2019-2020 The Whirlwind - Issue 3

WHIRL WIND

WEST ALBANY HIGH SCHOOL

ISSUE 3 JANUARY 2020

Science Or fiction?

Are you a skeptic, or do you listen to the stars?

5

16-17

Public library cutting down funds for new resources

Students share their experience with astrology

12

20-21

28-29

For some, astrology is only a pseudoscience

Skaters at WAHS talk skate culture

How Disney’s films have evolved

SPORTS / THE WHIRLWIND 23

THE WHIRLWIND Januar y 2020

NEWS 4

S t u d y s k i l l s t e a c h e r J a n e M a r s h a l l

creates school family for students 5 Public library creates new materials funding 6 How common is the feeling of having

insufficient leisure time?

7 H ow t o a p p l y fo r FA FS A 8 H o w f i n a l s d i f f e r , a n d h o w t e a c h e r s

recommend you prepare 9 S p e c i a l e d u c a t i o n s e c r e t a r y Te r r y

Waltz’s death impacts school

OPINION 10 F i n a l s h e l p t e a c h e r s e v a l u a t e y o u r knowledge 11 S h o u l d S AT a n d A C T t e s t i n g b e

eliminated from college admissions?

12 The holidays aren’t the best time of

the year because of emotional stress 13 D i s n e y P l u s i s t o o l i m i t e d i n i t s

content to beat out top platforms 14 W e w i l l n o t b e s e e i n g a n o t h e r

Roaring 20s 15 Astrology isn’t a science because it

lacks evidence

SPECIAL 16

18

19

F o r m a n y , a s t r o l o g y i s m o r e t h a n just horoscopes S t u d e n t s s h a r e t h e i r e x p e r i e n c e s with astrology H o w C h i n e s e a s t r o l o g y c o m p a r e s t o Western beliefs

SPORTS 20

22

23

26

S k a t e r s d e s c r i b e t h e c h a n g e i n culture toward their sport Q & A w i t h t w o b a s k e t b a l l p l a y e r s about heckling from fans W h a t ’ s I n M y B a g , Te a m Rituals, and My Favorite Move U n c o v e r i n g t h e s p o r t s t h a t a r e usually overlooked

A R T S A N D E N T E R TA I N M E N T 27

28 30

31

T h e s u r g e o f s c a m c a l l s a n d h o w students experience it The change in DIsney over the years R e c e n t H o l l y w o o d s e r i a l k i l l e r s a r e slowy getting a positive outlook P o e t r y c o n t i n u e s t o b e a m o d e r n form of art

Contact Us CORRECTIONS AND LETTERS TO THE EDITORS PLEASE SEND CORRECTIONS OR COMMENTS ON THIS ISSUE TO: WA H S W H I R LW I N D @ G M A I L . C O M 2 THE WHIRLWIND / JANUARY 2020

Cover by Mattea Hellman and Malachi Murphy

WHIRLWIND S TA F F

LETTER FROM THE EDITORS ALIZAH BUENO and MALACHI MURPHY Astrology was a part of my (Malachi’s) life since I was born. I was raised with terms describing the planets and signs, and the book “What Your Birthday Reveals About You”. I grew up spreading information about astrology to my friends and teachers. As time went on, people started telling me how ridiculous astrology was and how their parents told them it was all the work of “witches,” and sometimes even “the devil,” which worried me because ironically, my family was supposed to be Christian.

But right when I stopped talking astrology everyone seemed to start studying it. Whether it’s following Instagram accounts, reading Twitter horoscopes, or listening to YouTubers discuss astrology, it seems to be everywhere.

Now it’s finals week, and we’re all feeling the pressure to finish the semester strong, bring up grades, or study for tests. But what if it’s all just fated in the stars? This issue, Whirlwind reporters talked to students who believe in astrology

and those who are skeptics. Our special report on astrology includes interviews with a professional astrologer and hobbyist, as well as a few students who had their charts analyzed for the first time.

Were they convinced to give up studying and leave their finals to fate?

With the stress of finals (which reporters Brogan O’Hare, Melia Rasmussen and Cheyenne Such evaluate), binging Disney Plus, the new streaming service featuring all Disney films and shows, might sound more appealing. But can Disney’s suite of shows and movies take on the behemoth that is Netflix? Entertainment reporters Alizah Bueno and Colvin Parvin talked to students and teachers who shared their feelings about Disney.

After digging into the logistics of astrology, find out what skateboarders at WAHS have to say about skate culture or learn more about local politics, such as the funding situation with our public library. So start the year 2020 with new perspectives. Enjoy the first magazine of a new decade.

THE WHIRLWIND WOULD LIKE TO THANK OUR SPONSORS: Blue Level

Gold Level

Bulldog Level

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

Anonymous CM Nuts LLC Tim & Michelle Fief

Pepper Tree Sausage Wheelhouse 20/20

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 Bri 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 Cloey Marsh Rahima Monahan Brogan O’Hare Colvin Parvin Eleanor Peterson Melia Rasmussen ADVISER Michelle Balmeo

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

THE WHIRLWIND 3

HOME AWAY FROM HOME How study skills teacher Jane Marshall builds relationships and creates a family bond with students

BY Preet Dhaliwal

F O R A L U M N U S Spencer Eggbert, much of his

adolescence was spent in Study Skills teacher Jane Marshall’s home. Eggbert met Marshall by becoming friends with her daughter, Alice when they both attended WAHS. “I spent more of my waking hours under their roof than my own,” he said. “I sort of experienced high school through the lens of the Marshall House... Jane was there for me in the same ways that she was for her own kids through the weird rollercoaster of adolescence.”

Many students like Eggbert relate Marshall to home.

Marshall is beloved by many students and has a reputation as one of the most trusted teachers for both students and staff. She’s made a safe place for children in her classroom and over time has gone to earn the trust of her students.

Many of those students were heartbroken when Marshall announced she is retiring after the first semester of this year to be a full time grandmother when her first grandchild is born this spring.

Marshall’s room is always bustling and full with people, during lunch and even class periods. It’s a sanctuary for students to get work done, talk about problems, and just feel safe and protected; some students even affectionately call her “mom.”

“Marshall has a direct effect on the atmosphere of the students at West mainly because she interacts with so many of them,” said sophomore Emma Bennett. “Her classroom is such a positive environment and she is in a good mood every time I see her. She has so many connections because everyone loves her, so if [you] need help on homework or while getting something done she has someone who can come down to her room to help you out in like five minutes. She makes being a student so much easier and less stressful.”

Marshall’s primary goal is to help every student graduate high school. “Every student is unique,” Marshall said.

“My job requires sensitivity to their needs... Some students respond to compassion immediately. Others take more work on both ends!”

Marshall has been teaching at WAHS for 23 years, and in her time here, one of her biggest accomplishments is the FLASH senior program, which stands for “Freshmen Learning and Seniors Helping.” She’s spent the past 23 years perfecting the FLASH system.

“I remember back when I was in high school, the freshmen were so disconnected from the seniors and upperclassmen,” Marshall said. “It shouldn’t feel like that, so I hoped that making FLASH can change that for kids here.”

One of the unique aspect of FLASH is that there are no rewards or incentives, so students are there for the right reasons. Marshall hopes it will continue after she retires.

Marshall’s daughter, Rose Marshall, describes her mother as “resilient, intuitive, kind, compassionate, loving, loyal, beautiful. Always the best dressed. Always smells good. I

10 WHIRLWIND / JANUARY 2020

We asked Study S k i l l s Te a c h e r Jane Marshall’s students to describe her in one word. This is what they said...

“Loving” SENIOR Lisa Gutierrez

“Marshall: if you don’t know the meaning, then you don’t know Jane.”

SENIOR Isaiah Fernandez

“Inspiring” SOPHOMORE N a t a l i e Av i l a

“Selfless” SENIOR Kendra Spalinger

H O M E Study Skills teacher Jane Marshall (center) creates a feeling of family for her students. Pictured above from left to right (back row) senior Isaiah Fernandez, sophomore juan Garcia, sophomore Hailey Wadlington, (middle row) senior Lisa Gutierrez, sophomore Natalie Avila, sophomore Sandy Carranza-Hernandez, sophomore Nancy Lopez, (front row) sophomore Emma Bennett, sophomore Belen Hernandez-Escalona can’t say enough good things.Everyone that meets her is in awe of her beauty...[if] you’ve met her you know.

She’s magic in so many ways.”

Both Rose and her twin sister, Alice Blaschke, graduated from WAHS and said that their mother has always been heavily involved and present in their lives.

“Growing up I was very close with her, and still am,” said Rose, who lives in Portland, via text. “She helped me by somehow finding the perfect balance between being my friend and being my parent... She’s so intuitive and many times knew the struggles I was facing as a kid without me having to come to her or voice it. I felt truly loved and cared for growing up.”

Both agree that Jane Marshall has changed the landscape and atmosphere of West immensely. The way she is desribed by her daughters aligns with the way current and former students describe her.

“Jane is confident, classy, eloquent, sensible, elegant, and compassionate, to name a few buzz words,” said Eggbert. “In my mind, what sets her apart is that she is so thoroughly, intensely herself. When a person knows and accepts themselves, as I believe she does, it allows them to pour their heart and energy into uplifting others.”

Marshall has made a place in school where kids years from now will still look back on and reminisce of the amazing advice and warm embrace of Jane Marshall.

Bennett describes Marshall as one of the most caring people she’s ever met.“She genuinely wants each student to graduate and have an amazingly bright future ahead of them and she does everything in her power to help them achieve that... She is so positive and friendly. I have never met a person who said they didn’t like her.”

A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE PUBLIC LIBR ARY A vision of a public library

by Sarah Adams helped build the first one in town.

It held 1163 books

1907

Public library’s budget cuts will affect the community

BY Nicole Williams

AT T H E A L B A N Y P U B L I C library, chil-

Andrew Carnegie funded the creation of a new public library.

Construction begins

June 15, 1913

The library is officially open to the public. It cost about $20,000 to build.

June 17, 1914

Fred Meyer offers land to build a new library, where the “Old Library” businesses are located.

1973

A private donation allowed the opening of the new public library, located by Fred Meyers..

2009

All of the resource funds will be cut, limiting the library to private funding.

CUTTING $TORIES

Summer 2021

dren and parents search for a new story to read. Elderly community members ask the staff how to use computers. And in the teen section, a variety of new books are offered, which were once paid for by the city. But by next year, there will be no funds to pay for new resources. New books and other materials will be bought exclusively with private funds.

This has not been a gradual cut. In 2017, 7.60 percent of all resources were paid for by private donors.

By 2018 the usage of private donors’ funds reached 14.84 percent, and jumped to 84.51 percent by 2019.

With less funding, there will likely be a cut on all books, DVDs, ebooks, databases, and more, according to Assistant Director Amanda Bressler.

PERS, or the Public Employees Retirement Fund, is the main reason why the city is cutting funds. This retirement fund, which employees and the city paid into, provides retired public employees a pension, or monthly pay, after they retire, which the . The city is redirecting funding toward PERS instead of the city’s resources in order to fulfill its obligation to retired employees.

Every other department in the city is also affected, and each are taking their own measures to save money.

City council members proposed other solutions to help cut city costs, including shutting down the Carnegie Library downtown, or selling it to repurpose it into a new building. Another proposed solution was to close the South Albany community pool.

Although all of those closures are still on the table, the library has its own solutions to keep up the vitality.

One solution is to close the library earlier, which would cut staff pay.

Every member of the community will be affected by these possible solutions. Cutting hours will affect students who use the library to research. According to a 2018 study by the U.S. Census Bureau, 18 percent of the local community does not have internet access. at no cost to them.”

Bressler says, “[Students] have these very limited hours that they can come to the library and get [home-

work] done on one of our computers with the internet at no cost to them.”

Research databases will be inaccessible to those without internet at home and reduced funds will limit how much information can be put on these databases Subscriptions to these informational sites are expensive, and it may not be within the new budget of the library.

Students like junior Jenna Scott will face these consequences firsthand. Using the library to study once or twice a week, she expresses her concern of cutting hours. “It’ll definitely affect the library, which will in turn affect me because if the city’s not paying for stuff, I don’t think that [there will be] a lot of the resources available. But they’re going to have to cut down on [them]. Which will in turn affect everybody else who uses the resources. Like me, who uses the computers.”

A large group of students here at WAHS use the library as well. According to a 96-student survey conducted by the Whirlwind staff, 40 percent of students use the public library either once a month or more than that.

The homeless population also uses the library as a secure cover before shelters open up in the evening. “We have a lot of people who don’t have a home to go to, who spend the night in shelters or on the street and spend their day in the library,” Bressler said. “When our hours get affected, that puts those people back out on the street for those hours that we’re closed.”

Without a shelter during these hours, there will be no place for them to go. This is especially harmful during the winter season when the climate is much colder and harsh for them to stay out in.

The library is not going to give up on the fight, but there will be major downfalls for the next couple of years. “We can’t run the library without books or resources,” Bressler said, “because that’s what we do and the service we provide.”

MISCONCEPTIONS OF THE E-LIBRARY As the need for books fades into the internet, it would be common for one to think that libraries are obsolete. However, this is a misconception. The Albany Public Library has shifted from books to ebooks, and there are 50 informational databases on their website as of 2018. With 32 computers and many self-service kiosks, there is a noticeable change in the way the library is running. Assistant director Amanda Bressler says, “I think we leverage technology to provide information to people in new and better ways.

Our librarians act as teachers, and like tech mentors, sort of, for people to understand technology to interpret information. So I think the more technology we have, the more important libraries get.” In 2018, there were 177,769 physical items and 83,705 ebooks and other online resources.

NEWS / THE WHIRLWIND 5

TIME OUT

Many students feel as if they have no time for anything except extracurriculars and sports

BY Dezmond Remington

J U N I O R G A R R E T T B O R E N of-

ten goes to bed at 12 in the morning and wakes up at 5 a.m. He doesn’t get home until 6:30 p.m. because of his play rehearsal. He then attempts to finish all of his homework for two A.P. classes, Pre-Calculus, practice songs and choreography for the spring musical, practice for Rythmix, and attempt to get enough sleep to do it all again the following day.

Even this midnight bedtime often is not enough to finish all the work.

“If I don’t finish my homework past midnight, I’m going to bed,” said Boren. “I typically average five hours of sleep.”

Schedules like these, which may have been described as atypical in the past, are becoming more commonplace today, as some students spend nearly all of their available time going to school, doing homework, or practicing sports or other extracurriculars.

Such schedules have led to a phenomenon where many people believe they “have no time”; in fact, 65 percent of WAHS students, according to a survey of 115 students, say they “don’t have enough time.” Boren is also not alone in averaging five hours of sleep; 35 percent of students say they get five-six hours of sleep a night, with 90 percent of all respondents getting less than the National Sleep Foundation recommendation of eight hours.

Lucas Risinger, a junior AVID teacher, says he hears the complaint of not having enough time multiple times a day, from every class.

Risinger believes the cause of this is partially

just being busy, but also the feeling of time passing and the relativity of time.

“Everyone kind of has different personal needs,” said Risinger, “and that affects how time will work for them.”

For instance, explained Risinger, one person may feel they need two hours to sit on the couch and do nothing, whereas another person might scoff at this and think it’s a blatant waste of time.

Risinger believes that it is possible for those tendencies to change.

7-12 p.m.

Work on homework, practice performing, chores

10

Junior Garrett Boren “In general, students don’t know how much they can do in a day,” said Risinger. “You start to learn that in high school, you really start to learn that once you take AP classes, and then you learn even more once you get into college and you have even less time.”

But why is it even important to feel like time is plentiful? After all, if the work is getting done, and tardiness is not an issue, then why does that even matter?

“When you feel you don’t have enough time to do things, you feel anxiety that often manifests in a feeling of drowning,” says Risinger. “And then

1

12-5 a.m.

Sleep

2

3

3-6 p.m.

Rehearse play

8

4

5

7 6 6 THE WHIRLWIND / JANUARY 2020

enough time to do things, you feel anxiety that often manifests

TEACHER Lucas Risinger

Junior Garrett Boren’s Schedule

9

“When you feel you don’t have

in a feeling of drowning.”

12 11

that, of course, affects your performance. And so then you stopped doing as well, so then you have even less time for stuff, and it’s a vicious positive feedback loop.” According to Risinger, this anxiety can then translate into depression, mild or severe.

According to the CDC, 28.5 percent of all people aged 13-19 experienced an episode of depression (defined as a period characterized by depression symptoms that last for two weeks or more) in 2012.

So how can a person get their work done more efficiently? Risinger recommends to-do lists, as he believes that this is an easy way to organize information and remind oneself of tasks to be completed.

According to Risinger, another way to earn more time is to frame things in a way that makes it seem easier. One way to do this is to take the time allotted and break up large tasks into smaller ones, making it easier to do those things.

However, in the end, the really important thing about time management is to focus on yourself, says Risinger.

“Identify exactly what it is you need to be happy, and to be successful. And if you prioritize those, that is time well spent… ‘what are you going to make time for.’”

HOW TO FAFSA

70% Students who do graduate have significant debt

BY Cloey Marsh

1.5 Trillion

WHEN DISCUSSING C O L L E G E the main thing most people

fear is how to afford it. Students and their parents hear about student loans and debt. Its expensive for college the average cost for a four year university is $34,740. To put that in perspective that is 0.2 percent the cost of buying a home. It’s a brand new car. Unless students can pay that amount in full, they need to apply for loans. Most schools require that students have filled out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid before they can apply for other scholarships that are offered.

FAFSA is the starting point if students plan on attending college, whether it’s a private or public university. FAFSA can even work for trade schools. Any school beyond high school that is federally funded students can get financial aid for it. “The pool of money will run out at a certain point,” said career specialist Lynn Magnuson, “so the sooner you get it done, the better.” the longer you wait, the less likely you are to get financial aid. Be sure to keep up on deadlines for colleges, since they are not the same as FAFSA deadlines.

Whether you are going to a trade school, community college or four year university, the first step is FAFSA. “Whether you have one dollar or a million dollars you need to apply” said Magnuson “It starts the process no matter what college you go to.”

Dollars of student debt between 44 million Americans

Tanks & Vessels Millwrights

.

.

.

Important information for students planning to attend college Fall 2020

What you need to apply: • •

66% Students that get financial aid graduate

33.3% Graduate start to finish without financial aid at a public university

• • •

Students can start the application proccess October 1st The database is now open until June 30, 2021

Graduate start to finish without financial aid at a private university

HO 3 Structural Steel

Priority Deadlines

.

Shop Fabrication

Mechanical Installation

Drafting & Design

Phone: 541-995-6158

.

Your Social Security Number Your Alien Registration Number (if you are not a U.S. citizen) Your federal income tax returns, W-2s An FSA ID to sign electronically An hour to fill everything out

Need to know dates:

52.8%

INDUSTRIAL CONTRACTOR Process Piping

FA FSA FO R N E X T FA L L

.

Civil & Concrete

Project Management

Priority deadlines are different for most schools . These are the dates where the applicants are considered the most.

• • • •

Linn Benton Community College: June 26, 2020 Oregon State University: February 28,2020 University of Oregon:March 1,2020 Chemeketa Community College: June 1, 2020

Fax: 541-995-6159

NEWS/ THE WHIRLWIND 7

FINAL FRENZY

8 THE WHIRLWIND / JANUARY 2020

We asked 30 WAHS teachers about their finals so you can be prepared

80 % test over all of the material from semester 1

EXTRA CREDIT

OTHER

ESSAY WRITING

MATCHING

DIAGRAMS/ T OR F

100% 90% 80% 7 5 % 63% 70% 60% 46% 50% 38% 40% 25% 21% 30% 17% 20% 4% 10% 0%

SOLVING A PROBLEM

“I think a lot of students know that their grades are about to be final.”

HOW TO FINAL

MULTIPLE CHOICE

student has learned in the previous semester, compared to a test that just covers the most recent unit. minutes long. Within January, soon after the “I feel like Honors English will be hardend of winter break, the talk of finals becomes est just because the workload is there already more common. Whether it be the increasing intense and I don’t know what to expect on workload, the approaching due dates, or just the final,” freshman Sophia Hansen said, “If the end of a semester, finals present changes it’s going to be an essay or some questions on of many kind. any book we’re reading.” Hansen has partially Research done by the State University of seen how finals worked from when she came New York showed the best review for exams over to the school for Geometry last year, but are studying in intervals, not staying up all now as a freshman, she can experience the night and cram, and exercising for at least 20 way the school functions during these weeks minutes to give you energy and improve your through all of her classes. memory. Eating Givens said she super foods and felt the same way antioxidants that as a freshman—not include fruits, knowing what to vegetables, nuts, expect and worryand yogurt protect ing about the diffrom sickness and ficulty level of the help focus. Finaltests. “[As a junior], ly, use techniques I know what to exand tips to help Sylvia Sorenson, SCIENCE TEACHER pect more and also I remember the mahave more opens, so terial, and avoid it’s just less finals to distractions like take.” social media and electronics while studying.

Among other classes, Givens is enrolled in What one does in the weeks prior to finals is AP US History, AP Composition, and AP Caljust as important as what is studied the night culus AB. She thinks her hardest final will be before. a tie between AP Composition and AP Calcu“I find the study periods really helpful belus due to the higher standards and the speed cause I can either take a break from just the that they cover the materials. stress of testing, or I can study for the next However, some students feel confident period,” said senior Annie Givens. The bell enough in finals that they don’t stress too schedule is altered to allow students half an much in the weeks prior. Schedules aren’t as hour before each period, save the first one, to mixed up for some, as others have to prioritize study in the library, play in the gym, or hang their assignments so they can get done. Senior out in the cafeteria. The study breaks can also Devin Davis is enrolled in five AP classes, his be beneficial for students who don’t normally hardest one being Calculus BC. He says that get a chance to eat breakfast or lunch to have finals are the same every year, they don’t rean option to eat before tests as staff hand out ally change. bananas and apples during that time.

“I think a lot of students know that their Another factor of finals is the way teachgrades are about to be final,” AP Chemistry ers organize their tests for students. Dependteacher Sylvia Sorenson said. As long as stuing on the subject, tests can vary from essays dents do their assignments, Sorensen said, to solving a word problem to analysis of fathey shouldn’t fall too far behind the class. mous works of art. Most comprehensive finals “My focus —my goal—is to use these tests that are handed out are composed of multiple like a step up to prepare myself for the harder choice and short answers. A comprehensive ones later,” said Hansen. Going through old final is a test that covers all the material a

FINALS: ONCE A SEMEST E R . Twice a school year. One hour and 10

tests, seeing what questions need to be worked on, and prioritizing time to study is on Hansen’s mind. She said finals are a good way to assess where a student is, to make sure they’re prepared for the next few years of high school.

“I think it’s a really positive experience because it gives students a chance to experience what finals might be like in college where you have several classes to prepare for,” Sorensen said. “It’s important for students to realize that [you pay for procrastinating] now, rather than in their first year in college.”

SHORT ANSWER

The positive and negative effect on students stress levels during finals

BY Melia Rasmussen and Cheyenne Such

20 % test based upon the previous unit 33.3% matching section or essay 66.8% other None of the teachers give extra credit after the test

SPECIAL EDUCATION MOURNS LOSS OF SECRETARY

BY Malachi Murphy

To be an SEA A Special Education Assistant is the helper to anybody in the special education program. Stephanie Perkins, a SEA for Social learning teacher Joene LaCoste, shares her experience.

Perkins always loved working with kids, and worked with elementary schoolers for three years as a student before becoming a substitute for the Corvallis school district.

“I think the most interesting thing [about being an SEA] is not only do students learn something new every day, but I learn something new every day, and it keeps my job fun and exciting.”

Every day is different for Perkins, as she goes from room to room helping students from her home room, LaCoste. The students she helps do not have to be special education students; they can be anyone.

“To be someone that students can trust, someone that encourages to be the best that they can be,” is what being a SEA means to Perkins.

Secretary Terry Waltz’ obituary T E R R Y W A LT Z , age 61, born in 1958, from Salem OR, passed Nov. 21, was a woman larger than life, told by all her loving coworkers. Through and through, not a single person in the special education department could say they weren’t impacted by her. Instead, they told of all their favorite moments from her career.

She was known as “the special education mom” by staff and students. Literally, she was the secretary of the special education department, but she was also the glue that held everything together. She kept up on staff members’ expectations, and was noted as “always a rule follower” by Structured learning teacher Casey Horn, keeping students on track and making sure the special education staff was doing the best they possibly could. Her stern demeanor, honest work ethic, and mentality inspired her coworkers and made her the person to go to for any situation.

Waltz worked at West Albany for 13 years, with her first two working as a Special Education Assistant (SEA) for then special education teacher Rich Engel. In her early days she took Horn under her wing. “She was really instrumental in me having success in my job, and anything I’ve done is a big credit towards her. She always had what was best for me in her interests… she had my back from day one.”

When Waltz joined the staff at West Albany, the special education department was smaller, and she would quickly make a lasting impact.

“A lot of kids, they just gravitated toward her,” Engel remembers, “and would go to her when they were having problems, not necessarily to their case manager.”

Although she was the secretary of the special education department, Engel says, “I have no doubt in my mind that had she wanted to she could have stepped into a class and taught special education. She had been around it and done it so long ,she could have done that. But she didn’t want to.

She enjoyed what she did.”

USED WITH PERMISSION OF RACHEL HORNABROOK

And what she did, she did well. “[If] I have a question about the law or where do we process this paperwork, you went to her, because she knew exactly how everything was done … She was kinda the glue that held us all together,” special education teacher Tracy Stinson said.

Beyond work, Stinson finds difficulty in daily life without her.

“It’s all just, really really hard, to pull in every day and her parking spot is empty. You walk by her room and there is somebody else in her chair.

It’s just so hard …. We don’t have our person anymore.”

As well, Engel misses her energy in the mornings, and Horn misses her stern discipline.

Special education teacher Carrie Coates remembered, “She never gave up on students. Students would come in and you would just think, uh oh, [still] she always had a smile on her face. They always knew that she was somebody they could go to even if nobody else would listen. And it was the same for teachers; if one of us was having a bad day, she would notice right away and she’d ask about it, even when she was going through her own sickness, she would always ask somebody else first about how they were doing.”

The legacy Waltz leaves behind at West Albany High School is one of being the glue, and the mom, and most importantly, a bulldog. As Engel said, her spirit and loving nature made her perfectly fit for the role. Whether she was helping students, or staff, she always worked with integrity.

NEWS/ THE WHIRLWIND 9

OPINION

TIPS AND TRICKS ON HOW TO SURVIVE FINALS WEEK

PAIN IS TEMPORARY, GPA IS FOREVER Why finals should stay, contrary to popular belief

BY Brogan O’Hare

1.) Drink caffeine(in moderation)

W H I L E T H E D AY S until first semes-

Students don’t need to avoid their coffee or energy drink fix for finals. Studies show caffeine can boost mood, concentration, and even short-term memory. However, too much caffeine(about 400 miligrams/4 cups of coffee) can cause jitters and anxiety, even disruptions in sleep. For students who are already struggling with anxiety and sleep or are very stressed, caffeine can prove more harmful than helpful.

ter ends become fewer and fewer, so do the days until finals, so it’s a good time to consider how student knowledge is assessed in the classroom. Finals are still used in many courses and classrooms, but a significant number of schools across the U.S. and the globe have backed away from them because they are so unpopular with students. Although teachers should not ignore or discount student preferences across the board, there is the larger issue of which testing procedures best promote deep learning and lasting memory throughout the semester.

A final exam with questions on current and previously learned content encourages continued interaction with course material, not just the unit they’re in. Finals should stay in school as they make sure students don’t toss information right after a unit test on it, and they’re a good way to support what you’ve learned throughout the course.

Students don’t like finals as they require more preparation, as well as more time and energy devoted to understanding and remembering content from the entire course. The main challenge for teachers is getting students on board with an exam procedure they don’t like. Part of what frightens students about cumulative tests is that studying for them seems overwhelming.

Even though they’re stressful and far from easy, there are ways to study and prepare effectively, like asking a teacher for a study guide or help understanding terms students don’t already know.

Teachers can also help by regularly referencing content from previous units—asking questions about it, asking students to summarize key concepts that are relevant to material being covered now, and challenging students to constantly review their notes. Using content from different units helps construct that larger understanding of how all the course material relates and builds a base for the course.

Students are never going to love exams. Most do understand that they are the way teachers discover what students know and justify the grades they earn. What more students need

2.) Don’t skip out on sleep It can be tempting to skip out on sleep, especially around finals time. Lack of sleep impairs memory, mood, and the ability to process information. These can create or worsen mental health problems. Evidence shows that sleep improves both test scores and academic performance.

3.) Take breaks Sleep isn’t the only rest that’s important, taking breaks from studying to have fun will help people work better for longer periods of time. Students should decide on an interval for taking breaks (i.e., for every 50 minutes of work, take a 10 minute break). Breaks can include activities like a quick walk, music, napping, or even using your phone in-moderate amounts.

4.) Stay social, but limit social media Finally, study groups, dinner dates, or just working next to friends in the library are all good ways to stay connected and get some peer support. Finals may be hard, but it can help to feel like you’re not in it alone. Plus, all the work and stress can make it easy to isolate or even avoid assignments and studying. Others can provide accountability and motivation to keep working. While being around people can be helpful, avoid the “trap” of procrastination through social media. There are even extensions students can use to block social media for periods of time(i.e. Freedom, StayFocused, and Pause).

10 THE WHIRLWIND / JANUARY 2020

to understand is that certain kinds of exam experiences promote learning that lasts longer, which helps them in courses, even after they graduate! Although final exams can be stressful, they are one of the most important thing when it comes to calculating your final grade. Teachers will make your final exam a good portion of your overall grade in the class; sometimes ranging from thirty to forty percent. The main purpose of final exams is to ensure that you have retained all of the information that you’ve learned throughout the semester. As all students know, this is hard and can sometimes feel overwhelming; especially because everyone has different learning strategies and learns at a different pace. You do not want all of your hard work throughout the semester to go to waste. Therefore, studying for final exams is necessary. This is a little scary, but remember not to stress yourself out too much, and it’s okay if you don’t do as well as you thought. No one is perfect and there is always room for improvement.

CORBIN CELLERINI

SHOULD WE ACT?

THE SPECTRUM

Should the University of California eliminate the SAT and ACT tests as admissions requirements?

BY Maggie Bedrin

T H E C O U R T I S being taken to the Uni-

versity of California, which is accused of using the Scholastic Aptitude Test and American College Testing test illegally. The debate lies within the administration and the application forms of the tests. Who can really apply? Who do the tests target? And are the tests needed?

Students, parents, teachers, and other school members are claiming the tests are an illegal use of

the testing system, saying the testing system isn’t available to poor, disabled, and mainly black and Hispanic students, being restrictive through access and cost to those who don’t have the funds or the ability to get to where the test is taking place. The lawsuit is being filed through the Public Counsel, a free use attorney system. This lawsuit is based around research following what types of students can and perform well on tests. The lawsuit claims

University of California was aware of these research and chose to be bias anyway. By making these tests an admission requirement, the suit alleges, they are deliberately limiting certain people from entering college. This lawsuit would be eliminating the tests all together and could change the testing administration for the whole country if successful.

FOR

COMPROMISE

AGAINST

Natalie Quinn

Megan Dorn

SOPHOMORE

JUNIOR

“If you dont have extremely good grades or if you’re not going to college for a sport or any other scholarship reason then it would help you get in.”

Isaura SanchezHernandez SENIOR

“Not necessarily shouldn’t be a test, if someone happens to be sick both times they were going to take the test that shouldn’t immediately exclude you from a four year college... if there’s a way they can prove know the thins then maybe take an informal test.”

“ I don’t think that taking the SAT or ACT shows a student’s knowledge or growth. It’s like putting a puzzle together that is supposed to show your whole life story in a limited amount of time.”

Differing opinions within standardized testing Which of the following issues do you think make the SAT an inaccurate reflection of student intelligence?

Do you believe the SAT test should be required for 4-year college admission?

35.9% Other

19.2% Doesn’t reflect knowledge

65.3% No

34.7% Yes

39.7% doesn’t cover all types of students

Does the SAT test accurately reflect how smart a student is?

5.1% Costs too much

81.9% No

18.1% Yes

WA H S ST U D E N T S U R V E Y ( O U T O F 1 1 9 ST U D E N T S ) OPINION / THE WHIRLWIND 11

QUESTIONING THE CONSTELLATIONS “No. I think astrology is more belief based than science based . . . you wouldn’t have enough to really base it as science. Its an evidence problem.”

JUNIOR Madison Hearing

“I don’t find it to be very factual. [But] if it’s using evidence. . . and all that kind of stuff then I would probably say yes.”

SOPHOMORE Hayden Mickelberr y

“No not really. It’s kind of like a fortune telling, it’s not necessarily like a super proven thing. I don’t think like when you were born or the time really has much of an impact on how you are.”

SOPHOMORE Elizabeth Rouse

“Astrology attempts to explain the natural world, but it is not validated by evidence. In the scientific community, ideas are validated and or altered against evidence. Therefore astrology should not be considered a science, but rather a belief.”

SCIENCE OF THE STARS Some people believe that astrology should be accepted as a science, here’s why it shouldn’t

BY Eleanor Peterson

What makes astrology even more unscientific is across the country print horoscopes, and millions the lack of usable evidence. Opinions don’t count of people read them everyday. But can we rely on as evidence and what astrology relies as evidence and what astrology relies on are people’s opinions what they say?

The answer is no. Astrology can be a lot of which aren’t considered scientific evidence, befun, but it’s not a science, because it’s simply not cause they can’t be proven.

Often times, people who believe in something scientific. are more likely to see proof of it than those who According to the scientific checklist, astrology don’t believe. The same can be applied to doesn’t quite astrology, those who believe in it will make the cut. see a resemblance between their horoAstrology does scopes and daily lives while those who Scientific Checklist have a focus on don’t are less likely to see similarities.

Focuses on the natural world the natural world.

So with people’s beliefs, polluting the Aims to explain the natural world The whole idea results, there is no way to achieve an acUses testable ideas of astrology is curate answer.

Relies on evidence studying the patIt also doesn’t involve the scientific Involves the scientific community terns of the stars community. The results aren’t put into Leads to ongoing research and planets. studies or anywhere the scientific comBenefits from scientific behavior “Astrology munity can read, research, or test the maybe is a pseutheories themselves. doscience” said This leads to no ongoing research involving asscience teacher Lucas Risinger, “in that it does trology.

Astrologers do their work, and that’s that. study the motion of stars and observations are made. It does study the motion of stars and obser- They don’t continue to test the idea. They don’t wait and see if their predictions are correct. There vations are made.”

And technically, it aims to explain the natural is no continuation of the theory they have created, world. Astrologers use the stars and planetary which is a fundamental part of science.

Along with this, the astrology community is movement to predict traits and basic events. The sign used for daily horoscopes is your sun sign, known for its lack of scientific behavior. They astrologers look at where the sun is in the sky and don’t form hypotheses or set up experiments. And based on where it is predicts basic events in your they don’t wait for further research to support them. They simply say that things are going to future. happen and that’s that with no continuity on their But here is where astrology starts to stray.

“It doesn’t have any of the things we expect study. Not to mention that they generally ignore of a science” said middle school science teacher contradictory evidence.

Honestly, astrology can be a lot of fun and a Christopher Bright, “it’s not something that’s readily testable or when it is tested it doesn’t show any great way to pass the time. Who doesn’t like hearing about their love life and future career? But it’s real predictability.”

There is no way to test the accuracy of the pre- not something to take seriously. It’s nothing but a bit of fun and games. dictions made, therefore making it untestable.

THOUSANDS OF MAGAZINES

I S A ST R O L O GY A S C I E N C E ?

We asked 115 students if astrology should be science. Here’s what they said.

SENIOR Coleton Richey

46.1% YES

53.9% NO

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

12 WHIRLWIND / Januar y 2020

DISNEY’S NEW ADDITION

BY Ethan Biersdor ff

W H E N Y O U T H I N K of streaming services, what company comes to your mind first? What comes to your friends’ minds?

There are a lot of new names coming to the already expansive list leaving many asking what the top streaming service will be.

Some are calling this the Streaming Wars, and as of right now the question of which is best is complicated, to say the least. The new name everyone seems to be talking about is Disney Plus. Disney is a massive company and with the addition of their new streaming service, this billion dollar company is just raking in more and more money. Yet while Disney is a powerhouse their new streaming platform may not be.

For Marvel nerds, Star Wars geeks, and families looking for a good film to watch, Disney plus seems like the perfect place to go. These are the biggest names that are coming with Disney’s new service. They also have Fox and National Geographic under their belt. So now they take their franchise collection to their new platform as well as buying their content back from Netflix to put on their new streaming service.

Netflix is a commonly thought of name

when it comes to streaming platforms, as they were one of the first and have been a goliath in the industry since. According to a Lifewire article written by Elise Moreau, “Netflix is by far the No. 1 most-used online streaming service.” Being that they are the platform that helped kill Blockbuster, they are obviously doing something right.

So with them being on top, will Disney Plus be able to take the top spot? Netflix has such a loyal fan base already and their seemingly limitless budget goes towards beautiful original content; it’s nearly impossible to take it down. In this moment, Netflix is by far the stronger viewing platform.

Disney Plus content is too limited and family oriented to reach as wide of an audience as titans like Netflix or Hulu. That isn’t to say that Disney Plus isn’t good, but it’s unlikely it becomes as much of a household name like the others. If Disney or all of the franchises under its belt are what you’re interested in, then Disney Plus is still an amazing platform to go to.

It is not too expensive, and for Verizon Unlimited users, it comes at an even cheaper price. If it’s not what you want to watch, there are so many different streaming services there is something out there for you.

STUDENT SURVEY Results taken from 96 students

Tr a v i s S h o l l e n b e r g e r

We asked 96 students what their favorite streaming service and the results were that 39.4% liked Netflix best, 27.7% for Youtube, 19.1% for Disney Plus, and surprisingly underperforming was Hulu with only 2.1%. 22% of students said all which is funny because that actually was not an option, Then 9.6% said that they had no favorite.

This shows a great following for Netflix in our school along with a good amount of support for Youtube and Disney Plus and a minimal amount of support for the green giant Hulu.

THE VIEWS ADD UP A comparison of Netflix new hit movie “The Irishman” and Disney Plus as a whole

“My friends, I’ve got some news from the big guy at the top: THE IRISHMAN was watched by 26,404,081 accounts globally — within its first 7 days on Netflix” According to the official Netflix twitter account

“In little more than a day, Disney Plus registered more than 10 million people, the company said. By comparison, HBO Now took nearly three years to reach about 5 million subscribers,” According to a CNET article

So in comparison, while Disney Plus rose very quickly, just one of Netflix’s movies go over 25 million views, more than doubling the quick success of Disney Plus

Opinion / THE WHIRLWIND 13

DON’T GET DISTRACTED The school board should reconsider the school calendar in order to place finals before winter break so students have a chance to fully rest

S T U D E N T S N E E D T O get a break

from school curriculum instead of overwhelming them with finals after winter break. With this in mind, the school board should change the academic calendar to avoid this predicament. . Winter break needs to be after finals, in order to give the students the break they need, no strings attached.

Moving winter break after finals isn’t as easy as assumed; it’s not just a simple yes or no choice. Developing the school calendar is a rather interesting process, and lots of requirements need to be met. Nevertheless it can still be done.

The school calendar has to be in correlation with teacher’s labor contract. Teachers must have 191 calendar days, according to the* contract they sign with the school. Another thing to look at is, due to the fact that West doesn’t have air conditioning, the school can’t start that far before Labor Day because it gets too hot in the classroom. Randy Lary of human resources, explains this, calling it one of the biggest factors in the school calendar. These

M A N DY H OWA R D

are two major factors for the calendar, but in order to change the calendar, something has to be changed or move. It’s a give and take relationship.

Years ago the school board had a calendar committee which consisted of teachers, administrators, and

STAFF EDITORIAL The opinion of the Whirlwind Editorial Board

parents. They would look at the calendar, discover a better option, and then present it to the school board. The calendar committee only appears if the school board asks for one. This hasn’t been done in a long time and it’s time for the school board to look into this again and reform a calendar committee.

Will we see another Roaring Twenties?

BY Karissa Lamonte

ROARING 2020’S

14 THE WHIRLWIND / JANUARY 2020

DURING THE ‘ROARING T W E N T I E S , ’ we got many of today’s most

beloved inventions, such as the television, the automobile, the telephone. And who could forget the beloved gas attack defending baby strollers?

The 1920’s are known as the ‘Jazz Age,’ more commonly as the ‘Roaring Twenties,’ all due to prosperity and jazz taking off, along with pop-culture becoming a bit more relevant. With the 2020’s beginning, will we see another ‘Roaring Twenties’?

During the twenties we had little technology, making it easy to create simple technology,

Students deserve a true break with finals being after winter break. Not to claim that winter break isn’t a break at all for many to catch their breaths, but the idea of finals linger in the back of the mind. Homework that needs to be finished, projects that need to be finished or even started.

The break slowly turns into a realization of horror, which isn’t what students should have to deal with.

Teachers then get an array of assignments that have been building before, during, and after the break.

Two weeks isn’t an adequate amount of time to recover lost information before the finals weeks.

This process isn’t the best when it comes to the grades of the students. Academically speaking, it’s not best for students to come back straight into finals. Considering how Oregon’s student outcomes aren’t good, an effort needs to be made to change that situation. When it boils down to the nitty gritty, it’s all about the success of our students and what the school board can do to accumulate success.

such as bandaids, traffic lights, hair dryers, and recliners. None of these seem too spectacular now, but consider the early 2000’s; flip phones were the new-new and everyone either had one or wanted one, only because we were not as technologically advanced and didn’t have anything better. Now we have smartphones with dual-12 megapixel cameras and face recognition. The 2020’s will consist of making our most advanced technologies even more advanced.

Due to new inventions and technologies, the U.S. economy boomed during the 1920’s. New products began to be mass-produced, leading to lively consumer culture. Will this happen again?

Possibly. Major political and social issues could play a part in whether our economy booms or not; saving the turtles for example. Companies began

NOT SO JOLLY The holidays are great for some, but for others they are not the best time of year BY

Rahima Monahan

T H E H O L I D AY S E A S O N seems like

a good time for everyone, especially Christmas, but is it truly?

On the surface, the holidays are great because children are happy to be out of school and receiving toys; lots of teens get clothes, money, and electronics; and the adults send out cheerful Christmas cards to everyone. Your grandparents make the family sugar cookie recipe, and everyone is just having a good time. But are the holidays really the best time of the year for everyone?

“I like the holidays. It’s the time where my family gets together and we have some holiday traditions like Zoo Lights,” Spanish teacher Ken Beiser said. But Beiser doesn’t like the “crazy shopping and the stress of finding the perfect gift for everyone.”

For sophomore Ryann Crowe, cooking in the kitchen is the most stressful part of the holidays. “I cook with my parents and then they get at me because I don’t ‘cut the potatoes right’....[It’s] so stressful,” Crowe said.

English teacher Krissy Rasmussen copes with her stress by remember-

to mass produce metal/paper straws to help the environment and make customers more attracted to their product, which is a great business plan, actually. When the word began to get out about saving the turtles, everyone was on board and down to buy some straws. Advertising in the 20s was a bit different, it was basically all about the ‘American Dream’. This makes consumers feel as if they will be living that lifestyle by buying products from their company. Both eras use the same business strategy, which caused the economy to boom in the 20’s, advertising products to make the customer feel as if they are a part of something.

Though business was booming and consumers were mass consuming, it backfired. People were overspending and most began to pile up debt, thinking they would eventually pay it back, but not being able to do so. Debt was one of the leading

ing, “It’s a time about happiness, not things.”

According to US News, 53% of Americans feel financially stressed, meaning people are short on money, spending too much money, or they’re just in debt already and have nothing to spend.

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

factors for the crash of the economy­—some things are too good to be true. With debt and bank failures, half of America’s banks closed and unemployment was extremely high, which was not a good time.

With that information said, the 20’s will not repeat themselves. There may be some correlations, but this isn’t 9 p.m. Disney channel and we aren’t watching Hannah Montana reruns. Each decade, we create new technology and improve what we have. We are constantly evolving and thinking of new ideas and solutions. The stock market crashing is likely, due to trade policy and other factors, but not nearly as extreme as the crash in 1929. We may experience similarities in the two decades but we are now more advanced and hopefully have learned from our mistakes of the past. We are now more advanced and hopefully have learned from our mistakes of the past.

An average American spends $700 to $1,000 on holiday gifts.“Sometimes it can be hard because Christmas is at the end of the month,” explains Beiser. “If you don’t get paid before [Christmas], then it’s hard. It definitely takes planning.”

If things are stressful now what about the future? Crowe believes that in the future the holidays are going to become “harder and stressful” because she’s hoping to have her own family.

Even with his daughter growing up, Beiser believes the holidays in the future will get easier because “It’ll be more concern on buying [my daughter] gifts and not my extended family gifts.”

Rasmussen isn’t sure of what the future will look like for her but she hopes that it won’t get worse.

We can’t come to a conclusion if the future is only going to bring more stress because it’s different for everyone but a majority of the population can find something good about the holidays. For Crowe it’s “Nice to spend time with your family, especially when you live far away and you can’t see them.’’ Even with all the financial stress and finding the perfect gift, the holidays are about spending time with the ones you love the most.

N O T S O D I S TA N T P A S T These events from January 2020 are still relevant today JAN 13 NY Times (incorrectly) claims rockets can’t fly JAN 17 First day of the prohibition of alcohol

JAN 29 Walt Disney starts working as an artist with KC Slide, Co.

OPINION / THE WHIRLWIND 15

ARIES MARCH 21 - APRIL 20

TAURUS

STARS

ALIGNED

What astrology believers think the stars say about us

BY Brooklyn D’Alessio

APRIL 21 - MAY 21

E V E RYO N E H A S A P L AC E

GEMINI MAY 22 - JUNE 21

CANCER

in the universe, followers of astrology believe. People say astrology helps others find their place, but you don’t need to know much about astrology to understand your horoscope. Everyone is given a chart at birth, depending on the place, time, day, month, and year they were born. This determines which signs are appointed to them, and which placements they fall in.

There are 88 constellations that we know of; astrology looks at the main 12: Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, and Pisces. All of the

ARIES

TAURUS

Lisa Gutierez

GEMINI

Senior

“Horoscopes are pretty rad.”

CANCER

Susana Alvarez

JULY 23 - AUGUST 22

AUGUST 23 - SEPTEMBER 23

LEO

Freshman

Sherlin Lopez

“It’s interesting. I look into it sometimes when I’m bored or just for fun.”

16 THE WHIRLWIND / JANUARY 2020

Junior

Dakota Lacassetran

“They’re really interesting, but I’m not really into them.”

VIRGO

Sophomore Billy France

‘I think it’s all fake.

Your personality is more enviorment than based on sign.”

JUNE 22 - JULY 22

LEO

Senior

signs have a section of the calendar year assigned to them, called ‘seasons.’ In pop culture references, one would commonly hear examples like “Scorpio season” or “Gemini season,” meaning we are in the time of year which Scorpios and Geminis are born.

In the Western horoscopes, there are three main signs you are given at birth. Your sun sign is your personality, how you experience life and express individuality. Your moon sign is your emotional sign, otherwise known as your inner self. Lastly, there is your ascendant sign, also known as your rising sign, representing how you act, and how you appear to other people.

“I just don’t care for them much. They have no effect on me.”

VIRGO

Junior

Karlie Guilliot

“They won’t be good for everyone because they don’t make sense.”

Claire Hagen, owner of The Sapphire Center in Lincoln City, has been interested in astrology for as long as she can remember. “I had always been into [astrology] because it is very meticulous. When I went into the Air Force, the way they did things reminded me of astrology, it was very straight forward.”

After the Air Force, Hagen went to Alaska and while she was there, she saw how the Native Americans used astrology. ”Every culture has a different perspective on what astrology is. Each culture is vastly different, but also somehow similar.”

According to believers, astrology is not just about your birth signs, it’s also about your birth chart. A birth chart is all of an individual’s placements put together, that way you get a more accurate depiction of personality and their future. Placements is where each sign falls in a chart, which are important to accurately examine a birth chart. Every sign has a reigning planet, the planet in which the sign is ruled by. Mars, reigning planet of Aries, is portrayed as the anger planet, explaining the common trait of aries being impulsive and prone to anger. Jupiter, reigning planet of Sagittarius, is the luck planet. With every planet in a chart, there’s a sign that corresponds with it that is unique to each individual.

A more advanced approach to astrology are the houses. There are 12 astrological houses all ruled by planets.

Unlike signs, houses move with the Earth. Houses have specific meanings, and portray much more about character than just regular placements. For example, the first

LIBRA

Freshman

SPECIAL

SEPTEMBER 24 - OCTOBER 23 house, known as the house of self, is also the same as the rising sign. The first house addresses many personality traits and the individual’s approach to life, which is why some don’t resonate with their sun sign very well sometimes. Looking at an advanced chart wheel with aspects and degrees, the study of astrological houses moves onto predicting which parts of life will come into focus for the individual.

Hagen states, “2020 will be an amazing year for everyone, positive energy for the new year is already so overwhelming.”

Some individuals use astrology to predict what may happen in the future, and others use it just for fun with friends on Instagram. Astrology is a big part of many people’s lives, and for others it may just be a hobby. People can find comfort in others who share the same astrological interests as themselves. Astrology is such a broad term that some may be intimidated by it. By finding parts of astrology that are interesting and easier to comprehend, the horizons of any individual can be broadened, even the non-believers.

CAPRICORN

English Teacher

Alora Thomas

Justin Crow

“It’s interesting to see the possibilities of different people.”

SCORPIO

Math Teacher

“Astrology is a manmade construct that has zero scientific backing.”

AQUARIUS

Sophomore

Steve Ockerman

Gregory Fisher

“I think it’s just kind of something for fun.”

SAGITTARIUS

Freshman

Kayla Mandelke

“It’s cool I guess.”

LIBRA

“I think they’re cool.”

PISCES

SCORPIO OCTOBER 24 - NOVEMBER 22

SAGITTARIUS NOVEMBER 23 - DECEMBER 22

CAPRICORN DECEMBER 23 - JANUARY 20

AQUARIUS JANUARY 21 - FEBRUARY 19

PISCES Math Teacher

FEBRUARY 20 - MARCH 20

Cole Pouliot

“For me when I look at horoscopes, they’re very vague.”

SPECIAL / THE WHIRLWIND 17

READING YOUR MAP Four students analyze their natal charts

BY Hannah Field

A ST R O L O GY H A S M A N Y

sides, and in society, it’s viewed in many different ways. With some people, it stays untouched and unexplored.

“Some people will say, I’ve read stuff about Gemini, and that doesn’t really say something about me,” astrologer Kelly Davidson said. “That might just not be emphasized.”

When someone goes to Davidson, it’s for guidance.

“I’m a predictive astrologer, meaning people come to me and I set timing for them—like when should I do this thing? They want to know, should I be doing what I’m doing right now? Is this the most important thing for me?”

She uses natal charts, or birth charts, to provide clients with the information they ask for. While sessions with Davidson aren’t for no cost, finding your own birth chart is; all it takes is a google search and some information, like the date, time, and location of when you were born.

“You were born with this map, your own map, so the constellations and the eclipses are transiting around your chart, activating certain areas of your chart,” Davidson said. “To understand astrology, [charts] are one of the first places you have to begin.”

Natal charts are made up of signs, planets, houses, and aspects. Not only do they provide information surrounding someone’s life and personality, but can show where the focus in someone’s life should be.

“The houses tell where something is going to show up in your life. With people who have more [planets spread out around the houses], they’re going to be able to incorporate a lot of different things in their time,” Davidson explained. Houses stand for different parts of life, some being about careers and relationships and others about communication or change. Aspects draw connections between the planets and houses; the type of aspect can predict whether an outcome is good or bad in a certain area of someone’s life.

“Each planet that is in the chart has a particular quality in a particular sign. It expands out how that planet will act out [in life],” she added. While someone’s sun sign represents their personality, it’s not the only sign worth acknowledging.

“Nowadays people may know a bit more, their sun sign or rising sign, maybe their moon sign,” Davidson explained.

A set of four students were exposed to their own natal charts, and upon further questioning, described their current knowledge surrounding astrology.

“I know I’m an Aquarius, that’s all I know,” senior Lexie Lundgreen stated concerning her astrological alignment. “I don’t necessarily believe in any of this.”

18 THE WHIRLWIND / JANUARY 2020

ASCENDANT/RISING SIGN This sets the timing for the chart and represents what you look like and how you are perceived as your rising sign, and is placed at the cusp of the first house at that line.

HOUSES The twelve houses do not move, but the planets and signs do. Each house stands for a different part of life, like beginnings, communication, and higher education, for example.

MOON SIGN Moon signs are the emotional and inner sides of a person.

SUN SIGN Someone’s sun sign represents their personality. This is their “main sign” according to basic astrology.

“I didn’t know there was this much,” admitted freshman April Mohamed.

Davidson believes astrology doesn’t make sense unless it’s about you. But she also completely agrees that thanks to astrology, we know more about not only ourselves, but the world around us.

“When we discovered Pluto, which rules plutonium, we got the atom bomb. When we discovered Neptune, which rules illusion, photography, television, we got photography, and images, and movies,” she said. “We are still discovering more planets.”

As for others, they’re still a bit doubtful about what astrology has to offer them.

“If it doesn’t connect even the tiniest bit, then I’m not going to believe it,” acknowledged sophomore Christian Mamak. “If you’re going to tell me my personality in and out, maybe, but it doesn’t.”

“It’s interesting to look at and think about, but some of these things don’t match me very well,” said senior Diego Silva about his own chart.

“It has to speak to you,” concluded Davidson. “I just want people to learn.”

t

n d

e

SIGNS Zodiac signs are constellations with specific traits associated with them. When you’re born under a certain zodiac, you are immediately tied to those traits.

ASPECTS These lines are aspects, and they based on the degrees of planets. They draw connections between placements of planets and signify something positive or negative based on what kind of aspect.

SIDE OF THE S R E H TAR OT E S TH An explanation of Chinese astrology and calendar

BY Ewan Murray

JUST LIKE ALL THINGS,

astrology has variations.

One of these variations is of Chinese origin. With this variation comes even more zodiac signs along with an entire calendar. This form of astrology is very popular in many places in eastern Asia and instead of following the stars, it is determined by the years that have past. The typical thought is that this is a 12 year cycle, but, in fact, it is an 11.85 year cycle, which is why the zodiac signs do not cycle back on January 1st on New Years and instead follow the Chinese calendar, becoming a general date instead of an exact day. The next zodiac also falls to change in late January or early February because of this aspect.

Similar to western zodiac signs, the Chinese also associated traits with their zodiacs, leading each animal to have unique traits dedicated to them.

With these traits they also came to have unique factors that distinguishes them such as elements like, fire, water, earth, and air and Yin or Yangs, which are designated names that are given to a sign to signify if they are destined to be good or evil. Just like western zodiacs, the Chinese also thought that each zodiac had certain compatibilities with other zodiacs.

Where western zodiacs are based on a symbol that is drawn from the constellation that they are based off of, the Chinese zodiacs are based

off of different animals. These zodiacs are also based on distinguished years whereas western zodiacs are based on certain ranges of time throughout the year, generally a month each. Where the western zodiacs had the idea of compatibility and pairing signs that got along the best together, Chinese zodiacs had best compatibility and even mismatches, bad matches that were avoided because of how they wouldn’t get along.

According to Astrology.com, “Some say that the Buddha (or Jade Emperor) called on all animals to help mankind and only 12 responded.

Others say that a Great Race was held to determine which animals would be placed in the zodiac for eternity. This guide is based on the ancient origin story of the Great Race, which determined each animal’s position in the zodiac”. This gives the idea that this form of zodiacs originated around 400 C.E. Another fact is that many believe that the goat zodiac is the most unlucky zodiac of the 12, According to chinahighlights.com, “There is a popular Chinese folk saying that 9/10 Goats are inadequate which implies most people born in a year of the Goat are destined for bad luck.” This is a large implication in China still to this day.

SPECIAL / THE WHIRLWIND 19

The evolution of skate culture and how it’s seen within WAHS

BY Gage Crabtree and Mattea Hellman

THE RELEASE

of Thrasher’s first issue back in 1981 marked the point of no return on skating’s place in American culture. Since then, skating has consistently stayed in popularity and been noted and generally acknowledged as both a sport and hobby. What fails to stay the same, however, is skate culture.

Skaters at WAHS have noticed similar changes within their community. From this, some stereotypes have been exposed as being long past their expiration date. “There’s this stigma that we’re a bunch of angsty teens that just hate the world, who are so rude, who do drugs,” senior Taylor Kelley said, “There’s definitely kids that do that, but there’s kids who do that in every area.”

Junior Sam Bigner commented on the cultural evolution of the sport, and the social ramifications. “If you were a skater, it was like a label that was put on you,”

Bigner said, “something people didn’t really want to associate with, which is really weird to us ‘cause like…

a lot and that the sport is now more accepted. “I think even within the last few years it’s gotten a lot bigger. It’s just become more accepted as a sport and as something people like to do.”

Regardless of the culture’s unpredictable shifts, there’s something about skating itself that keeps people coming back to it. For some, it’s simple. English teacher Blain Willard, an avid skater when he was in SAM BIGNER JUNIOR middle school, said his favorite aspect of the sport was how “it people thought you were weird for skateboarding? was sort of liberating to be young and let loose on a city...

Yeah.” Bigner believes that perception has changed I liked that we pushed ourselves; everyone wanted to be the best skater in town.”

Kelley expresses a similar sentiment, “I think there’s some sort of freedom I feel from it. It’s just a lot of fun. There’s a lot of dumb stuff you can do with it.”

Meanwhile, senior Channon Schuerger offers a different perspective, as his passion came from “a combination of the risk involved and the satisfaction of landing a trick.”

Even with changes happening every day in the skate community, there are some things that will never change. “It’s inherently athletic and graceful,” Willard said. “In order to do it well, you have to be a talented athlete.”

Others, like Schuerger, say it’s more related to the ambition and fearlessness required to do it. “I think it will never stop expanding,” Schuerger said. “There’s stuff that people do that never would have been imagined 10, or even five years ago.”

Bigner builds on the idea, ex-

“That’s how you get better at it, you just try things that you’ve never done before.

The only way to know if you could is if you try it.”

GAG E C R A BT R E E

20 THE WHIRLWIND / JANUARY 2020

Gage Crabtree

plaining that skaters may challenge themselves to perform tricks at a new location or on a different board. “Even just something you personally have never done before,” Bigner said. “That’s how you get better at it, you just try things that you’ve never done before. The only way to know if you could is if you try it.”

Kelley has some advice for beginning skaters, “It is so much more difficult than people think.

You’re going to get hurt, you’re going to fall, don’t worry about falling. Start small, wear a helmet, know you’re not going to be a pro immediately. It takes practice.”

SPORTS

S K AT E R Channon Schuerger attempts various skate tricks in front of WAHS on Jan. 9 2020. Schuerger, a senior at WAHS, is one of many with an awareness of skate culture.

D I D YO U K N OW ?

The movement to create the ALBANY SKATEPARK started over 20 years ago in Study Skills teacher Jane Marshall’s classroom on Thursdays at lunch, when a group of students would bring in skate videos and watch them on the VCR in Marshall’s room.

“It kind of created an area for kids to come together, validating their interests,” said Marshall.

Skating on the streets downtown wasn’t an option, due to “always being harassed by the police” and so once the prospect of a skate park was in sight, there was no looking back.

The group worked with then Director of Parks and Recreation Dave Clark, attending city council meetings, fundraising, and organizing cleanups downtown to show businesses they were serious.

Marshall explains, “It was

important [that] we demonstrated to the business owners that these kids were interested in having a positive influence on the community.”

In the end, the $275,000 facility was completed without government funding. A local family donated the property, multiple private businesses contributed to the lighting, contracting, architecture, landscaping, building. At the time in 1999, it was one of the only major skate facilities in Oregon.

“I think that the momentum to create it was incredibly positive, to get kids involved in the process,” said Marshall. “You can’t make big changes without making a bunch of small changes. If that means picking up garbage in front of a business that maybe looked down on you, that works too.”

Mattea Hellman

SPORTS/ THE WHIRLWIND 21

JUNIOR Luke Killinger

When is someone crossing the line between supporting a team and heckling the players?

WHAT THE HECKLING?!

You don’t cross the line I think. It’s the fan’s job to be a fan, they do what they do. I mean, as long as you’re not on the court messing with my game, I’m fine.

How does heckling affect a game and its players?

What’s the worst case of heckling that you’ve seen in a game?

Seventy-year old grandma at an eighth grade basketball game was cussing out our whole team. That was pretty fun.

BY Gabrielle Budlong

What’s the worst case of heckling that you’ve seen in a game?

How do you handle these kind of situation?

Does it ever affect the team or the game?

It was somewhere in Southern California. There was a lot of racism in the game, and people were yelling out racial slurs and stuff.

I kind of just block it out. I don’t really listen to it. If it’s something really personal, sometimes I’ll say stuff back to the crowd. Probably shouldn’t do that.

It depends on what is being said.

If it’s really hurtful like, for example the racial slurs, that definitely affected the team and the way we played, kind of flustered our team.

But if it’s just normal heckling, I’m kind of used to that.

JUNIOR Brayden Campbell

Breakfast, Lunch, and Pastries!

Genuine German Recipes!

115 SW Ellsworth St, Albany, OR

Phone: (541) 926-3988 Elizabeth Bobe

22 WHIRLWIND / JANUARY 2020

WHAT’S IN MY

By Mandy Howard

BAG

Junior Luke Killinger gives a tour through his basketball bag

Sweat rag but with an embroidered basketball and the words “Bulldogs” and “Luke”

Senior Taylor Kelley talks about the traditions Girls Swimming has S I M I L A R T O M O S T sports teams, be-

West Albany jersey.

This one is 10/10.

Pair of Nike shoes that Killinger will have torn up by the end of the season.

A pair of lucky socks. Killinger says that he picks a pair at the beginning of the season and wears them for every game.

TEAM RITUALS

Killinger’s ankle brace

fore a meet, girls swimming has a few traditions they participate in to prepare for the competition.

A swim meet can put a lot of pressure on the athletes, so they have a few different they do to relieve some of that stress. Senior team captain, Taylor Kelley, talks about the guided meditation her team does before a meet.

“We do guided meditation to calm nerves,” Kelley said. “It make us feel more comfortable.”

Meditation is practiced by a lot of people who are trying to lift their mood, but the swim team does something else too that’s a little more unconventional.

Before they step up to the pool, Kelley says that they “cheer with South Albany’s swim team because we all swim at the same time, so we do cheers together, except when we go against each other.”

According to Kelley, the team has been doing this for at least four years. “Ever since I was a freshman, we’ve done it.”

Team rituals can really boost a team’s morale and get them excited for a meet so they perform better overall. Girls swimming is no exception.

P L AY by Devin Baer Matching basketball shorts with the West logo.

MY FAVORITE MOVE

Sophomore Devin Baer shows us his favorite wrestling move D U R I N G A M E E T , wrestlers have a lot of different options for what move they want to do next. The athletes don’t have time to think about every move they know so they may just go with their personal favorite. Different wrestlers like different moves, in particular, sophomore Devin Baer says his favorite is a single leg take down. Baer chose this move because “they can’t sprawl on you.” In this move you grab your opponent’s leg and lift. Getting a good take down can be critical to the match’s outcome. Win or lose, a favorite move remains a favorite move.

SPORTS / THE WHIRLWIND 23

SWIMMING

Gold Rush Boys Water Polo:

• • • •

Three-time 5A state champs. (2006, 2007, 2010) District champions 13 years in a row. (20062019) Placed at state every year from 2006-2019, except for 2016 All-time record is 453-143-2

Girls Water Polo:

• • • • •

Five-time 5A state champions. (2007, 20112013, 2018) 6A state champions in 2016.

District champions 12 years in a row. (20072019) Placed at state every year since 2007.

All-time record is 437-109-1

Boys Swimming:

• • •

2019 state champion relay team District champions in 2019 2nd place state finish in 2019 making it their best state showing ever

Girls Swimming:

• • •

2019 state champion relay team District champions in 2019 2nd place state finish in 2019 making it their best state showing ever as well

24 THE WHIRLWIND / JANUARY 2020

The swimming and water polo teams have always been consistently successful. What contributes to their achievments?

BY Gabrielle Budlong and Caleb Har t

TWENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO, Rob Romancier and Rob Nelke started the water polo program, creating a South and West combined team for the first three years.

“Once there were enough West Albany kids, we said, ‘Okay, we can’t go to state with a SouthWest team’,” said girls water polo coach Rob Romancier, “So we split, and it’s been from 1995 to now.”

The West Albany swim team has dominated its opponents in recent years. This success has been illuminated with the recent move to 5A. In 2019 alone, both the boys and the girls won the district and went on to place second overall at the state tournament.

In water polo, the results have been even better. Since starting the water polo program Romancier, coach of the girls water polo team, and Nelke, coach of the boys, have had great success.

In this time, the boys have come away with three state championships and the girls with six. Adding onto this, the boys also have a 13 year streak in which they have been district champions, and the girls are at 12 years straight.

Rob Romancier’s wife Babette Romancier has been the head coach of the swim team at West Albany for 14 years now, and many swimmers attribute their team’s success to her coaching.

“Babs is a very intense coach, and she’s very encouraging to do our best,” said junior and varsity swimmer Emily Rey, “and so I think that helps keep us in line

with actually trying.”

Rey also gives her team credit for pushing each other to do their best, especially during practices. She thinks this also leads them to success.

Babette realizes what she does for the team that makes them often times so successful.

“We have a lot of people with a lot of experience, and I have a kind of specialty in land exercise,” said Babette, “so I have a lot of understanding of the muscles and helping them get back in the water.”

Babette also attributes the team’s achievements to their culture. The way the team supports each other consistently, takes practices so seriously, and forms a family within the team.

“I would say a big part of it is culture. Once you establish what the expectations are, you know, we don’t allow kids to be out and whining and complaining” said Babette, “they come in as a freshman, and they don’t understand the expectation and usually by the time they’re a sophomore they’ve got it. They figured it out, and they’re passing it on to the newest freshmen, and I think that’s a big part of it.”

Babette believes that the team pays more attention to detail than many other teams, putting them at an advantage and making them stronger swimmers.

“So the details of the turns, the quality of the turns that they do, holding their breath, and the breathing pattern,” Babette said. “Being really aggressive is another big part of it, that we teach them how to race, and we demand it from them all the time. It’s not something we wait until the end of the season to make them swim fast, we’re demanding them to swim fast and practice all the time so that their bodies get comfortable being uncomfortable, and work to the next level.”

Rob Romancier agrees that the team’s culture and attention to detail is the key to their success. Another factor in their success is that the team focuses on building up their weakest members and making them stronger competitors.

“We’ve had the philosophy that we’re only as strong as our weakest player. So everybody knows how to do everything, everybody can go set a hole, or drive, or post up, and do those different things.” Rob said, “So, we’re going to find the weak player on the other team, and take advantage of them. Sounds

FOR GOLD mean, but that’s what you do.”

Rob believes that the team stands out among other teams because they’re a family.

“Our saying for the last few years is ‘Sometimes you, Sometimes me, Always us’ and I stole that from Oregon, but it’s a tight group. Everybody cares, and everybody works hard and pushes each other, supports each other. It’s really neat to see,” Rob said “It’s a solid, supportive, hard working group.”

Babette believes that the reason the group is so close and such a family is because they have to get themselves everywhere and raise every bit of money themselves.

“As far as swim team, we don’t ask for anything other than what we’re given,” said Babette,

“but water polo has to be given everything from their parents, the rides back and forth to all the games, and all the support for everything is done by the parents, so it really builds a family atmosphere.”

Rob Romancier is retiring this year after 25 years, and he’s enjoyed every bit of it. He’s incredibly proud of water polo and the swimmers and believes they deserve more recognition for their hard work.

“These kids work as hard or harder than the other sports out there, and they don’t get a whole lot because we’re a club,” said Rob, “but they are amazing athletes and amazing people.”

The swim team is usually either balanced between boys and girls, or has more girls than boys.

This year however, the girls team hasn’t been as strong as recent years. Many strong swimmers graduated last year, and a lot of the team members are new to swimming. This year has been considered a building year within the teams.

“We’re looking for some more girls,” said Rob. “This is our lowest year ever. I’ve had up to 24 girls on the team, that was a bit many, but we only have 13 this year. Being able to swim and throwing a ball is part of the deal, but it’s a great group and if anybody is out there who’s a freshman or sophomore who wants to get involved, we’d love to have them.”

Junior Ben Hugulet

Junior Emily Rey

Junior Sam Cuzick

Junior Ben Hugulet is a varsity swimmer currently participating in his third year of swimming. Hugulet says his proudest moment came in his sophomore year at the district tournament.

“At districts last year I swam the 500 and I had a bad attitude towards it, but I just decided to try my best and I got good results out of it,” Hugulet said, “I placed seventh at districts which isn’t that good, but for only my second year I was proud of myself.”

Ben also explained that he had the 15th best time for this event going in.

“I faced the most hardship [during the race], but

Junior Emily Rey has been swimming for nine years and also said that her proudest moment came her sophomore year at districts.

“Just being able to get into the top 8 last year [in the 100 breaststroke] was pretty good.”

When asked why this was special to her she explained that it showed her that she had improved from freshman to sophomore year.

Junior, and varsity swimmer Samantha Cuzick found her proudest moment throughout her swimming career.

“Just how far I’ve come is the one thing I’m the most proud of. I started as a lane four or five swimmer, but I’ve worked my way up to land two… so just me improving and not giving up even when I really wanted to.”

Her progress and determination means so much to her because she wasn’t a naturally good swimmer, and she’s been working very hard her entire

Proudest Moment

life to get to where she’s at.

I didn’t stop.”

SPORTS / THE WHIRLWIND 25

UNDER THE RADAR What sports do some students play that go off the beaten path?

RUGBY

Oona Lee SENIOR

BY Coral CwmCwlamare

ARCHERY

Carson Hyde SOPHOMORE

FOOTBALL, SOCCER, GOLF, water polo, tennis, and lacrosse are all examples of school sponsored sports. Some students, however, wander off the beaten path and play sports not offered by the school. From curling to roller skating, there are many unusual sports that students play.

illustrations and photos byCoral CwmCwlamre

How would you describe the sport?

“A cross between football and soccer. It has an almost family like atmosphere.

There is very little drama and the coaches make a fun environment.”

“It is a very multilevel sport, both mentally and physically. It’s not necessarily a difficult sport but very rewarding.”

How did you get into it?

“A friend set it up in middle school and needed people to join. At the time I was already into contact sports.”

“I originally got into it with my dad.

I saw a bow in the garage, asked for one for Christmas, and started.”

What is your favorite memory attached to it?

“Definitely freshman year.

We won the championship against our biggest rival.”

“It was the first time I split an arrow. I thought it was impossible, something you only see in movies.”

26 THE WHIRLWIND / JANUARY 2020

A + E Students and teachers deal with scam calls and give their advice on how to avoid them and we couldn’t stop it, so we just had to put it on mute. And that was highly amusing.”

Dykast’s family was lucky enough to realize this was a fraud and stop it before it was too late. Others aren’t so lucky. According to Scamwatch.gov, upwards of 158,000 people reported being scammed in 2019. A whopping $129 million was lost due to scams this year.

It’s not always easy to tell whether or I not someone is trying to scam you, and ocRIN E L EL N C casionally, the fear factor and element of surRBI CO prise is enough to make someone fall for a fake phone call. Choir teacher Cate Caffarella was caught off guard when she received a startling phone call from someone demandB Y To r i T h o r p ing money.

C O M P U T E R S S P E A K I N G , the IRS “Somebody called me and said that they giving your phone a ring, New York asking for your were the IRS and I hadn’t paid my taxes and social security number. It all sounds terrifying, but, that I also owed a lot of money,” Caffarella most likely, it’s just an said. elaborate scam. So, Though she why do these scams was panicked happen, and what are “Somebody called me at first, she narpeople supposed to do rowly avoided and said that they were about them? the loss of her “[My family] had money after the IRS and I hadn’t this thing on our lapcalling her hustop where it started payed my taxes.” band, who told talking one day. There her it was all wasn’t anything on the fake. “There CHOIR TEACHER Cate Caffarella screen, but the laptop was literally a was talking,” senior script of the call on the internet. So it was Olivia Dykast said, recalling the scams that have something that had been going around. And been attempted on her and her family. “It just kept then when I talked to other staff members, repeating the same message over and over out loud, several of them had gotten the exact same phone call.”

This close call brings up the question: how do you avoid being scammed?

Caffarella was careful and was sure to ask her husband before she gave up the money that the scammer had been asking for. Others, such as junior Karlie Guilliot, have some fun

by scamming the scammers right back.

Guilliot was getting frequent calls from New York demanding her social security number. Like Caffarella, her first instinct was to panic and start looking for the information. Soon after getting the call, however, Guilliot realized that she was being conned and decided to take a comedic approach to getting rid of the scammer.

“I just started replying to them with whatever they would tell to me,” Guilliot explained, “so they would be like, ‘We need your credit card information,’ and I was like, ‘You need my credit card information? I need your credit card information!’ and then they eventually stopped calling me.” Just to be safe, however, Guilliot also blocked the number.

Whether it’s by asking around, scamming the scammers, or just not picking up, there are plenty of ways to avoid being deceived. Always be sure to check that whoever is asking for your information is legitimate and will not use it irresponsibly. Just remember, if a prince from a foreign country calls asking for a loan, don’t give him one.

I N S TA - H A C K E D A step-by-step on how to keep your instagram from being hacked Step 1: Pick a Powerful Password This may seem obvious, but picking a passcode that’s hack-proof is very important to ensure the safety of your account. Instagram recommends you put six or more letters, numbers, and and punctuation marks in your password.

Step 2: Two-factor Authentication Go to the instagram settings on your account and tap the “security” option, scroll down, select “two factor authentication”, and confirm a security code. This feature makes it so that if a hacker tries to log into your account from an unknown device, they must enter your security code.

Step 3: Super Secure Email Make sure your email has a strong password and is as secure as possible. If your email isn’t secure, then your account isn’t either.

Step 4: Log Out and Lock If you have any shared devices or log into your account on any devices that aren’t what you usually log into Instagram on, be sure to completely log out of you8r account after using Instagram on those devices.

Step 5: Block The Odd Apps If there are any sketchy third-party apps such as Instagram bots that have access to your account, you can block those apps from having access to your account by clicking the “settings” button and going to “authorized apps”. From there, you can block certain apps.

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

DIE HARD A r t b y To r i T h o r p

By Alizah Bueno and Colvin Parvin

Disney shapes the movies of tomorrow, starting from 1923 to 2020 when streaming is the most common way to watch movies E V E R S I N C E I T S S TA R T

in 1923, Disney has been shaping the lives of many across the world. The first Disney movie, “Snow White and the Seven Dwarves,” premiered on Dec. 4, 1937. In its time, it was a milestone, making $1.8 million in the box office. This marked the start of the animation industry. This eventually led to “Pinocchio,” then to the legendary adventure of Mickey Mouse’s journey with his magic hat called “Fantasia.” Now these famous movies can be accessed. The brand new streaming service, Disney Plus, opens up a new level of streaming, from the famous Star Wars saga to the oldest Mickey Mouse cartoons.

When it comes to using Disney Plus, Sophomore Izzy Harwood, “to kinda take a blast from the past”.

It’s had an impact on not only Harwood, but multiple students throughout West Albany, and any Disney fans. Throughout the yearsThere has been a major change amongst the movies from the past to now, “There’s the damsel in distress and the prince needs to ride in and save the day or give the princess a kiss

without permission,” Spanish teacher Ken Beiser said.

“At the time, (This) seemed totally normal and now seems like, ‘ew.’”

“I think it’s good to show that women can be anything, like anything from a damsel in distress to the independent hero.”

Connor Dodd SENIOR

There is a part of the change that is based on our generation, according to Beiser. “I think that is very much a part of it. I also think that the people creating

films are very different.”

The generational change affects how people see the movies, how they picture Disney, and how Disney’s message is taken to heart from people. “I think it’s good to show that women can be anything like anything from a damsel in distress to the independent hero,” senior Connor Dodd said. The change in the tone with the videos have helped Disney grow, but they have also caused Disney to lose older fans according to their old fans, and some of the newer.

Disney Plus has had a major effect on the other streaming services such as Netflix, Hulu, and HBO. This Disney Plus effect has given people a reason to lose their subscriptions to providers such as Netflix. Disney Plus and Hulu have started a partnership for $13 a month, which is saving $5 each month. Hulu has had a major increase in its subscribers since the bundle has been released. Netflix and Disney have yet to expose a deal for subscribers to purchase both at the same time, but Netflix has begun to work with Nickelodeon and released Nickelodeon specials such as “Victorious” and “Sam &

Disneyland opens in Anaheim, California

Walt Disney Company was created

1 96 3

1937 1955

1923

“Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” first movie made 28 THE WHIRLWIND / JANUARY 2020

Walt DIsney dies from lung cancer

1 96 6

Enchanted Tiki Room becomes first attraction to have Audio-animatronics

1. What was the first Disney film created? a. Snow White b. Pinnocchio c. Fantasia 2. What is Aladdin’s monkey friend named? a. Ollie b. Archie c. Abu

4. In “The Jungle Book,” what type of animal is Kae? a. Bird b. Bear c. Snake 5. In order to become a real boy, Pinnocchio must prove himself brave, truthful, ...? a. Honest b. Unselfish c. Sensitive 6. What two destinations did Lightning McQueen and Mater visit in “Cars 2”? a. Arizona and Japan b. Asia and Canada c. Europe and Japan

4.) c. Snake 5.) b. Unselfish

6.) c. Europe and Japan

Cat”. However, Harwood says,” [...] Netflix is still my try to surpass Disney Plus, but this will be hard when go to, but like once a week.” Netflix can still be viewed Disney Plus is nearly half the cost it will be hard to beat. as a big part of streaming, With that said, regardless of the effect streaming Disney Plus Netflix’s devices overall viewers. can still be seen After Hulu started to as better than cost insane prices, Beiser having to pay and his wife left it for for cable. Also better providers. He says “I being able to don’t have Hulu anymore. stream shows in My wife and I had Hulu higher quality is when it was free, but when a great feature.

S PA N I S H T E AC H E R Ke n B e i s e r we started having to pay With Disney we ditched it but Netflix is Plus on the good in my opinion, I am rise, Netflix, a big fan of ‘Stranger Things’ and a lot of the true crime and other streaming services are being suppressed by shows.” Netflix can still be costly, but they have a vast Disney’s fame and it’s low costs. amount of shows and movies.

The newest generation is born into the popularity With Nickelodeon and Netflix teaming up they will of technology and is nowhere behind with the constantly

“There’s the damsel in distress and the prince needs to ride in and save the day or give the princess a kiss without permission.”

3.) b. Bruce

3. Who is Nemo’s dad? a. Marlin b. Bruce c. Gill

2.) c. Abu

TRIVIA

Answer these six questions to see how big of a Disney fan you are

1.) a. Snow White

DISNEY

updated streaming services. Since the launch of Disney Plus on Nov. 12, the TV shows and movies are endless.

Disney Plus has more than 500 movies and 7,500 episodes in total. Some view Disney Plus as a blessing due to the fact that they can find those childhood movies that some spent hours looking for if they don’t own it, even those 90’s shows like “Duck Tales,” “Darkwing Duck,” and the legendary “Talespin,” which were popular in the past.

The 90’s cartoons aren’t the only throwback uploaded on Disney. These hit shows from our childhood like “Kickin’ It,” “Hannah Montana,” and “Wizards of Waverly Place,” are all the shows that were uploaded onto the new streaming app. This gives us access to many childhood shows that we had to wait for to come on cable when we were younger. The start of streaming has opened the doors to many new ways to watch our favorite Disney films. Our generation of technology serving us the things we valued most, keeping our youth alive through the films of the past.

Disney+ launches

The Disney Channel launches

1997

1971

2019

1983

Disney partners with Pixar Walt Disney world opens in Orlando, Florida

F A I R U S E O F I M A G E S V I A W I K I M E D I A C O M M O N S A N D W A LT D I S N E Y C O M P A N Y

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 9

HOLLYWOOD’S BLEEDING Why movies and TV shows often portrayed killers in a romanticized, positive way in

BY Abigail Winter

A S C R E A M I N G G I R L runs down the hallway. Blood covers her arms, face, and anywhere else she’s been hit. Her eyes are wide with fear, and her feet are moving faster than her already racing thoughts. When she finds herself at a dead end, she turns to see a masked killer inches away from her. She screams, terrified for her life; desperate to escape from this horrible, evil person. Yet, when the mysterious person reveals themselves, she’s met with an attractive, blood thirsty man that wants her in more ways than one.

Although this isn’t the plot to every single horror film or TV show, the trope of the main antagonist being an attractive man is very common. In famous films such as “Scream,” “Heathers,” and “American Psycho,” the main killer is played by a conventionally attractive man. The same trope is seen in many TV shows, including killers portrayed in the TV series “American Horror Story,” the Netflix original series “You,” and the TV series “Dexter.”

The phenomenon of being attracted to an “evil” person is called hybristophilia, but this condition is not common, especially amongst those who simply have a random attraction to an evil character, nonfiction or fictional. Sociology professor Makini Beck from the Rochestor Institute of Technology says that women are more attracted to the “bad boy” trope due to the fact that people often walk over or take advantage of the “nice guy,” and they expect a bad boy will protect them from dangers.

To take it further, people (often women) can see killers as attractive simply because there is an inate enjoyment of having fear instilled into them; they enjoy the thrill of it all. And with TV shows, movies and other forms of media portraying killers in such a high light, their attraction causes more streams and views in the long run because they want to experience that thrill over and over again.

TIMELINE: FAMOUS MOVIES WITH ATTRACTIVE KILLERS Pyscho

1 96 0 Scream

Anthony Perkins plays infamous fictional killer Norman Bates.

Skeet Ultrich plays

1 9 9 6 fictional masked killer American Pyscho

2000 Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street

2007

My Friend Dahmer

2017 Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile

2019

Billy Loomis, a.k.a.

Ghostface.

Christian Bale plays fictional killer Patrick Bateman, a businessman who goes insane and kills women.

Johnny Depp portrays fictional killer Sweeney Todd, a barber who kills his clients for revenge of a crime he didn’t commit.

Ross Lynch plays the role of real life serial killer Jefferey Dahmer, a young man who killed other men his age because he was attracted to them.

Zac Efron plays infamous serial killer Ted Bundy, who kidnapped, murdered and raped multiple women in the 1970’s.

A menagerie of old familiars and unique pieces from around the world Mary Artz (541-760-1941

223 Second Avenue SW Albany, Oregon 97321

211 Second Avenue SW Albany, Oregon 97321

FREE BUFFALO NICKEL WITH PURCHASE

3 0 E N T E R TA I N M E N T / J A N U A R Y 2 0 2 0

OUT OF 7 3 STUDENTS

76%

B E L I E V E T H AT T V S H OWS A N D M OV I E S ROMANTICIZE FICTIONAL AND NONFICTIONAL EVIL PEOPLE

OUT OF 7 3 STUDENTS

72%

T H I N K T H AT S O C I A L MEDIA HAS ALLOWED FOR PEOPLE TO BE MORE OPEN ABOUT THEIR AT T R A C T I O N / I N T E R E S T IN KILLERS

OUT OF 27 STUDENTS

70%

H AV E B E E N AT T R A C T E D TO OR INTERESTED IN AN EVIL CHARACTER IN A M OV I E O R T V S H OW

DINE IN DELIVERY PICKUP

541-791-7663

560 NW Hickory St, Albany, OR 97321 southpawsperfectpizza.com

POETRY’S NOT DEAD Poetry has been an important part of many people’s lives and is used in a variety of forms

BY Sam Mattingly

W O R D S C A N B E S O M E of the most students, only 18% of teenagers read poetry for leisure, while 10% write poetry. Of the 10% that powerful tools, especially when those words write poetry, 90% consider it an emotional outlet. are written in an abstract or Not only does emotional form. Many people poetry serve to express Famous Poets Throughout History find solace in words; written, emotion, but it can and their Work spoken, or even sung. These enhance creativity Homer - The Odyssey (eighth century) people indulge with words in the classroom.

Sappho Ode to Aphrodite (sixth century) either as an author or reader, and Bioscience Volume both are significantly impacted Eleanor Aquitaine - Courtly Love Movement 68, Issue 11 shows (11th century) by their own or others works. this by expressing an “Most of the poetry I’ve Enzo of Sardina - On the Fitness of Seasons “enhanced engagement (13th century) written is when I’m in a bad and enjoyment when Shakespeare Sonnet 18 (1609) mood or a really, really good poetry is integrated Katherine Philips -Against Love (1678) mood,” junior Emily Ray said. with their core subject.”

William Wordsworth The Prelude (1850) “When I’m feeling a lot of Poetry can also spread Ralph Waldo Emerson Self Reliance (1841) inner turmoil, it’s usually just awareness, as shown by Louisa May Alcott - Little Women (1868) stereotypical slam poetry.”

Jack Kerouac - Mexico City Blues (1959) conservationhaiku.org.

Although, writing is not This site uses a specific the only way to express denomination of poetry, haikus, to spread awareness emotion through the art of poetry. Reading about environmental or conservationist issues. poetry can have an equally cathartic effect.

There are examples of poetry everywhere, English teacher Jordan Ruppert recommends but they are often hidden. Music is a huge poetry as an outlet to help with emotions. “Everyone example; every song with lyrics is essentially should read poetry every day. But we don’t.” a poem. But, as a society, we simply don’t According to a survey of 100 West Albany

indulge in poetry in it’s true written form often.

“Even just a couple generations ago, there were people who were famous for writing poetry [who] were household names, and that’s just not the case at all anymore,” Ruppert said.

Although that’s not to say that poetry is nonexistent in today’s world. There are modern authors, such as Rupi Kaur, author of the poetry book “Milk and Honey” or Amanda Lovelace, author of “The Princess Saves Herself in This One.” Kaur, however, is mostly only well known by young teenage girls specifically. This is likely due to the author her young age as well as her rise through social media. The content of both Kaur and Lovelace’s poems are directed towards young teen girls with themes of young love, heartbreak, and struggles specific to young girls along with how to grow from such struggles.

According to NPR, poetry has been making a comeback in major ways. From 2012 to 2017, the percentage of Americans who read poetry increased by 5%. Those who read poetry are largely women and minorities, and likely Millennial and Gen Z consumers. This can be attributed to the abundance of platforms on which to share and read poetry, such as Pinterest, Instagram, Tumblr, and Wattpad. Due to the easy access and the variety of interpretations poetry has, it’s no surprise it’s gained popularity in recent years.

Poetry is a form of art which serves a great number of purposes, from helping creativity to providing a healthy way to cope with feelings.

Although it suffered a lull in the 20th century, poetry has been on the rise with recent generations because of its versatility with interpretations.

Student Picks JUNIOR Madi Hearing:

JUNIOR Shelbylinn Connell:

“Sometimes; you are going to miss a person; who was an almost to you; And feel sad because; there is no name; for that feeling; You just feel it in a way; that makes you tired; to your very bones.”

- Nikita Gill

“I enjoy the writings of Lisa Schroeder. She writes novels in poetry. She’s local, too! [...] when reading Schroeder’s books I always seem to put myself in the character’s shoes and I am able to understand what is going on.”

MAGGIE BEDRIN

M-F 6:30 a.m.-5p.m.

SAT 8 a.m.-6p.m.

206 2nd Ave. SW (541) 248-3234 margincoffee.com / @margin_coffee E N T E R TA I N M E N T / T H E W H I R L W I N D 3 1

WHAT I’M FEELING

GUESS WHO?

Student Suggestions B Y To r i T h o r p

What’s your opinion on WAHS musicals?

Outfit Recommendation: Rubber Duck Swim Shorts “I like these rubber duck shorts. They’re like little swim shorts. They’re not like regular pants, and people don’t wear them a lot, so they’re more unique,” says Sophomore Grason Crabtree.

If you like the look of these shorts, scan the QR code to check them out on Amazon.

A.

Finnigan Jaykob JUNIOR

Movie Recommendation: “A League Of Their Own” ““A League of Their Own”, is about a women’s baseball team during World War 2, and all the men go off to war so there’s no major league baseball team anymore. So they create the women’s major league baseball team,” says Junior Laethym Zahlmann.

“A League of Their Own” can be rented on most streaming platforms, such as Amazon Prime or Apple Movies.

1. “I think the musicals at West are amazing!

All of the staging, lighting and the costumes are so fit for whatever it is. It feels like you’re actually there watching everything happen.”

2. “I love the fact that they really take pride in their work. Seeing B. all the stage props that they have set up, and everything people have built, it shows that they really care and want to produce something good”.

Katie Johnson JUNIOR

Album Recommendation: Hamilton

3. “I went to the musical last year and I was C. super impressed and very much entertained. The organization was amazing, the training was amazing, and you just realize when you watch it K r i s t e n G r o s s e r h o d e how much work clearS PA N I S H T E AC H E R ly went into it.”

“Hamilton is pretty good, it was based on a true story and the rhythm is really good and the music is good and there’s actually a story behind it all,” says Freshman Spencer Madsen.

Hamilton can be found on most music platforms, including Apple Music and Spotify.

MY BEST WORK

1. B./ 2.A./ 3.C TORI THORP

Baking: Abe Bartholomew

JUNIOR

Photography: Josh Hales SOPHOMORE

Josh Hales

Sophomore Josh Hales created this photo with his Canon Rebel T6, a camera he bought for his 15th birthday. “I just wanted a fun, kind of carefree picture,” Hales explains, “I like to take fun and happy pictures”. Hales had one of his friends stand with the camera after he taught her how to adjust the settings and told her to take a bunch of pictures while he jumped. “The picture turned out looking like I wanted it to,” Hales said, “it just made me think happy thoughts”.

Abe Bartholomew

Junior Abe Bartholomew decided to make some Frida Kahlo themed cookies for a project in Spanish class. Bartholomew explains, “For Spanish class we were doing a piece on Frida Kahlo and I was looking into Spanish pastries and I found these things called polvorones, or Mexican wedding cookies.” The cookies are similar to shortbread, but Bartholomew says “they were not as dry and crispy as shortbread but more crumbly”. Of course, to make these cookies look like Frida Kahlo for his project, he had to add her signature unibrow and red lipstick. “I used Royal Icing piped through a very tiny hole in a Ziploc baggie to make eyebrows and the distinctive unibrow and red lips of Frida Kahlo and put those on the cookies,” says Bartholomew, “and then I just had Frida Kahlo cookies”.

THE WHIRLWIND 32