s okay to not succeed at everything that I do, to learn from my mistakes, and to take that and care for people in the same way that she’s cared for me.”

Howard felt like she was born to be a language arts teacher. If she had the opportunity to teach a different subject, she wouldn’t take it.

“We’re so varied [in language arts]. We offer a myriad of courses,” Howard said.

After retirement, she has detailed and ambitious plans, while still paying tribute to her teaching career.

“I hope to continue working with teenagers in a different role,” Howard said. “I’m going to travel... I’d like to work with immigrants and help them become citizens, or teaching English. I’d like to work with CASA, which is a court appointed special advocate position... Something working with kids, just in a different capacity.”

12

News

TEACHERS

photo by Levi Wood

rudolph sumpter

R

udolph Sumpter has been part of Monarch’s faculty team for twelve years. He put in a lot of time and effort as a business teacher and staff member, and was not only the pioneer of the High School of Business™ but was the founder of the Coyote Student Union, and instructed students with his helpful teaching skills.

His effort did not go unnoticed; along with being named the Koelbel Enterprising Teacher of the Year ‘15 by Economic Literacy Colorado and receiving an Impact Award from Foundation for Boulder Valley Schools this year, he led many DECA and FBLA students to success and advised many of their business endeavors.

“I got to this point where I wanted to do something that mattered. That’s why I decided to teach,” Sumpter said. “[My favorite memory] is when they gave me the phone call that they wanted me to work here.”

When asked to name something he liked about Monarch, Sumpter couldn’t name just one factor.

“Ambitious high achieving students, an atmosphere of people wanting to get along, and people communicate more than other places I’ve been -- people think things through,” Sumpter said. “It’s really a productive place.”

Sumpter’s teaching has left a lasting impact with students.

“He’s super good at connecting with students because he’s just so fun and he’s not stressed about anything,” said business student Ella Woods (9). “It’s going to be sad [when he leaves] - he was always there to help with any business stuff. It’s going to be hard to not have someone who is really good at helping people.”

After planning to retire for a few years, Sumpter finally decided that this was the year to leave.

“Three years ago, I thought I’d have to retire for health reasons, but I got better... And then another year we got Jody Bennett to teach marketing, and I love her so much, [so] I was like, ‘Okay, I can do another year.’ But now, I feel like... it’s time to go,” Sumpter said.

After retirement, Sumpter plans to move to Arizona and attend games at ASU, concerts, and maybe a few aerobics classes. And as for his legacy at Monarch?

“I did ask Jody Bennett to name the printer after me. So [when] you have to print something, you send it to Rudy,” Sumpter said.

May 2018 13

Arizona

Arizona State University Annabella Ruschenberg

Grand Canyon University

Kalen Muus Shyyane Martin

University of Arizona

Lucas Agasse Easton Bryant Ryley Cowan William Leipold

california California Lutheran University

Woodbury University

Cobi Granger

Hawaii

University of Hawaii at Manoa Hope Widner

Conneticut

Illinois

Columbia College of Chicago Meredith Marshall

kansas Kansas State University

Anne Arundel Communuity College

University of Loyola

Washington DC

Emma Bowman

Marissa Rainone

George Washington University

Thomas Monahan

maryland

Jessica Teichman

Emma Hunt

Bates College

Natalie Long

Lake Forest College

Quinnipiac University

maine

Johns Hopkins University Nicole Gander Kevin Gorman

Oliver Campeau

class of

Kathryn Peterson

California Polytechnic State University Aleksandr Breit Connor Crouch Elizabeth Hogan Hannah Tofan

Loyola Marymount University Christian Roch

Pitzer College

Theodore Bayard de Volo

San Diego State University Molly Larson

San Francisco State University Samantha Kalis

Stanford University

Matthew Perry

UC Berkeley Kyle Mak

UCLA

Andrew Chang

University of Redlands

Paula Marquez

14

Florida Eckerd College Samuel Carner

Florida State University

Daniel McHugh Alena Wohl

Hillsborough Community College

Nicole Schlander-Rice

University of Central Florida Amanda Auday

University of Florida

Mack Hummel

University of Miami Dane Jones

The University of Tampa Owen Mitchell

Graduation

Idaho

Boise State University

Chandler Thorton

Brigham Young University

Cooper Anderson (Mission trip)

indiana

louisiana

Butler University

Louisiana State University

massACHUsetts

Louisiana Tech University

Hannah Gorman Michael Harrington

Madison Pius

Purdue University

Samuel Packard

iowa

Iowa State University

Jacob Sehnert

Cole Polluconi

Alexander Lejeune

Tulane University

Valerie Warkins

Boston University

Clark University Jiwoo Kim

new york

michigan

nebraska

University of Michigan

Chadron State College

Vassar College

Hastings College

Syracuse University

Sydney Atkinson Jack Zeile

Joseph Waddle

Spencer Daake

minnesota University of Minnesota Kevin Dekker

Nebraska Wesleyan University

Nyas Tolbert

University of Nebraska Lincoln Julika Stack

Victoria Armitage

Lauren Bertelson Katherine Nehring

City College of New York Nikaela Nelson

oregon

Oregon State University Leah Bivrell

University Of Oregon

Samuel Chavez Carolyn Hayes Courtney Schumann

Linfield College Aidin Velick

Texas

Rice University Michael Katona

Trinity University

Brigid Kennedy

University of Texas Austin

Finn Murray Kamryn Terch

Baylor University Avery Ortiz-Hunt

Texas Christian University Grace Heilman

Eugene Lang College

Virginia Virginia Commonwealth University Houston Lair

Washington Seattle Pacific University

Carmen Connolly

Gonzaga University

Paige Grosser Thomas Harlow

Corinne Sweeney

Seattle University

Chloe Mittelman

Wisconsin University of Wisconsin Jordan Simon

Wyoming University of Wyoming Austen Weber

Out of the Country

Destinations missouri

Missouri State University Amaiya Bailey

Washington University in St. Louis Avery Golder

montana

Montana State University Caroline Crouse

nevada

University of Nevada Las Vegas

Reilly Gilliland

new jersey

Monmouth University/Navy Tyler Bradley

North Carolina Pennsylvania Utah Duke University William Dixon Jonathan Inge Cole Rowan

ohio

Case Western Reserve University Emily Locker

Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania

University of Utah

Carnegie Mellon University

Brigham Young University

Luke Secunda

Mitchell Waters Tyler Waters

University of Pittsburgh Morgan Cioth

Nicholas Hansen Casey Zukosky

William Spong

Canada

Alec Cokley

Seneca College Leslie Erkocevic

University of British Columbia Julia Malcolmson Hailey Chapman

China

Emily Pearson

Denmark

Oliver Dias Abeygunawardena (studying online at Metropolitan University)

May 2018 15

Colorado Art Institute of Colorado Dalton Reiman

Aveda Institute (Denver) Sarah Bowden Emily Smith

Colorado Christian University

Issac Russo

Colorado Mesa University

Sean Bohling Ashton Hall Anna Barjenbruch Brenner Trent

Colorado School of Mines

Benjamin Cole Thomas Ferguson Benjamin Fuchs Arthur Harris Corbin Hoppe

16

William Mutter Tylor Trinh

Colorado State University

Brody Austin Grace Batey Thomas Bridge Brenden Christensen Jordan Davis Michela Dunbar Jackson Emerson Connor Farrell Annie Gore Linden Gray Leora Greene Maguire Harwood Remi Hoops Kalia Jones Tayelin Jones Kiera Jost Jacob Kennedy Marin Konopelski Jarod Krebill Hailey Leader Emily Leonard Carmen Lighthiser Kailee Lockamy Shelby Oke Case Ollila

Graduation

Catherine Paul Max Ryterski Miles Sanders Lauren Sheeks Caroline Skram Sophia Stearns Ania Stein Lyndi Warner Owen Weber

Community College of Denver

Edward Lilienkamp Cloey Overcash Jacob Peer Jaden Rivera Shylar Rothell Conrad Zeman

Metropolitan State University

Emmet Booth Emilio Buxton John Ecton Jobana Chavez Santos Paola Garcia Joshua Gurule Palmer McQuade Embry Riddle Parker McQuade Aeronautical Riley Nussbaum University Hayleigh Pazo Rachel Arrotta Brent Pfosi Blake Reinert Fort Lewis Justin Riemer

College

Adeline Lane

Front Range Community College

Joseph Bullock Sali Castro Hannah Dillon Katelyn Goen Brett Hoffman Scott Krull

Northeastern Junior College Jake Greene Nico Hartojo

Regis University Seth Clark Harris Grant Pryce Holmes Yuta Young

Luke Barnocky United States Air Force Emma Baziuk Academy

Max Blanco Jacob Bonora Alexander University of Denver Bork Mikayla Aiken Caitlin Browne Jackson Davis Karen Buri Elsie Hattendorf Nathan Burke Lily Horst Annabella Zoe Woods Callipari Alexandre University of Caron Tyler Carr Northern Liam Carvalho Colorado Colby Cecil Aseal Mansour Case Chrisbacher Lauren Mehrhoff Benjamin Justin Powers Coatney Landon Sibley John Coatney Millie Zhang Margaret Daley Jackson Day Western State Ryan Colorado Dinkelmeyer University Tenzin Dorje Mitchell Johnson Zachary East Benjamin Familetto University of Manel Felfli Colorado Boulder Andrew Ferraro Olivia Abdalati Henry Fontaine Abigail Adams Isabella Ford Landon Adler John Fowle Edward Alder Sean Gazarik Avery Allen Darian Hall Evan Allenson Zikra Hashmi Heidi Liles

Brehn Heil Gap Year Abigail Hein Zachary Buick Connor Horn Bronwyn Clair Aston Horton Ryland Connor Samuel Hoswell Isaiah Cornell Paul Huntington Andrew Dasko Benjamin Hyde Isabella Dove Grady Isbill Cyrus Evans Keegan Johnson Sydney Falkenstein Jack Kapushion Katherine Grant Neel Karsanbhai Paul Hanlon Manpreet Kaur Emmanuelle Lebek Justin Kiss Carly Minichiello William Kniebes Ositadimma Ogbuji Peyton Korte Madison Reddick Maxwell Laychak Annabelle Richards Sarah Lott Kyle Shoulders Kendall Magness Eloy Yanez Christian Marshall Lily Martinelli Alex Matsumoto Elora McCauley Diana Montanez CameronMestek Elizabeth Moore Brittany Moyer Anderson Mun Sarah Nadir Robert Nevitt Christian Nicol Claire Petersen Delenne Phan Ethan Plott Owen Pritchard Aidan Reese Kyle Reichenbach Zachary Reichenbach Maren Rose Emery Ryujin-Duffin Dylan Sain Rigpi Satho Charles Schmanski Renee Schnettler Kai Schuyler Gonzalez Jackson Scott James Seaward Kyra Slovacek Madison Stockbauer Trey Storm Surf Thompson Zane Tienken Reilly Vander Veer Sneha Varanasi Garet Villars Adam Voss Treyton Williams Kyle Willis Allison Wipke Tenzin Woesar Levi Wood Kevin Wu

TBA Ethan Adams Mason Allen Alexander Ambrose Jacqueline Bach Will Barnes Callum Barr Thomas Borrego Nathan Bradford William Bramer Andrew Buckman Tristan Buxton Juliette Carney Joseph Charnoff Ernesto Chavez Benjamin Conroy William Crist Joshua Dickhausen Thomas Dieter Daniel Doci Tobias Dozauer-Ray Hayleigh Duell Connor Eamon Noah Early Vincent Eide Sedric Fackenthall Grant Falkner Karlee Fanger Jasmine Floyd Christian Glass Matthew Hamilton Huilin Han Nathaniel Hand Danielle Hansen Macklin Harrington Nathan Harris Montgomerie-Anne Hawkins Joseph Hubbard Trevor Hubbard Elizabeth Jackson Cade Jeffress Channing Jenkins Valerie Jonas Johnathon Kelsey Caden Knittle Brandon Kozlowski

Julietta LauritaSmith Jack LeNeveu Cooper Lightfoot Andrew Lindemann Montana Lower Samson Mammarappallil Edward Martin Amanda Matteson Gabriel Maule Megan McCormick Croix McDaniel Margaret McDougall Teresa Mendez Natalya Miller Victoria Mitcham Ryan Mitton Michael Moran Marcus Moreno Andrew Morris Kevin Ness Devyn Ortiz Mariam Paiva Jorge Portillo Sanchez Caleb Purcell Abril Ramirez Sarder Salinger Sean Scanlon Alexandr Scott Jordon Shields Jackson Sklenar Elleahna Stehman Chad Storey Tenzin Tashi Jenna Thibodaux Mischa Thompson Mariah Trujillo Kavita Valette Chase Vanderschel Margaret Woodhouse Endre Zsigmond

Congratulations Class of 2018!

May 2018 17

We’re Out! Parting words from the Class of 2018

by Rachel Klemaszewski and Sneha Varanasi

Is there a moment that you would repeat?

“The last day of junior year when I took my last walk down to J-lot EVER and my friends and I realized that within the next year we would turn 18, apply to several colleges, decide a college, plan our major, have our final high school dance, and graduate.”

- Heidi Liles

“I’d have to say I would repeat my first day here, because it was probably the best day of my life so far.”

- Joseph Hubbard

High school: a time for stress, but also a time for fun and a time for friends. Acting as a gateway towards the future, high school is meant to prepare students for what lies ahead. Sometimes it can be perceived as frustrating and difficult, but it can still feel like an accomplishment come graduation day. How do Monarch seniors sum up their high school experience? What will they miss?

What kind of advice do they have for incoming students?

How would you sum up your high school experience?

“Well, honestly, [high school] goes by so extremely fast, just try to have as much fun as you can because you’re gonna have to make a lot of great memories while you’re here.

Just try to cherish those. ven if times do get hard--which they will--just know that [for some people] it’s going to be the best four years of your life.”

- Matthew Villany “My life was gladly spent in the theatre, in parts of the school that most of my peers have never seen.

Wouldn’t have changed it for the world.”

- Meredith Marshall

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Plans after graduation: “I’m going to Denmark to play Semi Pro hockey. It’ll be exciting, little nerve wracking (...) but it’s also in a different country, so I’ll get to explore the culture, language, and get a feel of what it’s like to live there and do something I love.”

- Oliver Dias Abeygunawardena

Advice for incoming seniors?

“Just to be aware of the options that are out there. You don’t need to go to a four- year college and get a degree;, you can go to specialty schools for like a very specific trade art or cooking or what have you, or you can take an off year or you can go to the community college and then transfer out because it’s way cheaper to do that and you get the same exact education. ”

“After high school I’m going to China for six months. I’m really interested - Margaret Woodhouse in Asian culture because it’s so different from ours (...) I’m kind of scared and nervous, just because it’s going to be a huge change and I’ve never done a big travel like this on my own, but I’m excited for it.”

- Emily Pearson

May 2018 19

Humor: So that’s what they do in there An unexpected journey

by Treyton Williams

It was the first passing period of the day and Adam desperately needed to pee. He shuffled in the infamous “Too Much OJ For Breakfast” manner that too many people have experienced in the morning. He could see the entrance to the restroom dead ahead, boys to the left, girls to the right.

Just as he reached the opening, he felt a vibration in his pocket. He reached in and retrieved his phone, unlocking it to discover that his friend had posted yet another meme in a mutually-shared group chat. So dank was the meme and so badly did Adam have to pee, that he didn’t even notice he made a wrong turn. The wrong turn.

He looked up from his phone to the sound of a heavy whirring noise, a blast of air being forced through metal. Next to the wall-mounted contraption was a figure with long hair, bowing their head next to the opening from which the hot air blew. Adam recognized the machine: a hand dryer. That was to be expected; he was in a bathroom after all. What was strange was the fact that the person using it wasn’t drying their hands at all. Adam approached.

“You okay, dude?” he asked.

The figure turned.

Her long, brunette hair flipped with an aggressive energy. Her face was decorated with eyeliner, lipstick, and war paint.

She wore a trendy, shoulderless top, with a wolf’s pelt covering the back of her shoulders and neck. Leather shin and knee guards covered their designated places above her skinny jeans. She looked fierce.

She looked ready for a fight. She. She. SHE!!!

“HGWAHHAH,” said Adam, surprised at the identity of the figure in front of him.

“What are you doing in the Girls’ Bathroom!?” she asked, rather intensely.

“Girls? But this is the…” Adam trailed off

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as he looked further into the restroom.

He expected to see sinks to his left, a long mirror above it. Past that were supposed to be a couple of urinals and a stall or two.

There was none of that. Instead, there seemed to be everything else. The familiar plastic panels on the floor and walls were replaced with harsh stone. There was no sink, but a sort of pool/fountain, itself much larger than the entire bathroom looked from the outside, carved into what looked like the side of a mountain. Around the body of clear water were dozens of other similarly dressed girls. The ceiling lacked the bright industrial lights he expected. In fact, the ceiling didn’t seem like a ceiling at all; it led into what looked like the sky.

There were no urinals or stalls, just a path leading to an opening with light pouring in.

Flustered, Adam turned on his heels to leave, muttering a rushed apology to the girl, his mind boggled by the impossible sight before him. However, there was no exit, only smooth stone. Adam felt a hand on his shoulder.

“You have begun the Journey. There is no turning back, only moving forward. No boy has ever survived. Maybe you will be the first,” said the trendy, yet ready for battle girl.

Adam recognized her. It was Jenny; he sat next to her in fifth period English. She was the worst. She always did better than him on essays and had a scary look in her eyes. This was only amplified by the slight intimidation he felt when in the presence of any girl over 5’ 6’’.

This irrational fear took hold when Jenny pushed him towards the hand dryer, instructing him to “push the button and take in the air as a blessing for a safe journey.” It was, apparently, customary for every girl to push the button before entering further. Adam did so, before Jenny pushed him past the opening at the end of the room.

Adam almost used the bathroom a tad bit preemptively when he saw the scene before him. A group of girls armed with spears and sharpened I-Phone cases were doing battle with what appeared to be a tyrannosaurus rex. Adam knew that was impossible, of course, as this creature also had two heads that breathed fire, an ability that wasn’t present in dinosaurs. Adam and Jenny ran past the boss fight, with Jenny remarking that the road would be much more dangerous ahead.

“No girl ever uses the bathroom alone. If we did, the raptors would pick us off one by one,” she explained.

Up ahead was a large brick and straw hut inside what looked like the walls of an oversized stall. The duo entered through the front door. Inside was a large table

with warrior women sitting on all sides.

At the head was another girl on a large throne. She wore thick armor and used the skull of some large carnivorous creature as a helmet/fancy headpiece. Above her was the skeleton of what looked like a massive snake with 50 arms. She was absentmindedly texting on a phone with a pink case and neon yellow words that read “STAY CUTE!<3.” A pig with the legs of a lion roasted on a spit beside her.

“This is my Jarl, the Slayer of the CentiSnake, the Bringer of Pain. You probably know her as Lauren,” said Jenny.

Lauren stared at the boy with cold, steel eyes. “Weren’t paying attention, were ya?” asked the mighty warrior.

Adam shook his head no, dancing a little bit with his legs. The issue that brought him to this place remained a problem. Lauren rolled her eyes. She pulled a large scroll out from her lululemon lunchbox.

“Here. Not far from here is a magic toilet.

Jump into the bowl and flush it. It will take you where you need to be. Take a handful of my shieldmaidens, too. You’ll need help to deal with the lava ogres,” instructed the jarl.

Adam rushed from the hut, a retinue of battle hardened, yet fashionable soldiers behind him. The journey was difficult.

Adam almost peed his pants when they scaled Mount Despair. He almost wet himself when they had to fight off the Laser Eagles. He almost squeezed the lemon when the Giant Acid Spiders descended from the ceiling of the Cave of Ouch. Adam came the closest to Soaked Undies City when the Tornado Bears started to fling nests of Razor Bees at his face.

Despite the trials and tribulations in his way, Adam and the girls all made it to the toilet. It was enormous and bright gold.

Great clouds formed around it, with lighting striking the base of the seat. A signpost before it named it as “The Porcelain Throne.” Adam wasted no time climbing to the top. He thanked the warriors for their help in allowing the poor boy to finally go Number One. Jenny just shrugged.

“Next time, watch where you’re going.

See ya fifth.”

Adam leaped onto the handle and flung himself into the bowl, screaming the whole way.

Meanwhile, in the boy’s room, Chad was quietly using the urinal for its intended purpose. When the stall door next to him blew off its hinges and a screaming boy slid out, covered in water, Chad could only look on in horror. The boy lifted himself off the floor and rushed to the urinal next to Chad.

It was all so strange. Who uses the urinal next to someone else?

MERGING OLD AND NEW

Seniors bring essential keepsakes to a new home

by Gwen McGarry and India Turner photo by Rene Bohmer

As graduation approaches, college acceptance letters are arriving in the mail, job applications are being sent out, and plans are being finalized for the Class of 2018. Although those bound for college still have a few weeks before they have to pack up and leave, many seniors are already thinking about the keepsakes they plan to bring or other personal touches, to make their college dorm, room, or apartment feel like home. From photographs to paint, these are the material things that will help remind seniors of their childhood memories next year when they are off creating a new life of their own.

May 2018 21

“I’ve had a my life a lot of struggles th nd book roughou s provid t When I st ed a arted vo lunteerin n escape. it showe g at the li d me how bra much I lo -Megan M ve books. ry cCormic k (12) ”

“I’m going to bring a lot of plants becaus e I like plants .I don’t know w hat [the plan ts] are called...

They have le aves!”

-Riley Nussb aum (12)

e otos from th bring my ph g to in go “I’m gonna am I , y class here photograph them up on em and put th of l otography take al ph ue d contin my walls, an ding to it.” and keep ad (12) zo Pa -Caden

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photos by Gwen McGarry and India Turner

“My brother and I saw these little snow globe lamps with our names on them, and were lik e, ‘What better wa y to commemorate what we mean to each other?’” -Tyler Waters (12)

“Tyler and I both have these lamps. We are really close and having that material connection is great. No matter what happens, I’m always going to have that friend.” -Mitchell Waters (12)

m ut my roo thing abo te lue. ri b o s v ll fa a My my w t to paint is how I go myself it felt more it el at kes me fe Since I did it just ma so g, in rd rewa (12) ase Ollila home.” -C

May 2018

23

Where does the money go?

Students are paying for collegesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; unnecessary spending

by Tori Armitage and Zikra Hashmi illustration by Levi Wood

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T

he sky is blue, grass is green, and college is expensive.

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, the average annual cost of a bachelor’s degree from a fouryear institution has increased from $11,548 in the 1984-85 school year to $25,409 for the 2014-15 school year. The average undergraduate debt per person stands at $28,950 and total student loan debt in the United States stands at over $1.4 trillion. Overall, the staggering cost of college has become a fact of everyday life. But many people, especially prospective college students, question why the cost of college has skyrocketed so sharply.

The answer: there are a complex variety of factors that influence the cost of a college education. For example, the amount of state funding per student has decreased while an increased number of students have enrolled in college. State spending per student has fallen in 46 states in the decade since 2008. State funding is currently below five percent of total revenue for CU Boulder, and similar decreases in state funding have been seen at public universities throughout the country. According to research from the journal Economics of Education Review found that, per every $1000 cut from state and local higher education funding, tuition per student increases by an average of $257 per year.

One of the most concerning factors is that colleges, especially some large state institutions, are increasingly acting like businesses.

In some ways, no one would deny that colleges must resemble businesses. They must charge students tuition, and they must spend that money in order to maintain the college. However, issues arise when colleges begin to act like businesses in other ways, over-paying their CEOs and going to elaborate and arguably unnecessary lengths to attract more customers.

Many top universities are racing to improve their amenities in order to attract more applications. For example, Louisiana State University has a new lazy river, sun deck, and climbing wall in the school’s new rec center. The director of university recreation, Laurie Braden, told the Baton Rouge The Advocate “[Prospective students are] looking at ‘what are the recreation and leisure amenities that are available?’ It does impact students’ choices.”

Clemson University has a new facility for their football team, featuring a slide, mini golf, and a barber shop. Many athletic facilities and rec centers are financed, sometimes in part and sometimes entirely, through increases in student fees. Student fees contribute $2.1 million every year for the University of Maine’s rec center.

Many colleges also pay exorbitant coaching salaries. For example, football coach Nick Saban at the University of Alabama made $11,132,000 for the 2016-17 season. Some colleges are willing to pay so much for top-quality coaches because much of a college’s recognition with the general public results from the success of their sports teams; greater recognition could lead to more applicants, more students, and greater revenue for the college.

Even beyond shockingly large coaching salaries, athletics in general are unnecessarily expensive and often, despite bringing in significant revenue, not profitable. For example, varsity golf at Duke costs $20,405 per player. Athletic departments at nine out of ten public universities spent more money than they earned in 2011. Although most people wouldn’t advocate for the elimination of athletic programs entirely, the revenue that these programs bring in is often spent in inefficient ways. But athletic teams are often perceived as a factor that can make a college seem attractive to potential applicants, and therefore they continue to receive significant funding.

College administrative positions are rapidly growing, and top administrators make far greater salaries than they did decades ago.

Though this varies by college, there are many notorious examples of the excessive salaries and surprising benefits that often accompany

top administrative positions. For example, Robert Breuder, the former president of the College of DuPage in Illinois made nearly $500,000 per year before going on medical leave in April 2015. After going on leave in the wake of a scandal involving excessive spending, he received a severance package of $750,000.

A report from the Institute of Policy Studies found that student debt rose fastest at state universities with the highest-paid presidents.

However, this is simply a correlation, and it’s possible that the larger student debt was caused by other, unrelated factors. Nonetheless, top 25 highest-paid presidents of state colleges still made an average of nearly $1 million as of 2012.

So it’s clear that many colleges are beginning to resemble businesses in a damaging way. Many are using excessive amounts of money to attract students, improve the school’s reputation, and pay large administrative and coaching salaries. And this hurts students, especially those that are low-income or less accomplished.

Many lower or middle-class applicants, who cannot afford the full cost of college, rely on financial aid from their colleges. Lessaccomplished middle or lower-class students, who may not be able to qualify for merit-based aid, rely entirely on need-based aid. But this aid often isn’t nearly enough, meaning that many students pay most of the exorbitant cost of college by taking out large federal (and even private) loans, and remaining in debt for decades afterward.

This profit-driven system which relies on students’ tuition is necessary to a certain extent. Colleges have limited money, and the desire to enroll the best applicants is understandable. And no one can deny that colleges have to function like a business in some waysthey have to be aware of their expenditures and their funding, and they have to market themselves in some ways in so that students can find out about them.

However, since some college administrators are making six-figure salaries and many colleges are constantly building multi-million dollar rec centers and other amenities, it’s easy to see ways in which the excessive financial burden placed on some students can be reduced. Instead of spending millions on new stadiums, fund-raising efforts could easily go to providing better, more comprehensive financial aid packages, especially to low-income students. And colleges can be more discerning about what constitutes necessary spending; while it might attract students, no school needs a lazy river if it’s going to increase student activity fees. Though successful athletic teams may help a school’s reputation, coaches don’t need to make millions, especially if a school is lacking academic funding.

Colleges aren’t worrying about their students- they’re worried about attracting more students, and this is contributing to graduates’ excessive debt.

But where does this leave college-bound high schoolers? Students obviously can’t directly control a college’s spending. However, if colleges are businesses, students are consumers who have complete freedom of choice in where they choose to spend their money.

Overall, students have influence as consumers, and they need to learn to use this power to their advantage.

College-bound students can (and should) research a school’s financial decisions when deciding where to apply, and when deciding where they’ll commit. If a student notices some unnecessary, excessive, or questionable financial decisions, they can choose not to apply or enroll. Students need to make a statement to their prospective college: when choosing a college, they want an affordable institution that places emphasis on a high-quality education (and not a country club with a lazy river). If colleges begin to lose potential students, they may reconsider some of their more questionable spending decisions.

May 2018 25

AN ARTIST’S FINGERPRINT Four artists interpret the same subject

by Emma Gentry, Mandy Matteson, Sam Saliba, and Theodore Morelock

Style is the fingerprint of an artist. It’s a unique to each person and identifies their art better than their signature. To showcase the importance of style in art, The Howler asked four different artists to draw the same thing; a coyote. The resulting artwork and artist statements showcase each artists individual style and process.

SAM SALIBA Personally, my style is rather universal across mediums.

Mostly, I work in digital mediums, be it drawing, compositing, or photography. I often go for a very clean, graphic, and ‘designed’ style, but in this piece, I wanted to make something more busy than I usually do. So I did.

Here, I wanted to tell a the story of a journey, so I portray a coyote in four different streets. And that’s pretty much

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it. The process of making this entailed pulling a bunch of resources from Unsplash.com - the best place for artsy stock for free - and then brought some of them together in Photoshop until I decided on what elements I wanted to repeat compositionally throughout the piece, and from there I lined them up until we have what you see here.

EMMA GENTRY When I am given the word â&#x20AC;&#x153;coyoteâ&#x20AC;? as a drawing theme, I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t get a singular image in my head, I get an entire illustrated story. My piece is based around Navajo legends of the desert. The coyote is considered a mischievous but sacred creature, and is personified in many of the Navajo stories. I thought that it would be

interesting to step away from the Monarch High School interpretation of a coyote, and to draw an image based on a different perspective.

May 2018 27

THEODORE MORELOCK Style is something I find to be very important. I always try and keep my work minimalist, modern, and clean since that style is very valued in graphic design, and I think it looks best. I often times struggle with what to come up with for designs and thus hit a creatorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s block, but imagining what I want to design in a more

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minimalist view can help me figure out what to make.

MANDY MATTESON

When I think about coyotes I always picture them among cacti in a desert setting, so that is where my idea began. To begin my process I usually gather reference images and practice drawing the subject that I intend to paint later on. My subjects are often simple, like a person or an animal, with a bit of a twist to make my

piece more interesting. The twist in this painting was that the coyote was not just a part of the landscape, but was the landscape itself with cacti growing out of its back and the moon and stars orbiting it. I chose coyote in a night setting with a black background to add a more mysterious and mystical quality to the piece.

May 2018 29

summer 2018 entertainment rundown Your key to upcoming releases in movies, music, and gaming

by Kevin Wu, Phil Phronesius, and Sneha Varanasi photo by Lloyd Dirks

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A

MOVIES

busy summer blockbuster season is coming from the world of Hollywood. The majority of the films this summer are either sequels or prequels to existing film franchises, but that won’t stop audiences from heading to the theaters.

“The Han Solo movie [Solo: A Star Wars Story] comes out in May...I’m a big Star Wars fan, so anything Star Wars, I would like to see,” Library Media Tech Alex Esposito said.

Along with the new Han Solo film, there are sequels to established Marvel superhero films such as Deadpool and Ant Man on the slate for May and June, respectively. Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom and Mission Impossible: Fallout are following their 2015 predecessors, and a sequel to The Equalizer starring Denzel Washington will also be making its way back to theaters.

On the animated front, the Hotel Transylvania franchise will make its return featuring the voice reprisals of Adam Sandler as Count Dracula and Selena Gomez as Mavis. And don’t forget the highly anticipated sequel to the 2004 film, The Incredibles. All of your favorite characters from the first movie will be back, resuming from where the original film ended.

Kyle Shoulders (12) plans to see Incredibles 2 once it comes out in theaters.

“I think it’s mainly because I saw the first Incredibles when I was probably six or seven, so I’m riding off of the nostalgia factor of it, but also it’s a good kind of like family superhero movie and it’s got that really cool, old 60’s vibe to it which I also kind of dig,” Shoulders said.

Also coming to the big screen is an all-female spinoff from Steven Soderbergh’s “The Ocean’s Trilogy”, titled Oceans 8, with Anne Hathaway, Cate Blanchett, Sandra Bullock, Mindy Kaling, Rihanna, and Helena Bonham Carter.

Whether it’s seeing the fourth installment in the Purge series (The First Purge) or diving deep into your childhood with a live-action continuation of the Winnie the Pooh franchise (Christopher Robin), you’ll be sure to find a film that will satisfy your tastes this summer.

P

GAMES

eople play video games for many different reasons.

Sometimes it is a way to escape real life, and other times, it is a way to gain a sense of community through friendships.

Fortnite, a co-op sandbox game developed by Epic Games and People Can Fly, become increasignly popular among students.

“I [enjoy battling] against real people instead of AI’s (Artificial Intelligence) [because] I feel that I’m not working towards anything.

[With] online games I can become better and better,” John Dugan (10) said.

Some people prefer to play video games developed by a specific game studio, rather than ones from well known video game franchises.

Gabe Jones (11) was looking forward to the release of the PS4 Spider-Man game.

“Sony has a very good track record of making really good games, and it’s Spider-Man. It’s been really promising, the developers sound like they really care about the project and I’m looking forward to seeing what they do with the character and story,” Jones said.

Others enjoy playing a particular video game so much that they can’t wait until the sequel comes out.

“I’m excited about ‘Monster Hunter World’ to come out for PC because I’ve always [really liked] the series,” Matthew Chen (11) said.

W

MUSIC

hether it’s country, pop, classical, or rock, music appeals to everyone around the school.

“There’s this artist named Léon--she’s not super popular but she has a few good songs--then [I like] Ariana Grande and Drake,” Elyse DeBarros (10) said.

It’s one thing listening to an artist’s work through earbuds and another experience entirely to go to a live concert. It provides a chance to watch your favorite artist perform live, and lets you jam to some of your favorite songs.

“I’m going to Taylor Swift’s Reputation concert in May. I’m so excited about that!” DeBarros said.

Of course, the next best thing aside from going to concerts is rocking out on your headphones. When listening to the music, some people tend to focus on the beat and melody playing in the background rather than listening to the lyrics. But sometimes, people like songs because of the deeper messages lying underneath.

“There are a lot of artists out there that I really appreciate, not because of how [the music] sounds, but because of what they are actually saying. Kendrick Lamar’s “To Pimp a Butterfly” is a great example of a really deep and symbolic album,” Ty Brache (10) said.

Annalie Haralson (9) also appreciated deep meanings in song lyrics, such as “Next to Me” by Imagine Dragons “It is a good song about like loving people around you and being grateful for people who take chances to be your friends and taking those chances for other people,” Haralson said.

May 2018 31

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