News

Anna Tomlinson
News Editor

Heritage’s Speech and Debate team has had a record breaking number of State participants this year. With seven competitors for state and four National Qualification attendees, Debate coach, Mr. Hamann said, “I’m proud of them for qualifying.”

Because National Qualifications are not dependent on State placement, they were held prior to the State Competition. Senior Teresa Makar took her Oratory speech far as she made it through five of the six rounds at National Qualifications. Though there were no placers at State, junior Hayley Clark and senior Timothy Nakhisa became the first Heritage debaters to ever win a round at the State Competition.

Seniors Teresa Makar and Cheyanne Bare who have both competed all four of their years were proud of the team’s performances overall, as the competition was tough. “It was a great experience,” said Makar.

Erin Roetker
Editor-n-Chief

Believe the rumors. It is true that Knowledge Bowl has recently taken third place at regional’s in Longview. The competitions consist of teams completing three rounds, two oral and one written. There are sixty total questions in the oral round and the teams have to buzz in to answer. Imagine that pressure. The team has had their ups and downs throughout the year during competitions but there is no doubt that practices have been successful.

“We are strong like a covalent bond.” Said Elizabeth Pring. The team is constantly having positive practices while enjoying each others company, displaying their knowledge but most importantly the candy the Mr. Messer provides. Mr. Messer is not forgiven when he forgets the candy. It is a big deal. Practice usually consists of (besides the candy) the students quizzing each other on facts from a packet of relevant information. Mr. Messer has done a tremendous job taking on the lead role with this group. “As a first year Knowledge Bowl advisor, it has been an honor and a pleasure to get to know and work with these students.

I admire them for their resilience and camaraderie, and for keeping it fun and positive-even at the expense of victory.” Mr. Messer stated. Congratulations Knowledge Bowl for your high achievements and keep up the hard work.

By: Michael Noriega
Reporter

Over the past years gas has increased at a drastic rate. In 1995 the gas prices were $1.15 per gallon. Now currently the gas prices are at an all time high at $4.20 but soon to average $5.00 by the summer.
This is a problem for a lot of people like for people who use their cars frequently like to get to their jobs and school.

“They’re too high! And my car only gets like 15mpg,” says Junior Connor Heinz.

“They are kind of high right now. But I think when society adjusts to the change it will not be a problem,” Say’s Junior Emily Ulsh. This is a problem that affects particularly more to teenagers, because it’s a fact that teens 13 through 18.

This costs the teens who can drive and their parents a lot of money to drive back and forth. Gas prices had never been a big deal before because gas prices were reasonable. But now a lot of parents are putting their feet down on giving rides to their kids because the gas prices are too high for them to be wasting to trips to the mall and other places.

“I think the rising gas prices are a huge sign that we need to start thinking more ecofriendly in our lives and switching to a more efficient way of transportation. As the years pass the number of hybrids will be outnumbered by fuel powered cars,” say’s Junior Jay Ulrich.

People need to stop and think about this because this problem is showing signs that it’s only going to get worse before it gets any better. Maybe going ecofriendly is the best thing to do at this particular moment in time.

By Erin Michel
Reporter

If a child goes missing in the United States police are notified and everything is done to bring the child home to their family. They go after the abductor to put him behind bars, so they cannot harm any other child. In Uganda nothing is done for the child to be found, just the sound of silence while another school, town, and house has been swept by Joseph Kony’s child army, known as The Rebels, in Northern Uganda. Though, heartbreaking, it is too late for the U.S. to change the damages of the lost childhoods.

The things that are happening in Uganda are terrible; families are killed, children are getting abused, walking for miles, and the biggest one of all is their childhood being stolen from them forever. No child should have to go through those types of things.

The issue should have been focused on much earlier. Now over 30,000 children have gone missing in Uganda in the last 20 some years that Kony and the LRA been abducting children for his army. Ugandans believe that it’s a little too late for the United States help; and I do agree. This was important to them about 10 years ago, but by now it’s just something normal for them. We could help by sending army forces to train the Uganda’s army to catch Kony, but I believe that this will turn out to start a war with the rebels, because Kony will want to keep his power and army.

These may not affect us physically or nationally, but this is very heartbreaking to know that things like this are happening around the world and it’s normal for them to have those things going on. No matter what color, religion, or gender you are; it should never be okay to let these types of people abuse and abduct children. However, we neglected to care until now and now we can’t do anything about it. If something likes would happen in our country the abductor will be found in 24 hours or less, but 20 years and 30,000 children long gone in Uganda is a way to late for us to help and rebuild Uganda’s family’s and childhoods that have been taken away. The best thing we could do would be to focus on the rebuilding of Uganda and our own issues going on in the United States.

Opinion Editor
Ashley Davis

March 26 to March 30 is Confidence Week. During this week all students are encouraged to participate by not wearing makeup, not styling their hair, and not wearing anything fancy. The purpose of this week is to show the world that each individual is a confident person, even without makeup or cute clothes; the message is that these things don’t define the person.

Confidence Week is being promoted by Mrs. Rice and her health classes. Mrs. Rice was inspired first, when she found a movie called Missrepresentation. The trailer for this movie can be found on Youtube. Missrepresentation is a movie that explores the role of women in today’s society. It discusses the serious issues of how women are viewed as objects, rather than people. It also sends a message of how our society sets unrealistic goals for women to achieve, in order to appear ‘beautiful.’

This video sparked one of her students to suggest that Heritage hold a Confidence Week. Since Confidence Week has been proposed, many other teachers and schools are participating in their own way. Evergreen, Union and Battleground are participating. Mrs. Perez will be exploring the use of Photoshop in ads and the Dove advertisements with her marketing and advertising classes. Mr. Emmert will be taking portraits of people au natural, during Confidence Week, who are committed the cause between 7:30 and 1 in room 601. Mrs. Keller will be exploring what actually goes into makeup, and how we can find more natural products. Mrs. Rice says, “I love to see all of the other teachers participating in this as well, and incorporating these ideas into their classrooms.”

The purpose of this week is really to unite and embrace ourselves as individuals. Mrs. Rice says, “It’s really the elephant in the room. How do we expect kids to go far and go after their dreams if they aren’t confident enough?” Mrs. Rice also admits that it won’t be easy. “It will be really hard for everyone, even myself, but I have talked to girls who are excited to take off the mask and boys who are excited to see girls without so much makeup on.”

Mrs. Rice hopes that everyone, including guys, participate in Confidence Week because, “confidence is not just a girl’s problem.” The message is really to embrace who you are as an individual, rather than how everyone expects you to look.

Anna Tomlinson
News Editor

DECA’s state competition was a huge success as six massive projects were submitted, and all six qualified for Internationals. Having taken twenty-six students to State in Bellevue, fourteen will be moving on to Nationals.

Senior Hannah Terry has been a member of DECA all four years of her high school career, and said it is “something I’ll never regret”. The club has been on an impressive roll this year, winning the newly-added DECA Spirit Award at the Area Nine competition, and by having each one of their six intricately-constructed projects qualify for Nationals. It showed the competition that Heritage DECA is ready to conquer. “I think this is the most successful we’ve ever been,” said Terry.

Terry, along with fellow seniors Fletcher Stenlund and Michael Youngs, began their project back in April 2011, laboring for over eleven months thus far with even more to go. The trio’s project was about public relations, and after their ever-impactful SKID presentation, and after the assembly earlier this year touched the whole school, their estimated impressions spanned about 383,000 people.

Each of the students who competed and took part in the 2012 State Competition worked hard to prepare. Other students that will be attending nationals are: Sophomores Victor Duran, Zach Dyment, Johnathan Hubbard, and DeMitre Rodriguez, juniors Samantha Ballard, Mati Hendrickson, Dakota Kerns, Emily McCoy, Grant Terry, and senior Caileigh Gale. Mrs. Perez, the club advisor said, “It was a fun award celebration for our outstanding students.”

All of the DECA members have worked hard to represent Heritage well, and their success is worthy of congratulations.

Congratulations to Zach Hall as the recipient of the 2012 George C. Marshall Youth Leadership Award. Zach is the second HHS student since 2001 to be selected by the Fort Vancouver National Trust. This is one of the most prestigious youth leadership awards in Clark County and we all should be proud of Mr. Hall and his accomplishments.

About the Marshall Youth Leadership Award: Established in 2000, the General George C. Marshall Youth Leadership Award is presented to a Clark County high school junior or senior who demonstrates leadership, takes a stand for the rights of others, serves as a role model, shows initiative and motivates others to become involved. This award is one of the Celebrate Freedom programs organized by the Fort Vancouver National Trust.

Past award recipients are 2011, Samantha Cahill, Union; 2010, Lindsey Elhart, Hudson’s Bay; 2009, Emma Sagor, Camas; 2008, Renata Fusso, Skyview; 2007, Jane Lee, Mountain View; 2006, Kate Castenson, Mountain View; 2005, Rosalyn Hart, Washougal; 2004, Anya Pavlovic, Columbia River; 2003, Dane Anderson, Prairie; 2002, Kandi Bauman-Garvey, Hudson’sBay and 2001, MaReesa Davenport, Heritage.

Congratulations to Zach Hall as the recipient of the 2012 George C. Marshall Youth Leadership Award. Zach is the second HHS student since 2001 to be selected by the Fort Vancouver National Trust. This is one of the most prestigious youth leadership awards in Clark County and we all should be proud of Mr. Hall and his accomplishments.

About the Marshall Youth Leadership Award: Established in 2000, the General George C. Marshall Youth Leadership Award is presented to a Clark County high school junior or senior who demonstrates leadership, takes a stand for the rights of others, serves as a role model, shows initiative and motivates others to become involved. This award is one of the Celebrate Freedom programs organized by the Fort Vancouver National Trust.

Past award recipients are 2011, Samantha Cahill, Union; 2010, Lindsey Elhart, Hudson’s Bay; 2009, Emma Sagor, Camas; 2008, Renata Fusso, Skyview; 2007, Jane Lee, Mountain View; 2006, Kate Castenson, Mountain View; 2005, Rosalyn Hart, Washougal; 2004, Anya Pavlovic, Columbia River; 2003, Dane Anderson, Prairie; 2002, Kandi Bauman-Garvey, Hudson’sBay and 2001, MaReesa Davenport, Heritage.