22-23 The Whirlwind - Issue 2

Whirlwind WEST ALBANY HIGH SCHOOL • DECEMBER 2022 • ISSUE 2

HELLO, MY NAME IS...

How our names do — and do not — represent who we are as individuals

What’s in a name?

How Karens and Chads feel about their names now, p. 21

Say my name...

Transgender students explain why naming matters, p. 22-23

High School as a Source of Fear Our past and present concerning school safety, p. 4-5

Finding Forgotten Pieces Political Deep Dive antique TheLooking passinginto of legislation records here in its Albany Measure 114 and effects, p. 10

A Foreign Exchange Experience Junior travels to Japan and Korea, p. 8-9

Forgotten Treasures Hidden gems at the antique mall, p.18-19

CONTENTS NEWS

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High School is a Battlefield: How are school shootings affecting Albany, Oregon 04 Using Your Brain to Find a Way: Hall buys psychology experiments with $1,500 in donations 06 Adventures Abroad: Moments from traveling with the Oleander Initiative 08

OPINION Bandage Over A Bullet Wound: The reality of Measure 114 10 To Cool For School: Students are freezing 11

SPORTS The Technical Advantage: Three pieces of technology used by teams at West 12 Room For Every’Body’: How does body image affect student athletes 13

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Playing With Passion: The trials, tribulations, and growth of the West Albany soccer team 14

ENTERTAINMENT Competing Off The Field: The impact clubs have had on students at West 16 Classic Covers: A review of the five different versions of a holiday song 17 Treasure Trove: Exploring the Albany antique mall 18

FEATURES What We Call Ourselves: Students with ethnically significant names talk about their experience in America 21 The Internet Does Not Define Me: How much of an impact does the internet have on names 21 Reinventing Myself: How has changing their names helped these students 22

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Cover | Illustration by Gigi Roldan and Joe Wagner T H E W H I R LW I N D

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EDITOR’S NOTE

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s high school students, our opinions are often taken as immature or adolescent. Becoming involved in the community or current events can seem like an incredibly daunting task for fear of being shot down with condescending responses about being “too young” to have opinions about the world. Politics is a broad and complex subject that is intimidating, and for many high schoolers, it is difficult to know where to start.

Being a high school magazine means we have the opportunity to introduce important current events and allow the student body to become excited about learning how the world works. Our job as editors is to create content that is accessible and easy to understand, and that can spark a passion for learning new things.

However, news content can often be bleak and serious, so it is crucial that we maintain a certain amount of balance between serious topics and lighthearted content. As we curate the articles and visuals that will be printed for each issue, we try to highlight the beautiful aspects of the high school experience and of Albany’s community.

In this issue, our staff has delved into a number of different subjects, to create something that will hopefully appeal to all of our readers.

In the news section, we have covered the issue of gun violence in schools, paired with the staff editorial that discusses Measure 114. This is a heavy topic that incites a lot of fear, but as students in our current education system, it is an important matter to think about.

The fun, lighthearted stories in our entertainment section show the importance of duality, jumping between seriousness and playfulness as we try to give the readers something to think about.

Our sports section focuses on West’s athletic department, choosing to highlight uplifting stories that reflect the beautiful community that can be found at WAHS. Even topics Gold Level: such as body image can be discussed in a way that is posiSarah Whiteside tive and reassuring to those struggling.

Finally, the special feature, or overarching theme of the issue, is names. Our staff has tackled the question of “What’s In A Name,” by discussing the importance of a person’s name, and its attachment to identity and expression.

These are a couple of examples that illustrate the ways our staff likes to strike a balance in the stories we write, to allow the readers to both remain engaged and give them something to consider.

STAFF Editors-In-Chief Gigi Roldan Joe Wagner Ming Wong Mollie Brown

News

Legend Engberg

Opinion

Violet Zinck

Special

Helen Whiteside

Sports

Hailey Miles

Arts & Entertainment Marshall Hamel

Staff

A’Shyia Swenson Avneet Dhaliwal Jose Lopez Ortega

Adviser

Michelle Balmeo

FINDING A BALANCE

WE WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE FOLLOWING SPONSOR

Mollie Brown, Gigi Roldan, Joe Wagner, and Ming Wong Editors-in-Chief

INTERESTED IN SPONSORING?

The Whirlwind, West Albany High School’s student news publication, is seeking sponsors for this school year. Whirlwind provides a unique service to the school community, covering news and issues related to the WAHS student body. sponsoring The Whirlwind is a way to show your support for the civic engagement, open dialogue, critical thinking and free exercise of expression that good student journalism encourages. Any individual or business can sponsor The Whirlwind. Sponsorship does not indicate endorsement of the views or opinions expressed in The Whirlwind. Contact us at wahswhirlwind@gmail.com

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CONTACT US

Corrections and Letters to the Editors Please send corrections or comments on this issue to: wahswhirlwind@gmail.com THE WHIRLWIND is a dedicated student forum. Content and editorial decisions are made by student staff members exercising their rights as protected by the First Amendment and the Oregon Student Free Expression Law (Ore. Rev. Stat. sec. 336.477 (2007)). Opinions are those of The Whirlwind staff and not West Albany High School or the Greater Albany Public School District.

DECEMBER 2022

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Story and photos by gigi roldan

In the current day, students all across the U.S. are used to the standard “Locks, Lights, Out of Sight” lockdown procedure, which happens in the case of a threat entering the building.

“For lockdowns, we’ve been doing the ‘I Love U Guys’ model. Part of the ‘I Love U Guys’ model is locks, lights, out of sight,” school resource officer Jenn Williams said.

The I Love U Guys Foundation was formed by John-Micheal and Ellen Keyes after a school shooting took the life of Emily. Emily had texted, “I Love U Guys,” to her parents during the shooting, which gave the name to the organization. The foundation has formed the “Locks, Lights, Out of Sight” protocol, which has become the standard training approach for students and teachers across the nation.

On Oct. 26, the school held its first lockdown drill of the year, allowing students, teachers, 1administration, and law enforcement to update and practice the procedure.

During the drill, law enforcement noted different responses that did not follow the I Love U Guys model, where students left classrooms before law enforcement opened the door, or where window shades were on the exterior of the door.

Rich Engel, who is an assistant principal at West and handles the security of the school, received feedback from law enforcement after the drill.

WE HAD A FULL DEBRIEF. THERE “We had a full debrief.

WERE FIVE APD OFFICERS, THE There were five APD officers, SAFETY MANAGER FOR THE the safety manager for the district, [Principal Susie] DISTRICT, [PRINCIPAL SUSIE] Orsborn, myself, and the other ORSBORN, MYSELF, AND THE assistant principals,” Engel OTHER ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS said. “The biggest thing was rooms that have shades on the exterior windows.

If a lockdown were to happen, it was debated if a teacher would have time to pull the exterior shades.”

Officer Williams, who travels around as a school resource officer for the district, has plans for another lockdown drill, which will allow administrators to implement the feedback given by law enforcement.

“We are already planning another lockdown drill for spring. We’re (law enforcement) not going to start off with the worst case scenario,” Williams said.

“We’re going to work into it. So in the future, expect some kinks to be thrown into the standard lockdown drill.”

In the event of a shooting, something as simple as disorganization can cause a number of complications for everyone involved. Each drill, no matter how long and tiring it is, could save countless lives in a crisis.

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Growing up, shows and movies would frame high school as a war zone of gossip and rumors; But nowadays, school has become a different kind of of deadly.

Our Present

High School Is A Battlefield

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n the USA, school shootings have been a consist tragedy for over a decade. Thinking about this from a small school standpoint can be scary to think about, especially when our own community had a close call.

Regardless, the school is more than prepared for a potential shooter trying to attack the school, with law enforcement planing regulations and drills that will keep students and teachers safe.

1 out of 10 ...

Our Past 300,000 ...

948 ...

gun deaths are age 19 or younger.

Thankfully, West Albany High School hasn’t had a shooting or a bombing in its history, but there has been a time where it came close.

In May of 2013, it was discovered a student attending West had plans to bomb and use a firearm to shoot people within the school, detailing exactly when and where he would enter, the songs he would play, and more. A student had tipped off law enforcement that this student might be planning something, and after a search of the students room, journals detailing his plans and homemade bombs were found underneath his floorboards.

Marty Johnston, teacher and head baseball coach at West Albany High School, has been teaching for 16 years, and was present when the students plans were uncovered.

“I had that student in my class, he had been transferring between regular school and different programs. He was dealing with some significant mental developmental issues,” said Johnston. “It was pretty clear that he, his mom, and doctors were trying to find the right medications. Some days, you could really tell the medication was messing with his head.”

When his plans were uncovered, many people at West were shocked.

“We always have a tendency to have an isolated viewpoint, believing that school shootings are something that don’t happen in our bubble,” Johnston said.

All statistics taken from Sandy Hook Promse.

“Once it all came out, it hit everybody pretty hard. We’re not immune to that.”

Despite everything, West Albany’s staff and students rallied together and All statistics from Sandy Hook Promise. gained a stronger sense of community. With the knowledge that something so traumatic could have been inflicted onto West had brought many students closer If you walk into any classroom, you will find a small, red kit near a door. together and West’s safety procedures have become much more effective.

These kits are battlefield trauma kits, and teachers were trained how to use “Everyone involved in the school environment needs to be aware, mindful, the kit in the case of a shooting at a staff meeting. “We had law enforceand feel comfortable enough to speak up if something doesn’t look right,” said ment and nurses that came in from a hospital, and they Johnston. talked to us about the nature The only reason why the 2013 threat was discovered was due to another student of the injuries you would see speaking up to law enforcement. Something as simple as an open and safe school in a mass casualty incident,” environment can be the difference between a tragedy and a new day. teacher Marty Johnston said.

students have been on campus during a school shooting

school shootings have taken place since the tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School in December 2012

2,032 school shootings since 1970, and increasing.

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High strength Kevlar, which is a material that can protect against slashes, cuts, and punctures. In an event of a school shooting, this would be used to shield someone from bullets.

DECEMBER 2022

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5 Human Human Interface

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Using Your Brain to Find A Way

AP PSYCH TEACHER DISCUSSES HIS FUNDRAISER

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Story and Photography by Joe Wagner

but I don’t want to do that because [GoFundMe] takes a percent out if people pay money,” Hall said.

“So I’m like, well screw it. Venmo is a thing. That’s easy. And I’ve got social media… And so I made a google doc explaining all my stuff, explaining everything that we do in class.”

Hall posted his google document on Facebook asking for help, and people came to his assistance immediately.

“I started getting money right and left, like over and over people were sharing it. It was former students, it was parents of students, and it was friends from college too,” Hall said. “ “I could not believe it, I was so humbled by the amount of money, and it kept going all night.”

But people didn’t stop donating when the account hit $900. “I kept getting money, I think it ended up stopping at about $1,500 or $1,600.”

Hall immediately ordered $900 worth of equipment from a company called Backyard Brains, a company that sold the tools to help engage kids with psychology and

n October 7th, AP Psychology teacher, Kyle Hall posted a formal request on Facebook to raise money for his classroom, 300 dollars to be specific, so that he could buy equipment for Psycology experiments. In just 48 hours, family, friends, and strangers alike hit Hall’s funding goal.

Electricity picked up from the arm Normally, if teachers need money for their class 1 opens and closes the claw. the school has a grant process that the teacher can go through. Hall wrote a grant, but he expected the process Measures brain activity using elec2 trodes and the conductive gel to take too long for any immediate results.

“I have an old Human Human interface shock machine used to help the electrodes pick that I had bought five years ago, which I got through 3 Gel up energy from nerves [Albany Public Schools Foundation]... It didn’t work last Converts electricity from nerves in year which made me mad, so I wanted to buy another 4 arm to create sound. one,” said Hall.

The Human Human Interface (HHI) was the most 5 Designed to gauge reflexes hands-on experiment in the Biology Unit for AP Psych.

It allows somebody to control the muscles in another person’s arm. understand how the nervous system works.

In the past, Hall would have used the social studies “Psych is fun when you can apply it, but when you budget. “The Social Studies Department used to be given can see it, that’s some pretty cool stuff… I like the hands$500 as a department so we could buy books and other on stuff,” said Hall. things. That money isn’t there anymore,” Hall said.

The HHI works similarly to a TENs (Transcutaneous The money was normally used to buy books for electrical nerve stimulation), which is a device that classrooms, but if there was leftover money, Hall would electrically stimulates the muscles to help muscles buy psychology books for his classroom. All it took to recover. Except the key difference is that the electricity get the money was submitting a request to Principal comes from another individual and not a battery.

Susie Orsborn. If she approved Hall gave an in-depth it, the money was his. description of how the “I was buying books left and HHI works. right, so that I could read to get “You’re generating better at teaching AP Psych,” electricity by moving Hall said. your arm, the electrodes Orsborn has a lot of hard that we placed on your financial decisions to make arm are like jumper when it comes to the school. He cables, just like jumping referenced the $20,000 paper a car. You’re taking the bill the school was accruing electricity from the car before COVID-19. and sending it to the Psychology teacher Kyle Hall hooks senior A brand new HHI would Humberto Soto up to "The Claw" in AP Psy- other car to charge the cost $300, which is something chology on Nov. 17. battery,” Hall said. that he couldn’t pay for out The machine almost of pocket. “So I’m like, what the hell am I gonna do? acts as a bridge for electricity between the two arms.

I randomly was like, you know what? I’ve seen this “Electricity is going to the machine, the machine is happen on social media. GoFundMe is a big thing… sending electricity to the arm, and it’s activating all of

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Kyle Hall teaches AP Psychology. those nerve cells, or motor neurons to move your hand.”

Placing the electrodes on specific spots of the arm can increase the effectiveness of the experiment as well. The Ulnar Nerve, located on the inner part of the forearm, is an especially good spot to put electrodes as it connects right to the fingers.

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YOU JUST LOSE A SENSE OF FREE WILL. IT’S LIKE SOMEBODY WAS INSIDE YOUR BODY TELLING YOU WHAT TO DO.

“You just lose a sense of freewill. It’s like somebody was inside your body telling you what to do,” Hall said.

Hall got a huge reaction from students when he introduced the experiments to the AP Psychology class.

“Kids love it. I just got a whole bunch more electrodes because I know [students] want to shock each other some more,” Hall said. “I think [during] any downtime [students] are gonna want to start doing it. So we’ll probably do more stuff if we ever have downtime. It’s a huge hit.”

With the leftover money from his impromptu fundraiser, Mr. Hall intends to ask his students for input on what he should do with the extra money.

This technology has progressed significantly in even just five years. Comparing the old HHI to the new version is a night and day difference. Hall is very excited to introduce the hands-on side of science behind psychology, and is incredibly thankful to those who have allowed him to do so.

D EO CC EM T OBBE ERR 22002221

Adventures Abroad SMALL EXPERIENCES IN JAPAN AND KOREA

By A’Shyia Swensen

L EVEN WATER FLAVOR

THE WHIRL-

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ast Spring, I checked my school Gmail and saw that there was a Google form for a program called the Oleander Initiative. The goal was to teach students from our district about Hiroshima’s peace culture by taking students to Hiroshima, Japan and Korea for 10 days to stay with host families. I was so excited, but I never believed I’d actually get chosen to go. When I got the email that I was selected for the program, I told my mom to reread the confirmation so I knew I read it right.

On Nov. 7, I traveled with four other students from the district and social studies district coordinator June Morris to Tokyo, Japan. We stayed with the Korean students in a hotel in Hiroshima with the Oleander director Ray Matsumiya, then stayed with our host families, and then continued to Korea.

Ray’s great grandfather was a fireman who helped victims of the atomic bombing in Hiroshima. Motivated by his family history, he wanted to teach the message of peace to students that was cultivated in Hiroshima as victims of the bomb (called Hibakusha) rebuilt their lives.

Junior A’Shyia Swensen at the Gyeongbokgung Palace in Seoul, Korea.

The dress is a traditional Korean Hanbok, which the Japanese, Korean and American students enjoyed wearing on their visit to the palace.

Photo by Rae Schreiter

There are many Hibakusha alive still today, who we were able to learn from during this trip. We learned about the history of the bombing, and the central message was “No more Hiroshimas.”

I was very glad I got to go and have this educational experience.

What happened in Hiroshima was something that should never be allowed to happen again for any reason. In order to end the threat of nuclear weapons we should all strive to be peace builders.

The most impactful part, however, was how beautiful the city was despite its tragic past.

Hiroshima is a gorgeous place with remarkable buildings and incredible infrastructure. The host family I stayed with was so kind and welcoming. My host sister Momomi even made me a scrapbook so I’d never forget Hiroshima. I hope to go back one day.

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HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH

The Hidden Diversity within our Hispanic Community GENERATIONAL DIFFERENCES MAKE RETAINING NATIVE LANGUAGE CHALLENGING FOR SPANISH SPEAKING STUDENTS

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Story and Photos by Joe Wagner, Illustration by Legend Engberg

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unior Omar Moreno, representative of the Latinx Del Oeste Club, was born in the United States. His parents I WATCHED CARTOONS immigrated to the States in their twenties and didn’t know English, EVERY DAY AND I LEARNED so Moreno’s first language ENGLISH THAT WAY growing up was Spanish.

He started going to school and couldn’t speak the language.

“No one understood me, and they made fun of me,” Moreno said.

He was quickly placed in the English Learning Development (ELD) program and made strong progress, graduating from the program in third grade. But Moreno had a secret technique up his sleeve: like many other kids his age, he was watching cartoons every Saturday morning.

“I watched cartoons every day in English, and I learned [that way].”

Moreno would repeat phrases that he heard on shows to his teachers, occasionally getting in trouble, but his teacher would explain what they Junior Omar Moreno, LatinX meant and he picked up a new phrase Del Oeste Representative just like that. His favorite shows were “Courage; the Cowardly Dog”, “Codename: Kids Next Door”, and the original “Teen Titans Go." When Moreno joined the Latinx Del Oeste Club, he said it felt like home. He found people who went through the same struggles as him as Latinos, people he could relate to. “I’d try to pronounce the “D” sound and [students] would make fun of me. I remember my cousins, they only spoke English and they’d make fun of me too,” said Moreno.

They had similar struggles, similar triumphs and similar conditions. It

Sunday – Monday: Closed Tuesday – Saturday: 5pm – 8pm Last table seated at 7:45pm T H E W H I R LW I N D

was a place he could breathe. Moreno joined the club when it was fairly small, so he progressed to be a representative fairly quickly, but he loved its mission to be a safe space for everyone.

Club Social Media Representative, senior Janet Hernandez was born in the United States. Her parents immigrated to the states roughly 20 years ago.

“It was a big struggle. When my parents immigrated here, they didn’t know anybody. And a big challenge is language,” Hernandez said.

“Since they didn’t speak English, it was really hard for us growing up because we didn’t learn English until we started going to school.”

Hernandez learned English through the ELD programs at her school. In her junior year, she watched the Latinx club begin to fade when last year’s seniors graduated. She wanted to preserve a space where Hispanics and people in general could feel safe.

Learning English has been a hurdle for many Hispanic students over the years in more ways than just having to learn a new language. English Learning Development Coordinator Ken Beiser, “They have to kind of segment their day or when I’m at school, I’m speaking English and then I go home, and then I have to speak Spanish.” Language barriers can create rifts between family members, making it difficult for them to talk.

“I know a couple friends that speak really good English, but not as well Spanish,” Hernandez said. “They have a hard time communicating with their parents, grandparents and cousins. And it’s a really hard thing for both, because parents, they teach you Spanish, Spanish, Spanish, but then at schools, it’s not your whole day.”

Beiser explains that for Spanish-speaking students being educated in English, as their English skills grow, they speak less and less Spanish. So for example, if family members who have no reason to know English visit, the student can no longer communicate with them.” Nationwide it’s common for ELD students to be unable to communicate with family. Pew Research data suggests that,

A common misconception is that Hispanic means Mexican. Hispanic refers anyone who speaks Spanish. The term is much more broad than people believe. “You can be Hispanic from Spain, and you can be Hispanic from Mexico, or you can be Hispanic from any country in South America except for Brazil,” said Spanish teacher Ken Beiser.

Hispanic countries include the shaded countries on the map above.

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DECEMBER 2022

Band-Aid Over a Bullet Wound MEASURE 114 DISTRACTS FROM FUTURE GUN LEGISLATION

Guns on display at Albany, Oregon’s Bi-Mart on Dec. 2. The process for purchasing these guns will be affected when Measure 114 goes into place on Dec. 8.

STUDENT OPINIONS ON MEASURE 114

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fter a narrow win of 50.6%, Measure 114 was passed this November. This new legislation requires a permit from law enforcement to purchase a gun, restriction of guns with magazines that hold more than 10 rounds of bullets, and also requires that those who wish to purchase firearms complete a safety training course.

The law will go into effect on Dec. 8 of this year. And though it passed, not everyone is sure that this law will be enough to actually reduce the harm caused by gun violence.

The Oregon OPINION OF THE State WHIRLWIND EDITORIAL Police (OSP) BOARD have been asked repeatedly how Measure 114 will be implemented and enforced, and their answer is still up in the air. The point of the matter is that no one knows how gun safety will play out from here.

On the one hand, any step toward stricter gun control is an important step forward in fixing a major problem. This bill is a poorly written mockery of the sort of legislation that we need.

Not only are police across the state refusing to enforce it, but sheriffs across the state have stated that they won’t ask their officers to. And if the organization expected to begin this process doesn’t have a clue what they’re doing, is there any hope of success?

In our own county, Officer Jenn Williams stated, “I don’t know what the end result of that

T H E W H I R LW I N D

[Measure 114] is going to be. We don’t know who’s going to be in charge of that [enforcing the new law], or if it’s going to be the Linn County Sheriff’s Office, but with the amount of gun violence across the US, I see similar ballot measures trying to restrict gun owners’ rights.”

Williams’ response highlights the confusion from the county of how the measure will be enforced and who might handle the process. The bill only passed by 1.2% of votes, a statistic that shows the very split nature of these two extremes Oregon holds on gun control.

Officer Williams also stated that, “I think if somebody is really intent on using a firearm against another, they’re going to do it, whether they have five rounds, 10 rounds, 500 rounds, and whether their guns are registered or not, and if that’s what they’re intent on, they will find a way to get a firearm.”

When a law is unclear about what is going to happen and the aftermath of legislation will be, it leads to prejudice from those who fear their rights are being taken away. Misinformation and fear can be spread from not understanding what people are trying to actually accomplish with Measure 114.

Though this bill doesn’t encroach upon anyone’s second Amendment rights, several lawsuits have appeared in the wake of the election, which might delay measure 114 from taking effect.

So before the bill has even become a law, it is already detracting from the wider push for real gun control legislation. We’re seeking the fast solution when what we really need is effective and lifesaving legislation.

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AIDAN HOWARD, JUNIOR I think it is a good idea, overall, and it’s not like it’s going to affect anybody who wants a gun for a sport.

REBECCA RICHIE, SENIOR It’s a good thing that they’re trying to do, but it’s a really easy law to break.

DAVID MAY, SOPHOMORE I think it does have benefits. The bad guys, if you will, can’t own firearms. Although, it is expensive so the “good citizens” have harder access to firearms now to protect their families.

CALEB KIMMBELL, SOPHOMORE It has good intentions, but it’s not taking away guns where they need to be taken away; it’s taking away access to a ton of guns where it’s not necessary.

Too Cool For School

OPINION

WHY HAVE STUDENTS BEEN TRAPPED, FREEZING?

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By Jose Lopez, Illustration by A’shyia Swenson

ou’re told breakfast is the most important meal of the day. To ensure you get your eight hours of sleep every night. To ward off that doctor with an apple a day. These phrases are commonly told to students in school settings. All of these are intended to help students churn out work and catch good grades, but what’s so funny about this motivational talk is that the school during this winter has failed to meet students’ most primal need: warmth.

Is it that hefty of a request for the school to not be a tundra? Where without a jacket, students feel chills throughout their entire body? Or where they don’t need mittens to soften their numb fingers enough to type on their W correctly?

How a student is supposed to focus in these low temperatures is a mystery. Classrooms affected by a lack of heating include but are not limited to: classrooms run by senior English teacher Amber Ferguson, American government instructor Erik Ihde and English teacher Krissy Rasmussen. These classrooms hold a frigid temperature through their dysfunctional heating systems installed in them. Students have complained, and so have the teachers in the classrooms. The teachers themselves are not to be blamed.

Ferguson has spoken to higher-ups in an attempt to fix this ongoing issue, including Principal Susie Orsborn and office manager Gwen Barker. She recalls entering her classroom sitting at what felt like 55 degrees in the morning, yet still feeling a blast of cold air coming from the vents. Overall, it is just a very uncomfortable situation for both students attending class and Ferguson herself.

Under Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, the school fails

to complete the base of the pyramid at the bottom — physiological needs, such as food, water and rest. The problem lies in the physiological need for a proper shelter. These are not alien concepts. Though the school has graciously offeredstudents certain necessities, such as snacks during breaks at tardy stations and water bottle fountains. Even then an argument could be made against the school’s effort towards accessibility for food due to the new lunch schedule and program. However evidently no efforts have been made to ensure proper heating in these classrooms. The problem is still there, and students are still shivering.

It’s a distraction, easy as that, and as it’s known, teachers aWnd administrators hate distractions. Phones and socialization are silenced. Rules, regulations, and very vocal awareness shower upon students and teachers to disable and silent these disturbances. Yet, when it comes to putting any sort of effort into the building – a place meant to be safe and comfortable for students – nothing is done.

The solution of this issue lies in the hands of any any district faculties in this school with enough power to the buildings utilities. To hire any necessary expert to fix the issue. Or at the very least to listen to students’ complaints and voices, as well as the teachers’. It does not take an expert to find out this problem exists in the first place and neither does it take a meteorologist to feel the drop in temperature during the winter season. The fact this hasn’t even been acknowledged makes it even more embarrassing.

Senior Eden Banta

Senior Juliana Rizo

Teacher Amber Ferguson

“IT CAN BE A DISTRACTION BECAUSE

“I WILL BE WEARING A JACKET AND SIT

“THE TEMPERATURE IN MY ROOM HAS

YOU’RE SO FOCUSED ON HOW COLD IT IS.

NEAR THE VENTS WHERE THE HEAT IS

BEEN VERY INCONSISTENT... IT’S

AND IT SLOWS DOWN MY TYPING”

SUPPOSED TO BE AT. BUT I’D STILL BE

FREEZING”

SHIVERING SO BAD AND NOT ABLE TO FOCUS”

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DECEMBER 2022

The Technical Advantage SPORTS TEAMS USE NEW TECHNOLOGY TO GAIN AN EDGE ON THE COMPETITION

By Avneet Dhaliwal

For as long as people have been playing a sport, they’ve constantly been looking for ways to get an edge over the competition. New technology the athletic department has acquired in recent years has positively improved the lives of athletes and coaches both on and off the field.

Hudl is an app that has been used by our football and basketball teams for about eight years, designed to help coaches review plays, create strategies, as well as give players more accessible and customized feedback on the spot. This technology revolutionized the sports industry because it allowed trainers to coach their athletes with the same amount of focus but at a quicker rate. Rather than spending a majority of their time outside of practice watching previous games to decide on what aspects the team should focus on, Hudl lets coaches evaluate plays at the tips of their fingers.

All of the technology sports have integrated into their training shows how far their fields have progressed over the last decade. Twelve years ago, when teams were just starting to use Hudl, the process looked a lot different. “[Our teams were] still downloading the video of the football game, burning it on a CD, and then driving to Stayton to exchange plays with other coaches,” Athletic Director, Don Lien recalls.

“Now with Hudl, you simply just exit and export your game film to where you need it to go.” The coaches recently utilized a feature of the app that allows them to immediately review plays on the sidelines during the game.

Another vital piece of technology the football team uses regularly to train are Rogue assault bikes. The bikes are beneficial because while the user rides the bike, it records a variety of characteristics from “counting calories and how fast they’re going,” junior Aubrey-Aunna Murphy said. “It also helps us maintain competition with each other.”

“I believe they let us get hardcore conditioning that college kids do… a little pinch of it,” Murphy said. “We don’t have the best equipment, but it’s pretty good, and good enough to get us further than others.”

Swimming is another sport that has evolved technologically. It is a time standardbased sport, which means the swimmers “have a lot of really fancy timing equipment” senior Alice Whiteside said. Further emphasizing the importance of good timing equipment as they use, Whiteside mentions, the team uses touch pads that cost over $1,000 apiece, although they still utilize timers and stopwatches from time to time.

The swim team uses a variety of technology for practice to improve technique.

Whiteside mentioned they watch videos of other athletes and use blackout goggles that allow the user to mimic the skill that was seen in the video. Some of their most basic equipment is contained within their “wet bags,” which are mesh drawstring backpacks containing useful tools such as a kickboard, a snorkel, nose plug, flippers, and sometimes hand paddles. “[These tools] are used for isolation techniques to strengthen certain areas of the body, ranging from shoulder strength or the strength of your pull with hand paddles,” Whiteside explains, “or isolating the legs with flippers, snorkel for breath control and head position.” These technologies are ways coaches train their specific areas of imperfection without physically getting in the water themselves. “[I am] very grateful for all of the technology opportunities,” Whiteside said. “It’s definitely a luxury and privilege to get to use all of these different pieces of equipment.”

The interface of Hudl on which coaches review plays in the games.

The Rogue assault bikes regularly used by the Football team and Wrestling team.

What’s inside of senior swimmer Alice Whiteside’s “wet bag”: flippers, snorkel, and a nose plug.

THE WHIRLWIND

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Room For Every’Body’ BODY IMAGE IN SPORTS Story by Hailey Miles and art by Legend Enberg

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ody image in athletes covers a wide variety of sports: Everyone knows the stereotypes, but is it essential to have a specific body type to excel in each sport?

“At the higher levels there are some standards, but specifically in high school we will find a sport for everyone,” basketball coach and sports psychology and health teacher Drew Halvorson said.

There are many different stereotypes that are present in all kinds of sports. Most sports look for a certain body type in people when recruiting. This isn’t as common for high school sports, but is extremely common for D1 athletes and professionals. In high school, though, the conventional image is still there, and that’s what makes it difficult.

“Specifically in basketball, people are thought of as tall and thin. But that’s just what they say you have to look like. That doesn’t mean you have to look that way to play basketball,” Halvorson said.

There are a lot of stereotypes in sports of what you have to look like in order to be the best component in said sport, when it comes to certain skills coaches will look for certain body types and ranges when it’s

BASKETBALL

The shortest basketball player in the NBA is Muggsy Bogues at 5ft 3in

THE WHIRLWIND

the effort and determination. Although many stereotypes make it seem like having a specific body type is ideal, variety is really important because every person has a different skill set, which is what makes an effective team.

“Of course people are going to have those body image issues but I think that’s what also makes this world so special.

If you go out into a forest or a garden and every tree and flower are the same, it’d be boring”, coach Bryan Barker said.

“What happens with self-esteem issues is people comparing themselves to a standard that’s too high or unrealistic. Those people and professionals are the top one percent of all people and you have to understand that ninety-nine percent of people aren’t going to be that,” Halvorson said.

Not everyone struggles with these issues. For some, it’s a lifelong battle within themselves in sports; but for others, sports are simply just sports and they don’t let their body shape get in the way of that.

“I work a lot, to the point where I have been having back problems and have had to work through the pain at practices,” senior wrestler Taylor Lumpkin said. There are issues where people will go to lengths where they are harming themselves physically and mentally just to exceed in the things they believe need to be done.

WRESTLING

The smallest weight class in wrestling is 106 pounds, and this year one wrestler this year is 86 pounds.

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“It’s believed that athletes reach a higher level of performance with self-confidence. It permits them to flourish, it gives them the faith that they can get the better of any obstacle,” Lumpkin said. People will set themselves goals because it’s what, in their minds, they think it’s best for themselves.

“Self-confidence doesn’t mean that you have to exercise and diet to be the athlete you want to be. Self-Confidence means that you yourself believe that you can achieve anything without having to change something about yourself.”

When people work hard and become proud of what they’ve achieved, it can give them more confidence.

“You see naked people in the locker room everyday and no one cares, regardless of what you look like. It’s all the same to everyone, people just need to put that out there” junior athlete Bella Braaten said. A lot of athletes will focus on their body image to an extent where they can’t actually focus on the sport itself and become too exhausted to perform.

WATER POLO

The shortest person on the water polo team is freshman Nathan Sanz.

Playing

Passion with

HOW THE SOCCER TEAM EVOLVED OVER THE SEASON

By Legend Engberg, Photos by Evan Tomich

Sophomore Yahir Tenorio and sophomore Roman Robbins (top) support the team after a huddle during the game vs. Parkrose High School on Nov. 5. Junior goalie Carter McGowan (above) makes a game winning save during penalty kicks on Nov. 5.

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t was Sept. 12, the third game of the pre-season. The field blazed with jerseys of blue and red on the home field of the Rams as the West Albany boys soccer team faced Central High School. Although West didn’t have the better reputation, the team stood its ground strongly, according to sophomore Yahir Tenorio.

He remembers them keeping their ground for that 80 minutes, keeping their spirits up and competing until finally, time was up, and they had tied with a 6A team.

A barrage of confidence was established after that game.

“I knew that we had a big chance to make it this year if we put the work in that we did for that game,” Tenorio said.

After last season, the players who remained on the team wanted to prove people wrong, according to junior Marvin Gamboa. The team lost 12 seniors last year, and the new varsity team needed to establish the new season. The team knew they would need to convince the school of their strength after not making it to the playoffs. The pressure was now on. The team wanted to establish what it could do and overcome those preconceived notions of its abilities from last year, Tenorio said.

“People really saw us as the underdog this year. Nobody really expected us to hold up,” Tenorio said. “We had to gain respect from a lot of schools to get that recognition.”

That new team tried to take itself out of the rut it was in last year, and a big help, according to Tenorio, was the establishment of them being a family together, they had to secure a bond. Along with that, Tenorio and Gamboa said that last year´s team didn’t have the same passion.

“A lot of the people just didn’t want to play with each other,” Gamboa said, ¨They were just playing for fun. I guess you could say this year, we obviously want to play for fun, but we wanted to play, help, and succeed with each other.”

Working as a team, a change in attitude from last year, started in the pre-sea-

feeling.” son, where they faced upper league schools like CenAfter that was the Parkrose win, which showed off tral Catholic. Gamboa said that it helped open the door the fans’ appreciation. One player, sophomore Alan Rofor bigger things. ¨We noticed that we can work as a driguez , said that the whole team ran off the field, and team, and that this team can be great,¨ he said. then were followed by the crowds cheering fans rushing They then had to move into the season, the big to them as well. He remembers hugging a lot of the fans, games that would lead them to the championships if describing it as an insane but they played right and ready. also emotional moment.

The first game was a loss, but Then came the game against they rolled back in with wins Summit, a game which some against Lebanon, Silverton, players admitted to not having Central, and then went into the high confidence in, according cross-town rivalry game against to Pavon and Tenorio .The field South, making a big statement was snowy, and the team was with a four to zero win. a humbling experience to face.

After that came a tie against Overall the expectations for the Corvallis, then another win games outcome, where West against Crescent Valley, but won, was not expected by Sumthen there was McKay, the last mit, being a win for West. game before playoffs. The team McKay High School Soccer fell to McKay zero to three, but 1st Team team, had a season that led them still made the playoffs. to not a single loss, winning Throughout the playoffs, junior Davin LaCasse-Tran against every single school they junior Marcques Pavon, felt junior Henry Catlin squared up against, according that their wins over compassed to OSAA. Now they were the their losses, with the team still last team between West and first being influenced by their sucplace, and in that game’s results cess. He expressed how even they didn’t break their streak. though they were in the stadi2nd Team “We knew we couldn’t have um, the confidence they had stopped them with our defense achieved from their games of and our attack,” said Gamboa, junior Jonathan Fiscal the season helped push them “but just not putting effort into forward. ¨ That’s what really junior Marvin Gamboa not making mistakes is what regot us to believe we are the Hernandes ally killed us.” greatest team for West Albany.

Even though McKay was We could achieve so much with the end of this season, it’s not this team.” He said, going into the end of West Albany’s sochow their standards for the team cer team as a whole. Even when grew more after they beat AshHonorable five of the seniors of the varsity land, five to zero, which started Mentions in league team are graduating, members off the playoffs with a win. say they will be back.

“We When it came to the Ashton freshman Julian Romero made it to the finals this year,” game, the coaches’ smiled. junior Carter McGowan said Gamboa “with five seniors, The team’s success seemed approximately three playing big to have been affected as they minutes on our team, and having watched their wins, and overyoung underclassmen that also all evolution throughout the Junior Henry Catlin was played good in their positions, season.

This was noticed, named best player in the lets us know that we could have “They were all smiling. It’s just state championship game an even better team this upcoma great feeling.” said Gamboa, against McKay High School ing year … So our goal for this as he looked over at the coachon Nov. 12. next upcoming season is going es, “They put so much time back and getting that other troand effort into us… Coaching phy instead of the silver one we us and then seeing us succeed, want the blue… We’ll be back.” seeing them being happy over us winning a simple playoff game was just such a good

Several players were rewarded with honors in league. Each team consists of 12 players:

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Q & A with Junior Captain Devin LaCasse-Tran

Photo by Katin Smith

WW: What direction will you take the soccer team next year?

LaCasse: Up. We’ll see McKay again next year in the championship and we’re not losing again.

WW: What do you think newcomers to the varsity soccer team will think about the team and it’s legacy now?

LaCasse: Once they learn the team is the best it’s ever been they should be excited to help contribute and continue the winning that has developed in the program WW: What do you feel the team still needs to overcome?

LaCasse: We need to develop more possession next year. This year we’ve had to play a lot of defense and it led to many goals being scored on us. We also need to fill the gaps the graduating seniors are leaving in our team.

WW: What responsibilities do you think as captain you have when a team is not succeeding that way that it needs too?

LaCasse: When my team isn’t succeeding it is on me to carry the blame and do everything I can possible to turn the team around. I need to adjust how I play to fill the holes in the team while keeping the team positive.

WW: Do you think there’s a burden to carry as captain?

LaCasse: Yes, it means that no matter what the reality is I have to take the blame and criticism towards the team. I must take these negative thoughts, no matter how unfair, and not let it get to me or give up. Instead I must elevate my game and my team.

WW: What do you hope to leave behind when you graduate when it comes to the soccer team?

LaCasse: I hope to leave a new era of West Albany Boys High School Soccer.

This program has been in the dark ages for a while and I hope to leave it in the golden ages.

DECEMBER 2022

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Competing Off The Field

HOW CLUBS ARE CHALLENGING THE MINDS OF STUDENTS 2

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Story and Photos By Ming Wong

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he passion for a game that would eventually lead sophomore Aidan Richards to becoming president of the chess club started with YouTube. Through watching master chess players and without viewing the official rules, Richards says he got the hang of how the game worked. This knowl3 edge of the game, as well as his desire to play, went on to be used in online chess games during the pandemic and fueled his interest in starting a chess club his freshman year. However, he says he never followed through with the plan and another student wound up starting it.

Richards, who now runs the club, is working on growing and diversifying the group of participants with the goal of making chess club a place for anybody who is interested in chess. He says that the club is relaxed but involves friendly competition which reflects the nature of his first in-person game he played with his dad. That first game is said to be a bonding moment that involved both laughter, as well as mistakes, but ended with shaking hands and calling it a draw.

“We played a lot of games after that, and I did happen to win like everyone [of the games],” Richards said. “So it was more like he just wanted to play chess to spend time with me.”

Clubs ranging from Speech and Debate to Robotics to Battle of the Books have challenged students to discover and reveal themselves and their own ideas, processes, and emotions.

Even with hours of practice under Richards belt, he says playing chess is challenging due to its complex nature. From visualizing plays to remembering concepts, he says he would describe himself as far from a chess master. As Richards plays he says he thinks through the person’s move, but there are times when he does have to rethink it.

Many of these principles carry over to the Oregon Battle of the Books (OBOB) team, where everybody has a different strategy. Junior Lileanna Johnson, a part of OBOB, says she has experienced the different approaches members of her team use.

“Some of

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them are saying they are going to take all these notes,” Johnson said. “Whereas in myself, I ask myself questions as I go along and think about all the little details and why they’re important.”

Johnson says that she has gathered different aspects about the books from her peers as well, and views this collaboration as a benefit when competing.

A variety of perspectives has also allowed former Speech and Debate member and senior Victoria Kacouros-Perkins be able to have uncomfortable conversations and think critically about tough topics due to the confidence she built from competition. Due to the nature of Speech and Debate she argued stances that weren’t aligned with her views but still had to effectively debate to make her case.

“You definitely have to put your own beliefs aside, which can be really hard,” Kacouros-Perkins said. “When you’re making these really bold statements, but there’s something you disagree with, it can sometimes feel outrageous or kind of uncomfortable.”

Kacouros-Perkins says that during her one and only in-person competition last year she was nervous given that she was doing something entirely new. However, she mentioned that this in-person tournament taught her things that are even applicable on the day-to-day.

“There’s been other opportunities I’ve had since that competition in other aspects of school and extracurriculars,” Kacouros-Perkins said. “I was less afraid to take advantage of those opportunities because I already knew, ‘Oh, well. Remember that time where I went to the competition, and I knew nothing. And I still did well.”

That building of confidence experienced by Kacouros-Perkins has been felt by Richards as well, who is also on the SWARM robotics team. He says that through robotics he has learned a lot of skills including communication.

“I’m introverted. I don’t like to share my ideas, partially because I’m scared of whether or not they have any worth,” Richards said. “But during robotics I’ve been forced to share my ideas and then being able to see that some of my ideas do actually make a difference. That’s improved my confidence.”

Richards says that when it comes to both robotics and chess he takes a step back and evaluates the situation to relieve stress and logically move forward. For him, this is something that he says he’s applied to his classes as well, and that it’s a life skill to see the bigger picture.

“If I’m stressed that I’m gonna fail I realize that ultimately this test isn’t going to define my entire grade and that I just need to calm myself down,” Richards said.

These experiences show that clubs are much more than a time to hang out and do something one’s passionate about but further discover oneself for the benefit of themselves and others.

(1) Sophomore Sadie Tatum, 8th Period Speech & Debate Class, Dec. 2 (2) Junior Jacob Sutherland, Robotics Meeting, Nov. 28 (3) Sophomore Jonas Meyer, Chess Club, Dec. 1 (4) Senior Emily Wheeler, 8th Period Speech and Debate Class, Dec. 2 (5) Sophomore Chayton Schuerger, Chess Club, Dec. 1

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lassic overs

HOW 5 DIFFERENT VERSIONS OF THE FAVORITE HOLIDAY SONG, “HAVE YOURSELF A MERRY LITTLE CHRISTMAS” MEASURE UP

The orchestral instrumentation that opens up this 70s take of the song is warm and delicate. Karen Carpenter has such a soothing voice that is perfect to listen to on a foggy December morning with a warm cup of spiced cider or chai tea.

10/10

By Mollie Brown

The popularity of this song began with the version sang

by Judy Garland in the 1944 musical “Meet Me in St. Louis.” It is a classic for a reason, with incredible vocals supported by soundtrack orchestration and subtle dynamic shifts that feel cozy and heartwarming.

Colbie Callait’s version of the song has a slightly more pop feel, with some nice acoustic guitar and an upbeat drum background. This would be a really good choice for the people that tend to get sick of listening to the classic Christmas hits on repeat every year. It still captures some important elements of the season, but in a much more relaxed, fresh way that may be less tiring.

8/10 If the winter season dampens your mood, this cover

by Phoebe Bridgers is great for wallowing and making it through the short decemberdays. It has a much darker sound, with soft electric guitar and no percussion at all.

Her voice is mellow and reflective, allowing the lyrics to evoke different emotions than many of the more standard takes of the song.

Frank Sinatra is a staple for Christmas music, and this version of the song honestly is just so classic. The guitar and strings don’t come in until the second phrase, which gives it a very soft opening.

The stacked background vocals are added soon after, and blend nicely with the rest of the track. However, it is a bit overplayed.

7/10 05 17

9/10 6/10

DECEMBER 2022

Treasure Trove

A QUICK PEEK INTO THE WORLD OF ANTIQUES Story by Marshall Hamel, Photos by Miles Wilson

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ituated in the heart of downtown Albany, the Albany antique mall is the go-to place for anything vintage. A quick look around the store is almost guaranteed to yield some unique, interesting, and often bizarre findings. There are a multitude of dealers who have booths set up inside the mall, with not only one, but two floors jam packed with seemingly endless amounts of treasures and trinkets. Whether you’re perusing through old catalogs, sifting through record bins, or eyeing a mid century loveseat to bring some life to your living room, the Albany Antique Mall has what you’re looking for.

Various vintage cameras spanning decades, including 3 Kodak Ponies

Strange Findings

A SHOWCASE OF WHAT THE ALBANY ANTIQUE MALL HAS IN STORE

Lawn darts were a popular toy throughout the 1960s and 70s, intended for family use. They were banned in 1988 after various injuries occured as a result of dangerous design choices and gravity.

Although payphones are no longer commonplace in the streets, it would sure make a great icebreaker as a decoration.

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Forgotten Favorites

3 UNDERRATED RECORDS TO SPICE UP YOUR COLLECTION

1.

“HOUNDS OF LOVE” KATE BUSH Released in 1985, this Art Rock staple went on to be the defining release of Kate Bush’s career, with the album’s first single ‘Running Up That Hill’ gaining a second resurgance in popularity after being prominently featured in Stranger Things 4.

2.

“VIVID” LIVING COLOR This 1987 funk rock classic from cult favorite group Living Color has all the shredding you’d expect from an 80s metal record, with just the right amount of funk in the mix, and is an excellent addition to any collection.

First hitting store shelves in 1972, The Magnavox Oddysey was the first gaming console to ever, be released. Anyone up for some pong?

There’s not only one, but two booths jam packed with custom license plate art inside the antique mall.

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3.

“SKULLS AND ROSES” GRATEFUL DEAD

The Grateful Dead is easily one of the most iconic live acts of all time, with a live discography spanning decades. “Skulls and Roses” was recorded at the height of their careers in 1971, and their musicianship was on full display.

Old Zenith radios like this one were commonplace in Sears catalogues.

DECEMBER 2022

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WHAT’S IN A NAME? HELLO MY N AME I

What do ethnic names mean to those who have them?

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By Helen Whiteside

ophomore Kiflom Strawn says that he’d have everyone call him by his given name in a perfect world. Freshman Zainab Aleid says that if given the chance to change her name, she absolutely wouldn’t. If this is the case with two students, why did a study by Constanza Biavaschi at NTNU in 2018 show 33 percent of immigrants to the United States change their names within 10 years of arriving? Is it possible that in just four years, America has become more welcoming and accepting of those with ethnic names, to the point of the owners of such names loving their own names more?

Strawn certainly seems to think so. Though he said his name seems to set him apart from his community in a way, in doing so, it makes him unique. “[My name] in America puts me separate from other people…[but] for the most part, I actually like it because it sets me apart from every common name around here,” Strawn said.

Along with this, both students commented on how their “uncommon” names are means for connecting them with their origins. “[Zainab is] a popular name in my country, and it’s more so a religious name, an old name,” Aleid said.

Strawn said his name was common in his country, Ethiopia and Eritrea, too: “It reminds me of where I’m from and my culture and who I am…my roots.” Although they may be fond of and connected to it, having a name that your community is unfamiliar with has its downfalls.

tereotyped HELLO MY N AME I

At school, Strawn goes almost solely by “Kif,” for others’ convenience. “[When introducing myself], I say Kiflom, and the person I’m meeting is like, ‘What?’”

Strawn said. “I say, ‘Just call me Kif’ because I don’t feel like explaining it.”

Aleid shared a similar sentiment, mentioning how her name is often mispronounced. “[People reading my name] always say ‘Zaina’; they don’t pronounce the ‘B’,” she said. The freshman knows it’s unintentional, however, and is often pleased nonetheless when meeting someone new. “[When I meet new people], they always tell me that my name is pretty,” she said. “I’m so happy with that.”

Though having a less common name in your environment certainly has its fair share of complications, it seems that at least two West Albany students in such a situation are quite satisfied with their so-called “unique” names. “I like it…I like my name,” Aleid said.

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THE INTERNET DOES NOT DEFINE ME Why have certain names garnered such strong stereotypes?

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By Jose Lopez

he internet and pop culture as a whole have a way of impacting our world in surprising ways, many of which a r e completely out of one’s c o n trol.

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Senior Emily Bernt described what people expect from her as an Emily. She described her as such.

“A ditsy dumb bimbo…just a very negative connotation attached to the name. It’s just misogyny, really,” she said.

She cannot name a single Emily in her life with those attributes, where do those stereotypes even come from? Do they hold any semblance of truth?

One of the most popular names mocked by the internet belongs to junior counselor Karen Beattie.

She feels the stereotype associated with the name Karen hasn’t been applied to her.

“I’ll get the occasional meme or joke sent my way from my friends or family. We all just laugh about it,” Beattie said.“I don’t feel it’s affected my life in any regard.”

Beattie also doesn’t plan to sport the same haircut a “Karen” would be expected to have.

Although, ordering any sort of takeout gets her thinking of what the employees feel about serving a “Karen.”

Not all of these stereotypical names are necessarily negative, however, what man wouldn’t want to be a “Chad”? The dreamy encapsulation

HELLO MY N AME

Something as simple as a birth name may now have an attached stereotype of exactly who that person is and how they behave. Most importantly, though, the focus toward these names lies in how they can be made fun of. All this leaves one wondering what a day in the life is like for a Karen, a Kyle, or a Chad.

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of what history has said a man should be: confident, peak male physique and a serrated jawline.

Is this as problematic as “Emily” or “Karen” stereotypes? Do men even yearn to be considered a “Chad”? Or desire the traits associated with the name at all? Junior Chad Jurgens not only holds said name but the attributes of one.

“I’ve got the looks of a “Giga-Chad.” I really just got that mentality,” Jurgens said.

“That’s what matters the most… And it’s a great name, too.”

Jurgens reassures all Chads they should never be ashamed of who they are. The same can be told to anyone unfortunate enough to have any internet “meme-ified” names.

Junior Chad Jurgens DECEMBER 2021

REINVENTING

HELLO S EI M A N MY

How are transgender invidviduals helped by changing their name?

By Gigi Roldan and A’Shyia Swensen

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earing it (his deadname) makes my stomach drop. Even if someone com- internet exposure and personal time to reflect during the Covid pandemic for helping him pletely different is called my deadname, I feel like my whole world paus- realize this aspect of his identity. es, and I have to take a moment to calm myself,” senior Jack Hagner said.

“During COVID I had a lot of time to myself, and that meant that I was on the internet For many transgender individuals their birth-assigned a lot. I knew that you could be gay and trans, but I didn’t know what non name is a source of daily pain and unhappiness. This is binary was,” Cox said. “So I read about it (the concept of being nonbinawhy many people opt to choose a name they feel suits ry) and I really connected with it.” them better. It is a very personal choice, which is not Hagner fondly sources a character from a YouTube series for inspiring always easy to make or achieve. his new name.

HEARING IT MAKES MY Changing a student’s preferred name in the school “I used to watch Littlest Pet Shop videos. There was a series called system can be done easily, if the student has parental ‘Saturdays With Jack’ … He was the one that was like, kind of a squareSTOMACH DROP... I FEEL support. As long as the student has a willing guardian, head, German shepherd,” Hagner said.

LIKE MY WHOLE WORLD they can make an appointment with the office to have Choosing a new name is the first big step, and there are many other PAUSES... the name changed on items such as their student body factors for transgender students to consider. Many students worry about card or on attendance sheets. the consequences of coming out to family members or to people in their Junior Tristan Smith realized he was transgender school. Transgender people can become victims of bullying, sexual asaround May of 2020. He recalls, “I was watching lots sault, ostracization, and hate crimes when they choose to live as what of YouTube videos about trans people, and realized I related to (these videos).” they feel is their true self.

A lot of people don’t know the names for different gender identities until they Cox mentioned that he has has previously experienced hate speech from other students learn about them online. Junior Z Cox, who identifies as gender fluid, points to his in the school.

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“I used to wear the pronoun pins that you get in the library … Someone I didn’t know saw the pin and called me the F-slur as I was walking by.”

Hagner often receives questions at his job about whether he is wearing the wrong hat (as he has his nametag on his hat), or if Jack is short for a feminine name such as “Jackie.” Hagner also is not accepted by many relatives from his father’s side of the family, although his close family is supportive of his identity.

Even though his parents may not accept him for who he is, Smith’s peers at his church tend to take the information well and people at school are usually very accepting or will avoid talking about it. “It’s 50/50,” Smith said.

Despite the toil tied to coming out as trans and using a chosen name, all three students do not regret their decisions. For all of them, despite the negative aspects, coming out has been worth it.

“I do feel a lot more comfortable. I went through a really tough time in my life, and that was still when I was going by my dead name,” Cox said.

For transgender students, something like changing their name to one they feel comfortable with can make a huge positive difference in their daily life.

Hagner feels that choosing a new name made him more connected with himself, “[My name change] just makes me feel more in my body and more like myself … like I’ve put my past self behind.” Smith also believes that his realization that he is a transgender man has improved his depression. “It improved my mental health tremendously, and it (his new name) made me feel much more comfortable.”

Despite the scary parts that come with opening up about all of their identities, all three of them found themselves feeling better than they had with their old names. “I’m so much happier being out than lying to myself,” Cox said.

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DECEMBER 2022

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