NS Times 3rd Edition 2018 by NS Times

Wrestling returns with hope after successful past season

DJ bus driver

--Story on page 8

page 5

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21 nov 17

www.nstimes.org

volume 11 issue 3

WELL SAID “It teaches that accomplishment takes self-discipline, motivation, and hard work. If you can learn that in high school, the world is open to you and you can accomplish anything.”

finding our

-Coach Bryan Strain on wrestling perks

UPCOMING EVENTS religion

SUB FOR SANTA DRIVE Nov 20- Dec 8

race

status

gender

identity

politics

Tuesday, November 21 Boy BBall North Sevier @ NS 6:30pm-8:00pm

class

Swim @ Bear River 3:30-8:30 pm Wednesday, Nov 29 Treat ‘N Speak Sindi Rosenlof Fell’s room during Flex

BY THE NUMBERS

92 Percent of seniors that applied for college

258

Photo provided by NS Times

A BIGAIL C LAWSON

Read more articles about identity on pages 3 and 4

In a world where controversy surrounds seemingly every topic, opinion, idea and event, many find it difficult to find their place, their stand on it all; who we are and how these things

shape us, how it essentially creates our identity. One’s teenage years have been said to be the time when people take a look at all of this and discover who they are and build the foundation for

80 52 Highest amount bid for date with a Most Preferred Man

CONTENTS Features................5 Sports...................8 Arts......................11 Crossword...........12

who they are and be strong in standing for it, while still honoring others’ identity and its components. The NS Times’ staff is looking to shed

See identity, page 3

Seniors boys compete for State makes changes to testing ACT Aspire, while juniors will title of Most Preferred Man by Emily Kirksiek

Total college applications submitted

Percent of students who binge watch regularly

who they will become. In today’s world, it seems that finding the pieces to the puzzle of one’s identity is a search that is not strictly set for teens; people of all ages must have a resolve to find

photo by Emi Palmer Canidates for most preferred man stand with their escorts during the Pref assembly Friday.

by Emi Palmer

hind the curtain. All the crowd could see was the boys’ legs and During an assembly on Nov. the crazy socks they were wear16 at NS, six senior boys found ing. Brad Bentley, the auctionthemselves lined up on stage beSee pref, page 2

By the time third quarter comes to an end, students begin to wonder what variety of tests will be thrown at them the next quarter. The end of year tests are assessments for teachers, students and the state of Utah to see how NS has grown in knowledge during the year. The state has changed its mind about allowing ACT Aspire to be taken instead of SAGE (Student Assessment of Growth and Excellence) this year, meaning students will take SAGE again. This decision means freshmen and sophomores will participate in two primary tests, SAGE and

take the ACT. “Last spring [the state] said they were going to drop SAGE and adopt the ACT Aspire for both ninth and tenth graders in the state of Utah,” said Principal Nan Ault. “They then backed away from it. I think they’re still trying to see if that is a good fit.” The plan for the juniors remains the same as it has been in past years; they will take the ACT in March. The test will be given online this year. In addition to math, reading, English and science, they have added on the writing portion to the test. Juniors will take the ACT

See testing, page 2

Regents’ Scholarships award process to change for class of 2019 by Mayzie Talbot

This year, the state board of regents voted to make changes to the Regents’ Scholarship; a state-funded scholarship given to eligible students taking classes to better prepare them for college. Students graduating

in 2019 and beyond will see a change in the scholarship requirements and amount given. In the past, there were two parts to the scholarship: a Base Award and an Exemplary Academic Achievement award for students high achieving students, but with the

changes, only one award will be given and the qualifying expectations will also change. Currently, students have to have at least a 3.5 grade point average and a score of 26 or higher on the ACT, along with taking two years of a foreign language, a fourth

year of mathematics and specific science classes included in the required classes for the scholarship. The amendments to the Regents’ Scholarship will see more relaxed requirements and a lower minimum GPA and ACT scores.

According to an article from the Salt Lake Tribune, “Changes to the scholarship program are intended to stretch state dollars further with an eye toward low-income and first-generation college students.” This means less money

See Regents, page 2

2 news Regents, continued from page 1 awarded to higher qualified students, and for students depending on that money, it creates challenges. The amount of money given will be based on academic and income needs because in the past they’ve had students receiving excess amounts of scholarship money. “Everyone who qualifies will receive an award and we’re going to work with the colleges to put that in one package. There will be additional funds given to students with a gap in financial needs,” said Melanie Heath, a representative from the Step Up Utah. “The amount the awards are will vary based on how much we receive from the legislature.” This uncertainty in the money amounts has some students worried. “I was counting on that money and now a year before I graduate it’s like, oh you ac-

tually have to find that money by yourself now,” junior Abigail Clawson said. The adjustments to the scholarship have also caused some students to rethink their class choices now that the recompense isn’t as rewarding. “It really changes your plan for high school because I have all of these hard classes, but I don’t know if it’s worth the money anymore,” junior Carli Johansen said. The scholarship changes haven’t just caused negative feelings, they’ve also created new opportunities for lower achieving students. “It opens it up to more students; suddenly we have 35 and 40 percent of our students who could qualify whereas before it was a much smaller number,” said NS counselor Ben Cox. “It’s good for those students who are really working hard and trying to get that

Testing, continued from page 1 from 8:30-1:00. This means that students, aside from the juniors, will not have school that day. The score juniors receive on the writing portion will be separate from and not affect the total score. Colleges do not base anything off of the writing portion as of now, but students should try their hardest because colleges may use the scores in the future. SAGE is a summative test, which will happen the first two weeks of May. Ninth and tenth graders will be tested on math, reading, and science. In past years, students were required to take a writing portion, but this year the writing portion for SAGE has been canceled. ACT Aspire is an interim test that all freshmen and sophomores will participate in. The writing portion has been added to the ACT Aspire. Students will take this test the first two weeks in April. These practice tests help students to prepare for the real

Regents' Scholarship

26 [ACT score] but couldn’t 2018 and past get it.” According to the Utah System of Higher Education, Base Award- $1,000 e ar A e e e Award - $1 0 a se es er e e e re red rses d r rder a r e e ar A ade the Commissioner’s Office rades -1 A e e e Award, s a r e ar a 0 a e s Base Award, a d e w add a identified three goals to reA re re e s ar rade wer a a e ar a a e s A ar emphasize the scholarship’s re red rses rade wer a a B e re red rses a eas e A es s re a A s re college readiness goals and to help lower income students: “Update and maintain and evidence-based standard of academic college readiness for high school students based on a combination of coursework, ACT score and GPA, efficiently stretch scholarship funding to reward both academic college readiness and 2019 and beyond well as help recipients facing a e e r asses rades -1 see a es ar a eas a a e s A ar a eas a s e s re e A significant economic barriers r 1 e e red s a se es er a er s rad a r ee de er e re re e s to college and increase local e A A ree A a r edera de A d ee a dead es rad a e r a a s control through coordination with participating colleges and universities to leverage more financial aid opportunities and eliminate overpay- 2018, the scholarship will stay plary Academic Achievement the same, with a base award Award of up to $1,250 a sement.” For students graduating in of up to $1,000 and an Exem- mester.

ACT when they are juniors. It has been proven that taking a practice ACT at least once before the real test will most likely guarantee you a higher score. “As a school, we adopted ACT Aspire,” Ault said. “We want kids to practice it and align themselves with the test because it means we can send them to college or to trade schools.” Although testing can be demanding, many students at NS do not choose to opt out of it. “Other schools in the state have a really high rate of students that opt out,” Ault said. “Our parents and our community are actually very supportive. They trust that we are trying to do the very best that we can. We try hard to make sure kids have a solid foundation of education.” Even though there has been much talk about getting rid of state testing, it is not likely to happen anytime soon. Tests are needed for students and teachers to see improvement.

“As long as we are accountable to these government agencies there will always be some kind of accountability assessment,” Ault said. For future testing, the state is leaning towards ACT Aspire and hoping to eliminate SAGE. It will all just depend on who our politicians and leaders are for each year. “[Testing] is always changing with the times and the direction politicians want to take. Many educators don’t like SAGE because they can’t use it as a grading tool, and students don’t connect with it,” said State Board of Education member Scott Neilson. The hope for SAGE, in the beginning, was for it to be used to grade students and base teachers’ income off of it. The test has proven that results aren’t given back quick enough to do any good for students or teachers. At NS, teachers are allowed to grade students on the SAGE as long as students aren’t rewarded or punished.

Many students don’t take these tests using their full range of potential. ACT Aspire and SAGE are both given as a final in April through May, and they often overlap one another. This year NS is separating the dates when the two tests will be given; there will also be a break in between them. Ault hopes students will realize that even if these tests don’t necessarily affect them personally, they should still try their hardest. The test scores will be able to give students and NS a better reflection of our Hawk pride. “Students should always do their best, just as a matter of personal integrity,” Ault said. “If I’m going to do this I’m going to show you what I know. I want them to have some grit about it and say I want to represent my school well. It’s a matter of personal pride, it’s a matter of school pride, and I want to make sure they honor that.”

Pref, continued from page 1 eer, starts off the bidding; the first guy goes for $4, the highest bid ended in $52. To begin the process of deciding the Most Preferred Man at NS, the girls from all four classes nominated one senior guy. From there, the six boys with the most votes were chosen to compete. This year the the Most Preferred Men are Trevor Ence, Makade Talbot, Christian Sanchez, Spencer Steadman, Kevin Johansen and Ty Bailey. Through his efforts during the week, and his excellent dance moves, Steadman won the most votes from the ladies, with Bailey as first runner-up and Johansen as second runner-up. Throughout Preference Week they were put through a series of challenges which include taking a robotic baby home for a night, making and selling cupcakes and auctioning off their legs for a lunch date. On Monday they made and decorated cupcakes to sell the next day. Tues-

day they sold the cupcakes at lunch, that afternoon they took home the robotic babies that are used for the child development class. The babies track temperature, handling, burping, feeding, how long they cry, and diaper changing. The settings vary from easy to hard, and are randomized so the boys don’t know what setting they have. “I decided I would take care of the baby like it was real baby,” said Makade Talbot, who got first in that challenge with 100% despite his baby being on the hardest setting. Wednesday they practiced a dance taught to them by Dance Sterling Scholar, Kailee Burgess. Thursday the auction took place, with each choosing a lunch that they would share with the highest bidder. On Friday, the girls were given a ballot to vote for who they think is the Most Preferred Man. “At the end the end of the week they deserve their reward,” said FCCLA Vice

photo by Emi Palmer

The nominees for Most Preferred Man perfom a choreographed dance for the school during the Pref assembly.

President of National Programs Emily Barker. FCCLA (Family, Career and Community Leaders of America), a school club, is in charge of the activities the boys do throughout the week. All the money that was earned from the cupcakes and auction goes to FCCLA. Even though it was fun for the school to watch the boys through their

challenges, for the chosen boys it proved to be very stressful. “I was already very busy that week and needed as much sleep as I could get, and the baby did not allow that,” said Ence. The week ended with a girl’s choice dance on Saturday where they announced Steadman as the winner.

news Identity, continued from page 1 light on this issue, and the many different aspects that come with finding our identity: race, socioeconomic status, gender, social status, religious belief and political standing are a few of the many components that make us who we are as individuals. Living in a rural community, where the majority of the population share several of these key factors, it can be said that there is a protection, a sort of bubble we live in,

which can blind us regarding these issues, and the controversy and vast array of opinions regarding them. While this protection can be pleasant for some, the voices of people for whom these issues are a personal, daily battle may not be heard and their side of the story may never be told. In opening up to discuss these topics, we as a staff hope to allow students from all circumstances to share their story: what has made and con-

tinues to make them who they are, and allow for those components to be seen in a different light, for people to view these problems with open minds. In looking at the individual students, we must also zoom out to take into consideration the entire student body. Who are we as a school? What makes us who we are? While we are each unique with vast differences, we all share something common

here, a link that is part of our identities, which in turn adds up, piece by piece to create our identity as a school, not only students, but faculty and staff as well. This paper may be student produced, but the outreach is beyond the walls of our school. Whether or not you attended NS or have any connections here, you have an impact. Every individual has an impact; you may think of yourself as unimportant, but

only you are made of the exact factors that have built you, and we want to shed light on that. As difficult as it seems for people to accept those with different opinions regarding these issues, more than one side must be told. The NS Times will be covering these issues throughout the year, and opening the curtains to shed light on how these issues build our identity, individually and collectively.

Broadway musical available to juniors at Type I schools BY

LUCY A NDERSON

On May 4, 2018, approximately 2,300 teachers and students from Title 1 schools have the opportunity to watch the musical “Hamilton” at the Eccles Theater in Salt Lake City for only ten dollars. The Utah Board of Education endorsed the Hamilton Education Program that allowed high school juniors from rural and low-income areas to watch a Broadway show about the formation of the early United states government and the country’s history. Some members of the board were hesitant to allow the program to be offered to high school students due to the fact that the musical doesn’t shy away from sensitive subjects such as vulgar language and sexual conversations. “It’s definitely not for those with sensitive minds, but I also think that it’s not really something that we don’t hear or see in everyday life,” junior Kaleb Cox said. “Our halls of this high school are dirtier than a lot of what’s

in ‘Hamilton’.” Ben Cox, counselor at NS, believes that because of the way that Lin Manuel Miranda, creator of “Hamilton”, portrays history, it makes the education program beneficial for all students to participate. “The reason I love [Hamilton], I really think Lin Manuel Miranda did what Shakespeare did in his time,” Ben Cox said. “He took stories that were already out there, and he brought them to life for the people and he polished them and made them more interesting and entertaining.” Ben Cox believes that Miranda also shows qualities similar to Shakespeare’s in the sense that they neither sugar coat stories or take away controversy in order to make them more comfortable for people to listen to. “[Shakespeare] wrote for the common people and I feel like that’s what Miranda did, because now we think about our founding fathers and we put them on a pedestal,” Ben Cox said. “They seem all formal and proper, and what Miranda does is he takes their lives and makes them rel-

evant to us with the way we speak or the way we are used to listening.” Ben Cox thinks that high school students don’t learn as well in a history class as they could if they were able to see history actually happening. “I think it’s wonderful to get kids interested in history because you read a text book, and it’s incredibly boring and you can’t relate,” Ben Cox said. Ben Cox thinks that Hamilton has something to offer to every kind of person. “It tells the story of not just Hamilton, but a lot of what happened in our country’s history,” Ben Cox said. “I think it’s very fascinating and very well done to a point that you can like it if you’re a musical fan, or if you’re a history fan or even if you’re neither of those it just gives something to enjoy for everyone.” Unfortunately for many students, this opportunity is only being provided to juniors. “I am so mad because I actually appreciate it,” senior Emily Hill said. “I’m drama Sterling Scholar and I actually want to go to this and I

don’t get to!” Although it has not been said why juniors are the ones who get the experience, Kaleb Cox has a theory. “They wanted an audience that was mature enough,”Kaleb Cox said, “but at the same time they’re still young enough that they can get something different out of it.”

Many juniors are excited for the opportunity to see a Broadway musical for a discounted price. “That’s a freaking steal,” Kaleb Cox said. “It’s the same musical that’s always being sold out so tickets are extremely hard to find. I don’t know why anyone wouldn’t take advantage of it.”

A decade of NS Times and examining identity BY

BEN C OX , NS TIMES A DVISOR

It’s hard to believe that ten years have passed since we resurrected the NS Times. In those ten years, I have never written any article for the paper until now. I am doing so at the request of my principal to explain what we are about to undertake this year. But first, I want to recap what I think we’ve accomplished in the last ten years. In the last ten years as a journalism staff, my students and I have logged thousands of hours of work, printed 88 editions, written thousands of stories, and taken hundreds of thousands of photos for the sake of chronicling the events at NS. We have printed over a million pages of newsprint with money earned from our own ad sales and fundraisers. We have labored many Fridays past midnight in order to get the newspaper designed and suitable for print. We have covered hundreds of sporting events, plays, competitions, musical performances, awards ceremonies, and other activities. We have highlighted hundreds of students and teachers, putting their talents and lives on display for the community and students to learn about and appreciate. We have tackled tough issues like eating disorders, debts in sports, bullying, underage drinking,

high-stakes testing, and a host of other important and controversial topics, and we have won dozens of awards for our efforts. We have distributed thousands and thousands of copies of the newspaper within the high school and to the community filled with the events of good old North Sanpete High School. We hope you have appreciated it. But it is time to do more. This year we have a special group; one that is prepared to take on a new challenge and begin a concerted, intentional dialogue about some of the most difficult aspects of our lives personally and collectively as a community and society. We want to talk about our identity and all that entails. We live in a challenging time; a time in which many topics are sensitive and inflammatory. The responsibility that my students feel as part of the fourth estate, as part of the free student press, is to talk about these issues even though they are sensitive to many. We want to tell the stories of those who struggle, the stories of all of us as we seek to understand who we are individually and as a group. We want to discuss the obstacles we face and even the obstacles we sometimes create for each other. Our decision to do this has nothing to do with shock value. We just want to tell important stories to create essential dialogue.

We plan to treat these subjects with the care and maturity they deserve. We ask that you, the reader, to read them with an open mind and with a compassionate heart. I believe in my students. I believe they can handle this challenge with a maturity that is often missing in much of the public forum today and even from many of our elected officials. We have no agenda here. We just want to tell these critical stories. Thank you for your understanding and for your support as we begin this endeavor, and thank you for your support of our paper throughout the years. Now, on a personal note. I must say that working with the newspaper has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. Though I cannot say I have loved every minute—and I have many gray hairs as evidence of the extreme stress that comes at times—I can say that I have loved most of it. I have had the opportunity to work with some of the best people on the planet—many of whom I still keep in touch with years after their graduation, and they are some of my most cherished friends. I have many incredible memories, and along with those thousands of hours of work have come thousands of hours of laughter. I cannot possibly thank the students enough for all they have sacrificed and given to make the NS Times a success over the last decade.

4 opinion Gun violence, shooting bring up problems, discussion of 2nd ammendment

THOMAS DE GROFF

Sutherland Springs, Las Vegas, Dallas, Orlando, San Bernardino, Colorado Springs, Charleston—the list goes on, and the saddest part is that everyone knows why all these cities and towns are related. The shadow of gun violence seems inescapable. Like so many controversial issues, gun violence, along with the questions of possible gun control it brings up, is an incredibly decisive topic. Rather than seeing it as a matter of life or death, many wrongly see it as a partisan feud. It shouldn’t be that way. Whenever gun control makes the headlines, often in the wake of mass shootings, it suddenly transforms into a topic of red vs. blue. This with-us-oragainst-us mentality pushes the idea that there are only two sides to what is, in reality, a complex and deeply-rooted

issue. The line between those who call for firearms to be more heavily regulated and their unwavering opponents is painted with a broad brush, making compromise nearly impossible. For a compromise to be made, a commonality must be found. Sadly, and not entirely by choice, it seems we can only find that common ground through the butchery of these everrecent mass killings. No one, liberal or conservative, wants these shootings to continue happening on what feels like a heartwrenchingly regular basis. We should see these events as a sign that there is a problem with gun violence in this country. Once we have admitted that, anyone who blatantly refuses to try and take any measures to prevent these killings from happening again is being selfish. America—the nation where Kinder Surprise eggs are contraband and gummy vitamins are housed in childproof bottles—still lags far behind the developed world when it comes to regulating its firearms. Gun legislation is complicated—no one on either side of the fence can truthfully say that they have one definitive solution, but what we do have are examples. Australia, often portrayed as a

shining beacon of what gun control is capable of, has not had a mass shooting in two decades (mass meaning more than five victims). Just weeks after what became known as the Port Arthur Massacre in 1996, where 35 people were killed and more injured, Australia implemented nation-wide gun control measures. These included a ban on the sale of semi-automatic weapons and shotguns, a government buy-back of sai weapons, and stricter laws regarding firearm licenses and even storage of guns. These laws worked; the evidence is there. But could something similar be implemented here in the US? Australia has no second amendment equivalent. The second amendment is the biggest hurdle to overcome by any group seeking gun reform, and is where most of their arguments fall flat. This idea of an inalienable right to own firearms is deeply ingrained in a nation that would theoretically not exist if its citizens had not been able to own their revolutionary rifles and muskets. Where do we draw the line in our right to keep and bear arms that “shall not be infringed?” We can hopefully agree that ownership of hand-grenades and artillery cannons should remain

unlawful, but to put semi-automatic weapons or shotguns in the same category like Australia and so many other nation have done—there would be riots in the streets. Before any widespread gun control could be adopted here in America, citizens and lawmakers would have to change their approach to the second amendment and its wording. The sad truth, however, is that American politicians and lawmakers are, for now, too absorbed in partisan loyalties or too deep in the pockets of organizations who benefit from keeping things the way they are to make a change. The overall attitude toward gun control on Washington seems to be a strange, stagnant “live and let die.” The death tolls climb higher and higher and still nothing is done. I continually find myself tired of seeing the flag at half-staff and instantly knowing the reason why. Our legislators, along with our current president, continue to frustrate with this state of gridlock. I am left asking, in the words of Bob Dylan, “How many deaths will it take ‘til he knows, that too many people have died?”

People struggle to find identity amongst controversy, constant change

MOSIAH BUNTING

The crowning achievement of teenage years and throughout life is the finding of self; the discovery of our identity. Many struggles in the world today are a result of perceived identity differences. Race, gender, religion, national citizenship, political preference and socioeconomic classes are some of the biggest dividing factors of identity between people in the world, our nation and even at our school. Identity can be a hard thing to define, and it is even harder to find. Identity is not just our circumstances, nor is it just our actions; there is theoretically some middle ground between the

two that shows who we are. Because identity is so hard to define, we can’t use a simple three-step instruction manual to change ourselves, let alone other people; nor should we try to make other people change. There is currently an identity revolution taking place around the nation. Traditional views of marriage, gender and familial relationships are changing at a rapid pace, fueled by the previous legislation passed regarding equal treatment for the minority. This revolution is highly controversial, leaving a large majority of people unsure of how to express their beliefs without being targeted as old-fashioned, bigots or haters. There is no good or bad, black or white answer to the identity revolution taking place around the US. We must be understanding of the opinions of others, but we don’t have to feel their passions and opinions. Legally speaking, everyone has a right to express themselves so long as it is not harmful to others. Notice that harmful means actions with an intent to harm, not

actions that may have inadvertently made someone uncomfortable or upset. This revolution has exploded out of proportion, changing from a select few wanting equal rights, to a nationwide acceptance campaign petitioning for the very foundation of democracy to be undermined. The minority believe the majority should accept them and their way of life. While it is true that we should be respectful and courteous to others, we certainly do not have to endorse things we do not support or believe in. This campaign of acceptance leaves many opposed to the root of the movement because the extremities demand unrealistic change. One of the main reasons people don’t endorse change is because change is hard. It is much easier to try and change other people than it is to look within and change ourselves. Remaining on a current trajectory rather than changing course mid-journey takes far less effort and understanding. This may be the reason people go to such lengths to defend their opinions

and ideas, when in reality their view of the world may be contained to the boundaries inside their own mind. As Professor Albus Dumbledore from the Harry Potter series said in the second book, “It is our choices, Harry, that show us what we truly are, far more than our abilities.” I would add to this quote the following, “It is our choices that show us what we truly are, far more than our abilities, or racial background, or socioeconomic class, or gender identity, or political preference, or any other matter of personal identity.” In the world of turmoil today, we can rarely hope to change our globe by sheer will or force on our part. However, if we make the best of our circumstances and continue onward changing ourselves rather than blaming others, we may make a big impact; it doesn’t really matter if it is a global impact or a great local impact. I implore you all to defend and express your beliefs passionately, and to do so politely.

features 21 Nov 17

Bus driver, DJ favorite among students By Makade Talbot

can imagine framing a picture it or not, an old high school event driver, and in that time with; that’s what I dealt with sweetheart. Hansen and his he has become somewhat of In the spring of last year, for twenty years.” wife separated during his time a legend at NS—famously the NS soccer team traveling Twenty years may seem with the framing industry, so known as the best bus driver in to Union for an away game. like a long time to work for the he was once again up for grabs. the district. About halfway there, a Union bus passed by driving in the opposite direction. Although odd, the team dismissed it as just another sports group or the drill team or something. An hour later, the team arrived at Union’s field; Union was nowhere to be found. A scheduling error by the coaches had resulted in both of the teams traveling to the other’s field—three hours apart from each other. After some arguing and explaining from the coaches, they turned the busses around and met in Carbon for their match. Memories like these are what make bus driving a topnotch profession for Eddy Hansen. photo by Makade Talbot Hansen attended NS, gradBus driver and DJ Ed Hansen connects with students through his music. uating in 1980, and returned as an alumni 30 years later when same company, but it felt a lot While living in Sandy, he dated “I like how Ed comes and he began his career as a bus longer for Hansen when he was a girl from Mt. Pleasant that he watches all of our games; he driver. laid off after working for them went to high school with, but it doesn’t just sit on the bus or Following graduation, for such a long time. wasn’t her that brought Han- leave, he’ll actually come supHansen served an LDS mis“After I got laid off after sen back to his hometown. port us and yell and cheer, and sion in Arizona, where he my twenty years, I decided I “The girl I was dating told he’s always our number one learned to speak Navajo. Once would rather have a job where me about another girl I had ac- fan,” said Sarah Applegarth, a his two years were up, after dat- the packages got on themselves tually dated when I was just off senior at NS and the captain of ing around for a bit and saying and off themselves,” Hansen my mission, who had just been the girls soccer team. “All the his goodbyes, Hansen packed said. “That’s when I decided I separated as well,” Hansen said. other bus drivers kind of just his bags and relocated to Den- wanted to become a bus driv- “When I found out she was drive us to where we need to ver, Colorado. er.” single, it only took me 12 hours go and drop us off or whatever. He met his first wife shortAlthough Hansen drove to get in contact with her.” Ed knows all of our stats, and ly after the move, and following for the framing industry for Hansen and his sweetheart he like knows each individual their marriage, he picked up a twenty years, he only lived were married soon after, and player and how we do each career as a driver for a picture in Denver for ten. His job they’ve been together for seven game.” frame industry. bounced him around for a years now. She teaches kinderHansen would have made “I delivered 200-pound while after Denver, landing garten at Mt. Pleasant Elemen- more money driving a regular boxes of molding, 65-pound him in Murray, Lehi, Eagle tary, while he busses the high bus route, but his school spirit boxes of glass, mat boards, and Mountain and Sandy. school kids around. led him to be an event driver glass and other things,” Hansen What finally brought him The school district hired instead. said. “Basically anything you back to Sanpete was, believe Hansen four years ago as an “I love going to events,”

YAY NAY

Do you like Pumpkin Pie?

Do you like Egg Nog?

EMPATHIZE

Yay

DEFINE

Nay

Yay

Nay

Yay or Nay

B Y JULIETTE JORDAN

With Thanksgiving just a few days away, many Americans are stressing about Thanksgiving dinner: what to cook, whether the turkey will be thawed, that picky relative that complains no matter what is cooked, and how much food is needed. The original meaning of Thanksgiving is somewhat lost behind the main focus now-- food. The sad news is that on that day, Americans eat the weight of the population of Singapore. Although there are always the traditional dishes at everyone’s table, do people actually enjoy them? It seems that there are mixed feeling regarding common Thanksgiving dishes, and many are not as popular as one may first think.

Hansen said. “I scream at ‘em when they’re not playin’ so well, and when they’re doing a good job I cheer ‘em on. Win or lose I’m always a Hawks fan.” Besides sporting Hawk pride and showing support for his kids, multiple sources say Hansen can be quite the party animal. “Ed is just so great; he’s super funny and he always plays the best jams,” junior Anna Wright said. “Sometimes he’ll even sing along with us and dance.” Not only does Hansen join sing and dance with students, he also knows how to properly celebrate their victories. “One time in soccer after we won a big game he played ‘We Are the Champions’ as we got in the bus, and that cheered me up,” multi-sport athlete Luis Rodriguez said. Incessant music isn’t a problem for Hansen like it is for some bus drivers, because unbeknownst to most, he holds a side job as a professional DJ. His ex-wife is the one who introduced it to him, and they started DJ-ing professionally together in 1991. After they separated, his wife took all the equipment with her, but Hansen didn’t mind. He upgraded to bigger and better equipment, and changed the company name to “Royalty Mobile DJ.” Hansen still DJ’s whenever gigs are available, hosting things like weddings, church dances and school events. “I like to watch kids have fun, that’s the main goal,” Hansen said. “DJ and bus driver alike, it’s the same goal.”

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features

Students' binge watching creates social problem B Y SALEM K IMBALL

TV. Television if you prefer. Say what you will about it, but you can not argue that it is deeply entrenched into our culture. And unless you happen to be Amish, then there is a high likelihood that you have consumed a large amount of this media yourself. Yes, it is fair to assume that most everyone enjoys television, but what about those who go beyond casual enjoyment? What about those who become a bit too invested in fictional scenarios? Those avid consumers are known as binge watchers. Binge: an unrestrained and often excessive indulgence. Keyword: excessive. Once you have watched an excessive amount of television in one sitting, that is when you have entered the realm of the Binge. In our current day and age, binging has become closely associated with the phrase “waste of time” and people simply deciding to be antisocial or lazy. Though nobody likes to admit that they’ve wasted away on their couch for hours on end, the truth is that many do just that. And it’s not all bad. In fact, the watcher most likely finds it quite enjoyable. In a recent NS poll, 80 percent of NS students indicated they had binge watched before. That’s just one very small example of how big binge watching is. One study done in 2016 showed that nearly 18 percent of Americans binge watched frequently. Eighteen percent of the population in 2016 was roughly fifty-eight million, one hundred and fifty-eight thousand people.

To give a sense of scale, the population of Utah in 2016 was only 3 million, and the numbers have only risen since. So is binge watching a hindrance to society? Is the human race doomed to become mindless slaves of the machine? Well, some say no. “When you think of binge watching, you think about nerds sitting at home and watching three seasons of anime in one night, but then you turn around and watch the Super Bowl, or any other big game tournament, and isn’t that the same thing? The only difference is the content,” junior Elisa-

beth Anderson said. Stating that in a sense, binge watching is already accepted by society in the form of the Super Bowl or the Olympics; huge events that are celebrated and binged all around the world by millions of people. So why is that acceptable and binge watching “The Office” is not? “You should understand how to use your time wisely. Maybe watch one show, wait a day, and then watch another. When you have time off then you use that time,” junior Donnivan Kubota said. According to Kubota, binge watching can be acceptable as long you

are not wasting time or procrastinating because of it. The Olympics gets a gold star in this category as the events are spread out through multiple days, but if watched in the wrong place or wrong time, it too could fall victim to the binge fever. Binge watching: love it, hate it, mildly enjoy it—whatever you may think about it the one thing you can not deny is that we’ve all binged. Maybe not in the form of Netflix or Amazon Prime, but if you have ever “wasted” an unreasonable sum of time on one activity than you have binged. And if you’ve done it then who are you to tell others how to use their time?

Car accidents pose a problem for student drivers B Y K ALEB C OX

Road accidents have been a constant issue since the invention of the automobile, both across the world and at NS. According to the Association for Safe International Road Travel, approximately 1.3 million die in road crashes annually across the world, with another 20-50 million injured or disabled. For NS students, driving can often be dangerous, with the amount of deer constantly around the roads and slick roads come winter time. A recent poll taken by NS students revealed that of those who can drive, around 14 percent have been in an accident as a driver. Among others, senior Hannah Ostraff and sophomore Mosiah Bunting have both been in accidents caused by each of these issues respectively. On her way to school one morning, Ostraff was traveling from her home in Fairview when she hit a

deer. “A car had just passed me, so my brights were off,” Ostraff said. “A deer jumped in front of me, I slammed on my brakes, but I didn’t have enough [room] so I hit it.” She and another driver behind her pulled over and moved the deer out of the road. The car was a little beat up, but thankfully no one was hurt, at least not physically. Ostraff said she was pretty shaken up for the rest of that day, and still gets very nervous when driving in the dark. “Even now when I drive by the spot [where the accident occurred] at night, my heart rate really starts to speed up,” Ostraff said. As the snowy weather approaches, NS drivers will have to deal with the icy roads that come with it. Bunting recalled a time when he and his older brother hit an icy patch, spun out of control, veering off the road and into a snow bank. “My brother’s a little impulsive, and didn’t even

slow down as we came around a turn,” Bunting said. Though no damage was done to either of them nor the vehicle, a lot of gas and time were wasted until a bypassing driver saw them and helped them call home. The positive outlook is the lessons that were learned. “[Drivers] shouldn’t blindly take safety as it has always been,” Bunting said. “Keep an open mind of the circumstances that may have changed since you drove there last.”

DRIVING

Do's

Don'ts

& By Kaleb Cox

Pay very close attention to your surroundings at all times.

Drive slower than the posted speed limit when roads are in poor condition (ice, rain, etc.)

Always wear your seatbelt

Do not drive distracted

Do not drive while under the influence of alcohol, prescription drugs, etc.

Do not assume what other drivers will do, and always be defensive

Be on the look out for pedestrians, giving them the right of way

Do not drive angrily or aggressively, as this can cause for poor decisions to be made

Follow posted street signs, traffic lights, and local traffic laws

Do not play music, etc. too loudly that it takes your attention away from the road Source

features

Thanksgiving needs to be celebrated

B Y TR AYSON THOMPSON

Put yourself in this situation: it’s the morning after Halloween, you’re ready to start putting out some Thanksgiving decorations outside your home because it hasn’t totally started snowing yet, and then you go outside. Christmas lights and plastic Santas stretch as far as the eye can see. Everyone around you has already started celebrating Christmas on the first day of November, 55

days before Christmas. It sounds mildly annoying, right? It’s no work of fiction, this has been happening to me for the past few years. Everyone decides to celebrate Christmas way too early, leaving me and a few others feeling pretty blue that no one even wants to celebrate a benchmark in our country’s history, the first Thanksgiving. I feel that Thanksgiving never gets the respect it really deserves—at least in North Sanpete it doesn’t. People always put up their Christmas decorations way too soon, and once Thanksgiving rolls around, people think: “Oh, I guess we get to eat some turkey and

Scholarships tips for seniors By Hannah Ostraff

With college application week behind the seniors, it is now time to start finding ways to pay for the schooling they want, the best way being scholarships. There are hundreds of thousands of scholarships open and waiting for people to apply. NS counseling has provided many different ways for students to learn about the different scholarships offered through online websites, scholarship flexes, and having professionals coming to the school to the school to provide help. There are a plethora of tips to help students through essays and applications for scholarships, and they are being handed out on a silver platter.

Websites Use websites like the NS counseling and USUStars. www.nshcounseling.org and www.utahstars.usu.edu

a couple of pilgrims, but they know exactly how to market Santa, the reindeer and the elves. Since Santa and Christmas are being marketed so well, that makes people want to get Christmas stuff more, and that in turn makes people want to get Christmas stuff early so that they’re ready for the holidays. There may be other explanations, but I believe this is a big part of it. I can only hope that in the future Thanksgiving becomes a much more popular holiday, instead of it being thrown to the wayside to make way for more well-known holidays like Christmas.

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stuffing today, that’s kinda cool.” They do the bare minimum to show their appreciation for the holiday. I think that Black Friday, the store holiday, gets more recognition than Thanksgiving—it’s ridiculous! Yes, Thanksgiving gets the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, but that’s it. There’s almost nothing else that anybody does for Thanksgiving as far as my knowledge goes, and that makes me kind of sad. So why does Thanksgiving always get the short end of the stick? I think it’s because it’s just not as marketable as Christmas. Big companies just don’t know how to market a big turkey and

Scholarship Flex Makade Talbot and Mr. Cox have started a scholarship flex on Thursdays in the journalism room.

Everything You Need To Know About Scholarships

Don't Stop Applying

Interests

Once you have been accepted to a college or received scholarships don't stop applying for more scholarships.

Make a list of things you are interested in, and things you are involved in. Find scholarships that match those things.

Make it Memorable When writing a scholarship essay make it memorable. Tell a story and tell it well, but defiantly don't make a list. Make sure you get it proof read before turning it in.

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sports 21 nov 17

Hawks confident despite losing seniors

new challenges, including new teams to face. Within the last year NS has changed regions and is now up against new opponents. This means that the team must be ready. “I sometimes worry that with such a big senior core that has been very successful in the past, we might feel like we’ve already won games that we have not,” Jackson said, “or that there are games that we just deserve to win. We need to stay on our toes and expect to fight for a win every game. It’s varsity basketball; nothing is given. The coaches also feel that good wins come from hard work, and that everyone has to do their own part to play as photo by Hannah Ostraff a team to gain success. Senior Spencer Steadman goes for a lay-up during practice. The team is excited and confident for their season “For me, achievthis year, despite losing three seniors last year, and looks forward to new players showing their skill. ing what we can achieve BY C HRISTIAN SAN- boys leaving last year, Coach Cris Hoopes said. that usually means that their fair share of excitemeans that we’re going CHEZ new players have the opHoopes and the rest you’re gonna be pretty ment. to work our hardest, and portunity to step up and of the team are optimis- good,” Hoopes said. “But “I’m excited for it! we are gonna try to do With every new year show what they have to tic about what the team we kind of feel as hard as I think there are a lot of that as a coaching staff comes new opportuni- offer. can do, as long as they we work is as good as possibilities for success and players,” Hoopes ties. That’s what the NS “With the start of put forth the effort. we’ll be.” if we play within our- said. boys basketball team every new season you “This year we bring Not only is the selves individually and feels about this year’s get excited about what back a lot of players coach excited about all collectively,” senior Josh season. your players can do and that have playing time the new possibilities, Jackson said. With three senior where they’re going,” and varsity minutes, so but the players also have New years also bring

Wrestling teaches athletes life lessons, hard work BY

C HARLEE C HRIS-

TENSEN

Coach Bryan Strain and the NS Wrestling team are thrilled to kick off this year’s season. They are ready to see what comes of the new year. “We have a really young team,” Strain said. “We have two seniors; a lot of kids are new to the sport. I’m interested to

see what they can handle and how they’re going to perform. I’m looking forward to seeing what this group of kids are capable of.” They have begun practicing and conditioning for this season to get into the shape they need to be in to go through the intensity of the sport. “This year we have a good chance,”

said Adrian Lemus, sophomore wrestler. “We have heavy weights, and some light weights, and we didn’t have any light weights last year.” A lot of the wrestlers were afraid that they won’t do as well as they did last year because they lost some of their key wrestlers. They are beginning to see that with a lot of practice and conditioning, they

photo by Charlee Christensen

Seniors Nakota King and Keegan Eliason grapple during practice. Players agree that wrestling has helped build who they are.

are getting better and believe they will do fine this season. “Last year we started with 40 kids and ended with nine, but out of those nine kids, five qualified for state. Given the circumstances of those returning and coming in, I think it’s a good mix of kids who want to wrestle,” Strain said. Strain is hoping for kids to continue throughout the season and work hard, and send some of his team to state. “I’m looking forward to seeing if we can place in state,” said junior wrestler Josh Lee. Despite the loss of seniors, the boys still have high hopes for the team. Hard work is necessary for getting far in wrestling. “We have a lot of young kids, I’m one of two seniors, but I think we’ll be okay,” senior wrestler Keegan Eliason said.

"I think we’ll do pretty good, we just need to keep our head in the game and come up and wrestle every day like there’s no other day to wrestle,” Lemus said. The team knows that maximum effort is required in order to see success. “We still have potential even though we lost our seniors last year. If we keep putting in the work, we will do great things,” Lee said. Each of the wrestlers has a goal to be as good if not better than last year and work to make themselves better individually, but also to build up the team as well. Many wrestlers agree that wrestling is important to the kind of person they have become and it isn’t just about the sport; it’s about how the sport changed their mindsets and made them want to become better as a per-

son. “When I started wrestling, I decided I needed to pull my life together,” Lemus said. “I saw the sport and it introduced me to a lot of discipline and it changed me as a person. I’m more productive and just a better person all around because of it.” Wrestling has been a big part of Strain’s life for many years and to him it is a very important part of his life. " Wre s t l i n g teaches you discipline, perseverance, dedication, how to be a member of the team, but also how to be an individual,” Strain said. “It teaches that accomplishment take self-discipline, motivation, and hard work. If you can learn that in high school, the world is open to you and you can accomplish anything.”

sports

Lady Hawks work hard to overcome disadvantage BY

E MILY BARKER

The girls basketball team started this season facing some challenges, but they refuse to back down. The team is up against Richfield as their toughest competition this region. As a young team they have a lot of work to put in before their first game on Dec. 5 against Juab, and while some may see their youth as a disadvantage head coach Randi Griffith thinks otherwise. “There is no place to go but up, which makes it easier to get better everyday and to see our improvements,” said Griffith. “If we are willing to push through, there is potential to bond together as a team and do well.” The team is aware of their youth, but they are ready to put in the work and see the season through till the end. Junior, Tiffany Peckham is the leading scorer returning this season.

“We’ve been working really hard, even in this past week we have made a lot of improvement, I think that if we work hard and work as a team we can do great things,” said junior Halli Bennett. Bennett started playing in middle school and has learned a lot since then. “There are times where I say I just want to stay home today, but basketball has taught me to stick to it even when it’s difficult,” Bennett said. Last year Bennett was elbowed in the face as a girl came down from a lay up. It broke her nose and gave her a concussion making it impossible to finish out the season. She has kept strong and is ready to face another season. Kesley Eliason, the only senior player, once was known as “The Killer” because of her dedication to get and keep the ball on her team. Eliason loves the game and is happy to finish

photo by Emily Barker

Senior Kesley Eliason prepares to take a shot during practice. Eliason is the only senior on the team this year, but the girls are working hard to make up for their inexperience.

out her senior year on the team. Junior Anna Wright started playing basketball as a young girl, growing up in a town that bred basketball players made her interested in the game and since her mom wouldn't let her be a cheerleader she decided to join. “I’ve played for 10

years and I love the game and the concept of it and I love my teammates,” Wright said, “[I’ve learned that] there is a lot more than meets the eye, even just one person having a bad attitude or messing up and not brushing it off can turn the tables for the whole game.” Hard work is part of

basketball and keeping a good attitude under pressure can take a lot of work. “My focus has been to give people enough experience that they feel comfortable being in a varsity game, that they can handle the intensity and the pressure of it,” said Griffith. The team's biggest

goal this season is to be competitive “Since the season is just beginning there are no set starters so there is so much opportunity and potential of all of us,” Wright said

Swim looks forward to season with new athletes

A LEX L ARSEN

The NS swim team is starting off the new season with satisfying results from their first three meets. They have more swimmers than ever, with only four returning out of the eighteen total. This leaves a lot of room for growth. While the team’s placing in meets might not seem up to par with expectations, coach Britanny Adams feels the season is off to a great start. “[The season is] going really good,” Adams said. “We had to teach them the technique and stuff like that, but they’ve caught on really well.” The first meet in Delta, they scored 46 points with 6 disqualifications. The second

meet in Richfield resulted in 4 disqualifications and the scores were lost. The meet in Emery resulted in 5 disqualifications and 126 points. With the first three meets ending, Adams still believes there is a lot of room for improvement; with that, Adams set some goals for the team. “I would like everyone to be able to beat their times that they started with,” Adams said. “I’d like them to be more comfortable in the water… and I’d like to have at least one [swim] meet with no disqualifications.” Alongside coach Adams, the swim team captains, Trevor Ence and Allyssa Ericksen, had some goals in mind for the team. “I feel like as a team, we

can place in region if we really go for it,” Ence said. While Ence had more of a competitive goal in mind, Erickson had a different idea. “I just want everyone to be comfortable with each other and know what they’re doing,” Ericksen said. With these goals in mind, the coach and the captains feel that the swimmers will easily be able to reach the set goals due to the potential that the kids hold. Reaching those goals may be even easier since the Mount Pleasant City pool is nearly finished with construction, opening many doors for previous, new, and potential members of the swim team. “I’m hoping that more people will come, one of the

biggest problems is having to drive to Ephraim and back every single day,” Ericksen said. “I’m hoping that next year more people will want to join because it’s more available.” With the construction

of the city pool coming to an end, and the season starting out with strong numbers, the swim team is keeping its head high moving through the season.

photo by Christian Sanchez

Junior Neil Briggs swims in the 100 meter butterfly at Millard.

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Injuries affect large portion of student athletes fourth the team, suffered injuries more severe than what Bird calls ‘bumps and bruises.’ “This year [we had more injuries] than any year we have ever had,” Bird said. Even in non-contact sports, misfortune doesn’t turn a blind eye. On the drill team, seven of twenty-three Spiriteers, a little more than one-third of the team, experienced a variety of sprains, twists, tears and breaks. “It’s super hard because all of them are really good dancers, so we don’t want to pull them from the dances, but we don’t want to make the injury photo by Carli Johansen Junior Carlee Nuttall walks on crutches after tearing worse by keeping them in,” her ACL during basketball. said junior Spiriteer Victoria BY CARLI JOHANSEN ly high. Church. According to Coach Several coaches have noVirtually every student Mickel Holder in girls soccer, ticed that their team is not athlete will experience some of the 25 girls on the team, 13 warming up correctly. With sort of injury before the end were injured by the end of the the likelihood of injury so of their high school career; season, or half the team. high, they strongly encourwhether that be a minor sprain “I think it was the field age athletes to stretch and or a major concussion, sports- conditions [that caused so warm up correctly. For your related injuries are tragically many injuries],” Holder said. coaches, teammates and your common. “The bumps and holes in the personal well being, do every This year in the contact fields caused several injuries.” precautionary measure to presports of the fall season, girls According to head foot- vent injury. soccer and football, the likeli- ball coach Rhett Bird, 20 of 87 Bird and basketball coach hood of injury was particular- football players, roughly one- Chris Hoopes heavily advise

weightlifting for all athletes, not just their football and basketball players. “Weightlifting can build a lot of strength in your core and help with flexibility,” Hoopes said. “[Those things and] stretching is really important.” However, for injured athletes, they aren’t especially worried about warming up and healing, they are worried about letting their coaches and team down. “[My biggest worry] is that I won’t be able to play or do my best,” said freshman soccer player Aspen Clayton. “I don’t really care [about the pain or dangers] of being injured.” Athletes often play purely for the love of the sport, so when they’re forced to take a seat due to injury, it can be very disheartening. “I had to sit on the sideline and watch my friends and family have fun without me, and all I could do was watch,” said junior football player and wrestler Josh Lee. The best thing an athlete can do for his or her team is

to make sure they make a full recovery so they don’t have to spend anymore time on the bench than necessary. Playing on an injury that is still recovering can be dangerous and can affect an athlete much more severely than had they nursed the wound a bit longer. It can also cause more permanent consequences. “Once you sprain an ankle, it’s much easier to sprain it again, and it’s like that for all injuries, so once you are injured, it is important to take care of the injury afterward,” Hoopes said. With a new trainer at the school, it is important to make sure to wrap injuries before excessive physical activity. “It was nice to have her, and know that there was someone there to take care of our athletes,” Holder said. While accidents still happen, measures can be made to taper or even prevent injury; such measures can make the difference between the field and the bench.

arts 21 nov 17

Badger String Project offers chance for orchestra said. Involved couldn’t be a more perfect word to describe this program. Every week kids from elementary schools all over Sanpete go to school early to play their instrument with friends. Kids in middle schools and high schools play in chamber classes every week after school. Not only that, but many of them also take private lessons. Four instruments are used in the Badger String Project: violin, viola, cello and bass. The majority of the students play the violin, but there are a few students who play the viola and cello. There is only one bassist in the entire group. Another great thing about this program is for the college students. Students who do priphoto by Adam Cox vate lessons usually take it from The Badger String Project, an orchestra lead by Sara Gunnell, is in its fourth year. music majors at the college. This provides an excellent experience BY A DAM C OX The Badger String Project nell said. came into existence around four She just wanted everyone to for younger students and older In the schools in the NS years ago and has continued to have an opportunity to play as she students alike. There are nearly 25 students school district, there is no school get students involved in music does. She always plays along with orchestra program, even though ever since. It all started with a her students and tries to create an in the program, and it continues to grow. Sadly, not a lot of peothere is a number of students of woman named Sara Gunnell. engaging and fun atmosphere. all ages who would benefit from “I moved here about eight “My favorite thing about it is ple know about it, which makes one. Fortunately for them, there years ago and realized that there all the students. I love seeing each it hard for new students to join. is an alternative program. was no orchestra program,” Gun- of them get involved,” Gunnell Many students try to spread the

word to their friends. “A good way to find out about it is the Snow College website,” Gunnell said. Even though most everything has been good, Gunnell thinks that there is still much room for improvement. So far it’s been really successful except for one thing, the money. “Many students would like to get involved, but don’t have enough money to get involved,” Gunnell said. There are massive expenses if you wish to join this organization, and the least expensive instrument is the violin. A violin can cost anywhere between $400 to $2,000. The most expensive instrument is the bass, which can cost anywhere between $2,000 to $4,000. The Badger String Project is still trying to improve and to lower the costs for children with less money. Gunnell is still working hard to make this experience available to anyone who is willing to work hard and try something new.

Students dislike, don’t complete required reading BY

VANCE STR AIT

High school English students for decades have been given assigned reading, many of which are not books the students would typically read. With the technology, reviews and summaries available, fewer students are actually reading the books, and are instead doing the bare minimum to pass the assignments and quizzes. The percentage of students at NS that actually do the required reading for Language Arts may sur-

prise you. English teacher Kaylene Johnson did a survey on how many of her students did assigned reading, and she found that only about one-third of the students actually read the novels that they were assigned. Even though Johnson knows that most of her students won’t read, she is making assignments that encourage her students to read the book. “I don’t kid myself,” Johnson said, “not everyone will read, but if I can

get even one student to connect with any literature, then I get pretty excited about that.” Johnson thinks that her students read the book more because of the assignments that she gives them. She said that she often hears students say, “I enjoy reading this novel more than I thought I would.” Although there may be a good amount of students that don’t do the reading, there are some people that still do.

“I sure do,” junior Linzy Flinders said. “The books we have to read are hard to understand. They’re not that fun, but they’re not horrible.” The required books for Johnson’s language arts class aren’t actually decided by Johnson. The Language Arts Department determines the novels which might be offered by grade. “We’ve widened the circle of literature, especially for the tenth grade focus on world literature,” Johnson said. “The eleventh

grade focus is American Literature, and the ninth grade, personal narratives.” Even though Johnson doesn’t decide the novels that are required, she would still like her students to read classic novels. “I personally love the classics. I was challenged by a representative from the University of Utah to read everything on the required reading list for both the U of U and BYU English departments,” Johnson said. “Over the course of about ten years, while rais-

ing my kids and waiting to go back to school, I read almost every book on both lists checking them off one by one.” Some students feel like it is nice for others to decide the books they read for them. “It’s kind of nice because you get a new experience,” senior Tanner Wilson said. “If I were to have to choose, I probably would never make up my mind so I would prefer someone to make my decision for me.”

Justice League better than previous DC movies, mediocre at best BY

M EGAN BOOHER

It came as a surprise that the DC Comics’ film “Justice League” was even a relatively good when compared to their other film “Batman vs. Superman.” “Justice League” was full of action mixed with seriousness and humor. Their attempt to incorporate the humor was a little rough, and the characters were too serious for my liking. It felt like they were trying a bit too hard, but at the same time it drew you in, and you wanted to watch more. I liked the way they portrayed most of the characters, with the exception of Aquaman and the Flash. The film made it seem like Barry Allen, the Flash, was very stupid and slow when it came to thinking. Aquaman didn’t have enough of a backstory, but, other than that, he was a reasonably good character. The film was humorous, but it would

not have been if it weren’t for one character; the Flash was the one person who could crack the seriousness of this DC film. The central theme of this movie was to try and save the world from the evil being whom they called Steppenwolf. Steppenwolf essentially took two of three boxes; one from the Amazon tribe and one from the Atlantean’s, while the last was lost somewhere with humankind. Basically, they were all fighting over three boxes that when put together would destroy the world. Batman was not as dark in this film as he had been in the past two, he was actually kind of uplifting in a way; it seemed as though he was trying very hard not to be nicer. The relationship between Batman and Superman was interesting; at one point Batman says something along the lines of the world needs Superman and we need Clark Kent.

Cyborg was very well incorporated with a nice backstory and good facts. He was very knowledgeable, and the main reason the superheroes were able to find Steppenwolf. Cyborg seemed to be fighting some internal demon throughout the movie as

he was trying not to let the mechanical part of him take over. In the end, the movie was worth the watch, and had a lot of exciting parts that kept your attention. I recommend this movie, and hope you find it slightly more enjoyable than I did.

arts

Turkey Day! B Y LUCY A NDERSON

Heard in the

Halls “Oh no, am I going to have to hit this bus?” “I did not steal your essence of armpit!” “I want my white blood back!” “I didn’t put words in her mouth, I put spelling in her mouth.” “You’ve got a song in your heart.-Maybe keep it in your heart.” “The prime minister of pop! They turned him into a sun bleached grape!“ “Ugly is a costume.” “You know you’ve reached the bottom of the barrel when a pair of pants calls you the devil.” “I just want a body made of bagels.” “Diseases are a jolly time.”

Across

Down

5. The captain of the Mayflower 7. The Friday after Thanksgiving is the busiest day for this oc cupation 9. The turkey is considered a sacrificial bird in this country 11. The governor of this state refused to issue a Thanksgiving Proclamation 12. What are unhappy cranberries called? (This is a joke) 14. In 1932 a plane crashed into a balloon in the shape of this animal 16. In Canada, they celebrate Thanksgiving in this month 18. The Greek Goddess of Corn is... 19. This state raises the most turkeys in the US 22. It is believed that this many pilgrim women survived to celebrate the first Thanksgiving in 1621 23. Thanksgiving became a national holiday thanks to this woman 25. In the US there are this many places called Turkey 26. The tradition of breaking wishbones originated from this ancient group of people 27. This part of the turkey turns bright red when he's upset or during courtship

1. The first department store to hold a Thanksgiving parade 2. Which President was the first to establish Thanksgiving as a legal national holiday 3. This president pardoned the first turkey 4. By 1690, this became the priority at Thanksgiving 6. The distance of the first Macy’s day parade 7. Baby turkeys are called... 8. It takes this long (in minutes) to inflate a large parade balloon 10. Thanksgiving decoration meaning “Horn of Plenty” 13. The famous rock where the pilgrims first landed 15. The first Thanksgiving lasted this many days 17. Captain John Smith founded this colony in Virginia 20. This balloon is the longest in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade 21. The first broadcasted Thanksgiving Day football game consisting of the Lions hosting this team 22. Pilgrims didn't have this utensil to eat their Thanksgiving meal with 24. Male turkeys are call what

VISIT PERU IN 2019

Come on an adventure with Ef tours to THe empire of the incas, including cuzco, the sacred valley, and the amazing machu pichu.

To enroll in the tour go to www.eftours.com/2068705et or For more information email ben.cox@nsanpete.org

Shepp’s Grill Fountain Green (435) 445-8267

Corner Station Deli & Co-op (435) 427-5500 Every Day 11-7