Prom is right around the corner, and the talk of the season is prom court. Prom court is a schoolwide voting process in which students nominate who they believe deserve the title of prom king and queen. In recent years, Sheldon had banned this from happening because it had been deemed as controversial. This year, a full vote was taken in ASB and it was decided to pursue hopefully getting prom court in full swing, minus the controversies.
Many students would agree that the terms ‘prom king’ and ‘prom queen’ are severely outdated, and that it amplifies gender stereotypes. Senior Skai Jenkins said, “I 100% think there could be backlash because for the terms king and queen there is no in-between, and if there are non binary kids it’s unfair to them.” Sheldon recently has been persuaded to push for inclusivity, having made advancements to make students feel more comfortable and accepted.
A large controversy that prom court is at risk for, is that it could easily turn into a popularity contest.
Senior Brooke Tucker said, “I do believe it could become controversial because I experienced that first hand when planning prom last year. Many feel there should not be a king and queen because that isn’t inclusive, and that it becomes a popularity contest.” Things will be done differently than normal this year, though. Tucker said, “Students will be nominated instead of campaigning.”
Regardless of where students stand on their opinions on prom court, it’s still a significant event for many. Though spending time with friends with loud music blasting isn’t everybody’s cup of tea, senior Zachary Bernard said, “Prom is going to be a formal, fun, awesome, wild and lit crazy movie.” Bernard would happily participate in all of the prom festivities, including running for prom king. “I would run to see what happens, but I don’t find it to be a big deal,” said Bernard. With confidence that the planning of prom all goes smoothly, it should be an exciting night for everybody.
Brady Rust page editor
As College Decision Day approaches, Sheldon seniors are preparing for their life after high school by submitting applications and applying for scholarships. College Decision Day officially takes place on May 1, and is the last day students have to declare which college they will be attending. Early decision results have already come back, but standard applications will arrive mid to late March. The stress of waiting to find out the setting of the next portion of seniors’ lives can be overwhelming to many, as well as having no idea whether one will be accepted into the schools they applied to.
The pressure to go to college directly after high school influences many people when thinking about their future, even if they aren’t interested in pursuing a career through college. Senior Ally Wells plans to attend a university this fall, but encourages others to pursue whatever path suits them best, “It is not the most important thing after one graduates because sometimes taking a year off to figure out what you want to do is important if you aren’t sure what direction you want to go in.” In recent years, many profitable opportunities have risen to prominence that don’t require a college degree. This increase in opportunities has lowered the social pressure to obtain a degree, but many still feel pressured to do so. Along with the decline in pressure to go to college, many colleges aren’t requiring students to submit
test scores such as the SAT and ACT. Senior Grace Temple took the SATs but did not submit her score. She explained, “I took the SAT but didn’t submit my score because an admissions counselor at a university I was looking at told me that with my 4.0 GPA, unless I got an extremely high score on the SAT (like a 1500), I shouldn’t submit it. I submitted my IB scores from junior year, though.” This decline in national test-based student ranking creates a more equal opportunity for students, and shifts the focus off of student test scores and more onto the student individually.
In regards to Sheldon’s college preparation process, many students feel that the school could do better. Sheldon does provide resources and guidance for college applicants, but a substantial amount of students struggle with their applications and miss out on opportunities or deadlines. Senior Anneliese Lewis said, “I feel like Sheldon has done a decent job at preparing students for college, but they need to start pushing actual deadlines and maybe being a little less laid back.” Lewis recognizes and appreciates the work Sheldon does for its graduating seniors, but also recognizes where the school could grow in its effort to help students apply to college. This period of applying to colleges and waiting for acceptance letters has given seniors a time to reflect on their application process, and decide whether college is the right path for them.
Spring break is upon us, and the buzz is undeniable. We always ask our friends what their plans will be without a second thought, but there is a whole group of people that we forget about: teachers. The mystery of what teachers do during spring break is something unknown to many people. Spanish teacher Lisa Albrich is well-known for taking her students on very cool trips: “Typically, every other year, I take a group of students to Europe. This is our off year, but last year we went to London, Paris, and Madrid.” When she visits a new place, Albrich likes to go out and explore.
Whether he’s going somewhere new or revisiting a certain location, good times always follow
English teacher Andrew Cabrera: “I’ve been to Joshua Tree twice before and I always have a
good time when I go.” When he’s visiting somewhere for spring break, he rarely stays in. “I like to go hiking, swimming, climbing, and overall adventuring. I like to see it all,” said Cabrera. Overall, he is a very active person and wants to see as much as he can when he’s on vacation.
While going out of town is a treat, staying home is sometimes the way to go. English teacher Kate Tierney is a big fan of using the time of break to sit back, relax, and recharge. “My favorite part of spring break is definitely sleeping in. I love the freedom of being able to do whatever I need to do.” Not only is Tierney planning on chilling during the break, she is also planning to take her daughter to the Enchanted Forest. The variety of activities that teachers complete during spring break are endless and strike up great conversation. So next time you see your favorite teacher, ask them, “What did you do for spring break?”
graphic by Sofia KokkinoSpring break is coming up and there are various things to do. Junior Damon Uribe plans on spending spring break with his friends. Something he’s looking forward to most is hanging out with friends because “they all have a great time together.” Uribe plans on working on his friend’s song throughout spring break. A normal day off for Uribe is pretty chill, he usually just works on school assignments and watches T.V. He is excited for spring to start and winter to end because the weather will be nicer. Outside activities Uribe is looking forward to are playing basketball
and going on walks.
Junior Kaden Jacobson is excited about the spring term to start because of new classes. Jacobson’s favorite part of spring break is hanging out with friends and getting a break from school. A last-minute winter activity Jacobson plans on doing is skiing before it gets too hot. Some family that’s coming to visit for spring break includes Jacobson’s brother who is “just getting black from a trip to South America.” A new activity Jacobson plans on doing that he hasn’t done before is spending more time outside at his new house.
Junior Owen Cramer is taking a trip to Chicago to hang
Bella Reniff staff writer
For some, spring sports like tennis, golf, and lacrosse are enjoyable and fun. Junior Cooper Benson said he “is most excited to play golf with new teammates and excited to see the coaches again.” Benson is most nervous about getting on varsity because there are really good players who are younger and going to be tough to beat. Other than being on varsity, Benson’s other goal is to lower his handicap. Golf can be a really hard sport to learn for some, but Benson said, “I have been playing golf for about two years now and my whole family has as well. We have been playing together and it has brought us closer.” Benson also mentioned golf is the only sport he wants to do but he is not sure if he is good
enough to play college golf because it’s a whole different world.
Junior Seth McEwen is on the lacrosse team and is happy to get to play this season after coming off of having a hip injury. McEwen is most excited to compete with his team which he has been playing with since middle school. McEwen is nervous about this season is his conditioning and making sure he has enough endurance. McEwen has been playing lacrosse for eight years now and said, “My goal for this season is to have [twenty goals] and win most of my face-offs.” Doing one sport is difficult enough, but McEwen does football as well as lacrosse, and is happy the lacrosse season is starting back up.
Lastly, senior Oliva Feist, a varsity tennis player, has been playing since
freshman year. It is the only sport she does, and it means a lot to her. Feist is most excited for having a good time with her teammates and playing tennis well. Feist is worried about the weather being bad this season because she doesn’t want too many of their matches to be rained out. Feist said, “I do play with a lot of my close friends, and it makes it fun because we aren’t focused on winning; we are just focused on having fun practicing.”
Feist’s brother was the first person to teach her how to play tennis. He would hit the balls really hard for her and she couldn’t hit them back so at first it was frustrating, but with practice she improved and she loves it now!
out with his sister and explore the city. Something Cramer is looking forward to doing while he’s there is going to a Bulls’ game. Cramer also plans on hanging out with his friends during spring break. Cramer plans on spreading his homework out throughout the week. “I have a lot of homework since I’m in IHS and IB classes, so it would be too hard to wait until the last minute to do all of my work,” said Cramer. He is looking forward to spring because the weather will be nicer and there will be more outside activities to do.
Poor body image is a struggle many people, especially teens, face in today’s society. Main contributors are social media and restrictive diet culture, as well as negative peer interactions. As Sheldon sophomore Bee Looper said, “I think the way that everyone is comparing themselves to each other on social media and the age you can join social media is very dangerous and can develop bad habits surrounding taking care of your body.”
Body image views can change day to day. Looper described their struggles with body image: “Some days are better than others. I do not accept myself as much as I want to. I am not satisfied with how I look. A lot I struggle with is comparisons to myself, so everyday there is a different thing I would change about myself.”
Comparisons to peers and people on social media can be very damaging and harmful. As Looper shared, “Comparing my body to others definitely affects the way I live. I am too worried about the way I look instead of things that could actually have an impact. If I am having a bad body image day where I don’t want to eat, it is hard for me to focus and it is most of my thoughts. I struggle with the idea of food and everything around it and it affects the way I decide to nourish my body for the day. If I start comparing myself, it can be hard to maintain a friendship without trying to compete.”
Looper added the advice, “Realistically what you eat in one day will not affect you in ten years. You are not any less of a human because of how you look. I feel like just faking confidence until you make it and just trying to ignore the negative thoughts that pop into your brain is helpful.”
The truth is that other people do not see all the flaws you see in yourself. Looper shared, “I don’t think people see me the same way I do at all. I used to think about myself as how I look and how loveable I am but realistically that is not true. I place negative labels on myself and when I express them to friends and family they do not understand because they are not accurate.”
An anonymous Sheldon junior shared, “I think having a good relationship with your body is important no matter how long it takes to get there because it is where you live and your permanent home.”
Body image issues and struggles with food go hand in hand. This student agreed that body image affects their relationship with food, “It affects my eating habits regarding what I eat, when I eat, and If I eat.”
They shared, “Struggling with body image affects my life and causes me to not believe people when they make comments about how
skinny I am. I know I am small, but I don’t think I am small enough for society’s standards.”
Advice this source shared was, “Talk about your struggles with someone safe because body image issues can cause issues with your relationship with food and people. So, if you find a safe person who understands, they can help you work on it. Talking about my struggles and not spending a lot of time looking in the mirror helps. Also buying clothes that fit me and not trying to fit into clothes. I wear comfortable clothes on hard days and eat comfort foods.”
A second anonymous source describes struggling with body image growing up, “I used to have an eating disorder and this was mostly because of what my peers, friends and family said. My mom is also bigger and is very self conscious and has a bad relationship with herself. She always said she needed to eat less. It was really hard for a little kid, especially having friends who talked about it too. There was no escape.”
This Sheldon junior then describes how they have worked to better their relationship with their body. An analogy they use is, “I like to decorate my body because I think it deserves it.” Also, “I often think about my body like a plant. When shopping you don’t look for pretty plants, you look for plants you know how to take care of. I was at the plant nursery the other day looking for a new one. Most people wouldn’t think the plant I found was gorgeous. It was wilted, but I wanted to take it home and nourish it because I think it deserves to be taken care of even if it is not traditionally beautiful.”
This source shared, “I never had social media when I was younger, so it didn’t affect how I felt then. Social media right now does not affect my view on my beauty. Social media definitely encourages basically being skin on bone with abs, the ideal ‘fit body.’ I think for some people this [body they have] is their body type and this is okay. It is beautiful in every way and if you don’t look like that or anywhere near that you are still beautiful no matter what size or color you are and any ‘imperfections’ you may have, your body is still perfect. It is totally wrong to tell people to be one way when there are so many different ways to be. I really like looking on social media and seeing all the younger men and women talking about their journey to self love and it makes me proud to be this size and honor my body. No matter if you are big or small or how much skin you show or don’t, I hope that everyone is able to love themselves and feel comfortable in their own bodies.”
Lastly, she added, “I just hope that someday everyone who thinks that they are less than someone who is smaller or curvier or has the hair color you want, someday gains an appreciation for who they are and what they look like because everyone deserves to feel happy in their own skin.”
Since its implementation in 1972, Title IX of the Education Amendments has improved equality for many. For students who participate in sports, this amendment has had critical impacts. Title IX states, “No person shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any academic, extracurricular, research, occupational training, or other education program or activity operated by a recipient who receives… Federal financial assistance.” While Title IX has a wide range of effects, in the past, many cases have focused on equality in women’s sports.
Often, athletics for men’s and women’s sports are where many disparities are present. In 2017, Sheldon conducted the “Executive Summary SHS Title IX Athletics Review.” The 4J School District, along with Title IX and Gender Equity Specialists, determined that full compliance had not been reached. The conclusion was reached that there is a disparity in scheduling of games and practice times and locker room, practice, and competitive facilities. This means that men’s sports have better practice and game times and that the availability and quality of men’s equipment is better than that of women’s. Senior Mary Frances Sluga said, “Guys don’t share locker rooms with other sports, but every girls team does.” Other minor disparities were present as well: in publicity, support services, equipment, and travel and per diem alliances, meaning the amount of money given to a team for lodging and meals. Even fifty-one years after Title IX, these issues remain relevant.
To date, locker rooms and competitive facilities may vary a little. For softball, junior Payton
Burnham said, “I think that the facilities for both are very nice; the main difference is the turf field and the dirt field and then the lights.”
The men’s baseball team has lights on the field, meaning that late night practices can be accommodated, when women are at a disadvantage when daylight runs out. The softball team also plays on turf, while baseball plays on dirt.
One cannot overlook the importance of Title IX and the progress that has been achieved. If it wasn’t for this amendment, women would not be able to easily access sports at the high school and collegiate level. Burnham said, “I’m grateful for female athletes that laid the foundation so the current athletes experience the benefits of Title IX.”
Even with immense levels of progress, work can still be done. The sports offered for men and women vary. Men can easily play football or wrestle, while women face more barriers when trying to do so. Senior Noelle Sherle said, “Every girl I’ve talked to about it says they wouldn’t pass up the opportunity to play flag [football] if Sheldon offered it, and [I think] that it’s unfair that we are unable to.” In the last six years, Sheldon athletics has promoted equality among sports, making sure that Title IX is being followed. The next option may be to create a flag football team for women, or to shift athletics in the direction of co-ed sports in order to eliminate potential discrepancies. Either way, the effects of Title IX in the last fifty-one years cannot be appreciated enough.
In the 2020-2021 school year, 3.6% of students in Oregon had a 504 plan and 15.1% had an IEP, according to the Oregon Department of Education. Both of these plans were created to make sure that students with disabilities have access to the resources and support that they need to succeed in school. While the process of obtaining a 504 or IEP can be difficult for public school students, the process is even more complicated in college. Receiving accommodations has become even more important in recent years due to the rise of mental health issues among youth.
Guidance counselor Clair Smith, who has been working with students for eighteen years, said, “There has been a major increase in [504s for] major depressive disorder, anxiety. Those are the two that I see the most, for sure.”
The major difference between 504s
in K-12 schools and college is that the student must advocate for themselves. Since K-12 school is mandatory, the school must make accommodations. However, as Smith put it, “Accessing higher education, you choose to do it, so it gets a little more interpretive.”
Specifically, students must reach out to their college’s office of disability services. The exact name could be different, but can generally be found by searching ‘disability’ on a school’s website. Smith recommends reaching out as early as possible. She reaches out to her students with 504s in March, since some schools can take months to respond.
In addition to reaching out to a school’s office of disability services, students also need to communicate their accommodations to their professors. In 4j schools, teachers are automatically notified when they have a student with accommodations, as well as what those accommodations are. College students don’t have that
luxury. According to the Accessible Education Centre at the University of Oregon, “A notification letter is the official communication to faculty that outlines the appropriate accommodations that have been established for an individual student. Before a student can provide a notification letter to their instructors, they need to meet with an AEC advisor to establish accommodations… After a student has established accommodations with an AEC advisor, they will… request accommodations and send notification letters to their instructors each term. Students are encouraged to do so during the first week of the term.” While the details can vary by school, the general process is the same. All of this self-advocacy can be daunting, but Smith recommended “practicing your senior year to get in the habit of meeting with your teachers and knowing how and when to have that conversation [about
accommodations].”
It can be a difficult process, but being able to ask for what you need is a key skill for everyone, but especially those with a disability. There very well might be roadblocks and stalls, unanswered emails and voicemails, but being adequately prepared is half the battle. In 2022, the Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights released new guidelines for schools in respect to supporting students with disabilities. In response, Susan Mizer, director of the Disability Rights Program at the American Civil Liberties Union, said, “The data shows that students learn best where they feel safe, are supported, and have their mental and physical health needs met. When schools model appropriate understanding and acceptance for students with disabilities, it improves the academic outcomes of all students.”
Homelessness has been on the rise, especially among our youth. Homelessness within the Sheldon community is something that is not talked about as much as it needs to be. It has developed a stigma that portrays homeless students as weird whether it be for their housing situation or their family’s socioeconomic class. Many students struggle with homelessness or poverty, however Sheldon has many resources to help out these students. Resources are available like the food pantry, which is used by many students here to just grab a quick snack, and the clothing closet which is also open to all students. Many students at Sheldon come from wealth, but many others come from poverty. Many students from poverty tend to hide rather than coming forward and talking to teachers or counselors because they feel ashamed of where they come from.
Counselor Clair Smith strives to help out students who are struggling with poverty and/or homelessness. “15th
Night is a program where if you need something like a new pair of shoes or a bike, I can put it into the system and they will get it for you. I just got a student a new bike so they would have transportation to and from school,” stated Smith.
Smith works with our 4j’s McKinneyVento liaison, Jennifer Volem. The McKinneyVento Homeless Assistance Act is a federal law that was put in place in 1987. This act protects your right as a student to stay in school no matter the situation and that school has to provide transportation to and from school. Smith said, “If a student and/or family has lost their housing for any reason I can flag them in our system and Jennifer Volem will get on helping you find a shelter or temporary housing. She also works to help find
community resources for your family. St. Vincent DePaul runs First Place Family Shelter, a daytime family shelter that provides housing support and child care. However, this shelter is very hard to get into because of such a high demand.”
Students who are struggling from homelessness have a harder time in school, which then affects their academic abilities. Senior Chaz Mills, who is a student representative on the school board, expressed his concern for this, “When access to these is taken away, students cannot possibly meet the same levels as their peers when they don’t know where they will sleep that night or where their next meal will come from. Being in homelessness means consistently being forced to experience dangerous situations and challenges.
How can anyone expect someone to go through that while worrying about their school work?”
We have many resources through Sheldon that can help out students in unfortunate situations such as poverty or homelessness. “Sheldon has resources such as our partnership with Cahoots and Adolescent and Family Resources to help provide mental health and substance abuse counseling,” said Mills. Senior Aislynn Quatier talked about her thoughts on homeless youth in school settings: “I think it’s so predominant in school settings because most parents want to push their kids to get an education and to be successful so they don’t become their parents. The parent wants them to get out of the situation.”
Many students in poverty have a hard time with school especially after they go home from their school setting. “It can be difficult to access materials they need for classes and it’s hard to be motivated because they feel it’s not worth it,” said Quatier.
Quatier believes that we need to talk about these issues more than we already do, “Talk about them like they are people and not like an oppressed group. We should think of them like the situation is happening to them, not that this situation defines them.”
Sheldon High School welcomed new students with open arms when the school opened its doors in 1963. The saying goes “things were better in the good old days,” but is that really so? Are people letting nostalgia get the best of them or was life really better in the past?
Junior Dylan Dignan prefers to attend Sheldon in the present decade, the 2020s. Dignan said, “I like the present decade because I feel like now it’s the most accepting and everyone kinda just does their own thing.” Dignan’s view point is such that he feels more a part of society now; nobodies going to look twice if someone doesn’t exactly fit “in to society, however the same couldn’t be said about the 1900s.”
Dignan also thinks that people would have been different in the past, “There wasn’t as much info as there is today and I feel like my reality woulda been a lot more guarded.” People were less educated and rightfully so; they didn’t have the resources that we have today, but some people don’t recognize that.
Some individuals view the past as better because they are being blocked from realities by nostalgia. Dignan said, “I think that we have evolved a lot but our mistakes in the past will remain the same and people aren’t learning from them. People think a lot about their memories from the past, letting their nostalgia get the best of them. They aren’t thinking about realities like racism, homophobia and wars we had in the past.” Dignan agrees with the many that think the past is irrelevant and the present is best.
Counselor Clair Smith chooses the 1980s as her decade of choice. She thinks her style of choice would be justified in the 1980s, “I could wear leg warmers and listen to the Go-Go’s and Madonna in lace gloves.”
Technology does affect Smith’s answer, “I think as a counselor I see a lot of downside to social media and tech so I would like to go back to a simpler time that’s not as rushed. I don’t like the pressure technology has [put] on students.” Smith makes a good point of how technology can affect a student. It applies a lot of pressure that wasn’t there in the
1980s.
Junior Bethany Cochran chose the early 2000s because of the aesthetic. A benefit of going to Sheldon in that decade would be the community, “There’s a lot more of a community at school.” Cochran said that most of people’s connections to each other were in person so the community was stronger.
There are some good and some bad outcomes of going to school on a previous date. The current decade is by far the most accepting, but is it really the best for students with its modern problems?
Freshman Blue Ruvolo feels the biggest problem regarding social issues in Sheldon High School is that “there’s just a lot of easy conflict at school. And differences between the students are problems.” He also said that he thinks there’s such a hostile diversity among different students and different groups of students here at Sheldon and across the world.
When asking what he would feel could help those problems, he brought up that it’s a very personal matter between other people and even yourself. Ruvolo believes the school should provide activities that students like to do and maybe give more open opportunities.
Ruvolo said, “I think I’m good with going to most of the staff in this school; I don’t know many but the few that I do are pretty cool. But I feel like [math teacher] Tyler Martell is someone I would go to first.”
Ruvolo said, “Teachers and students, they try to help and care about others’ mental health but there’s certainly a lot of things that they can’t do. And being mandatory reporters can be very
graphics by Natalie Kaiser
difficult especially for students with abusive households and things like that.”
Ruvolo thinks Sheldon is a pretty safe place, but has some toxicity to it. He feels the issues are “just because of students’ problems with each other. It’s pretty much inevitable. Not much we can change about it.”
Freshman Kloe Garrett thinks the school’s main social problem is “Just stupid drama, and people just not having common sense or respect for anybody.” When asking her how she feels we could fix this she pointed out that there’s not really a preventative way: “Kids are just kind of mean; it’s just how kids are.”
Garrett said she would feel safest going to English teacher Jeremy Washburn if any problem occurred because he’s easy to talk to and gives good advice. She feels he’s someone who’s more welcoming than others.
Garrett said that she feels welcomed by some, but not all. She feels that Sheldon can kind of be a toxic environment. She explained, “Kids are all toxic. Every single kid on Earth is probably kind of toxic in some shape or form.” She did point out that she is only a freshman who’s barely been able to experience the real
toxicity of Sheldon if there is any.
Freshman Rebecca Critchett personally feels that “anxiety or the pressure of dealing with personal life in conjunction with school life is a big problem. I think that it was a little bit easier when you could separate it, like when you had online school and you could decide when you were going to do school. But being in person and being at a place at a specific time you’re kind of a little more regulated, and so it’s a little harder to get those things to work together.”
Critchett pointed out that “we can’t prevent it from happening because I think we’re in the middle of it happening.” Critchett thinks that being more flexible and accepting to change and being more patient dealing with change could help for people to work through it.
Critchett feels that people do care about others’ mental health but sometimes it’s not noticed. “It sometimes feels hard when you’re struggling with yourself. And so sometimes it can come off as if people don’t care when you’re struggling. Students sometimes also struggle to recognize when staff are dealing with things too and so it’s hard to be two things to two people,” she said.
Chuck E. Cheese-- where a kid can be a kid. This slogan captivated millions of kids across the US from the 1980s to present day. A place that parents took their kids on Saturday afternoons to unwind, while their kid went wild over junk food and arcade games. Chuck E. Cheese defined a generation and provided a place for kids to have fun, but what about the current generation? Why did Chuck E. Cheese fall into obscurity and out of interest?
In May 1977, the first Chuck E. Cheese’s Pizza Time Theatre was opened to the public by Nolan Bushnell, co-founder of Atari. With the success of the restaurant, expansion and competition was soon to follow. Young engineer Aaron Fechter was quick to display his skills during the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA) conference, showing off his new group of animatronic characters, hand designed by himself. Bushnell recognized Fechter’s talent and offered for the two companies to become business partners. After years of counter-offers, Fechter finally agreed in 1979, but was soon met with backlash from other partners. This started a war between Pizza Time and the new rival establishment, started by Fechter, Showbiz Pizza Place. This heated competition caused both companies to start a massive expansion project, opening up new locations in close proximity to each other. In 1983, Pizza Time lost $15 million dollars in just two years of battling with Showbiz, leading to a merger of the two companies in 1984, creating Showbiz Pizza Time Inc. Even though Showbiz was the winner of the battle, the establishment soon fell from grace. With a constant shift in management going into the 1990s, Pizza Time decided to cut ties with Showbiz, kicking Fechter and his company out. Unfortunately, Showbiz could not survive without Pizza Time’s funding, causing all locations to take part in the largest and well-known rebranding in the company’s history: Concept Unification. Over the course of two years, all Showbiz locations were rebranded, most notably the animatronic band The Rock-afire Explosion transforming into Munch’s Make Believe Band. By 1992, all locations fell under one umbrella, the new Chuck E. Cheese’s.
Most people who are reading this article were not alive during Showbiz Pizza’s lifetime, but many have experienced going to Chuck E. Cheese from the 2000s through the 2010s. Whether attending a friend’s birthday party or spending a Saturday afternoon with parents there, many can reminisce about the faint memory that the place left in many people’s childhood.
So what went wrong if so many people enjoyed the place? The problem is that the game changed and Chuck E. Cheese simply did not play into the market. Senior Zach Wergeland said, “Technology has advanced to a point where physical arcade games are irrelevant for the younger generation. It’s not that the company did anything wrong, but rather that mobile and console games are too accessible.” In the past, technology was a core feature of Chuck E. Cheese, always having the newest games possible, but in recent years with sales and appeal declining, little was done to keep up with the change in entertainment technology. The only changes made by corporate was a rebranding of their image back in 2017, where they focused on making Chuck E. Cheese more kid friendly, changing the mouse himself into a CGI animated character and starting the slow exit of the animatronic band that made the establishment popular. Since 2019, locations across the country have been slowly phasing out the old animatronics; most that have been operating since the 1980s with little to no maintenance.
An unexpected issue that Chuck E. Cheese would face well in the 2000s was outdated machinery. Most of Munch’s Make Believe Band animatronics were retrofitted Rock-afire Explosion characters and as time went on, they were worn down. These animatronics had been performing for 20-30 years, 7 days a week, doing hundreds of shows a day, so it was understandable why their age was showing. With the animatronic show being a main draw for the company and little to no maintenance service available, the show had to go on, causing the animatronic band to sometimes look unsettling. Junior Kara Gebb recalled, “I remember going to a birthday party there when I was young and running away from
Freshman Dylan Ward’s favorite movie as a kid was Cars, and it’s also the movie that is the most nostalgic to him. However, “Walk This Way” by Run DMC and Aerosmith was his favorite song from his childhood. Ward said, “I remember thinking it was really cool and listening to it frequently. When I saw that it was one of the songs on a Just Dance game I had, I was excited as can be.” On the other hand, Ward says the songs that are the most nostalgic to him have to be “Counting The Days” and “Shine,” both by Collective Soul, because his dad would play them all the time, and he still listens to them to this day.
Ward added, “The TV Commercial that is the most nostalgic to me has to be that one Gerber commercial that goes on for what feels like forever and says, ‘For just pennies a day!’ That would always come
the mascot. Something about that rabid-looking mouse just didn’t sit right with me.” Normally when you think about mice or rats, you don’t think about good pizza and family-friendly entertainment. The once-booming spot was becoming known for being a dingy, unkempt place that was home to terrifying animatronic characters. One thing that helped the franchise resurface was the rise of a popular indie horror game called Five Nights at Freddy’s: a game centered around creepy animatronics from a pizzeria. Suddenly the creepy animatronics that were once hated, became a loved feature, with kids revisiting the place to see if the animatronics were similar to the ones found within the game. Chuck E. Cheese corporate saw this as adding to their already bad reputation which brought the long standing problem to their attention, causing a call to action for rebranding.
A new market was being proposed to the company that required no change to their restaurants, but unfortunately, it was not the clientele Chuck E. Cheese was hoping for. Starting in 2017, the company started a massive rebranding, moving into ‘Phase 5,’ which included removing the animatronics and replacing them with a dance floor. Employee at the SalemKeizer Chuck E. Cheese Amanda Brighton stated, “The recent remodel helped to update our outdated aesthetics and machines. The dance floor has really helped the interactive feel that we aim for; something that the old animatronics just didn’t have anymore.” Although many long-time fans were sad about the disposal of the animatronics, it helped provide a new, clean facelift to the franchise.
In its current state, Chuck E. Cheese is similar to other dying companies of the time: not gone, but forgotten, barely hanging on. The only thing we can do now is watch as time continues to fade another once-great establishment into history.
in at my grandma’s house.” However, Ward’s favorite TV show as a kid has to be the entire Ben-10 franchise. He loves how cool the concepts are in the show and he thinks the character designs are really cool. Michael Jackson’s ‘This Is It,’is the music album that brings Ward the most nostalgia, because he really loved his music.
Ward also said, “Something visually nostalgic to me has to be old video games my grandpa introduced me to. I’ll always have a special place in my heart for the games he showed me, setting me on a crash course to becoming obsessed with video games for years to come.” He also said that some sounds that are the most nostalgic to him would have to be old video game sound effects because they would always bring him joy.
Gabby Steele staff writer
As teenagers, we have been in school for most of our lives. Despite many students not enjoying the learning part of school, lots of students enjoy going to school for the environment and peers. When students can feel comfortable with their teachers, it provides a better learning environment for both the teacher and students. With the friendships and bonds created during classes comes funny moments between students and teachers.
One teacher, who asked to remain anonymous, said they “feel its a necessity to create some sort of bond with students so you can understand some of their work better.” The anonymous teacher also said some
bonds aren’t created in a happy way. One example this teacher gave was when a student used profanity in an assignment he had shared with the teacher last year. “I was LIVID when I read the words he had typed,” said the teacher. Immediately, the teacher contacted the student’s coaches and the administration. The student owned up to what he had written, and apologized. The teacher said the student earned their respect after apologizing, and the student is now one of the teacher’s favorite students.
Social Studies teacher Kevin Summerfield explained some of his funny situations and interactions with students. One of the few interactions he explained was when he made a TikTok with a student. In the TikTok, Summerfield and a fifth period female
student danced to a viral, trending sound. Summerfield said, “I’ve made a few TikToks with students in the past and my favorite are the dancing ones.”
Most teachers have had an experience that started out funny, but that did not apply to history teacher Josh Riley. Riley explained his story as a roller coaster from start to end. Riley received an email from the district saying they were going to be short on janitors, and that there were only two available. During one of his classes, students were discussing the topic of genders, and how many there were, but Riley did not hear that. “I thought the students were discussing how many janitors there were and I decided to join in and say ‘Hey what’s the deal? There’s only two janitors
Every classroom is set up differently because teachers have free will when they decorate. Senior Madeline Hoke said “classroom setups definitely affect students’ learning because from my experience, students in the back seem to be forgotten when compared to the students in the front.” Hoke also stated, “When people are allowed to choose their seating arrangements, it helps students learn, but it can also be counterproductive because friends will automatically sit by each other. However, if you force strangers to sit by each other, that can be very difficult for someone who doesn’t do well with new people and can decrease students’ productivity.”
Seating arrangements: what works, and what doesn’t? Junior Griffin Miller stated that, “the worst class I have ever been in was set up in such a weird way; it was very difficult to learn in. Part of the class was facing the wall so it was difficult to see the board. Another part of the class was directly in the middle, so it made it difficult for the students in the back to see the board.”
On the contrary, Miller said the best class he has ever been in was his English class because “the desks are always in straight lines facing forwards so the teacher is always the main focus and you don’t have to turn your body in weird directions to see the board.”
Seating charts can be helpful but also controversial. Junior Maizie Goodpasture
said, “Seating charts can be a good thing but normally they are not. There is not really a need for them. However, they could be positive because you can put students with people they don’t really know to help encourage new friendships and new ideas. It can also be harmful to people with social anxiety to be with a stranger.”
When teachers are decorating their classrooms, they are faced with the big question, “decorations or blank walls?” Hoke stated, “I like when classes have decorations specific to the class being taught, but also when it has decorations that are personal to the teacher. It helps me know a little bit about them as a person and not just a teacher.”
Having a classroom environment that supports you and your learning techniques is very important. Goodpasture claimed, “When a classroom feels homey I tend to focus better; I feel comfortable to ask questions and to ask for help. I also like when we get to sit by people we know, which I know isn’t always ideal, but it helps eliminate people yelling across the room to someone else. I feel more comfortable in classes that have tables rather than individual desks because the desks don’t have a lot of elbow room and my things constantly fall off.”
The arrangement and thought that goes into planning a classroom layout is about more than the aesthetics; teachers must also think about the students’ needs and what they have seen/heard and how it will work well for the majority.
tonight!’ I had several students ready to jump out of their seats to attack me and I was confused and said ‘We get emails every night that there’s only two janitors’ and after a minute or so they realized I was saying janitors, and I realized they were saying genders.”
Most would assume school is for learning, which is partly true, but it is also a time for interacting with our peers. Getting to know our teachers on more than just an acquaintance level is important because it creates a bond with the whole class, a more comfortable environment, and makes learning more fun.
Christine Buckson was born on December 13, 1968, in Portland, Oregon. She unfortunately passed away due to health reasons on February 2, 2023, at the age of 54. She was a key part of our Sheldon community and loved by all that knew her. For the past thirteen years, she taught science and changed the lives of the hundreds of students who were lucky enough to be taught by her. She retired last year but came back for a visit so her students and fellow teachers could say goodbye. She will be deeply missed by her students and colleagues as a fantastic teacher who was compassionate, kind-hearted, and thoughtful.
Spending and saving money is something that everyone has to learn how to do at some point. Many teens begin to discover how significant money is once they are in high school as they get closer to adulthood. Junior Kenia Gonzalez said she spends most of her money on food, mostly for lunch on school days, which can quickly add up. Elaborating, she stated, “I usually [spend] at least thirteen dollars a day, about sixty-five dollars a week.” Dairy Queen and McDonald’s are common places for Sheldon students to work. However, Gonzalez works at Mongolian Grill. She said, “Before I got a job, I never spent money.” Now, she finds herself in positions where she feels as if she has to spend a dollar or two due to peer pressure. For instance, if she goes to the mall with friends and they buy something, she may as well, even if she doesn’t want to drop any money. Gonzalez hopes to be more aware of how much she is spending and create saving habits by putting money into a savings account.
Even though getting a first job is common during high school, many teens choose not to due to various reasons, like extracurriculars, sports, or family. However, making money is still possible without a formal job, along with learning how to be more financially responsible. Junior Allison Duerfeldt said there’s numerous ways to earn a buck without actually being an employee, such as babysitting, dog sitting, house cleaning, and self-employment. But how can teenagers become more conscientious of their money? Speaking from her own experiences and behaviors,
In recent times, economic sustainability has been a large dilemma, especially facing the United States. Global warming is a very serious, continuously-rising issue, and it is estimated that American schools produce around 530,000 tons of waste annually. What is Sheldon doing in order to create a healthy environment?
Sheldon’s school librarian, Kori Kunz stated, “We have a composting program and some green policies.” One of the school’s mandatory green policies is practicing correct recycling habits, and because of this, Sheldon is on its way to becoming an Oregon Green School. Green Schools generally strive to create a healthy and sustainable environment for children and work on practicing environmentally friendly behaviors. Kunz also mentioned that teachers have intentionally begun formatting more online assignments to cut back on Sheldon’s paper use. Sheldon’s dedication to environmental education is impressive considering that only a hundred and fifty out of more than twelve hundred schools in the state have been accepted into Oregon’s Green School organization.
Although Sheldon’s environmental scene is something to be proud of, the students’ involvement still needs work, especially concerning waste production. Sheldon day custodian Rich Priebe said, “We probably go through about twenty five, maybe thirty full garbage cans a night.” Priebe also mentioned that he commonly has to clean up litter left behind at school, specifically in the back parking lot. The impact of waste production is a commonly overlooked aspect of global warming. Solid waste directly contributes to the emission of greenhouse gasses and poorly managed waste contaminates oceans, causes floods and pollutes the air.
Every school has its imperfections and in this case, Sheldon’s issues have simple solutions. One solution that would greatly benefit Sheldon’s environment is to provide further environmental education for students. It would significantly improve the environment here at Sheldon if teachers explored ways to incorporate green activities into their existing curriculum. Another solution would be to cut
Duerfeldt said, “Not spending money [she doesn’t have]” would be beneficial because she tends to exceed a budget without thinking before spending. For example, on multiple occasions she spends a good amount of money with friends because they go to several places and she likes to treat them when getting food. But later, when the day is over, she feels a sense of guilt due to the realization of how much money was actually spent, some of which comes out of her savings or is given by her parents. Duerfeldt said that packing a lunch more often and setting a budget for the week could possibly help her with financial awareness and could help other teens.
When teens go out with their friends, where do they usually like to spend their time? Sophomore Mac Poundstone talked about their experience going to the amusement center, Round One, explaining that, “...they potentially could be harmful towards financial patterns.” Elaborating, they said that they’ve spent more money than they originally planned due to the desire of wanting to win something that actually has very small value. Additionally, Poundstone said they would be extremely interested if Sheldon offered a class to teach financial literacy because, “Having some sort of background or prior knowledge would be extremely helpful and honestly might reduce some anxiety around approaching adulthood.”
back on waste through using reusable materials such as water bottles, tupperware or silverware. Priebe said, “A few years ago we converted a lot of the lighting to LEDs, that uses about a third of the amount of electricity than it had before.” If Sheldon continues taking simple steps like this, the environment could ultimately be improved for the better.
Winter guard is a sport where people use equipment like flags, sabers, mock rifles, among other things while doing a choreographed routine to music. The performances take place in large gymnasiums and can be done both to compete and entertain people. The whole routine is a way for performers to interpret music or sounds. Through every movement they try to show the emotions that the song expresses. The performances usually go on for three to seven minutes to a recorded soundtrack. Even though that doesn’t seem like a long time, it can get exhausting for those doing it. It takes a lot of strength to toss the flags, not because they are heavy, but because you’re holding them, tossing them, and catching them. All of this gets easier as you continue to do it.
The flag poles can be between five to seven feet long, but most schools stop at six and a half feet long. The reason they use certain lengths is because using the wrong length can affect your performance. The length determines what type of tosses you can do depending on how large the fabric on your flag is. Another reason is that the lower the age group, usually the smaller the pole because it is easier for them to learn how to toss the flags. Freshman Madeline Humphrey said that tossing flags is “scary at first, especially when it’s new to you, but after practicing it gets really fun.” The routines take memorization, but eventually become muscle memory after many practices. Practices are on weekdays after school and tend to be three
Will Haverland staff writerAs the Sheldon baseball squad looks forward to another season building on last year's deep playoff run, it is taking the trip down to Arizona for the first time in six years. A long time coming for the Irish, junior Nolan Miller said, “All the guys are super excited to get out there and play against some new teams in the sun of Arizona.” The Irish are going to have a fun time playing ball in the sun and bonding with the coaches and teammates. Arizona is known for being a pretty good state as far as high school baseball and there will be a variety of teams from other areas. This makes competition for the tournament tough. Playing in the heat, along with the amount of games being played, creates an environment for only the strongest teams. Senior Hunter Lansdon said, “The competition is definitely going
hours with breaks. There are also additional weekend camps to learn new drills and choreo that generally go all day.
Sheldon’s Winter guard team is not only a team, but a community. Strong friendships can be created in and outside of competitions and the whole team has each other’s backs. Freshman Rylee Brennen said she is happy with, “how open everyone is and how nice and accepting of everyone [they are.]” On the team there’s no worry about not being accepted by anyone. The friendliness does help when it comes to the competitions and they aren’t all serious. While you try to do a good job, Brennen said that competing is “energizing, engaging, and the atmosphere is great.” There are no restrictions on who can join or anything specific to get on the team. Anyone is welcome to join Winter guard, regardless of the grade they are in.
Sophomore Celena Bajracharya said that the most interesting thing about this year’s team is how many freshmen there are on the team, but that this is good because “that means you’ll have longer to improve at guard.” All the freshmen are doing really well in terms of learning how to toss flags and do the routines. The returning members of the guard are also doing well and improving from where they were last year. Bajracharya is very proud of how in one of the more recent competitions they placed second place even though “our guard is generally still pretty new because our most experienced members have only been doing it for a year and a half.” The future of Winter guard is looking really good with how well the team is doing.
to be tough, but I think our guys are strong and will definitely be ready for the challenge when we face the better teams.” With that being said the guys feel as if the team is pretty good this year and they can compete with anyone in the state. All things considered, the team is feeling lots of emotions going into the tournament. Feelings of nervousness, excitement and anticipation. Senior EJ Peterson commented, “The guys are excited to get out there and play ball but mainly grow as a team and gain much needed chemistry and experience that is vital to the season for winning games.” When it comes to baseball, chemistry and experience are crucial when it comes to winning games. Knowing where your teammates are going to be and their tendencies help you make split-second decisions that can decide the difference between a win and a loss. In short, the Irish are ready for everything coming their way and for a great season.
Track and field is among the most popular sports for the spring season. The sport brings in many athletes due to the fact that there is a vast variety of different events to compete in. Athletes can choose between trying sprinting events, long distance running, throwing events, jumping events, etc. Senior Zach McEwen is a sprinter on the track and field team. He competes in the 4x100m, 100m, and 200m races. Mcewen’s favorite thing about track and field is meet day. He said, “I enjoy trying to set new personal records and have fun while doing it.”
Senior Brock Thomas is also a sprinter for the track and field team. Thomas runs the 100m, the 4x100m, and will also be competing in long jump. “I’ve been doing track since 6th
grade and sometimes I consider quitting, but I’m always glad I don’t because meet days are fun.” Winter track and field happens a few months before track season starts and it is a way for athletes to prepare and get conditioned for the season. Senior Grafton Robinson also runs for the track and field team. Robinson is one of the many athletes who comes to the winter track and field workouts. When asked about winter practice, Robinson said, “I think it is a good idea to come to the winter track and field workouts because it gets me in condition and ready for the track season since the season goes by very quickly.”
Chick-fil-A is a popular fast food restaurant, and there isn’t one in Eugene. The closest ones to Eugene are in Bend and Roseburg, which can be quite a drive. Freshman Brielle Brown said having a Chick-fil-A in Eugene is a good idea, “Yeah because I think many people would appreciate Chick-fil-A being in town.”
Parent Interviewee Ryan Brown, who lives in the Sheldon area, said, “It’s delicious and we don’t have a good chicken place in Eugene.”
Sophomore Eli Turanski said, “Chickfil-A is one of the better fast food restaurants that I’ve visited. The quality is above average as is the customer service.”
Sheldon gets pretty busy off-campus, and places like Market of Choice and Safeway have become more populated
than usual. Brielle Brown said, “I think the general population of Sheldon students loves Chick-fil-A.”
Turanski said, “Just as Killer Burger gained immediate popularity and long wait times, Chick-fil-A would be so much longer on the daily. Depending on location it would completely outclass Market of Choice by a long shot. People would struggle to get a meal in time.”
Having other places to go off Sheldon campus for lunch time would be great since not all Sheldon kids have the ability to drive or get somewhere as far as Hawaiian Time, Chipotle, or another popular spot for kids who can go to those types of restaurants.
Places like Hawaiian Time have discounts for Sheldon students who choose to eat at their restaurant during lunch. Brielle Brown said, “I think they should have a Sheldon student discount, just how Hawaiian Time does it with when you show your student
identification card you get free drinks.”
Ryan Brown said, “Yeah because even a dollar off would be cool to encourage students to go there for lunch.”
Turanski said, “I think it would significantly reduce their income on those days but would increase their overall visits. I do not believe they would offer student discounts.” Having student discounts
would be good for restaurants because it would attract more customers and overall increase the popularity of that restaurant.
Chick-fil-A would be a great addition to campus, as it would create a closer location for the city of Eugene and Sheldon students who wish to get food from there.
Strength and conditioning is an important class, and a great contributor to Sheldon students for a multitude of reasons. Weight training improves your body in many ways such as glucose metabolism, and makes you stronger and fitter. Junior Damon Uribe’s favorite lift exercise is “flys because they help you gain strength in your shoulders and posture.” You should always have a spotter because it helps protect weightlifters from injuring themselves, and they can also increase the effectiveness of the workout. Should you begin your workout with weights or cardio? Uribe said it depends on what your primary goal is; if your goal is to improve endurance then cardio, but if your goal is to increase muscle strength then weight lifting.
Junior Sam Kline likes having a weight lifting class because it’s a free time period to help you manage or
lose weight, and it can increase your metabolism to help you burn calories.
Kline said, “Free weights are better because they help develop greater muscle power than machines do and working out with free weights is a more efficient way to hit most fitness goals.”
Kline said you should rest between sets for 30-90 seconds to increase the best muscle growth and endurance.
Senior Andrew Song has very passionate feelings about the strength and conditioning class: “It has helped me develop a better routine, I feel more motivated, and I have seen so many improvements in myself.” Song even claimed that this class is his favorite. In general, strength and conditioning has had a large impact on so many of the Sheldon students in a multitude of ways.
This trimester some students have free periods so it pops the question, “What do students do during free periods?” Senior Brock Thomas said, “I usually go home during my free period and sleep to get rest before practice. It is a great way to rest and recharge.”
Having free periods is a great way to not only get some rest before your next class, but also to get some work done in classes that students have been falling behind in. Another student who is enjoying their free period time is senior Grafton Robinson, who said, “I enjoy heading home during my free period. It allows me to complete any work I may have due that day or any past work from the week. It is a great way to complete work.”
Although some other students may like to head home during their free periods, senior Zach
McEwen said, “I usually spend my free period in the coffee cart with friends and teacher Les Phillipo. He’s a fun teacher to be around and has a very humorous personality.”
There are a variety of things that students choose to do when they have free periods.
Article Title: Elite Oregon Girls Exposed
Writer: Brady Rust
Publication: The Talisman
Bibiliometrics: volume 60, issue 3, February 2, 2023
We, the Editorial Board of The Talisman, retract the following lines of copy because they are commentary:
“By allowing Watkins access to schools and encouraging communication between him and minors after concerns were brought forward, the EOG and various Oregon schools seem to be ‘inspiring, motivating, and supporting’ child predators, rather than the young women they pledged themselves to.”
“Watkins made many controversial media posts prior to the creation of EOG, and these posts should’ve prevented his platform from even gaining traction in the first place.”
Frontpage Editor ................................................
Upperclassmen Issues pg. 2 Editor .......................
Springing Into the Break pg. 3 Editor .................
Sofia El-Shammaa
Sydney Potter
Sofia Kokkino
Growth pg. 4 Editor ............................................
Sofia El- Shammaa
Resources pg. 5 Editor ........................................
Center Spread pg.6-7 Editor ................................
Teaching pg. 8 Editor .........................................
Consumption & Captialism pg. 9 Editor ...............
Athletics pg. 10 Editor ........................................
Pros/ Cons pg. 11 Editor .....................................
Backpage Editor ................................................
Editor-in-Chief ...................................................
Staff Adviser ......................................................
Sofia El-Shammaa
Natalie Kaiser
Brady Rust
Victoria Wolf
Anica Smith
Brady Rust
Victoria Wolf
Natalie Kaiser
Greg Cantwell
Staff Writers
Tennen Balikian
Kayla Barber
Natalie Barnett
Caedin Brown
Ivy Davis
Laela Dawson
Will Haverland
Delaney Iddings
Jyce Jones
Kamani MeltonWinger
India Mohiuddin
Bella Reniff
Laura Stanton
Gabby Steele
Noah Steeves
Mia Steinbaugh
Nathan Witherspoon