Granger high school
Tri-Color Times
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TRICOLORTIMES.COM
December 2015 LVIII-4
Dozens of students contribute to Urinetown the musical Opinion by Hayley Rigby THIS YEAR Granger High School showcased a musical called Urinetown; this is a musical about a town that forces people to pay to use the restroom. This musical is a comedy, a love story, and an action-packed musical. It is very entertaining for the whole family. This is a great musical for everyone to go watch and enjoy. There is also an intermission show that is very entertaining, so if you don’t want to go get a drink then you can stay and watch. The love story in this musical is great and very cute. There are lots of plot twists and lots of inside jokes for fans of musicals. Granger High School’s drama team has had some issues with this musical because of the title
and some of the jokes. Some people in the community believe that this musical was inappropriate and should have never been performed at Granger. I felt like this musical was very entertaining and would be a great show for everyone to watch and enjoy. This personally was my favorite musical that I have been to see. I love how they added many jokes and the set was really great. Urinetown was a great musical production put on by Granger High’s student body. Urinetown is about how a business owner forces the people to pay to use the restroom and they have to use the restroom; they can’t just go in the bushes or alleys or wherever they please. At the beginning, no one knows what or where Urinetown is, but some of the people have
their own ideas on it. Then the business owner’s daughter arrived in town. Urinetown is a place that doesn’t really exist but it does at the same time. Urinetown is whatever you want it to be. In this musical, there are two characters that fall in love, but because of the way their families are, it makes it hard for them to have a relationship. Bobby Strong is one of the main characters and he falls for the businessman’s daughter and she falls for him, too. Then he tries to stop everyone from paying to use the restroom and during all this he kidnaps her and takes her to the sewers. While all this is happening, Bobby tries to fix everything, but he is thrown off a building and dies. Well, he appeared to die, but
he still had a little bit of life left in him, and as he was about to sing something important, he died. Later in the musical, the business owner’s daughter finds out that her mom is Ms. Pennywise. She is the one that is supposed to control all the people and she has to handle the money, too. While she is there, they tie her up and wait for Bobby to get back. When Bobby gets back, they send him to go talk to the business man and the business orders the police officers to take Bobby to “Urinetown”, which for him is being thrown off a building and dying. I loved how they made jokes and seemed to be very professional up on the stage. It seemed like they worked really hard on this musical. I’m very proud to say that Granger High is my school because of this play.
The music, choir, dance, stage crew, and drama students worked together to produce Urinetown the musical.
Dallin Aston receives Sons of Utah Pioneers Scholarship By Noah Herrera DALLIN Aston (12) has been chosen to receive the Sons of Utah Pioneer Scholarship due to his great achievement, academic success, and his participation in extracurricular activities. This scholarship is given to a small number of students who plan to start their freshman or sophomore year in college this upcoming fall. “I am very excited and proud of my achievement,” Aston said. “It was a lot of hard work but it was definitely worth it.” It is great to see such pride and excitement coming from this Lancer. “To be eligible for this scholarship you need to have a high GPA, CPA, and be well-rounded and try to achieve greatness,” Aston said. To say the least, Aston is very well-rounded. He is in Madrigals,
advanced theatre, the school musical, and drama council. Nathan Harris (12), a friend and classmate of Aston’s, agreed that Aston is doing very well. “I think Dallin is a really good and hardworking student,” Harris said. “I have seen the hard work he has put in to earn this scholarship. He is also a very big help to me in and out of the classroom. Dallin is a very inspiring person and helps to motivate me to do my best and to take risks,” Harris said. “To best describe Dallin, I would say that he is a very good person. He is very helpful and really kind to basically everyone he meets.” As for Aston’s thoughts on this scholarship, “I am very excited to start college, and I am proud of myself for achieving this accom-
plishment,” Aston said. This scholarship is going to be transferred to any college that Aston wants, so he is transferring this scholarship up to Snow College. “I am happy that I can transfer my scholarship there, because it is where I’ve always wanted to go,” Aston said. Caleb McFarlane (12), another of Aston’s friends, speaks highly of him. “I think that he is a great student and a very inspirational person, if anyone is deserving of this scholarship, it’s definitely Dallin, and I’ve seen how hard he has worked for this,” he said. Aston has already had his scholarship interview and believes it went very well. “I think that they liked me a lot and that the interview went very smoothly,” Aston said.
“It was definitely stressful preparing to go into this interview because you have to look and sound very professional”. As an applicant, a student has to know what to say at all times and be prepared to talk about possible career choices so that the application committee knows an applicant is serious about his or her college career. Aston said that he was also taking a college prep class called English 990 to help himself better prepare for his soon-to-be college life. “This class has really helped me to better prepare for college,” Aston said. So to all Granger High students, if you get the privilege to meet this great Lancer take full advantage, and congratulate him on this amazing scholastic achievement.
Meet April
By Melissa Kiem Granger High School’s literary magazine writing class is full of outstanding students who are able to express themselves through writing, although one student stands out more than others. Her name is April Hendriksen (10). Getting to know Hendriksen was very interesting: she is very adventurous, loves camouflage like no other, and by the looks of it, she loves reading and writing. She is also very sociable. Very smart as well, taking all honors classes; that’s insane. Struggling with ADD, she uses writing as a way to relieve her stress and her thoughts are thrown onto paper, or they run through her fingers and onto the keyboard. As she explained, she loves to climb trees, and just from hearing that, it’s obvious how adventurous she really is. She took lit mag because she thinks that Ms. Green is awesome, though she is sad at the moment because Ms. Green is currently on maternity leave. The wonderful Ms. Green does visit from time to time to check up on her students. The sub isn’t so bad though; she told me that the subs are very fun and they also leave them to do their own thing. Lit mag is a great writing class. “Ms. Green is not always on us about what we write, and how we write. There is a lot of freedom for me to do my own thing,” Hendriksen said. For Hendriksen, peer editing is a piece of cake, and she likes to edit her peer’s stories. Doing so, she learns the difference between good writing, and bad. She is great at giving advice, and is a huge grammar nazi. During her editing times, she likes to look up to those who are great writers. She looks down on those who aren’t so great, but she lends a helping hand, gives advice on what they should and shouldn’t do, and helps rephrase everything. Of course, this wonderful student loves reading, and writing. Hendriksen is great, and people should definitely read her work and her stories, her vocabulary and use of words is out of this world, as well as her sensory details. She makes it feel as though the reader were there in the character’s shoes. She has been writing ever since she was a child; it is a great way for her to express her thoughts and ideas. ADD makes her life more interesting because there are so many things running through her mind at once and she can make different plots and twists in her stories, as well as poems. Hendriksen said she sometimes feels like a celebrity, which she may have to get used to one day because she aspires to be an author.
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VOL. LVIII Issue 4
December 2015, page 2 STUDENT LIFE
Granger High’s students offer holiday helping hands
By Miriam Ceballos STUDENTS at Granger are giving back to the community in shelters and to other families who are less fortunate then others. During the holidays some students at Granger are spending their winter break taking food to the less fortunate they are also taking any canned food and clothes they might not need for themselves. “I am going with my family on winter break to help out at shelters that don’t have enough volunteers,” Alyssa Zumwalt (12) said. There are also donations students can take to any shelter and help out with serving food and or helping provide supplies for the people. At Granger the staff and counselors are helping kids who don’t have enough food at home, and Granger is providing them with some from a food bank. Helping out the less fortunate is a really amazing thing to do for the community and getting friends and family to help out is also a great idea because shelters need all the help they need. Community service is also great for any collage applications; seniors can help out the community and also get a chance for scholarships. Many students here at Granger are helping out with donations to the school and also have donated
clothes for people who don’t have clothes for the winter and also who don’t have enough food for the winter break.
of helping out. Just think while students are trying to get the new video game, Black Ops 3. Some other kids are hoping they’ll get
help out with anything they need because I see little kids who don’t have anything to eat or clothes to stay warm for the winter,” Zum-
Alyssa Zumwalt enjoys helping out people in need, especially during the holidays.
Getting the volunteers is hard so if students would want to do something good for the community this is also a good way
something to eat. “I am excited to get my new video games but I also want to help out the less fortunate and just
walt said. There are many students worrying about themselves, and they don’t understand what’s going on
with other families around the world. People need to know that there are many kids and families who need help and they need to stop worrying about getting that PS4 or anything else for Christmas and help out. The teenage stomp raised a lot of helpful things to help out the families who needed food and clothes and it was amazing what Granger has done to help out. This problem that has been going on for ages, but it’s nice to know that there are still some good people that try to at least help out and do whatever they can to help out. Thinking about this makes some Lancers realizes just how much students take things for granted and the families that Granger helped out are very thankful what the Lancers have done for them. They also appreciate that Granger helps out their children not only academically but also personal things they might need and they can’t get themselves. “I think Granger has done an awesome thing because other schools would not have done this, at least not the schools I went to,” Zumwalt said. Yes Granger has done many good things for students that need it and they will keep giving back. Granger also gives food throughout the year to anybody and doesn’t turn anyone down.
Lancers plan to spend their winter breaks having fun
By Kailee Justesen WINTER break is coming up soon and many Lancers are wondering how to spend it. Some Lancers say that winter break is the best break, right after summer break, and they look forward to it every year. Some students like to stay inside and keep warm, while others love to be outside in the cold. “I like to go outside and play in the snow, maybe have a snowball fight, or build a snowman,” Valeria Rojas (10) said. Some of the Lancers’ favorite outdoor winter activities include sledding, snowball fights, building snowmen, skiing, and so many more. If being out in the cold is not an option, there are lots of indoor activities that are just as fun. “I like to stay home, watch
movies and drink hot chocolate,” Alexus Meas (12) said. Curling up in a blanket by the fire and reading a good book is very relaxing and a great way to keep warm. Dates can also be so much fun during the break, some ideas are ice skating at the Gallivan Center, going to see the Christmas lights at Temple Square, sledding, and so much more. “Last year I went on a date to Temple Square to see all of the Christmas lights, afterwards we went out to dinner and a movie. I had a really fun time,” Kylee Nielson-Bringhurst (12) said. Some Lancers just like to stay home during the break and spend time with their families. “I love watching Christmas movies and spending time with my family,” Adriana Jacobsen (12) said. Spending time with family and
friends can be lots of fun. Some great ideas include putting together puzzles, reading a book together, watching a movie, or going outside in the snow. Many Lancers have certain traditions that they do every year. “Me and my family go ice skating during the break. It is fun to spend time with them,” Olivia Helm (9) said. Winter break is a great opportunity to go shopping for gifts or just for fun. “Me and my cousins like to go shopping for winter clothes,” Daisha Jeppeson (9) said. Just by going out shopping and then going to lunch or a movie after can make a boring day fun, plus there are many sales for the holidays, so that is a bonus, too. Overall, winter break is a perfect time to be with loved ones.
Valeria Rojas is really looking forward to winter break.
Some students at Granger High can’t live without certain things By Skye Rouse SOME STUDENTS at Granger High School have been asked if they could only save one thing. In answer, this is what they would choose. “The one thing I couldn’t live without is probably my phone,” Kimberly Rushton (11) said. “I do everything on it even when I’m camping,” she said. “I have an iPhone 5S and what I do most with it is take pictures,” Rushton said. Some people never put their phone down because of how much technology has let people depend on it, so it’s the most valuable thing to some people, but this girl relies on the last thing from her childhood. “I would save my baby blanket,” Lily Blankenship (9) said.
“It’s the only thing I have left from when I was a little kid. It’s a quilt with tweety bird that lies on my bed, and I sleep with that blanket every night,” Blankenship said. Some people have more materialistic items and some students connect on an emotional level. “I couldn’t live without music,” Mia Kalikakis (10) said. “Music has been one of the biggest impacts of my life, I have been raised around the biggest music influences ever,” Kalikakis said. “I grew up listening to classic rock,” she said. “Some people can say or write how they feel but I can’t, I always name a song that I am relating to, like they are getting the words out for me,” Kalikakis said. “It’s like I can really be myself when the
music is on,” she said. Some students think that the one thing they can’t live without is just improving on their skills and talents. “Netflix, I can’t live without Netflix, it’s my life,” Jett Larson (9) said. “It’s my life, some of my favorite shows are Arrow, Flash, Doctor Who, The Walking Dead, and Supernatural,” he said. “My favorite actor is Chris Pratt, he’s in Arrested Development and Jurassic World. I like to watch Netflix because I like to see where I can improve on my acting,” Larson said. Netflix will help him improve his acting, and if the part is right, Larson is ready for the stage. “I’d like to act in some musicals if they’re not cheesy and over exaggerated comedies,” he
said. The one thing that this student couldn’t live without is his family, and all the memorable from all the moments he has shared with them. “I’d grab the pictures of my family that are on the walls of my house,” Robert “Mack” Turk (12) said. “My favorite photo is the most recent one we took in Disneyland,” he said. “It’s my favorite because it was taken at the happiest place on earth. We are standing in front of the Walt and Mickey Mouse statue in the Central Park,” he said. This guy just thinks that pizza is everything, and if there was a box of pizza in his house and it was on fire that’s the one thing he’d grab. “Pizza -- I can’t live without it
-- it’s my favorite thing on earth,” Eimone Brown (9) said. “I love it because it’s beautiful, cheesy, and delicious. My favorite kind is cheese or pepperoni, but never pineapple, that’s just not my flavor,” Brown said. Some people wouldn’t give up on their friends for the world, because friends are like family, just without the same DNA. “The one thing I couldn’t live without are my friends,” Emily Brown (9) said. “They are my rock, and they have been there for me when no one else was,” she said. “Of course we’ve had our ups and downs, but no amount of drama can tear us apart, we have a bond of sisterhood, and I don’t know what I’d do without them,” Brown said.
December 2015, page 3 OPINION
VOL. LVIII Issue 4
Granger is very unique compared to other schools
Opinion by Caleb Morgan GRANGER High School has 3200 students that fill the hallways from class to class—more than any other high school I’ve personally attended. Compared to schools with about 2,000 students, a school I have attended, it’s a significant difference. An additional 1,000 students doesn’t seem like a lot, but compared to how hard it’s to get into the parking lot in the morning, you can definitely tell the difference by the sheer number of students that flow into Granger High School every morning. Another difference that I noticed about Granger High School is how nice the school grounds
and building is. You can tell a lot of money was spent to make Granger a very gorgeous school, from the outside to how well built the inside is. Speaking of money spent on the school, in my classrooms literally every class that I’m in has carts full of Chrome Books that are used all throughout class in almost everything we do. I’ve never personally been in a school that uses that much expensive technology in each class, and where the computers are still being kept by the students in such great shape, its pretty impressive to see in high school. When it comes to sports at Granger High School there is no shortage of sports to play, be-
cause of the number of students that attend Granger. With men’s football, tennis, baseball, basketball, and wrestling. But of course also women’s tennis, volleyball, softball, basketball, and golf. There are so many sports at Granger its hard to name all of them off my head, but Granger High has a lot of different options. Also I can’t ignore the plethora of clubs at Granger High School like Math Club, and Latinos in Action, all together make a very extra-curricular oriented school. Ever since I moved to West Valley City, and started going Granger High School, my past friends from other schools think I go to “one of the most rundown schools in Salt Lake City.” Being
the school is in West Valley City, and the ethnicity of the school is 38 percent Caucasian, and 42 percent Hispanic, the other 20 percent going to Asian, Native American, and African American, compared to a less diverse school. To my past friends, apparently that means Granger High School isn’t a really nice school to be at, or even want to graduate from, just because of the “area” it’s located in. But I disagree that Granger isn’t a good enough school to go to. Myself being new to this school for just about a month, and for the fact that I will be graduating from Granger High School in January. I have to say I have met a
lot of really nice people in my classes. They are a lot friendlier than other arrogant, “rich school” students were when I was a new student a few years back. That’s what makes me happy to be able to graduate from Granger. But it seems to me that this newly built school has amazing teachers. The staff has helped me to get the correct classes to finish out my high school years, and they’re doing a great job at gentrifying West Valley City as a whole, and making Granger High School a wonderful place to attend. It makes me happy to be graduating from such a happy, and diverse school, in a city that I love living in.
My wardrobe transitioned for GHS
Opinion by Myranda Alcas MOST KIDS start their first day of kindergarten with a nice new pair of jeans, a shiny new shirt, and some sketchers light-up shoes. They walk into a very accepting environment where dressing how you please is not only acceptable but encouraged. However, my first day of kindergarten was not as lavish. Going into the first day I had my shiny black dress shoes, freshly ironed white button up shirt, white tights, and very sad red plaid skirt. I wanted to paint my nails red to match my skirt. Unfortunately, my mother telling me, “Nail polish wasn’t allowed at this kind of school,” soon crushed my dreams. Being young and quiet, I didn’t mind too much, so I went along to my first day with my regular plain-Jane nails. I soon learned that a lot of things weren’t allowed at this kind of school. Six years later, it was the sixth grade, this was kind of a big deal, finally being able to wear
navy blue colored shorts, getting to choose between a blue or white shirt, and (the best part of it all) finally getting to paint my plain-Jane nails a very light pink. I chose the blue shirt and I wore shorts almost every day, it was a new taste of freedom and I loved it. One day on a Friday, my mom gave me my allowance: a whole ten-dollar bill. I went into WalMart to get a brand new nail polish that I could wear at school; it was called Rosie Pink. I walked into school and I got an abundance of compliments on my new nails. I sat down in my desk feeling like one of the coolest kids in the class, and then I heard my name called by the teacher. She told me to come to her desk, and I walked up to her desk thinking she was to going to show me some recognition for my nails. She then proceeded to tell me that I must go to the office because my nails were too dark. I walked myself to the office where they used an almost empty bottle of acetone to clean my nails.
Going into ninth grade a lot more freedom was given to me. I could now dye my hair, I could paint my nails whatever color I wanted, and I didn’t have to wear the awful navy blue pants any more. However, the color of pants switched to khaki, and I couldn’t dye my hair an “unnatural color.” I also had to wear shirts with the brightly colored “JM” logo, if there was no logo, I would get a detention. I decided that I wanted to pierce my nose, which ultimately resulted in me getting two more detentions because piercings are too extreme for school. Now being able to dress freely and comfortably at Granger is such a great freedom. However the only downside to being able to wear what I want every day is that I actually have to choose what to wear every day. It’s fun cause I get to wear my clothes somewhere else other than on the weekends and at home, but it’s also stressful having to choose something different to wear every day.
The rules can be strict, but maybe that’s not so bad
Opinion by Justin Thurman ALTHOUGH the teachers and staff at Granger set mostly strict rules, they are used to make students realize what is wrong and what is right. It can be anyone’s opinion, but most of the information used to explain the rules and how they are strict are for good reasons. As the whole ‘10 tardies and students get fined’ rule goes on, it may seem unfair since some students owe over $100, but at the same time, it tells students not to be late and actually try to get to classes rather than just messing around until the bell rings. Many other rules like dress code and loitering are pretty basic and don’t need that much of an example, but can get to students if they’re not careful. Some students say that others don’t have the free roam freedom, but are proven wrong, as it is just what others think. As the whole hall pass restriction can be a little bit if a nuisance
to some, it is used to show that students cannot hang around during class time and need to study. There is a time for hanging out, but class time is not the time to hang around with friends and chill. Dress code, as most students know, is what type of clothes all can wear. Short skirts, chained pants, tank tops are examples of what students can’t wear during school time. However, most prefer not to obey this rule and the staff tries to encourage them to try something appropriate. The no phone rule can also be a rule that is strict or not. There is one class that did allow students to have their phones out, but the rules changed due to students failing in that class. A deal was arranged and if at least 50 percent or more students pass in that class, the ban will be lifted. Though some students find these strict rules to be a bit unfair,
students must realize if they want one of these rules to go easy on them, they must learn to follow them. The rules might be taking it a bit too far and not even allow students to freely roam around during lunch time, but they could just lock down the whole school. Taking student’s advice on how they can improve on obeying rules is recommended. If others need something to reconsider about the strictness, it is recommended students just follow them, and hopefully the school will see its improving and lift one of these rules. Most people in this world hate the word strict, but what people don’t know is that it can help them improve on their daily schedule and maybe even change what people can do. The same goes for the rules here at Granger. Although some rules might seem unfair, they are reminding students to behave in an appropriate manner.
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Tri-Color Times Staff Editor in Chief Kaitlin Cluff Copy Editor Tina Huynh Reporters Myranda Alcas Pablo Arellano Kimberly Armeta Julie Burgie Ashley Cartmell Miriam Ceballos Chastin Christiansen Kaitlin Cluff Salina Eaton Fancisco Gallardo Ashley Garcia Christian Giles Noah Herrera Tina Huynh Samuel Irakoze Isabel Jackson Jazelle Johns
Social Media Editor Skye Rouse Photo Editor Jazelle Johns Reporters Kailee Justesen Arriya Khopha Melissa Kiem Azucena Magallanes Jessie Martin Saira Meza Caleb Morgan Jelani Nelson Madisen Nelson Aislyne Olsen Hayley Rigby Lisandro Rivera Skye Rouse Emma Sanok Justin Thurman Jorge Vargas Taylor Wolfey
The Tri-Color Times serves as a student forum for student opinion and student expression. The views expressed herein reflect neither the opinions of Adviser John Carlisle and Granger High School, nor those of Granite School District. The Tri-Color Times invites and publishes letters to its editorial board; all letters will be edited for taste, length and legality.
Granger High School 3580 South 3600 West West Valley, UT 84119 (385) 646-5320
VOL. LVIII Issue 4
December 2015, page 4 ACADEMICS
Fitness not optional By Christian Giles IN GRANGER, students are required to take Fitness for Life. If Granger students do not take this class, they will not graduate. For some, this class can very easy, and a very fun class to take and they would even take the class again. These students are very positive about this class. “It’s like another regular PE class,” Antonio Call (11) said. “It’s easy, as long as you do as you’re told.” Students might not think it matters which teacher they get, but it does. “I had Crawford. I liked her as my teacher because I had her for health, and I feel like she is very educated about the human body and knows what’s best for us. Plus, she’s nice.” Call does have just one problem with this class though. “I don’t think it should be a required class for graduation, because there’s people at Granger that don’t like it or are embarrassed to take the class.” That said, Call thinks it’s a good class. “If anything I would take it again and keep recommending it to others.” Manuel Santana (12) has a great opinion of Fitness for Life. “Fitness for Life is a class where you basically work out,” he said. Santana said the difficulty is different for everyone. “Fitness for life is as hard as you make
it. You can push it, or you can be lazy, so it can be really easy if you just do the minimum amount of effort. But if you really want to bring it, you can.” “A different teacher wouldn’t really change your experience. I have Barlow and Jefferies because we swap classes, but they both work us out just as hard.” Fitness is very important for Santana. “I think this should be a required class because fitness is an important part of life.” Santana needs something more challenging. “I wouldn’t take this class again because I would like to take something even harder.” Bradan Hovey (11) is also very positive about Fitness for Life. “It’s a fun class, it helps you stay active, and it lets you have fun with your friends” Hovey thinks that Fitness for Life should be an elective. “I think Fitness for Life should be an elective, because there’s many other sports that aren’t in school that we can do on our own time, and most kids are mature enough to do things on their own.” Hovey thinks it does matter what teacher runs the class and more. “Other than it being a required class, I had Jefferies in the summer. I think the time and teacher you get does matter to the student, but I would definitely take it again and recommend it to others.”
There’s a new Native American club at GHS By Kimberly Armenta “I NEVER knew there was a Native American Club until I saw it in the announcements, and I was like, ‘OK, something to do after school.’ I also joined to meet new people. There really are no requirements to join the club you just have to show up. You don’t even have to be Native American; you can still go and learn about the culture and what they do,” Maria Ayala (12) said. “In the club, we talk about the upcoming events and the community service we are going to do. There really are no specific amounts of hours we have to do yet. As a vice president I have to help the president on organizing the events. We are looking for more people to join the club so if anyone wants to join our meetings are every Thursday,” Ayala said. Looks like being a vice president isn’t that much of an easy job what with having to prepare all the activities and events there will be. The Native American Club is also looking for more people to join. “I am vice president along with Maria. I heard about the Native American Club from a girl on my swim team, and she told me to go to the meeting, so I went to the meeting with her. That same day they were doing votes, and she nominated me for vice president
and I won the position. Maria and I were going against each other so we had to explain why we wanted to be vice president and we both got even amounts of votes so we both won the position of vice president,” Amy Alcantara (12) said. “The main reason why I joined the Native American Club is because I try to stay connected to my culture and I try to impact the world in different ways. I guess I just wanted to be part of a club that shows that Native Americans aren’t dead and shouldn’t just be used as a costume for Halloween. We went to USU for Native American Day, and it turned out to be a successful trip,” Alcantara said. As a hard working student, Alcantara is the vice president for the Native American Club and is also part of the swim team. “In the Native American Club
we want to express our culture with other people and put ourselves out there. Our advisor, Mr.Platero, is the person who is in charge of the whole club, but now as the president, everybody else and I are supposed to make decisions for the club,” Alicia Mandujano (11) said. “Most Native Americans…we don’t put ourselves out there and make ourselves known. I guess I just want to express our culture with everyone else. I think everyone should join because they can get to know more people, and they can also get more involved with the community,” Mandujano said. The Native American Club is new and making a change at the school. More and more people are coming out of their comfort zone and showing an outstanding display of teamwork as they make a difference in the community.
The Native American Club samples Mr. Platero’s frybread in the courtyard.
The action of being a part of GTV’s crew surrounds the whole set By Tina Huynh BEHIND the scenes of Granger, there is a group of Lancers that tell the story of this school in a broadcast that thousands of students and teachers tune into daily. These students are the face of Granger and they readily tell the news, events, and schedules that are happening or coming up. GTV is made up of hard-working, dedicated students that bring all the school’s action forth in less than 10 minutes. The GTV station is full of chaos, madness, and immense pressure to put on a great show, but it’s a skill that these students have already mastered. “It feels great to be a part of something important for the school. It’s really fun doing this; you get the news all around the school. My favorite part is being switcher because I can make graphics and switch between the slides on the camera. It’s pretty exciting. It’s a new experience you can learn from. When I’m part of the staff, the most nerveracking part is not screwing up. You make one little mistake and the whole thing can go around the school,” Sergio Contreras (11) said. A lot of work is put into making GTV really remarkable. The production process is a complicated regime that this crew follows instinctively. Though it might sound crazed and difficult, these talented Lancers have gotten all the steps down to a dot. “We do a new live show every day. Every morning, I check the announcements and delete the ones that don’t need to go on. I correct mistakes I see on announcements, and then the kids get here, and they write the script. One kid has the job of writing the
script based on what needs to be announced,” Mr. Clapier said. And the script is just the start.
tion, which on a good day, takes us about 45 minutes. That’s when they get everything set up and
on the correct days. I also have to make sure we stay in the allotted time frame. Other than that,
The GTV set is always action-packed.
“Another kid has the job of getting the microphones ready and doing the audio, and another kid has the job of getting the graphics on the screen when they talk about it on the announcements. Along with that same job, they have to get the camera on and get the lighting set up, which another person assists them with. Two people are the talent, which are the anchors, and another student is the director. The director is basically the boss and makes sure the other kids are doing their jobs,” Mr. Clapier said. Students mostly run GTV, with help from their advisor. Getting up and filming everyday is a job that they have all succeeded at. “There are essentially two parts of GTV. There’s pre-produc-
get all the cameras, graphics and scripts ready. Then, we practice what we are announcing. After pre-production, there is the actual production. If we did a good job on pre-production, the production process will take us about 10-20 minutes. If we haven’t, then we notice those mistakes when we’re recording and it makes the process go longer because we have to redo things,” he said. The job of being on GTV takes practice in order to improve. Preproduction is like conditioning whereas the actual production is like game day. “The students can do everything now. I just kind of oversee it to make sure that if there’s a problem, we can fix it and make sure that the content is announced
the students do everything. It’s a blast, really, but it’s also high stress. It’s like you’re in a newsroom; you have a hard deadline and if you don’t get it done on time, it doesn’t go on. It’s a good experience for the students because in the real world, if you’re working in video production or broadcasting and you miss a deadline, you’re fired. If they don’t come to class on the day they’re doing something, I can’t fire them because they’re my students. It can get intense sometimes, but I think it’s fun. It makes class exciting; every day is different,” he said. While working on GTV may be demanding, it’s worth it in the end for these Lancers to be able to showcase all the news that’s hap-
pening in their school. “My favorite part is working with kids and seeing them get to the point where they can produce it without me. My least favorite part is trying to keep everyone happy. Everyone in the school always has something that they want and I only have so much time to put it on. If it’s ever announced incorrectly, whether it’s my fault or not, people get upset with me. If I could change one thing about GTV, we would have more news packages. Instead of announcing that someone did well at a sporting event, there would be a short video like you see on the news. Eventually it’ll get there, but due to time restrictions and students still learning the process, we don’t have it all. I’d like to see more videos and higher quality videos rather than just straight announcements all the time. It’s more exciting if there’s videos included in GTV,” Mr. Clapier said. While there’s a lot that GTV can’t do, there’s a lot that they can. GTV brings news to Granger in a positive, humorous light that makes watching it all the more worthwhile. “It feels good to be on the GTV staff. You get to meet new people, do more work. I like being audio the most because you get to know people’s voices. I don’t like being switcher because I type pretty slowly. They’re just awesome. They do the announcements for everyone to see,” Gerardo Ramirez (9) said. It’s often overlooked on how much hard work students actually put into GTV. Hard workers are put in front of the camera as much as hard workers are put behind them.
December 2015, page 5 ACADEMICS
VOL. LVIII Issue 4
Mr. McCarl prepares to teach GHS’s first video game design class By Kaitlin Cluff GRANGER High School is known for its insane number of kids. With all the different students having different interests and future pathways to follow, Granger offers a plethora of classes to help every individual student become successful, and now Granger is going to start a new video game development class. “I think it will open up a few more opportunities for students to go into a field of study that they want,” Braxton Crosby (12) said. Lancers accepted into this program will be given an opportunity to learn all about what makes a video game design come together at a professional level. “Before I was a teacher, I owned my own game development company,” Mr. McCarl said. During their freshman year, students will learn history about video games and the different elements involved in designing a video game. Lancers will also get
a ton of experience to help them if they would rather be the masLancers will find that this year, decide if they want to pursue a terminds behind 3D art. “Some they will delve much further into programmer or artist pathway people think video games are just either subject. A student’s goal to later in life. programming, but artists are just accomplish during junior year is “By the end to pick his or her of their freshown project, and man year, stuaccomplish what dents will build he or she had in a model 3D avamind. tar, an obstacle During their that they need senior year, 20 to avoid in the students will be game, and a rebrought together ward object that from both the they are working programming towards,” Mcand art spectrum Carl said. of video game Lancers will design to work also capture their together to create own motions to a real, commergive their avatar cial project. motion in their As the provideo game as gram flourishes, well as learn to stendards of perput a skeleton formance will be Braxton Crosby is looking forward to taking Video Game Development. into their avatar expected for stuso it can move. as important,” McCarl said. dents to stay in the program. They During students’ sophomore Juniors will continue what will need to maintain a minimum year, they will choose whether they chose their sophomore year of a 2.0 GPA and have no more they want to program (code), or whether programming or art. than one F-grade in any term.
Also, Lancers will have to maintain C-grades or higher in their mathematics and English classes. This will help students not only gain their programming and/ or art skills, but also the dedication that will make them valuable to their future employers. “I’m most excited about learning how to make my own game,” Crosby said. There is no prerequisite required to take the class. The class will fill up quickly, though, so if students do not show progress throughout the course, they will be transferred out. A waiting list will be used, once all the classes are filled up. Students who get transferred out will then be replaced according to the waiting list. This class is just beginning, but Lancers are looking forward to all of the opportunities that this course gives. Lancers that are interested in video game development should see Mr. McCarl in room D-116.
Mr. Johnson’s students prepare their car for painting By Pablo Arellano STUDENTS in auto collision are getting their car ready to paint. “I feel good about my students finishing painting their car,” said Mr. Johnson from the Auto Collision class. He feels that his students put a lot of effort to get dents and rust off their car to get it ready for paint. He said usually 10 of his students will go out to find an auto body job during or after they finish the class. “I want more of my students to go out to find an auto body job.” His students will have more than enough experience to find a job in that work field. “I feel good when a student finishes their car completely, because they maybe finished a goal they had or a project
they wanted to accomplish. “I like to do projects with students as a class. Around 25 cars are done by the end of the year,” he said. Most of his students work very hard to get their car ready without dents or rust on the car. Right now there is a student working on a truck, and he is getting stripped down for paint. Granger students can help strip the paint if the safety test is done. Students have to pass a safety test before they can go out to work in the shop and work. “I don’t let any students work in the shop without the test being done,” Johnson said. He teaches how to fix a dent with Bondo or without it, plastic welds, MIG Welding, and many more. “I like to see stu-
dents expand their knowledge in auto body,” he said. “If a student comes up to me asking for help, I’ll be glad to help them,” he said. “I have two students in my 1B class working on their cars to fix paint or any dents.” “I have to finish my car before any snow falls. I don’t want it to rust,” Jonathan Laguna (12) said. He drives a red 1997 Honda Accord he is fixing its dents and rust. “My car isn’t the nicest, but I want to have it clean: no dents or rust.” He hasn’t used bondo to fix any dents, and he has been taking them out with a hammer and grinding to make the car look perfect. “I am sanding down my truck to take off paint from the body,”
said Fredy Serrato (11). He has for me.” a red 1999 GMC Sierra. He wants Students in auto collision will to paint the whole body since his learn a lot in that class. Mr. Johnpaint is starting to peel. “I’m hop- son is looking to teach more stuing to paint my car before snow dents auto collision basics. starts falling and it rusts my whole truck.” He is working hard to get the paint off as soon as possible its good he can get help from others sand it down. “People have been helping me sand down the truck so I can get it done faster Students work on plastic welds. which is good
great help to teachers who haven’t been absent once throughout the whole school year. Subs cannot substitute for more than four days a week. “We shouldn’t give substitutes a bad rep because they have the courage to go into a room full of kids she or he doesn’t know and teach them and give directions,” Mr. McCarl said. At Granger High, there were many long-term subs first term, so that may affect grades or even test scores. “Oh yeah, a substitute can affect a student’s test scores,” Ms. Christiansen said. Substitutes that are only subbing for one day won’t affect much, but a long-term sub might, and next year that could affect teachers’ pay. Starting in 201617, the merit pay program is a program that pays a portion of a teacher’s salary based on his or her students’ test scores. A substitute’s job is to take care of a teacher’s classroom while they are away from the school. Granger High School has many substitutes who are doing a great job and a couple who aren’t doing anything, but nevertheless, substitutes affect Granger in both good and bad ways.
By Ashley Garcia THIS YEAR, Granger High has taken absences and tardies to an unexpected turn. Based on students’ citizenship last year, the school wanted to make a difference for this year. If Granger High were to look at how many absences/tardies all the other high schools in the Granite School District have, Granger High is off the chart. Granger High has put a plan in place and taken care of that by adding fines based on a student’s attendance. Granger High has started charging an unexcused absent five dollars and a dollar per tardy after ten tardies. “It has made a difference,” Dr. Gatti said. Lists of students’ fines will be posted in the Alumni Room and updated every week. There are three ways to get rid of these fines. Lancers’ fines can be up to just $5 to $200, and these ways will still qualify for every student. One of the ways Lancers can pay it off is by literally paying it. “My mom made me start working with her in order to pay off the fines that I owe,” Celeste Bernabe (10) said. The second way to pay off fines is by staying after school
Subs come with pros and cons By Francisco Gallardo “I HAVE great respect for substitute teachers because without them, what would we do?” Mr. McCarl said. Mr. McCarl, a teacher at Granger High School, gave a really good input on substitutes teachers. “They get a bad rep, but the truth is, they are powerful people to come do this every day,” he said. A substitute teacher’s job is pretty difficult; it’s a tough job. He or she is expected to manage 30-40 teenagers who often act like they’re getting a free day because their teacher is absent. A long-term sub can affect a classroom in both good and bad ways. A substitute’s job is to fill in for the absence of the teacher and to deliver information to the students or guide them through activities. Teachers at Granger High School say that there are more cons than pros about substitute teachers. “Students don’t take subs seriously; it’s not a real teacher,” Ms. Christiansen said. Being an art teacher for so many years, Ms. Christiansen mentions that there are more cons than pros about having a substitute teacher. Teachers have a curriculum
that they follow to teach their class, but substitutes don’t always follow the directions teachers give them. Many subs don’t try to teach a class or impose rules on how to control a classroom environment. For this particular reason, students don’t pay attention in class when a sub is teaching or giving directions. “Many subs can be warm bodies,” Mr. Catmull said. Mr. Catmull, the woodworking teacher, had a sub that didn’t take care of his students or teach his class properly. Experiences like that give substitutes a bad rep. “You can never demand respect, you have to earn it,” Ms. Mount, a substitute teacher, said. Ms. Mount is subbing for Ms. Green’s class for a long period of time, due to pregnancy. A substitute can have a positive outcome towards students because students learn to associate with a new teacher, learning new things from the substitute. These teachers can impact a classroom in many ways. Subs can show a student how it is to learn that specific subject in a different manner. Speaking to another teacher might help them do better in that certain classroom. Long-term substitutes can be a
Pay absence/tardy fines three ways
and doing nothing but homework that Lancers have from other classes, since regular classes are about 90 minutes. Upper D-hall 210 is the room where Lancers go after school if they’re not working on packets. Upper E-hall 203 is the room where Lancers go after school if they are working on packets. That time in there counts. After school, Mr. Mundt and Mr. Hopkins will be staying in E-203, and Dr. Gatti and Ms. Callahan will be staying in room D-210. Another way Granger High students can pay off fines is by having perfect attendance: no tardies or absences throughout the first half of second quarter, then that pays off half of the fines. If Granger High students have no absences or tardies throughout the first and second halves of second quarter, then that pays off all the first quarter fines. After ‘paying’ for fines with cash or time or perfection, students will find that Granger High administrators will act like the fines never happened. The bonus part about this third option is that students with this perfect attendance will also have a perfect CPA if they’re also well behaved.
VOL. LVIII Issue 4
December 2015, page 6 PROFILES
Lancers share their Christmas traditions
By Chastin Christiansen CHRISTMAS is coming up and everyone celebrates it in a different way than others do. It is snowing, there are Christmas movies on TV, the nights are getting colder, and Christmas is on its way. “My Christmas tradition is celebrating with my family. We make food and open presents. We also do a little dance. My favorite food is Mexican food. I don’t enjoy the snow because it is too cold. My family usually travels around this time to California,” Lilibell Garcia (11) said. Mostly everyone likes present, but there are some things that are more important. Christmas is a good time of the year to spend time with family and friends to share the Christmas joy. “My old tradition when my family was at home was to put up the Christmas tree. My wife always had to put it up the day after Thanksgiving; I always thought it was too early. On Christmas Eve, my family and I go ice-skating.
We always enjoy ice-skating. We went and had our Christmas dinner, which was usually ham and potatoes. After dinner, we would sit down and read the Christmas story out of the Bible. I would then play the guitar to Christmas songs like ‘Jingle Bells,’ and my family and I would sing along,” Mr. Timothy said. Most people’s favorite parts of Christmas are opening presents, but it can also be the joy of seeing what other people got. “I have three kids and we would wake up the next morning and open presents. We would stay home until the afternoon, then we would go to the grandparent’s house. Now it’s changed, and my wife and I go visit the grandkids to see what they have got. It’s the fun of seeing what the grandchildren got,” he said. Although the weather is cold and the roads are slippery, Lancers still make the best out of the situation. Finding the perfect gift for family and friends can be difficult, but it is fun and adventurous.
“My family tradition is to eat tamales and spend time with my family. We would open presents at midnight. My favorite thing about the holiday is to spend time with my family because I love my family. I love the snow because before I came to Utah, I have never seen snow before and I just fell in love. I do travel; I went to Texas last year and also we went to South Carolina. We went to go see brown bears. Christmas Eve is my favorite holiday out of all of the holidays,” Karina Balcazar (12) said. Christmas Eve is a holiday of its own. “On Christmas Eve, we have twelve grapes. Each grape is a wish. As you think
of a wish, you eat one of the grapes. Each of the wishes should come true throughout the year. I love Christmas because of all the holiday lights and the ornaments. I also really enjoy the feeling of being happy with my family,”
By Arriya Khopha WITH CHRISTMAS right around the corner, people begin stressing about what to give one another. Buying gifts is a great idea, although it can be costly.
Being a high school student means having to pay for a variety of school fees, and other extra curricular activities. With an insignificant amount of money left over, there’s a scarce amount of
things that are affordable. Here’s a tip that can help save money and cut stress in half: make the gift. Homemade gifts have much more sentimental value and are cost-efficient, and there are also many benefits from hand-making a gift. They can be personalized to better fit the loved one who is receiving the gift. Also they have more meaning behind them as opposed to something that is store bought. Making a gift may seem frustrating at first, but there are many places to go for help. For example, the Internet, which is filled with countless ideas, craft stores, someone that has made a homemade gift before, or even a DIY book. Just in case those aren’t helpful, here are a few ideas that can be used to help get started. There’s more to the holiday season then just gifts, it’s about being able to spend time with family members and loved ones, it’s about being thankful and spreading joy.
A personalized themed gift basket is a unique and enjoyable gift to give; it’s simple and very fun. There are many different themes to choose from, for instance, a baking kit, a basket full of items for a movie night, or even one for those coffee lovers. After settling on a theme, find items that would relate to the topic and decorate it however looks best. Another gift option is making a snow globe. It may sound challenging, but in the end, it will be worth it. There are a number of different ways that this can be done, but the easiest thing to do is first, find a jar with a lid. Then, a small figure or toy to place on the bottom of the lid to add character, that way the snow globe isn’t so bland. Using water resistant glue, glue the figure, add glitter and water, and lastly secure the lid with the glue. That can be a fun gift to give a child or an individual who might collect snow globes. In addition to the gifts listed above there are many other things that can be made. These include, Christmas-scented candles, a
custom-made mug, a hand-sewn blanket, ornaments, and a hot chocolate kit. There are so many options when it comes to making gifts. There are many things to embrace about making things by making things by hand – the ingenuity, the dedication, the mistakes, the financial savings, the customization, the gift giving possibilities, and the skills learned. On top of that, there’s a great deal of things that benefit from homemade gifts. Making gifts by hand and giving them to others helps to build stronger connections with each other. Imagine the reaction when someone receives a gift that was hand made, there is so much work put into it, but in the end it was all worth it. Hand making things also gives a path to freedom; it gives freedom from depending on other places or people for what is needed. It gives a deeper appreciation for things that aren’t always appreciated. DIY things are super fun and easy to make. If finding a gift is a hassle, make one instead.
12:00, 5:00, or 7:00 p.m. depending on which one you choose, the ticket prices vary. For $10 extra after most 12:00 p.m. performances you have the opportunity to join the Sugar Plum Fairy on stage for cookies and a chance to take a picture with the cast. If all these things seem overwhelming or too expensive, the next few are decently cheap or free. Stick close to home and support your fellow Lancers by attending the Winter Instrumental Concert at Granger’s auditorium. This concert will only be performed once at 7 p.m. on December 10. This concert is donations only, so come show your support for free, or bring a little money if you can. To get into the holiday spirit
with free hot chocolate and apple cider, head over to the Red Butte Garden December 5 and 6 for their annual open house. While there, you can just walk around and browse all their handmade gifts or buy something nice for yourself. At the All Saints Episcopal Church you can go listen to the Wasatch Symphony Orchestra play classic and less known Christmas songs. The concert is free and will only be performed December 6 at 7 p.m. The Cathedral of Madeleine will also be performing their annual Christmas Carol Service. Reservations are required to go on December 17 or 18, but if you want to go spur of the moment they leave the doors open for everyone on December 24. All three performances begin
at 8 p.m. Finally, to end your year with a bang consider going to the Salt Lake City Eve Winter Fest. This only goes for three days, December 29, 30, and 31. It is three days full of end-ofyear winter activities as described on the eveslc.com website. There are two ticketing choices on the website. The choice is between ‘Celebrate with Friend Downtown’ or ‘Bring the Whole Family Together’ to see what activities may be in store for you. There are so many fun activities that you can go and enjoy with your family and friends. Bundle up and head out to any or all of these fun activities for a holiday season that you and your families won’t even forget. This holiday season, keep your spirits up and December evenings open.
Balcazar said. Some of the fun things to do around Christmas time are picking out the right Christmas tree, drinking hot cocoa, and going sledding on the new fallen, fluffy white snow.
Mr. Timothy can’t wait to spend the holiday with his family
Easy DIY gifts make sense to give for Christmas
DIY gifts can be a lot of fun to make.
Make room for some awesome holiday events Opinion by Jazelle Johns KEEP YOUR calendars open for a spectacular holiday season. This time of year, things start to get hectic, and there’s hardly any time to breathe, let alone plan a day to go out and do stuff. A challenge for you is to find time to do at least one of the following things. If wandering around and seeing all the beautiful lights and decorations is your kind of thing, then head over to Thanksgiving Point or Temple Square. From November 27 to December 31 holiday lights will be up for viewing at Thanksgiving Point. Along with the lights there’s a chance to see live reindeer while you’re there. Just two days later, November 29 to December 31 Temple Square will have it’s display of holiday lights and nativi-
ties ready to view. Another place to stop and view beautiful lights is at the Hogle Zoo. The annual Zoo Lights will be held from 5:30-8:00 p.m. November 29 to December 31. It only costs $7 for adults and $5 for children to get in and wander the Hogle Zoo. Thanksgiving Point and The Grand America offer a time where you can actually sit and visit with Santa. Thanksgiving Point offers a breakfast with Santa at 9 a.m. on December 5, 12, and 19. Tickets in advance for adults cost $22 and children cost $18. At the door ticket prices go up by $5. For all those dancers out there, Ballet West will be performing The Nutcracker at the Capitol Theatre from December 10 to December 27. These performances begin at
December 2015, page 7 SPORTS
VOL. LVIII Issue 4
Perfect
By Kailee Justesen GETTING 100% attendance with no tardies seems like a hard thing to do, but by putting in effort and trying, it will be that much more easier. Three students at Granger have received a Google Chromebook for having perfect attendance and no tardies for the whole quarter. There are ten prizes that can be won for 10th grade, 11th grade, and 12th grade. The prizes are; three pairs of Granger socks, three Granger hoodies, three Granger yearbooks, and one Chromebook. As we all know, Granger has been struggling with many students getting to class on time or just getting to school in general. Studies have shown that when
attendance Lancers attend school, and are on time, it improves grades and success in the future. The administration have tried things before, like the Tardy and Absence Policy, where each student gets ten free tardies, after that each tardy costs one dollar and each unexcused absence costs five dollars. The Tardy and Absence Policy seemed to work for a while and still works to a certain extent. Unfortunately, there are still a large number of students with multiple tardies and absences. The administration wants to decrease the number of tardies and absences to zero. In order for this to happen, they came up with a plan to reward those who have no tardies
can
be
or absences for the whole quarter. “The inspiration for this is to reward those who are doing an excellent job, and to give everyone an opportunity to get a technical device,” Dr. Dunn said. The three students that received a Chromebook were very grateful. By winning this prize, it has shown that these Lancers hard work has really paid off. One of the lucky winners was Emely Perez (11). What helped Emely most to have no tardies or absences was to focus on school and being on time. “I just had to focus on school more, be on time, and not talking to friends before class,” Perez said.
very
Another one of the winners was Sarah Roberts (12). “I have decided to use my Chromebook strictly for school only,” she said. Having a device for school only can be a great resource for getting schoolwork done. The third Chromebook winner was Lenez Heart (10). “Before the Chromebook, I only had a tablet. I am going to use the Chromebook for school work and YouTube,” she said. The administration is hoping that this policy will work out. “The goal is to realize that we are talking about attendance. We are rewarding those who put in effort to get 100% attendance,” Dr. Dunn said. Many Lancers were con-
rewarding fused about how the new policy worked. Students were confused about if excused absences counted or not. “This quarter we decided that it would be 100% no absences or tardies. Next quarter we might change it,” Dr. Dunn said. The Granger administrations are giving every student a chance to win a prize. Lancers that keep up their attendance and make sure they aren’t tardy will have a chance to win next time. There are sure to be different Lancers that win some type of prize for excellent attendance in the next quarter. Keep it up Lancers, everyone can see the progress made.
Sacrifices get made for Granger High soccer By Samuel Irakoze BEFORE boys even get to try out, there are things they must do to let the soccer coach know that they’re serious about being on the team. The one thing the coach cares about most is grades. If a guy shows up on tryout day with bad grades, the coach won’t care how good he is or how fast he is, he will tell them to leave the field and go home without letting him try out. Carlos Pérez (10) started off good with no F-grades, he came after school every day for practices, but on tryout day he looked at his grades, and he thought his grades were still good enough to try out for the team. He didn’t have any F-grades, s but he had a lot of D-grades, s so his GPA wasn’t good enough, Pérez only had 1.5 GPA and to try out, he needed a 2.0 GPA, so they sent him home. Perez was really mad. Not at coach Okeson, but at himself because he really wanted to play. “But if I did, I would’ve have
made grades,” Perez said. “This year I’m working on my grades first, before anything. First, I’m going to make grades.” There’s another way a boy can still make the team if he had bad grades for second quarter: if he was really close and the coach thinks he’s good enough to be on the team. Coach Okeson can put him on probation, which means he has to come to practice, but he can’t play any games until third quarter. And if he doesn’t make third quarter grades, he gets no playing time for the rest of the year and he’s kicked off the team. It’s not that hard to make a 2.0 GPA. Granger’s student handbook specifies that students can try out for the Granger soccer team with one F-grade. The coach thinks they have it easy at a 2.0 GPA with one Fgrade. “It should be easy, but we’ll always have kids come to tryouts with four Fs,” coach Okeson said. “The kids that don’t make
grades are the easiest ones to get cut of the team. It’s not as hard as it is to cut the ones who made grades. The one that make grades means they want it bad; they want to be on the team, because they stay after school to get their grades up and do the work -- those kids are hard to cut. But the kids that don’t make grades they really don’t care about the sport and about school, and we don’t need those kind kids on the team,” he said. Just because he makes the team doesn’t mean he can’t get kicked of the team. The boys have rules they have to follow. Like if he doesn’t make third quarter grades, there’s nothing he can do after that. Not showing up to games and practices will also get guys kicked of the team for missing like six practices or four games. But if the coach sees a student who’s not putting in the effort of coming to games and practices, there’s no reason for him to be on the team.
Carlos Pérez
is prepared to follow the rules for Boys Soccer
Making a rugby team brings many different schools together By Jessie Martin LANCERS are participating in rugby. The rugby team is open for any girls that want to play. The team is not just for Granger, but
for Hunter, Taylorsville, and Cyprus, too. “There are around forty or more girls on the team when season comes,” Melanie Fa’asou (12) said. Girls are playing other
Mia Raza and Liahona Moleni are passionate about rugby.
sports right now, but when season starts, they will have more. “You just have to be committed... that’s what the coaches are looking for,” Fa’asou said. There are no requirements for joining, aside from showing up and trying. “We made it all the way to semifinals last year,” she said. The team set a high level that they hope to beat this year. Although the season hasn’t started, Liahona Moleni (11) has a positive outlook. “We have a lot of potential. It’s not that hard because you have fun; you become family,” she said. In order to get better, they have to practice hard. They mostly practice running, they play tag rugby, and they
practice passing. “I got to learn how fast I am. People get hurt, especially because there’s a lot of tackling. Come and work hard. We want more people to have subs and not get tired.” Moleni said. She has fun while playing and wants others to have the same experience. However, rugby isn’t for everyone. Moleni is appreciative of the practice because she gets even better technique. They need technique to not hurt someone while they are tackling. The team is always looking for new players. “In the beginning, we practiced really hard and girls quit. They need to be aggressive, not scared, and committed.” Mia Raza (12) said. “There are a lot of good players. I love the girls this year; it’s a closer bond. Only a few from last year are on the team this year,” Raza said. A lot of hard work goes into playing rugby. The girls who stayed got stronger from their hard work. The team is more diverse and they want more girls to join. The girls grow close on the team as they work hard to have a skilled
team. “Last year, we did pretty well. We went further last year than I can remember,” Raza said. She thinks it depends on the relationship of the team on how far they will go this year. They will have to form new bonds with the girls that are going to join this year. “Any one can join if you’re up to being tackled. We will buff the rough edges. It’s not that hard, but the girls have school work, too,” Coach Houma said. Most girls are afraid to get hurt, that’s why they don’t join. The girls just need to be active, and Coach Houma will help them with the rest. Like any team students have to find a way to balance school, practicing, and sometimes a job. “They are getting better at running with the ball and passing. They have to play smart, play as a team, and make smart decisions because there is no specific play,” he said. The balance these girls have is paying off. The girls not only have to be physically tough, but mentally tough as well when playing this sport.
VOL. LVIII Issue 4
December 2015, page 8 ENTERTAINMENT
An exciting book all lancers will enjoy
Opinion by Salina Eaton “UNWIND” is a teen bestseller by Neal Shusterman. It is a book that has lots of logic, danger, suspense, and excitement for the reader to enjoy. Unwind is about a sixteenyear-old boy named Conner Lassiter who has been signed away to be unwound by his parents who see him as ‘troubled.’ Anyone from the ages of thirteen through eighteen can be sent to harvest camps by their parents, the state ward, or by their religion to be unwound or ‘tithed.’ The kid’s parts are sent all throughout the country for people who need new organs or new limbs, even a brain. This is the main reason for the
title, “Unwind” and is part of why the teenaged characters in the story fight for their right to survive instead of becoming chopped up into pieces. The story already becomes a riot of excitement and danger in the first few chapters. The author does an amazing job with each chapter leading up to the last, filling the paragraphs with suspenseful or sad events, surprises, and even parts that may very well make you angry from certain situations that the characters play out. As the story progresses, it only continues to get better and better, with the main characters who do either small or really big things just to protect their friends and
others from unwinding so they may live their lives as they please. As the characters go on further and further into the story, escape after escape, danger around every corner as they try to escape their fate decided by their parents, the state ward, and their religion to make it to age eighteen while keeping their parts intact. Well, most of their parts. Every chapter has either a new character, or is a reason why one situation led to another, or is a chapter in which the characters really have to struggle with getting their freedom in their cruel, twisted country. Readers will definitely enjoy every word that the author has laid out for them to read and become engaged in a completely different world, and one that people definitely do not want to live in just for the reason of maybe being sent to be unwound. The reader can and will most likely fall in love with this amazing book and its characters as one story leads up to another with the three main teenage characters. This book is an excellent choice for teens and young adult readers everywhere and it excites the mind in engaging scenes and characters that the reader will come to love as they read this amazing book. Unwind also is a book series with three other books that follow: Unwholly, Unsouled, and Undivided. This is truly an amazing book series to read and like the first book, it is full of danger, excitement, and many new interesting characters that all play an important role in this series. This book is truly an amazing one and it’s a book that is very suggested that readers look into it so that they may become involved in the stories that lie ahead in this amazing series.
The Bahamas are a unique place that some Lancers got to travel to.
Lancer’s trip to the Bahamas
By Madisen Nelson IT ALL started in Miami, Florida after my family landed. Then we took off on the Carnival cruise ship to Nassau and Freeport, Bahamas with Duck Dynasty. Going to the Bahamas is the best thing to do with the family. There are nice beaches to relax on, a lot of shopping to do, really nice restaurants to eat at, and nice people. It’s really great because it’s hanging out with the family and looking at really nice scenery and there is no worrying about phones. If the Bahamas aren’t enough, just stay on the ship and do a lot of activities and eat a lot of ice cream. The Bahamas is the best place to relax. “I felt relaxed because I didn’t have to do any homework, and over all it was stress free. The only stress was trying to wake up for the activities,” my sister Jelani Nelson (11) said. The first destination was Nassau, Bahamas. “Nassau was very pretty, it was also quite warm,” Christy Poulsen said. Nassau had a lot to do; it was livelier than Freeport. At the dock in Freeport, it surprisingly had more pine trees than palm trees. There wasn’t a whole lot to do over there; one would have to travel out more into Freeport to get all the beaches and restaurants. “Freeport wasn’t all that bad. I liked it because we went to the only restaurant there: Señor Frogs. I got to do a fun activity with all the other kids in the restaurant,” Cierra Poulsen said. The people who live in the Bahamas are called Bahamians. The
Bahamians were really nice; they tried to make it feel like everyone is welcome there. They had a slight accent and it was pretty cool. “Both Nassau and Freeport were amazing because the whole family needed a break, and it forced us to put our phones down and away to spend time with the family and have a great time together,” Gary Poulsen said. There were a lot of things to do on the cruise. There were buffets open all day and night, swimming pools, hot tubs, movies, and shows. Every night after dinner, Duck Dynasty would perform a show for the people. After that, there were bedtime stories for all the little kids. Duck Dynasty had guest performers. There was Sammy L. Davis, Ram Corps, Ricky Skaggs, Lee Greenwood, and Jeff Emerson. On the last night, they did a show called Patriotic Night; it was meant for Sammy L. Davis and all the other veterans, no matter what branch they were in. “I think Patriotic Night was the best because we all came together and were being American and we sang songs for all the troops.” Jelani Nelson said. “I would have to say going to Señor Frogs and dancing was the best, because it’s something you don’t get to do every day.” Gary Poulsen said. “We did this one activity, it was “Cooking with Ms. Kay,” and it was my favorite activity because it was funny. Si and Paula didn’t know how to cook.” Cierra Poulsen said. This was one of the many activities to do on the cruise ship. All of it was a blast.
Metalcore: Crown the Empire 2014 album music review
Opinion by Ashley Cartmell MUSIC is the one way we can escape from this harsh world. There are so many genres of music that we all like and get lost into. The band I get lost in is Crown the Empire. In my opinion, that’s the best band I’ve listened to so far. Every morning, last year, my brother would play it in the car to wake us up. Crown the Empire’s lead singers are Andrew Velasquez and David Escamilla. The lead guitarist is Benn Suede, Brandon Hoover is the rhythm guitarist. Brent Taddie plays drums and Hayden Tree plays bass. There were other players in the past, but they left the group. Crown the Empire, or CTE, first appeared in July 2010. Their first album, Limitless, came out in 2011. Their second album, The Fallout, came out in 201213. Their third album, The Re-
sistance: Rise of the Runaways, from 2014, is by far my favorite and the reason I got into the band. Crown the Empire’s genre is metalcore, post-hardcore, and electronica and it works very well with them. Some might think if it involves screaming or anything loud and incoherent, that the band is Satan-worshiping and bad. Look at the lyrics and see if it’s Satan-worshiping or bad. “And when I’m worried then I’ll look up to the satellites and hear them call your name. Then I’ll know I can’t be the only star that’s trying to burn. So look up to the satellites and hear them call your name. They’re singing… I know that I’m never alone,” as sung by CTE in their song “Satellites.” I don’t see anything wrong with those lyrics. Their songs and lyrics tell a story. “The Resistance: Rise of the Runaways”
is about fighting the scarecrows, who represent society. The Resistance, the band and their followers, try to take down the scarecrows throughout the album. In the last song, “Johnny’s Rebellion,” it’s about defeating the devil and taking back their souls. The story in the music video and lyrics is absolutely amazing. For me, the music just gets into my soul and I start tapping my foot to the beat and sometimes hum. Crown the Empire has helped people, like most bands do, but the people who don’t listen to any of the hardcore music, just write it off and call it something bad and that gets my nerves in a twist. They judge CTE before actually listening to the words they are singing, which give each song a deeper meaning. Crown the Empire as come far from where they began, and they have so many fans that support
them through anything. In return, they support their fans. After a show, they don’t care how sweaty or tired they are, they meet their fans and sign autographs and take pictures with them. It’s like one big family. From their hometown, Dallas,
Texas, they travel the world to make music for their fans. They meet with anybody and spend a day with them, making fans’ dreams come true. For that reason, I love Crown the Empire and I would highly recommend it to my fellow Lancers.