22-23 The Whirlwind - Issue 4

Whirlwind BEST HAMBURGER (22)

HIGH SCHOOL MOVIES VS. REALITY (8)

BLACK HAIR STIGMA (13)

WEST ALBANY HIGH SCHOOL • MARCH 2023 • 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

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

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

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Location Information: Are tracking apps an invasion of privacy? 11 The Root of the Problem : An indepth look at Black hair 12

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

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(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

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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

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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 T H E W H I R LW I N D

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EDITORS’ NOTE

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 Advertisers: Matt Bennett Paventy & Brown Orthodontics The Natty Dresser

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

Editors-In-Chief Gigi Roldan Frederick Wagner Ming Wong Mollie Brown

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n 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.

STAFF

News

Legend Engberg

Opinion

Gigi Roldan A’Shyia Swensen

Special

Helen Whiteside

Sports

Hailey Miles

Arts & Entertainment Marshall Hamel 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.

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

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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

CONTACT US

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

APRIL 2023

Flipping the Script TEENS WHO USE FLIP PHONES INSTEAD OF SMARTPHONES Story and Photo by Fraser Scott

H

ave you ever thought about what it would be addressed in order to compete with the be like to own a flip-phone in the modern features of current smartphones including world? How might it affect day-to-day attributes to communicate. People such as life? Well this is the reality for a handful of students math teacher Marcie McArthur, who lived around Albany. in a time when flip phones were a popular “I have a flip phone because I want to be form of communication, stated that their different,” freshman Ritish Ratanpal said. “It shows limitations were a problem within a situation my personality.” of emergency Others have decided to “You could call or you switch due to other reasons. could text but there’s Counselor Jan Rasmusen no tracking and no said, “why would I pay information, no music.

WHEN I GREW UP, PHONES for something to get her to You had to have an iPod.” WERE JUST USED JUST FOR be distracted?” This is the Samsung has attempted COMMUNICATION. philosophy of many trying to bring back flip phones to revert back to a more with their new Galaxy primitive way of technology.

Z Flip, which has added Having a flip phone now all the new features is not as conventional as that people look for on it used to be, with not as a phone and put it all many features as modern smartphones. This limits together to create a more modern and stylistic Ratanpal. version of the famous flip phones. According “I feel left out when all my friends are playing to Samsung, many of the Z Flips are not able iMessage games or using other Apple exclusive to withstand the scratch test or have a black features,” Ratanpal said, stating this is the reason smudge appearing at the fold line. These are he might switch. “They are easy. The only thing problems that Ratanpal stated he sees in his I’ll miss is the fact that it can fit in any pocket or phone as well. holder.” Ratanpal said that for flip phones to survive “My phone screen scratches easily,” in modern day, they have to evolve to better suit the Ratanpal said. “The fold is also fairly newer audience. noticeable under light, which can take away There are some limitations which will need to from what you are doing.”

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T H E W H I R LW I N D T H E W H I R LW I N D

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

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Collision Course HOW ONE FAMILY GAINED PERSPECTIVE THROUGH AN ACCIDENT

Story by Ishan Vashisht, Photo by Yesenia Rosas

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ath teacher Alison Bryant had just destrians all the time. Because of his finished eating with her family at family’s accident, he has become more Southpaws in North Albany on aware of how unsafe roads can be for peJan. 20. They left the restaurant, then walked destrians. Even though he didn’t get hit, to the Hickory Street intersection. She recalls Walker says it did impact him because his how they waited a very aunt and their whole long time, so they defamily got hit. He has cided it would be safe to become much more go. Then, as soon as they careful because he were walking, a person doesn’t want to be hit MY FIRST THOUGHT WAS driving a car turned, not by a car.

IF MY KIDS WERE OKAY seeing Bryant or her ”I get a little worried family. Though her huswhen I’m walking the band didn’t get hit, she crosswalks because of and her two kids did. what happened to my Her oldest child was projected into the air, her aunt and her family,” Walker said. youngest went under the car, and Bryant was Bryant has some ideas on what could be pushed a couple feet. She says they all sus- done to change the roads. tained minor injuries. “My first thought was if ”I think there’s a lot more distractions my kids were okay,” Bryant said. in people’s cars and on roads, making it so

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Math Teacher Alison Bryant

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

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

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.”

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Freshman Tyson Walker

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

APRIL 2023

Front & Centered

HOW WILL THE WATERFRONT PROJECT WILL EFFECT MONTEITH?

By Legend Engberg

A

SOPHOMORE ALEXA ZARKOU

t one point, in the decades-long effort to reconstruct downtown Albany, the “I absolutely adore water, and whenever we [my streets of first and second Ave. were cracked open, and it became very clear family] go to Utah, we always visits their splash how desperately updates were needed. parks.... Just adding another one [the splash pad] “The pipes [were] wood,” Albany mayor Alex Johnson II said. “I mean, it was bad. is just amazing to me.”

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 “I feel like it will be a lot better for concerts in the agency, or CARA. It was set to redevelop downtown making its structures and envipark, but it’s definitely getting rid of a lot of nature ronment more appealing and financially beneficial, with the effort being helped by a in the area, which is bad, but I also think it will encourage people to go into the downtown area.” 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 front, wanting to make it an inviting offers a trail to walk near the water. and active place, improving the park, Now, it’s getting a makeover as the improving the trail, improving the revitalization of downtown reaches piers, riparian restoration.” the finish line.

This will also include the stage, The project will include a rewhich currently has been standing shaping of the land itself, includfor more than a decade and has hosted many River ing cutting down of trees on the Rhythms concerts. Currently, according to the renderhill facing the stage and the trees ings, the stage will get a new coating of yellow and that barricade the area, which used white. Adams has also stated that the back of the stage to obstruct the view of the river. will be opened up, a design, which was done by a deThough some might be disheartsign firm called Walker Macy, based on the feedback ened by the felling of the trees, the of the community. mayor has stated that the trees were “Something that kept coming [up was] betinvasive, easily getting sick due to ter sight line toward the river,” Adams said. “[People] not being prepared for the condiwanted to actually be able to see the river, and so, that tions of the area’s soil. kind of informed, for example, that stage At the same time as old plants design, it’s kind of a minimalist look.” are dug and cut out, the mayor said that a new variety There’s also another add on of enterof plants will be added in, which will be native to the tainment never seen before in the park: the environment of Oregon. This establishment of new floaddition of a splash pad between where the ra residents will be combined with the reshaping of the restrooms currently stand and the entrance hill the trees resided on, making it more tilted towards to the park. This was a public request, after the performing platform. the city offered a long period of surveys to “Seating for the concerts,” the community on what they wanted to be Johnson said. “It’s going to be added to the waterfront. tiered. So people can sit on chairs, “The splash pad was what people but they won’t just be flat.” requested. Over and over and over, [it Along with the land itself, the was] what they were most excited about.” waterfront project is going to afAdams said. fect the accessories which inhabit The renderings that have been proBefore and after results of Monits area. vided are a glimpse into the future of Monteith Riverpark. Photos of March 2023, “It’s a list of activities to teith Park and the downtown area, the waterfront. with renderings as predictions of what accomplish with this tool,” Sophie ¨The only way the city is going to move forward the park will look like, after construction, Adams, Economic development in the middle of 2024. Photos by Violet and be a thriving community, every city has to have a Zinck and renderings by the design firm coordinator for the City of Albany, vibrant downtown,” Johnson said. “It’s the revitaliza“Walker Macy” said. “A lot of the things on that list revolved around the watertion of downtown.”

SOPHOMORE RAE SCHREITER

T H E W H I R LW I N D

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Alert and Ready

REQUIREMENTS You must be 14-18 years old

SEARCH AND RESCUE TRAINING ACADEMY FOR YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN 14-18 YEARS OLD Story by Jesus Cisneros Obledo and Photo by Monica Larcom

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.

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

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.

E m e r g e n c y Management Coordinator Ric Lentz

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.

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 Photo used with permission of Monica Larcom

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

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APRIL 2023

S A W L O O H C S H HIG E I V O AM

By Gigi

HO O HIGH SC E NC E XPERIE

S AN D L MOVIE

SHOWS

Roldan

RATE TH E XAGGE

AL E ACTU

addiction, domestic violence, sexual While “High School Musical” assault, underage drinking, mental can create false hope, media like illness, and much more. This show portrays underage students at East lashing lights. Loud partying. “Twilight,” “Euphoria,” and “13 Highland High School abusing A random kid is drunk on the Reasons Why” can normalize harmful drugs, engaging in sexual relations floor. A kid throws them self behavior. “Twilight” is a movie (sometimes with adults!), harming into a pool from the rooftop. For some centering around teenager Bella themselves, and various other reason, this can easily describe various Swan moving to a remote town called actions. scenes from multiple high school Forks, Washington, where she meets This show portrays high school fellow teen Edward Cullen. Within centric movies or shows. as harmful and toxic. It focuses Shows and movies like , “High the first movie, he is revealed to be heavily on showing the audience School Musical”, “Heathers”, “To All a vampire who has a thirst for her. In unsettling scenes and characters and the Boys I’ve Loved Before”, or shows this movie, they fall deeply in love, doesn’t portray high school students like “Euphoria”and “ Vampire Diaries”, acting more like young adults rather in a realistic manner. If a middle “Lab Rats”, “Zapped”, “Shake It Off”, than teenagers.

Twilight is an interesting case schooler saw this show and viewed “13 Reasons Why”, and much more all it as a portrayal of high school, have a theme of over-dramatizing the in many ways, yet is one of the it could lead them to go down an best examples of romanticizing an high school experience. unhealthy path. This also doesn’t These shows are common and unhealthy and predatory relationship. take into account the fact the actors Edward is revealed to be a popular in day to day life 104 year old vampire who are all over 18, furthermore adding OPINION and can be aimed at any stalks Bella, obsessively unrealistic expectations on how kind of age group, from ‘protects’ and keeps watch teenagers should look. kids, teens, and adults.

The most unsettling part is the Disney Channel movies are aimed at over her day to day life and overall amount of “teen” nudity. While the children and preteens, which can help acts like a major creep for a century actors are not minors, the show has shape the idea of what high school is old dude. He even stands over her bed multiple nude scenes and sex scenes supposed to be. “High School Musical” and watches her sleep at a point when of its underage characters. is a well known, popular example, they barely know each other — it’s There is a disturbing theme to having multiple movies and a show; it creepy. Yet, this is portrayed as though be found within shows centered shows a cheesy romance between two it is an ideal love story. Twilight also around high school; it refuses to polar opposites, which includes catchy portrays ‘high schoolers’ as much show teenagers in a realistic light. tunes, show-stopping dances, and a more mature by having the characters Teenagers are not mature, finding make very serious decisions. When funny, over the top antagonist. the love of their life, looking This is a prime example of a show you add the fact that the actors are perfect, singing like a Broadway that shows high school as a place older than the characters they play in star, or making out with a century full of life changing romance, hot the movie, it’s obvious that Twilight old vampire. They are experiencing celebrities who have never had a single portrays high school horribly.

High school movies and shows also the end of their time as a child and bit of acne, and show stopping dance stepping into adulthood. numbers. Now, this may be surprising, have a trend of being about serious Will high schoolers eventually but high school is not filled with perfect topics or revolve around the minors grow up to act like these shows and models with gorgeous voices. But, to a in the show participating in 18+ movies? Who knows. But something kid who’s never actually been in high activities. One of the most popular that’s important to remember is it’s school, these shows set up unrealistic and recent examples is Euphoria, okay to just be a teenager. expectations of how they and others which deals with heavy topics, which will look, act, and experience their four can range anywhere from child abuse, drug abuse, toxic relationships, years.

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T TH HE E W WH H II R RL LW W II N ND D

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HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL

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.

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

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rains 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

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Story and Illustration By Tiana Harris

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 OPINION to vouch f o r 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

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Story by Mina Clower

very 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 school; people who are currently seniors do dog teams. This half of a credit is and juniors weren’t able to get the credits required for graduation by the state, but as fast as they should have been. Dog why not have students earn it less often teams was changed to be more frequent and on a longer day if possible? Students so kids could graduate on time. Now that don’t enjoy going to dog teams the way we are back to a standard school schedule, it is. Staff feel overwhelmed and that they it should be changed back to monthly. don’t have enough time for the extra class Dog teams being weekly leaves staff because it’s little time to prepare, and so often. So, some teachers don’t even shouldn’t have the time to learn the credit what they have to lead IT’S NOT A LOT OF PREP TIME, be earned the class through. With a BUT MAKING SURE THAT differently changed schedule, staff EVERYTHING GETS DONE ON in future can be more prepared for y e a r s lessons and students will TOP OF EVERYTHING ELSE IS with both be more willing to go and IMPORTANT. staff and participate. students’ best interest in mind?

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

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APRIL 2023

Losing Literature BOOKS SHOULDN’T BE TAKEN OFF THE SHELF WITHOUT A VOICE Story by Emi Ludlow, Illustration by Mika Winder

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.”

OPINION 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.

The answer “IT’S ALWAYS IMPORTANT TO HEAR comes to light as head librarian EVERYBODY’S PERSPECTIVES.” 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.

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.

Animal Farm by George Orwell 1934 by George Orwell Lord of the Flies by William Golding Frankenstein by Mary Shelley One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest by Ken Kesey

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lot 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.

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

Location Information

TRACKING APPS CAN BE BENEFICIAL TO FAMILES, AS LONG AS THEY AREN’T USED IN THE WRONG WAYS Story and Illustration by Cadence McAllaster

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

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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.

17 OUT OF 28 STUDENTS SPOKEN TO ABOUT THIS MATTER SAID THEY FELT

OPINION

“STALKED” AND “HAD NO PERSONAL SPACE”

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APRIL 2023

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

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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-

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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.

y ry b

enta omm d C sen n y an Stor ia Swe y A’Sh

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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

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“Love your hair.

Take care of it.”

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.

“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

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.”

junior Jacella Williams

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

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ive weeks before the state competition, the cheer to save the season,” Lien said.

It wasn’t just the new coach who was motivating the cheerleaders. team’s coaches abruptly quit, striking a significant blow to the team’s morale and preparation. At first, The cheerleaders have formed a tight bond over the years, and they the cheerleaders had a lot of difficulties to sort through. Yet, were determined to make the most of the situation and utilize it in despite the setback, the team placed at the state competition a way that would strengthen their community.

“When they left, it brought us closer together because when the and found a new coach, business teacher Morgan Wadlow.

“There were struggles, whether that was between the coaches were there, we didn’t get along,” junior Lily Peña said. cheerleaders and the staff,” sophomore Brianna Walling “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 said. “The coaches just weren’t fit for West Albany.”

They had worked hard all season, and the thought of not team more.”

They continued to hold their own practices, having a coach to guide them through encouraging each other and providing the final stretch was difficult, according feedback. They knew that they had to work to Walling However, they knew they harder than ever before if they wanted to had to band together and find a way to CHEER STATE succeed, and they were up for the challenge. persevere.

COMPETITION PLACE In the end, all of their hard work paid “Our first practice without a coach off. The cheerleaders performed at the state went really smoothly because a couple competition. When the scores were tallied, senior girls ran it,” Walling said. “It felt the team had placed fifth out of 14 teams. rather positive and motivating, more “For what we had, we placed pretty well than it was with our old coaches. Just a and with the new coaches’ help, too. It was better environment overall.” really motivating knowing we placed fifth Meanwhile, the administration overall and just knowing that hey, no matter began the process of finding a new what the circumstances, we did amazing for coach. Both Walling and athletic director Don Lien declined to share the reason the coaches what we had,” Walling said.

The cheerleaders were thrilled with their performance, but they gave for quitting mid-season. Lien scoured the area for someone with experience, skill, and the ability to motivate knew that they couldn’t have done it without each other. They had the team. After a thorough search, they finally found a faced adversity and still succeeded, and they were proud of what they had accomplished. The new coach had been instrumental in candidate who seemed to fit the bill.

“We were blessed to get business teacher Morgan their success, providing them with the guidance and motivation Wadlow. And the other nice thing about getting Morgan, they needed to excel, according to Lein. But ultimately, it was the she is permanently the head coach and she understands our team’s own determination and dedication that had carried them traditions and what school expectations are for athletes and through.

The experience of the cheerleading team losing their coach just their performances,” Lien said. “She is passionate about the sport, getting to know the parents, and starting spring five weeks before their state competition was a challenging one, but it ultimately led to a positive outcome. With new permanent practices.”

Coaching alongside Wadlow is former Crescent Valley head coach Wadlow, there will be greater challenges ahead opening coach Savannah Lancaster, who came in as an assistant up new adventures for the kids and possibly opening a new JV coach. “Both Wadlow and her are co-head coaches and team according to Lien. were able to put together choreography for our state routine

5th

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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).

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

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.

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APRIL 2023

Barker Changes the Wrestling Image WHAT COACH BRYAN BARKER THINKS WE CAN ALL LEARN FROM JUDY HOPS

Story by Scotty Cummings, photo by Hailey Miles

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tudents 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.

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

“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

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

not oh, I worked nine months and three

and what he enjoys in life most.

Birth of a Fan

WEST ALBANY’S FAVORITE SPORTS TEAMS

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

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

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SOCIAL STUDIES, MATH TEACHER BRYAN WADLOW “The Beavers because when I was a kid my grandmother lived in Corvallis and would have Beaver tickets. I would go with my dad”.

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

Playing Like a Bulldog

BUILDING BRIDGES FROM MIDDLE TO HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS Story and Photos by Edson S. Conn, Illustration by A’Shyia Swensen

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he 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.

FRESHMAN JACK BELSHE 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.”

FRESHMAN ISSAC CONRAD 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.”

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APRIL 2023

Hockey Or Harvard?

ALTHOUGH SPORTS ARE CHALLENGING, THEY POSITIVELY AFFECT YOUR MENTAL HEALTH Story and Illustration by Julia Berg

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chool 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 OPINION 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.

“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

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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.”

8

MILLION

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.

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Live and Loud

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

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

T

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

he 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

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

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.

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

MUSIC NON-STOP FOR With quite the roster WEEKS PRIOR SO THAT I under her belt, Kennedy knows all the ins and outs KNOW THE SONGS WORD of the typical concert goFOR WORD ing 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-

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Photo by Kyle Hall

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

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.

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APRIL 2023

A cinematic crisis 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. home movie experience much more A total of 32 percent of responconsistently, and viewers came dents said they were uninterested in to recognize the convenience of the movies showing, which demonstreaming movies and TV shows strates another significant reason for remotely. Generally, a movie ticket the decreased attendance rates in thecosts around $9-10, and after factoraters. Many movies are now released ing the high costs of concessions at directly to streaming services, which most theaters, it is not sustainable means that theaters are reserved for many people to regularly attend for blockbuster films specifically. movies in theaters.

The smaller films that are shown This is especially true considerin theaters are losing money in the ing the price of a streaming service box office because most consumers like Netflix, which costs around would prefer waiting for them to be $10 a month for the basic plan, and released onto streaming services, and includes unlimited streaming of save their money to experience the movies and TV shows. bigger films in theater.

A statistic found from statista This is part of the reason that showed that in 2022, Netflix invested sequel films such as “Top Gun: more than $16 billion in creating Maverick” and “Avatar: The Way new original content. Movies such of Water” experienced such a huge as “The Gray Man,” “Glass Onion: box office success. In comparison, A Knives Out Mystery,” and “Don’t “Lightyear” was a huge flop, and lost Look Up” each accumulated more around $200 million—partly because than 250 million hours of streammany viewers watched it once it was ing, according to Netflix’s weekly released onto Disney Plus. updates of their viewing statistics.

Some films have been released With good quality content accesonto streaming platforms and in sible at a fraction of the cost that is theaters at the same time, to cater to available to be viewed in the comfort the portion of the audience that is of the consumer’s home, a trip to a still wary of COVID-19, which has movie theater seems unnecessary caused some backlash. For example,

HOW THE PANDEMIC AND GROWING POPULARITY OF ONLINE STREAMING SERVICES HAVE BROUGHT SMALLER CROWDS TO MOVIE THEATRES Story and Illustration by Mollie Brown

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triumphant 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

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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-

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

Possibly the most telling sign of the movie theater market’s impending doom is Cineworld, Regal theater’s mother company, filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy last September. The plan to shut down 39 Regal theaters was put into effect in February 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

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

APRIL 2023

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

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!

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Abra Cadaver

A CHECK IN WITH STUDENT PROFESSIONAL MAGICIAN SKYLER HABELT

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By Fine Janzen

agic 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 magicians, 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.

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

Houdini image credit CC 2.0

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

Assembling Together

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.

By Taylour Veith

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?

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

WHAT’S UP WITH CONCERT AND SYMPHONIC BAND

Freshman Oliver Yoder

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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.

APRIL 2023

A Breath of

FRESH AI R Out and about during Oregon’s abundant spring

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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

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APRIL 2023

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

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

Story by Yesenia Rosas with photos by Joe Wagner

Personal Safety

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regon’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.

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Environmental safety

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ven 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 O

All about Engler and the various treas

Story by Bri White with photos by Joe Wagner

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n 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-

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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,”

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

Outdoors In

asures in his room

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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 I FIND IT INTERESTING THAT some friends to try and combat this.

THERE IS A FISH TANK IN HIS “I highly encourage starting in the summer when it’s warmer and easier and go with some folks who are ROOM BUT THERE’S NO FISH experienced,” Engler said. “Then, little by little, you’ll do IN IT. more stuff that is uncomfortable and you’re not used to.”

As far as his room goes, Engler hopes it

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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.

APRIL 2023

A Need for Seeds Community Transition Program runs a functioning gardening program Story and photos by Helen Whiteside

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emorial 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

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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.

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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)

Hooked on Hunting and Fishing Students, staff share tales from the wilderness

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

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unting 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.”

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.

Coach Linden Loren has been around hunting all his life. In the picture to the left he’s decked out in camo Linden Loren with his mother during a hunting trip at roughly 5 years old

Senior Christian Fee catches a sturgeon on the Willamette River

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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.

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.”

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.”

APRIL 2023

9 wonders of Oregon Exploring oregon’s natural beauty through the eyes of our student body Story and headshots by Kayla Stefan

Sophomore Kylie Ostrin

Freshman Cason Reinhart

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Freshman Addison Hart

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“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.”

Senior Emily Wheeler

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“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.”

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“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.”

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“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.”

“Alsea Falls, I went there a bunch as a kid.

There are a lot of fun memories with me and my family.”

WHERE WOULD YOU T H E W H I R LW I N D

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Freshman Caden Jack

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Junior Aubrey-Aunna Murphy

Junior Jason Katin

Senior Hannah Morris

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Freshman Kodi Carapinha

6 “Anywhere outside in the woods [or] trees and water, lakes, rivers.

I do so many runs through the woods.”

4 “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.”

5 “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.”

THOR’S WELL

Photo by Tommy Bachman via Unsplash

NEWPORT COAST

Permission to use by freshman Addison Hart

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CRATER LAKE

SOUTH BEACH

Permission to use by sophomore Helen Whiteside

NEWPORT LIGHTHOUSE

Photo by Andy Li via Unslash

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2

Permission to use by junior Jason Katin

VALLEY OF THE GIANTS Photo by Martha Bergmann via Unsplash

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5

3

ALSEA FALLS

Photo by Mike Lewis via Unsplash

GRANDMA’S BACKYARD Permission to use by senior Hannah Morris

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4

WOODS

Photo by Daniel Sessler via Unsplash

APRIL 2023

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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 UV light water purifier makes finding drinkable water super simple.

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

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

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

TACKLE BOX TREASURE

A carabiner and multi-tool combines many helpful gadgets

A good mug is a staple!

A compactible camp stove that is lightweight and space efficient

SENIOR CHRISTIAN FEE’S FISHING PASSION (29)