New girls basketball coach returns to NS after successful college career
Freshman impacts other students with outgoing personality --see page 5 30 nov 18
--see page 7
www.nstimes.org
volume 12 issue 3
WELL SAID “It’s going to make it harder for them to be in a relationship, and it’s going to make it harder for them to like a guy without having to worry about that kind of thing. That’s what I regret most, is knowing that I’ve done that to somebody and that I’ve ruined a lot of good things for them.”
Teen Challenges:
the technology trap
-NS student on the impact his involvement in sexting had on others
The rise in technology has brought conveniences and unprecendented social connection, but it has also brought depression, anxiety, loneliness and even criminal activity to teens.
UPCOMING EVENTS Saturday, Dec 1 Spirit Bowl @ Gunnison High School 5:00 pm-11:00 pm Boys Basketball @ Bear River Tournament All day Girls Basketball @ Uintah HS Tournament All day Honor Band Competition @ Richfield All day Wrestling Ironman Tournament @ Millard All day
BY THE NUMBERS
10
Percent of students who play Fortnite who have spent over $60 on the game
CONTENTS Features................5 Sports...................7 Arts......................10 Crossword...........12
M AYZIE TALBOT
She’d only been using it for a year when she started to experience depression and urges of selfharm, leading to actual self-harm. Isabelle Mitchell wasn’t taking drugs or drinking alcohol. She was living with the same danger most of us carry in our pockets every day: a smartphone. See Technology, page 2
Editor’s Note: All names of students have been changed in order to protect the identity of the victims and the offender.
BY SAVANNAH A MES
She had been Snapchatting him for a long time. It was obvious that he was interested in her, but she only saw him as a friend. He would send her videos of his friends when they were together, which is what she expected to see one night when the notification appeared on her phone. She opened the message to witness a graphic video of him in the shower. Shocked and disgusted, she didn’t respond to his message, unsure of what
had just happened. The boy proceeded to repeatedly send her similar messages without her consent. Eventually, he asked her to send something in return. Jane is just one of many girls who are victims of sexting. The technological phenomenon becomes more and more common every day among teens. “People aren’t going to see it as a problem because everyone’s doing it,” Jane said. Though “everyone” might not be doing it, many students
have been involved–or know of someone who has been involved–in sexting. Sexting is the act of sharing sexually explicit photographs, videos or messages via electronic devices such as smartphones. The increase in the use of smartphones has led to an increase in sexting because of the many channels of communication that are available on smart devices. One of the main communication channels used for sexting is an app called Snapchat. Snapchat allows users to
interact with others through pictures, videos and chatting. One of the most popular features of Snapchat is that messages can be set to “disappear” after a few seconds; however, that doesn’t always mean the message is really gone. Users may screenshot messages before they disappear, and Snapchat notifies a user if their message has been screenshotted. “Snapchat makes it seem safe. You send the picture, and it’s gone. When something See Sexting, page 3
Leadership changes focus Junior given voice after national convention through Utah Student Advisory Council by Megan Booher
Number of students on the Utah Student Advisory Council
Percent of students who own smartphones according to a recent NS survey
BY
“It messes with your mind, and it slowly breaks you down”
15
80
Teens struggle with phone addiction
photo provided by NS Times
Trayson Thompson, Kaleb Cox, Carli Johansen, Abigail Clawson and Savannah Ames on the Skydeck.
by Athena De Groff Earlier this month, select members of the NS journalism team were able to attend the National Journalism Convention. Each year journalism students from high schools across the country have the chance to go to the conference, with the
number of attendees reaching the several thousands. This conference has been held in many large cities; this year it was held in Chicago, Illinois. The purpose of this gathering is to advise journalists on how to make the work they publish more meaningful and relevant to communities. StuSee Chicago, page 2
Junior Mayzie Talbot was selected to join a group of 15 teens on the Utah Student Advisory Council (SAC). The SAC was created to hear student opinions on any matters that may concern the Utah State Board of Educa-
tion and to provide insights on things that may be a concern at school. “So basically the student council is just there to be a voice for the state school board,” Talbot said. “We advise them on how we feel about certain things that are going on.” See Advisory, page 2
photo provided by Mayzie Talbot
Junior Mayzie Talbot (second row, third from the right) was among the 15 students from around the state chosen to be on the Student Advisory Council.
2 news Technology, continued from page 1 Living in a generation shaped by the smartphone, Mitchell recognized the dangers she was facing and took action. “I actually had my mom take away my phone for a while just so I could get off of it and kind of figure it all out,” Mitchell said. “Now I know when I start feeling like that I tend to delete social media until I feel like I’m safe with it.” According to an article from “The Atlantic,” rates of teen depression and suicide have skyrocketed since 2011. The generation they call “iGen” can be described as “being on the brink of the worst mental health crisis in decades.” A recent NS Times poll shows that more than 80 percent of the student body owns a smartphone, with more than 60 percent obtaining one before the age of 15. Happiness is dependent upon relationships, so if people have positive relationships, they are more likely to report better moods. However, with the increase of smartphones, people are having relationships through cell phones. They lose the social interactions needed to form and keep healthy relationships. “The research is basically showing that increase in anxiety and depression are rising for high school and college age kids,” said NS counselor Heather Allred. Since the introduction of the smartphone, entire cultures have been changed in the lives of the rising generation, teenagers. Traditional ways of communication, entertainment and interactions are being attacked. It’s a social epidemic, with smartphones as the tipping point. Mitchell has had a smartphone for about four years, receiving it around the age of 11 or 12, and she’ll be the first to admit smartphones are too much of a constant presence in her life. “I know I use it a lot,” Mitchell said. “I wake up and start getting ready, and then I check my phone. At school when we’re not doing anything, I’m on my phone. Then I go home and while I’m eating a snack or something, I’m on my phone. It’s not a secret to
me how much I’m on my phone.” Junior Allyson Pinney’s phone has been a constant companion since the age of nine. She spends up to eight or nine hours a day using apps like Snapchat, Instagram and VSCO. For Pinney, her phone is a good way for her to interact with others and be social online. It also provides a fun outlet of entertainment for her, but she also has noticed differences as a result of her smartphone. “I rely on it too much. With communicating, I text more than I talk to people in person,” Pinney said. Communication was once only done in person or through the mail, but now it’s instantaneous. Entire conversations can be held without any party uttering a single word or leaving the comforts of their homes. In high school especially, much of communication revolves around one’s dating life. Pinney has found that since texting is easier and less intimidating, boys are asking girls on dates in a less formal way than what used to be acceptable. “When boys are asking girls on dates, they have to send a text. They can’t do it face to face,” Pinney said. However, Pinney uses texting as her main source of communication because if she says something wrong or embarrassing, she doesn’t have to deal with it as much. At any social gathering the ubiquitous smartphone can be found, altering the foundations of social interaction. When Pinney spends time with her friends, they spend their time with their phones instead. “We mostly just sit in our rooms and play on our phones,” Pinney said. “If I’m being honest, most of the time we barely talk to each other. We’re always on our phones or sharing memes and stuff like that.” While smartphones are one of the ways teenagers hang out, Mitchell often catches herself using her technology the wrong way in certain social settings. “I do notice if I’m talking to someone I might
pull out my phone and I’ll still be talking to them while scrolling through stuff,” Mitchell said. Pinney noticed that while social media is a good way for interaction, it can seriously affect people’s lives and mental well-being. “A lot of times people online are fake and they Photoshop a lot so it sets up expectations, and sometimes we can’t match that and so I think that’s why nowadays people are more depressed and those rates have gone up for suicide,” Pinney said. Social media is a huge factor in most teenagers’ lives, but the results of such mass use aren’t all positive. “I think there are some people that care so much about what their feed looks like or what they’re putting on their social media that they kind of lose what it’s actually for,” Mitchell said. Results from the “Monitoring the Future,” funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse clearly show that teens who spend more time on screen activities are more likely to be unhappy than those who spend more time on non-screen activities. “[Teenagers] don’t go out and play anymore, they just sit there on just the simple little activities, so there’s nothing really happy about a smartphone,” said special education teacher Des Dyches. “I mean you can play a game but games get old too. You can only do so much,”. Smartphones have affected teenagers’ lives in the classroom as well. Students are distracted by the constant notifications and the desire to pull out their cell phone and check to see what is going on. “They distract us that’s for sure and so we spend more time wondering what’s on social media than we do what the teacher is talking about,” Pinney said. Some teachers, like Dyches, completely outlaw smartphones in their classroom to keep students from cheating or being distracted. “I don’t think we should have phones in high school. It’s a big distraction,” Dyches said. “If we’re supposed to use technology here, I think we should use our computers and our iPads and not give access to their phones.”
Voter approval of Prop 2 brings uncertainty for Utah by Kaleb Cox
On Nov. 6, Utahns were able to vote in the 2018 midterms. Along with electing four representatives and a senator, several amendments and propositions made it onto the statewide ballot. Proposition 2 in particular sparked much controversy. This citizen-initiated measure was designed to legalize medical marijuana for those in Utah with qualifying conditions. It was narrowly approved by voters with 543,559 votes in favor and 496,893 opposing the initiative. “It was controversial because there were some parts of Prop 2 that many groups felt were too loose,” said Utah Lieutenant Governor and NS graduate Spencer Cox. “It would make it easier for people without medical conditions to get access to marijuana.” This initiative initially faced strong opposition from the likes of Safe Drug Utah, several Utah politicians, as well as the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, a religion that over 51 percent of Utah citizens subscribe to.
“[Governor Gary Herbert] and I very much support the concept of medical marijuana,” Cox said. “We want it to be like any other medicine where you meet with your doctor, your doctor prescribes it, you go to a pharmacy and get it, and get the right dose that is necessary for your condition.” Because of this shared goal of providing help and relief to those who desperately need the healing effects of this medication, a compromise was struck between supporters and opponents of Proposition 2. Earlier this past October, they agreed that if it passed, Governor Herbert would call for a special session of the Utah State Legislature to work out legislative alterations to the proposition, helping to ease the concerns many had with it. Even if it didn’t pass, the special session would still be called to come up with a bill that would work for all involved parties. “Whether it passes or fails, we’re going to arrive at the same point and conclusion, which is going to be (of)
benefit to the people of Utah,” Herbert said. The passionate support many have for the legalization of medical marijuana often comes from the ever-growing epidemic of opioid painkiller addiction and overdose across the nation. According to a 2016 study done by the America Society of Addiction Medicine, drug overdose is the leading cause of accidental death in the United States, and in 2015, opioid overdoses lead this epidemic with 20,101 overdose deaths related to prescription pain relievers. With more studies constantly showing that medical cannabis is less addictive and provides a better quality of life long term, this new legality status in Utah—as well as across the country with more states following suit—has the potential to save countless lives annually. It was for that very purpose that the Governor, the legislature, the opponents and the proponents were able to all get together and come up with a compromise before the vote that they
felt most people at least would be happy with. One of the ideas behind the compromise legislation is that the public health departments will become dispensaries, meaning that Sanpete county will get its own, including one in Mount Pleasant. “I think it will be good for those patients with certain conditions where it’s proven that medical marijuana can help relieve suffering,” Cox said. Despite Utah joining 31 other states with this now-passed measure, it’s unlikely that the next step will be made towards full legalization of marijuana, allowing for recreational use, at least anytime soon. “The states that have [fully legalized marijuana] are not by and large happy with it,” Cox said. “The Governor of Colorado—who’s a very liberal Democrat—has told us that it’s the worst thing Colorado did, and he wishes they could change it.”
Advisory, continued from page 1 This is the first state-level SAC in Utah. The state board of education had to consider everyone, and they choose someone from NS. “I think I was chosen to be on this council because I come from a rural area, and I’m the only student on the council who is from a rural area,” Talbot said. “So I think I
can give a good representation of the challenges that we have here.” Today’s schools do not have a lack of problems, and the SAC hopes to solve some of these challenges. “We have discussed a lot of things from behavior problems to the curriculum to minority inclusiveness. So
we have a whole bunch of different committees that we put ourselves on so we can focus on all these different problems and hopefully find a solution,” Talbot said. The council was created to help give students a voice, so some decisions about what is to happen at schools in Utah are made by people who these
changes actually effect. “I am very glad that I am on the student advisory council because now I am given a chance to have a voice—I intend to use that chance to help benefit some people and schools,” Talbot said. This responsibility puts some weight on the shoulders of the 15 teens that have been
appointed “Being appointed to the council definitely comes with a lot of pressure because I am representing a lot of schools and a lot of districts, but I hope I can do a good job,” Talbot said.
3
3 news Sexting, continued from page 1 gets screenshotted, that’s scary,” Erica said. Snapchat notifies a user if their message has been screenshotted, but by the time they receive that notification, it’s too late. The screenshotted message is at the will of the receiver, and they often share it with others. Even if you aren’t notified that your message was screenshotted, that does not mean that person doesn’t have it saved in another way. There are apps that allow someone to screenshot a message on Snapchat without notifying the person who sent it. There is no limit to the ways that sexually explicit images–commonly referred to as nudes–can be saved. “I have a lot of friends who are guys, and they say when girls send them nudes, they’ll take a picture on their old phone. And they have a phone just full of girls’ nudes,” Erica said. There are several tactics that boys use to obtain nude images from girls. Different girls shared how boys would sweet-talk them, tell them what they wanted to hear, gain their trust, and then ask them for pictures or to participate in sexual acts. “I know a lot of guys will use, ‘I’ll send them if you send them’,” Amanda said. She shared how a guy that she had been messaging got her to share nude pictures of herself. After he sent pictures of himself to her, she felt pressured to send some back. Grace, an NS alumna, shared that she had once texted a boy to ask him for help in one of her classes, and he asked her to send him nudes as a return of favor. Grace refused, but other girls claim that it’s not always easy to say no. In some cases, the boy asks the girl to send pictures multiple times before she gives in to the pressure. In other cases, the girl may feel pressured to comply because she doesn’t want to ruin the relationship she has with the boy. “The only reason I have ever sent a nude is because I was pressured into it because I was doing it for my boyfriend at the time,” Erica said. At the moment, the boy that is asking for the pictures isn’t considering how it makes the girl feel. Erica said that it is selfish for boys to put so much
pressure on girls without considering whether the girl is comfortable with what they’re asking. “It’s an issue that girls are being pressured into things and it’s an issue that guys think it’s okay,” Erica said. She strongly believes that more needs to be done to make boys aware that what they’re doing is wrong. Girls are hurt by sexting in different ways. Those whose pictures are shared with many people without their consent face embarrassment and harassment from their peers. Some receive negative responses from the boys that they send pictures to, causing them to have a poor self-image that sometimes even leads to eating disorders. “It messes with your mind, and it slowly breaks you down. People think it’s okay and that it doesn’t affect them, but it really does,” Marissa said. His Story He walked down the hall, noticing the dirty looks people gave him as they turned to their friends whispering about him. Everyone knew what he had done. Kids had told their parents, parents had told their friends. It seemed as if everyone in the community looked at him differently. He couldn’t go to a party or to a friend’s house without someone bringing it up. They didn’t see him for who he was– they only saw the mistakes he made. Logan is one of many boys that have engaged in sexting. For him, the habit started when he was in middle school. Teens encounter sexting at different ages but generally have their first experience with it from ages 13-15. “You don’t even realize that what you’re doing can be a serious issue,” Logan said, “At the time you don’t think it’s a big deal.” It is a different experience for everyone. Some teens start sexting and never drop the habit, others try it once and never do it again. Many boys see it as an opportunity to gain popularity. Logan described how he and other boys solicit girls for pictures. “It would be one of your friends that you talk to, and you probably start talking about sex and stuff like that, and then eventually, you’d probably end up asking for a photo,” Logan said. Many boys don’t understand the
Chicago, continued from page 1
dents were able to attend sessions taught by journalism advisors where they learned more about the specific section of journalism that interests them. “There were great advisors there with tons of experience,” said Ben Cox, journalism instructor. “So we go to learn from them and glean from their years of wisdom and hopefully take it to improve our journalism program.” In news writing, you often state the facts of the matter being written about. This year an aspect of the conference was that news writing should not only focus on facts and statistics, but also tell a story in a way more relevant to the audience. “As a newspaper, we want to tell stories. It’s important to get the news out, but there are still stories to tell, and that’s what people really care about,”
said Abigail Clawson. Most people prefer reading and writing in a story format. Although it is not always the best way to get a point across, it definitely helps readers connect with who or what you are writing about. “I think it’s really changed the way I look at newspaper writing,“ said Carli Johansen. “What I’ve really struggled with is that I like to write stories, so it’s been hard for me to just list a series of facts. The conference helped show me how to bring story writing into news writing. It also showed me that I can really make a difference by being part of journalism.” While waiting for their flight home, the NS journalism had some hours to spare. Inspired by what they had learned at the conference, they used this time to plan and think of a mantra for the class.
dangers of the practice and what can come from participating in it. He mentioned his friend whose sexting habits led to an addiction to pornography. “Your mind turns from seeing people and seeing women as people to [seeing women] as objects… That’s just what your mind automatically goes to when that’s all you think about,” Logan said. Eventually, Logan realized that what he had done was wrong. He came to understand the harm that he brought on himself and the girls that he had sexted. “It’s going to make it harder for them to be in a relationship, and it’s going to make it harder for them to like a guy without having to worry about that kind of thing,” Logan said. “That’s what I regret most, is knowing that I’ve done that to somebody and that I’ve ruined a lot of good things for them.” Logan went to those that he had hurt and apologized for what he had done to them. He knows what he did is inexcusable, but he has learned from his mistakes and hopes that he can be an example to others that make the same mistake. What Can We Do? Sexting has been an issue for a long time, and it always will be, but there are things that teenagers, parents, and communities can do to help fight against this problem. Several NS students admitted that they wouldn’t be willing to talk to their parents if they were having a problem with sexting because parents don’t understand it. “[Parents] have to be willing to listen, and they have to understand that this isn’t necessarily something that any of them ever dealt with when they were a kid,” said Sergeant Greg Peterson, Resource Officer for Sanpete County School District. The increase in the number of teenagers that own smartphones means that parents need to educate themselves and their kids about the dangers of sexting. “If they have that conversation with them at an early age when they first get a smartphone, I feel like they probably have a better understanding of why it’s wrong or why not to do it,” Logan said.
After brainstorming and collaborating, they came up with the mantra “Real. Human. Connection.” In this ever-changing and over complicated world they feel it is more vital than ever to connect with others around us. With this new approach to stories, journalism will be able to make real connections with students and community members. “We want to connect with everybody and we want them to connect with each other,” Cox said. “That mantra has helped us have a better focus and a better understanding of who we are.” During some of their free time on the trip, the journalism group went to a restaurant to try some iconic Chicago hot dogs. There they met an interesting character known as Mama T, who took strangers from Sanpete County, Utah
If children come forward to their parents about a problem they are having, parents should be patient and should try to understand what they are going through. They need to understand the difficulty of the situation their children are in so that they can help them overcome the problem. “Blowing up about it is not going to help because blowing up about things like that only makes your kids not want to come to you about anything,” Erica said. She said that she would rather people look at an explicit photo of her than go to her parents about it because she is afraid of how they would react. Teenagers should be aware of the consequences they can receive by participating in sexting. Sexting is punishable by law in the state of Utah. Students that are under the age of 18 may be subject to punishment by the Juvenile Justice System. Those above the age of 18 may be registered as a sex offender if they are caught for sexting. “When people are sending those pictures out, we can charge them for distribution for child pornography,” Peterson said. The most important thing is that students speak up if they have a problem with sexting. If students are facing this problem, they are encouraged to reach out to Principal Nan Ault, Assistant Principal Jeff Ericksen, counselors, teachers or Officer Peterson. Students may reach out using the SafeUT app that allows them to report an issue anonymously. “Talk to somebody. If it doesn’t feel right, it probably isn’t right,” Peterson said.
EDITOR’S NOTE: As a general rule, the NS Times does not use anonymous sources except in special cases that include the following considerations: the information comes from a reliable source with direct knowledge of a topic, the source has important information that is essential to the story and that cannot be obtained any other way, and/or the information being shared would be damaging to the source. We are grateful for the students who were willing to share their difficult stories.
photo provided by NS Times
NS Times’ leadership had many cultural shocks and fun experiences touring Chicago.
and treated them like family. Seeing confused foreigners, she decided to step in and be a friend. She was a worker at the restaurant, and without hesitation she gave the seven diners fourteen waters and later some free chocolate cake. Throughout the meal she made everyone feel at home and didn’t think twice before striking up a conversation.
“At the airport, we were all talking about what our favorite part of the trip was, and we all agreed that it was meeting Mama T,” Clawson said. With new training under their belts, the members of NS Journalism who attended the conference should be able to guide the school newspaper along and work to constantly improve.
opinion 4 news
Who is responsible for teens’ technological behavior?
by Lucy Anderson When bad things happen to us or people we love, we often want to blame others. It can be extremely difficult to take a step back and realize that we could have done something to prevent it. Perhaps even more difficult is admitting that there was nothing that could be done. When we hear about young people in our community who are caught being involved inappropriate behavior over technology, it can be hard to process what influenced them to make that decision or the positive influences that weren’t present to prevent the decision from being able to avoid the situation. So whose fault is it? Is there really one person or organization to blame? For many kids, their parents and guardians are the biggest influence in their early lives. They learn how to walk and talk from their parents. They learn what is fundamentally right and wrong from their parents. Children rely on their parents to provide structure and balance in their lives with rules and standards. When parents set these rules, it shows kids that what they do or don’t
do really matters to the parent and that they truly want to see their kid succeed and be safe. When I got my phone, my parents set clear rules. If I used it inappropriately or it became detrimental to schoolwork or to our family values, then they would set strict parental controls until I rebuilt their trust. I was upset at first that my parents would even feel the need to go over these precautions that have been embedded in my head from internet safety assemblies. I felt like my parents weren’t giving me the trust that I thought I deserved. It only crossed my mind later that my parents were just trying to ensure my safety and make it so if I did get in trouble, I couldn’t play dumb about not knowing the consequences of my actions. Many parents expect their children to learn from other sources. They may expect their religious organization to teach their children about how to be a good person or the education to teach kids subjects that will be important in their children’s futures. Another expectation of schools is that they will teach about internet/technology safety. Since middle school, I have been involved in many assemblies and discussions involving the dangers of technology. I didn’t get a phone until freshman year, so in middle school especially, avoiding getting wrapped up in the wonders of social media was easy, but for many of my peers, it was not. Schools try their hardest to teach children of the dangers of media but they can only go so far. They don’t know every teen and they can’t teach
in a way that will get through to all of the students. The school can only go so far. It is up to the student to listen and take the initiative to decide that they won’t participate in those actions. At what point is it okay for part of the blame to be placed on minors? Whether or not the law protects them or holds them to different standards, as kids get older, expectations for legal actions should be raised. It can be easier for older teens to understand right from wrong but it is still extremely difficult for them to try and please both their parents expectations and their friends at the same time and even more difficult to talk to parents about how to approach a solution. It is hard to fully understand what
parents feel when they find out that their child has been participating in “sexting.” It can’t be easy to think that we could have helped prevent our child from going down a path that is difficult to come back from, especially if the path leads them to be depressed and apathetic towards things that used to bring them joy. So who is to blame? Like many things in life, we may want them to be clear, black and white answers, but unfortunately the answer is rarely that simple. Each student that participates in risky behavior has a different background. The parents could have done something more, or the education system could have been more clear and direct in its approach.
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5
30 nov 18 photo by Trayson Thompson
JB Sandefur displays one of the many coins he has found using his metal detector. His searches have unearthed many valuable coins over the years.
photo by Trayson Thompson
Freshman JB is deeply investing in his hobby, spending hours walking with his metal detector, searching for surprises, some of which bring a profit.
Friendly freshman thrives through his many hobbies BY
CARLI JOHANSEN
As a hand raises over his head, the thunderous applause from the student body overwhelms him. Freshman James Billings Sandefur—or JB for short— stood proudly on the stage in his PT Barnum costume as the student body officers handed him his “Halloween cutest costume award.” This is only one example portraying the friendly and outgoing nature of JB. Anyone who comes in contact with, or at least knows of him, is familiar with his extroverted presence. “I love to tell funny jokes and make people laugh,” JB said. JB will support and love every person he comes in contact with, and is an excellent person to have on your side. “I like to go sit by good people and ask them how they are doing,” JB said. JB has a disability known as Pervasive Developmental Disorder, not otherwise specified (PDDNOS), and moderate retardation. While there is no exact diagnosis for what he has, it affects his social abilities, and the way his brain works. “[Technically] speaking he is a 15 year old in his body, but mentally he is a five year old,” said JB’s mother Jette Utley. Sending a five year old to high school is cause for any parent to worry. JB’s parents reacted as expected, and they were initially worried about how their son would fare. However, after meeting spe-
cial education teacher Cami Hathaway, along with the students JB would be joining, their minds were quickly put at ease. With the support of his parents, and the guidance of Hathaway, JB quickly learned how to thrive at NS, and even ended up becoming very involved in several different activities. Despite the overwhelming support of teachers, his parents and the majority of the student body, a huge setback at the high school has been his peers’ misperceptions of JB and his disabilities. This resulted in some cases, large and small, of bullying. “There is a certain amount of lack of understanding,” stepfather Erick Utley said. When a family friend of the Utley’s, NS’s defensive coordinator Dave Peck heard of JB’s situation, he brought it to the captains of the football team, who decided to take JB under their collective wing. “The football team came forward on their own, and it was beautiful. We appreciate that,” Erick Utley said. The captains and coaches approached JB and asked him to become the team’s flag runner, and an honorary member. “I got my own jersey, I got to go out there and run the flag and see D. Bob and all the football players,” JB said. With the football team having his back, JB had a new group of friends and an increased acceptance of him through-
out the school and community. In addition to his involvement in the football program, JB also decided to become involved in the upcoming school musical “Newsies.” His passion for musical theater stems from the recent showstopping musical “The Greatest Showman.” After watching actor Zac Efron perform, JB was inspired to do the same. “I like to sing; I’ve been watching the Greatest Showman,” said JB. While his involvement in school extracurriculars is considerable, JB also participates in a particularly time consuming hobby. Many NS students earn their money by baking at Terrels, making sodas at Fizz or lifeguarding at the local pool. However, JB makes his cash in a less conventional way. JB has earned quite a bit of money by finding rare coins with his metal detector. While he doesn’t sell or spend them, he has earned around $1,200 just in coins he has found over the years “I have found an Indian coin, a 1903 barber coin and a liberty headdress coin,” JB said. No, he didn’t find a pot of gold, his fortune was built from years upon years of search. Coins aren’t his only source of income, JB earns a penny per nail he finds. While that seems not worth the time it takes, he has earned $60 for his nail col-
lection. JB has been metal detecting for 2 years. Over the years he has found endless amounts of coins, over a 1000 railroad spikes, a number of priceless pieces and even a rather large pure silver ring. It’s safe to say JB is quite infatuated with coins and trains, part of his interest stems from some activities he would share with his late biological father James Randall Sandefur, who died at the age of 43 of brain cancer after an eight year battle when JB was 7 years old. He remembers laying coins on train tracks with his biological father. “We would lay on our coins [on the train track] and it squishes it and the coins turn out all squished,” JB said JB has been fortunate to have three parents who have loved and cared for him. His parents wish to raise awareness of his disorder, for his peers to understand what it entails and how to be a friend to him. JB feels extremely connected to every person he comes in contact with. All interactions, both positive and negative, have a profound effect on him. “[His disorder] affects him when other people affect him” Jette Utley said. At his center, JB is just like every other teenager: desperate to fit in, to have friends and to be loved. “He will be your best friend, just be kind to him. He is a great friend to have,” Jette Utley said.
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Students’ character strengthens successful broadcasting program BY
A BIGAIL C LAWSON
She goes unseen, hidden behind the camera and her work. She helps call the shots, operating behind the scenes in various roles, but this time it was her turn to share a personal piece of her story on camera. “[Being interviewed for Veterans Day] was kind of hard because my dad being gone, it’s not really easy because like just a whole side of you is gone, so it’s kind of hard to be personal with it,” said Katelyn Hill, a junior broadcasting student. “It’s kind of hard to find a good balance of not wanting to make yourself cry and not trying to be like all light, like it’s a joke.” The Veterans Day compilation came to play through a combined idea from Hill and the broadcast president, junior Lilli Rowan, to create a tribute to all who sacrificed to protect our freedoms. As the two built upon their original idea, Rowan wanted Hill to share her experience with her dad deployed, finishing the video with a clip of him thanking NS for the recognition. This pattern is typical as, under the direction of video specialist and teacher Barrett Hilton, they work everyday to share pieces of NS with the student body and the community as part of the school’s broadcasting. “You kind of just get to film a video about whatever you’re passionate about at the moment,” Rowan said. “I made the schedule video because I had some strong feelings towards the new schedule. I got to kind of say my opinion but also show the other side of the opinion because some people did like it and I didn’t like it, so it just
kind of lets you show your opinions in a creative way.” The valuable chance to combine their work and opinion comes as part of the class’s goal to showcase NS. As students work to cover various angles, they see how important their part is as so many see their work. “[Broadcasting] kind of lets you express yourself, but everyone can see it,” Hill said. “But it’s kind of cool because it’s not like it’s you saying it, it’s your work, but you don’t have to be seen.” This work is greatly appreciated, but what makes the program stand out is the way the students take responsibility and push themselves. “This year I really felt that we had the most solid core of students who’ve been here for a while and really know what they’re doing because it truly is a student-run operation,” Hilton said. “That’s one thing I insist on. I’m here and I help them, but I don’t see any value unless the students are in charge of everything.” Placing students in charge requires a high level of trust, as well as a unique group to pull it off successfully and as well as this broadcasting class does. “So I would say [this group stands out] because they’re very self motivated and hardworking and enthusiastic,” Hilton said. “It’s a few that are kind of the leaders of the group, and the rest see that example and they follow, so it’s good. These students right now are very self-motivated because I’m not here a lot, I can’t help them very much.”
photos by Mayzie Talbot These incredible students Broadcasting students pour hours into their work. were drawn to the class for various reasons, but all stay because of a love for it. “I joined broadcasting because I took the film class before,” senior Salem Kimball said, “and I just kind of wanted to expand my horizon and just learn more about something I was already interested in.” Kimball explains that his favorite part of broadcasting is having a place to showcase his work, but he appreciates the opportunity to finally do the talk show and gain experi- ing. Rowan found that she learned but doing so requires hours of ence he wouldn’t oth- skills she didn’t expect to like dedication in order to produce or want to know, but she found the quality of work seen from the erwise receive. “The talk show that editing is one of her favorite broadcasting class. “Freshman year, the musical is kind of things to do. “For last year we did the Utah and play, we had about a week mine, TrayMusical Theater Awards for the and no one was really doing anyson [Thompson], and Kaleb musical, and we got nominated thing,” Hill said, “so we missed [Cox’s] mind so we had to edit together like the like every single class for two days baby,” Kimball said. best clips of the musical of those straight and edited and burned so “We pitched it to Mr. Hilton and certain actors or actresses,” Row- many cd’s. It was kind of a pain, he accepted it...So the broadcast- an said. “And it was so much fun but it was so much fun working ing class films it for us and they’ve to be like, ‘You looked good here straight at it and not really taking been very generous in doing that.” so let’s do that,’ and make them any breaks—we kind of forgot that lunch happened. It’s so much For others, the class provides shine and look amazing.” All this work goes towards fun that you just kind of like get the opportunity to discover their promoting NS and its students, drawn in.” talent and passion for broadcast-
‘Fortnite’ success, growing culture leaks into student life
BY
C HANDLER C OOK
“Fortnite” has undoubtedly been one of the biggest gaming phenomenons, making its way into the lives of people who don’t even play the game through the many popular dances associated with the game. Half the students at NS have played “Fortnite” at some point, and the game isn’t slowing down anytime soon. Early this year, “Fortnite” was released for Apple phones, and this fall it was released for Android phones, further pushing for availability for anybody who wants to play. The game has now drawn in 125 million players. “Fortnite” has a very simple, color-coded system that is easy to understand. Although it’s easy for anybody to pick up and play, the building mechanic sets a high skill
ceiling that takes a lot of practice to master. In the month of April, “Fortnite” made $300 million. The game is free to play, but you can purchase skins and the ever so popular dances. Nearly 10 percent of students who took an NS Times survey have spent over $60 on the game. Epic, the company that created “Fortnite”, isn’t the only group finding massive success through the game. Popular streamers have capitalized on the success, the most popular being Tyler Blevins AKA Ninja. With over 12 million followers, he is the highest ranking streamer in the world right now, making around $500 thousand a month. He has been so successful as an avid “Fortnite” player that he has now partnered up with Red Bull and was the first gamer to be on the cover of the ESPN magazine. Many students are still excited about the game. “I think the reason that “Fortnite” is so fun is because it is a nice, relaxing game to play with friends,’’ sophomore Marcus Serrano said. ‘’Plus it’s free so anybody can play it.’’ While most can agree that “Fortnite” is popular largely due to being able to play for free, it wasn’t originally intended to be this way. The concept of “Fortnite” and the original version was a cooperative shooter-survival game where the players defend their base from zombie-like
creatures. The game has since transitioned to a 100 player battle royale game, a fairly new genre of games. While many expected this to just be another fad that would be forgotten in the coming months, the game retains a high number of players each month through constant updates and events. The NFL recently even allowed Epic to make skins dedicated to each of their football teams. The cultural phenomenon of “Fortnite” has even spread to people that don’t care for video games. The Fortnite dances especially show off how far this has spread; kids around the globe know and love these dances. “I see kids all the time doing the dances from “Fortnite,’’ sophomore Wyatt Cook said. ’’You couldn’t escape it if you wanted to.’’ While there are many positives to a social game like this, players can play with other random players as a team, which can lead to cyberbullying and harassment. “Some people that I end up playing with are really toxic and mean,’’ Serrano said. ‘’It can make me not want to play sometimes.’’ Whether you are a fan of “Fortnite” or not, it is clearly here to stay for a while longer. Constant updates and support from high ups such as the NFL and ESPN shows that Epic doesn’t plan on slowing down anytime soon.
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sports 30 nov 18
Alumna returns after successful college career to coach
photo provided by Taylor Christensen
New NS girls basketball coach, Taylor Christensen, drives into the lane during her college career at UVU. BY
K AYLEE A NDERSON
New girls basketball head coach Taylor Christensen has been around basketball from the time she was born, and at the young age of four she already knew it would play a role in her life. “I am the youngest of four so my parents would coach my older siblings in junior jazz and stuff,” Christensen said. “So I would would always be at their games and practices, just trying to be like the older kids.” This exposure to the sport through her parents and older siblings set her up for success and brought joy to her throughout her childhood. As she grew older she developed more skills and started to rec-
ognize her abilities. “In middle school, maybe even in sixth grade or seventh grade, I knew I was pretty good,” Christensen said. “People would notice me when when I was playing, and then my seventh or eighth grade year my AU coach contacted me and told me I was good and wanted me on his team. I started for him and got a lot of recognition from colleges and got my first scholarship when I was a freshman to UVU.” Along with UVU, five other colleges offered her full ride scholarships, with other schools still considering. Taylor’s high school basketball career was record-breaking. She stood out from the rest of the girls as a lead scorer and a star player. Dur-
ing the final year of her high school career she was scoring an average of 19.09 points per game, a very impressive on the high school level. One of the biggest challenges she has faced in her life was making the shift from high school basketball to college basketball. “Right after high school I go and think I’m great,” Christensen said. “I go from being the leading scorer all state player at North Sanpete High School and I get into this huge pool where everyone is the same. Everyone is awesome and everyone is good at what they do, so I think it took me a minute to adjust. It was hard to go from the greatest to just the same as everyone else.” Being willing to make adjustments and
having a good work ethic made Taylor stand out while playing on on a college level. This desire to get better was shown through her play time on the court. Her junior and senior year she averaged nearly 6 rebounds and 14 points per game. “Taylor is a very hardworking, competitive player. As a teammate she is passionate, she cares deeply about her teammates and for her team to be successful,” UVU coach Caitlyn Sears said. “She enjoys having a good time with her teammates laughing and joking around.” Her competitive nature often stands out when you look at her, but she is also a fun loving person. On and off court Taylor could be seen celebrating and making memories with
her teammates. While being a part of the team she developed friendships with the coaches, who not only taught her how to be a better basketball player, but also taught her life lessons. Along with being passionate and hardworking, Taylor is also loyal. This is one reason why she has made her way back to NS. As head coach of the girl’s basketball team she is already making progress. “We have seen huge improvements over just a few weeks,” Christensen said. “Girls have gone from not being able to even shoot a layup and making a layup, to now they can dribble into a layup and make a right handed and a left handed layup.” Community mem-
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bers and staff also think that she will make a difference this season. “Definitely, I think she already has [made a difference],” said coach and teacher Landon Bailey. “There are a lot of girls who have came out to play and she obviously has a lot of experience with four years at a college level, which is very impressive, and I think she’ll definitely have a huge impact. It also helps that she coaches volleyball so that way she gets a lot of girls as well to get some of the volleyball players to also play basketball which is a big deal.” Christensen is already making a difference for students at NS. Through coaching and student teaching she influences students lives which is one reason she wants to become a teacher. “I have always wanted to be a part of a school, and I just want to be involved in shaping kids,” Christensen said. This is also why Christensen chose the subject that she did. “I chose health because it just deals with life, so I just wanted to help kids manage the things that come up in their life,” Christensen said. “Because all these things that we talk about in health drugs, sex, self esteem issues, confidence issues, social media is all going to come up at some point in your lives so I think being able to teach you and be able to help is just a big part of why I chose this.”
sports
8
Intense all state team audition pays off for drill members BY
E MILY K ERKSIEK
Making the all-state drill team was assumed to be impossible for NS juniors Brylee Swapp, drill mistress, and Isabella Johnson, vice president, who, along with sophomore Shalyce Cook, accepted the challenge and competed against other girls from Utah on Nov. 1. In 2017, Johnson, as a sophomore, was one of the few dancers in the past few years from NS to make it on the all-state team. “For our drill team, it’s been really hard to make all-state. That’s what our mindset was,” Johnson said. “I went as a sophomore and was like, ‘I’m probably not going to make it that’s really rare.’ I went through it kind of having fun. I was like, ‘If I make it, I make it, if not then oh well.’ We were getting ready to go, and I was tying my shoe, and I heard my number called. We listened again, and they called my number. It was pretty wild.” Johnson showed the drill team it was possible to make all-state. This year as three girls from
NS competed they knew it was possible to make the team. “This year I had to redeem myself,” Swapp said. “Last year I wasn’t going to go, but the day of we had a little situation, so I needed to go. I had a hurt ankle from falling down the stairs, and I wondered how I was going to do left turns on this ankle. And let me tell you, I did not do good. This year I was going to redeem myself.” The five-hour process of auditioning was stressful and included memorizing and performing combos and routines. With any mistake, the dancer would be cut. “First they teach you technique left and right, it’s pretty difficult,” Swapp said. “Then they teach us the dance, so you learn it all even if you don’t move on. You go out in groups, and everyone is sitting there watching you. All the girls and the judges are watching. You perform, and they decide who is cut. They then do the process again.” Thoughts of wanting the audition over passed through both Swapp and
Johnson’s heads. “I was like—I want to die,” Swapp said. “We made a decision that we would rather be haunted by a ghost then try out.” Johnson was thinking similar thoughts as she went through the audition. “I wanted to leave,” Johnson said. “It’s so stressful having everyone sitting behind you. If I just get through this day that’s an accomplishment.” Though it was stressful to learn the choreography, the atmosphere was a place of encouragement. “Every school whether they are being fake or not, is so supportive of each other. Everyone is talking and saying good job,” Swapp said. At the end of auditioning the judge announces the number of each girl who made it. “It was the best feeling ever [to hear my number called],” Johnson said. Everyone else was being chill, but I clapped so hard for [Brylee.] I was like boom. It was amazing.” Coaches Kiersten Wheeler and Brittany
photo provided by A DRILL MEMBER
Drill members Brylee Swapp, Isabella Johnson, and Shalyce Cook represented NS at the competition for spots on the all state team.
Dyches have been a major force pushing the drill team to work harder than ever before. “Our coaches are so dedicated,” Swapp said. “They are powerful. They are the most pow-
erful women I have ever seen in my life. I feel like you go to drill competitions and all the coaches are pregnant and powerful. We have a pregnant and powerful coach right now. They push us really
hard.” Now as members as all state drill team they will be announced at competitions and will perform a dance at state.
Opportunity to make difference called coach back to swim BY
C HEYENNE B ALLARD
At first thought, changing the world seems pretty difficult, but for the new head swim coach, David LaTomme, it’s what his life is about. LaTomme grew up on the coast of Oregon where, at the age of only 12, he quickly became one of the top five swimmers in the state for his age group. He started swimming at a very young age. “Swimming has always been part of my life just kind of like breathing is part of everybody else’s,”
LaTomme said. In high school, swimming wasn’t the only thing LaTomme did. He played the trombone for the concert band as well as the role of drum major in marching band, and also took a year of drama. After high school, LaTomme gave up swim to go on a LDS mission to Hong Kong where he spoke Cantonese. After his mission, he decided to go to Brigham Young University (BYU) where the swim times were faster than he was capable of, resulting in the his decision to be on the
marching band instead. Unexpectedly, it was easy for LaTomme to give up swim. “It was easy to give up because I didn’t realize how much I would miss it,” LaTomme said. While he was at BYU he found the girl of his dreams, and has now been married for over 13 years and has six kids. When he found his wife was pregnant with his second child, he switched from BYU to Stevens-Henager College where he earned his bachelor’s degree in computer science with an emphasis in informa-
photo by Cheyenne Ballard
David LaTomme's his experience is a key ingredient to the improvements seen through his coaching.
tion systems security. Before he found a career here in Sanpete as the district technology specialist, LaTomme had multiple jobs after his mission; his favorites were actually working at a Sonic Drive-In as a carhop and being a pizza delivery guy. “I enjoy face to face customer service because I can see people’s reaction to a job well done,” LaTomme said. “Even if the job isn’t well done, I can see that and say, ‘How can I fix it so you can have a positive experience’.” One hobby LaTomme had when he was younger was being part of volunteer costume organizations that raise awareness for different charities by dressing up as Star Wars characters. One of LaTomme’s favorite events held by those organizations was fulfilling a wish for Make-A-Wish Foundation. “His big wish was to go out to Disney World and be part of one of the Star Wars events out there,” LaTomme said. These organizations
LaTomme was in put on a play to knight this kid as an honor legion night, and to present the kid and his family with tickets to go to Disney World and fulfill his wish. “Service is very much of who I am, and it’s shaped who I am,” said LaTomme. Unfortunately with raising six kids at home ranging ages from 12 to one, LaTomme had to part from the organizations but hopes to come back and bring his kids with him when he’s older. When LaTomme saw that they were hiring for a new head swim coach, he thought it couldn’t be a coincidence. “When the coach job came up, I realized at that point how much I missed it and how much of a positive difference my coaches had on me and my life, and I said, ‘You know what? I want to do that’,” LaTomme said. LaTomme believes that choice is one of the greatest gifts as humans that we’ve ever been given. He exercised that gift
and took the job of head swim coach. “I don’t just want to be a computer guy. I want to help these kids have a positive experience in high school because whether or not we realize it, high school sucks for everybody, just in different ways. We don’t see it because we don’t see into their lives,” LaTomme said. Although LaTomme has had to make some hard decisions in his life, he doesn’t regret a thing. “The choices that I’ve made have led me to where I am right now and I’m happy with where I am right now,” LaTomme said. This is only the fourth year of the NS swim team, and LaTomme is taking it by the head. “He definitely knows what he’s talking about through experience,” said Emi Palmer, one of the head swim coaches. Palmer has been on the swim team for over 2 years and has already seen improvement with LaTomme’s coaching.
sports
9
Wrestling leaders step up to replicate past success
photo by Charlee Christensen
Junior Luis Rodriguez wrestles against a student from Wasatch Academy during the school's Red and White Night last week.
C HARLEE C HRISTENSEN BY
The NS wrestling team is thrilled to see what comes of this season. Both coaches and fans expect great things this year. “I’m really looking forward to this season,” head coach Bryan Strain
said. “I think there is a lot of great potential and talent on the team. We have a solid core group and this year is the first year we are going to fill all 14 weight classes.” Many wrestlers believe this season will be successful and are expecting a lot from each other.
“I expect this season to go very well,” junior Adrian Lemus said. “We are really putting in the time and the intensity in the room is really high. I expect to see great things out of my team this year.” They have begun their practices and have seen improvements from those putting in the
work. “We have a couple really good wrestlers up here this year,” junior Luis Rodriguez said. “Last year we had a couple gaps that we filled. We have all improved since last year and we should do really good.” Last year the team only filled nine out of their 14 weight classes, making them vulnerable to the teams who have those categories that NS was missing. Points are awarded to the opposite team when there are forfeits. “None of the teams in our region have a roster of hammers,” Strain said. “We have a chance to do well and score points and I think we will give every one of them a run for their money.” The coaches expect a lot of effort this year and would like to see the team qualify for state. “We always need to
push it, keep improving, keep the intensity high, and go out there and wrestle like we’re champions,” Lemus said. The wrestlers can agree that practicing hard and working as a team will bring success. “I expect us to come to practice everyday and work hard,” Rodriguez said. “We need to show our region that we are ready to have some battles this year.” Some wrestlers say a lack of focus can occur on occasion, but overall they work hard to make practices intense and improving. “Sometimes we slack off a little,” senior Dalton Anderson said. “We get hurting and everyone kind of wants to lower the intensity a little because of the pain, but we should keep going hard so we can show we can do it despite how we feel.”
Intensity is key to the team’s success. Many wrestlers believe that when the intensity is high, they improve the most. “When the intensity level is high, I am able to stimulate them even more and get them to things that they thought they couldn’t do,” Strain said. Although they lost seniors from last year, the team’s hope is high that they will find success in what they were taught by them. “Losing seniors gives the team the hope and the drive to try and match what they did,” Strain said. “The leadership didn’t leave the team even though the seniors graduated. They left leaders in the team that are stepping up and capitalizing on the opportunity to be successful.”
10
arts 30 nov 18
New release introduces series to new fans, pleases old ones BY
A DAM C OX
“Pokémon Go” was released in July 2016 and took the world by storm with 650 million downloads. Naturally, Pokémon wanted to capitalize on its success by creating a game that could be comparable to that while adding in the elements that long time Pokémon fans are familiar with. They did this by creating the first Pokémon games on the Nintendo Switch, “Pokémon Let’s Go Pikachu” and “Pokémon Let’s Go Eevee.” I’m a long time Pokémon fan and purchased the Eevee version of the game. This game is essentially a remake of the Gameboy game “Pokémon Yellow,” which I have played, but for many newcomers to the series this is a completely new experience. You start the game by getting
your own starter Pokémon, either Pikachu or Eevee, depending on which game you chose. Your starter will be the most important Pokémon you have on your adventure and a strong and a key member of your team. Your starter will stay by your side as you traverse the Kanto Region and you can even pet and feed it like your own virtual pet. You’ll travel through the region fighting gym leaders and collecting gym badges in order to challenge the Elite Four and become the very best. Your ultimate goal is to catch all original 151 Pokémon. You’ll need other Pokémon to help you, but catching them is simple. This game uses the catching method from “Pokémon Go” instead of the battle system that has been in every main series Pokémon game which might upset
some longtime fans. I personally think it helps the flow of gameplay and makes it less of a hassle to run into Pokémon and have to beat them. As well as having the catching method changed, random encounters are also gone. You will now see the Pokémon on the map making it much easier to find the Pokémon you want to catch and easier to avoid them if you don’t want to try and catch them. I hope that this mechanic carries over into the following Pokémon games in the future. Because this game was made to draw in a more casual audience that was introduced to Pokémon through “Pokémon Go,” it’s not nearly as challenging as previous entries in the series. As long as you have a basic understanding of type matchups, you won’t have many tough
Comic writer leaves legacy of success, societal impact by Henry De Groff
Stan Lee died recently at the age of 95. He was a creator of comics and superheroes, and had a large impact on our entertainment today. In recent years, Lee has been known for making cameo appearances in many Marvel movies, where he is often seen as a random old mustached man during brief scenes. He is responsible for most of the superheroes these movies are about. He co-created Marvel comics and characters such as Spiderman, Iron Man, Thor, and the X-men. Marvel movies are fun to watch, with multiple superheroes and villains interacting and fighting. Many people love watching the latest Marvel movie.
Without Lee around, things will be largely the same for the world of superheroes. Over the last many years he hasn’t been creating anything new, due to his old age. Lee didn’t reach immediate success in the comic book world, but after working for many years, his comics took off, and he decided to continue writing comic books. He even switched his legal name to Stan Lee. Lee’s effect on American culture is immense. From massive blockbuster movies, to kids with SpiderMan shoes, his influence is everywhere. Lee didn’t create Marvel comics by himself though, and often times his associates who were vital to creating these comics are forgotten. Jack Kirby worked
closely with Lee on many Marvel projects, but the two didn’t get along, and Lee ended up with most of the recognition. For most of Lee’s life, comics were popular, but Marvel comics faced hard times and often weren’t mainstream. Many attempts to make movies and shows were largely unsuccessful. In recent years, new Marvel movies have been extremely successful and Marvel comics are a huge part of society and the media. Lee’s successes and contributions to society are what all artists and writers would hope for. Everyone knows about Spider-Man, the Hulk and other superheroes from Lee. It’s crazy that one person can have such a large impact on society through comic books.
battles which is a little bit disappointing. In my time playing so far, I haven’t had any exciting or tough battles. The battles are still fun, but I haven’t felt the same thrill and excitement of the tough battles in the original Pokémon games. The Kanto Region is exactly how I envisioned it being when I played the original games with added detailed cutscenes that really bring the magic to the experi-
ence. All the little details like having your starter sit on your head or your shoulder, having a Pokémon follow behind you and being able to ride certain Pokémon really brings the world to life. If you’re a longtime fan you’ll appreciate all the care put into modernizing the graphics of the beloved Kanto Region, and if you are new to Pokémon, this is the perfect game to get you started on your own Pokémon journey.
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arts
11
Club provides team building opportunities through games BY
K AJE NIELSEN
In an increasingly lonesome and closeminded society, it can be hard to find people with interests similar to yours, especially if they aren’t popular interests such as football or drama. Because of this, many students at NS may feel alone if they have unique interests. The goal of the Tabletop Gaming Club is to combat just that, to teach kids that it’s okay to have unique interests and learn new things. “It’s a club for the people who are generally considered nerdy to come band together and play team-based games that are considered kind of outcasty,” senior Mariah Ashworth said. The club, also known as the “Nerds of the Round Table,” attracts students who enjoy playing board games and card games. “Dungeons and Dragons” and “Magic: The Gathering” are currently played, but later in the year other games such as “Munchkin,” “Red Dragon Inn,” “Zombicide” and “Super Dungeon Explorers” will be played. Meetings are held every other Thursday right after school in Mr. Whipple’s room until about 3:30 p.m. Typically, members provide their own game materials, but anyone is free to come and learn, and can borrow cards and such from the other members. While this club primarily targets “nerds,” people of all social groups are invited to come; it’s simply a club that focuses on having some friendly fun. “I think the club is really focusing on trying to just allow kids the opportunity to
try something new,” said FACS Educator Sterling Whipple. During the first meeting, only around ten to twenty kids attended, but Whipple feels that by word of mouth and his announcements over the intercom, the size will hopefully escalate. “If we can get a good enough turnout, we’re going to do tournaments and raffles for all sorts of [things],” senior Ethan Terry said. Other schools in the Provo and Spanish Fork area also have tabletop gaming clubs that Terry hopes NS can compete with in the future, but it most likely won’t happen this year as the Tabletop Gaming Club isn’t considered an official school club because its foundation failed to meet deadlines. While there are several cons that the club has for not being official, such as not having busses provided for their jaunts, there are some benefits for it. “We don’t have specific requirements, so anybody can join, whether or not their GPA is good,” Ashworth said. While the club isn’t official by the school’s terms, it does have one significant similarity to many other school clubs, and that is that it was founded entirely by NS students. “This was all done by the students,” Whipple said. Ashworth is the president of the club and Terry is the vice president. The secretary is senior Benjamin Barlow, and the “Media Associations Dude” is senior Zachary Stiglich. On top of being run entirely by the
photo by Kaje Nielsen
Student-created tabletop gaming club is open for all and creates a fun, social atmosphere for those with unique interests.
students, another appealing aspect of the Tabletop Gaming Club is the joyous atmosphere and positive attitude created by the membersss. “When you get all of these extroverted and introverted people together doing the same games, suddenly, they’re all extroverts,” Ashworth said. What’s more, the club doesn’t expect perfect attendance like many sports do, and students are not even required to stay the whole time. They can pop in and out as they need and come with absolutely no prior knowledge of the games because the other members are anxious to teach one another how to play. Students can even introduce to the other members, games of their own.
“If you have a game that you think people would like to play, we’re open to have you come in [and show us],” Terry said. Ashworth, Terry, and Whipple all agree that the most important part of the club is to get people to try new things and have fun, without any obligations. “I think they’re really hoping that this will be an opportunity for kids to try something new that maybe they’ve always wanted to but never had the opportunity to, or to encourage kids to try something new even when it’s never crossed their mind before, but they just got the invitation,” Whipple said. At the Tabletop Gaming Club, everyone is welcome, despite their background.
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