Volume 21. Issue 3. March 2023.

OHS baseball players

“pitch in” for kids in need

By RUTH MIOC Staf Writer

When the OHS boys baseball team begins their season, so do younger elementary and middle school programs all over the valley. Sadly, many are not as fortunate as the players here, when it comes to equipment.

Having proper equipment is an essential part of any sport, especially baseball. Not only does it put players from lower income communities at a disadvantage against other teams, but quality equipment can also minimize injuries within the sport. The issue inspired students from the OHS team to give back and start an on-campus collection drive.

“The collection drive is basically something that we want to do where we have other [baseball] players who have experience, and probably have old stuff that they

have been playing [with] for a while, to give back to us so that we can give it out to the community of kids who might not be able to afford it, or they don’t have gear for themselves,” said Cody Stoller, sophomore.

Baseball is about hard work, talent, and a group effort towards a common goal. No matter the team one is one, removing obstacles that may hinder the path of others is true sportsmanship.

“We want to be able to make it so that anyone can play ball, not just based on how economically stable they are,” Stoller said.

Several players refected on their love of the sport and developed a sense of appreciation for the resources they have been given. The equipment drive is personal, and an issue they can all relate to.

“I just know how much I love playing baseball and how much it’s meant in my life. Seeing kids not be able to do this was kind

Self-made success: a business owner’s guide to achieving your dream

By SAMANTHA SHARLOT News Editor

In modern-day America, being successful is one of the hardest, yet most rewarding feats a person can strive for. Being able to embody resilience in the face of adversity is a rare trait, making it one that encompasses the drive behind any accomplished individual. Success is not defned by money or social status, but is gained through perseverance and persistence.

Schooling plays a major role in one’s ability to be successful, and oftentimes, is a key role in a successful person’s childhood.

“Education was pushed. In fact, it was mandatory. You were expected to get good grades and [they] weren’t something you were allowed to neglect,” said John Sinodis, chairman and managing partner of the second-oldest law frm in Arizona, Jennings Haug Keleher McLeod.

On the contrary, education is not always an essential pillar in an accomplished individual’s childhood. In fact, some young people have found their love for learning on their own accord.

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of sad, so I wanted to help them,” said KJ Kovaly, sophomore.

Countless amounts of people might want to help others around them and possess the ability to do so; however, few actually take action.

“I think just the leadership to be able to do the logistics of putting together an idea, and taking [something] all the way from an idea to an actual execution of an activity is huge,” said Jeff Baumgartner, varsity baseball coach.

If OHS students were not able to donate during the spring camp this year, they can always look out for the drive in the future. There is hope the team can expand the drive after a successful frst year.

“Maybe we will in the future if we can give it a shot to become a bigger thing, then maybe we can work with other people and make a big thing out of this,” Stoller said.

Sandra Day O’Connor High School

KJ Kovaly (left), sophomore, Carter Daly (center), sophomore, and Cody Stollar (right), sophomore, collect unused baseball equipment for young players in need.

PHOTO BY RUTH MIOC

4Page 2

ROTC radiates success and community at OHS

By TRUE VAN DYKE Features Editor

Setting the standard high and leaving the school off better than they found it, OHS’ ROTC has made a highly acclaimed name for themselves. Through community service projects, leadership training, and military infuence, the program is only continuing to grow, leaving a trail of accomplishments behind them.

ROTC is based on forming cadets into equally wellrounded people outside of school as much as inside of it.

“It’s about building good citizens; a lot of people think ROTC is about making soldiers, sailors, airmen, [and] marines, but it’s not, it’s about making good citizens. Only about 20% of our kids go on to the military,” said Colonel Don Clocksin, ROTC instructor.

The military is without a doubt the foundation of the

program, but the infuence does not just stop there.

“I’ve been a more mature person since I’ve been here, it teaches you how to appreciate life,” said Peyton Ciesielski, senior.

Maturity and responsibility are just some of the many aspects the program sends its students off with in preparation for success.

“It’s a really good program; colleges will look at it and know that you’re in JROTC, and I know a few people that have been able to get into the Air Force Academy because of it,” said Sam Mosley, sophomore.

Using the ROTC experience outside of high school is not the only beneft of the class, but also the many events and opportunities given within it.

“We’re trying to work on developing leaders and good followers, and one of the things we added this year that we’ve never done before, is we took the seniors and juniors on a retreat to Flagstaff and

Peer tutoring:

By SAMANTHA SHARLOT News Editor

2022-2023 has been the year for new clubs to blossom at OHS, with peer tutoring being one of the most prominent additions to our school. Peer tutoring is a huge beneft to our school, and has allowed students to to thrive in subjects that were once their weakest.

Peer Tutoring is a simple way for students to get involved on campus, and uses a system that makes it easy for tutors to communicate with the students they are assisting, as well as provides a variety of options to the student receiving help.

“A tutor puts their availability and their

we spent the weekend up there giving them a chance to interact, and give them a chance to learn more about the program,” Clocksin said.

From completely studentled trips like this one, to collecting service hours, and to learning different marching formations, the program has a lot to be proud of.

“We are the only unit in all of Arizona, [and] one of three in the entire United States to get recognized for the number of community service hours that we’ve done. 8 years in a row now,” Clocksin said.

Community service projects have fueled the success of ROTC, continuing to engrain the importance of the program into the students who pass through, creating visible infuence within the area around O’Connor.

“Community service hours [are] a big thing for me, I always get a lot of hours because I really like doing it,” Ciesielski said.

The program consistently proves itself through the determination and quality work of its students, pushing towards their goals with confdence.

“We’re knocking on 4000 [service hours] so far this year, so we haven’t quite made our goal of 5000 [hours], but we’re working towards it,” Clocksin said.

Whether a future in the military is in store for many of the cadets here at OHS or not, there is no doubt that ROTC has set up a foundation of success, morality, and leadership for each and every student.

“I didn’t want to do it, then I did it, and I fell in love with it, so now I’ve been here for four years,” Ciesielski said.

a new way for students to excel

interests. Learners log in and say they need help in, say, sophomore English. They put in that they need that help and all the tutors that are available to tutor in sophomore English will show up, and then the learner gets to pick,” said Harley McCain, peer tutoring advisor.

The organization is also extremely fexible, allowing its members to create a tutoring schedule that works for them.

“We can do virtual, we can do in-person. It doesn’t even need to be on campus. If you wanted to tutor someone at a local coffee shop, that’s totally okay,” McCain said.

To begin the organization, a group of students had to become involved, and kickstart the program within

OHS. The offcer team was accumulated through communication and word of mouth, as well as being McCain’s students.

“I heard about it [Peer Tutoring] through a friend, and it turned out to be run by my English teacher,” said Victoria Whipple, sophomore, peer tutoring secretary.

However, despite peer tutoring being new to OHS, the concept has been tested out many times, and has proven to be successful in not only increasing academic rigor, but building relationships.

“We modeled this after the Tempe Union School District, and their testimonials are that these kids who are quiet, reserved, and don’t really

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have a friend group really expanded their friendships because they realized the football quarterback has some of the same interests as other students,” McCain said.

The relationship aspect is a huge motivator behind students joining peer tutoring. A lot of students are drawn to the organization given the assistance they can provide for others, and the impact they can make on another individual.

“It seemed like a really good cause and a good way to help people. Honestly it’s just one of those things where if you can help, why wouldn’t you,” Whipple said.

Peer tutoring pushes both the tutors and the students receiving help to expand their horizons, and talk to people

Editor-in-Chief: Gabriel de Souza

Copy Chief: Victoria Kirova

Adviser: Cindy Garraway

Opinons Editor: Aayushi Datta

they wouldn’t otherwise.

‘You get to meet people outside of your friend group. You get to interact with students you don’t normally get to interact with,” McCain said.

The environment within the program is very uplifting as well, and members have only had positive things to say regarding their experience within the club.

“There was this one meeting, all the tutoring were just talking, and it was a really good environment. Everyone was getting to know each other. It was very bubbly, very friendly, and very inviting,” Whipple said.

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Sports Editor: Kaitlyn Smitten

News Editor: Samantha Sharlot

Features Editor: True Van Dyke

Arts and Entertainment Editor: Amber Hayden

Staff Writer: Ruth

*Denotes member of editorial board.

Mioc

PHOTO BY KAITLYN SMITTEN Nicholas Clark, junior, presents the American fag at the winter assembly.

Media center remodel sufers many delays

By GABRIEL de SOUZA Editor-in-Chief

With new furniture, a cafe, and a testing center, the media center has been undergoing a remodel since May of last year. The continuing redesign has endured countless delays and setbacks as the school, and the country, tackle supply chain issues.

With the school district spending over half a million dollars of bond money on the remodel, students will be able to enjoy the updated facility once it is completed in the near future.

“The furniture and everything is beautiful; it’s a great place for kids to come before school, after school, during lunch and chill out, read a book, or do their technology,” said Nena Holt, library media specialist.

As technology’s role in education increases, keeping devices charged will become easier as the furniture selected for the media center comes equipped with plugs.

“The furniture…actually has places to plug in your technology and charge it while you’re here,” Holt said. “It’s very conducive for the kids to be able to charge up, relax, and chill.”

Students have had to grapple with months of a semi-closed media center as construction crews continued work in the space. However, as the school year goes on, the media center has returned to a moderately normal state.

“It was supposed to be [completed] when we came back in August, then they told me Aug. 15, then they told me the end of August, then they told me September. Then they said the end of September,” Holt said.

One task that remains on the crew’s to-do list is the installation of several televisions in the media center. Students and staff can look forward to presentations that will once again be held in the media center, except now with a sound system and TVs.

“Once [the TVs] are installed, then IS&T can come and put in the sound system. We’ll be able to do presentations in here again,” Holt said.

Nearly completed, the cafe will be one of the main attractions for the media center in the coming years.

Transition-school-to-work (TSW) students will be able to gain valuable work experience and organizations

on campus will be able to raise funds through the cafe.

“What [the cafe] was intended for is for students to be able to use it. TSW students would get practice for work,” Holt said. “They’re thinking of pre-packaged coffees, prepackaged things that they could sell out the window.”

In addition to the $252,130 that was budgeted for furniture, $515,885 was budgeted for the contractor. These totals were not enough for the inclusion of a sink in the cafe, and without one, the cafe will be limited

to prepackaged foods and coffees.

“From my understanding, they said it would cost too much money to put a sink [in the cafe],” Holt said.

Despite complications and delays, there is still optimism and hope for the future of the media center once the remodel is completed.

“Once this is all done and everything is ready, I would like [for there to be] a club for the library where students could plan events,” Holt said. “We could start out with [hosting events] once a

semester or once a quarter.”

Events that could be held in the library can vary and are not limited to karaoke nights, theater, band, or choir performances, as well as poetry readings. As OHS builds back culture, the new and improved media center could play an integral part in creating new school traditions and activities for students to enjoy.

“Let’s use all the different resources we have on campus and showcase them [while] having the cafe open,” Holt said.

First fashion show triumphs through difculties

By Amber Hayden Arts & Entertainment Editor

School is not only about academics, but the activities one can join and invest their free time into. Whether it is an after school club or a onetime event like the fashion show, students can embrace a different side to them and have fun with others who hold similar interests.

Luckily, OHS provides a constant variety of choices available including many new events each year like the school's frst ever fashion show. Not only do these things bring students together, but they can also have the lasting effect of holding a greater purpose beyond the event.

“I think it went great. Being in STUGO what we try to do is connect different parts of the school together and try to fundraise as much money as we can for the school. This fashion show was purely out of Goodwill because we really want to fundraise money for clubs,” said John Zeng, junior.

Even as the hosts made an effort to be prepared for the show, complications still arose from the sponsors.

“I know I talked about Dillards and Mens Warehouse working with us, but the day before they decided not to work with us. It was really hard at frst, but

we contacted a bunch of different department stores and boutiques and all that just to see if they would work with us even though it was really last minute.

JCPenny pulled through and they were able to provide us with ten dresses and a suit, which is insane because we weren’t expecting them to do it like that,” said Victoria Le, senior.

Even on short notice, the outfts courtesy of JCPenny were set to impress viewers, hosts, and models alike.

“The JCPenny ones with the prom outfts, they all literally looked so good. I was so surprised because I thought we were going to have to make alterations but they ft everyone perfectly,” Le said.

After unforeseen events happened too close to the day for comfort, the fashion show still had to go on and fortunately the models made the best of the situation.

“I was worried mostly about how the changing situation was going to work since we just divided the tents by gender. Personally I was just worried some people aren’t comfortable changing in front of everyone, but everyone was a good sport about it,” Le said.

Once the day came for the models to put their talents on display, there were still some

concerns in the back of their minds.

“Defnitely since the runway wasn’t on a fat surface when we were building it, it was a little wobbly, but during intermissions and between outfts we fxed it and made it more stable for the models to walk on,” said Le.

Despite the diffculties, the models committed to their performance leaving the audience overjoyed with a much more entertaining show.

“I really liked it. I know Cian and Davis did a lot of funny walks like they did some acts when they were

going out onto the runway which made the audience laugh a lot,” Le said.

Even once the rounds of outfts and the performances of the models came to a close, the show was not over thanks to the help of the club's at OHS.

“We got our clubs involved, they participated in making the bidding baskets and we got a lot of tickets for the bidding baskets so that means a lot of money goes back to the clubs,” Zeng said.

After the hard work put in by the hosts and partnering clubs, the bidding baskets were a huge success with plenty of students buying

tickets in hopes of winning their desired prize.

“We got so many tickets, I think one of the biggest, coolest things about the bidding baskets is that we got the clubs to help us. In total we got eight bidding baskets and the parents loved them too. The parents loved them, there were so many tickets, I think it went great,” Zeng said.

Continue reading at thetalonohs.com

Davis Horn (left), senior, and Cian Ryback (right), senior, walk the runway.

PHOTO BY AMBER HAYDEN

PHOTO BY VICTORIA KIROVA

The media center’s new cafe has expericenced many construction delays preventing it from being used.

O’Connor students reclaim recycling

By VICTORIA KIROVA Copy Chief

Reduce, reuse, recycle: the three key aspects of upholding a habitable planet. With a growing passion for programs to help ensure the longevity of this shared home, students are especially drawn to the details surrounding recycling procedures at OHS.

More and more students are becoming curious about the recycling measures that can be taken at the school, some already starting on this journey. With a vision of building a more sustainable campus, people commonly question recycling methods, as well as contribute new ideas to assist this mission.

“ [Recycling is] a good idea but I think instead of recycling we need to ‘precycle.’ That means buying stuff that is reusable, that you’re not going to throw away, that’s not going to end up in a landfll or have to be recycled,” said Melissa Mara, science teacher.

A large contributing factor to the lack of effciency in recycling, stems from the fact that there is a lot of contrasting information

surrounding the topic. This leads to a miscommunication surrounding the ways of proper recycling.

“People don’t know that you can’t throw away a napkin and put it in the recycle bin because it’s not recyclable. Or paper plates… or they’ll throw lightbulbs because it’s glass so they think that’s ok,” Mara said.

Though improper recycling is ineffective, the habit is still a good one to implement into one's life. However, the question arises about who should instigate this effort on campus.

“It might have to come from the students because the admin have a lot on their plate right now…having some other clubs come together and work with that and maybe have that be a school project to get that going,” Mara said.

At OHS, students have already begun to take initiative. This is demonstrated through the sustainability-centered club, Go Green.

“Right now we’re actually starting a recycling program at the school. So if you notice in a couple of your classrooms there’s going to be a can at

the back. It’s for aluminum cans and stuff…just make sure you throw away the can in the bin,” said Elizabeth Oakley, junior.

Many individuals are interested in doing their part in preserving the planet, yet are unaware about how to get involved. This is where more modern approaches prove to be benefcial to the cause.

“Social media is a big thing. Reposting things about recycling and learning about it through there…I’ve seen a couple protests around the state. Just things like that,” Oakley said.

While students are doing their best to conquer the growing problem of a lack of recycling, some challenges appear as they encounter barriers.

“Every piece of trash that is not right is a fne, so [administration doesn’t] let us recycle because kids would just put random things in the bins… if they just start mandating it in schools then we can soar,” Oakley said.

While recycling bins did once exist on campus, the clubs that were in charge of upholding them are no longer around. However, the school administration offers

a more logistical approach to assistance, making it necessary for clubs to organize the majority of such initiatives.

“Oftentimes if it’s a clubsponsored event or a clubsponsored function, all of that is on the club. If they want to take on anything, whether it’s recycling or anything else, the expectation is that with the sponsor’s guidance, they’re fguring out what they need to do to make that a reality,” said Jonathan Smith, assistant principal.

It is possible to implement school wide recycling programs through the collaboration of students, teachers, and administration towards the common goal of benefting the world. However, in order to pique the unanimous interest of students, different approaches are plausible.

“Give kids incentives because a lot of times when people talk about recycling or saving the planet or whatever, it’s always a downer…make it fun,” Mara said.

The harsh reality behind animal testing

By KAITLYN SMITTEN Sports Editor

Animal testing has been prevalent in the medical and cosmetic world for decades, but the severity of these trials is often masked by companies in order to continuously boost their sales.

Over 100 million animals die every year as a result of food, chemical, cosmetic, drug, and medical tests, and even more, are left in inhumane and dangerous conditions. A greater amount left with irreversible physical damage.

“I feel like a lot of times animals' feelings are overlooked and the fact that they can feel pain too and they develop their own connections throughout the world in their head. They’re conscious things so they can feel pain and they can experience terrible things in life and they can register that,” said Makayla Snow, sophomore.

Oftentimes, animals' feelings are simply disregarded in the interest of pure scientifc inquiry and the true torturous trials are

hidden from the public.

“I think most people don’t know what actually goes on. They’re injecting animals with chemicals. They’re putting them in horrid conditions. It’s a lot worse than people imagine it to be,” said Rita Dodd, junior.

Companies do a very thorough job of trying to keep the horrors of animal testing under wraps, but there are still reputable organizations, like any PETA (people for the ethical treatment of animals), who are fghting for animals well beings.

“We should be more mindful of who we’re buying from and at least do a little research on what their testing history is, what they do. Especially with animal testing, they keep it really hidden so it's good to be aware of it,” Dodd said.

Knowing what and who consumers are supporting is vital in order to help end the animal testing crisis and stop any further kinds of animal abuse. Doing background research and double-checking companies' ethics can potentially save an animal's life.

“I don’t think people realize how much of their own money they spend on daily products from shampoos to deodorants to laundry detergent to household cleaners that were just tested on animals,” said Bridgette Gass, senior.

Even though the situation may seem out of hand, with government involvement and civilian protest, companies that do animal testing can potentially go bankrupt and fnally get called out on their actions.

“As of right now, three states have banned testing on animals. If I could have any action this would be a part more states need to take action,” Gass said. “If I could I would take a percentage of revenue made from products tested on animals to go to helping biodiversity and funding for research into balancing the endocrine system of animals.”

Not only is animal testing not necessary, but there are alternative methods that are a lot safer and more accurate. Vitro testing is one which involves testing human cells and seeing how chemicals react, without actually harming a person or an animal.

“Animal testing not only affects the animals being tested but also their future generations. As a consumer, I recommend people remember to use vegan products and products with natural ingredients as much as they can. It is not only better for them, but is a small action they can do to reduce abuse on animals,” Gass said.

Many people do not factor in how much animal testing can truly harm a species when buying products. Injecting any living thing with chemicals will greatly affect the general makeup of the creature, potentially causing future generations to

be compromised.

“You wouldn’t pay someone to [spray] roundup in your dogs’ faces, but when people buy or make products that aren't cruelty-free, that is essentially what you are doing, just for a different animal,” Gass said.

Despite being such a prominent issue, animal testing is often not talked about and is viewed as a taboo topic. In order to truly cause a change, people need to address the problem and tackle it head-on.

“Do your research. Know what you’re buying from, know what you’re supporting, and spread awareness,” Dodd said.

PHOTO COURTESY OF PETA.COM

PHOTO BY GABRIEL DE SOUZA

Zoltan Kotha, senior, recycles a soda can using a bin in an OHS classroom.

Jumped from page 1: a guide to achieving your dream

By SAMANTHA SHARLOT News Editor

“Education was not emphasized while I was growing up. My father left the house when I was relatively young. I was pretty much left to do what I wanted to do from a young age,” said Laurence Sharlot, named one of the best lawyers in America according to The Best Lawyers in America Organization, as well as the youngest-named partner at Jennings Haug Keleher McLeod.

Whether education was integrated into the two lawyers' childhoods or not, does not diminish the role school plays in success. In fact, it sets a baseline for future accomplishments in one’s career.

“My advice would be to get a good education, by that I mean a minimum of an undergraduate degree,” Sharlot said.

In addition to a strong

degree, understanding the purpose behind a job and its value to the person, is just as important. Ensuring one picks a job that does not feel like a job, was a point honed in on by both attorneys.

“I would tell you to choose something you are passionate about, something you really enjoy doing. Then, it won’t really seem much like work. It will seem like a calling,” Sinodis said.

Many struggle to uncover their true passion in relation to career choice, and receiving a higher education is a huge building block to discovering that calling.

“Once I did get into college and applied myself, as well as law school, I found education to be intellectually very stimulating. I enjoyed learning,” Sharlot said.

For a lot of students, college is where life-changing decisions, such as career paths, are made. In fact, it can spark an appeal to a job that the student would not have had otherwise.

“I frst got interested in [law] in college. I had an undergraduate degree in fnance with a minor in accounting. I thought going into corporate law would be a good profession. I was probably about a junior in college when I made that decision,” Sharlot said.

In terms of the traits needed in order to accomplish a goal, the notion of giving 100% to every task at hand did not cease to pass through the lawyers’ minds.

“One of the things my father used to say was that, ‘I don’t really care what you do, you are expected to give everything to whatever you are doing at the moment. You are expected to do well,” Sindois said.

Going further, the drive needed to be successful is just as simple as wanting to succeed, no matter the capacity.

“It was the same kind of thing that led me to want to get a good grade in a geometry class, or to make

the starting nine on my high school baseball team. Just the desire to do well,” Sinodis said.

In terms of perseverance and persistence in correlation to success, it was made evident that those two characteristics were the largest driving factors behind accomplishing goals.

“I would suggest an ethic

of working hard, persistence regardless of failures, and then working hard again. You will be allowing yourself to succeed,” Sharlot said.

The idea that no matter the obstacle, accomplishment is always possible is essential to being not only successful in a career, but successful in life.

“Work extremely hard. Don’t settle,” said Sinodis.

Taiwanese students persist through challenges

By AAYUSHI DATTA Opinions Editor

There has been an infux of international families, especially ones from Taiwan moving into Arizona due to the new TSMC factory being built in North Phoenix. OHS has become the destination of multiple teenage children of the migrating families.

Enrolling right into high school after moving to a foreign land, makes their situation much harder.

“Moving to Arizona is very challenging. I need to start to adapt to new things. Not only the tasks [in] class or the grades, [but] also how to make friends,” said Cindy Cheng, sophomore.

Cultural and language differences have hindered their communication with other people. They can get confused during interactions, often making them seem

uninterested as they don’t know how to respond or interact well.

“It’s hard for me to greet people here,” said Sylvia Cheng, freshman. “People come to me with passion and [say] ‘What’s up’, and I am like ‘Hi’. They will be like ‘How’s your day’, and I will be like ‘Great’. It makes it [look] like I don’t want to be friends with them, but I do want to be friends.”

Most of the students are trying to become more accustomed to their surroundings and socialize more, trying to fnd different ways to expand their social circle.

“[The] hardest part for me is [making] new friends. I tried to join some new clubs. I tried to make new friends and introduce myself, and [get to] know them,” Cindy Cheng said.

An average school day in the U.S can look very different

to them when compared to Taiwan.

“In Taiwan, the students don’t have to change our classrooms, but here in America the students change every class,” Wang said. “[Moving] one building to another building, it’s confusing.”

There are many differences that some are comparing when it comes to schools in America with schools in Taiwan.

“Here, the schedule is all the same. If I have a PE class, I [have it] for the whole week. In Taiwan, we only have it two days in a week, and everyday schedules [are] different,” Sylvia Cheng said. “We don’t change [classes] so we see the same classmates the whole semester. Just the same person [who sits] by you. They don’t change so it’s easy to make friends [since] it’s the same classmate.”

There are also a lot of differences in the way of teaching, which has made it hard for some of the students to adapt to.

“I like teachers here, but the way they teach, I am not used to it. I used to have a book, and the teachers would just teach me [from] a book. [Here], it’s not even a paper, it’s [an] iPad,” Sylvia Cheng said. “I don’t understand what the homeworks [are], but I don’t know how to ask questions.”

The biggest hardship when moving across the world can be the language barriers.

“I think a big [diffculty] is speaking English. In Taiwan, we learn English just for tests, and I can’t understand what

anyone says. It’s diffcult,” said Isa Chao, freshman.

Students at OHS are doing their best to make it easier for them to communicate and overcome their linguistic obstructions.

“I met a lot of friendly classmates. They use translators to talk with me,” said Letitia Wang, freshman.

As they continue to mingle with new people, some of their friends are doing their best to help them communicate better too.

“I have a friend. When she wants to talk to me she always talks slowly. Everytime. If I still can’t [undersant] she will [fnd] another way to talk to me,” said Chloe Wu, senior.

The teachers at OHS have been very helpful as well, and have taken it upon themselves to guide the students to overcome any challenges.

“I want to talk about my English teacher, Mr. McCain. He is a really, really good guy. The frst day I came to him, I told him my english is [bad]. I want to improve my writing, my listening, my speaking, everything,” Cindy Cheng said. “He just said ‘Slow down, slow down. I will teach you everything, but you need to slow down. You need to take it step by step.’”

The teachers are also very lenient in regards to the migrated students, and are making sure to avoid any uncomfortable positions. .

“All of the teachers that I met, they are all kind and friendly. PE teachers last semester, we did a report. All of the classmates needed to [present] to all the classmates. But I didn’t need

to because my English is bad. So he said I just need to show him, I don’t have to show it to everyone,” Wang said.

OHS teachers are using technology at its best, and giving the students alternatives at ease, and helping them understand conversation better.

“My biology teacher said that I can use the phone to translate [everything] he says in [diffcult] English to let me understand,” Chao said.

With new course work, and academics, it can turn out to be quite challenging. Many teachers have shown a lot of patience in this regard.

“I will spend 5 min to do one question [in] my biology homework,” said Andrew Cheiu, freshman. “My biology teacher said to just do a few questions.”

Taiwan has a very rigorous curriculum that is mainly focused on examinations. They feel a lot lighter and happier studying in America as the curriculum is more relaxed in comparison.

“Here [it] is so free. Like the environment and stuff, I like it. I really like the style here. In Taiwan, when you’re in school, you only prepare for your test and everyone just tells you your future depends on your test, your grades, and if you want to [go to] a good university you need to study hard. I don’t really like studying in Taiwan but I had to,” Cindy Cheng said. “When I came here, I really [learned] that learning is fun. Because there are different kinds of learning methods, and not just focus on your grades.”

Sylvia Cheng (left), freshman, and Cindy Cheng (right), sophomore, converse during their digital communications/journalism class.

PHOTO BY AAYUSHI DATTA

PHOTOS COURTESY OF JENNINGS HAUG KELEHER MCLEOD

Jaya Amoako-Agyei sophomore “

I love the opportunities we’re given [in STUGO] to learn leadership skills, and learn how to talk to companies on the phone, or planning events, or learning how to put things together like that.

”

Interviews and photography by Kaitlyn Smitten and True Van Dyke.

Mason Stackhouse

senior

“

You just gotta stay focused on the goal. It’s not always about the win, it’s not always about the loss, it’s more about the lesson that you learn.“

Rachel Kittridge and Jonathan Wyllie

English and science teachers

“ “

We love our life with Franklin [our puppy]; it’s like our own little unit. We’re thinking of getting another puppy this summer, too.

Anything and

The annual second semester slump

By TRUE VAN DYKE Features Editor

New year, new semester, plenty of New Year’s resolutions, but not enough motivation to go around. It is not a surprise students tend to drop off in the middle of second semester, their work ethic dwindling the closer summer comes into view. It is a pattern no teacher or student alike are shocked to see year after year.

“There is a little bit of motivation in January, but that tends to taper off, I would say, probably February, into March,” said Tiffany Ellis, history teacher.

The predictability of a student’s downfall is not always without reason; it being as much of a calculation as anything else.

“[Students] lose interest in school, and they get progressively less sleep, and school gets harder so they seem to care less about it,” said Sean Alley, junior.

Even though it seems like a repetitive loss, there is only so much teachers can do to push students along when it ultimately falls on their own self determination and willpower.

“[All I can do is] make sure students are self aware, and that ‘Hey, this is coming, and this is usually slack time; let’s try not to slack’,”

Ellis said.

As a student, their unfortunate decline does not always feel so self-inficted, but a slow, lonely decrease in motivation, and steady increase in stress, without feeling any support from the faculty at OHS.

“I think sometimes the teachers think the students have everything down, so they don’t help as much, until the very end,” said Georgia Healey, senior.

Second semester is an ambush of tests, fnals, teetering grades, and stressful plans for the future, not making it any easier to put 100% of one’s effort into their day to day school work.

“April is rough, that’s also because now it’s testing, Advanced Placement students have AP testing, so all these big events are overwhelming, and then you add all the work on top, and so the overwhelming [parts] of the season tend to reduce motivation,” Ellis said.

Sometimes the decline in student quality is deliberate, and sometimes it is a gamble between what one knows

they should be doing, and what their brain tells them is okay to give up on.

“After break and after fnals, you feel like ‘Oh it’s okay, the hard part [is] over’,” said Ashley Pereira, sophomore.

The school year may be broken up by semesters in the gradebook, but for the average student it is completely determined by the various breaks sprinkled throughout.

The time in between each break is just a new countdown to when students can leave again; the days melting together, and their work ethic evaporating away.

“[For students] there’s always ‘We’re looking forward to spring break, so I just need to do the bare minimum until spring break’,” Ellis said.

There is always a sense of hope for the new semester, but the closer May 19 gets, the quicker that tends to fade away. The stretch between spring break and summer soon to be a painful reality check for students in what they failed to do.

“I feel like I have to keep up my motivation because I know [in] college I’m going to be pushed harder, and I have to do more work, and I should get used to it now,”

Healey said.

The future for many students is a harsh reminder that the work they do now has lasting effects, and is not just one test, or one assignment they can let slide, but a very slippery slope that will cause a panic as the year comes to an end.

“I defnitely want to keep my grades up now, so I’m a little more motivated,” Healey said.

Every person needs a reason to push through the last fve months of the school year, or their plan of attack will not have any foundation to sustain it; they are just empty hopes and weightless aspirations.

“[Students] don’t actually have a plan to achieve those goals, ‘I’m gonna do this’, but [they] have no clear plan of how it is actually going to be achieved,” Ellis said.

There is no better time than now to set out for second semester success, using your future for fuel, and ending the school year proud of how you pushed through the inevitable student spiral we all experience.

“My advice would be [that] college is sooner than you think it is, and every single year counts. What you’re doing right now affects your future,” Pereira said.

PHOTO BY KAITLYN SMITTEN

Second Semester at OHS

“

“My advice would be college is sooner than you think it is, and every single year counts. What you’re doing right now affects your future.

-Ashley Pereira, sophomore ”

Dates coming up to remember:

Spring Break: March 13th-17th

March 21st: AZ Science test for juniors/late-start for freshmen, sophomores, and seniors

April 4th: ACT for juniors/asynchrynized learning for freshmen, sophomores, and seniors

April 7th: No school (Spring break day)

April 18th: Mr. OC

April 19th: Spring Carnival

April is rough, that’s also because now it’s testing. Advanced Placement students have testing, so all these big events are overwhelming, and then you add all the work on top, and so the overwhelming [parts] of season tend to reduce motivation.

-Tiffany Ellis, teacher

“ I feel like I have to keep up my motivation because I know [in] college I’m going to be pushed harder, and I have to do more work, and I should get used to it now.

-Georgia Healey, senior ”

Count Down until the last day of school:

46 days

Eleven more Fridays

April 21st: Spring Assembly

April 22nd: Prom

May 12th: Seniors last day of school

May 18th: Graduation

May 19th: Last day of school

Club sign ups coming soon:

National Honors Society: Applications due March 22nd

Future Freshmen Mentors: Applications avalible after spring break

Be on the lookout for summer programs on the school website.

Ways to keep up this semester:

Seniors: - Apply for scholarships - Study for AP exams

Juniors: - ACT prep - AZ Science test prep - Study for AP exams

Underclassmen: - Study for fnals - Get more sleep - Drink more water

Crossword

Down:

1. Last name of senior interviewed in the animal testing story.

2. Teacher mentioned in the opinion article about college?

4. “____ year, ____ semester, plenty of ____ Year's resolutions” (hintmotivation story).

5. “Furniture selected for the media center comes equipped with ___.”

7. Marvel movie reviewed in this issue.

Across:

3. Which girls soccer team has “made the active decision to uplift and keep each other motivated”?

6. Ticketmaster has been written about in this issue in association with which artist?

8. Which “sustainabilitycentered club” is taking initiative regarding recycling?

Opinions

The ongoing battle between an artist and Ticketmaster

By AMBER HAYDEN Staf Writer

After the news hit of the Eras tour disaster, where millions of fans went in wanting tickets and came back empty-handed, fans have taken to social media with their frustrations directed strictly at Ticketmaster.

People were so mad that now there are legal lawsuits being fled against Ticketmaster for the massive failure that happened during this presale. But, was it all Ticketmaster’s fault or could Taylor Swift have done something?

Though both the artist and ticketmaster gain proft from ticket sales, the artist makes signifcantly more and it was estimated that Taylor Swift made 48 times more than Ticketmaster did according to Forbes.com.

Ticketmaster might not make a great deal from regular ticket sales, but they do from scalpers and bots. Even though they place a fee, Ticketmaster only keeps a small percentage of the money from these sales.

However, the opposite is true for their ticket fees on the resale market. Ticketmaster

keeps 100% of the fees from the secondary market sales.

This makes Ticketmaster more money so why would they not give tickets to bots and scalpers earning not a single sale, but two.

But there is one thing standing between Ticketmaster and these in demand sales: Taylor Swift.

It was Taylor Swift’s concert they were selling tickets for so they needed to work with her, and Swift is not one to compromise when it comes to great experiences for her fans.

She did this by establishing control of how the tickets for her tour were sold. Typically, primary ticket distributors like Ticketmaster may release as much as 90% of tickets to the secondary market; however, Swift fought against this. She banned Ticketmaster from selling tickets on the secondary market.

She also asked Ticketmaster to use their verifed fan technology to keep the scalpers from buying tickets. This would reduce 75% of tickets that would be made available on the secondary market.

On the secondary market, ticket prices skyrocket from fees and Swift knew this so

she did all that was in her power to help her fans.

This is wonderful to hear because without these restrictions, Ticketmaster’s profts from her tour would be around 24% higher. This has caused them to lose millions of dollars which would have been at the expense of fans because of their ridiculous and unreasonable ticket prices.

But just because she made an effort does not mean Ticketmaster did not try to fnd other ways around it.

When Swift confrmed with them multiple times

that their website would be able to withstand the traffc, Ticketmaster said they would, but they were wrong. Many Swifties waited for hours trying to get a ticket and this was one of the many problems that came from Ticketmaster’s own creation.

Fans waited and waited only to miss their opportunity because of the 14 million unverifed users and dozens of bots.

Ticketmaster misled fans to believe that bots and scalpers would not be able to participate in the presale like how Swift wanted it to be,

but that was a lie according to Forbes.com. Instead, the site was slowed down from millions more fans than what was expected and too many bots for the operation to run smoothly.

Taylor Swift, and likely many other artists, does what she can to prevent events such as the Eras presale disaster, but evidently Ticketmaster fnds their way around them. Perhaps someday there will be a better solution, but for now, live music fans will just have to wait to see the outcomes of the lawsuits over this catastrophe.

Technology’s fast and inevitable take-over

By KAITLYN SMITTEN Sports Editor

For years there has been a debate about when technology will fnally take over lives. With the rise of artifcial intelligence, it is only a matter of time before people’s worlds become consumed by technological advancements.

From driving to shopping, technology is everywhere and greatly impacts our everyday lives. Think of this, would you be able to function in today’s society without any use of technology? The answer is most likely no, as in order to live in today’s world, people rely on technology and its advancements.

Online shopping is one of the most popular, and convenient ways of purchasing items. The ability to easily search for anything, anytime, and anywhere makes any form of digital shopping ideal. But there are also negative aspects to this practicality.

Many technological advancements have made everyone’s daily lives substantially more

manageable. Allowing for not only a quick and accessible way to fnd products but also a contactless way of purchase, boosting both consumer spending and business profts.

Obviously, there is an abundance of issues when it comes to relying solely on online purchasing: shipping costs and the uncertainty of what a consumer may actually be receiving. The lack of human interaction between consumers and sellers may result in a sense of distrust between the two.

Shipping also creates a colossal amount of waste in the environment. Companies often choose to use plastic as a way to package their products for shipping, but people tend not to dispose of the material correctly, which harms both wildlife and the earth.

Technology is one of humanity’s worst enemies, and although such advancements make everyday lives more practical, the rise of technology has both limited jobs. Compromising the already heavily faulty job market, as well as eliminating the physical and emotional

aspects of shopping.

Humans require an interactive relationship with one another in order to learn and grow. Online shopping, and the rise of all kinds of online services such as virtual doctors, lawyers, and even therapists, have greatly impacted this simple human necessity.

The lack of conversation and basic social interaction makes it diffcult for a consumer to feel important when buying a product. When a person goes into a store they want to feel like someone cares about them and their needs. With online shopping, there is no one asking what you are looking for, and it is highly probable that the seller is some form of artifcial intelligence.

When people are faceto-face with each other, it is easier for them to have more productive and clear conversations. Online shopping and AI (artifcial intelligence) take away the sense of a personal conversation, making the consumer feel less important, and making them less likely to have a personal relationship or attachment to the item

they are purchasing.

The concept of virtual shopping, although a convenient one, is also a very detrimental one and may result in the fall of society.

Relying too much on the internet and other forms of technology may cause people to become co-dependent, limiting their ability to even think for themselves.

Technology consumes humans and when faced with the necessity of the internet, such as relying on online stores to purchase food, clothes, and other products and services, people are almost forced to participate in virtual purchasing and selling.

Although there are many negative aspects of relying too much on technology, some positive outcomes have come from the rise of the internet. Small and/ or local business owners are more likely to attract a larger audience if they offer online services. The ability to advertise online allows people from anywhere to connect and view products that they may not have before. Even though the internet can increase advertising, it can also decrease the whole point of some brands, especially small and/or locally owned businesses whose goal is to have a personal connection with their customers.

PHOTO COURTESY OF ELLE.MX

PHOTO COURTESY BY KAITLYN SMITTEN

Online shopping platforms attract OHS students typically more than physical stores.

Is college needed for success?

By SAMANTHA SHARLOT News Editor

College is a major stepstone for a large portion of America’s youth. Students excitedly pack up their bags, wave goodbye to tearful parents, and begin their journeys of furthering their education. However, this path may not be everyone’s guide to a successful, and more importantly, fulflling life. College has a multitude of benefts, but with those can come overwhelming debt, four years of additional studying and tests, and living away from loved ones. Additionally, higher education pathways can look different for each individual, and if that pathway does not include college, that is okay.

College costs have been increasing at alarming rates throughout the past several decades, making the cost of attendance, room and board, and the price of living completely unaffordable for the average family. According to bankrate.com, college costs have increased 173 percent since 1980. However, wages have only gone up by a small margin of 17.5 percent based on studies performed by NBC. This discrepancy makes the price of attending higher education a sacrifce, to say the least, and almost

completely unreasonable for single-income families.

In today’s day and age, the return on investment (ROI) of going to college rarely matches with the increasingly large costs; this means that the money put into one’s higher education is not matched by the salary received by an employee in their chosen career. This causes young people across the country to incur a mass amount of debt , and provides a set of fnancial baggage most students struggle to take on at the start of their careers. As

Mr. Weyker, AP teacher for Government and Economics, at OHS recommended, anyone considering college can calculate the ROI of their studies on websites like smartasset.com.

Despite the benefts college may provide, they also can offput a young person’s dream career for an extra four years.

College can be a catalyst for students pursuing a career in business, engineering, law, and medicine to gain experience and expertise. However, for those pursuing a life in a trade or specialized service, college can be viewed as a chore. Higher education consists of classes that may not be needed for select career paths, and can stall one’s career from jumping off. Worth noting, these career

paths that do not require a college education are extremely sustainable and are quite secure. Professionals such as plumbers, welders, and electricians will always be needed, and given those job choices require such a technical skill set, they will always be in high demand. Those who work in hair, makeup, and skin care also have very fulflling careers, and do not require a college degree. Often business owners pursuing a job in the feld of cosmetology can generate success through an infux of

clientele and being in high demand given regular events such as weddings, proms, and banquets are resuming normal after the COVID-19 shutdown. Finally, pursuing a life in the service does not always require a bachelor’s degree, and it can be easily argued that their career is the most essential to the success of the nation given the protection the military provides. The military is the glue that holds America’s seams together, and is a career that does not require a college degree. Higher education is

a great tool to help young people be successful, but it is not an essential one. College has its benefts to those who are striving for a career that requires a degree, however it is not the indicator of one’s accomplishments or success in life. The stigma around higher education’s correlation to a happy life is not accurate for everyone, and if someone makes the decision to not attend college, it is not a sign of laziness or a lack of ambition; in fact, depending on one’s career, it could be the exact opposite.

Open enrollment practices harm OHS students

By GABRIEL de SOUZA Editor-in-Chief

Arizona has long been a state that has championed school choice, but are open enrollment practices actually benefting students? In 1994, the Arizona legislature enacted new laws that not only allowed for the creation of charter schools, but also made it easier for parents to send their children to schools outside of their boundaries. Since then, students across

Arizona have had the ability to attend almost any school outside of their designated public school, including other schools in their district, charter schools, and even online programs.

Closer to home, in 2018, according to a district demographic and enrollment analysis, as much as 18% of the OHS student body were open enrolled students, but in recent years that percentage has likely increased. In 2020, the Deer Valley Unifed School District (DVUSD) altered

high school boundaries, diminishing OHS’s boundary to a fraction of what it had been since the school opened. Students west of Pyramid Peak Parkway, a considerable part of the school, were all rezoned to attend Mountain Ridge High School. Although the district allowed attending students, as well as any eighth graders who were previously zoned for OHS, to remain at whichever school they were at, the consequences of the rezoning are already being felt. In the current school year, many families have been split, with an older sibling at OHS and a younger one at Mountain Ridge. With all the headaches and complications a rezoning like the one that took place cause, it should be asked why such an action was necessary.

Although OHS’s student enrollment had grown by about 300 students in the two years leading up to the boundary change, the school was still accepting new open enrollment students each year. By the time of the change, OHS’s freshmen class of 2023 reached a high of 755 students; the school was bursting at the seams

with not enough space for each student. This presented a problem for the district, which is funded by how many students it enrolls, as OHS had long been the school of choice for many families in the Barry Goldwater boundary, especially students coming from Norterra Canyon and Sonoran Foothills schools. If OHS stopped being able to accept open enrollment students, many of those students would choose to attend charter schools instead, causing the district to lose students and revenue. OHS was over capacity and instead of reducing the amount of open enrollment students the school accepts, the district decided to alter boundaries that had been in place for nearly 20 years. It has never been explicitly stated that the open enrollment students were the reason for the boundary change, however, the numbers do not lie.

In the present, three years since the boundary change, OHS’s student population has stood relatively stable with 2,594 students at the beginning of the 20222023 school year—only 108

students less than its peak of 2,702 before the boundary change. This indicates that the percentage of open enrollment students at OHS has increased signifcantly. Despite enrolling over 100 students less than it did three years ago, OHS remains overcrowded. The school needs to stop accepting more students than it can handle. Although the school has been innovative with its space, as the faculty dining room and mini-auditorium have been reimagined as classroom spaces, it has still not been enough to prevent the existence of teachers without set classrooms that travel from room to room whenever a different teacher has a prep period. Aside from travel teachers, the overcrowded nature of the school can be seen and felt during any passing period, when students have to cram into narrow hallways and squeeze through staircases with thousands of other students.

PHOTO COURTESY OF UNSPLASH.COM

PHOTO COURTESY OF DVUSD

4

Arts & Entertainment

thetalonohs.com

“Ant-man and the Wasp:Quantumania”—a

By AAYUSHI DATTA Opinions Editor

Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, experienced the biggest opening for the Ant-Man series. After only successfully grossing $104 million on its opening weekend, it is safe to say that the movie was just another marvel movie but cannot be considered ‘marvel’ous enough. Although the movie had all the elements of a typical superhero movie, it was simply not one for the books.

Ant-Man or Scott Lang, played by Paul Rudd, should be thoroughly researched considering the fact that he just does not age. But on a serious note, his character was humorous as usual, but lacked the necessary energy of a protagonist. Throughout the movie, he was more of a dad than he was a hero, which is justifable, but when the movie title is ‘AntMan and the Wasp’ his role could have been more heroic. Rudd’s character in the

A Ruinous Fate

movie was completely based on his daughter and had little to nothing to do with saving the quantum realm. His character could have used some heroic morals as the protagonist of the movie. Maybe it was intentional but Wasp or Hope Vandyne, played by Evangaline Lily, is hard to fnd just like the name of her character. Her presence on the screen can be counted on fngers.

Cassie Lang, played by Kathryn Newton, started off as the rebellious daughter of Ant-Man but within seconds turned out to be a typical, brilliant teenager, who lowkey has daddy issues. She and her dad do have a good and healthy relationship, but her father’s absence has established a constant desire to prove herself. She is very impulsive, believing she knows what is best, and acts without thinking about the consequences. She is just a normal teenager in a world where a quantum realm exists.

The story of the movie was, again, nothing too enticing.

Whether readers are on the lookout for powerful heroines, enticing romance stories, or unique abilities, “A Ruinous Fate,” by Kaylie Smith, has them covered. Though many stories focus on the Fae or witches specifcally, this story follows a crew of siphons, witches, sirens, and characters with unspecifed abilities. With too many fantasy novels following comparable stories in similar worlds, “A Ruinous Fate” lets readers experience a truly new story with a hint of the familiar aspects. The story takes a magical turn by including the infamous, normally dull quest trope, but with an adventurous twist. On their journey, the diverse cast fnds themselves in many tricky situations whether its challenges in the forest or the many romantic storylines along the way. The characters seem simple at frst, but as the story goes on, their secrets come undone and readers will not believe their eyes when they see just how messed up the characters' lives are. Through this all, readers will grow a deep connection with the characters and relate to their hidden depths. With every chapter, the high stakes get revealed more, leaving readers satisfed, yet nervous for their new favorite characters. With these amicable, deep characters, a messy, actionpacked adventure, and breathtaking magical abilities, “A Ruinous Fate” is the world's next big fantasy novel that beautifully explains the gut wrenching feeling why you should never dare to mess with fate.

It was very generic where the hero and his friends end up being in an unknown land, fghting with the villain. It was repetitive and very predictable. You can actually foresee when there will be the next action scene or what the characters are going to do. The plot lacked originality and could have been something much better. The quantum realm has been the topic of Ant-Man since the last movie and this movie would have had so much more potential if it possessed a unique storyline or played with a more imaginative plot. The movie started off being very fast-paced; within the frst twenty minutes they had already switched the setting and entered the quantum realm. The beginning of the movie was actually really great. It was humorous, light hearted and created a pleasant and enjoyable mood for the audience. From there it was all downhill. The movie was constantly dragging and very slow from thereon. It felt like the movie was running at half speed because even the

actors were speaking very slowly. The movie did not have the factor of keeping the audience on their toes.

The end of the movie was all action sequences followed by a scene similar to the start of the movie, making it actionpacked and fun to watch. However, some of the scenes of the movie were really enjoyable, especially the return of a character who was introduced in the previous movies. There was foreshadowing regarding the return of the character; it was a subtle but surprisingly brilliant part of the notso-brilliant script. One of the action scenes was like

Winter book reviews

The Love Match When it comes to matters of unexpected love in epic proportions, “The Love Match,” by Priyanka Taslim, does this best. Though love triangles are an unpopular affair, this book makes it more realistic and seem not only feasible, but believable. Both love interests are interesting people with tons of hidden layers, making each new bit of information revealed about them shocking. With every twist in Zahra’s love life, readers will be left angry, devastated, or elated at the messiness in front of them. The chemistry between the characters will leave readers rooting for the different ships and with the complexity of Zahra’s relationships, will leave them unable to think of anything else. Not only this, but with the expert characterization, readers will not be able to help getting attached and feeling every emotion twice as strong as Zahra. Every character in the story feels like a real person, making the reader feel grounded in the scene whether it is about diffculties with her family or her friendships that will stand the test of time. Outside of the romance, the characters are deeply relatable and touch on topics that are rarely discussed or talked about in romance novels. The Love Match perfectly describes being a teen whether it is addressing the stress of fguring out what to do after high school or choosing who has your heart. All throughout the heartbreak, love, and eventual happiness, readers will not be able to help falling in love with Zahra and her true match.

The Rom-Com Agenda

“The Rom-Com Agenda,” by Jayne Denker, is a fun flled tale with drama and magnifcent characters that fnd themselves stuck in a real life romantic comedy that is just too good to look away. Most people don’t go into beloved flms tasked with studying the characters to win back an ex-girlfriend in some weird comedy makeover, but somehow Eli fnds himself doing just that. His dialogue, as he attempted to adjust, was hilarious as his family dragged him around his small town fxing him up just so he could impress his undeserving ex. Inevitably he meets a new friend along the way who does not see why he should have to change for someone else, but somehow falls into the trap of helping him. They start to bond between Eli pointing out the faws of society's favorite rom-coms of all time and Leah pointing out what he was meant to be learning from them so he can win back Victoria. The characters are complex people and do not hesitate to hint at the clear chemistry between them eventually leaving readers hoping they will end up together. The surrounding cast also seem like real people and do not fall into the cliches that no one wants to see. Instead they play actual roles in the plot and they help make the plot happen in the frst place because without them there would be no rom-com agenda. Everyone is exactly what they need to be and the characters are a rom-com dream that will leave any romance lover falling in love from page one.

Godzilla but make it Marvel; it was low-key funny but visually pleasing. The VFX used in the movie was out of this world but then again, nothing less can be expected of Marvel.

Overall, the movie was mediocre, but with some not very fattering features. It is watchable but the company of others is recommended. The movie had the potential of becoming something much better but the creators did not opt for any creative liberty. Although the movie has a moral and does show the audience that even heroes need motivation to fght a battle, it was simply boring.

By AMBER HAYDEN Arts & Entertainment Editor

Unseelie

By now literature is flled with classic faerie stories, of the honest yet beautiful immortals, but “Unseelie,” by Ivelisse Housman, brings in a twist by presenting a changeling story. Unseelie is based on the mythology of changelings and gives the magic of faerie stories without all the cliches. The faeries are not always present, but when they do show up, it is meaningful. As for characters they can root for, readers are sure to fall in love with Seelie and her twin sister along for a wild ride that neither of them expected. The characters soon fnd themselves in trouble and are constantly being hunted down leaving them no choice but to rely on their reluctant allies. Some characters eventuslly fell into an easy cadence while others maintained witty banter that walked the line between hatred and romance. The only thing more interesting than these dynamics was was learning the magic system. It is easy to understand, but will keep readers needing to know how it all works. As the story goes on, relationships become strained, making their quest more diffcult and all the more entertaining to watch. Inevitably the fae grows to play a larger role in the story as Seelie is a changeling, but in the most unexpected ways that readers won’t see coming. Unseelie is sure to leave anyone wondering if Seelie wins the battle or if she and her comrades fall to the clutches of death. After all, if you are dealing with the fae, you better watch your back.

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE DENVER POST

“Ginny and Georgia”: drama icons in the making

By VICTORIA KIROVA Copy Chief

Ginny and Georgia, though categorized as yet another cliche teen drama, has something about it that makes the show impossible not to binge. Through powerful characters and a deeper dive into the realities of life, season two enables audiences to fnd comfort in its chaos.

This season follows a much darker plotline, with a direct plunge into these events. The frst episode starts off strong following the betrayed feelings Ginny, portrayed by Antonia Gentry, experiences as she struggles to comprehend the reasons behind her mother’s murderous actions. While her concern is understandable, audiences could not help but think it was overly dramatic.

Ginny dives into a concerning state of question and worry, completely transforming her attitude, friend group, and look in the process. She does this by dying her hair blue, befriending her old friend from the year prior, and placing less of an emphasis on her learning. However, all of this did not effectively contribute to the growth of her character, as she quickly returned back to her normal self following the heartfelt explanation her

Jumped

mother provided. Now, Ginny’s mother, Georgia, played by Brianne Howey, is nothing short of an icon. From her perfectly done hair, to the most stylish outfts, and a rebellious and protective nature, Georgia is arguably the best character. Is she problematic? Yes. However, every character in this show is, she just does it with elegance and a great big smile on her face (southern accent). Her eccentric personality shines through and without her there truly is no show.

A favorite part about this

from page 2: peer tutoring excels

The student-advisor relationship is also essential in running a successful organization, and this is something demonstrated clearly within peer tutoring.

“Mr. McCain is always there to lend a helping hand,” Whipple said.

The positive environment offered by peer tutoring is what encourages students to join the program, and welcomes students who may feel insecure about needing extra help. When asked what the most important thing for students needing academic assistance was, McCain had this revelation.

“Realizing we aren’t here to tell you that you’re dumb or that you don’t have the intelligence. It’s maybe that you're missing a small piece but you get the rest of it,” McCain said.

When discussing the importance of the program and its’ necessity of being present at OHS, students’ involvement in relation to understanding material can be improved.

“The younger generation can communicate more effectively,” McCain said.

Students have been

working endlessly to expand the club, and get the details out to the vast majority of higher-level learners at OHS.

“We did an entire day where we went to all the honors and AP classes and gave them information, answered questions, and got feedback on our website,” Whipple said.

Peer tutoring resources are available all over the school, making it an organization that is super easy to get involved with.

“In most classes that teach honors and AP, there will be a fier hung up on the wall, or you can come to Mr. McCain’s room in the 500 building,” Whipple said.

Even though peer tutoring is just getting started, the organization has big aspirations for its future.

“The big goal for O’Connor and a couple of the other high schools is to supply tutors for the entire district. We need to start building word of mouth, start going through some of the tutoring process to show kids the benefts. We would like to convert a lot of our students into future tutors, if willing,” McCain said.

season is the fashbacks between Georgia’s childhood and the present day. As yet another one of her past lovers mysteriously returns into her life, it is interesting to see how her relationships with these people developed in her younger years. This provides viewers with insight into the reasons for her actions, allowing them to become even bigger Georgia fans. It becomes evident that everything she does is to ensure that her children have a better life than her, a truly notable pursuit. For this reason, a large frustration

Jumped

PHOTO COURTESY OF DEADLINE.COM

in the show comes from the ungrateful attitudes of her children, primarily Ginny. Thankfully, as she opens up to them and explains her point of view, it becomes a bit easier for them to sympathize with her.

Another admirable aspect of this season is their portrayal of realistic struggles people face. Through the inclusion of severe problems such as self-harm, depression, and eating disorders, more people can feel enabled to share their experiences. Though it is a small step, it is important for popular shows to at

from page

least try to end the stigmas behind problems that are unfortunately prevalent and widespread in today’s world. By showing Ginny’s mental health struggles, an important message of recognizing the severity of these issues and acting on them is demonstrated. Through her father’s decision to sign her up for therapy, it is possible for the audience to witness small changes in her that lead to growth in her personal and family life. Another important topic that was discussed was racism, through the battle Ginny fghts against her discriminatory teacher. It is empowering to see how she is able to call him out on his actions, not letting this educator control and force her to partake in activities that are not fair to her as both a student and a person. Overall, this season feels much more mature. It is diffcult at times to comprehend that Ginny and her friends are supposed to be portraying sophomores in high school. However, it seems to demonstrate a pretty accurate lifestyle, for the most part, as conficts do not discriminate based on age. It further explored signifcant topics, making viewers curious to see the route the next season takes.

12: open enrollment harms students

Although the school has had two small additions added, one to the 600/700 building and another to the Main Gym, it is evident that the school was not built for such a large number of students by the parking problem students and staff face each year. As the number of students at OHS have increased over the years, the school has struggled building an additional lot as well as expanding the main parking lot. By allowing more and more students in, the school takes the opportunity of having a parking spot away from other students who are actually attending their designated school. Allowing more students to attend OHS when conditions are already so tight, disadvantages students who actually live in OHS’s boundary.

The reasons that cause so many students to open enroll into OHS can also shed light onto why the boundary change was such a poor decision. Many students that are open enrolled explain that Barry Goldwater’s ‘poor reputation’ was what motivated them to go through the paperwork of the open enrollment process. However, this is a sad excuse for what are likely the real reasons. Most open enrolled students from the Barry Goldwater boundary are coming from Norterra Canyon, Sonoran Foothills, and the recently opened Union Park, three schools whose demographics are much more similar to OHS’s than Bary Goldwater’s. All three of those schools are overwhelmingly white with low rates of students eligible for free or reduced

lunches. In contrast, Barry Goldwater’s minority students make up a majority of the student body and the school is a Title I school, a designation given to schools that enroll a large number of lower-income students. Although Barry Goldwater has historically had slightly lower results on state-mandated standardized tests, the school is the only International Baccalaureate (IB) school in the district, a program of study more diffcult than the ordinary Advanced Placement (AP) classes that OHS’s students are afforded. It is clear that the ‘poor reputation’ many people speak of is not Barry Goldwater’s academic standings, but rather its diverse student body.

By adjusting high school boundaries, the district gave in to the desires of the largely white and wealthy families that wish to open enroll into OHS. The district is in turn allowing for a form of discrimination that remains not talked about. This not only disadvantages students who live in OHS’s boundary and are forced to attend an overcrowded school, but it also disadvantages students at Barry Goldwater as many of the families choosing not to go there are the ones who have the resources to raise funds, donate to programs, and even volunteer. Not only does OHS need to stop accepting as many open enrollment students, but the district also needs to stop facilitating a harmful practice that is based on elitist reasoning. Students of different ethnic, racial, or economic backgrounds interacting is an asset to a school, and it is both a shame that some parents choose to avoid it as well as the fact that there is less of it at OHS.

Sports

4

March 2023 thetalonohs.com

OHS boys soccer bounces back this season

By VICTORIA KIROVA Copy Chief

Varsity:

Following the conclusion of the 2022-2023 season, OHS boys soccer has already set their sights on the future.

This year was one for improvement, enhancing the players’ work ethic and skill. Though they did not reach their fnal goal, they were still able to receive benefts from the season, and are ready to implement new competencies into next year.

“It’s been a long season. I think we’re all just ready for it to be over and start a new one next season. I think this year was more of a growth year than it was everyone expecting to make playoffs,” said Brayden Perry, senior.

The mental strain that comes from any sport can be exhausting, making it essential to have a motivator. While this source varies from person to person, many fnd the unity of the sport to be comforting.

“The team. We all know we’ve got each other’s backs in that way and it’ll be a good season no matter what happens,” said Landon Stateczny, senior “[We]

just [need to] communicate more between everybody. Hopefully talking to the coaching staff and players to overall improve the team’s playing and season.”

A critical aspect of any team is the bond between players and coaches. For this reason, a signifcant goal for the future is to solidify the relationships between everyone, ensuring their overall advancement.

“Just communicate more between everybody.

Hopefully talking to the coaching staff and players to overall improve the team’s playing and season,” Stateczny said.

Thankfully, team captains are there to inspire players to put in effort regardless of the score. They serve as leaders, building up their teammates and aiding them in their path to success.

“I’ve been trying to coach on the sideline at halftime and just trying to say that we need to work for each other. I’m already thinking about next year, so trying to come together for that,” said Connor Mattingly, junior.

Another important part of a team is holding everyone accountable, and reminding

them of the shared goal.

“[When] we’re down a goal at 2-0, I make sure they know… kind of crack into them and let them know we’re not just here to be here, we’re here to win,” Perry said.

Overall, a pivotal part of the experience is to ensure that the player’s time is maximized, taking full advantage of the opportunities provided.

“Take chances while you have them because before you know it you’ll have no more,” Perry said.

JV:

With their sights set on solidifying their skills, the OHS JV boys soccer team can feel a sense of pride about their season.

“This year is a big improvement from last year, I think. It just took a little bit to fnd our groove but once we started bonding and bonding on the feld, we just started playing better,” said Frankie Coppola, sophomore.

Witnessing improvement in a sport is diffcult, but though cliche, practice truly does make perfect. For this reason, the frst step for players is making the most out of allocated practice times.

“I think that as a group, it’s just giving 100% at practice. Practices aren’t as serious as they’re supposed to be,” said Liam Corder, sophomore.

With the mental and physical challenges that come with the sport, having goals in mind helps make the process more bearable.

“Just to fght through it, try and work hard to get more minutes, get called up to varsity more, stuff like that,” Corder said.

In general, the experience of being on a team is a benefcial one that allows for sentimental moments to be created between players. The group atmosphere allows

younger players to look up to more experienced players, setting a goal in their minds of similar success.

“I’d probably say our very last game, senior night, one of the seniors got a hat trick. And we won senior night, sending the seniors off on a good goodbye,” Coppola said. In order to get better at a sport, it is necessary to adapt and strive for growth at all times of the year. This will allow for substantial results during the season.

“If we just all put in our own time, like during the off season, just train. So when high school season comes, we’re all better than last year,” Coppola said.

OHS girls soccer creates community

BY RUTH MIOC Staf Writer

Varsity:

As the 2022-2023 season comes to a close, there is a sense of refection and community within the OHS girl’s soccer team.

Team chemistry is one of the most important characteristics of a functioning group. When bonds are built between players it can be refected on the feld.Though the team had their ups and downs, they ultimately ended on a good note, making it to the playoffs.

“This season we kind of had a little rough patch in the middle of it. We started out really strong and then we started not doing so well, so we defnitely had to go through that and sometimes we got on each other,” said Kinley Clifford, senior.

Frustration arising when the team goes through a period of hardship is understandable, especially when paired with the existing physical and mental challenges that come with the sport. Thankfully, they were able to refocus and reset.

“At the end of the day we fxed that and we just started supporting each other and

being more positive,” Clifford said.

Furthermore, melding into a unit can prove diffcult.

Many of the girls participate in club soccer teams that may use different coaching techniques and play calls.

“We’re all from different clubs, so when we all come to high school, we have to learn how we each play and the strengths of our team and the weaknesses,” said Callie Garraway, sophomore.

Establishing goals and prioritizing the group dynamic would not be possible without team captains. They set the tone throughout the season and demonstrate remarkable leadership skills.

“I feel like going through hardships made me a better leader, made me nicer, made me care more about the people I was leading as opposed to who I was a leader,” said Rece Grant, senior.

The girls have made the active decision to uplift and keep each other motivated. They continue to achieve this by forming a strong foundation and fostering a healthy team environment.

“It’s a team for a reason. So just going back to your teammates, encouraging one another, and being there for

each other and reminding each other that we’re all in it together,“ Grant said.

The experiences gained from being on a team can provide real life skills. This season alone rendered a myriad of valuable life lessons.

“Character can come above talent a lot of the time,” Grant affrmed.

JV:

The OHS JV girls soccer team has made strides this year ending the season with

10 wins, 1 loss, and 1 tie.

Much like their varsity counterparts, the OHS JV girls soccer team has battled this season to make a name for themselves, growing both on the feld and off.

“[We are] always striving for excellence. I do that in the classroom, too. There’s always motivation [to do well],” said Amaya Kelly, sophomore.

Representing one's school can be daunting, especially if it is an athlete's frst time,

but having a strong support group within the team helps make that jump easier.

“Club soccer is different from high school soccer. It’s very different playing with your classmates and people you know from school. That’s really cool and getting to represent your school is a different opportunity,” Kelly said,

Even though playing for any team in high school is excellent, there is always room for improvement.

“Try your best and show coaches that you’re interested and that you care about the program and the team. Putting your best foot forward,” Kelly said.

The way an athlete presents themselves is also extremely telling about the type of teammate they will be, and when flling the fnal roster spots, coaches want to see players that take care of other members and show leadership skills.

“Always looking out for others like the new freshman coming in. Showing them how it works and being a leader, being vocal, and preaching what the coaches talk about the program like always being respectful of the equipment and being nice to one another,” Kelly said.

PHOTO BY KAITLYN SMITTEN Brody Blatnick, sophomore, battles his way up the feld, towards the goal.

PHOTO BY RUTH MIOC

Kinley Clifford, senior, delivers a strong header for her team.

Girls wrestling makes its anticipated debut

By KAITLYN SMITTEN Sports Editor

Girls:

OHS has always had an incredibly strong wrestling team, but this year, the team looks a little different. With the formation of a new team, OHS has opened the mat up to girls this year interested in the sport.

Despite the team being introduced just this year, the coaches and girls have had no problems melding together and making huge improvements throughout the season, even sending two of their athletes to the state tournament.

“We like to have fun. We try to keep it fun, in a serious way if we need to. We cheer each other on. We are always there for each other if we need help no matter if it’s school, personal, [or] wrestling. We’re like a family. Wrestling is so tough that if you’re not there for each other then what do you have,” said Janae Hunter, senior.

Wrestling is known as one of the most taxing sports on not just the body, but also the brain. From grueling conditioning practices and cutting weight to losing matches, wrestlers must fnd motivation within themselves in order to truly love their sport.

“The part in me that wants to win and wants to succeed in this sport pushes me and drives me through each practice, each meet, each dual, each tournament, and just wanting to get better at this sport so that I can continue to do it for the next four years I have here,” Coleman said.

Finding motivation can sometimes be diffcult, but a fun and lighthearted environment can make all the difference.

“It’s a great program to be a part of, great people in this program and I tried it for about four days and I knew I wanted to do [wrestling] for the rest of the year,” Coleman said. “Showing people how fun this sport can be, how great of a team we have, the amazing coaches we have, and the opportunities that you get from wrestling and the life skills that you can learn.”

Continue reading at thetalonohs.com

Boys:

In addition to their brand new counterpart, the OHS boys’ wrestling team has remained dominant, advancing four to the state tournament and even having one of their athlete’s palace third.

The team itself has also bonded throughout the season, getting to know each other better and allowing for more support on the mat.

“We’ve just come a lot closer; we’re all friends now. The room is no longer silent before practice. We are all talking, having fun, laughing,” said Conner Gellings, sophomore.

Team chemistry is an essential part of improving in a sport, no matter if it is a group or individual sport.

“Having to tough out all the rough practices together. You’re there together. You’re not alone in those rough practices,” Gellings said.

OHS boys basketball restores pride

By TRUE VAN DYKE Features Editor

Varsity:

As an integral part of OHS, the boys basketball team is making a point to stand out and prove themselves this 20222023 season. Challenging themselves with a new set of goals and standards, the team has set themselves off on the right foot, integrating what they do off the court onto it.

Ending the season as ffth in the region and eleventh in the Open, boys basketball is fnishing it off proud of what they have accomplished this year.

“This year we’ve bonded better and we [work] well together, and obviously our record is better, we’re ranked higher in the state, and overall we just work harder,” said Michael Simcoe, sophomore.

A team cannot be motivated if their coach does not lead them in the

right direction to start with, and the boys head coach has done just that by making an achievable plan for the team’s success.

“We’re seeking to be the best versions of ourselves, we can take it day by day, and hopefully get better every single day; we flm everything, we chart a bunch of things, [we] set mini goals throughout the year,” said Josh Cole, head coach.

Everything proved on the court is a result of the effort put in outside of it. From challenging practices twice a day, to off season training, the players are constantly working on improving not just themselves, but the team as a whole.

“You just have to be mentally tough, and know that you’re working for something, and that you’re working for a better outcome, so you have to come ready everyday,” Simcoe said.

Girls basketball: a

By AAYUSHI DATTA Opinions Editor

Varsity:

The varsity team for OHS girls basketball has entered the court of championships in high spirits. They are more motivated than ever, and working diligently towards their goals.

The team has experienced some changes this year, which has shifted their dynamics, impacting both the individual and team involvement.

“We have new rosters, new leaders, and new coaching staff so it’s a completely different program than last year and I think I have a different role in the program as well,” said McGuire Lennon, sophomore.

However, any changes or setbacks have not been able to deteriorate the team’s bond, and they are getting through it together.

“We have the team working together a lot closer especially with all the injuries we have faced and even having new coaching staff,” said Diya Venkat, senior.

For some on the team, this is their last season of high school basketball and there is a different kind of hope knowing that four years of effort is condensing into one fnal opportunity.

“Just knowing that I put in years of work, [and I’ve] prepared, so there’s no reason for me to not [push forward],” Clark said.

The seniors, and other leaders of the team, are setting the path for the rest of the players and mapping out the collective goals for the remaining part of the season.

“Some of our seniors have set some goals that we want to make the open, we want to win the region; we say a lot, we want to do something that’s never been done at O’Connor,” Cole said.

Continue reading at thetalonohs.com

successful season

With the loss of a few members, the team experienced a major setback. This has led to the coach returning to the basics that helped the team create a stronger bond than before.

“We kind of lost how we play together as a team so our coach started pulling us back together and getting us back in the groove we started off this season strong,” said Taeja Bartee, junior. The team has been focusing on their offense, and has been working with members individually to create an effective plan that everyone is comfortable with.

“Knowing how each individual plays so that we’re not putting someone

out of their comfort zone [on] offense, and defensively we have been pretty strong,” Bartee said.

The new varsity head coach, Chalres Wilson, has successfully made his students not only respect, but also admire him.

“My coach goes really unappreciated sometimes. He puts in a lot of effort doing different stuff for us, and the time that he puts in is underappreciated,” Lennon said. “I think he deserves some recognition for that. There’s a lot of stuff behind the scenes that people don’t see he does for us.”

Continue reading at thetalonohs.com

PHOTO COURTESY OF KATY FROST Mia Martinez, senior, smiles proudly after a successful win.

PHOTO BY AAYUSHI DATTA

Diya Venkat, senior, dribbles the ball up the court with determination.