Unified As One
Summer Hime Page Editor
Since 1984, Eugene has benefited from the help of the Transition Education Network program (or T.E.N) to guide and encourage students with special needs. This program is dedicated to creating an inclusive and educational environment, and does so with the help of specialized staff in each of the T.E.N classes. Although T.E.N was only integrated into regular Sheldon classes two years ago, its impact has already taken recognition across the school. Kate Hansen and Hank Benz are two of the main teachers who both share a common goal of inclusivity and unity throughout the school. Benz and
Sheldon Unified team player shooting a basketball at the assembly’s demo for an upcoming basketball game.
Hansen host and support a number of different classes as well, including math, reading, and writing core classes. “We also have a vocational skills class, where students work on job-readiness skills; like helping with the Sheldon Food Pantry, Irish Outfitters, Landscaping, and E Recycling for Next Step. This year students have multiple Unified classes including PE, art, and science as well,” said Hansen.
One significant aspect of the program is physical education, which has become a form of culture for the school community these past few years. Along with Benz and Hansen, PE teacher Danielle Glenzel has been a prime supporter of the program. “I remember four years ago when in school it seemed like there were so
member Alchemy Hele (Sr.) participating in a Unified basketball game.
many kids who struggled with handling their emotions and you could really see that. But now, it’s died down, and I think the program has helped with that,” said Glenzel. Unified sports like basketball and track have become a fun way to get involved in T.E.N school spirit for students who aren’t currently enrolled in the classes. “I coach the kids by adapting to all of them. For me, these classes aren’t supposed to be skill oriented. It’s more about the connection than it is how many pushups they can do,” said Glenzel.
The passion for their students that the educators of the T.E.N program display is clear through everything they do, whether it’s celebrating small victories like a student mastering a new skill, or improving during difficult moments. “Seeing students make the journey from a freshman to a graduating senior brings us pure joy, proudness, and excitement to see how the next chapter of their lives unfold,” Benz said. This program doesn’t just transform the Sheldon community, but sustains an environment where all students, regardless of ability, are encouraged to reach their full potential.
and Hank
Unified
Danielle Glenzel
Benz showing off a flier hand-drawn by students in support of the Sheldon Unified team.
Sheldon Unified team player shooting a basketball at the assembly’s demo for an upcoming Unified basketball game.
Photos by Summer Hime
Yearbook: A Year-Long Endeavor
Chloe Battin Editor-in-Chief
For many, the yearbook represents the pinnacle of the high school experience, as students and staff flip through its pages to reminisce about the year’s events. The yearbook’s release signifies the end of a chapter and the journey of individual growth throughout the year. However, a book like this takes months of planning to design.
Much thought goes into creating the perfect yearbook spread, from photo choices and placement to colors and shapes. Yearbook staff meticulously review thousands of photos to select the best ones to feature and caption. Senior graphic designer Katelyn Keady believes writing a caption is pretty simple as long as the image is described; however, spreads can be tricky. Graphic designers have to make sure the photos are of good quality. A yearbook spread is a collection of photos, shapes, and other graphic design elements that tell a story. Spreads often take weeks due to the elements required to tell a coherent moment from the year.
photos by Casey Allbritten
Above, left to right: Haylie Tigue (Jr.), Gracyn Kinney (So.), Tayah Kelly (Sn.), and Agnes Verga (Sr.) recieve Yearbook badges.
Right: Casey Allbritten takes photos for Yearbook.
Caption writing is also crucial for telling a story in the yearbook, although it is the most challenging aspect of the yearbook process for many. Captions require question preparation and basic knowledge of the interviewee. “When you’re doing the spread, you really just have to worry about…being in your own world, but doing captions, you have to go into someone else’s world,” said senior graphic designer McKenzie Tubbs. Captions allow the reader to understand what is happening in a particular photo and give them interesting information about those inside it.
For many yearbook staff members, creating a yearbook isn’t just about creating a product, but also about capturing candid moments that students will remember for years. “I feel like in yearbook, you really get to see the process of creating a story and…putting the pieces together. I really enjoy that part of yearbook and writing captions,” said junior assistant editor Haylie Tigue.
For senior editor-in-chief Agnes Verga, the final product represents the work and dedication put into making the yearbook throughout the year. “You’re creating an object that’s gonna be treasured for… decades. People are gonna look back on it with their
kids, so that impels a lot of responsibility,” said Verga. The fun of creating a yearbook comes during the release party when all yearbook staff members see the excitement on students’ faces when they see the yearbook for the first time. This is also the moment when yearbook staff see their hard work pay off throughout the year. “I find it fun to…get to create something…Most of the time [when] I create stuff people are like ‘Oh, yeah, whatever…’ [But] with yearbook…I actually feel recognized,” said sophomore Rose Coven.
Yearbook advisor Casey Allbritten enjoys these moments as they make the class worthwhile. The bonds students make with each other in Yearbook are powerful, as Albritten pointed out, that keep students coming back to be in Yearbook. “Yearbook wouldn’t happen without the dedication from the students… These moments that I capture on camera sometime [at] the end…when they’re done with the work and they’re saying goodbye to seniors [is what makes it worthwhile],” said Albritten. Yearbook is always encouraging students to join the staff and be a part of this wonderful community of dedicated students.
“Book Cover” by Mina Mills
when you’re trans, you’re often hated before you are known. this hate is the smog that suffocates the canary before it can sing. how could I be denounced so easily, before they laid with me in the grassy hills, gazing up at the stars shining through the inky black sky, before we shared our our dreams with one another, and poured our hearts out to one another? what a crime it is to judge a book by its cover, and burn it
The Writing Irish: Sheldon Celebrates Poetry Month
Jessica Fitch Page Editor
Poetry is an oft-dismissed and overlooked artform, particularly in primary education, commonly perceived as boring and pretentious. However, fear not—or fear more, depending on one’s stance on poetry—for some students and staff at Sheldon are keeping the tradition alive. For literature and drama teacher Andrew Cabrera, this means playing “with words in general, and especially…creating imagery and allusions.” Reading and writing poetry can be an excellent way to maintain language skills, stoke creativity, and have a bit of cognitively-beneficial fun! (Who ever came up with a more exciting phrase than “cognitively-beneficial fun”?)
Many who are interested in poetry never start because it can seem intimidating. Finding inspiration in one’s surroundings is an accessible way to start. “I’m inspired by nature, mostly…Sometimes I will choose poems to
teach because I like them, but more often I end up liking the poems I teach through the process of teaching,” said Cabrera. Studies do show that teaching something is the best way to learn it, so perhaps educating one’s friends about some cool writing is the gateway to greater understanding!
Another aspect that prevents new poets from writing is the fear of being judged for one’s work. “[I] only [write] for school stuff. I guess I like sharing it, but not often,” said Cabrera. Even if most of his poems will never see the light of day, investing a little time to write as a personal endeavor can still be just as rewarding as writing for others to see.
Poetry may be beneficial to the mind, but why should one want to write it? “It’s a great way to express yourself to yourself when you can’t find other ways to do that,” said freshman Zoe Wilson, a hobbyist poet at Sheldon. Processing and articulating emotions can be a valuable practice for mental health.
Even published poetry can be a self-indulgent artform. According to Wilson, “There’s a lot of poetry that’s not supposed to be liked by the majority of the audience. It’s for the people who understand it. If you don’t understand it, you might not like it, because it doesn’t resonate with you.” Even if most poems won’t connect with a given person, that makes finding one that does all the more rewarding.
Poetry is not a light matter for everyone, though. “The thing that inspires me the most,” said Senior Mina Mills, an avid amateur poet, “is the abhorrent amount of oppression that I am faced with. When everything is so focused on hate and keeping others down, I think it’s important to realize that even though life is hard, life is [also] beautiful. Being a victim of oppression deprives you of your voice, and poetry helps you reclaim that.” The current presidential administration can be stressful and even terrifying for minorities, so Mills uses poetry as a means of grounding herself during difficult times.
Hadestown: Creating a Musical
Natalie Barnett staff writer
Theater and acting is everywhere around us, from the ads seen on TV to the movies and shows we watch. Theater is a huge community for so many people and brings many more people together to watch.
Junior Sarah Aasheim has been a part of theater since fifth grade and has had a love for theater ever since she was a child. She has also grown to love the community of it. Theater can have the stereotype of being very drama-filled and cliqueoriented, but luckily “there’s not a lot of that at Sheldon Theater,” said Aasheim, which she loves and finds refreshing. The environment is very welcoming and you make amazing friends.
Aasheim landed the role of Persephone in the spring musical of Hadestown, which has been a dream role for her. While many people think lead or huge roles like that are really demanding, Aasheim hasn’t found her role to be too demanding at all. She mostly sings and has her choreo cut down due to her role being one of the more major roles.
Aasheim has also had the opportunity to interact with the ensemble (a group of performers that support the main characters of the play and add to the atmosphere of the performance).
Freshman Molly Cantwell is a member of the ensemble this year. As a part of the ensemble Cantwell plays the role of a Hades worker. This role involves a lot of dancing and singing
along with the rest of the ensemble. Cantwell is particularly excited for the waltz she gets to do with junior Ellie Bahen. About one of the dances the ensemble does she is especially looking forward to, Cantwell said, “We have this mechanical, repetitive motion that we do at different speeds.”
Another huge part of theater is the costumes; they are the final touches to help bring the characters to life. Senior Brenna Scott is one of the costume managers here at Sheldon. While they do make some things from scratch Scott said, “It’s just altering and then it’s just searching through all the costumes and trying to find stuff that works.”
Since they are more behind the scenes Scott and the other manager make up their own schedule as long as they are able to have a supervisor.
During Covid, Scott learned to sow and eventually got into helping with costumes when her professional theater group, Shedd Institute, needed an extra hand. She only really had made costumes for Halloween before so that was her first introduction to costuming. After that first time at Shedd Institute Scott thought, “Oh, that’s kinda fun.”
Mina Mills (Sr.), who plays Hades, sings during a blocking rehearsal.
photo by Chloe Battin
Mina Mills (Sr.) rehearses songs during a blocking rehersal.
photo by Chloe Battin
Emi Hendrickson (Sr.) and CJ Jones (Jr.) sit on a bridge during a blocking rehearsal.
photo by Chloe Battin
CJ Jones (Jr.), who plays Orpheus, sits on a bridge.
photo by Chloe Battin
...Or Hardly Workin’?
Andy Brown staff writer
Unemployment in high school students is very prevalent, and this is backed up by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, which states that the percentage of students who were employed in 2024 has gone down 22% from 1990, where on average 44% of high school students had jobs. Is Fortnite to blame? Is Nettspend a contributing factor? Why do so many students feel the need to be unemployed?
Senior Andrew Stoddard said, “I really do enjoy working my job, even though there is some aspects of it that I despise, like working the code browns in the pool.” Stoddard, a head guard at Amazon pool, said that the most important factor in his job as a head guard is “making sure that everyone is all safe and sound when the pool closes at the end of the day.” “Without my job I would be a fat person who just stays home all day just playing [NBA] 2k [‘24] for twelve hours a day. I would start to resemble Rod Wave in a sense,” said Stoddard.
Junior Myles Kincaid said, “If I had a job, it would probably be a job in relation to video games, because I’m very interested in that field of work.” Although
Kincaid is unemployed, he has always had a deep passion for hard work and he attributes this to his time as a professional Fortnite gamer with the online name Money Maker. “Nowadays I spend my time reminiscing on the past and listening to all sorts of music like NBA Youngboy and Beabadoobee rather than getting a job,” said Kincaid.
Junior Matthew Schuck said, “I don’t really plan on getting a job anytime soon. I kind of just like being a freeloader and benefiting off the coattails of others.” Schuck’s deep passion for Hallmark movies is one of the main reason why he enjoys being unemployed. “I really do just love a corny romance movie that I can sit by the
The Upsides of Social Media
Channy
No
staff writer
In the age of modern technology, social media has become a huge part of our daily lives. Without even realizing it, our world has become full of digital content. In this environment, social media can be a good way for people to express themselves.
Senior Nathan Sheley is a part of a viral social media account that reviews pizza online. They go by the name chan_curly_pizzareview10 and have grown a loyal and tenacious fan base. “I mean, reviewing pizza is really my passion in life. It’s something that I’m good at and I’m glad I could be a part of it,” said Sheley. Sheley has been reviewing since he was a young lad and social media is a good place for him to share his expertise and educate others.
When asked about his rivals Sheley stated, “The MD Foodie Boyz are probably our biggest rivals right now. They produce riveting content and they met up with (famous online pizza reviewer) Dave Portnoy recently. However, I know that chan_curly_pizzareview10 will keep producing their fire content and one day their works will be appreciated! Kachow!” Sheley loves pizza and for him to be able to share his knowledge and passions with the world through social media is a great thing.
Not only is social media great for creating content, it’s also used to express people’s creative sides. Senior Jordan Lorig said, “I create music online and it’s a good way for me to express my creativity. I also post some of my writings and poems online.” Lorig illustrated the benefits of posting content online, expressing that social media can serve as an outlet.
Lorig also said, “The most important part of content
creation is doing what I love and making sure my fans are left satisfied.” Lorig has built up a substantial community online and she always makes sure that her fans are happy and pleased. “Sometimes I wonder why I even create content, then I think of my fans and I know that I need to keep pumping out more content,” said Lorig. Although social media can be extremely mentally and physically demanding, Lorig fights through the pain to provide her fans with the content that they need.
Senior Charlotte Vandercar runs many viral social media accounts and she considers herself an expert on social media. “I run multiple social media accounts and I am quite savvy at running Instagram accounts. One of my accounts has 43 followers and I’ve been growing that account for multiple years.” Not only do her accounts have a multitude of followers she also has many viral videos. “One of my videos got 30 views! Although my mom watched it 18 times I’m still proud of my videos,” said Vandercar.
Social media is a very positive outlet for many students and it can be a way for them to express themselves. Many students run viral accounts and they share the numerous benefits that social media can provide. Although people tend to focus on the negatives of social media, the increasing digital age also brings many pros.
fire and enjoy with my feet kicking up in the air, and if I have a job, it would take away from my precious time I value so deeply,” said Schuck.
All in all, a job is a responsibility that not everyone wants to indulge in, but it’s a crucial part of growing up, and developing as a human being.
graphics by Ivy Marsden
graphics by Ivy Marsden
Remaining Mindful
Ivy Marsden page editor
Mental health is an immense and important topic in every person’s life, and yet it can also be one of the hardest things to talk about. Although the world is opening up to discussion of mental health in settings such as classrooms, for a long time there has been some stigma around it. “I have friends who talk about how it’s very taboo to talk about their feelings,” said freshman Lilia Holden.
Holden has always tried to be an open resource for those around her, and is very comfortable consoling her friends and talking about their struggles as well as her own struggles. She has had many friends go through mental health issues and has seen the way that different people have dealt with their feelings. One thing Holden thinks contributes a lot to mental health, both positively and negatively, is social media and online presence. She finds that people talk about mental health online a lot more than in person. “Online, it’s super easy to find people that feel the same way you do. It’s less scary,” Holden said. However, she also recognizes the downsides to being active on social media. “You have to be very careful about what you’re consuming because it’s so easy to go down a rabbit hole of feeling bad about yourself,” said Holden. Sophomore Robbie Hittenberger also highlighted the downsides of social media. “It’s like, you’re damned if you do and you’re damned if you don’t. It’s hard to not be on social media because everyone is, and it would be weird if you weren’t. But if you are, it has negative effects,” he said. Hittenberger is very open to discussion of mental health, although he believes it can be difficult to address. He believes that people are becoming more comfortable around the topic, but that if someone is struggling with their mental health, it can be difficult for them to speak out and to seek help. “Mental health is a tricky subject, so it’s hard to open up and start those conversations,” Hittenberger said. The sensitivity around mental health only adds to the stigma and the taboo. Freshman Basil Avila thinks that the best way to open up discussions about mental health and to help those
R & R Crossword
Z..z..z..sleep
Bo Solomon staff writer
Across Down
Sleeping is somewhere that we can have crazy dreams, imagining incredible worlds and doing despicable things. Humans sleep for one third of their lives, about eight hours a day. It’s as important as food or water, but some sacrifice it for things like bingeing your favorite show, such as Outdoor Boys. The amount of sleep we get per night is crucial to the success of our day. It is said that teenagers should get around 8-10 hours of sleep per night, and have an average bedtime of around 9-10:30 each night.
Senior Ryan McCondochie follows these rules with passion, “I try to get about eight hours of sleep per night, but on my longer days I’m really starting to feel it, my eyes grow tired and my faint mind puts me to sleep,” McCondochie stated.
3) What students drink to induce 1) Gives students time to work or relax energy during the school day
4) Recommended hours of sleep 2) Purple slice on the SOS wheel per night
5) Activity one might do as a 6) “I’m going to go take a ___.” hobby, or while studying.
7) Local coffee shop icon
8) Prevention strategy Sources of Strength Key in right corner
graphic by Claire Craig
around you is to start those conversations first. “Show concern for anyone. It doesn’t have to be a friend. If you’re concerned about someone, check in on them,” Avila said.
Avila believes that help is always out there for mental health, and that there are people who care. “The first thing I would tell someone who is struggling with their mental health is that they’re not doing anything wrong. What’s happening to them right now is something that will pass by,” said Avila. While struggles with mental health can seem so consuming to someone struggling with it, it is possible to get help and overcome it. Hittenberger said, “It’s easy to just let life and your mental health pass by you, but to actually do something about it is a lot harder than people acknowledge. Always reach out to someone. You’re not alone.”
up discussions about mental health and to help those around you is to start those conversations first. “Show
Sleeping can be great, but with great power comes great responsibility. Nightmares are always a thing that we are vulnerable to, but decorating your bedside can help combat your fears. Things like a night light or a Baja Blast can help you recover from a terrible nightmare. “The other night I had this crazy dream of pulling up to Chick Fil-A and they started serving up sandwiches made of cats! It terrified me and caused me to stay up the rest of the night quivering in fear,” said McCondochie.
Missing the vital nutrition of sleep can harm a student heavily throughout the day, potentially causing them to skip a class, or even the whole day. Senior Will Kokkeler had suffered from a loss of his valuable nutrition before, “I missed a good amount of classes during junior year and it was hard because I missed a lot of important things during class time,” said Kokkeler. Will has now learned his lesson, “I try to get about eight hours of sleep a night, to be on my best behavior,” said Kokkeler.
While a good night’s rest can’t be replicated, many people try when they miss their night’s rest. Many students at Sheldon turn to energy drinks and caffeine to aid their drowsiness and brighten their day. Many throughout the day will be seen with Dutch Bros ‘Rebels’ and other things like Celcius, and Monster. The most popular kids can walk around the school with the famous Applebee’s ‘Rockin Poppin’ Sherley’s’. Avid supporters of the Rockin Poppin Sherley include senior Andrew Stoddard. “Whenever I pull up to Applebees, you know, I have to run up a famous Rockin Poppin Sherley, as long as my buddies don’t call me names,” said Stoddard.
Coffee or Chaos: Working the Coffee Cart
Although the coffee cart is often busy, they still have ways to keep it organized and clean. This includes open communication, along with sorting and counting items throughout the day. It can be hard to believe, but students run the coffee cart themselves. The Sheldon coffee cart is part of a class called Intro to Business based around helping students to grow communication, and future job skills. Sophomore Cooper Gill works in the coffee cart during his fifth period. “We run most of it. We only really ask for help if we don’t know what to do, but we run the whole thing and are in charge of making drinks, customer service, and food,” said Gill. Gill enjoys improving his customer service skills, and believes it helps him with communication skills regarding both students, and non-students. Gill’s favorite part of working in the coffee cart is making new connections, meeting new people, and bonding more with old friends. Sophomore Aya Monrean does not work in the coffee cart, but enjoys spending her time there. Monrean believes that the coffee cart is a very positive environment and she feels good about giving back to the Sheldon community. When it comes to being run by students, Monrean thinks that is very substantial for the growth in community and social skills for students. “I think that it’s good that the students run it because it
Sheldon’s Strongest
Catching up with friends on a weekend, putting hard work in at practice, taking a long shower, going for a walk. When life doesn’t give you lemons, where do you turn? Developing healthy habits to deal with the inevitable negatives of life in all values of the word, is important. At Sheldon, Sources of Strength is a community-based class, as well as an option for students to be in advisory with SOS trained staff. Nationally, Sources of Strength is a community-based suicide prevention program, currently adopted in 5+ states. The program is designed to prevent suicide by providing ‘upstream support’ before any serious intentions or plans are set in motion.
“Sources is upstream, right? We don’t focus as much on the crisis of suicide prevention, but more so focus on the prevention part of suicide prevention,” said sources advisor and English teacher Shiloh Jackson. This upstream model the class uses features different strategies like the wheel as a reminder of different support systems, helping students identify crisis situations or feelings, and actively teaching students how to advocate for themselves when addressing their mental health.
Since the class focuses on student-driven projects geared to the school specifically to address issues in the community,
taken on include Branching Out, Sheldon’s Bestest Friend, and advertising seasonal/monthly playlists that are available for anyone to add songs to. Contributing to the occasional beautification of the school, Sources additionally helps provide flair to the campus with chalk art and messages, Winner Wednesdays, where a random person in the school is chosen to receive a wonderful wacky gift, as well as hiding google-y eyes, ducks, golden rocks, and more.
“We usually gather a lot of artists, but this year we’ve been focusing more in on art,” Looper said.
Sheldon Baseball in Full Swing
Wyatt Michaels staff writer
As the spring season gets going, the Sheldon baseball team is ready for an exciting new year out on the diamond! The new year gives opportunities to newcomers on the team, and also upperclassmen who have been playing for multiple years. “I’m super excited for this season! I’ve been playing here for four years now so it’s something I take pride in,” said senior Evan Colling.
Baseball at Sheldon has been a powerhouse for countless years, and the team this year is ready to return to that standard. “The standard has really been set this year.
Having coaches who played for those really great teams inspire not only me, but the team to greater lengths,” said Colling.
All the kids on this year’s team look up to guys playing college and Major League Baseball! Senior Elliott Baldwin said, “I’m from Wisconsin so I’ve grown up a huge Brewers fan. I’m excited for this year because the Brewers have some young talent who can be really good.”
Going to Arizona was a tradition set by past coaches, and recently the trip has made a comeback. The Irish have been going the last couple years and this year they’re going down south yet again. “I’m super excited to go to Arizona this year. Not only is it a chance to play some really good teams and be competitive, but it’s also a good bonding trip to build up the team,” said Baldwin.
Every baseball player has a favorite position to play out on the field, and Sophomore Dakota Aaron is no different. “My favorite position to play is first
base because it’s always rewarding making a nice catch to end the inning or helping my teammates when they make a bad throw,” said Aaron.
Being able to play a couple different positions in baseball is a great way to get more time on the field, and these players are called utility players. “I’ve really enjoyed playing multiple positions this year. I recently started to pitch and it’s been going well. I also play a couple more positions, but I really like first base and pitching,” said Aaron.
As the season progresses, the Irish will continue to keep getting better and better and prove their place in Sheldon baseball history.
Sheldon Winter Guard wins NWAPA Championships
Photos by Molly Cantwell
Graphic by
Spirit For Days!!
Addison Spriestersbach staff writer
Sheldon High School has always been known for its vibrant school spirit, but this year’s spirit weeks have taken excitement to a whole new level. Students and staff have been buzzing with strong excitement as each themed week brings new opportunities for fun ways to come together as a community. “It makes people excited to come to school, and overall is just a fun time,” said freshman Elian Guttierrez.
Everyone be prepared to have an amazing time during “Class Color Wars.” Each grade is assigned a color and competes in various challenges, from tug-of-war to snowman fashion shows. The friendly competition encouraged a sense of unity and pride among students, ending in an amazing pep rally that had everyone on
their feet, cheering for their class. As spirit weeks continue, the excitement at Sheldon High School shows no signs of slowing down. Students eagerly await for the next themed days, ready to show off their school pride in so many creative ways. Even though spirit weeks may seem like a hit, there are definitely more ways Sheldon can get people involved. English teacher Shiloh Jackson said, “I think everyone should participate in spirit weeks. You could do what your lovely humanities teachers did and have a contest for who dresses up, and maybe if your class wins you could go to the coffee cart or win a fun prize.” Other ideas could include themed days for each grade level, a school-wide competition with prizes for the best dressed participants, and a spirit week photo contest showcasing the best
school spirit. By actively trying to involve students in the planning process, Sheldon can guarantee that spirit week remains a fun and memorable time for everyone. If helping create fun and unique spirit days sparks your interest you could also consider joining leadership which is a great way to be involved with school activities like spirit weeks, homecoming, and so much more!
“I think everyone should participate in spirit weeks.”
- Shiloh Jackson
As the spirit weeks come to an end, it’s always clear that Sheldon High School’s spirit week was an overall hit throughout the community. “I remember during the Christmas spirit week I saw one of my friends wearing a whole candy cane outfit, and it was super funny,” freshman Gavin Lees said. The students’ dedication to their class colors and their unique outfits made it a memorable event for everyone involved.
Ella Murry (So.) L and Bianca Brownlee (So.) R competing in the three legged race game at an assembly.
Kian Gramzow (So.) L and Makeda Kidanemariam (Jr.) R doing a dance from La La Land at an assembly to reveal the 2025 prom theme.
Sophomores competing in a class wars game for class points at an assembly.
photos by Summer Hime
The Legend of Frank
Micah White staff writer
Sheldon Tennis Official is known for producing some of the greatest tennis stars of all time. Djokovic, Alcaraz, Sinner, Fritz, and some of the other current tennis greats all agree on the same thing: that it takes a great coach to make a great player. And Sheldon Tennis Official certainly has a great coach. Frank Johnston, otherwise known as Frank, is a legend here at Sheldon, well known for his long list of coaching awards.
Junior Dylan Sharps, an athlete but not a member of the tennis team, said, “I still remember the day I first heard about the legend of Frank. I’d be lying if I didn’t say I was quite emotional the first time. Just the feelings that I had, I mean I couldn’t even go to sleep that night. And meeting him was like a whole new world. He was so kind, and it felt like he could read my mind; he knew how amazed I was to finally meet him.” Dylan Sharps was overwhelmed by emotion after saying this quote.
Senior Oliver Montagna, a member of the tennis team with high hopes for the season, said that Frank is the sole reason he stayed with Sheldon tennis. “If it weren’t for Frank… I don’t know where I’d be today. I’m not trying to sound like some sort of Debbie Downer, but I was pretty terrible at tennis. And Frank is like a walking encyclopedia when it comes to tennis. He made me the player I am today. I mean, I have a chance at going to
state this year!” said Monatgna.
Junior Lucas White, a member of the track team, has heard the legend of Frank from many different sources: “I mean the first time I met Frank, I wanted to give him a hug. I saw so much wisdom in his eyes. I mean I talked to him for about ten minutes, and instantly wanted to quit track and play tennis, but my ma said no. Life goes on I suppose.”
All in all, Frank is a great coach, and a better person. The legend of Frank affects tennis players and just regular people alike. Frank has a very positive impact on Sheldon Tennis, and that is truly beautiful.
Upperclassmen Advice for New Lacrosse Players
Ashton Cryns staff writer
Did you know Sheldon’s lacrosse season has started!? Although it isn’t the most popular sport at Sheldon, it is still an important sport to keep in mind. Both the men’s and women’s teams are substantial for the sports environment here at Sheldon.
Midfielder Brian Pentelei-Molnar is a senior, playing his final year of lacrosse here at Sheldon. He is very experienced in his fifth year playing the sport and is very hard working. He likes the challenge of clearing the ball even though it can be frustrating at times.“Some of my most memorable moments came from lacrosse like when I was a freshman, a junior scored a game-winning overtime goal against Marist after one of the toughest games for our team which started a massive celebration with my teammates,” said Pentelei-Molnar. After a win, Pentelei-Molnar celebrates with ice cream and quality time with friends and family.
Pentelei-Molnar has some advice for new players. “Catch, shoot, pass, cradle, and endurance. Also known as the fundamentals,” he said. His pre-game routine includes eating granola bars while relaxing during the JV game, followed by blasting music to get focused. He credits his improvement in the sport to the coaching staff and to coach Henry Els, who taught him proper shooting form, helping him improve his game. As Pentelei-Molnar wraps up his final season with the Irish, his passion and hard work will leave a lasting
impact on the Sheldon lacrosse team.
Junior Cassidy Aumack is in her third year of lacrosse playing midfield for the women’s lacrosse team. She enjoys scoring goals and is passionate about improving her game. “The feeling of scoring is definitely my favorite part of playing midfield,” Aumack said. Her most memorable moments on the field have been winning games with her teammates. Aumack also said that after a win she loves to celebrate with her teammates by going out to dinner, something she’ll always remember.
Aumack’s advice for new players is to “keep practicing; it gets easier.” Aumack believes that good stick skills and endurance are essential for any lacrosse player. “You have to work on your skills constantly and keep your endurance up,” Aumack said. She credits her success to working hard, something she learned early on. “Work hard, and success will come your way.” However, she noted the hardest part of lacrosse is being consistent. As Aumack continues to play a key role on the team, her hard work and positive attitude help her become an amazing player every day.
Sophomore Trey Duncan is very involved with sports, however he is not a part of the Sheldon lacrosse team. He did play lacrosse in eighth grade saying he had a lot of fun and wished he could play it again but is too busy with football.
by Ivy Marsden
Duncan said that lacrosse is definitely the hardest sport he has played: “The amount of running and footwork you have to do while thinking about cradling and shooting, which is already hard enough mixed with a person guarding you makes it extremely difficult.” Although Duncan has never been to a Sheldon lacrosse game, he looks forward to attending one in the future. Duncan has positive thoughts on attending either a Sheldon lacrosse game, or a University of Oregon lacrosse game in his future.
Coach Frank Johnston before practice.
photo by Chris Mitchell
graphic
graphic by Ivy Marsden
Can We Separate the Art from the Artist?
Ethan Cottle staff writer
In an age where the line between artists’ work and personal lives is increasingly blurred a question has arisen. Can we separate art from the artist? Social media and paparazzi have given us access to artists we haven’t had before. Artists have the opportunity to share everything in their lives to millions and millions of people. With this we get to see the good, the bad, and the ugly. The debate of whether an artist’s personal flaws should be taken into consideration when appreciating their work is more relevant than it has ever been.
Junior Lucas Hopkinson said, “My favorite artist would have to be R. Kelly. Artists saying something controversial doesn’t affect me because their opinion does not determine how I think.” Hopkinson also argued in favor of artists doubling down when being faced with criticism describing the artists as “real ones.” Hopkinson said there isn’t a line needed at all and we really should not worry about what the artist believes and people who argue in favor of cancel culture should reevaluate their choices.
Junior Matthew Schuck had a different perspective on the matter: “I think that artists have a moral obligation to create art that is good for society. As soon as an artist says something that I disagree with I delete all their songs from my library and kiss them goodbye.”
The Evolution of Music
Khaya Ainis-Michael page editor
Music has been around for centuries as a way for people to communicate and transcend language barriers. It’s even become a sort of language of its own. But, as most languages do, it has evolved and changed over time. Regardless of how much it changes, however, people will always love music. “I don’t think that we’re ever going to be in an era where we’re not going to have great music… people are [always] going to make and learn and be inspired to make great stuff,” said band director Julie Bounds.
With the increase in technology, opportunities are only growing for people to create music. It has only become easier for people to make their own music from home, and streaming services make releasing that music equally as simple.
Junior Diego Valdivia Camacho said that “if more people had access to creating music then there would be more great music to look at.” Nowadays, all someone really needs to launch a career is their laptop and a quiet place to record, hence the genre “bedroom pop.”
However, the use of streaming services has also changed a lot about music’s production. KRVM program director Debi Starr is able to see a very noticeable change, especially due to her position at the radio. “You get a lot more noise and less real content… We’re getting a lot more standalone songs, less albums, more EPs and singles, and just one-offs and people that maybe never
Schuck argues for cancel culture, saying it is impossible to separate the artist from the art because it would decontextualize the art and it is a fundamental reflection of the artist and their views. Schuck said he hated all artists who would spout these hateful ideas and said we should all look at the artists we are listening to and do our research on them.
Junior Luke Smith articulated a more nuanced take: “I think that there are good arguments from both sides. I believe people spend too much time online and if people would turn off their phones and better themselves, this world would be a much better place.” Smith thinks that there is no line where you should support an artist or stop supporting an artist. When separating the art for the artist, Smith said to choose for yourself and not let others influence your opinion.
With such a controversial and nuanced issue it is hard to come to a distinct answer, but it is important to understand every side of the debate so you can come to a conclusion for yourself.
Album covers from artists who have faced notable backlash for their actions.
even come back again,” said Starr. The idea that songs can blow up almost instantly has caused artists to push to release more music, and less to craft an album. This trend can also be seen in the lack of albums that have fluid transitions between songs, as most songs are made to be played alone anyways. The pressure to create a “viral moment” in a song has completely changed how songs are being formed.
Even if not to the extent that it is now, short songs and EPs have been around for a while. In order for something to become a trend, it needs to be done by someone. If someone makes an EP and it blows up, more people will make EPs. If someone makes a two minute song that gets number one on the charts, more people will shorten their song lengths. “I think that past artists and albums are always influencing people’s music today, and I think an artist’s music one year can influence an artist - or multiple artists - the next year,” said Valdivia Camacho. This influence often leads to a comparison between the original and the new.
The original is usually named the better because it came first. It laid the groundwork for everything that came after. But sometimes, like with Jeff Buckley’s
cover of “Hallelujah,” people are so blown away that they forget all about who originally made the song (it’s Leonard Cohen). “People love the music of their decade. They love their songs. And then there’s always this thing in American culture especially where it’s like ‘We don’t like the old stuff!’ but then we find out maybe the old stuff’s pretty good,” said Bounds. There’s always been a disagreement over which generation has the better music, when really, the question shouldn’t be “when was it better?” but more, “how has it changed?”
This comparison is important because, as Starr said, “It gives you a reason to explore what [other generations] think was great and why.” It gives one something to relate with their parents or grandparents about. You can bond with a greater number of people if you all speak the same language: that language being music.
collage by Khaya Ainis-Michael
graphics by Khaya Ainis-Michael
Run by students, for students.
Frontpage editor.................................Chole Battin
Unified/T.E.N. pg.2 editor..................Summer Hime
Multimedia pg.3 editor........................Jessica Fitch
Way Down Hadestown pg.4 editor........Chloe Battin
Workin’ Hard pg.5 editor.....................Ivy Marsden
Staff Writers:
Andrew Brown
Bianca Brownlee
Ethan Cottle
Ashton Cryns
Wyatt Michaels
Channy No
Bo Solomon
Addison Spriestersbach
Ronan Sterling
Micah White
Rest and Recuperation pg.6-7 editor.......Claire Craig Sports I pg.8 editor................................Summer Hime
Bleed Green pg.9 editor..................Khaya Ainis-Micheal
Sports II pg.10 editor..............................Ivy Marsden
Music pg.11 editor...........................Khaya Ainis-Michael
Claire Craig
Jessica Fitch
Khaya Ainis-Michael
Chloe Battin
Summer Hime