Talisman vol 59 iss 4 March 16, 2022

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TALISMAN a student-edited newspaper

Sheldon Welcomes First Black Male Teacher Personal Finance page 3 Sheldon High School 2455 Willakenzie Rd. Eugene, OR 97401

Mr. and Ms. Irish page 9 vol. 59 - iss. 4 - March 16, 2022

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Teachers

March 16, 2022

The Talisman

Sheldon’s first black male teacher Victoria Wolf editor Sheldon has had a long history of teachers who walk through the door and inspire students to learn and express themselves, but it hasn’t always been as diverse. Over the years we have welcomed many at Sheldon, but for the first time ever, Sheldon is proud to welcome Kevin Summerfield, the first black male teacher. Summerfield is the second black staff member, with the exception of former principal, Robert Bolden. Summerfield works alongside Mary Youngblood who’s taught at Sheldon for almost 20 years.

This year is Summerfield’s first year here at Sheldon, but he worked at Churchill for seventeen years prior. At Churchill, he worked as the Campus Supervisor along with being the Equity and Inclusion Leader, helping students organize events.

Summerfield talked about his aspirations for the coming years: “I’m excited to teach because I’ve had students tell me they’ve never had a black teacher before.” He hopes all his students should be able to understand, comprehend, retain and apply the information he teaches. Although he is new to Sheldon, his impact has already been big! Summerfield works heavily with Black Student Union to promote his students and their diversity.

Recently, he helped curate events during Black History Month by setting up morning annoucements to feature a highlighted person of color each day. He has involved other clubs like GSA to raise awareness on, and about black-transgender people.

Summerfield has been working hard to change the narritive at Sheldon, through conversations about things such as racial inclusion.

Sheldon has been open since 1964 and hasn’t hired a black male teacher in the 58 years since its opening. Language arts teacher Andrew Cabrera commented, “I believe there is a lack of diversity here. The staff should reflect the student population, but I don’t think we’re really there yet. It’s an issue that we as staff

have been talking about for a while now.” Cabrera has been teaching African-American Literature for nine years in the classroom adjacent to Summerfield.

The lack of diversity has always been preventlent, but there is hope for change. As Sheldon continues to grow, the greater our representation of other cultures will be.

With each passing year, we see more cultures being celebrated, but it feels limited. We see months where we celebrate a certain culture like Black History Month or Women’s History but it’s limited to a single month. Black Student Union president

Malaya Kiner talked about the situation: “If it were up to me, there would be black education extended throughout the year and not just one month. It’s important to learn about black success as well as its history.” Kiner stated that she would also love to see a class that teaches about black culture.

As we welcome Summerfield to Sheldon, we are reminded of our job to make Sheldon a place for everyone, which includes anyone of any background, race, gender, etc.

Mr. Summerfield working away at his desk.

photo by Victoria Wolf

Celebrating Mrs. Buckson Tennen Balikian staff writer Up to the start of Winter Break, Mrs. Buckson was a science teacher at Sheldon High School. Many students say that she was one of the best teachers they have ever had. She was a very loved teacher at Sheldon and many were heart broken when she announced she would no longer be teaching here for medical reasons.

Sophomore Kamani Winger said, “Even though I didn’t get to be in her class in person due to COVID, I still enjoyed having her as a teacher because she was nice and helped me when I needed help.” Some students can relate to Winger because they also only got to experience having Mrs. Buckson as their teacher online in Zoom classes.

Another student who had a similar experience to Winger is sophomore Ethan Matteson. Matteson had Mrs. Buckson as a teacher half online and half in person

so he has experienced more of what she was like as a teacher than someone who only had her online such as Winger.

Matteson said, “She was always super nice and was very good at explaining certain things I didn’t understand at first.”

Senior Kailey Glenn said, “She was super fun and always sarcastic in a funny way. Always super easy to talk to and an amazing teacher overall. She was my favorite high school teacher.” Glenn got to have Mrs. Buckson as a teacher before COVID so she had her in person the entire time of the course and got to see the impact Buckson had on her students.

photo by Maiya Hatcher

Mrs. Buckson on her last day in December 2021.

Finance

The Talisman

March 16, 2022

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Learning personal finance is essential Shiloh Capiak editor The lack of financial literacy in the U.S. has proven to have drastic effects. CNBC reported that two out of three American families lack any type of emergency savings; 78% of adults in the U.S. live paycheck-to-paycheck; 3 in 5 adults do not have a monthly budget; and, on average, U.S. adults only correctly answered 50% of the questions on the TIAA Institute-GFLEC Personal Finance Index, an annual survey that measures knowledge of financial decision making among U.S. adults, in 2021. One solution to this problem that will affect most of us throughout our lifetime is to require finance classes in schools.

Bill Temple, one of Sheldon’s personal finance teachers, said, “There is a lot of discussion about if personal finance classes should be required. Where else are kids going to get any financial literacy? It’s the number one thing adults say to me when I tell them I am a high school teacher. Parents really, really like that there is a personal finance class. I hear it all the time. Without a personal finance class, kids just aren’t as informed. A lot of parents wish their kids took this class more than U.S. History, because it’s real.” Parents may be hesitant to begin talking about finances with their children because it is so personal. A 2017 T. Rowe Price survey found that 69% of parents are reluctant to discuss financial matters with their children. Only 23% of children surveyed said that they frequently talked to their parents about money.

Sheldon’s personal finance course is taught by Bill Temple and Les Phillipo. About the course, Phillipo said, “We talk about banking, checking, budgets, investments, taxes, insurance, credit, which also includes loans, education/ student debt, and getting a job.” All of these skills are crucial to the real world. Without knowledge regarding finance, it is incredibly easy to find yourself in a sticky situation. You can end up racking up credit card debt, living paycheck to paycheck, not saving enough for retirement, or even struggling to put food on the table.

Junior Lydia Fricke, who is currently enrolled in Mr. Phillipo’s second period financial literacy class, said, “We now have all the pieces we need if we want to get a job, such as a resume and filling out employment applications and forms.” Fricke added, “I think this class translates really well to juniors and seniors. Looking for a job, keeping a job, and all the new responsibilities are important to learn. If I had known these things before I got a job, it would’ve been so helpful.”

The skills taught in personal finance are essential to the real world. Without these skills, the consequences can be dramatic. Temple said, “The average American is four months from bankruptcy. Financial literacy, which teaches budgeting, saving, not overspending, and understanding the cost of credit, is just enormously important. If you end up filing bankruptcy, you go through seven years where you cannot get credit, which is a huge price to pay. This class is real-world.”

Sophomore Owen Cramer, who is currently taking Mr. Phillipo’s financial literacy class along with Fricke, said, “Taking this class has generally made me more aware of how much money I’m spending.”

Phillipo provided some insight on the potential benefits of taking personal finance as someone who took it when he was a Sheldon student. Phillipo said, “I learned a lot, and I certainly still made mistakes, but it gives you a leg up avoiding a few really bad mistakes. I wish I had paid more attention.”

One study by Finra Investor Education Foundation in 2015 found that credit outcomes improved in states that mandated financial literacy coursework. Three years after it

Photo by Shiloh Capiak

Students from Mr. Temple’s fourth period personal finance class work on an assignment.

was mandated in Georgia, Idaho, and Texas, all three states saw a reduction in delinquency rates and improved credit scores. Another study found that the likelihood of college-bound students applying for financial aid increased with financial literacy education. Financial literacy education has also been shown to reduce payday loans among young adults and is positively correlated with asset accumulation by age 25.

Both Temple and Phillipo agreed that understanding the compounding effect of money is critical to understanding personal finance. Temple said, “The natural human tendency is to save money when you are making more money. It takes real discipline, which I did not have, to set aside money. I always thought, ‘Well, $50 a month isn’t much’ but it is, because the compounding effect is so crucial. You don’t have to have a high income before

you start saving.”

Another piece of advice Phillipo and Temple offered was considering community college. Temple said, “I really try to emphasize that LCC does a great job. You don’t have to spend $40,000 your freshman year. Don’t look down on community college because it’s not a university. You don’t need to go out of state.”

Phillipo added, “If you go to community college for two years before transferring to a university, your diploma still lists Oregon State or University of Oregon.”

Fricke and Cramer both agreed that another common misconception among high school students is how old you have to be to start investing. Cramer said, “You don’t have to be a certain age or have a certain amount of money to start investing.”

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Substance Use

March 16, 2022

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Use of marijuana on the rise Molly Dahlager editor Everyone tries new things in high school, but when does it cross a line? Marijuana was legalized in Oregon in 2016 for those over the age of 21, but is still illegal at the federal level. Marijuana use has become increasingly normalized for many high schoolers - but is that a result of legalization? Freshman Bella Reniff said, “The legalization of weed has affected high school negatively because a lot of people in high school now use it.” She believes teenage use of marijuana has increased due to legalization - drug abuse has been an issue for years previous as well; however, it wasn’t ever as popular as it is today.

Since it became more popular and legalized (though only for adults), high school students’ interest has increased. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, Nine percent of youth in grades 9 to 12 use marijuana daily or nearly every day, an increase of 80% since 2008. This is a tremendous change- and it displays the increase of interest in youth as well. Sophomore Brooke Capon said, “We are getting older and more curious so it makes us want to try new things.”

There is not a solution to curiosity - many high school students partake in drug and alcohol use despite the risks. Marijuana is a well-known gateway drug to many more

dangerous substances. Sophomore Raegyn Miller said, “I think it could eventually lead to other drugs, maybe more intense drugs, depending on if people are using it for medicine or not.”

While marijuana is bad for teenagers, not all of its effects are negative. For many, marijuana helps with anxiety, and can be calming. Medical marijuana is a huge pain reliever for people, and has been a huge help in the medical field. CATO Institute stated, “​​Previous studies have suggested a link between medicalization of marijuana and a lower suicide rate, particularly among demographics most likely to use marijuana.”

While we know the use of marijuana has increased since legalization, what about the amount of high school students who use it? According to VOX.com, “This is the age where people take risks. … People don’t have a lot of responsibilities. They don’t yet have a family or a stable job. So perhaps at this age, legal limits don’t matter so much — particularly for a drug like marijuana, which is more socially accepted.” This article explains that legalization may have more effect on adults than adolescents, that kids may not care so much about it being legal versus not. Capon said, “People seemed to hide it more when using it, but now a huge amount of people use it freely without fear of getting caught.” Normalization is a big reason why so many high school students are trying it, or want to.

Dangers of g n i p a v Lili Ledbetter staff writer

According to the CDC, as of now over 8.1 million people in the U.S. vape. Vaping companies such as JUUL target high/middle schoolers by making different types of e-juice flavors that appeal to kids and young adults. Since vaping became popular in 2015, 60 people have died. If this continues to go on there is a possibility that over 41 million could die by 2039.

The original idea of a non tobacco cigarette was thought of in 1927 by a man named Joseph Robinson. In 1963, almost 30 years later, the first smokeless non-tobacco cigarette was invented. Then in the year 2000, a Chinese firm called Hon Lik created the first modern e-cigarette. But it was when the popular vaping company JUUL made flavored e-juice in 2015 that’s when vaping skyrocketed. Freshman Red Cassidy, said she sees people her age vaping. “Not too often but it’s irritating sometimes when people take up the bathroom stalls.”

The C.D.C has deemed vaping responsible for 1,479 mysterious lung diseases. Aside from lung problems, vaping can also cause liver and skin problems. New studies from P.N.A.S. say that the use of nicotine products increases chances of getting types of oral cancer. Sophomore, Elliot Rayburn, said the consequences of addiction are, “poor health.

Like not just physically but mentally, too.” Vaping is bad for your heart as well. It increases your blood pressure and spikes your adrenaline, which then increases your heart rate. When this continues over a long period of time it increases your likelihood of having a heart attack.

One of the main reasons for vaping becoming popular is because it was advertised as healthier and safer than smoking. Just because this product doesn’t have tobacco in it doesn’t necessarily mean that it is better than cigarettes. On average, 12 mg of e-juice equals more than 60 traditional cigarettes. Vapes have more nicotine, which can lead to heavy addiction. Not only is vaping bad for your health, it is

also not safe. On June 19, 2019, a teen named Austin Burton was rushed to a primary children’s hospital for a shattered jaw and several teeth missing. This was a result of his vape pen exploding in his mouth, and this was not the first time this had happened. Two years earlier a man died from what was said to be a projectile wound to his head and burns to over 80% of his body caused by his vape pen exploding. A year later a man from Texas died when a vape pen exploded in his car. These explosions are being caused by lithium batteries overheating inside vape devices. Therefore vaping really is not any better than smoking a traditional cigarette, or better yet just not smoking at all.

Sophomore, Grey Fox, said “I think schools should try harder to decrease vaping around campus.” regarding whether or not schools should do more to raise awareness about this problem.

Vaping companies target youth by making different flavors of e-juice. In schools all over the country kids are suffering from peer pressure to try vaping. What they don’t realize is that one small decision could change their lives. With or without tobacco any form of smoking is bad for your health. Always remember that you have the power to say no.

Health

the Talisman

March 16, 2022

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Is having social media as a teen worth it?

Madelyn Raleigh page editor Nowadays, social media has severely affected many people’s lives and their mental health. The rapid growth of social media has overall changed today’s society.

According to the Statista Research Department, “Over 82 percent of Americans currently use or have had a social network profile and or account.” Social media is detrimental to many people’s mental health.

Many platforms set unrealistic body standards, unrealistic life standards, as well as the increase of anxiety, depression, and suicidal thoughts.

Is social media really doing us more good than harm? Senior Aiden Stitt emphasized that social media can be harmful. “It entirely depends on the social media platform, as Discord for example is mostly used to connect with people who are either far away or outside of social circles. But when it comes to the fast-paced competition and fake photos plastered across a variety of different platforms it hurts people’s self-image and their views on their own lives.” Being able to connect and build relationships with people, having the opportunity to share your life with others, and having access to educate yourself digitally are all truly amazing. However, having

more pressure on young people to succeed in certain ways generally decreases their mental health in order to succeed is sad. Kids and teens should not be worried about standards, they should be out living without any worries.

Social media highly contributes to teenage depression and anxiety. Many consider it a hostile environment.

It can trigger arrays of negative emotions and harmful thoughts; contributing to poor mental health.

Senior Abdul Algubaisi portrays the main harms of social media: “Harassment is very common on many social media platforms. There are so many people in this world who have hate and anger built up and social media gives them a way to let it all out without facing the consequences. Regardless of what you post or what you do, there is always going to be one person that has something negative to say. Social media truly is a negative environment in a lot of ways.” Many people often tend to be more critical and hateful towards others online due to the anonymity, as well as their ability to avoid backlash and retaliation.

Cyberbullying is so common, partially because the bullies themselves can’t see the direct or face-to-face impact of their actions, and therefore they can’t feel much empathy or remorse.

Acts of hate, especially online, are

highly associated with substance abuse, depression, and anxiety in adolescents.

Present-day problems in many adolescents include eating disorders, self-harm, and depression. Most of these issues originate from popular platforms such as Tiktok, Instagram, and Snapchat. So-called social media stars create high and unrealistic standards for many teens across the globe. Self-esteem, self-confidence, and self-care highly decrease with exposure to social media. Many people have more negative comments to say about these platforms rather than positive. Senior Ethan Stitt responded to the damaging effects social media has on our mental health: “Social media is one of the causes if not a direct cause for some people’s mental illnesses. It’s a gatekeeper for you to start comparing yourself to others or to worry about what differentiates you from another individual. Good or bad comparisons, all affect your mental health and the image you see yourself as. When on social media you come across distorted and edited pictures that are said to define attractiveness, this portrays an image as to what attractiveness is meant to look like when in reality it’s subjective. This is one of the main issues with social media today.” Is social media really worth the risks?

photo by Sofia El-Shammaa

Most teenagers have social media accounts on platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat, among others.

Addressing the stigma around Planned Parenthood Callie Lininger co-editor-in-chief Planned Parenthood is an essential health care organization, yet there often is an extreme stigma surrounding it. There are many benefits to introducing the conversation about Planned Parenthood to schools, in order to educate students. Senior Kaylen Pedersen said, “I believe that Planned Parenthood should be discussed more in schools. Planned Parenthood offers a variety of services that are not always well known for how accessible they can be. People have the right to know about available resources and to have a place to feel safe in their bodies and a place to be able to

form their opinions away from any sort of manipulation.”

According to Planned Parenthood, the services they offer are abortion services, birth control, emergency contraception, general health care, HIV/ STD servies, LGBTQ services, men’s and women’s services, and more.

Although Planned Parenthood offers so much, not everyone is aware of how many people they help.

Freshman Morgan Lininger said that what she has heard about Planned Parenthood is that “it’s a nonprofit organization that provides reproductive health care.”

Planned Parenthood offers appointments in person and online, and with the Affordable Care Act and insurance, they do their best to make their health care affordable and accessible.

Senior Chloe Shedrick said, “Planned Parenthood offers people resources they might not have otherwise.” This is very true, as they provide care for all genders, sexualities, and ages. Planned Parenthood is the largest provider of sex education, and the conversation about it needs to be increased.

photo by Callie Lininger

A Eugene-based Planned Parenthood.

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Spring Break

March 16, 2022

Sheldon gets ready for spring break Kendall Smith editor

Photo taken in California

Photo by Callie Lininger

For most people spring break is something that they look forward to for months in advance. From in-state road trips to leaving the country, people’s spring breaks are spent in many different ways.

The change in weather is a reason for celebration in itself. The excitement of spring break can be something that drives people to finish the preceding week’s school assignments strongly and for others it’s the opposite and the burnout really starts to set in. The week-long break can be used as a time to relax and reset. While for others it’s a time to do things that they wouldn’t normally have time to do during the school year.

Traveling out of the country is a common thing for spring breakers. Places like Costa Rica, Italy, and France are usually the go to’s for out-of-country travels. The most popular destination by far seems to be Mexico. Travel.usnews.com says that Cancún is the number one spring break destination as it “has all the makings of a quintessential spring break getaway.” Junior Brooke Hubbard, when asked about her upcoming break travels, stated, “For spring break I will be going to Puerto Vallarta.” Along with Cancun, Puerto Vallarta has become one of the top vacation spots in Mexico as it’s a great place for family vacations and people seeking a fiesta. Hubbard plans on relaxing and enjoying the warm weather and has been looking forward to the trip for months.

In-state trips are always a good bet when it comes to spring break traveling. Instead of escaping to warmer weather, some like to embrace the cold of early spring time in Oregon. Senior Anastasia Tibbet has decided to stay in state: “I am going with my friends to Sunriver, Oregon. We’re going to ski and snowboard while we are there.” She’s looking forward to hanging out and spending quality time with her friend while she’s there. Sunriver is known for its stunning golf courses, SHARC water park, and numerous hiking trails.

A lot of the time people end up using spring break as time to work and make money. Using the week or so to work lots of hours and make extra money is a smart idea. It’s also a great time to search for a job. Senior Ethan Stitt said, “To be honest I have nothing planned for this up-andcoming spring break… I will most likely end up at work for most of it but I’ll have free time here and there.” Stitt says that he would rather travel as it’s a nice way to relax and have fun but will still enjoy being able to spend time with his family and friends.

Photo taken in New Mexico Photo by Beatrice Walton

Photo by Kendall Smith

Photo taken in Hawai’i

Photo by Kendall Smith

Photo taken in Arizona

Entertainment

March 16, 2022

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The Batman review: a suprisingly refreshing take on the character Sofia El-Shammaa editor Rated: AMatt Reeves’ The Batman takes the titular vigilante to his roots as ‘the world’s greatest detective’ in this modern neo noir. Darkness has enveloped Gotham, and Bruce Wayne (Robert Pattinson) is in his second year as Batman. He faces a new serial killer (later revealed to be Paul Dano’s Riddler) that has started a killing spree against those he deems corrupt. Batman is determined to unravel the web of mystery the Riddler has left for him, much to the chagrin of the police, with the exception of Lt. Jim Gordon (Jeffery Wright).

The Batman has a mix of complex Saw puzzles and kills, tones from David Fincher’s Se7en and Zodiac, and the neonoir themes of Chinatown. Despite it taking inspiration from all of these movies, Reeves is able to make The Batman feel fresh. A large part of that is due to his own fresh directing, and Greig Fraser’s unique cinematography. Together, they create memorable shots that feel realistic and stick in your mind for days. Specifically, the lighting (especially the lack of it) almost feels like another character with its heavy presence.

However, not everyone feels like the dark tone is pulled off well. Junior Bricen Stewert said, “It looked like they saw Joker and thought, ‘That’s cool,’ and so they just made Batman extra edgy. [I know that] Batman is usually edgy, but still.”

We start out right in the middle of one of Batman’s nights as a vigilante. Like many of the neo noir detective films The Batman took inspiration from, Wayne gives expositional monologues, shown to be Wayne’s journal.

Those monologues, while few and far between, hold up the story and are the stiffest part of Pattinson’s performance.

On the other side, Pattinson does well portraying Batman as a much more vulnerable vigilante than other films have.

That being said, he takes a backseat to Zoë Kravitz’s (playing Catwoman) and Dano’s performances. Kravitz creates a deep, complex version of her character, perfectly balancing Catwoman’s insatiable taste for revenge and deep vulnerability mirrored by Pattinson’s Batman. Dano pulls off another balancing act, this time between the brutal patheticness of the man behind the mask and the unhinged

lunacy of the Riddler persona. Junior Maxine Clinton said, “He just plays both [the Riddler and Edward Nashton] so well. And how he’s introduced is the coolest thing.”

The downside of Kravitz’s acting is likely the forced chemistry between her and Pattinson, though I would not blame her for that. As junior Alec Kersey said, “The ‘superhero dating a criminal trope’ is overdone and uninteresting.” Additionally, while the fast-paced nature of their relationship matches the pacing of the rest of the movie, it feels unnatural. There is never a moment where it feels like Batman and Catwoman connect on a romantic level. Despite the awkwardness, it is not a glaring problem, just a slight weakness.

Overall, The Batman is a refreshing change from previous Batman movies and the superhero genre as a whole. It’s memorable, thrilling, and will send chills down your spine. It is certainly a worthy entry in DC’s extended universe.

Photos of new Batman movie in theaters.

Photos by Sofia El-Shammaa

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Student Life

March 16, 2022

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Getting involved in Sheldon clubs Natalie Kaiser editor The clubs offered here at Sheldon include a wide range of possible interests, or boredoms. You can cast that line into the water with Fishing Club or play the fire breathing card game of Dungeons & Dragons. The possibilities are endless. Who wants to just be in a club when you have the option of being a board member and help all the shenanigans go down? Run for a position on the board in order to boost your college application, have even less time on your hands, and eat snacks. Fun fact, most clubs have snacks!

From a very unbiased opinion of someone who is not a part of this club, Key Club is great. What can be better than making keys that fit into absolutely zero doors?

Actually no, that is not what Key Club is, even though it may sound like it. Key Club is a service club that partners with different organizations to help the community.

Senior President Livi Gallagher said, “I want to have the responsibility of creating a safe space where our members can learn about social injustices and help our community while meeting new people and developing leadership skills.”

Social injustices fill the world and being in high school during a time when many issues are surfacing is no easy task and it can be difficult in a club that focuses on these things. Gallagher said, “The most difficult thing of my position is having hard conversations with guest speakers and members about things like human trafficking, suicide, and mental health. The conversations are always difficult, but very necessary to be had to raise awareness.” If you can make change for something you care about, then why would you not? After all, we are some of the people who live in this world.

Another club option that allows for people to help the community and withhold honor is National Honor Society. From the name, it may sound fancy, which it is, but it’s also about being a well rounded student. Senior Emily Mitchell, the Vice President, said, “Join NHS to do some fun community service things with people that you may know from school but haven’t gotten to know super well.” All clubs focus on the interests of the members, so if you are interested in becoming a leader to fix this messy world, NHS is a great option. Mitchell said, “Just learning that I don’t have to do things all on my own. It’s ok to ask other people for help or delegate things. I’ve been a person who is always like ‘I have to do everything myself and I can’t ask for help’ but being a part of a big group of great leaders has helped me to realize it’s ok and is good to ask for help.”

Cow Club is one of the newer editions to the list of clubs at Sheldon. We can all assume that Cow Club revolves around cows. Most members are probably fans of cows and eager to learn about these methane farting creatures. Senior Adrien Howe said, “I would recommend being on the board because it’s a really fun club to help out with and it’s nothing super serious or time consuming, so it’s very low stress!

Responsibilities [for board members] are pretty straightforward, show up on time to the meetings to help out, assist with the prep of snacks or activities, and help out with events like the club fair.” Clubs aren’t meant to just look good on a college application, but a way to socialize and have fun.

Even many jokes are made in order to keep things light. When asked about one that made him chuckle, Howe said, “Why do cows wear bells around their necks?…

Because their horns don’t work!”

Photo by Sofia El-Shammaa

Members of the D&D club (L to R) Claire Roberts, Chloe Nevin, and Lillian Humphrey play in room B-26.

Photo by Sofia El-Shammaa

Members of the D&D club (L to R) Maddox Roberts, Nikkos Soldano, and Gabriel Tedford play in room C-9.

Sheldon boys basketball fights adversity Cory Manago staff writer

The varsity boys basketball team for Sheldon High School had a challenging season this year. The team went 7-17 and unfortunately missed the playoffs. The team battled a lot of adversity and faced a lot of challenges.

Senior Nate Kokkeler, the starting senior guard, expressed that the biggest challenge of the season was the team fatigue: “Not many people on our team had played a full varsity basketball season. Due to the COVID year, those who played varsity last year did not have a complete season so the team dynamic was very strange.” In terms of not making playoffs Kokkeler said, “It’s hard to continue fighting even though you know you won’t be playing in that tournament in March, but even knowing that our team continued to fight up until the end” was a positive. Kokkeler was proud of his team’s effort through the season and was glad he got to play his last season with this group.

Starting sophomore point guard Landyn Bryant is new to the team as he recently transferred to Sheldon from Springfield High School where he was also a part of the basketball team. In terms of how the season went, Bryant said, “It was hard, especially when we strung together all those losses; it felt as if the team’s energy was falling and it was hard to battle that every week for sure.” Bryant also said, “I think toward the middle of the season everyone started to feel fatigue, whether it was mental, physical or injuries. I feel like everyone was battling something, especially when you think about the fact no one has played a full season in two years.” Having gone through such adversity, Bryant looks forward to next season: “I think we will be successful looking towards the future. Our team is young and we learned a lot this season from our seniors and we will make sure we are ready for next season.”

Overall, this was a tough season for the Irish but the team will take this season as a learning experience and come back next season with a hunger and be ready to light up 6A basketball.

Extracurricular

The Talisman

March 16, 2022

9

The conflict with school from jobs Liam Zamora-Fields Editor Most people get their first job in high school, usually at a restaurant or retail store. Students typically work after school or on the weekends, getting hours here and there to obtain the biggest paycheck possible. However, there’s a balance students need to find, as it can interfere with school work. Some teens spend their hard earned money on food, games and entertainment while others attempt to save it for college, or help their family pay bills. There’s no “right way’’ for high school students to spend their money and everyone does it slightly differently.

Some students have more expenses than others. For instance, some pay for their car, insurance and gas while others do not. Senior Jessica Scialfa wishes she had more money as a lot of her paychecks go into paying for her car: “I work fourteen hours a week but I wish I had a bit more time so I could have more money.” She works after school four days a week at a dog daycare center, to help clean up and train the animals. Scialfa said, “I don’t have any issues with work and school conflicting as my shift starts at 4:00 and I can get there quickly. Along with that, my managers are more than willing to let me go early if I have a heavy school load that I need to work on.”

Senior Brooks Lerfald didn’t have an issue with hours at all; he had plenty of money with the hours he worked.

Lerfald said,“I worked five days a week and 40 hours.”

With all those hours he easily had enough money to save and to spend. He did, however, lower his hours per week with school as they interfered. Students can’t work so much that it interferes with their education which is the most important thing right now.

Senior Daniel White has one main reason for having a job: “Pretty much the only reason I have a job is for gas money.” He works at Dairy Queen 3-4 days a week to be able to fuel his truck and pay for other expenses. Work and school schedules never collide for him as he doesn’t have much homework. He’s able to optimize his time well between school, work and personal time.

Having a job is important. Not only does it bolster your resume or college application, but it also gives you the freedom to have extra spending money. You don’t even have to work lots of hours each week. Students working as few as ten hours per week still gives them money to spend on food, gas or anything else they could need.

photo by Daniel White

Two students at their job.

Mr. and Ms. Irish pageant coming April 10 Jay Gelsemino staff writer The Mr. and Ms. Irish pageant is a fundraiser to help babies that were born prematurely and have health conditions. The fundraiser not only raises money, but puts on an activity night and a pageant for everyone to see. Senior Daniel White, who is one of the main coordinators of this fundraiser, said, “I love being a part of this fundraiser. You get a chance to save babies while being able to enjoy activities with your partner.” In the fundraiser, you get a partner that you perform a dance and a talent with at that pageant. Having fun with your partner is one of the best experiences in the fundraiser by far. Being able to help save the babies and be a part of something bigger than yourself is definitely something someone doesn’t ever forget.

The Mr. and Ms. Irish fundraiser raises money through local businesses that are willing to help out, such as Papa’s Pizza. Other businesses can also be involved like the Coburg Road Dairy Queen. The fundraiser also raises money by hosting events like an activity night or the main pageant hosted sometime in April. One of the other coordinators for the fundraiser, senior Elizabeth Box, said, “We also raise a lot of money through individual donations. Sending letters out to family members and friends helps a lot, too.” Donation jars are set out in most local businesses, and all of the proceeds go to the various charities or families that are in need of help with babies born prematurely.

The pageant that is being held in April consists of funny videos made by the contestants and a talent show that is judged by three members of the community.

Every pair of participants in the fundraiser makes their own video and creates their own talent performance that they showcase on a stage in front of a whole crowd of people. Senior Ellie Roberson, a participant in this year’s pageant, stated, “I didn’t think creating a video with my partner would be all that great, but it turned out to be really fun.” There aren’t a ton of participants in this year’s pageant, so it won’t be as long, but will still be really enjoyable. Everyone who is able to donate or come to any Mr. and Ms. Irish pageant events is greatly encouraged to do so, as it helps fund families with medical expenses for premature babies!

photo by Daniel White

2022 Mr. and Ms. Irish pageant contestants unite.

10

Education

March 16, 2022

Foreign exchange students Delaney Iddings staff writer Foreign exchange students have always been a pretty big part of any school. They come every school year to visit a new country and see how different our school and country is from theirs.

Junior Florian Bunge, from Berlin, Germany, explained his interests and disinterests towards Oregon. He stated that his favorite part about moving to a new country was the experience: “ I loved learning about the culture of everyone here and meeting new people who I have gotten extremely close to. I love all of the sports teams and the individual activities outside of school. We don’t have any of that at our schools back in Germany, so it’s a good change.” But he also had some dislikes about coming here.

He doesn’t like being far away from his family, especially during holidays like Christmas and his birthday. Bunge said, “It’s hard when you’re so far away from home and so used to spending holidays with your family and then there’s this sudden change in environment.”

Junior Nora Hieckel, from Berlin, Germany, explained her experiences in Oregon and the way she feels about coming to a new country. Hieckel expressed her love for Oregon: “I love Oregon; there’s so much to do, but I don’t like the weather. I hate the rain and gray skies. However, I am excited to have an American summer, but I’m sad to move back to Germany in July!” However, Hieckel plans on coming back to Oregon to visit her friends in a few years.

Hieckel then talked about the big differences between public transportation in Germany compared to the United States: “Everyone can drive in the United States when they are in high school, but in Germany you have to be eighteen, so we all have to take public transportation to get anywhere!”

She also talked about the program’s rules she has to

follow. Hieckel said, “My host family doesn’t really give me any rules. However, the program does. We have to have C’s or above, and we have to take US History and Literature. If we do anything illegal like drink, we get sent back. We also cannot date. I think the strictest rule we have to follow is the grading system we abide by. However, every teacher here at Sheldon is very helpful about grades.”

Hieckel has liked Sheldon ever since she got here; “I went to every home football game and they were so much fun! I got to meet a lot of people at the games! I really like how teachers are open with you about how their weekend was; no teachers are like that in Germany. Teachers are also really supportive about the language barrier and are always trying to help me out. Also, teachers here help out a lot with grades. If I ask to take a test on a different day, they say yes. Teachers and schools in Germany aren’t like that; you can only take a test on a different day if you are sick. They also let you re-take tests, but we can’t do that back home.” However, it was difficult for her in the first trimester to make friends: “It was hard the first trimester to make friends because I was super shy in the beginning of the year and it seemed like everyone was already in their friend groups so I didn’t really branch out and try to talk to that many people. But after the first trimester was over I started talking to some people and then I made lots of friends and now I have my own friend group and they are really amazing.”

Host families are a big part of having foreign exchange students come here. Junior Brandon Kauten talked about his experience hosting his foreign exchange student: “I recommend coming up with a few cool activities that demonstrate your local culture or things that allow the student to see the country. Some great ones are going to a farmers’ market or the Saturday Market, Costco (it may sound boring to you, but remember this person is not used to American culture), taking a trip to Portland, and going to rural areas. Your goal is to show them as much as

the Talisman possible about your country and culture, but make sure to make it fun.”

Kauten then talked about how he interacted with the student to make them feel more at ease in his home: “Having an exchange student can be very educational and fun. As you are showing them your culture, you have opportunities to ask questions about what is different in their culture and to have them share their culture with you.

Asking questions about what is different and how things are done in their country is a great conversation starter.

Whenever my family has an exchange student, we ask them if they want to prepare a local dish from their country.

Every time, they have lit up and been super excited to share with us.”

Kauten talked about the rules he and his family had to follow to keep the exchange student in his home:“The only strict rules that you have to follow are the dietary, religious, and medical needs of the student [if your student is allergic to nuts, don’t give them nuts, if your student is of a different faith, make sure to talk to them and make sure they are ok with it before taking them to a religious function of your own]. Generally, you are given a list of things that may be considered rude in their culture which you can abide by, but if not, you can always do some research in advance to

Photo by Delaney Iddings

Exchange students FLorian Bunge (L) and Nora Hieckel are each from Berlin, Germany.

Taking the SAT or ACT: is it worth it?

Audrey Bivens editor As many current seniors make their decisions on if they want to go to college next year, and where, many juniors and sophomores are faced with the stressful option of whether or not to take the SAT. During their sophomore and junior years, students are required to take the PSAT unless they have an exemption from a guardian. The test takes up the majority of a school day and has little to no actual purpose, other than qualifications for merit scholarships. Senior Abby Schnoor spent months during Sophomore year preparing for the SAT even though the number of colleges that now require them are very low. She said, “I don’t think the SAT was worth it because COVID made a lot of colleges not care about them… I studied for a while and did decently, but it wasn’t worth the stress.” Since COVID began, most colleges have waived this test because it doesn’t predict much, since people can simply study the format of the exam to enhance their test scores.

Since the test is now not required for many college admissions, there was talk for a while of creating a new test that was less flawed. When asked if he thought the test was worth taking, science teacher David Whalley said that there needs to be a new test “that isn’t so flawed,” since the test has many “racial and social strata biases.” There are tutoring companies such as Princeton Review that guarantee a score of 1400 or better.

This costs well over a thousand dollars showing that test scores can be dependent on how much money a family is willing to put into tutoring and preparations, which doesn’t make it accessible to everyone, nor display accurately the amount of knowledge students have about the topic they are being questioned on.

When considering taking the SAT, it’s important to remember that the ACT is also an option, and to understand the differences between them. The key difference is that the ACT contains a science section, whereas the SAT does not. Another key difference between the two is that the SAT has some questions on the math section where a calculator is not allowed, while the ACT allows calculators at all times. It is important to consider taking the test around sophomore or junior year of high school, though it is also important to remember that a lot of colleges currently don’t require them, and that it has a reputation of defining financial status rather than knowledge.

Choosing to take the SAT or ACT has turned into more of a personal preference or choice. Senior Johanna Gilbert thought that the SAT was well worth taking. She said, “It helped me get the scholarships I received” and “even though colleges considered it as optional, I think it was worth my time because it taught me a lot about standardized testing. Standardized testing will follow you throughout your education.”

While there are many pros and cons to taking the SAT or ACT, it is worth considering if you are a current sophomore or junior. Some scholarships and a few colleges still require the submission of a standardized test score. It is something that requires research for a specific goal since more colleges no longer require standardized test scores.

Arts

the Talisman

March 16, 2022

11

LGBTQ+ characters more common in shows

“nothing bad; she has her own problems in the show that are non-LGBTQ+” Sometimes there is more than one LGBTQ+ character in the show. According to Davis, LGBTQ+ people have been shown very little in tv “Another LGBTQ+ character is Mora the mermaid.” shows, until now. Appearances of LGBTQ+ characters first In this show Disenchantment, Bean is the “Protagonist” appeared in the 1929 movie Pandora’s Box, which had the of the story. And since Bean is the main character, Davis first lesbian character to appear in a movie. Since then, the said, Bean has “lots of interesting scenes, since she’s the continuous rates of LGBTQ+ people in shows have grown. main character. It’s very action based because she has to Many people saw this trend and became happy for the save her kingdom.” change but some didn’t. The growing amount of LGBTQ+ Sophomore Liv Dudley said a show featuring an representation is good society.

LGBTQ+ character is Never Have I Ever, which includes Many of the students here at Sheldon are LGBTQ+, with the character Fabiola Torres. This show is an American some still questioning and others supporting. Many in the comedy-drama series focusing on the life of an IndianLBGTQ+ community have a hard time figuring out what American teen who seeks popularity at her high school. shows to watch that have LGBTQ+ characters in them and Describing the main aspects of Fabiola’s character, many students at Sheldon probably do as well.

Dudley said, “They’re very nerdy, shy, [and] hiding their A show that sophomore Lynn Davis knew had an opinions most of the time.” Another LGBTQ+ character LGBTQ+ character is Disenchantment, which has the in this show is Fabiola’s girlfriend Eve who, according to character Bean. This show is set in the medieval fantasy Dudley, is “the main protagonist’s best friend.” There are kingdom of Dreamland, and the series follows the story a lot of scenes with her, but Dudley said, “She is seen a lot of Bean, a rebellious and alcoholic princess, her naïve elf but not the main focus.” companion Elfo, and her destructive “personal demon” Raya Delong, a sophomore online student from the Luci. It is geared for an older audience but the episodes are Springfield district said a show featuring LGBTQ+ is filled with comedy, romance, and more.

Hey Arnold!, which includes the teacher character Mr. According to Davis, the character Bean acts “like a Simmons. This show centers around a fourth grader named rebellious teenager.” In terms of the biggest target of Arnold Shortman, who lives with his grandparents in an interest for Bean, Davis said. “They don’t show her inner-city tenement in Hillwood, Washington. Episodes sexuality openly, but treat her like any other person.” A center on his experiences navigating urban life while problem Bean has in the show, according to Davis, is dealing with the problems he and his friends encounter.

Olivia Wagner staff writer

In the show, Mr. Simmons, as Delong said, “He’s a nice guy.” There are times when Mr. Simmons may annoy or make viewers mad, but not all the time. Delong said, “Not at all [times]. He’s a side character so he isn’t shown often.

There aren’t a lot of scenes with him.”

In the end, our generation is very lucky to have appearances of LBGTQ+ characters in these types of television shows and movies. It shows we are growing as a community and changing. Which is just what LGBTQ+ people needed to feel more comfortable and accepted in films.

Illustration by Kendall Smith Pride Flag in TV represents LGBTQ+.

Teens and their tattoos

good experience and I’m so glad I did it.”

Senior Cadence Ochoa also got a tattoo this school year. Her tattoo is a bouquet and flowers with many intricate and hidden details woven in that represent different values she holds close; “My tattoo has a lot of different flowers, and each of them Teenagers getting tattoos at a young age is typically means something different and helps to remind me to be those frowned upon by adults. However, many teenagers get things. Such as virtue, and staying true to myself and what my tattoos as forms of expression to represent experiences core values are. It reminds me to step out of my comfort zone they went through, as body art, as a form of rebellion, and try new things. One of my favorite parts of my tattoo is the the honor of a passed relative, or just for fun. Senior star sign for Sagittarius in one of the leaves.”

Morgan Eipp has a tattoo on her chest of a smiley face.

Similar to Eipp, Ochoa had a positive experience actually She explained she got the tattoo for the pure reason that getting the tattoo. She described her experience: “Getting a her mom said no to the tattoo, and believed Eipp would tattoo was actually very calming. The person who did my tattoo regret getting it. Eipp described the way adults look down was someone I actually knew and I asked if she would do mine. on teens getting tattoos: “I think teens getting tattoos is I talked to her for a while about what I wanted and what could stigmatized by adults who think teens will regret later be added and what should go where. When I got to her tattoo in life, but in my opinion it shouldn’t matter if the tattoo studio she asked if I needed anything, got me water, and had a makes you happy now.” very calming energy.”

Getting a tattoo can be a scary experience for many Senior Jill Cockman recently got her first tattoo. She no matter your age. Many are scared of the level of pain caused by tattoos. Eipp said, “My tattoo wasn’t too painful explained that her tattoo is dedicated to her grandma that passed away in 2016 and was impactful on Cockman’s life. She stated, and the artist made me feel comfortable. Overall, it was a “My grandma was 100% Japanese and [her tattoo of the word] Obaba stands for a shortened version of grandma.”

In general, getting a tattoo is a nerveracking experience, but luckily for Cockman all her friends and family were supportive of her choice and the artpiece she got. Cockman said, “My family and friends were all happy for me and loved the meaning behind it. The experience wasn’t how I expected because it went even better than how I thought it would. I’m definitely A student’s tattoo of the Japanesse word for grandma. looking into getting more in the future!”

Beatrice Walton co-editor-in-chief

Photos by Kendall Smith

A student’s tattoo of a bouquet of flowers .

Liam Zamora-Fields

Run by students, for students.

Frontpage Editor ...................................Callie Lininger Teachers pg.2 Editor ............................Victoria Wolf Finance pg.3 Editor ............................. Shiloh Capiak Victoria Wolf Substance Use pg.4 Editor .....................Natalie Kaiser Health pg. 5 Editor ...............................Sofia El-Shammaa Center Spread pg.6-7 Editors .................Beatrice W. & Callie L. Beatrice Walton Student Life pg. 8 Editor ........................Audrey Bivens Shiloh Capiak Extracurriculars pg.9 Editor ................. Liam Zamora-Fields Education pg..10 Editor ........................ Molly Dahlager Arts pg. 11 Editor .................................. Kendall Smith Backpage pg.12 Editor ..........................Madelyn Raleigh Co editors-in-Chief .................................Beatrice W. & Callie L. Staff Adviser ..........................................Greg Cantwell Callie Lininger

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