The Lake - March 2015

the lake

When the clock strikes midnight Cinderella dances into Standley Lake

9300 W 104th Avenue | Westminster, CO | 80021 | USA | Planet Earth | Milky Way Volume 26 | Issue 4 March 2015

the people Editors-in-Chief | Chaye Gutierrez Sabrina Pacha

the lake the formalities Opinions or expressions made by students in this publication are not expressions of board policy. The district and its employees are immune from any civil action based on any expression made for or published by students. The Lake is an open forum for and by the students, faculty, and community of Standley Lake High School. The Lake is willing to accept and print any appropriate articles submitted by the students of SLHS and reserves the right to edit any of these articles. We will not print letters sent to us without a name and signature. Submit letters to standleylakenewspaper@gmail.com.

Team Editors | Esteban Arellano Jamey Burky Nicole Heetland Olivia Koontz Brittany Marks Tina Muscarelli Christina Rudolph Alie Settje Morgan Whitley Website Editors | Emily Leo Alyssa Murphy Staff Writers | Mezhgan Aslamy Sarah Bennett Shelby Hines Hannah Jensen Hannah Laughlin Emily Leo Emma Marlow Natasha McCone Emma Medley Meg Metzger-Seymour Ty Milliken Alyssa Murphy Laurel Nordquist-Zukin Kayla Pray Ripley Ricketts Morgan Rubendall Jazmyn Ruybal Gordon Saur Patty Sokol Sophia Stimpfl Aryle Turner Maxin Uhrich Taylor Zangari Cartoonist | Aina Azlan Adviser | Ben Reed

2 March 2015 | Issue 4

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30 14 16 13 18 34 20 26 38 10 47 How YOU doin'?

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hello, friend.

We’re so glad you came back for more. As the winter months come to an end, we’re looking toward the sunshine, clear blue skies, and warm air. This past issue, we had to bring to light a few not-so-great issues in our school as a call to action to our favorite people, our readers, you guys. Our school has some problems to improve on, and we felt it was our responsibility to make sure we were bringing these problems out on the table.

But this issue, we’re looking at all the best parts that make Standley Lake the school that so many of us have come to love. The school that is home to Alex Barondess, a 17-year-old boy ready to graduate with a class that is not his own—a class that is a year ahead of him. The school that is home to Jesse Kriete, another 17-year-old boy with Asperger syndrome, who, despite the struggles and various challenges that some of us don’t have to face, continues to love school and love learning. The school that is home to critical thinkers, students who recognize the right and power of their own voice, student’s who use their voice. The school that is home to princesses and princes and the fairy godmothers who put the whole show together.

This issue, we’re talking about what our school is made of, and how grateful we are for it.

xoxo, chabrina aka: the editors-in-chief of the lake p.s. we’re not pictured in the photo. who are we really? that’s one secret we’ll never tell.

5

She walks down the hallway in a school that she now calls her home. Looks at the once unfamiliar faces and wonders how different her life would be if she didn’t make this drastic sudden change to her everyday routine.

It’s not about the money and glamor that caused former SLHS teacher, Ms. Lisa Cillessen to leave Standley Lake.

“There are two big reasons for me,” Cillessen said.

“When the job offer came through, my immediate gut feeling that I got was ‘Oh my God no state testing.’”

Teaching for Cillessen is beyond the test scores and a curriculum centered around a single test--it’s about the students. “Students are annoyed by it and see it cutting into their time,” Cillessen said. “But as a teacher, the amount of energy, not just the testing days, you are expected to put into arranging your curriculum around assessments that are silly is a lot.”

To Cillessen, standardized tests don’t truly measure students’ abilities to learn along with the teacher’s ability to actually teach. “[Test scores] are such a tiny measure of my capabilities.

You have no idea what I can do. If all you care about is if I can get students to pass tests then you really have no idea what I can do,” Cillessen said.

“working in education where an educator’s education is not valued is frustrating.”

However, according to Assistant Principal Mr. Trip Sargent, the state testing does accurately represent the students as a whole, “If we are teaching to standards, and they are the state standards, and the test matches the state standards then technically that would be doing the right thing,” he said.

State testing wasn’t the only factor that forced Cillessen to become a Holy Family Tiger though. “The big [reason] is that Jeffco no longer honors masters degrees and I just feel like working in education where an educators education is not valued is frustrating,” Cillessen said.

For someone who grew up being a Gator and later went to Regis to get her masters degree, Cillessen chose to take an opportunity that opened her eyes to how Jeffco really was different compared to other districts.

“Now the enrollment numbers for next year are rock bottom low,” Cillessen said. “People are gonna flee.

People who can afford it are gonna come here.”

According to Cillessen, about ten percent of the enrollment to Holy Family this year were students who didn’t identify themselves as traditional catholics. “That’s a pretty big deal,” she said. “Kids here have to take four years of catholic theology. Saying ‘yeah my kid can sit through four years of catholic theology even though we’re baptist, maybe not even practicing christians’, is a pretty big statement about what’s going on around here.”

From swamp to jungle Former teacher talks about move to Holy Family 6 March 2015 | Issue 4

People are beginning to turn to the Charter school education due to the complications surrounding the districts, but Cillessen believes even Charter schools have their problems. “They have a lot of issues around a lot of procedural things--things that we kind of take for granted in a traditional public school,” she said.

“You’re getting a private school education at a public school cost.”

Transferring to Holy Family was difficult on Cillessen because of her history at Standley and the endless hours spent being a Gator, but it truly was the first step in the right direction for her and her career being a high school teacher. | Brittany Marks | Morgan Rubendall

Building a staple Lynn Isles, co-owner of Emilio’s Almost Famous dreams of creating a late night joint with home-cooked meals

Who is emilio?

He was my son’s great grandfather. Emilio was the most positive, most centered human being on the planet. So it was kinda a no-brainer when we tried to think of a name.

Students walk past security cameras during passing period. New security cameras have been added in several places around the school.

Big changes Standley Lake makes improvements to create safer environment in school

What separates your food from other’s?

After the previous issue of The Lake went behind the scenes in revealing the issues of school safety, Standley Lake’s administration is taking action to help the school be safer.

Nothing comes from a can in our kitchen. Our food is not elaborate by any sense. We really are trying to stay in our community and state, and you can really tell that the food is farm-totable.

“All the high school principals met to talk about the parameters about some of the things we can do individually as a building to improve the safety,” Principal Mr. Jeff Pierson said.

“We talked about how all the buildings are doing things to make sure the school is well secured.”

Why did you choose to open the restaurant here?

Standley Lake was a big part of why we chose to be here. Because we thought between families and the kids, and breakfast and lunch and dinner, we see it as a goto place for everyone.

Do you have any student deals?

We run a $6 even deal, for $6, you get an 8 inch burrito, chips and a drink. I don’t know if that is going to fill up your football players. It’s a pretty good lunch. | Esteban Arellano

For the last year and a half, Standley Lake has added several security cameras around the building, including the recent additions around the school. Within the next year, Mr. Pierson hopes to install even more cameras in new locations that might not be as well-managed and secured.

Many may have noticed that the band door on the west side of the building had been replaced recently, but not because of the last issue. “I do think it is a modest step in the right direction,” Choir teacher Ms. Cass Chatfield said.

“Propping doors open seems to be the most significant concern.”

Mr. Pierson also believes that a large part of having a safe and secure school is not only the responsibility of the school board and higher-ups to make sure that the security the school needs is provided, but also what the students and faculty can do to secure the school they are a part of.

“Students have to take some ownership in securing their building, along with the adults,” Mr. Pierson said. “To remain an open campus, students and adults are going to have to take some responsibility to make sure this is a safe place to be.”

Mr. Pierson has noticed a lot of change “Students have in the behavior of to take some the school since the last issue. “I’ve seen ownership a lot more adults in securing that are taking accountability or walk- their building, ing by and looking along with the at doors,” Mr. Pierson said. “I’ve had a adults,” few adults bring me some kids that have put rocks in doors - something I’ve never had brought to me before.”

One of the most difficult things about maintaining a secure campus is getting the students and faculty to be on the same page. “There can’t be 25 adults trying to maintain an entire building,” Mr. Pierson said. “There’s 70-some doors in this building and it’s hard to watch them all at the same time.”

The topic of open campus for high schools in Jefferson County has been a controversial topic between school board members for a long time.

Ms. Christine Broetzman (Ms. B) disagrees with the idea of having an open campus. “I think if we had a closed campus, all the little things that escalate into big things would disappear,” Ms. B said.

Jefferson County Superintendent Mr. Dan McMinimee believes that having an open campus in high school has to be a balance between safe and welcoming. “It’s something we all have to work towards to make sure we have that safe environment for students while still giving them the freedom that they want,” he said. | Kayla Pray

7

Malways y mom

is right because one time....

“My mom told me to not to do the “armpit dance” by the glass table but I kept doing it anyway. Then I slipped and fell and cut open my cheek.”

Cammy Schmelzer ‘18

4

Things you should know about

Internships

Stepping into grown up shoes Senior participates in internship program

1.

Internships look amazing on resumes

A mother walks into the emergency room holding her crying baby.

She thinks her baby is dying.

2.

Katelyn Buckles ‘15 is the first face people see while rushing into the emergency room.

The requirements to do the Executive Internship Program are: maintaining a high GPA, getting teacher letter recommendations, and going through an interview with the head of the program

3.

The E.R. requires a dress code of Polos. They are fashionable, four sizes too big, and have permanent creases

4.

New employees go to pre-orientation and, as an intern, there is a chance you could be sitting next to a really famous orthopedic (not dental) surgeon.

8 March 2015 | Issue 4

In a panic, Buckles reaches for the alarm and twelve nurses come running in.

This is a normal day for Buckles as she excels in her internship program.

The Executive High School Internship Program offers students to participate in internships with career fields they would like to be in when they are older. The program searches for high school students who would like to experience their future career fields first hand as a student. Buckles decided to intern at Saint Anthony North Hospital to observe what it means to work in the E.R.

“My mom told me not to climb in the dryer and I got stuck. [I got out with] butter—lots of butter. My parents were mad for a bit, then they thought it was really funny.”

Karina Dominguez ’17

The internship was an overall maturing process where Buckles was tested on whether or not this was the career field she wanted.

“Sometimes it would just be me and a handful of people and someone who is potentially dying,” Buckles said.

Buckles had the opportunity to intern as a high school student, where she continues to hold ambitions of working in the E.R. “Having a 100 hours in a trauma level 2 emergency room really helped me get used to the hospital environment and showed me that I did like hospitals and nurses,” Buckles said.

After seeing what it’s like to work in the E.R., Buckles would like to push forward with the ultimate goal to work in the E.R.

| Mezhgan Aslamy | Alie Settje

“When I was little, I wasn’t supposed to have any chocolate before bedtime. My mom told me not to have it or else the chocolate monster would come and get me. I grabbed some, came down from the counter, and ate it. My mom saw me, got a scary mask and she scared me. So now I don’t eat chocolate before bedtime.”

Alie Siefert ‘17 | Jazmyn Ruybal

more than a story Four friends further their writing and friendships in Creative Writing Club There’s this club where students go to write. Yes, write.

It’s voluntary not required.

Four dedicated writers meet once a week in room E204.

Ideas get thrown onto the board and they have the opportunity to express their thoughts and create pieces that only they see.

“It’s fun to be able to express yourself through writing, learn different writing styles and different ways to write,” Stasha Eliasen ‘15 said.

Writing to senior Bryanna Buie is beyond the in class essays and endless research. “Previously we had to write a poem about someone’s experience as if it were our own and that was really cool,” Buie said.

For Eliasen, the writing takes a mind of its own and becomes something more than the academic writing, “Creative writing allows you to write your own original composition. It’s beyond the professional, journalistic, technical writing.”

Besides the random prompts and strange topics that get thrown onto the board, they create friendships, “It’s nice to have a connection. It helps to learn more about them because they can express themselves in a different way,” Eliasen said. It gives them a time to learn more about each other and about their interests through the writing.

Building a connection with people in the club helps writers make their work more personal. “It makes me feel more comfortable sharing my work and trying new things,” senior Trisha Ngo said.

This club isn’t just a place to write, it’s a place to learn.

For friendships to grow, for writing to become an actual story, a place to reach the full capacity of creativity for these students. | Morgan Rubendall |Alie Settje

The Bio Bible

Stasha Eliasen ‘15 and Bryanna Buie ‘15 laugh about writing topics

Here’s our favorite bios:

First: Introduce your name…. say hi, hello, hey, shalom, etc.

Second: Describe yourself as CRAZY as you can. Describe

your hair, your nails, your selfie game, your strut...anything that makes you stand out.

Describe someone who you can compare with some part of you.

If you still can’t describe yourself....

Describe things you are exposed to everyday….your dog, your cat, your brother, your sister, your turtles and how they make you YOU. Finally: If all fails, use a deep intellectual quote that you’ve run into that keeps you up at night.

| Mezhgan Aslamy

9

Mountain sound

What your phone case says about you bling case

state case

Close up on one of colorado’s most unique bands

Just like Bjorn Bireklund ‘18, you’re just trying to change the world one sequin at a time. You just have a sparkly personality and you stand out like a diamond in the rough.

You Me and Apollo You Me and Apollo is a symbol of what people love about Colorado. They sing about friends.

About Nature. About Home. Best recognized by their one-of-a-kind forms of indie and alternative rock, their sound attracts everyone from casual listeners to music critics. You Me And Apollo won the Americana award in 2014’s ”Unsigned Only Music Competition” for the song “I Don’t Want to Be Loved” and has been named one of the best Colorado bands by Paste Magazine. Unfortunately, the band split up in late 2014 after the release of their latest album, but their music lives on in their avid fans. | Gordon Saur Our favorite song is:

we have a roof

Anna Mounts ‘18 daydreams of California. When you daydream of your happy place, this is the state that comes to mind. You want to surround yourself with it why not surround your phone with it?

pink case

sports case

Ball is life. Whether you love the You may have gotten this case for free Lakers like Shannon Patrick ‘18, you when you bought those sweat pants, have an unmatched love for your team or you are pretty obsessed with that and everyone who thinks otherwise is store, like Ty Hammack ‘17. wrong. | Emma Marlow | Natasha McCone | Emma Medley

standley lake’s guide to march madness In order to get you ready for March Madness, we asked people here at SLHS: who are you rooting for? what challenges will that team have to overcome? what advice do you have for teams trying to make their own bracket?

10 March 2015 | Issue 4

Caylie Hartman ‘15

kellen muller ‘16

Mr. zehnder

“I’m a big fan of Kansas.”

“Kentucky.”

“Duke.”

“Because it’s KU they usually have a big expectation.”

“Well just staying hot because they’re doing really good right now.”

“They’re not quick enough inside. They’re rated like fourth or fifth in the nation right now (as of Jan 16th, 2015).”

“Not to always go for a good team because it’s just a good team.”

“Don’t pick the underdog, they are going to lose.”

“Go check out ESPN.”

Step up your Netflix game Spring break is coming up. If a Netflix marathon is first priority on your list of plans, here’s the breakdown of the time it takes to watch the shows you should watch, or the shows you have already been watching. | Brittany Marks

Black Mirror

5 hrs.

adventure time

10 hrs.

house of cards

22 hrs.

orange is the new black

23 hrs.

american horror story

1 day, 2 hrs.

The walking dead

1 day, 14 hrs.

Parks and Recreation

1 day, 14 hrs.

breaking bad

1 day, 23 hrs.

mad men

2 days, 12 hrs.

the office

2 days, 23 hrs.

friends

3 days, 15 hrs.

dexter

3 days, 16 hrs.

gossip girl

3 days, 19 hrs.

grey’s anatamoy

4 days, 18 hrs.

Gilmore Girls

4 days, 19 hrs.

Dress your best We know that you’re sick of wearing the same old thing on Saint Patrick’s Day, a plain old green t-shirt. We have some tips for you to look your best, but mostly so you don’t get pinched. Wear normal colors like white, black, or grey, and add green accents to your outfit. Or get a green manicure with either normal green polish or green french tips. Put a green handprint on your face to show your St Patty’s day spirit, or whip out an army green coat. | Emma Marlow | Emma Medley

Study Space Here are a few unfamiliar places for you to give a shot at for your next study sesh.

two rivers

77th and wadsworth Two Rivers is a great cheap place to study by yourself or with a group. With free Wi-Fi and an outlet under the seats, it is easy to plug in your laptop and work.

Everyone who works there are friendly, and make it pleasant to be there. Once you order, you can sit at a booth seat, or a large table for groups. Two Rivers is a fantastic place to come right after school until they close at 6 o’clock.

Ziggi’s COffee 104th and federal Imagine walking into a place you’ve never been before, and having it feel like home instantly. That is the feeling Ziggi’s Coffee gives you. They offer a wide variety of tea and coffee flavors including frozen coffees and frappuccinos.

They carry snacks that you can enjoy on the extremely comfortable couches.

| Emma Medley | Gordon Saur

11

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THE IRON-WOMAN

Ms. Follet transitions from her swim to 112 miles on the bike.

Ms. Follett journeys from overweight high school student to Ironman racer Why does she do it? Why does she take time to train non-stop? Why does she go through the pain and soreness till it hurts to walk?

A gunfire echoes through streets in Tempe, Arizona on Sunday, Nov. 16 as Spanish teacher Ms. Joanne Follett leaps into the icy water of Tempe Town Lake. She kicks until her legs are on fire and begin to tighten. She breathes until her lungs can’t take in anymore air with each and every stroke.

Follett never thought she would be competing in an Ironman Marathon because of how her condition was not too long ago, in high school and in college.

“I hated how I looked,” Follett said.

“High school is already hard enough, but when you have to deal with your weight, it can be hard to get by.”

After 1.4 miles of non-stop swimming, she crawled out of the water, exhausted and out of breath.

Finding her inner courage and strength, Follett jogged over to the bike rack, pulled her bike from the slot, swung her leg over the side and started on her seven-and-a-half-hour ride.

“When you’re going uphill into thirty mile an hour winds, it’s rough,” Follett said. “I had a lot of moments when I thought I should just give up, this is hard and it is painful. But, I knew that if I had I would regret it for a really

long time.”

In her early college years, Follett began to date a runner. Seeing how in shape he was motivated her to start running and she ended up growing a passion for it.

“I would run to one street and then the next and then the next, and before I knew it I could run a 5k, then a 10k and then a half marathon, and then a full marathon,” Follett said.

After a 112 mile bike ride, Follett placed her bike back into its slot. Her legs felt like noodles that she was just barely dragging along. Her eyes burned from the sweat that rippled down her face.

Her arms felt as if they could fall off.

Yet, she isn’t through. She doesn’t go home and watch television. She begins her final leg of the race—running a full 26.2 mile marathon.

“Part of life is being scared.

Part of change is being afraid.”

Spanish teacher ms. Follett didn’t care what her end time would be.

“I told myself to take it easy,” Follett said. “All I wanted was to finish happy, not to the point where I practically collapse. When I crossed that finish line, the announcer saying my time through the speakers, I felt like I couldn’t be stopped, like I was literally on top of the world.” l

She pushed on. She jogged the majority of the 26.2 miles. By that point, she

| Shelby Hines | Hannah Laughlin | Gordon Saur

So...what does the Ironman race look like? w

14

Ironman Boulder

10 17

Hours to Complete

to Hours of Training Weekly

Ironman Temple

2.4 Mile Swim 112 Mile Bike Ride 26.2 Mile Run

World Championship

13

Sports

Grasping state

Maddi York ‘15 competes on beam at her last home meet

Richard Meisinger III ‘15 fights to bring down Alameda opponent during the duel meet.

Senior trains in hope of qualifying for state

Pacing back and forth with his warm up over his singlet and four years of Varsity wrestling under his belt, Ryan Wosk ‘15 prepares for the regional meet.

The regional meet is the qualifying meet for state. Without fear, Wosk placed at regionals and is on his way to state.

“I don’t get nervous anymore after I stare down the opponent, and I just go,” Wosk said.

For the first time, Wosk will be competing against the best high school wrestlers in the state. The state meet will take place on Feb. 19-21 at the Pepsi Center in Denver.

“I am looking forward to being one of the best wrestlers in the state and being represented there, and being able to wrestle on the main floor of the Pepsi Center,” Wosk said.

This season, he has worked to become a leader on the team.

14 March 2015 | Issue 4

“Instead of me looking up to people I’m the one being looked up to by the younger kids, and it feels great,” Wosk said.

Not only is wrestling a huge part in Wosk’s life, but the sport has helped him grow as a person. “[Wrestling] defines me as a person and has helped me create an amazing work ethic,” Wosk said.

Teammate Lorenzo Balderas ‘15 and Richard Meisinger III ‘15 will join Wosk in competing in the state meet. “The team is the best family I could ask for,” Wosk said.

Wosk hopes state can complete his Senior year of wrestling with pride and dignity. |Brittany Marks |Alie Settje |Max Uhrich

Hey. Did you know that Emma Staton ‘15 and Annie Silva ‘15 broke school records in 100 back stroke and 100 butterfly. how neat is that?

Boys basketball As of press time, Boys Basketball has a record of 8-13. Jeremy Minnick ‘15 is 5th in points per game in 4A Jeffco with 15.2 points per game.

Girls just want to have fun It’s just that simple A sports column

Laurel Nordquist-Zukin

Swimming and diving Girls Swim placed 6th in dual meets and in multi-team meets in the 4A Jeffco standings. Swimmers Emma Staton ‘15 and Annie Silva ‘15 broke the 100m backstroke record and 100m butterfly record at the 4A Jeffco League Meets on February 4th and 5th.

Hockey The hockey team is nearing the end of their season with a record of 4-12 in the 5A class. The team scored a total of 32 goals over the entire season. They lost their game against Ralston Valley with a final score of 6-2.

Girls basketball Girls basketball finished with a record of 13-8 overall and 7-6 in League. “It was such a good season, I’m glad I got to finish out Senior year with such a good team,” Jacqui Dunnigan ‘15 said.

I wouldn’t call myself a feminist. However, I wouldn’t call myself an anti-feminist either.

I’d like to consider myself as more of a realist.

And here’s the reality about professional sports: people will always choose to watch men play over women.

Here’s the deal, professional women athletes don’t get paid nearly as much as men do because people won’t watch them play, thus not being able to contribute to their income. Jennie Finch didn’t step in the circle to pitch for 7 years to make $215 million like the starting pitcher for the Dodgers, Clayton Kershaw will be doing. Venus and Serena Williams have been playing tennis since I was a little girl and they make around $12 million to play, while Roger Federer, who came into American light fairly recently, makes almost 5 times as much as they do. With endorsements, Los Angeles Sparks forward Candace Parker makes around $3 million with the help from Gatorade and Adidas. Lebron James makes around $72 million.

The fact is, the more that people go to games and spend their money in the arena, the higher an athlete will get paid.

I can’t give you an answer as to why people watch men over women. It is what it is. I don’t particularly believe that women are lesser athletes or have less ability than men do. Women just don’t get a spotlight. Which is really unfortunate.

There are better, less egotistical women athletes than there are men.

Women may take over the world in reality TV drama, however, men take over the world in professional sport’s TV. Ray Rice beat his fiance and he was kicked off of the Baltimore Ravens.

Aaron Hernandez went through an intense examination for supposedly killing friend Odin Lloyd.

He was also dismissed from the New England Patriots. OJ Simpson was on trial for different murder charges. Tiger Woods was caught having multiple mistresses while he was married. Countless football players have been arrested for DUIs’ along with baseball players being banned from the MLB for using steroids.

Name a scandal that a female athlete has been a part of. I can’t name one.

Girls truly wanna have fun. They want to play for their love of the game, not for the cash they’ll leave the field with.

The fight to expand professional sports for women still continues. However, after countless failures for certain women’s leagues, I’m sure it would take a whole movement before a change could really be made.

15

9 things happy people

do differently

1.

they follow their passion

2.

Lexi Lombardi ‘17 (top left), Derek Tran ‘16 (top right), Emma Duran ‘17 (bottom left), and Trisha Ngo ‘15 (bottom right) express what makes them happy.

3.

they give

| Brittany Marks | Kayla Pray | Patty Sokol

they walk away from gossip and complaining As stated by the comedy queen, Amy Poehler, “I don’t want to be around people anymore that judge or talk about what people do. I want to be around people that dream and support and do things.”

16 March 2015 | Issue 4

4.

Hey Gators!

they manage their stress

We challenge you to be happy. Post a picture of you practicing one of these steps to happiness with #happygator for a chance to be featured on our social media pages.

they stop 6.they stop 5. comparing striving to control their themselves to others life

7.

they prioritize

Bre Hurst ‘16 practices the Folded Salamba sirsasana pose to release her stress

Try yoga. Yoga makes you more flexible, stronger, helps you breathe, makes stress and anxiety more inconsistent even when you are not doing yoga, and more. We’ve told you before, and we’ll tell you again- YOGA IS THE ANSWER. Manage your time and plans more successfully. Try keeping a planner for your life, not just for school.

When you know what your plans are, you can avoid stress.

Be more social. Go outside and make plans with friends or family. Being with people can distract you from worrying about things that are happening in the future. | Emma Medley | Alyssa Murphy

Happy people know when buying their favorite drink for $7.00 just isn’t worth it. Here’s 5 easy ways to keep your money in your pocket and a smile on your face at your next Starbucks run. |Jazmyn Ruybal

1.

BYOC (Bring your own reusable cup). Save 10 cents each time

4.

2.

Get a friend and split a Venti.

Each person saves about $1.50

5.

3.

Order a “short” 8 oz Starbucks (around $2.00).

Register a Starbucks card and get the free app. You will earn rewards such as discounts and free drinks.

DIY iced latte. Order a triple espresso over ice in a venti cup (priced at $2.50) go to condiment table and fill the rest up with milk (save around $2.00)

8. they

limit social media

9.

they look at everything

positively

17

his wish come true...

Standley Lake raised a total of $4234.25 for the Make-A-Wish Foundation on behalf of Jaden to help his Disney World wish come true.

18 March 2015 | Issue 4

baes

19

Like cloc Onstage, under the stage, backstage efforts contribute to magical production of Cinderella

20 March 2015| Issue 4

ckwork E

ntering their magic portal, onto the stage encompassed in magic, they transform from studious IB students and rowdy class clowns into royalty.

Make that singing-dancingacting-smiling royalty. That guy sitting next to you in history, he’s actually Prince Charming in disguise. The girl typing her research paper next to you in the library will control a huge sound board with the ease of a keyboard in tonight’s dress rehearsal. The boy maintaining a steady hand measuring compounds in chemistry will later twist his wrist and mind to play professional-level music on his violin. And though she’s not in rags, the girl now frantically finishing her test will

be twirling in a ballgown in a few hours.

The magic comes to life onstage. But under the stage, student musicians create the fantasylike soundtrack. Backstage, the tech crew sets the magical ambiance, moving the audience from scene to scene—from the kitchen to the palace—in a matter of seconds.

Cinderella is coming to Standley Lake.

The Spell is Cast Once upon a time, Emery Hines ‘16 sat in front of the television watching the Disney classic film come to life, complete with talking mice and a poofy blue ballgown. Once upon a time, she was enthralled with the magic of it all.

And now, once again, she’s immersed in the Cinderella story. This time, though, she’s not the enchanted 5-year-old in front of the TV. She’s the princess who just can’t seem to keep her shoes on.

Hines might be playing the role of Cinderella in the performance, but her own life follows a similar plot aligned with the princess classic, too. “I feel like Cinderella is kind of sweet and timid, and I can relate to that because I don’t always speak up for myself I guess,” Hines said. “I just kind of take what people give me and go with it.”

She even has a stepmom and two step sisters, though they’re far from evil. Her stepmom, in fact, has been her role model and inspiration to

21

Cinderella per capita

coming March 12, 13, and 14 at 7:00

8

33

cast members

6

18

orchestra directors

tech crew

140 total hours

$4750

$10

total cost

a ticket her continued pursuit in the theatre arts.

It takes a village

“She told me about her experiences and how she had applied for the American Academy of Dramatic Arts,” Hines said. “She made it in, [but] her parents told her not to go, so she regretted that for her whole life and didn’t want me to have that same experience.”

As LaPenna and Hines brainstorm ways to fix an awkward gesture with her lines, Jasmin Romero ‘17 hums her little solo to herself as she stands off to the side by the wings.

Solid in her plan to somehow incorporate musical theatre into her future, Hines knows she has her stepmom’s support in her pursuit of her dream many would call impossible. “I can look at [my step mom], who’s always been an inspiration to me as far as talent goes, because I think she’s incredibly talented, and I love her voice, it’s awesome,” Hines said. “And she has kept that in her life because she’s a professional jazz singer, but she also has a full time job. So she’s shown me that it can work.”

Cinderella wished for a night off. Hines wishes to never leave the stage.

Polishing the glass slipper As Hines runs through her lines, her scene is paused from a voice in the seats. It’s Cybil LaPenna ‘16, student director, offering suggestions to make her monologue a little more expressive.

LaPenna has thought about directing as a career possibility, in part because of this experience directing Cinderella. Her job includes helping Theater Director Ms. Elizabeth Reed and the cast by offering a students’ perspective, various critiques, and helping with odd jobs that are needed.

LaPenna is gratified by witnessing the constant growth of the production. “We have some people who were so incredibly nervous to even step onto the stage, and now they’re fine, which is really cool to break their anxiety about performing in front of an audience,” she said.

As a member of the chorus both her freshman and sophomore year, LaPenna can relate to the cast. “I try to give personal advice [as student director], like something that comes from me and my experiences,” she said. “It’s different having a student say, ‘This is what I did,’ to help, instead of your drama teacher, who’s like, ‘I went to college for this, and I have my PhD in theater, and let me tell you how you should be doing this.’”

Robbie Nelson ‘17, who will play Prince Charming, appreciates LaPenna’s help in making the production preparation run smoothly. “I’m really happy that she’s a director because it’s nice to have a student director and someone that I feel like I can talk to about certain scenes or anything,” he said. “And it’s definitely helpful because Ms. Reed is incredibly busy with everything, so sometimes Cybil can help us with whatever we need.”

Her insight, her advice, her input. Each idea adds another bow to the gown, or polishes the glass slipper until the production shines.

Doubling as a supporting actress in her short role as “The Chef”, Romero will have a short solo in a musical number with the king, queen, and steward, but will then return to a townsperson for the rest of the performance, dancing and singing as a chorus member.

Without individual roles, the chorus members share the same role in the production, to shape scenes and situations with their voices and presence. But as actors, Ms. Reed instructs chorus members like Kendall Bril ‘17 to create their own personas. “I think it really helps formulate a character for a lot of the chorus,” Bril said. “It creates the feeling that you’re actually in the show, rather than just watching a show, and that this is actually happening in front of the crowd.”

The dancing is both the most challenging aspect as the cast prepares for the impending shows, but also the most enjoyable part for Romero.

“When you’re dancing to it, it feels like you’re in the old times, like Cinderella,” Romero said. “Usually people don’t dance like that nowadays, and being able to do those jumps and lifts, and dancing the waltz through the ball.”

Dance captain Natalie Schievelbein ‘15 works through the choreography step-by-step with the chorus. “I try and take it really slow, and then I try and take it count by count, so that everyone can take it step-bystep,” Schievelbein said. “[The hardest part is] dancing fast enough that you keep everyone interested in what you’re doing, but also being slow enough that everybody can pick up on it.”

The background is of its own importance in the production, just like the foreground. Each lift, each harmonized note, contributes to the overall musical ambiance.

Transported by melody The day has come to bring the musicians and the vocalists together. The show is in T-minus two weeks. Pit Orchestra Director Ms. Crissy Duran signals to the musicians with her baton, her own wand of sorts, and begins to cast her magic spell. “[The] music is written with the purpose of creating a picture for you,” Duran said. “It helps to reinforce what’s happening on stage.”

As the pit rehearses the overture (the opening instrumental number that sets the tone for the entire musical), they pull the audience into the fairytale world, but remain as unseen as the notes that resound through the room.

Duran works consistently to make sure her students feel appreciated

22 March 2015 | Issue 4

23

despite playing beneath the stage with next-to-none recognition for their work. “I tell my kids, ‘You’re telling a story,’” she said. “You are the vehicle by which this story is told, and without you, it’s really kind of silly. There’s just a lot of little pieces, little details that come together to make it special.”

This vehicle, this carriage that transports Cinderella to the night of her dreams, will also transport the audience away from the jam-packed auditorium and into the fantasy atmosphere in a few weeks. By the performance, the carriage will travel on a paved, smooth road to carry the princess to her destination. But for now, the journey’s not quite so easy.

“The way I put it to the kids is that we’re performing professional-level music,” Duran said. “The book we’re playing out of is the exact same music the professionals down at the Buell are working with.” This same Broadwaylevel music, the repertoire of musicians with decades of experience, will accompany the magical story here too, played by students with

24 March 2015 | Issue 4

only a fraction of that time spent with their instrument.

Instruments raised, the orchestra prepares to join the actors to bring the story to life.

The magic behind it all The cast may practice onstage, but until the lights are turned on, and the sets are ready to illustrate a scene, the real magic has yet to come to fruition.

Ms. Reed commends the tech crew for the work they put into the production. “There are so many aspects of tech, and I always tell the kids it’s great that you’ve memorized, it’s great that you can sing, it’s great that you can learn all the dances, but unless we have someone to build the set, or unless we have someone to turn the lights on, that really is something that’s of course behind the scenes,” she said.

“It’s kind of unsung, but it really adds such a great element to the whole production.”

Zoe Mencke ‘15 has immersed herself in every aspect of technical theatre work, from the sound booth, to building sets, to light effects.

“I basically control the whole thing,” Mencke said. “If a mic’s not working, or a light’s not on

that’s my fault. It is a lot of pressure, because you worry about making a mistake, and having an actor messing up because you made a mistake.”

Watching the performance, the audience likely doesn’t give a second thought to the technical logistics behind the production. “The audience doesn’t realize how much effort goes into it, and how much effort there is,” Mencke said.

“I’m literally controlling how you see and hear the actors.”

As the royal court waltzes under a glistening chandelier, Mencke and the other “techies”, are behind it all. Headsets on, fingers hovering over the sound board, they visually create the fairytale world.

The first chime resounds Not a single detail has been left out in preparing for Cinderella’s special debut. Each tiny detail has been pressed and perfected.

Likewise, every aspect of the production’s creation reaches its last moment perfected state.

“You’ve got the guy who’s in all black, who’s backstage, who sets your glass of water on

the table, which is like the quintessential prop for that scene, and if it’s not there, suddenly you have no lines, suddenly you have no story,” Duran said. “All because one kid took and placed a glass of water. Or, in Cinderella, there’s a trumpet fanfare that introduces the Prince is giving a ball, and without it, it kind of makes the music seem silly.”

get.”

The intensity can be expected. But with a live performance, perfection, though strived for, is not possible. “The mistakes are what make

The clock strikes for the twelfth and final time With each chime, with each impending day, each musician, tech crew, director, actor becomes more frantic, more frazzled, more fully engulfed in this production. But the magic doesn’t disappear for these individuals. The production comes to life on March 12, 13, 14, and for the audience, the magic will be just beginning.

“There’s just a lot of little pieces, little details that come together to make it special.”

-Ms. Crissy Duran

As they enter into so-called “Hell Week”, the week leading to the three show nights, the stress rises, but with it, the excitement to show the audience their months of work.

“I try to keep everything really positive, but there’s a little intensity,” Choral Director Ms. Cass Chatfield said. “It’s kind of like a spinning wheel, where even though we’re having fun, it’s just the intensity spinning underneath all the time, and it’s always kind of humming, and it gets a little bit louder the closer to the production we

[live theatre] beautiful,” Chatfield said. “I mean if you wanted to see a flawless production, you could rent a movie, and watch it, and it’s sterile and it’s perfect. But it doesn’t have heart.”

The heart, beats to the rhythm of the clock which points towards Cinderella’s midnight reality check. And with each chime, the hands of the clock inch towards the productions’ close.

Finally, the moment has arrived. The house lights are lowered, the pit orchestra begins the overture, the cue is spoken into headsets to set every actors’ mic. The lights reveal the fairytale world. A princess waits in the wings with her back to the audience, takes a deep breath, and steps onstage. And with that, the story begins. l | Nicole Heetland | Olivia Koontz | Christina Rudolph | Emma Marlow | Natasha McCone

25

This is a girls’ game...

This is a boys’ game...

26 March 2015 | Issue 4

So where

‘

are the

girls fans?

Students speak up about difference between sports attendance

W

alking through the gym doors on a Friday night in mid-winter, there’s a good chance a basketball game is about to start in the Swamp. If there’s any uncertainty as to who’s playing, there are two sure ways to determine if it’s a boys’ game or a girls’ game.

One option is to turn to the right and look at the players anxiously sitting on the bench. The other option is to turn to the left and look into the student section.

At a boy`s game there will probably be a sea of grass skirts and leis for Hawaiian Night or a stampede of cowboy boots and flannel for Country Night. At a girl’s game, there will likely be a few students dotting the seats of the otherwise barren green bleachers.

While the issue of attendance is rarely discussed by the student body, it never goes unnoticed by a select group of student-athletes, including varsity basketball and soccer player Camille Garcia ‘17. “The only time people ever come to our games is when we have a double-header with the boys and even then, they only come at the end,” Garcia said.

Even for male athletes who often experience large, active crowds, the difference in support between boys and girls is obvious. “The boys’ crowds are always way bigger than the girl`s crowds,” varsity football and basketball player Brodey Hoffman ‘16 said.

One of the highlights for basketball players on game day is sprinting out of the locker room for warm ups with music blaring and fans screaming in preparation for the hard-fought battle that is high school sports. While the girl`s basketball team has the same level of nerves and excitement as the boy’s team, their entrances into the gym

27

AJ Ater `15 dunks in a game against Littleton. The boys always have a large crowd on hand at their home games

are very different.

“When we run out when the game starts, all we see is our parents,” Garcia said. “Then we look over at the student section and there’s no one. We feel like no one really cares.”

Fan support can play a major role in team sports, regardless of the athlete’s gender. “The crowd has a really big effect because if the crowd isn’t making any noise then we don’t have any reason to make big plays,” varsity basketball and football player Ben Quinones ‘16 said. “When the crowd is into the game, it’s really good for the energy of the team.”

When it comes to the reasoning behind the large gap in attendance figures, the issue is not only relevant at Standley Lake, but also across the nation.

While Title IX has ensured the equal funding of public boys and girls athletic programs since its enactment in 1972, the attendance of female sporting events has only minimally increased (see page 29 for more information).

Just a few months ago, a student at Syracuse University created an initiative to increase the attendance of female sporting events, citing an average attendance of 20,809 people at Syracuse men’s basketball games and 596 people for women’s basketball games.

Within Standley Lake, the support of boys sports over girls sports seems ingrained into the culture of the student body. “I think it’s always been a tradition to center attention around the guys and people always think of guys games as more interesting and harder,” Garcia said. “Even though we work just as hard and put in just as much time and effort into our sport.”

Some may believe men’s sports are more engaging and physical than women’s, but others see the excitement value in women’s sports that

28 March 2015 | Issue 4

often goes unnoticed. “I think girls should get more support at their games,” Quinones said.

“I’ve been to a few girls basketball games and it’s entertaining to watch. It’s just as entertaining as any guys games.”

Crowd size may be the biggest example of the discrepancy in how male and female athletes are treated, but Garcia sees other examples every day. “When people post on social media it’s always about boys games and they don’t talk about the girls games,” Garcia said.

Administrative support is another important component to the size of crowds, but Athletic Director Ms. Jodi Reinhard recognizes administration’s limited reach in influencing student involvement. “I think administration can pro-

“we look over at the student section and there’s no one.

We feel like no one really cares.” Camille Garcia ‘17. vide information and at least make the student body aware of what’s going on,” Reinhard said.

“The thing that we can’t control is who shows up. I wish I could but it’s just not possible.”

Thinking about your own school contributing to a sexist standard every game day is a disheartening prospect, but attendance statistics speak for themselves.

Girls may not get as much student support as boys for their athletic achievements, but that doesn’t mean they’re ever going to try less hard or stop playing their hearts out because of it. “I think if you really love the sport, it shouldn’t matter what kind of attention you get,” Garcia said.

Increasing the attendance of girls games seems like an easy fix, but Garcia isn’t optimistic that the expectation that no one ever goes to girls games will change anytime soon.

However, Garcia sees a silver lining in the potential of other methods to positively influence how girls sports are viewed. “You can’t really change how the student body acts but you can change how students hear about the games and how people talk about the games,” Garcia said.

When deciding to attend either a boys or a girls athletic event, there are a few important considerations to take into account. At a boy`s game, there will probably be more students in the crowd. At a girl’s game, the bleachers probably won’t shake from excitement after a big play. At a boy`s game, there might be a cool theme to dress up to. At a girl’s game, every fan in the crowd might be knocking down a gender barrier that has existed in high school sports for decades. l | Mezhgan Aslamy | Hannah Laughlin | Emma Medley | Morgan Rubendall | Christina Rudolph

9

Things you didn’t know about Title IX

9

Schools don’t have to spend the same amount of money on their male and female athletes, however, nor do their opportunities have to be identical.

8

Sports participation from women reduces incidences of breast cancer and osteoporosis later in life.

7

Before Title IX, female college athletes received only two percent of overall athletic budgets.

6

Women’s participation in sports since Title IX was passed has increased 560% at college level and 990% in high schools.

5

Schools must provide male and female athletes with equal benefits and services.

4

Before Title IX, only 1 in 27 girls played high school sports.

3

Title IX has decreased sexual assault on college campuses.

2

Title IX has improved women’s health. They’re less likely to smoke, drink, use drugs and experience unwanted pregnancies.

1

Since Title IX was passed, men’s athletic opportunities have also increased.

Q&A

The coaches’ Perspective How do you feel about the attendance at the girls sporting events over boys sporting events?

Mr. Morse

“Traditionally its always been that way. I would tell the boys to go to the girls games, but traditionally it`s just never been that way and I have no answer as to why. It should be equal but for some reason its just not.”

Do you think it affects how the girls play?

“Some girls will thrive with a bigger crowd but some girls would struggle with that because everyone’s watching them and they don’t want people to think they’re bad, it’s the same for boys and girls it just depends on the particular individual.”

Ms. Martin

How do you feel about the attendance at girls sporting events over boy sporting events?

“It stinks because the girls try really hard and bust their butts and nobody goes to see them.

It’s fun to go see the girls play because they’re determined and are really good this season but nobody gives them a chance.”

Do you think it affects how the girls play?

“A good crowd at any moment could bring energy on to the court or field. The energy level could have definitely been brought up if we had a good audience but the energy should ideally come from the players on the court.”

Caylie Hartman `15 runs down the court in a game against Evergreen. Despite their success this season, their crowds are often very small.

Courtesy of: The Women’s Sports Foundation.

29

fi e ni

m

Lt

30 March 2015 | Issue 4

o

n oi

Alex Barondess ‘16 excels through high school, graduating a year early to pursue a career in engineering physics There’s a boy.

A boy utterly infatuated with physics.

Constantly raising his hand with the solution to an equation.

Hungry for knowledge.

A boy who isn’t the type of person who goes for the easy “A” in life. He desires to be challenged, to strive for what’s possible in order to expand his mind.

A boy who aspires to be so much more than a mere junior in a sea of students.

“I’m excited for [graduation],” Alex Barondess ‘16, a junior who will be graduating in May of 2015, said. “I’m ready for it. It’s not everyone’s ‘path.’ A lot of people aren’t willing or wanting to [graduate early]. I want to see the world already. The way I see it, high school is just this microcosm of life.”

The option to graduate early was put on the table for Barondess in the beginning of his sophomore year. Inspired to excel, he dared to set on a course that would supply him a swift graduation. This involved a steadfast allegiance to his education, resulting in a loss of spare time and involvement in typical senior activities. Rather than taking a breath and having a somewhat relaxing final year of school, as many seniors choose to partake in, he dove head-first into a world of intellect

that would consequently deliver him to his destination.

There are people who have wondered why anyone would want to miss out on their senior year of high school--the togas, the superiority, the excitement of knowing that the four years of high school are coming to an end, that you’ve survived it with your best friends--but Barondess doesn’t see early graduation as a negative, as if he’s missing out on a huge part of his life. On the contrary, he believes that graduating early means the most exciting part of his life is about to begin, and there’s nothing that can stop him.

Most high school students spend their free time going to football games or late night dates to the movies with their friends, but for Barondess, that time has been spent with his nose buried deep into an AP Physics book and routinely attending robotics club meetings.

“My high school experience has been very different from most people,” Barondess said.

“I haven’t had a big social life outside of school. It’s been mostly inside school. I have friends—it’s kind of hard to get through without any.”

Even though Barondess is committed to his studies, it doesn’t stop him from using the

31

“The way I see it, high school is just this microcosm of life.” Alex Barondess ‘16

limited amount of free time he may have to catch up with old friends.

“I don’t have any classes with him since he’s graduating early this year,” Mara Strother ‘16 said. “We do Starbucks coffee friendship dates—that’s what we call them. We just meet at least once a month on a weekend or something for 2-3 hours at Starbucks just talking.”

Strother and Barondess have been friends since the first grade, so when he told Strother about his plan to graduate early, it didn’t come as a surprise to her.

“I’m in awe of how prepared and put together he is when it comes to his future,“ Strother said. “I’m excited to see where he goes and what college brings for him in the future. He’s going to go crazy places that I can’t even imagine.”

Aside from being long-term friends with Strother, Tyler Wiseman ‘15, has also been a large part of Barondess’ high school experience. Their friendship arose Wiseman’s sophomore year when they began to compete in math competitions together, creating the opening to a bond that drew them closer.

As a senior, Wiseman, is baffled at the thought of having the opportunity of graduating high school at the same time as his younger friend.

“I always tell him that I’m jealous, because he’s so much smarter than me in so many ways,” Wiseman said. “Most of the time I’m just really happy for him but at the same time I’m envious because if I had that kind of drive, that kind of brain, then who knows what I could do.”

Barondess’ mother, Ray Barondess, has seen that drive from a very early age. “I think one of the oddest concepts for him is that everything is faster,” Ms. Barondess said. “So when my friends and their children are talking about middle school graduation, my son has already been in high school for two years.”

Gifted with an early adeptness for science and math, Barondess succeeded in second grade math at Woodrow Wilson Academy as a kindergartner. Then, in seventh grade, he took Algebra II at Standley Lake—

32 March 2015 | Issue 4

four years ahead of his class. These events led him to unearth his devotion to physics, paving the road for his future as a physics engineer.

Science teacher Ms. Cassady taught Barondess for two years starting his freshman year when he took AP Physics. She has seen not only the potential Barondess has for a career in physics, but also the adoration he has for it. “He loves science,” Cassady said. “He just absolutely loves, loves it, and he’s passionate about it. I think just the fact that he enjoyed it so much was just fun.”

With his future just beyond the horizon, Barondess began to plan out the perfect route that would allow him to pursue a career in engineering physics—a route that he hoped would include Mines as a major pit stop to a much larger destination.

While Barondess anxiously awaited the time to start applying for colleges, an email from Mines popped up in his inbox. Before his eyes was a pre-filled application and a letter insisting that he apply to the school. In awe, it was hard for Barondess to comprehend what had just happened—the school of his dreams wanted him, just as much as he wanted it.

“There was no essay, no application fee and some of the items were already filled—like my test scores, for example,” Barondess said. “It still took me about 30 minutes to an hour to do, but it wasn’t that difficult.”

In three months, Barondess will be donning the iconic cap and gown, a symbol of moving forward and progressing towards the next milestones life has to offer. He will be strolling across the 1stBank Center stage to retrieve the high school degree which he has worked so hard for. Barondess will be sitting amongst older classmates, officially embezzled within the Class of 2015, now being able to identify as a graduating senior.

After the diploma reaches his hand, he will no longer be the boy he was, but the man he has become.

A man now dedicated to physics.

Impressing professors with his young, intellectual mind.

Hungry for knowledge. l | Meg Metzger-Seymour | Tina Muscarelli | Kayla Pray | Ripley Ricketts | Patty Sokol | Aryle Turner | Morgan Whitley

WiseGuy At an early age, Barondess soars ahead of fellow classmates

5 12 13 14 15

Barondess reaches second grade math Attends Standley Lake for Algebra II

Takes Pre-Calculus

Excels in AP Physics and AP Calculus AB

Starts receiving emails from different colleges for applications Learns that he could graduate high school one year early

16

Studies AP Calculus BC and Honors Multivariate Calculus Studies Linear Algebra and Differential Equations.

Simultaneously enrolls in 11th and 12th grade English

17

Graduates from Standley Lake High School 33

opPression opinion

Charlie Hebdo

Sp Press

34 March 2015 | Issue 4

peaking Of. . .

Staff, Students speak up about first amendment rights Scroll, favorite, retweet.

hate.

You see a post about someones day- harmless, keep scrolling.

Think about it. A simple mechanism biologically built into our bodies.

You see a post about the latest fad- harmless, scroll further down.

Expression is simple and easy, but not for everyone.

You see a post about politics- and you stop.

There are bypasses for the fear. Social media, allowing us to simply clack at some keys and click post. People we learn to trust and know as friends.

The anger is palpable, the frustration radiating, your mind racing with thoughts that will soon become words directed at another user.

Today, anything goes. Whether it be criticism or praise, no one seems to be afraid. “I think we are aware of free speech, but some people do take it for granted,” Sarina Phu ‘15 said.

“That we can say things and not face repercussions for it.”

You tweet. They tweet back. Words of anger soon become words of prejudice, words of

Sometimes even global movements recognizing the importance of the freedom of speech and expression.

were killed, has shown the world that many social groups and countries don’t have the same tolerances as the United States does.

“I don’t think people should just be intentionally offensive, but there is freedom of speech, and you know legally they have that right.” said Benjamin Ronning ‘18.

Ronning has been paying close attention to the situation in Paris, including the after effects of the shooting.

It’s hard to define where the boundary lies between expression and aggravation. It took twelve people dying for us to realize this.

“They’ve kind of bounced back after the massacre in their head quarters,” said Ronning.

“And they’re public magazines exercising their freedom of speech and freedom of expression in France, saying ‘we aren’t going to get blown down by terrorism’.”

The incident that occurred with the newspaper, Charlie Hebdo, where twelve cartoonists

Sometimes the importance of having a voice and using it in a thoughtful fashion is

35

THE FACEBOOK REVOLUTION: HOW SOCIAL MEDIA

STARTED THE

EGYPTIAN

REVOLUTION ONE FACEBOOK PAGE WENT VIRAL

“6TH OF APRIL YOUTH”

76,170 likes

THEN ANOTHER ONE WENT VIRAL Sarina Phu ‘15 scrolls through Twitter, keeping up with the latest news.

neglected-- even in the United States.

French teacher, Madame Lawrence Darger, encourages her students to speak up in her classroom. She has emphasized the implications of the Charlie Hebdo situation in her classes.

“We do want to encourage freedom of expression. We need to listen to each other and respond in an appropriate manner so it’s definitely one of my classroom values.” said Darger.

The school has recognized the Charlie Hebdo incident by drawing on the glass in front of the library, saying, “Je Suis Charlie,” in ten different languages.

“We were hoping that the students that were not aware of the event will do some research or go online and find out more about what happened,” Darger said.

But the issues surrounding speech and expression are not confined to France.

Kacper Czaja ’15 is of Polish descent, and both his grandparents and parents were very much influenced by the lack of free speech during the Solidarity Movement that occurred in the 1980’s.

The Solidarity Movement was founded on the 17th of September in 1980. It was a union that was opposed to the firm oppression of the communist party. The movement was led

by Lech Wałęsa in hopes of strengthening the rights of the Polish working class.

“I remember the stories they told me about them watching American TV or listening

36 March 2015 | Issue 4

to American radio, which was basically the Americans’ free speech,” said Czaja. “They couldn’t play it too loud because they would get in trouble.”

Czaja values his freedom of speech and knows, second hand, how hard it would be to live without it.

“I know what not having free speech does to people, not just from what I heard from my family, but what has been going on in the news lately about the ‘We Are Charlie.’” said Czaja.

Students at Standley Lake recognize the influence that free speech has on everyday life, not just with the recent significance of Charlie Hebdo. “[Freedom of speech] is anywhere. Signs, commercials, people speaking in political commercials-- especially with the midterms coming up.

People [are] freely talking about different political policy, posters, and signs.” said Ronning.

Students are not the only ones in the building that are in support of expressive rights. Social Studies teacher, Mr. Scott Eichorn understands that speech can be hard to maneuver. He has travelled to countries all around the world-some of which were very suppressive.

“As far as free speech [goes], China and Myanmar were the countries where I thought you had to be careful what you say.” said Eichorn.

He recognized that despite being an outsider in foreign countries, most people were interested in his opinions.

“Believe it or not, I thought people, for the most part, were curious about my opinion as

“KOLENA KHALED SAID”

70,276 likes

AND ANOTHER “25th of january fan page”

57,014 likes

so they went viral? then what? the pages helped to...

connect upset citizens voice frustrations and opinions organize rallies and protests

an American,” Eichorn said. “So it’s a little bit different than most people think. I was surprised.”

When it comes to teaching, he understands that he has to be careful with his ideas.

“You don’t want to push your views on anybody, but at the same time, you don’t want to just be a robot and be boring. You want to show the kids that you have your values and opinions, and that theirs are also valued and equal,” Eichorn said. “So there’s kind of a fine line of not giving away too much of how you

feel, but not just repeating facts. There is a line, and sometimes it depends.”

Social media, also bears a strong presence in the modern world of expression that at this point in time, could not easily be given up. It is something that helps to communicate opinions-- good, bad, threatening, peaceful. There are no boundaries.

“Social media is the perfect way if you want to get something out there, you want to tell people about it, that’s the best way to express it,” Hannah White ‘15 said.

It is instant and seemingly without consequence. Being bold can be much easier through a computer screen that lacks the eye contact and sometimes domineering opinions presented by other people in the flesh.

Simply press send, tweet, retweet, or post-and then it’s out there. And there is no getting it back.

Many groups face discriminatory opposition.

As head of the Women’s Rights Club at Standley Lake, Rachel Conner ’15 has dealt with these issues, gaining strength and learning how to advocate for her passions and beliefs. She encourages young girls to do the same.

“I’ve found that the more you speak up for yourself, and the more you advocate for your-

“I got so fed up with being silent.”

-Rachel Conner ‘15 self and be a self advocate, the stronger your confidence becomes in yourself and the less your voice will waiver when you are standing up for yourself,” Conner said. “I got so fed up with being silent.”

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So if people try to educate themselves and become aware, then it may be possible to establish and achieve an awareness and remember that pressing send isn’t the most important thing to consider when tweaking your status on social media. l

After all, the Arab Spring, which took place across the middle east-- primarily in Egypt, led to the defeat of a government with the help of

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Speech is a powerful tool that doesn’t hold much room for misuse.

It may not be easy for everyone to comprehend the value of having the freedom of speech.

And it may not be easy to understand that the whole world doesn’t have equality in this realm.

england

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twitter and expression.

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India

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hi, my name is jesse kriete Junior shares what it’s like to have Asperger syndrome

Hi, my name is Jesse Frederick Kriete, and I’m a junior. I love Astronomy, World History, oh, and I play basketball. I love basketball.

I also have Asperger syndrome.

Even though I’ve been diagnosed with that, I’m not that different.

I was born on Dec. 16, 1997 in Long Island, NY. When I was in second grade, the annual Empire State Games was looking for schools to compete in their competition. The Empire State Games is like the Olympics, but for athletes in New York. After hours and hours of practicing, the big day came. I can’t remember how many events I participated in, but I do know that at the end of the day, my hard work and dedication finally paid off when I won my first ever award. I was so happy.

Not too long after that, my family and I moved to Colorado.

I really miss New York. I miss the beautiful Central Park, I miss the gigantic pretzels I would get and my relatives. I also miss the beach. I really miss the beach. The beach was where my memories were forged and sealed. I’d get there at 6:30 in the morning just to watch the beautiful sunrise. I even remember when there was a freaky electrical storm and a lifeguard tower blew up! I call that place Fire Island—I’ll never forget my adventures on Fire Island.

38 March 2015 Issue 4

39

Like a lot of the kids here, I like sports, particularly basketball. I’ve played in the Special Olympics for six years now, and I just recently movied up to the adult team. I’m what you would call a rebounder, where I try to grab the ball before the other team after a missed shot, but I’m also getting better at shooting.

You see, my dad and I have this bet going that every time I make a shot in a game, I get a dollar! Could you imagine if I made 10 shots? See, just like the boys and girls on the teams here, I love basketball. My team, the Tornadoes, competes in tournaments all over the state, just like your teams.

But I don’t only compete in athletics, I’ve gone beyond that. When I was a seventh grader at Wayne Carle, I competed against seventh graders, and even eighth graders in the Geography Bee. A geography bee is a spelling bee, but instead of spelling words, you answer questions about geography. I was no pushover, either. I finished fifth out of 17 contestants. Not that bad for a seventh grader if you ask me.

You see, I’m not that different from you.

40 March 2015 | Issue 4

The way I see things, just because I have Asperger syndrome, it doesn’t make me different.

I still like things that someone without my condition would like. Just like you, I struggle with Geometry, but I also understand some Algebra too. World History? I love it, too.

Above all of those though, I love astronomy.

After high school, I want to be an astrophysicist. Space fascinates me. There’s so much knowledge out there, so much for us to learn.

Sometimes, I like to look up at the stars, and I wonder if someone is looking back down at us.

The way I see things, there’s so much we don’t know, and so much to learn.

Just like how there’s so much people don’t know about me, there’s so much people don’t know about having Asperger syndrome at a public high school, or anyone who happens to be different from everyone else.

The way I see things, high school is a place for us to find ourselves, find out what we stand for in the world. Just be ourselves. We are who we are and no one can take that from us. We shouldn’t care about the mean people in the

world. The way I see things, there will always be mean people. It’s better just to ignore them.

Ignore them and be happy.

Now to all of the mean people—the mean people who make fun of kids because they’re different. Shame on you. Shame on you for making fun of people because they’re different.

Weren’t you different than others at some point? How would you like it if it happened to you? I don’t think you’d make fun of someone ever again if it happened to you.

Well, my friends, just as the sun must set, and the curtain must come down at the end of every play, I must end my story.

But the journey is not over, there is a bright future ahead and a whole world full of adventure to explore. This is Jesse Frederick Kriete signing off. Until next time, stay strong. Go get ‘em, SLHS Gators! l | Sarah Bennett | Jamey Burky | Jesse Kreite | Ty Milliken | Laurel Nordquist-Zukin | Sophia Stimpfl | Maxin Uhrich

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41

Freshman

opinions english 9 classes took on writing op-eds. here are the best from the class of 2018.

feminism for the win Women globally fight for political, educational equality “You throw like a girl!”

This has been an insult for as long as I can remember.

Too often feminism is used in the wrong context. Many people have associated it with the term “man-hating,” but by definition it means the advocacy of women’s rights on the grounds of political, social, and economic equality to men.

Anti-feminism has been a problem for far too long. There are many women who are being paid less doing the same job as their fellow male co-workers. Women should be paid the same amount as men without having to do any extra work.

“There is a belief, which is just not true, that women are just in bad occupations and if we just put them in better occupations, we would solve the gender gap problem,” Dr. Goldin said.

There are women who are in the same occu-

42 March 2015 | Issue 4

pations as men and have the same amount of experience, yet they aren’t valued as equal.

A young girl who is a women’s right activist, child’s activist, and Nobel Peace Prize winner is full of surprises. Her age has to be the biggest surprise yet. She’s only 17 and her name is Malala Yousafzai. She has done so many things for children’s education and for women’s rights, possibly more than some will ever do in their lifetime.

Malala has fought for girl’s education against the Taliban. She has written articles and an anonymous blog that was later revealed. The Taliban eventually caught Malala on her way home from school. A man walked onto the school bus and shot her in the head. Luckily, she survived and she still continues to be a great inspiration to people all over the world.

Emma Watson gave a very well thought-out speech at this year’s United Nations Women meeting explaining her insight on gender

inequality. She mentioned how at a very young age, she began to see how gender inequalities had affected her peers. At the 2014 U.N. meeting Emma Watson had stated “it will take 75 years, or for me to be nearly a hundred, before women can expect to be paid the same as men for the same work. 15.5 million girls will be married in the next 16 years as children. And at current rates it won’t be until 2086 before all rural African girls will be able to receive a secondary education”.

So for all you sexest people, don’t you think the battle between men and women must stop?

We have to learn and accept the meaning of gender equality. Every once in a while “...ask yourself if not me, who? If not now, when,” Emma Watson said. We must learn to focus on our similarities not our differences. Once we accomplish gender equality, we will be able to abolish other problems we face, together. | Esme Velasquez

movement for marriage equality religion should not determine relationships As of this year, thirty-six states in the U.S. have legalized same-sex marriage. However, according to gaymarriage.procon.com, fourteen states have same-sex marriage bans.

Holistically, there shouldn’t have to be a choice on whether or not gays and lesbians deserve equal treatment to be homosexual couples; we, as Americans, have certain unalienable rights given to us by Thomas Jefferson and others through the Declaration of Independence. Of these rights are “Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.”

If a person falls in love with another human being, what place does anyone have to tell that person they’re wrong?

Some people argue that same-sex marriage is

disturbing and “ruins the sanctity of marriage.”

They say these things, yet, nobody decides to organize riots opposing the marriage between a twenty-four-year-old Playboy model and an eighty-one-year-old Austrian billionaire.

People also say that homosexuality goes against ideals set in the Bible, and that children need a mom and a dad in order to grow up healthy and stable.

First, not everyone is Christian. Secondly, in 2012 Loren Marks of Louisiana State University analyzed 59 studies made in 2005 on homosexual parents under guidelines set by the American Psychological Association (APA).

From these studies, Marks concluded that “[n] ot a single study has found children of lesbian or gay parents to be disadvantaged in any sig-

nificant respect relative to children of heterosexual parents.”

The fact of the matter is that the close-minded ignorance of people today is unacceptable. This is 2015, and people shouldn’t have to plead to court judges and juries in order to get married.

Banning same-sex marriage isn’t going to end homosexuality.

Everyone else shouldn’t be punished on account of one group’s narrow-mindedness. Everyone deserves equal treatment in this nation, and it’s time for change. For more information on how you can make a change in the marriage equality movement, visit www.marriageequality.org. | Hailey Cagle

solitary social media life online hinders real life interactions As social media and new technology transforms how we interact, we need to remember to continue developing our relationships with our loved ones, created with face to face interactions that no number of Facebook messages or Snapchats could compensate for. Although social media allows us to connect more than ever, we often question whether people can really build relationships through a screen.

Within our world of instant communication, whether it’s sending a text to a friend or Instagramming a meal, we are all internally craving attention from anyone who will give it to us.

Communication in 2015 lacks intimacy and meaning.

In a study by a Ph.D student named Sergei Golitsinski, a member of the International Center for Media & Public Agenda (ICMPA) at the University of Maryland, saw, “how many

students around the world wrote that going without media not only severed their connections to their friends, but challenged their sense of self.”

We need to ask ourselves, what kind of communication does it take to fulfill our relationships? Think about the last time you typed the abbreviated term, “Lol”. Were you laughing?

Or just staring blankly at a screen?

Margie Warrell, a social scientist claims, “More people are feeling lonelier than ever, and those who reported this feeling are those who you would expect it from the least, young people (under 35) who are the most prolific social networkers of all.” These avid networkers seem to be the most social, yet through several studies seem to be the most isolated.

Instead of socializing face to face, we become

afraid of real situations, or scared of awkward conversations, the very circumstances that make us human. Rather than admitting to others about our weaknesses, and our fears, our generation hides behind a screen; filtering our imperfections and creating an airbrushed version of ourselves.

There is a great deal of controversy when it comes to technology, as well as challenges, but ultimately we should be connecting face to face to feel more satisfied. We should be taking the time to understand each other, instead of typing a few words on a screen and pressing send, the human race is way more complex than that, and we need to learn to accept it. | Julia Ruble

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freshman opinions

Anything to be “Perfect” it’s Time society appreciates true beauty You wake up and roll out of bed. Pictures of models and the latest trends cover your walls.

You stare, mesmerized by their perfection.

You walk to your mirror and lift up your shirt.

Taking another look at the models, you observe their protruding collarbones and defined hip bones. You stare at their ribs that stick out dramatically under their skin. Their thigh gaps, their bony wrists; it all seems so perfect.

You look at yourself again and see none of that.

For years now, society has created an image so beautiful, so perfect, that our generation has been brainwashed to believe that beauty is the number on a scale and the perfect push up bra.

Labels becoming defining words that society lashes out onto people; size 7 pants, fat. Size 00, anorexic. Acne, ugly. Piercings, weird. Big

butt, slut. The list never ends.

Many anorexic thin models are known as thinspos. These girls, these walking dead like figures, sink into the brains of children, teens, and adults all over the world. But what most of us see isn’t bony women, we see beauty… we see perfection.

I recently searched the hashtag “thinspo” on Instagram. The results were horrifying.

271,273 posts and counting. Pictures of girls’ unhealthily thin bodies covered my screen.

Among those were bodies that were a bit more curvaceous women with captions like, “I want to be like them,” “Why can’t I be skinny?” and “I need to fast, I’m so disgusting.”

the National Eating Disorder Association, 20 million women will have an eating disorder in their life due to fear of becoming overweight or insecurity with their current body.

Without a definition of beauty, no one could be judged for being “ugly” or “unattractive.”

It’s time to stop broadcasting such unhealthy women with makeup from head to toe, and start to acknowledge the natural beauty of everyone.

We all need to understand that there shouldn’t be a definition of beauty because each individual is beautiful in their own way. Without society’s standards and figures of “beauty” the world would be so much more beautiful.

It’s sad to think that girls everywhere feel so insecure about their weight. According to

| London Samson

misguided intentions bullying prevention campaigns make us too sensitive One generation. That is all it took. One single generation to change society. One generation to change how we view social normalities. There is way too much exaggeration on an increasingly rare incident, which has caused my generation to become too sensitive.

Think back to when you were a kid, how many anti-bullying campaigns, assemblies, or videos did you see? If you’re anything like my dad’s age, then your answer is probably zero. However, going to school in 2015-- that is the only thing you see.

As a student in Jeffco, I would estimate the number of videos, campaigns, and random bullying talks I’ve experienced to be somewhere in the mid hundreds. That is ridiculous. Bullying

44 March 2015 | Issue 4

has been around since the cavemen so why the sudden interest? By doing all this hype about bullying they have created a whole new kind of paranoid. Everybody is constantly looking for bullying where there isn’t any. Now, I’m not saying that bullying doesn’t still happen because of course it does, but it’s not as big of a deal as it is made out to be.

About two weeks ago in my health class, we had a whole unit dedicated to ‘emotional violence.’ Apparently the school board felt that it was necessary to add a whole new unit dedicated to emotionally cushioning the new generation. But wait... isn’t the whole point of school to prepare the students for the real world? If we are all surrounded in a cloud of kindness and optimism for the first eighteen years or so

of our life, then how is that preparing us for the real world? Growing up in such a sheltered environment is not good for us and will not help us in the future.

Growing up in this sensitivity cloud, I know what delusions like that can do to a person.

The facts are, some people are better than you, and you are better than someone else. I grew up with adults telling me how ‘pretty’ my pictures were or how ‘lovely’ my sculptures are, but the truth is I am terrible at art, and I always will be. My sister however, is a wonderful artist. She is a better artist than me.

Everyone tried to spare my childhood creativity by telling me I was just as good as her. | Ashley Nassif

In defense of. . . opinions . . .Thrifting

. . .Retail therapy

Typically when I’m sad I go get some Haagen Dazs coffee ice cream, the movie “Baby Mama” and my security blanket. But on special occasions I treat myself to some retail therapy.

I know it’s just impulse buying but when you’re at the mall in your favorite store, you don’t feel any sorrow. You feel this sense of empowerment that only a purchased coat can give. When you lock eyes with that shirt, or that pair of shoes, you know. You know that no one or nothing can harm you because you’re on Cloud 9 with a new piece for your closet.

Sounds materialistic but in defense of retail therapy, you’re not so alone in this moment.

How could you be when you’re surrounded with racks of clothes that won’t make you sad.

People can hurt you, but clothes sure as heck can’t. | Emma Marlow

. . .Police officers They’re the good guys. No matter what other people think, when it comes down to it they do have good intentions. Sure, not all cops are necessarily “good,” and sure, some take their job for granted, but in the end they are going to do what’s right whether that’s protecting themselves or others. They’re just trying to keep our streets and neighborhoods safe when they arrest someone, pull someone over, or give someone a ticket. They’re keeping people safe and enforcing rules because last time I checked I don’t want crazy people running around. I actually respect their efforts to keep our society peaceful. So next time you decide to say, “Screw the police,” remember who would take a bullet for you. | Morgan Rubendall

. . .teenagers Teenagers are always angry, they are over dramatic and they are lazy. At least that’s what I’ve heard my whole life from the adults that surround me. Yes, most teenagers are cranky and over dramatic sometimes, but what can you really expect from us when we are forced to get up at 5:30 every morning. Most of us have to participate in after school activities or work, that may even take up our weekends. We have so much homework that it takes hours to do, forcing us to stay up until unnatural hours in the morning. On top of all this, we want to have a social life. We want to hang out with our friends on the weekends and go to sporting events. We are so over worked that kids are having mental breakdowns in the middle of class. Isn’t that saying that something isn’t right? So in defense of teenagers, we may be just silly adolescents, but we’re also human, and we shouldn’t be expected to do everything. | Hannah Jensen

. . .The coffee junkie Sure, why not pump yourself full unnatural caffeine right? I mean, it must be called a Monster for some reason. A monstrous hazard.

Oh, but coffee. The never failing solution of perfection, found nearly everywhere that comes in almost every flavor and temperature. Pumpkin, vanilla, even that irresistible, strange cotton candy. With every type of -iccino at your grasp, the world of caffeine in never ending. So Starbuck and Caribou lovers unite. | Alyssa Murphy

Frump. That’s the idea most people have of thrift stores.

Baggy, ugly, old lady clothes. But me? 80% of my closet consists of a concoction of garments that I’ve repossessed from a number of sources. It doesn’t matter if it’s mom’s closet, a tub of my dad’s old 80’s sweaters sitting in the garage, or the suede jackets my friends bring me from their grandma’s dead friends. But believe me, I get it. At first, I was afraid. What did people do to these clothes to want to give them away? But then I thought about it. Tastes change, and with time, that Barbie t-shirt just isn’t us anymore. Maybe next time you drive by a local consignment shop or GoodWill, you’ll consider stopping in. Who knows, maybe you’ve changed too. | Emily Leo

. . .the bachelor We all know that one person who OBSESSES over Monday’s when it’s Bachelor season. I’m pro The Bachelor because I want to know who’s gonna come out on top. I root for my favorites, die for one on one dates, and laugh at the silly group date. Adrenaline under my skin builds and pushes me to the edge of my seat when Chris Harrison announces that “it’s the final rose tonight.” I promise you’ll get the chills at least twice during each episode. I live for every Monday until the “most dramatic season finale in Bachelor history.”

It takes a couple episodes before you really know the ropes, but once you know, you’re hooked. So don’t knock it ‘til you try it, no matter how ridiculous the show actually is. | Laurel Nordquist-Zukin

45

opinions

no more sibling rivalry siblings are a gift, cherish them Awkwardly sitting on their couch, I waited for something to happen. Just something to break the awkwardness. That’s when the four-month-old cat, Toby, pounced as hard as a little kitten like himself could, and began to rip up the strings on my bright yellow Mizzou hoodie. “Awe look at him!” my sister, Annie, said. The awkwardness was broken, and I began to enjoy myself. This was the first time I had been over to my sister and her boyfriend’s apartment. Annie was set to leave for Uganda on monday-tonight was friday.

Siblings. Whether it be a brother or a sister, if we have them, we love them. They’re always there for us, make us laugh, and can tick us off like no other. Having a sibling is a blessing in disguise.

me every day for the next two years. I guess I never thought I’d lose her for this long. I didn’t cherish the time we had together.

The littlest things would spark an all out brawl: she’s in my spot, she’s in my room, she’s eating all of the Nutella. Keep in mind, these fights happened when I was 17 and 18 and when she was 21 and 22. We always act like we’re 12.

I took her for granted because I almost lost her once before, and I wanted to be like the siblings at Standley Lake. I just wanted to have her stay.

When my sister was a freshman here at Standley Lake in 2006, she had something that set her apart from the other freshmen, she had Leiomyosarcoma, a soft tissue cancer in her leg.

I lost my sister on Nov. 10th. She didn’t die, though. She’s in Uganda with the Peace Corps, and she’ll be there for two years.

At ten years old, I surprisingly knew the severity of the situation. I knew that my friend Trey wasn’t only playing Madden with me because he wanted to hang out, but because someone needed to distract me while my parents took my sister to her regular round of radiation treatment.

Looking back, I really took my sister for granted over the last year when we first found out she was going to be in the Peace Corps--whenever she would start preaching about me needing to eat healthy and hiding my bacon, or when she would start pushing me to walk the dogs with her and I didn’t. It’s going to haunt

I knew what was happening when I was awoken on Christmas morning in Children’s Hospital at 3 a.m. to hear the doctor’s trying to place the IV in the right spot in her arm, and to hear my sister’s pain. I knew that when we in her hospital room, it could have been the last place she’d be.

It’s a blessing many of you will forget to cherish. A blessing I won’t be able to cherish for awhile.

46 March 2015 | Issue 4

I regret the nights I went out when I could have been with my sister, the nights I went to a school event instead of going to see her and her boyfriend Brendan at their apartment in Boulder. They invited me to watch my favorite movie, The Big Lebowski, with their roommates, and I declined. I regret it every day that she’s gone, and I will continue to feel this unbearable feeling of regret until January of 2017, when she’s back from Uganda.

I talk to my sister every now and then, but it’s not the same. If I could tell her one thing right now, it would be for her to come back, and that I love and miss her. I want to have the nights where we watched terrible horror movies and anything with Seth Rogen in it. I want the time back where we binge-watched Breaking Bad. I love that she’s making a difference in the world, but I want her back.

Those of you bickering with you brother or sister, that’s fine. It’s what we naturally do.

When you’re fighting, however, take a moment and hug them. Let them know that you love them. You never know when they’ll be off in a third world country for two years. | Jamey Burky

wHERE THE MAGIC HAPPENS sTANDLEY LAKE PROVIDES COUNTLESS OPPORTUNITIES a staff opinion

When you really stop and think about it, Standley Lake offers quite the fairy tale experience for students.

This is the place where you can push yourself academically as far as you wish through honors, AP, and IB classes--or even graduate early because of the success you’ve had through those courses. Your teachers care about you, as an individual, enough to know that you are capable of reaching great heights, and they expect nothing less.

This is the place where you can speak your mind, stand by your opinion no matter how much it differs from everyone else’s and feel safe to share your beliefs with your peers.

You’re encouraged to think freely and articulate those ideas, no matter how crazy they may seem. Not everyone is as lucky as we are to be unafraid when they express their own opinions.

It’s the place where the challenge students get to share their love for basketball and inspire others to live out their passions, as well. How lucky are we to have such a diverse population of students to learn from during these four years of craziness?

This is the place where the quiet student comes alive in a ballgown on the stage, where the tech crew makes the magic happen behind the curtain and where one student’s image takes shape right before the audience’s eyes through music and dancing for a few nights during the Spring Musical. We have the resources to let our creativity flourish, and the support of our staff and peers to keep us going.

less opportunities waiting at the fingertips of every single student--just waiting to be taken advantage of. If we can step back and see the big picture for a minute, it’s pretty magical.

This is, quite possibly, the only time in our lives when we’ll have an entire staff of adults cheering us on to succeed, few real responsibilities and incredible opportunities handed to us simply for showing up and doing our jobs. We tend to rush through the days with all of our energy focused on graduating, but maybe we’re doing this all wrong. Maybe we need to learn to appreciate these four special years of our lives and all that they have to offer.

It’s not always easy to realize just how much we’re capable of, but if you take a look around at the clubs, classes, and service groups available in this school alone, you’re guaranteed to find your niche.

So let’s stop racing to the finish line. Let’s realize that every single day in this experience will only happen once, and it’s up to each individual person to make them count.

Let’s take advantage of the guidance, support, and opportunities handed to us in this community, and find what we love.

This is the place where the magic happens.

And despite how much students may complain about the heavy homework nights, the stressful group projects, the social divides or the tedious class work, this place is shaping us into the well-rounded human beings that we need to become before we leave. There are end-

47

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