The InvestiGator

October 2018

investigator

the

Vol. 28, Issue 2

Media

Overload see pages 10-12

Green KidsNV&Sings Coupons StudentsA andStorm teachers use their academic badges in order to avoid breaking the bank Up 2280 S Jones Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89146

discount for the Cirque du Soleil composer, Diek Sher(702)acappella 948-4999 on. show, ‘Mysteré’,” Brown said. coolbeen experience. If“It’s you ahave waiting toYou see Green NV, an acappella group, ost students do Reiki not real-Treatments meet lot ofyou different people. a new a movie, are also in luck. a new twist on the movie ize that there are “Pitch many Chakra Balancing In choir, it is all also about perfect Local businesses offer diserfect.” student and teacher disvowels, but in Green NV, there’s “Green NV ishere our inacappella unts available the ValVibroacoustic Sound oup. We sing covers of different y. Therapy but are without instruIfngs, shows yourany thing and ents. It’s just pure voices. I’ve 10% to sing with a I’m excited u want to see one while saving Crystal Healing en in Green NV for three years By Madison Cox By Gabriella Ghasserani

me cash, then head on down ow and this Sophomore year, I’m co-stuThe Strip. Diana nt conductor,” junior own has recently takenHeather advanrusedum said. ge of such deals. The self-taught group has been “You can show up to the box lected to showcase their covers fice at Treasure Island and school concerts, acappelloou can up reviews to a 35%and student s, pop get show conntions across the valley. The oup addidtionally performs for fferent gigs and events locally. 35% This year, Green NV has been vited to attend a workshop at OFF sney. While there, the students ll have the opportunity to train th a legendary contemporary Untitled-9 1

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sponsibility to ensure pitches do not fall flat. For most, singing is not the only benefit and reason for joining these groups. Many groups 10% are tight knit and filled with the OFF same people every year, but invite new freshmen to join their groups make memories that Deals and are also offered at a lot of last after high school. different places. “I’m excited to sing with new Subway, Burger King, andaTaco group of people and growing Bell all offer students 10%that off bond withpurchases. them. Acappella so on their Urban is Outdifferent from choir,” freshman fitters, topshop, and Charlotte Molly Martin said. “If you look at Russe also offer 10% off for those the two side-by-side, they are on showing a student ID. two completely different sides of Different discounts and barsinging. I’m excited to have those gains seem to when be offered everycool moments you are just where, from clothing stores to in sync with everyone.” world famous shows on the Las acappella groups and are workGreen NV implements music Vegas Strip. into the lives of many and brings ing to gain recognition for their Before online students paying, together.check While a lot or of talent and hard work. The Las Vegas Disc Golf Club is a non-profit organization dedicated to raising awareness of the ask if student discounts are ofMost groups are self-taught, work is required , students con15% sport of Disc Golf. Our mission includes developing and maintaining disc golf courses, holdfered. Youform might be surprised tinue bonds meaning they tournaments have student coning organized and charity fund-raising events, to and promoting communitybetween awareOFF how that student ID could and the ductors rather than by teachers ness of Disc Golf in general educating new andmultiple existingmuch playersgroups in the Official rulespush and etiquette of thestudents. Sport of Disc Golf, as put forth by participants the PDGA. Regular events include a on monthly end up saving youlearn this weekend. leading other Each into their “BagTag” event on the first Saturday of the month, alternating between Sunset park and dividual singer has and their own reown. Mountain Crest Park, monthly tournaments, both PDGA sanctioned and non-sanctioned,

pects of acapella is following the beat, which is the expertise of the vocal percussionist. The main help us out and it gives students priority in acapella is to replicate the chance to have fun.” noises of certain instruments and toTeachers help create thealso same effect spethat can receive instruments would cial discounts. Mathgive. teacher Kel“This is has my had first the year in Green ly Wagner opportuniNVtobut I was in an acappella ty do so. Wagner talked about group two teacher years in middle why shefor thinks discounts school,” freshman Ava Danko are so helpful. said. “I’m excited “I use the very chance to get for 15% the off songs we areand doing this year, beat Michaels JOANN fabrics,” cause [Green is so different. Wagner said. NV] “I spend so much The sound depends on you, money on my classroom that itthe is music and vowels fall on you. If nice to save 15%, which can add you mess up slightly you could up to hundreds of dollars worth ruin an entire song.” of savings for myself and my High schools around the nakids.” tion have started contemporary

9/20/16 11:23 PM

throughout the year. More information can be found on our website at www.LVDGC.club.

EXPRESS CAR WASH 1630 W Sunset Rd. Henderson, NV 89014 quickycarwash.com

insideissue this

on the cover

News

6 Vegas stronger Examining Vegas one year after the Route 91 shooting

Feature

8 dancing forward

Senior leaves career as a professional ballerina to move to the U.S.

Sports

15 break a leg

A look into the superstitions of high school athletes

A&E

20 music is beautiful

Generation Z faces challenges when it comes to how they are affected by breaking news events and the media.

Annual music festival returns to town

Opinion

26 the Halloween spirit Spooky Season fanatics tear down good Halloween values

Kaeli Britt Brynne Hilton

Editorial

16 to a tee

Growing sport spikes interest

31 unreal

Students examine the desensitization of teens

Without dance, my life would be so different. -Gabriela Angelova

pg. 8

Editors’ Note pg. 20 Kaeli Britt

This is something I look forward to the moment the festival ends. - Erin Gonzales

Throughout the making of this issue, our staff came to multiple agreements on the best designs for our paper going forward. We adapted to work around the obstacles that were presented, rather than allowing them to get in our way and slow us down. Our news section highlighted two new clubs along with changes our immediate community has made as we look back at the Route 91 festival last year. In our feature section, we delved into the lives of two students: one who spends her days focusing on dance and another who dedicates her life to women’s activism. Sports addressed athlete superstitions and the new season outlook for the Vegas Golden Knights. Our staff covered the music events Life is Beautiful and the iHeartRadio Music Festival in arts and entertainment. The opinion section showcased everything from Twitter language to drug issues. As you flip through the pages of our 2nd issue, we aspire to recognize the meaningful stories that may not be easily seen. As a staff, we are honored to have the chance to cover the amazing and ever unique stories of the students who walk the halls of GVHS.

04 news

The news in brief.

Giving students a vote By Erinn Veach As Election Day approaches, International Baccalaureate (IB) students have taken charge of registering students and teachers to vote with an oncampus registration booth. Leading this is senior Julia Nee. “The idea for the registration booth started over the summer because my mom got involved with the Democratic campaign,” Nee said. “She volunteers for it, and her coordinator wanted her to get high school students involved.” Nee took the initiative and encour-

aged her IB class to join in creating a voter registration booth for events such as First Friday and the club fair, as well as to carry around packets to classes. “By bringing in a voter registration booth into the Green Valley campus we’re hoping to spread awareness of the importance of voting and also letting high schoolers know that they don’t have to go all the way to the DMV to get [a form],” Nee said. “Students don’t realize how much power they really do have, and I hope we can show them they do have the power to make real change.”

New way to cash out Hailey Gross

By Hailey Gross Slowly, but surely Green Valley is advancing and expanding. With the newest ATM addition, it will make purchases for students easier and more convenient for generations of students to come. Assistant Principal Raymond Ortiz elaborated more on why GV was lucky enough to receive the new ATM and how it will come in handy, as well benefit everyone.

“The school district won't allow students and parents to use debit or credit cards and with the ATM it will allow them to access their money easily,” Ortiz said. With the new ATM, students can make last minute cash purchases necessary for classes, extracurricular activities, sports and certain test such as AP exams. “The ATM was completely free to install, all we had to do was give the company exclusive rights to the machine,” Ortiz said. “Essentially the three percent the machone charges, goes to pay for the person who is in charge of it. It also is used as a fundraiser for some things we have on campus.” As the school is progressing with technology, it is making highschool more Gen Z friendly one step at a time. It is foreseen that the device will be successful.

Scoreboards upgraded By Gabriella Ghasserani Keeping score has a whole new meaning in the Athletics Department at GVHS. A new scoreboard has been added to the football field and a new score table added to the gym as well. The new scoreboard on the field cost close to $800,000 and nearly all of the money was generously donated. The new board is a Jumbotron, a major upgrade from the school’s older one. The score table in the gym cost close to $20,000. The gym scoreboard is a

The InvestiGator t GVHS

digital board that will be used for basketball, wrestling, and volleyball. Both were purchased in hopes of bringing in more money to the school and its programs via advertising. The field scoreboard was brought in not just for the football players, but for students interested in technical careers as well. “The anonymous donors of the scoreboard bought this in hopes of helping kids pursue a career involving tech to be able to get a scholarship with the help of the school,” principal Kent Roberts said.

courtesy of Dane Rose

President comes to town By Abby Culpepper

Thursday, Sept. 20, President Donald Trump held a rally to endorse attorney Adam Laxalt, who is running for governer and Senator Dean Heller, who is up for re-election this fall. Attendees drove hundreds of miles and waited hours to hear Trump's remarks on the world economy, his meeting with North Korean supreme leader Kim Jong-un, as well as our country’s unemployment

rate amongst many other topics. “I have never had so much faith in Vegas as I did at the rally. It was so much fun cheering and hearing an optimistic view on our President for once. Really quite inspirational to hear how we are making America great again two years into Trump's presidency,” junior Dane Rose said. “It was also cool to see and listen to Dean Heller and Adam Laxalt who are both running for Nevada office.”

Good night to Fright Dome By Diana Brown After 15 years of clowns, crazy men with chainsaws, zombies, dolls and creepy critters chasing people around at Fright Dome, the spooks have come to an end. Fright Dome was held annually at Circus Circus providing 250,000 square feet of horror. As locals entered their preteen years they worked up the courage to attend Fright Dome and make their way through the six horror

Brynne Hilton

houses. Unfortunately, individuals will no longer feel the fear because Egan Productions will not be working with Circus Circus to run Fright Dome. Many people have created several memories at Fright Dome that they will never forget. The clowns were a major staple that will be missed. “I’m going to miss seeing my favorite scary movies come to life, ” junior Samantha Moore said. “This year I will be trying a new haunted house in the hope that it is as scary as Fright Dome. ”

news 05

JUNIOR PSYCHOLOGISTS TAKE ON THE BRAIN By Nora Paramo

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he school campus offers various clubs students can join depending on their interests and beliefs in order to connect with others who have things in common with them. A club that was revived this school year is Psychology Club. The school used to have a psychology club when current social studies teacher, Jennifer Tuttle, was a student here. When she returned as a teacher, the club no longer existed. Now it has returned with Tuttle as the adviser. Meetings are held once a month in room 807. Juniors Autumn Haikal and Shoyun Oh run the club together, as they both take major interest in the subject and plan on studying psychology after high school. “I attended a camp over the summer that had to do with psychology and neuroscience and it sparked this interest in me since it was a field that many don’t know about,” Haikal said. “I then wanted to spread this information to other kids and provide a collaborative community where we can all learn about it.” This club is for people who take interest in the fascinating subject of psychology. It gives students an opportunity to meet others with the same interests. It also brings awareness to important topics like mental

illnesses and thought-provoking topics such as consciousness, hypnotism, and meditation. Psychology is the scientific study of the mind and behavior. It includes many sub-fields of study in areas that explain how the human mind works. “My favorite part about the club are the kids who are freshmen and sophomores who have not had the opportunity to take the class yet, because they are really interested in the

Usually at meetings, we talk about one concept, have a brief discussion about it and then we’ll do a fun activity that goes along with it . Autumn Haikal content. I’m hoping they will build a good base of knowledge and interest that they will want to take the class when they become old enough,” Tuttle said. Members spend their meetings having discussions about psychologi-

Brainiacs - Juniors SeungJu Han and Autumn Haikal present a project on the neurotransmitter dopamine.

Bethany Casall

cal concepts and ideas through interactive activities. Meetings can range from 30 minutes to one hour. The topics discussed change each meeting. It is best to attend all meetings so one does not miss out on a discussion for a certain psychological concept. “Usually at meetings we talk about one concept, have a brief discussion about it and then we’ll do a fun activity that goes along with it to have an active learning environment,” Haikal said. This club can make learning about the human mind exciting for its members. Though it is different from the typical psychology class. The psych class goes through the brain

and each part of the body. The club does more fun activities because they don’t have a time limit. They have more opportunities to do things like personality tests, meditation techniques and learn what the members are interested in learning about with no regard to a test. “The difference between taking psychology on campus and our club is that we’ll be working together and having discussions rather than just doing a lot of independent work,” Oh said. The club is open for students to join during the school year and hopefully grow as the years come for psychology interested students.

ASIAN PACIFIC CULTURE WELCOMES NEW CLUB By Brynne Hilton Asian Pacific Club is a new club created by junior Miguel Baluyut for students to connect and learn more about different Asian cultures. Baluyut had the idea for the club after volleyball season his sophomore year, when kids were making fun of Asian teammates. “There were only two Asian kids on the team,” Baluyut said. “I could only hope they were not saying mean things about me when I was not around.” After the season ended, Baluyut realized that Asian students did not have a place on campus to unite with other people of similar backgrounds and interests. He decided that he wanted to create a safe space for kids like him who were dealing with racist jokes and discrimination from other students.

“It’s a place for Asian students to go to because I felt like there wasn’t really a place for Asian students to connect,” Baluyut said. “There’s SOL and Black Student Union along with other places that kids of different cultures can go, except for students with a high interest in Asian cultures.” However, the club is not a club just for Asians. It's a place where students can learn about different cultures and participate in services that help Asian Pacific communities. “We have a lot of Hawaiians and Polynesians that are in the club along with kids of different ethnicities, The club is welcome to anyone who wants to learn and serve,” Baluyut said. This club focuses on giving back to the community, but also creates a safe environment for the members within the club. “Our main struggle is to decide what we want to fundraise for,” Bal-

uyut said. “We want to help out Asian communities, but we also need to

It’s a place for Asian students to go to because I felt like there wasn’t really a place for Asian students to connect. Miguel Baluyut worry about the students and make sure they are taken care of at school.”

A recent service project the club participated in was donating proceeds from their Homecoming booth to typhoon relief in the Philippines. The club also plans to donate to local groups and expand their aid worldwide to various Asian families in need. “This club isn’t just about community service, I wouldn’t be the adviser if that was the case,” English teacher and club adviser Jamie Jobin said. Even though Asian Pacific Club just started, the members look forward to what is next to come in the following years in hopes of seeing a difference made in the community both near and far. Benefiting many different cultures, Asian Pacific Club has paved the path for service. “I hope to come back after I graduate and see the club’s success knowing that I helped create a safe space for students,” Baluyut said.

October 2018

06 news

One Year Later By Victoria Rodriguez

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n act of terroristm can be described as “the unlawful use of force and violence against persons or property to intimidate or coerce a government, the civilian population, or any segment thereof, in furtherance of political or social objectives” as stated by the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations. One year ago, Las Vegas became the victim of the biggest mass shooting in the United States. 58 people were killed at the Route 91 concert on October 1, 2017, which had over 22,000 people attending. There were also over 480 people injured during the tragedy. One year later, people are still being affected and changes to everyday life in the Valley have been made. Due to the shooting, hotels have updated policies. Examples of these policies are showing a hotel key card before going up to a room, or having to actually use the key to access the elevators. Additionally, after the attack, many hotels are requiring bag checks before going up to one’s room in addition to the previously established policies. Last October, counselor Max Johnson was at the concert during the time of the attack. Directly after the attack, Johnson took some time off to be with friends and family. One year later, Johnson is still being affected by the October 1 tragedy. “Compared to last year, I have more good days than bad. Time heals

all wounds and as time has been going on, things have gotten better,” Johnson said. “As a city we have all grown stronger and we are all healing together.” Senior Cydnee Gomez and her family were watching Jason Aldean at the time the shooting broke out. They were enjoying the concert when they heard firecracker like sounds going off. After realizing what was going on, they quickly tried to find

It’s important to be grateful for what you have in life and your surroundings. It’s a humbling experience and you have to learn to appreciate everyone around you. Max Johnson shelter. “We couldn’t tell what was happening, we were all very confused and then suddenly everyone dropped to the floor,” Gomez said. “There was chaos everywhere, people were falling, groups of mass people are trying

to get out, nobody knew what to do.” Gomez and her family then started to run in an attempt to find an exit. At the time of the shooting, Gomez didn’t realize it, but she had been hit by a piece of shrapnel (a bullet fragment). The shrapnel hit her in the back of her left calf. “The metal was in really deep, and I have a scar on the back of my leg because of it, but I didn’t even realize it till the next morning because of how much shock I was in,” Gomez said. The aftermath, and the effects Gomez and Johnson faced, and are still facing today, will remain with them for the rest of their lives. “You start to tread lightly more on these things. I no longer constantly look for that adrenaline rush. With it being a year later, your stomach feels heavy and things around you feel heavy. People talk about it and they bring it up and I get knots in my stomach,” Johnson said. Following the attack, Gomez took a break from school to focus on herself and her family in order to help cope with everything going on in her life. Her last day of school was in October of 2017 and she did not come back until February of 2018. ‘It takes a toll on you because I still feel guilty that I couldn’t have helped as many people as I wanted to,” Gomez said. “That mental break helped me to understand what I was feeling and why I felt that way. It helped me to mentally absorb what it was that had happened.” As time goes on for the victims of

Oct. 1 many of them get flashbacks of that night and many people have triggers. Even being an entire year later, victims of the Route 91 Festival are still facing and overcoming the tragedy. For the rest of their lives they will experience actions and sights that can set them off. “I wouldn’t say my perspective changed entirely, but going through something like that, it affects your life and you have a choice to go positive with it or negative with it. It’s important to be grateful for what you have in life and your surroundings. It’s a humbling experience and you have to learn to appreciate everyone around you,” Johnson said. “A year later, looking back on it now, it is crazy to think that I was there and experiencing that. As people continue to talk about it and open up more, it does not feel real. It does not feel like it even happened,” Gomez said. Gomez went to the Life is Beautiful music festival with a few friends. It was the first time she had been to a concert since the attack. “Going to that concert was a crazy expierence. You notice so many new a different things like armed officers walking around. For me, I automatically looked for exits and how to get out of the concert if something went horribly wrong,” Gomez said. After October 1, people around Vegas changed. However, despite going through this tragedy, a year later, the city continues to heal and grow stronger. Vegas is no longer just strong, they are #VegasStrong.

Student joins national advocacy group

G

By Hannah Serquina

un violence has affected countless lives in recent years. From school shootings, such as Stoneman Douglas, to the Route 91 tragedy, young people’s outlooks toward gun reform and the future of their country have forever been altered. “Gun reform itself didn’t become a huge part of my life until the Oct 1 shooting happened last year in Vegas. I wasn’t in town during the shooting so the worry just amplified knowing that all my loved ones were hundreds of miles away. I didn’t exactly know how to react to the situation but as weeks passed I knew I couldn’t just sit and do nothing,” junior Nyssa Silva said. Empowered to make a difference towards a better future, Silva knew she could not stand by and watch these horrendous acts go unchanged. As a result, Silva was inspired to join March For Our Lives Las Vegas. Pursuing this organization was a decision she did not hesitate to chase. “When the Parkland shooting happened on February 14th, two days later Parkland survivor, Cameron Kasky and a few others came out and announced the march around the country on the 24th. After hearing the news I grabbed my things and drove to the Summerlin Library for the first March For Our Lives Las Vegas meeting,” Silva said. The main goal for March For Our Lives is to decrease the amount of gun violence within America. Gun violence is a day to day act within the country. Silva exclaims that the objective of March For Our Lives supports the 2nd Amendment, but demands reform towards common sense gun laws. “March For Our Lives is in fact a pro 2nd amendment organization. What we want is simple: Funding for gun violence research, universal background checks, disarmament of domestic abusers, safe storage and mandatory theft reporting , etc etc. These all are common sense,” Silva said. In order to implement change, the organization encourages youth to come to the polls and vote. Specifically, the organization advocates and allows for students to become involved with their community through voting and participating in town halls. “The organization registers vot-

ers, gets students involved in local politics, promotes lobby visits, and town halls. March For Our Lives Las Vegas specifically has been working with young citizens of Nevada to #1, get registered and #2, to get out and vote,” Silva said. There are a variety of resources that citizens have access to in order to understand their own state and city policies. Looking into legislations can allow for one to be more educated, thus enhancing their knowledge on the subject of gun control. Silva stressed the importance of these resources and expanded on how big of an impact one can make just by educating themselves. Silva declares that without education, one ceases the opportunity to change the future of a country. “I started looking into Nevada’s gun legislation and got a grasp for the subject. Why wouldn’t you take the opportunity to be educated? I mean we all have the tools right in front of us, we have free press, free libraries, and the internet,” Silva said. Although March for Our Lives advocates for common sense gun laws the need for gun reform stems far beyond the Parkland shooting and the individuals that created March For Our Lives. Silva contests that the demand to combat gun violence rooted from low-income urban cities, with high amounts of gun violence, who were not able to get the equivalent coverage as high income suburban students.

Just simply being educated can help change the path of America. Nyssa Silva “The activism for common sense gun laws didn’t start with March For Our Lives, this has been an issue for decades. Cities like Oakland, South side of Chicago, the Bronx, North Las Vegas, and many more have been facing these terrible acts for years, but now that it’s reached the backyards of the suburbs it’s reached national news,” Silva said.

With that being said, Silva believes that March for Our Lives is a step forward to changing the country on how we view and regulate guns. This is a common goal which allows for unity amongsWorking with other organizations that recognize all students of all social backgrounds that wish to diminish gun violence can only decrease the likelihood of it occurring. “Knowing that this is the root of the issue, our goal is to unite with oth-

Unity - March for Our Lives members gather for a group photo prior to a town hall meeting on July 17, 2018.

er organizations to reach a common ground and eliminate the unnecessary violence that occurred within our communities,” Silva said. Reducing gun violence is an objective that does not happen overnight. Silva explained that the failure to receive results, towards a goal many work hard to achieve, can be discouraging. “I can go on and on about the pros of the organization but I’d say the biggest downfall is the wait to see change. For the amount of work we all put in, it can be disappointing sometimes when we don’t see the outcome we yearned for. But as usual, with time, everything will work out,”

Silva said. For students looking to learn more about the organization they can email marchforourliveslasvegas@ gmail.com, and/or follow their social media accounts @M4OLVegas Meetings are typically on Saturdays at UNLV. “The organization is always looking for new members and volunteers for future events,” Silva said. After the disastrous occurrences happening not only in schools around

courtesy of Nyssa Silva

the country but in her hometown, Silva brings to light the opportunities of taking control of her future. She is not allowing the tragedy to break her but instead is using it as fuel to improve the world around her. She encourages the new generation to become proactiv in order to improve their country. The desire to become involved and educated about the country’s political climate is a concept Silva deems as necessary toward a better America. “Living in America you’re granted the opportunity of voting and being able to have a say in what goes on in your country, that’s huge,” Silva said. “Just simply being educated can help change the path of America.”

October 2018

08 feature

Glissade en avant

The InvestiGator t GVHS

Brynne Hilton

feature 09

“Without dance, my life would be so different. It’s taught me so many things such as discipline, self motivation and the true meaning of working hard.”

By Vivien Liebhardt

M

any little girls have dreamed and begged their parents to put them in ballet all around the world. Maybe it is the costumes, or maybe it is the beauty and grace of the women in dance that mesmerize these little girls. While this persuasion does not always pay off for everyone, it worked for senior Gabriela Angelova as she began the beautiful dance of ballet at the age of four. Angelova attended a professional dance school and later danced with the National Opera House in Bulgaria. This began her career as a professional ballerina. During her career, she would practice up to six hours a day to perfect her technique in contemporary, lyrical and, of course, classic ballet. “My inspiration is Svetlana Zakharova a Russian dancer. She’s just amazing. Her physics, her body, her technique, everything about her is just out of this world,” Angelova said. Dance transformed Angelova’s life into a busy, non-stop ride, filled with none other than her passion. This included all of her practices, being a foreign exchange student at the London Russian Ballet School, and taking part in numerous workshops with many teachers. Dedication and hard work fueled her strive to being the best she could be. Technique in the art was not the only thing she gained from studying at the London Russian Ballet School for a year. Angelova also learned to speak both English and Russian while there, expanding both her connection to dance and the world alike. “Without dance, my life would be so different,” Angelova said. “It’s

taught me so many things such as discipline, self motivation, and the true meaning of working hard.” Dance, much like any other sport, is difficult since one has to have flexibility, strength, endurance and stamina, all while most importantly, looking pleasant and enjoying the routine they are doing. Being a dancer means that you are constantly being judged. Every pointed toe, turned out leg, and waltz is being criticized. This can

Before a performance I get hyped up and nervous at the same time, and my hands start shaking, but right when I step on stage it all goes away. Gabriela Angelova make dancers quite apprehensive, including Angelova. “Before a performance I get hyped up and nervous at the same time, and my hands start shaking but right

when I step on stage it all goes away,” Angelova said. Angelova’s career really took off professionally when she was one of four small swans in “Swan Lake.” This was her very first performance with the National Opera House. Since she was the only student allowed to perform in “Swan Lake” at the age of 17, there was a lot of pressure placed upon her. “When I had my first performance with the opera house, I remember thinking ‘Oh my god! Please don’t mess up, don’t mess up!’” Angelova said. “I really had to just tell myself to just do it and breath.” Although Angelova was an extremely talented dancer back in her home of Bulgaria, coming to the United States has caused her to put a hold on her dancing career. Her new focus is on the life she can have here in America with more opportunities than in Bulgaria. These opportunities include better schooling and a simplier lifestyle. She stays connected to dance by taking the class at school. “Bulgaria and America have no similarities. The infastructure, to how the streets are built, the houses, and even school system. Everything here is more organized which I think will help allow me to have a better future,”

Brynne Hilton

Angelova said. Though her professional dancing has come to an end, she hopes to stay connected to the art in the future by teaching at her own studio. “I won’t be dancing in college but instead taking business classes to learn how to manage my dancing school,” Angelova said. Many professional athletes, such as Nastia Liukin, who was an Olympic gold medalist in gymnastics, have started her own gym after their careers have ended. Even soccer star David Beckham had his own professional team. Angelova hopes to do the same for dance and stay connected with her sport even after retirement. “I don’t think I want to be a professional ballet dancer again, I think I want to teach,” Angelova said. “I used to teach two groups back in Bulgaria for two years. They were little kids from ages four to ten. I’d love to have my own studio, first starting by teaching little kids that would eventually lead to me teaching kids at a professional level. I would really enjoy doing that.”

September October 2018

feature 10 10 feature

Social Media Stirs up a Storm The Media:

Does it control what we know about the world around us?

The InvestiGator t GVHS

By Kaeli Britt

T

he rise of social media was a quick, Big-Bang like explosion. 80’s babies got their hands on the first sophisticated instant messaging technologies during the 90’s, and 90’s kids experienced the first social network of its kind in the early 2000s. Children born in the millennium saw the very beginning of large websites such as YouTube and Facebook. As a result of social technologies being created and rising before “Generation Z’s” very eyes, this group has arguably become one of the most socially aware age groups, spreading

their communications around the globe. However, a downfall of this is that the current generation is so used to seeing tragedies take place across the country through the media, causing this new generation of youth to become more desensitized than previous generations. “Social media has shaped our generation in ways that are almost beyond words,” senior Samin Kamal said. “It doesn’t have any cultural or social boundaries.” This wave of instant connections with the rest of the world has created awareness in most people along with the knowledge of other places becoming a subconscious thought. Generation Z has globalized the knowledge of day to day life. “Our generation is most definitely connected to the global world, especially because of things like news apps and social media, which allow for rapid diffusion and spread of information,” Kamal said. “It’s pretty hard to suppress, which allows a sort of connection and bond formation between individuals and societies that are across the world from each other.” However, at the same time, because of this awareness, teens nowadays see more of the injustices and harmful events that take place on a daily basis. By exposing the upcoming generation to tragedies over social media, it has become easier for teenagers to just scroll past these events. “They are so much more aware of topics, aware of the news, more aware of controversial subjects and they really have an outlet to actually express those ideas,” social studies teacher Todd Taylor said. With social media continuing to grow in prominence, the possibilities for bias within the media to be present has also grown. “There’s pros and cons of the media today because any time something happens we hear about it, which is good, but because we live in a world where we consume information 240 characters at a time, all we see are headlines and for many people, that’s the only way they gather news,” social studies teacher Kaaveh Akbari said. Since news is now available at all times through the media, this generation has become more desensitized and used to seeing the worst of what the news presents - school shootings, wars, poverty, etc - compared to the previous generations. “Because of the abundance of information, things are not as shocking as they used to be. Murder, violence, etc. are increasing in the media perspective, but I don’t think those actions are happening more now, they’re just being shown off more

feature 11 in the media,” social studies teacher Jennifer Tuttle said. “Yes, I do think kids are desensitized, so when things come out it’s not shocking anymore.”

Social media has shaped our generation in ways that are almost beyond words. It doesn’t have any cultural or social boundaries Samin Kamal On the flip side, being exposed to information coming from around the globe has made Generation Z more involved with multiple movements supporting different causes. However, this has not always been the norm. In past generations, the youth have often been uninvolved with current events around the world, unlike the current generation of youth. “[Kids] are so much more informed. This generation of youth is the most politically involved that maybe there have ever been. Because [they] are building a foundation of interest now, if the trends continue, [they] will be a more educated and evolved subset of 30-year olds,” Tuttle said.

People who use the site in general People who get news on the site

Because this generation of youth is so used to the fast-paced lifestyle that came along with social media, they are not used to having to dig for information. If the media chooses not to highlight certain events or specific details of events they do cover, chances are, teens will not be aware of it. “People are at least informed somewhat, but they aren’t taking any extra steps to see what else is going on specifically within stories or the world,” Akbari said. “So, if the media isn’t covering something, most likely, [teenagers] won’t be aware that something is happening, that they should probably be aware of.” In contrast with the stereotype that assumes all teenagers spend pointless hours on the Internet, the youth, as a whole, most likely are not just wasting time on media sites, contrary to what older generations might think. “Our generation is probably taken less seriously because of social media because older generations don’t understand the full potential of it and think that we just waste time on it looking at the latest thing the Kardashians were up to,” Kamal said. Social media and other sites have become the new source of information for people to be informed about current events, allowing more room for the media to have power over what people know and what they do not know. “In a way, the media controls what we know about the world around us because we really don’t take the time in today’s society to actively go out and investigate what is going on out there,” Akbari said. In just seeing and acknowledging presented information, people are more likely to fall under the impression that everything the media feeds

www.pewinterest.org Kaeli Britt

October 2018

12 feature feature 10 to their audience is going to be true, even though it may not be. “However, I think [kids] are more easily swayed by media bias because there’s so much information for [them] to go through. My generation knew what to look for and we seeked it out, whereas for the young generation, information just hits [them] in the face so [they] need to learn to decipher between good and bad sources. This generation is definitely more

informed, but not necessarily in the best way,” Tuttle said. By giving everyone a platform within the media, it has become easier for most people to also become bandwagoners and hop on and off of trends and information presented to them at face value, without looking into events further. “In today’s society, there’s just so much information out there that it’s become really hard to filter through

the noise to know what is real and what is not,” Akbari said. “The difference now is that anyone can be a blogger or someone who posts on Twitter and this is our source of news now. The standards of journalism have decreased a little with big news companies laying off professional journalists.” Due to the increase of people who can post whatever they want on social media thanks to free speech, one Kaeli Britt

should try to avoid believing in fake news with the risks of being misinformed about ideas that might completely different from the supposed, gathered information. “The spread of false information or “fake news” is likely the biggest threat that social media can pose,” Kamal said. “Allowing for rapid spread of information contributes to a more informed public, however, news on social media usually isn’t fact checked, so if people start to take that at face value without doing any further research on the topic, they can be misinformed about pressing current events.” A negative point in social media speeding up society is that new controversial topics continue to take the stage after being significant for just a short period of time. Not only does this lead to an inefficient way for

In today’s society, there’s just so much information out there that it’s become really hard to filter through the noise to know what is real and what is not. Kaaveh Akbari

www.pewinterest.org

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the public to become educated on a pressing issue, but it also leads to the further desensitizing of the current youth and those who frequent social media sites. “The media is fueled by money. Because they survive by money, stories they focus on may grab people’s attention, but it also may not be the most important thing out there,” Akbari said. “If there’s a bias in the media, it’s the media focusing on what we want to see and hear, they just feed us exactly what we want to hear.” While social media allows people to communicate with others across the globe in addition to being more informed about current events, the chances of being falsely informed or not being informed about certain events are still likely. “The rapid diffusion of information is probably what social media has facilitated the most, as news from across the world can travel within hours or even minutes of an event occurring,” Kamal said.

feature 13

Student turned teacher By Erinn Veach

F

or adolescents, high school is a time of being the student, sitting in a desk and listening to a teacher drone on. This is often seen as the natural order by society. However, this is not the norm for senior Myah Giron. After school hours she becomes the teacher, working as a dance instructor at Dance Fusion, the studio she attends and works at. Giron began dancing at age seven after moving to Henderson from Hawaii. She has danced competitively since then, becoming proficient in styles such as hip-hop, contemporary, jazz, and ballet. “I’ve danced for so long and I love it,” Giron said. “Especially after becoming really serious about it in the past few years.” Hip-hop has long been one of her favorite styles, as she feels the most confident in it. Classes she has taken in the style have both helped her in her dancing, and learning to teach. “Throughout the years, I’ve had so many different hip hop teachers,” Giron said. “I really learned from seeing

so many different styles of teaching and testing out which I like best.” In a period of time in which her studio had no hip hop teachers available, she stepped up and took on two classes, one for ages 5-8 and another for ages 12 and up, both beginning level. After several years of teacher-assisting she was nervous but prepared. “It was so exciting to get my own classes,” Giron said. “As a student, it's always a dream to be able to make up and teach your own combinations. Being in the classroom and being in charge came naturally to me, it was a bumpy start though getting comfortable differentiating myself between teacher and student.” Last June, Giron’s students performed her choreography on stage at their annual recital. As a teacher, having one’s own choreography on show is nerve wracking. An entire audenice, as well as Giron’s own coaches were watching. It also rewards a sense of pride though. She found that she had never felt more fulfilled with her job as a teacher. “It was so cool to see my kids on stage,” Giron said. “I was kind of wor-

Erinn Veach

ried about them remembering the dance and if my choreography was good. They did amazing though. I got so much praise for my baby class and I was so proud of them.” This school year, she is putting her

Teaching is just fun. It makes me feel like a role model. I don’t think there could be any better high school job. Myah Giron teaching in the front seat. She uses the income she earns in order to pay her own tuition. Now she can continue doing what she loves her senior year. “Dance costs a lot, and to be able to help my parents in paying for it feels

good. It is like I am giving back to them for everything they have done for me,” Giron said. Giron also partakes in theater, being apart of the school’s theater program. This is her first year being in the Advanced Studies program, something she has dreamed of since being in the school’s musical for the last two years in a row. This adds a large time commitment to her schedule. “I get really exhausted from teaching and having practice. It’s a lot on my plate but I can handle it,” Giron said. Giron also has translated her teaching skills into the theater program. She often choreographs for the Advanced Study class. “Honestly it is really fun teaching dances to my classmates,” Giron said. “I yell at them and I’m hard on them, but they still love me.” Giron has found a love in teaching much like her love of dance. Not many get to say they get paid for doing something they enjoy. “Teaching is just fun. It makes me feel like a role model. I don’t think there could be any better high school job,” Giron said.

October 2018

14 photo essay

one

jurassic

homecoming

Game time - (Top) Sophomore Donnielle Dove takes a peek over her shoulder prior to the marching band’s performance prior to kickoff of the football game during Homecoming Week. Go Gators - (Middle left) Dance team members sophomore Izabel Longoria (left) and senior Miranda Yusi walk in the pregame parade that ended by the carnival in front of the football field. T-Rex - (Middle top) The junior class shows off their Homecoming float during the annual parade. March - (Middle bottom) The Cheer team gets the parade started and headed back to GVHS on Sept. 28. Crowned - (Right) Senior Mia Smith reacts to being named the 2018 Homecoming Queen at halftime of the football game vs. Chaparral on Sept. 28.

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Brynne Hilton, Jakob Reber & Zoe Mehr

sports 15

NO SKILL INVOLVED By Maycee Labo

I

n the world of sports traditions, athletic superstitions always seem to be something that every athlete has, even if they don’t admit it. Having a lucky pair of socks, eating a specific food before a race,

or doing a certain warm up, all can prepare athletes both mentally and physically for their competition. One common superstition would be having a lucky article of clothing, whether it be a pair of socks, earrings, etc. This superstition is common because athletes can wear

Common Athletic Superstitions Wiping the soles of your sneakers for good luck. Double numbers on a uniform bring good luck. Wearing the color yellow is bad. Using the bathroom before a race or competition. Carrying coins in your pocket is good luck. Avoid stepping on court lines. Never washing uniforms or gear. Having a lucky item of clothing (socks, shirt, etc.).

their lucky charm while they compete. “I have a lucky pair of purple socks that I wear before I race. I think it works because of what I have achieved with them on previously,” junior Rian Anderson said. “It also relaxes me knowing that I have my lucky socks on.” Similarly, coaches and parents often have superstitions of their own that they do on game day. “For football I coach from the booth, so I go up in the stands and coach from up top. Once I get up there I have to flip my hat backwards. I don’t know why, we’ve just been successful with it,” baseball and football coach Clay Mauro said. A common question that is on the topic of athletic superstitions is if the good luck charm itself works, or if it's the placebo effect. Many think that it is the placebo effect behind the superstition, because it is relaxing to have some sort of comfort during a race or competition, and the superstition acts as that comfort. “I don’t like to think of it being a placebo, but it probably is. A pair of socks is not going to affect the way I race physically, but it may affect my mentality going into the race, which is equally important,” Anderson said. There is controversy over whether or not superstitions are beneficial to athletes. The argument for superstitions is that they help get athletes heads in the game and calm nerves. The argument against superstitions is that they are an inconvenience and can mess up an athletes efficiency and get into their head before a game. For example, if an athlete forgot to wear their “lucky” pair of socks, it might eat at their confidence before they head out on the field. “As long as it's not too outlandish or crazy, like they’re not killing chickens in the locker room, I’m okay with it.” Mauro said. “I don’t mind because I did it too,” Even though athletes may deny that they are superstitious, when it comes down to it there are certain idiosyncratic quirks that they can not avoid doing. This is because of how a pre-game superstition starts. For example, an athlete may have worn a certain shirt the day he/ she dropped a lot of time in a race, or scored the winning basket in a game, and from that day forward, the shirt becomes immortalized as a reason for their success.

“I think a lot of the superstitions stem from routine. I feel like, especially for athletes, its very easy to get in a routine and it gets you mentally correct, so some things can be misconstrued as superstitions,” Mauro said. Although it may seem like most

I have a lucky pair of purple socks that I wear before I race. I think it works because of what I have achieved with them on previously. Rian Anderson athletes’ superstitions are before game, Arce’s superstition is that she needs to hit the ATP sign on top of the locker room doors during halftime. “It makes me feel a burst of energy so I can finish the second half of the game. If I don’t hit it, then I feel like I’ll do bad, or miss a flag during the game,” Anna-Marie Arce said. So what happens if an athlete forgets to do their pregame ritual? For those who swear by their superstition it may seem like they are doomed during their game, and cause them to perform badly. “There was one time I forgot to hit the sign and I missed a flag, and my coach had to pull me out of the game,” Arce said. “It made me feel really bad because I was aware that I made a mistake and being on varsity has a lot of pressure and my coaches make sure that we make minimal mistakes, especially during games.” Arce said. Even though some may think that athletic superstitions are a waste of time, they can help the performance of athletes as it helps them clear their head before they race. With that being said, athletic superstitions are harmless and in their simplest form are just a way that athletes prepare for their competitions. “There is no issue with superstitions in my opinion, if it helps you do better in a race or competition then do it, placebo or not.” Anderson said.

October 2018

16 sports

VEGAS READY FOR KNIGHT TIME By Zachary Schauer

The Vegas Golden Knights had an amazing inaugural season by reaching the Stanley Cup Finals after finishing in first place in the Pacific Division. The Golden Knights are the first major professional sports franchise to call Nevada home. Sophomore Trey Brown is a hockey fanatic, so when he heard that the Knights were coming to Las Vegas he was as thrilled as a kid in a candy store. “I was excited since one of my fa-

where you went during the playoffs. Sophomore Jesse Robles went to a couple of games and he said it was the best experience. “You get goosebumps when the team scores because everyone just jumps up and cheers,” Robles said.

Last season, the team had 51 wins and 14 losses with 7 ties and finished 3rd overall in the Western Conference, so the expectations for the 2018-19 season are high. “I think the Knights will do good since most off the players didn’t leave

or get traded so they have the winning experience going into the next season,” Brown said. After reaching the Cup Final, they know what it takes to get back to the top and bring home the trophy home to Vegas.

You get goosebumps when the team scores because everyone just jumps up and cheers. Jesse Robles vorite sports was getting a team here in Las Vegas,” Brown said. The city was black and gold every-

www.geekpaintings.com

THROWING KNOWLEDGE ON DISC GOLF By Diana Brown

Weekend sports such as frisbee tossing and playing catch are a thing of the past. Say hello to the ever growing hyprid sport, disc golf. Disc golf has landed at GVHS, and students and teachers are hitting the links. “Disc golf is fun because it is one of the easier sports to play and there are many variations. Plenty of my friends play disc golf on the weekends, but I have yet to play with them,” junior Zachariah Hansen said. Staff and students are becoming more and more involved in this rapidly growing sport. Disc golf is a cheap, fun and simple way to get involved with the community. Senior Jordan Willoby finds time during the weekend to play at Sunset Park to relieve some stress. He first heard about disc golf on a visit with his brothers in Nebraska and has played it ever since. “Disc golf players are very cool and interesting people to be around. My first time going out on the course they were of great help to me and my

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brothers,” Willoby said. The first course in Las Vegas was built at Sunset Park in 1978. This course began with nine baskets and throughout the years expanded to the 26-hole course it is now. Las Vegas currently has seven major disc golf courses; one of them being the first 18hole course to be built at Wildhorse golf club, LVC (Las Vegas challenge) holds one of the top ten disc golf tournaments in the world every February. This event brings people to Henderson from all over the world. The expansion of courses has brought 200 more players

than the previous years. The tournament directors have been successful in making sure that the spots are full within the first fifteen minutes of being available to sign up. When the disc golf course was being added to Wildhorse golf club the workers were very skeptical of the sport and what it had to offer. The first year the tournament was held at the golf course the staff of the golf club did not want to hold the event again but they gave it second chance and they loved it. “Since I have changed the tournaments location to Wildhorse

three years ago it has went from 400 players to 600 players,” tournament director Jeff Jacquart said. Professional disc golfer Steve Berger finds himself reconnecting with his brother through the sport. “When my brother moved back to Las Vegas we started rekindling our relationship through disc golf. He played one round and now he can’t stop playing,” Berger said. It is quite simple to get involved with the disc golf community. The first step would be joining PDGA (Professional Disc Golf Association) and talking to the club about buying discs. There are plenty of events to go to for practice such as “Bag Tag” which is held on the first Saturday of each month. “Running and participating in local or even out of states events has allowed me to get to know more players. I have gotten to know people from all around the world and am able to reconnect with them at further events,” Local disc golfer Jessica Jacquart said.

THROW THE BALL, SON! C

By Gabriella Ghasserani

oaches and fathers are usually two entirely different people, but on the football field this season the two have become one. A very unique duo is on the gridiron this season and people are taking notice. Varsity head coach Brian Castro is the father of varsity starting quarterback, junior Garrett Castro. Garrett’s love for football came from watching games on the weekend with his dad. “I have grown up loving the game and so when I was probably around 5 years old and was able to start playing I knew that is what I wanted to do,” Garrett said. Garrett started playing flag football at first, then when he got a little bit older he joined the youth football program called the Green Valley Knights. Brian has been his coach ever since he started playing for the Knights. For Garrett, he says there are two different sides to his dad. “There is the dad side and the coach side. The coach side is good be-

cause he pushes my to do my best and never goes easy on me. The dad side is nice because he is there for me and also like the coach side pushes me to best the best that I can be,” Garrett said. Junior Braydon Clayton has experienced their relationship outside of football as well as during the season. “It is easy to see on and off the field that their relationship is good,” Clayton said.” Coach is a good teacher to him. Coach definitely shows him what to do as a player and overall how to be respectful as a person.” Some people may have a belief that Garrett does not deserve his spot and that his dad gave it to him, but that could not be farther from the truth according to Coach Castro. “My son started off on the B team, then played for JV, and is just now playing his first year on the varsity team,” Brian said. “ I think I push my son just as hard or even harder than I push my other players. I want people to know how hard working my son is and if anyone thinks differently then that’s on them.” Clayton, who has played with Cas-

ack to drops b tt Castro ct. 16. e rr a G r O tice on ly Junio Let it F ss during prac pa a w ro th

tro since second grade, agrees that the quarterback has put in the time and earned his place on the field. “If you are at practice or even just know them then there is no question of if Garrett really deserves what he Brynne Hilton

Castro2 - Head coach Brian Castro (left) shows his son Garrett a play in practice on Oct. 16.

gets,” Clayton said. “Coach has taken him out of the game and given other people shots, and it’s showed that he is the best person for the job.” Sometimes players and coaches do not get along, just as fathers and sons have their differences. Since his dad has always been his coach, the two have learned to get along and when to leave football on the field. “Sometimes I do get mad at my dad as a coach, but I have to remember that he isn’t that person when I get home,” Garrett said. “Since I have had him as my coach for a long time I have gotten better with dealing with my feelings and it isn’t always bad stuff. Most of the time we get along and it is really nice.” Both Garrett and his father both have the same views on playing with each other. “I am very excited that I get to coach my son and help him in any way I can,” Brian said. “As a parent you always want the best for your child and being his coach I can help him make sure he is the best player that he can possibly be by teaching him that nothing comes easy and you have to work for everything.” “Some might think it is weird having their dad as their coach, but I like it because if I ever have any questions about a play I can ask him whenever and don’t have to wait until practice and it gives me a chance to bond with my dad, which I really like,” Garrett said. “I wouldn’t change my dad being my coach for anything,”

October 2018

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Fat

pathetic

Failure

crazy evil LAZY Nasty freak Pig Gross weakNAIVE inferior disappointment Damaged geek Stupid worthless ugly Repulsive vile creepy disgusting weird

The weight of Words By Hailey Gross

“The Weight of Words” is one of the darker productions the award winning Green Valley theater has taken part in. Students had the opportunity to perform this production from October 4-6. The 45 minute play depicts how even the smallest words can hurt even the strongest person. Chilling scenes from death, contemplating suicide by overdose and bullying are some of the many brutal things the audience are prone to. It took those who witnessed the production on a trip through different types of bullying, mental, physical, and verbal. Anyone lucky enough to see the dynamic play will surely understand how the weight for their words affect the people around them. The play begins with a brilliant song writing by the cast. Then, they shifted to a classroom where students stood up and spoke their mind, and thoughts on how today’s society judges people on appearance rather than personality. For instance, that being, “Mexican and descending from Mexico makes you dirty and being Muslim automatically connects you to Osama Bin Laden and 9-11.” The audience later followed main char-

acters Franchesca, played by senior Shay Martin, and Ricardo, played by sophomore Abram Martinez, who went above and beyond to truly transform into their characters. Franchesca a tormented high school student, who constantly got teased and made fun of, sadly attempts to take her life, while Ricardo was brutally beaten to death by his peers after weeks of cruel bullying about his sexual orientation. After going to those in high authority, Franchesca and Ricardo are left with

From the elaborate costumes to the detailed set designs, each scene will surely take older generations back to high school, but this time in a more modern setting.

nowhere to turn. Throughout the production, cast members use vulgar and none the less inappropriate language to get the message across, that even the smallest words can hurt the strongest people. Each scene grabbed the attention of the audience and never let go. Every character brought something new to the table whether it was their delightful acting skills or their talented vocals. Every transition to a new scene is a refreshing spike in between the serious side of the play. From the elaborate costumes to the detailed set designs, each scene will surely take older generations back to high school, but this time in a more modern setting. Transitioning to new scenes, the cast used several props and recreated a high school hallway, gym class and the dreaded principals office. The intricate usage of lighting

made each one on one scene more realistic. The entire cast gave an outstanding performance.Green Valley theater students went above and beyond to create their version of this play, and it surely did not disappoint. They effectively uesed the most relevant language in today’s society to depict what students go through as well as all the harmful effects of one’s words. The cast and crew spent about 40 hours creating the production to make sure everything was able to flow as smooth as possible. In essence, more kids should be exposed to plays like, “The Weight of Words.” If students should take away one lesson from the performence it should be that if you see something, you must absolutely stand up and say something. The play ultimately tells the audience don’t stop until your voice is heard.

Hats off - The cast performs the song “Kill Them With Kindness.”

Bullied - Ricardo, played by sophomore Abram Martinez, is shoved to the ground by his tormentors.

Braintrust - The Mayor, played by senior Carson Freeman, porposes the “Kill Them With Kindness” plan.

Tragedy - Franchesca, played by senior Shay Martin, is found by her father, lifeless after overdosing.

Zoe Mehr

October 2018

20 a&e

Alexis Ladd

SIMPLY Beautiful

By Alexis Ladd

A

nother year of waiting for the the long awaited and highly anticipated festival, Life is Beautiful, has passed. For another year, Downtown Fremont Street holds some of the best memories for over 175,000 people. With a few of the top headliners being Travis Scott, Odesza and The Weeknd, 2018’s lineup definitely had a theme to it. Art murals covered the walls and the streets were lined with plenty of culinary options to pick from. Each year seems to showcase different fashion trends and events that make the festival unique. Music was not the only thing that

stood out at the festival. At Life is Beautiful, the number one fashion essential is glitter and vibrant or iridescent colors. “Everyone either had on bright colors, body paint, or sparkles this year which is different from any other festival. Life is Beautiful is a perfect mixture of Coachella and EDC put together,” junior Kiele Abraham said. Along with the vibrant body decor and outfits, the performances were much more powerful this year. From crazy lights to fireworks, the attendees said the shows were more exciting than past years. “My favorite performance was Odesza. I was in the very front and the visuals were so cool along with

the laser lights. The fireworks were the best way to end such a good performance,” Abraham said. Although the festival included more art exhibits last year, this year's event incorporated new stations to make the festival experience enjoyable and more suitable for the weather. Instead of the divided art rooms, the organizers replaced them with a simulation walkway, misting fans and water stations. The changes seemed to be welcomed by attendees. “The price of the ticket is totally worth it. Everything is there for you at the festival to make it comfortable,” senior Emily McElhoes said. Within the past 5 years of this annual festival, art is usually as much

of a main focus to attendees as the performances are. Without there being much time in between sets and choosing which artist to see because of the overlapping schedules, attention was directed to the music. “Without as many art exhibits it brought more attention to the artists which was cool. This is something I look forward to from the moment the past festival ends, until next year,” junior Erin Gonzales said. As the years pass by, Life is Beautiful has become a well known festival with attendees traveling from all over the world to see their favorite artists. The number of tickets sold continues to grow, while the style of the event evolves from year to year.

a&e 21

HeartRadio N

By Jenna Ricciardi

ow into its 8 year, the annual iHeartRadio Music Festival returns to Las Vegas. The festival kicked off on Friday, Sept. 21 at T-Mobile Arena. Over the course of two days, the festival featured over 30 well-known artists, musical world premieres and never before seen collaborations from the world’s most iconic and new artists. Friday night’s chart-topping performances included Childish Gambino, Jack White, Panic! at the Disco, Kygo, and Fleetwood Mac. In between both nights of the festival, The Daytime Stage at the iHeartRadio Music Festival, located at the Las Vegas Festival Grounds, showcased th

a variety of uprising artists such as Dua Lipa, Logic, Lil Uzi Vert, 5 Seconds of Summer and much more. “I loved the whole experience even though it was really hot at the Daytime venue. There were different types of bands, and there were a ton of people dancing and enjoying the music. My favorite artist was Lil Uzi Vert. Everybody was jumping around and screaming the lyrics,” senior Sarina Talamantez said. The T-Mobile Arena lit up the stage for the final night of the festival, where fans could catch beloved artists such as Justin Timberlake, Carrie Underwood, Imagine Dragons, Luke Bryan, Shawn Mendes, and countless more. Between never-before-seen collaborations, emotional tribute performances, and incredible covers, the second night of the festival was one to remember. “I have previously been to the festival before but this year was by far my favorite. The best performances in my opinion were Panic! at the Disco and 5 Seconds Of Summer. I am glad that I have been able to attend past festivals ever since 7th grade. Each year is different and exciting,” senior Maciel Lara said.

My favorite artist was Lil Uzi Vert. Everybody was jumping around and screaming the lyrics. courtesy of Maciel Lara, Sarah Pelle, Melissa Olvera, Reeve Herbert, and Christy Piano

Sarina Talamantez October 2018

22 a&e

fall

2018 Bucket

LIST

movies Nearly everyone associates Halloween with their favorite seasonal movie. Whether Disney’s “Monstober” or Freeform’s “31 days of Halloween” is your choice of fall entertainment, media will surely have something for all ages. From

horror movies such as “IT” or the classic Halloween series, to movies like “Monster House” and “Hocus Pocus,” many patiently wait for this time of year so it’s publically acceptable to cozy up with a blanket, some cider and binge movies all day long.

By Abigail Culpepper

pumpkin patches

. Whether you’re five or 55, pumpkin patches are a staple event for the fall season. The Vegas Valley is home to over 20 different pumpkin patches. Their various attractions are sure to keep the whole family entertained for an affordable price. Most pumpkin patches have

free admission with attractions that you have to pay for. The littles can play for hours on the blow up slides, the teens can take Instagram worthy pictures with the pumpkins and the parents can indulge in the food from various food trucks that are normally found at the more populated patches.

Bonnie screams

wickedhaunts.com

Bonnie Screams has received lots of attention throughout their 11 years of operation. Vegas locals flood to Bonnie Screams during the season to enjoy all the nerve shattering attractions. Bonnie Screams is located

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at Bonnie Springs State Park. The park is located about an hour outside of the Valley so a quick day trip is an easy feat for locals. The attractions are open for the entire month of October and prices vary.

seventeen.com

moapa valley corn maze The Moapa Valley Corn Maze has been in business since 2014 and is only open for a short 15 nights in October. They have everything from a fun, mind boggling corn maze to a terrifying “after dark” adventure. They also offer attractions such as hayrides, various fall food and drink, a petting zoo and reservable fire pits for those who choose to make a night of it. Admission ranges from $12 to $45 depending on which attractions are chosen. The corn maze offers fun for all ages. With its twists, turns and dead ends, everyone is sure to be lost or confused at one point or another. mvcornmaze.com

a&e 23

Baking Another long awaited fall activity is baking, not just any average baking. The pies, the muffins and of course, the premade sugar cookies with the pumpkins on them. Many families spend a good amount of the fall season baking. But it isn’t just for

sports

families, many teens look forward to making the store bought pumpkin cookies with their pals while a horror movie plays in the next room. There’s just something about the little pumpkin cookie that really gets you into the spirit.

Sports, a fall time staple. Football and hockey are two sports you’ll find playing on many televisions throughout this fall season. Football has always been a fall classic, people all over love to gather around snacks, their best buds and family members to watch the game. In many homes,

Thursdays and Sundays are football days. Another sport that’s a bit newer to the Vegas Valley is Hockey, now that we have our own team, the Vegas Golden Knights, fans have sprung up in every corner. The Knights lost their first game of the season Oct. 4 2018, but many fans are hopeful.

ftw.usatoday.com

pillsbury.com

all things pumpkin Any fall bucket list wouldn’t be complete without the most commonly known fall item, pumpkins. Big or small, everyone can find something fun to do with pumpkins. Younger kids love painting them, and the littlest ones just have fun with the bright colors all over their hands. Parents can buy nontoxic or edible paint and just them express themselves. For those a bit older, they can paint a intricate design or a jack-o-lantern face. Artists can even go as far as painting a horrifying design. For the ones old enough to hold a knife, the classic carving and scooping out of “pumpkin guts” makes for a messy, yet fun time. As for the parents, they may enjoy decorating with pumpkins rather then decorating the pumpkin itself.

halloween horror nights @ universal studios Anyone can be transported into their worst nightmare at Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios Hollywood. Universal Studios located in Studio City, California is one of the major theme parks around LA and during the Halloween season, they bring out the fright as soon as the sun goes down. The price of admission ranges from $75-$104 per night. The event runs Thursday through Sunday every week until November 3. The main experiences during the

Abigail Culpepper

event are the mazes. Most consist of a haunted house that envelops you in the stories through set design and scare actors. This year’s mazes include Stranger Things, Trick ‘R Treat, The First Purge, The Poltergeist, Halloween 4, Blumhouse: Truth or Dare & Unfriended, Universal Monsters, and the year round Walking Dead attraction. They also have scare zones that include Monster Masquerade, Trick ‘R Treat, Hell’s Harvest, Toxic Tunnel, and Holidayz in Hell. hollywood.halloweenhorrornights.com

October 2018

24 opinion

Generation By Bethany Casall

S

ince the 1800’s - when morphine, heroin and cocaine were hailed for their “magical” curative properties - drug abuse has plagued the Americas and still can be seen in a similar light. In the mid20th century, illicit drug use was all but abolished in the U.S. through focused national and global suppression of the industry. Subsequently, all that changed in the 1960’s when many new and exotic drugs, such as hallucinogens, amphetamines and marijuana, became popularized and easily accessible. Many students everywhere are targeted as they resort to these substances to relieve them of stressors or simply for recreation. Certain schools have random drug testing programs in place to help students who are in this situation to hopefully have early intervention. However, schools have this solely for students who are involved in sports programs or the arts. Different students in various situations tend to lean towards certain drugs that can ease tension, give relief or allow for better productivity through stimulation. All these things lead to the danger of getting addicted not only to the drug itself but the effects it has on the individual. Alprazolam, known as Xanax, is an anti-anxiety medication used for the treatment of anxiety disorders and panic attacks, though it has been abused in an educational setting. Another addictive substance that has been roaming around the school halls is nicotine. Though drug tests itself do not test specifically for this, cotine -found in tobacco- can be present. Nicotine is an addictive and poisonous substance found in all tobacco products. In addition to being addictive, it is poisonous. Tobacco use kills nearly half a million Americans each year, with one in every six deaths in the United States as a result of smoking. Cigarette smoke contains many other dangerous chemicals, including tar, carbon monoxide, etc. Understanding this, low doses of nicotine can act as a central nervous system stimulant to which students desire seemingly for relaxation purposes. Overall, addictive substances are used to act as coping methods and stress relievers yet, still provide negative factors all to which may factually be worse for one's overall biology. In terms of performance and attention forwarding drugs, Adderall works by increasing dopamine levels in the brain. Dopamine, the body’s “feel good” chemical, creates a re-

warding effect. Although dopamine occurs naturally, drugs like Adderall produce unnaturally high levels of it. This can cause users to come back for more, especially minors who are less tolerant to substances that may change one’s chemical balance. The brain of an addicted person dependent on Adderall to stimulate alertness and productivity can be detrimental when withdrawals occur. Without Adderall, those who are addicted often feel tired and mentally foggy. Symptoms of withdrawal from all of these substances can lead to a negatively impacted life regarding, overall health and biological chemical balances. Students who have been exposed to this may have a path of further addiction that can

Substance abuse tends to start from an early age, especially when these are specifically for performance enhancing purposes. lead to substances that have greater casualties in terms of percentage. Schools have programs to help students who may be abusing substances though isn’t focused on as a matter of great importance. Football teams, arts programs and many other organizations still have students who use drugs regularly or even just occasionally -all to which can lead to abuse and health damage. The focus tends to lean towards other aspects of abuse like mental, physical, and emotional harm yet little focus is placed on substance abuse. With predilection towards a brighter future, the focus has greatly been steered away from. Society today has largely placed a light on how important the use of drugs, in the right context is, though has yet to truly target the assistance of those who have strayed the proper legal path. Substance abuse tends to start from an early age especially when these are specifically for performance enhancing purposes. As certain students use these drugs, an unfair advantage can be placed to set the bar for other students whom drugs aren’t present in their

lives. Taking the responsibility for one’s own actions and benefiting one’s own ability has much more dignity placed upon any work to be achieved. Furthermore, the satisfaction leads to natural endorphins to be released to which effects are much more desirable as no side effects will be placed upon one’s path. Regardless the reason, drugs should be strayed away from in terms of recreational use and unregulated prescriptions. The ability to study with good time management and the importance of a good grade shouldn’t be dictated by popping pills and inhaling clouds rather the individual’s means of motivation. These drugs, also known as “academic performance enhancers” can be acquired in many different ways. Most students who abuse these drugs do not have these pills perscribed to them. Rather, they acquire them through friends or family. With easy access to these addictive substances, there is an easy path to the incorrect use of them. Proper distribution must be given out to individuals who acquire these substances for medical situations but needs to be regulated in order to refrain from further abuse. Distribution of these substances must be attatched to proper guidelines that can be easy to assist in the avoidance of improper distribution. Keeping the majority in mind, it is difficult to regulate everything and everyone leading to students acquiring these drugs. Schools, friends and families are the leading influential factors towards the abuse of certain substances. It is important to be honest and take responsibility for one’s actions yet, help from others is key to overall success. For individuals that abuse substances, this could be a cry for help as it acts as a cover up. If assistance is truly needed, talk to a trusted individual that can help one get the needs required. If the use of these substances act as a barrier to avoid taking responsibility for one’s actions, negative effects will plauge the future as side effects, withdrawls and dependency creep into the darkness bestowed upon irresponsible actions.

opinion a&e 25

SPILL THE TEA ON A SISTER SKINNY LEGEND

H

By Max Ghasserani

ey Sisters, today the tea is going to be spilled on stan Twitter language. This is a sister speech about sister stans on sister social media. Ricky Dillon’s wig is snatched, Shane Dawson is quaking, and James Charles is sister shook. Where did stan Twitter come from? It slowly started growing when Twitter first became popular back in 2007, a year after it launched. Soon, more and more celebrities signed up and began creating accounts. YouTubers were quick to sign up to communicate with their fans and help market themselves as well. Locals then hopped on Twitter and began to follow their favorite celebrities in order to keep up with their busy, fabulous lives. Slowly, people began to comment and tweet at their favorite celebrities. This happened more and more until fandoms were formed. Then group chats and Internet best friends came around and then they grew into stan Twitter. What in the world is stan Twitter? Stan Twitter is a group of people on Twitter whom all stan their idol. A “stan” is someone who is a fan of a celebrity or person. Famous idols who are YouTubers include Shane Dawson, Ricky Dillon, Colleen Ballinger, The Dolan Twins, and Kian & Jc. Some celebrity idols are Ryan Reynolds, Blake Lively, Sandra Bullock, Jennifer Aniston, Twenty One Pilots, Harry Styles, Niall Horan, and Ariana Grande. A group of stans is the newer version of a “fandom”. Another term commonly used on stan Twitter is mutual. A mutual is someone who follows you and you follow them and you direct message each other or dm them and talk. Here is an example of an amazing stan. Let us say her name is Vanessa. Vanessa has a Twitter account, she is following her idol and along with other stans as well. Her camera roll is filled with pictures and videos of her idol, she doesn’t let any of her friends see her account because “no locals allowed”, and she uses phrases such as “but go off”, “love that for you”, “we been knew”, and the usual keyboard slam of “SKJDSKJDS”. Stan Twitter is wildin’ all the time so it is hard to keep track of what is fun and fresh. In the stan Twitter language community, some words that are very popular include wig, tea, sister, and skinny legend. With these words, the popular question arises, “Is stan Twitter language usable in everyday life?” Mariah Carey did not become THE skinny legend to not be worshiped everyday with these

STAN TWITTER 4 dummies

5. Spill - “tell the gossip”

1. Tea - drama, gossip

6. This ain’t it - This is not good, I do not like this

2. Shook - surprised, not expecting 3. Wig - blown away, excited 4. Sister - friend

7. I been knew - when someone tells you something you already know 8. Skinny legend - an iconic person for their talent levels Victoria Rodriguez

words. Some of these words are confusing to people, like the term “sister.” For instance, you can call anyone sister, boy or girl. If they are a friend, you call them sister. Like when talk-

Stan Twitter is wildin’ all the time so it is hard to keep track of what is fun and fresh...and the popular question arises, “Is stan Twitter language usuable in everyday life?” ing with a group, say “Hey sisters,” instead of “Hey guys.” This term comes from Sister James Charles, a very popular YouTuber. Nevertheless, who really is the stan Twitter god? People on Twitter love to worship one spectacular woman. She sings the best Christmas song; she hits notes higher than the Eiffel Tower. She is Mariah Carey, the skinniest legend of all skinny legends. Just in case no one knows what a skinny legend is, it is a person who is so talented and skilled that they earn themselves the title of “skinny legend.” It has nothing to do with weight even though it may sound like it, but

it is simply just your talent level. Besides Carey, we also have a skinny legend in training. She sings with the voice of an angel, she dresses with the highest elegance, and she fiestas harder than anyone else does. She is Raini Rodriguez, the up and coming skinny legend. This queen has starred in not one but both “Paul Blart: Mall Cop” movies. Beyoncé hasn’t even been in a Paul Blart movie, so who is better. She sings the iconic songs like “You Wish You Were Me” from Austin and Ally, and “Living Your Dreams” from Beverly Hills Chihuahua 3. You know the words, “fiesta,” “salsa,” and “quinceañera,” and “feel the rhythm got to hear the beat.” The whole thing is just so iconic. In YouTube there is the father, the son, and the holy spirt of sisters. They are sister James Charles, sister Rickey Dillon, and sister Shane Dawson. Charles is famous for making popular YouTube videos on makeup tutorials, ranging from calm and classy to outgoing and crazy. The only thing that seems to be more popular than his makeup is his scandals. A sister scandal is what he is known for, but that is in the past, just like flashback Mary. Flashback Mary happened to Charles at an event where his makeup gave off a white look when a flash was used, hense flashback Mary. Sister Dillon is another popular YouTuber known for spilling tea and his unique pet. He has an iconic pet pig named Luna. Last, but not least, we have sister Dawson. Dawson is known for series where he goes and gets behind

the scenes scoops on other famous YouTubers. Another person popular on stan Twitter is Jojo Siwa. Her bows are more iconic than Dorothy’s red ruby slippers. Siwa sings the famous songs “Boomerang” and “High Top Shoes”. She has started a business that includes selling her own merchandise and bows and she also has a big following on YouTube. But her life on TV goes back farther than her hairline. She got famous back in 2014 when she made her appearance on “Dance Moms.” With all of that, her income is about as tall as she is, and she’s 5’9. Raise your hand if you are shorter than Jojo Siwa. Finally, we have Wendy Williams. All over Twitter are memes and videos of her. Her talk show can beat out Dr. Phil any day. As Dula Peep said “Well, I’m too busy for your business. Go find a girl who wants to listen.” Williams is too busy for regular boring people. She only deals with the most famous celebrities such as Cardi B. Anyone who has seen that interview with Cardi knows that Wendy was shook to the core the whole time. She was also sister shook on the topic of Halloween for it being so hot, both temperature and physically. The Statue of Liberty was literally quaking. So everyone knows about sister stans now and their culture. Tea was spilled and we are all shook. Now the question arises once again, should this language be used in everyday life? Absolutely!

October 2018

26 opinion

The sp kiest time of year By Erinn Veach

‘Tis the season to be spooky, and well, it has been since the last day of August. Who says that Halloween can’t be a three month long holiday? Intellectuals. Intellectuals say that candy corn for three months is not healthy. The release of the Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte is the annual Spooky Season equinox. This year, the infamous fall beverage debuted on the earliest date in history, August 28th. Fine, sure, any time is coffee time for many. The real problem with this practice though, is that pumpkins do not even start naturally blooming until late September. What are the fall fanatics doing to these poor squashes, forcing them to grow up too fast only to be deposited in a paper cup with some cinnamon? It is a crime, that’s what. Aside from the exploitation of pumpkins, these Spooky Season lovers are also ruining the validity of putting effort into Halloween costumes. Realistic costumes with dedicated special effects makeup and weeks worth of trips to the craft store are being shoved to the corner in favor of t-shirts and tutus or a low-cut, singular piece of material. Ladies have two choices nowadays in the lines of spooky attire: cute or revealing. For example, ghosts. A ‘cute’ ghost costume would constitute of a plain white shirt, a white tutu, and a pair of white vans. On the flip side, a small pillowcase cut with a zig-zag pattern provides a risque look. And guys? They have it worse. Really sit there and imagine a “macho” ghost. Why are we gendering paranormal beings? Fanatics also ruin television. Historically, Freeform has put on a “13 Nights of Halloween” movie mara-

The InvestiGator t GVHS

thon event. This was perfect. There is nothing better than snuggling up with some candy and coffee to watch Halloween classics a few nights leading up to the holiday. The line was drawn though when these Spooky Seasoners influenced Freeform to increase the event to a whole 31 days. There are not even enough movies to fill the necessary time slots, resulting in reruns piling up. People cannot handle that much “Halloween Town.” Movies’ favorite pair is candy. Halloween is all about the sweets. No one can deny the wrapped chocolate lining store walls or the Pillsbury pumpkin sugar cookies. Healthiness? Forget her. This sugar wonderland has an arch nemesis though: candy corn. It is gross. It is wretched. It is pure chemicals bonded together with heaps of corn syrup in order to create a stomachache inducing, tootha c h e causi n g , too sweet excuse for the face of the holiday. The nauseating confection has been produced and sold since 1898, allowing it a 120 year tyrannical reign. Furthermore we return to everyone’s favorite vine-growing fruit: pumpkins. They are the ever loved flavor and decoration of the spookiest time of year. What people seem to miss about these lovable, orange squashes, though, is how much humanity

tortures them. Humans are supposed to be peaceful, humane creatures! Plants are family, not things to be mutilated. First, people saw a hole in its head. Then, they proceed to scrape out its guts, piling it next to its body as they make sure to scrape out every last organ. The violence doesn’t end there. Various shapes are then cut out of the empty hull of what once was a living pumpkin to make a face. Finally, its decaying body is lit on fire and set out to be seen by passersby. Pumpkins deserve better than this monstrosity. It is time for justice for Halloween. No more pumpkin mutilation,

no more excessive classic movies, and no more gross candy. There will be a push against the Spooky Seasoners and normalcy will be soon be returned to everyone’s favorite holiday.

THE HIDDEN TRUTH

opinion 27

High schoolers face a world of stress while feeling alone with their problems By Tyler Bonnette

H

igh school, whether it is just beginning or nearing its end, is in no way easy, no matter who you are. Work, due dates, sports, clubs, performances - everyone is stressed out for their own reasons. Across America, student morale is plummeting. Unless schools come up with solutions to limit the stress in students, the mental health of thousands will continue to rapidly collapse. For teenagers, there is almost always something to worry about. This non-stop worrying has caused a serious increase in anxiety and depression within the halls of high school. The pressure of school is affecting the mental health of thousands of teenagers. This amount of pressure is unhealthy and irregular, and is one of the leading causes of depression in teenagers. Depression is more than being abnormally sad, as some might say. Often times, it is caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain due to outside factors affecting one’s mood at all times of day. At this point, sadness is no longer just an emotion, but an illness. It prevents the desire to function, causing an overall decrease quality of life. Every student has a potential stressor in his or her life. Most need to focus on assignments for their classes and their due dates, but there are still plenty more. Athletes are under stress by their coaches to be the best that they can, while also finding a college and still focusing on schoolwork. Performing arts students have to worry about rehearsals, performances, and practices. Students play sports and perform because it is usually what they want, but this is difficult to do while still meeting basic requirements of core classes. The unfortunate truth of depression is that it is far more common than people realize. According to MedicineNet, depression will affect around 20% of adolescents at one point, although many do not admit to it. Unless the school system better regulates the amount of stress that students are put under, depression rates will continue to rise within schools. Furthermore, students afflicted with depression feel as though they cannot talk about it to staff. A lack of outreach to students with depression combined with insecure students just causes one’s mental

health to fall even further. This massive prevalence of depression is also the leading cause of the recent increase in suicide

adding a single half-length period, much like the SEL period could help students relax and have something each day to look forward to.

The solution is not fixing those who have depression; it is fixing the causes of high depression rates in the first place. rates in this generation’s teenagers. HealthLine states that over 4,600 students between ages 10 and 24 commit suicide every year. The intense stress caused by school and home life can cause a serious drop in mental health, which often goes unaddressed by administration. These numbers are difficult to visualize or accept, but if the current trends continue uninterrupted, more students will be affected by depression, as stress is concentrated with increasing amounts of work. This will only lead to more cases of depression, anxiety, and inevitably, suicide. Simply put, the schools of America is doing very little to help this decline in mental health. There are solutions that would be beneficial toward students everywhere. Reducing the amount of homework given would give students more time to focus on their own time at home. Reducing the overall length of the school day would also help, allowing more time to be spent on extracurricular activities or with family and friends. Unfortunately, these solutions, while beneficial, would not be realistic, as it would take several months or years to implement such drastic changes. There are solutions that are far more feasible as well, however. One such could be a simple break between classes, around ten to fifteen minutes long. This time would be far longer than the average passing period, and allow time to relax momentarily or complete unfinished work. Similarly, the passing period could be kept the same length, but

afflicted often feel as though there is nothing they can do and that they are alone. They are not alone, however - many experience these problems just like them. The solution is not fixing those who have depression; it is fixing the causes of high depression rates in the first place.

Even including this period once a week could improve student morale. Granted, there is already a lunch period, but a period dedicated not just to lunch but also to catching up on work and relaxing or studying could affect the mood of students in a positive way. Unless the issue is addressed, the number of depressed teenagers will continue to rise and more students will submit to the stress of school. Schools cannot expect students to reach out themselves, as many are afraid to do so. Those

Alex Estrada

October 2018

nvesTiGaTOr

28 pro/con

OpiniOn

Pro/Con March 2010

23

NIKE CAMPAIGN SPARKS NATIONWIDE DEBATE

eep Nike students protected with condoms should be commended for taking a risk with Kaepernick

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receive condoms at school. It

gress is trying to pass bills that

condom than face the embar-

longer affiliated the doctors NFL. Many of a company Nike trashingthem their at Bywould Kaeli Britt rassment ofis,buying wouldwith make give out be a relief for students areeasy disspointed the company products you have bought is usebirth in control withoutfora prethethat store. e is nothing more to know there would be an sponsering him, seeing an last out- resort less when you are probably going to to ColinforKaepernick no “Students would not have it itis asthe barrassing thanith way them to receive pro- scription; rage. In reality, it is just a company start buying Nikethemselves attire again anyway participating in the Students go buy condoms that many students have, and tection from school. king into Walgreens,longer an athlete’s beliefs. after waiting a few weeks.by them. Leaguewhy standing it should be available.” and beonly embarrassed know Football the reasons using with p a box of condoms,National Under the contract, Nike plans on (NFL), Nike took their chances and Unlike contraceptives, con- Students would use them,” g to wait in line to be birth control is important. creating new Kaepernick athletic apmade the free agent the face of their “I really do think students doms are not prescribed; they said Barry. ut. parel including a pair of shoes and a new, 30th anniversary, “Just Do It” be purchased at just I give the abstinence train of than do this, stu- would use it, I know I would shirt - andcan depending on how well his about advertising campaign. On Sept. 3, any Kaepernick’s pharmacy orproducts grocery store thought a lot of credit. Just tell ide to go with plan took have,” said tosenior apparel sells, Kaepernick to Twitter con- Kelsey without have proof kids over and over again that Pinkul. with “If Nike thereandwas could morebegin ected and dangerous to rival having the salesto of other firm his partnership a certain age.contracts There are 21 sex is bad. That has worked information I of who sible solution to this NFL players also have assured followers that his about activismit [sex], think students would take it states with schools that make really well for abstinence-only would be for schools with Nike. would continue under the multiyear them available their stu- supporters, just look at Sarah more seriously because it is a morning e contraceptives The followingtoNike’s contract to he had signed with Nike. Palin’s grandson. Hence, we bigNFL responsibility.” campaign dents. reveal, negative and critiThe former player posted responses were already “Condoms in trending schools even- are stuck with teens that are that cal teens r, the district hasof theAdvocating a picture new campaign that Twitter.tually could happen if it re- taught not to have sex, and said, “Believeshould in something, have sex iseven not theon same ed the distribution media, some support showed from then they act without being if control it means sacrificing ceived enough as saying everything.” that they shouldOn be social orms of birth disagreement deci-“It has prepared. to Kaepernick silentlythat their parents,”with saidNike’s Ebert. if they choose route. t is has toThis be goes pre-backsafe sion in making Kaepernick thethe newdistrict racial injustices “I think students have unnot been okayed by Students who are in support a doctor. protesting multiple facenot of their campaign partner kneeling do and would and only be ifofit was protected sex because it is of nation school by distribution uldn’t givethroughout out the the their company. People that started tweet- came convenient. It is hard to prethe national anthem before sex, something parents think that it promotes but use it is a during prescriping under out the hashtag football games. This lead to hiscontraceptives unin favor#RemovetheSof, and right now pare for, there are a lot of horinstead that school nurse Robyn woosh where they posted pictures fortunate disassociation from the e are not allowed to can prevent what is unavoid- I don’t think that they would mones,” said Ebert. “There are and videos of them destroying their league. a lot of feelings going on at the appreciate it.” ny medication that is able. Nike products by removing their As a result of this previously esthey following would bethe in aanrelaStudents would be more “It is sad but necessary,” d by a physician.” Thetime Friday iconic logo - the Nike swoosh. This tablished controversy, some people tionship someone or be likelyresponse. to use a school provided junior Jordy Barry. was “Cons need the were ability nouncement of with Kaepernick’s adveran extreme notto fans said of Kaepernick now reptisement, Nike’s market capitalizaConsidering how popular and big resenting Nike, even though he is no

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Those who participated in the Nike protest have had no real effect on the company as a whole, since those people represent only a small number of Nike consumers.

in that situation, and they are

tion had increased from of $127 not always thinking thebillion conto sequences.” $131 billion after their market capitalization dropped about Righthad now, schools have$3.75 the billion in the five-day period from the authority to advise a student release theanew campaign. to goofsee doctor or some sort This shows that those who parof agency and give advice to ticipated in the Nike burning protest the student. This is not useful have had no real effect on the combecause once since the those student is pany as a whole, people pregnant or received the STD, represent only a small number of there is very little that can be Nike consumers. done to reverse Not only is the it. burning of Nike “Mostly all itI also canisdo products useless, notisanreeffer students to an agency that fective form of protest. By burning can products help them, so they caneven get a few - that are not related to Kaepernick’s line of Nike treatment,” said Ebert. “Even products - for a short amount with family planning, if of a time, stuthen going backintoand buysays thoseshe same dent comes is products thatI have one had previously pregnant, to advise her burned inconsistency and no to tellshows her parents.” dedication cause that would Face to it,a students have turn sex outand to will be ultimately in continuehypocritical to have sex. theThe firstbest place. option is to give them By Nike acknowledging the isthe tools that will make them sues of racial injustices in the United safe and have the ability to States, they are utilizing their platprevent mistakes that have form as an international company to life-long consequences. bring awareness to the issues of injustice that Kaepernick protests.

illustrations by Jennifer Bateau

tudents learn two different methods for protecting themselves in a sexually active world.

rth control is not appropriate at school

tice the abstinence they teach you in health classes.” Parent-child relationships walking into school e that condoms are are very important when dealributed to students. ing with the issue of sex. Handmany would think ing out condoms at school cool or even funny, would eliminate the need for you take a second to teens to have to talk to their ut it, you would see parents The InvestiGator t GVHS about their personal d ultimately lead to lives. “A negative effect would certcomes. ts may take it as, tainly be that instead of stu-

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Now you have a pregnancy or have contracted an STD,” said Hill. “You say, ‘Well you know, school gave it to me,’ I can see that as a real problem.” If things go wrong, resulting in a STD or pregnancy, the student may act irrationally. The first people they would hold accountable is the CCSD. “Students would take it out on the school,” Lowe

The average cost of a box physical consequences that can come from having sex at a of three condoms is $3.99. At young age is also an important this expense, this could quickTaking a Knee - The recent Nike ad featuring Colin become a local problem aspect to include inKaepernick the educacausedly intense social media reactions, both as well. Tax payers are not going tional part of this system. positive and negative. “I truly think that high to be willing to pay for the cost school kids should be fully of condoms. At the end of the day, it all educated about the social, fiwww.nike.com nancial, and self-esteem con- comes down to the maturity sequences that go along with level of the students, and many having sex,” Hill said. “They are not mature enough for this need to give themsleves the to be happening at our school.

nOinipO

32

JUST n BURN oC/oITrP By Hannah Serquina

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rOTaGiTsevn pro/con 29

sNmodnoc htiw detcetorp stneduts pe Rebecca Orozco

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This can be seen as Josh Levin xes evah stneduts ,ti ecaF si ti esuaceb xes detcetorp saw ti fi eb ylno dluow dna ton od noitubirtsid loohcs fo eht tuo evig t’ndluo of the online magazine Slate informs .xthat, es ev“in ahthe ot ewords unitnof ocanllianonymous w dna -erp ot drah si tI .tneinevnoc emac stnerap taht gnihtemos tub ,xes setomorp ti taht kniht -pircserp a si ti esu mNFL eht eexecutive, vig ot si naogood itpo tproportion seb ehT of -roh fo tol a era ereht ,rof erap won thgir dna ,fo rovaf ni tuo sevitpecartnoc taht daetsni nyboR esrun loohcs d mleague eht ekadecision-makers m lliw taht sloo‘genuinely t eht era erehT“ .trebE dias ”,senom dluow yeht taht kniht t’nod I -diovanu si tahw tneverp nac ot dewolla ton era e othate’ ytilithe ba eanthem-protesting ht evah dna efasquareht ta no gniog sgnileef fo tol a ”.ti etaicerppa .elba si taht noitacidem yn evterback ah tahand t scan’t ekatsstand im twhat nevehe rp did. -aler a ni eb dluow yeht emit erom eb dluow stnedutS ”,yrassecen tub das si tI“ ”.naicisyhp a yb d .secn euqesntoocdogn ol-ehim.” fil eb ro enoemos htiw pihsnoit dedivorp loohcs a esu ot ylekil -noC“ .yrraB ydroJ roinuj dias ot ytiliba eht deen st They want nothing with The backlash of the campaign includes viral responses to the company’s new face reinforcing the stakes of his protests. Although there are individuals who support the involvement of Nike and Kaepernick, many believe is not fair for a corporation to compel #BoycottNike. for promoting Nike. In contrast, he that Nike is forcing political beliefs on their customers to wear clothing that Another person posted a video of had become a noisy, angry distraction their consumers. supports a movement they do not bea Nike shoe-burning on Facebook. for both the NFL and their fans. EsAdditionally, a Nike executive lieve in or desire to take a stance on. “Never again will I wear another Nike sentially, Kaepernick is the cause of a agrees with the fact that this move Individuals are destroying their shoe,” a man’s voice can be heard saydecrease in consumers within sports is incredibly controversial. There are Nike clothes to protest the company’s ing. and business. Americans who view Kaepernick’s new ad campaign. These actions demIt is inconsiderate for a company, This can especially be seen as protest as unpatriotic. The act of onstrate their stance on Kaepernick like Nike, to force a political moveNike has damaged its reputation kneeling during the pledge is viewed and Nike’s advertising. Americans are ment on to their consumers. When with many U.S. investors who will no as disrespectful towards Veterans not happy with the disregard Kaeperexamining the decision for Nike to doubt watch to see if Nike’s progresand any individual who has served nick has for the flag and the country. sponsor Kaepernick, one can consive politics win out over profits. The the country. America loving citizens stand by the clude that this forces customers to main reason as to why this reputation An executive of Nike wrote to American value of respecting the flag side with a political stance that they is damaging is because the move is uYahoo aetaB resports finneJ y b snothe itarmost tsulli contro“It’s as they burn their Nike gear. 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editorial 31

THE POWER OF THE MEDIA By The InvestiGator Staff

Because the younger generaton grew up with social media, they are used to gaining all their information about current events from social media sites. Now, more than ever, teenagers are aware of what is going on around the world in relation to things like wars, famines and injustices. Is this burst in information being distributed through social media a good or a bad thing, though? With international news now available instantly, kids are arguably becoming desensitized towards those same events they know more about compared to previous generations. Every so often, the issues that the media focuses on changes, exposing teenagers to more information on current events. As the focus shifts from things such as gun violence and school shootings to abortion rights and sexual harrassment, the media matches that change and alters the focus to show what their audience, the people, want to see. Unfortunately, what the people want to see may not be what

is important and what should actually be addressed through the media. Since the media’s most prominent audience is today’s youth, whatever is popular in that moment is the topic that the media will then highlight. To follow the fast-paced lifestyle of society, the media unknowingly creates a bias in the way headlines are worded. Compared to previous generations, who did not have easy access to information like now, this generation of youth does not make it a habit to follow up on information presented to them. By looking at only the headlines, without follow up on the actual content, the audience perceives the information however it is immediately given. Of course all new technologies come with pros and cons, but when information that is circulated around the world is limited to the 250 character limit given by Twitter, the entire story is almost impossible to encapsulate. Yes, the media allows for information to be easily spread to millions, but the quality of misleading information is not worth the risk.

Editors-in-Chief: Kaeli Britt Erinn Veach

The InvestiGator is a student-run and operated news magazine. All opinions and views expressed within are those of the author and not of the student body or staff of Green Valley High School. Letter to the editors or staff may be delivered to room 825 to Mr. Johnston or emailed to him at johnsem1@nv.ccsd.net.

Editors: News: Bethany Casall Features: Hannah Serquina Sports: Gabriella Ghasserani A&E: Abigail Culpepper Opinions: Victoria Rodriguez Reporters: Tyler Bonnette Diana Brown Max Ghasserani Alexis Ladd Zachery Schauer Adviser: Eric Johnston

Student speak

Do you think the media plays a part in the desensitizing of our generation? “I think it does because things are presented with only one side in the media. When you only see one opinion so much, you start to stop caring.”

Raydyn Egnor, freshman

“Yes, in a way, because the media mainly shows us what we want to see, but also shows us the worst parts of it.”

Sydney Corro, sophomore

Design Editor: Maycee Labo Photo Editors: Hailey Gross Brynne Hilton Business Manager: Vivien Liebhardt Staff Managers: Nora-Jo Paramo Jenna Ricciardi

Kyle Cronic, junior

“Yes, because it makes all the events we see seem not as important, when events like school shootings are super important.”

“Social media platforms are taking real life situations and making them seem acceptable and like it is just normal to see all these terrible things going on.”

Terrance Mitchell, senior

October 2018

32 gallery

PLAY THAT SONG Freshman Robert Tadeo plays the saxophone during the marching band’s rendition of the school’s fight song prior to the football game vs. Chaparral on Sept. 28,2018.

BRYNNE HILTON | PHOTO