21-22 The Whirlwind - Issue 6

Whirlwind WEST ALBANY HIGH SCHOOL • JUNE 2022 • ISSUE 6

THE SENIOR ISSUE - POSITIVES AND NEGATIVES -SENIOR SURVEY -PERSONAL COLUMNS WHY WE CHEAT PAGE 7

PAGES 16-23 06

BIAS IN SCHOOL SPORTS PAGE 10 OCTOBER 2021

TABLE OF

CONTENTS

06

12

NEWS

OPINION

Is Oregon Behind in Education? 04

Cheating the (Failed) System 07

Why are Teachers Leaving? 06

Senior Sums 08 Undecided 09

SPORTS

ENTERTAINMENT

Fighting the Bias 10

Linette Story 13

Pressures of Color 11

Shake it Up 14

Photo Reel of the Year 12

FEATURES Senior Stats 17 Noteworthy: The highs and lows of high school from four seniors 18-19 Four Years, Four Words: How would four seniors describe their high school experience in four words? 20 I’m Most Likely To...: When asked to give themselves best/most likely’s, seniors said... 21 Senior Personal Columns 22-23

CONTACT US

Corrections and Letters to the Editors Please send corrections or comments on this issue to: wahswhirlwind@gmail.com

Scan for online content Cover | Illustration by Mollie Brown and Gigi Roldan T H E W H I R LW I N D

21

08

14

02

STAFF Heads Team

Ethan Biersdorff Tori Thorp Joe Wagner Gigi Roldan Mollie Brown

A High Bar Within Reach

T

he West Albany Whirlwind does a total of six magazines each year. The year gradually builds with our writers getting more comfortable with their positions and skills. Then our adviser Michelle Balmeo loves to throw a wrench into our chaotic power dynamics. Juniors, sophomores, and freshmen all apply for editor positions at the end of the fifth issue.

What ensues is a mess of a sixth issue where freshly-elected students navigate their

confident that during our reign of tyranny the Whirlwind will thrive. We might be stroking our own egos, but we wouldn’t want to work with any other team.

All great teams work because of the complimentary traits of their members. Ming is a dedicated worker who takes on tasks quicker than you can take the earbud out of your ear to give a feeble “huh”. Gigi Roldan is mentally deranged, and will most likely turn into a grandma with cats and plants, but she knows how to

positions of leadership. The previous head editors were senior Tori Thorp, an incredible journalist who poured her soul into the program, and senior Ethan Biersdorff, who was the Dad of our program.

The chosen replacements were us: Joe Wagner, Mollie Brown, Ming Wong, and Gigi Roldan. Joe and Ming have been in the program for two years, and Gigi and Mollie are in their first year.

It’s nerve wracking to take on such a big position in the Whirlwind. There are seemingly endless responsibilities that all can make or break the magazine. And it’s stressful knowing that.

But despite the inexperience of the four of us, we are

finish a job. Working on the opposite side of Gigi’s desk, she might be watching clips of whatever cartoon, but she will have finished her page hours ago without a word. Mollie is always excited to learn about how to create her pages and make them look as aesthetically pleasing as possible, and working alongside someone who is genuinely interested in learning is a beautiful thing, and quite refreshing TBH. And Joe brings endless — and a little bit insane — enthusiasm.

He scares us, but he also scares our enemies.

Our predecessors may have been totally amazing, but the Whirlwind will only get better in the coming year. We know it will be tough to fill Ethan’s giant shoes and Tori’s 5-inch platforms, but our super team is ready.

A LETTER FROM THE EDITORS

Ming Wong Eleanor Peterson Melia Rasmussen

Copy Editors Brogan O’Hare Cali Stenger

Business Manager Colvin Parvin

Art Directors

Harvest Buchanan Legend Engberg

Photography Director Austin Rudel

Audience Engagement Helen Whiteside Violet Zinck

Multimedia

Cecilia Greene

News

Tyler Stacy Ming Wong Legend Engberg

Opinion

Gracie Balkema Brynna Gritter Kenneke Violet Zinck

Special

Gabrielle Emery Samantha Zimmerman Helen Whiteside

Sports Mollie Brown, Gigi Roldan, Joe Wagner, Ming Wong 2022-2023 Whirlwind Head Editors

Gigi Roldan Joe Wagner Hailey Miles

Arts & Entertainment Coral CwmCwlamare Marshall Hamel

Staff

WE WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE FOLLOWING SPONSORS: Blue Level: Sekaye Gaudet Albany Farmer’s Market Mother Goose Resale Dan Street Amy Maisto Mr. Duman Sum Yee Lai Sierra Hebert

Gold Level: Sarah Whiteside Aaron + Mickey Parvin Ron and Stephani Rasmussen The Shirley Family Frank and Joan Rasmussen Brigitte’s Place Fine Fabrics Citadel Oasis Mesmer Eyes Lash + Beauty Studio Nicole and Josiah Roldan Cathy Summers Jean Gritter Wong The Rustic Mason Jar

Bulldog Level: Homeland Excavating, LLC Ruth Mello TnT Builders Patty and Jerry Mello Elizabeth Randleman Homeland Excavating LLC Derek Whiteside Ridgetop Wireless Solutions Inc. Nicole Hershcovitch

03

Kylie Brown Mollie Brown Jose Lopez Ortega Hailey Miles Aubrey Murphy

Adviser

Michelle Balmeo THE WHIRLWIND is a dedicated student forum. Content and editorial decisions are made by student staff members exercising their rights as protected by the First Amendment and the Oregon Student Free Expression Law (Ore. Rev. Stat. sec. 336.477 (2007)). Opinions are those of The Whirlwind staff and not West Albany High School or the Greater Albany Public School District.

JUNE 2022

Is Oregon Behind in Education?

COST PER STUDENT

$30,000 $25,000 $20,000

Oregon ranks at 34th out of 50 for student funding and is below the U.S. average. The highest per student funding is the State of New York

$15,000 $10,000

$12,450

$13,137

$5,000 0 Oregon

U.S. Average

By Tyler Stacy and Ming Wong

It’s Complicated.

According to the National Center for Education, during the 2018-2019 school year, Oregon saw its high school graduation rate reach 80%, with the state ranking in the bottom five nationally. However, this data isn’t comparable on a state to state basis, given differences in state graduation standards. For example, as it was reported back in 2016 by NPR, Alabama underwent an audit by the U.S. Department of Education and a review by the state for an inflated graduation percentage.

In the article, NPR said that Alabama’s state superintendent of education at the time, Michael Sentance, admitted to an inflated rate. He told the news outlet that their rate included the Alabama Occupational Diploma, which required that a different set of standards be met.

As well as this, there was a failure to ensure that districts State of New York were graduating students who met the requirements.

According to the Director of the Oregon Department of Education and Deputy Superintendent of Public Instruction, Colt Gill, when students relocate from their ninth grade school, they are still part of that school’s rate unless the student’s records are requested by their new school. This is something he says isn’t consistent across every state and is partly why Oregon’s graduation rate lags behind.

However, junior counselor Jan Rasmussen says there’s more to what is contributing to the state’s rate of graduation. According to him, students who are part of an offered special education program or who decide to drop out of high school are still factored into an individual schools rate. This is something he attributes to the inability of public schools to achieve a perfect rate of graduation.

Furthermore, English teacher Amber Ferguson suspects that a previous requirement to demonstrate proficiency in so-called Essential Skills could have also lowered graduation rates.This requirement was put on pause in 2021 as the Oregon legislature passed SB 744 which put a hold on requiring essential skills to graduate until 2024. However, Ferguson believes that school districts who couldn’t offer an alternative for students who There are about 26 weren’t proficient in essential skills could students per 1 teacher have contributed to a lower rate of graduation for some schools. So how do we improve it? in Oregon. The According to Gill, the links to higher rates national average is 23 of graduation with students in CTE programs to 1. Oregon is ranked has resulted in investments in those programs.

45th in the nation Also, Gill points to the Student Success Act passed in 2019, which is said to give money for large classes, for affinity-based groups to support marginalaccording to the ized students, as well as money for districts to

$25,139

National Center for Education Statistics.

T H E W H I R LW I N D

04

work with the community to decide ways to assist groups of students until September to graduate. However, this is done through multiple at a lower rate of graduation. reinforcements, according to both Rasmussen and Ferguson.

Nevertheless, the pandemic’s impact on education is yet to be Through WAHS’ eight period schedule, students can recover credknown, according Gill, as he worked with the Oregon Health Auits, as well as through Odyssey, an online self-paced recovery prothority and the governor’s office during the pandemic. Despite that, gram. However, Ferguson says that a student’s ability to be involved Gill said there have been investments made for summer programs to is a big part of a student’s success. assist students for both 2021 and 2022 and says “I think that there is a correlation there bethat state summative assessments, once comtween kids feeling disconnected to the school pleted, could help the department recognize an and not being successful in school,” Ferguson impact caused by the pandemic. said. “We have a wide variety of activities and These state summative assessments, which entry points for kids … and that’s one of the I THINK THERE IS A were used to demonstrate a student’s proficienreasons that we’ve managed to be pretty succy in essential skills, Gill believes better shows cessful.”

CORRELATION THERE if the system is working, rather than a student’s However, Ferguson says she has worked BETWEEN KIDS FEELING ability to do well on a one day Smarter Balwith students on the day of the graduation DISCONNECTED TO THE anced test. He says that most states have gotten ceremony to get them across the finish line, rid of exit exams and that in states where they but still believes that a student’s motivation is SCHOOL AND NOT BEING remained, students who don’t pass still receive overall the determining factor.

“

SUCCESSFUL IN SCHOOL.

a diploma.

According to Rasmussen, 100% of eligible students attending wahs, meaning students that didn’t drop out or are part of Special Education, have received a diploma – students have

GAPS DISTRICT STATISTICS 2020-21

92%

Alabama

75%

81%

60% 40% 20%

U.S. Average

of seniors are ontrack-to-graduate compared to a 83% state average, according to ODE

80%

Oregon

87%

91% 86%

New Mexico

of freshmen are ontrack-to-graduate compared to a 74% state average, according to ODE

Graduation Rates

West Virginia

67%

100%

“I think a high school diploma is a really important document for you to have,” Ferguson said. “It’s not going to open doors for you, but a lot of doors are going to shut for you if you don’t have it.”

0% New Mexico has the lowest graduation rate in the nation at 75%. Oregon is the 5th lowest at 81%. The U.S. average is 86% based on all the states. West Virginia has the 2nd highest rate at 91%, and Alabama has the highest graduation rate at 92%. Although graduation rates can be misleading Alabama has admitted to

05

JUNE 2022

Why are West Teachers Leaving?

Story and Photo by Cecilia Greene, Illustration by Harvest Buchanan

I really love teaching, but you know, a new opportunity arose for me. I’m going to be a quality control admin at PREE Laboratories in Corvallis. It is a lab that tests cannabis products.

Even though I’m not teaching here anymore, I’m hoping that my career change inspires others to see all the different paths and avenues in science.

Physical Science teacher Nawshin Sardar THE WHIRLWIND

I am going to be working in the human resources department mentoring new teachers at all three high schools: South Albany, Albany Options School, and West Albany. For me, having an opportunity to help teachers become great, I’m really excited to do it.

Chemistry teacher Sylvia Sorenson

06

Personally, I’m leaving because my wife got her dream job in Portland, and we had to make the choice as a family of what we wanted to do. It would be better for us to move up there rather than going back and forth.

Math teacher Derek Duman

OPINION

Cheating the (Failed) System

HOW TESTS ARE ENCOURAGING STUDENTS TO CHEAT

By Mollie Brown

By Mollie Brown

O

ften, popular contemporary TV shows and novels explore the ties between conformity, dehumanization, and dystopian society—highlighting the importance of individuality above all else. Although plots such as those seen in “The Giver” by Lois Lowry or “The Hunger Games” by Suzanne Collins may seem farfetched, many of the lessons taught through the

that may feel inadequate in their understanding of the subject, cheating may seem like the only option. Although in many situations failure is presented as an opportunity for growth, in the context of testing, it is worn as nothing more than a badge of shame. This can take an immense toll on a student’s self esteem if they do poorly on a test, and could prevent them from challenging themselves

protagonists’ experiences of rebellion ring true to today’s teens.

Today, cheating has become an act of resistance, defending a student’s individuality and integrity when they are otherwise entirely powerless. In fact, with compulsory education, students are left at the bottom of a powerful hierarchy, with little to no control over what they learn, or how they learn it.

The true nature of revolution means it has to be inspired—fueled by outrage for something unjust. So what is it about test-taking that leads students to cheat?

It is important to understand the weight grading holds in the current schooling system—an A vs a B could be the determining factor for a student’s admittance to college, which is a huge stressor for students when facing a test that is worth 20% of their grade. With the fear that failure could hinder future opportunities, the pressure to do well on assessments is extremely high.

To some students

or trying new things in the future.

When grades are held on a pedestal like this, they can become more important than learning and gaining a well rounded understanding of the class material. This fear of poor performance can lead many instructors to end up with a curriculum that ‘teaches to the test’, which focuses almost entirely on memorization in preparation for exams or final tests. This degrades the worth of knowledge to something that is disposable, and doesn’t properly gauge a student’s baseline understanding of a subject.

When the results of a test come back, it can be very devaluing when it is graded—the entirety of human experience and knowledge concentrated into a singular number. That is why alternative methods of testing should be explored. Methods that value creativity and innovation, and cater to a wider variety of students that think uniquely rather than in a way that is entirely uniform. Productive preparation for the real world is not represented by a timed test that focuses on hyper specific and unnecessary facts. Instead, valuable and applicable life values can be learned through collaboration and critical thinking.

Until students receive tests structured around these important concepts, cheating may be a way they are silently protesting the unreasonable standards they are held to.

THE WHIRLWIND

07

Senior Sums

SENIOR SAVINGS

WHY HIGH COSTS OF SENIOR YEAR REFLECT NEED FOR SOCIETAL CHANGES

By Brynna Gritter Kenneke

S

enior year is supposed to be a 265-day experience we’ll never forget. Year after year, you hear about the upperclassmen absolutely tearing it up at school dances, senior parties, and then leaving graduation in triumph. However, many of these traditions come with a cost. Not only do graduating students have to worry about paying for college tuition or supporting themselves after high school, but they also have to think about paying for all the school perks seniors just can’t miss out on.

Prom alone can cost hundreds of dollars, and that on top of tickets to other dances and events, senior pictures, graduation cap and gown, and so much more adds up quickly. These costs make it expensive to participate in all these events and get all the fun swag that comes with surviving four years of high school.

These might all seem like frivolous extras that are fun if you can afford them, but high school culture—as well as general society—puts a huge emphasis on these expensive signifiers of hitting this milestone.

There are supports in place for students who struggle to afford school related things. Students

ORDER #0000 SENIOR EXPENSES ----------------------Prom Dress & Night Out Cap & Gown Yearbook Prom All Night Party Homecoming Old School Official Announcements Senior Portraits

150 65 70 15 30 10 10 37.50 350

----------------------------Semi-total: 737.50 ----------------------------College App #1 College App #2 College App #3 College App #4 College App #5 AP test #1 AP test #2

43 43 43 43 43 69 69

---------------------------Semi-total: 353 -----------------------------

Grand total:

THE WHIRLWIND

1090.5

can talk to a counselor or administrator if they are concerned about paying for activities, and organizations such as Abby’s Closet exist to help teens find formal wear so financial situations don’t lead them to miss out. However, activities and extras aren’t the only things lightening senior wallets.

College applications can also be incredibly expensive.

A survey by US News found the average cost of college applications to be around $43, with application expenses getting as high as $100 in some US schools. College Board recommends applying to five to eight schools, which would result in a student spending well over $200 with no guarantee of being accepted.

These costs might just seem like another branch of the ‘paying for college’ issue, but they reflect larger problems within society. We live in a materialistic society that emphasizes celebrating many milestones.

While honoring achievements is a wonderful idea, the belief that every occasion considered important has to involve fancy clothes, gifts, or overspending is problematic. These ideas lead to many people, especially teenagers, feeling left out just because they are less privileged than some of their peers.

Seniors have enough to worry about with paying for college and financially supporting themselves after high school, especially with the costs of just applying for college being so high, they don’t need the societal pressure to spend money on every possible thing. Whether this is the expectation of buying fancy clothes, paying for professional photos, graduation announcements, or throwing a graduation party, the assumption that the ‘norm’ is to spend huge amounts of time and money on these things can be harmful.

There’s no simple solution, but society at large could benefit from learning to acknowledge important occasions without feeling the need to throw lavish parties. We should remind ourselves that an event can be just as memorable and mean just as much whether or not it involves balloons and fancy photos.

However, as much as we would benefit from moving away from materialistic celebrations, the solution for anyone struggling to pay for these fun experiences should not be to have to make do with less or have fun without it while more fortunate people still enjoy all the extras. This societal shift needs to start with the people already able to afford these traditions. Those of us lucky enough to be financially stable and able to participate in all the fun shenanigans without worries need to examine society and acknowledge that many of these spendy rites of passage aren’t necessary. Truly important accomplishments will mean just as much and be just as memorable whether or not we mark them with extravagant celebrations. If everyone privileged enough to spend this money in the first place realizes that we can celebrate and be proud of achievements without these huge expenses for parties and mementos, we can make good progress towards societal change that benefits all students.

Senior year is an experience well worth celebrating, but it can end up being a major expense that adds unnecessary stress to graduating students. The shocking financial totals reflect the larger issues society has with measuring the importance of milestones by how much we spend celebrating them.

OPINION

08

Ways to save money and/or get help so you don’t miss out on these societal rites of passage: • Talk to a teacher or counselor about getting scholarships available at the office.

These are good for items like caps and gowns or events like Prom and All Night Party. The school works hard to never prevent anyone from participating for financial reasons

• Collaborate with

friends to take senior portraits - you don’t need to hire a professional to look great, just a talented friend and a camera

• Check out Abby’s Closet an organization helping teens find formal wear

Art by Gigi Roldan

• Narrow down your college list to a handful of places you really want in order to save money on tours and applications

Although major ideological changes are needed, students should still be able to make use of these resources and ideas so everyone has a chance to make the most of their time as a senior.

These tips can help students have fun while we as a society work on some of the underlying issues.

Undecided

CHANGING DIRECTIONS

KEEPING AN OPEN MIND FOR AFTER HIGH SCHOOL

F

By Eleanor Peterson

rom day one of kindergarten, kids are asked what they want to be when they grow up, though at that age most kids say princess or astronaut. In middle school we were told to be more realistic about our plans. No more princesses or athletes, now we were nurses, engineers, and teachers. Come freshman year of high school, we are told to make a five year plan. Plan all your classes for all four years of high school, where you want to go college, and what job you want.

This is meant to help students stay on path for their chosen career, but so few freshmen have a clear idea of what they want to do when they graduate. With the amount of changes teens go through from freshman

than just what sounds good on paper.

But, while it is important to not rush into something, taking too much time to figure out your future can have drawbacks. College is expensive, and spending five or six years switching between degrees can end up doing more harm than good. Not only are you having to spend money on tuition, you are also having to wait to enter the workforce which can set you back in your career. That’s a couple of years of experience and income that you are losing.

This makes community college a great option. It provides a cheap way to explore and learn, without having to break the bank. “I think going to community college is a great way to figure out what it is that they want to do and not spend as much money as they would at a four year university,” Beattie said. This can help you find a career that you actually enjoy, rather than spending tens of thousands on a degree that you never end up using.

As graduation approaches, most people have at least a rough idea what they’ll be doing come next year. Whether that’s starting at college or joining the workforce, many will still experience doubt in their decision and it’s ok to be unsure of what comes next.

“There’s nothing wrong with not knowing what you want to do when you graduate,” Beattie said.

“Most people don’t and end up changing their major at college anyway.”

These next few years are a great time to explore and learn and discover possibilities that you never knew existed. Being undecided can open up all new doors because it allows you to keep an open mind to what your future can hold.

Opinion

to senior year, very few maintain the same goals they had as a 14 year old. Starting that path too soon can leave many feeling like it’s the only option available to them. After two years on that set path, it can feel like it is too late to turn back, forcing them into a career that they no longer enjoy.

This also leads According to senior many teens into counselor Karen thinking that they Beattie there are have to have every- four main pathways to take after high thing figured out by school. the time they graduate. But, it’s ok to • Joining the work leave high school force without a clear view • Joining the military of the future; it can even be beneficial • Going to a trade to still be figuring it school out.

“It’s the perfect • Going to a four year university or time to explore and community college take different classes and meet different people and figure out what they want to do,” senior counselor Karen Beattie said.

Deciding what career you want to pursue can be a difficult decision, especially when you have little experience outside of the classroom. Exploring your options in college can help you figure out what jobs you actually enjoy, rather

OPTIONS AFTER HIGH SCHOOL: THE BIG FOUR

Q+A with English teacher Blain Willard

Q: Why did you change your major in college?

A: When I was in high school, I was concerned about the environment and interested in environmental conservation.

But I did not do adequate research into what sort of degree or program would best prepare me for that career. I made an assumption that forestry would be a good place to start because I love forests. So at Oregon State University, I was a forestry major. I quickly realized that the forestry department at OSU is about timber production and timber sales and not at all about environmental conservation. I was a little bit disheartened by that, and I found myself one night in my room with a huge biology textbook and I just dreaded opening that thing. I did not want to read and take notes and study biology; it just wasn’t exciting to me. At the same time, I was taking a required prerequisite English class called Bible as Literature, and I just loved the conversations in that class. I was always excited to open those materials and read [them] in preparation for the conversations and discussions we’d have in class. After a while, I had this ‘aha.’ I really enjoy this thing. I really dread that thing. Doesn’t it make perfect sense for me to make that change?

Q: How do you feel about exploring your options in college and being unsure of what you want to study?

A: I love it. I always think that we should be open to new experiences and flexibility. One of my [favorite] quotes that Ralph Waldo Emerson said is, “A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of a weak mind.” That is, don’t stick with something just because you want to be consistent.

If it’s not working, then you have to reassess.

Q: What advice do you have for graduating seniors who are unsure of what they want to do in the future?

A: I think that you should have an open mind. It’s ok to not know, but it’s not ok not looking. I don’t like putting your head in the sand and doing nothing. I think that we should live our lives with curiosity and wonder. We should also always be searching for inspiration and meaning and purpose. If it’s not clicking right away, don’t fret, but keep looking. I think college is a wonderful place to conduct that search. And college is not the only path and it’s not the right place for everyone, but I look back at my college years and the things I was exposed to, the new people and the new ideas and I think that it is a wonderful place to look for direction in life.

Illustration by Legend Engberg

09

JUNE 2022

3RD

Fighting the Bias

sports, such as track and field, swimming, and wrestling, have a much more equal environment.

“They [wrestlers] work very hard, and they love each other like siblings. It drives them to a different level,” assistant coach Bryan Barker said. The wrestling team’s family environment encourages that anybody can perform well within wrestling.

“They’re [wrestling] really accepting, and they kind HOW BIASES WITHIN SCHOOL SPORTS of look up to me. It’s kind of weird, but it’s really nice,” AFFECT FEMALE ATHLETES Martinez said. Wrestling has a strong view that gender shouldn’t be taken into consideration when measuring Story and Photos By Gigi Roldan strength. ithin society, there often can be an inherent bias that Track and field has a similar atmosphere to wrestling. people who are male are more capable than people Sophomore Owen Roberts said, “In track and field, girls who are female, which affects athletes who are feoutnumber the guys, and both guys and girls take charge male in many different ways. of the team and leadership roles “I definitely feel that sometimes my peers without bias. just think they’re better than me because I’m a In sports like water polo, there girl,” sophomore water polo player Gretchen was an imbalance of attention beMorgenstern said. tween the boys and girls teams.

WAHS has had multiple female athletes Despite the girls water polo team SOMETIMES, PLAYING that have gone to state, inperforming well, it still felt like cluding junior Ariana MartiAGAINST OPPOSING TEAMS, they were given a lesser amount of nez, who was the first female THEY’D TARGET ME BErecognition compared to male domwrestler to get first in state in CAUSE THEY SEE THERES A inated teams.

West. Along with that, high“Our water polo coach only had steppers got first in state, and GIRL PLAYING. experience with the boys team, so many other school teams have it felt like he focused a lot more on performed extremely well. Dethe boys and it was obvious that he spite these wins, there is still a favored working with them more,” hidden bias that leans towards male dominated Morgenstern said. sports and athletes.

“I just feel a definite lesser amount of support and This bias can affect athletes in more ways than interest compared to other sports like football, which is a one, with male dominated sports being unwelpredominantly male sport,” said junior Alice Whiteside. coming, like football.

The girls water polo team were eventually given prop“Sometimes, playing er attention by assistant coach Bailey Dickerson. “She against opposing teams, became the main coach for the girls water polo team,” they’d target me because Morgenstern said. they see there’s a girl Sports like lacrosse even change the rules according playing,” sophomore to gender. “The main thing is the physical contact that wrestling and football is allowed,” alumnus, and former lacrosse team captain, player Maci Pearson said.

Brianna Joy said. “Boys are able to hit each other and be Other gender unified more physical in lacrosse, while girls have way more rules on how much you are allowed to touch each other.”

The bias that these players have all grown up in affects how they are allowed to perform in sports, from unfair rules, targeting, and lesser interest from all audiences. “On game day, you don’t often watch women’s teams competing. Almost all of the time, it is a men’s team,” Joy said.

W

“

Senior Nicole Beers has the ball, while a Marist player follows closely at the March 29 home game.

Sophomore Aubrey Murphy, JV football player The varsity girls water polo team celebrates a win at the state tournament on November 13.

THE WHIRLWIND

10

Photo used with permission of Alice Whiteside

Pressures of Color ATHLETES OF COLOR SHARE THEIR EXPERIENCES WITH RACIAL STEREOTYPING

F

or senior track and field athlete Rahima Monahan, there has always been a little voice in the back of her mind. “I just heard that voice which keeps saying, the fastest man in the world is black, and people are gonna expect you to be fast because you’re black,” Monahan said.

It’s one of the first things an individual notices about another person, the color of their skin. Though society has come a long way racially in comparison to the past, stigmas still persevere in the modern age. With athletes coming in all shades, when they are on the field, track or court, all eyes can be on them and those stigmas can pop up along with preconceived notions about that person’s abilities and belonging in the sport.

Stereotypes are pushed onto athletes, and the pressure of color forms.

There are people who feel this pressure does not exist, and therefore, is not really that big of an influence within sports. “We don’t focus on our races when we’re playing. We focus on how good we are,” sophomore Jada Cavazos-Ang said. “It doesn’t have anything to do with our skin… People don’t really focus on that. So they’re more invested in the sport itself than anything else.” Cavazos-Ang isn’t the only athlete who felt race did no factor into her sport. Junior lacrosse player Chloe Goettl agreed that she and all of her team members are treated equally.

“I feel equal compared to everybody else on my team… [Our coach] is all inclusive.

She definitely treats everybody the same, no matter what you identify as or what your race is,” Goettl said. In some situations, athletes of color can be in a sports environment where they feel no different than the other players when it comes to how they are treated, feeling as though their coaches treat them the same as any other athlete.

There is also believed by some athletes that there is pressure when it comes to the relationship between race and sports. Shai Bravo, a junior soccer player, believes that pressure can come from trying to be a good representative of your race. She believed that there was a need to inspire others of a certain race by being a good role model,

Story by Legend Engberg Page Design by Harvest Buchanan Illustrations by Violet Zinck and Legend Engberg

trying to show that they can rise to being a great player in the sport they loved.

“In representation you don’t see as much as you would hope at the international levels,” Bravo said. “My siblings used to play sports here and when I was growing up, I was like, ´Oh my gosh, they’re really good at soccer,´ so I’m hoping to be like [them].” Bravo compared inspiring other individuals in sports as an athlete with characters such as Disney princesses and their racial representation. “The more you see, the more you feel like you are a part of that.”

Racial pressure can be a persistent trait within athletics. Even when this is mixed with discriminatory attitudes, some try to just move past it and keep going on. “I try not to focus on that too much because I stress a lot due to wanting to meet expectations. I see a lot of videos on Instagram or on TikTok, I go watch track videos there, and usually, like 95% of the time in those videos, those sprinting videos, the fastest person is a person of color,” Monahan said. She found that kind of expectation was present with other people on her team as well. This has led

“

I HAVE TO PERFORM AT A GOOD LEVEL FOR THE COLORED PEOPLE NOT HERE AND THE PEOPLE MAKING COMMENTS ABOUT US.

to statements involving stereotypes. “One of my teammates, he´s a person of color too, he was telling me that other people expected him to be fast because he was black,” Monahan said.

“I feel like I have to perform at a certain level,” sophomore football player Dustin Hagner said. “I have the requirements I have to meet and then, if I meet those requirements, there’s always more added because I’m black.” Hagner said that his teammates have also made racial remarks toward him, making comments on how they expect him to be stronger, faster, and good at sports to a certain point because he’s black.

This stereotyping is not just restricted to practice, but follows athletes onto the field or court as well, making athletes of color feel that the

11

spectators and opposing team see them in a certain way.

Though senior soccer player Lily Ruiz says she has never experienced discrimination, she has witnessed teammates sterotype others. “I’ve heard the stereotypes that Mexicans are better at soccer,” Ruiz said, explaining that she and her teammates sometimes felt intimidated by opposing teams when they had several Mexican players.

“Since it’s happened so many times, I already have it set in my mind that no matter who I meet, I feel like they’re already judging me,” Hagner said. “If I’m playing against another team, I feel like they already assume the same things that other people already assume.” This kind of ugly presentation can get out of hand and get even more disturbing if it keeps escalating or persisting in sports.

Overall stereotyping players and making comments towards them that are racist can evolve into something uncomfortable as it festers.

April of this year was an example of what happens when these kinds of preconceived notions, which allow the pressure of color to fester, are taken to the next level. The Oregonian ran an article describing a basketball game between Gladstone High School and Molalla High School where white Molalla audience members allegedly made racist remarks toward the Gladstone team members, who are mostly black. One team member recounted that “at halftime of the varsity boys game, he noticed his friends were growing concerned about something. When he turned around, he saw a student from Molalla High School with his upper body covered in black paint,” according to the article.

Though West Albany athletes have not experience the overt racism of the Gladstone incident, many have felt that there are still underlying stereotypes within their environment, which depicts a form of descrimination.

“Most teams, you’ll know, are good teams if they don’t care about background,” Bravo said. “They’re not going to treat you differently because teams are all about being together and learning how to know each other well enough to just play with one another.”

THE WHIRLWIND

Photo Reel of the Year

ATHLETES’ FAVORITE PICTURES OF THE YEARS, MEMORIES TO REMEMBER

“This is when [West Albany] was playing South Albany at home, and I was probably having one of my best games. I was hitting my inside shots really well and everyone else on the team was really solid that night. We were competing really well, and the game was very fun.”

— senior Jordan Stewart

Photo used with permission of Leon Neuschwander

By Joe Wagner

Photo used with permission of Sasha Hoehne

“I think it’s a cool action shot that shows that lacrosse is a sport that you’re never alone in. Defenders don’t shy away from stealing the ball and lacrosse is really big about the fight for possesion of the ball. I also like how [the ball is] going into my stick and not the defender’s.” — junior Sasha Hoehne

“This was after my state finals and getting on the podium. I was super excited and kind of on a power trip. We wanted to take a picture to show off winning the state championship and my [coach Casey] Horn socks.”

— junior Ariana Martinez

Photo used with permission of Jack Ames

“Obviously, this is my favorite because we won [state], but [the seniors] placed second our freshman year and we had gotten so close. Then we dealt with COVID. We’re a group of five seniors, and it was our last year. Our coach was also retiring that year, so it made a state championship extra special.”

— senior Jack Ames

Photo used with permission of Miranda D’Agostini

Photo used with permission of Camden Cyrus

“We had a tournament up in Portland during spring break and we went up to Top Golf after the last game as a team. It was really fun. I like the photos because it shows us all together as a team having fun.” ­— junior Camden Cyrus THE WHIRLWIND

Photo used with permission of Audrey Tedrow

“At my first meet with the team after all the events and I placed first in high jump. The sun was out, we were glowing, and we were feeling good about how the meet went. It was a fun group of friends that I don’t think I would’ve gotten to know without track.” — senior Sydney Harrington

12

Evolution of Expression

makeup choices. With sharp intricate graphic eyeliner, glitter eyelids, occasionally adding eyeliner designs on the forehead, and accessorizing his makeup with fake piercings.

However, as her makeup began to improve through the years, she expressed feeling uncomfortable and confused without the application of the medium. “It’s like said. “I’m trying to improve what I already have with creating a version of myself that I’m comfortable with.” myself.”

She added that she does not believe that the sense of Doing makeup for five years definitely means godiscomfort and confusion she feels without makeup on ing through various different phases will change throughout the years. of makeup style choices. Some of “It’s just what I feel most comthese phases include exclusively usfortable in, and even though I’m ing brown shades, trying out moles insecure without it, I feel like that and adding freckles to the face, IT’S LIKE CREATING A is not always a bad thing,” Gibbs graphic eyeliner, and cut creases.

VERSION OF MYSELF THAT said. “It’s like if you wear a nice He described his current makeoutfit, then you would feel emup aesthetic as going for ‘gothic I’M COMFORTABLE WITH. powered with that, and that’s kinda glam.’ Recently his favorite makehow I am with makeup.” up choice has been doing glitter cut Makeup for many is an outlet for self expression creases. “I’m biased because I’m in that [phase] right to reflect what isn’t as easily seen. Different people exnow,” he said with a laugh. “I just really like it, and I press it through different style choices such as clothing, really like the different giant colors and big emphasized makeup, accessories, and so much more. eyelids that aren’t actually real.”

“With fake piercings and makeup and all these From finding inspiration in people around his school, crazy outfits and stuff I feel like, I wouldn’t compare Gibbs now is inspired by the people he sees on his Pinit to doing drag because that is a completely different terest feed. “I’ll find different types of looks on Pinteraspect,” said Gibbs, “but it’s like I’m showing off what est that people have worn, and then I combine them all I would want to look like, but then I’m like actually into something.” achieving it.”

His experimental side is manifested through his

HOW MAKEUP HELPED ONE SENIOR FIND THEIR AUTHENTIC SELF

By Linette Ortiz-Olivo and photos provided by Tori Gibbs

S

enior Tori Gibbs’ interest in makeup was sparked during her time in middle school upon seeing a number of people around school that would do ‘cool makeup,’ but this wasn’t the only thing that was motivating her toward trying out makeup. At the time, Gibbs, who identifies as bi-gender and will be referred to as both ‘he’ and ‘she’ throughout this article, expressed that she felt insecure about her masculine looking appearance and aspired to achieve a more feminine looking presence.

“I was always told that I was a really masculine looking person when I was younger,” Gibbs said, “so I thought that if I wore makeup, it would make me look like I was trying to get away from that.”

The beginning was a rough start, filled with shortcomings and failure to achieve the perfect sharp line.

The outlook wasn’t looking bright. Her insecurities and her lack of self didn’t help much either. “I feel like at the time I kinda felt like I was trying to be something that I wasn’t,” she said.

Now, as a senior, Gibbs’ makeup skills have evolved and so have his intentions. “It’s more personal choices rather than trying to look like somebody else,” Gibbs

“

Makeup looks by senior Tori D. Gibbs (she/her, he/him) taken from her Instagram with permission @consumerofblood.

13

JUNE 2022

Shake It Up

ADDING VARIETY TO YOUR SUMMER IN OREGON

By Marshall Hamel, Melia Rassussen, and Coral CwmCwlamare

L

iving in Oregon makes for a great summer experience, and as the school year comes to a close, people are looking at ways to spend their long awaited vacation. Living in Albany can often make the summer season feel repetitive, so here is a collection of ways to occupy yourself when those hot summer days seem to go on and on.

One of the best remedies to the blistering summer heat is ice cream, with one of the best events for it being the SunSpent Ice Cream Festival, an all you can eat ice cream festival in Portland on August 6 and 7. The first time the event was held was in 2019, but it made an impact. Returning for the first time, it promises new brands and flavors for people to eat. “ [The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead] tells the story of a young African American man who was sentenced for a crime he didn’t commit and sent to a boys home. Incarcerated adolescents [who are] treated atrociously. It follows him overcoming those experiences ... I recommend it to students because it’s engaging and compelling.”

BLAIN WILLARD, ENGLISH TEACHER

SHORTSTOPS BURGERS

T H E W H I R LW I N D

June has Cirque Du Soleil’s “Alegria” being performed in Portland Expo Center. This performance is about a revolution that threatens to shake up the world order for the better. Originally performed in 1994 by Cirque Du Soleil, which has won Daytime Emmys, wrote the performance to blend old with new. It promises to be a visual spectacle.

Shortstops is the newcomer in town, but that doesn’t mean they don’t have a lot to offer. Out of all the locations we chose, Shortstops definitely gets the gold star for presentation and overall quality. On top of that, with the price of a small shake coming in at exactly $3.00, you get much more for your money than anywhere else.

14

BURGERVILLE

“Some of my favorite fantasy books are the ‘Red Queen’ series, all the books by Sarah J. Maas: ‘Throne of Glass,’ ‘Court of Thorns and Roses,’ ‘Crescent City’... ‘Children of Blood and Bone.’ That’s really good. It’s this fictional African world. I’ve been trying to read fantasy books from non-white perspectives.”

KRISTEN GROSSERHODE, SOCIAL STUDIES TEACHER

HASTY FREEZ

Burgerville is a chain exclusive to the Pacific Northwest, and although it’s most definitely not on par with the level of locality as the other restaurants listed, it still has that feel. Another thing that sets Burgerville apart is the vegan options that are available, known as Bliss shakes.

These shakes provide all the thickness and creaminess of a milkshake, but entirely dairy free, making it an enjoyable treat for everyone.

Hasty Freez is a staple of Albany, and many residents have enjoyed their delicious ice cream for generations. The bottom line is, it’s hard to go wrong with Hasty Freez.

Their classic, simple approach to the age old formula of a shake, burger and fries is done better than almost anywhere else around.

For $2.75, you get a thick, creamy shake and a choice between 16 different flavors, which is more than anywhere else in town.

“Ocean Vuong’s new poetry collection ‘Time is a Mother.’ He uses words in a really fluid way. He’s not confined to using words in the way they are. It’s something Shakespearean. It’s one thing that makes poetry really fun, and [he’s] really good. I read everything. I don’t read a lot of genre specific books... [I read] fiction and nonfiction. I really quite hate predictability.”

No summer is complete without music, which the Annual Cathedral Park Jazz Festival promises to bring. Occurring from July 15 to the 17, this is a fun event focused on jazz music, a style of music focused on the unpredictability, which society has come to know in recent years.

JORDAN RUPPERT, ENGLISH TEACHER

15

JUNE 2022

By e, Bul By ldo e gs!

17 - Senior Survey Results 18 - Noteworthy: Positive Senior Memories 19 - Not Worthy: Negative Senior Memories 20 - Four Years, Four Words 21 - I’m Most Likely To...

22/23 - Senior Personal Columns

THE WHIRLWIND

THE WHIRLWIND

07 16

Senior Stats

By Gabi Emery

As the class of 2022 gets ready to graduate, the Whirlwind wanted to capture their high school experience over their four years at West Albany.

We surveyed 101 seniors, and this is what they said.

Most fun class: (AP) Bowling Psych & Golf

Competitive

Games

Of respondents have actually laughed at Mr.Ihde’s joke of the day.

Hardest class: AP AP Bio Calc Pre

lost their virginity

dated in high school

still friends with elementary school friends

Cal

On a scale of one to ten, most students rated their experience at WAHS as a:

The teacher that we will miss the most:

Social Studies teacher Kyle Hall

17

JUNE 2022

Noteworthy

THE HIGHS OF HIGHSCHOOL FROM FOUR SENIORS

By Ethan Biersdorff and Helen Whiteside

Name: Bayne Barker Years at WAHS: 9-12 Most Memorable Positive Moment: Becoming captain of the wrestling team Why it was Memorable: Enriched leadership skills. “Being defined as a captain on the wrestling team … knowing I had that leadership role made the season a lot better.”

Name: Maddie Wang Years at WAHS: 9-12 Most Memorable Positive Moment: Being in favorite teachers’ classes Why it was Memorable: Building relationships with teachers and the value within them. “Being in Rassmussen’s, Pouliot’s, Ruppert’s and Willard’s classes specifically were highs.”

Name: Charlotte Alan Years at WAHS: 9-12 Most Memorable Positive Moment: Romeo and Juliet English project freshman year Why it was Memorable: “We had to do a diorama...I worked until three in the morning on it with my dad...Everyone thought it was really cool, even my Latin teacher.”

Name: Elias Large Years at WAHS: 9-12 Most Memorable Negative Moment: Joining the football team Why it was Memorable: The energy of the team.

“I joined football mid season this year … it was probably one of the best experiences in my life.”

T H E W H I R LW I N D

THE WHIRLWIND

1818

Not Worthy

THE LOWS OF HIGHSCHOOL FROM FOUR SENIORS

By Ethan Biersdorff and Helen whiteside

Name: Charlotte Alan Years at WAHS: 9-12 Most Memorable Negative Moment: The beginning of the 2021-2022 school year Why it was Memorable: Mental health impacted grades. “I was on medication that was making me sick, so I missed a lot of school.”

Name: Elias Large Years at WAHS: 9-12 Most Memorable Negative Moment: School shutting down for COVID-19 Why it was Memorable: The transition between in-person and online schooling. “I did way worse when we were online, just because it was difficult for me to calibrate.”

Name: Maddie Wang Years at WAHS: 9-12 Most Memorable Negative Moment: Freshman year as a whole Why it was Memorable: Switching schools and the struggles that brought. “I was just at my worst for everything … mental health wise. I was tanking rapidly.”

Name: Bayne Barker Years at WAHS: 9-12 Most Memorable Negative Moment: Tearing shoulder labrum with subluxation while wrestling Why it was Memorable: Its effects on the rest of the year. “It ended up putting me on course to shorten my senior year … I would have missed 19 out on all the senior events.”

19

JUNE 2022

Four Years, Four Words

HOW WOULD FOUR SENIORS DESCRIBE THEIR HIGH SCHOOL EXPERIENCE IN FOUR WORDS? Photos and story by Jose Lopez

The high school experience, as everyone knows, has its ups and downs. From day to day, month to month, and year to year. Even from class to class, it can be hard to properly describe why some days are horrible, or why a year may have just not been the year for you. Even though every year is different, the class of 2022 tries to describe each of them with just one word.

Hailey Wadlington

Clear trends appear in each person’s experience, with junior year being viewed as the biggest outlier of all, most likely because of such a huge portion of it took place online. Though not exactly being described as bad, that year’s anomalies can’t be described with just one word.

However, Wadlington argued freshman year to be even more of a strange, unpredictable year than junior year ever was. “I came into freshman year not knowing a lot of the things that were happening. I just didn’t know what was going on…[it was] such a big change.”

THE WHIRLWIND

Sean Kessel

As compact as their answers may seem, so much can be said with just one word. Each word means something different for someone.

It wouldn’t be hard to guess what year seniors at WAHS would describe as ‘unexpected’ or ‘stressful.’

Even so, it does make you think of how we categorize each day in our lives as simply bad or good.

There’s no elaboration or perspective on how complex even just an hour of your time is and how fast it can change. The status quo of high school changes constantly.

Neve Bradley

Greg Fisher

20

I’m Most Likely To...

WHEN ASKED TO GIVE THEMSELVES BEST/MOST LIKELY’S, SENIORS SAID...

Photos and story by Special Section

NYREE VIRRUTA: MOST LIKELY TO FANGIRL OVER JENSEN ACKLES UYEN HUYNH: MOST LIKELY TO POKE SOMEONE AND NOT SAY ANYTHING KHYLIN SANCHEZ-HERNANDEZ: BEST STUPID-DECISION MAKER

Nyree Virruta

Lena Harrington

LUPE HUERTA: BEST BTS FAN LENA HARRINGTON: MOST GIGGLY

ABIGAIL HERNANDEZ: MOST LIKELY TO CATFIGHT KIM KARDASHIAN

GILBERT VILLAGRAN: MOST LIKELY TO SNEAK SNACKS WHERE THEY’RE NOT ALLOWED

Gilbert Villagran Abigail Hernandez and Lupe Huerta

21

JUNE

2022

ETHAN BIERSDORFF

T

here’s just a couple weeks until I have to say goodbye to the Whirlwind, and I won’t lie, it stings a bit. Feels like an eternity ago I was sitting around in study skills, staring at the clock waiting for 2:50 to click its way into existence so I could walk home. School didn’t have much meaning to me, I went to WIT [improv] meetings but otherwise school was just a war of attrition.

I ran out the clock and teacher patience until I could head home and lay around. Then one day in study skills, a note plops onto my desk from some random aide I’d only seen a couple of times. A little note that invited me to an informational meeting about being a member of the West Albany Whirlwind.

In all honesty, the only reason I went was because it said a teacher had recommended me and it hit my ego in just the right ’ve way. I was obvinever really ously seen myself as “the best”

I

at anything.

I like to think I’m a Jack of All Trades since Master of None is better than Master of One and all that. A little average in everything I do. Below average in height. Comfortable. But with the staff and Orsborne telling us that we’re the role models since the senior class is the only class that’d experienced a full year of high school and being a senior on track and field, I felt like being a Jack wasn’t what I needed to be. My extracurriculars got it in my head that I had to be Master of Something because I’m not a short, stressed freshman anymore—I’m a short, slightly-morestressed senior.

Track and field was where I was most focused. Being the only senior in about 10

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

a genius getting such a note, so I may as well go. That decision led me to a room filled with people who would one day become some of my closest friends.

I never thought of journalism as a life path that would interest me, but the sense of community immediately caught hold of me and I was hooked. I love politics, and I watched the likes of John Oliver a lot and thought maybe I could do that same kind of thing here. This made me an opinionated little sophomore, and it led to me trying out for opinion editor. I ended up being the opinion editor for the next two years which led to me meeting so many interesting people and enhancing my sense of community. I loved it.

Unfortunately during that time Covid-19 hit.

Despite the physical distance brought upon by the quarantine, I found myself growing closer with some fellow members of the Whirlwind than I ever had before. I don’t think I’ll ever be a professional journalist and that’s okay, I stumbled my way to a position I never could have seen myself in and conquered the worst of my social anxiety. Besides that, I found some incredible friends, and many of those friendships still last outside of Journalism.

Now that I’m coming down to my final days here, I look at this year’s staff that I have had the honor of helping mentor and I feel so proud of how far they have come. I have to say goodbye to the paper, but I still get to keep everything I have gained in this throwers, I was unofficially officially the captain of the girl’s side, and while I didn’t love the binary of it, I did love my sport.

I loved the progress someone could make practice after practice after practice. I loved the vicious mockery of my teammates when we made fun of each other. I loved racing to whatever bus was deemed The Thrower Bus because that’s where the discus and shotputs and javelins went. I loved wearing my track and field snapback hat on meet days. I loved helping my friends fix their form so they could throw smoother.

But I didn’t love the irrational amount of pressure I put on myself.

Thinking back to freshman year, I think it was because I admired the then seniors to the point where I essentially thought I had to be them when I was in their position. I thought that was how it worked. I thought I had to be close to winning all my events because the seniors that I’d competed alongside were some of the best in the state. Discus was my main event, the one I’d competed in since 6th

05

beautiful community. I went into high school ready to keep my head down and survive, but the Whirlwind gave me a chance to really live my high school experience, and I wouldn’t have wanted those four years any other way. There have definitely been struggles, but I couldn’t imagine high school without the Whirlwind, and I only hope anyone who comes through West finds that sort of community, whether it be on the Whirlwind, in the band, being part of the drama crew, the sports teams, or even one of the many clubs. Everyone should take that step, or stumble if you’re like me. It’s life changing, and I can’t wait to see where my next stumble takes me.

“How lucky I am to have something which makes saying goodbye so hard.”

-Winnie the Pooh grade because the achieve- ment in that event felt better than my running ones. Excited for another year where I could improve another 20 feet like last year and hang out with my friends again. But instead of throwing farther every meet, I was scratching every other throw and trying not to cry out of frustration, which annoyingly made me cry more.

Track and field is one of those sports where someone can do extremely well in the audience’s eyes, but feel inefficient internally. Yes, one did amazing in an event, but the feeling of satisfaction could be more rewarding than standing on the podium. Focusing on the negative or the could-have-dones did nothing to help acknowledge my personal growth as an athlete or teammate. Throwing to be the best didn’t help me enjoy the last year of the sport I’ve gone back to for seven years—throwing because it made me happy did. Toward the end of the year, the knotted nerves in my stomach from meets loosened as I took self-inflicted pressure off my shoulders. I knew I wasn’t going to be the best, but at least I could work to be better than yesterday.

L

egend has it that dandelions represent the sun, moon, and stars. A field of dandelions is a field of wishes, shining butter-yellow against viridescent grass.

However, as many do, my dad saw them as a field of weeds and demolished them with his lawnmower. At five years old, I stood barefoot in a blue sundress wondering where all my wishes went and if the dandelions would come back. Bloom again they did, as dandelions are not only the sun, they are also resilient and will grow anywhere. Like the changing seasons and growth of dandelions, life is often unpredictable.

However, this wasn’t relevant when I was 16, starting my second year of high school and my ninth year of ballet. To me, ballet wasn’t just a hobby. Dancing came as naturally as breathing, and it was difficult to remember a time when it wasn’t there. It was my refuge, an ethereal feeling that nothing could compare to. Although it’s beautiful and elegant, ballet isn’t natural. The amount of flexibility required to perform the movements takes time if it isn’t genetic. Unknown to me at the time, the urge for flexibility I wasn’t born to have was causing a

F

reshman year I was given the opportunity to test whether I could express myself in the same way I had always admired. A friend sold me the worst guitar I’ve ever played for $10. It took another $40 to get it to tune the right way and the fret buzz is an absolute atrocity. Each day that I see it sitting in the corner of my room I feel an uncomfortable urge to smash it.

However, I can say with full confidence that this was the best $10 I’ve ever spent in my life.

I think one of the biggest things school doesn’t teach you is how to deal with emotions. All through elementary school and middle school I felt as though I was at constant war.

Continuously, I would bottle up emotions within me and would never deliver them toward how I actually felt. Whether it would be the simplest drop of anger, or the absolute wave of sadness that happens in us from time to time. I had no outlet to express it, nor did I have any way of letting it go.

When I got to high school, I didn’t change this way of acting. Things that bothered me completely, I would rarely comment

tear in my right hip.

For the first time, I was unsure about my future with dance, and this was insurmountable to me. The summer of my injury, my fears were confirmed. The doctor I saw advised giving up ballet, and to this day, it is still one of the most painful choices I’ve had to make.

It was also the choice that broke me out of the box I’d unknowingly placed myself in.

There’s an old cookbook I own called Cooking With Flowers. Dug out of a discount bin at my local public library, it’s filled with healthy, simple recipes that incorporate edible flowers and photos worthy of a Pinterest board. Rediscovering it while post-surgery led me to flip through the pages-- after all, I was still getting used to the crutches and spent a majority of time lying down. The first page reflected a seemingly bland muffin dotted with some kind of herby thing. They were something I didn’t want to consider giving a chance to, at least not until I looked at the title. “Dandelion Muffins.”

That’s how I found myself at the kitchen counter, crutches in hand, surrounded by piles of ingredients and culinary tools on. Feelings that were strong, I could only try to fade over long periods of time. I held grudges against people without ever explaining why, and felt an ever growing distrust of good intentions. I had no art, no passion, and worst of all, no direction. Everyday would fold in upon itself because I truly had nothing to call my own.

The first riff I made still remains in my head, but even more so in my hands. It was the start of how I express myself as a person.

This may seem like an overstatement, but I’d never been able to truly create something until this point.

Music has always been something I glorified. I envied the multiple ways that it expressed itself. The literal and metaphorical genres that it could present itself in. Most of all, the overwhelming feelings of passion and the experience that it provided.

I feel a calling to pick up my instrument and play at random points in the day. At first I thought that I just really loved to play. Soon, I realized that I was venting my emotions through guitar, and that those urges to play aren’t simply inspired by my love of music.

Rather, they are me feeling the need to express myself.

Although the opportunity to buy my first guitar came only indirectly, I still feel it directly contributed. It’s a single purchase that has

06

CALI STENGER

I wasn’t exactly good at using. As I was talking myself through it, my sister walked in and asked the question that everyone in the house was probably thinking: “Who cooks with flowers?” However, she changed her mind once she tried them. That’s when I fell in love with cooking, something I never would have thought of doing if I had still been spending so much time at ballet. As I went through physical therapy and learning how to cook, I realized that regardless of how much someone faces, it is more about the mindset than the experience. I found that I could apply what I had learned from ballet to my newfound love of other things, skills like determination, poise, and strength. As of now, I have tried so many different things and I’m very grateful to have learned from the dandelion just how far a little resilience can get you. changed my way of living and has completely been worth four years. My only wish for the underclassmen is to make that same purchase. Whether it be guitar, or an entirely different investment.

And some more personals just like this on the Whirlwind website!

We love you all and hope you stick around for the next generation of journalists as they absolutely kill it next year!

TYLER STACY JUNE

20

T H E W H I R LW I N D

05