Tri-Color Times 2007-01

Granger High School

Tri-Color Times

January, 2007

Volume XLIX, Issue 04

January

Tears Across the Pavement

Tuesday, January 23 Swim Region Championships @ Murray Park Center 9:30 AM-10:00 AM Women’s Basketball @ Olympus JV3:30, V5:15, S7pm Men’s Basketball vs Olympus S3:30, JV5:15, V7pm

Thursday, January 25 Wrestling @ Highland 5:00 PM-5:30 PM

Friday, January 26 Drill State Competition @ UVSC Women’s Basketball @ Highland JV3:30, V5:15, S7pm Men’s Basketball vs Highland S3:30, JV5:15, V7pm Wrestling Tournament @ East

Tuesday, January 30 Women’s Basketball vs Olympus JV3:30, V5:15, S7pm

Wednesday, January 31, 2007 Wrestling Region Championship @ Highland

February Thursday, February 1 Wrestling Region Championship @ Highland

RaShonda Miles with her siser Alexxis.

RaShonda Miles

O

On December sixth, I was sitting in Ms. Reynolds class when my mom called me and said she needed my car.

This was the first abnormality, because she had her van. Then an office aide came into the class with an excuse note for me. It was an emergency, I didn’t know what to think. When I walked around the corner, I saw my mom crying, “We have to go to Texas” was all she said. That’s when I knew my grandpa had died. He had just been hospitalized for a heart attack, the hospital said he was doing great, said they were going to release him into a rehab center. Things must have taken a turn for the worse.

The drive down was so devastating. My mom drove the whole sixteen hours by herself and told us stories about our grandpa. I was the first baby he had ever held. He had been there my whole life, and now he was gone. It seemed unreal. We stopped at Clines Corners in New Mexico because my grandpa had always taken my mom there on long trips. We arrived in Texas on Wednesday and helped my grandma. It had just been she and my grandpa in the house, so now she was going to be all alone. Friday at the viewing he looked so good, it was almost unbelievable. I caught myself staring at him, waiting for him to wake up. The funeral was Saturday, and it was so peaceful. On Sunday, we left Texas for home.

My mom had been driving through New Mexico for about nine hours, so I thought I would give her a break and take the wheel. I had been driving for about two hundred miles when we reached Colorado. The weather was picking up and my mom kept asking if I needed her to drive, I said no, she needed the rest. I learned to drive in Utah’s weather, so I figured I would be fine. The snow started coming down pretty hard and the roads turned to slush. I couldn’t see the lines painted on the road and I started to get really nervous, but I insisted that I could keep driving.

My mom told us all to make sure we were buckled.

Suddenly I hit a patch of black ice. We started sliding and I had no idea what to do. In Drivers’ Ed, they teach you how to avoid skidding, but I couldn’t concentrate on anything. “Mom, we’re sliding,” I calmly said. She was trying to tell me how to fix it, and for a minute I thought I could fix it. But something hit me--all I could think of was my family. I couldn’t hear my mom anymore. My mind was racing everywhere. My body went numb when we slid into the next lane. I freaked out, slammed on the breaks, and jerked the wheel. We spun out of control. I panicked and let go. I started crying and covered my eyes, “Oh my God, I’m so sorry, I love you guys!” I yelled over and over. I want...continued on pg. 5

INSIDE GHETTO GRANGER

Everyone always says Granger is ghetto, but is it really true?

– page 04

INDEX

REGISTRATION 2007-2008

Registration is just right around the corner for next year. Find out what classes you can take.

– page 07

Friday, February 2 Swim 4A Championships @ BYU TBA Women’s Basketball vs Murray JV3:30, V5:15, S7pm Men’s Basketball @ Murray S3:30, JV5:15, V7pm

Saturday, February 3 Swim 4A Championships @ BYU TBA

Tuesday, February 6 Women’s Basketball vs West JV3:30, V5:15, S7pm Men’s Basketball @ West S3:30, JV5:15, V7pm

Wednesday, February 7 Wrestling State @ UVSC Thursday, February 8 Wrestling State @ UVSC Technology Fair: Media Center 7:30 AM-11:00 AM Instrumental Solo and Ensemble Fest. @ Cottonwood School Musical: Auditorium 7:00 PM-10:00 PM

Music Review................................................ 02 Public Displays of Affection.............................04 Ladies of Stonehenge.....................................08 Sterling Scholars............................................ 12

2 REVIEWS

Tri-Color Times January 2006

Granger Vending Machine Food Root Beer Milk

Chicken Taster

By Dahn Carlson

By J. Enoch Wallis

Before: The thought of root beer milk’s taste. . . I think it will taste like a Root Beer float. You know, after you have left the ice cream to melt away and mix into the crisp delicious taste of the Root Beer soda, with the vanilla flavoring, it should make the perfect combination of tastes to satisfy your thirst. Let’s see. . . .

After: I tried 2 different brands of the root beer milk. The first was from a local grocery store. In my personal opinion not good at all, not the way I

expected anyway— a waste of $1.39. I decided to try it again, but from the same place and not the same brand. I tried the Winder Dairy brand, which is the same brand offered at Granger High School in the machine located next to the counseling center. It was just as I predicted: delicious and crisp, just the right amount of the vanilla flavoring mixed into the milk to substitute for the ice cream. It was tantalizing and refreshing also 39 cents cheaper. So spend a dollar, and try it. If you like root beer floats, you’ll like the flavor of root beer milk.

You might have noticed the new Tyson chicken machines in the school this year, and the… well… interesting choices that they have brought.

These new choices may confuse or frighten you.

They are previously unheard of in Grangers' vending machine world, and you might wonder what these people were thinking. So did I. So some classmates and I tasted a couple of them to see if they were any good.

Here’s what we decided: The Honey BBQ Chicken strips: They were better than they looked. They start out a bit rubbery, but after a couple chews, that goes away and you can pay more attention to the taste.

They cost more money than they are worth, in my opinion. So I wouldn’t buy them. But one of the other tasters said they were worth the money. I guess it depends on how thrifty you are.

The Home-style chicken strips: These were rubbery as well, and generally

go through the same chew-out process as the BBQ strips do. But they didn’t have as much flavor to save them as the BBQ strips did. I must note, however, that some of my classmates absolutely loved them. Others took one look, and were… disinclined to put them near their mouths. But they didn’t taste them. So we’ll say no more about it.

We really didn’t like these as much as the BBQ flavor.

Mr. Anthony's Music Picks

surprised it hasn’t gone bigger on the radio; It reminds me of New Order. I do have to say that I haven’t been impressed with all of their work though.

By Rick Anthony “Make You Smile” +44 Alternative Based on this track alone, I’m going to have to go with +44 over Angels and Airwaves. This is a great collaboration and a great sound. Like many of the Blink 182 tracks, this one is catchy and you can listen to it over and over.

“Say [clean]” Method Man Rap/RandB Method Man collaborates with Lauryn Hill on this one. It’s a great song and makes me wish Lauryn Hill would put out another album.

“Lets Vanish” Oxford Collapse Alternative Found on the infamous Sub Pop label, this group is fantastic. Simple yet complex, they have that band next door feel yet you can tell they are a great talent.

“Nature of the Experiment” Tokyo Police Club Alternative See Oxford Collapse minus the Sub Pop label.

“Murderers” John Frusciante Alternative Once you are told, it is easy to recognize the guitarist for the Red Hot Chili Peppers. He has several solo albums out there and has been on many journeys of his own. Mostly Low Fi stuff, and it can start to all sound the same. This is a great summary of what he is about – him playing guitar with a drum machine as the background.

“Music My Rock” Bedouin Soundclash Reggae Produced by the bassist of my favorite punk/reggae bands Bad Brains this song is one not to miss.

“Karma Police” Easy Star All-Stars and Citizen Cope Reggae An excellent cover of an excellent song.

“Strict Machine” Goldfrapp Electronic/Dance A song that can take one back to the new wave of the 80’s. This is one you will hear on TV commercials – it just has that sound.

“Hole In The Earth” Metal

Deftones

I really really really wanted the Deftones latest album to be like their old White Pony album. Unfortunately, this is the closest it got.

“Sweet Sweet Heartkiller” Say Hi To Your Mom Alternative Soft vocals and a simple guitar, this is a great song.

“A Place In Displacement” South Rock This song is a great pop song. I am very

“Mushaboom” Feist Pop A simple pop song. The chorus is what caught me and must have caught Ben Gibbard’s ear as well. He covered it with his own version ala Death Cab for Cutie style.

“Work, Work, Work” The Rakes Alternative Another British band that actually has put out a great song. It seems there is a strong scene going on over there these days with the amount of groups now emerging. Let me save you some time sifting through it all. Pick this track up.

NEWS 3

The Tri-Color Times January 2006

Plugging In

By Dominick Prospero

Jose Velasquez, multitasker

nection.

I’m sure everyone has experienced a situation where getting through to a friend who happened to be chained to his/her cell phone and iPod is nearly impossible. These devices take a person away from friendly communication and interaction with the rest of the world. First we created cars, then sky scrapers and now cell phones. Next we’ll be creating protective shields to shut us off from any outside contact whatsoever so the world will be free to decease in stupid introverted silence.

Technology is harmful, like heroin, too much and you become a drooling street freak, manically scratching at your cell phone buttons.

Obviously there is nothing to be done here because it is an impossibility to completely wean the entire teenage population of America off their tech habits. It would be like stopping the production of cigarettes or alcohol, the world would erupt in an addict-driven psychosis. Now the situation isn’t terminal or anything, but it has been shown that it affects people, whether it is through deafness or habituation. The choice, as with most things in life, belongs to that of the individual.

Tuning in to these devices or resisting the technology entirely is your right as an individual.Ah... the the joys of freedom and capitalism in America.

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HSNP572

dozen others had the same story to tell about their fiendish experiences with cell phones and iPods.

Lingering in the halls were at least fifteen students to interview about their cell phone and iPod situations. “I don’t know what I would do without my cell phone,” and “It’s impossible to do any homework without my iPod,” were some things said. Every single one of them listed their cell phones, iPods, etc. as something they couldn’t live without. These students keep plugging into pocket devices that corporations keep on manufacturing in smaller sizes, becoming devoid of human interaction and succumbing to this desperate sense of virtual discon-

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For every high school student at Granger, and in America for that matter, technology has become a necessity in life. In a world of motor cars and text messaging, we let things like Myspace occupy hours of our time. We have become infatuated with the idea of communicating with someone at all times. Why do we find it necessary to communicate on a plastic device in our laps, while our teachers are trying to get through to us? There’s always time after class, at lunch, or after school. The real concern however is not that these things are getting in the way of our education, but our lives in general. If we continue to submerge ourselves into an aquatic oblivion with this constant “plug in” to iPods and cell phones, we are going to keep missing real life.

The school librarian, Ms. Pray, agrees that this pointless multitasking with iPods and text-messaging is getting in the way. “It affects the way we think and the level of our creativity,” she said, “but is also said to increase the ability of the brain to multi-task.” It’s both pro and con, as many things are. Some students also had something to say on the matter.

Samantha Easthope, a senior, claimed that she wouldn’t use her cell phone in class, but yet, “I will have my iPod to listen to maybe five or six hours a day,” Samantha said through the noise of her ear buds, “It’s usually out of batteries when I get home.” Amber Lutler had something similar to say when she confessed that she couldn’t survive without her cell phone. “I talk and text on my phone for a good chunk of the day.” Amber admitted, “even during class I’m talking to my friends, sending pictures and stuff.” A

4 NEWS

The Tri-Color Times January 2006

Get A Room!

By Robyn Green Walking down the halls of Granger high school, you can see many things. One thing that is very obvious is the public displays of affection or in other words PDA. Usually considered as any kind of affection between couples, PDA can sometimes be cute and sweet, while at other times it is over the top and should be kept behind closed doors.

When I asked about PDA in the halls at Granger, senior Amelia Kolbe had this to say said, “One day while I was walking down the hall by the library, I saw this couple making out next to the wall and then next to the window and then in the middle of the hall.

They just couldn’t get off each other. I usually don’t have a problem with a little bit of PDA, but when it is like that, it is just crazy gross.”

Many students feel the same way. Most of the students that were interviewed say that a little is okay but they often find they need to turn away. “I know it’s there but I just try to look away,” senior Jaime Wheeler said. Other students have actually been the culprits of PDA so they don’t say much, except that it’s rude that so many people stare. But of course people stare, excessive PDA is like a car accident. You don’t want to stare because it’s not your business and it’s gross, but you still do just to see if everyone makes it out alive. So maybe students can just keep it to themselves.

“If you’re going to do it, at least be sneaky about it. Don’t do it for the whole world to see cause that’s freaking nasty,” said sophomore Alex Carrillo.

By Malerie Phillips Going to three different high schools in all my three years has given me a wide perspective of how people view Granger High. “Ghetto” is the word other people use to describe this school. Having love for my home town, whenever people would put down my favorite school I’d get irritated. But why do I have love for this place? Is it the pretty walls and colors? Not really.

Here are three reasons why Granger is so awesome: 1. We belong in a school that stays united. Being the school that gets a lot of media attention and the school that is made fun of and put down by others, we connect with one another.

Although we have differences, some large and some small we are still in this school together and we show that a lot. I’ve been to three different high schools. Olympus, Hillcrest, and now

Although most students weren’t okay with tons of PDA it should be known that a little bit of PDA can be seen as cute and nice. It’s awesome to see that so many students have been bitten by the love bug. “Holding hands, little kisses, and hugging are all me and Jon do, and I never feel like people are looking. But I could never full on make out at school. I would feel too weird,” senior Kirsten Williamson said. This is an example of

Is this what you come to school to see?

the cute kind of PDA around the school.

Still some couples give PDA a bad name, and that needs to stop. You can like the person you’re with or maybe even love the person you’re with, but there’s no reason others should have to view it to the fullest. They say that seeing is believing, but trust me, we can take your word on it when you say you love your significant other. We don’t need the proof.

Ghetto Granger Granger. When I came back from attending the other schools, I felt a sense of belonging that I hadn’t felt at the other schools.

2. Granger students make others feel more welcome than the students at other schools. You may think otherwise, but Granger students are a lot friendlier than they are given credit for. It’s a lot easier to make friends here than other places. We give out a vibe that tells others we are normal and easy to talk to. We also open up a lot more. A lot of the population at Granger has gone through troubling times and we all know that so we connect with each other.

3. Less stereotyping, racism, and close mindedness. Since we are a school of cultural diversity we have a greater tolerance for others who aren’t exactly like us, whether in skin,

thoughts, or style we don’t judge as much by what people wear and act but more of how people think and express themselves. Schools that are less culturally diverse are more close minded. They stereotype others by what they wear and what color of skin they have.

Granger is a school of many great qualities, granted there are a lot of not-so-good things about Granger, but if we look past all of that we can

see a school where unity is our number one priority. For most of us we are striving to excel from the expectations of others. We are a school where getting along is necessary or else we will truly have the reputation that has been gained from others. Just because we have a bad reputation doesn’t mean we have to live down to it.

The Tri-Color Times Staff Editor-In-Chief Selina Tran

Staff Writers Dahn Carlson Hilda Cordero Joseph Fatani Robyn Green Ashley Jorgensen Meg McManama RaShonda Miles

Brin Nelson Malerie Phillips Dominick Prospero Valentine Tinoifili Sheamarie Turner J. Enoch Wallis

Advisor John Carlisle

On Granger being "Ghetto" Janessa Pulu commented, "Everyone thinks Granger is Ghetto but it's not, Granger is a friendly school.

Not everyone is divided into cliques like how it is at other schools."

Tri-Color Times is a student forum for student opinion and student expression.

Granger High School 3690 South 3600 West West Valley City, Utah 84119

NEWS 5

The Tri-Color Times January 2006

Tears Across the Pavement continued from p. 1.

ed to make sure they all knew I loved them if we lost anyone. All of our lives toghether flashed before my eyes, I knew I couldn’t live with myself if any of them died.

The road dropped off into boulders, and we rolled off the road at least twice. No one really remembers much else. My sister Alexxis wore her lap belt, but she pulled it loose to stretch across the back seat. When we started spinning she slid out of her seat belt and flew out the back window. She landed on the boulders below. Just after she slid off the rocks, the van landed where she had been moments before.

My mom started yelling all our names to see where everyone was.

“Alexxis flew out the window!” my brother yelled. He climbed out the back window to get help. I jumped out of the car to find Alexxis. “Oh my God, I love you, I’m so sorry!” I kept mumbling.

Alexxis was completely incoherent. I tried to get her to follow my voice, but she kept walking the wrong way thinking she could see me. When I finally caught up to her, I picked her up and carried her back to the van. I lifted her into the driver's seat to wait until help

arrived. I was covered in blood, but none of it was my own. My mom got out to find my brother, who was already up on the highway. My mom's head broke the window, and glass cut her eye open.

She was covered in blood. She was grabbing handfuls of snow and packing it on her eye, hoping to stop the bleeding, but the snow instantly turned red.

I got back into the van to help my little brother and my two sisters.

Jacob was crying, but he didn’t seem injured. Alexxis and Tory were badly hurt. I tried to get to Tory, the door was jammed and wouldn’t open.

Search and Rescue finally arrived. They put me and my brothers in a truck to get warm while the paramedics came and helped Alexxis out of the van. They had to use the Jaws of Life to get to Tory. There is nothing scarier than seeing six firemen with the Jaws of Life swarm around your family.

My sisters and my mom were put in one ambulance while my brothers and I were put in another. It didn’t seem fair. We didn’t know if my sisters were going to make it, and my mom and brothers were all cut up. This was all my fault, yet I only got was a bruised

knee and a messed up back. If I could, I would have taken all of their injuries upon me. They didn’t deserve it.

When we arrived at the hospital, Alexxis was getting a CAT-scan, and Tory was hooked up to a bunch of different machines. I was sitting in the room with her when a police officer entered. “Were you the driver?” he asked.

He took me into the hall so we could talk. “I’m just warning you now, you will be getting a ticket,” he said. “At least for reckless driving and failure to drive in a single lane.”

“I slid on ice! I had no control over it! I can’t help that the state of Colorado doesn’t keep up on their roads.” I was being really defensive.

“We’ll just sit here and wait for Alexxis to die so we can charge you for murder” he said.

I had just about killed my whole family in a complete accident, and now I was a murderer? I was completely unstable and had no idea what to do or think. A representative from Victims' Assistance came in to talk to us. She was going to get us a hotel room, dinner, and some clean clothes and shoes (most of us had taken off our shoes to

travel in comfort). The police talked to the rep and told her since the accident was my fault, I was a criminal. When she heard this, she got us a cheap motel room. Nothing else. The hospital gave us some pain pills, released us, and got rid of our records. No one wanted to help a “murderer” or her family. When we went to the towing company to get our stuff out of the van, they charged us four hundred dollars since it was crime scene evidence.

Now that we are back home, I have to get a criminal attorney and go back to Colorado for a pre-trial hearing. We are going to fight this as much as possible because we all know it was an accident. Luckily we all made it home safe. We’ve got some bumps and bruises, but we’re alive. Those seat belts saved our lives. I have to go through some counseling, I can’t sleep at night because I get terrible nightmares, and I don’t know when I’ll be stable enough to drive again. At least we now know how much family really means.

6 REGISTRATION

The Tri-Color Times January 2006

Sign Up Now! A V I D

THIS could be YOU! Advancement Via Individual Determination

A nation wide program on a mission…

To inspire every student; To think, learn, achieve, and care.

The goal of AVID is to educate the “whole student”.

The program focuses on the six important elements of education: The student’s needs-Parents-Community-Curriculum-Faculty-Tutors

Pick up an application for AVID from any of the AVID site Team: Ms. Atkin, Mr. Bengaly, Ms. Biggar, Ms. Catten, Ms. Drage, Mr. Fuller, Mr. Hansen, Ms. Ireland, Ms. Jameson, Mr. Johnson, Ms. Mckay, Ms. Moon, Mr. Payne

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REGISTRATION 7

The Tri-Color Times January 2006

Giving Students

theEdge

High School to College Career Pathways

NE1410S? Anyone for tennis?

The 2006-07 Boys’ Tennis Team is getting ready for a great season.

The only thing missing is YOU. We have a NO CUT policy-- that means if you want to play and are academically eligible, you’re on the team. No experience? No problem! We’ll teach you. Come and check us out. We start February 26th on the tennis courts.

If you have questions, come and talk to Mr. Bullock in room 11.

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2007-2008

8 NEWS

The Tri-Color Times January 2006

The Ladies of Stonehenge

By J. Enoch Wallis Kathy Webster working hard at Granger.

Of all the staff members at Granger High, the ones we think of the least often are the lunch ladies, those monarchs of french-fries and collectors of lunch dues. We hardly speak to them except to say what kind of pizza we want. They come here every day to hand out food. What could they possibly do that would be interesting?

Well, for one thing they have a bowling team. “We’re the Ballerinas this year.” said June Wodgerman, one of the lunch ladies. They have been bowling for over 11 years and have loved every minute of it. The Ballerinas place every year, and have taken first quite a few times. But that’s not all they do. “When we don’t bowl we get together with our husbands and play games.” said Theresa Fife, and they don’t waste their time at it either. “We’re making a video to try and get on Deal or No Deal with the lunch lady bowling team,” she continued.

Now to introduce the ladies…

Jolene Chamblee has been working at Granger for 18 years. She is the head honcho in the kitchen, and, you might say, a typical lunch lady.

Jolene says “it’s a good job to have while your kids are in school.” and that’s why she got into it. She started working part time to help with the bills.

Now it has become her career. She has a son who is 28, and married, with a degree in political science.

Jolene also loves to fly fish. It relaxes her, and she can spend some time with her husband and family.

She also loves to scuba dive. “The corral reef is beautiful and awesome!” She says “when you are in the

ocean, there are colors like you’ve never seen. They’re more vibrant, and absolutely beautiful.”

Now, meet June Wodgerman. June has been working at Granger for 17 years without too many complaints.

She says it’s a good job because the hours work around your schedule. She has three kids. Two girls aged 32, 30, and a boy who is 27. One of her girls does data entry, one is a hair dresser, and her son is a plumber. June is on the Ballerina bowling team, and quite enjoys it. She also likes crafts and artsy stuff like that.

She would like to travel when she retires, and gets out of the Granger kitchens. June likes comedies, Christmas, and relaxing with her grandbabies.

She says that if she could be doing another career she would have wanted to be a hair dresser.

Kathy Webster has been working here for 12 years. She has 3 kids. aged 31, 29, and 25. She also loves traveling and spending time with her grandkids.

She would like to go on a trip around the world. She wants a great house, not a big house, but a great one. She wishes she could be on a beach in the Caribbean, or Fiji, snorkeling. She loves to snorkel. She is a fan of the “Supernatural” TV show, and “A Haunting”.

She is the “Scare Queen,” of the lunch room and she knows more about ghosts and monsters than the other lunch ladies. She loves doing scary stuff, like staying in haunted houses. Once she stayed in a haunted

hotel and was very disappointed when nothing happened. Once, when she was in Ely, one dark and creepy night, her jeep’s transmission broke down.

The last in the gang, but not the least, is Theresa Fife. Bowler of 11 years, and an alumni of Granger High School she completes this foursome of Ladies at Stonehenge. She decided to rejoin the kitchen staff after she got tired of sitting in an office, and answering people’s medical questions over the phone. “I’ve always wanted to be a nurse.” If she hadn’t gotten married, she would have joined the Navy’s nursing program.

She has four kids, ages 32, 30, 28, and 24, her oldest works for Select Comfort in manual control inventory. The second is in ATK working on rockets. Her third works in an office and has his bachelors in accounting, and now he is working on his masters. Her youngest works for a printing company that prints out billboards. All of them graduated from Granger. “I’m a Lancer through and through, once a Lancer, always a Lancer!”

Now you see that these women are far more interesting than first suspected. They lead engaging lives, and have important and useful skills that can be used in many ways and places.

It’s a new way of looking at them isn’t it?

Tamra Tice and Mona Nielson in the Granger kitchen.

Money Money Money

By Brin Nelson At the beginning of the year, students are required to pay certain fees. At the end of the year, students are welcome to take back a $10 refund. So what happens with that money during the year? An interview with Mr. Anthony gave some answers.

Though the basic fee is $60, there are also other fees that are paid for different reasons. For instance, sophomores taking Driver’s Ed have to pay $100 to take the class. If you’re taking an art, drama, shop, lab, music, or science class, you have to pay fees to cover costs for the supplies and equipment. Those are just the extra fees, so

where does your $60 end up going?

About half the students are on fee waiver, and the $10 refund is just set aside -- not even touched until the end of the year. So the school gets about $40,000 from basic fees. Most of this goes to sports, paying for the busses to take players and/or cheerleaders to other schools, and paying for people to gather tickets. Any other team costs need to be covered by fundraisers.

Clubs and other organizations within the school each have a budget with which they work with. Money they get from fundraisers or ticket sales goes into that budget to help pay for whatever

their needs are. Big events are usually paid for with fundraised money. For things like dances, the Officers or Cheerleaders need to be able to break even.

The biggest chunk of money, as with nearly any organization, goes to salary for all the teachers and administration, but that is paid for from the district. The district also covers a lot of the basic needs the school has, such as power, heat, repairs, and equipment.

As everyone knows, there are plenty of things that you can get fined for at school. Fines for being late and getting caught without a parking sticker are common. Where does that money go? Simply, it

helps pay for the school cops and security.

But the biggest fines that students rack up are actually with textbooks. No one really means to steal them. It’s more that no one wants to take the effort to take a big and annoying book to school, or they just completely forget to take it back. There are consequences if you don’t pay your fines, but that doesn’t really seem to affect some people, so the fines just stay there.

So maybe when you collect your refund at the end of the year, you’ll appreciate what the school goes through to make this place run. All I can say is that I’m glad I’m not the accountant.

NEWS 9

The Tri-Color Times January 2006

Can You Hear Me Now? G.T.V. students filming a skit.

By Joe Fatani “We’ve done everything to make people listen to the announcements over GTV, I’ve even spoke in a different accent.

But, it still seems that no one listens to us.” said Nancy Vongsenkeo.

This is true among students. GTV was more like background music to all the gibberish and gossip that goes on in a high school classroom. Some students have even gone so far as turning GTV off, saying that it interferes with class work. The Student Body Officers sought to solve this problem.

One morning, the SBOs met with Mr. Cox to discuss this problem. They came up with a plan that seems to be working.

The announcements would be heard over the intercom under the name Granger Radio, while GTV will be on Fridays, only showing skits and other announcements that teachers would request. But has it worked?

Yes and no. From some interviews I made, some students had said that the intercom announcements have really helped, saying that because you have to pay attention, you can understand the message better. Yet, there are some students who never really listen to the announcements. It is those students that like the skits and comedy that would play on GTV. Some of the students said that because of those skits, they have learned a lot of info as to school policies and clubs.

I think that the intercom announcements are great because you don’t have to find a TV in a class to hear the announcements. There are intercoms located everywhere, so any student can hear and obtain info wherever they are around the school. But just because the announcements have gotten more convenient for the students, doesn’t mean that they’ll listen.

As I see it, there will never be a way to get all of the student body to listen to what you have to say. Both GTV and the Granger Radio have their advantages. GTV made people look at the screen, but people didn’t really care what it was about. Granger Radio gets the message out, but the students just

shrug the announcements off. So it seems that some students don't care what the school has to say. But for you students who actually listen to the announcements, your life has gotten a little easier. Maybe.

Climate Control

By Dominick Prospero “It’s Freezing!” exclaims Lacy Freeman, “every day, too.” Winter has come and the cold has become a factor in all of our lives here at Granger. It’s known to be a fierce downer especially during the school day becauase of the fact that some rooms are not warm enough. We need an enviroment where learning becomes bearable and possible. Some rooms feel as if they have neither walls nor a ceiling and they are no better than a freezer. Todd Nielson, a custodian at Granger, said, "This comes up every year. The problem in room 202 is all the heating pipes were removed when the science rooms were remodeled. There was a mistake on the blueprints. Thus there is no way to get heat to that room. At this point I don't think they will repair it, but I will send another work order in to see if something can be done."

Room 221 is one example. Mrs. Catten’s classroom is filled every period with jacketed students, jaws clenched and vibrating. Complaints ring out and the cold knocks the stable teaching environment off its toes. “Everybody notices,” says Mrs. Catten, “I consistently have to

Is your classroom too cold?

excuse students to get their coats. And it certainly affects the way I teach because the student’s can’t focus.” Occasionally the problem is forgotten and class continues but most of the time the lowered temperature effects the entire classroom environment for the duration of the period. Help has been requested but nothing comes, “We’ve asked but nothing changes,” Mrs. Catten reported. Many other classes have this same issue.

What’s particularly strange is that some rooms have a blistering, humid temperature to contrast with the Artic educative zones. Mrs. Drage’s class in room 207 is an inferno of static energy. “The custodial staff knows about the problem and they try to fix it but one heater just keeps cranking away excessively,” Mrs. Drage described the situation, “so all I can do is warn the students and open the windows.” From personal experience, it’s extremely itchy and fatiguing to spend the class period perspiring and sticking to a key board. “It’s hot enough to burn calories in there,”

Sami Khan said on the issue of class heat, “there should be a pool in there to cool off in.”

Doug, a member of the custodial staff, had something of his own to say on the situation of climate control.

“There’s nothing we (the custodial staff) can do about the climate, the building is just old.” Doug went on to say that, “Teachers complain about it frequently and want us to do something, but the

fact is that nothing can be done.”

The lack of climate control is evidently taking its toll on our school environment, the members of the staff, and student population. The environment in which we are educated has a hefty effect on what we get out of schooling. Without a good atmosphere in which to absorb knowledge, the curriculum will wither in a drone of dismay.

10 LOVE

The Tri-Color Times January 2006

My One True Fairy Tale Love

By Setar Seth All you need is love. I firmly believe that this is true. Love can inspire and create strength where none seemed to exist. In the words of William Shakespeare, “love is not love which alters when it alteration finds.”

Love is accepting, love is long lasting, love is something that grows in your mind and stays in your heart.

As for these teen romances, as for these young lovers that “fall” for each other and can’t bare the thought of separation I have no feeling outside the realm of pity and mild amusement.

It is that head-over-heels, sweep you off your feet, fairytale kind of love that seems beyond foolish. After all, there’s a reason the “ideal” love is called the fairytale love. Those stories and the kind of love that is found in them exist only within untrue tales where some sort of magical force or unnatural twist of fate intervenes. In life, the realist [a.k.a. the sane mind] knows that fairy godmothers, helpful dwarves, furniture that spontaneously moves about of it’s own accord, and other things of that nature do not exist within nature; our world.

The object of this piece is not to shun the high school sweetheart. It is merely an effort to shine light on love; real love as opposed to the one “true” love. Most would say that you “know”

when you are in love, you “know” when you’ve found the right one.

Then some pessimistic, overbearing, sadist says, “How? How do you know?”

What an outrageous question! So outrageous that you simply won’t answer. It could be that you don’t “know” the answer.

Outside of “He/she makes me feel good” or “ I feel an indescribable connection with him/her” or even the statement growing in popularity “I think he/ she’s hot.” He always gives you compliments; that makes you feel good. She al-

ways supports your decisions; this makes you happy.

You always feel whole when this person is around you and without that person you feel lost.

But after the compliments are old, and when you can’t stand his decisions what’s left is that empty sense of infatuation that you somehow mistook for love.

Think of true love not as this unexplainable burning desire to be with one person A real prince charming... but rather the passion and the compassion that leads you to care for a person through anything that either of you may face together or apart.

As for the comment “love the obsession” love is an obsession. A mother cares for her child at all times. She thinks of her child every waking moment and even in her sleep, she will do anything to protect that child, and care for her child. A mother knows that the love of a child overtakes her, it becomes more essential to her than life itself. Is this not an obsession, this love that controls your life, your time, and all your focus and energy? It is, and it is good. The love that builds, grows, and protects, as any real love will. Then there is another kind of obsession, the kind that overwhelms you in a different way. The love that distracts you and takes you away from your physical state of mind. You are infatuated with this indescribable feeling. It takes you away from the world; it gives you a thrilling sense of romance and passion. Then, after that is all said and done, the “love” you thought to be so strong disappears, leaving you behind broken and confused.

Be not disheartened young hearts. There is a love out there, but before you wander aimlessly into uncertain boundaries understand the difference between love and infatuation. The thought that you’ve found your fairytale love and real love, the kind that will weather through any storm. Real love only exists after patience and time.

A Thing Called Love

By Dahn Carlson What is Love? The question many people ask time and time again. You can’t describe Love nor define it, it’s a feeling, and to say love is not real would be like saying feelings aren’t real just because you can’t define it or put it into words. I went around Granger High and asked a few students to describe different feelings.

Sandess – "Tears." Kristen Eckersley Love – “It’s really hard, I don’t know how to describe it. It’s an indescribable feeling. It’s the way you feel about another person.” Kristy Lowrey Answering a feeling with another feeling doesn’t describe much. But it shows that love is a feeling. Some say love is an obsession. But is it?

True, you are in a way drawn to them. But it’s not an obsession, it’s the way you feel about another person. Saying love isn’t real is like saying “Oh I like my children.” or “I like my parents.”

How would you describe unconditional love from parents to children? Love is what we make it.

Not what we think or hope it is. If you asked a million people all over the world, to try to define love, they would have different answers.

No, love is not the same just like no person is the same. Love can make you happy or love can hurt you to the point you never want to love again, and that’s what feelings do, they catch you off guard and you don’t know what to do or say about it. When you love someone or you are in love, you can’t control your thoughts or words. You know it’s there and you don’t want to lose it. You don’t have to prove that you love someone to anyone. As long as you feel it, it’s there.

Love can change people, it can change their whole life and everything they do. You could be ob-

Krisy Lowrey and Jesse Masters are in love.

sessed with collecting or working out, but never, never could you love too much! Love saves lives and can save someone's whole outlook.

Who can honestly say they have never said they loved someone and truly meant it? No one can. Maybe they haven’t been in love, but they do love family and friends. So if you can love relatives, then why can’t you love a complete stranger? Why do some people think love only goes under one category? Loving someone and being in love with someone are totally opposite

feelings. In my opinion, love is real, and being is real as well as any other feeling, you can choose to let love in or lock it out and never experience it, but it is real. There isn’t only one kind of love, and you can never love enough or run out of love.

Love can bring other feelings. It can cause pain, sadness, anger, or happiness. It can change a person into another person. I’m sorry, but obsession just doesn’t do that.

OPINION 11

The Tri-Color Times January 2006

Kingdom of Fear

By Dominick Prospero Today our nation can be considered one that has fear on its side. Unfortunately we have had some terrorist attacks that built up a consistent paranoia against “evil” forces or catastrophes. It has been shown in the past that fear can be a dangerous weapon for those who use it to manipulate their own countries. Government officials use this paranoia to keep American citizens of our country ignorant of our own evils. Hitler told his people that the Jewish people were liable to take over Germany and even the world. Joseph McCarthy, the Senator who kicked off the red scare and Salemesque witch hunt, infected our society with wild fantasies about Communists and espionage.

Our resistance and ruthless counter-attack against terrorism and other psychotic disasters has become a replicate of the

very threat it has fought against.

We dreadfully fear another plane going down, a bomb detonating, or an outbreak of poisonous gas.

American optimism should have better things to be concerned with.

Things like starvation, poverty, domestic abuse, or health care. This fear is carefully laced into your life, your routines, and your general personality and thought processes. You realize that you’re predisposed to fear certain things that television, magazines, movies, and the government want you to fear.

The elements of fear fragment everywhere, even school. It is obvious that bad grades are gigantic grimacing creatures. School emergency guidelines are less conspicuous, yet relevant areas that better explain this fear. Compare the “Emergency Preparedness Manuals” of now and years

ago, they are frighteningly different.

The saying “preservation of life” is used on numerous occasions in the new one, whereas it’s not mentioned once in the other. The new edition also mentions hostage situations and domestic disturbances involving threats and weapons. Preparing for a confrontation of spouses at school is one thing, but having a mother spray mace at their spouse exclaiming “You bastard!” is left to the slimy Hollywood producers to imagine.

The older guide takes the realistic catastrophes and creates a simple, yet useful, step by step grease manual to ease through. This is much more likely to simmer down a difficult situation. This throwback guide is more concerned with solving a situation instead of applying tinges of paranoia. The bomb threat guide for the old book provides a sheet to dissect the caller’s identity in order

to assist further prosecution of the madman. A checklist in the old guide includes things like tone of voice and background noises which could definitely prove helpful. The new and “updated”, or refurbished, version is only one page whereas the older is three detailed and operative quality pages.

Now the obsessed and schizophrenic nature of our country these days can be seen and evaluated everywhere you go. It justified our deploying thousands of troops amidst civil war in Iraq. Fear justified Hitler, it justified McCarthy’s rant and raid of the U.S. government for “reds”, and it can justify any other surgical wrong that someone will want to commit in the future. Fear is something horrid, more terrible than what we fear in the first place.

12 NEWS

By Meg McManama

The Tri-Color Times January 2006

Sterling Scholars

Math

Erinn Ballard was singing with the madrigals, when someone called her and told her the great news! She had won the Sterling Scholar award for math. Erinn is very involved: she is in Madrigals, Dance company, National Honors Society, Lancer Action Team, and in the school musical, Aida. She loves music, the Series

by Lyn Gardner, mashed potatoes, and Pirates of the Caribbean. Erinn plans to work at a camp this summer, then go to college and get her bachelors degree in the Science or the medical field.

Foreign Language

Rosey Bassett won the Sterling Scholar award in foreign language. One of her favorite things about Sterling Scholars is being able to go to The Roof for dinner. Rosey would like to thank Ms. Woodward and her parents for helping her win this award. She is involved in National Honors Society, Key Club, and many sports teams. When she isn’t playing basketball, she indulges in ice cream or watches Glory Road. Her plans for after high school include going to BYU or USU, becoming a high school teacher and perhaps having 20-52 cats

Music

Jenelle Dapp was sitting in her AP calculus class, when GTV came on, and they announced she had won the Sterling Scholar award for music!

She loves music and has worked very hard to get where she is today. She credits her family, Mr. Lewis from West Lake, and Mr. Moore from Granger who have taught her a lot about music. She is on the swim team and French Club. Her favorite things to do are to play the piccolo, flute, and swim. Jenelle’s favorite book is Wuthering Heights and her favorite movie is The Little Mermaid. She will be going to Weber State University with a full 8 semester tuition scholarship. She plans on majoring in music and radiologic sciences.

Dance Shannon Hansen danced off with the sterling scholar award for Dance.

Dancing is her passion and she is honored to represent Granger as the sterling scholar. She has been dreaming of being the Sterling Scholar since 6th grade. Her family, coaches, and dance teacher have been a great help along the way. She is an Excalibur and is on LAT. She is also starring in the school musical as Amneris. She enjoys fettuccini alfredo and loves to watch musicals. When she isn’t dancing she’s singing. After high school, she plans to become a dental assistant and attend SLCC for more dancing experience. In the future, look for Shannon to be the head of a dance studio

Science Maria Halton wants to, “Represent Granger at the next level!” She won the Sterling Scholar award in Science. She gives credit to her parents for introducing her to the sciences and encouraging her to be involved.

Maria is in Math Society of Granger, and National Honor Society. She likes Panda Express Chinese, while watching a good movie like Pride and Prejudice. Running is her favorite hobby and she plans to be on the track team at USU, and then go to medical school.

Social Science

Allisa Nielson won the Sterling Scholar award for Social Science. She said it was a great experience competing against other students, and gives a lot of credit to her parents helping her along the way. She is a part of National Honors Society, Madrigals, the basketball and soccer team, and student body president this year. When Allisa isn’t with her family or baby sitting, she is eating Mexican food, or watching one of her favorite movies. Princess Bride, Young Frankenstein, or That Thing You Do. Her advice to those thinking about applying for Sterling Scholar is “Get involved with service and leadership, work hard, and be prepared.”

Trade & Technical Education Colton Sillitoe won the distinguished Sterling Scholar award in Trade and Technical Education. He wanted to win this award to be seen by all!

Mr. V.K. earns the credit for helping Colton with this award. He is in National Honors Society, Math Club and the Drama Club. His favorite food is Italian, he also likes settling down for a good movie like The Brave Little Toaster. His hobbies include cooking, baking, and extreme sports. He has an engineering state scholarship and he plans to get his masters at Utah State.

Drama & Speech

Jacob Squire won the Sterling Scholar award for speech/drama. His parents, friends, and Mr. Fuller helped him get this award. He is in the Drama club, Japanese club, Madrigals, and serves as Student Body Vice President. He is currently starring in the school musical as Radames.

His favorite thing to do is act. He likes the Phantom of the Opera and food! After high school, he is going to work toward becoming a theatre teacher. He plans on going to SUU or the U of U and major in theatre education.

Visual Arts

William Thorup took home the Sterling Scholar award for visual arts. He was inspired to apply by his dad who won the Sterling Scholar for Technical Trades. He is in Madrigals, Japanese Club, Art Club, Drama Club and is the Student Body Artist. William’s favorite food is pizza, and his favorite movie is Star Trek: The Search for Spock. He loves to draw. He is planning to go on a mission and then to college at UVSC for 4 years in media arts – specifically 3D animation. His advice for young upcoming applicants for the Sterling Scholar award is to “Expect a lot of work”.

English

Selina Tran received the award of English Sterling Scholar. She credits her involvement in journalism, to have helped her receive this award. She is in Dance company, the Cheerleading squad, President of Math Club, and the editor of the Tri-Color Times. She enjoys the books The Catcher in the Rye, and The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series. She loves music, and hanging out with her friends. Selina plans on going to an out of state college, but hasn’t decided which yet. She has chosen to major in Communications, or international relations.