SUNLIGHTED DAYS

EMMERT

– Story by Kristin Buehner
– Images by Dylan Smith
– Edited by Adam Strong

February 29th, 2012

 

 

 

My hands cold on the sides of the porcelain sink. I lean in trying to get a good look. It came down to the question of whether or not I really wanted to know myself. Do I really want to wither away? Can I handle my own eyes looking back at me, sunlight extinguished within them?

I splash water on my face, abandon the mirror, and walk out into the hallway. Our house is big. It has the luxury of being spacious, which also means that it feels empty, another place to not fit into.
The only light available in the entire house is a flickering light from the television screen in the living room. All day and all night that screen is on and it’s the only welcome company for my son.
I sit with him, like I do every day.

Ever since Sammi was a baby, TV static was the only way we could ever get him to calm down. He’d go into these states, an anger that swelled and swarmed up, angry bees inside him, tensing up every muscle in his body.
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Girl’s winter recap

Amber Downing
Reporter

Girl’s Basketball
This year the girls basketball team made some great strides. After winning 5 games last year, we ended our season with 11 wins and 8 losses, which is a step in the right direction. they ended up in 4th place in league, and beat Battle Ground who is 2nd place in league, 2 out of 3 times we played them. The girls are graduating 4 seniors, and we will need to work in the offseason to replace them. Our returning ladies will need to step up into larger roles and take this team where they want it to go next season. Our ultimate goal is to always put ourselves in a position to complete in post season play.

Gymnastics
The girls gymnastics team is pretty much undefeated putting them out there as our schools greatest achievers. “we had an overall great season, our team was undefeated. Everyone worked hard and had a blast with each other. I wish the season was longer.” Says Cassidy Larer. The girls worked hard to get to the top and most of the girls admit they will miss the season or will come back to it. “ Im going to miss the girls on the team so much. Everyone was very nice and helpful, I’m proud of everyone, the team did great this season.”Says Jessica Goudge.

Girls bowling
The girls bowling team ended with a bang when varsity bowlers Amanda VanMeter and Katelin Burkhart left for state and bowled against girls from all over Washington. Amanda bowled a game of 1170 total points in 6 games and a high score of 266 landing her in second place in state, and Katelin bowled a total of 224 points and bowled her first 200 game.

Swimming recap

Ronnie Hester
Reporter

The boy’s swimming team consisted of two members, Ben Johnson and Aidan Cogdill. They did not have enough members on the team to win any meets, and it was difficult to get boys on the team since they have to provide their own transportation to Cascade Athletic Club on Mill Plain Blvd.

Last season Johnson swam for Evergreen High School and when he transferred to heritage his sophomore year and has made some very big improvements since he swam at EVHS. Johnson placed at districts and qualified in many different events, he placed 7th in the 200 freestyle with a time of 2:23.78 and 7th place in the 500 freestyle with a 6:50.75. In other events this year, Johnson had a 27.21 in the 50 free, 59.80 in the 100, and a 1:19.33 in the 100 fly. This proves that he has made very big improvements.

“Aidan is a new swimmer and learned a ton that he will hopefully carry on into next season”. Says coach Shoup. “I am also hoping that next season there will be a few more swimmers on the team”, He continues on with explaining That having relays is a lot more fun, and it will increase the chances of winning some meets”. Even thought there were only two guys on the swimming team, they still gave it their all.

Male Athlete of the issue

Ronnie Hester
Reporter

This month’s male athlete of the issue is senior varsity basketball player Cherno Sowe. Sowe has been playing basketball ever since he attended Frontier Middle School, and he achieved being on the “A” team. His hopes for this season are to get a better record than he had last season. He dedicates his time to basket ball every day after school until 5:15.

According to Sowe the biggest supporters to the team are Dakota Kerns, and Alex Sam. “Alex and Dakota have been to every game” says Sowe. “Alex was on the team, but coach did him wrong, and he still comes to every game to support our team, love you Alex!’ says Sowe.

Sowe’s biggest motivation is for him to get better and work harder to get his self ready for college sports. His inspiration would have to be his mother, because she is the strongest woman he has ever met. “Knowing she fights everyday to beat the cancer makes me want to persevere no matter what happens to me.” Sowe tells us.

When Sowe graduates his plan is to go to Western Oregon University, and play international basketball. “Sports have taught me a lot, teamwork, leadership, perseverance, accountability and ownership.” Says Sowe.

Sowe also enjoys taking part in football, and track. Sowe’s favorite memory happened when Tim Hergert had gotten hurt while practice was in session and coach Forbes was about to break down in tears. Before each game Sowe likes to take a pre-game bathroom break, and always listens to Wale’s hit single “DC or Nothing”

“I love everyone that has been a part of my life in anyway,” States Sowe.

“N.G.U;” Never give up. “Only the strong survive” are quote Cherno lives by.

Female Athlete of the issue


Amber Downing
Reporter

This month’s athlete of the issue is junior gymnast Britni atwell. Britni has been doing gymnastics for the school since her freshman year but she has been doing gymnastics since she was two years old. in her free time britni likes to spend time with her friends and family. Her hopes for this are to go to state all around. When Britni isn’t at school or working on her her homework, she spends her time at the gym and works on her routine for 2 hours Monday through Thursday and on Wednesdays she’s there from 3 to 9:30.

According to The Columbian Atwell has won the all-around title at the Winterfest meet with a score of 37.25, just edging out Cadie Pratt of Spokane’s Mead High School (37.2). Atwell also won the vault (9.55) and the floor exercise (9.7). And she was first in her session in the bars (9.0) and was second on the beam (9.0).

Britni’s biggest supporters are her mom and her coach, not only is her coach her biggest supporter but she is also her biggest motivator alongside her teammates. Atwell’s inspiration comes from elite gymnasts Carly Patterson and Shawn Johnson. Britni believes that “if you don’t shoot for the stars and try 100% you’re not shooting for your dreams.” Atwell plans on going to UW (university of Washington) and continuing on with her gymnastics career. Britni’s influence on life is that everything in gymnastics has to be with life as in learning to be determined, prideful, along with learning pace, technique, balance, leadership and teamwork.

Not only does Atwell show competitiveness in gymnastics, but she is also an active member of track and swimming. Atwell has been doing track and field since sixth grade and swimming since her freshman year. She enjoys working out and knowing the fact that she can pick up most boys. Atwell’s favorite memory would have to be when she went to state her freshman and sophomore year.
Before a big meet Britni enjoys listening to music and she wishes all of her teammates good luck. Atwell would like to like to put out they’re still undefeated and still going strong and “I love you girls!”

Importance of Voting

Ashley Davis
Opinion Editor

Many of us at Heritage are eighteen or about to turn eighteen. Conveniently for these people, the elections are coming up. Any U.S. citizen eighteen years or older can vote for local representatives and the president of the United States. For standard registration deadlines, applications or updates must be postmarked or submitted no later than the Monday four weeks before Election Day. Election Day is on November 6, 2012.

Though we are given the opportunity to choose who we want to see in office, many of our youth choose not to vote. The importance of voting, however, is tremendous. Every person eighteen years or older should register to vote and let their voice be heard.

It is up to the people of our generation to make decisions that will better the future of all citizens. By choosing to disregard our opportunities to vote, we are essentially disregarding our freedom. Exercising our rights is what allows us to keep our rights. Voting is one of the most important and direct ways we can affect the government, and express our opinions. It’s an extension of our beloved Freedom of speech.

Ms. Haberl, the CWI and AP Government teacher says, “It’s important for everyone to be civically engaged. Voting forces us to look at what’s happening and what’s going on in the world. You need to learn about the government if you’re going to be in it and take some control; if you don’t vote you have no right to complain. We need to be educated in order to have a better government and move towards a more perfect union.”

If you want to continue to live in a world full of opportunities and freedoms, it is important to actively participate and educate yourself in what is going on in the government offices. Exercise your right to vote, and make the change you wish to see happen in our government.

To register to vote in Washington, or to learn more about it, visit:
wei.secstate.wa.gov/olvrsite

For more information on registration and voting deadlines visit:
http://www.sos.ga.gov/elections/election_dates.htm

Heritage Prison

Marisa Love
Online Editor

Our school has become a prison, like we are all criminals with nowhere to go, like we are hopelessly trapped with no escape. It seems as if students’ opinions don’t matter to the staff; they teach us democracy but they don’t abide by it. Well whether my opinion matters to them or not, I am giving it.

School is supposed to be a place to receive an education, but there should be an element of fun while we’re here. “Tutorial was better when it was with lunch, now it feels like we can’t go anywhere,” says Sophomore Haley Williams. We shouldn’t feel imprisoned like many Heritage students admit to feeling. The new tutorial schedule is a prime example. Now, with two separate lunches there is also a separate tutorial time. Students who already had tutorial are indifferent, but to the other 900 students, this time is tedious. Students are confined to the Den, with the option of escaping to the computer lab or the library. Wandering the hallways is strictly off limits, which is understandable, except how are we supposed to travel from one area to the other? Were we supposed to receive magical powers and I just never got the memo?

More than a few students have had the complaint that while trying to set out to the library, security has stopped them and instructed them to go back to the Den. In the security guards’ defense, how dare these students try to walk from the Den to the library? This is preposterous; students must be trying to start a revolution.

Security says we only have the first couple minutes of tutorial to get where we want to go and we must remain there the rest of the time. A majority of students going to the library just want to check out a book, usually taking 10 or 15 minutes. They don’t want to be stuck there the whole thirty minutes; Students who aren’t officially in tutorial have earned the time to spend with their friends, so why should they be forced to stay in one place? Apparently it’s unreasonable to desire time to check out a book and hang out with friends (even though the free time is well-deserved).

The students trying to go to the computer lab are also in a similar situation. Their only opportunity to use the computer lab is at the beginning of tutorial. Staff claims the St. Helens labs are opened for business, but many students who go there during tutorial without a tutorial pass are being turned away. So students who get grades can’t study too? This leaves an overcrowded den, an overcrowded library, and unhappy students.
The school got rid of one lunch because of overcrowding, but have now recreated the problem by limiting the places we can go. Tutorial isn’t supposed to seem like a punishment, but the way the new schedule is, those of us who don’t have mandatory tutorial are punished. They have made our school like a prison. It doesn’t appear that many issues are being solved with our new schedule. In fact, it has seemed to create more problems and unhappiness among many students.