Ho o k e d
ANALYZING THE IMPACT OF ADDICTIONS AT EASTMONT
PAGE 8-9
IN THIS ISSUE NEWS 5...
The Scratching Post is published every three weeks by the Journalism Class, and is sanctioned by the ASB of Eastmont High School. It is an open forum for student expression and it provides the student body the opportunity to voice their independent opinion through the medium of journalism.
GRANT ROAD CAR
EDITOR IN CHIEF R����� K������� NEWS EDITOR T����� L��� ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR/ COPY EDITOR D������� M������ SPORTS EDITOR R���� B������� STAFF REPORTERS A����� G�����, R������ T�����, G������ H����, T������ R������, A����� H����, K������ T�����, S�� A������, J���� S������, G������ M�����, L��� O’R�����, N���� T�����, K��� S������, E��� M�����, A����� N������� DESIGN SPECIALIST R����� K������� PHOTO EDITOR A�� A������-M���� ADVERTISING MANAGER J��� G������ ADVISOR A������ G������ PRINTING W�������� W���� COVER ART R����� K�������
COLLISION INVOLVES
EASTMONT
SPORTS 6...
NOAH HEMINGER
Photos: All photos are retrieved form the public domain and hereby used within copyright laws, unless otherwise specified. Contact: If you wish to contact the Scratching Post with comments, advertising requests, or corrections, please email scratchingpost@eastmont206.org
HAS
FOUND A PLACE IN THE POOL
FEATURE 10... HOW
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STUDENT
MUCH IS YOUR
BODY WORTH IN THE MEDICAL FIELD?
FEATURE 12... WEE
FOR
AWHILE;
TAKE
A WALK IN THE SHOES OF A PRESCHOOLER
Announcment: EHS Creative Writing/Art Book Submissions are now being accepted for the EHS Creative Writing Book. Anyone is welcome to participate.
Drop off your original poetry, drawings, short stories, or song lyrics in Room 547 or any other English classroom.
Please make sure to include both your �irst and last name on each document or it won’t be published.
The �inal deadline is Friday, May 8th.
ALEX NESSI LOOKS TOWARDS OPERA FAME ONE EASTMONT SENIOR IS READY TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF HER UNIQUE TALENTS
E
B� J��� G������ A���������� M������
ven though senior Alex Nessi just started singing opera a few years ago, she is slowing rising to stardom. “I truly discovered that opera is what I want to do with my life,” Nessi explained. Many high school students have heard Nessi singing in venues from the Veterans Day Assembly and various choir performances, all the way to National Anthems at games. Nessi also routinely performs in musicals; she was in the ensemble for the musical “9-5” and her experience was amazing. ”You never hear much about ensemble characters. It’s a lot of work to do and playing multiple roles was a lot of fun,” she said, and had a lot more to say about the opportunity to be in the ensemble. “It kind of proves that it still takes a lot of talent even to pay characters that don’t have a name.” Continuing her education en route to a successful vocal career, Nessi participates in many vocal camps throughout the year. She had the opportunity to attend the Julian Patrick Camp for Gifted Singers,
“(At the camp) I was given all the tools I needed to start pursuing that career.” She also attended a Jazz Dialogue Camp at Eastern Washington University. “I was able to really push my boundaries and be a freer and more confident musician,” she said. Even though she is not as well
“
Whenever I sing opera, I always feel like that is where I’m supposed to be.
”
versed in the nuances jazz, Nessi has found that she loves it. After graduation, Nessi has some huge plans to continue her vocal instruction. “I’m hoping to attend the University of Alabama and get a degree in vocal performance.” As for the opera, she will debut in her first full opera show in March; and truly feels that belting out beautiful bars of pure opera is her calling. “I honestly love everything about it. Whenever I sing opera, I always feel like that is where I’m supposed to be.” Post Photo/Reilly Kneedler
STUDENT ARRESTED OVER CELL
Post Photo/Reilly Kneedler
PHONE DISPUTE WITH SUBSITUTE B� R����� K������� E����� �� C���� At approximately 2:25 pm on Wednesday afternoon, a lockdown was called at Eastmont High School. It lasted for approximately 10 minutes, followed by an additional announcement on the intercom for all students to evacuate the building. Police arrived on scene and one student was taken into custody. According to the lead detective from the East Wenatchee police
department, Darin Darnell, charges have been �iled against the student assailant involved in Wednesday’s lockdown incident. The student, whose name is being withheld due to his status as a minor, was booked into the juvenile detention center at approximately 2:45 pm on Wednesday under two charges: one count of assault in the fourth degree and one count of
disrupting school. While the speci�ic details of the incident have not been made public yet, detective Darnell did note that at this point in time, the East Wenatchee Police department is not planning on charging the substitute teacher who was involved in the altercation. His name is also being withheld pending the conclusion of the investigation. “I commend the teacher, he acted with more patience than I probably would have,” Darnell said, “he deserves a medal.”
The department is hoping to �inalize the information gathering portion of the investigation by tomorrow, which will include an unspeci�ied number of student and staff interviews. More information will be released pending the continuing court process of the case, however the names of the student and a majority of the witnesses who have testi�ied will not be released due to their minor status. The lockdown was in regards to an altercation involving a substitute teacher and a student over use of a cell phone, however details have not been substantiated by school of�icials. “As of right now, it is a police investigation,” said high school principal Lance Noell. “They are wrapping it up and once we get information, we will take action on it.” Eastmont superintendent Garn Christiansen released the following statement on the incident: “A student conduct issue occurred this afternoon that resulted in the lockdown of Eastmont High School. Within ten minutes the lockdown was stopped other than the one area that remained restricted while a student was removed from campus by Eastmont Police. There was no weapon involved and no serious injuries.” “I don’t have any information to dispel rumors yet, but my hope is that we still get to that point,” Noell said. Noell and other school of�icials are asking for any additional information, including videos or photos of the incident, to be reported to them immediately to assist in the investigation. This report will be updated with information as it is released.
B���� N��� B� R����� K������� E����� �� C���� At Monday’s School Board of Directors’ meeting, the board voted unanimously to rename the Vivian M. Sterling Intermediate School to the Vivian M. Sterling School, removing the “Intermediate” from the title. In the process, the board chose to preserve the entirety of the name, Vivian M. Sterling, due to its historic past. Vivian was the district’s �irst library and was beloved enough by the community to eventually have her school named in her honor. The change stemmed from the recent class recon�iguration due to construction, Sterling now has kindergarten through fourth grade as well as the traditional �ifth through seventh. Having a K-7 school is a novelty in this district, however they are fairly common throughout the rest of the state. In other news, the board underwent its annual reorganization, including voting in a new president. However seeing as there were no new member this year, the board chose to reelect all of the current sitting of�ices. Steve Piccirrillo was reelected as president, Annette Eggers was chosen as vice president, Jan Cetto was voted in once again as WIAA representative, and Chris Gibbs was nominated as the legislative representative.
COACH MCGILL WILL NOT RETURN NEXT YEAR
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On Monday, word hit the Eastmont student body that head football coach Doug McGill will not be asked to return to the program next year. “It was an administravite decision... it’s always tough cause I would have liked to go out on my own terms,” he said. Two years ago McGill lead the Wildcats to the league championship, arguebly the best season they’ve had in decades. However since then, they have somewhat struggled to match that success, and ended fourth in the
Post Photo/Reilly Kneedler
Doug McGill, at right, walks with athletic trainors as they help a player off the �ield.
next season. According to league this year with a 3-3 offensive coordinator Larry record. Michael, the remaining “He really cares (about coaching staff will likely the team), I don’t think the meet with athletic director unsuccess of the program Russ Waterman within the has been because of the coming months to discuss coaches,” senior Derek their options. Waterman was McClune said. unavailable for comment at “I kinda go through the the time of publication. gammit of being pissed, As for McGill’s and his being upset and just being D��� M�G��� future, his family’s plans okay with it,” McGill said. “I feel kinda liberated... but I still have are not set in stone, but will almost a lot of coaching in me, who knows certainly involve Eastmont. “I love teaching here at Eastmont, what that’ll turn in to.” After 25 years in the position, it is we have great kids and great staff. I unclear who will take over the job for don’t see us going anywhere.”
A Reflection of Construction B� D������� M������ A���. N��� E�����
The community came together in 2011 to support the Eastmont High School construction bond. Approximately four million dollars has been invested towards the remodeling of Eastmont High School so far. It was quite clear Eastmont High School was past due on a renovation. From dark crowded hallways to old bathroom stalls, the school was practically a dungeon. On September 3, the doors to the newly remodeled High School were open to the student body. As the students explored the school, they could not help but notice it looked unbelievably big. Countless hours of planning and building were devoted towards the improvement of Eastmont High. Two entire years were invested on the design process. There were consultants, engineers, and subcontractors behind the scenes working together to design Eastmont High School. ALSC Architects, a construction company in Spokane Washington, was in charge of the design process. Representatives of ALSC Architects such as Steve Walther, who has experience with K-12 academic facilities. Ken Murphy who has experience with public schools, school districts and universities , David Elms who was named ALSC Architects employee of the month for August for spending 6,300 hours managing the budgets of projects and making sure everything was on time , Indy Dehal and Debbie Bravo who is in charge of the interior design for ALSC Architects. They all worked together behind scenes to bring a admirable building. ALSC Architects were also involved with the design process of Eastmont Jr.
High, Sterling Intermediate School, Clovis Point Intermediate School and Grant Elementary School. While Eastmont High School was under construction, obstacles would pop out of everywhere. As Marney remembers, “One of the biggest obstacles is remodeling an existing building while it's still being used.” Marney was the top coordinator of the Eastmont High School renovation. Attending more than 200 meetings for over two years, sometimes more than twice a week. Marney put his time and support towards Eastmont High School renovation, his passion for Eastmont School District supported the project all throughout the years. Marney was involved from beginning to end in the construction process, he previously had also been involved in the Grant Elementary and Sterling Intermediate remodeling projects. Two of the meetings that Marney along with Directors of Maintenance, Gary Dexter, Greg Loomis and Seann Tanner and the expert construction consultant Jay Garthewaite attended, were the Operations Meeting and the owners meeting. When attending the meetings everything from covering �inancial issues, questions and answers about the project and the organization of all the activity of construction and education. “Taking a test would require being one hundred percent concentrated, you could hear every little sound the construction workers made”, remembers Candi Martinez who was a Sophomore at the time the construction began. Besides the disruptiveness of the construction, safety was one of the many concerns. The old high school building was constructed in the 70s, making the structure of the building very different from modern day buildings. As the construction crew �igured out
how to work with the old architecture of the building, they had to be careful that the building did not come crashing down on them, making it a life safety issue. In some cases the construction crew had to work without electricity or on a roof. There were several obstacles and sacri�ices the construction crew had to go through along the way but as the remodeling progressed, Eastmont High School looked exceptional. At times there was more than 200 construction workers working at the same time but at different tasks. The list of the amount of tasks there was to complete is endless. From steelworkers to cement experts . The amount of skilled and talented workers that were on duty could have been overwhelming. In the center of all the work going on was PETRA's Construction Company Superintendent Les Bridgewater. Bridgewater instructed everyone that was at the job site, directing all the sub contractors to their duties. As Marney states, “It's like directing a symphony. All the parts have to come together to make the music or in his case he had to direct all the activities necessary to complete the project in the correct order.” Skilled and talented people came together to construct Eastmont High School, impacting the daily life of students who attend EHS . There were drastics adjustments to EHS. The 168,500 square foot high school had an additional 32,000 square feet added in order accommodate with the students necessities. Many thanks to all involved with Eastmont High Schools renovation, from designers, builders, and directors of maintenance each and every one is extremely appreciated for making EHS an enjoyable place to learn.
Joggers save the earth, one piece of trash of a time
BACKSTAGE PASS The crew of Eastmont’s last play worked just as hard as the cast
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Eastmont High School recently underwent a renovation. With administration doing its best to keep the new halls clean, three B� J��� G������ caring community members A���������� M������ are working hard to keep the high school campus in tip-top The backstage crew is one of the condition. Tina Brewer, Elaine most important parts of producing Focht and Laura Martin have a play or musical. There are several been picking up garbage since different parts and pieces in the Eastmont’s �irst day of school. backstage crew (makeup, costume, Picking up garbage started set, lights, etc.). Eastmont High school Drama Club has their own personal about eight years ago after back stage crew led by students only. Brewer and Focht decided to Junior Sierra Fries is in charge of all add �ifteen minutes to their technology pieces backstage. She takes early morning walk to pick up care of all the electrical parts, such as garbage. the sound board. She plays a key role in making sure all the queues are right “We decided to pick up and that they have perfect timing on garbage because we did not like sounds and lights. seeing the high school campus For all the set making for the play, look ugly from all the garbage,” senior Liam Key is the go-to. He builds explained Brewer. and paints sets for most of the Drama productions, such as the Curious A few months ago, Martin Savage. He is also in charge of making started walking with her sure each person moves backgrounds Post Photo/Reilly Kneedler friends, “I enjoy their company, ef�iciently and that they use the right Stage Manager Liam Key checks his script during a recent the exercise and accomplishing ones. Key also loves overseeing the showing of the Curious Savage. making the school grounds look crew. “I get to oversee the crew along better all at the same time,” with guiding the cast,” he said. Martin said. Both Fries and Key are doing what this crew is ready to jump into any “Thankfully I was able to use the Most of the trash is in the is called co-stage managing which is role. For example, she had to �ill in for script although it was still challenge high school parking lot. The done in professional theatre. “There an actress that was unable to perform because I didn’t know her character is an exorbitant amount of work that one night during the Curious Savage. very well,” she said. “They used redesigned parking lot cost goes into a show,” Key said. “By far it’s Director Cynthia Brown asked her to amazing improv skills to make up over $100,000, which is just worth the stress, and it’s a lot of fun.” throw on a costume and makeup and for whatever I missed… They are a small portion of the total Finally, Amanda Everett in charge of get on stage and Amanda was up for Incredible!” renovation cost. On average, prop. However when the need arrises, the challenge. these kind-hearted women pick up four grocery bags of garbage every morning. If this pattern continues, they would have picked up over 700 over-�lowing bags of garbage during our 180 day school year. “I do not get frustrated, only saddened by the amount of trash. I wonder why people don’t care,” Brewer said, “I’m pleased to see that inside the new school and most high school students have done great at using the trash cans inside the building,” Brewer continued. The community payed for the renovation of Eastmont High School and the student body fails to respect their generosity and support. Instead, the ACKED P UG NDS P NDER AV student body relies on Brewer, P���� B� R����� K������� Focht and Martin to pick up E����� �� C���� after themselves. "It is just such Last week, this photo taken on Grant Road made waves on the social media circuit. The driver of the a simple task..." �inished Brewer. Bug was an Eastmont student, but luckily all of those involved are perfectly okay.
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Fall Sport Scores Football Overall: 4-5 Sep. 5 Sep. 12 Sep. 19 Sep. 26 Oct. 3 Oct. 10 Oct. 17 Oct. 23 Nov. 7
Rogers(Spokane) Mt. Spokane Davis West Valley Eisenhower Wenatchee Moses Lake Davis Sunnyside
Win 31-20 Loss 7-49 Loss 7-54 Win 23-7 Win 20-13 Loss 19-43 Loss 13-45 Loss 0-71 Win 53-20
Boys Cross Country Overall: 5-7 Sep. 18 Davis West Valley Wenatchee Sunnyside Moses Lake Eisenhower Oct. 21 Davis Moses Lake Eisenhower Sunnyside Wenatchee West Valley
Loss 30-25 Loss 33-25 Loss 40-20 Win 16-47 Win 18-44 Loss 41-20 Win 25-32 Win 19-42 Loss 43-18 Win 15-50 Loss 40-21 Loss 36-25
Sep. 18 West Valley Davis Eisenhower Moses Lake Sunnyside Wenatchee Oct. 21 Moses Lake Davis Eisenhower Sunnyside Wenatchee West Valley
Loss 35-21 Win 27-28 Loss 48-15 Win 20-38 Win 15-50 Loss 36-21 Win 17-38 Win 23-32 Loss 47-16 Win 18-38 Loss 41-20 Loss 35-23
Sep. 16 Sep. 18 Sep. 20 Sep. 23 Sep. 25 Sep. 27 Oct. 2 Oct. 7 Oct. 9 Oct. 14 Oct. 16 Oct. 21 Oct. 28 Oct. 30
Wenatchee Eisenhower Lewis and Clark Moses Lake Davis Ferris West Valley Sunnyside Wenatchee Eisenhower Moses Lake Davis West Valley Sunnyside
Loss 1-3 Loss 0-3 Loss 0-3 Loss 1-3 Win 3-1 Loss 0-3 Loss 0-3 Win 3-1 Win 3-1 Loss 0-3 Loss 0-3 Win 3-1 Loss 0-3 Win 3-0
Sep. 6 Sep. 9 Sep. 16 Sep. 20 Sep. 23 Sep. 25 Sep. 27 Oct. 2 Oct. 7 Oct. 9 Oct. 14 Oct. 16 Oct. 21 Oct. 28 Oct. 30
Ellensburg Cascade Wenatchee Lewis and Clark Moses Lake Davis Eisenhower West Valley Sunnyside Wenatchee Eisenhower Moses Lake Davis West Valley Sunnyside
Loss 2-3 Win 2-1 Loss 1-6 Loss 0-5 Loss 0-5 Loss 2-3 Win 2-0 Loss 2-3 Win 4-3 Loss 1-3 Win 1-0 Loss 0-4 Loss 1-2 Loss 0-2 Win 1-0
Girls Cross Country Overall: 6-6
Volleyball Overall: 5-10
Girls Soccer Overall: 5-11
Girls Swim Overall: 6-7 Sep. 18 Eisenhower Sep. 20 Lindbergh Sep. 23 Davis Eisenhower Sunnyside Sep. 27 Wenatchee Sep. 30 Moses Lake Oct. 7 West Valley Oct. 14 West Valley
Win 101-81 Loss 87-99 Win 144-24 Win 118-64 Win 103-80 Loss 53-131 Loss 80-106 Loss 86-99 Loss 83-103
Fall Sports Recap Eastmont Varsity Football, led by quarterbacks Nick McGill, Payton Loucks and Nathan Schwinkendorf, finished the season with a record of four wins and five losses. Wildcats dominated in the first 4A league game of their season beating Rogers High School 31-20. Unfortunately, the Cats fell short the next two games of the season losing to Mt. Spokane and Davis. Eastmont finished the 2014 season strong, annihilating Sunnyside Hig h School 53-20. Ladycat Varsity Soccer finished the season with a record of five wins and eleven losses. The Ladycats had a rough beginning to their season losing the first game against Ellensburg 3-2. Determination paid off and the hardworking Ladycats beat Cascade High School 2-1. Girls soccer won their last game against Sunnyside High School 1-0. Sophomore goalie Kalea Bokma did an amazing job defending the Wildcat goal after senior goalie Savannah Jackson got injured.
FALL SPORTS RECAP It was a rocky season for Eastmont Volleyball. With a record of 5-10, the Ladycats lost their first four matches. With high hopes and determination, the Ladycats dominated against Wenatchee 3-1 in the much anticipated “Battle of Sportsmanship” game on October 9, 2014. The Ladycats won the last league game against Sunnyside 3-0. After turning the season around, the girls had the opportunity to compete in the playoffs against their league rivals, the Wenatchee Panthers. Junior hitters Serena Riley, Maria Jacobus and Kylie Johnson kept the game intense with a combined total of 23 kills. Post Photos/Reilly Kneedler
Eastmont Cross Country had a very successful season. Junior Alicia Girdler, senior Eric Ballard and senior Betsy Arlt and junior Matt Olson had the opportunity to attend the state competition this year. Junior Matt Olson finished 43rd in state, respectively. Senior Eric Ballard finished, 78 with a time of 16:41.76. 147 male runners competed in state this year. Junior Alicia Girdler placed 110 out of 140 female runners. Senior Betsy Arlt attended state, however she was injured and did not compete.
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Girls Swim and Dive finished the fall sports season off with a bang. Finishing with a six meet wins and seven losses. Eastmont swim had a star freshman, Brooklyn Tucker join the team this year. Senior Kelly Hartman placed 8 in 50 yard freestyle and 7 in the 100 yard freestyle swim. Sophomore diver Ali Pierce, placed 5 in the 1 meter diving state competition. Ladycat relay team placed 24 overall in the 200 yard freestyle relay.
Winter Sports Schedule Dec. 5 Dec. 6 Dec. 9 Dec. 12 Dec. 13 Dec. 19 Dec. 20 Dec. 30 Jan. 2 Jan. 3 Jan. 9 Jan. 10 Jan. 16 Jan. 23 Jan. 24 Jan. 30 Jan. 31 Feb. 6 Feb. 10
Boys Basketball
Chiawana Couer D Alene Cashmere Kennewick Davis Sunnyside Wenatchee Ferris Lake City Newington College Eisenhower West Valley Moses Lake Davis Sunnyside Wenatchee Eisenhower West Valley Moses Lake
Away Home Away Away Home Home Away Home Away Home Home Home Away Away Away Home Away Away Home
Dec. 5 Dec. 6 Dec. 9 Dec. 12 Dec. 13 Dec. 19 Dec. 20 Dec. 30 Jan. 2 Jan. 6 Jan. 9 Jan. 10 Jan. 16 Jan. 23 Jan. 24 Jan. 30 Jan. 31 Feb. 6 Feb. 10
Thomas Jefferson Couer D Alene Cashmere Kennewick Davis Sunnyside Wenatchee Ferris Lake City Chelan Eisenhower West Valley Moses Lake Davis Sunnyside Wenatchee Eisenhower West Valley Moses Lake
Home Away Away Away Home Home Away Away Away Home Home Home Away Away Away Home Away Away Home
Nov. 13 Nov. 18 Nov. 19 Nov. 25 Dec. 2 Dec. 4 Dec. 9 Dec. 11 Dec. 13 Dec. 16 Dec. 17 Jan. 8 Jan. 13 Jan. 15 Jan. 20
Moses Lake Davis Wenatchee Ellensburg West Valley Sunnyside Moses Lake Eisenhower Tower Classic Davis Wenatchee West Valley Sunnyside Moses Lake Eisenhower
Away Home Away Home Home Away Home Away Away Away Home Away Home Away Home
Dec. 4 Dec. 11 Dec. 18 Dec. 19 Jan. 6
Moses Lake Wenatchee West Valley Big 9 Dive Meet Davis Eisenhower Sunnyside Big 9 Dive Meet Moses Lake Hanford Big 9 Dive Meet Wenatchee Big 9 Dive Meet
Away Home Home Home Away Away Away Away Home Home Away Away Away
Girls Basketball
SINK OR SWIM
Post Photos/Reilly Kneedler
Wildcat Noah Heminger has conquered his experiences in the pool
Boys Swim and Dive
B� R���� B������ S����� E����� Most students in high school only commit themselves to one hobby or sport and it alone consumes the majority of their time. However Eastmont’s own Noah Heminger is changing the game by tackling multiple hobbies at once along with school. He has become adept in the pool after two years of competing with the Wildcats on the boys swim squad. Heminger has shined in the 200 individual medley and the 400 free relay this year. He is also a member of the region’s club team, Velocity swim. Yet the path to swim and dive has not always been an easy one for Heminger, as a young kid playing in the backyard pool, he had a number of near-death experiences. “I almost drowned,” he said, “I blacked out and my lungs were �illed with water… I managed to wake up half an hour later.” However Heminger has found that embracing this
Girls Bowling
experience has developed his fear into a life-long love. “Ever since, I’ve enjoyed the peacefulness of swimming… it’s relaxing for me,” he said. Heminger is not just succeeding on the swim team this year, he has found a renewed passion for music. After years in his church’s choir and as a member of the Eastmont marching band, he �inally auditioned for chamber choir – and was gladly welcomed into their ranks. “I really like music a lot and I listen to it all the time,” he said. “I always have a pair of headphones in my backpack and when I'm walking through the halls I'm always listening to music.” Heminger has a third, and drastically different, hobby: martial arts, speci�ically Jujitsu. Add in a little mountain biking on the weekend, and Heminger can always �ind something to keep him busy.
Jan. 16 Jan. 20 Jan. 23 Jan. 27 Jan. 30
Wrestling Dec. 4 Dec. 6 Dec. 11 Dec. 12 Dec. 13 Dec. 19 Dec. 20 Jan. 3 Jan. 8 Jan. 10
Moses Lake White River Eisenhower Central Valley Central Valley Big 9 Big 9 Cat Classic Sunnyside Walla Walla
Away Away Home Away Away Away Away Home Away Away
DRUGS AND SCHOO RARELY MIX Post Photo/Reilly Kneedler
DRUG DA ANGERS MESSAGE FROM
EASTMONT’S DRUG AND ALCOHOL SPECIALIST B� D������� M������ A���. N��� E�����
CRACKING THE (ATHLETIC) CODE B� A����� H���� R�������
As high school athletes, the students of this school that participate in sports must live by a code of ethics. Their athletic code covers all manner of different topics, however it is most widely known for outlawing the use of drugs and alcohol. Even though the athletic code is strictly enforced, some students willingly break it. Senior Dante Weigel was recently caught breaking the athletic code this summer when he was photographed smoking marijuana, and the photo was later brought to the attention of athletic director Russ Waterman. Weigel was given a four game suspension that carried over to the football season. “The punishment was kinda harsh, because there weren’t many games in the season,” he said. In that span of just over a month, Weigel was forced to sit on the sideline and watch his teammates continue on without him. However, his infraction and punishment made him a type of Martyr in the eyes of many students at
Eastmont. His story was idolized with a “Free Dante” mantra that was framed in infamy by the student body. However this trend split the students down a proverbial line, some fell into the line to support the fallen athlete, while others deemed his punishment to be more than appropriate. Even though most athletes who break the code wouldn’t think twice about turning themselves in, there is a lighter punishment for those who admit to breaking it. The policy is called the “Self-Referral.” In stark contrast to those who would rather hide the fact that they have broken the code, there are some
that I needed to ”growIt madeup, andme realize become a better person. ” who simply will not break it. Senior Abi Espinoza stated, “If you are for the athletic code, then that means you’re for the team.” There are many high school athletes who know that this is the only opportunity that they will ever get to play competitive team sports. There are also others who simply
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on’t be fooled, teenage addiction comes with many consequences. The dangers include a wide range of issues, from simply failing classes to even overdose. “We often see that teenagers who struggle with addiction are at risk of not graduating, struggle with legal issues and are at a greater risk of developing mental health problems,” stated Mrs. Bendtson, Eastmont’s Drug and Alcohol Specialist. “(Addicted students often have) excessive absences and tardies, failing grades, even in classes EENS where the student use to do well, behavior issues, possibly hanging around WHO want to win and won’t with a new peer group, let those distractions a loss of interest in USE MARIJUANA ruin their playing past social activities time. The atmosphere or sports and a lack of ARE that is created by this motivation,” Bendtson separation makes said. Teenagers who team unity a distant are addicted develop a goal. tolerance to their drug “It causes some of choice. Addicts also dysfunction amongst continue to abuse drugs, the team… and others LESS LIKELY TO regardless of the negative might start to follow the effects they have on them. path of the one who has GRADUATE “Preventing teenage broke the code. And it also addiction begins with might start some trouble,” combating the reasons why Espinoza said. Other than risking playing time, teens use drugs in the �irst place. athletes are also Some common reasons include stress, peer risking their physical pressure, curiosity and self-medication,” performance. Bendtson said. Helping students cope with Athletic Trainer Lorrie stress management in a healthy way, as well as Howe stated, “It will affect dealing with negative effects of peer pressure, their lives later on, it can help prevent teenage addiction. messes with the chemicals Getting help is the �irst step to breaking an inside their bodies. The addiction. “Addiction is a disease and it is nearly students brains are still impossible to successfully recover on your developing, and it can lead to a chronic own, regardless of your age. You can get help illness. Doing drugs and drinking is at school by going to the counseling of�ice and detrimental to your health.” In hindsight, Weigel and many other speaking with any of the counselors. There are athletes regret the decisions that lead also supportive resources in town speci�ically them to breaking the code, “Breaking for teenagers who struggle with addiction,” the athletic code then getting punished Bendtson explained. Teenagers who use marijuana daily are 60% for it made me realize that I needed to less likely to graduate. grow up, and become a better person.”
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60%
Post Photo/Reilly Kneedler
OL ABUSING ADDERALL B� K��� S������ R�������
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s high school students, many of us have had to be up untill four in the morning studying for that big test or finishing up an extremely long essay. All of this studying almost inevitably leads to less sleep time. And according to Adolesc Health Online, approximately 92% of students do not get enough sleep at night, because they are too busy doing homework, or other extra curricular activities. Instead of working harder to balance one’s school work, personal time and sleep, some people choose to take the “easy way out” and indulge in pharmaceutical fixes to the problem . One of the most common methods
that students abuse is Adderall, is a drug used to treat those with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Narcolepsy. ADHD causes people to be easily distracted by the smallest things in life, and can make studying a nightmare. Many who don’t have ADHD still think Adderall can be used as a de facto “study drug,” but in fact it can be dangerous, especially in high
34.5%
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ADDERALL
24%
EASTMONT
STUDENTS
ALCOHOL
RISKS FROM SUBSTANCE ABUSE • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Traf�ic accidents Injury Violent crime Depression Suicide Domestic abuse Liver damage Gastritis Pancreatitis High blood pressure Heart failure Stroke Alcohol poisoning Brain damage Erectile dysfunction Diabetes complications Menstrual problems Birth defects Greater risk of cancer
IT’S NOT A
1%
BIG DEAL
I APPROVE
HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT UNDERAGE DRINKING?
HAVE ADMITTED TO USING
COLLEGE
STUDENTS USE
42% OF
dosages. The effects of Adderall and similar drugs can equate to headache or dizziness, but can be as severe as a fever or even seizures, hallucinations, fast or pounding heartbeats. These symptoms typically do not affect those who have a valid prescription. Many people try to use the drug to help with studying, even if they don’t have ADHD or Narcolepsy. This practice is more common than many people choose to believe, especially among high school and college students. Plenty of high school students are taking Adderall; according to the University of Michigan’s Monitoring the Future Study.
38%
ABSOLUETLY DO NOT APPROVE
SIGNS OF POTENTIAL ALCOHOLISM • • • • • •
Try to hide your drinking Drink more than you mean to Forget what happened while you were drinking Need alcohol to get through the day Feel guilty or defensive about your drinking Have friends or family who are concerned about your drinking
34%
The study claims that 7.4% of high school seniors regularly take the drug. That might sound reasonable, but in the scope of all of the seniors in the country, it quickly adds up to quite a few. Going to the college level, almost 34.5% of students admit to taking it, according to statisticbrain.com. Over half of those users claimed they got the pill from their friends, not their doctors. Even though Adderall is prominent in the news right now, Ritalin is abused just as much. With a similar chemical structure and effects, Ritalin, if snorted or injected, is just as additive as cocaine because of its ability to reach the brain faster than the pill. Both Adderall and Ritalin are the main stimulant drugs that are used by high schoolers and college students to increase focus and help study, but few scholars truly know what consequences of this study boost can be.
37% OF
EASTMONT
STUDENTS HAVE USED ILLEGAL DRUGS AT LEAST ONCE
IT’S PROBABLY NOT OKAY
TALKING TOBACCO legally purchase tobacco products. One anonymous student said, “[I am] ashamed to use tobacco products and hide it from people because I have obacco use inside school been raised that smoking or chewing grounds has become an increasingly extensive issue. is a bad lifestyle.” However the effects of tobacco Cigarettes and chewing tobacco have often extend far beyond the classroom been so widely used in this country, for students. Many student athletes that it was only a matter of time before teenagers and their adolescent have seen their bad habits hurt their athletic careers time and time again. curiosity got ahold of them. “I got short of breath easily and my All tobacco products are still stamina was reduced so I got tired against school policy. In fact, most easier,” anonymous said of a recent students inside the average high game. school are not even old enough to
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T
HOW MUCH IS YOUR BODY WORTH? E
B� R����� K������� E����� �� C����
ver since man first caught a glimpse of his reflection in a pool of water, he inevitably wondered about the face staring back. Where did he come from? How this body work? What makes him different than all of his neighbors, yet fundamentally the same? Eons later, humanity still struggles with many of the same questions. One of the most puzzling in today’s unprecedented culture is simply how much is your body worth? It is an unusual question to say the least, and it comes with many answers. Let’s explore a few of the different schools of thought on the subject. Modern medicine has progressed by leaps and bounds over the last few decades. Transplanting organs from a donor to a patient in need is now a routine procedure performed daily in hospitals across the world. It has also become unbelievably profitable for licensed third party companies, and even black market dealers. If it was possible to harvest every organ, fluid and cell from an average human body, the proceeds from their sale could add up to 45 million dollars, according to npr.com. Millions and millions of dollars just from selling one’s body to science, sounds overwhelming… but let’s break that number down:
B��� M�����:
Heart and lung transplant: upwards of $1,200,000
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The most valuable part of a body, pound per pound. While it is illegal to sell in the US, on the black market it has gone for upwards of $23,000 per gram.
K������:
Due to increasing rates of obesity-related diseases, Kidneys make up over 75% of the global organ trade at $200,000 apiece.
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Often, people who are visually impaired can benefit from cornea replacement. Harvested from a cadaver, an implanted cornea will run you about $24,000.
H����:
As an obvious key to life, a human heart may just break the bank. A cadaver heart for a complete heart replacement surgery legally costs $997,700.
S���:
Believe it or not, your skin is the largest organ in (or in this case, on) the human body. Commonly used for grafts, it will cost about $10 per square inch.
Not ready to sacrifice your entire physical existence to a medical cause? Not surprising, it is natural for humans to strive to protect themselves without fail. So how much does it cost to protect and maintain one’s body? If the worth of your body is how much you spend on it, the answer is roughly $713,200 and that’s just on day-to-day healthcare spent in the span of an average life. But be ready to pull out the checkbook if something goes wrong. Imagine your kidney fails and you are in dire need of a replacement surgery. That trip to the hospital will run you an average of $259,000. However if a dual heart and lung replacement is on the menu, be prepared to spend $1,200,000 on the operation (for context, that is the equivalent of 24 years of the average household income.)All of these medical expanses often lead people to wonder, is it really worth it? Physician-assisted suicide is a hotly debated topic in developed countries, but it is legal in some countries and states, including Washington. So how much does it cost to terminate a human body? The answer is only about $50, which will get you the drugs used to euthanize a human being.
IT COSTS $9,018,594 TO RUN EASTMONT FOR ONE YEAR
T�� 2013-2014 ������ ����’� ������ ��� ���� ��������� ��� �������� �� ��� ������; ��� ���� ����, ��� ��������’� ����� ����������� ��� ��� ���� ��� $9,018,594. B�� ��� �� �����, ����� ��� � ��� �� ������� ���� ��� ������� ��� ������ ���� ������ ������ ���� ����: E�������’� ����� ������� ��� ���� ������ ���� ��� $8,255,977. W��� ���� ������, ����� ��� ���� �� ����� ��� ������� ���� ��� ��������� �� ��� ��������, ��� �������� ������ ������ ��� ���� ������ ��������.
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$9,018,594 WOULD EQUAL: 45,092,870 NO. 2 PENCILS
2,254,648 MEDIUM ICED REBELS FROM DUTCH BROS
450 TOYOTA CAMRYS 1610 Grant Rd Next to Casa Tapatia 470-7812 The Eastside’s ONLY FULL SERVICE COFFEEHOUSE! • • • • • • • • • •
Caffe d’Arte Espresso Drive Thru Window Breakfast Sandwiches House-Made Pastries Lunch! Sandwiches and Soup Free WiFi, Study Rooms & Comfy Seating Gift Cards, Loyalty Program Open Mic, Trivia Night, & TV Wildcat Wednseday And more!
• • •
$1 Off Your Drink!
Espresso Drinks Red Bull Smoothies Frappes/Chai
Upper East Side Cafe: Student Discount: 2:00-4:00 $1.00 off drinks for students Most Popular Food Choice: Fifth Avenue Turkey Wrap Trivia Night: Every Friday Open Mic: Dec. 4, 18 Jazz Night: Dec. 28 Hours: Sunday: 9:00-3:00 Monday-Wednesday: 6:00-5:00 Thursday-Friday: 6:00-8:00 Saturday: 8:008:00 1610 Grant Road “This is a great place to come with your friends and work on homework or hangout and get something to eat. Especially in The Big Apple room. There is a lot of privacy to work on your school projects or other stuff. You can also rent it out for special occasions.” -Mary Brewer, Employee at Upper East Side
Come, Eat, Enjoy! B� E��� M����� R������� Lulu’s: Lunch Special: 3:30-5:30 Most Popular Food Choice: Skirt Steak $22.00 Hours: Monday-Thursday: 11:008:30 Friday-Saturday: 11:009:00 595 Grant Road
Lemolo’s: Lunch Special: Every day Most Popular Food Choice: Turkey Bacon Avocado Wrap Gift Cards and Shirts Available 114 North Wenatchee Ave. Cupcake Blues: Suggested cupcake: Peanut Butter Cup Hours: WednesdaySaturday 10:00am5:00pm Happy Hour: 4:00pm-5:00pm everyday
Sumo: Suggested Meal: Ninja Roll or Hibachi Noodles Happy Hour: Monday-Friday: 4:30-5:30 Saturday: 12:30-5:30 Sunday: 12:30-9:30
Lulu’s is a quiet place to go out on a date or for special occasions like Homecoming or Prom. The menu is simple and not overly crowded or complicated but the selections were good and a lot of side dishes are an option for a nice customization of your meal. “This is my favorite place to eat in Wenatchee; super cute and awesome food. BLT on �lat bread is amazing. The staff are always very warm and friendly- I tip every time I eat there. And I have never had to wait more than 10 minutes for my food.” -Olivia Florene, Customer at Lemolo This is another good place for a homework session. Cupcake Blues not only has amazing cupcakes, but they have a small lounge area with couches, tables, and stools. A great place to get some work done, or just hang out with your friends and enjoy a cupcake. Sumo is a great place to have Birthday parties at. If you want a more intimate setting, for a date or a lunch meeting, chose to sit in a booth. For large parties, the Hibachi Grill by Sumo is a great choice. They cook your food right in front of you on a large grill.
Post Photos/Reilly Kneedler
Above: Wee Wildcat Peyton shows off her favorite out�it to a high school helper. Top: The Wee Wildcats line up to head outside to play.
Wee for Awhile AN
B� S������� A����� R�������
Eastmont High School is a place for teenagers to come to class, learn, and socialize with their peers. But there is more to EHS than just the teenagers one often sees socializing in the halls. Every year Eastmont School District gives out applications for kids ages three to �ive to attend Eastmont’s Wee Wildcat pre-school. This year’s crop of little ones have proven to be some of the best to date and now with access to the new school building, and the Wee Wildcat program is in a very strong place. Pre-school teacher Tina Brewer stated that, “The new school is way better because there’s bigger classrooms which is convenient for our preschoolers that are in wheelchairs. Also I like how there’s tiled �loor instead of carpeted because it’s less germs for the kids.” Brewer loves her job and all the things she does for the kids. She likes to watch the kids have fun and learn, and she speci�ically enjoys working with the special education children. “I like teaching special ed because it’s like detective work. Normally the other children learn things pretty easily but with special ed, they don’t get it as easily so you need to �ind a way for them to learn it so it’s fun to see what works,” she said. Brewer and the other preschool teachers try to teach the preschoolers life skills, like taking care of themselves, being independent learners, learning how to share and then basic education. However, all of this fun with the kids leaves even
the most patient of teachers exhausted by the end of the day. Therefore it’s a blessing that there are some kind-hearted high school students that take the Child Development class. in Child Development, they help out with the children by reading, playing and talking with the kids. “It’s really fun to watch the high schoolers trying to be teachers for the kids,” Brewer added. This environment that the teachers and high school students make for the Wee WIldcats is a fun, safe and friendly one. A place where learning is fun and never a drag and how to make friends. “I have like a lot of friends, like 100!” preschooler Alex said.
THE LIFE OF
EASTMONT
PRESCHOOLER
Taylor, a Wee Wildcat in the morning class, works to color a Christmas ornament.
By the end of the day when the high school students are all gone, the teachers get all the kids together for show and tell to practice skills of standing in front of people. They talk and present in order to learn how to describe speci�ic events and feelings. Then everyone has snack time and heads home relishing in memories from their long, fun day at Eastmont’s Wee Wildcat preschool.
“I have a lot100!of friends, like ”
A DAY IN
WHAT’S ON YOUR IPOD? The Scratching Post plugged into the music libraries of four Wildcats to see the diversity of music in the hallways of Eastmont High School. Unprepared, they hit shuffle to get the first 5 songs that came on and this was the result: RACHEL LINDERMAN
One Thing Remains- Bethel Music My Hurricane- Jamie Scott Black Soap- Ex Cops Style- Taylor Swift Long Way Home- Radical Something
MR. NOELL
Into The Ocean - Blue October Afternoon And Coffee Spoons- Crash Test Dummies Glamorous- Fergie I Know There's Something Going On- Frida Green Light- John Legend
JAKE HAMACHER
Heroes- Alesso Save Tonight- Eagle Eye Cherry I Mean It- G-Eazy Blank Space - Taylor Swift Ex To See- Sam Hunt
CURTIS BLAIR
Anything Goes- Tony Bennett & Lady Gaga Even My Dad Does Sometimes- Ed Sheeran Stolen Bikes- Sam Lachow ft. Ariana DeBoo Stay With Me- Sam Smith Gold- Chet Faker
HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE B� E��� M����� R�������
THE ATHLETE:
Athletes are generally pretty easy to shop for. Anything that will help them with their sport or their athletic hobby will be perfect. Running shoes are always in high-demand for active people. You can �ind a nice pair at Footlocker, or jump online and Google up Eastbay.com. But if they have J’s for dayz, just pick up a FitBit. You can track your activities, check your sleep patterns,
Finding the perfect gift your loved ones can get tricky. Here’s a list of some helpful ideas for meaningful gifts to get people this holiday season. perhaps a subscription to Pandora One, MUSIC LOVER:
Music lovers need to be tapped into the latest tunes. It’s hard to constantly be spending money on new music. So an Itunes gift card will work wonders for any music snob . If they are a true-ist, pick up a Long Play vinyl (LP) or CD, but if they are into a constant stream of up-and-comers
or even avoid those nagging telemarketers while you work out with the built-in caller ID. Athletic accessories are always in style. You can �ind cool sports accessories that athletes with love at places like, Big 5, Sports Outlet, and Macy’s. Nike Free Runs Lululemon Headband Elite Socks FitBit
THE BOOKWORM:
A gift for any bibliophile can be a little tricky. You can never go wrong with a good book, or a gift card to a local book store. Book accessories are always helpful to a reader with sore �ingers from constantly turning pages and holding them back. The Little
Spotify Premium or any other digital radio program. New Headphones iTunes Card Customized CD iHome Digital Subscription
Book Holder will eliminate that problem and your bookwork will thank you when they are reading hands free! Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn Looking for Alaska by John Green Bookmark Little Book Holder
Expires 1/26/15
SUICIDE AWARENESS
B� S������� A������ R�������
Suicide is the second leading cause of death in the United States among teens and there are at least 100 suicide attempts per year by young adults, according to save.com.Which raises the question, what does Eastmont School District do to lower these rates? Eastmont counselor Paula Ortiz stated that all
T�������� S����� D������� B���� A���
school counselors must go to staff training before the school year starts so they may learn the signs of suicidal students and adopt a plan to try to prevent the act. If teachers suspect a student is feeling suicidal and or depressed, they then send them to one of Eastmont’s trained counselors for help. Ortiz believes that social media and the access to cell phones has increased the number of suiciderelated incidents. “Teenagers and young adults are
exposed to more negative things than positive, but things like suicide have always been around really,” Ortiz said. What students can do to help prevent suicide is to be more welcoming and inclusive. “If students have nothing nice to say then they shouldn’t say anything at all,” Ortiz added. Ortiz feels that suicide awareness and prevention should be one of EHS’s main priorities and that it takes a whole team to be more aware and together everyone can help prevent suicide.
B� T������ R������ R�������
Toppenish School District, south of Yakima, is taking on a rare approach to reducing the danger of school shootings. A new policy is allowing district administrators to carry �irearms on school property. Administrators are required to have their handgun fully licensed, obtain a concealed weapons permit, undergo a 16 hour training course, similar to courses police undergo and pass a background check. The school district currently has eleven administrators signed up to carry �irearms and no teachers. Superintendent John Cerna said the plan is that between the eleven administrators and two hired guards they should be able to have at least one armed employee on every campus at any given time. Many gun control groups state that arming amateurs (as they call them) will not end well and confronting of school attackers should be left to police. Those in favor of the new policy point out that the school is in a very rural area where police response would take a signi�icant amount of time and every second counts. Cerna told KCTS news, “Usually, when the police arrive, everybody’s dead. The only thing we’re doing is buying time until a police presence shows up because we’re not the police. We’re just buying time.” Armed administrators will also be equipped with a bullet resistant vest to help buy time. The vest also clearly identi�ies them as a school administrators to prevent responding of�icers from mistaking them for the shooter. Adam Diaz, the local chief of police, says he would prefer to put an of�icer in every school. This policy has rami�ication outside one rural town. This policy sets a new precedent on a very controversial topic. Some have already considered following this precedent. The Kiona-Benton City School District, a small community in the south, has already proposed a policy of their own modeled after the Toppenish policy. Kiona-Benton school district’s superintendent, Wade Haun, stated the school district had no timeline on when to make the �inal decision about enacting their policy. Last year schools in 33 states proposed bills arming school staff members.
CHANGING STATES, CHANGING LICENSES, AND A CHANGED MENTALITY B� A����� N������� R������� When you’re a teenager and you turn 16, it’s an awesome feeling to be able to drive by yourself. All of that work and dedication from driver’s ed to the multiple tests required by law have paid off. However, what if one day you received your license but, six months later you had to completely restart with everything from the driver’s ed to the state tests? Wouldn’t you be upset? Outraged? Or just fed up? That’s how I feel, all three at once. This is what happened when I moved from California to Washington. I didn’t know the Washington’s Department of Licensing (DOL) was so strict here. When you’re under 18 and have a driver license from another state, the DOL checks to see if the driver’s ed course you took to the other state is equivalent to theirs. It doesn’t matter that I’ve had a license for six months and actually drove the entire 1200 miles from California to East Wenatchee by myself. So what’s the problem? Washington State requires 30 hours of driver’s ed to be in a
classroom with an instructor. California has the same requirement but allows online classes to count too. The “behind the wheel” driving requirements are the same in both states. Even though I already had my 30 hours of class time, I took the classes online. The Washington DOL would not accept my online classes. They told me that if any part of my prior driver’s ed doesn’t meet their requirements, then all of my driver’s ed is “disallowed.” Did it matter that I actually have a driver license and have been driving for six months? Did it matter that the state of California felt that my online classes were good enough to prepare me to drive in Los Angeles traf�ic during rush hour? Nope. I clearly had no choice but to start completely over. My parents have had to pay more than $450 for another driver’s ed class. On top of being in high school, I have to make time to repeat something I have already done. The DOL told me I can drive by myself and use my California license for 30 days. At least I don’t have to get a learner’s permit; I can use my California license until I �inish driver’s ed as a permit and pass the DOL writ-
Post Photo/Reilly Kneedler
Austin Narduzzi holds up his California license, which is only valid for a short time while he transitions to Washington.
ten and driving tests. Then, I can turn my old license in and get my Washington license. I feel frustrated; my family has literally been robbed out of $450 dollars. If the state of Washington allows insurance agents to take continuing education classes online, and high school students to take online classes and earn a diploma then why on earth won’t they accept online driver’s ed classes for out of state licensed drivers under age 18? Follow the money. The driving schools are obviously making a lot more money because if this state regulation. I believe their lobbyists persuaded bureaucrats and members of the state legislature to adopt this regulation which now forces kids in my situation to needlessly take these classes -again. This puts money directly into the back pockets of the driving schools and our state bureaucracy. Imagine if my family had more than one driver under 18! What the state of Washington is doing is pure harassment and a shakedown. It needs to be changed. The state either needs to accept online classes for everything that requires a license or not at all.