Granger high school
Tri-Color Times An open forum for student opinion and expression
TRICOLORTIMES.COM
MAY 2017 LIX-VIX
Seniors get ready for last walk as Lancers By Hayley Rigby GRADUATION can be a stressful time for seniors and the parents of those seniors. There are some things that the graduating seniors and parents can do to help prepare for graduation day. These do’s and don’ts are some key tips that can help make graduation a lot better. “Don’t do anything stupid, no senior pranks. On graduation day, you should dress your nicest like it’s your day to shine,” Mr. Schmeling said. “For parents, they should bring something to take pictures of this exciting moment and be proud of their student’s achievements.” Granger High parents usually go all out for their students and show how proud they are by spoiling them on graduation day. Some parents go all out and some don’t, regardless the parents of
this graduating class. “Granger parents usually go all out for their students with posters, balloons, and leis. Some students have so many that you can barely see their faces. Letting parents know that this event is a big deal and that a lot of parents go all for it,” Ms. Green said. This event is something that students should be dressed nice for—it is a big event. Graduation is always big and celebrated, so students and parents should make it a day to remember. Although it is big deal, students and their families shouldn’t cause disruptions. “Don’t bring air horns because they will kick you out for it. And be sure to know when to stop yelling, you don’t want to be rude and prevent other parents from hearing their students’ names called,” Green said. “A good word of ad-
vice for females would to be to wear big, poofy dresses because that way, when you are wearing your gown, it’s not just ankles,” Green said. Graduation is definitely a big deal and high school coming to an end can be sad, but just because high school is coming to an end that doesn’t mean life stops. After graduation, students must have plans and must know what they are going to do. Life doesn’t stop so keep looking forward. “Advice I would give a senior who is about to graduate is to get to your passion as soon as possible whether it be college or your career or training as soon as possible, do not take a year off to hang out, because you will never go and you will never have time to go back and catch up,” Mr. Okeson said. The day a student graduates
is the day they show thanks to everyone, especially those who have helped them get through the hard patches the students had in high school. Giving thanks is important and means a lot to those who are thanked. “Be sure to thank everybody that has helped you get to where you are like: parents, grandparents, friends, and teachers. Be appreciative of them and thank them for helping you and enjoy the day, because you will never have another day like that again in your life,” Okeson said. After high school ends, some will miss it and some will not, but no one can doubt that high school is a very unique experience. Some have a hard time letting go of high school, and others walk away without looking back. For the class of 2017, May 26 is the day they’ll find out which it is.
2017-18 SBO President Joseph Alvarez
SBO Vice President Wilson Tran
SBO Secretary Alma Aguero
SBO Event Coordinator Tiffany Nguyen
The Class of 2017 will be the first to have spent all four years—their freshmen, sophomore, junior, and senior years—in the new Granger High School building.
Granger MESA students send mouse trap car farthest By Ramon Martinez III AROUND the start of the MESA club, they were informed of having at least two groups having to participate in a competition in the following district events: getting their project models of their mouse trap car and a working
prosthetic arm. “Having the time to work on the assigned project for my group was a bit hard, since our school and life schedules,” Oscar Hernandez (12) said. During all this, students still have to get prepared for the events such as the straw
Moises Tejeda and Oscar Hernandez have great excitement for MESA Club.
tower, krypto, and a surprise random event. The competition was at the Utah Cultural Celebration Center, and it was packed full of students, teacher advisors, and judges. Announcements were made to the students about how the rules work, how judging would play out, as well as the event order. The first Granger group was made of Virginia Jiron (10), Taylor Chau (10), Ashley Ruiz (10), and Anhtu Tran (10). The second group had Jonathan Cerritos (11), Hernandez, and Moises Tejeda (11). Both groups made and entered their own mousetraps in the contest; they got first and second in distance out of the whole district. Having not so much luck in any other events, they ended with the top two spots for farthest distance in the mousetrap competition. Winning was not on the
mind for some MESA club members, and it was just the hard work that they put in that made the experience ‘a win’ for them. Showing support, the MESA advisor, Ms. Hayward was there and cheered for her club members—win or lose. That positive attitude affected many. “My team and I were not ready for the krypto or straw tower events, but we did have fun during them; I’m going to remember those moments,” Tejeda said. Moments in their own groups made their day and the lunch at the end of the competition brought them all together to talk about their day. This district event brought the competitiveness out of some people to add some excitement into the mix, which lit the gas under them and helped them run away by winning two out of the top three spots out of the segment contest.
SBO Public Relations Dir. Jeffrey Hoang
SBO Diversity Vice Pres. Luis Tobar
SBO Service Learning Coor. Melissa Navarrrete
Want more Granger High School news? Check articles at tricolortimes.com or add us on twitter.com/tricolortimes.
Tri-Color Times VOL. LIX Issue 9
May 2017, page 2
Rotary: An old club gets a fresh start at Granger High School By Stephanie Dorantes ROTARY Club was founded in February 23, 1905, and its motto is “service above self.” Its headquarters are in Evanston, IL. Now a bit of history: this idea started with a man named Paul P. Harris who wanted to form an organization for professionals with diverse backgrounds to come up with ideas to give back to the community as stated on the ro-
tary.org website. Lancers can have a similar experience twice a month on Wednesdays from 2:20 p.m. to 3:20 p.m. Also, to make things more interesting, there is a speech contest, and the winner gets to take $500 home. The theme is: “How can I make the world a better place?” This club treats members like
Jelena is excited to get Rotary Club rollin’ along at Granger.
family, friends encourage Lancers to keep improving, but mostly give inspiration to keep moving and keep the fire alive. With that said, the club sounds appealing to many Lancers. “I joined this club because it sounded interesting, and my sister said I can get volunteering opportunities. For now, we haven’t been doing any volunteering, but that’s great because they are planning this whole thing carefully,” Ada Montejo (9) said. “They also inspire me to better myself. So far I like this club. It’s a good balance of family and work. The president of this club is very friendly and supportive. There are still no goals for me in the club, but later I will have a goal to accomplish,” Montejo said. The environment created by club members helps everyone get the job done. It’s a good balance between work and family. It’s also a great way to get in the habit of getting things done. It is a great way to meet new people
as well. If a fellow Lancer is troubled, stressed, or simply needs some kind of encouragement, the president is there with open arms. “My perks as president are that I get to meet new people, make new friends, learn new advice, and meet deadlines. I like to take charge and get things done on time. I also like creating a good environment and helping people out. People come to me for advice,” Jelena Dragicevic (10) said. The only stresses that I have with this is that it’s a new club. I want it to go in the right direction. My goals are to keep this club alive even after I have graduated,” Dragicevic said. These Lancers get busy and give it 100% so that this club will go on. The help doesn’t only stop there, but it continues to grow. The inspiration also continues to rise. Other members are there as examples to help build confidence and success through the club. With more success comes more time to be added. But for
the vice president, the responsibilities can be great. “For me this is a huge responsibility. I want to set a good example. I help out the president because she has so much more engagement and pressure so she needs help. That is where I come in to help her out,” Katreena Panotes (10) said. “We have just started this club. I would like for this club to continue for many more years. The only stress that I have with this is time. I’m also involved in other clubs, so I want to give 100 percent to all the clubs that I’m involved with. I also want to have more Lancers involved,” Panotes said. One thing that these two girls have in common for their goal for this club is that they want this club to still go on, to succeed more, and to keep rising to greater lengths. Effort was put into starting this club, and it was worth every second of it. It will continue to be worth it even after they have graduated.
Class of 2018 prepares to step up
By Kaylynn Gonzalez SENIOR year is a year many high school students dream about. For the junior class here at Granger High School, that dream will become a reality in less than four short months. The fast-approaching reality sparks feelings of excitement and anxiety amongst many juniors. While some sare nervous about the change and what comes after high school, others are excited to see what the future holds. Senior year is expected to be the best year of high school. Many juniors agree that one of the things they are looking forward to is the schedule of classes they will be taking. William Lokotui (11) is excited. “My classes won’t be as hard as usual. A few core classes…I don’t think I’m gonna take math or science, mainly just electives,” he said. Bailee Hoffman (11) agreed. “I think this year will be better because I don’t have to stress about core classes and I almost have all my credits. I can just take fun classes,” she said. Both students said that they looked forward to graduation the most. Even Granger High alumnus, Brandon Vu (‘14), admitted that graduation was the highlight of his senior year. “Graduation was very emotional. A good way to describe it is ‘surreal.’ It felt like a dream in a way, like it wasn’t really happening. Then I realized the time had truly come, and I was graduating with all the people I grew up with.
“Being an adult is way different from what I thought it would be like. It’s hard when it comes to working and making sure you have enough for your bills and stuff. The freedom of making your own decisions is the best part, though,” she said. Whether or not students are ready for the shift into adulthood, the change is inevitable. Although the idea of being out of high school may be intimidating to some students, others already have plans for the future. Hoffman explained her plans for after high school. “I’m ready to be done with high school and move onto college. I want to go to college and study to be a psychologist.” Other students such as Tabile and Olsen plan to go to college and then travel for their LDS missions. However, things do not always go as planned, as Vu can tell us. “I thought I would be going to college right out of high school. I chose not to do that after I graduated, but it was what I had planned while I was in school.” Pablo Cardenas (12) is uncertain about plans after high school. “I’m a little bit scared because I don’t know what I want to do with my life. I think I’m just going to go to college and see what happens,” he said. Cardenas urges students not to worry if they are feeling uncertain about the future. “Two years ago, I thought I was going to drop out. Now I have all my credits, and I’m getting ready to graduate,” he said. Ultimately, the final year of high school promises to be bittersweet for many seniors. Between feelings of angst and anticipation, Jesse Ren (11), has some encouraging advice for his classmates. “Keep your head up and focus on success. Believe that you’ll succeed, not Shaolin might be anxious about the future, but she still plans to participate in sports senior year. fail.” We were all so happy. We would look at each other like, ‘Man, we finally made it,’ ” Vu said. But with the last year of high school comes many changes. “I’m excited, but kind of sad. It’ll be my last year of sports and activities. I’m gonna miss sports and my friends. I’m excited, but it’s gonna be more real life after high school, so that makes me nervous,” Cierra Olsen (11) said. Like Olsen, other juniors are nervous about the change that accompanies leaving high school. “I’m sad because school is my life. I’m gonna miss my football team the most. I’m kind of scared because I’m not ready for the real world,” Lokotui said. Of course, there are some juniors like Shaolin Tabile (11) who feel prepared for the change and look forward to what the future has to offer. “It is going to feel great to be an adult and out of school. I have the money and I’m ready,” she said. While the junior class seems to have mixed feelings about entering “the real world” next year, Cheyenne Bolding (‘14), a Granger High graduate, has been there for a while and has advice to share. “Being out of high school is pretty awesome. I don’t have to deal with getting up for school, or homework, or any of that. I can go and do what I want, when I want. But sometimes I do miss being young and not having much responsibility, and hanging out with my friends and taking some cool classes,” Bolding said.
A sister’s marriage will take the place of Zamora’s trip, but she doesn’t mind.
Senior trips are an old tradition By Tina Huskic SENIOR trips are in the works, and many seniors have started to plan their trips after graduation. A senior trip is a tradition that started years ago, and to this day still hit the road. It is a little reward that the ‘top dogs’ of the school get for finishing high school. Many seniors want to go out of state with a couple friends. “I don’t have anything in plan right now but I do want to plan a cruise with some friends of mine. From Long Beach Mexico to somewhere else I don’t know yet,” Robin Trutwin (12) said. He plans on being with friends and there’s nothing wrong with that. Some might say that a senior trip is a final ‘goodbye-hangout’ with close friends before college. However, other students want to go with family instead. “I plan on going to Seattle to hang out with my family, because my dad’s cousin is getting married, and we will have a ton of family there,” Alan Nava (12) said. That sounds exciting, being with family and friends is a plus. Even though Nava isn’t going anywhere crazy, he will still be getting away after graduation to enjoy a trip with his family and friends. Nava isn’t the only Lancer with a family member getting married. Courtney Zamora (12) is also going out of town to go to her sister’s wedding. “I don’t exactly have anything planned right now, but I am going to my sister’s wedding. We will have a ton of family here from Texas and that will feel like a trip for me. My sister getting married is my trip in a way, and I’m not even mad about that,” said Zamo-
ra.
Most seniors plan a group trip together. “Senior class trips are a way for your student group to memorialize their Graduation,” as stated on the adventurestudenttravel.com website. With that said, it is a tradition to go on a trip as a class or a group, but most of seniors this year have their own plans and want to do their own thing. However, that isn’t such a bad idea to just be done and do your own thing at the end of the year since being with family seems more important. Some seniors don’t have anything planned because they are already super busy doing many small adventures already. “I don’t plan on having a senior trip, I travel a lot anyway so I don’t need a trip. The only thing I would possibly be doing is with the guys and that is going down to Lake Powell, but other than that just check out colleges,” Austin Rasmussen (12) said. Not every senior wants to go on a trip and that’s OK. Just being out and done with high school is enough for many students. All in all, students of Granger High School haven’t really planned a group trip. Senior trips should be the last goodbye, but most seniors like Megan Peterson (12) just want to be done with it all after graduation, and move on. “I don’t really care for a senior trip. I honestly don’t want to have a group trip, because I just want to be done with high school,” said Peterson. Whether they take a trip or not, seniors might should all enjoy the fact that they have made it to the finish line.
May 2017, page 3
Tri-Color Times VOL. LIX Issue 9
buy that yearbook: jostensyearbooks.com When it comes to first impressions, names make all the difference By Stephanie Dorantes NAMES can be a touchy subject sometimes. But one question that few Lancers get asked is: “Would you ever change your name?” This question would draw a blank stare from many Lancers, but others would have a full response to that question, and it would include the reasons that his or her name doesn’t fit or how that name doesn’t quite define him or her. “I changed my name because I’m trans. I wanted a name that I chose—to me it felt true. This name fits me. My old name was a female name, and I didn’t want
to be part of the female society. People would see my legal name and just assume that I was a girl, but now that I pass as a male, people don’t really notice it. They will call me Jaeden, that’s what I want. Also I respond to this name much more than my old name. I’m happy with the name that I have now,” Jaeden Tamaura (12) said. On the other hand, it could have another impact. They would change their name in a heartbeat because of a person who was very much loved. Or they see it as an honor to be named by that person. Or perhaps it all started with a bit
of generous love. “The reason that I would like to change my name is because of my grandfather; he would call me Juan. I would correct him that Juan was not my name,” Oscar Hernandaz (12) said. “But later I got to know why he was calling me Juan. That was because he lost his father whose name was Juan. Before it was just a little secret between me and him now my whole family knows about it. Now I have changed it on all of my social media. I feel honored that my grandfather gave me that nickname. Now I want to make that my name,” he said.
Hernandez’s and Tamaura’s reasons for name changes aren’t the only ones. Bullying, for example, can play a big role in a person wanting to make a name change. “I would totally change my name. In the past, I was bullied about my name, it was a name that I did not want to have because of my bullying as a child. Now I just try to not let it get to me. My mother wanted to name me a different name. But my father went behind her back and named me ‘Summer,’ ” Summer Vines (12) said. And sometimes names get
more likeable after learning how or why it happened. It can be interesting to know more about a name’s history or meaning. “My name was very common. Mostly every boy had the name ‘Ryan’ at that time. But then later I wanted to know more behind my name. Turns out ‘Ryan’ is an Irish name from my Irish ancestry, and to me that was something that was really cool. So, despite it being common name at the time, I got to learn something interesting about it,” Mr. Stones said. Names are complex. They have histories, they can indicate gender, and even lead to bullying.
Teen Living teaches teens about common obstacles By Mireya Ruiz TEEN LIVING is an elective class at Granger High School. Next year, there will no longer be a teen living class. So, those who didn’t take it missed out on a wonderful class. In this class the instructor, Ms. Merrill, taught concepts like how to get over road blocks throughout life and how to keep values where they should be. This class doesn’t only teach about how to get over obstacles. It teaches about how to keep from endangering one’s values. If values aren’t recognized when the teen is getting peer-pressured, it can have a huge negative impact. Many don’t realize it at the moment. Then, they have to face the consequences later. “Taking the time to talk about
values usually helps students make better choices. If we didn’t discuss concepts like this in the class, then I think that teenagers would be more prone to giving into peer pressure in tough situations,” Ms. Merrill said. Some of the consequences of negative teen pressure are financial debt, criminal records, mandatory community service, etc. The teenagers can also be affected academically. They are capable of performing the task, but don’t want to seem uncool as stated on the theteachersdigest. com website. The consequences similar to the ones mentioned on the website were taught in the class. It’s taught to help Lancers think before they act or give into peer pressure. If they know how se-
rious it can get, they’ll second guess doing whatever they’re thinking about doing. “For each individual, it’s different for what the consequence is. But if the value cycle isn’t recognized, the process of making bad decisions can be hard to stop,” Ms. Merrill said. Although this class informed a lot about how to deal with tough situations, it also taught how hard teen pregnancy can be. As one of the big assignments for the term, each student must take home a Real Care baby or they could get an alternative assignment. However, most do the baby one. During the time they have the baby, they must feed, burp, change, and rock the baby. It needs 24-hour assistance just like a real baby.
A late start makes Mondays less of a drag
By Hayley Rigby MONDAY mornings are always a drag, but having it as a late start day makes it easier for students to cope. Granger High students love having the extra hour to get ready for the day and love that they can sleep in a little bit. Also, they can use this time to help them get caught up with their classes. Late starts or early out days are a tradition that most schools in Utah do. Some of the schools let their students out earlier on Fridays to help start the exciting weekend. But here at Granger, there are late start Mondays and the students wouldn’t have it any other way. “Since the beginning of the year, I have had an extremely hard time going to class, but I feel like that as the year goes on, I begin to feel more and more dead in the mornings,” Isaiah Lusk (11) said. “I love school, and all my teachers say I’m smart, but it is just super hard to get the energy to go to class every day,” Lusk said. As the year goes on, students start to hate waking up every morning to get ready for school, some feel that Monday’s start
time should be the time school starts every day. Many students believe that if it were like this, more students would show up to school. “I come to school early on Mondays, usually at about 7:30. I get here early so that I have time to make up some grades and to work on my computer programming stuff, like right now we are making games,” Jesus Jimenez (11) said. “I think that late start should be on Fridays, because then it is like I am starting my weekend sooner,” he said. Some feel that as students they do not get enough sleep and that they are assigned too much homework. More homework means less sleep, and that is why Granger High students cherish their Monday mornings with that extra hour of sleep. Some use the extra time to hang out with friends. “I get to school at about 7:30 on Mondays, but I only get here that early because I get a ride from my dad. I also get here to hang-out with my friends and have a good time till the bell rings to go to class,” Brock Benavidez (12) said. “I like having late start
on Mondays because it kind of eases me into the week,” Benavidez said. Seniors have the hardest time getting up and going to school especially during this time in the school year. Seniors get hit pretty hard with senioritis at this time of the year and it is killer for some of them. Some can really handle the senioritis but others not so much. “As the year goes on it becomes harder to go to class, like I no longer have any energy or will to even be here. But since it is my senior year, I have to actually go to class, and actually be at school all the time,” Kyle Tolley (12) said. “It has always been hard for me to go to class, but this is when it counts, so I have to be here,” he said. Although it may be tough to go to school every day and to be on time, the students here at Granger High would not have their late start any other way. There are pros and cons to every situation, but Monday mornings definitely have more pros, and that is why students love it so much. There is a certain vibe that Monday mornings bring, and the students love it.
@TriColorTimes Ya follow?
“Half of students miss feedings, burpings, and diaper changes while the other half don’t. The feedback is mixed,” Ms. Merrill said. There’s a recording tracker in the baby that tells the instructor when the baby missed a feeding or diaper change. It also tells the instructor about rough handling. Rough handling can be shaking, putting the baby on its stomach, or even dropping the baby. “Students feel bad when there’s rough handling occurs. I can see it in their face whenever they bring the baby back on Monday. So overall, most of them are pretty careful,” Ms. Merrill said. Other than wanting to take the baby home, the class can be taken out of curiosity. “I think some of the students
take this class, because they could have had sexual intercourse, and they’re trying to see if they can actually handle a real baby,” Merrill said. However, she strongly encourages them not to have intercourse. She teaches about what could happen when it’s not safe. For most, being in this class can be very helpful whether it’s learning about how to keep values in place or learning about the difficulties of roadblocks. While Lancers are in high school, many tough situations are experienced. Knowing how to dodge bad situations without actually saying it can make a difference. “This class has taught me lessons I’ll use throughout my life,” Yazthel Ocampo (9) said.
Tri-Color Times Staff Editor in Chief Amanda MacKay Managing Editor Skye Rouse Reporters Doris Ah Ching Bryon Brinley Dailyn Brinas Oswaldo Cabrera Valencia Kayla Carter Kiana Dalpiaz Stephanie Dorantes Mesa Fullmer KayLynn Gonzalez Lopelini Hafoka Flavianna Hawley April Hendriksen Lupita Hernandez Tina Huskic Katherynne Jaco
Photo+Online Editor Hae ‘Lee’ Rigby Social Editor Vanessa Holt Sports Editor Taylor Wolfley Reporters Chuck Manzanares Ramon Martinez III Madison McCurdy Daryl Midgley Stephanie Gutierrez Hailey Piper Jasmine Raya Ariana Rojas Mireya Ruiz Ozzy Sanchez Anna Sayasith Karen Soriano Gabriela Thompson Arei Turner Anissa Voa
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 liability.
Granger High School 3580 South 3600 West West Valley, UT 84119 (385) 646-5320
granger high school’s la
ancers are lookin’ good!
Tri-Color Times VOL. LIX Issue 9
May 2017, page 6
Getting back up takes courage and devotion By Skye Rouse THERE is a variety of sports programs here at Granger High. Student athletes practice hard and play harder. They show a great determination to win; however, accidents happen, and it doesn’t always end up in the best way. “I was at practice with my team and we started to play this game that is like freeze tag,” Brian Sika (10) said. “I ended up tripping and broke my ankle and was in a cast for about six weeks,” he said. “I was out for the season but I still showed my support by going to practice and helping the boys from the sidelines,” Sika said. Hurting oneself can have many consequences both good and bad, so staying optimistic about it can sometimes be the only way to get through it all. “I hurt my ankle at Airborne, I was out on my prom day-date and I landed on it wrong,” Kaylee Warr (11) said. “It affected me because I’m on the Excaliburs,
so I couldn’t perform in Pizzazz,” Warr said. “I’m not nervous about hurting anything else but I am nervous that I will hurt my ankle again,” she said. With some injuries that aren’t that serious you learn to get up and wipe the dust off even if it hurts, but sometimes getting up and getting back on the field is just what a person needs to do. “I got hurt twice and both times I told myself to buck up and just keep playing,” Matt Clawson (12) said. “I was sliding on a rock-hard field and gashed my leg,” he said. “A Cyprus player had pitched a ball and it hit my wrist, it affected me because I didn’t have as much power to hit with,” Clawson said. Toughing it out is sometimes the best thing to do and most athletes know what it’s like. Most athletes know the struggle of getting hurt and having to bounce back and come back even stronger. It can be hard, but it is worth it in the long run.
“I am on Dance Company, and I hurt my feet really bad by peeling them,” Natalia Davila (11) said. “Hurting my feet I think made me more determined. Although it hurt a lot, I just pushed through,” she said. “I don’t think I was in the best mood, and I was limping most of the time,” Davila said. Sometimes it’s hard to get up and back on the field and then there are times when players physically can’t. Tiffany Nguyen (11) knows what it’s like to fall down and have a hard time getting back up. She broke her leg during an event for the track team. “It makes everything ten times harder, and I’m always so used to having something to do–whether it’s for student government or for track and field. I often feel lonely, even though so many show support and help me,” Nguyen said. “I feel lucky because I know things could have been worse, I could have lost a leg instead of just hurting it,” she said.
Tiffany broke her leg during a race for the track team.
Coaches and players ready for new region Summer trends are being set
By Bryon Brinley GRANGER’S sports teams will be competing in a new region in the upcoming year, and coaches and players alike are excited. The new region consists of Kearns, Hunter, Cyprus, and Hillcrest. The coaches had different opinions on the team that would cause Granger the most trouble. “Cyprus will definitely be the toughest team. They have a young team who are already competitive, so they will be the one to beat,” Mr. Jaramillo, baseball head coach, said. Others believed that Hillcrest was the team to beat. “Hillcrest will definitely be the most challenging. They might be the sole reason why we won’t take first in region,” Ms. Lago, drill head coach, said. Coaches were not the only ones who had opinions about the new region. A couple players have expectations for their teams. “The new region seems easier, hopefully we don’t take as many losses. For sure, the team we want to beat is Hunter,” Jorge Gonzalez (11), a starter for Granger’s varsity soccer team, said. “The new region is rival-heavy
and will be more exciting, and as far as the team goes, I expect that we can take region, but the goal is to take state,” Brendan Blank (11) a varsity player on the basketball team, said. Travel will be easier, too. According to Coach Jeffries, “It costs more to go and play teams such as Syracuse and Davis, who are way out there, and with this new region, it cuts costs and the new teams are like rivals, so it may bring more fun.” Coach Bewar also said the new region is better for travel. “It is much closer and more people will show up to watch games because people know the schools we are playing.” Of course, new region means new competition and a fresh start for many teams to complete their dreams. This will affect the coaches’ expectations. “We are one of the top two teams in the region with the amount of young talent we have being exposed to varsity play, but the teams in this new region are very similar, so it is going to be a tough competition, but I believe we can take region,” Mr. Bewar, boys head soccer coach, said.
“Every game should be close and competitive because there are no powerhouses in this new region. The new region should be able to provide a better chance for all the teams to do something special,” Mr. Okeson, girls soccer head coach, said. Mr. Sanada, boys and girls head tennis coach, believes his teams should be the best, and he’s worried that his players won’t get the competitive experience that they need. “There is no excuse for us not to do well,” Sonada said. “This new region is good for our players, but it will not be enough to prepare us for the competition at state.” As this school year comes to a close, teams are ready for the new region. “We want to be region champs because we came really close this season. The new region is not as hard, but it will be competitive for sure. Our team is ready for state,” Hector Magallanes (11), a football captain, said. With so much excitement and high expectations for each team, Granger could be the powerhouse of the region. Sports fans will have to wait and see.
Opinion by Katherynne Jaco 2017 HAS BROUGHT many new fashion trends for both boys and girls. I, as well as most people here at Granger, love these new trends. I wear at least one of these things almost every day. This summer, lots of students are excited for no school and no dress code, which gives them a chance to wear all their favorite clothing. Ripped jeans have become one of the biggest trends for both boys and girls and I also, am guilty of wearing these way too much. As you walk the halls, you’ll notice everyone wearing ripped jeans, whether the holes are big or small, scarce or all over the jeans. Everyone loves the ripped jeans trend. Boys like to pair their ripped jeans with a polo shirt of their favorite color and some Js. Although Jordans have been around since 1985, they continue to trend more and more with time. Some shoes that kids are currently gravitating toward for both boys and girls are Retro 11s, Retro 12s, Retro 6s, Retro 9s, and Retro 7s. Some other shoes that are
trending for both genders are Air Maxes, Skate Highs, and Air Forces. Boys also love to wear button ups and pair them with a gold or silver chain. Some boys also wear their designer belts like a Versace Palazzo belt with a Medusa buckle or a Gucci Web belt with an oval buckle. For girls, long sleeve tube tops, leotards, halter tops, and crop tops are expanding into every girl’s closet. Chokers are easily spotted by almost every girl in the halls. Lots of girls also wear Led Zeppelin or Metallica shirts paired with some thigh high boots. As you may notice, every girl has a bralette, and they’ve become quite popular as most girls wear them with a jean jacket and high-waisted jeans. Windbreakers are also gravitating with both genders. Fishnet tights are mostly worn with ripped jeans with big holes in them. Crop tops have been the most trending style of shirt this summer, and every girl owns at least one. These fashion trends will only become more popular with students as summer progresses.
With noon tee times, golf is the hardest sport for fans to follow
By Madison McCurdy UNDERRATED. That is how our girls golf team feels about how the school views golf. Golf is a very hard-working group of girls, and that team feels it needs a little more recognition. Not many people talk about the sport or attend any of the tournaments. Golf to these girls is just as important as football or basketball is to our school, but without any of the recognition. Emily Brown (12), a Granger High School senior, joined the golf team as a junior, “I joined golf when I didn’t make the softball team, so my grandma put me in golf, and now I really enjoy it,” Brown said. Many people think the sport is very boring or not as exciting as other contact sports, like basketball or football. Others were born into the
sport, “My family plays golf, and my dad started me playing when I was really young, so I was sort of expected to play golf. I enjoy playing because it is an individual sport, and I only have to depend on myself instead of worrying about tackling other people or anyone else,” Ryan Stone (10) said. Coach Crowther is the girls and boys golf coach as well as the boys basketball coach. “I have been playing golf for ten years, I coached at Taylorsville for three years and at Granger for six years so in total, I have been coaching for about nine years.” Coach Crowther said. Many of the girls think that the golf team needs a bit more recognition. “The school should make posters and more people should be talking about it. We like when
people know who we are, but I feel like this year, not many people know about girls golf,” Brown said. The team feels that Lancers at this school might not really think it is an interesting sport. “I feel they think that golf is a sport for older people, and it is not. It is actually a very fun and easy sport to play. It is just like any other sport, we work as a team, we support as a team, and win as a team,” Zezhile Hansen (11) said. Our girls golf coach has been playing for many years and loves to involve new faces in the sport that he loves. “I golf in a league, but I also golf with my son. It is frustrating that golf is not as recognized as football or basketball. It is a game that is fun and it is a game that you can play longer than football or basketball,
some people even play golf until they are well into their ‘70s,” Crowther said. There are many things our Lancer golfers enjoy about golf, “I like seeing all of the different golf courses—they are so pretty. And I like just being with my team and making these bonds with girls that I probably would never have been friends with if it weren’t for golf,” Brown said. Granger High School’s SBOs are even trying to get golf more recognized around the school, “Our girls deserve the recognition, it is a pretty difficult sport, and we do not give them the recognition they should be getting. We should be making them posters and televising them and hyping them up as much as we do with other sports,” Luis Tobar (11) said.
Zezhile has golfed for years.
May 2017, page 7
Tri-Color Times VOL. LIX Issue 9
Wake up, Granger—it’s time to leave Graduates aren’t always ready for the responsibilities that await in the real world.
Ms. Czapla is a great resource for students who want real-world advice.
By April Hendriksen ALL YEAR long, students have been walking in and out of the halls of Granger High every day. Some are responsible, some are negligent, and some are in the middle. The Lancers that teachers are most concerned about are those who don’t seem to do anything at all. “These students that come to school, and don’t make an attempt to do anything, are gonna walk out of these doors at graduation and encounter a world that is very different from here,” Ms. Czapla said. Many students hearing this would immediately think that this means a world that doesn’t care about what they do. Mr. Beck says that this is the wrong mentality to have. “Kids sometimes pride themselves on saying ‘I am who I am, I say what I want to say.’ Well that’s all good, except an employer, a lot of times, doesn’t want you to say whatever you want to say. Their reputations ride on it.” In a world outside of high school, students will find that their bosses become less lenient as they get older. “My job has really high expectations,” Maxwell Winters (‘16),
Gabriela looks back on 2016-17 Opinion by Gabriela Thompson AT THE beginning of the 20162017 school year, most students were drifting between nervousness and excitement about starting another school year. One reason Granger Lancers go through this emotional ride is the uncertainty of how the school year will end and how it will change them. Whether as a freshman, sophomore, junior, or senior, there’s this internal pressure to make the best of these high school years. The title “most important years of your life” doesn’t ease the pressure at all. It seems that there’s often that certain goal that a student wants to reach by the end of the year, and the fear of the unknown sometimes cripples the enjoyment of the moment. Nevertheless, these highlights will surely have Lancers smiling and reminiscing these events through the school year. As the basketball fans said earlier in the year, this once-ina-lifetime experience will always be remembered. For the first time at Granger High School, Dr. Dunn surprised students with a tight-lipped secret scrimmage played by Utah’s one and only Jazz team and their mascot at an after-school assembly. This event was later revealed
to most in Utah as it was covered on CBS and local news stations with Lancers being interviewed, and it can still be found archived on their websites. This year’s talent show exceeded anyone’s expectations, most performers showing their vocal skills, dance moves, and some out-of-the-ordinary skills. Some performances included an African dance by a wonderful group of girls, a beautiful duet performed by Angele Nguyen (12) and Wajih Hashmi (12), an amazing clogging dance performed by Natalia Maddocks (12), a smashing hit by Alicia Keyes performed by Giovanna Aguilar (12) and a glow-in-the-dark hula hoops performance by Kolby Smith (12). In first place was Kolby Smith, second was Matty Mulitalo, and third place was Giovanna Aguilar. Another unexpected event was Granger’s rebellion over the law passed by Michelle Obama of Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act, which tried to have students eat healthier at schools by changing the contents in vending machines and school stores. As most know, this protest included the delicious Costco muffins and ramen noodles that had students lining up all through lunch. This place called the “G-
shack” was open for two weeks selling the beloved noodles and muffins students have wanted all year with extra bonuses like hot pockets and chips. This unexpected gift has students hoping it occurs next year. The end-of-the-year Spirit Bowl was no ordinary assembly. Instead of the traditional navy blue, gray, crimson red, and white colors associated with each grade level, Disney’s iconic villains changed the colors on display for each of the grades—with seniors in black for Maleficent, juniors in blue for Hades, sophomores in purple for Yzma, freshman in gray for Scar, and faculty in crimson red for Captain Hook. Competition was fierce and emotions were running high during the assembly, but in the end, black-clad seniors walked off with Maleficent’s wicked scepter. In academic news, administrators held pancake morning parties were the they personally flipped pancakes and gave them to students as an incentive to improve SAGE test scores. With this incentive and the hard work of students and staff, Granger High’s administration hopes that it’ll help improve the school’s accreditation score from its current F-grade standing.
said. “We need to get everything done at a certain time. We can’t go overtime or blow off the job we’re supposed to do in favor of just going home. We need to get it done then and there and on time.” In high school, many students build bad habits that are bad for the workplace. Saving classwork for home, skipping class, procrastinating homework—these are things employers do not want when they’re looking for employees. “Whenever I got an application that said a kid was out of high school, but planning to get a GED, I didn’t hire them,” Judy Hendriksen, former owner of Naborhood Bakery in Gardner Village, said. “I need someone who can work, and if you don’t have the motivation to get through high school, then I don’t trust you to have the motivation to get to work,” she said Dropping out of high school in favor of a GED has been proven to be a major setback under financial terms. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics in 2012, high school graduates earn an average of $1200 more than those with a GED.
Many don’t realize that becoming an employee means that they’re signing a contract with the person who pays them. This contract will typically say something along the lines of “you do this,” and “you get paid this amount,” and “you behave this way.” Some would find this unfair, but, unfortunately, that’s the way things are. As a matter of fact, many employers don’t care if the employee workload is overwhelming. “We get a ton of work. They don’t care if it’s a ton of work, they expect it to be done,” Winters said. “We must get done by a certain time, and get it all done at that certain time, or else we’re terminated.” Employers want people who can do what they’re needed to. “If you choose to do nothing, then you’re going to be nothing out in the real world,” Ms. Czapla said. People who slack off and don’t have a job, even though they’re fully capable of working, are often times very unhappy with themselves as a result. “Stay in school,” Winters said, “always be punctual. Have a good attitude and be happy, instead of thinking, ‘Ugh, I don’t want to be at school.’ A good attitude will also bring good work.”
Seniors reflect on regrets
By Chuck Manzanares AS SENIOR year comes to an end, seniors get ready for graduation and get ready to move on from being high school students to being adults in the real world. But leaving all that aside, most seniors might have some regrets from the all the years they’ve been here. “I regret not doing tryouts for soccer because I love soccer and I wish I would’ve at least tried out. I also wish I would’ve taken more opportunities in school instead of slacking off,” Alan Nava (12) said. He has some regrets about school choices. Most seniors regret not taking more opportunities in school such as, applying for college on college day, trying out for sports, or simply taking some classes. Savannah Mejia (12) regrets one of these things, too. “I kinda regret not having a better attitude because if I were to have a better attitude, I might’ve enjoyed things much more. I also regret being lazy about college stuff and scholarships,” Mejia said. Some students most likely have lots of regrets about high school, while other don’t have any. Pablo Arellano (12) said he doesn’t have any regrets, “Nope, I don’t really have any regrets I’m just trying get out of high school to start college and find a better job,” Arellano said. Very few students have no re-
grets, but they do wish they took part in more stuff. “One thing I wish I would’ve taken part in is soccer. I always loved playing Soccer, but I’ve never actually tried out for the team or even really thought about it. I guess that’s on me,” Arellano said. Regrets can be anything from wishing to have done better in the past four at Granger High to not having tried out for some sports to missing out on interesting classes. Other regrets include missed school activities such as going to games, assemblies, spirit week activities, and skipping extracurricular activities. Adrian Ortega (12) said he doesn’t really regret not going to some games or assemblies. “No not really, I don’t regret it a whole lot, but I do a little. The only thing I regret not doing is joining a sports team,” Ortega said. Few of the students here at Granger regret not going to assemblies and such, but some do regret not joining sports teams, “I wish I would’ve joined wrestling, because it’s just a great sport and it could have prepared me for life.” Ortega said. Seniors who may regret not going to games are usually the students who a think that stuff is either not worth it or a ‘waste of time’ because they’d rather be focusing on school work.
May 2017, page 8
Tri-Color Times VOL. LIX Issue 9
Moxie delivers fresh tracks for review By Vanessa Holt EVERY day new artists are being discovered, and it always is a struggle to really make it big, but it’s always worth a try to publish your stuff and hope for the best. For years, artists have been preparing for their big release of their songs and albums. Luckily enough, I got to hear some songs just before they are released— thanks to Moxie for giving a high school journalist the hook-up to hear a few of the clips.
Heart-shattering TV show
Opinion by Vanessa Holt 13 REASONS Why was released straight to Netflix on March 31. Hannah was just another typical high school student when she moved to a new town for a new start, a better life. Soon enough, this new innocent teenager became caught up in the toxic high school quickly. This high school has always been this deadly social chain, and where you stand is determined by the ones who sit at the very top: the jocks and the popular girls. When it comes to meeting them, it’s like a card game. You’re first move has to be well-thought out and you can never let your guard down no matter what happens. After that, even if it seems as though you may have a way in, they will still snatch you up and eat you alive. That’s what happened to Hannah, except as the first barrier faltered to let her in, what happened next completely changed the game. It soon became a game that was just full of stories that were built off lies and, of course, no one bothered to believe the best story: the truth. From the beginning, you are watching this powerful domino effect happen. Hannah is telling her tale through cassette tapes, and with each story the subject is a different person—a person who contributed to Hannah’s suicide and could’ve easily changed the course of this story, had they only done something different. The cassette tapes are passed on to everyone who is in this story, everyone listens and is to hear of what they did to hurt Hannah and cause her to kill herself. From then on, it is passed to the next person, the aftermath of Hanna’s death shows the toll tak-
en on everyone as they live with the weight that Hannah has left on their shoulders. As the story goes on, viewers see the students and the school face a lawsuit that was filed by Hannah Baker’s parents. The lawsuit was filed due to a belief that what led to her death was the harsh words and the cruel stories that spread around the hallways of the school like wildfire. There is a fair warning to those with sensitive hearts or any with PTSD, for this show to have captured the image that they wanted, some scenes in the show may trigger those who have suffered traumatic experiences such as rape or any suicide/self-harm. So, take this warning into consideration before you make the decision to begin to watch this show. The show deserves more than just a five-star rating, it captured the story so perfectly. The show was able to finally open some people’s eyes to make other people realize that situations that happened to Hannah Baker actually happen in real life and shouldn’t be something to be brushed off. It shouldn’t be taken as a joke. These situations happen every second whether or not we see it ourselves—someone is going to. If you witness such a situation, step up and say something instead of letting it continue happening. So, if you make the decision to watch this show, set aside some real time to watch it all. Keep a box of tissues next to you, because you’re gonna need it with how intense it is, and listen with an open heart. Adviser’s note: Please help prevent suicide. If you or your friends have questions, check with the counselors—they were recently trained about this show.
GAWVI We Belong Reach Records Street: 03.31.17 AN ARTIST is coming into the well-known music scene is GAWVI, he is currently producing music that follows in the electro pop and is classified as an EDM DJ. He had just dropped a new album called, We Belong. The album contains fourteen different tracks, the album is kept upbeat and many of the tracks have meanings about partnership, some of the songs even have a jazz sense to them. One of the songs that may become his newest single is “Closer.” With as common a title as it may have, it is nothing like the Chainsmokers’ song. The song features artists Robbie Lee and Julissa Leilani, the song speaks
about finding a different type of love. When you got some down time in class search up GAWVI on YouTube or Spotify and give his album a listen and spread the word, for he may be a very new upcoming artist.
Julia Brennan Inner Demons EP Columbia Records Street: 11.04.16 ANOTHER artist who just recently released a few of their new songs is Julia Brennan, and she is a young singer-songwriter. She managed to sign onto a record label and have a few of her own songs produced for an EP just at the age nineteen. Unlike GAWVI, the last artist under sonsideration, Julia Brennan´s genre of music involves a bunch of piano-laced songs. One of the tracks she released called “Inner Demons” is going to become her newest single, and the song has the perfect melody. It talks about the fact that we, as human beings, all have demons, and it´s OK—we all need to face them and meet them. With only three songs out that are easily relatable, I suggest you log on to Spotify or another streaming service and look her up and give her songs a listen. They are absolutely beautiful and speak to you so perfectly.
Against the Current In Our Bones Fueled by Ramen Street: 05.06.16 AGAINST the Current is an American pop punk band who started as a small band with a few songs of their own, you may also know the lead singer Chrissy Costanza, who happens to appear on a lot of YouTube covers with the well-known artist Kurt Hugo Schneider and Alex Goot. They’re a band that is tearing through the music scene has fought a good long six years to be known in the music scene. The band signed onto a record label just last year and debuted their first album around the same time. Their most recent single, “Young and Relentless” speaks about the young ages in our life and living them up to the fullest, and how you shouldn’t let anything hold you back. Against the Current is currently signed up to be an opening band for State Champs and a stop happens to be in Utah, so if their music is very much appeal to your liking, purchase a ticket and see them live. It´ll be a show you won’t regret! Artists are constantly popping up and trying to be part of the music scene. It is a challenge, and just may take a few years, but many times they are able to achieve their dreams.
Rapper ready to change the world
Joey Bada$$ All-Amerikkkan Bada$$ Pro Era Records Street: 4.7.17 By Lupita Hernandez IF YOU check Wikipedia, you’ll learn that “Jo-Vaughn Virginie Scott, better known as Joey Bada$$, is a an American Rapper who was raised in Brooklyn, NY. He was born on January 20, 1995 and is currently a member of the hip-hop collective Pro Era. He was first discovered when he posted a rapping video on YouTube were later it was posted on world star seen by president of Cinematic Music Group who ended up giving him a chance and became his manager.” His new album All-Amerikkkan Bada$$ dropped on April 7, and these are the songs on his new album: “Devastated,” “Front & Center,” “Ring the Alarm,” “Land of the Free,” “For my People,” “Temptation,” “y u no love
me,” “Rock-a-bye Baby,” “Super Predator,” “Babylon,” “Legendary,” and “Amerikkkan Idol.” The 22-year-old rapper also started an acting career starring in the short film, “No Regrets,’’ where he portrayed himself. Teens have been really liking the new song “Land of the Free” mainly because it talks about having to change before seeing any change happen, and this includes Bada$$ talking about Donald Trump in a verse and how everyone is dying, but nobody is willing to help those in need. These are a bit of the “Land of the Free” lyrics: “We can’t change the world unless we change ourselves, Die from the sicknesses if we don’t seek the health, His new album is spreading very rapidly, and gaining him lots of new fame on various social media sites, not to mention lots of new supporters. He is on tour, but sadly he is not coming to Utah. His two upcoming solo tour dates are May 5 at the Rolling Loud music festival in Miami and August 6 at Lollapalooza in Chicago. This will give him a big chance to interact with his new fans and perform with very big rappers including J Cole. “It’s clear that Joey Bada$$ is on a mission. From start to finish,
All-Amerikkkan Bada$$ is peppered with social commentary, forays into education, and overtly uplifting messages for everyone in the struggle,” according to the allhiphop.com website. Despite his rise to fame, Joey has had a few obstacles. He was charged for assault after allegedly punching a security guard before one of his performances, leaving the guard with a broken nose and facial injuries. Even though Bada$$ was found not guilty, he still had to attend court. Conflicting accounts make it difficult to determine what caused this the young rapper to act so violently, but he described a bit of what happened in a track on one of his albums. Joey overall has really enjoyed being in the music industry. “Ultimately I want my music to talk to everyone. From the microcosm of it you might pull “black struggle” out of it. But the macro is so much greater than that: It’s human struggle. It’s a universal concept. It’s universal music. Ultimately I want it to touch everyone. But yeah, it does speak for a certain demographic of people more than it does others…but ultimately it’s for the world,” as stated on the rollingstone.com website. His fans mean something really big to him. Without them he wouldn’t be where he is.