October 2008

theblazerThe Student Newsmagazine of Timberline High School Volume IX, Issue 1 • October 2, 2008

Hole in one

Boys golf swings for victories

25

Social-Vibe.com

New social net-working site

9New officers, new activities

See pageSee page

Class elections!

3See page

“going green”Timberline isSee story on pages 13-15

photo illustration by Anthony Collins and Victoria Carroll

blazer news02 [email protected] 2, 2008

TIDTHS BITS

By Staff Writer taSiana BaBauta

Pair heads to state with horses One-hundred and eighty par-ticipants compet-ed at the “Senior Performance A” during the Puyal-lup Fair in Sept. Twenty attend school within Thurston County. Sarah Griffiths and Jessica Town-

shend, both sophomores who attend Timber-line, competed in the following events: show-manship, English, bareback, stock seat, and equitation. Griffiths, who earned a “Returning Blue” in English equitation said, “It’s pretty common for me.” Having won a blue ribbon allows Griffiths to compete at the championship round. “[I’m] really proud of my horse’s saddle seat pattern because she wasn’t a “spaz” like everyone ex-pected,” Townshend said.

The Blazer is bigger and better Beginning this year there will be im-provements in the student forum The Blazer.

Now with eight pages added it comes to a final total of 28 pages. Staff ranks have increased significantly to a new number of 30 students; filling an entire classroom. Now, The Blazer has extra sports and arts and entertainment pages, a pro-con pages, a student arts page and even a fun page. The seven editors are solely dedicated to design-ing and editing their pages, where as before they would design pages and write stories. The other 27 are staff writers, graphics art-ists, and/or photographers. Nathan Morr, the Editor in Chief of The Blazer, said, “The rea-son why we made these changes is to better accommodate the people at our school; and that’s our job to be a publication for the stu-dents.”

Teachers leave on short notice Less than a week before school started two teachers decided to leave their teaching jobs at Timberline. Jeremy Clark, former Spanish teacher, is now teaching in Oregon. He moved down to Portland, because his wife maintains a job there. Jennifer Brotherton, former English teacher, is a now a literacy coach in the Olym-pia School District. Alex Lord, a sophomore, said “On the first day of school teachers were frantic.” Replacing Clark is Sarah Haymond. Sha-ron Kortuem took the place of Brotherton. Cody White, a junior said, “Yeah she [Hay-mond] will get used to the [textbook] and stu-dents.” (More on new teachers on page 11.)

Health standards changes Starting this year students in Washington

in health and physical education classes will have to pass two classroom based assessments (CBAs). Passing the CBAs will show their competency in nutrition and mental wellness. Some students are bewildered by the new standards. “I heard health was an easy “A” and it makes me furious,” said Josh Briley, a sophomore. The new standard needs to be met by all students within Washington by 2010. Health students aren’t the only group affected, P.E. teachers are too. “I think it is important that everyone is on the same page all the way

around,” P.E. teacher Jeff Birbeck said. Construction Update On Monday the music students in orchestra, choir and band will be in class at their new loca-tions. For over a year Timberline has been

a seemingly never ending construction site. Construction will not be over until around Thanksgiving; when the theater, gym, and locker rooms will be ready to be occupied. “We will move into the band, choir, orchestra, and consumer sciences rooms Oct. 6,” princi-pal Dave Lehnis said. Throughout the month of Oct. students will be moving into newly remodeled places on campus. On Oct. 13 three new classrooms will be completed in place of the old cafeteria and the auxiliary gym will be ready to be oc-cupied.

photo by Zach Beltramo

Shelby Collins, a junior, sells Chaenna Castillon, a junior, a 2010 class tee-shirt on Sept. 24. Currently, the junior class is about $850 in debt. In an attempt to break even, and more importantly, pay for prom, they are selling the shirts that they over-bought last year.

OCT

20Monday the 20th-

University of British Columbia Admissions Representative visit

6Friday the 6th-

University of Idaho Admissions Represen-

tative visit

28Thursday the 28th-Pacific University of Oregon Admissions Representative visit

16Thurday the 16th-

Lakes Elementary Har-vest Fair, volunteer for

Interact club

21Monday the 21st-

THS Orchestra Concert 7 p.m. at the NTHS

auditorium

22Tuesday the 22nd-

THS Choir Concert 7 p.m. at the NTHS audi-

torium

3Friday the 3rd:

Teacher Professional Development Day, NO

SCHOOL; and Blazer Gal auditions

C A L E N D A R

Sarah Griffiths,a sophomore

Savannah Purcell, a freshman

blazer news [email protected] october 2, 2008

Class offices organize activitiesBy Staff Writer erin adamS

Once school is in - so is student government. At Timberline, 25 students hone leader-ship skills and help the school by serving

as ASB or class officers. However, the duties of student representatives are often misunderstood.

Some students are oblivious to how things get done at school. “I seriously don’t know what ASB does,” Andrew Person, a senior, said.

But other students see how hard the officers work, even if they are not sure what exactly they do. “We depend on them [class and ASB officers] for all of our things like homecoming and prom. They plan all of our school activities,” said Au-tumn Pedersen, senior.

Kelcey Woods, a se-nior, commented that he enjoyed the activi-ties and assemblies of previous years, but was unaware of all the “planning for the fun stuff,” which he learned of when he joined the leadership class. There are five mem-bers for each class of-fice and two advisers, whose duties depend on their year. The As-sociated Student Body [ASB] also has five members who are elected at the end of each school year.

The ASB has many functions: announcements, assemblies, dances, and clubs. The ASB consists of Jared Thorne, president, Jordan Bowen, vice president, Tashi Kerr, treasurer, Brett Pantier, pub-lic relations and Brittany Berin, secretary. While they lack an adviser, all officers are guided by Pat Geiger, activities coordinator. “I [ran for office because] I wanted to make school more enjoyable...more student involvement - we want it to be fun for everyone,” Pantier said.

Apart from normal duties, ASB officers also assist fellow student government members. “They [class officers] can come to us for help,” Pantier pointed out. The class of 2009 is lead by seniors Heather Orse, president, Kassandra Kilpela, vice president,

Matt Hubbard, treasurer, Caitlin Gallagher, pub-lic relations and Madhura Panjini, secretary. This year, they organize Homecoming, senior banquet, senior jerseys. “It is hard with our group, because we share all of the responsibilities to get what we need done,” said Kassandra Kilpela. However, it is not all work. “It is really fun, because we usually have a movie that we watch after [the meeting]. We have been watching chick flicks, but next week we will be watching Gladia-tor,” Kilpela said. The junior class officers are Taryn Smith, presi-dent, Mandy Angle, vice president, Amanda Fitch, treasurer, Jasmine Santillian, public relations, and Erica Barron, secretary. One of their duties this

year is May Dance. “It is especially important to please our class with prom, so it is my job to do research for it. Since the debt thing is a really big issue, I try to consult with the treasurer on how we can have a great prom with the money we have,” Santillian said. “We are trying to please the students within the guidelines of adminis-trators while keeping it in the budget. It is pretty difficult,” she added. The juniors currently have a deficit of $850 as of Sept 26. “Our huge issue is fundraising, be-

cause the junior class role is to put on May Dance,” Liz Lobe, a junior class adviser, said. Nesley Bravo, president, Desiree Ward, vice president, Maleena Taing, treasurer, Hayley Mat-son, public relations, and Ann Huynh, secretary, are the sophomore officers. In general, 2011 officers hope to help their peers, and their budget. “We have to borrow mon-ey from [the ASB] to start stuff,” Bravo said. This year, they will create fundraisers to benefit their school serve, such as getting a sponsor for t-shirts. The newest class, that of 2012, recently com-pleted their elections on Sept 24. “This is the best freshman class that has come in my four years. They seem very energetic,” said Linn Capek, a freshman class adviser.

Class offices and ASB...

are they?

ASB

Class of2009

Class of2010

Class of2011

Class of2012

Seniors Caitlin Gallagher, Kassan-dra Kilpela, Heather Orse and Matt Hubbard. (not pictured:

Madhura Panjini).

Junior Brett Pantier and seniors Brittany Berin, Tashi Kerr, Jared Thorne and Jordan

Bowen

Sophomores Ann Huynh, Nesley Bravo, Hayley Matson and Ma-

leena Taing. (not pictured: Desiree Ward).

Freshmen Nathan Knox, Hanna Pa-dilla, Lakshmi Panjini, Hannah

Ganzfried, and Brandon Wooton.

How do you choose who you vote for?

-Patrick Handley, a senior

-Candice Purvis, a junior

-Sarah Lundahl, a sophomore

-Brandon Roberston, a sophomore

“I really didn’t vote. It is a superficial thing because the people who make the real decisions are school officials.”

“Eeny-meeny-miny-moe.”“I choose by the way they organize their speeches and they things they do dur-ing them.”

“[I look for] honesty. If they don’t try to exaggerate facts, if they are just blunt about it”

photos by Sean Van Ausdal

Sophomores Jessica McMillin (left) and Hayley Matson (right) work on the “Deck a Castle” spirit competition on Sept. 24.

Juniors Jasmine Santillan, Amanda Fitch, Taryn Smith, and

Erica Barron. (not pictured: Amanda Angle).

WHO

5400 Martin Way E.Lacey WA. 98516

(360) 292-1600

There’s more to explore!The Watering Hole (Concessions)•Pride Rock Mini-Golf•Big Game Hunt Laser Tag •Arcade with Prizes!•


By Staff Writer Jeff StileS

An idle head moves downward, meeting the face of a familiar alcoholic beverage. In-side of the beverage sits a noticeable bottom where a shallow bit of the intoxication still

pools on one side. A few blocks down a young woman has had too much to drink and attempts to summon all her strength in order to push open the tiny tunnel in her eyes. Elsewhere someone begins a challenge of basic speech; making new friends as he passes by on a trip to the bathroom, randomly groping the walls along the way. Even though alcoholic gatherings are tradition-ally reserved for the older crowds, it is becoming the norm for teenagers as young as thirteen or fourteen to be seen sipping Coors or Bud Light while their par-ents were away for the weekend. However, social high life began to take a change in the 50’s when rock and roll king Elvis Presley came onto the stage, delivering smash hits which often destroyed the moral upbringing of most families. Overall, in this new era of partying, the age at which someone is admitted into an intoxicating house party is becoming younger and younger, frightening parents across the country. High school students are typically in-troduced to alcohol-enhanced partying between the ages of fifteen and sixteen. According to a Marin Institute study, nearly one third (31.5%) of all high school stu-dents have witnessed heavy drinking among their peers.Unsurprisingly, “In America, people drink like they’ll

never drink again,” said

Jordan Hatzialexiou, a senior, illustrating the Marin In-stitute study. After experiencing the ups and downs of house parties, do teens ever regret their actions from years past? Teens weigh their past actions At the age of fifteen, Samantha Whalen, a se-nior, was often seen attend-ing college parties near her home in Kansas. The time-honored custom of these gatherings was to pay five dollars to the current drink vendor in order to acquire a drink known as “Jungle Juice.” “I never knew one hundred percent what was in it,” Whalen said. As Whalen’s intoxica-tion from the “Jungle Juice” became more apparent and overpowering she said, “it was great in the beginning, plus I had made older friends, but when push comes to shove they weren’t really friends.” Today, Whalen doesn’t think too harshly of what she did in her past. “I don’t regret anything I’ve done because I’ve never had to face any serious consequenc-es,” Whalen said. “No matter what happened it made me who I am,” she added. These experiences actually improved Whalen’s home

life. “If anything, it built a stronger relation-ship with my step-dad because

I don’t hide any-thing from him, and I could tell

him what I’d been doing;

he trusts me,”

Whalen said. To say the least, the kind of relationship previously stated must be built around a lot of trust, which Whalen has clearly mastered. On the contrary, Erianna Compton, a senior, thinks

that her own parting reflec-tion was the opposite of Whalen’s. She began her house party adventures at age sixteen with several alcoholic favorites such as Champagne, beer, and hard alcohol, or in other words “anything I could get my hands on,” she said. Although the average teenager attends a party for mere pleasure, Comp-ton had a deeper reason. She explained that her life was so full of problems and that partying gave her a re-lease. “Finally I’d get away from my life,” she said. Her escape while she was

intoxicated, was ironically “being basically be passed out, or thinking how to get home,” Compton said. Other than Compton’s obvious vice for parties, there was yet another reason for her to stop partying; “The reason why I stopped was because my best friend stopped being friends with me,” Compton said. Clearly, Compton’s habit was soon becoming a problem in the face of her frienships. “In all honesty it was really stupid, and I was escap-ing my life in a negative way. I wasted so much pre-cious time that I could’ve been spending with my fam-ily,” Compton reflected. The realization of her mistakes was able to guide her back onto a better path. Similar to Compton, senior Brandi Dennis’, opinion on her past experience is summed up by, “I’ve learned that you need to do things in moderation, [but after par-ties] a lot of the times I’d become sad for what I had done,” Dennis said.

Act wisely and have no regrets Tarah Pierce, a senior, said she typically

partied every other weekend at the age of six-teen. Her first time drinking an alcoholic bev-

erage she was “really dizzy.” However, “I never got sick, and never blacked-out,” Pierce said.

Then again, the intoxication had a more direct affect on Pierce who explained an upside to alco-holic indulgence. “I’m more friendly; if I’d see

someone that I’d have a problem with, then I’d be more friendly,” she said. Like Compton, Pierce modified some of her friendships, but in a more positive man-ner, especially with regards to her more con-servative friends. “I was the reason why they broke out of their shell,” Pierce said. Pierce looks back onto her intro to par-tying. “Freshman year to now, I’m a different person” she said, “I don’t regret [anything].”

Blazers’ risky businessThe question many high school teens face is whether to party or not, whether to “go with the crowd” or not. After it is all said and done, teens must look back at themselves and judge whether they agree with the decisions that they made in the past, for better or for worse.

20 people

10 people

How many drinks do you have on average at a house party?

30 people

1-3 drinks

No, I don’t drink

4-6drinks

7+drinks

Fifty students were polled on Sept. 23 and 24 in random sixth period classes by a Blazer staff member.

30

7 7 6

Illustration by Pascuala Gaspar Esteban


Students seek life-long success in college credit courseworkBy Staff Writer Nicole Mercer

A young, naive high school stu-dent takes the courageous leap toward adulthood, as she ten-

derly and timidly steps into the giant lecture hall of her very first college class. Round, wide eyes scan the room for a seat amid the abyss of chairs and fellow students. As she takes her seat, the teacher initiates the lesson with a booming voice and so begins the col-lege life of a 16-year-old enrolled in Running Start. Numerous high school students around the country embark on a new adventure when they register in the Running Start program. Timberline is no exception. With 26 juniors and se-niors enlisted in the program this year, more students are able to experience a new amount of responsibility and self-reliance as well as receive an advanced education. April Olson, a Timberline counselor, believes that this year’s Running Start program has a higher occupancy than ever before. Running Start is a legislative intiated program where high school students can take classes at local community colleges. This allows them to earn dual credits: college credit as well as regular high school credit. Along with multiple credits students can earn their Associates degree, other-wise known as an “AA.” This opportu-nity was a deciding factor for Christiana Radnich, a junior. “I wanted to graduate with my AA,” said Radnich. Meggan Dowd, a senior, and another Running Start participant is doing it for the same reason as Radnich. “I wanted to save two years of college instead of sim-ply wasting time, and I wanted a chal-lenge,” said Dowd. To some, taking Running Start will be a challenge, but not for those who take it because it’s easier than Advanced Placement classes. AP classes are year-long college courses taken at high school. At the end of the year an exam is given to attempt to

Meggan Dowd sits and prepares for her new classes at South Puget Sound Community College on Sept. 18; Dowd takes two Running Start classes.

photo by Rebekah May

that high school and college both have a good amount of positives, Radnich has a different perspective on it. She is ada-mant that college is the better route and will be more prosperous for her future, and maybe her sanity. “In high school drama finds you, in college you have to go looking for it,” said Radnich.

The differences between high school and college life are very evident for those who are taking Running Start. The deci-sion about which sets students on a route for better success is up to the student. Running Start is an experience only few actually strive for.Whether or not it pays off in the end is up to the amount of work effort the student puts forth.

earn college credit. “College classes are easier and you don’t have to take the AP test,” Brittney Brownell, a senior, said. Radnich has a similar opinion. “AP is busy work and by taking classes at the college you are branching out of the high school community and joining the real world earlier,” said Radnich. College and high school have very different essences. Laura Clayton, a se-nior, believes that a college setting gives her more freedom than that of a high school. “In public schools you have to go to school, but in college you’re paying to go. So only the people that want to be there go,” said Clayton. But there are always differences of opinions. For example, Dowd, believes that it is more important to attend her col-lege courses. “It’s a toss-up; high school is a fun, social environment but college is more studious and serious,” said Dowd. With a similar view on this, Brownell said, “High school has friends, but in col-lege it’s easier to focus and has more of a variety.” Although Brownell and Dowd agree

Is running start beneficial to the post high school career? Very beneficialStudents

Teachers

42%20%

Not beneficialStudents

Teachers 0%14%

Somewhat beneficialStudents

Teachers 80%44%

100 students were polled, as well as

15 teachers

Running Start Fast Facts:Question: May Running Start students participate in college or university campus activities, such as student government, organizations, and clubs?

Answer: Yes. Running start students may participate in any activities on the college/university campus, except intercollegiate sports. Running Start students may also par-ticipate in any high school activities, but may not compete in the same activity at both the high school and college level.

Question: Should a school/district award dual credit to a student who successfully completes a College in the High School class?

Answer: Yes. If the student passes the class and earns the credits, the transcript must record the high school credit earned. The college credit that is earned is recorded on the transcript of the college the student will attend, subject to that institution’s credit recognition policy.

Source: The Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction


(360) 292-1600


blazer news [email protected]

LJ

november 3, 2008

Fluent languages spoken at T-LineBy Staff Writer OWen DavieS

Listen carefully: English may be the official language of Timber-line High School, but it certainly is not the only language spoken on campus by students. On any given day, while most teens are speaking English, two students are sharing a conversation in Spanish, while an-other student jokes with a teacher in German, and still another student is on the cellphone, talking with a family member in Romanian or Ta-galog.

Many students at Timberline probably could not even imagine how many languages are spoken fluently here at Timberline. A di-verse population filled with colorful and cultured students awaits any-one who walks through the doors of Timberline. New to Timberline this year, Dan Ceban, a freshman, and Pavel Ce-ban, a sophmore, moved from Okla-homa. The brothers were born in Romania and speak Romanian flu-ently. “[I’ve been speaking Roma-nian] since I was born, I was born in Romania, and English is my second language,” said Dan Ceban. Pavel Ceban has also been speaking Ro-manian since he was born. “Since everyone spoke Romanian, I just learned it,” he said.

Neither Dan nor Pavel Ceban are currently taking a language class at Timberline, but they both said they would like to in the future. “[I’m] gonna take Spanish,” said Dan Ce-ban. “I was tri-lingual, [I was able to speak] Russian, and I’m interested in re-learning Russian, and taking Spanish,” said Pavel Ceban. The Ceban brothers also agree that be-ing able to speak more than one lan-guage is beneficial to them. “Yeah, it is [beneficial], because you can talk to people who understand that same language,” said Dan Ceban. “I can talk to a lot more people. Plus it gives you more opportunities in the world,” said Pavel Ceban. Maleena Taing, a sophomore, speaks fluent Cambodian. “It’s ben-eficial to [be able] to communicate with your family,” said Taing. Taing recently took a vacation to Cambo-dia. “It was very hot,” said Taing. “It opened my eyes, there were a lot of deprived people.” Vietnamese-speaking Nammy Tran, a sophomore, recently took a trip to Vietnam. “It was fun, I got to see family,” said Tran. Tran also believes that being able to learn an-other language is useful. “It’s ben-eficial because you can enjoy dif-ferent cultures,” said Tran. Another European language speaker, Peter Rodelo, a sophomore,

has been speaking German his entire life. Although he has has never lived in Germany, his mother speaks Ger-man, and has been teaching him the language. “[My mom] only speaks to me in German,” said Rodelo. “I learned it as a baby, it was my first language.” Rodelo can speak to other German speakers in the com-munity, which he finds “awesome.” “If they know that I speak German, then I just start talking to them,” said Rodelo. Jose Ortiz: three lan-guages and counting Jose Ortiz, a senior, can speak three languages fluently: English, Spanish, and German. “I’ve been speaking English and Spanish my whole life,” said Ortiz. “I’ve also been speaking German for ten years, and American Sign Language (ASL) since July.” Ortiz is of Puerto Rican descent and lived in Germany for ten years. Unbelievably, Ortiz already knows three languages, but is also currently learning ASL, as well as Japanese. “I really want to learn Japanese,” said Ortiz, “I think it’s interesting, the writing system is really cool.” Being able to speak all these languages is definitely ben-eficial to Ortiz. “[It’s beneficial] be-cause I can talk to a lot more peo-ple,” said Ortiz.

Seniors Paul Jenson (left) and Jose Ortiz (right) com-municate in American Sign Language (ASL). Ortiz has been speaking ASL since July of 2008, while Jenson has signed since he was born.


Pick-Up Lines:T r a n s l a t e d

Spanish French German Korean

Vietnamese Kannada Romanian Cambodian

American Sign Language Tagalog

T-LineLanguages@

Is it hot in here? Or is it just you? Spanish - ¿Es caliente adentro aquí? O está apenas usted? French - Il fait chaud dedans ici ? Ou est il juste vous? German - Ist es innen hier heiß? Oder ist es gerade Sie? Italian - Fa caldo dentro qui? O è appena voi?

If I could rearrange the alphabet, I’d put U and I together. Spanish - Si podría cambiar el alfabeto, juntaría U e I. French - Si je pourrais réarranger l’alphabet, je remonterais U et I. German - Wenn ich das Alphabet neu ordnen könnte, würde ich U und I zusammenfügen. Italian - Se potessi riorganizzare l’alfabeto, unirei U e la I.


(360) 292-1600



By Staff Writer rachel eStep

Out of sight, out of mind. This maxim really ap-plies to how often students think about their teachers. Perhaps that would not be the case

if students knew their teachers’ “hidden

pasts.” Jeff Reagan is Timberline’s visual arts and technol-

ogy teacher, but before teaching, Reagan had a very dif-ferent career. He was an actor and, in fact, graduated from the University of New York at Oswego with a de-gree in Radio, TV, and acting. He was mostly involved with European films and “how-to” videos. His favor-

ite time during his career was when he was busiest.

“I was in two plays at one time and working to write a short movie all in a six month time period. It was exhilarating,” Reagan said.

H o w e v e r , the life of a starving artist

took its toll. He painted houses and drove taxis when he wasn’t in plays or working elsewhere. At the of

age 42, he went back to school, got his teaching degree at

Evergreen and transi-tioned into teach-

ing.

Like Reagan, Aimee Leggett, Timberl ine’s art teacher, went from art-ist to teacher.

“Her art is very crazy and creative. She has to always

explain it to us,” senior Sam Dominiak said.“I’ve shown my art quite often when I lived in Ever-

ett, but then I got busy with teaching,” Leggett said.Another artist at Timberline is our library assistant,

Dawn Doyle. She is a member of a local dance group called Troop Owa. She has friends and a sister in the group that has been together for five years. They per-

form to Middle Eastern music. Even though she has been a dancer for 15 years, Doyle said that performing dance can be unpredictable.

“My favorite thing is dancing to live music. You never know what’s going to happen and sometimes it goes on and on, so we have to keep dancing and dancing,” Doyle said.

Many students know Jeff Pel-tier as the girls’ soccer coach and as an audio visual expert, but what about as a shoe salesman? After college, Peltier lived and worked as a shoe salesman in Burlington, near Mt. Vernon.

“I won a contest selling Ugg slippers in 1993,” said Peltier.

History teacher Rob Denning, had a bit more dangerous job during college. For his summer job, he worked as a whitewater rafting guide in Riggins, Idaho. He took kids from church youth groups down the Salmon and Snake Rivers. Both have class three, four, and five rapids.

“Once we were following a pontoon raft, and we were going toward a rapid called Demon’s Drop. If you don’t hit it straight on, you go over. As we were 150 feet behind, we saw the whole raft just go straight over. But our boat made it through,” Denning said. “That rapid got a big reputation after that.”

Denning also worked at a jail. “It wasn’t very excit-ing. I mostly tried to stay awake and sat in front of a screen,” Denning said.

“Mr. Denning has a good sense of humor,” junior Amanda Attwood said. “He puts a part of himself in whatever he does.”

“ “

Her [Aimee Leggett’s] art is very crazy and creative.

- Sam Dominiak, senior

Past careers of teachers leave students interested, curious

Name: Sarah Haymond Subject: Spanish -Haymond replaces Jer-emy Clark.Comment: “Her ac-tivities help us remember review material really well,”

said senior Miranda King.

Name: Sharon KortuemSubject: English -Kortuem replaces Jennifer Brotherton. Comment: “She is the most passienate person about poetry I have ever

met,” said senior Angie Sink.

Name: Kelsi ReesSubject: Social StudiesComment: “I like her learning environment. She has a positive attitude,” said sophomore Brianna Welsh.

Name: Darlene McGloneSubject: Math -McGlone will replace former math teacher Scott Haury.Comment: “She helps people individually and answers our questions

thoroughly,” said junior Krista Collins.

New teachers at Timberline

Jeff Peltier used to work

as a shoes salesman in

the 1990s.photo by

Rebekah May

blazer news [email protected]

The awareness of our impact on the environment and the effects of global warming have been weighing heavily on the Timberline community. From the new building and biking instead of driving, gradually more and more Blazers are doing their part to help save our planet.

O ut before the crowd at every football game and pep rally, Timberline cheerleaders chant, “Go! Big! Green!” Maybe some students thought the chant was, “Go be green!” The ‘green’ move-ment is infecting teenagers around the world, and Timberline students are no exception. The Earth is changing, and to preserve it for future

generations, Timberline students are stepping up, helping out, and ‘going green.’ High school can make a student’s life extremely hectic, and with the various activities it entails, it is difficult to dedicate free time to helping the save the environment. However, it is simpler than most think, and many Timberline students are finding it in them-selves to do exactly that, making a difference. From planting trees, riding bikes, to selling scented pencils, Blazers continue finding new and inventive ways throughout the Timberline community to cut down on pollution and raise aware-ness about surroundings.

“going green”Timberline is

continued on the following page

By Staff WriterS Danica thomaS, oWen DavieS, anD rachel lee

illustration by Shavon McKinstry

blazer news14 [email protected] 2, 2008

New school, new attitude Perhaps the most noticeable aspect of Tim-

berline’s green movement is the building itself. When students began classes in the new build-ing on Feb. 4, 2008, the students found them-selves in a completely new and environmentally friendly facility. In addition to the immaculate classrooms, state-of-the-art technology, and the new cafeteria, the three-story building in which Timberline students now reside is actually more effective in helping to save the planet.

The huge floor-to-ceiling windows in the commons significantly cut down the amount of electricity used to light the area. “There’s more natural light and all of the systems in the build-ing are environmentally efficient,” said Rich Yelenich, Timberline assistant principal. “We use less electricity to power the lights and the heat,” he added.

It’s true. The old building consumed much more energy than the new one does, and the sophisticated new technology definitely helps. “The new building’s lights dim throughout the day as sunlight enters the building,” said Kris Stamon, an employee from McGranahan Ar-chitects, the firm who designed the new Tim-berline.

Melissa Warner, a junior, appreciates the “eco-friendliness” offered by the new building. “I care about the environment, so it’s important to me that the new build-ing is environmentally efficient,” she said. The structure and design elements taken into consideration while building Timberline save the school energy and money.

According to an informational flyer handed out in ad-visory, even the lawns around the buildings, district-wide, have joined the green revolution. From the type of landscaping used, to an improved irrigation system, the district has made all the right changes to maintain the lawns without jeopardizing the health and preservation of the environment. They have even restricted the amount of pesticides used to keep up the lawns.

Pesticides are an effective way to keep away unwanted pests, however, scien-tists’ studies show that harmful pesticides significantly alter the safety of wildlife and

contaminate groundwater. The district has lim-ited the use of these harmful substances that impact the air quality and the environment.

Blazers are uniting a for change Many Timberline students are making a

difference by ‘going green’ right along with the new building. This year, Amanda Fitch and Cassie Sinclair-Nixon, juniors, formed Timberline’s first ever Environmental Defense Club. “We wanted to start [the club] because the bulk of youth around here aren’t aware of what’s going on around us,” Sinclair-Nixon said, “but it’s not as hard to make a difference as you think.”

The club plans to invite guest speakers to inform club members of environmental prob-lems and provide tips on how to be more con-scious of the world around us.

Fitch and Sinclair-Nixon also plan to set a recycling goal for Timberline and plant trees and flowers around the campus. Right now, however, their main focus is to encourage Timberline students to join the club with an open mind. “You don’t have to be a ‘hippie’ or a ‘greener’ to join the club or care about the environment,” said Fitch. “We only have one Earth and I think it’s important to take care of it and not exploit our natural resources,” she

said. Fitch and Sinclair-Nixon are not

the only two stepping up. Timber-line’s Cheer Staff isn’t just cheering

the green on; they’re helping out the envi-ronment as well.

On Sept. 18 and 19 the Cheer Staff held a fundraiser in the commons during both lunches selling

pencils made from 100 percent recycled newspaper. For a dol-lar apiece, these “Smencils” smell like almost anything, from Root

Beer to various fruits. “It’s a really cool thing that we are selling 100 percent recycled pencils,” said Ana Velasco, a junior, “and they smell really

good, too.”

From the hallways to the home Many students are forwarding their efforts to save the earth to their households.

.

continued from page 13

A summer picking up trash

Gavin Eilefson,sophomore

Sophomore Gavin Eilefson took part in the Ecology Youth Corps program last summer. The EYC’s main focus is to edu-cate the youth about recycling and refraining from littering.

Every summer the EYC selects students to get paid for picking up litter around Wash-ington State’s freeways and highways. “We went around and we picked up litter on the high-ways,” said Eilefson. “We also

went on educational field trips.” As Eilefson stated, the EYC takes their workers on educa-tional field trips to places like Mt. St. Helens and Mt. Ranier. “I thought [the field trips] were re-ally fun, and I learned a lot from them,” he said.

According to Eilefson, EYC wasn’t a waste of time. “I thought it was very educational and it opened my eyes to all the litter in the world and how

important recycling is,” he said. People interested in looking for a summer job, want to get paid well, and want to clean up Washington’s roads should defi-nitely consider looking into the EYC. “It’s a really good working experience...I got paid $1,000,” said Eilefson.

For more information about the EYC you can log on to the Department of Ecology’s website at www.ecy.wa.gov.

The “eco-friendly” fashion sense of this Tim-berline student conveys a very important message that echoes many teens’ beliefs about the environment. The water bottle

screams “save our planet” and the canvas bag is 100 per-

cent cotton.

photo by Anthony Collins


After school Sept. 25, cheerleaders, Jasmine Shanklin [left] and Caitlin Davis [right] worked on posters for the homecoming game. The lights in the building are more ef-ficient and use less energy to power.Some Blazers have “gone green” by skipping the bus and picking up their bikes. “I ride my bike everywhere I can,” said Jeremiah Par-sons, a sophomore. “It cuts down on car pol-lution,” he said. Brandon Robertson, a sophomore, also rides his bike in order to avoid the hectic bus. “It’s the quickest and easiest way to get [to Timberline],” said Robertson. “And I don’t have to wake up early for the bus,” he said.

Green makes fashion statementsSeveral students have begun buying envi-

ronmentally safe clothes and accessories too. Some have ditched their backpacks in ex-change for recycled and organic canvas totes. “All of my canvas bags are made with 100% organic cotton,” Sabrina Smaciarz, a junior, said. Cotton is the most pesticide-dependent crop in the world, so products made with or-ganic cotton have a much lower impact on the earth. Angela Seymore, a junior, feels that peo-ple shouldn’t follow the trend if they aren’t willing to take the steps needed to help out. “I think if people want to participate in the trend, go right ahead, but if you do, you shouldn’t be a hypocrite,” said Seymore. “It’s not hard to help the environment.” Students are encouraging their families to buy more environmentally conscious appli-

ances for their homes, like fluorescent lights. Fluorescent lights use up to 3/4 less energy to produce the same amount of light as standard incandescent bulbs. “All the light bulbs in our house were changed to fluorescent light bulbs,” said Stacey Ambeau, a sophomore. Patrick Stanton, a freshman, is also tak-ing steps to improve the environmental qual-ity of his home. “My neighborhood only wa-ters [their lawns] on certain days, depending on your house number,” said Stanton. He also thinks that it is a good idea to opt out of driv-ing to school. “I probably wouldn’t [drive] because I want to save gas,” he said. However, despite the facts, some students are not concerned about the changing envi-ronment. “I don’t care about the environment that much,” said Jonathan Schuster, a junior. “It’s just not something I ever think about,” he said. Schuster is not alone; others have a similar mindset. But it seems as though most Blazers feel that everyone should care about the earth. “People that don’t care about the environment, that’s like saying they don’t care about what will happen to them in ten years because of all the pollutants and garbage put into the earth,” said Kaela Reuell, a junior.” “It’s really important for people our age to be aware,” said Kara Molinelli, sophomore, “we can change it for the better for future.”

#1Buy fluorescent and energy efficient light bulbs. We would save enough energy to power 3 million homes.

#3 #2Take shorter showers. By

showering for 5 minutes less you save 350 pounds of carbon dioxide a day.

Use recycled paper. If your printer paper is 100 percent recycled you can help car-bon dioxide emissions. #4Buy products with less pack-aging, and make sure that you recycle paper, plastic, glass and other materials. #5Plant a tree. They absorb carbon dioxide and produce oxygen thus making the air cleaner. #6 Unplug unused electronics. You may not think they can do much harm when they are off, but they can. #7

#8Air dry your clothes. Hang-ing them up instead of using a dryer, you can save 700 pounds of carbon dioxide. #9Buy organic food. Non-organic foods use chemicals that pollute the water supply. #10Get your parents involved. Tell them about efficient en-ergy sources that can power your home like solar energy. T

ips

for

goin

g gr

een:

Instead of cranking up that thermostat, just put on an extra layer and save 1,000 pounds of carbon dioxide.

photo by Anthony Collins

StopGlobalWarming.org

16 [email protected]

blazer opinionoctober 2, 2008

Letters to the Editor

Staff Editorial:

THUMBSThe opinions below represent the opinions

of a majority of The Blazer staff.

Clubs are beneficial to Blazers

Every day at 7:20 a.m. school begins for North Thur-ston high schools. Students get released at 1:50 p.m. It may be early dismissal and a head start to an afternoon, but in no way is it making up for lost sleep. According to the Child Development Institute, teenagers are the sleepiest of society and sleepiness is

associated with poor performance in school, higher risk of drug and alcohol abuse, and increased automobile accidents. Teachers can only expect their pupils will be slowly nodding off in the back corner of the class room. Sleep is one of the necessities to life, especially to high school students.

Mullen Road finally finished Now that Mullen Road is finally done we can actually use it. Before, we had one long lane that seemed to go on forever. Since the road was going through a long process of construction it made the process of getting to school even longer. But, now

that it is actually complete it provides an extra turning lane which has decreased the traffic problem for every-one who drives or takes a vehicle to school.

Early dismissal, still no sleep

Fact: students are more likely to attend non-formal dances due to the cheap-

er price; non-formal dances only cost $4, while formal dances can run up to $30. Another fact: students feel less pressure to have a date for a non-formal dance and are more willing to go, A third fact: all of the Timberlines non-formal dances have been cancelled - although there is a possibility of still getting some back. Someone - we wish we knew who - has decided that teens dance inappropriately, and therefore should not have danc-es. The decision was made over the summer without the input of parents or students taken into account. This is very important for students, and it seems that there should have been a public meeting where community voic-

es could be heard. Furthermore, who are these people to decide that we dance inappropriately? Just because we do not jitterbug now does not mean our dancing is vulgar. At Timberline we have dances that follow football or basketball games. These after-game danc-es are put on by school clubs as a way of raising funds. We think it is not very fair to forbid clubs from raising money in this way. We do not see anyone giving the clubs hundreds of dollars to replace the lost revenue earned from those dances. This new policy needs re-thinking, and this time, we’d like our ASB officers to have input.

Staff editorials represent the opinion of a ma-jority of the newspaper staff. This month:

17 staff members agreed• 5 staff members disagreed• 8 staff members did not vote•

New school encounters new problem

Dear Editor, I remember when we were located in our old school, all the gossip throughout the hall focused on our new school. “Oh it’s going to be so nice” and “I can’t wait to get into the new school.” I could not wait until January so we could move into the new school. As we began to move into the new school we all began to hear, “Oh, I miss the old school.” One reason we have cherished the old school so much is because we miss our freedom and space. Since we have moved into the new school we have had to adapt to the cluttered hallways. Kids are push-ing each other left and right, knocking books out of each other’s hands, and cursing towards one another to move out of the way. Kids are continuously late to classes because of the crowded hallways. The long line leading from the top to the bottom of the stairs pre-vents us from making it to class before the bell. It is a beautiful school and we really appreciate it. It’s just disappointing to have something this nice have some-thing that negatively impacts students every day. - Danielle Garcia, a senior

Dear Editor, My name is Caitlin Gallagher. I am a senior and the President of National Honor Society Club here at Tim-berline. I am concerned with clubs this year, due to the participation level and interest. Several students decide to quit a club every year. The reason for quitting is far beyond me, for I feel that Timberline students have so much to offer. Being able to express opinions at such an open place, with great diversity, should be put to use in-stead of taken for granted. I feel like one of the reasons clubs are appreciated by some students is because they can leave to lunch early or sit there in a study hall and catch up with their friends. Clubs are more than just gossip and where you want to go out for lunch. It’s a chance to find out what you are passionate about. Especially for the freshmen, the first year of clubs, to me, is just a gateway of what the world has to offer you. Really getting involved in a club and being able to say you actually made a difference might boost your resume and get you that job. Being able to say you are becoming a more involved person can improve how well you decide to do on your homework. I am proud to say I have given at least 20 hours of my time in helping my community inside and outside of school. Clubs are more than just an extended second period. They are a chance to let you have a bet-ter understanding of what interests you and what kind of person you are, or want to become.

-Caitlin Gallagher, a senior


Students just want to get their bump ‘n’ grind on

[email protected]

By Staff Writer JeSSica lord

Your friend is driving you home

after the typical day of school. Both of you are complaining about the homework you got and whatnot

until she drops you off. “See you tomor-row for another day in hell,” she says as she backs out of your driveway, laughing when she drives away. That is the mo-ment that crosses your mind when you receive a text in the middle of the night from her. She attempted to cut her throat and is supposed to go to a mental hospi-tal; not returning to school. This is the description given to me by one of my close friends after this cir-cumstance was given to her. It pained me to see her face full of worry, but the part that hurt the most was knowing that I was the one who sent that message. I was diagnosed with Manic Depres-sive Disorder (MDD) about a year ago, a few months before this incident hap-pened. Ever since I was first diagnosed with MDD I have been taking Prozac, the most common anti-depressant given to teens. I should have started taking it when I was first diagnosed with plain depression in the sixth grade. There was just one problem; I didn’t want to be a freak. I didn’t want to feel like there was something wrong with me.

Being even more different was my biggest fear, especially if I was dubbed crazy. I was afraid to take the medicine, afraid if it would even work, but mostly afraid of my peers finding out I was sup-posed to be in the looney bin. My point for writing this is not for pity and not to be judged, but to let peo-ple know the truth about teens who take antidepressants. We are just like you. Nobody really knows what happens after their friends and even teachers go home. All we see is what they act like and do when we are at school. It is natu-ral to feel shock when you don’t expect to get a text-message like that from a friend that always seems happy. Still, there is no need to judge, we who suffer from these issues need support more than torment.

Depression is just like cancer, there are medical treatments that can cure it but some still have it for life. You wouldn’t talk bad about someone who had cancer, would you? That’s why I am so open about this. I just don’t care what anybody thinks anymore. Nobody should be afraid to take medicine to make them better. Your health should come first and what people say or think shouldn’t even be a thought in your mind. Don’t ever make fun of someone who has depression and think twice be-fore you tell someone to take Prozac, you never know if someone in the room actually does. Just remember if you kick people when they’re down you may help them put themselves six feet under.

blazer opinionoctober 2, 2008

Au revoir Paris, bonjour THS

Beneath the smiling mask

Every issue The Blazer invites a member of the Timberline community to be a guest columnist for the month. This month’s guest is Amin Clay, a senior. Amin shares his experiences and encounters while in Paris, France for a year.

I have learned a lot about my-self and other cul-tures in the world. My year in Paris, France was in-credible. I lived in the 11th district of

Paris right by Bastile. I did everything as a French student would. I went to high school as a ju-nior. It was a lot different starting at 8 a.m. every morning and not finishing class until 4:30 p.m. in the afternoon. It was cool to live in Europe for a year. I did not stay in Paris for my school vacations, I went to Italy, Spain, Germany, and Greece. These were

all great places to travel. Each country I traveled to offered something different for me to learn or absorb. Being a foreign exchange student gave me the chance to be independent. I didn’t live with my parents anymore. It was a new type of freedom to discover myself and learn about different types of cultures and beliefs of Europe. I had the opportunity to see the “real” Europe. Not just hear about it, but experience it for myself. The European world is much different from the United States. Not only are their beliefs and ide-als different from ours but also their way of living is unique. Many European fam-ilies are laid-back. They are more open

minded to things that some people in America are highly conserva-tive about such as sex, alcohol, and teenage in-

dependence. In Europe teenagers are allowed late, late curfews. They aren’t expected to check in with their parents every hour or two. Also, the drinking age

in Europe is a lot younger than over here. It wouldn’t be out of the ordinary for a 16 year old to have a glass of wine while having dinner with their parents or fam-ily. I am not saying all Europeans are like this but their lifestyle is less strict than those of Americans. Something else that is different other than culture is their daily lives. While I was over here I took driving my car to school for granted. In Paris, I would ride the subway to school every day. It was a big change. I had to depend on public transportation. Some days there would be no school because the workers who ran the subway went on strike because of their wages. Sometimes these strikes would last up to two weeks. It was fun because it was like having a free vacation but wasn’t at all great when it pushed back my studies. Overall, my year in Paris, France was a lot of fun and I wouldn’t take any of it back. Although I missed my friends and family, traveling all around Europe was a chance of a life time and I would do it all over again if I was given the opportunity.


BE O

URGUESTAmin Clay, senior

“What confuses me is the fact that some people expect to manage their grades when they’re busy chatting with their friend instead of writing their essay. Is saying, ‘Hey girl, what’s up?’ really more important than an education?”

David BennettTimberLines

Timberline High School Boise, Idaho

“Face it; everything has been done and we’re just stealing fashion from past era.”

Karli MillerThe Lantern

Pendleton High SchoolPendleton, Ore.

“Five people asking ‘Can we go outside?’ usually does not render an instructor more willing to accommodate. As much as most students might wish it to be so, a classroom is not a democracy.”

Staff EditorialThe Peninsula OutlookPeninsula High School

Gig Harbor, Wash.

“It’s not like musicians don’t work as hard as athletes, ... they often put more time, money and effort into something that could very easily be relevant after high school... it’s more plausible that you will get a job in a music field than in the MLB, NFL, or NBA.”

Staff EditorialThe Kolus

Shorewood High SchoolShorewood, Wash.

Ever wonder what kids are saying at other schools? Below are excerpts from the opinion pages from other high school newspapers “down the highway.”

highwayVoices down the

18 [email protected]

blazer opinionnovember 3, 2008

Mission Statement The mission of The Blazer is to provide the students and staff of Timberline High School and the surrounding community with a quality, thought-provoking publication. We aspire to print a publication that adheres to professional journalism standards, including sincerity, truthfulness, accuracy, impar-tiality in reporting news events, and equal representation of opposing sides. The Blazer will serve as a public forum for the free exchange of information, opinions, and artistic expres-sion in a civil and constructive manner.

Student Submissions Works submitted by students not on the staff, particularly letters, editorials and artistic expression, shall receive the highest priority for publication as long as they fall within the realms of good taste according to the standards of the reader-ship. Letters to the Editor must be typed or written legibly. The Blazer will print as many submissions as space permits and request that all submitted work include the contributor’s name, grade, and signature. The Blazer reserves the rights to edit all submission for content, accuracy, spelling and grammar. All student work must be submitted in the Blazer

Staff Room, room #425. Written work may also be submitted via email at [email protected].

EditorialsThe opinion section of The Blazer will serve as a public fo-rum for thoughtful, well-written forms of expression. Bylined editorials represent the views of the author. Non-bylined edi-torials represent the views of a majority of The Blazer staff. Views printed herein are meant to be opinionated and do not necessarily represent the opinions of the Timberline faculty, administration, or the North Thurston School Board.

Advertising The Blazer will not accept any advertising that we believe to be factually inaccurate; designed to mislead, deceive or de-fraud; containing malicious, vindictive, or unsubstantiated at-tacks; offering goods and/or services illegal for all teenagers to possess, buy or use; libelous; obscene; creating imminent danger or disruption to school. Advertisements do not neces-sarily represent the views or endorsements of The Blazer staff or the Timberline faculty, administration, or the North Thur-ston School Board.

Editor-in-Chief: Nathan MorrAssistant Editor-in-Chief: Madhura PanjiniNews Editors: Victoria Carroll, Victoria ZollerArts and Entertainment Editor: Amy GrippSports Editor: Delas RaifordOpinion Page Editor: Lindsay KeithGraphics Editor: Anthony CollinsBusiness Manager: Amanda AngleStaff Writers: Erin Adams, Missy Ayres, TasiAna Babauta, Zach Beltramo, Brandon Burrell, Owen Da-vies, Rachel Estep, John Ferreira, Emerson Hardebeck, Lyndsey Kellar, Rachel Lee, Jessica Lord, Nicole Mercer, Bailey Pritchett, Jeff Stiles, Danica Thomas, Desiree WardGraphics Staff: Sean Van Ausdal, Rebekah May, Pascuala Gaspar Esteban, Shavon McKinstry

The Blazer Staff

Timberline High School • 6120 Mullen Rd. SE • Lacey, WA 98503 • (360) 412-4860 • [email protected]

PRO / CONBy Staff Writer rachel lee

The only way that a president can correctly do their duty is to tell the people how it is, not what they want to hear. John McCain will do just that.

He’s a go-get-em tough old man, who isn’t stuck in the past. Some criticize his age, his party, even the number of houses he owns, but really, he’s just an all-American guy who wants his country to be better. McCain understands that in order to get out of Iraq for good, the US needs to stabilize the country. When the country is stabilized, then troops will be able to be sent home, but putting a timeline on an event that can’t be forecasted is frankly moronic. If we pull out now the Unied States will allow a country that we invaded to fail. The Iraqi people are not ready to defend themselves, and until they are, leaving is not an option. McCain’s belief is that it is now our responsibility to protect the government that we helped create, and he couldn’t be more correct. On the home front, McCain’s plan for health care, to give a credit of 5,000 dollars per family and 2,500 dollars for individuals to fund health insurance, will allow the American people to control their

own health care. The idea is to not increase taxes, but allow for a greater umbrella of people to receive health

benefits. According to his official campaign site Barack Obama’s plan will re-implement taxes for anyone making 250,000 dollars a year or more. These are our everyday small business owners like “Joe the Plumber,” frequently mentioned in the last presidential debate, who are trying to achieve that income bracket. But if they reach it, it might as well not have been worth the effort be-cause the money just gets taken by these taxes When the current economic crisis struck, McCain stood beside the common person and advocated for

their interests. Many families are facing foreclosures on homes due to irresponsible and predatory lending practices. Mc-Cain rightfully believes that the government should buy these loans, and in turn, renegotiate mortgages so homeowners can stay in their homes. It’s heartbreaking to hear of people being kicked out of their homes, for being lied to. McCain is helping those people, not

the disgusting predatory loaners who caused this mess. As a citizen of the United States, McCain couldn’t do anything better than to advo-cate for the common citizen. Between sticking to our international commitments in Iraq, to stick-

ing up for the American people, McCain has proven that he is ready and able to be the leader of this country. McCain: the right choice.

Should our future president be Barack Obama or John McCain?

photo by Danica Thomas

By PhotograPher reBekah May

Tomorrow, millions of Americans will choose who they want to be the next president of the United States of America. As they stare at the ballot, many thoughts will race through their heads: the Iraq war, civil liber-

ties, health care. These issues may lead some to pick John McCain, but for others like me, the road leads straight to Barack Obama. One reason why I support Obama is because of his plan for Iraq. Obama has stated that from the start, invading Iraq has been wrong. He and running mate Joe Biden have formulated a plan for a 16 month withdrawal of troops. The plan will focus on diplomatic solu-tions. If this plan was to for some reason fail, Obama would be more than capable of fixing the problem. This would be especially easy since he is respected and well liked by many of the worlds’ leaders. As for the ten billion dollars we are currently spending each month on the war, Obama wants to start spending it on ne-cessities here in the United States, which is the best idea I’ve heard since Dennis Kucinich proposed the impeachment of George W. Bush. I think Obama said it best in this comment to McCain in the first debate on Sep. 28: “You said [the war] was go-ing to be quick and easy. You said we knew where the weapons of mass destruc-tion were...You said that we were going to be greeted as liberators...You said that there was no history of violence between Shia and Sunni. And you were wrong. And so my question is of judgment.” Obama was previously a constitutional law professor, and therefore would do an excellent job of restoring and protecting civil liberties. He has a clear understanding of the Constitution and Bill of Rights, and understands that we must uphold the principles that our government was founded upon. Obama will lead the way in examining and adjusting current laws, such as the Patriot Act, which has slowly been chipping away at our civil liberties. Obama and Biden will give women equal pay through the Fair Pay Act, and they will also pass the Employment Non-Discrimination Act to “prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity or expression,” according to his campaign site. Another plan of Obama’s that most people are familiar with is his universal health care plan. The National Center for Health Statis-tics states that 16.7% of U.S. citizens under 65 were uninsured in 2007. This includes hard-working middle class Americans, those with an annual income between $30,000 and $100,000. In fact, over 23 million of these citizens are uninsured. As Obama has stated, health care is a fundamental right. We need to make sure that everyone has access to such a basic right.

blazer arts & entertainment [email protected] October 2, 2008

Art

“Everything”

You’re the radio; just what I want to hearYou’re the darkness; my greatest fearYou’re the candy; ever so sweetYou’re the depression; the tears I bleedYou’re the air; just what I needYou’re the addiction; just what I needYou’re the clouds; you just soar over meYou’re the crash of the waves from the seaYou’re the soul; you give me lifeYou’re the way out; you’re the knifeYou’re the moon, such a perfect shapeYou’re the dungeon with no escapeYou think you’re my one;my only; you’re not….My everything

Student

“Once Again” drawn by senior Devin Kelsey

“Beautiful Man” photographed by senior Krista Miller

“Pink” photographed by senior Jonathan Pak

Send us your stuff!Room 122 (Hardebeck’s room) [email protected] Room 425 (Blazer room)

• paintings • poems • drawings • photographs • 3D art • short stories

Submit to:

by junior Danielle Cobb

blazer arts & entertainment20 [email protected] 2, 2008

By Staff Writer DeSiree WarD

This year there are no dances scheduled at Tim-berline except for the usual formal and semi-formal dances. All non-formal dances have, at

this time, been cancelled. Timberline activities coordi-nator Pat Geiger told The Blazer that the non-formal dances were eliminated because of “inappropriate” dancing by students. There appears to be some confusion about how this decision was made. Geiger said it was a district-level decision, and that neither he nor the Timberline ASB were part of the process. But the assistant super-intendent of the school district, Shawn Lewis, told The Blazer that it was a joint decision made by the assis-tant principals and activities directors at all the high schools. “There have been ongoing concerns for several years now about the style of dance our students par-ticipate in; this is not a Timberline issue alone but a state-wide issue,” said Geiger. Most students said they would actually prefer there to be guidelines rather than no non-formal dances at all. “Dancing is supposed to be expressing yourself. Unfortunately this ‘inappropriate dancing’ is how we do it in 2008. I personally think that the administration should set boundaries rather than eliminating it alto-gether,” said junior Cathy Leonard. Geiger, along with other activities coordinators in the district, plan to put together a group of students interested in helping to set clear guidelines, so it is not solely an adult deci-sion without student input. The district has left open the possibility that some non-formal dances could be restored if clear dancing guidelines are followed. The 2008-09 Timberline Student Handbook states, “Dancing inappropriately may result in removal from the dance.” But some students who are “given an inch” will “take a mile.” In other words, some students have pushed the limits to the brink and the outcome has re-

sulted in punishment.

“I think they’re overreacting. No matter what the dance is, people are going to dance whether they’re in dresses or jeans,” said Katie Dilley, a junior. Students who are not concerned with the loss say that students will find other means of dancing entertain-ment (see sidebars), or that they never liked the school dances to begin with. “I never went to none of those whack dances, so I won’t be fighting for them back,” said De-nys Handcock, a senior. School dances sometimes fail to meet the expecta-tions of students who have seen popular music videos shown on MTV, or the growing competition of teen clubs in the area. “I don’t think it will impact T-line that much. I mean, they’re dances. We still have Homecoming, Sadies, and Tolo, and of course, Prom for the upperclassmen. I’m sure those that attended those other dances might be a little upset, but they’ll find other things to do,” said Ann Huynh, a sophomore. “There is a difference between a private club and public school, therefore there is a difference in what guidelines can be,” said Geiger. “I don’t like being the dance police - asking kids to leave.” “It is unrealistic to think that you can come to these school functions and expect it is your right to be able to dance like Tila Tequila,” said Morgan Williams, a sophomore. However, other students say that without these dances, they are left with hours to occupy their time, presumably unsupervised. “I know that a lot of kids go to these dances and they enjoy them, so it may keep them out of trouble, since it’s school related,” said

sophomore Hana Brown. Students cited partying as an alternative to non-formal dances. “We are always able to find other things to do. They might not be good or legal, though. I just think that the school should have activites where people can just hang out and enjoy themselves,” said Leonard. Timberline ASB officers said that there was noth-

ing they could do about the decision because the are under the impres-sion that this was a district deci-sion, despite what the assistant su-perintendent told The Blazer. “It’s a district-wide decision,” said ASB President Jared Thorne. “It’s above our heads,” said ASB Vice President Jordan Bow-en. “It’s out of our reach, Gei-ger’s reach, Lehnis’s reach, it’s the district,” said ASB public relations

officer Brett Pantier. Every generation seems to disapprove of the danc-ing of the generation that follows it. At school dances, one can see a conformity, clumps of students “bumpin’ and grindin.” According to Bowen, the usual grinding isn’t too much to handle, and the dances should not be cancelled. But where should the line be drawn? “Everywhere kids dance like this so I think it’s stu-pid that our dances are cancelled. If we want to make fools of ourselves and dance like freaks then let us,” said junior Taylor Hetrick. “It’s just dancing! I don’t think it should even mat-ter, it’s not like were gonna take our pants off and hump each other” said Kisha Busby, a sophomore. Over time the line between school appropriate and inappropriate has become fuzzy. When is close, too close? When is low, too low? Apparently the decision has been made.

By Staff Writer emerSon HarDeBeck Amusingly, adult volunteers often tell of their

shock and disgust upon watching teenagers at school dances. They describe all sorts of vul-gar and depraved behavior, and eventually get around to swearing that their generation

never danced like that. Just imagine if they could see us when we go clubbing.

“It’s really dirty,” said senior Steven Svach, one of a whole host of Timberline students who fre-quent teen clubs. The most popular club among Timberline stu-dents is Club 131, in Seattle. The club’s superior size and atmosphere make the drive worthwhile, students say. “I like how you meet a lot of new people,” said senior Danielle Garcia. Club 131 is open to everyone sixteen and over on Friday nights, from 10 p.m. until 2 a.m. It fea-

tures a bar serving nonalcoholic drinks, and a dance floor that will accommodate about 200 people. A little closer to home, the Urban Onion hosts a club called Access in downtown Olympia. However, this ven-ue is less popular, despite its proximity. While youth clubs such as these are obviously less restrictive than school dances, they are by no means un-supervised. Both of the clubs employ full security staffs to ensure the safety of their patrons. Club 131 also has a strictly enforced dress code, forbidding certain articles of clothing, and bringing backpacks or purses into the club. Senior Kim Vivian supports these rules, and said, “I think there are too many people who would get away with things [if there weren’t guidelines].” Not all students who can go clubbing choose to. “I’m not cool enough,” said senior Jordan Bowen, who likes to stay home on Friday nights.

haltSchool dances grind to a “

If we want to make fools of ourselves and dance like freaks, then let us. - Taylor Hetrick

“

illustration by Anthony Collins

Clubbing instead of dances

blazer arts & entertainment [email protected] october 2, 2008

Just about any self-respecting teenager can bump, grind,

and dry-hump their way across an overcrowded dance floor for untold hours into the night. But for senior Gavin Sutherland, dancing has an entirely different meaning. Since Feb. 2008, Sutherland has partici-pated in ballroom dancing lessons at the local Fraternal Order of Eagles

building. Classes at the FOE are $60 per per-son, and meet once a week for six weeks. At the end of the course there is a free dance, to showcase every one’s new talent. Each of these six-week sec-

tions focuses on a specific style of ballroom dancing, such as salsa or merengue. “At first I thought I was going to hate it,” said Sutherland. He hadn’t expected to be very good, but was in for a pleasant surprise. “By the

end of the second week I loved it,” he said. His parents took a class and en-joyed their experience so much that they decided it would be just perfect

for their son. “My dad came home and told me, ‘You’re joining.’”

“I got better than [him] really fast,” Sutherland added.

Ballroom dancing is a classic form of dance, previously enjoyed at lavish parties thrown by rich aristocrats in decades past. The dance is performed by two people, a leader (usually the man) and a follower (usually the woman). The leader will use subtle pressures on his partner’s hand to indicate in what direction to move. The dances are not choreographed, so both partners must have a basic knowledge of the steps involved, or they won’t be able to im-provise and move together.

“Really good dancers can work together without practicing together, because they know how to lead and follow,” said Sutherland. Although classical ballroom dancing is no longer quite as in vogue as it once was, it has seen some popularization recently due to such television hits as “So You Think You Can Dance” and “Dancing With the Stars.” Sutherland denies watching either of these shows, however. During the lessons, partners are randomly as-signed but switched around frequently. This gives everyone the maximum possible experience. “You dance with everybody for a short amount of time,” Sutherland said. “It’s still fun to dance with people who don’t have much experience.” Depending on what step one is working on, the dancing can be an athletic activity, but there’s cer-tainly no reason to worry about having to endure some sort of exhausting workout. “I think I’ve noticed some of the older guys sweat-ing a little,” Sutherland commented. No special uniform is required in order to partici-pate in ballroom dancing, but the type of shoes one wears can make a difference. “I’d suggest getting some hard-bottomed shoes,” Sutherland advised. They will have less traction, which makes it much easier to perform the sliding motions required for good dancing. Timberline students will soon have an opportu-nity to take Sutherland’s advice to heart, as this year he will be starting a ballroom dancing club. “I want to do for other kids what [my teachers] did for me,” he said. The club will be based in one of the science classrooms, because they have the most space and the best floors for this sort of activity. Sutherland will provide music and instruction. He says that it won’t be necessary to bring a partner, as there will be enough solo members for everyone to be able to pair off. The dance guru is encouraging everyone to join the club and try their hand at ballroom dancing. He will not be advertising, but says he is relying on word of mouth to draw a crowd for the first club meeting on Oct. 7. “[Ballroom dancing] is something a lot of kids our age should get into,” said senior Tarah Pierce. Sutherland agrees, enjoying ballroom dancing so much that he hasn’t even bothered to go to a school dance since eighth grade. photo by Sean Van Ausdal

Ballroom dancing: not just for the celebrity stars halt

Seniors Gavin Sutherland and Tarah Pierce get a little close as they warm up to practice the famous “West Coast Swing.”

Less than a year ago senior Gavin Sutherland began ballroom dancing, an activity he hadn’t expected to be so interested in. Next week, he will be teaching others his newfound passion.

By Staff Writer emerSon HarDeBeck

the T-house [email protected]

By Staff Writer John ferreira

Every issue of The Blazer, a staff member is chosen to go out in the hallways of Timberline and get to know someone new. Meet Tyler Powers, a junior, and my new best friend.

Question: So what’s your favorite food?Answer: Hotpockets! What else?!

Q: Do you participate in any activities around school?A: I swim for the school.

Q: What are your specialty events?A: 100m Backstroke, 100m Butterfly, and the 200m Individual Medley.

Q: What are some of your favorite things to do?A: I love to play video games, swim, and kick it with my friends.

Q: Video games huh? Do you like Call Of Duty 4 or Halo 3?A: Call of Duty 4 all the way!!!

Q: What’s the coolest nickname you have?A: Phil.

Q: How did you get that name?A: Together my friend and I are the entity known as Phil.

Q: Want to be my new best friend?A: Fo’shizzle, I be down to be a homie.

FRIENDMY N

EW

best

Every issue of The Blazer Timberline students are asked to voice their opinion on this month’s subject in one, final word. This month’s topic: Britney Spears.

“Famous” - Brett Paintier, junior“Hott!” - Jared Thorne, senior“Eww” - Tashi Kerr, senior“Recovery?” - Brittany Berin, senior“Unpredictable” - Sa Faumuina, junior“Crazy” - Davina Karreci, junior“Pathetic” - Kevin Russell, sophomore“Haha” - Josh Brenneman, sophomore“WTF!?” - John Schuster, junior “Weird” - Brandi Eadie, freshman“Slutty” - Hayley Ziegler, freshman“Red-leather” - Marikka Benson, junior

“Blonde” - Meghan Howell, senior“Drunk” - Korie Osborn, junior“Bipolar” - Savannah Wilson, junior“Slutty” - Gena Irwin, freshman“Trashy” - Courtney Holmoka, junior“Emotional” - Addison Lockhart, senior“Bald” - Taylor Hetrick, junior“Hoe” - Travis Holmes, senior“Overplayed” - David Lawernce, junior“Trainwreck” - Colten Montes, junior“Sexy” - Ashley Gilpin, senior“Pyschotic” - Crystal Lee, freshman

Just for the Halibut‘‘

‘‘

Commentary, humor, satire, and possibly another fish joke, by Shavon McKinstry

FINALwordHeard Hallway

-Anonymous,as always

The Blazer’s Monthly Game:

SudokuNormal Hard

Solutions for Normal sudoku: Solutions for Hard sudoku:

october 2, 2008

in the “

Wait, that Obama guy is black!?

“

Recycling and Your Social Stature

blazer sports24 [email protected] 2, 2008

UTSTIM

E

30 second

By Staff Writer LyndSey KeLLar

Football begins season with comebacks Tomorrow night at 7:00 p.m. at Olympic High School, the Blazers varsity football faces their fifth game of the sea-son with a record of 3-1. Starting off the season, the Blazers lost a close game against Tumwater with a score of 27-32. The following week the Blazers fought back in their second game of the season against River Ridge, and defeated the Hawks for the tenth time. They continued their winning streak with the win, 31-18. “We supported each other and did the assignments we were told,” said Josh Brenneman, a sophomore. Brenneman made two interceptions in the first half. His second interception set up Immanuel Garraway’s two yard scoring run with 2:14 remaining. On Sept.19 the Blazers continued to fight in their third game of the season against North Kitsap. They came back from a 21 point deficet at halftime to win 29-28. Kevin Russell, a sophomore, led the Blazers in the win with three touchdown passes and running for another.

More legs, more enthusiasm With the loss of the C-Team this year for girls soccer, the Junior Varsity team has increased in players to 25 girls. They also gained a new coach, Sarah Smith.

“With more legs, it will be easier to keep going in a game,” said Nesley Bravo, a sophomore. “We’ll always have a replacement if we get tired.” With a record of 2-3, the girls JV team began the season just below even. Their next game is tonight against Auburn Mountainview at South Sound Stadium at 4:00 p.m. Athletes getting their money’s worth In order to participate in a school sport, students at Tim-berline have to pay $75 for an athletics fee, and $30 dollars for the ASB along with it. That is a total of $105 dollars to play a sport in one season. If a student plays a different sport each season, they have to pay $75 dollars for each season. For Tumwater High School students, playing a sport is free. The only amount of money they have to pay is $35 dol-lars for their ASB card. Seniors Sarah and Samantha Dominiak play both varisty volleyball for Timberline and run varisty track. “My family does pay a lot of money for high school sports,” said Saman-tha Dominiak. “But it’s worth it. It’s cheaper than paying for a lot of outside of school sports.”

Mullen selected as Coach of the Week Each week during the high school football season the Seattle Seahawks and the Washington State Football Coach-es Association select two high school coaches as the coach of the week winners. In the third week of September, varisty football coach Nick Mullen received this award. Recipients receive several items and privileges, includ-ing a $500 donation to the school’s football program. “When [they] called me, I was very taken aback. I was surprised, but very honored,” said Mullen. “This season we are getting a lot better, the kids are closer, and they’re having a lot more fun.”

Immanuel Gar-raway, running back, reaches

for a first down against the Tum-

water Thunder-birds on Sept. 5.

The Blazers went on to lose the

game 27-32. The Blazers will take

on the Trojans tomorrow night

at Olympic High School.

photo by Sean Van Ausdal

SPORTSOctober DATES

October 2nd- Boys golf vs. Capital at Olympia CC

October 3rd- Boys tennis vs. Capital at Timberline

Week 1

October 7th- Girls Varsity soccer vs. North Thurston at South Sound

October 8th- Varsity volleyball vs. Enumclaw

Week 2

October 16th- Cross Country vs. North Thurston at home

October 17th- Varsity football vs. Capital at Ingersoll

Week 3

October 20th- Varsity volleyball vs.North Thurston at home

October 25th- Cross Country Sub-Districts at Ft. Steilacoom Park

Week 4

October 30th- Girls Varsity soccer vs. North Thurston at South Sound

October 31st- Varsity football vs. North Thurston at South Sound

Week 5

blazer sports [email protected] october 2, 2008

By Staff Writer Zach Beltramo

For most, if not all of the students at Timberline High School, the first thing that comes to mind when think-ing about the boys’ golf team this year is senior Cameron

Peck. And rightfully so. After winning a total of four national tournaments over the summer, competing in the U.S. Amateur, as well as in a PGA Tour event, Peck has earned his spot as the number-one ranked junior golfer in the nation. “I try not to let it get to my head,” Peck said. Returning from Kentucky just a few weeks ago, Peck also represented the United States against Europe in the Junior Ryder Cup. Out of 24 games the U.S. won 22, almost shutting out the European competition. However, do not allow the accomplishments of one young man overshadow those of his fellow teammates. For up and coming junior John Jordan the rivalry between Peck and himself is nothing short of a friendly one. “It’s really cool to play with him,” Jordan said. “Playing with someone at that ability helped me get better.” At his first match of the season, Jordan shot a 35, beating Peck by a small margin. The two also tied fourth at state this past year. In golf the lowest score accumulated over the entire course determines who wins. A player’s score is determined by the amount of strokes, or swings, it takes to land in the hole. For every hole, there is a specific par, or amount of strokes suggested to finish each one. To win as a team in stroke play, the five lowest individual scores are added together and compared to the other teams. The amount of holes on a course vary between 9 and 18. But despite being ranked as the fourth best golfer in Washington state, as well as being looked at by Division One col-leges such as the Idaho Vandals, Jordan plays for the game not the glory. “I think I have the ability to play at a higher level,” Jordan said, “But I’m not worried about being in the spotlight.” Fellow junior and asset to the team’s success, Ben Talbot works persistently at improving his per-sonal talent while being one of the premiere players on varsity. “I can always get better,” Talbot said, “It’s the way the game works.” Talbot has held a solid spot on the varsity squad since he was a freshman. As for senior Nick Olson, having fun his last year at Timberline is important this season, though he also understands his responsibility to the team. “You got to be a leader,” Olson said. At their recent match at the Illwaco Invitational, Olson shot a 38. His teammates note the consistency of Olson’s scoring and feel he’s a solid addition to the team.

Even some of the new faces on Varsity are showing potential for the year’s ongoing sea-son. Casey Worcester and Brett Pantier, both ju-n i o r s , k n o w t h e y have got a lot left to learn about the game and feel the pressure of staying on top. “There’s a big differ-ence in skill level, being on varsity.” Worcester said. Despite playing on junior varsity last

year, and this year being only his sec-ond season as a golfer, Worcester’s consistent im-provement and tal-ent has earned him respect on the golf course. For playing only the final match last year on varsity, Pantier’s biggest goal this time around is to maintain his spot throughout the season. “I feel sort of ac-complished,” Pant-ier said, “I think that I can do better

than I’m playing right now.” In order to make it on varsity, Pantier had to challenge Matthew Trujillo, a freshman. He won, beating Trujillo 45 to 48. After losing 193 to 213 against Capital High School earlier in the season without Peck’s help, Timberline still upholds a record of 4-1 as of press time. Although Peck wishes he could have been there, representing the country in Kentucky was not worth missing, “The Junior Ryder Cup is a once in a lifetime thing,” Peck said.

Peck far below parSenior Cameron Peck is the nation’s number one teen golfer. But that doesn’t intimidate teammate John Jordan, who beat Peck on Sept. 24.

Hobbies: SnowboardingFavorite Golf Course: TPC Sawgrass in FloridaMemorable Moment: Winning the U.S. JuniorMotivational Quote: “To be the best you have to practice harder than everyone else.”Favorite Band: SilversteinFavorite Athlete: Takeru Kobayashi

Let’s get to know Cameron Peck

Junior John Jordan lines up a putt at the Capital City Golf course.

Cameron Peck displays his US Junior Amateur Cup.

photos by Sean Van Ausdal

blazer sports26 [email protected] 2, 2008

By Staff Writer Bailey Pritchett

The Blazer girls swimming and volleyball teams are kicking and spiking their way to winning records so far this season. Their

road to success, however, has not been easy. Both teams have been “homeless” this season due to construction on the Timberline pool and gym. However, the girls say that they are keeping their heads held high, staying determined, and will fight for success in this nomadic season. Volleyball blocks distractions Practice began differently for the Blazers this year with a new agenda and facility. “We practiced first at Komachin, then at Lakes Elementary, and now at Nisqually,” said Ashley Bent, sophomore. “The nets and courts are different each time. The floors are really slippery so it’s hard to move without falling.” All three teams must work around each other’s schedules in terms of court space and driving. Since the majority of the volleyball team is without a driver’s license, the here-to-there process creates additional problems. Sophomore Joyce Dizon explained that there are many obstacles to overcome at practice. “Usually [practice] is at 3:30 but we had to wait because the elementary school gets out later. Our practice is short because we have to share with the varsity,” she said. Several issues have been presented to the girl’s volleyball team other than the driving and crowded court space. Each practice site that the Blazers have played in each has its own challenges that makes preparing for the game all the more difficult. Regulation net height and court size requires major adjustment on game day, which has proven to have frustrating effects on the players. “Most schools that we practice at don’t have legal courts or legal nets. When we play at games, everything’s different,” said freshman Tiffany Bibeau. “Our serves go into the net instead of skimming the net.” Out of the three schools (Komachin Middle School, Lakes Elementary, and Nisqually Middle School), Nisqually has served as the best facility for the team. With nets at the appropriate height, playing in games is put into better perspective for the players. Come game time, the current home gym for the Blazer Volleyball team is North Thurston High School, “It’s not our home gym, it’s like playing at an away game all the time,” sophomore and captain Gatalina Schuster said. Senior and captain Samantha Dominiak agrees that it can be frustrating but that the mind part of

the game is their strength. “Mentally, we’re in it and always prepared to play,” Dominiak said. Though the absence of a facility stands as an obstacle, there has been no trouble keeping the Blazer spirit alive. Their record at press time is 3-2. Next week Timberline will take on Enumclaw at 7 p.m.

Swimmers in unfamiliar waters Today the Blazers swim against Bonney Lake at 3:30 pm. Like volleyball, the swim team has also had off campus practices this fall. The River Ridge Pool is the present home for Timberline’s swimmers. Instead of the typical get-your-stuff-and-go-to-practice ritual, being at River Ridge at 4:30 p.m. is

the new schedule for the swim team. “We go home and it sucks because we have to get rides from our parents or we carpool with friends. Last year at school, we could just go to practice. I think we have less girls than last year because the pool is farther away,” said sophomore Stacey Ambeau, a varsity swimmer. Where some performances are affected by the environment change, others are just as comfortable. “It’s a pool, it’s all the same,” said varsity swimmer Alyssa Thrasher, a sophomore. According to the swimmers, the River Ridge Pool does have

some positive elements, however. Practice for the diving team moves with more pace now that they have two diving boards and the new pool has had no negative effect in their overall swimming performance. At press time, Timberline’s record was 1-1. The swim team is made up of two groups, swimmers and divers. Each component to the sport has its own physical and mental challenges. “Diving is a more mental thing. When you’re in new places it’s hard to focus because you have to visualize the dive,” said Ambeau. “[As a swimmer] we go for both time and a win for the team. You want to beat your time and the people you swim against,” said Thrasher, who competes in both the 50m freestyle and relay, 100m butterfly, and 50m butterfly and relay. At the Auburn Mt. View swim meet, the Blazer swim team came away with a 109-77 win. Captains Jessica Maze and Alex Luque both contributed with teammates Jocelyn Burwell and Victoria Valles, swimming a 2:15.3 200 medley relay, 13 seconds faster than Auburn Mt. View. Thrasher and Ambeau also helped Timberline in their win by winning all of their events.

Road to successTimberline’s volleyball and swimming teams have been successful this year despite not having a home of their own

“ “

Mentally, we’re always in it. We’re always ready to play.

Sam Dominiak,senior

Megan Jorgenson, a senior, practices her butterfly stroke during a workout at the River Ridge pool.

Jessica Maze, a senior, is a team captain for the girls swim team this year.

photos by Anthony CollinsBrittany Pacheco, Rachael Myers, and the rest of the Blazer volleyball team shake hands with Franklin Pierce.

Sam Dominiak, a senior, deflects the ball in their win against Franklin Pierce.

blazer sports [email protected] october 2, 2008

By Staff Writer Brandon Burrell

Most people avoid running, how-ever, Timberline’s cross coun-try team is out on the field

working for the goal to get to districts. Many students don’t know much about our cross country team, just the fact that they are a fall sport, but after watching a gruesome practice students can get an understanding of what the athletes en-dure day-in and day-out. Their daily regimen starts with a warm-up run and stretching. Practices vary as the week goes on depending on race days. One day could be a four to eight mile run, and another workout could be what Coach Bob Atwell says are “in-tervals” which are a variety of drills con-sisting of 400-800 meter sprints, or a hill workout for difficult race courses. Cross country’s next meet is next Wednesday versus Capital High School at Capital where they will be running the 5k (3.1 miles). Running the 5k might be hard for most people, and it makes people wonder just how the cross country team can keep up

their performance throughout the race. “I definitely watch my diet, I eat carbs like pasta after workouts, and always stay hy-drated,” junior Stan Thompson said. “No one wants to have to stop because of a cramp or lack of water.” The team had their first meet on Sep-tember 9 against River Ridge and North Thurston. “Rachel Estep, Gavin Eilef-son, and Sean Van Ausdal ran very well,” said Atwell. He hopes that they will all keep their fire and progress as the season goes on. Rachel Estep was the runner that achieved the most last year, coming in 56th at state against 161 runners. This year the team’s focus is to get at least one team, a group of seven, to state. The loudest of all the voices on the team is senior Danny Pendragon. He con-tinually leads the cheering at the finish line of every race. Pendragon believes “it gets them into a frenzy” when he cheers for his teammates. “All the teams have a different cheer, I guess ours just makes us different,” said Pendragon. Student attendance at the meets has been low. Student support is needed at

every sport or event, and cross country is no exception. “We only get family and a couple friends at each meet,” said se-nior Jordan Bowen. “Of course I would love to have it like football” Just as foot-ball and basketball are spectator sports, cross country can be included as one too. “If no one came to our games, I would feel like we played for nothing, since football is a specta-tor sport,” said foot-ball player Connor Wilson. Many new people joined the team this year, in-cluding juniors Stan Thompson and Zach Beltramo. The new group of freshmen consists of Josh Gib-bons, Sam Kegley, Patrick Stanton, and Tommy Zow. Cross country also has a group of sophomores with extreme talent

and promise, and this collection consists of Gavin Eilefson, EJ Hardebeck, Owen Davies, and Sebastian Belcher otherwise known as “The Fab Four” by Atwell. Atwell has high expectations for his sophomores, including maybe an early

experience at state, as long as his athletes “keep the fire within them.” With the new league, people might think there is a little added pressure to do better to impress the schools and be num-ber one in the league for years to come. However, the cross country teams feels none at all. “There’s not really added pres-sure with the new league. I guess there’s

more incentive to get better,” said Bow-en. The team is working hard to do well and earn respect in their new league.

Sebastian Belcher, Gavin Eilefson, and Niall Brown at the starting line at the Federal Way meetphoto by Rebekah May

Cross country team to face Capital Cougars on Wednesday

“ “

The most important thing is test-ing yourself.- Stan Thompson,

junior

photo essay [email protected] October 2, 2008

A Knight for a PrincessHomecoming 2008 proved to be an event of fairy tale proportions. All the knights and the princesses came out to dance the evening away, as enchantment and wonder filled the air.

Above: Danielle Garcia, senior, and Sam Agguire, senior, ex-press their enjoyment of the dance. Bottom center: Addison Lockhart, senior, and Sarah Dominiak, senior, smile after being announced king and queen at the Homecoming game Sept. 26.


photo by Desiree Ward



photo by Rebekah MayTop center: Steven Walker, senior, and Nicholas Byers, senior, show theirdancing skills. Above: Samantha VanHarmelen, sophomore, and her friends form a train. Below: Sophomores Caitlin Davis, Diane Nguyen, and Diana Nguyen pose.


Victoria Tuck, sophomore, and Ashley Taylor, sopho-more, radiate with excitement as they rock out.

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October 2008

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