Reminiscing on early school days, and channeling nostalgia through an artistic outlet
30-31
By Taylour Veith & Alana Ebaugh
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Cover Illustration | Helen Whiteside
Back Cover Illustration | Emi Ludlow and Helen Whiteside
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How wrestlers cut or gain weight during the wrestling season and the ways it affects them.
Why students work out and what they bring to the gym
How music is used within the
How social media influences court cases
How experiences have shaped people’s views on special needs
What makes us nostalgic, how it works, and what nostalgia means to people around campus
GROWING WITH THE SPECTRUM
Music is a way people find community and self expression, how music impacts the African-American community.
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.
EDITORS’ LETTER Looking
Back
STAFF
EDITORS-IN-CHIEF
Avneet Dhaliwal
Helen Whiteside
MANAGING EDITORS
Mina Clower
Emi Ludlow
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Adilynn Atchley
Zion Mollel
NEWS
Ari Goettl
Chance Young
OPINION
Julia Berg
SPECIAL
Taylour Veith
Addi Winter
SPORTS
Jesus Cisneros Obledo
Charley Harrington
COPY EDITOR
Kayla Stefan
Lena Larson
SOCIAL MEDIA
Braxton Bullard
WEB DESIGN
Lena Larson
ADVISER
Michelle Balmeo
STAFF
Calix Argle
Belle Beisell
Harley Bourgeois
Teah Caffarella
Ava Clark
As 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.
Elizabeth Crittenden
Alana Ebaugh
AJ Howard
Virgil Isaac
Ethan Leffler
Charlie Mack
Mary Parmele
Geronimo Smith
Hailoh Smith
Ian Stith
Ayrianna Vanhoorebeke
Mina Clower, Avneet Dhaliwal, Emi Ludlow, Helen Whiteside
TheWhirlwind 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
STAFF EDITORIAL
Traffic Jam
SAFETY SHOULD BE PRIORITIZED IN SCHOOL PARKING LOTS
Every day, we students face potential dangers in school parking lots, where speeding cars and parents entering the wrong lots create chaotic and unsafe conditions. These issues put young drivers at risk and threaten the safety of pedestrians navigating through the lots.
Understanding the causes and finding solutions for these problems is crucial to ensuring a safer environment for all people.
After 7th and 8th periods, peers regularly see a long line of parents’ cars in the senior parking area, even though it’s right next to the designated drop-off and pick-up loop, waiting for their kids to come out to take them home. This not only jeopardizes our student bodies’ safety but also unnecessarily increases traffic congestion.
“The design of the entrance and exit isn’t great,” said Principal Rich Engel. “I think if there was a traffic indicator on Elm Street, like a crossing guard, it would increase the flow out of here.”
begin.
Parents aren’t the only ones contributing to safety concerns; we students also play a role. Speeding in parking lots and illegal parking endangers everyone. Not being aware of your surroundings can lead to serious incidents.
I WOULD HATE TO HAVE SOMETHING TRAGIC HAPPEN “
Appointments, sleeping in, and other factors are why some students arrive late to school. Students who cannot drive yet depend on their parents for transportation. Often, parents use the bus lot to drop off their children, even when buses are still present, just minutes before classes
“Beware of your surroundings. I’ve noticed other students race through the parking lot, and I would hate to have something tragic happen,” states Engel.
Due to the shortage of parking spaces, some students resort to parking in restricted areas, like the yellow zones, just to make it to class on time. As early as 7:00 a.m., students hurry through the dimly lit parking lots, increasing the risk of accidents as they compete for the best spots.
younger peers and as the students’ with the most high school experience.
Limited parking leads students to park in restricted areas, heightening the risk of accidents, especially during early morning hours. Addressing these issues is crucial for ensuring a safer school environment. We can prevent these issues by being aware of your surroundings, and obeying the laws.
Opinion of the Whirlwind Editorial Board
Photos by Taylour Veith
PLACES FOR STUDENTS TO PARK:
- FOOTBALL STADIUM
- HALF OF MEMORIAL STAFF PARKING LOT
- BAND LOT
- LIBERTY STREET
PENALTIES FOR 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.
Over The Years
REMEMBERING THE PAST, LOOKING TO THE FUTURE
Opinion Of Geronimo Smith
When 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.
Best in Town
WEST ALBANY STUDENT AND FACULTY FAVORITE LOCAL SPOTS FOR SWEET TREATS
Story by Mina Clower, Lena Larson, and Zion Mollel
What I’m
Celebrating
SOPHOMORE ANNA DINEEN SHARES HER ‘GALENTINE’S’ DAY MEMORIES
Story by Helen Whiteside
Sophomore 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.”
“IT’S THE BEST ICE CREAM PLACE IN TOWN. [I GET] THEIR MILKSHAKES.”
“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.
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.”
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.”
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.”
Photos by Mina Clower and Helen Whiteside
WHIRLWIND
Junior Jerry Wang Wang’s top pick: Yogurt Extreme
Sloan’s top pick: Hasty Freez
Senior Kale Sloan
Athletic secretary Tonya Lindberg Lindberg’s top pick: Starbucks
Photos used with permission of Anna Dineen
SOPHOMORE ANNA DINEEN
DINEEN’S DRINK BAR FROM GALENTINE’S IN 2023
DINEEN’S DECORATIVE BALLOON ARCH FROM GALENTINE’S IN 2023
What’s 4 Lunch?
WEST ALBANY BISTRO
Story by Jesse Argle and Lena Larson
Photos by Jesse Argle
The 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
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
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.”
“WE MAKE ALL KINDS OF STUFF... ALL THE FOOD WE MAKE IS REALLY TASTY, WE GO FROM FRENCH MEALS, SOUTHERN MEALS, ASAIN CUISINE, AND ALL KINDS OF STUFF
SENIOR JACK SPENCER
Behind The Scenes
WHAT THE CHEERLEADERS DO WHEN THEY AREN’T CHEERING FOR SPORTS GAMES
Story and Photos by Julia Berg
After 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 almost year-round.” Because of this, tryouts happen in spring so that practice can still go on during the summer. Throughout the year, practice focuses on one of two things: “Our primary focus for spring and summer practice is to prepare for football season,” Wadlow said. “In the fall and the winter, all of our practice is pretty much focused on competition 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.
The other competition is the traditional routine. A smaller group of cheerleaders does this competition, as the skills used are difficult. The score for this is determined by how difficult the skills used are.
“Starting about September, the focus is getting ready for competition. We spend a lot of time stunting, a lot of time running through our choreography, dance formations, and we do a lot of conditioning.” Cheerleaders have a lot of practices with about three or four every week.
SENIORS IAN BELL AND ELLARY HARVEY WITH SOPHOMORE MARLI GILES BASE FOR SOPHOMORE HAILEY WEIS WHILE THEIR SUNT GROUP PREFORMS A LIB .
Wadlow said, “the way the scoring is now is fairly similar to gymnastics and… figure skating.”
This is only for the traditional routine, however, as the game day routine is focused on the crowdleading aspect of cheer. Additionally, for both of the competitions, there is a panel of judges.
OUR JV TEAM IS DOING REALLY REALLY WELL... THEY COULD GO UNDEFEATED ALL YEAR
The scoring works a lot like other sports.
“It’s always the same panel of judges, so that they can make sure that the scoring is as consistent as possible,” Wadlow said. “There [are] set point ranges for difficulty of skills.”
Because of the way that cheerleading competitions are scored, even if a team fails one of their stunts, they are still able to win. Wadlow said, “At this competition we weren’t perfect. We dropped a
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
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
NATIONAL ART SOCIETY’S WINTER ART GALLERY
Story by Emi Ludlow
The 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 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.’”
It’s Complicated
JUNIOR KODI CARAPINHA
“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.”
CONTROVERSY SURROUNDING AUTHOR
COLLEEN HOOVER AND THE RECENT MOVIE ADAPTATION OF HER NOVEL ‘IT ENDS WITH US’
Story by Kayla Stefan
On 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.
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.”
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.”
Simon & Schuster
Proportion Control
THE PROCESSES WRESTLERS GO THROUGH TO LOSE OR MAINTAIN THEIR WEIGHT
Story by Braxton Bullard and Charley Harrington
Illustration by Julia Berg
You 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.
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
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.
Photo used with the permission of Beau Harvey
SOPHOMORE BEAU HARVEY WRESTLES AN OPPONENT IN A MATCH
Hit Zero
WEST ALBANY CHEER PLACED SECOND AT NATIONALS; HERE’S HOW THEY GOT THERE
Story by Mina Clower
by Teah Caffarella
On Jan. 24 and 25, West Albany High School’s cheerleading team competed at the Jamz Nationals in Las Vegas. Over 200 teams competed at Jamz Nationals, the arena held 10,000 attendees. the athletes performed on a large stage with bright lights. Not only was it the first time WAHS had competed at Jamz Nationals, but it was also the first time WAHS cheerleading placed second. “It was a different environment to perform in than I’ve ever performed in,” senior cheerleader Charlotte Nicholas said.
As well as the arena and competition being big, the award ceremony after the competition was large: it was full of cheerleaders, dancers, music, stunts, and tumbling.
“That in itself, was the coolest cheer performance that I’ve seen live… I haven’t seen many high-level cheer performances, but that was definitely the best one I’ve ever seen,” Nicholas said.
BEHIND THE SCENES: CHEERLEADING PG. 8
to hear it,” Nicholas said.
IT’S ALL THE HARD WORK OVER THE PAST MONTHS, REALLY PAYING OFF IN THAT MOMENT, AND JUST BEING SO PROUD OF OUR ENTIRE TEAM TOGETHER.
Once 5A was announced, the WAHS cheerleading team awaited hearing their name called.
“We were so confident in our performance and stuff we all kind of knew, so we were all kind of waiting
“I ran off and got medals, and handed everybody their medals. I think we were all [shell-shocked] just when we got second because we beat the defending national champion,” head cheerleading coach Morgan Wadlow said. During Jamz Nationals, WAHS cheer also “hit zero,” which is where skills in the routine are hit, no stunts are dropped, and there aren’t any tumbling touchdowns. “Which is always the goal in cheerleading, to hit zero,” Wadlow said. It was the team’s best performance of their routines to date.
But that’s not to say that there weren’t any struggles to get to this point. “We always have problems. We had an athlete quit mid-season
this year in December,” Wadlow said. “We had another [athlete] move to another school… We’ve had lots of injuries and illness, but that’s just the way it always goes.”
Along with the normal issues during cheer season, for the past two years, WAHS has had an uphill battle. In 2022, the previous coaches quit part way through the season in December, few athletes were trying out, people were quitting the sport and the program was in need of a rebuild. It’s currently Wadlow’s second year as head coach.
“I said, I’ll step in and finish the season … and we got fifth that year, and then last year got fourth, improving,” Wadlow said. “[But] I think the biggest thing we’ve overcome isn’t even necessarily this season, it’s just the rebuilding of a positive culture.”
In the past two years since the program started rebuilding, the culture of WAHS cheer is returning. “Just getting to be together as a team, I feel like our community is so much stronger. Even just with practices and stuff, we close out by saying our favorite part of practice or complimenting someone else,” Nicholas said.
Wadlow and the other cheer coaches are working to continue to create a hardworking cheer culture, tied to school spirit, where athletes are athletically pushed and in a positive environment.
“I’d say what makes us unique is just that we are creating a culture as we go; these kids have been really impactful,” Wadlow said.
The cheer season is not over, but since placing second at nationals there is confidence in that the team will compete well in upcoming competitions. “I think we just feel way more confident, and I think the most important thing that we gain confidence in is performing,” Nicholas said.
Cheerleading state will be on Feb. 15 where WAHS will have both JV and Varsitycompeting. JV will be competing with a traditional cheer routine, and Varsity will be competing with both a traditional cheer routine along with a sideline cheer performance, the same one they competed in Las Vegas. “We are absolutely shooting for top three, which would be the highest placement [since] the year right after COVID,” Wadlow said.
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 COMPETITION.
Photo
Pushing The Weight Off
WHY STUDENTS GO TO THE GYM AND WHAT GOT THEM STARTED
Stories by Ava Clark and Jesus Cisneros Obledo
by Jesus Cisneros Obledo
Junior Tyson Walker- 2 years working out
Junior 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.
Senior Shay Maruffo- 3 years working out
Senior 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.”
Junior Aidan Olvera- 1 year working out
Junior 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.”
Photo
JUNIOR TYSON WALKER STRETCHES HIS CALF TO WARM UP BEFORE HIS WORKOUT
Junior 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.”
WHAT I TAKE TO THE GYM: JUNIORS HARJI SINGH AND AIDAN OLVERA SHARE THE WAYS THEY BOOST THEIR WORKOUTS
SINGH TAKES GLYCOGEN POWDER IN ORDER TO AID HIS PERFORMANCE
SINGH GOES TO A PRIVATE GYM AND LIKES TO LISTEN TO MUSIC ON HIS SPEAKER
SINGH ALSO TAKES PROTEIN POWDER TO BOOST MUSCLE GROWTH
JUNIOR HARJI SINGH CAN BE SEEN CURLING A 20 LB DUMBBELL DURING HIS FEEDER SET PHOTO USED WITH PERMISSION OF HARJI SINGH
OLVERA TAKES CREATINE
OLVERA TAKES HIS HEADPHONES TO THE GYM TO LISTEN TO HIS MUSIC
OLVERA USES WRIST WRAPS IN ORDER TO AID HIM DURING HIS PUSH DAYS
More than a Genre
THE MEANING AND SIGNIFICANCE BEHIND AFRICAN-AMERICAN FOR MUSIC FOR BLACK LISTENERS
Drake, The Weeknd, SZA, and Beyoncé are just some of the black artists that have broken through the noise of the industry. When looking at the most popular genres on top streaming platforms like Spotify and Apple Music in 2025, traditionally black dominated fields like Rap, Hip-Hop, and RnB are just a few of the many to show up.
Regardless of their current popularity, black music and artists weren’t always accepted in mainstream media. With roots in tribal music, African American music was seen as ‘unconventional’ and ‘sacrilegious.’ Minstrel shows were used to mock the foreign instrumentation, and were used as a tool to otherize this part of black culture. Even though black music was suppressed and mocked throughout Western media for years, black artists still gave birth to a variety of genres of music, becoming the backbone and inspiration to the music many listen to today.
At West Albany High School, the population of white students make up about 73% of the total student body. Of the remaining non-white students, around 4% are black. This limits the representation people get at school each day.
“I was born in Louisiana, so I was around loads of people who were black,” sophomore Aubrey Edwards said. Growing up, Edwards moved from town to town, experiencing multiple different types of people and environments. “I lived in Atlanta for three months; that was like Black haven. It was so different.”
Edwards remembers being introduced to black artists when younger. Those personal moments gave her exposure she says made an impact on her.
“On long drives, we listened to black artists,” Edwards said. “Like Brent Faiyaz; we could go back to the 50s and listen to Delegation.”
Black artists helped empower Edwards to get through the hardship of growing up in predominantly white communities. “It’s hard living here and feeling not equal to your white counterparts sometimes.”
Chris Sherrod still had connections to his Southern heritage. Growing up, Sherrod was careful about what music he listened to around his friends. He was scared about their opinions because they didn’t listen to the same music as him.
“THEY MADE IT REALLY OPEN FOR PEOPLE OF OTHER ETHNICITIES TO WELCOME THEMSELVES INTO DIFFERENT CULTURES.”
Edward listens to artists like Sade, whose lyrics resonate with her struggles. “It shows that black people actually have emotional intelligence; we’re not just idiots like a lot of people think.”
Though he grew up in rural Idaho, Corvallis local
“I love everything from Jazz, RnB, Soul, to Rock, Hip-Hop, [and] Heavy Metal,” Sherrod said. “At one age, I just decided this is the music that I love so I’m gonna listen to it.”
Even when surrounded by black culture from his family, growing up in a predominantly white area Sherrod saw music as an escape.
“As a young kid of color who didn’t really have a counselor or anybody around to help express my feelings, music helped me.”
Now, he is an avid record collector with around 700 records in his collection. These include titles like “Voodoo” by D’Angelo, “Abbey Road” by The Beatles, and “Illmatic” by Nas; with staple artists such as Sam Cooke, Billie Eillish, The Rolling Stones, and NSYNC.
“I think that I love everything because a lot of music was derived from African American culture,” Sherrod said.
Junior Mahmoud Rashid gravitates towards Rap and RnB music. Artists like Tyler, The Creator and Daniel Caesar are at the top of his list of favorites. Rashid has a deep appreciation for the complexity behind their music.
“It’s more lyrically deep than most other artists,” Rashid said, “[and] more musically complex.”
In comparison to other artists like Alicia Key\s, Frank Ocean’s musical creativity stands out to Rashid. “[Her] beats are very similar and the chords are structured very [similarly].” Frank Ocean, on the other hand, is experimental. “[He has] very uncanny chords, and his rhythms are very off tempo; the layering of the different voices is very unique.”
To Rashid, Kendrick Lamar’s music has power because of his ability to talk about stories and experiences. Lamar’s album “To Pimp a Butterfly” is a comparison of the African American communities across America and to the African culture in Africa. “It really highlights [that] while they’re both completely different in culture and background, we’re also one group,” Rashid said, “one identity.”
Story and Illustration by Zion Mollel Photos used with permission of Heather Carmichael
EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE
Originating from traditional Folk music, the African-American genres of Gospel and Blues gave birth to almost every popular music genre we listen to today. Below is a diagram of a few genres these iconic art forms gave birth to.
GOSPEL
BLUES
TOTAL PRAISE
Heather Carmichael is a gospel singer. She is one of the leaders of the West Albany BSU, 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.
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 church, that’s kind of where they began.
What does Gospel music mean to you? It comes from having a good faith; bigger than that, it’s about hope and looking forward to a better tomorrow. FEBRUARY 2025
Fight for Justice
A CLOSER LOOK AT THE IMPACTS OF MEDIA ON COURT CASES, AND HOW THEY AFFECT SOCIETY
As 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
80% of Jurors have an X account
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.
Opinion of Kayla Stefan
Illustration by AJ Howard Story and photo by Charlie Mack
LUIGI MANGIONE
THE CASE: On the morning of Dec. 4, 2024, 26-yearold Luigi Mangione allegedly killed Brian Thompson, CEO of UnitedHealthcare. Mangione’s mother would report him to authorities after the attack due to not hearing from her son in nearly seven months. Mangione was found with documents stating how furious he was with the healthcare industry after an emergency room visit on July 4, 2024. In an online review of the book, “Unabomber” by Ted Kaczynski, Mangione would argue that violence is justifiable if it is an attempt to right social wrongs.
SOCIAL MEDIA: Trump’s legal team has used social media to their advantage throughout the trial. They are scouring each potential juror’s social media for any anti-Trump sentiment. Two male jurors would be removed from the jury, deemed dangerous by Merchan. One had posted, “Get him out and lock him up,” and the second posted the straightforward claim, “No one is above the law.” On the contrary, jurors are not being removed if they have posted pro-Trump sentiments on their social media. Some government officials and judges believe that this is an unfair way to build a favorable jury for the side of Trump. Others have argued that removing jurors is a right given to Trump through the Constitution and his 6th and 7th Amendment rights.
Menendez Brothers
SOCIAL MEDIA: Mangione has had a very strong social media presence, and before the alleged attack, he was very vocal about his healthcare concerns on many of his social media posts. Mangione has created such a presence that many people support him for his actions. There have been several online attempts to raise defense funds for Mangione, totaling to nearly $200,00. Many government officials and judges are worried that the jury selected for the trial will have to be nullified due to oversaturation of false news. Nullification is replacing a jury because the members of the jury return a not guilty verdict, despite having evidence beyond a reasonable doubt proving that the act was illegal.
Donald Trump
THE CASE: In January 2025, President Donald J. Trump would finally receive a sentence for his alleged “hush money” case. Trump would be on trial for 34 felony charges for falsifying business records and paying off pornographic film star Stormy Daniels after a sexual interaction that they had. Ultimately, the hush money would add up to roughly $420,000. Trump would 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.
THE CASE: In 1989, Jose and Kitty Menendez were found dead in their Beverly Hills home by their sons Lyle and Erik Menendez. The sons 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 who killed their parents. Dr. Jerome Oziel would not report this to police despite having incriminating evidence. Oziel’s mistress would report that the Menendez brothers were guilty to local authorities. Prior to their sentencing of life without the possibility of parole, the brothers both claimed that they were sexually assaulted by their father, which was the motive for their actions.
Q:Howdoyoupersonallythinksocial media affects trials?
A: The whole goal of any jury trial is to 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:Howdoyouthinkwecanavoidthis bias and this issue that social media creates?
SOCIAL MEDIA: 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 seriously. Gen Z has taken to the internet to defend the Menendez brothers, bringing light to male sexual assault victims. There has been a very strong social media movement to release or re-evaluate the Menendez brothers’ case because of their circumstances. Late last year, the Los Angeles District Attorney’s office filed a motion for resentencing based on a review of new evidence related to the sexual assault claims.
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:Asanationshouldwouldworried 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.
A LOOK AT MEDIA COVERAGE WITH CRIMINAL JUSTICE TEACHER MARTY JOHNSTON
Brother’s My
SIBLINGS OF THOSE WITH DISABILITIES SHARE THEIR PERSPECTIVE OF HOW SOCIETY SEES THEM VERSUS HOW THEY DO
Story and Photos by Emi Ludlow
Keeper
AT THE BUS STOP , 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.
“SO MANY DIFFERENT KINDS OF PEOPLE”
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”
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 INDIVIDUAL”
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 CONNECT EASILY”
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
WORKING WITH SPECIAL EDUCATION
JJ HALCHISHICK SHARES HIS EXPERIENCES WORKING WITH PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.
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.”
Story by Ethan Leffler
SHARING DISABILITY STATISTICS WITHIN THE 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?
FRENCH TEACHER JACQUELINE KAHLER IN A PORTRAIT FROM HER CHILDHOOD WITH HER MOM AND HER BROTHER.
OLDER ADULTS - 43.9%
YOUNG ADULTS - 21.2%
MIXED RACE AND ETHNICITY - 32%
IMPAIRMENT IN EARS AND EYES (ALL) - 69%
SPECIAL
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
“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.”
“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.
GROWING WITH THE SPECTRUM
MY EXPERIENCE LIVING WITH AND ADJUSTING TO LIFE WITH MY AUTISTIC STEP-BROTHERS
Opinion of Virgil Isaac
When 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
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.
AN AREA MADE ESPECIALLY FOR TEENS AT THE ALBANY PUBLIC LIBRARY
Beyond Books
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.
THE ITEMS AVAILABLE FOR CHECK OUT AT THE ALBANY PUBLIC LIBRARY
Photo and story by Teah Caffarella
CAMERAS THAT CAN BE CHECKED OUT AT THE ALBANY PUBLIC LIBRARY
TAPE RECORDERS THAT CAN BE CHECKED OUT AT THE ALBANY PUBLIC LIBRARY
PLUSHIES THAT CAN BE FOUND AT THE LIBRARY
Serving the Public
STORIES ABOUT HOW LIBRARIES HAVE IMPACTED LIVES, COMMUNITY, AND RELATIONSHIPS; THE CHANGED LIVES OF STUDENTS AND TEACHERS
Photo and story by Ariana Goettl
Especially in the United States, we lack what is called a third space… the library as a third space is something I really believe in,” Christine Troetschel, the teen librarian at the Albany Public Library said with a smile. Libraries are known to be a place filled with books, somewhere typically known to be a place you have to read a book, but the library has grown to be more than books.
The Albany Public Library has a wide variety of books of all genres to read that represent different communities and minorities, but they also have a “Library of Things.” As in the name, this extension has many different items that you can check out and use. Troetschel mentions that the Library of Things has a “mini Nintendo, board games, cake pans, a pressure washer, and a telescope.” The Albany Public Library has other activites available to the public, like movie nights,
summer reading program, and clubs. Troetschel comes to West Albany High School’s library to do crafts with the cozy craft club every month.
West Albany’s school librarian, Jean Gritter, has been working at West Albany for 21 years, and has continued to host clubs at the library and finds strength in the diversity of books. “We try and think of many ways to make sure people feel safe…That’s the goal,”
IT’S NOT JUST BOOKS. “
Gritter said. West Albany’s library holds club meetings and art shows put on by the WAHS art students. Gritter loves finding new books and activities to bring to the library. “I really enjoy finding resources and ways to support everybody,” said Gritter.
The library isn’t a place only filled with books; it’s a place to find community, friends, a quiet place, and support programs. Freshman Regulus Martinez volunteers on the teen advisory board at the Albany Public
Library. Martinez often goes to the library to do crafts and hang 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.”
The Albany Public Library is a place to help students, but also welcomes all kinds of 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 community if more people
simply knew of all the tools and support it provides.
“
I LOVE MY JOB SO MUCH. I AM A TRUE BELIEVER IN THE FIELD.
POSITIVE STICKY NOTES DECORATE A WINDOW IN THE TEEN AREA AT THE ALBANY PUBLIC LIBRARY
Remember When...?
LOOKING AT NOSTALGIA AND HOW PEOPLE VIEW THE PAST
Photo and Illustration by Taylour Veith and Addi Winter
The Echo Of The Feeling
HOW WE LOOK BACK AND WHY
By Belle Beisell Illustrations by Addi Winter
Smelling 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
Hippocampus
A SMALL AND COMPLETE PART OF THE BRAIN THAT HELPS YOU LEARN AND WORKS ON MEMORY FORMATION
Nostalgia
A FEELING OF LONGING FOR THE PAST, NORMALLY FOR A PLACE OR A TIME WITH HAPPY ASSOCIATIONS
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.
“NOSTALGIA HAS A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON US BECAUSE IT IS DIRECTLY CONNECTED TO OUR EMOTIONS
“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.
How the Tongues Have Turned
TAKE THIS QUIZ TO SEE HOW WELL YOU KNOW SLANG FROM EARLIER GENERATIONS
Story and Photos by Avneet Dhaliwal
Eight 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.
“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__’.”
“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.
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)
“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.
Gen Z To A
“[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.
HOW GEN Z VIEWS GEN ALPHA Story and Photos by Avneet Dhaliwal
ANSWER KEY (TOP TO BOTTOM):
Happy in The Past
WHY CAN’T WE LIVE IN THE PRESENT? Story and Illustration by Addi Winter
As 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,
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.”
The Songs That Made Us
HOW HAS THE MUSIC LISTENED TO THROUGHOUT CHILDHOOD INFLUENCED LIFE NOW?
Story by Hailoh Smith
Illustration by AJ Howard & Hailoh Smith
That 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
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.
Movie Memories
THE MOVIES THAT STUDENTS WATCHED IN CHILDHOOD THAT FOLLOWED THEM INTO THE FUTURE
When 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 going.” Crist said.
KEEP MOVING FOREWARD,NOMATTER HOW HARD IT GETS
goals and who they want to be in the future.
Senior Piper Planalp remembers movies from her childhood that have had an effect on her life. “I had this babysitter and everytime she would babysit, she would show my sister and I a new TV show. I found a lot of movies that I just love through her. [There are] good movies today, but [the older ones] are so important to my childhood. She was the one who showed me what ‘High School Musical’ was, which I based my entire life and personality on, [and] I
Other times, the songs in movies stick in the minds of students, for being great songs or just for being catchy. Junior Charlotte Burke remembers watching Veggie Tales when she was younger.
“I watched a lot of Veggie Tales movies and ‘Princess and the Frog’...Veggie Tales is the greatest thing in the world. I just really like the songs, and putting in the DVDs, and reading whatever was on the back [of the DVDs.]”
Today many students can associate their memories of their childhood with a particular film or show. These films can attach themselves to students’ memory in part because of the quality of the films, and another part in emotional significance and connections.
Story by AJ Howard Illustration by AJ Howard & Hailoh Smith
So Elementary Best Friends Forever
A LOOK BACK AT SOME ELEMENTARY SCHOOL FAVORITES
JUNIOR MADDY SCHOSHA:
“MY THIRD-GRADE TEACHER HAD A CHALKBOARD WITH DIFFERENT THINGS DRAWN. IT WAS SOME VARIATION OF AN APPLE WITH SOMETHING LIKE A PENCIL OR RULER.”
SOPHOMORE
IRIS
“I WOULD ALWAYS MAKE SLIME IN MY THIRD-GRADE CLASS WITH MRS. BELL. SHE HAD THE BIGGEST INFLUENCE ON ME BECAUSE SHE WAS ALWAYS THERE FOR ME.”
FRIENDS STICKING TOGETHER FROM ELEMENTARY THROUGH NOW
Go!’ 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.”
Among 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
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.
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.
Story by Taylour Veith Illustrations by Addi Winter
Story by Taylour Veith Illustrations by AJ Howard
Sustained Memories
JUNIOR
SYDNEY BRAATEN
SHARES HER CONNECTION TO THE WORLD OF ART
Story by Alana Ebaugh-Berg
Illustrations by Sydney Braaten
Junior 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.
c
The Whirlwind Word Search
KIDS’ CORNER
1: LITTLE PETS, BIG PERSONALITIES!
4: CANDY OFTEN HANDED OUT ON VALENTINE’S DAY OR WON AT AN ARCADE
