Granger High School
Tri-Color Times an open forum for student opinion, expression, and silliness -- check the date if you believe any
of these articles
granger owns you whitney hards
Ian Mallory and erika lopez photo by: Samantha Harris
We all know it is now spring. Good thing, ‘cause I couldn’t have waited much longer. Spring is an exciting season. Everything starts to grow. Spring also makes kids flirty. Granger will start to see more couples walking around holding hands, like Ian Mallory and Erika Lopez. They are a charming couple and I caught them in a good moment during a break.
WITH SCHOOL SPIRIT at an all-time low, the staff here at Granger high held a series of meetings at the end of February to formulate some new ways to boost vehemence. Mr. Moore, the music teacher, had the brilliant idea to change the sound of the dismissal bell from a repetitive dinging to the school song. Also, advisory will be started off each morning with a school song sing-along. Each student must sing to receive his/her points for the day, and will be graded on enthusiasm and accuracy. The dress code regulations have also been expanded. Any student caught sporting attire advertising any school but Granger will be fined and suspended. This includes junior high apparel. The past must be left behind in order to achieve an ultimate state of school spirit. Anyone caught violating dress code will be suited up in heavy armor, and be required to carry around a shield for the rest of the day. Coaches and art teachers got their way as well. Attending games, concerts, and plays is now mandatory. Attendance
will be taken at football games, and cheering is required. Any student who isn’t hoarse postgame will be penalized. Students attending plays must laugh or cry in accordance with the content. This will prove to other schools that Granger students are the absolute best, and everyone gives their unwavering support. Mr. Folster, the driver’s education teacher, came up with a change taking place in the parking lot. The parking sticker that will be issued to students who wish to drive to school now has a new design. It is a large decal portraying a proud Lancer on a horse. This will display our Lancer pride no matter where you or your parents may drive to. This parking sticker is to be placed in the middle of your hood. Cars parked without parking decals will likely have their tires lanced by school spirit extremists, and will then be ticketed and towed. The new school spirit boosters will be put into effect as soon as the 2010-2011 school year commences. So get yourselves ready juniors and sophomores, because your teachers next year are stoked to see what kind of tremendous school spirit you can muster up. Go Lancers!
musical schools samantha candland
A L O N G with the retirement of Principal Cox, Granger is losing another head administrator after the year ends, Vice Principal Nerdin. He is returning to Cottonwood high school to replace their current principal. “It is just another part of the six year rotation that we go through. Sometimes we [principals and vice principals] get to stay at a specific school, while other times we must transfer to a new one,” said Nerdin. The six year rotation, also known as ‘musical schools’, is a project that Granite School District began in the early ‘90s. Every six years, each principal and vice principal in the district must attend a meeting at the Granite School District headquarters in order to find out which school they will be working at, unless they plan on retirement. The district created this project when they saw how partial
April 1st 2010
some school administrators were towards other schools. Some principals would not even allow transfer students into their school if they came from a ‘rival’ school. “At that point, change was not an option, it was a necessity,” said Donnette Peterson, the founder and chairman of the meetings. At first, many of the administrators did not want the change and saw no need for it, forcing the project directors to get creative. Peterson said, “We wanted to make it fun so there were no complaints, yet we still needed to solve the problem at hand.” After many meetings and ballots, they decided to design a form of the game musical chairs that would switch each principal and vice principal from one school to another, in hopes of eliminating the biases. The participants must go through three rounds of the game, position, level, and school, to determine where they will be placed and
what they will be doing. They begin by playing the typical form of musical chairs, except no person is left without a seat. The music starts, and they slowly start walking around the circle of chairs. After a moment, the music silences, forcing all people to sit down on the closest chair. After they sit, the participants must reach under their chairs and grab a slip of paper that is taped to the bottom. It has a word on it, designating each person to specific categories and groups until everyone is finished. In the first round, the paper indicates whether the person will be a principal or a vice principal. The second round determines what grade level the person will be working with. And the third round, to some the most highly anticipated, gives the person the name of the school they will be working at. “It was exciting to hold the piece of paper that told me where
I would be for the next several years,” said Cox of his experience in musical schools when he came to Granger in 2005. He hopes everyone enjoys the new principal Granger gained in the rotation, Mr. J. Haslam,
previously from Taylorsville high school, and is planning on taking pleasure in his retirement. Nonetheless, Cox did say, “[Musical chairs] is one ‘matter of business’ I will truly miss after I retire.”
who is this police officer? find out on page 3!
Volume LI, Issue 9
2 Granger high school stop light hallways samantha harris
WHEN walking down the halls of Granger, students come to notice they are more than over crowded. As students, it gets a little irritating trying to get to class on time with all of the other students standing in the way. Administration has decided to enforce the crowed hallway with installing actual stop lights and many more new ideas added to Granger until they tear down the school in 2011. The lights will be installed Saturday, April 3rd. There will be about 25 stop lights up and working on Monday morning before school starts. The lights will be just like regular stop lights on the road. Red means stop, yellow means yield, and green means go. Just like roads being dangerous, Granger has to apply laws in the hallways, also.
Included with the lights is a new bell schedule. Granger has decided to extend the school day because of the light system. The five minute break to get to class on time has been extended to seven minutes. With some students not able to drive yet, this requires them to take the “hallway law” class. This is taught by Mr. Folster, after school at 3:00 p.m. if you’re one of the students who goes to GTI for some classes. Classrooms by the stop lights will receive a tiny remote to literally pause the stop lights for you to pass by with no problem whatsoever. Some students think this is a controversial plan the district has made. Michael Young (11) said, “It might just help with all the students doing nothing in the halls, and not make students late for class.” Many students w o u l d agree with Yo u n g , but others w o u l d totally go against his opinion. I a n Winston (10) is very upset about the decision. He would m u c h
rather have had the students from Jordan District received the money. Winston said, “Having stop lights isn’t going to make the halls any better. It may make it worse.” Nobody will know if this system is going to help right away. The district said, “This will teach students who are learning to drive how to use the stop lights on the main road. It’s killing two birds with one stone.” Knowing Granger is getting the lights, students will have to prepare for this big change. Granger might be getting a lot of news stations walking around and interviewing students about how they feel about this major system being instated. Some parents will be completely astonished about the lights being installed. Notes will be sent out for parents to know what is going on in the month of April. A few bad things about the lights are that if the power goes out, we have to wait until they reboot the whole system which takes about two and a half hours. During those hours, students will be sitting in a class room waiting for the lights to be fixed. They are trying to find a way to make this program faster to fix. Abby Dintol (12) said it’s a great idea to put lights in, but does not know how this is this all going to work. “Please explain how this will help students learn.” Many say it wouldn’t help at all. Some say they just can’t believe this is actually really happening.
Lunch is served alan castaneda
DOES it ever seem to you that less and less students are coming to Granger? Teachers are complaining that classes are shrinking and students are just not caring for grades anymore. Sylvia Blue (11) said, “I don’t think it’s just because students don’t want to come to school. There has to be something more that people aren’t seeing.” Many others do not understand, either. Gloria Halleluiah (12) said, “I don’t know why it’s so hard for students to come to school, I mean, I’m a quadriplegic and have to wear a neck brace, and I still get to school on time.” Ms. Hoover said, “I’ve seen many students skipping
April 1st 2010
class and going to lunch. Food in the lunch room is becoming more popular. It not only tastes better, but there are many more options. Like the extra, extra sloppy joe, or the shrimp pasta with alfredo sauce. But where is the school getting the money to buy better food? Suzy Mumps (11) went to go find out where Granger was getting the new food. She tried to go to see how the lunch ladies were preparing the food, but she wasn’t allowed. Granger states they got money from the district. Eleanor Smith, one of the head directors of Granite School District, said, “We received
a generous amount of money from a wonderful person who would rather not be named. With this money we can improve school lunches and give schools more supplies.” I went to go find out if what they were saying was true while the lunch ladies weren’t there. I sneaked into the kitchen, though I wish I hadn’t. It was like that Halloween Simpsons episode where Bart dreamt the school had been serving students as food. It was just like that! There was blood everywhere, followed by hair, clothes and many sharp blades. Turns out there are disgusting things going on behind the scenes. Granger never acquired a “generous amount of money,” they had been using students as a way to keep their cafeteria open! Many students, parents, and teachers are appalled by this. Teachers this year are quitting as a result of this massacre, and many kids are being removed from Granger. The Governor of Utah has almost cancelled the Granite School District. Many schools are going to be closed and students are going to have to find a new school to go to. Before you ever go to a lunch room, be sure one of your classmates are not missing.
Granger High School Tri-Color-Times
Boy and Girl Classes yanira bayardo
NEXT year, the school board has decided to try something new at Granger. They came up with the idea of splitting up girls and boys for every single class. They thought the idea might bring up grades and test scores since the opposite gender will not be a distraction Obviously teenagers have raging hormones in high school because it is part of puberty, but it can also be a distraction for learning. Students at the University of Alaska proved that some 60 of students get distracted by the opposite sex in the first couple of years after starting puberty. School is just a place where kids meet new people, especially in classes, but it is also were they learn. Some people see saying hi or what’s up to a friend of the opposite gender as a distraction or, or sitting at a boys’ table with only girl as one, too. Would they be a distraction just for being a girl? It is a proven fact that girls mature faster than boys. If that is true, girls could be more ahead and advance quicker than the boys, possibly getting better grades than the boys. It would turn out to be a battle of
the sexes. The students do not see this change as beneficial to them. "I can’t imagine a class without guys. Some of my best friends are guys. Yeah, they make me laugh, but does that mean it’s because they are funny or because they are guys and I am a girl?" said Juliana Jeffery (11). “That would just be weird. How will I meet girls then?” asked Henry Sommers (10). Girls and boys have always shared classes with each other since kindergarten, giving the impression that the two could be in the same room and still focus on what they are doing. If that was not true, how else would people be able to drive, go to the super market, or go to work without getting distracted? Females and males will always be around each other one way or the other. The real question is ‘will it work?’ Will girls go to class if guys are not there, or vice versa? Next year has already been decided on that girls and boys will be separated in all classrooms, so Granger is soon to find out.
here comes the food yasmine carrillo
IMAGINE having food come to you instead of having to use your hall pass for the quarter. For all those sophomore and junior students that are still registering for next year’s classes, here is an idea. Starting next year in the fall Granger will have a cart coming around the halls. Yes, you read that correctly. It will be run by the Marketing Class. If you decide to take this class, you not only get the luxury of not sitting around and doing class work all day, but also getting to see your friends, and hand food to all those hungry kids. Many students are complaining that they have to wait to eat or be late for class in order to run to the machines and get some food. The administration thinks that this would be a good idea because it would get the tardy count down and the kids that usually just roam that halls are more likely to go to class too. James Moore (11) said, ” I think that it will improve our test scores. They say if you eat right before a test, you are likely to do better.
This will be a great thing. You will be in class on time and you get to eat. “ During your class, they will have a ten minute break. In that period of time, teachers will walk you to the door and hand you a card. This card works like a debit card. You are given the chance in the beginning of the week to put money on this card. Whatever you do not use stays on the card for next week. Jasy Whitehead said,” I love this idea, I have to ask for the hall pass, and use my extra credit to get food, so this will help my grade and I can pay more attention to my class.” There are many students like Jasy that think that this will improve the school’s way of running things. On the downside, this has a lot of teachers concerned. They think that this will only cause more distractions and disruptions. Whichever side you’re on, whether you believe this is going to improve our school system or make things worse, it will be starting up next fall.
Volume LII, Issue 9
Granger high school 3
Granger High School Tri-Color-Times
Not Graduating, you still get to walk daysha hunsaker
MANY ARE bummed because they are not going to be able to graduate with their 2010 class. They shouldn’t be though, because even though they cannot officially graduate, Granger high school will still recognize them as a part of the class of 2010 and let them walk as an attendee before the graduates. People have wondered how this is supposed to be established and if other schools are doing this as well. It started because a bunch of non-graduating students got together and protested to Mr. Cox that they’ve attended school for twelve years, and even though they did not earn all twenty seven credits they should get to walk. Once other students at Kearns and Hunter found out Granger was doing, this they too protested to their administrators. The “attendees” will also get a certificate. The students and administrators have agreed on an attendee diploma. This certificate will help them to find a better job than just a high school drop-out would. This way, all that time spent in school was not a waste. They can still get their high school diploma in the future. It will cost you much, much more, though. What the school board is trying to get at is to go to school
and get passing grades. Do it that way and they will definitely end up saving money. It is unsure right now how many students will be walking on graduation day but will not be graduating. Jack Harrison (11) said,”I think more people will there as attendees rather than actually graduating.” In reality this is true. More of the 2010 class will be attendees rather than graduates. What does this mean for other youth? This is soon to be a rising problem that will give future students excuses not to get good grades and graduate. Personally, I do not see how it is fair to the students who are actually trying and wanting to graduate from high school. Walking with their class should be a privilege, not a requirement or disadvantage to the people who really worked hard. To walk with one’s class is an honor to show that they successfully completed high school. On the other hand, the students walking as attendees think this is very fair because they’ve been at school, they just did not get good grades. They feel that they earned it. What is really fair is for everyone to decide. Take some time to think on this one.
new equipment candice davidson
SINCE there will be no new school, Granger is making other changes. Everyone knows that the Granger Lancers are given the bad reputation of being horrible juvenile delinquents, therefore Granger is taking action. Starting Monday, May 17, there will be a metal detector at every entrance. More police officers will also be hired to stand by the detectors to perform body searches, only if necessary. New rules will be enforced. Every student can only have a transparent bag, girls cannot bring make up to school, and there can be absolutely no electronics. That includes cell phones, iPods, MP3 players, even cameras. Tyler Evans (12) said, “I thought and hoped Granger would do something about all the trouble starting students here, but this is taking it a little too far. Oh well, maybe now Granger will have a better environment.” Many students have asked what will happen if they are caught with any of those things on school property. One of the hired officers, Travis Mondell, as shown on page one, said, “The first time anyone is caught they will get suspended for three days. The second time, they are issued a court date and suspended for a week. The third and final time this happens they
are kicked out of school, must to go to court again, and may get a citation for our troubles.” The school has also made plans so no food or bottles can be brought to school. Students will be forced to buy them on campus. Students will have to have two sources of proof that they are from this school; a school ID and a schedule. Jaxson Brown (11) said, “Wow, could this school get anymore lame? All of the student drivers are probably thinking “oh, I can just hide stuff in my car.” WRONG. If the school, another student, or a cop believes someone has something in their car that should not be on school property, the car will be automatically searched by a K-9 unit. To be sure no one puts anything in their lockers, on Friday, May 14, all the lockers will be emptied. If students have anything of value in their lockers, it is suggested they get it out before the cops do, because as soon as they get to the locker, everything will garbage. All the lockers will be pad locked shut Friday morning, and will eventually be taken out. Granger can say goodbye to light loads of school supplies and hello to muscles due to lugging around heavy books. Sluffers beware, there will be
at least two officers patrolling the entire area at all times and will give a truancy ticket, which will be increased to ten dollars per ticket. Also, there will be more hall monitors at Granger and they will frequently be checking the bathrooms, so students better hope they have a hall pass. If students are on public property, such as Fresh Market, McDonald’s, Beans & Brews, or even the Texaco, between 7:30 a.m. and 2:10 p.m., there will be a $200.00 trespassing ticket. That means no more leaving for lunch. Granger students have many opinions on the changes that will be in process until June of 2011. Brittany Bradshaw (10) said, “Dang, are you for real? I’m not gonna be stuck here for this whole thing to go down, at least not the whole time. I’m for sure transferring schools.” Just as a future warning, prepare for the harsh changes happening in May. Lauren Banks (12) said, “Hmmm, Thank goodness I’m graduating this year and I only have to deal with it for, like, a month. I wonder how many students will even be left after this takes place. I think everyone will try to transfer schools.”
New School Out, Other Schools In yvonne huynh
A DISTRICT school meeting was held on February 5, 2010, to discuss the dilemma of Granger High School not being rebuilt due to insufficient funds/budget cuts. Everyone will be shipped off to the closest school in their boundaries. On Monday March 1, 2010 the school board also announced that the decision is final and the school will be closed the summer of 2011. The school will be crushed down, yet there is no word of what will become of the school grounds. Jacob Ellis (11) said, “I hope they build a water park.” The school board also believes that closing Granger and getting rid of the bad, “ghetto” rep will influence students to go to school and graduate. Sophomores and juniors will be switched over to Hunter, Kearns, or
April 1st 2010
Taylorsville. Skyline and Olympus, however, has decided that they will not allow Granger students to transfer over due to multiple low test scores. Jay Parker (10) is not thrilled about that. “My test scores are fine, so why shouldn’t I be eligible to go to Skyline or Olympus?” Not only do students have to worry about transferring to different school, but teachers will be let go and forced to find new jobs. Mr. Cox said, “I’m retiring at the end of this school year, but I wish the best of luck to all my faculty members.” At least some people do not have to worry about it. Kyle Frappes (12) said, “Luckily, I’m a senior this year, so I don’t have to worry about going to a new school.”
poofing hair no more regan barker
THE dress code has recently changed, and many girls aren’t happy about it. It is now against dress code to Rat/Poof your hair. So many complaints have been reported to the Teachers and Staff here at Granger, that the school had decided to completely ban the hairstyle. Granger High believes that the ratted hair is too distracting in the learning environment. “When girls rat their hair, its way to hard to see the Teacher because all you see is a big mountain of hair.” said Sally Johnson Many students (mostly men) have
agreed that it is pointless, distracting, and completely hilarious. The School District has listened to these complaints and believes that the only way to prevent this distraction would be to ban ratting your hair completely. It’s now officially against dress code, and the penalties for being caught with ratted hair have some extreme measures. The first penalty is given out if your hair is 1’ inch above the top of your head; you will be suspended for a total of three days and will receive a ticket of five dollars. If you keep ratting your hair, and get a second suspension. A letter
will be sent home to your parents or your guardian to notify them about the “No-ratting policy” and to force you to stop ratting your hair. The final and harshest penalty is given out if you continue to rat your hair and receive a third suspension. Mr. Murdock will have you sent to his office where you immediately have your hair cut extremely short or your hair will be completely shaven off if you refuse to let him cut your hair. So girls, this is a serious matter and an enforced new rule here at Granger. So stop the ratting or you could end up with half your hair gone, or even worse, bald.
Volume LII, Issue 9
4 Granger high school
Granger High School Tri-Color-Times
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we need life flight alisha smith
LOOK out, Granger kids! It seems that Mr. Lewis is at it again. A few years back he put a mortgage on his house so he could buy an airplane kit to build with his class. Now, Lewis has yet again, putting
his personal life and house on hold for the students here at Granger. Recently, the satellite on our school’s roof, above the library, was removed for more access. Access for what, you may ask? A landing pad for a helicopter, right
here at our school. Mr. Lewis has pulled through for us again and is currently building our brand new, completely workable, helicopter. The reasons for the use of the helicopter aren’t quite reliable yet, though leeks have been heard that it will be used for the EMT class or even auto repair. After all, a helicopter is an automobile. As for the EMT, they’ll be learning about Life Flight and how to function under those circumstances. Oh yeah, this means that even you will be able to fly it. Perhaps we’ll even open a new class just for learning to fly helicopters. A class fee
Sausage Slacks WHAT do you get when you put the look of a sausage in these loose fitting pants? A fashion grenade the ladies will love! This look is exploding into stores, and high school boys are all over this trend like frosting on a cupcake, so Granger get out there and get your sausage slacks before they are all gone Right now they come in three amazing colors neon green, crossing guard orange and metallic rad red. Hairy Chester (12) said, “This trend is SICK. I always feel cool when I stroll up in my sausage slacks and the ladies, well, they can’t resist me in them either!” Not only are these slacks ultra hot, they are comfortable and efficient as well with a pocket. There you have it, men. If you want to be irresistible to the ladies then you have to have these slacks!
would be required, as for any other extracurricular class. What a better opportunity than now to start Granger off in the right direction for the rebuild in a few years. Perhaps by then we’ll even be purchasing, or building, more helicopters for our lucky classes. It seems that anything really is possible. At least here at Granger it is. It is unfortunate that the original plans for the space above the library had been canceled for the helicopter. The original idea was to build a greenhouse for the gardening class. It would be a lovely area, out of the way for the class to start up their own garden. Apparently they’re just going to have to wait for a while. Unfortunately we’ve already done class registration for next year, but hopefully you picked a class that will offer you the flying experience. The landing pad and helicopter should be ready by 2011, guys. That’s only one year away for our exciting new addition to Granger.
w o l v e r i n e s !!!!!!!!!!!!!
fashion tips samantah taylor
Box-it Do! No worries, ladies, you can’t look square when your hair is in this new stunning do. For all of you who thought the poof look was all the rage, get ready for this “instasexy” new craze. This new style will keep heads turning all the way around. Haily Montego said, “I always look hot when I rock my hair in this box!” The box do is crushing the competition of the poof and generating twice the excitement, so now
there is even talk of a Bumpit Box! Beware, though, this do maybe too much for you. Not everyone can handle the attention you’ll receive in this look because you’ll look like the hottest of the hot when you rock this box. So ladies, are you tired of looking like a square? Well then get out there and be the hottest on your block with the box!
Muffin Top T-Shirt Thin is no longer in. It seems to be that the more muffin you put in your top the better. All you skinny folks either need to fatten up or put some puff in your stuff because you are not trendy until you can see that muffin in your top. You’ll look like the bees knees if it looks like you had to squeeze! The hottest new item at your local store or mall is the Muffin Top T-shirt and the pattern puts people at a loss for words. If there is no muffin in your top then you’re just not hot.
April 1st 2010
Volume LII, Issue 9