The Viking / Issue V / March 2015

the

viking Loudoun Valley High School / Purcellville, VA / Issue V / March 2015

GOOD EATS Ranging from burgers to ethnic food to diners, try these out of the way options for your next meal out.

Junior Lindsey Sweet fends off Loudoun County players during their senior night game on February 6. (photo / Rachel Weinstein) (Cover / Elizabeth Sikora)

THE

VIKING Newsmagazine Staff 2014-2015

Editors-in-Chief Brianna Jennings Henry Webster

Senior Managing Editor Emma Rodriguez

Managing Editor Leila Francis

Advertising Multimedia Editor Manager Sacha Gragg Jennifer Colantonio

Design Editor Elizabeth Sikora

Online Editors Claire Deaver McKenna Holtz

Writers, Photographers, Business and Promotional Staff Emily Baer, Carina Bucci, Christopher Cerne, Nicholas Cerne, Laura Destanley, Cassandra Good, Griffin Hunt, Alexandra Krens, Benjamin Manning, Christopher Morgan, Gonzo Ocampo, Carleigh Rahn, Dalton Smolens, Helen Sternberg, Zachary Stevenson, Madison Stiles Tyler Valentine, Sean Webster, Rachel Weinstein Adviser Paige Cox

Letter from the Editors

Dear Vikings, The Viking is a completely student-run and student-funded newsmagazine, meaning that our staff is responsible for everything you see printed, unless otherwise credited. Our adviser, Ms. Cox, guides us through the process, but

thevikingnews.com | Twitter: @lvhsviking | Instagram: lvhsviking everything is produced and created by our student staff.

Our goal is to serve the community around us, knowing what you all are interested in reading will help us reach this goal and facilitate the reciprocal relationship between publication and people. If there is something you want us to cover, ask us.

The Viking newstaff works hard to cover a large range of the student body and we appreciate your readership.

We apologize for losing a February issue; however, due to the numerous snow days, we thought it would be better to produce a phenomenal March issue rather than a mediocre February. This issue covers a wide range of Valley from its teachers to students to even the parents.

We do not tamper with interviews; the words you give us during an interview are what you will see printed. Our interviews are backed up via audio files, and

we will never intentionally place your quotes out of context.

Check out our online newspaper, twitter and Instagram for current news coverage with articles, photos and videos.

If you want an advertisment please contact our advertising manager Jennifer Colantonio at jnnfrcolantonio@gmail.com. We hope you enjoy this issue of The Viking.

Thanks, Brianna Jennings Henry Webster

CONTENTS March 2015

4

The Parent Trap

6

Student Injuries

8

In a countermovement to helicopter parents, some families give children more responsibility.

A look at the risks high school athletics pose to students’ health.

Good Eats

Exploring the best, little-known restaurants for 2015.

10 Mormon Misconception

Mormon students respond to stereotypes surrounding their religion.

11 Q&A: Lincicome

Get to know a beloved substitute.

12 Vikes on Ice

Players discuss the season and the sport of hockey.

13 Taking Flight

Juniors Madeleine McGuinness and Jacob Sullivan works towards earning their pilots’ licenses.

The Other 14 Editorial: Drinking Problem

A new study reveals that soda is as aging as cigarettes.

15 Last Ham Standing

A look at the Comedy Cult performance alongside Last Ham Standing.

Sophomore Gavin Poag practices his performance for the LVSI talent show during their Jason Yoxtheimer prepares to take shot in day, a game Loudoun afterschool rehearsal on February 19. The actual show, scheduled for athe next wasagainst postponed County.

The team lost the game 57-47. (photo / Elizabeth Sikora) until further notice due to a school cancellation.

The Parent Trap Every student has encountered helicopter parenting in some form, either in their own parents or in the parents of friends or peers.

However, a countermovement to this restrictive parenting style offers children more freedom and responsibility. By Leila Francis

T

his generation is familiar with the overinvolvement of parents weaving themselves into every aspect of their children’s lives, checking grades, dictating thoughts, scrutinizing friendships and hovering over every action. The benefits of letting children off the leash, however, has encouraged a revisit of the methods of parenting and offered a rebuttal to helicopter parenting, although it has met considerable backlash.

One form of parenting, often referred to as “free-range parenting,” has recently received extensive media attention.

Free-range parenting is a style of parenting that includes lessened involvement in a child’s life, a stark contrast to the helicopter parent that hovers protectively over a child’s every act. Parents often allow their children freedoms that a typical parent would not, such as walking to

the park or playing without an adult. While such leniency may seem radical now, this style of parenting was universal throughout the past century, even through the 80s.

The idea behind free-range parenting is to offer children opportunities to learn and gain life skills rather than placing them in a bubble.

By allowing children exposure to routine risks, they become more capable of handling these risks and difficult situations when they are older, abilities that may be hindered if children have no exposure to any situation with any potential for harm, such as handling cutlery or playing rough sports.

However, free range parenting has come under significant criticism since the introduction of the idea in 2008 by New York journalist Lenore Skenazy, whose

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article “Why I Let My 9-Year-Old Ride the Subway Alone” received violent backlash at the time of its publication. The aggressive reactions included threats of arrest for child neglect. Since then, Skenazy has published a book, Free Range Kids: How to Raise Safe,

“My parents are open to me assuming my own responsibility.”

-Hailey Voell Self-Reliant Children (Without Going Nuts With Worry) and “World’s Worst Mom,” a 13-part series on Discovery Life Channel, in which she visits families with excessively protective parents to lead their children through previously forbidden exercises, demonstrating their capabilities to the parents.

THE FACTS 5 to 8x

The astronomical rise in childhood depression and anxiety disorders, linked to the decline in free play among young children.

48%

decrease in violent crime from 1993-2012.

3/4 Free-range parenting received renewed attention after Maryland residents Danielle and Alexander Meitiv allowed their 10-yearold son and 6-year-old daughter to walk one mile unaccompanied to a local park, and are now under investigation by Montgomery County Child Protective Services for child neglect.

As their story blew up on social media, stories of other free-range parents flooded in, each with the same idea: parents ultimately are responsible for their children, and best qualified to decide what their child is prepared for. Most parents explain their methods, in which parents first walk with their children, then allow their children to walk alone on short trips around the block or a half-mile to the library, finally building up to a longer trip—a process that could take months or years.

Although few parents of high school students would hesitate to allow their children to walk with friends or siblings to the fast food place or library, free-range parenting, compared to more restrictive parenting, can be seen among youth of all ages, regarding chores, time spent on social media or other technology and many aspects of a student’s social life. Rather than placing restrictions on each part of their child’s life,

some parents are willing to be more openminded.

“My parents are open to me assuming my own responsibility,” junior Hailey Voell said.

A more free-range style of parenting such as this benefits not only the student, in terms of freedom and happiness, but the relationship between the teen and his or her parents. Being allowed responsibility fosters a more open relationship.

“There’s a mutual trust between us, which makes us closer,” Voell said. “My parents trust me and would only retract that trust if I lied to them.”

Although pure free-range parenting is rare among students, and freedoms and responsibilities become more common as a result of increased age and experience compared to elementary-age students specified in the media, Valley offers a world of varying parenting styles, and consequently, students with more lenient parents experience different relationships and situatuions than offered by restrictive parents.

of the population thought crime got worse in the U.S. as of 2009, even though crime fell to lows unseen since the 1960s.

70-90%

of perpetrators are acquaintance perpetrators, the most common abusers.

25%

of children today are diagnosed with a full-fledged anxiety disorder, according to National Institute of Mental Health, compared to 1-5% 30 years ago.

layout / Leila Francis, Elizabeth Sikora

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SPORTS INJURIES Concussions Females aged 10-19 years sustained sports- and recreationrelated traumatic brain injuries most often while playing soccer or basketball.

248,000

children visited hospital emergency departments in 2009 for concussions and other traumatic brain injuries related to sports and recreation.

“I have had three concussions, two from rugby and one from football. Athletically, it has slowed down my reaction time slightly and I get a little dizzy lifting occasionally. Academically, it has significantly decreased my short-term memory, such as memorizing vocab as well as the ability to concentrate for long periods of time.”

-Junior Philip Akin

By McKenna Holtz

“I miss morning classes sometimes when I have physical therapy or doctor’s appointments, and I’ve only been able to play in two games because I got injured. It’s really frustrating being held back by my own body.” - Junior Abby Watts THE NUMBERS

62%

of organized sports-related injuries occur during practices.

8,000

children are treated every day in the emergency room for sports related injuries.

ACL TEARS

5x

higher rates of ACL tears in 14-year-old girls than boys.

Female

soccer players have more than twice the risk and female basketball players have four times the risk of noncontact ACL tears when compared to their male counterparts. photo / Elizabeth Sikora layout / McKenna Holtz, Brianna Jennings 6 THEVIKINGNEWS.COM MARCH 2015

42%

of high schools have access to athletic training services.

Patiently sitting on the sideline, junior Abby Watts watches as her team practices without her. Watts hurt her knee at the begining of the season and reinjured it midseason.

Football is associated with the highest number of cervical spine injuries of any sport, while cheerleading is associated with the highest frequency of direct catastrophic head and neck injuries for females.

Students who take dual enrollment:

• Earn higher high school GPA’s • Save money on their college degree • Get be=er grades in college • Finish college faster

Dual Enrollment guarantees college credit for passed courses—no separate test required.

Coming soon to LVHS

Purcellville’s Full Service Primier Florist 151 S 20th Street Purcellville VA 20132 Mon-Fri 9.30am-6pm Sat 9.30am-4pm 540.338.0212 MARCH 2015

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Good Eats

Loudoun is full of good places to eat, whether you’re looking for a night out with friends or a quick lunch stop. But many exceptional restaurants are overlooked; here are a few lessknown places to eat.

Tammy’s Diner

Leesburg Public House

Distance: 10 minutes Price: $5-10 Specialty: Diner Food

Wedged between the Walmart and the IHOP is the newest addition to fine Leesburg dining: the Leesburg Public House.

Comparable to Blue Ridge Grill, the Public House offers a more lowkey dining experience with equally good food. There is a wide variety of food that is approached with great attention to detail, perfectly cooked and seasoned whether you order a salad, a burger or one of the many house specialties.

This diner is a local Roundhill treasure, promising an old time, country feel.

With its small town charm, Tammy’s provides traditional breakfast. You will not find elaborate food like strawberry banana pancakes or chicken fajita omelets; however their standard selections have low prices and appealing tastes. As an added bonus, the service was exceptionally fast.

Thai Pan Located on the side of Liberty gas station in old town Leesburg, this restaurant is definitely a hidden gem.

From the outside, the setting looks slightly rough and shabby, but the inside reveals a professional setting with deep red walls, sitdown wood tables and sophisticated dining ware. The menu consists of many variations of traditional foods such as curry, fried rice and Thai noodles. Their use of fresh ingredients is apparent in each entrée. Even a couple feet away from a gas station, Thai Pan provides a pleasant environment and flavorful meal for a night out.

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La Chocita Grill Distance: 20 minutes Price: $10-15 Specialty: Latin American

Wishbone Rotisserie

Wishbone Rotisserie, located on Catoctin Circle in Leesburg, provides delicious Latin American food and chicken. It is perfect for a quick lunchtime venture, with tender meats and a casual ambiance. Their famous yellow sauce complimented the entrees as well as the sides, and serving sizes are huge, so you get your money’s worth with each meal.

La Chocita Grill is the perfect place for a night out with friends; the grill boasts both delicious food and a casual, friendly atmosphere.

And, located just outside the center of downtown Leesburg, it’s a great place to stop by on the way to or from another activity.

Pine Grove Restaurant Located near the popular hiking spot Bear’s Den, Pine Grove Restaurant provides a quaint, cozy feel. This diner provides delightful food ranging from rich chocolate pie to pumpkin pancakes to indescribably delicious home-fries drenched in sausage gravy. And all of the food is made from scratch by the owner using local ingredients.

MARCH 2015

photos / Claire Deaver, Emma Rodriguez, Henry Webster layout / Emma Rodriguez THEVIKINGNEWS.COM

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MORMON MISCONCEPTIONS Western Loudoun is home to a large and active Mormon community, and, like many other religions, Mormons are frequently stereotyped.

Students speak out debunk common misconceptions.

By Brianna Jennings

W

ith a significant portion of the Western Loudoun community following the practices of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, many misconceptions surround the church’s followers, better known as Mormons.

The strict religious guidelines and rules that Mormons follow lead many people to believe that they are forced into certain rituals; however, Mormons are no different than many other religious followers.

One sacred practice in many religions carries a certain perception when discussed in regards to Mormons: marriage. Many draw the conclusion that marrying a nonMormon is allegedly discouraged. However, with their strong beliefs and complex lifestyle, marrying within their faith seems to be the easiest and yields the best matches, but they are not limited to marrying within the faith or frowned upon for marrying outside of it.

“I would not say that I feel pressed to do anything, more like advised to do so,” sophomore Ryan Michon said. “We are not told who we are to marry. Some of the choices we make are because choosing

these certain choices, such as marrying another Mormon, are done so that we can live our lives in line with the guidelines and commandments of our church.”

Another misconception following students who practice the faith is the requirement to attend Brigham Young University (BYU) or other Utah universities.

With the highest concentration of Mormons in the country, Utah provides a setting where Mormon youth can grow in their faith among others who can assist them and grow with them, as well as experience things in a way that fits their lifestyle choices.

Despite this, many Mormon adolescents attend various universities, many without a Mormon affiliation.

“I wish to go to BYU not because my religion tells me to, which it doesn’t, but because by going there, I am surrounded by people who share my standards and will help me live by them,” junior Tyler Davis said.

A unique Mormon practice has young men and women sent throughout the world on missions to spread their faith. The mission may be viewed as a required act of adhering to the Mormon religion with how it displays the devotion of a person to the

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faith. However, most serve because they feel it will benefit them, in their faith and in their life in general, not because it is what they must do.

“My mission is the best thing I have ever done so far in my life,” missionary and Loudoun Valley graduate Berrett Blaylock said. “Serving a mission is all about changing, whether it’s changing yourself or helping other people change. I have changed so much in the past year. I am not the same person I was when I left, and I still have a lot of growth and change to go through before I come home.”

Mormonism differs from many other religious practices; however, the drives and beliefs behind the customs remain similar to those that most people have for their actions and life choices.

“My religion does not limit, force or restrict what I can and cannot do with my future, and why would it?” Davis said. “It teaches me how to live a happy life and gives me morals that can help me reach a successful future.” photo / Brianna Jennings layout / Brianna Jennings

Junior Colin Leslie dekes, maneuvering the puck in order to beat the defender, his opponent, and charges towards the goal. Leslie has scored eight goals and has been credited with eight assists so far this season, giving him a total of 16 points.

VIKES ON ICE

Contrary to popular belief, hockey is more than a fist fight. This sport requires incredible athleticism and cooperation, elements that the Loudoun Valley ice hockey club brings to the rink. By Nick Cerne The origin of one of the most famous international sports remains a mystery to this day. People have traced ice hockey all the way back to the 1800s in the United Kingdom, which is where the trail goes cold.

Ice hockey was later brought over to the U.S. and Canada.

Players say that ice hockey is a rewarding sport; it’s great for burning calories, the rush of adrenaline feels great and there is a sense of excitement on the ice. Falkon Ellis, a freshman who plays left defense for the Valley club team, shares his ice hockey experiences.

“The emotions I feel on the ice depend on the state of the game. If we’re winning, I’m laughing and joking with the other guys, but if we’re losing, I’m just as somber as the rest,” Ellis said.

But those are not the only emotions you get to express in this game. If you’re having a stressful day, you can express your anger by playing aggressively against the other team.

“The aggression you get to express in hockey is one of the most exciting things about hockey; if another player checks you, you get to hit them back,” Ellis said.

Despite hockey’s many great qualities, there are some downsides. The equipment you need for hockey come at great expenses.

Connor Mackey, a sophomore who plays The Valley Vikings arrive at the left wing and center for the Vikings, lists the Ashburn Ice House one hour early to average gear required and their expenses. prepare for practice. It doesn’t take an hour “The mandatories for your hockey gear to put on the equipment, so the team has include: hockey helmet, chest pads, elbow time to socialize. Being a sociable hockey pads, knee pads, gloves, pants, jock/cup, team can build the foundation for a strong, special tape (for the hockey stick), hockey comfortable team. In this amount of time, stick and skates. The average price for all of players get time to bond with each other, the hockey gear required costs about $1000. including the coach.

A good pair of skates alone can cost up to It’s very difficult to play hockey without $500,” Mackey said. a positive coach. Coaches are part of that Even though it may not seem so, the foundation that builds the team; they high school hockey league is somewhat motivate and guide teammates to make different from the NHL. Some “The aggression you get to express in people watch hockey is one of the most exciting things NHL only for about hockey; if another player checks you, the fist fight action, nothing you get to hit them back.” -Falkon Ellis else. If you came to a high school hockey league game for that them excel at the sport they love. reason, then you came to the wrong place.

“A good coach will bring the team Hockey players in the NCAA and under together, and make sure that everyone is must wear a full metal facemask; this is to on the same page in a motivational way,” prevent players from throwing down their Mackey said. gloves and punching each other. The high school league also doesn’t have shootouts photo / Emily Baer unlike the NCAA or NHL. Shootouts occur layout / Elizabeth Sikora when the hockey game ends with a tie and individual players from each team take shots at the goal to attempt to break the tie.

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Taking Flight Many students spend time in sports or performing arts, but juniors Madeleine McGuinness and Jacob Sullivan reach new heights as they devote hours to learning to fly. By Emily Baer

F

or many new drivers, the freedom to travel independently is exhilarating. Juniors Madeleine McGuinness and Jacob Sullivan have taken this freedom to a higher level. They experience the thrill of piloting airplanes.

When you are flying a plane, you appreciate your surroundings more than you are capable of while driving a car. You can let go of the controls and look 360 degrees around you.

McGuinness and Sullivan are both experienced participants in the Cadet Program with Civil Air Patrol (CAP). They have the opportunity to instruct younger members and fly airplanes. CAP instructs teens and adults on how to respond in emergency services and pilot airplanes.

“I’ve always had an interest in aviation.

Ever since I was young, my parents took me to a lot of air shows. I think that is what sparked a desire to fly,” McGuinness said.

Once a week, while other students attend sports practices, music lessons or SAT prep, McGuinness practices different flying maneuvers with her instructor and trains to become a pilot in the future.

McGuinness receives her pilot’s license in six months. She will fly in any permitted airspace.

“You can go anywhere you want to,” McGuinness said.

McGuinness is always ecstatic when she flies her small, lightweight airplane, the Cessna 127. She is never frightened of the distance between herself and the ground below.

“I was awestruck. It’s such a different perspective from being on the ground.

You’re used to seeing everything in forward and backward perspective, but here you see everything from above. There is nothing in front of you to guide you,” McGuinness said.

Earning a license is a lengthy and expensive process, but there are scholarships that lessen the cost substantially.

Not all members of the CAP participate in piloting airplanes. Many are instructed in leadership and character development programs and mentor younger members.

Sullivan is the Cadet Commander for his squadron at the Leesburg division. He is in charge of all of the cadets in his section.

Sullivan plans on joining the naval ROTC program in college, and then proceed to join the U.S. Navy.

These students take their education above the necessary subjects as they pursue their dreams of flying airplanes. photo/ courtesy of Colonel Jane Davies layout/ Alexandra Krens

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Top / Amber Shepherd, Madeleine McGuinness, Erika Fletcher and Felicia Anderson pose in front of a Cessna-172.

Second from Top / A view of Mecklinburg, VA from under the wing of the Cessna-172.

Second from Bottom / Graduating members of the Cadet Program pose in front of an American flag.

Bottom / Cadets clean the Cessna-172, one of their duties in the program.

Q& A

LINCICOME

Substitutes are typically passing figures that you see once or twice a year ; however, there are a few that make a lasting impression on students, and Mrs. Lincicome is one. By Tyler Valentine

1) How long have you been teaching?

“I taught at Valley for 29 years and I’ve done 31 in the county. I taught two years elsewhere doing gifted and talented at the middle schools. I actually left Valley for a short time. Taught here three years, left, came back. I had to come back because I missed it so badly and I missed the students.

So I came back and I did the rest of my career here. So it came out to 31 and a half years in this county and I did 29 of them right in this building. Then I retired and I thought that was it. I got a request to come back and do a long-term sub here at Valley and that was four years ago and nine long-term subs since. So, all in all, I don’t teach solidly through the year in terms of a classroom everyday, but I have been teaching almost the equivalent of three more years.”

2) Have you always wanted to teach; if not, what other career did you have in mind?

“I’ve thought about lots of other things since. At one time I thought, well, maybe I could become a lawyer. I had an opportunity to become a lawyer and I turned it down so I could come back and teach at Valley. There have been other opportunities along the way and I just kind of turned them down because it wasn’t what I wanted to do. My heart has been in teaching.”

3) Why do you enjoy English and History more than math and science?

“I did fine in math, but my heart was not in math. For me to teach a subject I had to see way beyond just the fact of it, way beyond the figures of it. I had to see why it was the way it was. I didn’t really understand math until I was in college. And by then, I was

seriously thinking about what I was going to teach, which was going to be history and or English. I zeroed in on history because I love the stories of it, I love the human stories of it. It’s not just facts, it’s not just dates, it’s not just who did what to who in some straight line. It’s the stories, it’s the motives, it’s the heart of these human beings and what they went through. I can relate to that.”

4) What is your favorite part about teaching?

they’ll find somebody here who will open that door and make them feel at home.

Students do that for teachers too. ‘How’re you doing today? You look a little down.

Is everything okay?’ That doesn’t happen everywhere, I wish it would, but it doesn’t always happen. The people here have real heart and they’re not just out for a grade, they’re out to help each other. That’s rare.” photo / Elizabeth Sikora layout / Claire Deaver, McKenna Holtz, Brianna Jennings

“The excitement I see in a student’s eyes when they’re learning. There’s nothing better, nothing better. When I can see a smile, it’s that moment. There’s an old expression about that called the ‘ha’ moment and every student gets it.

You know you get these moments. The more I’ve seen it, the more it’s like ‘Oh yeah! I want to be a part of that’ and there’s only one way to do it and that’s to get in the classroom and do it. Even as a sub I get ‘aha’ moments.”

5) What is your favorite part about Valley?

“Valley is my home. And Valley students, I love them. By and large, most Valley students really love to learn. That’s a huge compliment this day and time, because a lot of students don’t want to learn, but Valley students really do want to learn. They’re my home.”

6) How do you feel about students at Valley?

“They have massive heart. Students at this school come together during hard times, students come together during easy times, it is family. Even if it’s a tough time for a kid, MARCH 2015

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EDITORIAL

The Other Drinking Problem New studies done by the University of San Francisco, California, catch attention proving soda can age you just as much as smoking cigarettes.

Right now, most students are in the prime of their lives. As young adults, the average teenager is active and energized.

After years of drug awareness education, every student is well aware of the effects smoking has on a person’s mind and body.

Along with addiction, cancer and premature aging, smoking cigarettes is taught to be one of the most harmful things a person can do to their body. Although the consequences of smoking are drilled into every student’s head, another large addiction seems to be continually ignored: drinking soda. A recent study done by University of California, San Francisco found that consuming soda daily ages cells on the inside and outside of the

body—comparable to that of smoking a pack of cigarettes a day.

As someone ages, the telomeres on the ends of their chromosomes shrink. The shorter the telomere is, the more difficult it becomes for a cell to replicate, causing the body to replenish slower and age quicker.

Researchers at the University of California, San Francisco, recently analyzed DNA from more than 5300 Americans and found those who consumed more soda over their lifetime had much shorter telomeres than others their age. Based off of the average telomere shortening with chronological age, researchers found that consuming an 8-ounce daily serving of soda linked to 1.9

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additional years of aging, while a 20-ounce soda a day resulted in an additional 4.6 years of aging in cells, particularly in white blood cells—the very cell that protects the body’s immune system against foreign invaders and diseases.

With an average of one-third of Valley students consuming soda on a regular basis, most students are generally aware of basic facts about soda—the high sugar content and dehydration—but few are aware of the serious and long-term health problems that have recently risen from new studies. Aging more quickly is only a single, effect of the bubbly beverage; along with the phosphoric acid that drains the calcium from the bones, the caffeine that tricks and addicts the nervous system, the carcinogenic chemicals and the packing on of pounds around vital organs, the side effects of drinking soda are increasingly becoming just as lethal as smoking cigarettes. Yet the general public is actively consuming—and ultimately paying for—the side effects just as much as smoking cigarettes.

Currently, most Americans disregard the warnings researchers have recently been preaching against soda. Colas have become such a common staple in the American diet, a symbol of escaping reality at get-togethers and a reward from parents to kids with good behavior, that it’s hard to imagine something so glamorized could be so destructive to the bodies of family and friends. It seems most aren’t ready to face the facts. If the national trend continues, an average of one out of three Valley students are destined to be obese by their first reunion. It’s time we wake up: consuming these carbonated chemicals is slowly poisoning our bodies.

Even with evidence building against soda everyday, some will continue to guzzle down the pop until the day they die, while others will cut back or completely eliminate their intake. Everyone has the freedom to choose what to put in their bodies, but as research piles, there is no longer room to think soda is just a sugary beverage. It’s time to realize soda is a can of future health complications and carcinogenic chemicals that we will eventually pay for later in life, and although it may not show right now, in the end you are what you eat—and drink. photo / Elizabeth Sikora layout / Elizabeth Sikora

inside look On Friday, February 13, Comedy Cult performed their second show with professional improv group Last Ham Standing. The two groups received acclaim and applause from the audience during their performances. photo / courtesy of G. Aramayo layout / Elizabeth Sikora

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