Talisman vol. 55 iss. 4 March 11, 2020

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TALISMAN a student-edited newspaper

Sheldon Car Culture page 7 Student Entrepreneur page 6 Sheldon High School

Unity at Sheldon page 10 vol. 55│iss. 4│March 11, 2020

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Opinion

March 11, 2020

the Talisman

Sextortion presentation pushback Posey Chiddix page editor

The infamous presentation in 4J middle and high schools in January that had attendees collectively yelling “PREDATOR” has recently been brought to the attention of the school board by concerned students. The presenter, Rich Wistocki, is a former detective and current nationwide speaker on topics such as cyberbullying and sextortion. He was brought into 4J schools to give a presentation on just that, but it ended up being sixty minutes of disregard for inclusivity and instead included fearbased, biased information. 4J School Board member Martina Shabram said, “There is a lot to be concerned about – the quotes that students have shared with us are evidence enough that Wistocki’s presentation did not meet our standards for inclusive and respectful material, but his response to the criticism has further demonstrated the deep problems with this ideology.” Students who attended school board meetings to call out the issues with 4J’s guest presenter policy agreed with Shabram, and it helps that quotes pulled from video recordings of his presentation are proof of how he violated Oregon Department of Education guidelines.

Reactions to Wistocki’s presentation varied, but the majority of students seemed to walk away laughing or feeling deeply uncomfortable. South Eugene student activists Lane Mikkelsen, Ilka Sankari, and Sam Nystrom-Costales were three of the students who took action after witnessing Wistocki’s inappropriate presentation and created a petition, which got over 200 signatures. After attending a 4J School Board meeting to voice their concerns, these students didn’t see plans being made for the remedial presentation or formal apology they had requested. Shabram said, “I do think it may be important to set some clearer standards about who counts as a valid expert guest, particularly in spaces like health and science.” While 4J does have a guest presenter policy in place, it appears that Wistocki wasn’t held to these standards or the district wasn’t aware that his presentation would violate ODE guidelines.

Some students took issue with this presentation because it was fear and shame based, LGBTQ+ exclusive, and abstinence-focused. Senior Ilka Sankari said, “We hope that bringing this presentation to people’s attention will prevent future guest presentations from being illegal and harmful, like this one was.” People were concerned about the content of Wistocki’s presentation, but few thought it

could be described as illegal. According to the Oregon Department of Education, guest presenter materials must be medically accurate, not fear or shame based, comprehensive, inclusive, and compliant with Oregon laws and educational standards. The content must not be abstinence-only and has to be vetted for inclusion around race, gender, and sexual orientation. Last year, Dove Medical presented in 4J classrooms and students raised similar concerns about the abstinence-only information they were receiving.

Mikkelsen and Sankari learned of Wistocki’s response to these concerns when KLCC reporter Elizabeth Gabriel interviewed Wistocki about the situation. While he didn’t contact the students directly, what he did say to KLCC was concerning. He stated that the students were being too “sensitive” and that he didn’t care if his presentation wasn’t inclusive of the LGBTQ+ community. The KLCC article titled “High Schoolers Petition for Comprehensive Sex Ed Training from Eugene 4J. Again,” stated, “ODE rules also state guest speakers need to be researched, vetted, and have all of their research materials approved.” At every school at which he presented in Eugene, it was clear that Wistocki’s presentation disregarded ODE guidelines, which means that the 4J school board is at least partly to blame. This isn’t the first time that the district has invited a guest presenter into schools who didn’t comply with state guidelines, but hopefully it will be the last because of the work of student activists like these. presenter materials must be medically accurate, not fear or shame based, comprehensive, inclusive, and compliant with Oregon laws and educational standards. The content must not be abstinence-only and has to be vetted for inclusion around race, gender, and sexual orientation. Last year, Dove Medical presented in 4J classrooms and students raised similar concerns about the abstinence-only information they were receiving.

Mikkelsen and Sankari learned of Wistocki’s response to these concerns when KLCC reporter Elizabeth Gabriel interviewed Wistocki about the situation. While he didn’t contact the students directly, what he did say to KLCC was concerning. He stated that the students were being too “sensitive” and that he didn’t care if his presentation wasn’t inclusive of the LGBTQ+ community. The KLCC article titled “High Schoolers Petition for Comprehensive Sex Ed Training from Eugene 4J. Again,” stated, “ODE rules also state guest speakers need to be researched, vetted, and have all of their research materials approved.” At every school at which he presented in Eugene, it was clear that Wistocki’s presentation disregarded ODE guidelines, which means that the 4J school board is at least partly to blame. This isn’t the first time that the district has invited a guest presenter into schools who didn’t comply with state guidelines, but hopefully it will be the last because of the work of student activists like these.

Photo courtesy of Ilka Sankari (left to right) South Eugene seniors Lane Mikkelsen, Sam Nystrom-Costales, Ilka Sankari at the ed center to speak before the school board.

Extracurricular Activities

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March 11, 2020

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Sheldon’s wrestling team finds success Brandon Thayer staff writer

At Sheldon High School, there is a lot of hype around the several sports teams. Yet, one of those tends to go unnoticed; the wrestling team. This year the wrestling team is sending four wrestlers to the state tournament, and they deserve some recognition. “Our current team is loaded with potential,” comments Head Wrestling Coach Dave Sterner. “We had a very young team this year. I’m excited to help develop their skill sets.” This season the team has performed well, and placed fourth at the district tournament, making Sheldon a great option for new wrestlers, but the first time you step out on a wrestling mat to compete, it can be terrifying.

“Being a wrestler is an exhilarating experience,” said Coach Sterner; “When that whistle blows it is just you and your opponent. There is no one that can help you. If you succeed, you have yourself to congratulate. If you fail, you have yourself to blame.” And that’s what makes it such a unique sport. Wrestlers train hard five days a week with practices 4-6 p.m. Monday through Friday with all day tournaments on Saturdays. In practice, wrestlers work on wrestling techniques, such as new moves, wrestle practice matches with their partners to simulate a real match, and work on physical conditioning in order to last longer

Senior Brad Harward wrestling a competitor.

Photo by Brandon Thayer

in the match without getting tired giving them a significant competitive edge.

Varsity wrestler Brad Harward has enjoyed his last year. Attending the state tournament and having a season record of 24-15, he’s had a great season. “Wrestling is more than a physical sport, it’s a mental game too” said Harward; “If you can get into your opponent’s head and break their will, you are sure to win the match.” The sport is unique in that although you’re on a wrestling team, each match is won individually. Each match is six minutes in length, divided into three, two minute periods. In this time, if you can pin your opponent on their back, you win no matter the score, otherwise at the end of the three periods, highest score wins. Harward enjoys the sport because, “Wrestling is the only sport that you could be losing badly the entire match and still win in the end. And that’s what truly makes it the best sport.”

Sheldon yearbook records school life Kendall Smith page editor Oftentimes when people think of high school they are reminded of all the memories they made and one way those memories can be documented is in yearbooks. Sheldon High School’s yearbook is made during a fifth period class. Junior Samantha Vinti said, “The class is a yearlong process up through May to include everything that happens, classes and activities, at Sheldon.” The yearbook usually has 200 pages which include things such as senior quotes and photos of clubs and sports at school. Another aspect of the yearbook is senior quotes. This year the yearbook staff sent out a paper survey asking for senior quotes and they also said that students could email the yearbook email with their quotes instead.

Henry D. Sheldon High School first opened for the 19631964 school year, which means that there have been numerous yearbooks. Over time the technology has developed, meaning that the yearbooks have become more professional. For example, the 2017-2018 yearbook cover was green foil paper and had a cut-out clover. This is a relatively complicated design and wouldn’t have been possible when Sheldon first started creating yearbooks. Sophomore Beatrice Walton said, “I thought it was well put together and fun to look at.”

Even though over time the yearbooks have gotten better, there is still room for improvement. Sophomore Audrey Bivens said, “I liked last year’s yearbook, but there were a lot of typos.”

Sometimes small mistakes aren’t caught and they end up being in the final yearbook, but most of the time the people who buy the yearbook don’t notice the errors. The yearbook class can vary from a few people to a bigger group, meaning sometimes people

Photo courtesy Samantha Vinti (L to R: Junior Samantha Vinti, senior Rylee Vanentine, and junior Chloe Kriz work on the yearbook. can end up having a few different tasks or jobs.

This means that a person may have to go quickly and not have as much time to be thorough, causing

more mistakes. The yearbook is something people keep for years and cherish that is why the Sheldon yearbook is so important.

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Societal Standards

Beauty standards Helen Creswell page editor

The snap of a camera, the cheering from the audience, that’s the life of a model. However, not everyone is a model. Most people follow beauty standards, as if it is the definition of beauty. Most people want to be “beautiful,” usually looking at a model is the goal. This can be achieved by dieting, expensive skin care, and even cosmetic surgery. Is this really necessary? Do you have to be “beautiful,” and go to such lengths to be so?

Many students experience insecurities. It’s a normal part of growing up. However, people tend to be super critical of themselves, and that’s where it starts to become an issue. Freshman Olivia Lyons experiences a lot of insecurities: “I’m not a big fan of my hair, and I feel self-conscious about a lot of different things.” Why should anyone be self-conscious of themselves, especially things you cannot change easily, like face structure or eye color? Shouldn’t we love ourselves how we are, rather than change it to fit some mold?

Maybe there’s another reason behind this.

According to freshman Chaz Mills, it’s more jealousy than anything else. “I’ve compared myself to other people’s appearances.

I’ve felt jealous of others’ looks before.” The idea that no one really enforces these ideas other than ourselves shows we have some power over our own thoughts. Instead of picking out every flaw, embrace them. Accept your body the way it is, rather than the way it’s not. Sometimes you are your only critic.

What is the purpose of being beautiful? Why would you need to be beautiful? Many say for love, or for confidence, but it doesn’t make sense. Can’t you find love with the way that you look naturally?

Can’t you have confidence in the way you already look? Who needs makeup and expensive clothes and skincare when we have ourselves, raw and amazing? Maybe we just want to find an excuse to be “beautiful.”

But there is a different type of beauty in the world. “There is behavioral beauty, and I think behavioral beauty is more important,” said science teacher Cory Fields; “Behavioral beauty is someone who is nice to be around.” Your physical appearance doesn’t matter as much as your character. If you are sweet, kind, and an overall good person to be around, then what is the importance of being pretty? Love your body for what it is. The only beauty that matters is the one within.

Illustration by Helen Creswell

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Local Activism

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March 11, 2020

Students press gun ctrl+alt+delete Sofia El-Shammaa page editor Today, from the time you woke up to the time you’ll go to sleep, seven children and teens will die of gun-related causes in the United States. This is more than anywhere else in the world. Many activists, most of them teenagers, have said enough is enough. Anti-gun violence clubs have sprouted up in many schools, including our own. Early this trimester, Students Against Gun Violence (or SAGV), was created.

Founding member and freshman Stella Hergenreter said the purpose of the club is, “to gain awareness about the issue of gun violence and protest, inform and debate what we should do about it.” The club also raises money for organizations such as the National Compassion Fund, which gives money directly to mass shootings victims and their families. “Nowhere else has as many mass shootings as we do here. We have a huge problem with it,” said Hergenreter, explaining why she believes gun control is necessary. The SAGV meets on Mondays in B24.

And she’s right. In 2016, there were more mass shootings (defined as 4+

people killed, not including the shooter) than days in the year. But mass shootings aren’t the only problem. In the first 200 days of 2017, 394 children under twelve were shot, according to the Gun Violence Archive. But that’s excluding suicides, which accounts for 61% of all

shooting deaths in the United States.

Activists like Hergenreter aren’t the only ones dissatisfied with America’s gun laws. Students and adults alike are malcontent. “There needs to be action,” said sophomore Anna Pierce; “My mom was a cop, so she does have experience in

Illustration by Sofia El-Shammmaa

Veronca Dutton (left) and Sofia El-Shammaa represent the SAGV at the Unity Assemby Photo by Kendall Smith

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this, and I agree with her that people need training, more background checks. It’s also less about the gun than who holds it.” According to an October 2019 Gallup poll (which surveys American adults), 64% of Americans said they wanted stricter gun laws. Another found that 48% thought easy access to guns contributed a great deal to mass shootings, and 21% said a fair amount. 92% said they favored requiring background checks for all gun sales.

Some people say they would prefer even stricter gun laws.

Freshman Madison Stephenson explained her ideal gun control laws, “You should have a permit to have a gun. I personally don’t believe in hunting, I don’t believe in a lot of violence… the only reason would be safety, like at home.

[Potential gun owners] would need a background check.” Stephenson reasoned, “I feel like when you give someone a gun, you’re giving them a lot of power, which some people can’t control… America doesn’t need that; no country needs that.”

That is a fear that plenty of Americans have, which have grown from atrocities committed by those who, like Stephenson said, cannot control the power given to them by gun ownership. We all know the tales of Columbine, Parkland, and Pulse, to name just a mere few. And according to 69% of American adults, one of the only ways to stop this seemingly endless string of horrors is background checks and other forms of gun control. As freshman and SAGV founding member Veronica Dutton said during the Unity Assembly, “We need to come together, not only as a community, but as a country, to end this epidemic.”

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March 11, 2020

Student Entrepreneur

Jack Outfitters Meghan McMahan page editor

Junior Jackson Feist is an entrepreneur who started his own business, Jack Outfitters, on Janurary sixth. It’s a clothing brand that currently sells shirts, sweatshirts, bucket hats, and hoodies. There are many designs with various colors, all including the brand name Jack Outfitters on it. Not only is the apparel stylish, but they’re pretty cheap as well. Sheldon students have already bought Jack Outfitter’s products and they wear them around school. “I see [my business] hopefully getting a lot bigger and expanding to more than just my friends,” said Feist. He is hoping to grow his business as he gets older and he is already starting the business off on the right foot.

Senior Michael Lancaster was Feist’s first customer, and now he is one of Feist’s biggest supporters. The other is junior Serena Strode; she bought merchandise for not only herself, but her whole family.

Junior Ashlyn Heusch is a proud customer of Jack Outfitters. She and Owen Mau (junior) have already ordered sweatshirts and have worn them around school. Heusch reported that the clothes look even better in person and the quality is amazing. She has recommended the brand to her friends and teammates. “Other people should order from Jack Outfitters because the clothes are very comfortable and soft, the service is great, and they can support a young business owner,” said Heusch.

Being a student and an entrepreneur can be difficult at times. Not only is Feist a hard working student and a business owner, but he also participates in tennis, track and field, cross country, and NHS (National Honor Society). “I have to make designs, control the website, create and spread ads.

It’s not too consuming at the moment” said Feist. He has big future plans for his business. He started the business by having an idea over winter break. Feist hopes he can continue Jack Outfitters through his adult life. He did not want his career to be a boring nine to five job. Thus, he has started something that he really enjoys.

Products that Feist plans to design and sell in the future are “lanyards, a wider range of jackets, sweatpants, and wind breakers.”

Photos from the Jack Outfitters website Photo Courtesy of Meghan McMahan

jackoutfitters.com

Photo of Juniors Owen Mau and Ashlyn Heusch wearing their Jack Outfitters merch Photo by Jackson Feist

Car Culture

March 11, 2020

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A passion for cars Jasmyn Jensen editor-in-chief Here at Sheldon the car culture is very small. Many people are unsure what car culture is. According to www.urbandictionary.com car culture is defined as: “The obsession of teens, or adults, with cars.” People who are not a part of this culture can still recognize what cars are when they hear them revving in the parking lot.

Some find it annoying, but the people who are a part of this culture truly enjoy it.

The best way to show off what you have is to rev your engine. The louder the car, the cooler it is.

Senior Noah Natt drives a 2006 BMW M3 Competition and has had it for about five to six months. Natt said, “Car culture at Sheldon is very small, just a couple of people. Lots of us try to get more people involved with the culture because it’s what we live for.” People who are into cars have a passion for what they do and what they own. Other students don’t understand that and thus find it annoying.

Outside of Sheldon the culture is huge and there are so many people with the same interests and passions, so most times people will find themselves in car groups and going to car meets, Natt said, “I do attend car meets because it’s great to meet and chat with people who share your same love and passion. You also get to see the work others have put into their cars.”

Senior Taylor Pickering, who drives a 2004 Lexus IS300, agrees with Natt and said, “I like meets because I get to meet new people with the same interests as me but have different ways of showing it.” Outside of the cars at Sheldon there are many different car groups to be a part of. Some include: AKD (Always Keep Driving), Misfits Car Club, Valley Motor Sports, and E64ers. Previous Sheldon students are now a part of the larger car culture outside of school. Yet it was really this year that more students began showing interest in nicer and faster cars.

There’s many reasons people are into cars. Pickering said, “I’ve always been intrigued by all the moving parts they have and how they look.” This is why many people who have interest in cars make so many modifications to make the car look, run, and sound how they want. Pickering plans on making changes to his car which include: turbo charging it, rebuilding the engine, new paint job, new wheels, and replacing the interior.

Whereas senior McKay Watkins, who drives an Infiniti g35 Coupe, already enjoys how his car looks, sounds, and runs. Watkins said, “It’s fun and practical enough.” Similar to Pickering, Natt would like to make some modifications but the common problem people run into is the high cost of the parts they want.

Photo Courtesy of McKay Watkins

Photo Courtesy of Taylor Pickering Left: Senior Taylor Pickering’s 2004 Lexus IS300, Right: Senior Noah Natt’s 2006 BMW M3 Competition Senior Taylor Pickering’s 2004 Lexus IS300, Top: Senior McKay Watkins’ 2005 Infiniti G35

Photo Courtesy of Noah Natt

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Past and Present

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History of the coffee cart Caiden Sanchez-Stream staff writer Did you know that the coffee cart was first opened in 2012 near the front office? The coffee cart moved to the cafeteria this year because they wanted to repurpose a space that used to have a food place but was shut down for a few years. When they finished moving they tried to come up with different names for the coffee cart and Ms. McChesney gave the idea to call it Henry D’s because there was a business there that closed before the coffee cart moved.

Some facts about the coffee cart is that the coffee cart was started by Ms. Merfeld, Mr. Phillipo, and Ms. Zink who worked in the business department. The coffee cart was started to give students work experience. The coffee cart is, according to Business and Technology teacher Les Phillipo, “A job that a lot of students would like to learn as a starter job and learn basic customer skills, want and need for coffee and other products.”

One of the busiest times for the coffee cart is in between second and third period. So the best time to go to the coffee cart is during class if your teacher allows you to go. Students like a variety of things. According to Phillipo, “Lemonade and cup noodle are most popular, because they are inexpensive.”

Cup noodles is a favorite choice of students. Senior Harley Sowers said students like “cup noodles because

it’s cheap and is filling.”

Phillipo wants students who will take the class seriously.

According to Phillipo, “[I want] students to have taken a business class that earn high grades and are trust worthy with no [need for] supervision at times.” Senior Simon Edwards said, “I don’t like standing the whole time and having nothing to do.”

Senior Kenady Leighton has been working at the coffee cart for three years. The reason she started is that, “When I was a sophomore Phillipo wanted me to start working at the coffee cart and I [have] enjoyed it so I continued to work there.” Although she enjoys working there, Leighton said, “I wish more people came to the coffee cart.”

There might be a lot of places to buy coffee but the coffee cart is a good alternative because as Leighton said, “It’s cheaper and is fun to have class mates make your order.”

Every time you go to the coffee cart what do you see?

It wouldn’t look that way if the employees weren’t there.

Sowers said, “In the morning we come in and check if the dishes are cleaned, then grind the coffee, and then we take care of the teachers’ orders.” Check out the coffee cart sometime.

New TVs in school hallways inspire reactions Jesse Bishop page editor

Photo by Jesse Bishop

Seniors Kenady Leighton and Jaden Doolittle working the Henry D’s coffee cart

As technology progresses in society and school staff changes, new ideas are brought to the table and Sheldon moves in a different direction. Athletic director Heather Stein said, “The purpose of the televisions are to communicate to students.” Talking to everyone in one high school can be a very daunting task, and stressful. Many students are unsure what the TVs are going to be used for in the future when all of them are put up and are all running. Sheldon has yet to explain to students where the idea came from but other schools in the area have done this same thing in the past.

School is something that is necessary for children to succeed and do well in society, but unfortunately, sometimes communication isn’t as strong among students and administration.

Junior Marina Hendricks said, “I always get confused by schedule changes since I have a free period.”

The TVs will be a great way to communicate better with everyone and information can flow more

freely. Investing in a new idea can work very well on Sheldon students and for everyone involved in the community of Sheldon High School.

Some students see the TVs as a helpful resource for students and some don’t choose to interact with them.

The recently installed TVs have been put up to ensure our students remain informed about important upcoming news in the community of Sheldon and we are all adjusting to them.

They have been placed in multiple convenient locations throughout the school. Junior Miles Shaw said, “I don’t see myself focusing on them [TVs.]” TVs can also be used for student/staff recognition and they have been used for that too.

Future Planning

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March 11, 2020

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Pathways programs create opportunities Carsten Konyn page editor Sheldon High School has a number of CTE programs. A CTE program is a series of courses in a specific area of study that will get you extra college credit once you complete it. Mr. Hawke, who will teach a CTE, describes the programs as “ways for students to take a series of courses towards an educational goal.” When you decide to do a CTE program, you can choose to either complete a program of study, or you can do a pathways. A program of study in a CTE consists of four classes, (totaling two credits,) while a pathways consists of six classes, (totaling three credits) and gets you more college credit[CONFIRM] and experience in your area of study.

There are many reasons why a student may want to complete a program of study or a pathways.

CTE programs are very helpful for students who are trying to gain knowledge in areas in which they are interested in studying in college, according to Principal Mike Ingman, “Any program of study is either articulated or aligned with a college.” When you are taking a CTE program, you are allowed to stack the classes in your CTE program, which allows you to delay taking required courses such as math or literature, although in order to graduate you must eventually take those classes, as they are graduation requirements set by the state of Oregon. Also, Sheldon High School gets more funding when students take CTE programs, which is always nice.

Sheldon has recently started an initiative to combine its many CTE programs into fewer, more robust CTE programs. The people involved in the reorganization of the CTE programs believed that the number of different programs made each program too specific and not broad enough.

The CTE programs that will be available next year are: Business, Computer Science, Graphic Design, and Drafting.

Students at Sheldon currently don’t really know about the CTE programs are. Principal Mike Ingman wants to increase awareness of the CTE programs because of this.

Photo by Kendall Smith

Popular jobs for students Liv Randall page editor Going into high school people start to realize the jobs they want and will value as they grow to be adults. Having a job can help you with work commitment, balancing activities, and ultimately help you learn to save money before you graduate. Popular jobs in our area are the Sheldon Pool and Fitness Center, Dairy Queen, and Dutch Bros. These jobs are convenient for people who may have after school activities and needing a job close to school and home. Freshman Skai Jenkins said, “I think it would be hard fitting in a work schedule with my swim practice at the pool.” Jenkins also said he would be interested in working at Dutch Bros, since it’s close to the pool and close to school. Learning to give up things you may do on your free time and doing homework in shorter periods of time, could be a hard task for some students to undertake.

With these struggles comes rewards with learning social skills, meeting new people and starting early with knowing how a job environment works.

There is an abundance of people who have started to work at Sheldon Pool and Fitness Center. This could be due to the location and flexible scheduling. Individuals can choose to teach lessons, get their lifeguard certification in certain times of the year and become a lifeguard, or a little bit of both. Junior Shawn Haniuk said, “I enjoy working at the pool very much. It has helped me build my social skills and I have made many friends over the past year of working there.” This job is beneficial because alongside applying for Sheldon Pool you can choose to work at Amazon Pool as well. The pool has a welcoming

atmosphere and is a great job for anyone interested.

When having a job it’s important to have a good understanding about money. It is a valuable tool used a lot in one’s life. This is important because everyone wants to be on track with where their money is going when they are older. At this age there may not be as many things that money needs to go towards besides the things you desire. Learning about taxes and different focus points of where your money is going to go when you are older can help you have a good amount of free

spending money for yourself. Senior Jonah White said, “Saving money is a good skill to learn in high school for a number of reasons – when you first move out of your house chances are you won’t be making six figures, so it’s great practice to learn how to save money ahead of time, especially with how easy it is to be irresponsible with your money.” He has worked at Dairy Queen for two years now. White also said, “It’s also helpful to learn how to save money in high school because most public schools won’t teach you, and you have to learn on your own.

It’s best to learn while you’re still in the safety of your family’s home, rather than on your own with no prior experience.”

When searching for a job, be sure to try and pick something that interests you a little bit and be persistent when applying. It is rare you will be accepted into the first job you applied for and you may have to apply to the same job multiple times over a span of time if you so desire that certain job. Although a job may be hard to balance with other activities in life, in can help you in all aspects of life.

Photo by Liv Randall

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March 11, 2020

Unity

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Discrimination and the steps to end it Will Montero staff writer

The human race is a race that has to share in this vast planet named earth, yet problems with others still rise.

The problem that is the matter is racism. Racism is what is pulling us as the people apart. For many years this has been brought up over and over. However, we continue to see and suffer from this type of discrimination. How many more people will be negatively impacted because of this? This brings up questions with an endless amount of answers and possibilities, questions that can only be answered with time, and changes to come.

Fortunately, there have been many changes from activists that helped shape this country including Martin Luther King, Jr., Rosa Parks, Cesar Chavez, and many more. Students with diverse racial backgrounds have been given opportunities that others did not have in the past. However, there is still some discrimination present between students of color and the ethnic majority. In schools around the country, some students have been affected by these discriminatory comments, while some have been treated equally and fairly. Junior Christopher Soetan said, “I wouldn’t be surprised if there is racism at our school, but personally I haven’t received any racism.” With that said, how can other schools around this country help to stop racist comments? What is making racism to still be prominent in the present?

Moving forward, there is a discussion point with people of color and officers of the law. These types of events have mostly involved people with black origins.

These occurrences between officers and people of African origin have occurred time and time again. News stories have shown police officers shooting down black teenagers with seemingly no purpose. The very purpose most of the time comes down to the fact of the police officer racially profiling the victim. Sophomore Sham Afrom said, “Depending on what place it is, and the event. In some places, it will happen.” A recent case that has come up is the murder of Antwon Rose. He was killed by a police officer. When the police officer came forward to the stand in front of the judge, he said that he had thought the teenager was holding a gun. However, he was not. This same excuse has been said multiple different times from other officers who had racially profiled people and shot them. So should we continue to believe these types of responses, or see what we can do to stop this type of behavior from officers to keep on reoccurring? Some officers do behave like they are supposed to; they behave respectively, pridefully, and justly. These are the behaviors that all officers need to show in our country.

Recently on February 27, 2020 at the Unity Assembly, multiple different students with different racial backgrounds spoke up for themselves and others. They

got the opportunity to speak up about racism.

They expressed their voices, shared opinions with actions about discrimination at our school.

The Black Student Union (BSU) presented a presentation, with a meaningful message to everyone listening, sharing stories about cases in which teenagers have been murdered, as discussed before. As well as various examples in which racist comments have lead students to end their lives. Showing us the effects of racism on people in our country.

Further along, the Latin X student union brought forth a message of their own. Presenting this was senior Eden Lopez, who expressed his message to others in the arrangement of a poem.

Within the poem, he shared the struggle many Immigrant Hispanics have to deal with, and the weight they carry with them. Showing how hard it is to deal with a rough job of labor intensity, and caring for your family, just so your kids can have the best opportunities to succeed. In addition to the hard labor, when times are rough and your family needs food, and you need to pay bills, you ask for more work just so you can stay together. This poem shows how hard it is for immigrants to support their families, and how they do it just so their kids can live a better life, and don’t have to deal with the struggle they used to. Both of these presentations show experiences, and moments many people of racial backgrounds have and are dealing with,t and how many of us are clueless about what is going on.

With all said and done, there is still one question that still is unanswered, and most likely won’t be answered: What can we do to prevent racism at our school? Many attempts have been made, however, every time adults try to counteract discriminatory comments, plenty of students choose to ignore, and continue to behave inequitably. By saying racial slurs, making stereotypical comments, and much more just because they feel like they can and nothing will occur to them. This is such a common occurrence. Junior Asia Walton said: “I don’t know what we can do, because people will say whatever they want.” The other races that are saying these comments don’t know how hard it was back then, they don’t know what people experienced. Back then, other races had suffered, were treated unequally, and discriminated against because of the color of their skin, and this was unfair, and it still is. We need to stop discrimination for multiple reasons, but most importantly because after each day ends we are still humans, we all have emotions, and together we are the human race.

Photo by Kendall Smith Sophomore Malaya Kiner at the unity assembly.

Photo by Kendall Smith Junior Lakiyah Fitts at the unity assembly.

School Programs

the Talisman

March 11, 2020

11

Fuel Ed online classes provide alternatives Christian Broeker editor Fuel Ed is an amazing online program that allows anyone who wants to learn in a new and alternative way to have the freedom and pace that they want or need. This program helps students who are in need of a change in their education style, and Fuel Ed can give them just what they need.

Fuel Ed, which is monitored by Mike Washburn and Jacquelyn Morrow, is a relatively new program that has those who know about it raving to get more classes through Fuel Ed. Sadly, the maximum amount of classes that you are allowed to take through Fuel Ed is one per trimester. But even though you can only take one class per trimester the upside is that you can (if you work fast enough) finish a whole class in up to as fast as three weeks! Therefore, if you finish a class in three weeks at that pace, you can get up to three full trimester classes done in one trimester, which is extremely convenient if you are trying to get credits fast.

When asked whether or not he felt like he was succeeding or not, sophomore Nick Glover responded, “I think at the expense of not being in a normal classroom environment which can sometimes be helpful because you have physical people and teachers next to you to ask questions etc. it works amazing for me and I feel like I have been succeeding a lot ever since I started doing Fuel Ed classes.” That being said it seems like the class can bring some extremely positive aspects to your education, but is that true with everyone?

Fuel Ed, while being a great opportunity for some, might be a bad idea for others.

Mike Washburn stated, “Motivation is a big thing that people must have in order to do well in Fuel Ed, you are going to have to put in more effort than usual, but if you are good in those two areas then you will do just fine.” To put the amount of effort that you will need to put in to scale, when you enroll in Fuel Ed you are tasked with setting your own pace, making sure you get assignments done, and making sure you are understanding the criteria.

Lastly, you have to make sure that you get the class done by the assigned date. If you fail to finish a class before the deadline no matter if you have one assignment or 20 assignments left, you will not be given any credits at all which can affect your GPA. With so many tasks that you would have to complete alone, the pressure can be very hard on a person, and sometimes it’s easier for people to just enroll in a normal physical class. When asked how he feels about Fuel Ed’s teaching style Sophomore Skyler Hart said, “It all feels very rushed, and I can never get ahold of my teacher.” That goes to show that in-person education can be easier for some.

Moving on to a more positive aspect of Fuel Ed, there is a vast amount of diverse, fun classes that Fuel Ed provides. Morrow

stated, “If you can think of it, Fuel Ed will most likely have it. We have classes stemming from our astronomy class (which is a Fuel Ed favorite) to psychology to criminology and so on and so forth.” With that in mind you can imagine how much fun you could have with a class.

In conclusion, Fuel Ed, being the powerhouse of learning it is, should be given a chance by everyone who wants to get out of the formal classroom environment. The amount of pros that Fuel Ed has versus cons is huge, and all Sheldon students who are looking for an online class should take advantage of that.

photo by Carsten Konyn

Students diligently working in a Fuel Ed class.

Peer Buddies program helps students out Rhailyah Drake staff writer The Peer Buddy Program is a program that anyone can get into. According to program coordinator Mrs. Baumgardner, it’s optional to volunteer for the program which helps TEN students do their homework and to get a lot of individual help with school. According to Baumgardner, “It’s a lot of fun and you get to make new friends. There are no requirements, but you must be dependable and attend at least once a week.” Students only have specific tasks when they are required to do something. There is no age requirement. One just has to have an interest in working and hanging out with students in the TEN Program. Mrs. Baumgardner stated that if you want to join then you can sign up in the A10 office, “Just leave your contact information and check your email regularly.” The program usually takes place right after school. People check in at the A10 office then sign in when they get there and sign out when they leave. Ten students are able to also play games as long as they are done with their homework.

TEN Program Educational Assistant Mrs. Dellinger

said, “It is not difficult to get in. Ask for an application in the A10 office.” One can meet a lot of people and get a lot of help on homework. Anyone can sign up in the TEN Program office. Dellinger said, “The requirements to sign up are to have availability in your schedule and have an interest in working with the TEN Program students.”

Just like in any program, one can make new friends. It’s important to be respectful of others. This program helps TEN students find Sheldon students to talk about their interests with and get to know each other.

Dellinger said, “The program is a fun way to help fellow students participate in Sheldon activities and meet new people.” All Sheldon students are encouraged to come to A10 to find out more about the program and sign up.

photo by Katherine Baumgardner

Rosie Bradshaw with buddy Daphne Malpass posing together for Unity.

Run by students, for students.

Frontpage Editor Meghan McMahan Opinion pg.2 Editor Christian Broeker Extracurriculars pg. 3 Editor Helen Creswell Societal Standards pg. 4 Editor Posey Chiddix Local Activism pg. 5 Editor Sofia El-Shammaa Student Entrepreneur & Car Culture pg.6-7 Editors Meghan McMahan & Jasmyn Jensen Past and Present pg.8 Editor Liv Randall Future Planning pg.9 Editor Kendall Smith

Unity pg.10 Editor Jesse Bishop School Programs pg.11 Editor Carsten Konyn Backpage Editor & Editor-in-Chief Jasmyn Jensen Social Media Editor Meghan McMahan Staff Adviser Greg Cantwell

Staff Writers Nia Collins Rhailyah Drake

Cayse Hendricks Cayleb Marsh William Montero Ramirez Caiden Sanchez-Stream Brandon Thayer

cover photo by McKay Watkins- from left to right: senior Mckay Watkin’s Infiniti g35 coupe, senior Jackson Lewis’ Volvo s60, senior Taylor Pickering’s Lexus is300, and senior Sam Johnson’s Infiniti g35 coupe backpage photo by Will Montero

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