22-23 The Whirlwind - Issue 4

DOWN TO EARTH

WHY PUTTING DOWN YOUR PHONE AND GOING OUTSIDE IS THE BEST WAY TO CARE FOR YOURSELF THIS SPRING (PAGES 24-31)

CONTENTS NEWS

Flipping Expetations: Meet students who have decided to use flip phones in place of a smartphone. 04

Collison Course: Learning the impact that car crashes have 05

Front and Center: The reconstruction of the downtown waterfront and how it will impact the city. 06

OPINION

High School was a Movie: An examination of how high school media can be harmful. 08

Stuck in the Pound: Why is Dog Teams so hard for students and teachers to sit through? 09

Screwed by the Bell: Rethinking the tardy system 09

Burning Book: Why are books being banned? 10

Location Information: Are tracking apps an invasion of privacy? 11

The Root of the Problem : An indepth look at Black hair 12

SPORTS

Alert and ready: Covering training taking place to teach young inviduals search and rescue. 07 06

Plonk Goes the Pom Pom: How the cheer team were able to preservere without a coach 14

(Barker Feature): A feature on Coach Brian Barker 16

Playing like a Bulldog: How middle school atheltes become highschool athletes 17

Hockey or Harvard: How is mental health and school work affected by sports? 18

ENTERTAINMENT

Concert Going Culture: Speaking to students about their individual experiences during concerts. 19

A Cinematic Crisis: How are movie theatres handling the lesser amount of people attending movies? 20

Burger Breakdown: Putting different fast food restraunts toe to toe 22

(Magician Kid Title): Speaking to Skylar Halbelt, a professional magician 23

Assembling Together: An overview of a recent band concert. 23

FEATURES

Spring Into Action!: Ways to get outdoors in the Oregon springtime 26

Bringing the Outdoors In: Exploring Mr. Englers room and the treasures that lie within 27

A Need for Seeds: (Add descrpition here) 28

The How-To Hunting Manual: Speaking to hunters about the ins and outs of hunting 29

The 9 Wonders of Oregon: Exploring Oregon’s beautiful landscapes 30

Cover | Mollie Brown, Frederick Wagner, and Ming Wong

EDITORS’ NOTE

In March of 2022, The Whirlwind released “The Sustainability Issue,” focused on global warming and the response to climate change by our community, including an explanation of how the student body could get involved in addressing it. However, it raised the question: why should high school students, as Oregonians, be impassioned about protecting the environment?

With every second of spare time we see people, including ourselves as teenagers, staring down at phones scrolling aimlessly through social media such as Instagram and TikTok. Although technology has proved crucial to the growth of society, it has also come to dominate many aspects of our lives.

YOU DON’T HAVE TO CLIMB A MOUNTAIN

WE WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE FOLLOWING SPONSORS

Blue Level:

Terrie Hogan

Tacha Worth

Gold Level:

Sarah Whiteside

Bulldog Level:

Bill and Debbie Origer

We use it to connect with distant friends and relatives. We use it to get news about the happenings of the world. Our reporters even used it to find sources for their stories in this magazine. As well as having a negative impact on many teenagers’ mental health and sense of wellbeing, social media has made going outside, for many, an uncommon occurrence. The access to infinite information and mental stimulation make trips outdoors essentially obsolete, say for a grocery store trip or the walk inside from a car. Our March 2023 issue “Down to Earth” takes this concept and hopes to inspire readers, subscribers, and students to refresh their minds with a trip outside to enjoy the fresh air.

Our reporters shine a light on students’ experiences, as well as knowledge about being outdoors with the hope that it will inspire fellow readers to get out and explore for themselves. Although Instagram-worthy pictures of breathtaking landscapes such as Yosemite National Park romanticize nature and make it seem like an unattainable exploration, the reality is that places locally provide countless opportunities to become immersed in nature.

Subscribers:

Eleanor Peterson

Robert Brown

Linda Brown

Susan Dean

Allyson Dean

Robert Wong

Annie Haynes

Kathy Haynes

Bobbie Lee

Derek Whiteside

Laura South

Patricice Kight

As Albany, Oregon sits roughly an hour west of the Cascade Mountain Range and an hour east of the coast, a plethora of areas to do recreational activities can be found. Whether that is taking a stroll down Albany’s waterfront in the process of being improved, as featured on page six, or the practice of hunting, as featured on page 29, getting outdoors doesn’t have to be complicated. Start by going for an evening walk or bike ride on the weekday or walking around the Talking Water Gardens area on the weekend.

The outdoors are all around us and it doesn’t matter how it’s explored because whether it’s a day trip with friends or a week-long road trip with family, we want to help the community realize that the true wonders of nature can be found just within our little town.

Mollie Brown, Gigi Roldan, Frederick Wagner, Ming Wong The Whirlwind 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

Editors-In-Chief

Gigi Roldan

Frederick Wagner

Ming Wong

Mollie Brown

News

Legend Engberg

Opinion

Gigi Roldan

A’Shyia Swensen

Special

Helen Whiteside

Sports

Hailey Miles

Arts & Entertainment

Marshall Hamel

Staff

Julia Berg

Jesus Cisneros-Obledo

Mina Clower

Edson Conn

Scotty Cummings

Avneet Dhaliwal

Tiana Harris

Fine Janzen

Oliver Kidd

Emi Ludlow

Cadence McAllaster

Yesenia Rosas

Fraser Scott

Kayla Stefan

Ishan Vashisht

Taylour Veith

Bri White

Mika Winder

Adviser

Michelle Balmeo

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.

Flipping the Script

TEENS WHO USE FLIP PHONES INSTEAD OF SMARTPHONES

Have you ever thought about what it would be like to own a flip-phone in the modern world? How might it affect day-to-day life? Well this is the reality for a handful of students around Albany.

“I have a flip phone because I want to be different,” freshman Ritish Ratanpal said. “It shows my personality.”

Others have decided to switch due to other reasons.

Counselor Jan Rasmusen said, “why would I pay for something to get her to be distracted?” This is the philosophy of many trying to revert back to a more primitive way of technology. Having a flip phone now is not as conventional as it used to be, with not as many features as modern smartphones. This limits Ratanpal.

be addressed in order to compete with the features of current smartphones including attributes to communicate. People such as math teacher Marcie McArthur, who lived in a time when flip phones were a popular form of communication, stated that their limitations were a problem within a situation of emergency

WHEN I GREW UP, PHONES WERE JUST USED JUST FOR COMMUNICATION. “

“I feel left out when all my friends are playing iMessage games or using other Apple exclusive features,” Ratanpal said, stating this is the reason he might switch. “They are easy. The only thing I’ll miss is the fact that it can fit in any pocket or holder.” Ratanpal said that for flip phones to survive in modern day, they have to evolve to better suit the newer audience.

There are some limitations which will need to

“You could call or you could text but there’s no tracking and no information, no music. You had to have an iPod.”

Samsung has attempted to bring back flip phones with their new Galaxy Z Flip, which has added all the new features that people look for on a phone and put it all together to create a more modern and stylistic version of the famous flip phones. According to Samsung, many of the Z Flips are not able to withstand the scratch test or have a black smudge appearing at the fold line. These are problems that Ratanpal stated he sees in his phone as well.

“My phone screen scratches easily,” Ratanpal said. “The fold is also fairly noticeable under light, which can take away from what you are doing.”

Story and Photo by Fraser Scott

Freshman Ritish Ratanpal taking a phone call in the commons on his flip phone.

Collision Course

HOW ONE FAMILY GAINED PERSPECTIVE THROUGH AN ACCIDENT

Math teacher Alison Bryant had just finished eating with her family at Southpaws in North Albany on Jan. 20. They left the restaurant, then walked to the Hickory Street intersection. She recalls how they waited a very long time, so they decided it would be safe to go. Then, as soon as they were walking, a person driving a car turned, not seeing Bryant or her family. Though her husband didn’t get hit, she and her two kids did. Her oldest child was projected into the air, her youngest went under the car, and Bryant was pushed a couple feet. She says they all sustained minor injuries. “My first thought was if my kids were okay,” Bryant said.

MY FIRST THOUGHT WAS IF MY KIDS WERE OKAY “

destrians all the time. Because of his family’s accident, he has become more aware of how unsafe roads can be for pedestrians. Even though he didn’t get hit, Walker says it did impact him because his aunt and their whole family got hit. He has become much more careful because he doesn’t want to be hit by a car.

”I get a little worried when I’m walking the crosswalks because of what happened to my aunt and her family,” Walker said. Bryant has some ideas on what could be done to change the roads.

”I think there’s a lot more distractions in people’s cars and on roads, making it so

Bryant and her family have different views of the road. Bryant’s nephew, freshman Tyson Walker, has a new perspective about the roads since the incident.

“I have a new image on roads. If you’re on the road, it should be your number one priority,” Walker stated. “Before my aunt got hit, I didn’t think much of the roads. But after my aunt got hit, I’m more cautious about the roads and how one text or call could wreck it all.”

Walker stated that people driving on roads should be more cautious and look out for pe-

people are not focused on the road,” Bryant said. “Also remember to be self aware when you’re stopped because you never know if something is going to happen when you’re stopped.”

Bryant’s opinion has changed a lot about the roads after being hit, finding she feels a lot more worried when she is near them. “I still get anxious about the event,” she said, “and I’m more cautious of the sidewalks when I’m walking on them.”

“I STILL GET ANXIOUS ABOUT THE EVENT AND I’M MORE CAUTIOUS OF THE SIDEWALKS WHEN I’M WALKING ON THEM.”

“I HAVE A NEW IMAGE ON ROADS. IF YOU’RE ON THE ROAD, IT SHOULD BE YOUR NUMBER ONE PRIORITY”

This intersection at Hickory Street and North Albany Road is where Alison Bryant and her family were hit on Jan. 20.

Story by Ishan Vashisht, Photo by Yesenia Rosas

Math Teacher Alison Bryant

Freshman Tyson Walker

Front & Centered

HOW WILL THE WATERFRONT PROJECT WILL EFFECT MONTEITH?

By Legend Engberg

At one point, in the decades-long effort to reconstruct downtown Albany, the streets of first and second Ave. were cracked open, and it became very clear how desperately updates were needed.

“The pipes [were] wood,” Albany mayor Alex Johnson II said. “I mean, it was bad. There were trees running down the pipes.” Now those streets — and the pipes under them — are being replaced, and the project is finally nearing its end.

In 2001, according to the mayor, the City Council voted to do create an urban renewal district, which would be managed by the formed Central Albany River Revitalization agency, or CARA. It was set to redevelop downtown making its structures and environment more appealing and financially beneficial, with the effort being helped by a spending authority of 6 million dollars. It is now, according to Johnson, set to finish in the middle of 2024. The program led to the repair of buildings and the opportunity for businesses to be awarded grants.

Monteith River Park, sandwiched between the carousel and Willamette river, being positioned along the waterfront is host to concerts that span throughout the night and offers a trail to walk near the water. Now, it’s getting a makeover as the revitalization of downtown reaches the finish line.

The project will include a reshaping of the land itself, including cutting down of trees on the hill facing the stage and the trees that barricade the area, which used to obstruct the view of the river. Though some might be disheartened by the felling of the trees, the mayor has stated that the trees were invasive, easily getting sick due to not being prepared for the conditions of the area’s soil.

SOPHOMORE

ALEXA ZARKOU

“I absolutely adore water, and whenever we [my family] go to Utah, we always visits their splash parks.... Just adding another one [the splash pad] is just amazing to me.”

SOPHOMORE

RAE SCHREITER

“I feel like it will be a lot better for concerts in the park, but it’s definitely getting rid of a lot of nature in the area, which is bad, but I also think it will encourage people to go into the downtown area.”

At the same time as old plants are dug and cut out, the mayor said that a new variety of plants will be added in, which will be native to the environment of Oregon. This establishment of new flora residents will be combined with the reshaping of the hill the trees resided on, making it more tilted towards the performing platform.

“Seating for the concerts,” Johnson said. “It’s going to be tiered. So people can sit on chairs, but they won’t just be flat.”

Along with the land itself, the waterfront project is going to affect the accessories which inhabit its area.

front, wanting to make it an inviting and active place, improving the park, improving the trail, improving the piers, riparian restoration.”

This will also include the stage, which currently has been standing for more than a decade and has hosted many River Rhythms concerts. Currently, according to the renderings, the stage will get a new coating of yellow and white. Adams has also stated that the back of the stage will be opened up, a design, which was done by a design firm called Walker Macy, based on the feedback of the community.

“Something that kept coming [up was] better sight line toward the river,” Adams said. “[People] wanted to actually be able to see the river, and so, that kind of informed, for example, that stage design, it’s kind of a minimalist look.” There’s also another add on of entertainment never seen before in the park: the addition of a splash pad between where the restrooms currently stand and the entrance to the park. This was a public request, after the city offered a long period of surveys to the community on what they wanted to be added to the waterfront.

“It’s a list of activities to accomplish with this tool,” Sophie Adams, Economic development coordinator for the City of Albany, said. “A lot of the things on that list revolved around the water-

Before and after results of Monteith Riverpark. Photos of March 2023, with renderings as predictions of what the park will look like, after construction, in the middle of 2024. Photos by Violet Zinck and renderings by the design firm

“Walker Macy”

“The splash pad was what people requested. Over and over and over, [it was] what they were most excited about.” Adams said.

The renderings that have been provided are a glimpse into the future of Monteith Park and the downtown area, the waterfront.

¨The only way the city is going to move forward and be a thriving community, every city has to have a vibrant downtown,” Johnson said. “It’s the revitalization of downtown.”

Alert and Ready

SEARCH AND RESCUE TRAINING ACADEMY FOR YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN 14-18 YEARS OLD

The Linn County Sheriff’s Office is running a search and rescue academy program for young adults from 14 to 18 years of age. Recently, they hired a new emergency management coordinator named Ric Lentz. Linn County has been running the program for a total of 29 years. The program is a 10 day summer program, which goes on from June 23 to July 2.

What is the environment like when this program is being offered?

The conditions vary for the academy. I mean, because it’s in June it can sometimes be rainy. Sometimes there’s heatwave, it really just depends. But it’s a training facility camp. We have kind of a wilderness area, so it’s like training people to go hike on trails and mountains and stuff. So it’s pretty rugged terrain.

What has this program taught you?

It’s taught me that I think Linn County has some of the best volunteers in the country.

Can you describe what happens in the program?

It’s a 10-day, overnight academy and applicants who get accepted get taught a lot of life saving skills. You know, First Aid, CPR, wilderness medicine, land navigation, rescue, knots, rappelling, incident command, and organization. There’s a lot of topics: how to surge, how to build a shelter, survival skills. It’s a lot we cram into those 10 days.

When does the program take place?

Our academy this year will be June 23 to July 2, but once you’re part of the search and rescue team you can be on call anytime someone calls for help. You help the sheriff’s office get hurt and injured people out of the wilderness.

What impact has this program had on you?

I just have to say the volunteers have really impacted me. I am amazed every single time I work with them how smart and dedicated they are and how well they are in this community.

What impact does it have on the people who take it?

Positive impacts for the most part. We’ve had a lot of people who go through this training and they go on to be nurses and doctors and lawyers or join the military, become firefighters, paramedics. It’s opened, I’d say, a lot of career potential for a lot of people. It’s a life saving organization that gives you skills you can use for the rest of your life.

What impact do you hope it has on the community?

I hope it shows that the community here likes to help people and when people are under stress or hurt that we have a large group of volunteers who will step up and help each other.

REQUIREMENTS

You must be 14-18 years old

You must have a GPA minimum of 2.5

You must never have been expelled from a school

You must pass a Physical Aptitude test either May 13 or May 20

You need to attend the Pre-Academy meeting on June 12

If you would like to sign up for the search and rescue training scan the QR code on the right

A new menu each month offers the freshest local ingredients

Sunday – Monday: Closed

Tuesday – Saturday: 5pm – 8pm

Last table seated at 7:45pm

442 W 1st Ave

Albany, Oregon (541)928-8157

Emergency Management Coordinator Ric Lentz

Story by Jesus Cisneros Obledo and Photo by Monica Larcom

Ric Lentz tends to a rescued patient, photo is blurred due to privacy reasons.

Photo used with permission of Monica Larcom

HIGH SCHOOL WAS A MOVIE

By Gigi Roldan

HIGH SCHOOL MOVIES AND SHOWS EXAGGERATE THE ACTUAL EXPERIENCE

Flashing lights. Loud partying. A random kid is drunk on the floor. A kid throws them self into a pool from the rooftop. For some reason, this can easily describe various scenes from multiple high school centric movies or shows.

Shows and movies like , “High School Musical”, “Heathers”, “To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before”, or shows like “Euphoria”and “ Vampire Diaries”, “Lab Rats”, “Zapped”, “Shake It Off”, “13 Reasons Why”, and much more all have a theme of over-dramatizing the high school experience.

These shows are common and popular in day to day life and can be aimed at any kind of age group, from kids, teens, and adults.

While “High School Musical” can create false hope, media like “Twilight,” “Euphoria,” and “13 Reasons Why” can normalize harmful behavior. “Twilight” is a movie centering around teenager Bella Swan moving to a remote town called Forks, Washington, where she meets fellow teen Edward Cullen. Within the first movie, he is revealed to be a vampire who has a thirst for her. In this movie, they fall deeply in love, acting more like young adults rather than teenagers.

addiction, domestic violence, sexual assault, underage drinking, mental illness, and much more. This show portrays underage students at East Highland High School abusing drugs, engaging in sexual relations (sometimes with adults!), harming themselves, and various other actions.

This musical high school movie showcases basketball player Troy Bolton played by Zac Efron and book-worm Gabriella Montez’s junior year of high school. They meet in a spontaneous karaoke duet, then fall for each other as the year goes on.

This movie is a classic for a reason. It’s cheesy, filled with typical Disney Channel songs, and holds two leads capable of causing millions of teenage heartaches.

OPINION

Disney Channel movies are aimed at children and preteens, which can help shape the idea of what high school is supposed to be. “High School Musical” is a well known, popular example, having multiple movies and a show; it shows a cheesy romance between two polar opposites, which includes catchy tunes, show-stopping dances, and a funny, over the top antagonist.

This is a prime example of a show that shows high school as a place full of life changing romance, hot celebrities who have never had a single bit of acne, and show stopping dance numbers. Now, this may be surprising, but high school is not filled with perfect models with gorgeous voices. But, to a kid who’s never actually been in high school, these shows set up unrealistic expectations of how they and others will look, act, and experience their four years.

Twilight is an interesting case in many ways, yet is one of the best examples of romanticizing an unhealthy and predatory relationship. Edward is revealed to be a 104 year old vampire who stalks Bella, obsessively ‘protects’ and keeps watch over her day to day life and overall acts like a major creep for a century old dude. He even stands over her bed and watches her sleep at a point when they barely know each other — it’s creepy. Yet, this is portrayed as though it is an ideal love story. Twilight also portrays ‘high schoolers’ as much more mature by having the characters make very serious decisions. When you add the fact that the actors are older than the characters they play in the movie, it’s obvious that Twilight portrays high school horribly.

High school movies and shows also have a trend of being about serious topics or revolve around the minors in the show participating in 18+ activities. One of the most popular and recent examples is Euphoria, which deals with heavy topics, which can range anywhere from child abuse, drug abuse, toxic relationships,

This show portrays high school as harmful and toxic. It focuses heavily on showing the audience unsettling scenes and characters and doesn’t portray high school students in a realistic manner. If a middle schooler saw this show and viewed it as a portrayal of high school, it could lead them to go down an unhealthy path. This also doesn’t take into account the fact the actors are all over 18, furthermore adding unrealistic expectations on how teenagers should look.

The most unsettling part is the amount of “teen” nudity. While the actors are not minors, the show has multiple nude scenes and sex scenes of its underage characters.

There is a disturbing theme to be found within shows centered around high school; it refuses to show teenagers in a realistic light. Teenagers are not mature, finding the love of their life, looking perfect, singing like a Broadway star, or making out with a century old vampire. They are experiencing the end of their time as a child and stepping into adulthood.

Will high schoolers eventually grow up to act like these shows and movies? Who knows. But something that’s important to remember is it’s okay to just be a teenager.

TWILIGHT

Twilight is a movie about Bella Swan, played by Kristen Steward, a typical teenager who moves to a new town. A town that happens to have hot vampires and werewolves, it turns out. The trilogy covers the over the top, cheesy romance between Bella and a vampire named Edward Cullen, played by Robert Pattison. It overall shows an extremely unhealthy and stalker like relationship, ending with a dramatic vampire fight scene.

KIDS SHOULDN’T BE PENALIZED FOR TARDIES THAT AREN’T THEIR FAULT

Trains running early in the morning, buses canceled or late, traffic, lack of parking… These are all reasons an abundance of kids have been getting tardies recently. But is it really their fault? And while parents can call in to excuse their kids’ tardies, they may not want to, or may not be able to.

And a vast majority of the students’ tardies can come from parents not calling them in. While some parents are absent in that

“

THE STUDENT SHOULD BE ABLE TO VOUCH FOR THEMSELVES IN CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES.

area, there are also parents who step up to excuse their kid, which often can have them lying about the child’s reason for their tardiness. There will always be parents who lie about their students tardiness, when the blame completely falls on them, but there should be a system in place where those who don’t have parents who will call in for them should be able to

vouch for themselves

So why is it fair to the students whose parents don’t call in to dismiss their tardy? Parents can also be unaware of the tardy until it is too late. They might leave for work before their child leaves for school, without knowing it may be canceled or late that day. What if the parent is too busy with work to call that in, or the staff flat out cannot get a hold of the parent? Why should the kid be punished for that?

This is made more prevalent with the weather, with snow, rain, and wind being a constant of a West kid’s life. Kids who walk to school can easily encounter trouble with this Oregonian weather. Two hour delays can often cause confusion and make it so parents are not able to bring their kids to school. All in all, kids getting penalized for things that are the parents fault isn’t fair to them.

So where do we go from here? There should be a system in place in which parents aren’t the only ones who can vouch for the student. The student should

be able to vouch for themselves in certain circumstances. Whether it’s a late bus, a train or “their alarm didn’t go off” a kid shouldn’t have to rely on others to excuse their tardies. That isn’t to say it should be allowed for kids to just say the bus was slow, they should have to provide evidence as to not abuse it.

Stuck in the D g Pound

STAFF AND STUDENTS FEEL THAT DOG TEAMS NEEDS CHANGES

Every Wednesday after first period, students go to their dog team classroom. Many teachers have little time, if any, to prepare and look over dog team lesson plans.

Often, kids are unmotivated and don’t have the energy for an extra class and many students lose valuable class time or get unwarranted tardies. The career education credit gained from dog teams is state mandated, but dog teams should be revamped based on student and staff preferences.

Staff and students agree that dog teams should be once or twice a month. Students should have longer passing periods on days with dog teams. With this change, students will be less likely to be late with classes being farther apart than usual. Having dog teams less could also prevent kids from skipping. Currently students feel like dog teams is a chore, and who wants to do chores?

Students earn half a credit of career

education throughout the four years they do dog teams. This half of a credit is required for graduation by the state, but why not have students earn it less often and on a longer day if possible? Students don’t enjoy going to dog teams the way it is. Staff feel overwhelmed and that they don’t have enough time for the extra class because it’s so often. So, shouldn’t the credit be earned differently in future years with both staff and students’ best interest in mind?

IT’S NOT A LOT OF PREP TIME, BUT MAKING SURE THAT EVERYTHING GETS DONE ON TOP OF EVERYTHING ELSE IS IMPORTANT. “

school; people who are currently seniors and juniors weren’t able to get the credits as fast as they should have been. Dog teams was changed to be more frequent so kids could graduate on time. Now that we are back to a standard school schedule, it should be changed back to monthly. Dog teams being weekly leaves staff little time to prepare, and some teachers don’t even have the time to learn what they have to lead the class through. With a changed schedule, staff can be more prepared for lessons and students will be more willing to go and participate.

Before the pandemic, dog teams used to fall once a month on a Thursday, because of online

Story and Illustration By Tiana Harris

Story by Mina Clower

For centuries, the banning of books has been practiced, with the first recorded banning being in 1637. Since then, literature of all genres has been robbed of an opportunity to be put on the shelf in libraries and schools, even including “The Bible” and certain works of Shakespeare. What did the books cause that could make it so they are no longer allowed in plain sight of the library shelves? Absolutely nothing, they deserve a chance to be read like everyother book.

“IT’S ALWAYS IMPORTANT TO HEAR EVERYBODY’S PERSPECTIVES.”

The answer comes to light as head librarian Jean Gritter explains how and why certain books are no longer allowed in multiple high schools across the nation. “Content in the book that they didn’t think was appropriate for their child [leads to book bans],” Gritter said. “Then it has to go through a process because all of those other families need to have their voices heard, too.”

Gritter explains when a book begins its journey of whether it will remain as content for students, there are multiple voices involved in such a major decision; complaints against a book are commonly for racist, sexual, or graphic content. After the complaint is made, a group of librarians and district administrators all gather to review the book. The different perspectives of views and themes that the novel could provide are looked at and talked over. Each book was written for a purpose, the question that should be asked is if that purpose bring a new standpoint to the reader. That will be the true merit for whether or not the book should be banned.

Recently, books that have been restricted in schools have included LGBTQ+ content and “slut shaming” that are mainly due to negativity and discrimination. In “The Hand-

WEST UNBANNED

These titles have been banned in other places but are currently taught here.

Losing Literature

BOOKS SHOULDN’T BE TAKEN OFF THE SHELF WITHOUT A VOICE

AP Literature teacher Blain Willard’ s opinion on “The Handmaid’s Tale”

“I think that we were taught we would typically say themes or lessons. But those things that happen around the world can also happen at home; And that we’re not insulated from those sorts of tragedies. And we see that in the January 6th insurrection at the United States Capitol” Blain Willard said.” We have recently experienced political violence. And so books like “The Handmaid’s Tale” present us those dangerous situations through fiction, so that maybe we can prepare for and hopefully avoid them in reality, which we’ve been able to avoid the worst case scenarios.”

Librarian Jean Gritter describes why she disagrees with the banning of books

“And so anytime somebody just yanks something and doesn’t have a process in place, then somebody is not getting heard. Somebody’s not getting their voice into the mix, everybody always had the right to make that decision for their own families. But where it gets tricky is when you want to make that decision for everybody’s family then it has to go through a process because all of those other families need to hear their voices heard, too.”

maid’s Tale” by Margret Atwood, there are moments where scenes are graphically detailed to the point where it is easier to look away. The importance of having these scenes is to warn against having an extreme society with radical ideals, which can be taken to a point of abuse and dehumanization as depicted in the novel.

The warning provided in this book can help students realize the dangers of political influence taken too far. The lessons that are provided with crude language and blunt scenes of sexual abuse shows a direction human society could head in. With important lessons that can be uncomfortable at times come warnings of what the author is trying to convey. Sadly, around 1,648 works of literature are banned in schools, libraries, and in districts throughout the nation, according to The Pen.

There are billions of books in the world, with more being written constantly, about the different lives and experiences of characters, people, experiences, with limited availability to let the authors’ voices be heard. It is important to remember when reading novels that it is the reader’s decision to continue because there are still people who could benefit and learn from the lessons and themes. Being open minded creates a broader understanding of perspectives for readers of all backgrounds. Books that are a part of our AP Literature curriculum or are housed in the school library have been banned in many other districts, but these pieces of literature are available to students at West Albany High School, and we hope to keep it that way.

Thanks to the fighting of our librarians, teachers, and community members, we are still able to enjoy these novels in the way they deserve to be read: with an open mind and chances to learn more.

Lord of the Flies by William Golding Animal Farm by George Orwell

1934 by George Orwell

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

Story by Emi Ludlow, Illustration by Mika Winder

Alot of tracking apps like Life360 are used to monitor a child’s location, but is it ethical?

Parents can’t know who is watching their child, or who could be planning on doing something terrible to them; there are plenty of horror stories of children going missing. Apps like Life360 provide a way for parents to keep track of their children through their cell phones at all times, so their location is never a mystery.

This can be highly beneficial for parents who believe their children are lying to them about certain things.

For example, if a parent believes their child is not truthful about their location, they could easily check the location of the child’s phone. Life360 and other apps can teach children that they are accountable for their actions, despite the desire for freedom many teens experience. If a child lies to their parents and gets caught, this circumstance can teach them their wrongs and how to right them.

Tracking apps help parents maintain rules and allow parents to know if their children are lying to them about location.

Not only does a parent’s involvement tell the child that they are being cared for outside the home, it also allows the parent to see changes in the child that may indicate a problem. Monitoring who is in the child’s life is especially critical in protecting them from harm and abuse. Despite the possible benefits of tracking apps, they cause more harm than good, overall.

If a parent decides to track their kid’s phone for safety reasons, they’re doing it for good reason. Being able to make sure your child gets to and from school or friends’ houses safely can calm a parent or guardian’s anxiety immensely. It can also be helpful for parents to check in on a child’s location from time to time to make sure they are not in any dangerous areas.

Location Information

TRACKING APPS CAN BE BENEFICIAL TO FAMILES, AS LONG AS THEY AREN’T USED IN THE WRONG WAYS

not feel like their privacy is being invaded and like they have the sense that they are always being watched.

Teens should also have space away from parents. The decision over whether or not adults tracking their kid’s phone is morally right differs from family to family. For some, it could be a great idea to make the whole family feel more comfortable and at ease, while for others it may cause more tension and arguments.

WRITER’S OPINION

I personally have Life360 with my group of friends just because I find it fun to see where they go throughout the day or how far they are from my house if they are planning on coming over. From experience I can say that the tracking can also become addicting. Constantly checking where everyone is going and checking to see where they are is causing them to choose not to answer their phone. If the same habits get picked up by adults, it can cause a very unhealthy relationship with their kids.

But what if a parent is choosing to track their kid’s phone for the sole purpose of controlling their every move? Teenagers should

17 OUT OF 28 STUDENTS SPOKEN TO ABOUT THIS MATTER SAID THEY FELT “STALKED” AND “HAD NO PERSONAL SPACE”

Story and Illustration by Cadence McAllaster

THow the stigma against black hair developed, and how it persists today

here is an all too common trope in movies, especially ones meant for teens: The Makeover. It usually goes as follows: nerdy girl takes off her glasses, gets restyled by her friends, and then it’s time for the big reveal. She’s directly in frame, and her once curly hair is suddenly pin straight. If the subject does have curls, they are meticulously spun with a curling iron. But why? What’s wrong with her curls?

In another trope, we have the phenomena of the afro joke. An afro is a hairstyle worn predominantly by black people where naturally tight curly hair is grown out and combed away from the head. While commonly worn throughout history, this hairstyle became very popular during the Black Power movement of the 50’s, 60’s, and 70’s, worn as a statement against racism and the stigma associated with natural black hair textures prevalent in society.

Unfortunately, this hairstyle was also mocked in some 70’s media.

The afro was portrayed in a comedic way, whether it was a character hiding things in their afro or a character’s hair becoming an afro after being electrocuted. Over time, this joke caught on as a character design trend: a character would don an afro or thick curls to show they were dorky or weird. Here it comes full circle: curly hair becomes known as unfashionable, making millions of curly haired kids think there is something wrong with their natural hair.

But this unfair stigma started taking shape much earlier than that. Black hair has been ridiculed since the beginnings of European enslavement. When African people were captured by slave traders during the trans atlantic slave trade, their heads were shaved. This was done to separate them from their culture.

During the 19th century many black people began imitating the hairstyles of white people to try to assimilate into white society. They did this using chemical creams called hair relaxers to achieve a more straight haired look. The first relaxer was invented by a black man named Garrett Augustus Morgan, who is most famous for the invention of the traffic light and the gas mask. He was conducting experiments with a liquid that stopped sewing needles on sewing machines from burning fabric. He discov-

TheRoot of theIssue .

by A’Shyia Swensen

ered this liquid could straighten hair and made a business selling black hair products called G.A. Morgan Hair Refining Company. Straight hair was the accepted norm, and black citizens were pressured to conform to these norms to get ahead in society. However, there was also a revolution in black hair care with inventors such as Madame C.J. Walker, who made herself a fortune as the first female self made millionaire in America through her pomade formula she dubbed her ‘Magical Hair Grower.’ This formula was used to soothe the scalp and promote hair growth and health.

Though progress has been made during the 19th century and the turn of the millennium toward accepting and appreciating black hair styles, there still exists a stigma against black hair. There have been many fairly recent cases where black children have been made to change their cultural hairstyles such as afros and dreadlocks in order to adhere to school rules. It isn’t just happening in schools; minorities are being asked to leave work for their hair. This issue has been so prevalent that a law had to be created.

The CROWN laws (stands for Creating an Open and Respectful World for Natural Hair) exists in many US states, including Oregon, to protect minorities from being discriminated against for their hair textures and styles. Not every state has adopted the CROWN act.

There’s been something new to note about previous first lady Michelle Obama: after President Barack Obama ended his time in office she has been wearing her natural hair. Before she would be seen only wearing straight or styled wigs over her natural texture.

In 2022, Michelle Obama spoke with Ellen DeGeneres to discuss her book “The Light We Carry.” In this talk she explained that she chose to wear her hair this way because she felt that as the first black family in the White House, the Obamas were under scrutiny for every detail, from President Obama’s tan suit to her natural hair. Now she isn’t under this kind of restriction and wears her hair how she pleases. Hopefully the next time we have a black family living in the white house, America will have changed enough to make that family comfortable expressing themselves as they rightfully should be able. It’s time that black hair gets the respect it deserves.

Black students reflect on their relationship with their hair

unior Geneva Reid remembers discovering how little her peers understood about her hair. “A girl in fifth grade came up to me and asked, ‘Why is your hair curly? Everyone else in the class has straight hair,’” she said. “Then I dyed it and wanted it straight. That’s how I felt for a while because no one liked curly hair.”

Reid, who is black, is not the only student on campus who has experienced a lack of understanding related to her hair. Every person interviewed for this article has had their hair messed with or touched by strangers without their permission, some stating it happens frequently. Their hair is treated like a novelty by peers.

“I don’t really mind it,” freshman Mahmoud Rashid said, “but if they’re annoying with that, I’m like, don’t do that.”

Junior Jacella Williams moved to Oregon from Atlanta, Georgia, which has a larger black population than Oregon. She noticed an increase in comments and unrequested touching of her hair, which she describes as “cumbersome.” She also noticed the disparity when it comes to finding places in Oregon that cater to doing black hairstyles and haircuts.

“It’s been challenging doing my hair here because there’s not a lot of people that know how to do my type of hair,” Williams said. Ever since her move, she has been learning how to care for her hair herself, from doing colorful box braids to maintaining the growth of her natural hair.

When asked what she wished more people knew about black hair, Williams stated, “There’s just a lot of work that goes into caring for black hair… I had really thick hair when I was younger that was hard to manage. Plus, I was really tender headed, so anything that was done to my hair I would be in tears. I started tolerating it more as I got older. Just — the pain was bad. If you haven’t had braids, it’s painful. Sitting there for hours getting your hair braided super tightly — it’s painful.”

The expectations around black hair also overlap with ideas about gender for many individuals. Black women are often expected to grow long natural hair despite the added difficulty in caring for it.

the longer it is, the harder it is for me to take care of it. But people mostly compliment it.”

She also explained that when she has box braids, which imitate long natural hair, that people show preference for them versus when she takes them out. Of the female students interviewed, all expressed that they had feelings they should try to straighten their hair when they were younger.

“I feel like every girl goes through that,” Mollel said. “Every white girl, black girl. But if you’re a black girl and you straighten your hair every day, it will start to fall out.”

Williams used to apply relaxers to her hair, which damaged her curl texture. “I would see so many people on TV, and I would be like ‘I want straight hair!’ and I didn’t like my natural hair,” Williams said. “Now it’s doing a lot better. My natural hair is growing back, and I’m happy about that.”

However, all stated that they love their hair. Reid has observed that negative comments about her hair have decreased as she’s gotten older, and that her mom has always encouraged her to like her natural curls. “People are thinking that curly hair is prettier now. A lot of people want to have curls,” Reid said. “My mom always tells me she wishes we could trade hair. My parents get mad when I straighten my hair because they love my hair.”

Rashid stated that he has always liked his hair and hated getting haircuts when he was younger: “My parents know how much I hated getting my hair cut, so whenever we drove past a barbershop they would always suggest, ‘How about we take a quick trip to the barbershop?’ and I was like ‘No, please no!’”

Williams says she learned to appreciate her hair through observing celebrities such as actor Marsai Martin, as well as looking up to members of her family, such as her cousin, for inspiration. “It’s always important to love your hair,” Williams said, “because hair is a big part of our culture.”

“Love your hair.

“A guy came up to me and asked, ‘Why do you not grow out your hair?’” freshman Nengai Mollel said. “I don’t grow out my hair because

Junior Jacella Williams (left) takes a selfie with a friend. Photo used with permission of Williams.

Clockwise from top right: Special Education Aid Jackie Stewart, junior Geneva Reid, junior Jacella Williams, freshman Nengai Mollel, freshman Mahmoud Rashid. Photo by Hailey Miles.

HOW WEST ALBANY CHEERLEADERS OVERCAME THEIR COACH RESIGNING

Five weeks before the state competition, the cheer team’s coaches abruptly quit, striking a significant blow to the team’s morale and preparation. At first, the cheerleaders had a lot of difficulties to sort through. Yet, despite the setback, the team placed at the state competition and found a new coach, business teacher Morgan Wadlow.

“There were struggles, whether that was between the cheerleaders and the staff,” sophomore Brianna Walling said. “The coaches just weren’t fit for West Albany.”

They had worked hard all season, and the thought of not having a coach to guide them through the final stretch was difficult, according to Walling However, they knew they had to band together and find a way to persevere.

“Our first practice without a coach went really smoothly because a couple senior girls ran it,” Walling said. “It felt rather positive and motivating, more than it was with our old coaches. Just a better environment overall.”

to save the season,” Lien said.

It wasn’t just the new coach who was motivating the cheerleaders. The cheerleaders have formed a tight bond over the years, and they were determined to make the most of the situation and utilize it in a way that would strengthen their community.

“When they left, it brought us closer together because when the coaches were there, we didn’t get along,” junior Lily Peña said. “Once they left, we realized they were a big part in why we didn’t get along, but now we bonded out of that and got together as a team more.”

CHEER STATE COMPETITION PLACE

5 th

Meanwhile, the administration began the process of finding a new coach. Both Walling and athletic director Don Lien declined to share the reason the coaches gave for quitting mid-season. Lien scoured the area for someone with experience, skill, and the ability to motivate the team. After a thorough search, they finally found a candidate who seemed to fit the bill.

“We were blessed to get business teacher Morgan Wadlow. And the other nice thing about getting Morgan, she is permanently the head coach and she understands our traditions and what school expectations are for athletes and their performances,” Lien said. “She is passionate about the sport, getting to know the parents, and starting spring practices.”

Coaching alongside Wadlow is former Crescent Valley coach Savannah Lancaster, who came in as an assistant coach. “Both Wadlow and her are co-head coaches and were able to put together choreography for our state routine

They continued to hold their own practices, encouraging each other and providing feedback. They knew that they had to work harder than ever before if they wanted to succeed, and they were up for the challenge.

In the end, all of their hard work paid off. The cheerleaders performed at the state competition. When the scores were tallied, the team had placed fifth out of 14 teams.

“For what we had, we placed pretty well and with the new coaches’ help, too. It was really motivating knowing we placed fifth overall and just knowing that hey, no matter what the circumstances, we did amazing for what we had,” Walling said.

The cheerleaders were thrilled with their performance, but they knew that they couldn’t have done it without each other. They had faced adversity and still succeeded, and they were proud of what they had accomplished. The new coach had been instrumental in their success, providing them with the guidance and motivation they needed to excel, according to Lein. But ultimately, it was the team’s own determination and dedication that had carried them through.

The experience of the cheerleading team losing their coach just five weeks before their state competition was a challenging one, but it ultimately led to a positive outcome. With new permanent head coach Wadlow, there will be greater challenges ahead opening up new adventures for the kids and possibly opening a new JV team according to Lien.

Story by Hailey Miles and Avneet Dhaliwal, Photos by Morgan Wadlow and Grace Peña, Illustrated by Legend Engberg

Senior Ella Meyer, sophomore Ellary Harvey, and senior Avery Dodd holding up Flyer and sophomore Sabrina Ulibarri while holding the state trophy.

The Cheer team at state. Top to bottom, right to left: Ellary Harvey (10), Amy Burford (11), Lily Peña (11), Brianna Walling (10), Isabella Kinghorn (11), Delayne Jacobs (9), Yesenia Rosas (9), Lily Harvey (10), Sabrina Ulibarri (10), Ella Meyer (12), Avery Dodd (12), Bella Pimm (12), KaylieJo Robinson (12), Yaritza Rodriguez-Brambilla (12).

The cheerleaders huddle around their fifth place state trophy.

Bases hold up flyers junior Lily Peña and sophomore Sabrina Ulibarri during a stunt at state.

Barker Changes the Wrestling Image

WHAT COACH BRYAN BARKER THINKS WE CAN ALL LEARN FROM JUDY HOPS

Students are lucky to come across a few inspiring teachers or coaches who make a profound impact on their life. These teachers are not just educators, but they are mentors, motivators, and role models who shape personalities and help students reach their potential. Barker wants to be that person for kids. He wants to inspire, provide help, and have a positive impact on everyone he meets.

“I hate summer time because I’m not able to be in the building with students and help them with things they may be struggling with,” Barker said. “So when I’m here, I want kids to come talk to me. Those are the things I want young people to realize when I’m in education because I love this job that I have. This job as a coach and a teacher is something that I commit to.”

Barker’s love for the students at West Albany is apparent in the way he interacts with them. He always wants to be as involved and supportive as possible with the students, to the point where anyone can talk to him. “My wife’s in the building. I’m in the building. Right? And at any given time, somebody’s gonna know where I’m at. I can be there within a couple of minutes to help you. My wife’s gonna be there to help you out. You know, so those are the things I want young people to realize when I get into education. It’s not oh, I worked nine months and three

months. It’s something that you commit to and you want to build.” Coach Barker is a unique, well-rounded individual who has the ability to inspire and motivate students in a way that few others can. West Albany is fortunate to have him as a coach and a mentor, and his dedication to the students’ success is truly commendable.

He strives to be as involved and supportive as possible, making himself available to students in a way that makes them feel comfortable approaching him like a friend. He is passionate about his role as a coach and mentor, and his enthusiasm is infectious. He often cites examples from popular culture, like the character of Judy Hopps in the movie “Zootopia,” to encourage students to pursue their dreams and not let anyone hold them back.

“Here’s Judy Hops and her family. Unbeknownst to them, they were holding her back,” Barker said. “Within the movie, Judy is able to break from her family’s protective hold and pursue her dreams because we all have that potential talent. It’s just how we pull it out of ourselves.”

According to Barker, “Zootopia” shows that some of the people we are the closest to can be the ones dragging us down. “So here comes someone like me or another coach that sits there and says, oh, let’s believe in your dream. Let’s figure out a way to pursue that dream.” For Barker, your dreams are his. For him to see a student strive is his job and what he enjoys in life most.

Birth of a Fan

WEST ALBANY’S FAVORITE SPORTS TEAMS

“The Beavers because when I was a kid my grandmother lived in Corvallis and would have Beaver tickets. I would go with my dad”.

MATH TEACHER COLE POULIOT “West Albany Bulldogs because I’ve coached them for 21 years.”

SOCIAL STUDIES, MATH TEACHER BRYAN WADLOW

FRESHMAN ISABELLA ROACH “Portland Timbers because they are awesome”.

FRESHMAN KODI CARAPINHA “The Bengals because Joe Burrow is hot”.

Story by Scotty Cummings, photo by Hailey Miles

Playing Like a Bulldog

BUILDING BRIDGES FROM MIDDLE TO HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS

Story and Photos by Edson S. Conn, Illustration by A’Shyia Swensen

The transition from middle school sports to high school sports can be a significant challenge for many young athletes. It’s a shift in skill level, intensity, self-confidence, and competition. However, with the right guidance and support, young athletes can successfully navigate this transition and thrive in high school sports.

Coaches can help kids make this transition by setting clear expectations and goals, including the level of skill required, the intensity of practices and games, and the importance of teamwork and dedication.

Having more middle school opportunities would improve our student’s abilities to survive the difficult years of high school. When asked about her favorite part about middle school sports, freshman Jade Fee answered, “You get to have fun and build friendships, then you move on to high school and its a lot harder but[middle school sports] build your ability to do the sport you love.”

West Albany High School’s Athletic director Don Lien says, “When you talk about discipline, connections, and understanding being an academic athlete, that starts in middle school as well. It is a vital strand to something we need to add back into greater Albany public schools. A lot of the communities

around us have a program and they know the value of it. Their discipline in middle schools is not as bad. There’s better connections, and more pride with these middle schools, not just going to the school.”

Another way that coaches and the school district can help kids make this transition is by providing them with opportunities to improve their skills and build their confidence, because for many young athletes, understanding the sport and loving it helps make better results for high school.

“Coaches are more involved,” freshman Blake Linton said. “When you are younger, they want to help you more so you can learn and high school is more on your own.”

It’s not just encouragement and empowerment for our young athletes, it also allowing practice of their skill level. Freshman Tyson Walker said, “You got a lot of games. In middle school I had four games a week, while high school was one or two a week. I got to try out so much[skills]. The failure, and trying again really developed me.”

Lien says that Covid-19 played a devastating role on the amount of interset young athletes have.

“Trying to get them reconnected is very important. Freshman classes drive the success of high school programs and if we get more freshmen and retain more, our

number volume helps us become more competitive,” Lien said.

High school sports can be a source of stress and pressure for many young athletes, and coaches can help them manage their emotions and cope with the challenges they may face. Coaches offer advice, encouragement, and a listening ear to help athletes navigate the ups and downs of high school sports. In an interview with Coach Brian Wienhold of the WAHS Wrestling Mat Club, he said, “Whatever we do in this wrestling room is good for them having success in high school. There’s some kids that probably are a little too intimidated to go through the door, especially like the wrestling room, and students need to have resilience. It’s really a metaphor for life. That life is gonna be hard, and you gotta keep picking yourself up, dusting yourself off, and keep going,”

Freshman student RJ Fallows says the middle school experience is, “Really just playing with friends and teammates that you don’t see often. You’re able to build relationships, and are able to take that into other parts of your life.”

With the right guidance and support, young athletes can successfully transition and excel in high school sports. But we have to encourage our younger bulldogs into joining us.

What are your biggest struggles in sports and how do you stay motivated?

“My biggest struggles are probably trying to keep up with other people and trying to always be better. Try to be better than I can and being able to show up to practice every day no matter what.”

What was your favorite part about being in middle school sports and now coming into high school?

Freshman Evan Rich: “I would definitely say playing middle school sports, you know, I liked it, but I think once I hit that high school level it was like, oh, I really love that, especially going as a student to the football games and all of that, the spirit and I’m like, I also play that sport too. And the coach is saying, we need to go to the game so we can scout. It’s like we’re getting up to that level and if I want to play college, I’m gonna have to do these types of things and have to work harder than I did in middle school.”

What is your favorite part about being a student athlete at West Albany?

“You have a whole team, so you just know a lot of people. The more people that you know, the better it is. It’s new to everyone and you get more experience. It’s the start because high school is more serious.”

FRESHMAN ISSAC CONRAD

FRESHMAN JACK BELSHE

ALTHOUGH SPORTS ARE CHALLENGING, THEY POSITIVELY AFFECT

School sports are a big part of the high school experience, whether you are a part of them or not. The athletes themselves practice nearly every day rain or shine. But how does this affect the players’ school performance and mental health?

These athletes juggle sports, school, their social life and any other extracurriculars that they do. Sports require a lot of physical and mental strength, which can tire an athlete out by the time they are home from practice, causing them to be exhausted and ready for a break. But they have to do more in the form of homework, which can be especially difficult for people who have a hard time sitting down to just do the work.

OPINION

“I try to just get as much schoolwork

“

THE COACH DEFINITELY PLAYS A BIG PART, BECAUSE IF YOU DON'T HAVE A POSITIVE COACH, YOU WON'T HAVE A POSITIVE TEAM.

I can in class done,” junior Camden Cyrus said. “And then what I don’t get done, I try to squeeze in after practice or after games.” For many, it requires diligence to keep up with schoolwork as well as sports.

Sports also can affect many students' mental health, in either a positive or negative way. “And I think that it’s all about the environment that the players create.” Freshman Sydney Braaten said. “So I think that it can have a negative impact on people.” The way that sports mainly affect your mental health is the environment that you are in. If someone is in a supporting and kind team it can

positively affect their mental health. On the other hand, having a negative environment in their sport can really hurt their mental health. The environment that athletes and coaches create matters a lot.

“The coach definitely plays a big part because if you don't have a positive coach, you won't have a positive team,” freshman Sydney Braaten said. The coach of the team sets the mood of the team. If the coach is really laid back about the sport, then the atmosphere of that season will be laid back and could possibly lead to some of the athletes not doing their best.

On the other end of the spectrum, some coaches can be overly cynical. These coaches can make the players have doubts about their skill, and could have negative affects on that person’s mental health. Although coaches play a big part in a team dynamic, it eventually boils down to the mindset of the athletes themselves.

This mindset, of course, can be affected by the people around them and the experiences they have. But if the athlete is going into the season with a negative mindset, then the season isn’t going to be fun or a positive experience for them.

Sports are a good outlet for stress and any other negative feelings because it is a break from your chaotic and normal life. Sports provide a good and healthy way to de-stress and think about things not connected to school. Having this break from stress is good for someone’s well being and can have positive effects on academics.

This is how sports affect an athlete's mental health and school. It will be hard and there will be times where everything seems like it will crumple up. But like what Muhammad Ali said, “You’re not going to enjoy every minute of the journey, but the success you’ll find at the end will make it all worth it.”

Around 8 million high school students are playing sports, according to NCSA College recruiting. This gives those students access to competitive sports. This is out of the 15.3 million students attending a public high school in the U.S. Which is around 53.3% of students attending a public high school.

Story and Illustration by Julia Berg

Live and Loud

WHAT ARE THE INS AND OUTS OF THE AVERAGE CONCERT-GOING EXPERIENCE?

The experience of going to a great concert can create memories that last a lifetime. Many students get the chance to see a concert at some point in their lives, whether they’re

tagging along with a parent to a Bruce Springsteen concert, or missing their first period class because they stayed up late to see Tyler the Creator, these experiences are all part of what makes concert culture so exciting.

Some students have more experience than others when it comes to concert-going. A great example is junior Chloe Kennedy.

FIRST, I LISTEN TO THE MUSIC NON-STOP FOR WEEKS PRIOR SO THAT I KNOW THE SONGS WORD FOR WORD “

“I’ve been to Train, Guns N’ Roses, Imagine Dragons, Olivia Rodrigo, Post Malone, and Zac Brown,” Kennedy said.

With quite the roster under her belt, Kennedy knows all the ins and outs of the typical concert going experience.

“First, I listen to the music non-stop for weeks prior so that I know the songs word for word,” Kennedy said. Being able to sing along definitely can add to the whole experience.

But there’s also the matter of figuring out what to wear. “You gotta pull up with a good outfit,” Kennedy said. “I normally wear that to school since concerts are usually on a school night.”

Most big artists performing in Oregon are likely to perform at the biggest venue our state offers: the Moda Center in Port-

land. Junior Jordan Martinez-Nguyen, who also has her fair share of concert experiences, has seen multiple artists perform there.

“I saw post Malone at the Moda Center and it was really, really good,” said Martinez-Nguyen. “I also saw Shawn Mendez perform there.”

Conventional concert experiences are fun, but it’s the unconventional concerts that make lifelong memories. The same can certainly be said for social studies teacher Kyle Hall, who had the experience of a lifetime seeing Roger Daltrey of The Who perform live in Seattle.

“As everybody knows, I’m a huge fan of The Who, Hall said, “and Roger Daltrey was doing a tour to save his singing voice, called the ‘Use it or Lose it Tour’. We got seats like, five or six rows back [from the stage] so I’m thinking ‘oh my gosh, this is awesome’, and Roger Daltrey comes out and plays a killer show. His voice sounded great.”

Getting the chance to see a personal idol play live is already a dream come true for most people, but in Hall’s case it just gets better.

“All of a sudden, he starts playing a Pearl Jam song called Better Man, then he looks to the side and out walks Eddie Vedder with his acoustic guitar and I’m thinking ‘no freaking way.’” Vedder, who is the lead singer of Pearl Jam is known to be a massive fan of The Who himself, citing them as one of his biggest musical influences. Hall continued, “It blew me away because I’d never seen Pearl Jam in concert before, and it was one of my bucket list concerts, and here I am five rows back.”

Whether you’re seeing a headlining artist at a sold out

stadium show, or jamming out to your favorite underground artist at your favorite hole in the wall venue, there is lots of fun to be had at pretty much any concert.

Eddie Vedder (left) and Roger Daltrey (right) perform in Seattle on Oct. 12, 2009.

Photo by Kyle Hall

Junior Chloe Kennedy sits in the upper section of the Moda Center at a Post Malone concert.

By Marshall Hamel, Photos used with permission of Kyle Hall and Chloe Kennedy

A cinematic crisis

HOW THE PANDEMIC AND GROWING POPULARITY OF ONLINE STREAMING SERVICES HAVE BROUGHT SMALLER CROWDS TO MOVIE THEATRES

Atriumphant fanfare plays as the big screen lights up with the opening credits and illuminates the audience’s faces with wonder. Wrappers crinkle and the sounds of crunching popcorn fill the moments of silence as the film progresses, and a sense of camaraderie fills the air as the theater gasps, jumps, laughs, and sighs in unison.

For many, the movie-going experience is an important way to stay up to date with current media and with their community, and the environment may bring back fond memories of childhood. The “Golden Age of Hollywood” took place in the 1930s and ‘40s, where theaters became the primary form of entertainment. The movie theater market has grown since this period, and some may consider it to be a staple of American culture.

However, movie theaters have struggled to adapt to the shifting audience and didn’t bounce back from the pandemic as anticipated, which has led to a steady decline in attendance for the past couple of decades. In a summary of the movie market from The Numbers, it was found that

movie ticket sales from 2019 to 2021 dropped by more than 1 billion.

This is caused by many factors,

TICKET SALES HAVE JUMPED NEARLY 50% FROM LAST YEAR, ALTHOUGH THEY ARE STILL 25% LOWER THAN IN 2019

including the growing popularity of online streaming services, higher movie ticket and concession prices, as well as a lower interest in the films being shown. These factors have been exacerbated coming back from the pandemic, as viewers find that these downsides combined with the possible safety concerns entirely outweigh the benefits of going to a theater in person.

Quarantine allowed many the opportunity to experience the at-

home movie experience much more consistently, and viewers came to recognize the convenience of streaming movies and TV shows remotely. Generally, a movie ticket costs around $9-10, and after factoring the high costs of concessions at most theaters, it is not sustainable for many people to regularly attend movies in theaters.

This is especially true considering the price of a streaming service like Netflix, which costs around $10 a month for the basic plan, and includes unlimited streaming of movies and TV shows.

A statistic found from statista showed that in 2022, Netflix invested more than $16 billion in creating new original content. Movies such as “The Gray Man,” “Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery,” and “Don’t Look Up” each accumulated more than 250 million hours of streaming, according to Netflix’s weekly updates of their viewing statistics.

With good quality content accessible at a fraction of the cost that is available to be viewed in the comfort of the consumer’s home, a trip to a movie theater seems unnecessary

and inconvenient to many. In fact, a 2022 survey of approximately 2,000 participants conducted by Morning Consult found that 55 percent of viewers preferred to watch movies at home.

A total of 32 percent of respondents said they were uninterested in the movies showing, which demonstrates another significant reason for the decreased attendance rates in theaters. Many movies are now released directly to streaming services, which means that theaters are reserved for blockbuster films specifically. The smaller films that are shown in theaters are losing money in the box office because most consumers would prefer waiting for them to be released onto streaming services, and save their money to experience the bigger films in theater.

This is part of the reason that sequel films such as “Top Gun: Maverick” and “Avatar: The Way of Water” experienced such a huge box office success. In comparison, “Lightyear” was a huge flop, and lost around $200 million—partly because many viewers watched it once it was released onto Disney Plus.

Some films have been released onto streaming platforms and in theaters at the same time, to cater to the portion of the audience that is still wary of COVID-19, which has caused some backlash. For example,

Story and Illustration by Mollie Brown

In 2021 Scarlett Johannson filed a breach of contract lawsuit against Disney, claiming that “Black Wid ow” being released onto Disney Plus sacrificed its potential for box office success.

Possibly the most telling sign of the movie theater market’s im pending doom is Cineworld, Regal theater’s mother company, filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy last Septem ber. The plan to shut down 39 Regal theaters was put into effect in Feb ruary of this year, and it is uncertain what further measures will be taken.

Although these facts may seem bleak, it does not mean that theaters are becoming entirely obsolete. Instead, they are beginning to shift

along with the times and have become more creative in their sources of revenue.

Many theaters are making investments in improving the quality of their technology, offering a wider array of concessions, and sponsoring special events or showings in order to improve the movie-going experience for consumers, to hopefully rebuild the weekly movie-going audience. These efforts have already produced somewhat positive results. Although traffic has not entirely returned to pre-pandemic levels, ticket sales in 2023 have already jumped up nearly 50%

since last year, tallying to nearly $960 million according to data from Comscore.

Although many factors are making the future for movie theaters

uncertain, there is hope for development in the future that will allow for them to flourish as they have in the past.

WE INVESTIGATED THREE LOCAL BURGER STOPS THAT STUDENTS FREQUENT FOR LUNCH. HOW DO THEY MEAT-SURE UP? Story

MCDONALD’S

Price: $1.50

Wait Time: 1 minute 40 seconds

Rating: 7/10

Distance: 0.3 miles from WAHS

Comments: This burger has lettuce, pickles, onions, and sauce. It is by far the quickest and cheapest to get. However, there was far too much sauce and the ratio of burger to bun wasn’t ideal.

FAY’S CAFE

Price: $4.45

Wait Time: 10 minutes 42 seconds

Rating: 7/10

Distance: 0.1 miles from WAHS

Comments: This burger has tomatoes, lettuce, fry sauce, and pickles. It wasn’t mind blowing, but it’s a solid burger! There was a bit too much sauce and the bun was slightly too soft. It’s also the closest to school.

WENDY’S

Price: $2.09

Wait Time: 1 minute 40 seconds

Rating: 8/10

Distance: 2.1 miles from WAHS

Comments: The standard Wendy’s burger has ketchup, lettuce, and pickles. This one was my favorite in terms of flavor. There wasn’t too much ketchup or bun. However, despite this, the service wasn’t amazing, and it’s pretty far away.

Ratings are solely based on opinion and the time may change based on the time you place an order.

At the end of the day, your lunch should be based primarily on what you enjoy the most. However, it’s also best to be well-informed on the cost and efficiency of what you’re eating. These aren’t the only options either, so go out and find that bun in a million burger!

Abra Cadaver

A CHECK IN WITH STUDENT PROFESSIONAL MAGICIAN SKYLER HABELT

By Fine Janzen

Magic tricks: who doesn’t love them? A magician enchants the audience, and there are often children gathering around to watch the magic happen. Disappearing cards, causing money to appear from thin air, and even causing children to disappear. Sophomore Skyler Habelt has made this hobby a career.

Habelt started his magician career two years ago. One day he was bored and felt like showing his grandmother a magic trick. “It kind of grew from there,” Habelt said.

“Three months ago, maybe four, I got a mentor, which has helped me grow a lot,” Habelt said. Habelt would like to continue pursuing magic as his career, as well as a desire to be a casino dealer. This type of career is always difficult to find support for, but he says his dad and people who he shows his tricks to are really impressed and give him good feedback.

The tricks don’t always work out as planned, especially if it is a new magic trick for him. “Maybe try a new one” is one of the responses he once received. But he learns from his mistakes, and he tries to practice even more.

“The drive to be better,” Habelt said, as well as the reactions of the people, encourage him. He practices basically all day, making a total of 8 to 12 hours a day. “I may [be able] to get to one point if I keep trying,” Habelt says to motivate himself. He watched all these

magicians doing magic, and he knows he can be like these guys, too. He just has to keep going.

To encourage his magician career, he even has his own business cards, which he has handed out to students on campus. The card states that he does magic tricks not only at weddings and parties, but also at funerals. As it turns out, Habelt hasn’t been hired for a funeral, yet. He confesses that he put it onto his business card because he didn’t want to have a serious business card, he wants it kind of as an icebreaker.

Being a magician is a demanding job. But still, Habelt says he enjoys performing for people, especially in school. “Doing magic tricks at school [is] just my passion.” When Habelt started doing tricks in school, he says he was really introverted, but over time he started to enjoy showing strangers his tricks and especially seeing their reactions. And now it is one of his favorite things to do.

Habelt’s stage name is “The Ghost of Houdini” since he looks really similar to Houdini himself as a child. One day Habelt was looking up famous magi cians, and he found a picture of Houdini. He thought that they looked really similar, and then he wanted to know how Houdini looked as a kid. He discovered that they look a lot alike. You could almost say that even though Habelt hasn’t done funerals yet, he is somehow connected with the dead.

DO YOU THINK THE PERFORMANCES FROM CONCERT, SYMPHONIC, AND WIND ENSEMBLE WENT BETTER THAN EXPECTED?

Yes. I think it was a lot better than anyone in the band expected it to be. The tuning and balance was extremely good. Also, our dynamics were so much better than before. Personally, some of the songs we played were the best we ever played.

WHAT THINGS DO YOU SPECIFICALLY THINK WENT WELL?

I think some roles that usually aren’t as heard were brought out more. Mainly the lower brass and instruments in general. Also, our

Sophomore Skyler Habelt’s business card. If you want to hire him, contact him at SkylerHabeltMagic@gmail.com

Assembling Together

WHAT’S UP WITH CONCERT AND SYMPHONIC BAND

tuning in the upper woodwinds was a lot more balanced in the symphonic band.

WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU COULD’VE DONE AS A SECTION DIFFERENTLY?

We could have blended more and fit into the parts that we were playing. At times I do feel like we overpowered the band and covered some of the parts.

Houdini image credit CC 2.0

By Taylour Veith

Freshman Oliver Yoder

A Breath of

FRESH AIR

Out and about during Oregon’s abundant spring

27-How to protect yourself and your environment while enjoying the great outdoors

28-West Albany’s fully functional garden program

29-How hunting affects the bigger picture

30-31-Nine students’ favorite spots to visit in Oregon

Spring Into Action

How can we keep ourselves and our surroundings safe while enjoying the outdoors this spring?

Personal Safety Environmental safety

Oregon’s warm spring merits time outdoors doing our favorite activities in the sunny weather. However, this may pose concerns around personal safety. Science teacher Lucas Risinger shared some tips for keeping yourself safe while exploring. For hiking and backpacking while doing any of these activities, keep in mind where you’re going, and consider bringing a friend or two. Risinger recommends leaving ear obstructions at home. “I wouldn’t ever wear headphones and go hiking alone…Be aware of your surroundings.”

Camping is a favorite activity for many, but how can a person prioritize safety? Overpacking for a camping trip may seem like the right thing to do, but in actuality, packing just the essentials such as water, food, clothes, hygienic products, and first aid is the way to go. Risinger suggests the idea that “less is more.”

A part of outdoor camping comes with a campfire, but fire can be dangerous. When starting a campfire, make sure it’s an open space and you know the land’s local regulations. “Don’t use river rocks for a campfire; they have water pressure built up in them causing them to explode,” Risinger said.

Some may find themselves stressing about critters out on the trail, but it’s actually not as big of a problem as many think. According to Risinger, “Animal safety is not a big deal in Oregon at all…Just don’t leave your food out overnight because of raccoons.”

Lastly, a tip from Risinger about avoiding insect bites. “As far as insect bites go, try going the natural route. I don’t ever use bug spray but avoid scented deodorants and perfume… Campfires work [as well as] citronella candles,” Risinger said.

The science teacher also recommended a few safe outdoor activities to do this spring: “I love backpacking… I put all my camping gear in one backpack and hike about 10 miles in a day and then camp at night… I also like cliff diving, snorkeling, and I do a ton of fishing,” Risinger said.

Even if an activity is safe for the human body, it may negatively impact the environment around it. Specifically, anything that involves trash or smoke can be harmful for nature.

Junior Hadley Huzefka of the environmental club makes a great point about balloons. “During water balloon fights, after the balloon pops, it leaves a part of the balloon behind,” she said. A good alternative could be using reusable or biodegradable water balloons instead.

If an activity must leave behind garbage, junior Noah Wines of the environmental club suggests, “Avoid bringing anything that will be excess trash, but take along an extra trash bag for garbage.”

Campfires may also pose a huge problem but are definitely a huge part of camping and keeping warm through the cold spring nights. Wines tells us what not to do while enjoying a campfire, “An enclosed campfire causes problems because it’s still active and not properly put out, or it has a ton of trash in it that will blow away in the wind.”

Junior Sarah Ward of the environmental club adds a note on recycling, “With campfires, people may burn their plastic water bottles and silverware after they’re used, which can cause more pollution. That’s why it’s really important to have recycling bins and trash cans that one can keep their garbage in.” Ward even advises to bring reusable water bottles, dishes, and bags camping when possible. Yes, outdoor activities in the warm spring are fun, but we should learn a few safety tips.

Bringing The Outdoors

All about Engler and the various treasures

Story

In his free time, Engler still lives in the science world, picking up roadkill and skinning and dissecting it. Engler learned from his mom, as she used to do it, so it was just something he’s grown up around.

“The biggest thing I’ve ever skinned was a raccoon,” he said. But skinning isn’t the only outdoor activity Engler likes to do.

Engler’s favorite outdoor activities are surfing, rowing, and snorkeling, but his top choice is off-

trail backpacking.

“I like hikes in general, but backpacking is better for me,” he said. When he goes backpacking, he likes to try to go for at least three days; he says that past this point it becomes much more therapeutic.

“There’s cool research showing that by the third day, people tend to forget about their regular life and get into the flow of being out, so I try to make it past that,”

Story by Yesenia Rosas with photos by Joe Wagner

by Bri White with photos by Joe Wagner

Science teacher Lucas Risinger (top left) Environmental club (above) takes a photo during its snorkeling field trip. Photos used with permission of Mallory Frank.

Outdoors In treasures in his room

Engler said.

Engler believes a lot of people don’t get outside because they might not have had the experience and they are tentative or afraid. He recommends going on the first few adventures with some friends to try and combat this.

“I highly encourage starting in the summer when it’s warmer and easier and go with some folks who are experienced,” Engler said. “Then, little by little, you’ll do more stuff that is uncomfortable and you’re not used to.”

As far as his room goes, Engler hopes it

I FIND IT INTERESTING THAT THERE IS A FISH TANK IN HIS ROOM BUT THERE’S NO FISH IN IT. “

shows how all natural things are cool, fascinating, and all connected in a way, one of his biggest personal beliefs. Englers’ students’ opinions on the decorations are generally positive, as well. “I find it interesting that there is a fish tank in his room, but there’s no fish in it,” Sophomore Savannah Vosburg says.

Science teacher Gareth Engler (above) and the curious items in his classroom

A Need for Seeds Community Transition Program runs a functioning gardening program

Memorial Middle School has had an active and flourishing gardening program for over 20 years, and from it, many students have found an unlikely passion for agriculture. However, its neighboring high school lacks any real classes in the field. In the past, environmental science and horticulture classes have been offered, but none quite as hands on as a gardening class. When a year emerged without any such classes offered, senior Mallory Frank began an environmental club available to all students. The club participates in a variety of different activities, including trash pick-ups, field trips, plantings, and more.

“We do plantings, but just not on the school campus… We don’t really have a lot of resources. Especially with the new buildings, there’s not as much space as we would like,” Frank said. Even with the proper location and resources, upkeep is a concern when thinking of tending any type of full-time garden.

“We work with the Calapooia Watershed; they’re our sponsors… They would give us money in grants, but it’s more, where would we put a garden? Who would maintain it over the summer? It’s a long term thing,” Frank said.

Though a public garden may not be a possibility for the student body, the Community Transition Program, runs and maintains a fully functioning greenhouse on the edge of campus.

“The Community Transition Program helps kiddos that have graduated from our special education program in high school, but are unable to support themselves on their own,” CTP teacher Kate Skinner said. “They’re learning life skills.”

The program has included the gardening aspect for over 25 years, with students participating in plant sales, taking on projects around Albany, and partnering with Memorial, according to Skinner. “The courthouse…that great big planter there, those steps right in the center? We were contacted by the county and asked if we would plant those for them,” Skinner said. The CTP accepted and planted a wide variety of vegetation.

“We put in liftadora, crystal palace, lobelias, and geraniums,” said Rene Zwart, Vocational Transition Specialist and Greenhouse Manager. “Every year they had us change. We did marigolds, and then because of COVID we couldn’t do it anymore. Now it’s permanent… There’s mostly perennials there.”

The greenhouse, located by the CTP modules, was originally built on a grant by previous science teachers. After being

maintained for a few years, the work didn’t pertain to the curriculum any longer and sat vacant. One of the special education teachers asked if they could use it, and Zwart has been working with the greenhouse since 2012.

If you’re looking to support the program, they’re planning a Mother’s Day basket sale including fruit and vegetable starts in May. More information on their sales will be available in the calendar section of the DemocratHerald, the Albany Happenings Facebook page, and on the Albany Garden Share. The greenhouse also accepts donations of perennial plants, which can be arranged by emailing Zwart at her district email address.

Memorial gardening and art teacher Athena Swanson (top) gives student seeds to plant. Community Transition Program Teacher Kate Skinner (above left) demonstrates watering chocolate mint to her students . Yellow onion plant in the CTP greenhouse (above right)

Story and photos by Helen Whiteside

Hooked on Hunting and Fishing

Students, staff share tales from the wilderness

Hunting has been around for thousands upon thousands of years. It’s a craft that gets refined over every generation and has proven to remain relevant even in the modern day with grocery stores on almost every corner.

Freshman Naudia Edmiston has been around hunting, literally her entire life, “My dad hunted with me when I was a baby baby, like six months old. He would wake up on his days off, drive down the road and have me on his back and hunt for deer.”

with his mom. But at the beginning of COVID-19 he began writing a book dedicated to hunting. Loren wrote the book in order to help hunters live longer and healthier lives by combining his nutrition and fitness knowledge along with several other subjects into one book. The book is titled “Your Hunting Lifespan” and can be found on his website Camoandwind.com.

And Senior Christian Fee was introduced to fishing by his dad. “I started fishing when I was introduced to it by my dad when I was around four. After I just started going with my dad.”

After Fee started fishing with his dad, he was completely “hooked.”

“When I was around 12 I discovered that we had a pond within riding distance to our house. So I would throw a backpack and ride over there on my bike and fish all day,” Fee said.

The book makes an important point: hunting can be a very physical activity. Loren says, “It depends on different styles. One could say it’s [physically hard] one could also say it isn’t physical . So

what I mean by that is you could be in a tree stand, you just get up a ladder [into a tree] and sit and wait. Or you could be in a blind box.”

“Backcountry hunting, which is the style of hunting I do, means I have a 70 pound pack on, and I’m walking in 12 miles,” Loren said. Hiking out that far into the wilderness guarantees a beautiful view. Junior Mason Linton has one place that stands out above the rest.

“[Warner State Park] is kind of this big, open, just roaring [space]. You look over here, and you can see the mountains over there. You look over there and here’s some more mountains, you can see the Steens, they’re like 10,000 feet high. It’s just really beautiful stuff,” Linton said.

Despite all the hard work someone can put into hunting, nobody is guaranteed to get an animal.

Edmiston says, “[Hunting] can be luck based, but skill plays a great part. One of our family friends, he hunts every year, he almost gets an elk or a deer almost every time. For us, it’s maybe once every five years. Sometimes a hunter can be fully prepared, but then not even have an opportunity to show off their skills. Luck can play a huge role in hunting. Linton said, “You can get in shape for the hunting season and do all this stuff, and have the top of the line gear, and you can go out there and just not see a thing.”

Other times, someone will have a huge stroke of luck and make a personal record. Fee remembers, “Up in Portland. I catch the big sturgeon, the biggest one I caught was like 170 pounds. It was about eight feet long.”

Coach Linden Loren has been around hunting all his life. In the picture to the left he’s decked out in camo

Fee said that after hooking the sturgeon, he and a few others had to take shifts for an hour and 15 minutes before they could reel the fish in. “For the first 45 minutes it was like we were just hooked onto a car. It was insane,” Fee said.

No matter how hard someone works to catch an animal, the most important part is treat the animal with respect the entire time.

Loren said, “I do archery, I want to be practicing every single day. At certain yardages to ensure I can make clean, ethical shots, to make it as fast as possible.”

The same goes for not just hunting but fishing as well.

Fee says, “I use hooks and I don’t take the [fish] out of the water. And I try as much as possible to take care of the fish.

“I do greatly respect the fish, and I would never intentionally hurt a fish... I think having respect for the fish does make it a lot more exciting and just more enjoyable,” Fee said.

Sometimes things go wrong while hunting. Hunters can do everything they can, but sometimes things just go wrong. Linton has one powerful memory.

“You hit a big buck, and what I mean is you shoot a big buck and it doesn’t live. But then you don’t find it. And then you just get that awful, gut wrenching feeling that nobody wants to have. It is probably the worst feeling in the world. Worst feeling in the world.”

Linden Loren with his mother during a hunting trip at roughly 5 years old

Senior Christian Fee catches a sturgeon on the Willamette River

By Joe Wagner, photos used with permission of Linden Loren and Christian Fee

9 wonders of Oregon

Exploring oregon’s natural beauty through the eyes of our student body

“Valley of the Giants. If you go to the OSU Nature Preserve site, they have a massive tree...It’s called Valley of the Giants because it looks like giants were there.”

“Crater Lake, I like how it’s always so calming. It’s so nice just to be there with my family.”

“Thor’s Well. I like seeing the water and how it goes “Explosion sound”. We first went when my Dad came back from Afghanistan. It was our first trip as a family again.”

“Alsea Falls, I went there a bunch as a kid. There are a lot of fun memories with me and my family.”

“The lighthouse in Newport, I find it really pretty and it’s a fun place to watch the sunset. I just find it really calming.”

“I really like the coast [Newport] because I used to go with my family all the time and it was kind of a fun experience. We used to go with my grandparents, my cousins, and my parents.”

WHERE WOULD YOU

“Anywhere outside in the woods [or] trees and water, lakes, rivers. I do so many runs through the woods.”

“My grandma’s backyard. We have a lot of our family gatherings and events there. We live in the country, so it’s literally just fields.”

“South beach, [in the] Newport area. Its got beautiful scenery. There’s a campsite right there that my family and I go camping at all the time.”

Freshman Kodi Carapinha

Freshman Caden Jack

Freshman Addison Hart

Freshman Cason Reinhart Senior Emily Wheeler Junior Jason Katin Senior Hannah Morris Sophomore Kylie Ostrin

Junior Aubrey-Aunna Murphy

Story and headshots by Kayla Stefan

CRATER

SOUTH BEACH

GRANDMA’S BACKYARD

THOR’S WELL

NEWPORT COAST

ALSEA FALLS

LAKE

NEWPORT LIGHTHOUSE

VALLEY OF THE GIANTS WOODS

Permission to use by senior Hannah Morris

Permission to use by junior Jason Katin

Permission to use by freshman Addison Hart

Permission to use by sophomore Helen Whiteside

Photo by Tommy Bachman via Unsplash

Photo by Mike Lewis via Unsplash

Photo by Daniel Sessler via Unsplash

Photo by Andy Li via Unslash

Photo by Martha Bergmann via Unsplash

IN THE BAG

JUNIOR NOAH WINES SHARES HIS BACKPACKING ESSENTIALS

A headlamp is a great portable light source that is perfect for on-the-go

A lightweight and wellsupported backpack is the most efficient way to carry around all of the hiking essentials.

A UV light water purifier makes finding drinkable water super simple.

An emergency fire-starting kit makes starting fires super simple in a time crunch..

A carabiner and multi-tool combines many helpful gadgets

A good mug is a staple! SENIOR

A compactible camp stove that is lightweight and space efficient

Noah carries this hat, a gift from his aunt, on every backpacking trip.