Volume 47 Issue 4 - Jan 26, 2012

Laura Baker plays a huge role in Sheldon sports

page 4-5

Benefits of being vegetarian

Where do unicorns come from?

page 6

Backpage

shstalisman@gmail.com

a student newspaper

the Talisman

Sheldon High School 2455 willakenzie Rd., Eugene, Or 97401 vol. 47 Issue 4 Jan. 26, 2012

A Sheldon High School student is going to Australia!

Junior Cory Mayer won a scholarship to play in an honor band in Australia Alex Nelson copy editor puns by Hope Zima Junior Cory Mayer is, without a doubt, an exceptional student and phenomenal human being. On top of this, he is also an incomprehensibly talented musician. He plays alto saxophone, piano, trumpet, clarinet, and various percussion instruments. It is because of his musical expertise that he auditioned for and got into the Western International Band Clinic, also known as WIBC. WIBC is an honor band held in Seattle, Washington, and hosts musicians from all over the country. Mayer did such an exceptional job at WIBC that he was offered the opportunity to travel with ten other students to Australia. Out of the ten students who were offered this opportunity at WIBC, four got scholarships for the trip. Mayer was one of these four students.

It is obvious that this is a huge compliment to Mayer’s musical ability, and it will also be a fantastic learning experience. He will have the chance to work with composers and conductors from all over the world. WIBC alone was an amazing opportunity. Tracy Ross, Sheldon High School’s band director, said, “It’s really cool; [the students] get to play music actually written by the [composer].” Playing, performing, and learning music with different conductors provides a unique learning experience which offers a different insight into the new music.

Australia and is one who helped pick Mayer to get the scholarship. McKee said, “Cory was selected because of his outstanding WIBC audition on multiple percussion instruments. Cory had the highest percussion score of all the students that auditioned for WIBC. He is one of the top ten students that was selected for WIBC.” Mrs. Ross and Mr. McKee aren’t the only people ecstatic about this opportunity and scholarship—his parents are also very excited. Jim Mayer, Cory Mayer’s father, said, “Traveling to a different country to perform will be an amazing experience. Cory loves to travel and loves music, so the combination is the perfect opportunity for him.”

Jim Mayer later added, “Cory works hard and has a passion for music.

There are so many talented musicians at Sheldon and WIBC, we are just honored that Cory has this opportunity to represent our community and school.”

There is no doubt that Cory Mayer loves a good animal pun and is, simply put, one cool KID. His talents in many different areas are definitely EWE-worthy.

He will go extremely far in life, and this Australia trip will assist him in a myriad of ways. And who knows? He might have Chasity Barnes photo some pretty awesome stories Cory Mayer playing his finger symbols and looking manly doing so. to tell WREN he gets back.

I’m not sure what Mayer’s life goals are, or if they even involve music. If they do, he will succeed greatly.

Mayer has already arranged pep band music, which is a daunting task to some. He also performed a jazz ballad, which is difficult for anyone.

It seems as if his musical creativity never ends.

As one can imagine, not many people get picked for this opportunity. Scott McKee, the head of the scholarship program at WIBC, is helping to take students over to

José Alonso: back and ready for action Popular teacher, José Alonso, is finally back after a difficult hiatus Cya Silva opinions editor José Alonso is a popular teacher at Sheldon High School. He taught Multicultural Studies, Courageous Conversations, and he has also been an advisor. Every class is different, unique, and structured slightly different from those before. José’s classes were almost always filled to the brink; many students enjoyed his class. He blurred the lines between advisor, teacher and friend, and was always there for those who came to him. He asked everyone to call him José, and that’s just how life went. Senior Jasmine Glass explained, “He actually listens to people without judgment and he actually tries to understand what’s going on with people as individuals instead of just being students in his class.” And then all of a sudden, this year, students came back to the school to find that José was gone. Students

got bits and pieces of information, but all that many cared about was that he was gone - they wanted him back.

As it turned out, José’s teaching license expired during the summer, and he’s required to take a standardized test to renew it. José cannot take regular tests due to severe PTSD/PTSS (post-traumatic-stress-disorder/syndrome) and requested the state to give accommodations to replace the standardized test with an authentic assessment paradigm, and as of today, he still has not received a reply to the request. Due to the fact that his teaching license wasn’t replaced, the school was forced to let him go.

Many students had strong reactions to José’s sudden absence. Junior Pritam Sandhar said, “It was crazy. I used to walk down the halls every day to see if he was there.”

Glass also commented, “I was pissed and I started crying.

I was like, how on Earth could you get rid of him, of all people?” Many students also had the same issue. For instance, since they didn’t have José, they had to hire a new teacher to try and teach the class he would’ve had. It didn’t turn out as well as they thought it would. “Some students went into Courageous Conversations, and when they

found out José wasn’t teaching it, walked right out,” said chemistry teacher Mr. Whalley. It was a mess for a while.

Students started petitioning, asking for signatures and essays to send to the board of education to all say one message: “WE WANT HIM BACK.” “He’s a teacher that’s needed at Sheldon. So many children go to him for help and advice and his door’s always open,” Sandhar explained.

Then one day, out of the blue, he was back. There were some rumors and some truths going around school as to what really happened and why he came back and what changed, and he is honest and tells the truth to anyone who asks.

“Since I left,” José Alonso stated, “They had to hire a new teacher who did not have the background to teach the classes I formerly taught. So they asked if I could volunteer and assist the teacher in how to teach the class. So I jumped on the opportunity because it allowed me to come back to my favorite school and students. It also allowed me the opportunity to say thank you and pay back all the students who petitioned for me to come back to Sheldon.”

continued on page 2

New club breaks out with a powerful message to all Animal Rights Club hoping to bloom and bring awarness to Sheldon Daniel Hafdahl staff writer All across the world animals are treated numerous ways.

Some people have animals as their pets and treat them like family, others despise them, and some could care less. Animals are treated unfairly all over the world, from neglect to physical abuse, or fighting other animals for bets and entertainment. Sheldon has started a new club

dedicated to help these animals. The Animal Rights Club is brand new for Sheldon and many people seem interested.

Students in Sheldon have different beliefs about animals.

Many agree with the club being made. Freshman Jacinda Homar said, “It’s a pretty cool idea how they started this club. I’m not sure if I’ll join yet, but it’s a possibility.” The club doesn’t expect everyone to join or a huge attendance, all they want is people to realize how some humans treat animals and give the people who want to help an opportunity to do so. Not all students are interested in this club. Sophomore Desiree Phillips said, “The Animal Rights Club isn’t something I would join because I don’t have enough time.” You don’t have to be in the club to think it’s a good idea. Phillips later added, “But it’s cool that

Sheldon is opening this club for people who will join.”

Just because you can’t join for whatever reason doesn’t mean you can’t be involved in the club. Sophomore Anthony Buchanan said, “I’m all for animal rights.

I probably won’t join the club because I don’t know anybody in it, but I do want to be involved another way.”

Being in the club isn’t necessarily the only way to help animal rights. Buchanan later added, “When I get my pay check I’ll donate to the club to help the animals.”

If you are interested in the club, they meet on the second Thursday of every month. Junior Nathan Wells is the president of the club, so if you need any information, talk to him. Animals need to be treated fairly and the more people who think so, the quicker it will happen.

2 January 26, 2012

News

the Talisman

Nationwide driving ban on cell phone usage Accidents due to cell phone usage have driven NTSB to propose ban Jasmine Jordan staff writer Do you think all phone use while driving should be banned? The National Transportation Safety Board, also known as NTSB, is recommending to ban all phone use while driving, including hands free in many states. 80% of responders support a ban on text messaging and emailing. The NTSB got into this idea after hearing a highway accident report when a man sent eleven messages in eleven minutes before the accident that caused a car pileup. He lost his life as well as took a high schooler’s.

About two out of ten American drivers overall and half of the drivers between the ages 21-24 say they have sent messages or emails from the driver’s seat, according to a survey of more than 6,000 drivers by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Most drivers who took the survey don’t think it’s dangerous when they do it. Freshman Carlee Dotson said, “I am a textaholic, but I would never text and drive. No text is worth losing your life for.” Currently 35 states and the District of Columbia ban texting while driving, while nine states and D.C. ban hand-held cell phone use. Thirty states ban all cell phone use for beginning drivers.

The NTSB said they have at least 3000 accidents reported in which someone lost his life because a driver was distracted while using a phone. Even though the NTSB doesn’t have enough power to enforce the ban, experts say the recommendation itself would have significant power towards the ban.

They think that over time, the ban of the devices while the car is in motion will change, also by the change in technology. Parent Shelli Schauf said, “Nobody should ever text and drive but sometimes I’m guilty of it.”

Most drivers don’t think it’s dangerous when they do it but only when others do. At any moment last year on America’s streets and highways, nearly 1 in every 100 car drivers was texting, emailing, surfing the Web, or otherwise using a handheld electronic device, the safety administration said. Those activities rose 50 percent over the previous year. Freshman Holly Laughin said, “My mom is a cop and sees a lot of cases due to phone use while driving and I personally don’t think many people will follow the ban if it gets passed.” The NTSB still are fighting for the ban against all phone use and is still holding meetings for the ban.

Currently, the all phone use ban hasn’t been passed.

How to prevent the cold and flu

Many techniques can help prevent oneself from getting the cold or flu Tiwanna Hamilton staff writer Every year it seems the flu comes around, and at some point it hits everyone. Teachers get it, students get it, parents get it, etc. It’s just one big annoyance.

It has always been said to wash hands thoroughly and not share drinks and such, but it’s clear that more needs to be done to prevent the cold/flu.

Junior Scyla Massey said, “I’ve always been taught that washing your hands thoroughly and frequently during flu/cold season was the best way to prevent the flu/cold, and that’s why I rarely ever get it.”

Freshman Savannah Davis said, “Drinking warm tea frequently always helps me avoid the flu for some reason. It’s kind of cool!” It seems everybody has their own procedures for avoiding the cold/flu. Sophomore Olivia Nilsen stated, “It’s really good to use a paper towel or napkin when opening doors to stay away from germs and avoid catching the cold or flu.”

According to the Internet, some good ways to avoid the flu or cold are as follows: get the flu shot, get good sleep, load up on healthy foods, work out, don’t share drinks, and stay away from people who may have the cold or flu.

Greg Cantwell photo

Cell phone use while driving is common in the U.S.

Presidential elections race to be heated Current President Barack Obama hopes for second term as President Paige Heaton staff writer Every four years, U.S. citizens eighteen years and older check their paper ballots and send in their vote for America’s

next President. This year, 2012, it’s time again to get your votes in and help decide the next leader of the United States.

Barack Hussein Obama was elected the 44th president of the United States in 2008, sweeping away the longstanding racial barrier in American politics as the first African-American president. Sophomore Shelby Dodrill shared her thoughts on his possible re-election, and said, “Even though I’m not eighteen, I would vote for Obama to be re-elected. I think he made good decisions while he was in office and his authority is what our country needs.”

In the 2008 elections, Obama won against runner up John McCain with 66 million votes, and McCain with 58 million. It was a decisive victory, but will the same happen for 2012’s elections? “I really hope Obama doesn’t win this year. Mitt Romney seems like he would be a good figure for our country so I hope he wins the election,” said senior Madison Dunne.

The republican party has yet to figure out their nominees to run for President. The current front-runners are: Barack Obama, Mitt Romney, Rick Santorum, Ron Paul, Newt Gingrich, Jon Huntsman, Rick Perry, Gary Johnson, and Buddy Roemer. According to the website Politico, Mitt Romney tried to recover from an attempted gang tackle by his opponents on the day before the New Hampshire primary. Looks like the competition between all of the candidates is already getting intense. The 2012 presidential election will be held on Tuesday, November 6, 2012. This will be the 57th Presidential election in the history of the United States.

Get the beautiful smile you’ve always wanted, without braces Invisalign Teen™ lets you straighten your teeth with a series of clear aligners that are custom-fit to you!

Dr. gray grieve is the Eugene area’s most experienced orthodontist and only Premier ProviDer for Invisalign Teen™. Bring this ad to your free consultation and save $500 on Invisalign Teen™. Call today!

541-484-1877 | 995 Willagillespie Rd., Eugene www.coolorthodontist.com

Shyanne Church photo

Use of a tissue is a good flu prevention technique.

José Alonso teaches a recent class.

Cya Silva photo

José (continued from front page) Many may ask what exactly the petitions did, if they had any role as to helping José come back. “The efforts by the students are currently being written within the challenge to TSPC, Teacher Standards and Practitioners Commission, and the state to get my teaching license back,” José stated.

José currently is volunteering to help the teacher, Ms. Barajas, know how to teach the classes he taught. “She has been flexible enough to let me share the class without feeling threatened,” José mentioned. “Being back has allowed me the opportunity to say thank you and pay back all the students who petitioned me to come back to Sheldon and be back home with my family.”

Entertainment

the Talisman

January 26, 2012

3

Anxious fans await the premier of The Hunger Games Many students are excited to see a favorite book on the big screen Kelsea Radley staff writer On March 23, 2012, The Hunger Games is coming to theaters. The Hunger Games originally came out as a novel written by Suzanne Collins which sold over 1.2 million copies, then turned into a trilogy. The trilogy soon became a #1 New York Times bestseller. The first book, The Hunger Games, is currently being made into a movie by Lions Gate. Starring in the motion picture are Jennifer Lawrence, Liam Hemsworth, and Josh Hutcherson. Many people are extremely excited to see it, and some are predicting

it’ll be as big a success as Harry Potter or Twilight.

Freshman Rachel Brungardt said, “I am excited about The Hunger Games because there are hot guys in it, especially Josh Hutcherson.” The movie follows a young woman named Katniss Everdeen who takes her sister’s place in the Hunger Games. The Games is an anuual competition in which 24 people (one boy, one girl) from the twelve districts battle to the death in order to survive and win the games. It takes place in the future when North America has become a country called Panem, which is a brutal place.

Panem consists of twelve districts and the Capitol. The Games are displayed on live television in every district.

There can only be one winner, and the people who live in the winner’s district get plenty of grains and oil, amongst other things, for an entire year until the next Games.

Collins wrote the screenplay herself before it was put to film. They filmed this movie in North Carolina on several locations. Freshman Kyle Hasselman said, “I think the

movie would be kinda hard to film because there are so many different locations and environments that it seems complicated.” There are only really three different places in the book they had to film, which was District 12, The Capitol, and the arena in which the Games take place.

The Hunger Games is a live, televised, gruesome battle between twenty-four tributes. The tributes get put in a forest where they have to battle to the death to win.

Tributes are forced to hunt for food and water, unless they had gotten supplies from the cornucopia. Sophomore Rachel Unger said, “The beginning of [The Hunger Games] is super intense. It literally keeps you on the edge of your seat. Throughout the book, you sort of begin to feel the emotions the author did so well at portraying.”

The Hunger Games will be going to theaters on March 23, 2012. Some people predict that The Hunger Games will make 170 million dollars on opening night. Without a doubt, The Hunger Games is one of the most anticipated movies of 2012.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo movie is a knockout punch An unlikely pair joins forces to try to solve a mystery of a possible murder Chasity Barnes editor-in-chief If you grew up watching your father abusing and sexually assaulting your mother, do you think you’d grow up all fine and dandy? Young Lisbeth Salander didn’t grow up to be all peachy. She grew up hating men who abuse, assault, or womanize women in any way. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is a remake of the 2009 Swedish film, originally based off the book written by Stieg Larsson. The book was originally titled Men Who Hate Woman, but was later changed to what it is called now. This movie follows Millennium magazine journalist, Mikael Blomkvist, in his search for a woman who has been missing for forty years. He soon gets the help from twenty-five year old computer hacker, Lisbeth Salander.

Director David Fincher’s interpretation of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo isn’t just a worthy adaptation of Larsson’s novel – it’s a beautifully shot, gripping, and disturbing film with terrific performances from nearly

Talisman Staff

Editor-in-Chief Frontpage Editor News Editor Entertainment Editor Features Editor Opinions Editor Sports Editor Backpage Editor Ads Manager Photo Editor Copy Editor Copy Editor Staff Writers Elise Bücklein Morgan Challburg Daniel Hafdahl Tiwanna Hamilton Sam Hannah Paige Heaton Jasmine Jordan Ryan Land Mitch Lewis Staff Advisor

Chasity Barnes Chasity Barnes Aaron Mueller Ben Ely Hope Zima Cya Silva Drew Haugen Shyanne Church Carley Kramer Chasity Barnes Alex Nelson Hope Zima Blake Schaufler Erika Schaufler Sam Seno A.J. Smith Evan Smith C.J. Vangsnes Elise Whisler Trisdon Zepeda Kelsea Radley Greg Cantwell

A message from the Talisman The Talisman is run by students for students. The views expressed in the Talisman are not necessarily those of the Talisman staff, those of Sheldon High School, or those of the Sheldon community. If you have any letters to the editor, please e-mail the Talisman at shstalisman@gmail.com, or drop a letter in our box located in the office. We kindly reserve the right to edit all stories we print.

Correction The December 9, 2011, issue of the Talisman contained the article “Silent war between dance and cheer creates competitive rivalry” in which freshman and dance team member Rachel Brungardt was quoted. According to Brungardt, part of the quote was not said by her and other parts were meant in a joking manner. Therefore, the Talisman retracts the quote and regrets any discord its printing may have caused.

every actor and actress involved. While some film fans might prefer the Swedish version, it’s impossible to outright dismiss Fincher’s film – as his The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is potentially one of the most captivating films of 2011. Senior Angela Merfeld said, “I just watched the Swedish version and haven’t seen the American, but my friend Halley Fogelstrom has seen the American version about three times and has said that it is amazing. I can’t wait to see it.”

This film is not a regular family movie night film. This movie should only be watched by mature audiences and is rated R for sexual scenes, nudity, major violence, and gore. Young Lisbeth Salander is one tough cookie. Not willing to take crap from anyone and willing to fight back if provoked. Scott Rinne, a senior, said, “I think if there was a badass bitch fight between Lisbeth and Sarah Conner from The Terminator, that Lisbeth would totally win, hands down.”

There is just something about Lisbeth that makes her super tough and kickass and that you don’t EVER want to mess with.

“This film was amazing—I’ve seen it three times, but would be willing to see it many more times,” said senior Halley Fogelstrom.

Female brutality aside, this is one beautifully done film. It is a perfect combination of drama, excitement, and suspense. I highly recommend this film to anyone, but be weary—it is not for the faint hearted.

Cya Silva photo

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is a bestselling book and a suspenseful, disturbing, and enjoyable read.

Fox TV show New Girl quickly gains popularity This hilarious sitcom combines dorky with popular Shyanne Church backpage editor Who’s that girl?... It’s Jess! The Fox series New Girl has been quite a hit, striking interest in its viewers with its quirky yet adorable plot line. Senior Emilee Fromm said, “I like it. It’s cute and funny, and has a different plot.” The series stars Zooey Deschanel as Jess, a weird and slightly off-beat school teacher. After finding her boyfriend with another lady, Jess quickly moves in with three guys she meets on Craigslist: Nick the bartender, Schmidt the lawyer, and Coach the gym trainer who is later replaced with Winston the basket ball player.

Although Jess’s friends and family are concerned with her living with three single guys she hardly knows, Jess finds herself becoming fast friends with her new roommates as they help her move on from her ex-boyfriend and onto bigger better things. Throughout the first season you see an unsure romance between Jess and Nick, but that idea is put to a halt when producers throw in Paul, Jess’s kind of boyfriend. Paul and Jess’s relationship ended after Thanksgiving with a dead woman, an awkward attempt at sex, and a gift exchange that went south.

Whatever happened to Coach? The season’s

pilot featured Damon Wayans Jr. as Coach, a physical trainer who had a hard time expressing emotions. His character was very likable and funny though he was written out of the show because before auditioning for New Girl he accepted a role in ABC’s sitcom Happy Endings.

Wayans had thought the outlook was not so good for Happy Endings and took the role of Coach, although ABC did pick up the series making Wayans unavailable to New Girl. That is where Winston comes in to take the spot of Coach, saving money that would have spent on reshots of the same character with a different actor. Sophomore Danica Chin said, “I think Winston is funny, but I still like Coach more.”

New Girl is the perfect show to get together with your friends and family for laughter provided by a douche bag jar for Schmidt, obnoxious singing

by Jess, and general entertainment for all. Junior Sarah Something said, “I would rate it a nine in adorkabiltiy.” All-in-all, New Girl is well worth plopping on the sofa every Tuesday at nine, so everyone gather round and prepare to be dazed by this super adorkable show.

Eugene Eyewear

We Have the Latest Fashions in Eyewear

*Gucci *Versace *Juicy Couture *Christian Dior *Dolce & Gabbana *Giorgio Armani *BCBG *Vera Wang *Candies Prada *DKNY *Coach *Nine West *Ray Ban *Kate Spade

We Bill Most Insurances including: Regence Blue Cross Blue Shield, Pacific Source, VSP, Eyemed, Providence, North West Benefits, ODS, OEA Choice, and many more.

Dr. Steve Jung, Optometrist 207 Coburg Road, Suite 105 Eugene, OR 97401 Ph:541-388-4844 M-Fri 9-6 Sat 9-3 Located next to TJ Maxx and Quiznos

This winter’s favorite sweets and treats

F Golf ball mystery solved E A T U R E

An in-depth evaluation of a seemingly common and innocent golf ball. What’s really under those dimples?

Carley Kramer Basketballs.

Socstaff writer

Hot or cold, baked or rolled, this winter is full of sugary treats.

cer balls. Baseballs. Footballs.

Tennis balls. Meatballs. What’s missing?

That’s right. Golf balls. The ideal sports ball. The leader of the ball world. Everyone knows they love golf balls, but many poor souls wander around the world without knowing how to make golf balls. Here, those souls will be granted understanding. Here, they will learn how golf balls are made.

The tragic truth at Sheldon is that very few students really know how golf balls are made. “They’re full of cork,” said freshman Nik Ramage.

“On the outside, there’s some fiberglass coating, I think.” Though fundamentally wrong, Ramage stands alone with at least a vague idea of the composition of this ball. Sadly, no one seems to fully appreciate golf balls and instead have other favorites. “Tennis balls, because they’re fuzzy,” said Ramage. Another student shared in this under appreciation of golf balls. “I like tennis balls,” said freshman Noah Roberts, “because they’re bright and green.” Tennis balls: corrupting the minds of this generation, blinding them from the truth of the spherical perfection that are golf balls. Beware the neon temptation. Some students didn’t even like golf balls- a true horror. “They’re white, and I like a little color in my life,” said freshman Keegan Nolan, obviously unaware that golf balls come in multiple colors.

Surely, these students under-appreciate golf balls because they don’t know how they’re made. Golf balls have an interior of a rubber type compound and an exterior of a basic plastic. Creating the compound requires several ingredients and intense heat. Using two molds and the heated plastic, the interior rubber, usually about 1.5 inches in diameter, is placed inside one of the hemispheres. Then the other hemisphere is placed on and must be fused together while maintaining the divots. Then, using spray guns, the ball is painted and polished. Finally, they are dried and packaged. Truly an impressive process.

Many people think that there isn’t much specific design to golf balls.

Shame to them for being empty shells filled with ignorance and misunderstanding. In reality, the design of the golf ball was perfectly thought through, down to every dimple. Without every factor the same on every ball, not only would the game not be fair, but the balls would be less aerodynamic and lame.

Congratulations, happy reader, for knowing how golf balls are made. May you not fall under the evil temptations of the tennis ball, and may you never forget the wonders that are golf balls.

Elise Whistler staff writer What comes to mind at the holidays? Presents, Santa, snow, hot chocolate, and stockings are a few; however, the holidays are not the same if there are no desserts involved. Chocolate, mint, peanut butter, and vanilla - holiday desserts have them all. With so many to choose from, it’s hard to pick a favorite.

Freshman Anne Regali discovered her favorite holiday dessert, peppermint bark, when her friend, Daylyn Gould, brought it for lunch. Ever since then, Regali has enjoyed the rich minty taste of the holiday treat. “We make the peppermint bark every year during the holidays,” explained Gould. “We melt together dark chocolate and mint in a cookie pan, and let it sit until it hardens. Then, when it becomes hard, we cut it up and it is ready to eat!”

Junior Silvia Chilet-Jorge’s favorite dessert, Roscon de

Is the world going to end?

Whether by technology, zombies, or the Rapture, people have been predicting the end of the world for a long time. Has it finally come?

Aaron Mueller news editor

S Do you know Laura Baker?

Sheldon’s athletic trainer Laura Baker is an important figure in the athletic department, but many are still unaware of her

LauBlake Schauffler ra Baker is Sheldon’s staff writer athletic trainer; she has helped out many kids over the fifteen years that she has been at Sheldon High School. Laura Baker said, “To become an athletic trainer you have to take a lot of health and science classes to understand the way injuries can happen.”

Sheldon High School is known for its athletics and wants the best care and treatment for its student athletes. That’s why Laura Baker is the best for the job. She loves being able to help out students and socialize.

Freshman Hayden Shuldt said, “Laura is amazing, I am so glad she is our trainer.”

Laura Baker’s expertise is very helpful on the field and in the gym.

Freshman Braden Seiber said, “Laura knew I tore my ACL as soon as it happened. On the sideline she did her routine check and just knew everything about injuries.” Sideline assessments are very key to helping student athletes on the field. Some high schools are required to have an athletic trainer. If the injury is serious, then she will have to drive the injured player back to her room for a thorough assessment off the field on her John Deere Gator.

There is always a risk of injury in sports and other recreational activities.

This requires there to be an athletic trainer present during organized athletic activities. Sophomore Connor Jordan said, “Laura has always helped explain every pain or ache that I feel.” Baker has rehab programs for about every injury you could possibly think of, whether it’s a torn ACL or a sprained wrist. You do not have to pay for her services because she has all the equipment handy for you.

With sports there is always a chance of injury, and athletic trainers help to reduce injuries’ long term effects. Laura Baker is available for help after school from 2:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. She has a whirlpool to sit in to help muscle aches and pains.

Stop by her office for evaluation of an injury or just to say hi; everyone is welcome in Laura’s room.

Reyes, is a big tradition in Spain. “On the fifth of January we eat the dessert in honor of the three wise men who came to the manger on Christmas. Inside the bread there is one bean, and a wise man. Whoever receives the bean in their bread is supposed to pay for the bread; however, the person who receives the wise man is lucky for the night and gets to wear a crown for the night,” Chilet-Jorge explained. Freshman Hollie Irwin’s favorite holiday dessert, peanut butter cookies, used to be a tradition to make at her house. “When I was younger, my mom and I made peanut butter cookies for Santa since my dad loved them. Then, whatever was left over I got to eat. Now I love eating them because they remind me of when we used to make them.” Whether by tradition or not, whether bought or made, we all love holiday desserts.

For seven hundred and fifty years, the Mayans ruled the North American continent, and were known for many of their technological achievements, as well as how accurate their predictions were, due to their achievements in the astronomical field. A scary thing about the Mayans is that they ended their calendar on December 21, 2012. This effectively means that the Mayans predict that the world is going to end on December 21, 2012, which for us is less than a year away.

But what does this mean for us humans living on Earth? How will the world end? Will this prediction fail like many others in the past, or will the Mayans stay true to their previous accuracy when it comes to predictions?

Deep space is filled with many wonders, but for a long time, the cosmos has been a source of many world-ending theories. One of these possibilities is the theory of a gamma-ray burst. When a star explodes in a supernova, it releases massive amounts of UV and gamma rays. If these rays were to hit Earth directly, it would fry everything living thing on this planet, leaving the Earth a molten rock orbiting the Sun. But, there are no stars close enough to our world to really pose a threat of a gamma-ray burst. Another threat however, is much closer; eight hundred and sixty six miles, to be exact. Yellowstone National Park is one of the most interesting places on the planet; however, another more disturbing fact is that the entire park is one huge super-volcano. If this volcano were to erupt, it would shoot over two hundred and forty cubic miles of ash into the air, which is thousands of times more than any other standard volcano eruption. The Earth would be covered in ash, blocking out the sun and preventing the ever-important process of photosynthesis. This means that plants would die, and eventually everything else on the food chain would too. That also includes humans.

There have been many predictions as to when the world is going to end. One of the most prolific “date setters” is Harold Camping. As the president of Family Radio (a Christian radio station), he decided that on May 21, 2011, Jesus would return to Earth, and take his believers with him up to Heaven. The rest of the people who were not taken with Jesus would be left on Earth to face five months of pure hell on Earth, culminating in the final end of the Earth on October 21, 2011. On May 22, when everyone woke up to a still-normal world, Camping issued a re-interpretation of his prophecy. He said that May 21 was purely a ‘spiritual’ judging, and that God decided that day who He was going to take up to Heaven. Camping also said that October 21, 2011 would be the day of the Earth’s physical destruction. We watched the Ducks win their first bowl under Chip Kelly on January 2, 2012.

We dodged that bullet, but we have to prepare for another one. This time, the people responsible for predicting the end of the world are the highly-respected Mayan civilization, not some crazy money-seeking radio station president. During their peak, the Mayans were known for their insanely accurate predictions. When modern-day scientists read the Mayans’ predictions as to when the moon would set and rise, the scientists concluded that the Mayans were only thirty-three seconds off the actual time! If the Mayans’ prediction for the end of the world is as accurate as their other predictions, this means that we have less than a year to live.

Newest fashion statement is ugly sweaters Tassled, jingly, or Santa-printed, ugly sweaters are sweeping the fashion charts as the must-have piece of winter clothing.

Ryan Land staff writer Ugly Christmas sweaters have always been a part of the holiday season. They lighten the mood and provide humor for all. Not to mention, the sweaters provide a warm article of clothing as well. Whether it be hideous or extravagant, the Christmas spirit comes to life through the sweater. Ugly Christmas sweaters help people come out of their exterior shells and express their true inner selves. The sweaters can be annoying to many, so further investigation is necessary.

There have been many creative sweaters in years past, and many hilarious ones too. They can contain Christmas lights, an unattractive mixture of colors, funny faces, and the list goes on. Junior Ben Olsson said, “This year I wore a sweater that had [junior] Ivan Faulhaber’s face on it. It was the best ugly sweater I have ever worn.”

The creativity of the Christmas sweaters provides a great amount of room for imagination and cool ideas. Olsson’s was a great example of a creative and hilarious sweater.

Christmas sweaters aren’t for everyone, though. If you want to stand out in the ugly sweater crowd, you must

have a few physical qualities that others lack. This includes hair styles, facial hair, and jewelry. Senior Katie Brelsford said, “I think [junior] Tony Tokatly looked best with the ugly sweater this year because of his thick beard.” This provides even more support that beards do nothing but help your chances at winning that annual sweater contest.

This tradition has been known in the past to be predominantly feminine, but more and more males are beginning to wear the wacky apparel. Wearing an ugly sweater means that you are a creative and fun person, regardless of your gender. Junior Ashley Horn said, “The ugly sweater tradition is known to be more of a girl thing, but guys should do it too.” As you can see, even girls themselves want guys to wear those revolting sweaters.

Sweaters are a great way to show holiday spirit. Not only are they a source of laughter and fun, but they can help you break out of your insecurities and fears. Through the ugly sweaters, you can laugh at yourself and not take yourself too seriously at the same time. So for the holidays next year, remember to wear an ugly sweater. It makes everyone happier!

New Years is party time!

Every year when the New Year turns, people party. Here is an evaluation of the party trends from this new year.

C.J. Vangsnes staff writer It is that time of year again, time for those parties, and specifically New Year’s Eve parties.

Hundreds of thousands of people every year pack into New York’s Times Square for the ceremonial ball-dropping at midnight. New Year’s Eve is known for wild parties and even some mild ones. In London, up to 250,000 people every year watch the Thames-side fireworks.

This year there were 12,000 fireworks, producing 50,000 projectiles, launched during the display, which was triggered by Big Ben’s chimes and lasted for eleven minutes and fifteen seconds. In Green Bay the U.S Bank hosted free no-alcohol, family-friendly parties Dec. 31 at seven locations. In New Zealand a firework display off Auckland’s Sky Tower at midnight (11:00 GMT) saw in the New Year. In Australia a spectacular fireworks display was held in Sydney’s harbor. Common sense says that drinking at parties (even ones on New Year’s Eve) can be a deadly combination.

Freshman Kaila Armstrong said, “I had a cool party. I invited my girlfriend and a few of my other friends.” Armstrong then said, “The party went from 12:00 noon to 2:00a.m. We played lots of music like Katy Perry’s song “Fireworks” and Justin Beiber’s “Mistletoe”.

Freshmen Olivia Shen said, “I did not host a party, but I went to one at a friend’s house.” Shen later said, “The decorations were awesome, balloons everywhere, and even a HUGE punch bowl.”

Freshmen Christopher Wallis said, “I went to three different parties and all of them were cool.” Wallis then said, “The best one I went to had a 40 inch flat screen TV and a big snack table with all sorts of candy and drinks.” Wallis then said, “When I got home it was 5:00 in the morning and my parents were angry with how long I stayed out partying with my friends.”

Now that all the New Year’s parties are over, people should start to settle down for the next month (until Valentine’s Day).

Congratulations to Sheldon’s Got Talent winner: senior McKenzie Peters

Shyanne Church photo

Peters sang “Fallin’” by Alicia Keys.

Ms. Faunce - saying her goodbyes Long-time English teacher Ms. Faunce is retiring at the end of this semester (today).

F

Cya Silva

It’s always a sad time opinions editor when a teacher from Sheldon retires, and it’s that time again. Ms. Faunce has been teaching at Sheldon for a little over fourteen years. She’s taught almost every class for English: English 9, English 11, English 11 Honors, English 12, Creative Writing, and even taught video production. Before teaching at Sheldon, she taught at other schools, beginning her career in 1974.

Many are sad, as many have been in her classes. Junior Danny Beckett said, “I know she’s been here a long time, and taught for even longer, so her retirement is well deserved.”

“Teaching isn’t really different now than it was [when I started]. We teach a lot of the same things. The students are different only on the outsides, but their hearts and insides are all the same.

Somewhere along the way, I stopped calling my students ‘students’ and referred to them as Cherubs.” Ms. Faunce later stated, “The biggest change [for me as a teacher] c a m e when I had children myself. As they went through school, I starte d changing myself to be the kind of teacher that I’d want them to have.”

Senior Hunter Anderson stated, “I had her class for English 11 and College Now Writing. It was an enlightening experience and taught me a lot about myself as a writer and a student.”

Faunce still keeps in contact with some of her former students, and some have even gone on to be very good writers and gotten material published. She even occasionally emails, calls, and/or has coffee with some. “I love hearing from them!” Faunce stated.

Anderson also stated, “She helped me realize how to slow down, and it helped me become a better writer.”

He also later stated, “The Great Gatsby was probably my favorite book. She taught it in such a way that was mind blowing. It was kind of nice to be given a deeper understanding out of an already deep novel.”

Faunce is not planning to ‘slow down’ as much as she may have taught her students to. She has been told by a few friends to do so though, and is planning to travel to Europe, golf, and take a road trip anywhere. She also hopes to teach at universities and various other colleges around Oregon. “There are a lot of possibilities,” Faunce said. “I’m a woman of many prospects.”

Faunce also sported advice to the incoming teachers that will be at Sheldon: “Look with joy. Each day is a wonder, and Sheldon Cya Silva photo students are really quite wonderful.

Ms. Faunce carefully There’s a lot of promise in them.” instructs students

E A T U R E S

6

January 26, 2012

Opinions

the Talisman

Is it necessary to spend so much on Christmas?

Americans spend a lot at Christmas and then spend much of the year paying for it Morgan Challburg staff writer

Why is it necessary that we have to spend so much on Christmas? Christmas shouldn’t be about just presents and money; it should be about spending time with family. Are people getting greedier each year? All this new electronic stuff keeps coming out with newer and better features, such as the Xbox Kinect, iPod touches 4th generation, and phones. Why does everybody want such expensive gifts nowadays?

The prices are so high these days. Even the cases for the iPods and the iPads have outrageous prices.

Ugg boots have a crazy price, too. Freshman Naomi Camacho said, “I feel horrible for the kids that don’t get to celebrate Christmas; I love Christmas. It’s important to so many people, I don’t just celebrate Christmas for the presents I celebrate Jesus’ birthday as well.” The prices for cell phones are really high; many people don’t have cell phones because of money issues. Freshman Jacinda

Who do you think is the best Disney Princess?

Sheldon students take a trip down memory lane with nostalgic rememberances of Disney Princesses Erika Schaufler staff writer Disney princesses have been around since the early 1930s. They have been a big hit throughout the world; they have starred in movies, magazines, TV, books, and CDs. There are now ten main princesses in the Disney world: Snow White, Cinderella, Belle, Sleeping Beauty, Rapunzel, Jasmine, Tiana, Ariel, Pocahontas, and Mulan. Disney Princesses have inspired many little kids over the years. Everybody has a memory of a Disney Princess.

I always had the dream of being a princess when I was younger. Every week I would have a new favorite.

I had Disney Princess outfits and I would act like my room was a castle, I would have a stuffed animal be the prince. When those days ended I stuck to my favorite which is Belle. I was Belle on Halloween when I was seven. My favorite Disney Prince is Eric from The Little Mermaid. I will never forget the times I had in those outfits and dreaming one day I would be a Disney Princess.

Princesses were brought into Disney because every princess has a story. Each one has a prince who she falls head over heels for and an adventure that she has to do.

Freshman Nick Ramage said, “My favorite princess is Jasmine; she is hot and has great body features.” You can meet all the Disney princesses in Disney parks around the country. They have Disneyland in California, and Disneyworld in Florida.

Sleeping Beauty (a.k.a. Aurora) was the first princess. They have slowly been adding more and more princesses over the years. Freshman Daylyn Gould said, “Cinderella is my favorite princess because she looks like me and we have a lot in common.” Gould then added, “The only difference is I have great step sisters and she has mean ones who pick on her.” The newest princess is Tiana and she stars in the movie The Princess and the Frog.

The names of some of the princes who are in movies but also in princess’s hearts are: The Prince, Prince Charming, and Adam (a.k.a the Beast), Prince Phillip, Aladdin, Prince Naveen, Prince Eric, Captain John Smith, and Captain Li Shang. Freshman Rachel Brundgart said, “My favorite princess is Belle, and my favorite prince is the Beast.”

Princesses are a staple of what Disney is today and without them I don’t think that they would be as thriving as they are now. There are definitely more princesses to come. If someone still wants to be a princess and live their childhood dream, they can try out at any of the Disney parks and just maybe they will get the job!

shelters or donation centers? In interviews with a random Homar said, “Christmas is the best holiday, I feel bad for sample of 1,100 adults nationwide, conducted November the boys and girls out there that don’t get to celebrate or 17, 2011, the average person planned on spending $658 get presents, or have their families to spend Christmas for the 2011 holiday season. Spending money is a huge with.” privilege for people. People who do have money should How are parents who don’t have enough money to pay be very grateful for what they can do for their families for food and house payments supposed to pay for all and friends. The people who are rich and only think about the Christmas gifts? When you complain that you don’t themselves should rethink how they are living and think have a lot, or you say you don’t have a good life, look at about the others who don’t have food or clothes. the kids who don’t have parents or don’t get presents on holidays. We have to realize that our parents try their hardest to make our lives the best.

It’s sad how many kids don’t get a lot. Most little kids don’t understand what Christmas is about. Spending on Christmas trees, lights and candles increase about eight percent from $5.54 billion last year, and spending on food and candy should also hit record levels. Freshman Daylyn Gould said, “Christmas, in my opinion, is spending time with family, eating good food, and giving to others.”If you had the choice, Cya Silva photo would you donate old toys or Money - it burns holes in our wallets, causing us to need to buy more clothes that you don’t need or use to wallets, burning more money. And then the cycle goes on.

Vegetarianism: a healthier choice Is the vegetarian lifestyle the healthier and more ethical choice nowadays?

Elise Bücklein staff writer Would you eat your dog? Probably not. Would you even eat any dog at all? Not really. But what about a cow? Would you eat a cow? The answer of most people living in America would certainly be yes. The average American person consumes over 200 pounds of meat of any kind per year, a trend that is still increasing. Why is it that people buy their dogs fancy dresses to make them look more human-like, but let thousands of cattle and other animals that haven’t even seen any sunlight in their short, unhappy lives cruelly die so people can dig into their hamburger? What gives us the right to determine if we look at an animal as a pet or as meat?

If you think about it, it is insanely mad what the human race is doing right now to satisfy their appetite for meat.

It may be true that our ancestors millions of years ago started developing a bigger brain by eating meat, but, let’s be honest, even though we act like it sometimes, we are not the apes living in cages anymore. We have the brains, so shouldn’t we act more thoughtful and responsible when it comes to things like food and how it is produced? Nobody can look me straight in the eye and tell me that he honestly believes that his hamburger for $1.50 really comes from a lucky cow that lived a good life. Apart from the fact that it is really bad for the animals that the meat comes from, it is also bad for us.

I am just reading a very interesting book by the author of the well-known novel Everything is Illuminated and the novel Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close which is going to be in the theatres as a movie at the end of January. The authors name is Jonathan Safran Foer

who in 2009 published his latest book called Eating Animals. It is talking about just that, eating animals, and illuminates many aspects about eating or not eating meat in a very personal and effective way. The book really influenced my sight on things and its arguments make perfect sense to me. For everybody who wants to know more about where our meat comes from, this book is definitely a good choice. It looks like more and more people want to know about that.

Especially around Eugene, a lot of people are aware of the conditions that a lot of the animals our meat comes from live under. Because of this, local companies are taking action. If you go through a local Market of Choice, you will find an above-average collection of vegetarian or even vegan food choices.

Coming from Germany, which is said to be one of the most meat-loving countries, to an American family with mostly-vegetarian eating habits, I have to say that I don’t have a problem to leave out or cut back on meat. If my mom in Germany would stop having meat for dinner, I wouldn’t mind. I think the important thing about eating or not eating meat is not going with the trend and thinking that we are better than others who don’t eat vegetarian or vegan, but more the fact that we should start seeing farther than to the end of our own noses and stop closing our eyes from the unmistakable circumstances that our meat industry produces, be it for the good of the animals or the good of ourselves.

Be aware of where your meat comes from! Do you really need to eat meat for lunch AND dinner? Awareness is what is needed and is starting to form among people.

I don’t believe that the human race will ever go back to being herbivores, also known as plant-eaters. I will probably never be a strict vegetarian eater, but I believe that as long as I have this certain awareness of what is good for me, the animals and my society, it is acceptable to have a little meat sometimes.

Cya Silva photo

Veggies are in no short supply at Market of Choice or Safeway. Why not give it a go every now and then instead of the carnivorous alternatives?

Sports

the Talisman

January 26, 2012

7

Seniors say farewell to Sheldon football Players will remember being a part of the Irish football program long after they have played their final down Mitch Lewis staff writer A lot of people grow up in the Sheldon football program, and before they know it, they’re seniors. The respect they have gained for the coaches, traditions, and their teammates will never go away. A few Sheldon seniors get to continue their careers at the colligate level, but for most, their football days have come to a standstill. The Irish had a phenomenal season, led all the way by their seniors.

Sheldon has produced its share of gifted athletes. Some have even gone on to excel in college. Senior Katie Brelsford, who was the team manager for the football program said, “I think that this is the most athletic group

SHS lacrosse gears up for 2012 season The Irish look toward senior leadership and team athleticism as strong points in the upcoming lacrosse season Drew Haugen sports editor The Sheldon High School turf may be frozen from the brisk winter temperatures, but that does not prevent the boys lacrosse team from practicing two days a week in the frigid conditions. The Irish are coming off another successful season, highlighted by wins over Marist and league rival Churchill. They finished 2011 at 7-9 overall with a playoff loss to the Southridge Skyhawks.

With the 2012 season quickly approaching, Sheldon is looking to make even further strides in the new season.

Senior midfielder and three year varsity player, Spencer Haugen, was named all-league at his position in 2011, and is working hard to improve his game this season.

Haugen said, “Lacrosse is the fastest game on two feet. I like the fast-paced action.” Haugen later added, “We hope to have a very successful year.

Our goals include winning the league championship and making a solid run at state.” Haugen is a fierce competitor, and will be an important part of the Irish attack again this season.

Senior Peter Anderson is going to be a key component - senior Spencer Haugen in the Sheldon line-up as well. Entering his fourth year as a varsity player, Anderson is focused on improving the team in any way he can. Anderson commented, “My goal is to give everything I have, every minute I am on the field.” That kind of dedication will be important to the team’s success, as their first game of the regular season is a match-up against Beaverton.

The Beavers finished last season ranked thirteenth in the state, and will be an early test for the Irish. Anderson said, “They are diffidently a challenging opponent. The game will allow us to assess where we are as a team.”

Anderson’s defensive play will be very important against Beaverton, who excelled on offense last year.

Haugen and Anderson, along with the other seniors, will be looked to as team leaders this season. Head coach Ike Sanderson said, “Senior leadership is a big strength.

Midfielder Spencer Haugen, defender Peter Anderson, and goalie Jackson Shawn-Hays are great examples of that.” Sanderson later added, “I think our team will excel in defense and overall athleticism. The incoming freshman class players foretell a bright future as well.” Sanderson has coached the Irish for twelve years and is looking to add another tally to his list of league championships.

As the harsh Oregon winter transitions into the spring sports season, the Sheldon lacrosse team will be preparing to take the field. The Irish have high aspirations for this season, and with athleticism, strong senior leadership, and superior coaching, the team has potential to reach their goals in 2012.

“LACROSSE

IS THE FASTEST GAME ON TWO FEET.”

of seniors Sheldon has seen yet.” Senior Sean Bellotti said, “The thing I will miss the most is spending all the time with my best friends and working so hard to achieve the same goal.” While there was a lot to be proud of this football season, senior Tyler Osborne said, “My favorite part of this football season was going to state with all my best friends and nothing can beat Drew Haugen scoring.” There are a few Sheldon players who hope to continue that Friday night feeling by playing on Saturdays at the next level.

Several of Sheldon’s seniors have been offered to play football at a variety of colleges. Their days to committing to a college are creeping up. Signing day is February second.

Sheldon has finished its last three seasons with an overall record of 38-2, and has established itself among the top programs in the northwest. Sheldon also introduced a new head coach, Lane Johnson. The previous success under his brother Marty Johnson, who led the Irish to 137 wins, nine league championships, and three state titles, carried through and very little has changed with the program. Sheldon hopes on continuing their success in the years to come.

Drew Haugen photo

The Irish football team finished the regular season undefeated, led by the senior class

Spear-heading the Irish attack Brothers Chet, Wyatt, and Willy Spears excel as members of both the Sheldon Irish wrestling team and football team Sam Hannah staff writer Over the years Sheldon has been home to many outstanding athletes in all sports; however, Sheldon has rarely had an outstanding wrestling program. Until now.

The Spears brothers came from Cottage Grove to Sheldon to play football and to wrestle. The three brothers, Chet, a junior, Wyatt, a sophomore, and Willy, a freshman, have been wrestling since they were very young.

Senior Katie Brelsford had the opportunity to get to know all of them while she was the manager on the football team. “Chet is one of the quietest kids I have ever met, Wyatt isn’t afraid to say what he wants when he wants, and Willy is one of the nicest kids I have met in my life.”

Senior Jacob Foutz had the opportunity to play with both Chet and Wyatt. “The Spears brothers exemplify everything you would want as a son, brother, football player, and wrestler. They are probably the three nicest kids I have ever met. Playing next to Chet was probably the best experience I have had: he is the most reliable kid, always did his job, picked up my slack a couple times and whenever I would start to get too emotional during a game he was always there to reel me back in. I pretty much am in love with Chet.”

Obviously people think very highly of the spears brothers: coaches, teammates, and other students.

Super Bowl XLVI match-up decided After exciting playoff runs, both the Patriots and the Giants prepare for the biggest game in professional football A.J. Smith staff writer With the NFL regular season and playoffs at an end, the Superbowl contestants have been decided.

Important stories of this season have been the nearflawless Green Bay Packers and a less-than-impressive Indianapolis Colts team. With their great performance this year, the Packers clinched a first-round bye and a spot in the playoffs. Other teams that clinched first round byes in this post-season were the New England Patriots, San Francisco 49ers, and the Baltimore Ravens.

With all of the hype surrounding the postseason, some teams missed their opportunities to get in to the playoffs. The Dallas Cowboys, New York Jets, and the Oakland Raiders all had shots at getting in to the playoffs, but were not able to make it. Junior Ian Holman said, “I believe that the Cowboys were the biggest disappointment this season. They had an opportunity to reach the playoffs, but they lost their last couple of games.” The Raiders also had a possibility to make the playoffs with the Denver Broncos losing in week 17, but also lost in week 17. Junior Troy Grove said,

“I think the Oakland Raiders and the Seattle Seahawks could have made better efforts to make the playoffs.”

Many people have their favorite for the potential winner for the Super Bowl. Junior Taylor Klinko said, “I believe that the New Orleans Saints and the Green Bay Packers will meet in the Super Bowl. The Saints will end up winning it all.” Boy was he wrong! There are plenty of people who thought that the reigning champions, the Green Bay Packers, would end up winning it again. They had a great season and they didn’t see too much competition this year. Yet, the playoffs never seem to go the way they’re planned, with the Packers losing in the Divisional round.

The postseason has been riddled with interesting stories and a thriller overtime game with the Broncos and the Steelers in Pittsburgh. The Broncos won in the shortest playoff overtime ever with a miraculous pass by Tim Tebow. Tebow has been occasionally inconsistent with his most recent games. Yet he almost always found a way to win with his great leadership ability.

Also the Saints had a good season and Drew Brees had a superb year in terms of passing. Even with those great moments, both teams failed to make it to the Super Bowl.

The NFL season had a record-setting year with many teams such as the Raiders. They accumulated the most penalties ever in one season by one team. The season produced many exhilarating games. The champion has yet to be crowned, but the season was very good. The Super Bowl will feature the New England Patriots and the New York Giants on February 5 in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Rose Bowl by the Numbers First Downs

Total Yards

Passing

Rushing

Penalties Turnovers

Possession Time

Wisconsin

23 508 296 212

3

2

35:42

Oregon

22 621 276 345

7

2

24:18

Final Score: Oregon 45 - Wisconsin 38

Backpage OrThe Origin of Unicorns; Where are they from? The Mishaps of 2011 The well-known majestic creatures we all know and love from our childhoods Sam Seno staff writer

Unicorns majestic, powerful, perfect creatures that we all know and love.

Ever since we were born, the world and media has portrayed unicorns as flawless creatures that prance through flower-covered fields with sparkles and glitter floating in the air. But few people really know where these creatures hail from. In this article we will go deep into the origin of the unicorn.

Unicorns first entered the world through an old European folk tale.

The story talks about a white horse with a white horn spiraling off its forehead, and from that point on the unicorn has been a part of our world.

But what makes a unicorn a unicorn? Junior Nick Stewart said, “Its horn and the rainbow trail that follows it.” The European folk tale does not mention anything about rainbows being associated with unicorns, but rainbows have been commonly placed with unicorns for the last fifty years.

Ever since the unicorn was created it has appeared in many stories and films. It has played roles ranging from a strong warhorse to a fluffy little animal that loves to eat flowers and candy. This is a widely changed view on unicorns that is far from the original t o creature. Freshman Griffin Wilson said, “I don’t ride one.” Many know much about unicorns, but I would love people don’t know much about unicorns, which is weird since the unicorn is the most publicized fantasy creature. The original unicorn was actually a mean, fierce animal that attacked people who tried to tame or approach it. In the European folk tale, one person ended up taming a unicorn then went on to win many wars and battles with the unicorn by her side.

Over time the view of unicorns has evolved greatly; they have gone from being fierce war horses to being pink horses with candy horns that love to prance through rainbow-covered mountain tops.

When talking about unicorns it is important that we all remember something: they don’t exists. Senior Sam Petterson said, “Unicorns are like dreams… they don’t exist [in the awake world].” I could have not said it any better. It is easy to get caught up in all of the unicorn’s hype, but it is always important that we remember that they are not real.

Now I am not saying that it wouldn’t be cool it they did, it’s just… they don’t. And if you do believe in them, good for you, but for the rest of us we all dream of a day when Shyanne Church illustration science will provide us with the capabilities to produce a unicorn for ourselves.

Chubby and adorable repsentations of a Unicorn.

Apocalypse 2012? Does that include Zomebies?

Should we all be plannning an escape from brain-eating zombies?

Hope Zima features editor

Since it is now 2012, many people are speculating about the apocalypse that is supposedly coming at the end of this year. And the natural companion to an apocalypse is, of course, the zombie. Zombies are created by a virus that is transmitted from one person to another, leaving the tattered shell of a person behind with one purpose— to eat the brains of the living. Naturally, zombies are to be feared, but many people have a combative spirit and wish to eradicate the threat. These people have already been planning for the zombie onslaught and are worth listening to—they could save your life!

One such person is junior Wesley LaVassaur. LaVassaur doesn’t believe that zombies will be planted on Earth by aliens, as some extremists believe. “I think that zombies will appear on Earth because modern warfare and other things are getting out of hand. People are experimenting with biological warfare and it’s going to get out of control,” LaVassaur speculated. Senior Barney Stenson agreed with LaVassaur.

Stenson said, “The disease that causes zombification will flourish in so many largely-populated cities.”

The threat that zombies will take over the Earth brings out the survivor in people, and as a result, many already have detailed Apocalypse Plans. Stenson’s plan is “to bunker up with my friends with lots of weapons—things that would kill silently so as not to draw a whole city of zombies towards us.” Stenson emphatically surmised, “We would just have to survive how ever we could.”

Senior Anthony Glavin shares Stenson’s fighting spirit, although his primary goal differs slightly, and said, “I would get my bike and necessary supplies and ride out into the country side to start a farm and safe commune.” LaVassaur offered general advise that was

Of all the 2011 pride and glory, here is a select list Americans may find to be really shameful people and events.

Ben Ely entertainment editor

Well, 2011 has come and gone, and along with it delusional celebrities (and the everyday people) that got bad publicity in the media. Each year always brings delusional celebrities, politicians, musicians, and TV stars, but last year brought more than usual.

Here are the top five dumbest people of 2011.

5.

Kim Kardashian and Kris Humphries: Marriage and Divorce.

Reality star Kim Kardashian and NBA player Kris Humphries married on August 20, 2011.

They stayed together for a whopping 72 days.

Kardashian filed for divorce on October 31, 2011 from Humphries, making it one of the shortest marriages ever. The engagement ring was 20.5 carats, and cost two million dollars. “It’s kind of sad that they couldn’t last for more than 72 days,” freshman Rachel Brungardt said. Believe it or not, the shortest marriage of Hollywood was in 1919. An actor named Rudolph Valentino, and Jean Acker, an American actress, were married for only six hours.

4. Mariah Yeater: Justin Bieber Baby Accusation Mariah Yeater accused pop singer Justin Bieber of being the father of her child, and said that they had a 30-second “affair” backstage after one of his performances. Obviously, she was lying, and her text messages proved it.

3. Herman Cain: The Rise and Fall of His Campaign Herman Cain is a politician who was hoping to run in the 2012 Presidential Election. He was accused by two women of inappropriate behavior toward them, and as a result, he had to drop out of the election. According to English teacher Mr. Washburn, Cain is delusional “because he quoted Pokémon for his farewell speech.” So that’s the best he could come up with -Pokémon!

2. Joe Paterno, Timothy Curley, and Jerry Sandusky: Trying to Cover Up a Pedophile Jerry Sandusky was a football coach at Penn State.

That is until it was made public that he sexually abused young boys in a locker room shower and other places.

He was eventually arrested and fired from being a coach. Joe Paterno was the head football coach at Penn State, and heard about what happened. He passed it on to Timothy Curley, the athletic director, who didn’t do anything about it; he didn’t call 911 at all. If Sandusky is convicted of the charges, then he will face life in prison. Way to go, gentlemen.

Chasity Barnes photo

Senior Chasity Barnes with theactrical make-up on.

a mash-up of both Glavin and Stenson’s plans, “Gather your friends, get as many supplies as you can and STAY PUT.” Good advice for all those who are unprepared for the possible onslaught of zombies. Be aware.

1. Harold Camping: The World Will End...Maybe…No, Never mind Harold Camping, a radio broadcaster for a Christian radio based in California called Family Radio, said that on May 21, 2011, Jesus Christ would return to Earth and take the righteous up to Heaven. The rest of the world would suffer five months of pain, torture, and plague. Millions of people would die every day, and then the world would end on October 21, 2011. Most people went to sleep that night and woke up the next morning, proving Camping wrong.

Kim Kardashian, Kris Humphries, Mariah Yeater, Herman Cain, Joe Paterno, Timothy Curley, Jerry Sandusky, Harold Camping, congratulations for making the list of the top five delusional people of 2011. Let’s hope 2012 heals your stupidity.