24-25 The Whirlwind - Issue 3

WHIRLWIND

THE

WEST ALBANY HIGH SCHOOL • FEBRUARY 2025 • ISSUE 3

LIFE M Y G 2-13 1 S E PAG

BLACK MU INFLUE SIC N PAGES CE 14-15

THE

NOSTALGIA ISSUE

HOW WE ARE SHAPED BY THE WORDS, MEDIA, AND MEMORIES OF OUR CHILDHOOD

PAG ES 24-3 1

FEBRUARY 2025 * ISSUE 3

CONTENTS

31

ELEMENTARY SCHOOL MEMORIES NOSTALGIA & ART Reminiscing on early school days, and channeling nostalgia through an artistic outlet 30-31

By Taylour Veith & Alana Ebaugh

Parking Problems Valentine’s Day Plans It’s Complicated Cheerleading Nationals Gym Life

4-5 6-7 8-9 10-11 12-13

Why students work out and what they bring to the gym

Black Music

14-15

Fight for justice

16-17

Special Perspectives

18-21

How music is used within the African-American community How social media influences court cases

How experiences have shaped people’s views on special needs

Library Resources Remember When?

22-23 24-31

What makes us nostalgic, how it works, and what nostalgia means to people around campus

Follow us on Instagram!

Cover Illustration | Helen Whiteside Back Cover Illustration | Emi Ludlow and Helen Whiteside 1130 Queen Ave SW, Albany, 97321, OR

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14

PROPORTION CONTROL

BLACK MUSIC Music is a way people find community and self expression, how music impacts the African-American community.

How wrestlers cut or gain weight during the wrestling season and the ways it affects them.

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21

27

GROWING WITH THE SPECTRUM

HAPPY IN THE PAST

A perspective on adjusting to life with step family who are on the autism spectrum.

Being at the crossroads of adulthood can have people wanting to go back to the past or longing to grow up.

Looking EDITORS’ LETTER Back A

S TA F F EDITORS-IN-CHIEF Avneet Dhaliwal Helen Whiteside

MANAGING EDITORS Mina Clower Emi Ludlow

A R T S & E N T E R TA I N M E N T Adilynn Atchley Zion Mollel

NEWS Ari Goettl C h a n c e Yo u n g

OPINION Julia Berg

SPECIAL Ta y l o u r Ve i t h Addi Winter

SPORTS Jesus Cisneros Obledo Charley Harrington

S TA F F

s we anticipate to attend college, build careers, and live the lives we aim to pursue in the future, we confront barriers in our path that make us reflect on the past.

Memories of simpler times envelop us leaving just a bittersweet feeling as we grow farther and farther away from that age. We remember the various art projects we did in elementary school, the wide range of field trips we went on, absurd trends that followed us through middle school, and the passing use of slang which led “The Whirlwind” to create a nostalgic feeling as a part of our special theme for this issue.

Firstly, why do we even feel nostalgia? Is it an emotion or a cognitive phenomenon?

The Whirlwind worked to record the different forms of entertainment Gen Z digested as kids including different forms of music, cartoons, and art. We dug up slang buried by time as we went from classroom to classroom to ask over seven staff members from a range of generations, spanning all the way back to the Baby Boomer generation, of the lingo they used when they were our age. Nostalgia carries itself through the memories we’ve formed with the people around us, so we took a look at multiple groups of friends who’ve had each other’s backs since elementary school. Family shapes the norms we hold with us as we go through life and those norms may look exceedingly different depending on whether or not our family members who walk hand-in-hand with us are neurodivergent or not.

Now, let’s take a look at the little things that we may overlook in the present. Many students have picked up going to the gym in recent years and others learn to manage their health to compete in wrestling. “The Whirlwind” explored how the Bistro hones its culinary skills to feed our staff. Take a look into the history and impact that Black music has had on American pop culture as well as the intricacies of the court cases of influential people that have been broadcasted on the internet. Nostalgia is constant, the ordinary moments we go through from day to day add to the plethora of memories that we look back on, positive or not.

Calix Argle Belle Beisell Harley Bourgeois Te a h C a f f a r e l l a Ava Clark Elizabeth Crittenden Alana Ebaugh AJ Howard Virgil Isaac Ethan Leffler Charlie Mack Mar y Parmele Geronimo Smith Hailoh Smith Ian Stith Ayrianna Vanhoorebeke

Mina Clower, Avneet Dhaliwal, Emi Ludlow, Helen Whiteside The Whirlwind Managing Editors and Editors in Chief The Whirlwind, West Albany High School’s student news publication, is seeking sponsors for this school year. Whirlwind provides a unique service to the school community, covering news and issues related to the WAHS student body. Sponsoring The Whirlwind is a way to show your support for the civic engagement, open dialogue, critical thinking and free exercise of expression that good student journalism encourages.

Any individual or business can sponsor The Whirlwind. Sponsorship does not indicate endorsement of the views or opinions expressed in The Whirlwind. Contact us at wahswhirlwind@gmail.com

COPY EDITOR Kayla Stefan Lena Larson

SOCIAL MEDIA Braxton Bullard

WEB DESIGN Lena Larson

ADVISER Michelle Balmeo

Crossword Answers: DOWN

1) Littlest Pet Shops 4) Fun Dip 5) Pokemon

ACROSS

2) Silly Bandz 3) Bey Blades 6) Recorder 7) Shopkins 8) Ninjago 9) Ring Pops

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FEBRUARY 2025

GIVE IT A WHIRL

S TA F F E D I T O R I A L

Traffic Jam S A F E T Y S H O U L D B E P R I O R I T I Z E D I N S C H O O L PA R K I N G L O T S Opinion of the Whirlwind Editorial Board Photos by Taylour Veith

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begin. very day, we students face potential dangers in school parking lots, Parents aren’t the only ones contributing to safety concerns; we students where speeding cars and parents entering the wrong lots create chaotic and unsafe conditions. These issues put young drivers at also play a role. Speeding in parking lots and illegal parking endangers risk and threaten the safety of pedestrians navigating through the lots. everyone. Not being aware of your surroundings can lead to serious incidents.

Understanding the causes and finding solutions “Beware of your surroundings. I’ve noticed other for these problems is crucial to ensuring a safer environment for all people. students race through the parking lot, and I would hate After 7th and 8th periods, peers regularly see a long to have something tragic happen,” states Engel. line of parents’ cars in the senior parking area, even Due to the shortage of parking spaces, some I W O U L D H A T E T O students resort to parking in restricted areas, like the though it’s right next to the designated drop-off and pick-up loop, waiting for their kids to come out to H A V E S O M E T H I N G yellow zones, just to make it to class on time. As early as 7:00 a.m., students hurry through the dimly lit take them home. This not only jeopardizes our student T R A G I C H A P P E N parking lots, increasing the risk of accidents as they bodies’ safety but also unnecessarily increases traffic congestion. compete for the best spots.

“The design of the entrance and exit isn’t great,” said Principal Rich Engel. “I think if there was a traffic younger peers and as the students’ with the most high school experience. indicator on Elm Street, like a crossing guard, it would Limited parking leads students to park in restricted areas, heightening increase the flow out of here.”

Appointments, sleeping in, and other factors are why some students the risk of accidents, especially during early morning hours. Addressing arrive late to school. Students who cannot drive yet depend on their these issues is crucial for ensuring a safer school environment. We can prevent these issues by being aware of your surroundings, and obeying the parents for transportation. Often, parents use the bus lot to drop off their children, even when buses are still present, just minutes before classes laws.

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Over The Years R E M E M B E R I N G T H E PA S T , LOOKING TO THE FUTURE

PLACES FOR S T U D E N T S T O PA R K :

Opinion Of Geronimo Smith

- FOOTBALL STADIUM

W

hen I think of my childhood, I think of Utah.

It’s where I lived for 12 of my 14 years being alive. I was born in a small house on the outskirts of Heber.

My parents made it a necessity that me and my four siblings went outside as much as possible. Hiking and backpacking made up a majority of my childhood, as we’d often spend days in the woods or the desert. parallel to that, my life inside was hectic and changing.

The first house I remember living in was a small house in a community called Timberlakes. It was small and had a wood stove. It had a treehouse and a small makeshift zipline that my siblings and I would play on a lot. Once, I even tried to slide down with a normal rope, but it ripped, and I fell about 7 feet to the ground.

The next was a slightly larger home we rented in eastern Heber. My brother and I used to hide in the closets and write comics about superheroes. In the backyard, there was a crab-apple tree that my siblings and I would climb up and throw water balloons at each other in.

The last house in Utah that I lived in was a house in Kamas on a hillside. There was a slope next to the house: it was long, steep, and intimidating. We’d often go down to the creek at the bottom of the slope and swim in it during summertime. During the springtime, my siblings and I would go down to the creek and trek up to the other side of the hill and collect these crystals that were there. This house is important to me because it is where the majority of my truly life-changing events happened. I wish I could go back and see what happened and what didn’t because my memory is foggy.

I reminisce about these times a lot. I used to be filled with sadness as time and time again they reminded me of the times when things were simpler and more vibrant, when life worked for me instead of me working for it. We mustn’t let ourselves dwell on the past while we have things to work for in the future. Our friends, our family, and our future depend on how we treat the present as well as how we deal with the past. After all, we can’t make a future while focusing on the past.

- HALF OF MEMORIAL STAFF PARKING LOT - BAND LOT - LIBERTY STREET

P E N A LT I E S F O R VEHICLE OFFENSES IN OREGON: (1) FAILURE TO DISPLAY VALID PERMIT: FINE $30.

(2) FRAUDULENT DISPLAY OF PERMIT: FINE $85.

(3) PERMIT NOT AFFIXED: FINE $25.

(4) IMPROPER PERMIT: FINE $20.

(5) PARKING IN DISABLED SPACE: $450.

(6) OVERTIME PARKING: FINE $25.

(7) BLOCKING WHEEL CHAIR RAMP: FINE $100.

(8) IMPROPER PARKING: FINE $30.

(9) PARKING IN RESERVED SPACE: FINE $75.

(10) BLOCKING TRAFFIC: FINE $50.

Information provided by OregonLaws Administrative Rules

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FEBRUARY 2025

Best in Town What I’m Celebrating WEST ALBANY STUDENT AND F A C U LT Y F A V O R I T E L O C A L S P O T S F O R S W E E T T R E AT S Story by Mina Clower, Lena Larson, and Zion Mollel Photos by Mina Clower and Helen Whiteside

SOPHOMORE ANNA DINEEN S H A R E S H E R ‘ G A L E N T I N E ’ S ’ D AY MEMORIES

Story by Helen Whiteside Photos used with permission of Anna Dineen

S Junior Jerry Wang

Wang’s top pick: Yogurt Extreme

ophomore Anna Dineen loves more than anything to celebrate.

Whether it’s the new year or Valentine’s Day, she loves throwing parties, spending time with friends, and making intentional space for joy. She’s hosted three or four “Galentine’s” parties over the years, making enough memories to last a lifetime.

“I USUALLY ORDER CHOCOLATE YOGURT, AND THEN I ADD IN A LOT OF HOT FUDGE AND PEANUT BUTTER.”

SOPHOMORE ANNA DINEEN Senior Kale Sloan Sloan’s top pick: Hasty Freez

“IT’S THE BEST ICE CREAM PLACE IN TOWN. [I GET] THEIR MILKSHAKES.”

Athletic secretary Tonya Lindberg

For Dineen, a key part of hosting is spending time creating a special and festive environment. Whether it’s with decorations, treats, drinks, or music, she loves making the space reflect the celebratory energy. “I make mocktails, I make little treats, food, whatever, and people are welcome to bring what they’d like. I set everything up, we talk, we laugh, we do things. We painted wine glasses at one point.”

Lindberg’s top pick: Starbucks

“I GET A GRANDE COLD BREW, SWEET CREAM. [I GO] EVERYDAY, ALMOST, BUT I’M TRYING TO BE GOOD AND GO JUST ON THE WEEKENDS. T H E W H I R LW I N D

DINEEN’S DECORATIVE BALLOON ARCH FROM GALENTINE’S IN 2023

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Even though Valentine’s Day isn’t anything close to Dineen’s favorite holiday, she loves to make it special.

“I’m pretty significantly indifferent to [Valentine’s Day].

To me, it’s just another excuse to celebrate, to have fun, to be grateful…But it’s not ever been a super huge significant part of my life...[But] “I think friendships, especially good, strong friendships, should most assuredly be celebrated whenever there’s the opportunity to.”

DINEEN’S DRINK BAR FROM GALENTINE’S IN 2023

Aside from the fun in decorating and activities, though, Dineen relishes in the community and bonds her parties help build.

Togetherness is her real source of joy in her hosting, bringing those she loves together in one place to celebrate.

“My favorite part of the parties is being together, feeling like I’m with a group of people that I love… and I’m so grateful for that.”

LEFT: JUNIOR JASMINE ROBBINS, JUNIOR PAITON CORNELL, AND SENIOR COLE VANELLA SAUTE INGREDIENTS FOR THE BISTRO MENU ON NOV. 1 BELOW: BISTRO STUDENTS CLEAN AND WASH DISHES AFTER THE BISTRO LUNCH ON NOV. 1

What’s 4 Lunch?

WEST ALBANY BISTRO Story by Jesse Argle and Lena Larson Photos by Jesse Argle

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he West Albany High School Bistro is a restaurant-like class run

by Culinary 4 students in the commercial kitchen and old cafeteria. Bistro is only the first semester and students have to tryout to get into the class the next year. The decision on who gets into Bistro is made by past bistro members. The students work in teams to create a menu that changes weekly.

The menu on Nov. 1 was an entrée of pumpkin curry with basmati rice and naan, a second entree of cranberry chicken with chicken breast in a sweet and tart cranberry sauce, and a third entree of pork served with sauteed mushrooms and caramelized onions. The dessert was an apple tarte. The meal cost was $13 and came with a drink and side dish, too. The restaurant is exclusively available to staff members and family members of students

in Bistro. Staff can eat in the restaurant or do “takeout”orders that can be picked up by the teachers. Bistro students decide on what to make for the weekly menu based on food around the world.

“We make all kinds of stuff,” senior Jack Spencer said. “We go from French meals, Southern meals, Asian cuisine, all kinds of stuff.”

To be involved in the Bistro program, students must take a minimum of Culinary I in the Culinary Arts pathway.

“It’s rad as hell and more people should do it,” said senior Logan Fischer. “You don’t have to go through all of the culinary courses to get in. We have people in here that just took Culinary 1 or 2 and were just fine getting in.”

This class, since students have to tryout to get into it and since it’s like a restaurant with the amount of people they’re serving, has its fair share of challenges.

Senior Kat Pemberton said that

one of these challenges is “people not cleaning their stuff very well and leaving it for everybody else.

It’s a lot of group work. In fact, it’s 99 % group work, and you need to get your stuff done on time, or else your [food] might be cut.”

Despite of and because of these challenges, students take away certain lessons and skills.

“I learned how to be more confident in my cooking because of the fast pace. I don’t really think about how other people might judge it; I just think about getting it done.”Pemberton said.

“Managing stress and time is something that a lot of students come away from this class with.”

Fischer said, “I know I did personally, just making sure that we don’t get tensions rising when we’re talking with other people, even if stuff is going wrong, even if we’re a little [worried] about time.”

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SENIOR JACK SPENCER

WE MAKE ALL KINDS O F S T U F F. . .

ALL THE FOOD WE MAKE IS R E A L LY T A S T Y, WE GO FROM FRENCH MEALS, SOUTHERN MEALS, ASAIN CUISINE, AND ALL KINDS OF STUFF

FEBRUARY 2025

GIVE IT A WHIRL

Behind The Scenes

W H AT T H E CHEERLEADERS DO WHEN THEY AREN’T CHEERING FOR SPORTS GAMES Story and Photos by Julia Berg

A

fter the football season, the cheerleaders, who lead the spectators from the ground, don’t stop practicing.

“Cheerleading doesn’t have a slow season,” Head Coach Morgan Wadlow said, “it’s SENIORS almost year-round.” Because of this, tryouts IAN BELL AND ELLARY happen in spring so that practice can still go HARVEY WITH on during the summer. Throughout the year, SOPHOMORE MARLI GILES practice focuses on one of two things: “Our BASE FOR primary focus for spring and summer practice SOPHOMORE is to prepare for football season,” Wadlow said.

HAILEY WEIS WHILE THEIR “In the fall and the winter, all of our practice SUNT GROUP is pretty much focused on competition PREFORMS A LIB . routines.”

There are two different types of cheerleading competitions. They are game day, where the cheerleaders do their cheers and are judged on how well they lead the crowd.

“There’s limits on what skill you can do,” said Wadlow said, “the way the scoring is now is fairly Wadlow. similar to gymnastics and… figure skating.”

The other competition is the traditional This is only for the traditional routine, however, routine. A as the game day smaller group of routine is focused cheerleaders does on the crowdthis competition, leading aspect of as the skills used cheer. Additionally, are difficult. The for both of the score for this is competitions, there determined by how OUR JV TEAM IS is a panel of judges. difficult the skills “It’s always the same D O I N G R E A L LY used are. panel of judges, so “Starting about R E A L LY W E L L . . . that they can make September, sure that the scoring the focus is THEY COULD GO is as consistent as getting ready for possible,” Wadlow U N D E F E AT E D A L L competition. We said. “There [are] spend a lot of time YEAR set point ranges for stunting, a lot difficulty of skills.” of time running Because of through our choreography, the way that cheerleading dance formations, and we competitions are scored, do a lot of conditioning.” Cheerleaders have a even if a team fails one of their stunts, they lot of practices with about three or four every are still able to win. Wadlow said, “At this week. competition we weren’t perfect. We dropped a The scoring works a lot like other sports.

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T H E W H I R LW I N D

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couple of stunts in our routine, but our routine difficulty was high enough, and other parts of the execution were really good… So even though it wasn’t a perfect routine, we still won.”

On Jan 18 at a competition in Sweet Home, the JV cheerleading team did their best H O W C H E E R D I D AT N AT I O N A L S PG. 11

performance of the year, getting first place. This is consistent with their first-place wins at the two other competitions that they have been to.

Wadlow said, “our JV team is doing really, really well. If they keep it up, you never know. They could go undefeated all year, which would be really awesome.”

The Cheerleading team also got second place at nationals on Jan. 24 and 25. Also, on Jan. 18 in the coed gameday competition, the cheer team tied for second place out of four teams.

Good News in the Community

N AT I O N A L A R T SOCIETY’S WINTER ART GALLERY Story by Emi Ludlow

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he National Arts Society’s first event was at 6 p.m. on Januarty 22. An art gallery that consisted of all types of art mediums, from woodwork, sewing, and portraits to a mix of all of them together. Members of NAS were there to direct tours, explain art, and run the three activities provided: button making, origami, and clay sculpting.

With food available, audience hands-on activities, and a wide variety of student work, the turnout from that night was larger than expected with an estimate of over 100 people attending. It was the start to the program which was introduced this year, which is run by presidents senior Ashley Mitchell and senior AJ Howard.

The interaction between NAS members and community members was hoped to help boost future activities and events with the first project from the program being displayed. A macrame garland with origami cranes and painted portraits of classic authors hung from the strings to be displayed in the library.

As the night went on, there was a wide range of activities to do. First, food was provided on a long table in the front of the classroom, where attendees could sit and eat before participating in the crafts.

Button making and origami were held in the same room with two button presses the audience could use after designing on a piece of paper what they wanted on their button. In the origami session, there were crane folding instructions. In the pottery room, participants had a slab of clay that they could personalize by pressing a print, letters, or cutting out shapes to make ornaments. These were set aside to dry with names on the back to give to whoever participated once they were done.

Every 30 minutes, a tour of the upstairs jewelry-making room was available. Tour guides described how the tools worked and gave an opportunity for community members to see the process. In the hallway outside the pottery and art teacher Babette Grunwalds classroom, students had their art displayed.

JUNIOR KODI CARAPINHA

JUNIOR PRIYASA PAUDEL

“I think that ever since ‘It Ends With Us’ got popular and got a movie adoption people have been realizing that Colleen Hoover isn’t the best writer. They realize that she has been glorifying and romanticizing abuse to promote her movie, which led to her getting ‘cancelled.’”

“I personally liked the book. I thought that it was a good insight on abuse, but I also think the way she wrote it was respectful enough that it wasn’t offensive to many people [who] had been in that [situation] because it was bringing light to the situation…then different books were really gross in the sexual content.”

It’s Complicated

CONTROVERSY SURROUNDING AUTHOR COLLEEN HOOVER AND THE RECENT MOVIE A D A P TAT I O N O F H E R N O V E L ‘ I T E N D S W I T H US’ Story by Kayla Stefan

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n Aug. 2, 2016, Colleen Hoover’s ‘It Ends With Us’ was published and became increasingly popular once it caught attention on social media, further boosting its popularity. In January 2022, “It Ends with Us” debuted at number one on The New York Times Best Seller list. Due to the novel’s growth in popularity, on Aug. 9, 2024, the novel reached the big screen.

After the movie’s release, some expressed an issue with how actress Blake Lively, who plays Lily Bloom, promoted the movie. The novel and movie discuss domestic violence, and some fans found the movie’s ‘lighthearted’ and ‘fun’ promotion disrespectful due to the message behind the

novel.

On Dec. 20, 2024, Lively sued co-star Justin Baldoni, who played Ryle Kincaid in the movie, for sexual harassment on the set of the film.

Baldoni continues to deny the accusations; however, the New York federal judge, Lewis J. Liman, is preparing for a trial for Lively and Baldoni’s case on March 9, 2026.

With Hoover’s attention, many readers started exploring some of her other works, which frequently received backlash for their content. In recent years, Hoover has been labeled as a controversial author, often receiving polarizing opinions from readers expressing either their love or hate for her work.

Simon & Schuster

JUNIOR JASON MOFFET

“I don’t necessarily like Colleen Hoover; there a a couple of books of hers that I find okay, but I genuinely do not like ‘It Ends with Us.’ I, and a lot of other people feel like it glamorizes domestic abuse and makes it seem okay, especially silly since Colleen has marketed her books to young adults, meaning 13+ not 13-year-old should be reading that. I’m kind of glad for her retirement, and that her books will slowly get off the shelves at Target.”

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JUNIOR CASSIE SIMPSON

“I’ve read like six of her books and I definitely have mixed feelings about them. I think some of them were okay, but some of the topics she discusses in her book “It Ends With Us” probably could’ve been left out. She also doesn’t put any trigger warnings before you read her books, so if you didn’t know about the abuse/ domestic violence beforehand, then it would be hard to read. I don’t mind some of her books, but I don’t really think I’d recommend them to my friends or family.”

FEBURUARY 2025

Proportion Control THE PROCESSES WRESTLERS GO THROUGH T O L O S E O R M A I N TA I N T H E I R W E I G H T Story by Braxton Bullard and Charley Harrington Illustration by Julia Berg Photo used with the permission of Beau Harvey

Y

ou can be any shape or size to join a sport, but in wrestling, you will be divided into a class based solely on your weight. At West Albany, there is a girls and a boys team that represents the school every year in the winter season. The teams work hard to maintain their weight so they can go for the gold in their weight class. If they wanted to change their weight class, they would need to make lots of adjustments to their everyday life. Some wrestlers starve themselves and exercise 24/7 to get the results they want, while others have to do a dirty bulk– consuming a mass amount of calories quickly through fatty foods, carbs, and protein.

The processes that wrestlers go through to maintain their weight involve things like a strict diet, or spending hours of their day working out and. Sophomore Garrett Koehler says his secret is to stay fit.

“The process to stay[ing] the weight I am is eating healthy.” Koehler said, “I don’t drink any soda, just straight water, [while] staying on a high-protein diet. I also actively monitor my weight.”

Dieting is a big part of staying and changing each wrestler’s weight class, and depending on the wrestler’s food intake, gaining or losing weight changes difficulty. Sophomore Myah St. Pierre shares her advice on how to change weight safely.

SOPHOMORE BEAU HARVEY WRESTLES AN OPPONENT IN A MATCH

T H E W H I R LW I N D

“Don’t starve yourself, even if you’re over, eat fruit, eat protein, and make sure you’re running for over 20 minutes,” St. Pierre said, “After you run for 20 minutes, you burn fat.”

Some wrestlers take different, less approved approaches when it comes to losing weight, like freshman Alec Weinhold’s method towards weight loss.

“I starve myself a lot… just [eat] lots of protein, and try not to think about it while doing it.” Said Weinhold.

Weinhold mentions his off-season diet, or lackthere-of, saying “I go wild during the off-season.”

Sophomore Beau Harvey discusses the misconceptions about certain food groups and what he avoids while dieting.

“Don’t cut out protein, try to stay away from sugars, and a lot of people say that salt is bad, but you can pee out salt, so that’s not bad. Don’t eat candy or sweets or donuts, and don’t cut carbs because you need that to have

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energy,” he said, “You still need to eat healthy fats…have lots of protein, fruits, and vegetables, just stick to the basics. Don’t eat crappy processed food.”

Wrestlers go through training and conditioning on a day-to-day basis, keeping the mat room heater on throughout each practice to help burn calories and drop pounds. Harvey talks about the physical toll wrestling has on him throughout the season.

“I haven’t really had that many health issues other than low energy, but I felt like I was going to pass out a few times just from exhaustion… it’s definitely hard to focus in class sometimes because I don’t have the energy to think.”

Harvey has experienced rapid weight loss multiple times, with his most extreme fluctuation being from earlier this year when he needed to lose seven pounds in a day.

“I put on everything I could, a T-shirt, longsleeve shirt, sweatshirt, coat, and [did] our warmups. I ran [for] the whole practice with the heater on in the wrestling room and I lost it all in that hour and 45 minutes,” All sports carry different expectations and routines, creating different and unique atmospheres for each one. Wrestling’s weightwatching regime creates an entirely new level of stress, but also gratification in the wrestlers, motivating them to monitor their diets, training, and, of course, their weight.

Hit Zero

WEST ALBANY CHEER P L A C E D S E C O N D AT N AT I O N A L S ; H E R E ’ S HOW THEY GOT THERE

Story by Mina Clower Photo by Teah Caffarella

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n Jan. 24 and 25, West Albany High School’s cheerleading team competed at the Jamz Nationals in Las Vegas. Over 200 teams BEHIND THE SCENES: competed at Jamz Nationals, the CHEERLEADING arena held 10,000 attendees. the PG. 8 athletes performed on a large stage with bright lights. Not only was it the first time WAHS VARSITY CHEER TEAM PERFORMS “TRUCKING” CHANT AT THE PEP ASSEMBILY ON OCT. 31.

MANY OF THESE MEMBERS WOULD GO TO VEGAS AND PLACE SECOND IN THE NATIONAL had competed at Jamz Nationals, COMPETITION. but it was also the first time WAHS cheerleading placed second. “It to hear it,” Nicholas said. this year in December,” Wadlow Wadlow and the other cheer was a different environment to “I ran off and got medals, and said.

“We had another [athlete] coaches are working to continue to perform in than I’ve ever performed handed everybody their medals.

I move to another school…

We’ve create a hardworking cheer culture, in,” senior cheerleader Charlotte think we were all [shell-shocked] had lots of injuries and illness, but tied to school spirit, where athletes Nicholas said. just when we got second because that’s just the way it always goes.” are athletically pushed and in a As well as the arena and we beat the defending national Along with the normal issues positive environment. competition being big, the award champion,” during cheer season, for the past “I’d say what makes us unique is ceremony head two years, WAHS has had an just that we are creating a culture as after the cheerleading uphill battle. In 2022, the previous we go; these kids have been really competition coach coaches quit part way through impactful,” Wadlow said. was large: it I T ’ S A L L T H E H A R D Morgan the season in December, few The cheer season is not over, but was full of Wadlow athletes were trying out, people since placing second at nationals cheerleaders, W O R K O V E R T H E PA S T said. were quitting the sport and the there is confidence in that the team dancers, M O N T H S , R E A L LY During program was in need of a rebuild. will compete well in upcoming music, Jamz It’s currently Wadlow’s second year competitions. “I think we just feel stunts, and PA Y I N G O F F I N T H A T Nationals, as head coach. way more confident, and I think tumbling.

WAHS “I said, I’ll step in and finish the most important thing that we M O M E N T , A N D J U S T “That in cheer also the season … and we got fifth that gain confidence in is performing,” itself, was B E I N G S O P R O U D O F “hit zero,” year, and then last year got fourth, Nicholas said. the coolest which improving,” Wadlow said. “[But] Cheerleading state will be on O U R E N T I R E T E A M cheer is where I think the biggest thing we’ve Feb. 15 where WAHS will have performance TOGETHER. skills in overcome isn’t even necessarily this both JV and Varsitycompeting. JV that I’ve the routine season, it’s just the rebuilding of a will be competing with a traditional seen live… are hit, no positive culture.” cheer routine, and Varsity will be I haven’t stunts are dropped, and there aren’t In the past two years since the competing with both a traditional seen many high-level cheer any tumbling touchdowns. “Which program started rebuilding, the cheer routine along with a sideline performances, but that was is always the goal in cheerleading, culture of WAHS cheer is returning. cheer performance, the same one definitely the best one I’ve ever to hit zero,” Wadlow said. It was “Just getting to be together as a they competed in Las Vegas. “We seen,” Nicholas said. the team’s best performance of their team, I feel like our community is are absolutely shooting for top Once 5A was announced, the routines to date. so much stronger.

Even just with three, which would be the highest WAHS cheerleading team awaited But that’s not to say that there practices and stuff, we close out by placement [since] the year right hearing their name called. weren’t any struggles to get to this saying our favorite part of practice after COVID,” Wadlow said.

“We were so confident in our point.

“We always have problems. or complimenting someone else,” performance and stuff we all kind of We had an athlete quit mid-season Nicholas said. knew, so we were all kind of waiting

“

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FEBRUARY 2025

Pushing The Weight Off

W H Y S T U D E N T S G O T O T H E G Y M A N D W H AT G O T T H E M S TA R T E D Stories by Ava Clark and Jesus Cisneros Obledo Photo by Jesus Cisneros Obledo

Junior Tyson Walker- 2 years working out

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unior Tyson Walker has been working out consistently since around the start of freshman year. He was influenced to go to the gym by some of his football teammates and through social media.

He has picked up workouts either by math teacher and football coach, Sam Hartman, or by finding them and trying them out through YouTube.

“Eighth grade, before I had any equipment, all I had was a barbell and a couple of weights and I would try to do bench press [without] any equipment. I would have my brother and I lay flat on the ground, and I would have my brother lift the bar in the position, [so I could] just bench on the ground,” Walker said.

During the football season and basketball seasons, he has to limit the intensity and time of his workouts to make sure that he doesn’t overtrain and affect his play. This doesn’t stop his progress, but it does slow it down as opposed to during the summer and spring.

Walker works out so that he can be competitive against others that are also going to the gym.

Walker spends around an hour in the weight room during gold days. He also spends two hours at practice for basketball and football, and every once in a while he will spend about an hour and a half in his garage during the weekends.

JUNIOR TYSON WALKER STRETCHES HIS CALF TO WARM UP BEFORE HIS WORKOUT

Senior Shay Maruffo- 3 years working out

S

enior Shay Maruffo has been going to the gym since freshman year every morning at 5 a.m. She does a mix of weightlifting and cardio over the week and dedicates certain exercises to certain days.

“It’s more of a split for me, so I work out five to six days a week: Mondays are glute and leg days, Tuesdays are more arms/upper body, Wednesdays are more cardio, three day split then I just repeat that,” Maruffo said.

Maruffo listens to music when she does workouts and, depending on the season, she listens to different types of music.

“Usually in summer, it’s more of the country vibe, and winter is when you lock in, it’s more R&B and rap.”

Maruffo got into going to the gym because she needed a hobby and thought it would be good for getting her mind off of things.

When she first started working out, she hit a roadblock.

“The way I started training was Crossfit, which is a hybrid of Olympic weightlifting and cardio,” Maruffo said. “I think being a beginner in that [space] can be really hard because it’s scary. You go in there and you think everybody’s gonna judge you, and they’re all looking at you, but everybody’s there for the same reason.”

T H E W H I R LW I N D

Junior Aidan Olvera- 1 year working out

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unior Aidan Olvera has been working out consistently and has been dieting since last year. He works out for around one to two hours with his friend Dustin Thomson, but he currently has a shoulder injury and hasn’t been able to workout with him.

Olvera works out in order to boost his performance in sports.

“The gym has helped me with my mental state and it just gives me something to do every day.”

He schedules his workouts based on when he has practices and also on how he is feeling. Olvera has been able to piece together the exercises he does through other people at the gym and from seeing them online.

He likes to listen to Eminem with his favorite song being “Till I Collapse.”

Olvera takes both creatine and protein powder on a daily basis.

“If you stay consistent for long enough and enjoy it, then you should definitely keep doing it. Stay consistent for a while and if you don’t like doing it, then that’s your choice.”

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Junior Harji Singh- 3 years working out

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JUNIOR HARJI SINGH CAN BE SEEN CURLING A 20 LB DUMBBELL DURING HIS FEEDER SET PHOTO USED WITH PERMISSION OF HARJI SINGH

unior Harji Singh has been working out since April 2022, but started to take it seriously and go consistently around September 2024. Singh works out in a five-day split, popularly known as the “bro split.” He works out alongside his friend junior Manuel Palma.

Singh had a trainer for 10 months and he helped give him workouts and a schedule to stick to. It was with this trainer that he was introduced to what bodybuilding was.

“When I grow up, I do want to try and get my IFBB (International Fitness and Bodybuilding Federation) pro-card because I’m [getting into] bodybuilding. Originally it started with me being an overweight kid, I was like 300 pounds [and] I always got picked on. Then it grew into something more of, like, this is who I am. This is who I want to be. I want to be a great bodybuilder one day.”

Before he had gotten serious about lifting, Singh was focused on just losing weight thinking that he would end up jacked after losing it. He ended up going from 300 pounds to 190 pounds, which left him with a lot of loose skin. He chose to start a bulk so that he could build up muscle.

Through going to the gym, Singh has been able to get more out of it than just increased physical health. “[The gym] helps me out by keeping me out of trouble because I don’t have as much free time [by] going to the gym,” Singh said.

He has also picked up discipline from the gym by sticking to his workouts consistently, sticking to his diets, and also a set schedule.

“My biggest roadblock is self-image and it’s definitely gotten a lot better.

My path is already paved. I’ve just got to walk it.”

W H AT I TA K E T O T H E G Y M : J U N I O R S H A R J I S I N G H A N D A I D A N O LV E R A S H A R E T H E WAY S T H E Y B O O S T T H E I R W O R K O U T S SINGH TAKES GLYCOGEN POWDER IN ORDER TO AID HIS PERFORMANCE

OLVERA USES WRIST WRAPS IN ORDER TO AID HIM DURING HIS PUSH DAYS

SINGH GOES TO A PRIVATE GYM AND LIKES TO LISTEN TO MUSIC ON HIS SPEAKER

OLVERA TAKES CREATINE

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SINGH ALSO TAKES PROTEIN POWDER TO BOOST MUSCLE GROWTH

OLVERA TAKES HIS HEADPHONES TO THE GYM TO LISTEN TO HIS MUSIC

FEBRUARY 2025

More than a Genre

THE MEANING AND SIGNIFICANCE BEHIND AFRICAN-AMERICAN FOR MUSIC FOR BLACK LISTENERS

Story and Illustration by Zion Mollel Photos used with permission of Heather Carmichael

D

rake, The Weeknd, SZA, and Beyoncé are just some of the black artists that have broken Chris Sherrod still had connections to his Southern through the noise of the industry. When looking heritage. Growing up, Sherrod was careful about at the most popular genres on top streaming platforms what music he listened to around his friends. He like Spotify and Apple Music in 2025, was scared about their opinions because traditionally black dominated fields like Rap, they didn’t listen to the same music as Hip-Hop, and RnB are just a few of the many him. to show up.

“I love everything from Jazz, RnB, Regardless of their current popularity, Soul, to Rock, Hip-Hop, [and] black music and artists weren’t always Heavy Metal,” Sherrod said. “At accepted in mainstream media. With roots one age, I just decided this is the in tribal music, African American music was music that I love so I’m gonna seen as ‘unconventional’ and ‘sacrilegious.’ listen to it.”

Minstrel shows were used to mock the foreign Even when surrounded instrumentation, and were used as a tool by black culture from his to otherize this part of black culture. Even family, growing up in a though black music was suppressed and predominantly white mocked throughout Western media for years, area Sherrod saw “THEY MADE black artists still gave birth to a variety of music as an escape.

I T R E A L LY genres of music, becoming the backbone and “As a young kid of inspiration to the music many listen to today. color who didn’t OPEN FOR At West Albany High School, the really have a population of white students make up PEOPLE counselor or about 73% of the total student body. Of the anybody OF OTHER remaining non-white students, around 4% are around black. This limits the representation people ETHNICITIES to help get at school each day. express T O “I was born in Louisiana, so I was around my loads of people who were black,” sophomore WELCOME feelings, music helped me.”

Aubrey Edwards said. Growing up, Edwards Now, he is an avid record collector with around 700 records in his T H E M S E LV E S moved from town to town, experiencing collection. These include titles like “Voodoo” by D’Angelo, “Abbey Road” multiple different types of people and

by The Beatles, and “Illmatic” by Nas; with staple artists such as Sam INTO environments. “I lived in Atlanta for three Cooke, Billie Eillish, The Rolling Stones, and NSYNC. DIFFERENT months; that was like Black haven. It was so “I think that I love everything because a lot of music was derived from different.”

African American culture,” Sherrod said.

C U LT U R E S .”

Edwards remembers being introduced to black artists when younger. Those personal Junior Mahmoud Rashid gravitates towards Rap and RnB music. moments gave her exposure she says made an Artists like Tyler, The Creator and Daniel Caesar are at the top of his list impact on her. of favorites. Rashid has a deep appreciation for the complexity behind “On long drives, we listened to black their music. artists,” Edwards said. “Like Brent Faiyaz; “It’s more lyrically deep than most other artists,” Rashid said, “[and] we could go back to the 50s and listen to more musically complex.”

Delegation.”

In comparison to other artists like Alicia Key\s, Frank Ocean’s musical Black artists helped empower Edwards to creativity stands out to Rashid. “[Her] beats are very similar and the get through the hardship of growing up in chords are structured very [similarly].” Frank Ocean, on the other hand, predominantly white communities. “It’s hard is experimental. “[He has] very uncanny chords, and his rhythms are very living here and feeling not equal to your white off tempo; the layering of the different voices is very unique.” counterparts sometimes.”

To Rashid, Kendrick Lamar’s music has power because of his ability to Edward listens to artists like Sade, whose lyrics resonate talk about stories and experiences. Lamar’s album “To Pimp a Butterfly” is with her struggles. “It shows that black people actually have a comparison of the African American communities across America and to emotional intelligence; we’re not just idiots like a lot of the African culture in Africa. “It really highlights [that] while they’re both people think.” completely different in culture and background, we’re also one group,” Rashid Though he grew up in rural Idaho, Corvallis local said, “one identity.”

T H E W H I R LW I N D

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T O TA L P R A I S E

Heather Carmichael is a g o s p e l s i n g e r. S h e i s one of the leaders of t h e We s t A l b a n y B S U, and brings her soulful spirit into her work, as well as her music.

How long have you been doing Gospel?

I probably got serious about it around 30 years ago.

E V E R Y W H E R E A L L AT O N C E O r i g i n a t i n g f r o m t r a d i t i o n a l Fo l k m u s i c , t h e A f r i c a n - A m e r i can genres of Gospel and Blues gave bir th to almost ever y p o p u l a r m u s i c g e n r e w e l i s t e n t o t o d a y. B e l o w i s a d i a g r a m of a few genres these iconic ar t forms gave bir th to.

GOSPEL

BLUES JAZZ

DANCE POP

DOOP DISCO HIP-HOP

WOOP SOUL

SKA NEW

FUNK

RAP

SWING

ROCK N ROLL COUNTRY REGGAE FOLK ROCK NEW JAZZ SWING

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What got you into Gospel music?

One really cool thing about gospel music [is] the way it has an impact on people; seeing how people react to the connection gospel music had on them was what really drew me in.

What is the significance of Gospel music?

A lot of black artists have grown up in the c h u r c h , t h a t ’s k i n d o f where they began.

What does Gospel music mean to you?

I t comes from having a good faith; bigger than t h a t , i t ’s a b o u t h o p e and look ing for ward to a b e t t e r t o m o r r o w.

FEBRUARY 2025 FEBRUARY 2025

Fight for Justice A CLOSER LOOK A T T H E I M PA C T S OF MEDIA ON COURT CASES, AND HOW THEY AFFECT SOCIETY

Opinion of Kayla Stefan Illustration by AJ Howard Story and photo by Charlie Mack

A

s social media has grown in popularity over the last 20 years, naturally it’s established a strong grasp on society. With shifting politics, liberal media has been shared online with content regarding laws, society, and political figures in negative or positive regard has increased.

Recently, Supreme Court cases have taken a big role on social media, with public sway beginning to set the decision due to popularity. Bail funds have been raised online by supporters of defendants, bails can be up to 3 billion dollars.

Social media has become a resource in the courtroom with criminal cases. Any posts, messages, and videos posted or shared can offer insights into the intentions behind the criminal action. This kind of evidence is often used in violent crimes, domestic violence, sexual assault, drug crimes, and white-collar crimes, as it can provide critical information during a trial.

Large social platforms such as Instagram allow political content to pop up on for you pages of users based on personal signals. Often, criminal cases will be widespread throughout social media when they involve celebrities that many people follow online. The cases being spread on the internet can usually result in a trial outside the courtroom. The online publicity of cases frequently leads people to pick sides or argue for better sentencing for those involved.

Social media involvement allows the public to form their own opinion.

However, it can also impact the fairness of the trial. The jury evaluates the evidence, how reliable it is, and what to believe. If social media tells what to think and what is and isn’t true without going through the process of T H E W H I R LW I N D

80% of

Jurors have an X account

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analyzing the evidence, this could lead to an unfair trial, which everyone has a right to.

With the constant stream of criminal content provided to the public, there is an underlying perception that crime rates are increasingly higher than what is statistically accurate. With media coverage creating this perception, some people may now be afraid to live their lives normally due to the fear of crime.

LUIGI MANGIONE

S O C I A L M E D I A : Mangione

Q+A

has had a ver y strong social media A L O O K AT M E D I A C O V E R A G E W I T H presence, and before the alleged T H E C A S E : On the morning attack, he was ver y vocal about his of Dec. 4, 2024, 26-yearhealthcare concerns on many of his CRIMINAL JUSTICE TEACHER MART Y old Luigi Mangione allegedly social media posts. Mangione has JOHNSTON killed Brian Thompson, CEO of created such a presence that many U n i t e d H e a l t h c a r e . M a n g i o n e’s people suppor t him for his actions. mother would repor t him to There have been several online authorities after the attack due to attempts to raise defense funds not hearing from her son in nearly for Mangione, totaling to nearly seven months. Mangione was $200,00. Many government officials found with documents stating how and judges are worried that the jur y furious he was with the healthcare selected for the trial will have to be industr y after an emergency room nullified due to oversaturation of visit on July 4, 2024. In an online false news. Nullification is replacing review of the book, “Unabomber ” a jury because the members of the b y Te d K a c z y n s k i , M a n g i o n e w o u l d j u r y r e t u r n a n o t g u i l t y v e r d i c t , Q: How do you personally think social argue that violence is justifiable despite having evidence beyond a media affects trials? if it is an attempt to right social reasonable doubt proving that the wrongs. act was illegal.

A: The whole goal of any jury trial is to

S O C I A L M E D I A : Tr u m p’s

legal team has used social media to their advantage throughout the trial. They are scouring each p o t e n t i a l j u r o r ’s s o c i a l m e d i a f o r a n y a n t i -Tr u m p s e n t i m e n t . Tw o male jurors would be removed f r o m t h e j u r y, d e e m e d d a n g e r o u s

by Merchan. One had posted, “ G e t h i m o u t a n d l o c k h i m u p ,” and the second posted the straightfor ward claim, “No one is a b o v e t h e l a w.” O n t h e c o n t r a r y, jurors are not being removed i f t h e y h a v e p o s t e d p r o -Tr u m p sentiments on their social media.

Some government officials and judges believe that this is an unfair way to build a favorable j u r y f o r t h e s i d e o f Tr u m p . O t h e r s have argued that removing jurors i s a r i g h t g i v e n t o Tr u m p t h r o u g h the Constitution and his 6th and 7th Amendment rights.

Donald Trump T H E C A S E : In January 2025, Pr e s i d e n t D o n a l d J . Tr u m p w o u l d finally receive a sentence for his alleged “hush money ” case.

Tr u m p w o u l d b e o n t r i a l f o r 3 4 felony charges for falsifying business records and paying off pornographic film star Stormy Daniels after a sexual interaction t h a t t h e y h a d . U l t i m a t e l y, t h e hush money would add up to r o u g h l y $ 4 2 0 , 0 0 0 . Tr u m p w o u l d be found guilty of all charges but given an unconditional discharge. Justice Juan Merchan, the judge who decided the sentencing, claimed that the only way to not encroach on the “highest post in the land” was an unconditional discharge.

Menendez Brothers T H E C A S E : In 1989, Jose and Kitty Menendez were found dead in their Beverly Hills home by their sons Ly l e a n d E r i k M e n e n d e z . T h e s o n s claimed that they had no idea who murdered their parents but proposed the idea that it could have been a mob hit. During a session with his psychologist, Erik would admit that he and his brother were the ones w h o k i l l e d t h e i r p a r e n t s . D r. J e r o m e Oziel would not repor t this to police despite having incriminating evidence.

O z i e l ’s m i s t r e s s w o u l d r e p o r t t h a t t h e Menendez brothers were guilty to local a u t h o r i t i e s . Pr i o r t o t h e i r s e n t e n c i n g o f life without the possibility of parole, the brothers both claimed that they w e r e s e x u a l l y a s s a u l t e d b y t h e i r f a t h e r, which was the motive for their actions.

S O C I A L M E D I A : Thirty

years after their sentencing, the Menendez brothers would make headlines once again.

At the time of the trial, male sexual assault was often overlooked and not taken s e r i o u s l y. G e n Z h a s t a k e n to the internet to defend the Menendez brothers, bringing light to male sexual assault victims. There has been a ver y strong social media movement to release or re -evaluate the Menendez b r o t h e r s’ c a s e b e c a u s e o f their circumstances. Late last y e a r, t h e L o s A n g e l e s D i s t r i c t A t t o r n e y ’s o f f i c e f i l e d a motion for resentencing based on a review of new evidence related to the sexual assault claims.

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try to remove as much bias as possible.

It’s impossible to remove all biases, right?

Because everybody has a degree of bias.

And when you combine social media, and [existing bias], the impact that social media has on people’s perceptions and how they perceive and, receive information is huge. There are different avenues of social media that can promote extreme bias in all different directions.

Q: How do you think we can avoid this bias and this issue that social media creates?

A: Realistically, I don’t think there is something that we could do. I mean, social media is not going away.

It’s part of our society, and now it’s just a matter of how do we develop systems and strategies and how do we adjust our procedures to account for it. Is it enough just to have attorneys questioning individuals or should we open up how much access should attorneys and lawyers have through the process to explore and examine people’s privacy?

Q: As a nation should would worried about this issue?

A: I definitely think so. I think having the ability to have access to trustworthy information that isn’t implicitly explaining or exploring a bias. I think that’s always been really important, right... I think that we really should combat deliberate intentional misinformation. You know, there’s a crossover both between reporting the news and trying to push an agenda that becomes almost slanderous, and pushing it off as news. I think that we need to separate entertainment from actual journalistic news.

FEBRUARY 2025

My Brother’s SIBLINGS OF THOSE WITH DISABILITIES SHARE THEIR PERSPECTIVE OF HOW SOCIETY SEES THEM VERSUS HOW THEY DO Story and Photos by Emi Ludlow

Keeper A T T H E B U S S T O P , At

the bus stop, 11-year-old Jacqueline Kahler holds her big brother’s hand. There were some stares as Garland Godby walked with his little sister in downtown Salem. With a sudden jolt of motion, Kahler remembers, Godby grabbed a passerby’s arm to stare at their watch, and a frantic Kahler began explaining how her brother has a “fascination” and is friendly but lacks some social skills.

Kahler has a unique perspective on how people like her brother are viewed and treated by others in society, and though siblings of students with special needs may have more responsibilities and challenges than others, they also gain understanding about the diversity of life experiences through their experiences.

“SO MANY DIFFERENT KINDS OF PEOPLE”

“So many different kinds of people” T H E W H I R LW I N D

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Sophomore Evan Robinson’s older brother, senior Owen Robinson, is nonverbal and confined to a wheelchair because of a neurological disorder, scoliosis, and other medical issues. Having a sibling with a disability brings stares and many questions for Robinson.

“I get asked stuff quite a bit,” Robinson said.

For Robinson, his brother has never been able to speak, walk, or truly move his whole life.

Owen Robinson never does chores, doesn’t run and play outside, and doesn’t converse with his brother using his voice. When Evan Robinson was younger, he got upset over the fact that his brother didn’t have to help out around the house and couldn’t go play.

“It took some maturing to realize he’s not doing anything because he literally can’t. It wasn’t my parents picking favorites, it was just the way it was,” Robinson said.

In some households, questions about difficult subjects such as death are gently discussed with extreme sensitivity. This wasn’t

the case for Robinson in his childhood when he had questions about his brother.

“Ever since I could ask questions, I’ve gotten answers… It’s not one of those things you can really dance around,” he said.

This didn’t stop Robinson from supporting his brother and making their bond closer in different ways. Programs for children with disabilities and families have been created to give a supportive community with a safe environment. Robinson recalls one of these programs called Camp Attitude, a non-profit organization that runs its program as a summer camp. This is a place where kids of different ages are able to connect with each other and other families, a place where Robinson’s eyes opened.

“I’ve interacted with many different kinds of kids [there], and they all are just like us, just with a few extra steps. They all have their own interests. They have their own dreams. They have their own passions and talents,” Robinson said. “There [are] so many different kinds of people, so many different kinds of disabilities.”

This opportunity brought Robinson’s family together and helped show the diversity amongst people with higher needs.

“The time we spend together is good…[I] wouldn’t change a thing,” Robinson said.

“WE’RE OUR OWN I N D I V I D U A L” Seniors Ivy Vaughn and Quinton Vaughn are siblings, but not twins as most people mistake them. The first time Ivy Vaughn noticed there was something different about her brother was during preschool when they were in the same class together.

“I knew Quinton was different. At first it didn’t seem much different. The only thing that people would ask me about is how they couldn’t understand him. Almost always, I was translating,” Ivy Vaughn said.

It wasn’t until later on Quinton Vaughn was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

“He would not like to be touched, he didn’t like loud noises. He didn’t like new things,” Vaughn said. A common sign of autism, Ivy Vaughn remembers when they would watch TV at a young age, her brother would sit in front of the screen covering his ears.

After preschool, the siblings were separated in order to give both of them a chance to interact with their peers. Since they were often seen together, people paired the two in interests, friends, and classes.

“I wasn’t making friends because I was making sure my brother was okay, and he wasn’t learning how to socialize either,” Vaughn

said. “We’re our own individual person. We’re related, but we each have our own kind of [interests].”

With social media becoming more and more prevalent in students’ lives, it has challenged the stereotype of autism and people with unique needs. Self-diagnosis, use of slurs, and a more mocking manner toward people with disabilities has affected both Evan Robinson and Ivy Vaughn’s lives.

“A lot of people think because Quinton has autism, [he] doesn’t understand what you’re saying. So I will hear people say he’s a ‘retard.’

I hate that word,” Vaughn said. “He’s a human, too. Yes, he thinks differently and he learns differently from most people, but he’s a human.

He’s got feelings, he can contribute to the world in his own way.”

She feels a sense of protection over her brother due to the fact he doesn’t comprehend the meaning behind the slur. Robinson feels the same for anyone who talks bad about his brother.

“I feel responsible for putting down anybody who says ill things about him,” Robinson said.

Ivy Vaughn watches over her brother, and he recognizes that.

“She’s always there for me,” Quinton Vaughn said. “She cares.”

Even though Ivy Vaughn has had to defend her brother from her peers and learn more patience when it comes to what he is saying, she looks at the positive attributes her brother has brought to her.

“His smile is contagious…I wouldn’t change my brother for the world.”

“ I C O N N E C T E A S I LY ” Kahler has been the guardian of her older brother Garland Godby–known as Dede–since her mother’s death. Godby is deaf and autistic.

“He doesn’t fit the typical person mold, he’s got some behaviors that are challenging,” said Kahler.

Growing up, Kahler had to explain her brother’s behaviors when out in public. The activities her family participated in were out of the norm of a family night.

“I just remember feeling just a little bit different, family activities were different,” Kahler said.

“We didn’t go on long vacations together or anything because he’d need consistency in his schedules.”

One of the activities the family would do together was spend a family night at the Oregon School for the Deaf. There, sign language was taught and other community building activities were organized that could involve everyone.

Even though Kahler had a good community resource, her life was still affected by her brother’s disability. “When I was a kid, having friends over to stay the night was only a very

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WORKING WITH S P E C I A L E D U C AT I O N JJ HALCHISHICK SHARES HIS EXPERIENCES WORKING WITH PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES. Story by Ethan Leffler

Q: Do you enjoy working with people with special needs?

A: “I do. I like working with people that think about things a little bit differently. I spend half of my time just learning from them and the other half trying to help them learn what we need them to learn. I appreciate the way that outside-of-the-box thinking can happen.”

Q: Has working with people with disabilities changed how you react to the world around you?

A: “Yeah, I think so. I think it’s allowed me to be a lot more patient and empathetic with pretty much everybody around me in my community. Like even just driving sometimes…I’ll be as irritated as anybody else is and sometimes my brain will be like ‘you don’t know them, you don’t know what they’re going through. Take a breath, think about it from a different perspective.’”

Q: What are things people should know about people with disabilities?

A: “The thing that always comes to my mind about that is to not necessarily take it personally…When people are dysregulated, the people experiencing it tend to think it’s really directed at them, and a lot of the time it’s not. It may not have anything to do with them at all; they may just be present for whatever is going on. I just wish that people were a little less reactionary and a little more patient and understanding of people processing things differently or being overwhelmed.”

FEBRUARY 2025

SHARING DISABILITY S TAT I S T I C S W I T H I N T H E US

By Mary Parmele

HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE A MENTAL DISABILITY IN THE US?

AUTISM: - 36% ADHD: - 11% DYSLEXIA: - 20% DYSCALCULIA - 7% DYSGRAPHIA- 20%

HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE GRANTED DISABILITY HELP FROM THE GOVERNMENT?

DISABLED ADULT CHILDREN - 12.4% DISABLED WIDOWERS - 2.4% DISABLED WORKERS - 85.2% MALE - 62% FEMALE - 32%

AVERAGE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE PHYSICAL DISABILITIES IN THE US

OLDER ADULTS - 43.9% YOUNG ADULTS - 21.2% MIXED RACE AND ETHNICITY - 32%

FRENCH TEACHER JACQUELINE KAHLER IN A PORTRAIT FROM HER CHILDHOOD WITH HER MOM AND HER BROTHER.

select group of friends that I really trusted, because we didn’t have a typical house,” Kahler said.

Kahler took on the responsibility of her brother when out in public.

“I do a lot of explaining,” Kahler said, but people still tried to make them both feel involved. “I love it when people make an effort to communicate with him; not just accept him, but they enhance their situation in life.”

Sometimes, cashiers at the grocery store would save dollar coins for Godby’s coin collection. “They would save the dollar pieces for him because they knew he’s going to come in on

Thursday and then he would trade dollars to get the change,” Kahler said, explaining how it made her happy “just knowing that there’s people out there that love doing that for him, and made him so happy.”

Now, Kahler has her brother over at least once a month to spend time with her son Nick and go out as a family. Kahler watches as her son grows closer to his uncle.

“Nick has come to me like, ‘How do I sign this? How do I sign that?’” said Kahler. “Nick accepts my brother as he is and knows it’s his uncle.”

Godby was one of the main factors of Kahler’s choice of career.

SENIOR LOGAN BAKKE DESCRIBES LIFE WITH OBSESSIVE COMPULSIVE DISORDER

IMPAIRMENT IN EARS AND EYES (ALL) - 69%

SPECIAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS FOR SCHOOLS ACROSS THE US

“IT GOT TO THE POINT WHERE IT WAS CRIPPLING, I’D HAVE TO THINK A VERY CERTAIN THING WHEN I DO ANYTHING AND IF I DON’T, I [HAVE] TO DO IT AGAIN” “IT’S OVERPOWERING IN A WAY. I TAKE MEDICATION FOR IT, AND IT CAN BE DIFFICULT BECAUSE IT ALSO GIVES ME PROBLEMS WITH UNCERTAINTY.”

ELEMENTARY - 15% MIDDLE SCHOOLS - 15% HIGH SCHOOLS - 15% PRIVATE SCHOOLS - 32%

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“OCD CAN BE DIFFERENT FOR ANYONE...MINE IS MOSTLY BASED OFF MY THOUGHTS. IT’LL FEEL LIKE SOMETHING BAD WILL HAPPEN...[IT] ISN’T REALISTIC, BUT I HAVE TO.”

“I wouldn’t change it for the world,. Because of him, I’m a teacher. I learned empathy. I grew up with it, you know, and I learned how people have different learning styles.

You have to present information in a lot of different ways so that everybody can get it, even somebody like my brother who doesn’t have the same processing as everybody else. I really believe that has a huge impact on how I interact with students.”

When Kahler sees kids who have special needs in her class, she feels close to them. “I really feel like I connect pretty easily with them,” Kahler said. With her experience, Kahler shares that the attribute she has learned from growing up with a disabled sibling was patience and setting achievable goals.

“Everybody can set goals and make progress. And that’s [the same] with my brother. It’s just a little bit at a time,” Kahler said. “I would never change anything. Growing up with my brother has been excellent and it really did move

“I WOULDN’T CHANGE ANYTHING” me naturally into teaching.”

Being in the personal realm of a sibling with a disability and having full cognitive abilities gives each of these people a perspective that most can not see.

“I’m able to view things [in] a way that not many people are able to because of what I have experienced,” Robinson said. “I would definitely not change anything about my life involving [how my brother] is because I’ve met so many people.”

When asked what each individual would say before a large crowd regarding their siblings and what they have learned, they responded with: “It’s understanding. People are so different, and it’s great to celebrate just people living life and enjoying life just like anybody else does,” Kahler said.

“Say hi, don’t be afraid to approach. They’re still people,” Ivy Vaughn said.

“Be nice and kind,” Quinton Vaughn said.

“Taking the time to stop and interact with somebody could change your point of view forever,” Robinson said.

SENIOR IVY VAUGHN AND SENIOR QUINTON VAUGHN SHARE A SPECIAL SIBLING RELATIONSHIP.

GROWING WITH THE SPECTRUM MY EXPERIENCE LIVING WITH AND ADJUSTING TO LIFE WITH MY AUTISTIC STEP-BROTHERS Opinion of Virgil Isaac

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hen I was younger, I didn’t really know how to behave around people with disabilities. I was unintentionally condescending and sometimes insensitive and I can accept that now. Up until moving to Albany I was equally as ill informed as the people around me, and recognize it now.

Something people don’t really know about higherneeds autistic people is the different levels at which they process things. Not everything is a straight line: they can know everything they need to academically but be completely nonverbal.

My parents separated about three years ago, and roughly two years ago I moved into Albany with my mom and her boyfriend who has three kids.

Two of them live with us, both boys, both lower-functioning autistic and nonverbal. Teagan, the oldest, eight years old, is really into letters and spelling and oddly enough dinosaurs.

Then Ryker, six years old, really likes music and colors and has an obsession with the movie “The Princess and The Frog.”

Just because the boys are special needs doesn’t mean we hold their hands through everything, they still have to learn and walk through things on their own. I didn’t realize any of that before meeting and moving in with Ryker and Teagan.

In elementary school, we had a special needs class that wasn’t really integrated. I only saw a few of the students at recess, so outside of the occasional interaction on the playground, I wasn’t really around special needs kids. That was true until I moved to Albany and had to adjust to living with my step brothers.

Of the two, Ryker has been the most challenging to explain to other people. He’s unable to use silverware or articulate complete words, but he’s smart in other

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ways, like how he knows exactly what you need or ask of him.

Family and close friends ask me all the time about how things are going with the boys and then make assumptions about them. The majority of people who know constantly assume Ryker can’t do anything on his own or can’t function like a normal person. He actually does pretty well on his own but no one believes that because he’s completely nonverbal. It gets irritating having to explain that to people, even though not even two years ago I would’ve been just as lost if someone tried to explain it to me. It’s easier to understand now that I live with them, help them off the bus, watch them while my parents are out and get them up for school when my mom sleeps in.

Their needs can be hard to explain to people and hard to understand myself sometimes, but it’s easy to just love them.

They’ve became my family and even though I came into this family with a poor understanding of how to treat people with special needs, I’ve been doing my best to adjust to them and the way their schedules work. There are always things to work on and ways to improve, but I could say that about anything and everything.

The first step in caring for my brothers and other individuals with special needs is simply treating them like people.

They have their own likes and dislikes, stupid flaws and funny moments that deserve to be acknowledged. I’ve stopped thinking about my brothers as “special needs” because to me, that's just them and how they are, not a cognitive condition.

Their disability doesn’t define them, which is something I had to learn, but now I know and love my brothers for teaching me that lesson and all that they are.

FEBRUARY 2025

AN AREA MADE ESPECIALLY FOR TEENS AT THE ALBANY PUBLIC LIBRARY

TAPE RECORDERS THAT CAN BE CHECKED OUT AT THE ALBANY PUBLIC LIBRARY

Beyond Books Photo and story by Teah Caffarella

The Albany Public Library provides more than books. There are items available from every field, including STEM, culinary arts, household essentials, crafts, musical instruments, board games, as well as a collection of physical media.

PLUSHIES THAT CAN BE FOUND AT THE LIBRARY

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EXPLORING THE ITEMS AVA I L A B L E F O R C H E C K O U T AT THE ALBANY PUBLIC LIBRARY

CAMERAS THAT CAN BE CHECKED OUT AT THE ALBANY PUBLIC LIBRARY

Serving the Public S TO R I E S A B O U T H O W L I B R A R I E S H AV E I M PA C T E D L I V E S , C O M M U N I T Y, A N D R E L AT I O N S H I P S ; T H E C H A N G E D L I V E S O F STUDENTS AND TEACHERS Photo and story by Ariana Goettl

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specially in the United summer reading program, and States, we lack what is clubs. Troetschel comes to West called a third space…

Albany High School’s library to the library as a third space do crafts with the cozy craft club is something I really believe every month. in,” Christine Troetschel, the West Albany’s school teen librarian at the Albany librarian, Jean Gritter, has been Public Library said with a working at West Albany for smile. Libraries are known to 21 years, and has continued to be a place filled with books, host clubs at the library and somewhere typically known to finds strength in the diversity be a place you have to read a of books. “We try and think of book, but the library has grown many ways to make sure people to be more than books. feel safe…That’s the goal,” The Albany Public Library Gritter said. West Albany’s has a wide variety of books of library holds club meetings all genres to read that represent and art shows put on by the different communities and WAHS art students. Gritter minorities, but loves finding they also have new books a “Library of and activities Things.” As in to bring to the the name, this library. “I really IT ’S NOT extension has enjoy finding J U S T B O O K S . resources and many different items that you ways to support can check out everybody,” said and use. Troetschel mentions Gritter. that the Library of Things The library isn’t a place only has a “mini Nintendo, board filled with books; it’s a place to games, cake pans, a pressure find community, friends, a quiet washer, and a telescope.” The place, and support programs.

Albany Public Library has Freshman Regulus Martinez other activites available to volunteers on the teen advisory the public, like movie nights, board at the Albany Public

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Library. Martinez often goes to simply knew of all the tools and the library to do crafts and hang support it provides. out with friends, sharing how “It’s a really good way to get out of our house, without feeling like you have to talk to a lot of people.”

I LOVE MY JOB The Albany Public SO MUCH. I AM Library is a place to help students, but also A TRUE BELIEVER welcomes all kinds of IN THE FIELD. non-students. The library kindly opens its doors to the homeless and people in need, providing them with the aforementioned resources and more. The library has the opprotunity to be a place full of even more smiles and a stronger POSITIVE STICKY NOTES DECORATE A WINDOW IN THE community if more people TEEN AREA AT THE ALBANY

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PUBLIC LIBRARY

FEBRUARY 2025

Remem b e When...? r

LO OK I N G AT N OS TA LG I A A N D H O W P EO P L E VI E W T H E PA S T

Photo and Illustration by Taylour Veith and Addi Winter

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Hippocampus

The Echo Of The Feeling

A S M A L L A N D C O M P L E T E PA R T O F T H E B R A I N T H AT H E L P S Y O U LEARN AND WORKS ON MEMORY F O R M AT I O N

Nostalgia

H O W WE LO OK BACK AND WHY

A F E E L I N G O F L O N G I N G F O R T H E PA S T ,

By Belle Beisell Illustrations by Addi Winter

H A P P Y A S S O C I AT I O N S

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N O R M A L LY F O R A P L A C E O R A T I M E W I T H

melling a candle, tasting a piece of candy, or seeing a toy or a TV show brings nostalgia for a lot of people. But what is nostalgia? Why do we feel it, and why does it affect us the way it does?

Child Development teacher Shea Bender says the part of the brain where nostalgia comes from is the hippocampus, which is responsible for converting short-term memories to the long term.

“Think of the movie ‘Inside Out’; it’s directly connected to memories, including those we may find nostalgic,” Bender said.

Is nostalgia one feeling or sense? Or is it multiple at the same time?

Hepper, Ritchie, Sedikides, and Wildschuti described nostalgia as a fond memory from someone’s past and brings emotions of longing and sadness mixed with happiness and other emotions. When you’re nostalgic you can feel “an overall sense of bittersweetness.”

“I don’t think there is one particular sense that brings more nostalgia than another,” Bender said, “but a variety of senses.”

But why can nostalgia have such a big effect on us?

“In my opinion, nostalgia has a significant impact on us because it is directly connected to our emotions,” Bender said. “[Emotions] allow us to connect with each other, establish a sense of self-esteem, [and] help us feel as though we are loved and belong.”

Bender thinks nostalgia is good for us to experience even though we may not always feel

comfortable about it. Sometimes we may get nostalgic and it could bring us to a time when we did something embarrassing or awkward.

“Because nostalgia can allow us to form connections as well as learn new things,” Bender said, “I would say it is good for us to experience.”

Sophomore Jesse Leffler thinks nostalgia has such a big effect on us because it brings us back to a moment when we liked something and makes us miss it.

“I think it’s because a lot of times nostalgia is something you like,” Leffler said, “And I feel like it might be a sense of missing it and waiting to feel it again.” Leffler also said for him, smells can be very nostalgic.

“I’ll just be walking down candle aisles in the store and I’ll smell something that’ll bring me back to my childhood,” Leffler said.

Freshman Hudson Vandenbos said there is a chance nostalgia affects us so greatly because it brings us back to a happy time.

“It reminds us of a nice memory,” Vandenbos said. Vandenbos explained that some things that can be nostalgic for him are sounds or objects.

“The connections our brains make can be pretty amazing! Nostalgia can bring us back to a time where we saw something, heard something, tasted, smelled, and felt something that triggered a memory,” said Bender.

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N O S TA L G I A H A S A SIGNIFICANT I M PA C T O N U S BECAUSE IT I S D I R E C T LY CONNEC TED TO OUR EMOTIONS

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FEBRUARY 2025

How the Tongues Have Turned TAKE THIS QUIZ TO SEE HOW WELL YOU KNOW SLANG FROM EARLIER GENERATIONS Story and Photos by Avneet Dhaliwal

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ight staff members share the slang they used when they were in high school or college: English and Latin teacher Margie Graves, Baby Boomer; personal finance and business teacher Joey Running, Gen X; Spanish teacher Anne Timm, Gen X; wrestling coach Bryan Barker, Gen X; Spanish and ELD teacher Emily Mehl, Older Millennial; P.E. teacher Brian Mehl, Older Millennial; math teacher Sam

Hartman, Late Millennial; and world history teacher Jeneveve Winchell-Buren, Late Millennial.

A. Get My Drift (Boomer) B. Psych (Boomer) C. Boogie (Boomer) D. See You on the Flip Side (Boomer) E. Space Cadet (Boomer) F. Pity the Fool (Gen X) G. Bad (Gen X) H. Don’t Have a Cow (Gen X) I. Gag Me with a Spoon (Gen X) J. Honey Dip (Older Millennial) K. Elbow Grease (Older Millennial) L. Dank (Millennial) M. Swag (Late Millennial) N. Foenem (Late Millennial) O. Fleek (Late Millennial/Gen Z) P. Hashtag-Same (Late Millennial/Gen Z) ANSWER KEY (TOP TO BOT TOM): H , O , J , I , M , L , P, K , B , C , N , A , D , G , E , F.

_____ “Don’t crash out. It’s no big deal. Like, Oh my god, ___ ___ _ __!” _____ “Like stylish. Your outfit is on _____. It started with your eyebrows are on _____.” _____ “[When] a girl we thought was cute or we kind of liked.” _____ “Eww! Don’t be gross. ___ __ ____ _ _____!” _____ “It’s short for swagger.” _____ “Oh, it’s delicious! Something’s ____.” _____ “When you agree with someone.” _____ “It was our replacement [for pinky promise], so instead of saying pinky swear or [doing] a handshake, [we’d] say _____ _____.” _____ “When you trick someone into believing something that’s not true and then you say ‘____’.” _____ “It means to dance.” _____ “When someone says this, it’s the truth. I mean this. Like, on God, on my mama, on ______.” _____ “Meaning, do you understand [me]?” _____ “It’s a way to say goodbye.” _____ “___ was another one. I remember parents would ask ‘What’s so __ about it?’ and I’d be like, ‘No, __ means good’.” _____ “‘Oh, he’s such a s___ c_d__. He’s out of it.” _____ “So, I’m sure you’ve been noticing kids have been saying ‘fool’, right? It’s kind of funny because I’ve been bringing this one back and I’ve noticed a lot of kids using it. Mr. T is one of my most favorite actors of all time and he would say ‘p___ __ f__’.”

Gen Z To A

HOW GEN Z VIEWS GEN ALPHA Story and Photos by Avneet Dhaliwal

“I think our food was way better back then. We grew up on, like, Gushers and rainbow Goldfish. These kids are growing up on Lunchly, PRIME, and the One-Chip challenge,” senior Cole Harner said.

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“All of the generations try to raise their kids like how they were raised, but I just feel like Gen X had better resources at the time,” junior Lilia Nunez said.

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“[Gen Alpha] is way more relaxed and [told] ‘you can do whatever’ by their parents…whereas with [Gen Z], we were raised by people who do care about grades and getting ahead in life,” sophomore Emery Wylie said.

“[My little sister is] Gen Alpha. She’s on her iPad all the time. I hardly see her go outside. I think [Gen Z] is a little bit more active than them,” freshman Brayden Price said.

Happy in The Past WHY CAN’T WE LIVE IN THE PRESENT? Story and Illustration by Addi Winter

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s kids, students may have wanted to grow up and become mature. Whether that be parents, siblings, friends, or teachers, kids have looked to older and wiser people as a base of what they want to become. Now that the younger generations are high schoolers and have grown up to the age many of their childhood selves wanted to become, some students long for the past. Many high schoolers want to relive the bright childhoods they once had and experience the childish things adults miss. Many students may have spent too much time wanting to become their wiser and mature selves and have forgotten to live in their childish bodies in the present.

There are things now that high schoolers wish were more socially acceptable and aren’t for the older people to do. However some of these things were completely accepted to do as kids. Why is it that as kids grow up, they focus more on the more mature versions of themselves, wishing to be what they will become, and once they are in their fantasized version of themselves, they wish to be a kid again? Why do kids want to grow up so fast? “[I’ve] always wanted to grow up. [I was excited] because I got to watch my older sister [go through high school],” freshman Ella McCubbins said. “I was always so excited to get to do the same thing she did because I looked up to her.”

Kids and teenagers may often not live in the moment, especially high schoolers; they may look to the distant future wondering what they’ll look like, what careers they may have, or how independent and

mature they will be. “[I would probably] look at myself in the future because I have a lot of plans for what I want to do, so I think it’d be interesting to look and see do I actually end up doing that, or am I just kind of fantasizing about it?” McCubbins said.

Kids may either think back to the past and wish they had done things differently or actually used their childhood up to the fullest instead

of trying to act older and cooler.

“You have a small window to be a kid,” said science teacher Shana Hains. “Be a kid. There are times in your adult life, [like] your wedding [where] you get to dress up, put on a big fufu dress, [and] take pictures.

But you just can’t buy back your childhood.”

It is inevitable that even the youngest generation will one day become grown adults with responsibilities and families. So,

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wanting to be a mature person with a sense of responsibility is normal, but living that mature life when they should be in their era of making mistakes, and goring are still important.

“At some point, you’re supposed to want to be an adult because the hormones in your body are telling you to be an adult, and society, [in] some respect, is telling you to be an adult,” Hains said, “I think some of those rules need to be looked at again. Our life expectancy is longer.

We know more science than we used to. On one hand, society is telling you you’re an adult at 18.

And then, on the other hand, we’re telling you you’re still a kid at 18, so you are getting mixed messages. But then you’re like, wait a second, I’m still a kid. I want to be a kid.”

Childhood can mean so much to people, but one day kids will be living the grown-up lives that they have longed for. “I wish I wouldn’t have wanted to grow up so fast and would have spent more time in my childhood doing kid things,” said McCubbins. “You think you would have so much more freedom as you’re growing up, but you really don’t. You kind of lose your freedom.”

FEBRUARY 2025

The Songs That Made Us H O W H A S T H E M US I C L I S TEN ED TO T H R O U G H O UT C H I L D H O O D I N FLU EN C ED L I FE N O W ?

Story by Hailoh Smith Illustration by AJ Howard & Hailoh Smith

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hat feeling of nostalgia that comes up when we hear a long-forgotten childhood song, it takes us back engulfing us in our vivid memories. The music listened to throughout our childhood plays a significant role in shaping who we are and who we will become. What music does Generation Z remember from their childhood, and how do they believe it has influenced who they are now?

In many cases, the music people are exposed to the most comes directly from their environment. For many that would be what our parents had listened to. Junior Lilia Nunez says the songs she thinks are most nostalgic from her childhood are “Ironic” by Alanis Morissette and “Semi-Charmed Life” by Third Eye Blind.

“Those two songs particularly bring back memories of my dad before he left, and I really like to look back on those memories to come to think of my father and siblings sometimes,” Nunez said.

Looking back at childhood through songs can help bring back memories we made throughout it. Music can be a way to connect with the past to create and strengthen bonds with those around us.

According to Durham University in a research conducted by Dr. Kelly Jakubowski, talks about “music-evoked autobiographical memory” which is the act of remembering moments through music. It’s an “involuntary memory” meaning that it comes without an attempt to remember. She said that memories from music are effective “due to the way it affects our minds, bodies, and emotions.”

There’s a strong connection to the body and music because of this. Memories can be highly emotional, simply by hearing a familiar song “it can take us back” to a specific place.

Senior Krystal Clark said the most nostalgic songs for her are “Counting Stars” by OneRepublic and “All of Me” by John Legend.

“When I was little, my dad would play that kind of music, and I would play games,” Clark said. “Those songs would always be playing in the background.”

The repetition of having songs in the background of her environment has made music a memorable part of her childhood. By connecting an act to a song it can stay in the

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mind for an extended period of time..

“There have been a few songs, they were storytelling so [they] helped me with my imagination,” Clark said. “I listened to calmer music, it helped me be less sporadic.” Having calming songs influenced Clark to be attentive and creative more so than she was.

Creativity seems to be a part of how music has influenced Freshman Brody Hess’ childhood as well. Hess and his father are an example of how songs have the potential to become special when they are shared between two people.

“My favorite song was ‘Fuel’

by Metallica,” Hess said.

“When me and my dad would go watch drag races, I would always imagine that song playing.”

Hess recalls the music his dad played influencing his imagination.

The music Gen Z listened to as children can create many skills and knowledge moments to aid in their development.

Music can be used throughout life to improve experiences beyond childhood. By listening and interpreting music in their own way, they learn more about themselves and life.

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Movie Memories T H E M O VI ES T H AT S T U D EN TS WATC H ED I N C H I L D H O O D T H AT FOL LO WED T H EM I N TO T H E FUT U R E Story by AJ Howard Illustration by AJ Howard & Hailoh Smith

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hen students watched movies in their childhood, meaningful movies stuck with them into their teenage years. Why some memories stick and others do not can be due partially to the emotional connection that forms when they watch something that speaks to them at a young age. Certain movies can stick to students because they are enjoyable, they have catchy songs, or have a moving message.

Memories can show the importance of what sticks in our minds. The fact that movies live on in people’s minds shows the impact that movies have. Some movies have even impacted the lives of people, their future

loved that,” Planalp said. “It’s fun to attatch films with that time because I’ll think of different stages in my life, what I watched then, and the media I consumed.” Planalp said.

Memories are not just tied to childhood, but tie themselves to people’s adulthood, too. The meanings associated with certain movies can have a profound effect on the individual.

The movie “Meet the Robinsons” affected one student in particular, junior Ashton Crist.

“My all time favorite movie when I was little was ‘Meet the Robinsons.’ That movie [is a] cinematic masterpiece. I think it had a very strong message to it; just keep moving forward, no matter how hard it gets, you just gotta KEEP MOVING keep going.” Crist said.

F O R E WA R D, N O Other times, M AT T E R H O W the songs in movies stick in the minds of HARD IT GETS students, for being great songs or just for being catchy. Junior goals and who they want to Charlotte Burke remembers watching be in the future.

Veggie Tales when she was younger.

Senior Piper Planalp “I watched a lot of Veggie remembers movies from her Tales movies and ‘Princess and the childhood that have had an Frog’...Veggie Tales is the greatest thing effect on her life. “I had this in the world. I just really like the songs, babysitter and everytime she and putting in the DVDs, and reading would babysit, she would show whatever was on the back [of the my sister and I a new TV show. I DVDs.]” found a lot of movies that I just love Today many students can through her. [There are] good movies associate their memories of their today, but [the older ones] are so important childhood with a particular film or to my childhood. She was the one who showed show. These films can attach themselves me what ‘High School Musical’ was, which I to students’ memory in part because based my entire life and personality on, [and] I of the quality of the films, and another part in emotional significance and connections.

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FEBRUARY 2025

So B e s t F r i e y r n a d s t n e m e l E Forever

A LO OK B A C K AT S O M E EL EM EN TA RY S C H O OL FA VO R I TES

FR I EN DS S TI C K I N G TO GE T H ER FR O M EL EM EN TA RY T H R O U G H N O W

Story by Taylour Veith Illustrations by Addi Winter

JUNIOR MADDY SCHOSHA: “MY THIRD-GRADE TEACHER HAD A CHALKBOARD WITH DIFFERENT THINGS D R AW N . I T WA S S O M E VA R I AT I O N OF AN APPLE WITH SOMETHING LIKE A P E N C I L O R R U L E R .”

SOPHOMORE IRIS M AT T O S : “ I W O U L D A LWAY S M A K E SLIME IN MY THIRD-GRADE CLASS WITH MRS. BELL. SHE HAD THE BIGGEST INFLUENCE ON ME B E C AU S E S H E WA S A LWAY S T H E R E F O R M E .”

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Story by Taylour Veith Illustrations by AJ Howard

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o!’ Senior Casden Washko and Aidan Richards hear from behind the camera as they record one of their many YouTube videos together. Washko and Richards recall spending time at the park making videos as their favorite childhood memory together.

“We used to make skits on [our YouTube channel],” Richards said. “I remember one specifically where it was an assassination plot.

[Washko] was a major figure, and I was out to kill him.”

Their constant time together has kept them close, even today.

"We hang out every single day," Washko said. "We hang out outside of school and play Steam games together."

As they have grown up together, they express that their friendship is very similar at its core; however, they are now more open to talking about vulnerable things and they have different inside jokes that age with them.

Washko and Richards’ friend group has gotten smaller due to fallouts over the years, but that has just brought their entire group closer and they continue to support each other.

A

mong the crowd, two friends, freshmen Melina Duran and Payton Hall, sit side by side on the grass savoring their favorite Otter Pops. They admire the annual Spring Picnic, which was the highlight of their year and took place so close to them.

Another memorable moment for the two is fifth grade graduation. “[For] our fifth grade graduation, we have this really embarrassing picture of us,” Duran said. “We’re all hugging together, and it’s like, ‘Whoa, we have changed.’”

Duran and Hall weren’t as close as they are now. It was in middle school, specifically eighth grade, that they started getting closer to

30

one another.

“In elementary school, nothing really came of a friendship,” Duran said. “As middle school went on, we just came together, like fate.”

This also led to a difference in their friendship from elementary school to now. Since their friend group has gotten smaller, Duran and Hall stay together and now have the same hobbies, like cheerleading.

J

Sustained Memories

J U N I O R S YD N E Y B R A ATEN S H A R ES H ER C O N N ECTI O N TO T H E W O R L D O F A RT Story by Alana Ebaugh-Berg Illustrations by Sydney Braaten

31

unior Sydney Braaten has been drawing since she was about four years old, and art has always been a part of her life.

“I suppose I’ve been drawing since I was that young,” she said, remembering when her passion first began.

Over the years, her relationship with art has evolved.

“I get bored a lot, and with the whole epidemic going on with phones, I’ve been trying to draw more so I don’t spend too much time on my phone. But I really enjoy it. It’s something I’ve done my whole life and really care deeply about.”

When asked about her artistic style, she said it’s hard to define.

“I wouldn’t really say I have a specific style. I like to do more character drawings,”

Braaten said.

“When I get a job, I want it to be in animation, maybe a character designer. I want to work in the animation industry.” She says she’s not as skilled with backgrounds, so character drawing is where her focus lies. “I just feel more comfortable with characters,” Braaten said. Being a digital artist, Braaten’s iPad has become an essential tool.

“My iPad’s like my best friend. I’m a big digital artist, and it’s what I use the most for my work,” she said. The convenience of the iPad helps her experiment with new ideas and techniques, especially as she works toward her dream career. One of Braaten’s favorite pieces is a painting she made for her AP Art portfolio. “In AP Art, we do something called sustained investigations—15 pieces that form the base of our portfolio.

My theme is childhood and growing up,” she said. One piece that stands out to her is a painting of herself in a princess dress as a little girl.

“It’s really cute, and it’s personal. That’s probably my favorite one.”

Looking to the future, Braaten is excited about her goal to become an animator and character designer. She’s continuing to improve her skills and creating characters that will one day come to life on screen.

FEBRUARY 2025

Name: _________________________________________________

KIDS’ CORNER

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