The Skier Scribbler - May 2023

Volume 7

District Bids Farewell to Departing Educators

Elsa Tullar, Editor-in-Chief

Entering the 2023-24’ school year, four educators will be leaving the AHS team to explore what the world has to offer outside of the small town of Aspen, Colorado.

Cerena Seeber, Adam Cheney, Charlie Laube, and Alexander Reginelli will be leaving the AHS community next school year in order to pursue personal interests and explore different parts of the world. Additionally, art teacher Stephanie Nixon will be working at AHS part-time, teaching two concurrent graphic design courses. Although she will be employed by Colorado Mountain College (CMC), she will still be an active member of the AHS community. We will miss these educators as they provide such valuable knowledge and positive energy in our school environment. However, the journeys they will be partaking in the future are incredible opportunities that are important for these educators to take while they have the chance.

At the beginning of next school year, English teacher Cerena Seeber will be taking a year’s extended leave in order to explore different parts of the world and check in on her own college kids. Seeber hopes to travel to India to receive her yoga teacher certification, and Costa Rica to improve her Spanish and challenge herself. Additionally, she hopes to spend an extended period of time in Salida to get to know a different part of Colorado. Although Seeber will deeply miss the AHS community, she feels as though she has made a lasting impact on her students and colleagues and is excited to see what they do in the future.

“I hope that I have helped students find their way into literature and authors that they love. I hope I’ve created some lifelong leaders and writers. I really hope that my classroom was a sanctuary for kids where they could feel seen and heard and respected and not too stressed out,” Seeber said.

Similarly to Seeber, social studies

2023-24 Spring Sports Season: The Review

“Spring sports have officially come to a close. Girls’ soccer, tennis, golf, boys’ lacrosse, and baseball have all ended their respective seasons this month. Teams worked incredibly hard for their achievements and empowered the spirit of AHS students to increase throughout the spring season.”(pg.2)

teacher Adam Cheney will be departing from the Aspen School District next school year to travel overseas to teach psychology and history in Brazil. He and his family moved to Aspen three years ago after living in Serbia and Turkey, and are now ready to live internationally again. While working at AHS,

on and this is my fifth school so I’ve been around a bit,” Cheney said. “Be as curious as you can about the world outside. If you are wondering, go do it, go see it, go be it.”

Post-secondary college counselor and AHS ski coach Charlie Laube will also be leaving the Aspen community next

down in the AHS commons for the 2008 college fair and he knew that’s what he wanted to do. Now to be sitting in that position that he aspired to achieve, it is extremely hard for Laube to walk away from it However, he believes that the universe has a plan and that no matter what, he has made a lasting impact on the AHS community.

“If a student has an awesome college experience and they remember everything about that experience, but they don’t remember me, I’ve done my job. I’ve done what I’ve set out to do. It’s not about me. It’s about setting up students to become informed, confident, autonomous decision-makers. That’s something that you will need to do for the rest of your life,” Laube said.

Finally, Spanish teacher Alexander Reginelli (Reggie) will be departing from AHS to go and pursue his educational career at Carbondale Community School (CCS), teaching Spanish to elementary school students. Reginelli lives in Carbondale and spends over 300 hours a school year commuting to Aspen, so working closer to his family and home is the best fit for him as of now. Additionally, he is excited to challenge himself in different ways by shifting from teaching high schoolers to elementary schoolers. By focusing more on language acquisition rather than content, Reginelli hopes to develop a further sense of community amongst CCS by providing its students with the ability to communicate and interact with people that are linguistically diverse in their community

Cheney has enjoyed sparking interest in his student’s minds when teaching about international landmarks where he has spent a lot of his time.

“I will definitely miss the unique student body of Aspen and the perspective of students. Additionally, I am going to miss the social studies team in general. It is the best team I have ever worked

“Released only a few months ago, OpenAI’s ChatGPT is merely a baby. Just as a newborn’s intelligence matures rapidly as they grow from a toddler to a teenager, to an adult, AI’s intelligence will grow accordingly. Able to answer nearly any question with a coherent, well-thought-out answer, ChatGPT has already progressed ahead of people in certain regards.”(pg.7)

year, but not for good. Laube will be leaving the field of education in order to spend time with his family and work for his father in Ohio but is hoping to find his way back to Aspen in the winter in order to satisfy his craving for a mountainous and snowy environment. Laube always looked up to the pennants and college counselors and after sitting

A&E

What Your Favorite Social Media App Says About You

“Instagram

You can tell a lot about a person from their Instagram. Everything about everyone can be predicted from this app. Whether it’s what you post or who you follow, Instagram is the CEO of social media stalking and personality predicting.”(pg.10)

“No one is irreplaceable and this is all an opportunity to grow. There will be some different things next year but to take on that challenge and continue to address that in a helpful and productive way while we are all maturing is so important,” Reginelli said.

Photo created by Elsa Tullar

Cerena Seeber, Alexander Reginelli, Adam Cheney, and Charlie Laube pose for their school photos.

2023-2024 AHS Spring Sports Season: The Review

Addy Christensen, News and Sports Editor

Spring sports have officially come to a close. Girls’ soccer, tennis, golf, boys’ lacrosse, and baseball have all ended their respective seasons this month. Teams worked incredibly hard for their achievements and empowered the spirit of AHS students to increase throughout the spring season.

Girl’s soccer has had a challenging but rewarding season this year. With a record of 7-5-1, the team placed 13th in the league and will once again participate in the 3A playoffs. The team played Strive Prep Smart High School on May 11th which ended in a victory for the AHS skiers. They will be advancing to the second round where they will be playing Colorado Academy in Denver on Saturday May 13th. According to team members, though the team had many difficult games they were able to make the season fun and encouraging for all players. Defensive Varsity player Kristine Hvolbaek touches on some highlights of the season.

“We have made it to the playoffs and are working hard towards good results. Another highlight was making a lot of new friends and spending time with all of the girls. Soccer is a sport you should play because you love to play it and it should be fun to play, it is definitely that

way at Aspen High School,” Hvolbaek said.

Hvolbaek, among other players like

skill as individuals and as an AHS team.

The girl’s lacrosse season has also wrapped up this week, the varsity teams’

believes that a highlight of the JV season was the team’s overall spirit and bus rides to and from away games. Roy also believes that there are some things for the team to work on in order to play at their best possible level next season.

“It was so much more inclusive this year on both teams but I think one thing that can be improved for next year is having less separation between JV and Varsity teams overall,” Roy stated.

Similar to the Aspen girl’s soccer and lacrosse teams, many members from the girl’s tennis, golf, and AHS track team have qualified for state-level competitions. Players from the Varsity teams of these spring sports will travel throughout the state of Colorado to compete in the coming weeks. Sprinter and junior, Mino Khan-Farooqi is excited for the state track meet set to take place, the weekend of May 20th.

junior Maddy Lee and sophomore Olivia Ferrea, hope that the program can work on improving their ‘team chemistry’ which they believe will help win more games and further increase their overall

record of 10-5 have landed the team a spot in playoffs. AHS wishes them luck in their games this weekend.

JV lacrosse has also had an impressive season and sophomore Mykenzie Roy

“The season has been super fun and it is really exciting how many people we are sending to states this year. Hopefully next year we can get some more people scoring points and some more state qualifiers,” Khan-Farooqi explained.

Boy’s lacrosse had many notable highlights and ends the regular spring season with a record of 10-5. They are also headed to the playoffs this year.

The Skier Scribbler Welcomes New Editors

Lauren Kinney, Social Media Editor

As the school game comes to an end, the Skier Scribbler is starting a new beginning. Every year before May the members of the paper can apply for an editor position for the following school year. Staff Writers can apply for Arts and Entertainment, Opinion, News, and Sports editors. These positions allow for the members to further their learning, and help the publishing process. In order to secure your position, you must fill out an application and record your strengths and goals for the upcoming year. Teacher Sarah Ward reviews the submissions and fills the positions. The Skier Scribbler is proud to announce that we have seven new and hardworking editors. The whole Skier Scribbler team is excited about the new leadership roles.

Elsa Tullar: Editor in Chief Elsa has been with the Skier Scribbler for a year. Elsa is similar to the Elsa in Frozen… magic. She can elaborate and use creativity to produce a top-tier article. She took on the leadership role because she felt as if she was ready for a challenge. Elsa is approachable and ready to produce new and exciting issues this upcoming school year.

Stella Iverson: Editor in Chief Stella has been with the Skier Scribbler since her freshman year. She was the Arts and Entertainment editor this school year. Iverson gets the job done, even though her computer is always dead.

Stella Iverson is always ready to help

and wishes she was Sarah’s third child (don’t we all?). Stella is excited about her new position and has high hopes for the incoming issues.

Quintessa Frish: Editor in Chief: Quintessa is the first ever junior to be an Editor in Chief. This is both impressive and speaks to her character. She is always ready to work and take on any challenge. Quintessa is silent but deadly (not in a bad way of course). She is quiet about her talents and time management but always carries the weight of the paper

Olivia Cook: Arts & Entertainment

and Opinion Editor: Olivia Cook i joined journalism this semester after leaving the dark side (broadcast). Olivia is full of opinions so it is good for her to see other opinions. Cook is excited to play a leadership role and grow as a writer and an editor. As one says “Let em’ cook”

Gia Galindo Bartley: Arts & Entertainment and Opinion editor: Gia is perfect for this leadership position because she

throughout the upcoming cycles.

Rylee Smith: News and Sports editor: This is Rylee’s first year with the paper, and the paper could not be any more grateful. Aside from her amazing writing, her smile and laughter brighten our whole workspace. Rylee is full of good news and sports ideas. Smith continues to excel in her writing performance and can help the staff writer, write half as well as her hopefully.

Addy Christensen: News and Sports Editor: Addy is passionate about writing, and the paper is lucky to have her as an editor. Addy never fails to cover sports and other important topics within our community. She constantly is trying to better the paper and complete any tasks no one else will pick up.

Christensen is going to be a superb editor, and a great leader to the people around her. The paper can not wait for all your help!

Lauren Kinney: Social Media Editor: This will be Lauren’s (my) second year taking over Instagram. Lauren aspires to make the Instagram page textile and active like an Instagram influencer. She has set new goals for next year to constantly post, and have daily takeover by peers and other people within the district. She is excited to be back (since she doesn’t not like change!)

is approachable and has many article ideas. She has a passion for journalism and wants to inspire others to do the same. Galindo Bartley constantly writes these genres and is excited to edit them

Congratulations to everyone who is going to be a leader on the 2023-2024 paper! The Skier Scribbler will cultivate change with all of your creativity and intelligence. Looking forward to the next year with the new team!

Created by Lauren Kinney Elsa Tullar, Quintessa Frisch, and Stella Iverson pose for their staff photos in the fall of 2022.

Photo by Addy Christensen

The sun sets over the Aspen turf.

Greta Holton, Staff Writer

Chickens Inavade Aspen High School VR Comes to Aspen High

AHS teachers Sarah Benson and Brent Maiolo, have newly adopted baby chicks to the science room for the sole purpose of farming. Benson and Maiolo lost their chickens due to a local bear attack in the fall, leading to a lack of eggs for their morning omelets.

The chicks were purchased at two weeks old from the co-op in Glenwood. The local co-op offers many typical Colorado lifestyle necessities such as, a wide assortment of apparel, gear and expertise for camping, cycling, running, fitness, hiking, snow sports, climbing and more. Benson and Maiolo will split the round of chicks once they are raised at school, then transport them to their own coops.

“They’re all females so that they will lay eggs, but we keep them at school because they are so small and we need to keep an eye on them. Since we’re teachers we spend more time here than at home,” Benson said.

Chickens grow at a rapid rate from the stages of adolescence to adulthood. So, these chickens won’t be cooped up in the classroom for long. After the chickens outgrow the classroom coop, Benson and Maiolo plan to put the chickens in the school courtyard. The goal is to get them adapted to the outdoor environment since they are free range. As a reference point, the chicken meat purchased from the grocery store is around 21 days old when slaughtered, according to The Human League.

Having baby chicks in a classroom full of students can be easily distracting. Although, no one seems to have an issue with the background noise of chirps.

“They are kind of like therapy chickens now. I will say the kids love coming in and petting them, hanging out wih them, talking to them. They are therapy chickens now until they start to lay eggs,” Benson said.

Stop by the science room to see them for yourself.

Greta Holton,, Staff Writer

AHS juniors Alexander Maron and James Mellenthin were granted funding from the school district to purchase twelve Oculus headsets. They are both students in Diane Godfrey’s project management class, a class based around making changes and personalizing the school environment for students. Maron and Mellenthin observed that advanced technology was not being used in classrooms, other than smart boards and personal computers.

As a technological orientated generation, students have been exposed to opportunities similar to virtual reality through social media and even 4D theaters. These students have been the first to push for more technology in at AHS. Their first step to progressing the school was starting a VR club for students to meet two Fridays every month during lunch. Participants have the ability to learn how to use the headsets and pick from a variety of games.VR has evolved and become more than just immersive video games. The programs now can allow students to learn through immersive experiences.

“One of the apps can put you on a bus in the middle of Japan, and have you figure out a scenario while speaking Japanese, it’s really good practice for people trying to learn languages,” Maron said.

The big question is whether technology will continue to take over school in a positive way.

“VR is gonna be the future, personally, I wanted to get involved with the technology early on because I know it will be a part of the rest of my life,” said Mellenthin.

As for advancements, the students will be hosting a school wide “Beat Sabor” tournament in the spring. The competition is determined by who can hit the most blocks consistently, while going to the beat of a song (hence the name). The goal is to gain a following for the upcoming school year.

Wii Sports Club is Not a Club For the Weak

Lauren Kinney, Social Media Editor

Wii Sports is the game that gets everyone excited. The gold strike across the screen, and the sound of the win in tennis is so rewarding. Generally played in 2nd-7th gradein abasement fort, Wii has recently come to AHS.

Thanks to founders Haley Schmela and Meave Sheehan, WII Sports Club is now a part of AHS. Although they took a long hiatus until their first meeting, Wii Sports Club is now an key aspect of AHS.

Before the atrocity of Strass removing the Wii setup, the skier dome was filled with smiles and Mii’s. People would come in and out during lunch and free periods to exercise their bodies and bond with new people. Never before have students been so excited about a club at AHS. The school tries to exercise the importance of social, emotional, and physical health. Wii sports clubs complete all those boxes within 10 minutes of playing.

Although the leaders preach inclusion, there have been lethal tryouts for the “specialty sport.” Lunch became

heated, but luckily no harm was done because the wrist straps were always on lock. I think Haley and Barns Eaton (Another club leader) unfairly created the teams. The varsity was mainly

placed on JV, and I’m still processing this tragedy. Regardless of the placement, this club motivates me to wake up and go to school since my parents deprived me of Wii as a child.

to carry their club. Schemla contacted Little Bites at the muffin company and asked for club snacks. Fortunately, they responded, and within a matter of days, four pallets of Little Bites were delivered to Glenwood. The members went down with two cars (that they thought were big enough) to pick up the order.

To their surprise, there were over 700 boxes of little bites. Their cars were stacked to the brim, and they had to make a second trip down. There are still palettes down due to the overload of Little Bites. These sponsorships show their dedication to bettering the school and their spirits.

people who sucked up to the leaders, and JV was the hard-core people who poured their heart and soul into it. I was

One may think that student leaders are not serious about this club and rely on their teacher sponsor Diane Godfrey

This club may be rigged in the placement process, but at least there are plenty of snacks! If you would like to get active during school, come to the club meetings at lunch. The club leaders announce the meeting, 5 minutes before so make usre to stay on your toes! Anyone is invited as a pratice player and make sure to stop by the meetings that are held in the Skier dome.

Photo by Lauren Kinney

Three members of the Wii Sports Club pose for a photo.

Photo by Greta Holton Baby

Baby chickens cuddled up under a light in the AHS science department.

Profile: Norman Archer, a Journey towardsU.S. Citizenship

Rylee Smith, News and Sports

Editor Local Aspen resident Norman Archer is both a community man and a working enthusiast. Born in Bulawayo, Rhodesia, now Zimbabwe, he established his home within the Roaring Fork Valley in 2017. Norman has lived through immeasurable experiences in different lines of work and cities. Born on Feb. 28,1940, Norman aka “Norm” is an 83-year-old legend with a heart of gold.

Norm is a vehicle, snowcat, and snowmobile mechanic, working exclusively at the vehicle maintenance shop at the base of Buttermilk Mountain. He has been with the skiing company for nearly six years and part of the reason for his success in the mechanical industry is due to prior experiences working in South Africa. He spent twenty years of his life in the sugar mill located in Swaziland, now called Eswatini, where he crushed sugar cane and took part in maintenance, preparing the equipment for production.

“I’ve worked in a few different places and I was exposed to different aspects of engineering. In a lot of my current work, I’m picking back on stuff I’ve done elsewhere,” Norm said.

Norm also worked in the formal office setting but leaned more toward the aspects of vehicle maintenance and ‘handson’ tasks.

“I thought it was nice and clean but after two years I couldn’t take it anymore. I got no satisfaction from that work,” Norm said.

In the sugar mill, he explained his move from the workshop to an industrial training officer in a five-year apprenticeship and training center with hands-on modules, where he took part in teaching.

“That’s been really, I would say the most rewarding part. I’m on Facebook with some of my ex-apprentices from the sugar mill and a lot of them have moved into engineers positions. They were keen to learn and that was a bonus,” Norm said.

Nevertheless, his work in Aspen would have been unattainable, if it weren’t for factors in his life such as his family. Norm said, “I’m the last one standing,” as

he is the youngest child out of nine, who were born in Southern Africa. His wife is named Martha and they met in a place named Livingston. Norman and Martha have two daughters, the oldest named Joanne and the other Martha, as well as a son named Edward. The two girls both live in the states, in California, and Colorado, and his son in the United Kingdom.

Joanne thought it would be best for Norm and Martha to come over to The States and her push played a major role in their decision to gain formal U.S. citizenship.

“It must have been Joanne. She got the ball rolling and ran with the whole thing. We thought okay, let’s give it a go,” Norm stated about his motivation within the process.

Joanne living in Colorado made this move attainable because they had a home that was partially rented out to Martha and Norm. He explained that this was a good fit because of its affordability and access.

With the reassurance of this new home, the need for U.S. citizenship came. In 1980, Norm lived in Zembabwe and Swaziland, and soon following, Joanne began the U.S. citizenship process approximately eighteen months before Norm finally moved out. He couldn’t take the citizenship test until five years following full-time residency within the states.

“It took about seven years from the time we came over. It was 5 years from the time we got here but the build up, all the paperwork, just to get permanent resi-

dence took almost 2 years,” Norm said. The first step, he explained, was a trip to Denver to do fingerprints and following that took around eight months before Martha and Norm were called for the formal interview. Within this time, they were given a booklet filled with history, geography, and politics to study. Both Norm and Martha spent time studying whether it be at home or during free moments they managed to find during the day.

“What I used to do every day when I got on the bus, was pull out my booklet and go through it. So I just about knew it all,” Norm said.

Within the actual test, Norm explained his experience in that he was asked ten questions out of one hundred. Alongside the interview was a writing and reading section of the test. Given success due to their studying, both Norm and Martha passed and became official citizens of the United States.

Lastly, in acknowledging a ‘bigger picture’, Norm hopes to have a positive impact on his community.

“I suppose you can say I’m on my borrowed time. I would like to contribute in terms of work as long as I am able,” Norm said, “Really if you’ve got skills, you’ll never be out of work. Here I am in my eighties, still needed.”

Norm may be recognized within the mechanic shop as a dedicated worker who finds a sense of reward in helping others. In the coming future, Norm will be receiving the “Mechanic of the Year” award from the Ski Area Vehicle Maintenance Institute. This honorable recognition will capture only a small portion of the immeasurable contributions of Norman Archer within communities from South Africa to the United States and all those in between.

Sister Cities Exchange: Aspen to Garmisch 2023

Addy Christensen, News and Sports

Editor

Imagine. One day you’re minding your own business walking around Aspen with some friends. You hear your phone buzz and see notifications flash across the screen. You do a double take as the screen unlocks and there’s a single email that catches your undivided attention. Holding your breath, you open the email. You have been selected by Aspen Sister Cities to explore a whole new country with kids in your school you barely know and a couple of teachers, for two entire weeks. You don’t speak the language, have never tried the food, and you’ll be staying with complete strangers.

On top of everything else, your decision must be confirmed in only a matter of days. Your friends walk ahead, and notice your feet have slowed automatically, as if they too are considering the options. Do you go or not?

You’re scared, no you’re terrified. Anx-

iety shoots through your body and your stomach feels like it’s doing literal somersaults. You honestly didn’t think you would get a spot on the trip after hastily turning in your application and rushing through your interview. None of your friends got accepted, so you feel like you’d be alone and there is a no-technology policy. You think about how hard it might be to not call your parents or friends if you miss them and tell them everything about the trip.

Despite the fear you’re feeling, a burst of excitement rattles in your body. You think that this trip could be an amazing opportunity to see more of the world and gain new perspectives. Through the experience, you would see things you’ve only read about, try different cuisines, learn a new language, and maybe even hop on a train to Italy for the weekend. But most importantly, you would meet new people and create relationships that could last a lifetime.

You decide to go with feelings of ner-

vousness, excitement, and absolutely no idea of the increadible impact the trip will have on you

The yearly Aspen Sister Cities high school exchange to Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany took place in late March, the week before and of spring break. This is the first year since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 that Sister Cities has been able to run its high school exchange.

10 students from Aspen High School traveled to Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany on March 20th for a 2-week exchange program where they would learn about German culture, language, and much more. The 10 Aspen students ranged from grades 9-12 and were selected to stay with another 10 students from Garmisch-Partenkirchen and their families. Throughout the trip, each student got to experience many opportunities. As a group the students traveled to places like Munich, students were able to attend school with their exchange

partners, and individually spent time with their host families on the weekend. Many even traveled to Austria or Italy, both only a 45-minute drive from the German ski town. AHS senior Kiara Gonzalez had an amazing time with her German student, Berta Noguera. She was able to explore the towns of Garmisch and Grainua, see the beautiful Linderhof Castle, and grow closer to many people along the way.

“A highlight of Germany for me was being able to go on one last exciting trip before I leave for college and connecting with people not only from another culture but who were also at a different point in their lives compared to me. I learned that going through new experiences and being around unknown people is not as bad as it sounds and it’s amazing how fast you can form close relationships through these experiences with these people,” Gonzalez said. Continued

Photo courtesy of Nicholette Smith

Norman and Martha Archer celebrate their newfound citizenship

Stella Iverson, Editor-in- Chief

How do we find joy in life? How do we retain the precious memories of when our dog was a puppy, nibbling on your toes wherever you went? How do we remember the look on our mom’s face after each homemade birthday gift?

These moments get lost in a mess of stupid teenage drama and I don’t know about you but if I had to choose between high school drama and the things that matter 20 years from now, I know which i’m choosing.

Love is a one-of-a-kind feeling; it’s the experience that leads you to lose your mind. You know that feeling when the world stops moving and nothing else matters but what’s happening right in front of you? That feeling when the song is so good that you get goosebumps and chills up your spine. That song later goes on to be played about a million times.

Of course, love is not always this obvious. when your mom calls you non-stop throughout the night to make sure you’re still alive and of course making good decisions. When you’re sick and your dad refills your tea cup with chamomile every few hours. When mom is always there for 9 pm pickups from practice in her pajamas internally pissed off but still puts a smile on her face asking you how your day was. When you get your license and consistently get told to wear your seatbelt. When you get that big hug

Olivia Cook, Opinion and A&E Editor

In 2023, the Roaring Fork Valley has seen many deer-to-vehicle collisions on Highway 82.

“Each year, there are roughly 1.5 million deer/vehicle collisions on U.S roadways,”

The Humane Society of the United States reported. The heavy snowfall this year has caused the deer to search for more food. The lack of snowfall near the highway has contributed to the deer migrate closer to moving cars resulting in collisions. These crashes are more likely to happen in the dark because the driver’s eyesight is not as strong, and they can’t see as clearly.

Most crashes in our valley have occurred between Aspen and Glenwood Springs. According to State Farm Insurance, “The number of cars colliding with vehicles has increased by 19 percent since 2004.”

There are ways that people can prevent these collisions. Drivers should aim to drive during the day rather than at night. Staying

off your phone is also an effective way to stay alert. Following the speed limit ensures that the impact is less significant if a driver collides with a deer. Use your high beams at night when possible to see further ahead of the car. Be vigilant; look in areas of low visibility, such as shrubs and trees where deer might be located.

According to Cam Daniel, AHS SRO, the Roaring Fork Valley is hoping to build more fencing around major highways. According to The Humane Society of the United States fencing is one of the most effective ways to prevent animal deaths. Our valley is also working to enforce overpasses and underpasses in the future. These passes hope to eventually train the wildlife to walk over and under the highways instead of walking straight across into oncoming traffic. This project will be expensive and take immense effort from the city. However, the passes will ensure driver safety as well as animal safety.

from your grandparents when you go and visit them.

The Art of Love: Unseen and Uncomplicated Collisions Between Deer and Vehicle on the Rise in the Roaring Fork Valley

The act of loving one another is important. It can hurt, but it can also be a one-of-a-kind experience. If you were to look at the idea of love throughout many years it’s everywhere. It is what shapes movies, (my personal favorite is The Notebook). Even Shakespeare couldn’t resist writing on the topic if we take a look at Romeo and Juliet, Romeo killed himself so he could be with his true love. Now that shows the real power love holds over people.

How do self-love and self-care make us better people? If you have a hard day, clearly in a bad mood, what do you do to calm yourself? Some people like to be alone, some don’t. You might want to get home and lay in bed the rest of the night doing absolutely nothing. However,if you choose to express your form of self-love just know that it is important. A saying reads “We accept the love we deserve’’, and honestly it’s true even if you don’t realize it, everything we do for each other. When we cook dinner for the person we adore most in the world, when we allow someone to see and hear everything about us. The songs that we play that remind us of how we feel around someone. Love is everywhere, love is kind, love is hurtful, and love is you.

Courtesy of Katie Pesheck

AHS Girl’s Lacrosse team comes together after scoring a goal

Mifepristone: It’s Importance for Reproductive Rights

Andie Sherman, Staff Writer

Mifepristone, a medication used to induce abortion, has been at the forefront of reproductive rights debates for decades. The drug, also known as RU-486, is essential for ensuring access to safe, effective abortion care worldwide, but its accesibility has been challenged in the past and now recently.

The United States Supreme Court is set to rule on its legality Friday, with significant implications for women’s reproductive rights and bodily autonomy.

Mifepristone is a medication that works by blocking the hormone progesterone, which is necessary for the growth of a fetus. This method of inducing abortion is considered safer, more accessible, and more comfortable than traditional surgical abortion methods. This medication has been particularly vital during the COVID-19 pandemic, as it can be taken at home and does not require in-person visits to a healthcare provider.

The importance of mifepristone for reproductive rights cannot be overstated. The medication offers the freedom and autonomy for women to make their own reproductive choices. It provides a safe and effective method of terminating a pregnancy without invasive surgery. Additionally, it is essential in helping to

manage miscarriages, providing a less traumatic and more private way of ending an unwanted pregnancy.If mifepristone is unavailable, women may have to resort to unsafe methods of abortion, which can result in serious medical consequences.

Unsafe abortions can cause severe bleeding, infections, damage to the uterus, and other organs. In some cases, these complications can be life-threatening. Unsafe

abortions can also lead to long-term health consequences, such as chronic pain, infertility, and even death.

In addition, without access to mifepristone, millions will be forced to continue unwanted pregnancies, which can have a

sion and anxiety, and economic hardship. Despite the clear benefits of mifepristone, its legality has been consistently challenged. Anti-abortion activists and politicians have sought to restrict its availability, arguing that it is unsafe and has health risks. Mifepristone has been used safely in countries worldwide for many years making these claims unfounded.

significant impact on their physical and mental health. For example, women who continue unwanted pregnancies may face an increased risk of maternal mortality, mental health disorders such as depres-

The upcoming Supreme Court ruling on mifepristone’s legality has the potential to impact reproductive rights significantly. The judgment could determine whether women in the United States continue to have access to safe and effective abortion care. It could also set a precedent for how the courts approach reproductive rights issues in the future. Regardless of the outcome of the Supreme Court ruling, we must continue to advocate for women’s reproductive rights. Access to safe, effective abortion care is a fundamental human right, and denying this access violates bodily autonomy and freedom. The fight for reproductive justice is ongoing, and we must continue to push for progress and ensure that all women have access to the care they need and deserve.

Equailty For Transgender Athletes

Araya Thompson, Staff Writer

There have always been issues with discrimination against the transsex community, especially in athletics. On April 6, The United States Education Department (USED) publicly announced a change to Title IX. The change prohibits sex-based discrimination in federally funded education programs that makes it illegal for schools to ban transsex students from sports teams. Instead of acknowledging the students sex at birth the schools will look at the sex that the student identifies themself as currently. Also the addition allows any school in the U.S. prohibit transsex athletes to be able to compete with sports teams that match with their current sex and not with the sex given at birth, but only if there is a question with the equality of athletics. The new addition to Title IX adds that schools are not allowed to put blanket bans in place to keep all transsex athletes from competing.

The new changes to Title IX are different out of the education system. In higher competition levels around the world the transsex community is still unwelcome. The World Athletics says that to be able to compete as a woman an athlete with a different sex assigned at birth has to have testosterone levels below 2.5 nanomoles per liter for at least

24 months before any international competition. The average testosterone level for a male is from 10 to 35 nanomoles per liter. World Athletics

women would not be welcome in sports. “We will be guided on this by science around physical performance and male advantage which will inevi -

transsex community, Joanna Harper. She has studied transgender athletes for several years, and she is the first author on four peer-reviewed papers on the subject and has earned previous undergraduate and master’s degrees in physics and medical physics respectively. “The idea that it was necessary to ban trans women to protect the female category seems so far-fetched,” Harper said.

believes that the regulations are made to create “integrity of female competition” and fairness.

The president of the organization, Sebastian Coe has beliefs that Trans

tably develop over the coming years.”

Coe says in an article by Science.

A group of students is studying transsex athletes at Loughborough University. One being a part of the

Lia Tomas, an openly trans women who participates in high level swimming has been receiving lots of hateful comments. These comments are mostly coming from largely known athletes, politicians, activists, her competitors, and even some of her teammates’ parents. These comments are about Tomas competing in the women’s division and even hate towards her sex. Tomas has been on hormone therapy since 2019 which changes many biological aspects about her mentality and body including reducing muscle mass, making her have very similar abilities to her competitors. The research about the general topic of the transgender community did start recently and it is such a large topic that is very complex in many ways so there is still a lot for researchers to study.

Photo courtesty of the Skier Scribbler archives

Women’s abortion rifghts march on October 2, 2021

Photo courtesy of Creative Commons

Transgender athletes in sports has become a much talked about controversy after transgender Penn swimmer Lia Thomas won a NCAA Division I national championship in women’s freestyle.

Students Protest Guns

Beau Toepfer, News Editor

So far in 2023, 85 people have been killed or injured in school shootings, and threats have been called into schools across Colorado in a mass attack, including to schools in the valley. When student-led protests against gun violence are organized attendance is low enough the protest often falls through.

Peter de Wetter, an AHS senior and head boy, tried to organize a walkout on National Walkout Day on April 5. Lack of attendance caused the protest to fall through, and the protest was rescheduled for Monday, April 17. de Wetter held a provocative speech to a group of approximately 40 students and 15 teachers and staff gathered on the beach, but despite the time allocated and the prevalence of the issue, the crowd was small. The speech was rousing and filled with emotion; the small group of students clapped vigorously after he finished, then immediately returned to class. The plan of a “walk-out” did not yield strong results, and ended in a speech just outside the doors of the school. Sarah Straussburger corralled the school trying to get people outside.

“Either be outside or in your SET class. You can’t hang out in the halls or commons,” Strassburger said to students coming from class.

The structure of the protest devaluedthe meaning. Students were given one option to protest from their administration, defeating the idea of a protest

for student safety, by students. And by doing this walkout during SET time, it was not conveying the same message as walking out of class for a protest, that students do not feel comfortable in their current environment.. SET time is not instructional in the sense that classes are, so students aren’t jeopardizing their education.

“The second one, thanks to the help of Sarah with her school-wide email, we were able to get a lot more people’s attention,” de Wetter said.

”And again, it’s an interesting concept of not walking out during a class period because the fact is supposed to be that you’re leaving school.”

Although, no school in the valley has experienced an active shooter, and Aspen students have yet to be subjected to the ‘American Tragedy.’ With successful gun control in other countries and the ability of countries like Australia to entirely curb gun violence on shootings, it is a wonder why America can’t

do the same. A sense of almost invincibility permeates Aspenites’ minds; the wealth and relative isolation of Aspen from the regular public school system makes

AHS seem like a bubble without a chance of a school shooting. While the threats called in earlier this year were all hoaxes, people were still scared and affected by the proximity of the danger.

“Ultimately, it seems like when there’s a direct effect on a certain population or community, then there’s more of a reaction to do something,” de Wetter said, “And I think because it was just a hoax, and we’re in the community that a lot of students didn’t really feel the true impact that it has on other places with school shootings … I think it’s hard in this community because it’s definitely a bubble as it’s constantly referred to, as in that people just don’t see the see how these events are happening elsewhere and in other places as well.”

So, why was attendance at both walkouts so low as they still gave students a chance to stand up for their peers? Attendance at school for the initial student-led walkout was already low, contributing to the small turnout. However, speaking from experience, the second walkout was held at a time when students would not actually miss any school or be given a chance to avoid anything, given that it took place during SET. SET time is used as a time for students to do work that truly benefits them directly. The immediate benefits of SET time are easy to identify, and less instant gratification is given for attending class. People like to get out of things they don’t want to attend, and when students may have trouble understanding the significance of gun violence in this community, there is not as much ‘pull’ of going to a protest.

The most troubling part is that our lives are placed in danger by living in this country while there is little action being done to solve the systemic and deadly issues that affect us. Students need to stand up for themselves and show our government and local leaders that we, as children, are not safe in what is supposed to be a safe environment. Children saying they feel unsafe or uncomfortable at school will have a more profound impact on governments than parent responses will. Stand up for yourself and let the world hear your voice! Every voice has the potential to make a difference.

AI Isn’t All Good

Blake Zilberman, Staff Writer Society has long been awaiting the advancement of AI. How could one not be excited when they see the rapid advancement of AI models such as Chat GPT?

However, AI is not exclusively positive. If AI maintains it’s current pace of technological advancement, the economy will reach a point where humans are not a requirement in the workplace. Released only a few months ago, OpenAI’s ChatGPT is merely a baby. Just as a newborn’s intelligence matures rapidly as they grow from a toddler to a teenager, to an adult, AI’s intelligence will grow accordingly. Able to answer nearly any question with a coherent, well-thought-out answer, ChatGPT has already progressed ahead of people in certain regards. Instead of a person spending weeks researching and writing an essay, ChatGPT can write a similar quality essay in seconds. If ChatGPT can accomplish this as a ‘seven-monthold baby,’ after continuing to process further information fed to the algorithm and benefiting from advancements in the

AI space, the exponential growth of AI has no limits. Afterall, premier computer scientist at Google, Ray Kurzwiel predicted, “Artificial intelligence will reach human levels by around 2029. Follow that out further to, say, 2045, we will have multiplied the intelligence, the human biological machine intelligence of our civilization a billion-fold.”

Given that AI should soon surpass human intelligence, while also operating at a vastly more efficient speed, there is serious reason to ask if human thought will still be relevant.

According to Forbes, 73 million out of the 150 million total US jobs could be replaced by AI by 2030. However, this is short-term thinking. If the exponential rate of improvement in AI’s intelligence continues, 20 to 30 years from now it is highly likely that AI will be able to do many jobs better than humans. A normal, profit-driven company will have no problem laying off current workers in favor of new workers who can output higher quality work at rates of great-

er efficiency. Since AI does just that, estimating potential job losses is a futile exercise since the job losses will almost certainly exceed any modern estimate by a vast margin.

Many contrast the potential job losses with the belief that these job losses will be offset by newly created jobs. However, this is a mistaken point of view. Most often, these newly created jobs will have vastly different skill sets to the jobs that are displaced. Additionally, most of these newly created jobs that are primarily in the computer science field are thought to be rapidly replaced by AI models which are exponentially better and faster than humans at producing code—even today, ChatGPT can write hundreds of lines of code in seconds.

Though AI would take over jobs previously occupied by humans and produce at higher levels, the lost human workers would still be part of the economy, spawning a large cohort with limited spending power. Many politicians, including New York Democrat Andrew

Yang, have suggested that governments should simply acknowledge that society will eventually reach a point in which it doesn’t need workers anymore. They have argued that the government can allow these citizens to sit at home and earn checks from the government. Yang calls these checks “Universal Basic Income.” However, this solution would be a terrible outcome for society. Not feeling the need to learn skills for work, this may lead to a huge section of society in which people would no longer need to learn certain skills. There would be no purpose in one attending school and developing their mind as the government would be paying them the fruits from the AI workers.

If people no longer need to be motivated to learn, advance, and innovate, people will not choose to do so. Therefore, this loss of skills and knowledge will compound over time, making humanity less intelligent as a whole. Could this peak in intelligence be the beginning of the end for humanity?

Photo by Beau Toepfer

Co-Head Boy Peter de Wetter poses for a portrait.

Toallas Sanitarias en los Banos de Niñas en la Escuela

Jazmin Soza Ortega, Staff Writer

Se siente más beneficioso llevar toallas sanitarias de la casa a la escuela. Es vergonzoso, correctamente, las chicas deben estar molestas en ciertos casos, algunas de las chicas las olvidan o se quedan o tal vez ni siquiera estaban listas para tener su período, puede llevar mucho tiempo o, a veces, simplemente no llegar al mes que es por eso que a los profesores, amigas o alumnas se les pide que pidan una toallita prestada pero este nuevo método puede sincronizar una mejora y así evitar darles a las niñas el derecho a no pedir Los profesores es otra cosa, las toallas estarán en cada baño siempre ubicado al lado de un lavamanos, dentro de una caja que se abre sin tapa para que sea fácil y de una manera tan discreta de tomar, cada caja contiene unas cien toallas con alas y extienden la seguridad a las niñas, las toallas solo se ubican en los baños de niñas, no hay toallas en los baños de niños, las siguientes precauciones.

La higiene personal es un hábito difícil de evitar. Es muy importante que las niñas tengan una higiene. Esto incluye cambiar las toallas todos los días cada dos horas. Esto es muy beneficioso y es muy inteligente el hecho que la escuela sea parte de este evento a largo plazo. Creo que el nuevo medio de apoyo que da la escuela para ayudar a las niñas a apoyarlas es una buena idea para que si se han olvidado de estar con el bienestar.

Pero, ¿qué es una toalla sanitaria?

¿Alguna vez has oído hablar del período de una mujer? Las toallas sanitarias (a veces llamadas toallas sanitarias o toallas femeninas) son piezas estrechas de

material absorbente que se adhieren a la ropa interior. Una toalla sanitaria o toalla sanitaria, también llamada toalla sanitaria , toalla femenina, o toallita menstrual, es un producto de control menstrual absorbente que se coloca en la ropa interior para contener la menstruación. Como insumo de higiene también puede ser utilizado para loquios posparto, sangrado posaborto, después de cirugía ginecológica y en cualquier situación donde exista sangrado vaginal. Un protector de panty o protector de panty es un absorbente similar, más liviano y más pequeño diseñado para el flujo menstrual ligero, el sangrado intermenstrual y los fluidos vaginales.

A nivel mundial, no existe un criterio unificado para regular la venta de toallas higiénicas. Algunos países se inclinan por incluirlos como bienes de consumo, un parámetro general amplio, mientras que otros aplican criterios más rigurosos. A su vez, son el producto más vendido en el mercado de la higiene femenina. Esto se debe a su mayor disponibilidad y reconocimiento sobre otras opciones de manejo menstrual.

Cada caja contiene unas cuarenta toallitas que a veces se agotan muy rápido pero se rellenan cada vez que se acaban. El personal de limpieza se asegura de que la caja nunca esté vacía por mucho tiempo. Esto es eficiente y completamente productivo en los baños de niñas. Hasta que se acaba la última toalla, el personal de limpieza vuelve a rellenarlas para sentirse más seguros. Cuando hablamos del personal de limpieza, nos referimos únicamente a las propias mujeres que son las encargadas de entrar

al baño de chicas para comprobar cuánto se necesita o exactamente para poder calcular. Cuando se acaban para que se puedan volver a llenar.

Cuando se utilizan las toallas, se retiran en bolsa que se pega discretamente en la pared junto a todos los aseos. Estos recipientes contienen una tapa para evitar que se escape el mal olor. Estos contenedores están ubicados para botar la toalla. La importancia de esto es que las toallas no se votan en otro lugar como algún basurero escolar al otro lado de la escuela y las aulas pero tampoco se votan en los papeles donde nos secamos las manos y mucho más importante no dejar la toalla vaya al retrete o tirela a propósito porque para eso están los envases que también contienen una bolsa de cartón adentro, es para no manchar los lados también, y si alguna vez la toalla se baña en el retrete, podría obstruir y causar problemas en el servicio de agua para el lavado. manos o tirar de la cadena, es muy dañino que esto suceda, por eso tenemos esos recipientes que ayudan a prevenir un atasco.

Y no hay mucho consenso sobre cuánto tiempo se puede usar una toalla antes de lavarla. Pero según el estudio, lo mejor es usar una toalla “no más de siete días”, lo mejor es cambiar la toalla al menos dos veces por semana porque, después de una semana, “los niveles de bacterias se disparan”.

La escuela tiene un acuerdo sobre este nuevo método de apoyo porque cada niña tiene derecho a ser responsable de cómo ser apoyada. El tiempo que las toallas que se compran son proporcionadas por la escuela y no son tomadas

por otros estudiantes. mochila de casa o sacar toallas de los baños y usarlas para llevar a casa eso también está permitido no hay ninguna regla dentro de la escuela que implique que hacer esto es un delito o si te están vigilando no implica que tendrás que corregir esto es satisfactorio y de manera progresiva para apoyar.

Hace solo unos días, el 4 de enero, se observó una toallita usada en los baños de las niñas Toalla submarina Cada baño tiene tres inodoros Dos inodoros limpios mientras que uno que ni siquiera tiró de la cadena es una catástrofe total no tener higiene persona desconocida que hizo esto pero Las personas que observaron que la mayoría de las niñas se quedaron con la toalla mientras limpiaban el desorden que se produjo ese día después de la escuela y se quitaba la toalla para limpiar el inodoro.

El uso adecuado para ellas son las siguientes : Pega la toalla sanitaria a tu ropa interior (panty) usando la tira adhesiva en la parte de atrás. Algunas toallas sanitarias reutilizables se mantienen en su lugar usando un broche de presión o con el elástico de la ropa interior. Cámbiala después de algunas horas o cuando esté totalmente empapada de sangre y para los tampones es: empuja el tampón dentro de tu vagina con el aplicador o con tu dedo, según el tipo de tampón que tengas. Insertar un tampón en tu vagina es más cómodo si te relajas. Usar tampones con aplicadores suaves y redondeados puede ayudar. También puedes poner un poco de lubricante en la punta del tampón o del aplicador[según información de google].

Continued from Page 4: The Sister Cities adventure continues

The Sister Cities exchange much like Gonzalz’s experience, allowed students to step out of their comfort zones and do things that scared them. Everyone surprised themselves with how much they grew in this way in just over a month.

Suleyma Garcia-Olmedo was the second AHS senior on the trip and one of four upperclassmen. Like Gonzalez, she was surprised at how fast students formed friendships and how everyone in the group wanted to be together.

“This trip was a very valuable experience because of everyone’s attention to make every moment the best possible. No one was ever left behind and we spent so much time together in the past month. I definitely will remember the hard work and positive energy each and every one of the kids gave me throughout the trip,” Garcia-Olmedo said.

The Aspen to Garmisch-Partenkirchen Sister Cities exchange has gone on for over 50 years. Activities, teachers, and students have all changed throughout the years, yet the mission of these trips has always stayed the same; to promote peace, share ideas, and create relationships that last. The Aspen and German students got to experience this opportunity together and so

they were the ones who determined how it impacted them. Talking to Gonzelz and Garcia-Olmedo as well as sophomore Julia Diaz, inclusion, friendship, and kindness were common themes of the trip.

“I made so many new friends and became so close with people in such a little amount of time. I know the connections we made will last a lifetime,” Diaz stated. Spending time with everyone was an important aspect of the Aspen-Garmisch exchange. Yet, spending time with host families impacted the Aspen students as well. Oliver Kelly, a freshman at AHS loved staying

and being with his host student, Thomas Schober. Kelly went to the Linderhof Palace in Ettal, Germany which is about 30 minutes away from Garmisch.

“I saw a guidebook for the Linderhof castle in Portuguese, and I read a few pages and chuckled a little to myself. I thought it was cool to see the pamphlet translated into my native language. Andrea, my host mom saw me pick it up, and without my knowing, she bought it and had Thomas bring it to me when he came to visit us. I hadn’t expected it and such a gesture gave me so much joy,” Kelly reminisced. Kelly’s story is a testament to the goal of Aspen Sister Cities trips; love and friendship are possible with anyone and everyone. This trip gave everyone the opportunity to see that this mission is possible, that if we are kind the world can become a better place.

“I learned so much about myself, and how much I love the peaceful calm of a simple activity in a beautiful place. To me, a trip like this had immeasurable value. I gained so many friends and saw so much beauty. It was tremendously special,” Kelly said.

Photo by Addy Christensen

The AHS Sister Cities group poses at a look out in Germany.

What Happened With Frank Ocean at Coachella?

Sara Michelin, Staff Writer, Gia Galindo Bartley, Opinion and A&E Editor

A brand-new controversy surfaced when Frank Ocean, a Grammy-winning singer-songwriter, performed at the 2023 Coachella music festival in April. After Ocean announced he would be at Coachella in 2023, the anticipation to finally see him on stage after six years was immense. The artist also had plans to perform at the festival in April 2020; however, he unknowingly bailed out last second prior to the festival being canceled due to Covid-19. whether or not Frank cared about his fans was a major topic over the internet, after giving fans a less-than-substantial performance at Coachella.

Coachella hosts a livestream on youtube for those who cannot attend the festival, but disappointment sets in for Ocean’s fans when they learned that the performance would not be livestreamed on the YouTube channel just hours before his show was scheduled. Fans were confused as to why Ocean did not want to be livestreamed, but it was later announced online that there was no good reason for his cancellation of the livestream

Not only did Ocean disappoint fans who stayed home, but the artist’s tardy arrival for his performance left fans who were fortunate enough to be present at the music event even more disappointed. His scheduled arrival time was set at 10:05 p.m., but Ocean arrived at 11:00 p.m. Many of his fans gave up waiting and left early thinking he wouldn’t appear.

A similar situation occurred at Camp Flog Gnaw, a festival created by Tyler

the Creator, a long-time friend of Ocean and fellow singer-songwriter, back in 2019. When Tyler announced a surprise headliner, fans’ minds immediately went to Frank; Instead, Drake came out, which left fans irritated. The singer’s set ended 20 minutes early after unison

that were played, leaving 10 minutes of music without vocals. Disappointed Spectators continued to leave the venue as Ocean’s performance went on.

As if Ocean’s performance wasn’t saddening enough, the show was shortened because of the Coachella curfew.

for the second weekend but withdrew due to two fractures and a sprain in his leg. Blink-182 took over the third headlining role for the second weekend of the performance.

Although Ocean did not give his best performance, he told the crowd during his performance that he and his younger brother Ryan Breaux, who passed away in a vehicle accident in 2020, used to go to Coachella, and that’s why he chose to perform as the festival’s headlining act. He reportedly stated, “My brother and I came to this festival a lot, and I felt like I was dragged out here half the time because I hated the dust.” according to BBC.

Frank also mentioned how much he missed his followers after being absent for so long. Based on many fans’ beliefs, this is a critical factor in comprehending Ocean’s jumbled and unenthusiastic performance as the very obvious mourning of his brother Ryan.

booing from the audience and left the stage with a simple “It’s been love, I love y’all, I go by the name of Drake. Thank y’all for having me.”

Fans anticipated Ocean would perform thoroughly to compensate for the six-year absence of live performances. However, Ocean did not actively sing on “Chanel,” “Nikes,” or “Nights.” He performed three out of the 16 songs

Ocean abruptly announced halfway through that the concert was over, leaving fans with nothing but the words, “Guys, I’m being told it’s curfew, so that’s the end of the show.”

After Ocean’s first (and highly underwhelming) show, fans were eager to see what Ocean would put together for his second performance. The singer-songwriter was also scheduled to perform

Despite all of this, there might be some good news for Ocean fans. During his speech about his late brother Ryan, Ocean revealed some info on a possible new album. Starting the speech, he stated, “I wanna talk about why we’re here because it’s not about the new album… not that there’s not a new album.’’ While one little statement isn’t much to work off of, the singer has been giving fans hints for years, whether on merchandise, photoshoots, or even song leaks; there is still hope that Ocean will release something soon. That is with the assumption that hungry fans haven’t jeopardized that… While the Frank fandom can hope, only time will tell.

‘Ghosted’ Leaves Audiences Wishing They Were Dead (and not in a good way)

Océane Jones, Editor in Chief

*Warning: this article contains spoilers about the 2023 film “Ghosted”

The word ghosted, as defined by the New York Times, is when “someone cuts off all communication without explanation”. Sadly, being ghosted is probably a better alternative to wasting 1 hour and 56 minutes watching Apple TV’s newest release “Ghosted.” The romance-action comedy follows downto-earth Cole (Chris Evans) who falls for enigmatic Sadie (Ana de Armas), a nonchalant CIA agent. Produced by Skydance Media and Apple Tv, Ghosted was released on Apple TV + on April 21st, 2023.

To call this film a failure would be a gross understatement. There is absolutely no chemistry between protagonists Evans and Armas. The love between the two feels painfully forced. Watching the two actors kiss reminded me of the repulse that one might have kissing a sibling, or even the face that one makes when eating or drinking something horrid: all together disguised. The filmmakers’ exhaustive mission to portray the interaction between these two characters as romantic love at all costs even comes to the audience being clearly told by the side characters of the nonexistent chemistry between the two, with a common chant of telling the ‘couple’ to “get a room”, happening almost even scene throughout the movie.

Additionally, the producer shot at comedy is staggeringly incompetent, and for my family and I, it resulted in

more cringe than any sort of comedic response. For instance, a running joke throughout the film is that all of Armas’ exs lose their limbs after dating her. This joke did not hit, the most hilarious element being that Armas seemed to have greater chemistry with her ex’s,

moments that make them wonder “how, and why would this ever be included?”

One such moment that was an obvious intrusion and even cause of argument in my household was at the beginning of the film when Evans somehow was taken from London to Pakistan in a

The film even throws in brief cameos from famous actors, seemingly to distract audiences from the lack of foundation of the plot or character arc that the film has. However, due to Evan’s role in the marvel universe playing Captain America and the fact that many of the cameos are from actors that are also associated with Marvel, it makes the end of the film seem like an ad for a marvel movie that should only exist in the previews.

Ghosted received an IMDB rating of 5.8 out of 10, and 30% rotten tomatoes (or 1.5 stars), which is earnestly more than I believe it deserved. After reading heaps of reviews, my favorite remains Peter Sobczynski on the film blog site Roger Ebert, which deemed to be beautifully written and more comedic than the film itself by a long shot. Sobczynski is a truly brilliant writer, constructing a wonderful illustration of Ghosted which is delightful to read, for instance summarizing the movie as a “staggeringly, maddeningly atrocious heap of increasingly boneheaded decisions that will act as depressing documentation of just how rotten things got in the current oversaturated streaming landscape”.

than the film’s protagonist and her current ‘boyfriend’, Evans.

Another fatal flaw of this film was the basic lack of cohesion in the plot, so much so that the audience is distracted trying to piece together how such a situation logically occurred. When they should be following the plot of the film itself, they are instead stuck on little

matter of what seemed like minutes. I fear that this might severely and negatively impact people’s perception of world geography, as in my household it caused a debate if there was, in fact, an underground tunnel from Pakistan to England, which was briefly resolved after Google deemed this notion impossible.

For anyone who has not yet seen the film, I encourage you to watch a movie of greater quality, perhaps something on the lines of director Paul Feig‘s “A Simple Favor,” and not waste your time. However if you would like to form your own educated opinion, it is available on the Apple TV streaming services for premium subscribers.

Photo by Océane Jones

Ana de Armas and Chris Evans star in Apple TV’s new take on female-lead crime fighting.

Photo courtesy of Binaural

Frank Ocean performing at Coachella

What your Favorite Social Media app says About You Snapchat AI Has Many Students Concerned

Madyson

Ryan, Staff Writer

Social Media is widely used on all screens of the world. Teens are constantly surrounded by the online atmosphere, with little to no escape. So why not consider how your choice of media affects you?

Instagram- You can tell a lot about a person from their Instagram. Everything about everyone can be predicted from this app. Whether it’s what you post or who you follow, Instagram is the CEO of social media stalking and personality predicting.

Snapchat- You’re definitely narcissistic; you love taking photos of yourself constantly and you could probably do it for a living, like the Kardashians. But this doesn’t apply to you if you snap a pic of your eye and call it a day.

VSCO- You live for aesthetics and you’re always taking photos. You’re stuck in 2020 and think you’re too good for Instagram. I know you still own all those scrunchies. You really live up to this lifestyle if your VSCO account is linked in your Instagram bio.

Facebook- Ew. I know you have this because your parents forced you to download it as soon as you got your first phone to “keep up with long-distance family. But let’s face it, you’ve never

touched it.

TikTok- You’re pretty up to date. Everyone has Tik Tok, and you’ve certainly tried to end your addiction to it, but we all know it’s not possible.

Twitter- You live for gossip; you eat it up. Everyone comes to you for the latest news. You definitely got sent to the principal’s office in middle school for borderline bullying by the monkey bars.

Pinterest- You’re a dreamer. You’re in love with the idea of this perfect life on the coast of Italy with pet bunnies, a vineyard, perfect sunsets every day, bluebird skies, designer everything, the green kitchen, a breakfast nook, a library with bay windows in the corner of your living room: all of the Pinterest worthy photos in one lifestyle.

YouTube- No one’s attention span can last long enough through a YouTube video in this generation. I honestly envy you if you can still get through an entire YouTube video because I certainly can’t.

BeReal- You’re a trend follower, and if you still use this app even though, it’s at its downfall. You are showing signs of attachment issues. You need to let go and move on. No more BeReals, it’s irrelevant.

Aspen Country Day Annual Play Review

Greta Holten, Staff Writer

It is an annual tradition for the Aspen Country Day School’s graduating Eighth Graders to spend the year brainstorming, writing, and directing their own musical. Guided by drama teacher Marci Sketch, they write the script, choose the songs, cast the parts, and work with younger grades to find just the right scene for each student’s personality while incorporating the whole school. The production has been taking place at the local Wheeler Opera House during spring months with tickets available to all.

Each year’s play consists of a theme used to guide the music, costumes, set, and dances around. This year the students have decided on the theme of a Saturday Night Live spinoff. Incorporating humor for the two hour performance. Everyone’s favorite late-night comedy show was in trouble. Ratings at SNL had hit rock bottom. Who could make the show go viral again? Aspen Country Day School middle school students tackled the challenge of reviving the legendary program in Aspen Country Day, on stage at the Wheeler Friday, May 5 and Saturday, May 6. According to the

Wheeler Opera House sneak peek. As an Aspen Country Day alumni, I personally think the play was an amazing production. The returning director and drama teacher, Marci Sketch has never produced any two plays that were similar. I went into the theater not knowing what to expect but I left happily surprised. The music varied from new rap, to oldies that the crowd loved singing along to. Some of the acts even involved teacher appearances and local humor. One of my favorite scenes was “Shiny, puffy, jackets”. The skit involved elementary school girls wearing the classic “microwave” jacket which has been seen on tourists around the mountain this winter. The entire skit had the crowd laughing while they roasted the tourists who drive up the bus lane all the way to town and downlift after too much timer at cloud 9. Overall, I rate the production, music, costumes, lighting, and audience a 10/10. I would encourage everyone to fight for a ticket next year to see what the kids do next!

Lindsay Waldeck, Staff Writer

On February 27th Snapchat released a new feature called My AI which has led to controversy surrounding the app. Many people believe the add-on to be terrifying.

On Snapchat, this My AI addition allows the user to have human-like conversations with AI. It can give advice on any subject, make small talk, and makes it seem like you are talking to a real human. My AI uses the same technology as Chat GPT (another popular form of Open AI) and Snapchat says that it will help them improve their app in multiple ways, such as new filters on the app or to provide personal recommendations for users.

Users on Snapchat are able to fully customize the name and the AI bitmoji to make it look and sound like a real friend. According to My AI, It can even be on your ‘best friends list’ if you talk to it enough. My AI is pinned to the top of all Snapchat users’ chat feeds and to get rid of it they must subscribe to Snapchat Premium. It can also be added to a group chat with friends.

The release of Snapchat AI has raised many concerns. In fact,

The Washington Post reported that the AI responded in a very inappropriate manner to children who use the app. The Snapchat AI feature told a 15-year-old how to hide the scent of alcohol and pot, and it gave advice in a test to a supposed 13-year-old about having sex for the first time.

This new feature has many students at AHS hesitant to use it for many reasons as well. Junior, Madyson Ryan has found My AI to be too involved in her life.

“When I asked Ai where I lived, it gave me the exact City as well as the State” Ryan said. Some students even think it could potentially take over the human race. Sophomore, Haley Schmela thinks the snapchat feature has too much power and could even replace humans.

“Robots are now taking over and the Simpsons were right,” Schmela said.

Although it can be scary and many people do not like My AI, some students found it helpful for many reasons.

“It can be like a counselor that does not judge you and it is fun to customize,” Sophomore Mykenzie Roy said.

Photo by Lindsay Waldeck

AHS student communicating with their IA over Snapchat

Glowing Shots of Colorado: Photo Essay by Maddie McAllister

The best way to end the day is when we see the moment when the sun meets the moon.

The combo of a warm sunset mixing with an empty field mixed with snow.

You’re driving down Owl Creek and you come across Mount. Daly creating a shadow across Snowmass Village.

A night shot flying above Aspen

A flyover view of the nighttime skyline of LA

A view of the NYC skyline from Kennedy Airport.

The clouds create a line meeting up with the sun behind the mountain.

A view of the sunset from above the clouds

A runway view at DIA of the incoming aircrafts