Volume 48 Issue 6 - April 11, 2013

Longboarding: a popular form of transportation

Relive the World Language’s trip through France and Spain

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the Talisman

Sheldon High School 2455 willakenzie Rd., Eugene, Or 97401 vol. 48 Issue 6 April 11, 2013

Mr. Irish winner is crowned: Sam! Sam Seno writes about his Mr. Irish Pageant experience in a celebratory fashion Sam Seno contributing writer Three years ago, I sat in the Sheldon auditorium and watched the 2010 Mr. Irish pageant. This was the first Mr. Irish Pageant that I ever went to. Ever since that night I have admired the Mr. Irish pageant in all that it benefits and what it stands for. I was super excited when I got a chance to be a part of the pageant in 2013.

I had very high expectations heading into the pageant about what the experience was going to be like. After three months of raising money and hanging out with the other contestants, I can honestly say that the Mr. Irish experience was far better than anything I ever could have imagined.

The opportunity to build stronger relationships with friends while raising money for a good cause made the Mr. Irish pageant one of the greatest times of my life. Mr. Irish coordinator Hope Zima said, “Every second was worth it, and I’m grateful to have been a part of such a meaningful contribution.”

It was so much fun getting to know all of the

contestants and the coordinators with their outgoing personalities. Of the many humorous instances during the months leading up to the pageant, one of the most memorable was when Mr. Irish contestant Colton Clark actually serenaded random customers at Chapalas Mexican restaurant with his one-of-a-kind voice. Because of the positive mental attitude and sense of purpose within the Mr. Irish team, even things like corner begging in the rain became enjoyable. Zima later added, “I love every single one of those boys with my whole heart, and I’m so proud of them!”

But having fun and hanging out with friends is only half of the experience. It was important for us not to forget why we were raising the money.

Our trip to the NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit) was an eye-opening moment that reminded us all of the reason for which we were participating in the pageant. Senior Taylor Allie said, “I knew what Mr. Irish was for and what the fundraising money went to, but after seeing it firsthand it really sunk in that we were making an impact in these families’ lives. And that was a great feeling.” We got to walk through the NICU and see the little babies that were receiving care. We also got the chance to see the equipment that the money raised by past Mr. Irish pageants had been used to buy.

I am grateful because the Mr. Irish pageant

was truly a blessing in my life and I would not trade the experience for anything. I got to meet a bunch of new people and really felt like I was making a difference in the community. Being a part of Mr. Irish was very time consuming, but after walking through the NICU, it was clear to me that every moment was time well spent.

Robin Seno photo

Brandon Hawks (L), Tony Tokatly, Sam Seno, Dylan Lewis, Ivan Faulhaber, and Sam Hobbs celebrate the crowning of Mr. Irish.

4j reworks health system to cut spending The Health Center may be removed from Sheldon next year as 4j may implement new district health system Jarred Rogers co-features editor It is a well-known fact that 4J has suffered many financial setbacks in recent years, resulting in cut classes and several job lay-offs. Recently, however, new laws concerning inschool health clinics have been instated, and as a direct result various health clinics may be shut down by the end of the year. In their place, it has been planned to hire new nurses to care for students. There are massive drawbacks to this plan, and not just in terms of job loss. Without

functional health clinics, students will be unable to receive various services, which may cause long term problems.

In-school health clinics are used for a variety of reasons, ranging from performing vaccinations, providing psychological help, and giving students check-ups.

Although having new school nurses will be helpful for basic problems, without a proper health center, schools will be unable to provide any advanced care or treatment. Junior Trisdon Zepeda said, “I guess I can kind of understand wanting to save money, although personally I think it would be more important to have better care for our students.”

Although the additional nurses may provide some support, students seeking psychological help will find themselves out of luck. Without proper health clinics, schools will be unable to provide mental health help to any students who may be seeking it. Although cutting the health clinic will save money, this may make it so that students who can’t

find or afford psychological help elsewhere. As a result, this may cause problems with students farther down the line.

The district has stated that by cutting funding for these programs, money can be spent elsewhere. The idea for this change originated when a new bill was introduced, effectively increasing the upkeep of having an effective health clinic. New nurses will also be hired in the hopes of making things more convenient. It is true that the school has had to make several budget cuts, however much money may be saved by taking these measures.

Although the benefits of the decision are still in question, it has been estimated the new changes will take place by the end of the year. It is unsure when the new nurses will be hired, or how they will manage to effectively treat students at the multiple schools in the district. Either way, the school should have a larger budget; although in the end, the pros may not be able to outweigh the cons.

Hundreds gather to Run for the Shamrock The Run for the Shamrock serves as a great community event to raise funds for Sheldon Track and Field Ray Lavariega staff writer Founded in 1977, the Run for the Shamrock has been a trademark and tradition of Sheldon High School. The Run for the Shamrock is a 5K walk or run and a 10K run established to benefit Sheldon Track and Field.

The race begins every year at Alton Baker Park; the 10K and 5K courses are flat, fast, and scenic. Placed on the Willamette River bike path, the race starts and finishes near the shelters at Alton Baker Park.

This year was the 36th annual Run for the Shamrock.

There was a good turnout of runners, but there could have been more. There seems to be concern by the track and field team each year to get enough participants. Most Track and Field athletes can agree on the fact that it is hard

to get someone to walk/run a 5K and even harder to run a 10K. Since most people cannot be lured so easily they tend to prove that the race is fun, can be done with others, and that it’s safe as well as friendly. Therefore, it’s important to support and ask about this awesome event. Sheldon High School’s Track and Field program encourages all types of runners, benefactors, and people to come to this event.

The event itself is tremendously fun; although it has a 25 dollar fee, it is well worth it. There are prizes given to the top competitors of every age division. This year, at a time of seventeen minutes and seven seconds, Rick Nielsen came out on top at the race. Meanwhile, Eric Jeffers and our very own Maggie Schmaedick arrived in second and third place with great times under eighteen minutes.

Tucker Darland, the youngest competitor this year, ran an incredible time of an hour, which is truly amazing due to the fact that he is only six years old. Tucker would agree that this race is really tons of fun for he has done it for the past two years. Although Tucker had never run a 10K before, this year he did it accidently by getting lost during the 5K and by following the 10K bikers who led the race. He seemed to have proven himself as an athlete. “My legs hurt so much when I got home, but the race was fun,” Darland

proclaimed. Having indeed worried his parents, he seemed to have surprised everyone else as he came in through the finish line, sprinting to set his time. “An outstanding young competitor, that Tucker,” stated senior Kyle Radley.

But the most impressive thing of his whole race was that he was able to set a time about ten minutes faster than his older brother’s first 10K. It is appropriate to say that young Darland will have a great future if he keeps this up.

“The Run for the Shamrock is the second oldest race event in Eugene, with the Butte to Butte being the first,” head coach of track and field Erin Regali asserted. “I like the Run for the Shamrock’s long standing tradition.” The Run for the Shamrock was started by the Sheldon Plaza owners and has been run by the Sheldon track and field team for the past 25 years, ever since the football program split from it.

“It ties in with St. Patrick’s Day for the Sheldon Irish and I must say that that is my one favorite thing about the run,” coach Roger Herbert stated. “The best part of the event is watching the team aspect and its unity on working towards improving our track,” jumps coach Bruce Goodnough said. Although in some years the race may be harsh, with the cool spring weather and all, the best part is the good time that everyone is sure to have when they attend.

2 April 11, 2013

News

the Talisman

Sheldon Key Club supports Project Educate Key Clubbers are excited as they fundraise to send books to Jamaica through Project Educate

education, which is why Project Educate is so important.”

She also added, “I want people to know that although Project Educate will be coming to an end after the Key Club year, it is still important to raise awareness that people in impoverished nations still deserve the right to education.”

For the 250,000 members of Key Club International, Project Educate means more than just a stationary goal

Ayla Bussel copy editor

“Jamaica is known for its blue Caribbean beaches, rich blue mountain coffee, Bob Marley, the fastest man in the world – Usain Bolt, and its food, but people often fail to recognize the hardships and troubles the people face in this ‘paradise’.” This harsh, but true, quote comes from the Project Educate website.

Project Educate is an organization devoted to providing library equipment to Jamaican schools, rebuilding the Wakefield Primary School’s library, and funding the tuition of two students for the 2013-2014 school year.

Jessica Lee, the Pacific Northwest Division 26 Lieutenant Governor of Key Club International had some very intriguing things to say about the organization. When asked why the Key Club decided to donate to Project Educate, Lee said, “I believe that everyone has the right to

Micah Tamasaka illustration

of $30,000. It’s about supplying the necessary tools of education to this nation in need. “Some of the fundraisers include bake sales, Miracle Minutes, car washes, and ice skating socials.” Lee concluded, “I am definitely excited to see this project grow! Inspiring other members to raise money to help charities is one of my favorite parts of being a Lieutenant Governor of Key Club International.”

Mike Takahashi, the Sheldon Key Club advisor, wants people to know, “All the Key Clubs in the Pacific Northwest District are coming together to work for the same goal of improving the quality of education in Jamaica one school at a time.” The Key Clubs of the Pacific Northwest District are going to be working extremely hard to attain their goal for Project Educate. When asked why it’s so necessary to get this library equipment to the schools of Jamaica, Takahashi replied, “We are sending books in collaboration with Skipping Stone Magazine to two of the libraries there.

They are much scarce in books, so it is most welcomed by the schools. Skipping Stone Magazine will donate children’s books and our Key Club will ship the books there with funds generated from the fundraising activities.”

Takahashi concluded that literacy is so important in today’s society because “knowing how to read and write is the most important skill you can have in obtaining knowledge and being able to communicate your thoughts and ideas.”

Recently, another Sheldon Key Club advisor, Raymond Albano, took five Sheldon Key Clubbers up to Seattle for their annual PNW District Key Club Convention.

Albano stated, “It was amazing. There were 1,600 Key Club members there from as far north as Alaska and British Columbia, Canada down to Northern California, and points in between. As you can imagine, the energy and enthusiasm was off the charts!” It sounds like a real success. The Sheldon Key Club is excited about their fundraisers, and being able to donate to Project Educate.

East Asia: new leaders face domestic and international challenges With a major political transition, East Asia enters its next phase in history Noah Jang news editor

East Asia went through a major political transition this past winter. Japan’s conservative party, called the Liberal Democratic Party, regained power over the National Diet through the general election on December 16, 2012, with Shinzo Abe becoming prime minister once again. South Korea’s Park Geun-hye was elected president in the presidential election on December 19, 2012. She became the first female president of South Korea. Xi Jinping succeeded Hu Jintao as China’s next president, assuming office on March 14, 2013.

Last December, the Liberal Democratic Party won by a landslide in the Japanese general election. Japan has been going through a serious economic recession, and Shinzo Abe, together with a coalition party, now has control of 325 seats of 480 in the lower house of the Diet. Abe now

has a chance to exercise leadership and end the political gridlock that has interfered with economic development for years. Abe has promised to force the Bank of Japan to set an inflation target of 2% to attack deflation. Unlike the Democratic Party, he takes a strong stance against China in dealing with the Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands in the East China Sea. He also faces the challenge of improving Japan’s relations with China. Last year, he angered the Chinese by visiting the Yasukuni Shrine in which people honor dead soldiers. An important public sentiment that prompted a return to conservatism in this election was the fear of Chinese aggression. However, a firm stance against the Chinese is likely to prompt further Chinese aggression.

South Korea’s new president faces challenges. North Korea’s nuclear program has been one of the many problems South Korean administrations have faced. Park is no exception. Like her predecessor Lee, she wants to secure South Korea’s safety, and at the same time build bridges with North Korea under appropriate conditions. In response to more sanctions imposed by the UN Security Council in March, Kim Jung-eun sought to increase tensions in the Korean peninsula by visiting an island in the Yellow Sea just north of the Northern Limit Line. Park also faces the Liancourt Rocks dispute. Last year, President Lee antagonized the Japanese by visiting the rocks located in the Sea of Japan and reaffirming it part of the Korean territory.

Park faces the challenge of improving the Japan-South Korea relationship and maintaining security in the region.

In China, Xi Jin-ping was formally named president of China at the 12th National People’s Congress. Xi succeeded Hu Jintao who led the nation in the past decade.

Li Keqiang became the premier, replacing Wen Jiabao.

According to CNN, there are three major problems that the new leaders of the Communist Party face: the wealth gap between the rich and the poor is increasing; because of the cultural bias towards male children, the difference between male and female population has increased over the years; and major provinces are facing high risks of water shortage. Pollution is also a major problem. Overcoming the disgrace brought by now-suspended Party chief of Chongqing, Bo Xilai, is another challenge.

Tensions among the countries are rising in the prickly region with increasing threats from North Korea and island disputes, and the new leaders face the challenges to continue a peaceful coexistence, economic cooperation, and cultural exchange. The U.S. now faces a new leadership in the G2 counterpart, increasing North Korean threats led by a young dictator, and new leaders in the JASA (Japan-America Security Alliance) and KASA (Korea-America Security Alliance) counterparts. It will be interesting to see how the U.S. government and the American public deal with the new political atmosphere in region in the weeks to come.

Kenyan citizens withold from patterns of violence in a recent election A peaceful, democratic election gives Mr. Kenyatta a chance to lead Kenya into a new age Jackson Darland editor-in-chief

On March 4, Kenya began its first democratic election since the 2007 election when there was a massive outbreak of violence across tribal lines following the results. Under a new national constitution, votes went in to elect a president, members of parliament, senators, and members of newly-formed county assemblies. The two presidential candidates were Uhuru Kenyatta and Raila Odinga, who has been the prime minister of Kenya.

100,000 police officers were deployed to help keep the peace as Kenyans turned out in the millions despite fears of violence. According to The Telegraph, “Lines of people hundreds of feet long formed in the dark before the ballot’s official start at 6:00am.” This amazing 83% turnout was a display of faith by the Kenyan people as well as a symbol of hope for a more peaceful and cohesive nation. In

2007, the election sparked six weeks of violence. 12,000 The ICC believes that Kenyatta was involved in people were killed, and over 600,000 were displaced. In organizing some of the violence that followed the loss contrast, at the end of this year’s election on March 8, by his party’s candidate in the 2007 election, though the death count was a total of sixteen due to a small raid it is uncertain whether or not the ICC is correct in this that occurred the day before the polls officially opened. accusation. Despite the imperfection of the situation in To avoid accusations of vote rigging, Kenya attempted Kenya, it cannot be denied that the presidential election, to use a high tech electronic system; however, the system “is a big step as Kenya is becoming self sufficient failed, forcing the vote to be taken manually, which has without western influence,” stated senior Aubrey Brown. prompted quite a bit of concern.

Kenyatta won the election with 50.03% of the nationwide votes, barely breaking the 50.00% barrier We Have the Latest Fashions in Eyewear required in order to hold a victory in *Versace *Juicy Couture *Christian Dior *Dolce & Gabbathe first round of the election. With manual data collection during the na *Giorgio Armani *BCBG *Vera Wang *Candies *Prada *DKNY *Coach *Nine West *Ray Ban *Kate Spade week of the election, there was most certainly human error involved— We bill most insurances including Regence Blue Cross Blue enough error that it puts into question the validity of Kenyatta’s first Shield, Pacific Source, VSP, Eyemed, Providence, North West round victory. Odinga and his party Benefits, ODS, OEA Choice, and many more. actually called for a complete re- Dr. Steve Jung, Optometrist vote, if not for their own sake, then 207 Coburg Road, Suite 105 for the sake of a just democracy.

Complicating matters even more Eugene, OR 97401 is the fact that Kenyatta is wanted Ph:541-388-4844 M-Fri 9-6 Sat 9-3 by the ICC (International Criminal Located next to TJ Maxx Court) for crimes against humanity.

Eugene Eyewear

Entertainment

the Talisman

Scary Movie 5 hits theaters The popular comedy franchise continues to grow Sammie Tracewell staff writer

April 11, 2013

3

Smart phones: revolutionizing entertainment New technology changes the way we live and how we stay entertained

Tomorrow, the not-so-scary Scary Movie 5 will be released in theaters nationwide. This time the movie is making fun of the Paranormal Activity series.

Charlie Sheen, Lindsay Lohan, Ashley Tisdale, and Mike Tyson are just a few of the actors/actresses starring in the film. Scary Movie 4 was released in 2006, so for many this has been a long seven years of anticipation. If no huge plans are in place for the weekend, this movie may be the one to catch tomorrow.

Since the Scary Movies are spoofs of actual scary movies, they’re more funny than dramatic. When asked his opinion of the previous Scary Movies, sophomore Jackson Howery said, “I thought they were kind of unrealistic and kind of gruesome.” Howery also commented that he thinks Charlie Sheen will be the funniest actor in the movie because, “he has the right personality.” This movie will be the one to see as it stars a range of commonly known actors and actresses.

As there are many movies in the Scary Movie franchise, it has gained popularity amongst teenagers. When asked why he thought there were so many of the movies, senior Tyler Lea replied, “When someone makes something good, they have to make a whole bunch of them.” Lea would describe the Scary Movies to someone who has never heard of them before as, “All of the horror movies you’ve heard of put into a two hour segment that’s supposed to make you laugh.” Also, “The first one is my favorite, because it’s the most original.” Lea noted that he will most likely be going to see Scary Movie 5.

Sophomore Shelby Newcomb said that she might go see this movie, only because Ashley Tisdale is in it. When asked what she likes most about the movies, Newcomb replied, “I like how they’re not actually scary, but how they’re funny.” Also, Newcomb noted that she plans on seeing Scary Movie 5 in theaters, rather than waiting until it comes out in Redbox. Newcomb was asked whether or not she would star in the film if she got the chance to, and she replied, “I would star in it because it would be fun to film.”

Newcomb also commented that she thinks the movie will receive two out of four stars.

Many people nationwide will be lined up tomorrow at their local theaters for the premiere of Scary Movie 5. The stars of this movie are very well known, as they have played a role in several other comedies, too. The last movie, Scary Movie 4, was released in 2006, so this explains why many are excited to see this one.

The Scary Movies are perfect for those who don’t particularly enjoy watching horror films, but would enjoy experiencing them in a funnier form. Depending on how well this movie does, Scary Movie 6 may be right around the corner.

Morgan Challburg staff writer How do smart phones affect our lives? Since smart phones came out, entertainment has changed. A seemingly infinite number of movies, T.V. shows, games, and online publications are available in the palm of one’s hand. How many people are on smart phones each day? Sophomore Daylyn Gould stated, “I use my phone all day every day. I use it before and after school, and during passing time and lunch. I am most likely on it, texting or on Facebook and Instagram.” More than 70-million people in the U.S. use smart phone apps on a daily basis. 23% of teenagers claim to watch less TV and 15% admit they read fewer books as a result of their smart phone use.

Sophomore Jasmine Jordan said, “I use my phone mostly for social networking (Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest). I am addicted, and it’s better than texting.”

Sophomore Makayla Turner said, “I use my phone mainly for texting people.”

Do you still have family game nights? Now that most families have smart phones, they spend their “family time” playing individual games on their phones. Jordan also stated, “Having smart phones is definitely a distraction to families, and not good for them.”

That’s not how families should be spending time together. Gould later added, “I think people don’t talk face to face as much as they would without smart phones. But if you have a family member that lives out of town/state, texting and calling is an easy way that you can contact them without having to make trips all the time.” Are parents not doing a good job of parenting because of the use of smart phones? Some parents pay more attention to their phone than their kids. Instead of coloring books or toys, now that we have better technology, parents are using their phones for entertaining their kids.

Instead of watching TV, people download apps to their phones and watch TV off of their phones. Are smart phones necessary to have? Why? Turner also added, “Smart phones are kind of necessary, but they shouldn’t be. But we depend on technology more nowadays.”

Bieber-bashing Black Keys win big and make a splash at the 2013 Grammys The Black Keys take home three Grammys -- and a new rival Emily Pierpoint staff writer The Black Keys are the epitome of chill, maintaining a cool, laid-back attitude about everything from their Grammy wins to drummer Patrick Carney’s “Twitter war” with Justin Bieber. A lot of people may not know the band by name, but a few of their songs are becoming commonly recognized, making appearances in commercials and movie trailers. The Black Keys’ classic, heavy sound combining garage rock, indie, and blues has made them one of the defining bands of the alt-rock genre since the early 2000’s.

Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney became The Black Keys in 2001, being friends since their high school days in Ohio. The band has been busy from the start, putting out seven studio albums since then. A fan base was formed early on, and TIME magazine named the album Thickfreakness the third best album of 2003 – not bad for a band’s second album. Although the critics and cult-fan base were appreciative of The Black Keys’ early music, the general public wasn’t. Auerbach and Carney were losing money. The band had previously been making music through indie labels, but they were forced to start licensing songs to commercials, TV shows, and movies. This turned out to be a good move, though – soon after, the band’s popularity had a steady boost after they played festivals such as Coachella and released a Danger Mouse produced album, Attack & Release.

Ever since the success of Attack & Release in 2008,

The Black Keys have kept their spark – specifically with their two latest albums Brothers and El Camino.

Sophomore Matthew Holmes is proud of their success. Holmes said, “They got popular just recently but they’ve been around for a while. It’s nice to see their hard work pay off.” Some of the band’s recent hype could be a result of their music appearing in commercials seen by millions. A couple of songs from Brothers were showcased in commercials, and the album later won “Best Alternative Music Album” at the Grammy’s in 2011. The single “Lonely Boy” from 2013’s El Camino won Grammy awards for “Best Rock Song” and “Best Rock Performance” after gaining exposure from being in multiple commercials and shows. Perhaps the song’s lively, upbeat tune makes it the perfect commercial song; sophomore Jacob Bryant said the song makes him want to “jump up and dance like it’s 1970.”

Not only does the band have great music: Patrick Carney also has quite a sense of humor. At the 2013 Grammy Awards, an interviewer asked Carney what he thought about Justin Bieber not being at the awards. Carney said, “He’s rich, right?

Grammys are for music, not for money, and he’s making a lot of money.

I don’t know. He should be happy.” Apparently, Bieber was offended by this; he later tweeted, “The Black Keys drummer

should be slapped around haha.” Bieber fans took this seriously, sending thousands of tweets to Patrick Carney with less-than-effective teen insults. Carney replied to many of the tweets with witty, sarcastic comments for a few days, and eventually changed his profile picture to one of Justin and tweeted “To all my peoples U make my life so full of swag. I swag out all day just thinking about all the swag u guys inspire me to swag with.” While Bieber fans were offended by Carney’s jokes, they were a great source of amusement for fans of The Black Keys.

Whether you’re a long-time fan or just recently became aware of the band, there’s no denying that The Black Keys have been consistently releasing solid music for a long time now. If you’ve heard one of their new songs on a commercial or movie and you like it, listen to some of their older stuff. Who knows – maybe you’ll become another fan, waiting for more of the good music that’s sure to come.

F Europe’s horse meat scandal With new information that has come to light, people are less willing to trust their food

E A T

Jarod Bays co-features editor How well do you trust the food you eat? Across the world, people are having less cause to trust theirs, as many products that are labeled as 100% beef have been revealed to have a great deal of horse meat mixed in. Various products from Ikea Swedish meatballs to Burger King patties have been affected, though so far the epidemic has yet to influence the United States directly. The amount of horse in these products has varied greatly, ranging anywhere from 1% to 100% horse.

In the United Kingdom, eating horse is generally taboo, and as a result of the new data, vegetarianism rates have been steadily increasing. When asked about whether she would eat horse if given the chance, sophomore Sarah Cobb said, “If it was a life or death situation I might manage it, but otherwise I wouldn’t even consider it. Horses are pets in this country, and I couldn’t imagine eating anything we love or consider part of the family.”

The city of tomorrow: here today?

The best technology isn’t necessarily the oldest

U R E S

Junior Laura Murphy said, “I think there is a good chance that this has already affected the United States, even if we don’t realize it.

With the sheer amount of burgers being shipped around the fast food market, it would be very easy for something to ‘slip’ in.” Sophomore Spencer Steinbach agrees, saying, “If they can put pink meat slime in our food they could probably get away with putting in horse meat.”

Steinbach later continued, “I don’t have any ethical problems with eating horse; I mean it’s just meat. Besides, if you have a dead horse lying around there isn’t much you can do with it. This problem is more a matter of fraud, as people should really know what’s in their food.”

This problem doesn’t just affect the consumers, however. The companies that have been selling contaminated products are being damaged by this as well, whether they meant to have horse meat in their food or not. Cobb later added, “If I was a customer of one of the offending companies, I would boycott any and all products that they sell, at least until something changed.” Trust that has once been broken isn’t easily won back, so if these companies want to get their loyal customers to return, they are going to have to drastically change their business practices.

Micah Tamasaka backpage editor The city of the future has many faces, and many people have tried to picture what this would look like, what type of technology it would use, and what the power sources would be. But in recent years the city of Abu Dhabi, the capitol of the United Arab Emirates has taken it upon itself to create a zero carbon emission city that it hopes will model a sustainable future. This is Masdar. It uses the best technology for the job, but not necessarily the latest. It is using technology that has been known to work in the past and giving it new life. In doing so, it is steering away from the fossil fuel guzzling city that is so pertinent throughout the world.

Masdar has one of the biggest solar energy plants in the East. With its massive array of solar panels that stretch out in a long strip, and the solar panels that cover roofs, the city generates 130 megawatts of clean energy. In addition to these solar panels, Masdar has employed one of the biggest hydrogen power plants. This hydrogen power plant is powered by an experimental project called ‘The Beam Down Project.’ This project utilizes the sun’s rays and bounces them up into a big dish which focuses the rays into a single beam of light which heats, and boils the water which then turns huge steam turbines.

Senior Mark Phillips said, “I think the most efficient energy would be heat.

Following that would be water and wind energy. Solar panels capture the heat

from the sun and transfer it into workable energy. Heat energy can also be kept efficiently with less loss.” Masdar is also using geothermal energy and has also set up wind farms outside of the city. There is so much energy being produced that there is an excess, which is being transferred into the Abu Dhabi grid.

Masdar has been built from the ground up, and in doing so it has made a highway under the city. When someone first drives into Masdar, they will park their car and enter into the electronic car holding area. Pushing a button will open a door that houses the car; this holding area is also the charger. It has a very 007 feel to it. The car will then ask for a destination and you can tell it where you want the car to go. After it receives a destination, it will start up and drive to the desired area. The whole car is controlled by GPS and satellite. Each destination has its own set speed and braking time so that it will reduce traffic. Since the cars are underground it allows the above-ground streets to have a more scenic feel.

The streets of Masdar are ten degrees cooler than Abu Dhabi due to the closely packed buildings shading the streets. They have also abandoned the skyscrapers for low-rise buildings. Each building uses about two to three megawatts; with the solar panels on top of each building, they only require one to two megawatts. In the market square of the city they have put a giant cylindrical tower that, during a less windy day, will take the heat and which will travel up the pipe and out of the top. When it’s a windy day it will capture the wind and send it down the pipe.

With many countries trying to find feasible energy sources to power their cities, Masdar seems to be a demo of what may come. The city is set to be fully operational by about 2025 with a total population of 40,000 to 50,000 people.

Students share stories about their favorite teachers

Popular teachers receive recognition from their students Valentina Carrillo staff writer

Every student has his or her favorite teacher, and every teacher has something special that makes him or her unique from the others. Personalities, funny stories, or just encouraging students with the way that they teach are all the qualities of a great teacher. That’s part of why the students choose them as their favorites.

Some of these teachers are Mr. Osterlund, Ms. Land, and Ms. McChesney-Henry.

There are some teachers who have lots of funny stories that students always remember. Like Mr. Osterlund, a history teacher from IHS, who is always remembered as a funny teacher because of his way of teaching and how he relates with his students. Students say that he is a very special teacher due to the way he demonstrates that he knows what he is teaching, and he does it in a different way, encouraging every student in his class with his personality. One of the stories that students have mentioned is that in class he suddenly stood up on a desk and started waving around a yard stick to demonstrate something about the civil war, accidentally hitting a light with the ruler. Students say that something they will never forget is his hilarious face in that moment. He also uses different tones of voice and funny faces!

Another teacher is Ms. Land, a literature teacher from IHS. Students say that

she’s a really good and nice teacher. She always has a big smile on her face, showing that she enjoys her work and her students. Students also say that she’s teaching them how to become better writers, which is very important for their future. One of the things she does that students remember most is ringing a little bell to get her students to quiet down. Every time that she clinks it she says, “I love this sound!” and she keeps on doing it even after the students are quiet. Staring at the tiny bell she starts to smile, conveying her happiness to the students.

Ms. McChesney-Henry is a physical education teacher, and she also does yoga classes at Sheldon. Some students from her yoga class say that she is a great teacher because she teaches everything about every pose in yoga, including their critical elements. She also teaches a special way for breathing, and reminds students that they have to have a smile on their faces. And at the end of every class, she makes everyone say, “I’m happy. I’m healthy. And I feel terrific. Namaste,” like a way of saying thank you and goodbye. Ms. McChesney puts on relaxing music and starts making some steps that students have to follow. There are random steps, some of them are very funny and that’s how every student starts to dance and enjoy that unique atmosphere of happiness.

These are not the only teachers that have funny stories, and of course they are not the only favorite ones at Sheldon. They remind students that teachers are an essential part of school, and that each of them has something special to share with each student.

SHELDON LIBRARY GETS A FABULOUS FACELIFT The library is in for some extreme changes next year, for better or for worse Daviana Smith staff writer

With all the budget cuts and the new schedule for next year, students at Sheldon haven’t heard good news in far too long. Ms. Kunz, the new librarian, says she has big plans for the library that include some additions to the webpage and for the media center itself. Kunz is asking for any students with ideas for how the library could be improved to come forward as soon as possible.

On the topic of library changes, Kunz stated, “I want the library to be the most effective place it can be and want it to serve the students and teachers as best it can.” She wants students to be integrated into this library over their high school careers so that by the time they graduate, they can know their way around any other media center. One of the changes she hopes to make, besides physically moving some things around, is to get student input for reviews on the books themselves. She also wants the library to be used much more by classes. The changes would be very gradual since she’s only part-time, she said, and she would have to work with each of the teachers in Sheldon to benefit their distinctive courses.

When asked if a change in the library is a priority, senior Kayla Donalson said, “If it helps more people study more and read, then yeah.” She later added that the media center could make quick use of more tables, but, other than that, she is satisfied with the library as it is. Donalson also said that she had used the library page on Sheldon’s website and found it useful. Junior Madeline Zerr is also quite satisfied with how the library and its page are now. When asked if she has any ideas for improvements, she offers, “I don’t think there are any. I mean, it’s fine how it is.”

She also recalled when the library changed last time: she hadn’t been pleased. She is happy with the current status of the website, and has found it beneficial for help with her school projects and for finding sources.

It seems students are quite satisfied as far as the media center goes besides a few tiny adjustments and personal preferences; there’s nothing they think needs immediate attention. Upon seeing this, Kunz stated, “Well, that’s great news! And I bet they’ll like it even more with some comfy chairs and some materials that are easier to find and that open up new possibilities and opportunities. Mostly, I really want students to know that their input and engagement is a valuable component to making the library a vibrant learning commons, which is ultimately my goal.”

Team leaders Asay and Davies Star athletes lead their teammates to victory Grant Schmaedick staff writer

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Last December, the Sheldon varsity football team went on an incredible run through the playoffs to win their fourth state championship in ten years.

Central to their success was their offensive line, led by their starting five, including senior Henry Asay and junior Tanner Davies. Five months later, the two of them are constantly competing to make it to districts in track and field, as well as their ultimate goal, the state championship. The contrast between the two sports is notable; however, friends and teammates Asay and Davies are in the process of adapting to the differences between the two sports.

According to senior quarterback Taylor Alie, “Having leaders on the offensive line like Henry and Tanner was essential to our success. They knew it was about the team, and that we were all a part of something bigger than ourselves.” Track and field is often considered an individual sport; however, success in the team competition is just as important as individual success to many of the athletes, which is where the leadership provided by

Asay and Davies becomes important. Junior Taylor Tharp is another critical part of the throwing team, looking to lead the javelin throwers this year as well as have an immediate impact upon his return to the football field next fall. Another aspect that will help the throwing group be successful this year is the relationship that the most competitive throwers have built up with their coaches, Les Phillipo and Cody Skinner, who also coach football. Phillipo, who is the head throwing coach as well as the offensive and defensive line coach of the football team said, “It’s definitely an advantage to have football players that also throw because football players here at Sheldon know how to win and how to perform when the lights are shining the brightest.”

Tharp, who threw 165’ 5” last season at the Oregon Relays, describes his leadership role as “important” and he enjoys “helping younger kids learn what I’ve already learned.” He later added, “Seeing improvement in an entire group is really cool.” When asked about his relationship with the other leaders, Asay and Davies, he replied, “That’s a tough question. I know it’s important because in track and field everyone is right there to see how you act, as opposed to football where you can hide behind your facemask.”

Their combined leadership will help guide the next generation of throwers and football players so that they can also find success in both sports.

Sheldon students go on a trip to France and Spain!

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Sheldon students share their spring break experiences Cayla Walker staff writer Spring break is a time for having fun with family and friends. Arguably, the best part about it is that there is no school! Sometimes people decide to stay home and relax, while others decide to go venturing out in the world.

It’s a time to make memories with people you know or people you don’t know. Sheldon students looked forward to no homework and enjoying the great outdoors during one of the most anticipated weeks of the year.

Over spring break a group of students and a few teachers from Sheldon traveled to France and Spain from March 20 until March 29. Before the trip, one of the teachers who went, Madame Barley, said, “I am really looking forward to watching the students see all the things that they have been learning about for so long.” Going on this trip was a great learning experience for many students who have been working on their language skills throughout the years at Sheldon. The students had to prepare for the trip by packing, getting passports, and going to get Euros from the bank. Before leaving Senior Melissa Scarborough said, “I love Europe. The trip will be amazing, as part of the trip includes touring Paris, the Eiffel Tower, and all of the art museums.”

Going on a trip with your friends and classmates is an amazing opportunity to help you understand the language you have been learning and also getting to know the people you go with. Many students work hard to get to where they are in school and to be able to travel across the world on a new and exciting journey. Junior Annie Beckstrand said, “I’ve dreamed of going to Barcelona since I saw the Cheetah Girls 2 movie in fifth grade.” After arriving in Paris, the students went to Le Memorial de Caen. Next they went to see the Tapisserie de Bayeux which is an embroidered cloth nearly 70 meters (230 feet) long.

It depicts the events leading up to the Norman conquest of England. And lastly they saw the Mona Lisa at Musee du Louvre, and they ate at L’Assiette Normande. They stayed in Paris for a few days before entering Barcelona

where they got to see the extraordinary view of the city for the first time. The last stop was Madrid and they traveled there via high speed train.

During the trip, students were exposed to new experiences and new cultures that they opened up to with enthusiasm. Senior Hope Zima said, “The scenery was amazing! It looked just like it would in a movie.” They stayed in a new hotel every time they went to a new city.

When they weren’t going out as a group, they had free time so they would walk places and go shopping. Senora Albrich said, “It was nice to be able to see the cultures that went with the language that they Hope Zima photograph had spent many years learning Rose Window in Notre Dame. and trying to understand.”

The students got to try new foods such as duck and they got to go on a night train for the first time.

Some other amazing things they got to do included going on a boat ride in Paris, eating tapas in Madrid, and going on metro rides in Barcelona.

Traveling is a good way to understand different cultures and take in a completely new experience. The teachers have accompanied many different students over the past couple of years and they enjoy this educational trip. Many students brought back souvenirs to keep and be able to remember all the great memories they had. Those who went on the trip would recommend it to their friends and classmates because it was a good way to learn while still being entertained. On the way home they got to watch free movies on the plane and got to just hang out with friends which made it a happier way to end their spring break trip.

Some Talisman Editors blast from the p a st Revisiting three past Talisman editors-in-chief Cya Silva opinions editor For the past 48 years, Talisman has been going strong. So, it would only make sense that if it was worked on by a team of editors, that someone — who wasn’t the teacher — would be in charge. We don’t know for sure if there was an editorin-chief in the very beginning, but we know that for several years, there has been.

They have played a massive, sometimes not very well known, part in the communications of events, happenings, and miscellaneous things related to Sheldon.

Gracie Karis, graduate of ’08 as Gracie Beaver, started out as features editor in her junior year. “I had Mr. Cantwell for English my sophomore year and he was the one who did the pestering [to get me into Talisman].” Karis aspired to be editor-in-chief her senior year, and went for it. “I was excited about the opportunity to have a leadership role in an activity I actually cared about. I’ve always loved to write, but I never had the deep enthusiasm that some of my peers did for school spirit. Talisman really gave me the chance to get involved in a school activity on my own terms and to take my own vision for something and run with it.”

Editor-in-chief from 2010-2011, Michael Chase has a slightly different view. “I always had a love for journalism and it seemed an excellent opportunity for an extracurricular activity along with the sports I played. As I progressed in my time with the Talisman, I continued to grow in my duties and skills, and so when the EiC graduated, it seemed like a natural fit for me to step in. Mr. Cantwell asked me if I would be up for the challenge, and I was honored that he allowed me the opportunity to be the leader.”

Editor-in-Chief from 2012-2012, Anthony Rhoads has fond memories of Talisman. “[On print night] Mr. Cantwell would sing [along] with some of the songs I played [on Grooveshark] and he would sit there and name off the song and the band. It became a way for us to all bond and have fun.” Karis had similar stories. “I remember eating a ton, goofing off, and hurling increasingly more

profane obscenities at InDesign when the pages didn’t print correctly. The song “Crank That (Soulja Boy)” was really popular when I was editor in chief and I remember practicing the dance that went along with in on one print night.”

After talking with both of them, it really seems that print night hasn’t changed much. Talisman editors still do most of those things, but last term Editor-inChief Jackson Darland and features editor Sam Seno danced to “Gangnam Style.” “Work always came first, though,” Chase added. “Our editorial staff was very close, so it made the heavy work a lot more bearable and enjoyable.”

F E A T U R E

Micah Tamasaka illustration

Past editors-in-chief Anthony Rhoads (left) and Michael Chase (right).

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Opinions

April 11, 2013

the Talisman

Gun Control: Are you for it or against?

One of the most discussed topics since the series of shootings this fall...You decide which is the side you are on Kyle Radley contributing writer

Carley Kramer news editor I’d like to say first that the issue of gun control, especially after so much gun violence lately, is a tough one. I can definitely see the ups and down of both sides, and absolutely respect contradicting opinions, so I think it’s really important to look at the arguments closely.

It’s not hard to look at the facts and see why gun control isn’t as bad as it’s made out to be. Most other countries have much more gun regulation than America, and we can look at their examples. The United Kingdom has some of the strongest gun control laws in the world-- most officers there don’t carry guns at all. Of course, people worry that gun laws won’t stop the bad guys from getting them, and may even make it easier for criminals to obtain weapons. Despite this, the UK has incredibly low gun violence.

The UK has about 58 gun deaths per year, while the U.S. has a whopping 32,000.

Granted, the United State’s population is nearly five times greater, but when you multiply the UK’s death rate to match, it’s still only around 290. The U.S. also has 40% more intentional gun deaths per year than the UK, which is 40% more people being murdered with firearms. The way I see it, there’s no way that that much violence is better for our country.

Obviously, gun control won’t solve all of our problems. We have to target the roots of gun crimes: mental health, poverty, gang violence, etc. If we make sure people have what they need, you don’t have to worry about protecting yourself from thieves or robbers. The Obama Administration is already pushing things like this, along with their proposed gun laws. What people assume about these laws is that they’re going to take away all guns, when in reality, they’re banning only military assault rifles.

Sophomore Davis Miller said, “I do [support these laws] because I think there’s absolutely no reason assault weapons are necessary, because they’re for assault and more violence and we don’t want that. There are going to be more people killing because it’s easier.” Military assault rifles were made for soldiers, not civilians.

While people have the second amendment right to have guns, no one needs guns that powerful. When that amendment was written, guns were barely a fraction as powerful and deadly as the guns we have today. If you want a gun for self defense, the only way you’d need that powerful of a self-defense weapon is if you’re defending yourself on a battlefield. With one careless movement, you can take someone’s life. Self-defense shouldn’t be killing someone or shooting at whatever goes bump in the night. Murder shouldn’t be that easy, or something Americans see as a reasonable defense. How many times has an innocent person been killed under false circumstances and declared that act justified in the name of self defense?

Overall, I think America has a lot of problems right now pertaining to violence.

In my opinion, our first priority should be mental health. I do believe that the next best step is making gun laws stricter. People hear that and think that somehow our constitutional rights are being attacked. I don’t believe that the constitution applies to military-level weapons in the hands of citizens, because that’s only promoting violence. Besides, the idea shouldn’t be to make a country where everyone has an AK-47 to protect themselves with, but a country where you feel safe enough leaving the big guns in the hands of authorities. Obama’s gun laws will also make it harder for dangerous people to get weapons, so who’s protesting that? The worry in the minds of Americans is safety, and it’s obvious to me that that shows we should find ways to reduce crime so that no one has a need for violence. It just doesn’t make sense to give everyone a gun and tell them to fend for themselves instead of trying to make a safer country. To me, gun regulation is the next step in creating a safer and friendlier America, and to make ours a country that people view as a role model.

Gun control can be a very touchy subject for many people because it is usually polarizing. There are people who believe that it is totally wrong to have gun control, and there are other people who think getting rid of all the guns is the only way to solve our problems. You don’t really get a lot of people in between with this subject. Yet the problem still lies bare without solution.

I believe the best way to decrease gun-related violence is to make sure that guns are in the possession of capable, safe citizens and not in the hands of citizens who would likely misuse guns and possibly even kill multiple people.

Mentally stable citizens with permits should carry weapons in order to defend themselves and others who are being threatened.

Senior Michael Felsher said he believed that, “More screenings and precautions should be put in place to prevent possible criminals from obtaining weapons.” I agree with this idea, but I don’t necessarily think that it would be a practical solution. People Talisman Staff can still illegally Editor-in-Chief Jackson Darland obtain firearms; Frontpage Editor Jackson Darland therefore, the next News Editor Noah Jang step seems to be that Carley Kramer we should create more Entertainment Editor opportunities for the Features Editors Jarred Rogers public to be educated Jarod Bays about safe gun use Opinions Editor Cya Silva and protocol for Sports Editor AJ Smith emergency situations.

Backpage Editor Micah Tamasaka Addressing the Graphics Designer Micah Tamasaka people who believe Copy Editor Ayla Bussel that guns should be removed completely, Staff Writers the only thing that Isaiah Cartwright Valentina Carillo would happen is a Josiah Darland Morgan Challburg cutback on the profits Cody Koch Haleigh Krause of legal companies, Ray Lavariega Geneva Lehnert a decrease of guns Emily Pierpoint Grant Schmaedick in the hands of safe Daviana Smith Sammie Tracewell and peaceful minded Cayla Walker citizens, and an increase of guns in the hands of people more likely to act violently and unlawfully.

Moreover, this would be a violation of the United States Constitution, which would upset millions of people who hold on to their right to bear arms.

Staff Advisor

Greg Cantwell

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

Animal management in need of improvement Deer, elk, spotted owls, and many other species are struggling to exist due to forest management policies Cody Koch staff writer Among the 98,381 square miles of Oregon’s land, 1,787,280 acres are National Forest land. Oregon’s National Forest was once thriving with deer and elk, but in 1994 that all changed. In 1994, congress passed a protection plan to help save the spotted owl, which lives in western Oregon. The protection plan almost completely stopped logging in order to save the habitat of the owl. Doing so changed the deer and elk habitat, which changed the populations for the worse. Deer and elk populations on Oregon National Forest land are now at an all- time low, with no change in sight.

Some people, such as senior Wyatt Swick, think that the low deer and elk populations are due to poaching. Others think that animals just go through natural cycles with high points and low points, and that this just happens to be a low point. And then some people, such as myself, believe that it has to do with logging. Although the idea

that the reduction in logging is the cause of the low populations may sound strange at first, it actually makes sense. Deer and elk are known as a “seral” species. Seral species thrive off of new growth, like the new chutes and sprouts that come up after an area is logged.

The logging clears out the brush on the ground and lets sunlight in, which lets the chutes and sprouts grow.

I have spent many, many days out in the woods and I can say with certainty that the deer need more than just brush to survive. For example, one of the best areas to find animals, mainly deer and elk, is a spot with a clear cut, old growth timber, and thick brush. The clear cut provides good feed for them; the old growth provides open areas to bed down in while still being able to see around; and the thick brush provides a great hiding spot when they feel they are in danger. Spots like this are becoming harder and harder to find though, because there are not many new clear cuts getting cut and the old ones are starting to become over grown.

Not everyone agrees with the saying “logging helps populations [of deer and elk].” Junior Kyler Shmeling believes that logging negatively affects populations because, “It makes it when deer don’t have sex because they don’t have privacy.” When asked his solution, and why timber companies have more animals on their land than on National Forest land, Shmeling replied, “Because

they give deer houses to have more sex.” Shmeling also feels that global warming might help because, “Global warming will heat them back up so they will go into heat.”

When people hear this, many wonder how populations were sustained before logging really took off. Before people logged the land there were forest fires. Although there are still a lot of forest fires, they tend to get put out before they can burn very much land. Burning the land does almost the same thing that logging does, but better. After the land is burned the soil becomes much more fertile and things grow better. This is why Native Americans used to burn the land in which they lived.

They would light it on fire, move for awhile, and then come back and plant their crops in the fertile soil. Now that kind of logging and burning doesn’t happen all that much anymore, and populations of deer and elk are at an all-time low.

In my opinion, if you start logging more and letting the land burn, you will see a huge increase in population of deer and elk. But because of the spotted owl, deer and elk populations have dropped and it doesn’t look like they will be coming back up anytime soon. My solution is to open up logging on National Forest land, which would provide way more jobs to help with the economy and provide more food for deer and elk.

Sports

the Talisman

April 11, 2013

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Spears brothers are championship caliber wrestlers Chet, Wyatt, and Willie Spears have made a great impact on the Sheldon sports community

ly, the youngest of the three brothers and McGovern had an almost dead even match that ended in a draw. McGovern said, “I took down Wyatt once, but he is too big for me to ever do it again, I think.” He clearly holds all the Spears brothers in a high respect, and we can see why.

Wyatt Spears, the middle brother of the three said, “I am definitely hoping to wrestle in colJosiah Darland lege and also possibly as a lifetime career.” Wyatt may never be allowed to wrestle against his staff writer older brother anymore, but he definitely takes down many other opponents. As a sophomore Wrestling has run in the Spears family for years. Having a wrestling Olympian as a he placed second in state which shows the amazing abilities he has, and foreshadows his pofather, the brothers were born athletes, and have followed in their father’s footsteps. tentially professional career. All together the Spears family is an incredibly athletic family.

Having two massive wrestlers as brothers makes it hard to imagine the “brotherly love.” With Chet the senior, Wyatt the junior, and Willy the sophomore, the Spears brothers are huge contributors to Sheldon athletics. Football and wrestling are the two sports that the brothers play, but wrestling is definitely their favorite.

Sophomore Willy Spears said, “Although Chet likes football more than wrestling, he is incredible at both.” Two years ago the two older Spears brothers competed against each other in the high school state wrestling tournament.

It was a match to remember. The result of the match was a broken arm, and neither brother moved to the next round. In the match, junior Wyatt Spears seemed to have a lead and was doing great until the snap of a bone. Chet’s right arm bone snapped clean. His forearm broke through entirely. Chet, with the adrenaline of a broken arm and the fire of the need to beat his brother, somehow even came back and won the match. Willy said, “Chet is quite the jolly giant until he gets fired up.” Chet’s actions completely prove that.

When asked about a potential match between Wyatt and Chet, junior Marcus McGovern said, “I wouldn’t be surprised if either of them won, but it would be a heck of a match.” McGovern has wrestled three years at Sheldon High Gretchen Spears photo School and five years total with around 40 to 45 matches, and with that experience he holds a lot of admiration for all three of the Spears brothers. Wil- Junior Wyatt Spears (L), senior Chet Spears, and sophomore Willy Spears after a game.

Duck basketball surprises many fans

The Ducks made it all the way to the Sweet Sixteen where they were defeated by eventual champs Louisville, but that was much farther than most fans even expected Haleigh Krause staff writer

Haleigh Krause photo Coach Dana Altman after the Ducks midseason win.

Going into the NCAA National Championship Tournament, Oregon was 17-2 in the PAC 12 Conference and 23-6 over all. This is the best start since Aaron Brookswas the point gaurd in 2007. Why has there been a huge slump in the past few years? Many people would say that it was the coach; others say the Ducks weren’t recruiting the right players. The team is past all that now and they are playing very well Oregon started the season with a fortunate record of 5-0 and then lost to Cincinnati 66-77 in Ohio. Then came the news about Dominic Artist, the starting point guard for the ducks, right after Oregon beat Washington State on January 23. Artist had a severely injured foot and was seen walking with a boot. Edging Washington in his first game out, the Ducks dropped three straight. In the losses, Jonathan Loyd, back-up guard behind Artist, scored eight points in one game and zero in the other two games. With Artist in the lineup against Pac-12 teams, Oregon scored 72.3 points per game. In the seven games without him, the Ducks were averaging 62.3 points in regulation. Junior, Justin Albertini Said, “Dominic Artist is the most important player in the team, after we lost him for a few weeks we were struggling to make plays.” Oregon lost 2 straight games after the loss of Artist, so as the statistics show many people would agree that Oregon plays better with there starting point guard.

Everyone in the nation knows about the new Nike arena, Mathew Night Arena. It’s a magnificent building and most people love it, but some fans don’t. Junior Sahalie Doe said, “It’s not a college arena, the fans are not right on top of the court. It feels like an NBA atmosphere.” There are many people that would agree, but there are some that love it. Junior Jacob Albertini added,” it’s a very nice facility and I think Phil Night and all the people that worked on it did a great job to make is what it is today!”

Coming into his third year as the Ducks head coach, Dana Altman has something to prove. After a disappointing first two years, Altman has finally proved himself. He won the PAC 12 coach of the year, and he won the PAC 12 Tournament in Las Vegas. He has had the best start in Oregon history since 2007, and is on his way to his fourth year as head coach. Many fans, coaches and players say that he is better than former head coach Ernie Kent. Junior Justin Albertini said, “He runs a faster offence, and the way they move the ball and pass is better and more organized.” Coach Altman is a good look in the near future for the Oregon men’s basketball team.

Physical testing for football players to improve their play on the field

Freshman football players subject to a variety of tests to see how they stack up against the competition and to see what they might need to improve on

Isaiah Cartwright staff writer Don’t think the Sheldon football program could get any better? Well, think again. The Sheldon freshmen football players recently went through physical testing to see where their strengths and weaknesses come from. The testing process was conducted by Laura Baker, the personal trainer here at Sheldon.

What Laura discovered was that the freshmen were weak in the core and hamstrings, which can limit a player to how durable they can become, and how hard they can hit opposing players. By discovering the weaknesses in the football player’s bodies, the football team will aim to eliminate all weaknesses, and maintain the number one spot in high school football in the state of Oregon.

This is how Laura Baker, the personal trainer, described the new physical testing, “For the first time this year, we tried something with our football program called ‘the injury prevention pilot’. The initial idea was to perform a movement screen on a single group (we picked the freshmen this year), to see if we could pick up individual weaknesses that could be improved with targeted exercise. I thought I could just give each person some exercises to do on their own. However, the group demonstrated similar trends of weakness so instead of doing things with individuals, Coach

Lane Johnson and I are working to add a few things to Sheldon’s current training regime in order to help alleviate that. There are specific patterns of weakness and dysfunction that have been linked to increased injuries and my goal is to decrease injury rates. So, we’ve added a few things to the existing workouts. These exercises are body weight or low weight exercises so that overtraining does not occur.” Baker said that this would help keep players healthy into the playoffs.

When freshman Tate Edmunson was asked how the physical testing will benefit the football team, he said, “This will benefit our team because we won’t become injured as easily, and it will form our bodies to become more complete.” Edmunson also mentioned new stations incorporated into the football teams workouts, saying, “After Laura discovered our weaknesses, she put in new workout stations that will aim to specifically strengthen our core and hamstrings.” The main focus in the new workouts is the core of the football players, which will allow them to become better football players.

By making the football players endure the crucial and physically demanding workouts, it will shape them to become more durable, and more explosive, shaping them into premier athletes (as if they weren’t already). Make sure to look out for the 2013 Sheldon football team to be stronger, more explosive, and more durable.

Welcome to the

Backpage

The best April Fools’ Day jokes Need to borrow a pen? Take mine; it’s quite shocking AJ Smith sports editor April Fools’ Day is a time for people to play pranks on others. These can range from harmless jokes to elaborate schemes in an effort to spook, scare, and frighten the recipient. Examples of pranks are placing sticky notes all over a person’s car or changing alarm clocks to early times of the morning. Let’s take a look at some of the other pranks that the students schemed up around Sheldon.

Small pranks are more common, since they are very simple and easy to

pull off. Senior Nathan Klump said, “I like the one prank when you have a fake stick of gum that shocks people when they try to take a piece.” Other pranks can be from word of mouth, which are very easy to pull off. Klump later said, “I remember when people would say that we have a test in a class that we really didn’t.”

Since April Fools’ Day happens to fall on the day after Easter, students were subject to an Easter surprise.

When asked about any April Fools’ Day pranks during

Come pop some tags at a thrift shop

Need a bargain? How about a thrift shop Geneva Lehnert staff writer

the week before April Fools’ Day, senior Kayla Smith said, “I am afraid my dad will hide the eggs in random spots. He hid them in the attic last year and I can’t imagine what he might do this year.”

She later mentioned that her dad did not do any pranks on her this year, but she went with her friends and saran wrapped various friends’ cars.

April Fools’ Day has been around for a long time, dating back to the sixteenth century when the Romans used to have an entire festival dedicated to the day. Nowadays it’s a more personal event involving playing pranks on people rather than having a festival of fun and hilarity. When asked about the origin of April Fools’ Day, junior Michael Chavez said, “I think it comes from medieval times when they didn’t have much to do, they would prank each other.” While this isn’t completely true, it isn’t too far off from the truth.

Over the last few years, thrift shopping has become increasingly popular. What once seemed geared toward our senior citizens, thrifting has now become a new, fun way to find unique and cheap clothing.

In the last couple of months, thrift shopping has definitely been at its highest. This high point, many think, is largely due to Macklemore’s song “Thrift Shop”. Macklemore and Ryan Lewis sing about the good deals and “scavenger hunt” feel of going to thrift stores. The song has drawn lots of attention to thrifting.

Buffalo Exchange is one of the most successful and well-known second hand stores in Eugene. It was started in 1974 in Tucson, Arizona, and quickly spread to other large cities in the country. Buffalo Exchange stands out among other clothing stores because they buy used clothing from its customers, and sell it again for profit. Sophomore Maddie Yamamoto said, “I like looking at their dresses and shoes, and they have really good jeans.” Another thing that makes Buffalo Exchange unique is that it sells seasonal accessories and costumes. During Christmas, there are loads of ugly sweaters; during Halloween there are costumes; and for the fourth of July, there is a large assortment of patriotic clothing.

Sophomore Clara Riordan commented, “[Buffalo Exchange] always has what I’m looking for, and their holiday spirit is awesome.” The festive environment makes Buffalo a one of a kind place to shop.

Downtown Eugene is home to countless locally owned thrift stores, all with unique flare. Sophomore Haley Horton buys all of her clothing at downtown second hand stores, particularly Nobody’s Baby, Deluxe, Oak Street Vintage, and a few others. Horton reasoned, “I like them because they’re inexpensive and you can find some really unique things.” Shopping at stores like these helps out our community, and allows everybody to express themselves through fashion.

The history of longboarding Ben Green contributing writer

Longbording has a long history of being an adreinalin-filled sport

At the age of ten, student Jeffery Tsoi, moved to America from Hong Kong. He said that as a kid you can run, skate, or bike; and he chose to skate. Comparing longboarding to skateboarding Tsoi said, “I prefer longboarding; the movement is a lot faster.” Tsoi’s mom gave him his first board at age ten; he instantly fell in love with this growing activity. Like Tsoi, many other people have taken up an interest in this fast paced, high adrenaline activity.

Whether it’s going to work, school, or just “bombing hills” with friends, longboarding can be something that all different types of people can enjoy. “I’ve seen an amazing growth in the last seventeen years since when we first started selling boards in the early 90s,” said Rob Molt, who works in sales at Sector Nine.

According to “Google Trends,” longboarding has been increasingly viewed and “looked up” on Google’s website and on the rise since 2005.

A simple plank of wood for a board, along

with trucks and wheels utilized from roller blades, was all skate boarders had to appreciate their sport before the casual, pass-time hobby became mainstream. Originally, surfers used boards as a similar way to ride the waves, only on streets, while tides were low. An anonymous University of Oregon student said, “The way that skating moves is like a wave.”

Before the term “longboarding” or “skateboarding” was commonly used it was known as “side walk surfing,” amongst the surfing community. Now, not only are longboards used for transportation purposes, but they are also used for competitive sports.

Even though longboarding has been popular amongst the pre-teen to teenage crowd, it can be a hobby for a wide variety of age groups. “Why I think longboarding has grown so much compared to skateboarding is because of its accessibility,” said Molt. Virtually, people of all ages can longboard, as long as you have a good center of balance.

Just like any other sport or hobby, longboarding can be something that is either casual, mildly interesting, or something that is perused and

religiously practiced in a “hard-core” fashion.

“My favorite thing to do is sliding and going fast down hills,” said Kimbrough Breitenstein, who is employed at Tactics in Eugene. There are different interests pertaining to longboarding and different boards catered to each interest.

According to the international distance skateboarding association, long boarding hit the marketplace in 1959. It was in and out of popularity until 1993. Since then and to this day it has become increasingly popular. Breitenstein said, “Doing power slides [on boards] or more technical things are more popular now.”

People doing tricks and going fast have to suit up with gloves, helmets, elbow pads, and knee pads for safety. No matter what style of longboarding, there is always protection that can and should be warn. Molt said, “Longboarding is about having fun and being safe.” Safety is incorporated into the act of longbording, which makes riding down the street on a small plank of wood with rubber wheels more reasonable.