2019-2020 The Whirlwind - Issue 2

WHIRL WIND WEST ALBANY HIGH SCHOOL

ISSUE 2 NOVEMBER 2019

4-5

Classroom assignments thwarted by blocked websites

24-25

Athletes who juggle band and sports find time for both

28-29

The appeal of adult cartoons to teenagers

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What West Albany is thankful for this Thanksgiving

DO YOU BELIEVE? According to recent survey results, young Americans are becoming less religious than generations before them.

Yet while some have lost faith, others have found it.

THE WHIRLWIND November 2019 NEWS

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Cl a s s ro o m t e c h n o lo g y issu e s p reve n t p ro d u c t ivit y Re l a ti o n sh ip s in h ig h sc h o o l ca n b e a b u sive New drivers and the six month driving law Te ch n o lo g y h a s c h a n g e d e d u ca t io n . H ow ?

T h e n ew st u d e n t S u c c e ss Ac t a n d h ow it im p a c t s u s OPINION

10 11

M e n ta l illn e ss d o e s n o t c re a t e sc h o o l sh o o t e r s

all women’s right to vote

12 13

The unknown effects of energy drinks

out to be

14 15

T h e m i st re a t m e n t o f sc h o o l a d m in ist ra t o r s

16 18 19

Ge n e rat io n a l sh if t a wa y f ro m re lig io n

The anniversary of women’s suffrage should celebrate

Fandoms are healthier than they are commonly made

Why is metal so unliked in pop culture?

SPECIAL Re l i g i o n c o m p a r iso n c h a r t P ro fi l e o n se n io r Lu c y K ra t ka a n d h e r jo u r n ey t o

fi n d n ew re l i g i o n

SPORTS

20 22 23 24 26

I n th e m in d o f a n a t h le t e b e fo re t h e ir g a m e

27 28 30 31 32

Wh e re d id Tik To k o r ig in a t e , a n d w hy is it p o p u la r ?

N ew co lle g e fo o t b a ll la w p ro p o se s e q u it y d ile m m a Ex p l o r i n g w h a t ’ s in a n a t h le t e s b a g J u g g l i n g b a n d a n d a t h le t ic s o n ca m p u s Wh a t i s H . I. T. T. ?

A R T S & E N T E R TA I N M E N T Tee n a g e fa sc in a t io n w it h a d u lt ca r t o o n s How stud e n t s c e le b ra t e Th a n ksg ivin g t h e ir ow n wa y So ci a l m e d ia h a s a llowe d t ee n a g e r s t o b e m o re t h a n ju st a fa n Ex p l o r i n g st u d e n t a r t ist s a n d t re n d s

Contact Us CORRECTIONS AND LETTERS TO THE EDITORS PLEASE SEND CORRECTIONS OR COMMENTS ON THIS ISSUE TO:

wahswhirlwind@gmail.com 2 T H E W H I R LW I N D / N OV E M B E R 20 1 9

C O V E R I L L U S T R AT I O N B Y A L I Z A H B U E N O A N D M AT T E A HELLMAN

WHIRLWIND S TA F F

To r i T h o r p

LETTER FROM THE EDITORS ALIZAH BUENO and MALACHI MURPHY Alizah: I spent my whole life out of a church. I have never stepped foot in a church unless it was for choir but I don’t count that. There are plenty of people in our community that are religious and for me, I believe that’s important. The diversity in the people around us adds individuality along with different life paths. Religion is a way of life, I believe that it is important to people in different ways, each way being unique. For me, I don’t have a religion, a better word being an atheist. I have a high level of respect when it comes to religion and how it separates each individual person, I just don’t think it’s for me.

Malachi: My last day at church I walked away with little thought that it might be the last time I go. Throughout the last month we had learned about the era of the Old Testament that lead up to the birth of Jesus Christ, and I found it interesting at points. The history of the bible can be intriguing, and religion itself has always been an interesting historical idea in my mind. However, today while driving to breakfast my mom and I could not agree. I simply didn’t believe, and that was an issue. From that point on, my mom and I stopped going to church.

While our experiences are personal and affect our lives, we have learned through this newest issue that faith is present in students all over campus. If there is anything to be thankful for this Thanksgiving season, it’s the right to freedom of religion, and sweet potatoes.

EDITORS-IN-CHIEF Alizah Bueno Malachi Murphy MANAGING EDITORS Mattea Hellman Jonathan Perkins COPY EDITORS Nicole Williams Sam Mattingly BUSINESS MANAGER Preet Dhaliwal ART DIRECTOR To r i T h o r p PHOTO DIRECTOR Karissa Lamonte Brooklyn D’Alessio AUDIENCE ENGAGEMENT Ewan Murray Cole Bakely NEWS Dezmond Remington Cheyenne Such OPINION Maggie Bedrin Ethan Biersdorff SPECIAL Emily Haarstad Hannah Field SPORTS Gabrielle Budlong Caleb Hart A R T S & E N T E R TA I N M E N T Abigail Winter Tr a v i s S h o l l e n b e r g e r S TA F F Corbin Cellerini Gage Crabtree Coral Cwmwlamare Mandy Howard Lucy Johnson Cloey Marsh Rahima Monahan Aiyana Noelani Brogan O’Hare Colvin Parvin Eleanor Peterson Melia Rasmussen ADVISER Michelle Balmeo

THE WHIRLWIND WOULD LIKE TO THANK OUR SPONSORS: Blue Level

Gold Level

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Al Severson Anonymous Anonymous Mad Dog Adamec Jane Marshall Bob & Linda Antrim Emily Carrick Mindy Droke

Anonymous CM Nuts LLC Tim & Michelle Fief

Pepper Tree Sausage Wheelhouse 20/20

T H E W H I R L W I N D I S A D E D I C AT E D STUDENT FORUM. CONTENT AND EDITORIAL DECISIONS ARE MADE B Y S T U D E N T S TA F F M E M B E R S EXCERCISING THEIR RIGHTS AS PROTECTED BY THE FIRST AMENDMENT AND THE OREGON ST U D E N T F R E E E X P R E S S I O N L AW ( O R E . R E V. S TAT. S E C . 3 3 6 . 4 7 7 (2007)). OPINIONS ARE THOSE OF T H E W H I R W L I N D S TA F F A N D N O T WEST ALBANY HIGH SCHOOL OR T H E G R E AT E R A L B A N Y P U B L I C S C H O O L D I S T R I C T. THE WHIRLWIND 3

LOCKED OUT

BY Alizah Bueno and Dezmond Remington

Wi-Fi filters delay research and links that are on that page may be blocked. make life harder for both The whitelist form goes through Informational students and teachers Technology to make sure that it is okay to be I N J U ST A L I T T L E OV E R A

“There is no easy way to say, ‘oh, these are actually really educational ones, and these are gross and we don’t want to look at them. ” Jean Gritter LIBRARIAN

The software does not allow the slightest things past, even if students need them. There is a process to whitelist the sites, but it is only available to the teachers. If a site is useful and the teacher believes that students will need it, they can go through the process that will make the site available to the whole school. The only problem is that only that exact link will be accessible; any 4 T H E W H I R LW I N D / N OV E M B E R 20 1 8

• T w i t t e r • I n s t a g r a m • F a c e b o o k • S n a p c h a t • R e d d i t • G o o g l e Tr a n s l a t e • M e d i u m • N e t f l i x • H u l u • T u m b l r • A O 3

a

week, junior Abraham Bartholomew has a paper worth several hundred points due. Furiously working and shredding the keyboard with his frantic pounding, he attempts to enter a website to complete his research paper. An error screen pops up instead of the story; the page is being blocked by the Wi-Fi filter, a story rather common among students.

The federal government has made it a law for all schools to have a filter to protect students from seeing things the legislators believe should not be seen. In the Greater Albany Public School district, the district office controls the software that filters through new sites that are being made and old ones that were already there. The software mainly looks for keywords, as in anything that has to do with body parts, drugs, and violence, and it blocks the content. Sometimes, those sites we need for school projects or research are blocked from our use.

Jean Gritter, school librarian, explained exactly how the software filter works.

“There is no easy way to say ‘Oh, these are actually really educational ones, and these are gross and we don’t want to look at them,” Gritter explained.

whitelisted. It rarely gets denied.

Due to all the sites that are blocked, Health class in particular is afflicted by the filter.

Health teacher Jennifer Bornhiemer shares that 40 percent of her assignments require internet access. Because of the topics that Health covers, it becomes difficult to access sites that have this information since it falls into the category of the blocked sites.

“Anything that has anything to do with a body part that is associated with a reproductive system will be blocked,” Bornhiemer said. Thus, health topics like breast cancer will usually get blocked along with anything that has to do with marijuana.

When it comes to drug research, Bornhiemer will sometimes have to tell her students that their information will need to be researched at home since it can’t be accessed at school.

Bornhiemer also has an activity that runs into problems most of the time: the question box.

She will allow students to anonymously put their questions in a box to be answered. Answering the questions is hard.

“It’s just difficult to find appropriate answers to answer those questions.”

Even she has to wait until she gets home to answer those questions because they can be deemed too inappropriate to those in charge of deciding what is appropriate and what isn’t, and thus cannot research those questions at school.

Bartholomew shared that he has been blocked by the filter when he has needed to do research.

“Last year for Honors [Sophomore] English, I was writing this big research paper,” said Bartholomew, “but the problem was if I tried to look at most sources that were even a little outside the library’s research catalogue, I could often get blocked even for sources that were credible and scholarly.”

According to Bartholomew, the problem for him was the fact that when he tried to use credible, informational sources, they were blocked at school, and ergo then could not accomplish his work.

“I feel like there should be a system where [the students] can easily request access to websites,” said Bartholomew. “Students would be able to say ‘hey, this website shouldn’t be blocked,’ and we can have a fast, speedy process where someone looks at it and says ‘hey, this shouldn’t be blocked.’”

“The problem is, teachers say ‘oh, don’t use sources like Wikipedia,’ yet I can access Wikipedia 24/7, but I can’t use the stellar sources I find at home.”

Blocked Sites

TEACHERS AND STUDENTS H AV E P R O B L E M S W I T H UNBLOCKED WEBSITES AS WELL

a

Blocked websites are not the only technological issue that prevents students from getting work done. The College Board website, a crucial link in the process to register for AP Exams and other AP class functions, has also caused problems forwith both students and teachers, as it wastes class time and making getting things done complicated according to social studies teacher Marty Johnston.

Many students have needed to call College Board and reset passwords and identify usernames said Johnston, as well as the fact that creating accounts and logging into the AP classroom has used up as much as an entire class period.

“It takes me through three different windows before I can get to the AP Classroom resources,” said Johnston, “and it always feels like I go through a different route every time.”

“Whether it’s AP Classroom or Dog Teams,” said Johnston, “we’re always running into issues.”

In the Computer Science class, teacher Michelle Balmeo says that the website Adhesive, a critical part of the class, is often very hard to connect to, and can take a very long time. Even when it does connect, according to Balmeo, it often only works for a couple of students.

What sites do you think should be unblocked?

How Technology has changed education

“I think Netflix

BY Coral CwmCwlamare

should be

T H E U S E O F technology has become the standard

unblocked because it could be academic sometimes.”

Amelia Schroeder FRESHMAN

“Pinterest because if you need to look up pictures and stuff.”

A L E X C ATA L A SOPHMORE

79% of sur veyed students said they had been blocked fr om a website for academic purposes

ENTER THE NET

NEWS

“Tetris. com.”

Alexander Alley JUNIOR

“Basic assyoutube.”

Grant Gilman SENIOR

for classrooms. One of the ways was with the introduction of Google Classroom. Instead of having to do assignments on paper, now students use Chromebooks, computers, and phones to complete assignments. Notes are posted online allowing students to complete assignments and turn them in when they miss a class. These changes have benefited students and teachers in many ways.

On June 15, 2011, the first Chromebook was released to the general public and would eventually be used in schools. With most teachers at West Albany High School being able to access Chromebook carts, teachers have taken advantage of new resources provided it.

Google Classroom is one resource commonly used.

Using it for a variety of tasks, teachers have found it to be very helpful. It has benefits such as saving paper and communicating with students about upcoming assignments.

“I really like Google Classroom,” said sophomore Beth Rouse, “It notifies me about assignments and notes when I am gone. [...] My teachers post notes and it saves time.”

Even with all the benefits, there are still some difficulties. With the constant updates to Google Classroom, many teachers find it a struggle to keep up.

“They need to do a better job at communicating updates,” English teacher Amber Ferguson said. “I usually find out about them a while after it occurred because another teacher stumbled upon it.”

While this is a common complaint shared by many teachers, the effort to learn about the updates and how to use them is worth the effort, English teacher Margie Graves said.

While teachers use this technology to teach, students use it to complete assigned work. The G Suite, a collection of Google products used in schools and businesses, have become commonplace in classrooms.

Online books have made it easier for students to read class materials without an actual copy, according to sophomore Alice Movay. With the ability to download books, students do not have to carry as many physical books everywhere. While it seems only to be useful for English classes, some math textbooks have online editions allowing students not need massive textbooks.

But a series of studies, done by educational psychologist Patricia Alexander and Assistant Clinical Professor Lauren Singer at the University of Maryland in 2017, found that while students read digital books faster, it comes at the price of reading comprehension.

Another popular resource, Movay said, is Quizlet, Continued on page 8

NEWS / THE WHIRLWIND 5

BLURRED LINES As children enter their most important age for learning social interactions, the chances for abusive interaction can increase

BY Cheyenne Such

A B U S E A F F E C T S O N E I N three

adolescents within America, but only 33 percent have ever told an official according to Loveisrespect, a project run by the National Domestic Violence Hotline.

Abuse that is reported through the school is often through faculty mandatory reporting. Simply stated,employees who work with children are required to report suspected abuse directly to authorities.

According to health teachers Brian Mehl and Jennifer Bornheimer, when a student is suspected of being abused, the teacher must first report straight to the office who then proceed to get involved with law enforcement. Afterwards, they must check if there is already a case on the student: if there is, then they leave the situation to the already invovled authorities. However, if there is not, then they must go through proper protocol to find a way to make the student safe. Bornheimer explained how the process happens.

“So there are certain things that, by law, [we] have to call in and record. If a student tells me that they’re being physically, sexually, emotional-

Adolescents Experiencing Abuse 38% of children 17 and younger have been witness to a crime in their life

51.4% have been a victim to assault

24.9% have reported any form of maltreatment

From childtrends.org

6 THE WHIRLWIND / November 2019

ly abused, or being neglected, I have to call [administration]. I will contact our administration or school, I’ll contact our counselor. And then they kind of guide me. I usually ask, ‘Please tell me, do I need to make a mandatory report?’ I usually get their guidance and then usually I know when I need to [report], but I want their ’Yes, you do.

Or ‘No, we know this is an ongoing thing.’ Sometimes it’s like we already know and there’s actually interventions in place already. Things like that.”

If you believe that you or someone you know might be in an abusive situation, it’s best to get help and leave quickly. If you feel suspicion or doubt, dropping away from your aggressor early is the main preventative to an abuser building their tactics and causing serious harm. Mehl explained, relationships should always involve you feeling happy, that you feel you’re safe and secure. If you do not feel like you have a voice or aren’t in full control of your own decisions, the relationship isn’t healthy. “I think if there’s a situation where those things are not there, you’re being controlled or manipulated...it’s not just an easy deal and so my advice to them was to know who you are. Know what you want. Good communication must have mutual respect, have healthy boundaries.”

Red flags are early warning signs of what may be deeper problems ahead. They typically consist of actions such as unpredictable anger problems and self entitled beliefs. According to Mehl, “They’re a victim anytime they feel like they’re being manipulated. That somebody has control over them, whether it’s verbal or physical, anytime that somebody has the need to have power and control over them.” To help, you should intervene, whether it is with a

friendship or romantic relationship, it does not hurt to privately speak up.

Bornheimer suggests that if you aren’t getting anything out of toxic friendships except guilt it’s best to leave, “If they’re making me do and say things that aren’t really me. It makes you feel uncomfortable and weird. And maybe guilty.... you have a toxic friendship, your friends are not treating you appropriately.”

The school has many resources available to help kids and their families. The most frequently referred one is Sarah’s Place. A nonprofit organization involved with the Samaritan Hospital, Sarah’s Place focuses on sexual assault and domestic violence, but they frequently return to West Albany to give speeches in the health classes. Open 24 hours a day, they are always available to privately give immediate help for most needs. If you or anyone you know has suspicions about being abused help is always available.

TECH TOOLS

CLASS SUITE

A brief look at G Suite products

Evolution of technology eases learning, teaching I L L U S T R AT I O N B Y C O R A L C W M C W L A M A R E

continued from page 5 Another popular resource, Movay said, is Quizlet, an online flashcard application and website, for its various ways to study for tests. According to a post released by Quizlet in 2018, 50 percent of high school students and one third of college students use Quizlet in the United States. With the app that can be used offline on phones, students use it on the bus and before class. It also offers Quizlet live, a game based on teamwork to learn material. This is used in both world language and English classes, reinforcing what students are already learning.

“It is kinda fun when you know the material,” Rouse said.

While this has numerous benefits, there can be annoyances for students like access to the internet. According to Ferguson, it’s something that is generally not a problem. Some students have limited access and have to communicate with teachers to find a work around for the issue, which usually involves printing out the work

from Google Classroom. With the school working to accommodate for these issues by giving access to resources before and after school, this problem is improving, Ferguson noted.

“Students lean more on technology for current information,” said assistant librarian Kathy Winningham. “It is helpful.”

However, according to Winningham, some websites being slick and appealing to look at can make information seem reliable, when in reality it may not be. This can make doing research for students difficult as they are forced to sift through what they read to determine what is trustworthy and true. The importance of education on finding viable sources has never been so important for students, said both Winningham and Ferguson.

Both students and teachers have benefited from these updates, despite the disadvantages. But with a constantly changing technology, the education system is bound to keep changing.

“When I got my Chromebook cart I was one of a few teachers with access, but now almost every teacher has one.”

AMBER FERGUSON, ENGLISH TEACHER

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A emailing product released. It connects to Google Contacts making it easier to email people.

GOOGLE FORMS MARCH 9, 2006 Used to take surveys, this application has been given updates over the years to improve the use for test taking.

GOOGLE SHEETS MARCH 9, 2006 Collects data using a spread sheet, you can organized it in many different ways.

GOOGLE SITES FEBRUARY 28, 2008 This can be used to create websites using HTML. It is popular web press service.

GOOGLE DOCS APRIL 24, 2012

INDUSTRIAL CONTRACTOR Process Piping

GMAIL APRIL 1, 2006

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Used for writing documents. It was released along side other products.

GOOGLE DRIVE APRIL 24, 2012 Google Drive collects all file created on Google products and puts them in to one location. Users are able to organize with by putting them in folders and people can share files with each other.

Fax: 541-995-6159

NEWS / THE WHIRLWIND 7

LICENSED TO CARRY DRIVER STATS

As we come upon the 20th anniversary of the six month driving law we take a look into the eyes of student drivers at West Albany High School

O U T O F 76 WA H S ST U D E N T S ;

Provisional drivers license

OREGON

Do students follow it?

58.1%

2

4

able driving experience, free from the distractions that could be presented by having friends or other acquaintances as passengers in their vehicle. In addition to the “no passenger” restrictions, there are several other restrictions and requirements that new drivers need to be aware of. They are found in The Oregon Parent Guide to Teen Driving.

Driving considered is a privilege and we must obey the law in order to maintain that privilege. Even more important however, is keeping ourselves and everyone else who shares our transportation system safe.

Provisional drivers license WAHS03 Junior 2021

WAHS01 Senior 2020

Restrictions: None

3

8.2%

1

19.6%

How many passengers do students typically drive with?

OREGON

Provisional drivers license

WAHS01 Senior 2020

50%

11.5%

Improvement program. If there are two driver violations or two preventable crashes, driving privileges will be restricted for 90 days. During the restriction, a driver is only allowed to drive to and from work. Driver improvement violations include but are not limited to: speeding, running a red light, not wearing a safety belt, or violating any of the Graduated Driver Licensing restrictions such as driving with friends, driving late at night when you’re not supposed to, or using any mobile electronic device while driving.

When asked about the law, senior Jade Howard said, “I think its kinda dumb because personally I feel more comfortable with someone else in the car, because they can help me park and stuff...

They also can help me remember traffic laws.”

This law is in place for public safety, regardless of opinions. This was designed to increase the safety of teen drivers by giving them more time to gain driving experience before becoming fully licensed. The handbook, Oregon Parent Guide to Teen Driving, is an excellent resource for parents and high schoolers to understand the purpose for these restrictions and requirements, and to understand the consequences of not following them.

Senior Ahnalee Reimer said,”My parents were strict about the law, [...] they gave some restrictions.” Along with Reimer, Roldan said, ”...my parents enforce it, most of my friends’ parents enforced it.” 86.8 percent of students say that they have not had the law enforced by a police officer, or have been stopped. Why is this law here you may ask? Well, these restrictions are important to help keep young drivers safe as well as gain valu-

OREGON We asked three WAHS students how they feel about the six month law

S I X M O N T H S U RV I VO R S

It Seems that 41.9 percent of students at WAHS are criminals. They’re criminals because of a law for new drivers known as the six month law. This ensures all drivers cannot have a passenger below the age of 21, unless they are family, for at least six months after getting their license. This is the 20th anniversary of the six month law.

For one, people in the car that are not matured may cause a distraction for driving; a lack of focus could potentially lead to a higher likelihood of an accident. ”From a mature aspect of mind, it’s a smart thing,” said junior Isaiah Roldan, “because from my experience [...] when you’re with your best friends it’s kind of distracting, which can be unsafe if you’re not an experienced driver.”

We all want to be focused while driving.

However, some things can make this difficult.

You may drift off and put yourself and others at risk for an accident.

Furthermore, this can promote reckless driving due to passengers putting a driver in a position where they may try and show off because their friends are in the car with them.

There is a chance that friends can joke about driving fast or drifting. On the other hand, some would say passengers promoting reckless driving is a very dangerous thing, because not only is the driver at risk, but it puts all the passengers at risk as well.

If the law is broken, some may lose driving privileges under the Provisional Driver

Do students know what the 6-month driving law is?

60.7%

BY Colvin Par vin and Gage Crabtree

Restrictions: B - corrective lenses

Restrictions: None

AHNALEE REIMER

J A D E H OWA R D

ISAIAH ROLDAN

“Kind of pointless"

“I think its kinda

“From a mature aspect of mind, it’s a smart thing”

8 THE WHIRLWIND / NEWS

dumb“

THE STUDENT SUCCESS ACT Who is in charge of distributing the $5.5 million given to The Greater Albany Public Schools

BY Lucy Johnson

T H E S T U D E N T S U C C E S S A C T has opened doors for students, educators and

H O W S H O U L D T H E G R E AT E R ALBANY PUBLIC SCHOOLS SPEND THE MONEY GIVEN BY THE STUDENT SUCCESS ACT?

our schools. During the 2019 legislative session, Oregon leaders signed on to give a large sum of money to the school systems. When the Student Success Act is put into place, it is expected that every two years it will give $2 billion into the Oregon education system. The money that will be going to the education organizations will be split up and shared amongst three different accounts: the Early Learning Account, which is targeted towards the youth development and parental involvement; the Student Investment Account, that targets the students that might not be in a financially stable situation as well as minority groups; as well as the Statewide Education Initiatives Account, which creates and expands existing programs. Greater Albany Public Schools could get access to $5.5 million per year; however, the money would be accessed through an application process. The separate districts have been given guidelines for where and what they can spend their appointed money on.

DISTRICTS ARE ALLOWED FOUR BROAD USES FOR THE GRANT PROPOSALS:

1. Increasing instructional time 2. Addressing student health and safety needs 3.Increasing adults/decreasing class size 4.Expanding well-rounded learning opportunities.

Programs must also meet students’ behavioral and mental health needs and increase academic achievement as well as reduce disparities among student groups. The goal is to bring all students to an equal level to where they can fully access their education. Following The Student Success Act, The Strategic Plan was put into place. The Strategic Plan was assembled to work with the community to make a decision on what accounts the money should be divided into. The decision on where the money should be spent has been split into many polls and questionnaires that parents, students, teachers and school administrators are allowed to vote with the intent that the voices of those with an understanding of what t h e school Junior Bobae Kim s y s tems need are a part of the decision. The purpose of the polls is to align the community’s vision for the future.

Custodian Many polls were posted and Aaron Luckman members of the community were encouraged to fill out the forms.

The voting periods ended on the

“I think that if they were to impose the money somewhere they should focus it in on one school specifically.”

Oct. 31st. Now, the members of the community are waiting for the results.

The Strategic Plan will be presented to the School Board and District; if the approval is given, they will continue and implement the plan.

During this month the Strategic planning team will meet and devise a plan for the next 3-5 years of the Albany education system. Once complete, The Student Success Act will be engaged with the Strategic Plan for the 2020-2021 school year.

“I mean you kind of have to care for their well being, before you can treat them the other things like education.”

NEWS / THE WHIRLWIND 9

S TA F F - E D

STOP BLAMING

MENTAL ILLNESS As rates of school shootings rise, we search for a cause, but when it comes to mental illness, we need to stop pointing fingers THE

COLUMBINE

SHOOTER

was a compulsive liar and wrote rage-filled journal entries. Paranoia and delusions hallmarked his partner. The Thurston High School shooter heard voices. The Parkland shooter self-harmed.

The symptoms go on, and so does the pointing of fingers at mental illness. These people all committed heinous and devastating crimes of a specific variety: school shootings. As the death toll rises and perpetrators are identified, everyone is asking the same question: why did they do it and how does this keep happening?

It just so happens that mental illness is the perfect scapegoat; from the outside it’s impossible to predict. We don’t know how those suffering operate, and we’ve all heard stories about crazy people being violent in the news. When we hear that the most infamous school shooters showed signs of a disorder, it’s convenient to blame everything on that.

And that’s what we’re all about, right? Convenience? But this kind of convenience stigmatizes a marginalized group that already has a hard time getting help.

According to the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies, around 22 percent of mass murders are committed by a person with a mental disorder, meaning 78 percent are committed by an average person.

The American Journal of Psychiatry said that of all violent crimes, only 3 to 5 percent were com-

mitted by someone with a mental illness.

Natasha Bhuyan, M.D, a family physician said in her editorial on the subject, “Every day, I see patients who are struggling with sleep, appetite, concentration and energy. These are hallmarks of mental health issues. Committing a mass shooting is not.”

There are many contributing causes for this stigmatization of mental illness. Things like hindsight bias, anger, sadness. In actuality, people are scared.

Professor of health policy at the Harvard School

STAFF EDITORIAL The opinion of the Whirlwind Editorial Board of Public Health, David Hemenway, explains that American students are 13 times more likely to be killed as a result of gun violence compared to their peers in Finland and Sweden.

School shootings are happening nearly every day across the country, and we never know who’s next. Naturally, this is when everyone is scrambling to find the cause so they can prevent the outcome.

Given that mental illness isn’t the root of the problem, but one of many, what are the other factors?

The U.S. Secret Service and U.S. Department of Education said in their final report of the Safe School Initiative that 98 percent of perpetrators experienced a form of loss before the event, such as a loss of status or a death in the family.

They also said that 78 percent had a history of suicide attempts or ideation, 71 percent were victims of bullying, and 63 percent had shown interest in violent media.

It’s also worth noting that according to the Review of Higher Education and Self-Learning, 76 percent of the attackers were caucasian and according to the U.S. Secret Service, 99 percent were young males.

All these aspects lead to one result, but there’s nothing to gain from knowing without the addition of doing. The answer is obvious but its consistently neglected: more help for students.

Whether its for mental health specifically, for bullying, for general moral support in times of need, adolescents are particularly vulnerable in comparison to other age groups, and it’s not uncommon for their needs to go unnoticed. According to the National Center for Children in Poverty, 75 percent of students struggling with their mental health do not receive mental health services.

If we could reduce this number, even in what may seem like a tiny way, could have an effect somewhere. Helping one kid could prevent one shooting, and one less shooting is a beginning to an end.

56% 73% 59% 68% of school shooters showed no change in

of school shooters showed no change in

of school shooters showed no change in

ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE

FRIENDSHIP P AT T E R N S

INTEREST IN SCHOOL

prior to their crime.

prior to their crime.

prior to their crime.

of school shooters showed no change in

SCHOOL DISCIPLINARY PROBLEMS prior to their crime.

According to the report by the U.S. Secret Service and the U.S. Department of Education in the Safe School Initiative 1 4 T H E W H I R LW I N D / N OV E M B E R 20 1 9

Photo (left) taken by Corbin Cellerini P h o t o s t a ke n b y Tr a v i s S h o l l e n b e r g e r

Left photo shows Disturbed’s lead singer David Draiman Center photo shows L.A. Guns guitarist

HIGHWAY TO

HELL?

Metal and rock music is not as bad as it is made out to be by most of society.

BY Brooklyn D’Alessio and Corbin Cellerini

M E TA L L I C A , O N E D I R E C T I O N , T H E Z A C B R O W N B A N D , the list

is never-ending. There are so many bands, with so many different musical styles. So many are accepted by the everyday person, so why is rock any different?

In January of last year CBS News surveyed Americans on what music genre Americans most enjoyed. Country was the most enjoyed with 21 percent of everyone in America saying that was their favorite genre, with rock/metal in second with 18 percent of the population saying that it was their favorite.

So why is metal and rock looked down upon?

Why are the people who listen to rock described as Satan worshipers? And why have rock and metal been exiled from pop culture if they’re the second most listened to genre in America?

Nearly any genre of music is stereotyped, but it seems like the list for metalheads is the worst.

Here are just a few: metalheads are bums that need to get their hair cut, are drunks, are dumb, they’re

junkies and stoners, and they’re loud and angry, and worst of all, are Satan worshippers. Yes, every now and then you come across a metalhead who isn’t the sharpest knife in the drawer, or who happens to be on drugs. But it seems as though the people who don’t appreciate the music are either just way more open to other genres that aren’t heavy, or they’re afraid of metal, or both, and they discriminate against the heavy music to suppress it.

In fact, a lot of metal music supports a cause.

For example, “Vicari-

Top right photo is the band Payable by Death

What do you think of metal music?

“I like AC/ DC and Metallica, but some bands I can’t stand.”

N ATA L I E Q U I N N SOPHOMORE

“I like it, I think it’s cool, I listen to them when I’m doing homework.”

ous” by TOOL. Songfacts.com said “This song concerns the American obsession with the television, and ‘Living Vicariously’ through television characters. It also touches upon the American obsession with violence in television, a very psychological view on how we as a culture tend to need to watch other people or things die in order to continue feeling good about our own lives, and how when a war occurs (The Iraq War) we tend to need to watch ‘While the whole world dies.’ So to say that all metal is Satanic music is completely wrong, because that song, among millions of others of the same genre, is actually pointing something out about humanity that needs changing.

Metal music is the same as many other genres; it has so many different sub genres. Because there are so many different genres, there is a type of metal for everyone. There are so many different types of metal genres, just like there are so many different genres of country.

All that being said, metal and rock music are not as bad as they are made out to be. Just because you’re a metalhead doesn’t automatically mean you live up to all the nasty stereotypes. People need to be more accepting of those around them, whether they like metal, pop, country, etc. Get to know people before making assumptions about them based solely on their music preference.

MADISON VIET SOPHOMORE

OPINION / THE WHIRLWIND 11

ALONZO FA N D R E M SOPHOMORE

“I think they make you more jittery, more anxious.”

KENDALL W A LT O N JUNIOR MAGGIE BEDRIN

“For athletes it’s not good for you [...] overall not good for you.”

ERIN MALONEY SENIOR

“Not the best option and that’s a bit hypocritical because I drink them.”

W E STO N C AV N D E R FRESHMAN

“They can increase blood pressure and it’s not good for your heart.”

SAMANTHA CUMPIANO JUNIOR

“Takes a toll on your health, you just crash and can’t do anything.”

LINDEN LOREN TEACHER

“It depends on why you’re drinking it [...] look for the source of why you need energy instead of relying on the drink.”

1 2 W H I R LW I N D / N OV E M B E R 20 1 9

The untold dangers of energy drinks

BY Ethan Biersdor ff

W H E N W A S T H E last time you saw an energy drink? A store? The school vending machine? In your friend’s hands, or even in your own? Energy drinks are everywhere, and are easily accessible for literally anyone. Whether it be Monster, Rockstar, Bang, Rebels, Redbull, or whatever else you drink It’s a good way to get some energy when you need it. Unfortunately, the negatives outweigh the positives.

“They’re sort of a black box. We really don’t know a lot about them,” said Dr. John Higgins, a sports cardiologist at the University of Texas Health Science Center. The fact that not a lot is known is bad in and of itself, because that practically makes us test subjects. What we know now is still bad. What is scientifically agreed upon is that there are multiple health risks that are associated with commonly drinking energy drinks.

A lot of these health risks attack the heart. A study conducted at the University of the Pacific in Stockton, CA, shows that energy drinks can cause “abnormal heart rhythm, heart attack and sudden cardiac arrest.” While energy drinks haven’t led to many immediate deaths, over time they can lead to long term health problems. The drinks that we’re given by places such as Dairy Mart, right across the street, should not have this many health risks without us being made aware.

One of these long term problems is a build up of calcium in heart cells. This makes your blood vessels tighten up, restricting your body’s blood flow. These are potential symptoms of the mix of caffeine and taurine, which together enhance each other’s effects. With the taurine being a synthetically made amino acid and caffeine be-

ing an energy enhancer.

So what can be done? First, there should be more research done on energy drinks rather than just playing trial and error with the public. What you don’t know can hurt you, and for a significant amount of people who commonly drink energy drinks, it has.

Energy drinks send thousands to the ER each year, and according to the Food and Drug Administration, there have been 34 deaths attributed to energy drinks in total.

If there are deaths involved, there should be way more work being done to find out why, especially when people our age and younger can just walk in and buy them.

Very little work is being done to determine the effects of energy drinks and if they are healthy for people our age to drink. Energy drink companies need to be held more accountable. The simple answer may seem to be to boycott or just entirely block energy drinks from minors, but the best thing to do is to just drink in moderation.

Similar to alcohol, it’s not necessarily healthy, but one drink every once in a while won’t kill you. We don’t want another version of the Prohibition, because that just led to more problems. So, instead of an all out ban, drink in moderation and be aware of the ingredients in your drink. There are definite dangers in common energy drink consumption but if you are smart and don’t drink it to a point of dependency an occasional energy drink for a quick boost before a test or some other important event it’ll be alright. Make sure you know what they are allowing you to drink because the results may be surprising.

FANDOMERS UNITE T R AV I S S H O L L E N B E R G E R

Having an internet obsession is healthy, if it is not taken to the level of Celebrity Worship Syndrome.

TYPES OF FANDOMERS

BY Maggie Bedrin

H AV E Y O U E V E R been caught in the heat

of a plot? Staring dead into your screen, emotionally torn by the events laid out before you? Have you followed a celebrity so closely that you know their every trait, taken their Buzzfeed quiz to find the similarity of your personalities, and stalked their social media accounts and their friends’ as well?

Careful where you step or you could fall down the hole known as Celebrity Worship Syndrome.

While these are not the qualifications of the addiction, they are events that could precede into a downward spiral into this emotional world.

There is a section in every app dedicated to fandoms, these pages are dedicated to fandoms and have either art, memes, and/or stories.This scale of mass creation builds healthy connections to each user, linking them together by common interest. The creation element is endless, but the drive to this creation is far more interesting.

Why would a young teen devote all their time and energy into another universe? Brianna Wiest, a writer for Teen Vogue explains, “a weak sense of belonging is correlated with depression...developing the belief that you are deeply cared for by others creates a willingness to endure life’s challenges.”

The connection through common interest develops genuine friendship, making fandom obsessions healthy and fulfilling. The relationships built within these groups create a beneficial environment for all those within these fandoms.

Lisa Bahar, a therapist that specifically works with teenage girls states, ‘“Identity vs. Role Confusion,” which is a developmental psychology term for the time in life in which young adults start to differentiate who they are from who they were taught to be.” The discovery of these digital worlds impacts how they develop their personality and how they see themselves. Fandoms benefit these young fandomers in moving towards growth, making fandoms a worthwhile and healthy hobby.

Celebrity Worship Syndrome is when a person becomes heavily invested in a celebrity’s life, so much so that it consumes their everyday life. Devoting all your time and energy to something that isn’t real could seem like a waste of time. While Celebrity Worship Syndrome’s goal is to fill something that is missing, much like alcoholism and other addictions. Despite this addiction the limitation of fandom obsessions are valuable. The community and friendship you gain from this area of the internet is like nothing else.

This said, all fandoms have weak points and strong points. Voltron Legendary Defenders was a series thought to be well carried out up until season two. But after a toxic side of the fandom acted and threatened writers and actors on the show, the show was quickly finished. And one could argue it wasn’t finished well. With its lack of a fulfilling plot, many people within the fandom were left with too many questions. But despite this major downfall, fan accounts stayed up and continued to post.

One of the trending posts being a photo saying this person will not be taking down their account despite the show coming to an end. Continuing to uphold a community through its struggles proves that at the base of this fandom are people who truly care for one another and the show — so much so that it brought them together, to fight against the toxic group that brought the show to an end.

Fandoms are a healthy obsession if they are not taken too far. Their health benefits and emotional support systems are truly uplifting to one’s mental state. While Celebrity Worship Syndrome is a problem within these communities, a fandomer’s goal is not to become overly attached to these digital universes. The goal of a fandom is to build a community where everyone can thrive and build real human connection. Not only to create content for these worlds, but create themselves in the process.

Fan-Fiction Writer One who writes a story involving characters in the show/book/movie/etc.

Fan-Art Creator One who creates art of characters or original characters that somehow connect to that universe

Theorist/Fanon One who pieces together new trailers and old plot to try and discover what will unfold

Roleplayer One who pretends to be within the storyline while writing the storyline with others in a group chat

The Shipper One who wants two or more characters to be together in a relationship

Hatedom-er One who actively takes action against the fandom because they dislike it

OPINION / THE WHIRLWIND 13

THE UNSEEN EDUCATORS Public Education Administrators are under a constant stress that isn’t often acknowledged.

BY Sam Mattingly

T R AV I S S H O L L E N B E R G E R

PUBLIC A D M I N I S T R AT O R S , S P E C I F I C A L LY principals, are seen

as the top of the education chain. Many assume that administrators have this great amount of power and can achieve anything for students or parents, and these administrators just choose not to help. This, however, is untrue.

The school system is a confusing, convoluted machine with innumerable moving parts.

It’s not uncommon for a parent to assume that an administrator has more power than they do. Ken Gilbert, principal of Memorial Middle School, puts it, “I think sometimes parents think that they can just call and we can just fix everything, and that’s just not true.’’

Parents will often feel as though their child should be the most important thing to the school because of how important their child is to them.While all children are important, the reality is that the school district is too busy to focus all attention on one child. Or, if the problem is that a child has a problem with another student, faculty can’t do anything.

They can talk to the parents and the children, but they cannot force a child to change their behavior.

Alternatively, parents can assume that the school is out to get their child. Many times a parent will be reluctant to believe that their child is anything less than an angel, and they’ll stand by their child no matter how overwhelming evidence may be that their child is in the wrong. However, as Gilbert says, “[Administration has] no reason to want to discipline kids. We don’t, like, get enjoyment from it and so if we call, it’s for a reason. The teacher’s not out to get your child.”

Parents, however, aren’t the only ones who harbor an unfair bitterness to administrators. Students 1 4 W H I R LW I N D / N OV E M B E R 20 1 9

oftentimes think administrators are ignoring them or don’t care, when in fact, administrators are simply so busy that they may not know something or may not have time to get to every little thing.

Gilbert shares his perspective, saying, “Something could be happening in the hallway and I could be standing next to it and maybe not ever realize that it happened, but the kid thinks I do, and then they’re mad.”

This kind of situation causes the student to think that their hardships are being ignored

“I think that’s really what makes us frustrated, is we don’t know how to help.”

Tr a c y D a y , L i b e r t y E l e m e n t a r y principal

on purpose, when that’s clearly not the case.

All this, however, does in no way mean that principals harbor negative feelings towards all parents and students. In fact, Gilbert even describes children acting out as them just “being children, and that’s fine.” But these administrators are under a constant stress, with little to no outlets.

Tracy Day, principal of Liberty Elementary school, tells me every staff member in our district gets counseling, there’s five free sessions available to GAPS staff.

Simply put, being an administrator is hard work. And, as Day responded when asked if she ever felt underappreciated, “It’s less about being unappreciated and more about people

just not understanding the stress we’re under.”

Administration doesn’t need pity, just some understanding. They don’t blame students for making them stressed, and they don’t feel angry with the students. They simply feel frustrated with the lack of solutions they often have.

Day explains, “I think that’s really what makes us frustrated, is we don’t know how to help.”

Public school administrators are considered the end all of the school district, but really they have limited time and ability. Asking them to take care of everything is simply unrealistic, and it’s quite uncommon that people understand that.

When it comes to things like policy and budget, the school board makes the decisions. Oftentimes, administration must follow the policy and budget which limits their capabilities. For example, it’s not uncommon for a student to blame the administration or the general district for cheap electronics or not paying to fix the old schools, but, in truth, it’s not really just up to actual school district employees. Their hands are tied.

Additionally, teachers may want administration to do something about a student and when they can’t carry out the action, the teachers will blame the administrator who made the call. However, they’re just following policy. For example, Special Education decisions are driven by state and federal law and school based teams. School administrators have very little control over these things.

All in all, not everything is the administration’s fault. There are things they just can’t complete for students, parents, or teachers, and it’s not just because they don’t care or aren’t trying. There is a system for everything and there are limitations that can’t just be changed to fit everyone’s needs.

IGNORANCE WAS NEVER BLISS We shouldn’t be celebrating 100 years of suffrage without acknoweledging that only white women got the right to vote in 1920.

BY Mandy Howard

W O M E N H AV E B E E N fighting for their rights since 1848. They finally gained a victory on Aug. 18, 1920 when women gained suffrage. Sources like Wikipedia and Our Documents.gov will tell you that all women nationwide gained suffrage that day, but this isn’t true. White women were the only group of people who gained the right to vote in 1920, in every state. Women of color in southern states were denied their suffrage for years after the 19th Amendment was passed.

After another 45 years, it became legal for all colored women to vote. This meant that any United States citizen over the age of 21 could vote, regardless of gender or race. The year 1965 marked a huge turning point in racial equality in the American government. A celebration for 100 years of women’s suffrage would completely disregard all of those who fought for another 45 years to truly allow all women to vote.

While women gaining suffrage was and still is very exciting, it shouldn’t be celebrated without recognizing all of those who weren’t able to practice these rights 100 years ago. A viable solution would be a day of recognition instead of a big celebration for a day in history that never really happened. It’s difficult to find any sources that touch on this issue. If someone looks up when women got the right to vote on Google, their first search results will be from Wikipedia. It says that all women were allowed to vote after the 19th Amendment. This is very misleading, and generally untrue. It’s not uncommon for people to want to Google something for a quick answer and this is the information they will receive. Generally, people don’t search for things on Google because they want to prove the first result wrong.

Every group of women has a different year in

which their right to vote was no longer denied.

For white women, it was pretty easy to practice their new suffrage after the 19th Amendment was passed. Unfortunately, women of color had to wait anywhere from a few years or a few decades after 1920. For example, most Native American women had to wait until the Indian Citizenship Act of 1924 to vote. Until the late 1940s and 1950s, restrictions on Asian-American voting were still very present. Every minority had to fight extremely hard for their right to vote in this country. Some fought for decades after 1920, waiting for the Voting Rights Act to be passed.

The Voting Rights Act allowed all men and women of any race to vote in any state.

Suffrage is a privilege. Generations in the past fought with their entire lives to get this and future generations the right to vote. To celebrate Aug. 18, 2020, as 100 years of nationwide suffrage for women of all races would be to disregard all the people who fought for years after 1920 to get the right to vote. It should be a day to recognize their hard work and acknowledge generations before us who gave us the right to vote. Not with a big parade, but maybe post on your social media about the history of voting rights in America when the anniversary comes up. Even mentioning it to a friend on August 18 of this coming summer could raise awareness for the people in history who deserve to be remembered.

Suffrage is important for any citizen of age in any country to have. Misinformation about this is toxic and ignorant. To stop it from spreading, people need to educate themselves on when they really got the right to vote. Suffragettes deserve recognition for every year that they protested, rallied, and worked for the suffrage of all women in America.

A BRIEF HISTORY OF WOMEN’S ACTIVISM SUFFRAGE According to the National Women’s History Museum The beginning of women fighting for the rights was in 1840. Two women named Lucretia Mott and Elizabeth Cady Stanton were shut out of the World Anti-Slavery convention in London. They then decided to hold a Women’s convention in America.

In 1848, the first ever Women’s Rights Convention was held. It took place in Seneca Falls, New York and was the start of female activism.

In Worcester, Massachusetts, the first national Women’s Rights Convention was held. Big names like Frederick Douglass, Paulina Wright Davis, Abby Kelley Foster, William Lloyd Garrison, Lucy Stone and Sojourner Truth attended the meeting.

An alliance was formed with abolitionists.

In 1866 the American Equal Rights Association was started. They fought for suffrage for every citizen.

Two years later, the 14th Amendment was passed. It wrecked the American Equal Rights Association by causing disagreements about whether or not they should support it Because women were unincluded.

In 1878, Wyoming becomes the first state to allow women to vote. Colorado becomes the second state to allow women to vote in 1893. Idaho was number 3 in 1896, and Washington was number 4 in 1910. Oregon, Kansas, and Arizona join Wyoming, Colorado, and Idaho in allowing women to vote in the year 1912. In 1913, the National Women’s Party is born.

New York passes a law allowing women to vote in 1917. That same year, Arkansas allows women to vote in primary elections. A year later, Michigan, South Dakota, and Oklahoma become the last three states to allow women to vote before the 19th Amendment was passed. In the same year, President Woodrow Wilson publicly stated his support for women’s suffrage.

One year later, in 1920, the 19th Amendment is passed.

OPINION / THE WHIRLWIND 11

BEHIND BELIEFS

Generation gap separates kids’ and parents’ religious beliefs B Y To r i T h o r p a n d N i c o l e W i l l i a m s

QUESTIONING

whether she was religious or not, senior Bailey Filley decided to attend a youth group with her close friend. The stained glass and warm faces welcomed her as she entered the church. Yet nothing really clicked for her. Something seemed off. “What they were telling me just didn’t resonate with me,” says Filley, recalling the days when she was discovering her spirituality.

Pressure on Filley by her Christian parents was the main reason for attending, but there was also curiosity on her part. Six weeks later, she came to the conclusion that there was no connection between her and the church, and she just wasn’t drawn to the idea of being religious.

Religion has been one of the primary principles that have shaped our society today. Countries have risen and fallen, wars started and ended, all due to religious beliefs. Civilization now has been formed through past religious conflict. However, looking at the beliefs of the world’s younger generations, there is a growing religious divide between the youth and adults.

Filley started to drift away from the same idea of religion that the generations before her had be-

“They may criticize or even reject their children as punishment for not remaining in the fold.”

SENIOR Bailey FIlley

1 6 T H E W H I R LW I N D / N OV E M B E R 20 1 9

lieved in. She explored her spirituality and found that- well, she just didn’t feel connected to the idea of an organized religion. Much like Filley, many of the teens at West Albany see religion as something more casual, rather than a force that dictates a person’s life. A survey on students here at West Albany shows that 10.5% of students attend religious services only on holidays, and 19.7% of students attend religious services only a couple of times a year. Seeing religion as a single factor in one’s life instead of the entire reason and purpose for it is one thing that has widened the religious gap between the generations. This gap between parents and children has caused tension in some households, and acceptance in others.

“I’m Christian but I don’t take it as seriously [as my parents],” says junior Bobae Kim, who grew up attending a private school called Albany Christian. “My mom always says that Christianity is a religion that you can’t force people into, so it’s understandable that I’m not super religious like her.”

While some teens choose to distance themselves from their religion, others choose to completely switch religions, converting from the way they were raised to a religion they arrived at on their own terms.

Sophomore Sage Nazarian practices the religion of Wicca, her sister is a Satanist, her mother is an atheist, and her father is Buddhist. She explains, “At first my parents were a little skeptical because [Wicca] is kind of an odd religion, but they have been really supportive. And since our religions have different holidays, we all participate in each other’s holidays. My mom has tried to participate in a couple of spells with me.” As diverse as their

family may be, the Nazarians still find ways to celebrate their differences.

Other parents haven’t been so supportive. Website NextAvenue says, “For some parents with deeply held traditional beliefs, emotions run especially strong on this topic: They may criticize or even reject their children as punishment for not remaining in the fold.”

A junior, who wishes to remain anonymous, explains that they want to be unaffiliated with a religion. Unfortunately, it’s caused conflict within their family. It, “puts a lot of tension [within my family] because I feel like I’m hiding all the time,” they said. “I told them once a year ago and they flat out just said, ‘’no.’ They told me, ‘no, you don’t think that.’” Not much has changed since then. Their parents are a part of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and the anonymous

Q A +

source still attends church with them. After they move out, however, they predict they’ll make a lot of changes to their religious life. “I don’t have another religion in mind, I just plan on kind of doing my own thing. Just figuring out what I want rather than what God wants for me,” they reflected.

The anonymous source is one of seventy eight percent of nonreligious individuals that shed their religious identity once they became an adult.

Many of the reasons ranged from belief in science vs faith, “too many Christians doing non-Christian things,” and lack of evidence.

Teens all over the world are realizing what they want for themselves, instead of the path that has been clearly paved for them by past generations. There are cases where what kids want and what their parents want aren’t the same, but spiritual health is something younger generations are

What is your religion

“I am a Mormon. I’m a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.”

BY Rahima Monahan JUNIOR LAUREN ROSE

Religion has been divided and separated into groups that have misconceptions and stereotypes.

According to Pewresearch.org, a survey conducted in May 2019, 80 percent of American Muslims are subject to religious discrimination, 64 percent of American Jews face discrimination, and half of Americans believe Evangelical Christians are subject to some discrimination. Junior Lauren Rose has been in situations that involved discrimination and being stereotyped. However, she remains proud of being a Mormon and isn’t very bothered by the stereotypes.

Rose showed details to help others grasp a better picture of the stereotypes of her religion.

What is this religion about “We believe in Jesus Christ.

He is our savior and we believe in The Bible and the Book of Mormon. The Book of Mormon is another testimony of Jesus Christ”and it shows his ministry in the Americans. We believe in modern day prophets. It’s the only church that has the full gospel.”

What is it like to be Mormon “ I was born into The Church so I’ve grown up with it. I have seen many blessings in my life as I follow the teachings of both modern, and old profits.”

How do you feel about the stereotypes that are produced “I feel like they limit people’s views. I always find it interesting when people come up with these stereotypes, but I have pride when I get to tell them where they came from and explain to them why they’re not true. I think it’s funny.”

SPECIAL

seeking out. In certain cases, that means drifting away from their family’s religion. Filley shares her words, “looking for what I wanted led me to further understand Christianity and religion, which is super important. But I don’t think we have to rely so much on it [religion] and put the pressure on ourselves.”

Do people confuse your religion with another religion? What do people usually misunderstand “They think that we’re not Christian [but] we obviously are because we believe in Jesus Christ. I definitely think polygamy is definitely one of the ideas misunderstood.”

What are the stereotypes you hear about your religion? Are any of the stereotypes true or false “We can’t have any sort of caffeine, but herbal tea is ok. Because of its addictive nature, we don’t want to be enslaved to their substance. We have many wives, polygamy. It was ended a long time ago. There’s a stereotype that we don’t support same sex relationships. Scripture says that marriage is between a man and a woman, but we will still support you. We’re all innocent, when it really depends on their family. Like I have been sheltered in life, but I know other people who aren’t.”

What do people think when they hear about your religion

“People-wise, they think of [the] stereotypes. Religion-wise, we believe in God. Another one [assumption] is the Book of Mormon.”

SPECIAL / THE WHIRLWIND 17

GIVE A BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF YO U R R E L I G I O N

“Hinduism is, like, we believe in multiple gods, which I would compare to the Romans and Greeks. Whatever you can think of, we have a god for that. We also believe cows are sacred, so we don’t eat cows or beef.”

“Roman Catholicism is a branch of Christianity. We believe in Jesus and everything going along with him, but Catholicism is really centered around the Apostles and some of the saints and a lot of their teachings. We still follow the teachings of Jesus, but we get the added bonus of everything else.”

W H AT A R E SOME COMMON MISCONCEPTIONS A BO U T YO U R R E L I G I O N T H AT AREN’T TRUE

“We don’t wear turbans. That’s a really big one I’d like to get out there. Not all Indians are Hindu, don’t think that all Indians can’t eat beef, because some of us do.

We don’t have traditional Hindu churches, we have temples.”

“Some common misconceptions are that we’re crazy strict, homophobes, and that we’re pedophiles, but I feel like in any workspace where there are children and adults, pedophilia can be tied to it.”

“The common misconceptions have to do with the basis for antisemitism, that somehow Jewish people are wicked or just snobby and interested in wealth. I don’t think that’s the case at all.”

H AV E Y O U B E E N B U L L I E D FO R YO U R RELIGION

“No it’s not really bullying, it’s just me and my friends joking around with each other.”

“I get the common jokes.

Sometimes people think it’s weird I go to confirmation on Sundays, but I don’t let it get to me, but I do know that there are a lot of people who are dying because they’re Roman Catholic.”

“I haven’t been discriminated against or bullied for being Jewish, but I’m concerned these days because when you see that there are Synagogues where people are being killed for being Jewish... Our country is not as safe as it has been, so I guess it’s something I am concerned about.”

“The whole basis of it is forgiveness. We have confessions twice a week. There’s a part in our mass where we go, ‘Through my faults, through my faults, through my most grievous faults I ask for your hand in forgiveness.’ A good way to think about it is to think you have a backpack, and for every sin you commit is like putting a rock into that backpack, and at confession, you just take it off, then put a new one on.”

“I am so dedicated to eating very nutritious food, and that’s consistent with the Jewish religion.

Maybe some folks don’t understand the restrictions on what you can eat as a Jewish person, so I think that other folks of the Jewish religion would be appreciative of other people knowing this.”

W H AT I S SOMETHING NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT YO U R R E L I G I O N

“We don’t wear turbans, so don’t come at me like, ‘Oh, where’s your turban at?’ because I don’t wear one, and there’s more than one race that celebrates Hinduism.”

MY FAITH

“It’s based upon the Old Testament, without the New Testament. A lot of it is based upon the Ten Commandments, which can be some wonderful guidelines in terms of how to lead your life.”

BY Brogan O’Hare

Two students and a staff member answer a few questions related to their individual religions in hopes of replacing misconceptions with truth.

1 8 T H E W H I R LW I N D / N OV E M B E R 20 1 9

HINDU Sophomore Nishant Vashisht

JEWISH

ROMAN CATHOLIC Sophomore Andrew Craig

Substitute Teacher Max White

H

H

FINDING FA I T H Seniors Lucy Kratka and Bethany Marteeny laugh in the middle of a study on Nov. 16 at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

HANNAH FIELD

HAPPIER Senior Lucy Kratka’s change in faith has also changed her life

BY Hannah Field

S H E S I T S P AT I E N T LY , a genuine smile crossing her face, surrounded by friends in a chapel filled with people dressed in neat clothing.

Dresses, ties, and bows in their hair; it’s obvious she belongs. But senior Lucy Kratka didn’t always fit in so seamlessly.

“There was no point,” senior Lucy Kratka says about how she felt about religion growing up. “I had bunches of friends who would invite me to Church and I would go sometimes, but I never thought too much about it.”

Things have changed since then. Her perspective has shifted and now, at 17 years old, Kratka’s been investigating in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, calling herself Mormon and a soon-to-be member.

Kratka was turned away by the prospect of religion. She went to church growing up, but as her parents fizzled out of it, so did she. With a father who was raised Jewish and a mother who was raised Christian, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was never an option.

“The biggest thing that attracted me to The Church was the idea of eternal life and eternal families,” she said. “After you and your mortal body die, you get resurrected and you live in a perfect life with whoever you get [sealed to], which is really nice because I love that idea of eternal family and having the people you love with you at all times.” “[Something] that stands out about our faith is our belief that when we get married, we’re married for time and all eternity,” confirmed Bishop

Zachary Jensen, the Bishop of the Takena Ward in Albany. “We believe that the family unit doesn’t end at death.”

When Kratka began going to church, it was the summer before her senior year. She was 16. Once she started going, she described the experience in The Church as very welcoming—she felt like she belonged. According to the Bishop, there are 200400 members of the Takena Ward and around 150200 of whom attend on a regular basis. Throughout Albany, there are around 1600 church members divided into the four congregations present.

It was because of her friends that Kratka took an interest and began reading the Book Of Mormon.“A lot of my friends were Mormon, then I was just hanging out with them for a long time, and I just realized what their beliefs were, I started reading the Book of Mormon and realized I believe in a lot of the beliefs they have,” Kratka stated. “I decided to go to church and investigate a bit more.”

“I think she’s become a happier person.”

BISHOP Zachary Jensen

“Lucy’s investigating our Church, and she’s had a varied upbringing and religious experience,” Bishop Jensen said. “We encourage all of our members to really come to their own testimony of the gospel.”

As encouraged, Kratka says she has looked into her religion and forged a connection between herself and her Savior. It took her three months to decide that she was Mormon and wanted to follow the principles set by The Church of Jesus Christ of

Latter-day Saints. While The Church has concepts very similar to Christianity, and all Mormons are Christians, there are a few differences that both the Bishop and Kratka recognize.

They read the King James version of the Bible as they believe it is the most accurate translation.

The Book of Mormon is another testament of Jesus Christ and includes lessons about his existence.

“At the very end of the Book of Mormon, it says that if you read these things and ask with a sincere heart if the words are true, then you will be told by the power of the Holy Ghost that they are,” Bishop Jensen said.

Kratka had been encouraged to do so. “I visited with our missionaries a few times and [after] talking to them, they asked me to pray and ask God if this Church was true and [if] it was meant for me to join, and I did that, and just through feelings of positivity toward The Church, it made me realize I do believe in this,” she said. “This is what’s meant for me.”

While her determination and loyalty is present, Kratka is still unable to enter the Temple, which is considered different from The Church itself. The Church holds Sacrament Meetings and lessons, while events like Sealings happen at the Temple.

To enter the Temple, you must meet certain qualifications. Those qualifications begin with being baptized. The Bishop has to determine if a candidate is worthy of entry, and on top of that, they must be a full member, which Kratka is not.

“I haven’t been allowed to join yet because my parents have to consent. I would be converting from not having a religion to becoming a member,” Kratka said.

Kratka’s parents were against her investigating The Church, but allowed her the freedom to choose what she wants to do when she’s a legal adult. However, her struggle still remains. “When someone’s being so negative about something you believe in, you don’t really want to listen to them,” Kratka said. “But they’re your parents, so you have to listen to them.”

Often, conversations about her religion were sitdown family talks. They involved Kratka expressing her feelings. “My mom would respond,” she answered. “Not always positively, but she would respond.”

Though efforts were made to contact Kratka’s parents, they declined to comment.

While the religion impacts Kratka’s family, it also directly impacts her and who she is. She thinks she’s become a better person. Through The Church, her goals have been worked on and even accomplished. Kratka’s religion reminds her to stay hopeful, but also connected to the world and people around her.

“She’s nice,” stated Kratka’s close friend, South Albany senior Brady Tannapa. “It’s noticeable she likes being Mormon.”

“I think that it has been pretty obvious to me that Lucy has really grown quite a bit in her relationship with her Savior while she’s been with us,” Bishop Jensen said. “I think she’s become a happier person.”

SPECIAL / THE WHIRLWIND 19

A GUIDE TO

GAMEDAY

B Y C A L E B H A R T & E W A N M U R R AY

How do athletes and coaches from different sports prepare for a game? a stepping stone that all teams must undergo to fully experience and succeed in their sport. The way players and coaches prepare for a game can differ; however, some make sure to get lots of sleep and others watch their diet. It depends on the person and the sport they play.

For varsity boys soccer coach Kevin Branigan, focusing on ways his players and himself can get better is his ultimate goal. Branigan mentioned the importance of game footage, saying that they watch “at least once a week, depending on what [they] have available at the time.”

When asked about changing routines for a specific game, he went on to talk about how in high school it wouldn’t be ideal for the players, considering the short time between their games, which doesn’t allow the players enough time to rest.

“Wednesdays can be pretty relaxed,” Branigan said, “and Fridays are almost meaningless.” He’s always trying to give his players’ bodies enough time to recover between games, often making it tough to fit intense practices in once games begin.

For a player, preparation may be slightly different, with their focus obviously being on playing the game instead of coaching it. For varsity girls soccer player Bethany Marteeny, she’s more focused on being calm and relaxed.

“I just try to get a lot of sleep,” Marteeny said, “and I try to get my homework done.” For a player like Marteeny, getting rid of her other stressors is key to being focused on any upcoming games.

“I never want to do homework if we win, and I really never want to do it if we lose.”

Marteeny, however, isn’t the only one that likes things to be ready ahead of time. JV and varsity volleyball player sophomore Sydney Harrington spends the night before a game making sure her entire uniform is ready to go for the following day. Harrington will then spend time watching film from games or going through a notebook with inspiring quotes before going to bed.

While both these players have similar routines, they both keep their diets healthy for separate reasons.

“I cramp kind of easily,” Marteeny said. “I try to eat peanut butter banana toast four hours before a game. Po-

An essential part of many athletes’ pregame routine is music. It’s been scientifically proven to enhance athletic ability. According to research done by Sport & Exercise Psychology Professor Costa Karageorghis, music affects the parietal lobe, the occipital lobe, temporal lobe, frontal lobe, and the cerebellum, which all have to do with athletic performance. It can affect the part of the brain that regulates emotions and moods. Perhaps the most important thing music can do for us is to distract our minds from the pain that vigorous exercise can sometimes bring.

While it may seem obvious at first that sleep is important, there are some hidden benefits for athletes. According to The National Sleep Foundation, basketball players who get 10 hours of sleep can “boost their speed by five percent - and their accuracy by nine percent.” Other added bonuses include: boosts in alertness, mood, coordination, and an increase in intensity. This is because your body recovers its muscle and tissue while you’re asleep, and is key in creating muscle movement.

G A M E P R E P A R AT I O N I S

20 THE WHIRLWIND /November 2019

tassium and all that.”

Harrington doesn’t have a specific reason like Marteeny, instead she focuses on her diet for general health.

“I just try to stay healthy.” Harrington said, “Obviously I have cheat days where I’m gonna want some popcorn, but I’m just trying to stay healthy.”

Different from other athletes, Natalie Baas plays her sport in water. Playing for the girls varsity water polo team, Baas prepares mentally for a game by talking to her mom and her sister who help calm her down. She makes sure to get lots of sleep the night before and tries to relax moments before the game as a way to calm her nerves.

She also said that she, “makes sure to drink lots of water before playoffs or state.”

These things all together help Baas perform at her best and her nutrition helps her feel her best before playing in those high stake games.

All these athletes and coaches may have their own ways of getting physically and mentally ready, but teammates can also have a huge impact on how the team feels going into a game. The most notable pregame tradition is from the volleyball team.

“We’d always before the games go into the team room and have little dance parties,” Harrington explains, “we’d always get hyped up.”

This comradery between teammates can create chances for teams to do great things. Teams and individuals create routines that help enhance their performance and allow them to perform at their very best.

Finding out what helps one calm their nerves and prepare mentally and physically is a major obstacle that must be surpassed, but can have unintentional effects that help the individual and the team in the long run.

Diet, in today’s world of fatty foods and refined sugars, is one of the hardest things for anyone to control properly.

With this being said, it is important for athletes to maintain a healthy diet in order to feel and perform at their best.

According to one nutritionist, Kait Fortunato, complex carbohydrates and protein is beneficial. Fortunato states, “Healthy eating is important for high energy levels throughout the day and proper sleep at night.” Healthy eating doesn’t just give the added boost of energy, but helps with better sleeping habits.

SPORTS

For parts 2 & 3 of this thematic series, go to WahsWhirlwind.com

KEVIN BRANIGAN

Kevin Branigan is the coach of the varsity boys soccer team. When asked what thoughts are put into practice routines Branigan stated, “Coaches discuss things and build plans off of that, to address our biggest weaknesses.” To Branigan, rest is a very important factor to soccer and to the players. He also finds that watching not only his own team, but other teams as well, can help with upcoming games.

BETHANY MARTEENY

SYDNEY HARRINGTON

Senior Bethany Marteeny plays for the girls varsity soccer team. For Marteeny, sleep and homework are the top priorities so that she doesn’t have anything to worry about the night of the game. When asked about nervousness, Marteeny explained that, “I actually had a couple of games this season I threw up before...” showing her high anxieties before games.

Sophomore Sydney Harrington plays JV and varsity volleyball. For her, organization is key.

She likes to make sure everything is prepared the night before, her jerseys, shoes, knee pads, etc. When asked if she gets nervous, Harrington replies, “Always, but it’s not a bad nervous.” As she stated, it is her wanting to win that makes her nervous, ensuring that she always performs at her best.

N ATA L I E BAAS

Junior Natalie Baas plays varsity water polo. For Baas, sleep and focus are what is most important when getting ready for a game. “I will always try to go to bed early,” said Baas, “and I usually always put my phone away for a while.” She also mentioned that she gets anxious if she doesn’t have time to relax before a game. To Baas getting mentally prepared is very key for her sport.

SPORTS / THE WHIRLWIND 21

CORBIN CELLERINI

YO U WA L K BY A ST U D E N T I N

PLAY, PROMOTE, GET PAID

the hallway wearing a steel gray Seattle Seahawks Russel Wilson jersey with a light gray three outlined in neon green. Another student passes, wearing a replica National Women’s Soccer player Alex Morgan jersey. But have you ever seen someone in a jersey worn by a college athlete? No, only by professional athletes. Well that’s prone to change.

On Jan. 1, 2023, Senate Bill No. 206 will be in effect, prohibiting California colleges from penalizing athletes if they advertise their name or likeness for payment. The National Collegiate Athletic Association, or NCAA, has told all colleges in the three divisions to consider updating their laws that previously banned such contracts in order to protect and maintain a balanced environment between students and the way they play. The new law, voted and approved unanimously on Sept. 30 this year, allows Californian athletes to promote businesses and products by using their name, uniform, and image to get

BY Melia Rasmussen paid.

The day when all colleges allow their athletes to get contracted with the businesses or booster clubs that support the athletes or sport, causing the athlete not to gain paid is a ways to come, for this decision will be a long money, but they can gain audience appreciation. process to finalize. But when asked whether or not he This new law has intrigued some, but it also raises would do a contract like this when he gets in college, some questions. Health teacher and head football coach sophomore Autzen Perkins said, “Yeah, I’d sign up for Brian Mehl brings up a it. I think it’s a good thing good point: How are you because as a young athlete going to pay the athletes that probably doesn’t know equally? What factors how to get their name out would a college consider there [it’s important to] or even ignore when decidtalk to these big organizaing who gets paid for what tions.” This Bill could be and why? For example, a new opportunity for stuattempting to pay college dent athletes, as the NCAA athletes equal amounts for rules previously stated that advertising regardless of no college athletes may what gender one identifies receive revenue for adverwith may cause some istising, no matter their diviP AT R I C K R I C H A R D S sues seeing as the pay gap sion or scholarship.

AT H L E T I C D I R E C T O R in professional sports is Already colleges profit already extremely unbaloff the athletes that attend anced. Mehl was a five-year football player, remarking their school as fans pay for tickets and other merchandise tied to the sports and events. The athletes work hard to that Division Three athletes play the game because they play their best to support themselves in the game and at loved the sport and it wasn’t for any advantages in popthe university. The difference is that the athletes are not ularity or because you might get money along with it.

A new law opens a wave of possibility for college athletes to commercialize their likeness for revenue

“Any sport, especially team sports, it takes more than just one person to be successful.”

2 2 T H E W H I R LW I N D / N OV E M B E R 20 1 9

“If you’re on a team and you’re getting paid a lot of money, but your teammate isn’t getting paid any money at all, is that fair?” Athletic Director Patrick Richards asks. “Any sport, especially team sports, it takes more than just one person to be successful.” A team is not just comprised of one specific role for everyone, or one person doing everyone else’s job. There is structure, communication, and teammates who have each other’s back.

But there are also hardships.

“I thought it was cool,” Perkins said, “because sometimes people struggle in life and money is part of their struggle.” Business contracts may put a strain on team dynamics, but for college students, who may not have any other source of income besides a possible scholarship or part-time job, advertising is a viable option for them.

If some colleges didn’t offer the athletes to contract with businesses, that could change a person’s perspective towards attending a certain school simply because the law isn’t allowed for student athletes. Giving the privilege to advertise is up to the state governor and college Chancellor to decide, but competing with other colleges that have passed the law may prove difficult when recruiting athletes.

“I think a lot of colleges won’t [consider this law] because they don’t want their players to be part of something that could actually be negative,” Perkins said. The law won’t be in effect for three more years, specifically so that colleges and states have time to decide and rewrite their bylaws if necessary to adjust and make up their minds on this new upcoming change. Whether or not college athletes are given the opportunity to get paid for their likeness nationwide is still up for debate.

“We’re opening up Pandora’s Box,” said Mehl, “For every person that says work is fair, you’ll find two people that say it’s foul. There’s a lot of issues from mascots, to gender, to the finances of it, there’s a lot of gray area.”

There is no right or wrong answer in this debate of college athletes getting paid, for every college athlete has their own situations and every state has their differences, so regardless of whether the law works well or not, it will not be the same nationwide. Nothing is for certain yet on how much the rules of the NCAA could change, for better, for worse, or for indifference.

WHATS IN MY Senior Haily Greening directs us through her softball bag

BAG

Strike zone plate. For working on that sweet spot

BY Jonathan Perkins

Catching helmet.

Not used for actual catching

Face mask infield. Has seen action

The typical hydro. The ugliest one she owns

Knee pad. For protection of the legs.

It’s the bees knees

Knee pad but for the other leg. Wards off pain

Cleats. The intent of cleets is obvious.

Very dirty, once white.

Chestplate for catching.

Prefered to be hit with it on

MY WORST STORY Junior Aiden Paul tells about his story of woe T H E I D E A W A S pondered for about 30

seconds upon asking, digging into his brain to find the memory.

“Oh okay,” junior Aiden Paul said plainly.

Paul was on vacation in San Diego a week before his state tournament. He ended up breaking his fifth metatarsal on the trip, the bone connecting the ankle with the little toe.

“I couldn’t walk for like two days. Got me a brace.” Then there was a pause, “Don’t use that one” Okay, scratch that, gone. Forget that last one.

Same general time. 7th grade summer, nationals in Sacramento. He’s the youngest one there competing at the ripe age of 13.

“To place all American you have to place 8th.” Paul very much wanted all American. Everyone wants all American. Paul does track, and he throws, he throws really really good.

He’s up to throw, the goal is simple, throw far.

That’s really the goal for everyone throwing but for that moment, it was bold in Aiden’s mind.

“I scratched my first two.” All that needed to be known about that is, it was very bad.

He got a decent third throw. He was in a three way tie and because he scratched his first two, he got the bad end of the stick. Ninth place was awarded to Aiden, one away from what was actually wanted.

“I walked out of there and I was crying. If [I’d]literally thrown one centimeter longer.”

A random man then approached Aiden giving him a pep talk. The rest of the day ended up being a drive home with “eight hours of me looking at the window.”

Two years later he comes back and places second. Lesson learned.

Softball bat.

Used to hit softballs that aren’t soft

SPORTS / THE WHIRLWIND 23

PLA

ING

How do students juggle being a part of West Albany’s band and playing one or more sports?

THE

field

Junior Gabriel Ayala doesn’t share the same experinerds, jocks, ence as Montgomery. Ayala describes the sacrifices he preps, athletes, goths, band geeks, and burnouts, but has to make for his activities. does anyone actually fit into just one of those boxes?

“I had to choose between going to California for Most people are three dimensional. You can’t give them water polo and staying here for a band festival,” Ayala a one-word label, and they can’t fit into just one group. said.

For example, West Albany’s band and choir have a lot Ayala plays saxophone in band, is on the swim team, of athletes playing one or more sports. and participates in Maybe the stereotype water polo. that someone can’t be an “You do have to athlete and a band geek make compromises stems from the idea that here and there. someone can’t have the There’s bound time to do both. Junior to be a big Zane Montgomery says tournament or while all his activities keep ISABEL VETTER JUNIOR state on the his days packed, he has same day,” said time to juggle all of them.

Ayala. “You just Montgomery is in choir and band at West Albany, kind of have to pick and choose which ones you and HE plays cello for a separate orchestra program. He want to do.” also plays water polo and is on the swim team. When Ayala’s daily routine reflects all of his activasked if the activities ever interfered, Montgomery said ities.

Ayala has a zero period for jazz band that not really. starts at 6:40 a.m., and after that he goes to his “I mean, the teachers can all talk with the coaches, classes.

Then he goes straight to practice after so they keep [interfering] from happening,” said Montschool until five, when he’ll then either go back gomery. “There’s been some long days, though, where to school to practice for band or home to get I’ll go from school, to practice, to a game, to a concert. homework done.

The process will repeat the Which is crazy.” next day.

Luckily Montgomery said that band and choir don’t Ayala has a different motivation for take time outside of school besides concerts because he each activity. He swims for can practice at home, but that doesn’t mean his daily the workout and routine isn’t packed. Montgomery goes from school because he’s comto practice, then straight home to work on homework petitive at it. before going to bed.

Junior IsBoth music and sports give Montgomery an outlet abel for stress and an opportunity to forget about any responsibilities. All of Montgomery’s activities also give him a great sense of accomplishment and prove to him that all of his hard work pays off.

I N M OV I E S W E S E E

“So you just socialize so much, and that’s really fun.”

2 4 T H E W H I R LW I N D / N OV E M B E R 20 1 9

BY Gabrielle Budlong

Vetter is a swimmer and has been her whole life. Vetter also plays french horn, trumpet, and piano.

“We’ll have swim meets on Tuesday usually, and band concerts are also on Tuesday,” said Vetter. “So I either can’t go to the meet, or I have to leave early.”

Vetter said leaving early isn’t as much of a problem because swimming is so tiring, but it can be hard sometimes

SWIM TRUNKS

CORK GREASE

“I definitely see music in my future... and I would like to keep water polo along.”

Z A N E M O N TG O M E RY J U N I O R

to juggle all of her activities. She even adds more to her routine.

“I’m on a club team during the summer, when it’s not high school season,” Vetter said, “and I lift weights in the morning Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at the Y. It’s really early, but I love lifting weights, so it’s fine.”

The athlete and musician wakes up at 5:30, lifts weights from 6-7 a.m., then

goes to school, to practice, and finally home to practice her instruments, do homework, and go to bed. If you weren’t already impressed, she’s also an artist and even teaches french horn lessons to middle schoolers on Sundays.

“It’s a good experience for me,” Vetter said, “I also have my own lesson on Sunday, and I’m part of this horn choir at OSU. So I’m playing with college kids, which is super fun.”

Both swimming and band give Vetter a chance to socialize, but she also swims for the satisfaction she

feels after a workout or a meet.

“There’s so many awesome people on the swim team and in band and stuff,” said Vetter. “I just meet so many awesome people. Going to swim meets you meet new people, and then going to festivals for band it’s new people. So you just socialize so much, and that’s really fun.”

Despite her lack of free time and insanely packed schedule, she wouldn’t have it any different.

“It’s nice to be active and doing stuff,” said Vetter, “so I’m not going to sit around and just be depressed or something.”

SPORTS / THE WHIRLWIND 25

H.I.I.T.ING HARD High intensity interval training is a new style of workout that many athletes at WAHS use, but what is it?

BY CLOEY MARSH

T H R E E T O F I V E 60 minute exercises a

Athletes like junior Anthony Sweat have been in week, that’s what you need, but is this realistic for Loren’s H.I.I.T. workouts since the summer. high schoolers and their busy schedules? H.I.I.T “Before, I could run and get tired right away,” is an up and coming style of workout that is sav- said Sweat. “With Loren’s workouts, it improves ing high schoolers the time they don’t have. This your lung capacity; it makes you better.” workout is a way of getting in your recommended “It takes me four months to prepare two months workouts in a quarter of the time as normal. of workouts,” said Loren, “because there’s so H.I.I.T, or high intensity interval training, is much science and variable that goes into it.” a recently and highly popularized style of workLoren uses his knowledge of anatomy to figure out that only requires 10 minutes every other day. out what is the best way to get athletes in better Interval training means there is a very short or shape and help them in the sport that they are in. non-existent rest time built in a session. The work- He plans workouts for volleyball in the summer, outs are a mix of cardio as well with his main and strength training, priority being the footgiving 100 percent efball team. His priority fort all the time, if you will switch to wrestling want the intended recome winter season. sults.

CrossFit is another Students here at style of workout that WAHS participate in correlates with H.I.I.T. H.I.I.T. without knowThey both use the same ing it. Athletes who R YA N L I N D S AY S O P H O M O R E style of different exerparticipate in football, cises within a workout, volleyball, and wreswith the major differtling are doing H.I.I.T. with assistant football ence being that CrossFit is a longer session and coach of the year Linden Loren’s planned work- doesn’t have the constant intensity. outs. Loren uses workouts he plans months in ad“Loren knows what he’s doing,” says Sweat. “If vance.

I had the knowledge that he has, I would be doing this myself outside of the season.”

FEEL THE BORN Q&A with health teacher Jennifer Bornheimer Q: What is CrossFit? A: Crossfit is a combination of metabolic conditioning and strength training.

Q: What are some typical myths about CrossFit? A: People who do it become extremely muscley or bulky.

Q: Why did you start doing it?

A: I was doing half marathons, and I was just perpetually injured.

Q: What makes it different than other forms of exercises?

A: The community component, knowing that I’m going through the same thing the person next to me is.

“Loren makes us stronger and he will push you to your limits”

I S I T H . I . I . T ? H E R E A R E T H R E E Q U I C K FACTS A BO U T T H E T R A I N I N G It boosts your metabolism

It can improve oxygen consumption

C L O Edon’t Y M A R Sneed H You equipment

For a few hours after your workout your metabolic rate will be higher

After a few weeks of H.I.I.T. training your muscles will have better oxygen consumption

When doing H.I.I.T. you can do any action without going to a gym or leaving your home

2 6 T H E W H I R LW I N D / N OV E M B E R 20 1 9

WHAT’S THE TIK TOK?

ARTS

What is TikTok and why is it so popular for teens?

BY Karissa Lamonte

5 9 . 2 P E R C E N T of West Albany’s students said they use TikTok, 32.9 percent said they make their own TikToks. What is TikTok and why are today’s teens so attracted to it?

On Jan. 24, 2013, Vine was launched on iOS devices, It later became available to android users on June 2nd, 2013. Vine was a video sharing app like TikTok, but rather than up to 15 seconds of recording time, Vine had six seconds. Within a few months of Vine’s release, it had already become the most used video sharing application there was, reaching 40 million users by it’s seventh month.

Vine was a video sharing application used by most pre-teens from 2013 to 2017. Now 51.3 percent of West Albany students say they used Vine during their preteens, those preteens being in their late teens today. After Vine was shut down, Musical. ly, a separate video sharing application, remained on the app store.

Musical.ly had the same concept as Vine and Tik Tok, a video sharing app, but rather than skits and jokes, Musical.ly was more about lip-syncing with occasional hand maneuvers. The overall layout of Musical.ly and the simplicity of uploading a video correlates with TikTok today and is one reason why it’s popular among teens.

TikTok was released in Sept. 2016, owned by the Beijing-based tech company, ByteDance.

ByteDance later acquired Musical.ly for $1 billion in Nov. 2017, making TikTok gain more popularity due to Musical.ly being essentially swept under the rug.

Vine, Musical.ly, and TikTok, all gained popularity due to their simplistic layouts and their base concept, an app for young people to express themselves with short videos using comedy, art, dance, singing, skits, and more. All three platforms have a target audience of 18 and under, hence the large number of teens downloading and using Tik Tok today.

Bryant Farnes Jaxon Shufelberger Seniors

Do you use Tik Tok?

Jaxon: Yeah, all the time.

Hamish Bradley Senior Do you use TikTok? Hamish: Yeah.

How many followers do you guys have?

How many followers do you have?

Hamish: Like ten.

Bryant: A little over a thousand, it’s only because one of my videos blew up.

Did you use Vine as a preteen?

Hamish: No, kinda cringe.

Jaxon: Definetly less than him, I have 64.

Do you feel like Vine and TikTok somehow relate?

Hamish: Yeah, they’re pretty similar.

Did you guys use Vine in your preteens?

Jaxon: I watched Vine, I watched Logan Paul a little bit. Now I watch Vine compilations on Youtube.

Why do you think TikTok has gotten so popular?

Hamish: Probably because it’s very easy to use, you basically just scroll.

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Phone: (541) 926-3988 Elizabeth Bobe E N T E R TA I N M E N T / T H E W H I R L W I N D 2 7

IMMATURE AUDIENCE Rude humor and dark disturbing scenes, yet still attractive to the teen audience at West ­— what makes an adult cartoon captivating to those who aren’t their target audience?

BY Malachi Murphy and Cole Bakely

esting, “otherwise you’re going to be bored.

A D U LT C A R T O O N S L I K E Family He feels that teens get the most advertising Guy, The Simpsons, and King of The Hill for adult cartoons for their constant conhave cemented the genre as a powerful influencer in the lives of young adults over the nectedness we have to each other. He even expressed that because of this Adult cartoons course of our childhood, but recently it has become more and more apparent they’ve had will continue to become even more and more graphic. more than a small impact on our everyday “When south park first came out, and that culture and lives as well. Here at West our was over the staff use them as top, people a modem to make “Because a lot of kids wanted it us more engaged banned, bein class, or simply will not understand the cause it was just a source of so absurd. entertainment in our language, they don’t Then you and their lives alike. understand the complexity watch the But why is it that and severity of it.” first season us, an age group of South between fourteen K Y L E H A L L P SYC H O L O GY T E AC H E R Park and and eighteen, are so you’re like, captivated by these compared to dark, crude animatwhat it is now; nothing. It is only going to ed series intended for the minds of adults? get worse, because we are more immune to Psychology teacher, Kyle Hall, believes things. Even with basic violence on TV [...] I teens are attracted to adult cartoons for their feel like we are all desensitized, dark and edgy humor. “Kids just like and so cartoons are only that edgy stuff.” going to get more He said it’s what keeps it inter-

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PAU L I N O ’ S TOP 5

Archer

2

Big Mouth

3

Family Guy

4

S e n i o r P a u l i n o Av a l o s portrayed in the style of Archer by Maggie Bedrin 28 THE WHIRLWIND / MONTH 2018

intense and more violent than they already are.”

However, Hall doesn’t view it all as a bad thing. He commented on more mature and aware teens in our world, for one because of our interconnectedness as well as our confrontation with adult content on a regular basis.

When it comes to younger children though, Hall says it could be a “detriment” “Because a lot of kids will not understand the language, they don’t understand the complexity and severity of it.”

Considering that while a child is still young, they soak up all the information they can. If they are gaining their information from bad media, they can become comfortable with bad language and ideas. For example, Hall used his daughter as an example, saying she may learn a song with bad words from the radio or TV and then repeat it, not knowing the harm in its lyrics until after she is told.

“I think that if a kid doesn’t have a good connection with what is real and what is appropriate. That will absolutely be a detriment.”

American Dad

5

South Park

“Around middle school is when I started watching them more. They would be on in the background but ... I could actually understand the jokes [in middle school].”

“My earliest memories were probably of watching King of the Hill when I was like six or seven, just watching it with my parents.”

SAM’S TOP 5

1

Bo-Jack Horseman

2

King Of the Hill

3

Rick and Morty

4

Junior Samuel White, portrayed in the st yle of Bo-Jack Horseman

by Karissa Lamonte

Beavis and Butthead

5

South Park

Why do teens like adult cartoons?

“They’re just funny, and I also feel like they can address a lot of political matters and problems in the world. I like that they [adult cartoons] draw attention to these problems and they joke about them, but you can still identify things that make you laugh.”

SENIOR Paulino Av a l o s

“They [adult cartoons] make fun of politics a lot and a lot of people like that.”

“Adult cartoons offer a lot of stuff. They offer humor, one of their main focuses, but they also offer deep, thought provoking ideas that kind of make you think about your life.”

SOPHOMORE Walken Reid

JUNIOR Samuel White

WA L K E N ’ S TOP 5

Rick and Morty Bob’s Burgers South Park

Futurama The Simpsons

5

4

3

“[Adult cartoons] have humor that isn’t dumbed down, and its [humor] won’t be in any way childish unless it’s intentionally childish.”

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Sophomore Walken Reid, portrayed in the style of Rick and Morty By Karissa Lamonte SECTION / THE WHIRLWIND 29

GIVING MY THANKS Here’s what people are thankful for this Thanksgiving

THE FIRST

BY Eleanor Peterson

THANKSGIVING

TURKEY TRADITIONS “I’m thankful for all the friends that I have this year and all my family. Things are going pretty well right now and they’re all there for me. It’s by nature [that] JUNIOR Jenna Scott humans are social creature,so if you’re just all alone all the time, [if] you don’t really have friends or family, you just don’t feel very good, . . . when you’re surrounded by people who care about you and who you care about, then it just . . . it makes everything 10 times better.”

SOPHOMORE Fergus Stewart

“Since my family comes from Scotland ,we’ve [eaten haggis] since I was a little kid and . . . before I was born. It’s just been a thing we do in my family.

People don’t like it. They think it’s really gross when they first hear about it, but they’ve never really given it a chance. I would like [to continue this tradition], I just don’t know if I’ll be able to cook it as good as my mom.”

F O L L O W I N G T H E F I R S T harvest

in October, 1621 is a date commonly called “The First Thanksgiving.” It celebrates the union between the first European settlers and the Native Americans. While this was considered a great achievement, it wasn’t quite the cheerful time we now experience in the modern day.

“The colonists and the Native Americans who are believed to have sat for that first Thanksgiving,” said social studies teacher Todd Zimmermann, “were engaged in a pretty hot dispute for territory surrounding that part of the colonies.”

While we celebrate the pilgrims, we forget the impact European settlement had on the Native Americans.

“As with most history, you need to understand that there are many points of view, many sides to the story,” Zimmermann explains, “and that if you really want to understand the true meaning of something, your should do a little research.”

Over the last couple of years though, Thanksgiving has strayed from it’s original purpose.

It’s become much more commercialized, Zimmermann commented. It’s become so that the original event plays a much smaller part in the festivities. It’s not all bad, though. He says it’s made it a lot easier to simply enjoy the event and celebrate it the way you choose.

Social studies teacher Marty Johnston said it’s important to remember why we celebrate Thanksgiving. “I think it’s just an important time period to step back and look at the things that you really do have, and be thankful for those,” he said. “And then if you are blessed enough to be able to help out and give a hand to some of those who don’t have as much as you do.”

“I’m really thankful for the small stuff, like just the way a blanket smells and things like that. . . because it seems like people are always S O P H O M O R E I z z y H a r w o o d trying to make it this big extravagant thing that everyone should be envious of, but it’s really just a lot of small stuff that keeps you going. I’ve had times in my life that were really hard, [and] I’ve learned to appreciate small stuff to keep me going instead of looking for . . . this giant miracle to save me.”

S O P H O M O R E N i s h a n t Va s h i s h t

“I eat chole bhature, which is an Indian dish. It’s kind of like fried bread with yogurt. Some garbanzo beans. It’s really tasty. My family, we’re mostly vegetarian so we don’t eat turkey. I like it [more than turkey]. It’s just more flavorful.”

GOBBLER GRUB We asked 104 students what their favorite Thanksgiving food was and here was their response.

1% Cranberries 2% Green Beans

23.8% Mashed Potatoes

6.9% Gravy

8.9% Sweet Potatoes 15.8% Turkey 11.9% Stuffing

14.9% Pumpkin Pie

14.9% Rolls I l l u s t r a t i o n s b y To r i T h o r p

3 0 W H I R LW I N D / N OV E M B E R 20 1 9

MORE THAN A FAN

W H O I S S TA N ?

The well known word “stan,” which is used to describe a person who is an obsessed fan of someone or something, originated from the song “Stan” by rap artist Eminem, featuring Dido. In the song, Eminem sings the words from several letters that an overly obsessed fan named Stan has sent him over a long period of time.

How social media has heavily affected teenager’s infatuation with celebrities, TV shows and more

By Abigail Winter

Drafts

Tweet

Everyone is a fan of something. Whether it be of a TV show, music artist, actor, or anything else in the realm of media, everyone appreciates someone or something artistically, technologically or creatively. But some people take their support and turn it into something more.

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W H AT I S Y O U R O P I N I O N O N T E E N A G E R S W H O S TA N THINGS?

H O W T O B E A “ H E A LT H Y ” S TA N with sophomore Josh Hales

Isaac Benfield SENIOR

“I don’t think it’s a good thing for teenagers to stan something.

Especially [when] we’re at that age where we’re forming our opinions; we’re forming our personality and our beliefs. I don’t think it’s a healthy behavior to be so invested in a group or a person, because you’re probably going to take into liking who they are, and they will have a big hand in forming your [opinions], and that might not always be the right way to go, in my eyes. ... It’s been flipped in such a way [where] it’s a good thing to stan something, and I don’t think it’s a good thing. [Stanning someone or something] was orginally a bad thing [that] brought awareness to these bad behaviors.”

As a Mariah Carey stan, Josh Hales knows exactly how to easily support a celebrity or form of media. “Some[where] down the line, you basically start to notice things,” he says. “I think you just get more into their music, or whatever they’re doing … For me, I was just listening to the radio and one of [Mariah Carey’s] songs came on, and I really liked it. [I] was like, ‘Huh, maybe I should look into more of her music.’” Hales says the key to stanning someone or something is to support them/it as best as you can. “To become a stan, you kind of have to really advocate for the certain artists [or whatever you stan] …”

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The fan writes things such as, “I know you probably hear this everyday, but I’m your biggest fan,” “I got a room full of your posters and your pictures, man,” and “But she don’t know you like I know you Slim, no one does.” As the song goes on, the fan expresses his anger about the fact that the rapper hasn’t responded to any of his letters, and eventually writes, “I’m in the car right now, I’m doing 90 on the freeway,” implying that he is going to commit suicide. Eminem sings his letter in response to Stan at the end of the song, saying that he’s sorry for not responding quicker and that he hopes Stan’s mental health gets better. The song ends with Eminem realizing that he saw Stan’s tragic death on the news.

The song was released in 2000, and “stan” was often used to describe an overly obsessed fan in a negative light. In recent years, though, the word has begun to be used in a positive way rather than negative. In 2017, “stan” was added to the Oxford Dictionary as a noun and as a verb. The definition as a noun states that a stan is an “overzealous or obsessive fan of a particular celebrity,” and as a verb, being a stan is to “be an overzealous or obsessive fan of a particular celebrity.” The definition has expanded since then; a stan can be a fan of a form of media, such as a certain TV show or movie franchise, anime, etc.

On apps such as Twitter and Instagram, stan, or fan accounts, are common. These are created by fans of a famous person/TV show/etc., and the creator(s) post videos, pictures, clips, and more of whoever or whatever they stan to show support and appreciation. Tumblr is another app that stan accounts are common on, where fans post the same things on other social media as well as fanfictions (stories and blurbs about what they stan).

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WHAT I’M FEELING

MY BEST WORK

BY Preet Dhaliwal

Junior Jessica Shaddon’s favorite album at the moment is “Heartbreak on a Full Moon”

by Chris Brown. “I’m going through a break up right now so it’s kind of the theme… [and] because I love Chris Brown” she says.

Freshman Kyla Harris is part of the CTE rotation, a class that freshmen take in which they switch to a different class every six weeks. Harris says her favorite rotation would have to be the business [and] marketing one “I feel like the business rotation is actually really important because you can apply it to more stuff outside of school,” Harris said. Harris’s design is a sticker based on Haven’s Urban Movement dance studio in Albany “We’re trying to make stickers that reflect something in the Albany area, [and] that’s just a dance studio I go to.”

RCA RECORDS

Senior Leonid Prokopovych says his favorite TV show at the moment is “The Mandalorian.” For Prokopovych, the reason it’s one of his favorites right now is because “All the action is just so good. Plus, [I] love Star Wars.” So far, Prokopovych says his favorite episode is “the first one because it’s the longest so far.”

LUCASFILM

“My favorite piece in my closet right now is this necklace my boyfriend of three years got me for my birthday,” said senior Serena Estep, “but I ended up breaking it the day I got my permit, and my boyfriend went and got me a new one. It’s special to me because it has to do with winter and the day we got together.”

Scan and head to the Whirlwind website!

GUESS WHO? W H I C H W E S T A L B A N Y S C H O O L D A N C E I S Y O U R F AV O R I T E ?

“I’d say winter formal because I like to dress up, all fancy and stuff… look all snazzy.”

A.

Connor Dodd SENIOR

“My favorite West Albany school dance would be Homecoming because people can get more creative with their costumes based off the theme.”

B.

Chase Reynolds SENIOR

1. B | 2. A |

THE WHIRLWIND 32