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PUYALLUP HIGH SCHOOL

Chipotle takes on Qdoba See page eight

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FACILITY MODIFICATIONS IMPLEMENTED The Puyallup School District recently began modifications to bathrooms and locker rooms in schools in order to comply with state law prohibiting discrimination.

inclusive approach, no matter [personal] beliefs. [A] student has the right to be recognized [by] the gender of their choice, including the use of locker rooms, bathrooms, sports, dress codes, etc.” The minutes also specify the regulations following Policy 3211. The regulations state that: a name can be changed with legal documentation, gender can be changed with parent or student request, preferred pronouns may be used and students may dress in accordance to their preferred gender. To read the official minutes regarding Policy 3211 or its regulations, see the QR code provided. “[The policy] was adopted by the School Board in September,” Fox said. Stated in number 3211 of the “District Policies Book” on the Puyallup School District website, “The board believes in fostering an educational environment that is safe and free of discrimination for all students, “[A] STUDENT HAS THE RIGHT TO BE RECOGNIZED [BY] THE GENDER OF THEIR CHOICE, INCLUDING THE USE OF LOCKER ROOMS, BATHROOMS, SPORTS DR ESS CODE , ETC .” DIVERSITY COMMITTEE MINUTES

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Scan the QR Code to view the Puyallup School District’s Policy 3211.

he Washington Law Against Discrimination (WLAD) passed by the Washington State legislature prohibits discrimination against peoples based on their gender identity. In order to comply with this state law, the Puyallup School District has also set up a policy to follow these regulations. Policy 3211 is the District’s answer to prohibiting discrimination. Brian Fox is the Executive Director of Communications, Information and Arts Education at the Puyallup School District. Fox spoke about the District’s terminology regarding Policy 3211. “‘Gender-neutral bathrooms or ‘[gender-neutral] locker rooms was [a term] invented by a radio personality in Seattle. The Puyallup School District has never used that term,” Fox said. Fox also says that all districts in the state of Washington will be implementing policies similar to 3211. “All Washington school districts will have something like 3211 since the “A L L policy is based on WASHINGTON Washington State SCHOOL law prohibiting DISTRICTS discrimination. If you W I L L H AV E study the regulation S O M E T H I N G L I K E that accompanies the 3 2 1 1 S I N C E T H E policy, 3211, you [will] P O L I C Y I S B A S E D learn more about the O N W A S H I N G T O N accommodations STAT E L AW...” to be considered on a case-by-case BRIAN FOX basis,” Fox said. “The EXECUTIVE policy is in place DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS, for us to follow. So, INFORMATION AND as concerns arise, ARTS EDUCATION accommodations will be made as appropriate.” English teacher and adviser of the Gay Straight Alliance, Gayle Franks dispels worries about mistreatment of the policy. “Unfortunately there is not a lot known about transgenderism today and so people fearfully and ignorantly jump to the assumption that there will be issues of rape and inappropriateness,” Franks said. Franks goes on to elaborate on misconceptions regarding the policy. “This [policy] does not mean that a boy can walk into a girl’s bathroom or locker room and it does not mean that a girl could do the same,” Franks said. The policy and regulation also addresses various ways of including all students and prohibiting discrimination. According to the minutes from the Diversity Committee meeting held March 5, “[The policy is] an

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E DI TOR-I N- CH I E F...............PAT R ICK FA I R BA N K S MANAGING EDITOR..........................KYLE SMITH PRINT EDITOR..................................SAMI LYNN DIGITAL MEDIA EDITOR..................MADDY LUCAS SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR.................LYDIA JOHNSON WEBSITE EDITOR....................KAMERAN MILLER PHOTO EDITOR............................BAILEY PLUMB GR A PH IC S E DI TOR ................. S AVA N N A H JA R R E T T BUSINESS MANAGER.....................JAYCEE HOUSE STA F F....................................C A I T L I N K I E RU M .........................................CHRISTINA NELSON .........................................GABRIELLE JAMOR A ................................................JAXON OWENS ..............................................K ATI A H AW LEY ................................................KYLE THOMAS ...................................................LACEY ROSE .................................MACEO THOMAS-MURPHY .......................................MCKENNA CARDWELL .................................................OLIVIA WOOD ..........................................REBEKAH EDGBERT ...........................................SAMANTHA CASAS .............................................SUZANNE STONE ADVISER.............................SANDRA COYER, MJE EDITORIAL POLICY:

The Viking Vanguard operates as a limited forum. The Viking Vanguard’s duty is to expand student perspectives, maintain community relations and act as a student publication advocating voice. Besides providing an opportunity for the exchange of viewpoints, The Viking Vanguard serves as an academic tool by which students can voice opinions as well as highlight issues facing today’s students. LETTER POLICY:

The Viking Vanguard accepts unsolicited copy from businesses. Only signed and dated letters with addresses and phone numbers from community members or grade level from students will be accepted. Letters must be limited to 350 words and will be published as space is available. The staff reserves the right to edit any letter without changing its content. All letters are the sole opinion of the writer and do not necessarily represent the opinion of The Viking Vanguard staff. Letters to the Editor may be submitted by E-Mailing them to thevikingvanguard@gmail.com or mailing them to The Viking Vanguard c/o Puyallup High School.

We are all put in situations and forced to make decisions In the Puyallup School District there is a regulation that that may be uncomfortable but it is our responsibility to few students probably know exists. Policy 3211 provides students with the right to be rise above those things. To be the best people we ourselves recognized by the gender of their choice, including the use can be. This includes respecting people of all races, cultures, of locker rooms, bathrooms, sports teams, dress codes, etc. This policy is described in more technical detail on page religion, gender identification and all matter of things. Respect, understanding and acceptance one. “DO NOT are three characteristics that have become This policy is final. It has already been CONCERN pertinent in today’s society and ones that will adopted by the district and is no longer YOURSELF ON continue to grow to be more important. up for debate. Policy 3211 also adheres CHANGING Teenagers are stereotyped to be more to state law that prohibits discrimination O T H E R P E O P L E , hypocritical and stereotyping than other age based on gender identification. L E A V E T H A T T O groups. As such The Viking Vanguard urges T H E M.” It is our responsibility, as the future of society, you approach this topic with maturity. to be above these stereotypes ourselves. No matter your own personal views, OUR VIEW Be accepting and embrace the differences you must remain above discrimination of other people. Appreciate the ways they are and hate. Whether you agree with the decision, it is a step in the right direction of the avocation different than you. The world would be much blander if we were all the for equal rights for all peoples. We, as a publication, as students and as people need to same. By not accepting someone, by putting them down, respect the rights of others regardless of our own views. A you are literally making someone’s life worse. This issue The Viking Vanguard decided to highlight selfrespect for others’ identities is not only applicable in the school setting; it is important and equally applicable in image problems in the Focus on pages six and seven. These issues can arise from many different sources, one of which settings beyond the walls of the school. The staff of The Viking Vanguard advocates that you take is harassment. We are surrounded by variation and change, these are a respectful point of view and use it in all contexts of life. People are different. Whether you believe these things that will never leave us. The world will never be perfect in everyone’s eyes, there differences to be blessings or misgivings, the variances are are too many individual ideas of what perfection means. still there. We must do our best to welcome these variations and Concern yourself with things that you can fix about yourself. Do not concern yourself on changing other changes, because they could very well make someone’s life better. people, leave that to them.

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The Viking Vanguard publication staff accepts advertisements for most products available to the public. However, the staff reserves the right to reject, edit or cancel any advertisement at anytime. Advertisements shall be free of implications that the staff deems offensive in light of normal public standards (WIAA 18.20.0 and 18.20.1) and will not be accepted. The staff will not accept advertising for products or groups which are racist, sexist or illegal for high school students. Advertisements do not necessarily reflect the views, endorsements and/or positions of The Viking Vanguard, student body, faculty, administration or school board. C O R R E C T I ON S :

*On page one a more accurate title for the main story would have been “Puyallup School District Textbook Fine Policy Reviewed.” *On page one the pull quote should have been attributed to Lori Miller. *On page seven the story “Lee’s skating takes him across the world” should have been attributed to Jaycee House. *On page eight the photo credit attributing the piece to Bailey Plumb did not appear because it was too dark. *On page 12 Marcos Galan, who has a quote attributed to him, does not appear in the story. The Viking Vanguard staff values accuracy and wishes to correct mistakes made in previous issues. If you believe we have made an error, please contact us at: thevikingvanguard@gmail.com.

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Outrospective view considered

I will go further and suggest the Teenagers as a whole have the tendency to believe that they are idea that perhaps the teenage selfliving, breathing renditions of the confidence deficit is not because we snowflake metaphor: perfectly unique do not care about ourselves but that individuals with not a soul in the there are not enough people caring about us. world exactly like them. This may sound obvious because I would be the first to tell you that there is nothing wrong with believing everyone knows that their friends need to care more and in the sarcastically-named their teachers need to “special snowflake” understand just how ideology because it is, stressed they are. essentially, true. But before you start Human beings all have listing off all of the people brains that work slightly who should care about you, different from one another let me ask you this: What and experiences that about the people you need weather each of our cliffs to care about?For example, into patterns that cannot that first period teacher being replicated. EMILY BAKER you dislike because they My problem with the GUEST always seems so chipper metaphor is that it has been interpreted and forcefully shaped into in the morning might very well be proof that some people are better than running off of three hours of sleep and a venti Starbucks. others, which is decidedly false. They might not feel as upbeat as Simply put, the snowflake metaphor is the idea that we are all created equal they act but it is their job to teach you and all unique at the same time. One things and keep you involved even is not better than the other, one is just when they do not feel their best, so they put on a smile and work through different from the other. Any other interpretation leads to their fatigue. Thinking about it like prejudice, judgment and a division that, I imagine it would be nice if between groups of people, none of said teacher got a thank you for their which are helpful in creating a friendly efforts. The concept of thinking about high school environment or an overall other’s problems in place of your worldview. So my point here is that while there own has many names, however my is a definite need for self awareness recent favorite is philosopher Roman and self love among adolescents in Kznaric’s term “outrospection.” The opposite of introspection, this modern age, I caution against taking that idea too far and focusing “outrospection” is the idea of trying to so much on yourself that you become understand how others feel to create a an idealistic prettier-than-thou better life and world. Kznaric has many suggestions snowflake.

for how to promote “outrospection” and empathy, such as the empathy museum: a place where one could go to live a day or a few hours as someone else. This includes watching videos of coffee-bean workers and sewing seam after seam in a replica of a Chinese clothing factory (the person would also get paid the standard few cents for their efforts). Starting an “outrospection movement” at PHS does not have to be a tedious chore and it starts with you. When you find yourself wondering why someone did not ask you about your new haircut or why your teacher is being so “unfair,” stop yourself and look at things from a different viewpoint. Find new opportunities to ask about others and really reach out to them. To the guy you know is in the school band but you have never talked to him: ask how practice is going! To the girl who aced her math test in your class: go congratulate her, even if you did not do as well. The moment you start recognizing others and practicing empathy is the moment when people will start following your lead. Soon enough, we can have a school where everyone feels noticed, no one feels invisible and people are generally less concerned with why no one complimented their outfit and more concerned with cheering up their lab partner. Embrace the true, accurate snowflake metaphor: you are beautifully unique and special but so is the person next to you.

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WIFI POLICY UNDER EVALUATION

as long as you can withstand the traffic of all of the people getting access, that being anyone on the campus,” Parker he Internet acts as a valuable resource for students said. Although establishing an open-guest wireless network and teachers as it provides a nearly endless stream will ALLOW all students, teachers and guests at each of information to its users. The Puyallup School District provides a Bring Your Own school to connect to the Internet easily, establishing the Device (BYOD) service that allows wireless Internet access network will not be a simple process. “In order to have a lot of wireless capacity for a lot to any device that is capable of receiving a wireless signal including laptops, cell phones and tablets. Teachers are of people to have open access, you have to have a lot given access to this service and are able to utilize it in their of infrastructure in setup within the walls and in the structure of the school to allow that kind of traffic back classrooms. This service is a privilege currently reserved for and forth through the Internet. That takes a lot of money and that takes a lot of time to test,” Puyallup School District staff members, Parker said. “DUE TO Randy Averill, the Executive Director of Giving students the privilege to utilize BANDWIDTH Technology Services, explains. the service will provide teachers with a AND WIFI “We currently offer BYOD service to teachers and other staff members only. C O N S T R A I N T S , I T way to incorporate technology into their Due to bandwidth and WiFi constraints, I S N O T A V A I L A B L E classrooms, Vice Principal Maija Thiel shares. TO ST U DE N TS.” it is not available to students. Also, due “Anytime we can be accessing to the same constraints, guest access is technology in the classroom in a safe for special events at the request of the R A N DY AV E R I L L way is great. With teacher permission principal only. We simply do not have EXECUTIVE and when used at the right times for the DIRECTOR OF the capacity to have [over] 1,000 student TECHNOLOGY right reasons, it will be a nice [ability] to devices connected at each high school,” have,” Thiel said. Averill said. In order to ensure that the service is used effectively by While students are unable to use the BYOD service as of now, there are plans of permitting student access in the students, Parker emphasizes the importance of creating a plan that complies with the Puyallup School District’s future. “We are currently expanding our WiFi at PHS, Rogers technology policies. “Before we open up all of the possibilities of phones and Emerald Ridge. We are also increasing the bandwidth of the network connection to those schools by a factor of coming out in classrooms, we still need to consider all 10. We do not believe such an expansion is necessary at of the management aspects in making sure that our Walker High School,” Averill said. “These projects will be building leaders, our teachers and most importantly our completed over the summer. We will do the same at our community and parents, are aware and informed about what that is going to entail,” Parker said. “We also have junior high schools in [the] coming years.” Director of Instructional Leadership-Technology to do a lot of leg work to ensure that the management of Integration, John Parker, shares the benefits of providing using phones or any other device meet the guidelines for acceptable use—it is really critical to have all of that set an open guest network. “The [advantage of providing an open guest network] is up. It is a lot easier to put in the infrastructure and turn it that whenever someone comes in, whether it is a student, on then it [would be] to not have these processes in place a parent or a teacher, on any device they will have open to lay out how it is going to be used.” The time at which this project will be completed has access where someone gets on the wireless by simply clicking on a box that will say ‘will comply with the district not yet been provided. “As WiFi capacity and network bandwidth are use policy of the Internet.’ It opens up the entire Internet B Y

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increased, we will provide student BYOD and full-time guest access but the timing of that rollout has not yet been determined,” Averill said.

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CTE classes provide important career skills B Y K Y L E S M I T H M A N A G I N G E D I T O R

Bright lights, big cameras, a giant floorto-ceiling green screen, a control booth and professional broadcast journalists coming in as guest speakers. All of the above are parts of the Broadcast Journalism curriculum, a new Career and Technical Education (CTE) course being offered at PHS next year. Broadcast Journalism and the other CTE courses give students an opportunity to learn trade skills in their respective fields. Career Specialist Shelly Jellison explains that the goal of a CTE class is to train students for a particular career. “For example, in our automotive class students are learning how to work on cars and the systems. The same thing with STEM. Some of our other classes [are] graphic design or web design, we also have our medical science classes, culinary,” Jellison said. “All of those classes are surrounding industry standards. [They teach] what students need if they were going to pursue either directly out of high school a career or a college program or

training program in that area. We really include Relationships and Human Child Development, help them explore it and then in the Development, higher-level classes as they move through Education careers I and II and Teaching Academy, which are it is more preparatory.” “[THEY TEACH] taught by Cassandra Several factors WHAT STUDENTS Mueller. contribute to whether NEED IF THEY “The Education Careers a particular CTE class WERE GOING class is an internship in will be offered; Jellison TO PURSUE a classroom and it is for describes those factors. [A CAREER] those that think they want “We really look at what the job forecast for D I R E C T L Y O U T O F to work with children, H I G H S C H O O L . . . ” [who] want to become specific careers [is]. For a teacher or [have] job example, our medical in the education field of careers academy is in SHELLY JELLISON some sort. They do an CAREER SPECIALIST existence because there is internship with children a huge number of needed every day but one [day] workers in the medical field. STEM came about because it is [an] where we meet here and examine different area where a lot of jobs are available in our parts of becoming a teacher or working community and across the United States,” in [the] education [field],” Mueller said. Jellison said. “Really we look at the job forecast and student interest. There was one year that we offered biomedical sciences but we did not have a large number of students who were interested so we only offered it for one year.” Some of the available CTE classes

“We have a job panel (or career panel) of people who tell us about their experiences that are in education but they do not work as a classroom teacher. They come in and explain all of the different options of the field of education for the students to choose from.” Mueller describes the internship portion of Education Careers class in more detail. “Throughout the time they are in their internship, which is four of the five days, I visit them throughout those days and I work with them...Some of the things they do is just helping one-on-one in small groups but then I frame it in the way of ‘How are you helping in the class? What kind of impact are you having...

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OPINION |

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STAFFERS DIVULGE VIEWS OF SELF PAG E

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Staffers Sami Lynn and Patrick Fairbanks explore what it means to be yourself from the inside out, whether that means improving to become who you want to be or staying exactly how you are. People are beautifully, and the like. Truly enjoy that person staring back at you, because unfortunately unique. Small commonalities that bind you will be with them for the rest of your life. This has always been lost in translation to me. I cannot some people together, can also leave others feeling completely cut see why anyone would want to be anyone else. I can off. As teenagers and young adults honestly say I love myself. Are there things about myself I we are caught at a crossroads; who would change? Without a doubt. There is so much about we are pulling us one way and who myself that I want to change, that I will change. And you we want to be pulling us another. We can bet I am working, very slowly, on changing those are constantly testing the waters, things. But in the meantime what point is there in beating P. F A I R B A N K S trying to get a sense of how much myself up over my imperfect smile, a bad cross country CHIEF of our true selves we can let society race or a missed note on the oboe. Envy is always viewed as such a negative emotion, like see without being scrutinized. I find it is not a universal weakness and it should be frowned this to be incredibly unfortunate. Differences about ourselves that we should celebrate upon. I suppose this could be true if you just fester in jealousy and curse your bad fate. for adding individuality and beauty into Use envy as a tool. this world are hidden behind masks of “TRULY ENJOY It is a strong emotion that we all feel. Do conformity wrought by mistreatment THAT PERSON not think yourself a bad person because and hate. STARING BACK I am different, there is no question A T Y O U , B E C A U S E you feel it too. Utilize it to motivate about it. I play the oboe and clarinet, Y O U W I L L B E W I T H yourself. If you see a mother or father that you wish you would have been born not particularly masculine instruments. THEM FOR THE to, be that mother or father for your kids. I drive the most embarrassing car REST OF YOUR If want to be a better athlete, practice imaginable. Sometimes I am polite. I have L I F E .” harder. Study longer. We are all dealt such terrible eyesight and the coordination of different situations in life, that we all have a potato. I do not play video games. PATRICK FA IRBA NKS different things to covet. To strive for. These things are unique to me. CHIEF Take the things that you wish for and And that just needs to be alright. obtain them. I am not saying that you There is a fine line between arrogance and my philosophy. You have to love yourself but you must should squat in someone’s nice home that you envy or always remain humble. Arrogance is expressing your self stealing a car. But I am saying to keep your envy in check infatuation for all to see and dislike. Arrogance is believing and, by legal means, use it to acquire what you want. Everything is what you make it. I truly enjoy studying yourself the best, when there are still improvements to be Japanese and playing the oboe. I cannot say these are made. While on the other hand you have to stop looking in incredibly popular pastimes but it makes two classes the mirror, trying to see someone else. You are not that worth of homework bearable and enjoyable every night. person. You never will be. So why would you try to be? At the end of the day, if you have tried your hardest and Loving yourself is accepting the things that make you worked to be your best self, you will not be disappointed. Look on your current situation with the most positive different, striving to better yourself, forming better habits

I would not say that this had become a ast month was one of realization. I was physically bigger than I had ever habit by any means, neither did it influence been and mentally, my thoughts were my health. But what it did influence was closing in on me. When I think about what my mindset. It allowed for my mind to feel I look like, my stomach twists. Yet when it like I was doing something for myself. Was I? No, I think I was trying to comes to fixing things in my life live up to the standards of who that are unsatisfactory, I have I felt I should be, who I feel I always hit a wall. should look like and what I When you walk into a goal of want people to see me as. weight loss, it is hard to keep With the negatives aside, I your mindset right. In the past have made progress and I am three months I have taken a few happier with how I look and steps towards that; some great feel. This will continue with… and some not so great. a new strategy. A few weeks The good news is that I am ago I started CrossFit, which around 10 pounds down from is incredibly empowering and what I was. But sacrificing SAMI LY NN allows me to work towards my meals had been something PRINT EDITOR goal of being happy with my that kept me within my calorie image. limits. It is never a good idea to Look in the mirror. You have do this. You get a deep ache in your stomach but somehow it makes you never really seen yourself, only a reflection feel like you are making a difference. After of who you think you are being blurred short bursts of this I snapped, indulging with societal standards. All of your quirks on anything I could get my hands on. are invisible in the reflection of that glass. When you smile, notice that your nose Cookies, chips, you name it.

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outlook and plan for a bright future. Do not test the waters, jump in. Those who do not appreciate you for who you truly are, are the ones who miss out. But for those who do love you as you should love your true self, will make incredible friends that could span lifetimes and oceans. When you laugh at someone, laugh at yourself. Most of my jokes actually revolve around my own misgivings. This draws you down to earth and keeps you grounded. Love yourself, remain humble, and keep changing. You will unfortunately never be perfect. However, you can give it a try. Look at yourself and appreciate what you have done and what you have yet to do. Being unique is not unique to you. We are all different and that just needs to be alright.

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scrunches up and cheeks blush, notice or how others view you, know that the the small things about yourself. Ultimately image seen does not reflect personality or anything regarding your thoughts live for yourself, not for others. Mirrors have no meaning or value— or values. If you are still unhappy with they are the bully on the bus, wanting to anything regarding image, you always have take your lunch money. Not everything the ability to change yourself. But if you has to be about the struggle in life, my are going to take on this task, I encourage you to be healthy and occurrences of calorie limits came in times of “ . . . T H I N K O F T H E find a friend that will hold you accountable stress. They are over and FACTS. YOU ARE in your journey through not influencing me to B E A U T I F U L , Y O U make decisions that in the A R E U N I Q U E , Y O U improvement. Regardless if you end, hurt me. ARE IMPORTANT are going to change If you see something AND MOST your mindset, physical wrong with yourself, IMPORTA NTLY, know that you are your Y O U A R E L O V E D . ” appearance or continue with loving yourself, worst critic. Know that the never develop an opinion people who matter will on yourself. Opinions support you in whatever SAMI LYNN PRINT EDITOR are generally negative, choices you make. I know instead think of the facts. that there is no plausible way to be completely happy with yourself. You are beautiful, you are unique, you are Think about changing your mindset. important and most importantly, you are Acceptance and optimism can make a loved. word of difference. Whether it be how you view yourself

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Q: If you could write a letter to your younger self, what age would you pick and what would it say?

“AG E 1 2 , D O N O T BE AFRAID TO PUT YOURSELF OUT THERE AND GET I N VOLV E D.”

“I WOULD WRITE TO MY FIFTH-GRADE SELF AND SAY DO NOT BE AFRAID TO BE YOU R SE L F.”

“I WOULD TELL MY SEVENTH-GRADE SELF TO BE MORE OPEN TO MAKING N E W F R I E N DS.”

“I WOULD TELL MY SEVENTH-GRADE SELF TO WORK HARDER FOR MY GRADES AND BE MORE SOCIALLY AC T I V E .”

“AG E 2 3 , D O N O T WORRY ABOUT WHAT OTHER PEOPLE THINK, BUT TO BE T RU E TO M Y SE L F.”

CJ ROBINSON SOPHOMORE

SUSANNA MANALOOR SOPHOMORE

TIARA HUTCHINSON JUNIOR

ALEX WALKER SENIOR

FREDERICK ORTON STAFF

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FREDERICKS SHARES LITTLE-KNOWN FACTS B Y

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The principal gets personal and sheds light on his background and his future plans. 13. When I met my wife, I went home and told my roommate the night I met her, ‘I am gonna marry her.’

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14. I do not know if my end game is education but in some way [I hope to be

1. I am from California—the Bay Area—I moved up [to Washington] 36 years ago.

involved in] philanthropy and service leadership. I have an interest...to perhaps

2. I have a biological brother who is about a year and a half younger than me

work for an organization like the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation to impact a broader audience [than I currently am].

and a stepbrother who is about seven years younger than me.

15. I convinced my wife to let me pursue my final

3. I coached football and track. 4. We have lived in Puyallup now for just a

degree, my doctorate. I got accepted about two weeks ago into UW’s Educational Administrative doctorate program, [which is] a three year program. I start in July [and] I will come out of it with not only my doctorate but also my superintendent credential.

little over a year. The move itself was tough because we uprooted our kids...and it was tough on my wife because that was her community where she was connected. It has been easy for me to get established here but it has been hard on them.

5. I have two kids: twins, Connor and Megan. [They] just turned 16 and are sophomores here at PHS.

6. I started off [my teaching career] as a kindergarten

16. I do not live my life setting a lot of goals. What I do

teacher [and I] swore up and down that I would never teach

is set myself up for opportunities. I am fortunate that through

secondary, because at the time I did not really dig teenagers.

the work I have done and the preparations I have made I have

7. I [ended up] staying at the [secondary level] for most of my

been given [many] opportunities. Whatever opportunities present

career, teaching mostly science and math. I loved teaching math-

themselves, if they fit, I will pursue them.

support classes because I thought it was my goal in life to help kids

17. I did not want to lose my hair from a cancer treatment, [which]

that struggle academically. My aim was to help [my students] see

is why I started shaving it. I was diagnosed with stage four Thyroid

what they were capable of.

Cancer 22 years ago. I had surgery and hair at the time…after four

8. I like playing guitar—[playing it] is what

months, my thyroid-stimulating hormone levels had not changed

puts me at ease and relaxes me.

[from the surgery]. They did a body scan on me and [the cancer] had

9. I have been around the block as an educator. I have

gotten everywhere in my body, including my lungs…[which] is usually

worked in University Place, at both the elementary and

a death sentence. They told me they would have to do radiation

secondary level...in Federal Way at the secondary

therapy and if the cancer did not kill me, the radiation might. During

level...at Annie Wright...at Shelton...[and] in Lacey.

radiation you typically do not lose your hair but I probably would, so I

10. When I was 19, a bouncer at a night club

decided [to] shave it.

18. [In high school I was] the kid that

at a time and I get through them pretty quickly because I love to learn.

12. When I was about 19 years old I was hired at a restaurant called Garcia’s to be a server. About two weeks into my experience the manager pulled me aside and said, ‘I want you to work in the bar.’ I started bartending and did that for a couple of years.

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11. I am an avid reader. I probably have three or four books going

or four years.

was kicked out of school all the time, that failed classes and that was two classes short of graduating the week of graduation.

19. When I was a bouncer, one night I

and asked me if I modeled. She threw a proposal out [for me to be a

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bouncer.’ [As a result] I was a bouncer for probably three

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saw me lifting weights and said, ‘You should be a

hair model]. I guess I did it more because it was flattering and I do not think I gained anything from [modeling].

20. My wife is from Colorado and she longs to move back. I love her parent’s home. Cherry Creek Reservoir State Park is their backyard. That is my big, outdoor, athletic fitness playground. I look forward to [moving there someday in the future].

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SELF IMAGE During advisory April 10, a survey was conducted on 757 students, grades 10-12. Information collected by Lacey Rose. For full survey results visit vikingvanguard.com

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Stress and pressures can weigh heavily on the mind. Sometimes this stress can lead to the development of a mental illness. The kinds of mental disorders, their triggers and their symptoms are varied but all of them are potentially serious conditions. The Good Samaritan Hospital can offer aid to those who have a mental illness, as can some other mental-health resources in the area, such as Hope Sparks. One of the commonly talked about mental disorders is anorexia nervosa, which is more specifically defined as an eating disorder. Health and Fitness teacher Sue Krippaehne describes the symptoms commonly associated with anorexia. “Some signs or symptoms [of an eating disorder] might be fear of weight gain, excessive weight loss. You have to be careful about that because…just because someone has lost weight does not mean you assume they have an eating disorder. It might be some other medical thing that is going on with them that caused them to lose wight. So you have to be careful not to take any one thing,” Krippaehne said. “So [other symptoms are] denial of feeling hungry, refusal to eat, excuses to avoid meals, talking about food all the time. Sometimes they talk about food a lot, they will prepare food but they [will not] necessarily eat the food. View of self as being fat, even when they are very thin, excessive or compulsive exercising that usually goes along with anorexia...For females they might stop having their period.” Another commonly discussed eating disorder is bulimia. Krippaehne lists some of the symptoms that are specific to bulimia. “For bulimia, [there is] a preoccupation with food and calories, secret eating, hoarding food, feeling out of control, bathroom trips immediately after eating. And that is about purging so if they do eat at a meal, which a lot of the times bulimics will eat but they will have this compulsion to get rid of it... [They will] eat extremely large amounts of food without weight gain, so they are binging and secretly purging...[Dental problems] would not come right away but after a person makes themselves throw up over and over their teeth are going to start having a lot of problems,” Krippaehne said. Pierce Community College Intro to Psychology, Abnormal Psychology and Human Sexuality teacher Sandra Croswaite explains some of the factors that can cause an eating disorder. “Eating disorders tend to develop out of a need to feel in control when the rest of your life is not under your control. This frequently translates to parents with high or unrealistic expectations, demanding, controlling, etc. It becomes, ‘If I [can not] control other things, I can control what goes in my body.’ The media is another part of it with its excessive demand for thinness. Usually these two things interact in some way and set off an eating disorder,” Croswaite said. “Eating disorders are considered addictions so doing extreme dieting can sometimes shift your neurochemicals in such a way that you crave the feeling of starvation, hence causing an eating disorder. There is not a one way only to this disorder.” Withdrawal from activities they used to enjoy, spending more time away from friends and falling behind in school all are possible mental symptoms of depression but there are some physical symptoms as well. “Depression can exhibit itself in a variety of ways. It affects our diet so often you will see a lack of appetite or you can see an increase in appetite because food can be very comforting to people who are feeling really down,” Nurse Karen Smith said. “So that is a question I will ask kids, ‘How are you eating? What is your normal day look like? Are you a breakfast eater? Do you have snacks? Have you lost any weight? Has your weight been stable, up or down five or 10 pounds in the last six months?’ I will use that as a gauge to see if it is just normal growth rate or if, ‘wow they dropped 20 pounds without trying’ that is significant.” Over sleeping or under sleeping are other signs of depression, which stem from either feeling excessively sad or from an associated anxiety accordingly.

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According to the 2014 Healthy Youth Survey, in schools every two years during the month o sophomores and 16.4 percent of the seniors su bullied in the past 30 days. Whether it takes form as cyber, physic Principal Eric Fredericks assures that it is cru harassment as soon as possible. “The most important thing is to seek assist as possible. The most frustrating and helple me as an administrator is when a family sho office saying they want to leave PHS and I have knowledge of any [harassment] going on,” Fred Fredericks furthermore stresses the importa willing to reveal names. “They will describe incidents of bullying th severe and often they do not want to divulge na they fear retribution as well,” Fredericks said helpless feeling and the thing that frustrates m people who bully do not bully just one perso many people. And I cannot identify them a stop whoever it is who is bullying.” Vice Principal Maija Thiel explains why so feel the urge to harass others. “One reason [bullies] could have seen ha a normal way of life or they see other people think that it is okay is that they could have Thiel said. “I think a lot of times it comes from of knowledge or lack of caring about someon [about] reminding someone [that] we are all hu for each other.” Junior Hannah Eilers advises students who

“Another physical symptom would manifest itself with their sleep and so [students] and it can go both ways like with the diet, sometimes they can struggle getting to sleep at night. Because… Depression goes hand-inhand with anxiety. You might be awake all night just thinking about all the things that are on your mind all those ‘what ifs,’ playing out those scenarios. Or maybe they are feeling so down that they are sleeping all of the time,” Smith said. Smith describes the reasons behind a problem related to depression, self-harm (also known as cutting). Self-harm is not necessarily reflective of suicidal thoughts. “If we know a student is cutting or doing self-harm, we will contact the parent to make sure the parent is aware of that and we will refer them to a mental health specialist. We strongly encourage them to seek some outside therapy. Kids cut for a variety of reasons, a lot of people think that cutting is the same thing as a suicide attempt. It is not. It could be one of the factors that plays a role down the line but it is not necessarily related. In knowing that, it is just a way for kids to escape and have a little bit of control. If they are feeling a lot of emotional pain it gives them physical pain to attach it to,” Smith said. Croswaite explains the basis of effective treatments for mental disorders and offers a way to possibly avoiding developing a mental disorder. “The most effective treatment is usually a combination of medications and therapy which has at least a 20 percent higher success rate than either alone... If you want to reduce your chances of a mental disorder, keep your stress levels down, do things for fun, have a social life, eat healthy and exercise. Stress is the [number one] reason that a person ultimately develops or relapses into a mental disorder,” Croswaite said.

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nt policy explained through administrative voice E

a statewide survey conducted of October, 22.6 percent of the urveyed marked that they were

cal or verbal, ucial to report

tance as early ess feeling for ows up in my e had no prior dericks said. ance of being

hat can be so ames because d. “It is just a me is that most on, they bully and hopefully

ome students

to seek help. “I think harassment can lead to self-harm and lowered self-image because harassment can make people feel bad about themselves,” Eilers said. “[I would advise] anyone who is being harassed to tell someone because there will always be someone to help.” Thiel adds to the possible effects harassment could have on students. “It will often make students uncomfortable and make it hard for them to be at school. But it also can isolate a student, make them feel like they are really alone [and] not a part of things. They can feel fearful, depressed or angry. They feel that they are not valuable and they need to be reminded that it is important to stand up for themselves but in the right way and also to take our help to do that,” Thiel said. In order to receive help with a harassment issue a student must report what is happening. Theil explains some of the various ways student can report an incident of harassment. “We have some boxes in the counseling office, at the attendance office or in the main office, so you can [report harassment] anonymously. [However], it is better to come to an administrator because we will not be able to help as well without clear information,” Thiel said. “We are very open to helping and you can go to any adult and tell them that something is happening and that will be forwarded on to us.” Of the varying types of harassment, Fredericks says cyberbullying is the most frequently reported form of harassment at PHS. However, it can only be addressed if the harassment distrupts the learning process. “The most frequently reported type of harassment is cyberbullying.

84%

68%

think harassment leads to a lower selfesteem

arassment as e doing it and been harassed themselves...” m misunderstanding or a lack ne else. Sometimes [our job] is uman and that we need to care

o are currently being harassed

Sometimes it is a direct result of things that is happening in school but often it starts out of school and it cares into school,” Fredericks said. “If it happens out of school it is typically not something we can deal with but when it spills over into school that is when we get involved.” Fredericks later shares the procedure administration staff follow when handling cases of harassment. “We try to handle [harassment] at the lowest level first, simply by investigating what has been going on. Then [we] more or less help the students involved understand the implications of continuing [the harassment],” Fredericks said. “Sometimes it does not stop, in which case, we exercise a different approach such as nocontact contracts all the way up to suspensions if necessary. There have been a few times that we have had to suspend but we usually do not have to get there.” However, Fredericks views discipline as an opportunity to educate and help people grow, not just a way to punish disagreeable behavior. “I do not think people really think about the implications until they are involved. I do not think any of us do. In terms of effectiveness, I look at discipline as an opportunity to be educational and to help some people grow,” Fredericks said. Although harassment may seem like a dauntingly large issue, Thiel believes the key to preventing harassment in the future is to learn how to treat each other with respect and care. “For me it just comes down to treating each other with respect and care. We are all a part of a family whether it is in our school or our community. Everybody is as important as anybody else. If we can respect that and understand that then it makes a big difference. A lot of it is helping each other, if you see harassment happening even as a student speak up and defend them,” Thiel said.

would be comfortable reporting harassment

SELF IMAGE INFLUENCED BY MEDIA B Y J A Y C E E H O U S E B U S I N E S S M A N A G E R

recent study conducted by Kleiner Perkins Caufield and Byers found the average person checks their phone about 150 times a day. Phones are used to check Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and other various social media platforms. Phones are used to take pictures of ourselves and with other people. Have you ever gone a day without seeing some various form of yourself? Whether it be through the social media version of you or just your reflection in the mirror. Human beings in this society are constantly aware of their state of being, what they mean to another person and how they view themselves. AP Psychology teacher Matt White gives a brief history relating to mirrors and how they affected the early settlers of American history. “If you look at girl’s journals prior to glass and mirrors being every place, people [looked] at character qualities and how they felt about what they were on the inside,” White said. “With the advent of the mirror, you read people’s diaries and [there was a] distinct change. It is now, ‘I am not pretty enough, my hair is not pretty enough. My skin is not nice enough, I am too fat’ or ‘I am too thin’ and now all we have done is taken the mirror and made it epic.” White explains the toxic effect social media has on teenagers, creating a more relatable perspective in today’s world built around technology. “What everybody thinks about you and what you think about you is now in your pocket in your phone and follows you everywhere. We are carrying around [phones] in which [we] can basically be measured every single second of every single minute,” White said. Senior and full-time student at Pierce Community College, Laura (Wilson) Billingsley feels

that the media is another avenue that affects girls and their self esteem starting from earlier ages. “The media puts a lot of pressure on women starting at a really young age. Preschoolers watch Disney movies where the princess is flawless. For a while this is does no harm. Little girls watching those movies do not yet compare themselves to the girls in them and when you tell a little girl she is beautiful, she will not deny it. She will not turn away and say she is not because she has no reason to,” Billingsley said. “As girls grow up and see women continuously cast as sex symbols and held to this unrealistic level of perfection, that confidence they had as little girls falters. Because if you do not look like the girl in the picture it is very easy to question if you really are beautiful.” The dictionary defines beauty to be, “the quality of being physically attractive” but Billingsley has a different take on this word and the difficulty of being a teen in today’s society where this word can be thrown around so often. “If beauty is this certain ‘look’ and you do not squeeze into that category, then where do you belong? This is the trap that we fall in. The teenage years [are] where our perspective on ourselves starts to cement. You can learn so much about yourself during this time and so often girls learn to be insecure instead of confident,” Billingsley said. “We are playing a lose-lose game; if you feel confident about yourself, you are stuck up. If you do not you are just left to be miserable. I see every girl I know pick herself apart because they are not taught to love themselves. Being okay with who you are is the most liberating feeling in the world.” Billingsley relates her own personal experience dealing with self confidence in her earlier years. “For so long I looked for ways to fix myself. I told myself that when I looked ‘this way’ I would be happy and that all I needed to do was figure out what in the world was my problem. I had a really close friend during this time who I was able to express myself with. One night he said to me that nothing was wrong with me, I was who I was and that was enough” Billingsley said. “Hearing him say this made something click inside my head. Maybe, just maybe, I did not need to think anything was wrong with me and maybe I could finally be me. That was a groundbreaking moment that I will remember for the rest of my life because it never even occurred to me that I could accept myself.” Having gone through many personal experiences regarding her own self image, Billingsley shares what some may find as an inspiring message. “I have seen grown women never develop self-worth because they never had any self-esteem as a teenager. It is something that does not just appear overnight. You do not wake up one morning in your 20s and have an appreciation for your body or self-love and acceptance. It is something that needs to be worked on and built from adolescence up,” Billingsley said. In the Puyallup community, there are numerous resources outside of public school walls that offer help than most students may be aware of. One such place is the Puyallup Youth Investment Center. This free service located near Meeker Mansion downtown is a drop in center for teens in grades 7-12. Program director of the YMCA Youth Investment Center, Renne Gilliam, explains some of the programs and unique services they offer. “We [provide] a safe place for them to come and just be, where they can get connected to positive role models and mentors. It is a relationship where we discover what their real needs are and to get them connected to the resource and assistance they need,” Gilliam said.

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think social media affects self-esteem

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Carnegie Hall in New York offers the High School Honors Performance Series for music students from all around the world. Sophomore Isabella Montoya was able to experience this opportunity along with visiting tourist hotspots offered in New York. teacher first. It was difficult to prepare songs on my own had never been held to that standard before. That is how without direction before I went, next year I definitely we practiced for every song and then we pretty much The High School Honors Performance Series at want to bring them to my choir teacher’s attention,” put our music away and got to know the conductor and Carnegie Hall challenges students to perform at their Montoya said. “That amount of singing does take a lot worked on little areas of the song,” Montoya said. “It was very best. Students rehearse and perform under out of our voice... You are actually tired at the end of so crazy because when we would sing, it was like no one experienced conductors and have the opportunity to those rehearsals, so I am going to work on getting my was off pitch. It was just a matter of listening and being able to hear everyone sing around you perform in front of a variety of college representatives voice ready to use more often. I would and every once in a while hearing this like to get into voice lessons and start and professionals. “ I W A S P R O U D T O beautiful voice float in your ear... That Sophomore Isabella Montoya earned the chance to working on my [vocal] range.” B E A B L E T O S I N G was really special. I was proud to be Once in New York, rehearsals for experience this honor. W I T H T H I S G R O U P able to sing with this group and be a “The trip is band, choir and orchestra. Over 10,000 the performance began immediately, AND BE ABLE TO part of something like that.” people audition and 500 are picked, 288 being choir ranging from short practices to long, BE A PA RT OF Aside from the musical aspect of the kids. It is an international audition to get [into the High six-hour days. Montoya reflects on her S O M E T H I N G L I K E trip, Montoya also was able to see and School Honors Performance Series]. I applied last June rehearsal before the performance. T H AT.” experience New York, including seeing “We checked in and had a quick and found out in October that I was accepted; they sent the Broadway play that inspired her me music to prepare ahead of time and audio files to sectional rehearsal to fix any last audition. minute notes. We were expected to have practice,” Montoya said. ISABELLA MONTOYA SOPHOMORE “I got to see a roadway play the Montoya has been participating in her school’s choir everything memorized so the rehearsal Friday night I was there. We got to pick programs since the elementary level, starting in the was just to work out little problems. The next day we had our big six-hour rehearsal with our between a few and so I picked ‘Phantom of the Opera,’ fourth grade. since the song I auditioned for the program with this “I was in the honor choir for Puyallup in fifth and conductor Doctor Eph Ehly,” Montoya said. Ehly has conducted over 80 All-State Choirs. Montoya year was ‘Think of Me’ and the piece I am using next sixth grade and I did All State in sixth grade but I took a little bit of a break in junior high,” Montoya said. “I am describes her time with Ehly as a learning experience year as well was from the production. I had never seen the play and did not know a lot about it so it was really in chorus choir this year but I would like to move on to and something she was inspired by. “[Ehly] is an amazing conductor and has an cool to finally get the chance to experience it and really concert choir by next year.” accompanist with him who is from appreciate the piece,” Montoya said. Choir Director George Guenther “HER After making the trip to New York on her own, Korea and it was an honor to meet both reflects on Montoya’s time in choir at MUSICIANSHIP of them. Each day we learned new ways Montoya’s family joined her later in the weekend for the the high school level as preparation for AND VOCAL to work our voices, different warm-ups performance. Montoya’s audition. TECHNIQUE “My grandmother and her sister joined me on and special insights about music. I took “We have a rigorous choral program at H AV E I M PROV E D a lot of notes just based on little things Saturday and got to sit in on a rehearsal. Sunday was PHS. Attention to detail, perseverance CONSIDER A BLY, [Ehly] would mention,” Montoya said. the performance and then after the concert there was a to get it right, work ethic, literacy skills A S H AV E H E R “Seeing how inspired my conductor celebration on a yacht that evening. There was dancing and vocal technique all would give her useful skills to be successful. Isabella is R E A D I N G S K I L L S . ” was by the music itself was one of the and we got to see the Statue of Liberty,” Montoya said. Anne Taylor, Montoya’s grandmother, was incredibly best things I took from the trip. It was a wonderful student–always positive GEORGE GUENTHER not just a hobby for him and helped impressed by what the honor choir had produced. and attentive,” Guenther said. “She has CHOIR DIRECTOR “We were thrilled [that she wanted to go on the trip], me look at music as more than just an aptitude for music, is smart, has a something I liked to do but seeing it as we want her to do anything that will move her forward good ear, picks up music quickly and and this was absolutely an opportunity of a life time to is a team player. Her musicianship and vocal technique maybe a profession.” Montoya was amazed by the dedication of her fellow be able to go and do this,” Taylor said. have improved considerably, as have her music reading musicians and was impressed by the amount of skill skills.” Although her time in school choir gave her the each one of them acquired. “It was 288 people in this room who had never met To continue reading this story, visit building blocks she needed to audition, Montoya did all rehearsing and practicing for the trip on her own, with each other, from seven or eight different countries and vikingvanguard.com when we started it was amazing, everyone was on pitch. the help of a friend. “Next year I would go over my music with my choir I did not even know if I was going to be able to do that, I B Y K A M E R A N M I L L E R W E B S I T E E D I T O R

Junior Joy prepares for State Solo, Ensemble G

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etting involved at school means something different to every student. Any club, music organization or sport can prove to be demanding and time consuming in their own ways. Junior Maddie Joy is involved at PHS in more ways than just one.

Joy takes two choir classes at school, as well as outside training with a private vocal teacher. In April, she will compete in something most high school musicians hear about multiple times in their lives: Solo and Ensemble Contest. “I have been working on a solo since the end of last summer with my private vocal teacher. I also started a quartet...Once

[you make] it to state, you have to get other regionals contest I was sick and I am still songs, so I am starting to learn a new song sick. It makes me nervous because I have allergies. For our quartet, it is the matter as well,” Joy said. The task of learning three different of learning the actual song [that I worry about],” Joy said. songs and singing for Joy is preparing for three different people “IT MAKES ME more than the Solo and on a daily basis is made NERVOUS THAT Ensemble Contest. Not increasingly more PEOPLE I KNOW only is she involved in two difficult due to the WILL BE THERE. different choirs at school way these songs are [I AM ALWAYS but she also used to swim performed in different AFRAID OF] competitively up until this languages. FORGETTING THE year for six years. Joy explained how at WOR DS.” “I [swam] on a club the upper level in choir, team called VAST six days almost all the songs MADDIE JOY JUNIOR a week [and practice was] required are in a different usually two to three hours language. “I had an Italian song and now I am a day. I [have] swam on the high school learning a French song for April to sing team for the past three years…I also play both of them [in Solo and Ensemble water polo for PHS and did club [water Contest]. Our quartet is also learning polo] for almost three years on and off another song because [we] are required to until completely devoting to my club swim sing two. My solos are in Italian and French team and only playing water polo for the high school,” Joy said. and our quartet is in English,” Joy said. Despite Joy’s constantly busy schedule, With the upcoming contest next month, Joy is in the middle of preparing for this she plans on continuing on with her and shares a few of her concerns regarding passion of singing next year as a senior. Joy is hoping all this hard work pays off, the subject. “It makes me nervous that people I as she plans to sing at the collegiate level know will be there. [I am always afraid of] and each day she is one step closer to that forgetting the words. For the solo ensemble dream.

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MARINA AND THE DIAMONDS’ Dylan Gardner MUSIC EVOLVES THROUGHOUT bores staffer REVIEW DISCOGRAPHY REVIEW

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usic is an extremely emotional art. It can help listeners understand life or make them feel emotions that otherwise can lie dormant; it can help a person get over something such as a relationship gone wrong. The stress of giving something as raw and personal as your emotions to the public for judgment is the life of a musical artist. Marina Diamandis, known as Marina and the Diamonds, is an artist who puts her soul into her music and has clearly undergone extreme change over the course of her discography. First came “The Family Jewels” (2010) and “Electra Heart” (2012). These two albums have themes of strength and independence. Throughout all of her music, Diamandis uses empowered and feminist lyrics that define her character. She defies rigid gender-roles of “boys are strong, girls are weak” by inserting herself into roles of dominance that are typically reserved for men. She sings about being a heartbreaker, a prima donna and a homewrecker. Diamandis’ music video of the song “How to Be a Heartbreaker” exemplifies her persona very well. In the video, she is shown with a group of five or six men who are shown in a very oversexualized way: the camera pans over naked, muscled bodies with water splashing all over them in slow-motion. Diamandis’ image contrasts with these men as she is singing completely clothed. In a lot of music videos, men will dressed in suits or otherwise just completely covered while women will be naked or otherwise scantily clad; additionally they are often presented as props, not characters. I have rarely seen men depicted in the silent roles of docile happiness as they are in Diamandis’ “How to Be a Heartbreaker.” After her “Lonely Hearts Club Tour” for the album “Electra Heart,” Diamandis announced that the persona she had adopted for the “Electra Heart” album was gone and that she was doing something new. While Diamandis’ confidence and strength will never fade from her character, she delivers her promise. In her newest album, “Froot” (2015), Diamandis’ sound and personality have definitely changed. In “Froot,” Diamandis assumes a more vulnerable role and seems to be moving from her previously fast and busy lifestyle to one that is more settled. She is becoming more comfortable with being reliant on others. Marina and the Diamonds’ sound does not shift from

the genre of indie-pop but it definitely evolves in “Froot.” There are fewer songs that stick out and the album blends together a bit but this is not necessarily bad. In place of the catchy, limelight-hogging songs that Diamandis is known for are ballads that reveal frank emotion. There has always been a lot of personal emotion in Diamandis’ music because she is always singing about herself: who she is and how she feels. However “Froot” carries a different type of emotion than her previous albums. The mood of “Froot” is something more reflective. There is a tinge of sadness but little regret. Despite the change in sound, Marina and the Diamonds’ music is still likeable. It is still fun and carries messages of personal strength. I like “Froot” just as much as the older albums because of the multitude of slower songs that showcase the lower range of Diamandis’ vocals. Diamandis’ vocal range is an impressive one and I think that her lower range is particularly beautiful; low-ranged, female voices with musical tact are not something I come across often. “Happy” is the first track of “Froot” and the relaxed, slow tempo and lingering notes set a tone of quiet satisfaction for the album. Diamandis sings about selfrealized happiness while also “living for someone else.” She is realizing that while independence is important it is not mutually exclusive from being able to trust and rely upon others. This idea is also prevalent in the chorus of “Blue” where she sings “give me love/ give me dreams/ give me a good self-esteem.” Asking for things, especially things that cannot be given like self-esteem, is something new in Diamandis’ music. She has gone from being a demanding girl in her mid-20s to someone realizing that she cannot be so alone forever. This song is probably my favorite off of the album, topping even the single “Froot.” It has a bouncy beat that is very much like the older albums. The growth and change that Diamandis’ music goes through over the course of her discography is fascinating to watch. The stagnation of an artist is never fun to see and it is important as an entertainer to be in constant motion to keep an audience interested. Marina and the Diamonds’ sound and branding change with the release of “Froot” but it is not so stark of a contrast that she alienates masses of fans. Rather, the evolution of Diamandis’ music shows me that she is capable of change and I, for one, will stick around to see what else she is capable of doing.

You cannot grow talent, even if you are Dylan Gardner. Gardner’s debut album “Adventures in Real Time” was released Jan. 6. Dylan first gained popularity through his musical cover of the Beatles’ “Abbey Road” on YouTube, causing his video and music to go viral. I find it ironic that he looks like a member of the Beatles, brown mousey hair and guitar in hand. Gardner’s music is not without fault but it does have positive qualities. His music is catchy and a bit eccentric, allowing you to tap your foot to it. You can see how current music has inspired him since it is reflected throughout his music. However, his music is almost a direct copy of other artists. While listening to Gardner’s song “Too Afraid to Love You” I was immediately reminded of “Everybody Talks” by the Neon Trees. Later when listening to the songs one after the other I realized the chord progressions were similar, the pattern of his speech and it even seemed like you could exchange the lyrics between songs and notice no difference. His music is unoriginal and lacks creativity that has not already been portrayed in songs with more substance than his own. A good example of this is portrayed in Gardner’s song titled “Feeling of Love” the chorus of which sounds oddly similar to the chorus of “I Live” by One Republic. Another sample is the chorus of Gardner’s song “Invincible” that sounds exactly the same as the chorus of “We Are Young” by FUN. You can go any genre currently in music and find a song about a girl and love that it is almost the new normal. Gardner took the idea “GARDNER TOOK of a guy falling for a THE IDEA OF A girl and based most of this album’s songs G I R L F A L L I N G F O R around the premise A G I R L A N D B A S E D MOST OF THIS without expanding ALBUM’S SONGS on a greater idea AROUND THE or venturing to something new. If P R E M I S E W I T H O U T E X PA NDING ON one were to compare THE GREATER the story and art of I DE A .” Gardner’s songs to that of “Yesterday” KYLE THOMAS by Atmosphere. STAFF Gardner’s songs are outmatched by “Yesterday” which including a focus for attention to detail in order to see a greater picture forming throughout the piece. Meanwhile Gardner’s music contains nothing of substance or story. Some of his titles are even self contradictory including “I’m Nothing Without You” directly followed by “Too Afraid to Love You.” Gardner did include however some catchy choruses that caught my attention for the moment. In the end, the music just fell flat for me. I have this sneaking suspicion I have heard this before. The lyrics contained simple rhymes instead of a story telling focus that I personally look for in a good song. I am not the target audience for this genre of music; however some may enjoy it. The songs do contain good elements, just not enough for me to consider him the next great singer of our generation. Overall Gardner is very talented for his age in his ability to construct songs. His songwriting ability strives over others but in the end lacks the uniqueness throughout his music to compete with the music of our time. Gardner in the end left no lasting impressions. He is just another man with a guitar.

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When a Chipotle restaurant opened on South Hill, staffer Kyle Thomas decided to compare the new Mexican Grill to Qdoba, which has been in Puyallup longer. REVIEW B Y

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ompetition is heating up in Puyallup; the new Chipotle seeming to burn the older Qdoba. Puyallup’s food industry is at steak with pinto beans against black beans and flour tortillas against corn tortillas. When reviewing both restaurants I established a control group by limiting my palate to similar entrees. This would ensure that the food could be comparable without bias of different food. The control group included a burrito with steak, rice, black beans and each restaurants take on a mild salsa. Altogether Qdoba’s food is at a higher quality than its competitor, all the ingredients tasted like they were fresh and made minutes before I ordered. This high quality compilation made all the flavors complement each other. Adding on to the quality, Qdoba also offers more options in what you can add to your meal. From multiple types of tortillas to the cheese and meat, the combinations seem endless. Chipotle’s food was not of high quality let alone comparable to Qdoba. Every aspect of the burrito seemed to be manufactured, the steak in perfect cubes instead of a natural looking cut. With this assembly-line approach to making food, the taste and quality suffered without the fresh ingredients. It was like the food was taken out of the freezer and heated before I ate it. The atmosphere of both restaurants varied even greater than the food. In Qdoba, the color and soft lighting made the whole experience somewhat relaxing as I waited in line. It really felt like a place you could sit down and enjoy your food with friends. However, at the front of the line my vision changed. The employees preparing my food were aggressive when asking what I wanted and acted superior to me, not like I was a paying customer. Chipotle’s view was almost the exact opposite. Upon entering the door, I was greeted with “welcome” and “how is your day?” This contrast made me feel like the employees cared about what I wanted and valued me as a customer and a person in general. I felt like the employees were really trying to get to know me. Unlike the pleasant greeting myw ears received, my eyes received a bland atmosphere. The entire restaurant seemed sterile with dark browns, silver and grey on every surface. It was similar to wandering through a doctor’s office as I tried to find my seat among the uniform environment. All things considered, both restaurants vary in what you personally expect to get when you go out to eat. Chipotle has tremendous customer service, while offering a bland atmosphere and mediocre food. Qdoba has a great atmosphere and great food while giving little care to individual customers who choose to eat there. In my opinion, Qdoba is the better choice between the two. When I go out, I prefer the quality of the food to be high. Customer service can be easily overshadowed by the exceptional food. Qdoba finds a way to wrap all the qualities of good food into one place.

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QUALITY ENVIRONMENT $$$$$ $$$$$ PRICE more stars signify better quality and more dollar signs equate to a higher cost

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Senior Brendan Illies speaks on the last season of his baseball career at PHS and what his future plans are for playing baseball after high school. B Y

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Q. You are the only player that Coach Wiese has allowed to call a majority of the pitches in Weise’s 20 year tenure, how good does that make you feel? A. Until I saw Coach Wiese’s quote in the paper, I was not aware of that but I am honored. I am very fortunate to have worked with many coaches, including Coach Wiese, over the past six or seven years who have helped me learn the finer points of the game, including reading hitters and calling pitches.

Q. You have played in every game since you were a freshman how much have you changed on the field and as a leader?

A. I have changed a lot since my freshmen year. When I was a freshman, I was the ‘rook,’ the youngest player on the team. I considered myself to be just one of the guys. I was able to just play the game. Into my sophomore year, I was considered a veteran and knew that I had to take on a bigger leadership role. Since my sophomore year, I have become more of a vocal leader, providing encouragement and pushing other players to give it their all. This year, I am helping the younger players learn the game so they can carry on the Viking tradition.

Q. Who has been your biggest mentor in your baseball career?

A. From the time I was able to walk I have had a bat and ball in my hands all because of my father. He has been instrumental in teaching me how to play the game of baseball as well as granting me the utmost support for what I do as a player. My father deserves all the credit for making me fall in love with the greatest sport.

Q. You are one of the few guys left from last year’s team that earned that trip to North Carolina, how satisfying was that play in that North Carolina Tournament?

A. When I first learned of the opportunity, I was excited for not only for the team but also for Coach Wiese. Over the past 20 years, he has built a very successful baseball program. To represent the Vikings and compete against some of the other top high school baseball programs in the country was an honor and a well-deserved recognition for the Vikings baseball program.

Q. You are already committed to play at the University of North Carolina to play baseball. When did they first start trying to recruit you?

A. The North Carolina coaches first saw me play at the USA Baseball National Team Development Program in 2013. However, I first visited the North Carolina campus the summer after eighth grade and fell in love with it. During my sophomore year, I reached out to the coaches to let them know who I was and that I was interested in becoming a ‘Tar Heel.’ I visited the campus again the summer after my sophomore year to meet with the coaches to let. After that meeting, I knew it was the right fit for me, both academically and athletically.

Q. Being in the spotlight for this long how have you kept a level head? A. Baseball is a game that will keep you humble. After all, a successful hitter is one who fails in seven out of every 10 at bats. With my successes, I have encountered plenty of failure but true success is based on how well you bounce

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Above: Senior Brendan Illies takes a swing as the Vikings play against Auburn Riverside in the Safeco High School Classic April 11. The boys won with a score of 6-0.

back from failure. The most valuable thing I have learned from my previous coaches is to not ride the wave of emotion but to keep them even keel.

Q. Was it hard for you or were you happy to see Luke Heimlich graduate early and go to Oregon State?

A. That’s the thing about team sports. Pieces are always being replaced. I am happy for all the former Vikings who have moved on to play college or professional baseball, including Luke.

Q. Coach Weise has called you the “true leader of this team.” How do take it upon yourself to get this team back to a state title? A. Repeating a championship is not easily done. It will take the entire team to get it done. Individually, I can do my part by encouraging and pushing others to be their best, playing the game the right way and doing whatever it takes to help the team be successful. The goal of every Puyallup Viking baseball team is to win a State Championship. After having been part of it last year, I know what it feels like and want to go back and do it again.

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The boys baseball team was invited to a national tournament that consisted of the top 16 teams in the nation March 23-29. The baseball team played four games in the tournament ending with a 3-1 record overall taking fourth place out of the 16 teams in the nation. “Huntington Beach was our hardest game because we faced the number one pitcher in the nation and in the tournament, plus he’s only a sophomore,” sophomore Ryan Teauge said. The game against Huntington Beach was televised for the nation to watch, the

Puyallup baseball team lost that game, 6-0. “Their pitcher is one of the best in the nation and we were not able to put any pressure on them,” sophomore Noah Fenz said. While the boys were playing baseball while being on television, they struggled with some aspects of the game. “Hitting was probably our team’s biggest struggle throughout the tournament,” Teague said. “Once our hitting comes around we will be a scary team to face. I knew I had to trust myself and not do too much, stay relaxed and keep my composure.” The team won State last year and hopes to repeat again this season. While this year’s baseball team was in North Carolina they had the opportunity to tour North Carolina State and Duke University. “We as a team got to watch the North Carolina versus Miami baseball game. We also hung out at the hotel and relaxed,” Fenz said. “I do not really have a particular favorite memory from the trip; the overall experience was amazing and I have learned that there are some really good baseball players throughout the country.” The national tournament gave the PHS baseball team the opportunity to evaluate how they will stack up against their competition this season.

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GAGE DOUBLES AS Three seniors will move on to compete with six others from Washington this May CROSSFIT at the Senior National Gymnastics team in Fort Keys, FL. INSTRUCTOR

[Barrett] and [Halford] did, the day that they found out I was n May, Puyallup High School really sad. But when I found [out will be represented when that] I actually did make I was seniors Peyton Parker, Hailey really excited,” Parker said. Halford and Summer Barrett Barrett started gymnastics at a participate as part of the Senior very young age. National Gymnastics team. “I started doing gymnastics There are a total of 10 when I was only three-yearsrepresentatives from Washington old at the Auburn Gymnastics State going. The event will take Center,” Barrett said. place in Fort Keys, Florida, May Parker and Barrett had major 15 meets that they have been a part Every year about 10 girls from of in the past. Parker’s experience Washington State are chosen to was just last year. represent the state in Florida. “State is the biggest This year almost a third of the competition I have participated representatives will be from PHS. in. Last year the entire team Parker admitted she feels more made State,” Parker said. pressure for this upcoming meet. Barrett’s event happened a “There is added pressure little earlier than Parker’s. because we are competing and “The biggest event that I representing the entire state was a part of was two years ago of Washington. I when I was still am also looking with Auburn “THERE forward to Gymnastics IS ADDED meeting new girls Center. I was PRESSURE from around the B E C A U S E W E A R E first in our country and being C O M P E T I N G A N D region, which is able to represent seven states in REPRESENTING Wa s h i n g t o n ,” all,” Barrett said. THE ENTIRE Parker said. Barrett noted STATE OF Barrett will that there is WA SH I NGTON.” be using her something performance at extra to the PEY TON PA RK ER state, as she got Senior National SENIOR third on bars, Gymnastics to improve her Meet in confidence going into the Senior particular. National Gymnastics meet. “There is definitely extra “It does [give me more pressure, since only nine people confidence heading into from this state are going. We have Nationals]; I thought I was going had some practices together and to do a lot worse at state but third they are a lot more intense than is not so bad,” Barrett said. when preparing for any other Barrett was surprised when meet,” Barret said. she got the news that she made Parker knew why she wanted the team. to participate in gymnastics at “I was at school, Hailey the high school. [Halford] came up to me and “High school is [not as intense told me check my email. I did not as] clubs, so it is a lot more fun,” really know why, but I was very Parker said. happy, obviously, about making Barrett also participated at the the team it is exciting,” Barrett high school level for a similar said. reason. Parker on the other hand “I was competing with a really found a different experience. intense club and I thought that “I was at my house, I high school would be a really actually found out a day after good compromise because it B Y

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Above:Senior Summer Barrett performs her beam routine at Todd Beamer High School during a meet Jan. 7.

is a little less time while still competing and have fun doing sports,” Barret said. Barrett said that her biggest mentors and supporters were people very close to her.

“Definitely my parents, they have always pushed me hard and make sure I am trying my hardest every time and making the best decision,” Barrett said.

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A popular series of workouts amongst people in the military and law enforcement, Crossfit has also been gaining popularity with people across the country. “Crossfit is an intense, fun, varied, community workout. It changes daily: Olympic lifting, to conditioning, to burpees to deadlifts to pull ups, etc. All functional movements done while increasing your heart rate resulting in an exhausted and accomplished feeling at conclusion of workout or WOD (workout of the day) as we call it,” English teacher Noelle Gage said. Gage has been doing Crossfit herself for five years and has been teaching Crossfit for three years at Tacoma Strength. “I enjoy teaching people new things, particularly when they are excited about the topic. Fitness is a big part of my life and a component of my life philosophy and to help and encourage others to be fit and healthy is rewarding to me,” Gage said. Gage usually teaches a different number of students. Sometimes she could have a class of five or a class of 20, it varies. The best attendance for a class, Gage says, is around 8-10 people. “CrossFit has changed how I work out. It has widened my scope, it has made me stronger and faster. It has also improved my mental capacity; I approach most activities with a willing attitude thinking okay, I will give it a shot. I think I can accomplish this,” Gage said. Crossfit develops different skills such as strength, agility, speed and endurance. “If you are interested in Crossfit, consider your goals. Commit to it. Do not be afraid. Try it, stick to it. Challenge yourself. Do not compare yourself. Be proud of the small victories you see,” Gage said.

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Then they end up specializing a little bit more rather than taking that one more For the first time the Puyallup School developmental year to go ‘maybe I can District has allowed ninth graders to play be a football player, maybe I can do more all high school sports. than one sport,’” Jeffers said. Head football coach Gary Jeffers says Jeffers also stated that he hopes that the he was happy to see the ninth graders team’s success last year will lead to success up at the high school as it provided more in later years. strength to the program. “The team success [last year] was great; “We were able to add 55 kids to our they went 7-2. I think program. I think that the everyone would admit numbers will always add “ Y O U W O U L D N O T that one of the losses BE ABLE TO PICK strength to the program. should have been taken OUT WHO IS IN The other benefit is a lot care of on its own. As a WHAT GRADE... of the kids in the weight program we really believe EVERYONE... room right now are our that the team success that IS TREATED THE kids who will be 10th they have a ninth graders S A M E .” graders next year [and] will carry on into their have spent a whole year year as sophomores on SCOTT CAMPBELL in the weight room from JV and then onto Varsity BASKETBALL COACH June of last year until their junior and senior now,” Jeffers said. “Bringing the ninth year,” Jeffers said. graders allows you to develop a four-year Jeffers had no ninth graders on Varsity program; it is a huge advantage.” last year and does not expect that to Jeffers says that PHS has had change. disadvantages in the past by not having “No there were not [any ninth graders the ninth graders at the high school. last year] and it would be a very unusual “By the time kids enter their 10th grade situation if we had a ninth grader who is year, they have made some decisions able to play at the varsity level, it is just so about what they enjoy doing, what they much more physical,” Jeffers said. like to do, who they are and whether they While football did not have any the are a basketball player or a football player.

freshmen on the team, the basketball team making the Varsity roster and selecting the right players for his team. had one ninth grader on the varsity team. “Our philosophy is that the best players “This year the freshman we had on the team was Landen [Neff]. Landen originally play. It is not ‘if you are a freshman stand started on the JV and played his way to the here and seniors play here.’ We view all opportunity to move up to varsity as the the kids as basketball players and student season went on,” Varsity basketball coach athletes. One of the biggest things to look Scott Campbell said. “He unfortunately at when you bring freshman up to JV did not get the opportunity to play in a and Varsity is that they get playing time,” Campbell said. “You would lot of varsity games not be able to pick out who this season but he had “BRINGING THE is in what grade by looking at a definite impact in NINTH GRADERS the varsity practice because practices and got a lot of ALLOWS YOU TO everyone and everything is opportunity for playing CREATE A FOURtreated the same. I think the time in the JV games. YEAR PROGRAM; opportunity for freshman The other advantage IT IS A HUGE to compete for spots on to moving them up is A DVA N TAGE .” Varsity and JV like they that they get to practice GARY JEFFERS are able to in all the other against a higher level of FOOTBALL COACH schools in Washington is a competition.” Deven Neff talked about having a great opportunity for the kids.” Campbell also shared his opinion on the freshman on the team this year and the inclusion of freshmen in Varsity sports. special relationship that they shared. “It is player to player. I think that “[Having a freshman] was alright but it was a lot better because it was my brother. staying to play at their grade level is most Plus he already knew the system so no it beneficial for them and for some it is to was not that bad. It was easy playing with jump up to JV and some it is to jump up to him because we have played together a Varsity. I think the key is now that the kids long time… Also because of our brotherly in Puyallup have the same opportunity that other schools have,” Campbell said. love,” Neff said. Campbell explained his process when